"Sir, do forgive my... rudeness, but I feel it is completely unwise to be leaving the city with a bunch of vagabond want-to-be heroes."

"Your concern is noted. Why do you think I'm bringing you along?" A smirk tugged at the cheek of the burly man in his white armor as he leaned his arm on the hilt of his greatsword. Most men would have to carry that sword on their backs, but he was a burly enough guy that he could handle having it at his side.

They were meeting their group of recruits in the front gardens within the castle gates, still surrounded by his guards and the safety that was his home. Esmeralda insisted she was coming down, she wasn't about to let him leave without seeing his companions. And he wasn't going to make her go all the way down into the actual city just to do that much.

"Your attempt at humor never works on me, you realize this?" his red-headed knight captain sighed, closing her eyes as she shook her head, tapping her shield against the ground. Her sword wasn't a greatsword, so she had gotten to the point where she could wield a shield in her other hand with the sword in her main.

"You can't blame me for trying. Look, most of the people who are going to be here are going to have an agenda to further their family names in some form another, and none of them would do that if I were to die on the way because everyone would be suspect and all assumed to be lying and Esmeralda would probably have them all killed," he said as he looked over his shoulder as said Empress made her way out of the front gates, "At the very least many will be hoping to make a name for themselves- Heroes of Caradia."

"I won't mention to her that you just depicted her to be quite the bloodthirsty monster," the captain muttered before turning and looking at the currently open gates, waiting to see when their new "companions" would start to arrive. She had no doubt that they would have some sort of an agenda, even if they didn't realize it at first. Why else would they go into a part of the empire that was plagued and overrun by vicious monsters? Then again they could just be crazy.

"Ah good, I got here before they did. So I won't miss a thing," Esmeralda said as she stood next to Balan, crossing her arms behind her back, her white gown, dragging on the ground lightly, much to her maids dismay the blonde was sure.

"Aww, it's like you're trying to match with me," Balan teased her seeing that she was wearing white and just laughed lightly at the less than amused look that both women gave him.

"Balan, my love, why do you feel the need to go do this yourself?" she asked, taking ahold of one of his large arms, "You know that plenty of people would give their lives if you asked it."

"I do know that, but I should be just as willing to give my life to protect them. They depend on me, do they not?" he reminded her and she practically pouted.

Esmeralda turned her attention to the captain, "Osanne, I'm counting on you to bring him home. Caradia needs him more than he realizes," she said and Osanne nodded.

"Of course, my lady," she said before the three turned their attention to see when their guests would arrive.

Kassandra's fingertips rolled gently across the strings of her guitar in a strumming motion and a soft tune was emitted from the instrument as her other hand struck different chords and notes. She sat at the top of a stone wall, a structure which accompanied a singular dirt path on an otherwise untainted field of luscious green. She played the instrument rather quietly, most of the song's details still in her head, as she practiced different strumming patterns. With a pack next resting on the wall next to her, any passer - by would be able to note that she was one of those travelling folk, living off the land and the kindness of others, as she was dirty and carried very little with her.

The young woman had been walking for hours and grew somewhat tired, opting to make a small stop on the way to her destination and rest momentarily. Even still, she couldn't let her mind wander too freely for even a moment, as the instrument before her was put to use in the practice of a song which she had been working on. It was a song that flowed freely, not too structured or harsh in any sense, smooth rhythmic tones dancing back and forth. One could imagine an accompanying band playing a waltz to the leading guitar would be magnificent, to say the least. When it started to get more complicated, her fingers began to trip. Even playing the guitar had started to lose it's allure in this moment of rest.

Kassandra sighed and placed the guitar on the ground, leaning against the wall, and removed an already packed wooden pipe from her pocket. With the sharp pain of a needle being jammed into her chest and a snap of her fingers, Kassandra produced a spark from thin air which created flame within the bowl of the pipe. She inhaled the bitter smoke happily, gripping the mouth of the pipe between her teeth as she geared up to continue forward. Sharp exhales like that of a dragon shot out of her nostrils while she began walking again.

The traveller popped either thumb between the straps of her pack and her body, moving her elbows in such a way that allowed more space for the guitar that rested against her back and to the pack's side. The pipe was still held by her gritted teeth, occasionally shifting in between massive puffs of stale tobacco smoke. The pain of the stab to her chest had yet to dissipate but she knew that it soon would, considering that she had only cast such a small spell. Still, her mind journeyed to the notes of the song that she had just been working on as an attempt to ignore the searing sensation as she walked down the path.

Her day went on like this for the next couple of hours, her thoughts drifting aimlessly around as she trudged forward, noticeably coming upon more civilization when homes and other buildings appeared with less and less intervals between them. She stopped at one point to repack her pipe and to eat an apple. At one point, a beggar boy her was just a few years her minor tried to offer some sensual words, to which she replied with a quick motion to her own short sword (though she would not have used it if her life depended on it).

It was another hour or so before the bard happened upon the city. Grander than anything she could have imagined but still managing to be just as mundane as she had seen before. The young woman made her way through the streets and to the the noble district in which the imperial castle was located. Kassandra walked up to the front gate, noticing a pack of regal looking folk, both armored and not. A curt grin wrapped around the girl's lips.

"Ya' folks here for some perilous journey inta' plague infested and monster haunted territories in an effort to save an empire or...?", Kassandra toyed before offering a small giggle, "I kid, I kid! Looks like I'm at your lordships' royal knighting ceremony, aye?". The girl dropped her pack and guitar, offering a warm smile to the company that she had come across. Kassandra grabbed at the flask hooked to her belt, flicking her pierced tongue and reeling a bit at the smell of strong liquor before quickly downing a bit of it and throwing a curt nod to the emperor, empress, and knight. She hooked the flask back onto her belt before collapsing onto the ground and leaning against her pack, soon swooping up her guitar and playing.

"Looks like this is where I lay", the young girl said as she swept a few notes and descended into a song. Kassandra played a song of the travelling Isk'bet people, whom she had spent some time with in her first year on the road, those who moved from place to place as their nomadic ancestors once did in caravans. It was fast paced and heartwarming, demanding attention and cheerful. Without using words, the song spoke of a joyous folk who proudly lived every day as if it were a wake.

Although Kassandra didn't have many skills, she knew that this adventure would be one for the storybooks and that they would need a great artist to transcribe the tale into both music and literature. The bard hoped that the lord and ladies in front of her would be impressed and agree to take her upon this supposed suicide mission, despite her age and demeanor.

" And make sure to bring me back something nice, cursed if you can manage it. " The old lady said with a wink, it was hard sometimes, trying to figure out if what she said was a joke or if she was actually serious. " your brothers are in bed, you should leave before they protest."

Navi nodded with a smile, hugging the little old lady. " Alright GramGram, I just hope we won't be going theough any cold areas, cant't stand the cold. " She said as she finished packing her bag, stuffing empty bottles between clothing and a journal filled to the brim with plant records, a gift from the old lady.

Gram cackled loudly, a twinkle in her eye. " Well if that happens, you find the nearest strapping young lad, and hold on for life... and for the warmth I guess. " Gram finished this with a wiggle of her eyebrows and another wild laugh.

Navi could almost still hear that laugh as she moved slowly through the lower city streets. The first thing she noticed was the size of the place itself, the second being how close together some of the buildings were, it kind of spooked her a little. Nothing could comare though, to the sudden burst of quiet terror when she noticed the castle, two-legs sure liked to make their places big and imposing.

Making her way to the palace garden took awhile, and it certainly made it no easier when a guard would stop her every few feet to question her, one was even forward enough to ask if she was there to eat someone. She took no real offence to any of it, and any questions of the same caliber would be answered with an upturned nose and her moving on.

After a while she eventually reached the castle gardens, and was filled with a mix of releif and annoyance to see she had not been quite as late as she thought. As she approached the three very important looking figures she bowed gently, it being the only thing she could think of doing when meeting royalty. " My name is Navi, I do hope my arrival is not unwelcome. I hope to join you on this journey, an alchemist would not be unwelcome yes? I can create many a potion for different uses, both to aid and... harm, if the need arises. "

The Capitol City of Caradia was a large, sprawling urban landscape- its outer walls stretching further than the eye could make out unassisted. Sentries clad in bright tunics and shiny helmets patrolled the outer walls, crossbows in hand, keeping the city's occupants safe. Towering above the sea of red shingled roofs of the city's homes and businesses was the the Imperial Palace, a massive structure of ivy covered gray stone. The great windows and tall spires of the almost bleak fortress hovered over the rest of the city like a mountain peak overlooking the small village that formed at its base. Even the largest cities in Lumoise weren't quite as large or impressive. Much like the land of Caradia itself, its Capitol City could only be described as expansive.

Emil craned his neck looking at the tallest spires of the mighty citadel, threatening to pierce the clouds with their point, and couldn't help but to shiver. He pulled his cloak closer around him, his armor clinking lightly as he adjusted himself. Emil had, at his family and friends' suggestion, put on a shirt of chainmail underneath his tunic, supported by a stiff chestpiece of leather, paired with a set of leather vambraces and boots. This was more to appear as at least passingly competent rather than to actually function- as while he looked less like a hardened mercenary and more like an over-adventurous farmhand, he at least appeared to have more sense than the average farmhand wandering away from home with just a tunic and a naked sword. Also, as many had pointed out, magic and mages in Caradia were viewed with a mixed opinion, so the fewer people that knew he was a mage, the better. Still, the short pilgrim's cloak that wrapped around his torso, with its distinctive designs around the hems made it obvious that he was a traveler from Lumoise, or at least one who appreciated Lumoisian fashion. With one hand, Emil pulled at the leather strap that bound a sword to his shoulder, with the other he pulled at the guiding reins of a slightly swaybacked pack horse that carried the rest of the belongings he brought along during his pilgrimage, including his staff, wrapped in cloth and leather to keep the gem head hidden.

He crossed the gate at the outer walls without much difficulty- plenty of travelers made their way in and out of the city under the slightly lazy watch of a quartet of halberd bearing guards at the gate. The trek through the city was long, but relatively uneventful. The main roads were congested with foot traffic, and while far from shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, did slow down his travel to the castle. While part of Emil wanted to take a good look around the grand city, he was here for a singular purpose, and the call of street vendors and merchants asking for him to stop and spend his money would not tempt him- at least not today.

The guards at the castle gate at least, were more stringent than the guards at the outer gate. The guard's sergeant stopped Emil before he entered with a gauntleted hand. Underneath the sergeant's helmet was a thick beard and a thick scar over a permanently closed eye.

"Halt," came the bored but gravelly voice of the guard. "What's your business here?"

"I-I uh." Emil answered, stumbling slightly with his words, "I heard that the Emperor is leading an expedition to find the source of the monsters and was looking for volunteers. So uh, I'm here to volunteer."

"Hah. Of course you are." the scarred veteran scoffed before using his one good eye to give Emil a look over. "Pah, you don't look like you're any older than my own son. A long way from Lumoise, aren't ya?" the guard asked, gesturing towards his cloak.

"You should be at home, helping your father tend the fields. Must be one of those other fool village boys looking for a taste of adventure eh? Come on then, tell me. What manner of brave, battle hardened killer are you?"

"I'm not a killer." Emil replied meekly, "I'm a healer."

"Bah, whatever." the guard snorted with a dismissive wave, "Head on in, you'll be sorted out soon enough."

Just inside the castle gates, by the garden was a trio of noble looking figures- two of them wearing bright, well polished armor. There were a few other notably 'adventurer' types nearby them, so Emil assumed he was in the right place. One of the potential adventurers had sat herself on the ground before the Emperor and his cohort and played music. The second adventure caused Emil's heart to seize in panic for a moment as he noticed that she lacked legs but in fact had the lower body of a serpent. A Naga- Emil had only heard of them in Lumoise, they weren't native to that region, and even in Caradia they were exceedingly rare.

Looking around somewhat awkwardly, Emil slowly and quietly made his way over to their small gathering toward's the tail-end of the Naga's introduction. Taking it as his turn for introduction, he mimicked the Naga's bow and lowered his head before the noblemen.

"My name is Emil." he said quietly, "I'm a- a healer, from Lumoise. I'm in Caradia to complete my pilgrimage." He continued with a slight stutter, careful not to reveal his nature as a mage. While magic was regularly associated with Lumoisian people, it still wasn't incredibly common, and pilgrims from Lumoise while uncommon, were not unheard of. Pilgrimages were a regular part of Lumoise adulthood traditions, and would-be mage-knights, scholars, warriors and merchants alike made pilgrimages around the land.

The guards were, frankly, a bit of a surprise. Elodan had always know he had a bit of an inflated opinion of himself, but still, it seemed improper that guards should attempt to deter his entrance. He was a famed bard, for Iara's sake! Perhaps his notoriety hadn't yet reached this far, but even so, his garb and manner of speech should get him in anywhere! What nonsense. Well, he would see about that.

"Your pardon, sirs!"

"You again. What do you want this time, bard?"

"Went, sirs. Elodan Went."

"Maybe it's time you Went somewhere else, hmm?" The guards chuckled at that one. Elodan frowned. That was one of his go-to puns. It was a shame to have it stolen by a common guard. Jokes weren't like biscuits. Once someone had heard a joke, that was it. It wouldn't be as funny the next time. Biscuts, on the other hand, were always delicious.

"Very clever, sirs! Very clever indeed! Why, I never thought of such an observation." By Jirys, it was hard to keep up the proper speaking. Accents were like cloaks, though. Wearing the right one could get you most anywhere.

The bard straightened his cloak a bit, adjusting the stringed instruments that hung from straps over his shoulders. He was beginning to think he had brought a few too many. "Well. If it is of any note, I trained for a time under Hoyed of Witton. He was as much a jester as a flutist. If I were to entertain the benevolent ruler, that would hold up as valuable as well, no?" He contorted his well-fed face into what he imagined a jester might look like.

The guards glanced between each other, apparently communicating through some arcane, silent method. That, or just considering the simple question of whether or not to permit entry to the apparently-unarmed storyteller.

"Aye, you can come on in."

"You have my thanks, sirs. I promise you, your faith is not misplaced!"

"Ehh, I regret it already."

Elodan didn't wait for the imposing fellow to change his mind. With a bounding gait, he hurried inside, his merlin bouncing against his back in its case over his shoulder. This was what an adventure was supposed to begin like! A gathering of heroes, and here he was to tell the tale! Ah, they would repeat the ballad he composed for generations! As he strode into the inner courtyard, he sighted the would-be adventurers.

He spent another moment looking around. This couldn't be it. There were so few... swords. And was that a child? Dear god, it got worse. A serpentine creature would make an excellent addition to an epic, but near her, strumming away, was another bard! She appeared to have a lute, and he saw no wind instruments, but even so... It would hardly do for another to replace him. Perhaps replace was the wrong word. He didn't have the role, yet... He'd have to put his best face forward. Even a king had to be impressed with a student of Gerhan Luteman!

With all the stealth of a sleepwalking hippopotamus, Elodan edged toward the red-haired bard, who was playing a lively tune he had somehow not heard before. He did his best to remain patient as the young woman played, and as she did, he appraised her appearance. She, frankly, looked a bit rough. Plain clothes, a bit dirty... He shivered a bit. She looked like a true threat. By all appearances, she was a wanderer, perhaps an Isk'bet, by the sounds he slowly began to recognize. Apprenticeship under masters was one thing. Real-world experience with culturally-musical people... that was another.

Out of respect and concern, Elodan kept quiet, choosing instead to carefully tune his merlin to its optimal settings for one of his more rowdy bar songs. The king looked like a sturdy fellow. Surely he enjoyed a bawdy tune or two... Elodan considered the idea, while keeping near the other bard, and keeping a close eye on her as well.

Yarri had already spent more than a week on the road, trying to get to the capital of Caradia in time. Walking through the countryside with just Luna beside her made her happy. She was a little nervous when she realized that soon she will have to travel and eat and sleep and possibly fight with a bunch of complete strangers. But, as her father always said, ‘Once you've got a task to do, it's better to do it than live with the fear of it.’

As she neared the capital, there were more and more people on the roads and most of them looked at Luna with fear. When she finally reached the city, she couldn’t help but stare with her mouth open. Never in her wildest dreams she could imagine such beautiful and huge structures being built. She realized that she was standing in a marketplace which was larger than her entire village. Most of the people have been dressed in beautiful and colorful clothes made of soft and no doubt expensive fabrics.

Yarri tried not to get into anyone’s way, but it was almost impossible. Luna wasn’t enjoying the crowd either. She growled quietly, overwhelmed by the noise and all the different scents. Unfortunately, one of the well-dressed ladies picked that very moment to look at them. When she heard Luna growl and saw her teeth, she just gasped for air. “A beast!” she mumbled and fainted.

Yarri stood there stunned by surprise, not having any idea what to do. ‘This was a bad idea,’ she thought as she tried to get out of the marketplace. When she finally reached a quieter alley, she opened her backpack and took a long piece of leather out of it. Luna growled louder. “I am sorry girl, I know you don’t like it, but these people are going to kick us out of the city, if they see you as a threat.” With those words, she tied the leather around Luna’s neck, creating sort of a leash. It was mainly for comfort of those around her; Yarri knew very well that if the wolf had decided to attack someone, there was a very little she could do to stop her.

Closer to the palace she got, the more buildings seemed crammed to each other, making Yarri feel extremely uncomfortable. She still had to stare at everything. Large glass windows, beautiful mirrors, tons of golden and silver jewelry, decorated by what appeared to be diamonds of all colors and shapes imaginable. Fabrics so soft it felt like a wind on her skin. In her old clothes, scratched and somewhat dirty from the road, she felt strongly that she didn't belong here. She pulled Luna closer and hurried towards the castle gates.

Yarri noticed a bunch of people already standing around. Some of them were dressed like she was – clothes for the road, not for showing off their wealth. Yarri froze when she noticed there were two people in a shining armor and one person in a beautiful white dress. ‘What the hell was I thinking coming here? That is the KING AND QUEEN!’ she thought, terrified. She knew the king planned this expedition, but she didn’t really think that he would come here to talk to the people himself. Not even speaking about the queen.

Yarri also noticed some strange, non-human looking figure amongst the others, but she couldn’t care less about it. There could be a dragon standing there and she would still be more terrified from talking to the king. ‘Once you've got a task to do…’ she mumbled and headed towards the group, trying to look as brave as she could. Once she got to the group, she bowed deeply before the king. “Sit,” she hissed at Luna so that no one else could hear it.

“My lord, your… majesty,” she started, realizing that she had no idea how to properly address a king. “I… My name is Yarri Anderly, I am a hunter and it would be an honor for me if I could join your group.”

In the days following Adjantis' exile from the priesthood a feeling of freedom and vigor began to build within him to the point of intoxication. He fattened himself with aspirations of purging monumental evil in service to Iara. By his zealous reasoning it was divine intervention that an expedition was to take place destined for a plague ridden part of the country surely populous with all manner of wicked and contemptible evils.

Adjantis had lived in the capitol city his entire life and always looked to the castle in awe as it towered over him always. Consumed with religious studies he rarely ventured far from the cathedral, and felt his head pull ever backwards as he made his way to the palace. He gripped his hammer tightly as he approached the cyclopean gate. However, before he was even within shouting distance to the sentries, a guard began to approach him.

"No preaching today friar. Official business only." the guard barked extending portly plate covered hand in his face.

Adjantis scowled at the guard. Not only was this man standing between him and his divine purpose, but he detested being mistaken for a friar solely on the principle that it wasn't his former title.

"I've come to purge, not to preach." he said deeply, gripping his hammer tightly.

The guard stared at him with a confused expression, and began to visually scan Adjantis up and down. When at last it dawned on him that Adjantis was referring to the expedition, the guard lowered his arm.

"Fine, but if I hear preaching!" he barked, stomping his poleaxe on the stone road.

Adjantis responded with silence and stormed past the pudgy guard.

As he approached the gate sentries he watched as they rolled their eyes at the sight of him. 'Faithless heretics' he thought to himself.

Stepping under the colossal walls he entered the castle's gardens. They appeared truly heavenly, all manner of colors and shapes, smells and sounds arranged in such a manner so as to utterly overpower visitors with a sense of peace and tranquility. As he recovered his senses Adjantis caught sight of what he was looking for. Positioned ever so invitingly in the garden were the Emperor and Empress, accompanied by the much less inviting Knight Captain he recognized.

Adjantis recognized the crimson haired woman from an encounter years ago. He had made an attempt in the past to stir the populace with zealous accusations of wickedness and corruption within the city's ruling land barons. His speech produced... mixed results at best which began to synthesize bickering and infighting amongst those who bothered to stop and hear his righteous condemnations. A detachment of guards were soon dispatched to quell the disturbance, led by a young red haired knight, now a knight captain.

Adjantis approached the trio stoically.

"Captain." he nodded facetiously before bowing his head to the Emperor and Empress.

"I come before thy celestial grace to pledge my body and mind to you in pursuit of the divine goal to wipe out the wicked evil that threatens this consecrated land."

The Knight Captain snapped her fingers and motioned towards a group that had gathered in the garden. Adjantis had to fight with almost all the strength he could muster not to frown at the disrespect of the gesture. Respectfully he rose his head and made his way towards the group.

He could see a few adventurers had already gathered for the expedition, though he was certain none possessed the same fervent goals that guided him here.

Scanning the group he noticed a young woman sat playing a guitar and singing. He had to admit the music did help add to the beauty of the garden, but he much preferred the cathedral's choir chants and song. Once Adjantis could block out penetrating tune he noticed the Naga. She looked as if to imitate that of a contorted weed placed to sabotage the astounding beauty of the garden. Reeling in disgust he next noticed a young man with blonde hair tied back in some fashion. Adjantis was never given the opportunity to indulge in the many hairstyles that decorated the people of the world. A bald head symbolized purity and devotion in youth and only in his older age had he been afforded the privilege to grow his hair as a symbol of wisdom in elders, though years of shaving and keeping his crown wrapped in a novice's hood had done him no favors.The boy seemed dressed for adventure though unfamiliar in style and markings. Fit, but at the same time meek. Adjantis was beginning to wonder if these were adventurers or simply spectators aiming to see off the real adventurers.

Spotting another bard Adjantis attempted to convince himself these must simply be employees of the Emperor, meant to liven up the garden. To his dismay the bard's gear mirrored that of the other, dressed for long journeys and visibly armed unlike the bright and colorful attire one would expect from a royal minstrel. Finally he saw a woman accompanied by a wolf. She had a wild look about her eyes as if possessed by the animal companion that stood by her. It was another concept all but foreign to him, that of animal companionship. He wondered how she had such control over it, impressed as he watched it sit obediently by her side.

Having surveyed those who had arrived before him, he took his place where the Knight Captain had instructed. He stood apart from the group, head down and hammer in hand. Waiting patiently for the word of the Emperor.

Gareth Arenar

Gareth had intended to arrive earlier, but in truth he was not overly familiar with the city's layout. He had, after all, just arrived a few days ago, after a fifteen day voyage, the memory of his confrontation with his brother still fresh on his mind. No doubt it was fresh on his brother's mind as well. And his face.

Gareth had only just finished settling into the city when he had heard about the expedition. And it was well-timed, too. Between paying for the horse, purchasing provisions to keep his hunger sated on the road, booking passage on a ship that would carry both him and his horse, and finding an inn to stay at, his money was nearly gone. Not that gold was his motivation, of course. It was just rather convenient.

As he approached the castle gates, the guards had naturally barred his entrance. "Who goes there!?" They had demanded.

"My name is Gareth." Came the unblinking response in the accent of a Sorusian aristocrat, only slightly diminished by his years patrolling the streets and associating with commoners. He thought it best not to reveal his family name just yet, however - though he still considered himself an Arenar despite his wrongful disownment, he was also a fugitive, even if he was leagues from home. "I am answering the Emperor's call to arms." He added, in a commanding tone.

The guards recognized his highborn posture and authoritative voice, and his expression yielded no trace of deception, so they stood aside and allowed him access.

As he stepped into the garden, he immediately did a double take, his usually stern expression briefly caught off guard by the sight of some sort of scantily clad woman with the lower half of a snake. He had read stories of such creatures, but he never believed they had actually existed - and yet, here she was.

He recovered quickly enough, and went to examine the rest of the party. Other than the snake woman and the Emperor himself, the other one who immediately stood out to him was a nervous-looking white-haired woman with a wolf companion. That certainly sparked his interest, and although he was not normally talkative he made a note to strike up a conversation with her at some point. The Emperor and his companion looked like capable fighters, well equipped for the task ahead. But the others...

He was not impressed.

At least three of them looked ill-equipped for any sort of heavy fighting, and two of those seemed too young to have any serious practical experience. One of those two had been singing - Gareth didn't mind music, but this seemed like a rather odd situation to be doing it. There was another man who had the look of a warrior priest, and seemed to carry the warhammer with confidence, but there was a look in his eye that Gareth wasn't quite comfortable with. Truth be told, he had been expecting a more disciplined group.

Putting his thoughts on his future companions aside, Gareth approached the Emperor. His armor had been meticulously cleaned and oiled beforehand. Coming to a stop next to the white-haired huntress, he bowed to the leader of a foreign nation he had only just arrived in. "Your Imperial Majesty," he began in a mechanical voice. "I am Gareth of Sorus."

To say that Osanne or Esmeralda were impressed with the turnout would be a lie. Osanne looked somewhat annoyed- though considering her expression was always close to a scowl, it was hard to tell the difference in her expression. Esmeralda's face was blank, doing her best to maintain a professional expression of some kind. Who were these random people? Was this the best there was? At least there were some that seemed to have some idea of how to survive in the wilds, but seriously?

Balan, on the other hand, was practically beaming. In this moment, seeing this ragtag band of different people, all he could think was how proud he was of his people because of the fact they were brave enough to answer the call. Regardless of where they were going, these people were brave enough and willing enough to step forward and possibly sacrifice themselves for this country. As its leader, how could he not respect that? A Naga even showed up, a curious thing indeed! Did that mean they realized the peril this plague was for them as well? Or did she stand alone?

"Well met, all of you," He boomed, speaking louder and clearer than before as Osanne cut the bard a glare, wanting them to stop playing already, "I am not in the position to be turning away any help as we go forward on this journey, but I will warn you. This is not a cake walk, this is not going to be even remotely easy. In fact, you could possibly lose your life on this journey- not that the Knight Captain or I will willingly stand by and let that happen. We will do what we can, but in the end, some things cannot be avoided. We will be entering places where monsters and sickness have laid seige to the people and the land."

"The monsters are no laughing matter either," Osanne picked up from there, "Reports detail the beasts to be of varying sizes, but none smaller than a human child. Their bodies are black like ink but hard like stone. They have claws made of broken bits of bone sharpened to a point. Their heads are varying animal skulls, depending on the size of their bodies. We've not determined how the beasts move or plan, or if they even do, but we have determined with some certainty that the beasts that have any sort of control over the others had marks cut into the skulls," she explained.

"Knowing this, and knowing that you may be exposing yourself to the plague, I would not think less of you if you wish to turn back now," Balan said, "Once we begin this journey, turning back will not be so simple. Do you still willingly cast yourself in to the line of danger in the name of this great country?" he asked, though it looked like Osanne wanted to amend that statement. She was sure some were here for personal reasons, but she let the Emperor have his moment.

When the emperor himself spoke up, Kassandra's hands went still. A small reverbnation from the strings of her instrument was the only thing that emanated from the girl before that too went quiet. She listened very intently to the royalty, absorbing the details of his rhetoric with extreme concentration. She spotted that the knight was giving her a rather strong glare as the emperor spoke, taking note of the woman's demeanor. Kassandra gave the stranger a nod as she had done earlier, though this time it was one of acknowledgement and partial humility.

Kassandra set her guitar on the floor beside her, pushing herself up to stand as the emperor finished his speech. It was a lot to take in at first, the danger and excitement of it all! Plague, monsters, adventure! Something about the risk brought a overwhelming feeling from inside herself, a sense of strength and inspiration. She just wanted to do what she could for her fellow man and this seemed to be the best option. At all costs, Kassandra would do what the weaker - willed could not and make a sacrifice for the greater good. There was no going back now.

Most interesting were the monsters themselves. She had heard some small rumors about their very existence but hadn't learned of any details in her travels. To hear that they were demonic and rogue - like was surprising to say the least, as Kassandra had always pictured them to be more beastly. What foul sorcery layover this land in order to cause both plague and devil? Surely, these two incidents were both related for the creatures were otherworldly.

The bard clapped a bit in a condescending manner, trying to break a sense of lighthearted tomfoolery to the very serious nature of the situation. She took the lord's words very seriously but there couldn't be a moment of dullness if she could help it. Some of the people around her looked like they could stand to take things in a less serious manner anyway.

"If this is the least I can do for all those good folks out there, then I'm in. Kassandra Blackbriar and company to the rescue, aye?", the young girl sputtered out with a hint of laughter behind her words. Kassandra smiled heartily and looked over the crowd curiously as a hand swept to the flask at her side once more. She was curious as to the others' reasoning for jumping onboard such a perilous mission, though she would not verbally question it. She wanted to believe that they were all here to do something good for the world, as selflessly as possible.

"One day, this will be quite the tale. One of swords and arrows, of might and magic! Gangrel - folk and nobleman alike joining together to slay beasts and end illness! We'll all be forever entrenched in the rich annals of history should I have my way. Let's see what we can't do, aye?", The traveller spoke before taking a long gulp from the flask in hand. She could feel the warmness of the alcohol penetrate her soul as her inhibitions started to fade.

The musician flipped up the hood of her shawl and folded her arms, interested in what anyone else might have to say.

After introducing herself to the king, Yarri stepped aside and finally calmed down a bit. She still couldn’t believe it. ‘The king! I spoke to the king!’ She looked around excited, finally paying attention to the other adventurers.
Most of them didn’t look like they could be much useful in the fight, but Yarri decided not to judge them by first sight – they might have some useful hidden talents. Two or three of them did seem very young though. Only one man seemed like a true warrior, most of his body covered in shining armor, with a big sword at his waist.
One other man seemed to be equipped for fight, but Yarri wasn’t exactly sure she would want to fight by his side. Despite wearing priest robes, he didn’t look friendly or even trustworthy. There was something weird in his eyes and Yarri shivered when she noticed him studying her.
But no matter where she looked, her eyes always seemed to end up on the naga. She just couldn’t help it – up until a few minutes ago she thought these creatures were just a myth, a fairytale to scare children. Truth be told, Yarri thought the girl was very likeable, she just couldn’t stop staring at her tail.
Finally, the king spoke, addressing all of them. Yarri nodded as he spoke about the danger of the journey – some of the people didn’t seem to realize this wasn’t going to be a short trip from one inn to another. As the guardswoman spoke about monsters, Yarri realized one thing the king said. He said, ‘the Knight Captain or I’. She almost gasped for air. ‘Does this mean what I think it means? Am I going to spend the next few weeks with the king himself?’
Yarri frowned slightly at the mention of the possible exposure to the plague. Hopefully it won’t come to that. When the king finished his speech, the girl with a guitar stepped forward. She didn’t seem to be taking the matter very seriously.
Yarri stood next to the bard, Luna following her quietly. “I will gladly pledge my life to protecting the kingdom and its people,” she said with a slight bow.

Amidst the bustle of the local market stalls & loud traders, Rin stood sampling one of the stalls various drinks before returning the ladle with a polite smile "a little bland for my tastes i'm sorry to say and a tad weak..." the trader gave a wide grin "forgive me miss, perhaps this wine will be more to you're liking its imported from abroad & has a strong arousing aroma and the taste shouldn't disappoint!" as he finished he handed the refilled ladle back. Rin drank it which resulted in a more self satisfied smile this time, the tip of her tongue quickly flashed along her lower lip before she handed the ladle back to the trader "a small portable cask of that wine will do nicely!" the trader eagerly nodded with a wide grin and set off into the small tent behind his stall calling his assistant over.

A short time later Rin was slowly wandering through the market hauling a small barrel under one arm when she noticed several laborers & merchants chatting & loading goods onto a wagon, she also noticed a small child slowly moving towards the wagon having avoided the others attention as he stretched his arm to reach into one of the hemp bags that had just been loaded, just as he almost grasped at its contents his hand got a heavy wack from a sword scabbard with a yell & spinning on his feet he turned to face Rin who stood with her sword resting on her shoulder grinning at him "It's not nice to steal from folk kusottare!". The kid was glaring with tear soaked eyes while grasping his hand but that last word threw him into confusion for a brief moment "I-i hate you y-you ugly old bat!" and with that he took off through the market, in a momentary lack of composure & seething rage Rin nearly threw the cask to the ground as it visibly bounced but remained intact as it hit the surface "un-ga-ly old bat?!, GET BACK HERE YOU...", She made to chase after him when a soft familiar voice called out to her "Its pronounced 'ug-ly' Rin, and i noticed you vulgarly resorted to our native tongue, due to a lack of the native vocabulary perhaps?, must we go back to language lessons Again?!" the young girl jested as she emerged from the small group of merchants who were chuckling as they followed behind her.

Rin went a little sheepish as she regained her composure "i assure you, you've instructed me well on the language here, i... just lost my temper okay". Rin wasn't an intellectual like Sena and the last thing she wanted was more lessons she barely survived the mental torture the last time.

Sena checked the wagon before sighing "yes i see the immense amount of harm that poor child would of caused by stealing a single fruit from our supplies... he was likely starving Rin you needed be so cruel!". Rin tried to retort when one of the merchants with dark hair spoke up "Not at all my little lady the urchins around here are a constant annoyance!, if you allow them an inch they'll take a mile! i am always complaining to the guards to increase the security here but alas my words fall on deaf ears every time!" an an older graying merchant looks to the other "if it were up to you Alric half the city would be locked in the dungeons and only nobility allowed to walk the markets".

The first merchant grumbled in a huff but remained quiet as a third young lighter haired merchant stepped forward towards Rin "What i fear is that child had failing sight because none but the blind could possibly call this startling young beauty ugly, even infuriated i was mesmerized by you ma'am". An audible groan emerged from a couple of the merchants "he's at it again!", "well he's not wrong", "he flirts with every pretty face that so much as passes him in the street, he's driven potential customers away multiple times not to mention the amount of angry & jealous boyfriends'n husbands that come complaining!", something of a hushed debate erupts from the merchants while the laborers who no longer had orders being barked at them stood laughing at the merchants rantings & tales.

Rin just politely smiled at the young man giving a slight nod as she leaned slightly to look past the man at Sena as if to ask if she had finished her dealings to which she nodded in reply as she climbed onto the wagon & took the horses reins "We'll Gentlemen it was a pleasure doing business with you and thank you again for the bargain with this wagon" the graying merchant laughed "Not at all my dear the pleasure was ours not often do we get to stock such exotic goods from beyond the likes of Lumoise or Waylox i dare say we'll earn a tidy profit, it's a deal well worth one of my sturdy an dependable trade wagons!". Rin couldn't help but think the older merchant was trying to hard to sell something which he'd already sold but the exchange of courtesies between him & Sena it was likely some merchant version of etiquette Rin guessed as she walked over continuing to politely ignore the uncomfortably close young merchant who'd been spewing endless compliments practically into Rin's ear she was sure the only reason he hadn't tried to place a hand on her was due to her still holding her sword against her shoulder tapping it occasionally as a subliminally discreet warning.

Sena spoke up "Well we're off good day to you all!" the young merchant suddenly broke away running back a bit & calling back to Rin "wait my beautiful flower!" Rin's eye twitched at that comment but she turned with a kind smile "what is it?" as she asked she noticed him holding a small cask walking towards them, as Rin fell silent trying not to look at Sena who's stare she could feel burning into the side of her head almost flinching as Sena spoke "Oh What's in that small barrel Rin? something catch you eye when you were browsing the market stalls". Rins mind was racing in the panic "ah... it's..." when the young merchant spoke again Rin noticing he'd removed the cork in the barrel momentarily & slammed it back in "Such a fine taste in quality Wine it's an exquisite vintage i must say!you're a woman after my own heart truly...". He went on but Rin was torn between falling to the ground apologizing to Sena before she got too angry & kicking the life out of the young merchant.

To Rin's surprise however a quiet sigh came from beside her "Would you mind loading it onto the wagon kind sir?" the young man gave a bow "At once my dear" he replied to Sena as he quickly loaded it onto the back of the wagon he continued rambling on trying to gain Rins attention in particular as they left.

A short while later as Rin walked in silence alongside the wagon Sena was driving "i don't like it when you drink" Sena pouted as she stared off down the street breaking the silence, "it's just a little" Mumbled Rin as she looked off to the side "its a lowly and self damaging habit not to mention i've read medical texts that say alcohol is bad for the body in the long run" Rin groaned "I know you've said it over an over and i rarely do get to drink alright! just... i'll keep it for special occasion or sumthin... AAAAHHHHH! When your an adult you'll see it differently!". Sena's voice rose "i'll never be so vulgar as to ever find the need to inebriate myself for any reason!". A slow grin crept across Rins face "you know what i think is unhealthy and bad for you as well all them books and scrolls you keep your head buried in you should be hanging around with other kids and..." Sena cut in "You have the audacity to lecture me on whats healthy?! whats more to question the usefulness of enlightened works of literature?!, I've studied many medical tomes and sciences which allowed me to tend to your wounds on many occasions and how to mix herbs to heal your cuts without infection, my books on survival especially have aided us to no end on how to make animal traps, shelter, i'm still the only one of us that can make a simple campfire! need i go on?!, what can you claim your 'drink' accomplished?!".

Rin looked at Sena finally making eye contact for the first time since they'd left the market "My drink got me in some fights which caused you to learn medicine to treat me afterwards making you very respected much like the wise sages & legendary doc's of old!" Sena's mouth opened to say something but shut again as a slight smile appeared, her expression seemed to mockingly say 'seriously?' as she looked down at Rin from the wagon who just laughed it off as they continued on in better moods along the street.

A short while later there seemed to be a bit of commotion as locals gathered heading towards the city castle Sena looked around at the mix of the different social classes heading in the same direction "whats going on?", Rin had reached into one of the bags on the wagon & taken a piece of fruit shrugging to Sena as she bit into it "MMMM!mmm!mmm!..." a long pitched whine came from Rin that caught Sena's attention who was now holding back from laughing as Rin looked almost as if she was trying to suck her face in through her mouth "hahah-! Ah... they uh... grow this fruit in here in this country <Pffft!> T-they're extremely sour HUH? <snort> ...i was planning to use them in cooking with either fish or bird meat", Sena started shacking but she managed to hold in the laughter and then compose herself even almost managing to hide the wide smile on her face (almost). Several onlookers began snickering at the sight which didn't help, a young well dressed woman approached Sena while grinning amusingly at Rin who was occupied spitting at the ground followed by rinsing her mouth with water.

"To answer your question, everyone's gathering up at the castle, gossips gotten around that the king is meeting with mercenaries he's sending to deal with reports of monsters harassing the outskirts", Sena's eyes widened "Monsters what kind of monsters?" the well dressed woman shrugged gracefully "i could say what I've heard but its all hearsay with little fact the common-born do like to let their imaginations run wild at uncertain times like this". This piqued Sena's curiosity even more "Why what's going on in this country?" She paused briefly before continuing "If you don't mind telling me miss?, as me and my sis here are traders newly arrived in your respected country and any information from such a young influential and obviously well informed Lady like yourself would be most beneficial", The young noble lady smiled and stood even more proudly than before as Rin subtly shook her head muttering under her breath the word "Nobles..." disapprovingly, while listening in for any key information.

The Noble woman delighted at the praise and as her station in this respected country demanded she availed aid on the foreign merchants by revealing months worth of gossip, hearsay, & recent events to bring Rin & Sena up to speed on what was going on in Caradia "Well where to start...".

Gareth Arenar

Gareth nodded coolly as he listened to the Emperor's description of the situation. The most important detail to him was the fact that they had skin described as "hard like stone." What would his sword be able to do against that? No blade could cut through rock. A mace would have been better suited to the task, but Gareth hadn't brought one and buying one on the way out of the city could very well bankrupt him. All he could hope was that they were afraid of fire, or that the Emperor was somehow wrong in the assessment.

The Emperor didn't seem like the best leader, truth be told. He had the charisma, but his apparent lack of concern over the untrained band standing before him made him come across as naive. His willingness to personally depart on this mission with nothing but a band of strangers and a single guard, however noble, seemed like the height of recklessness. Any one of them could be assassins, and the Emperor could have easily brought half a dozen or so veteran soldiers without compromising his empire's security. Perhaps even dress those soldiers up in the gear of the typical mercenary or adventurer, if the goal had been to keep his presence on the road discreet.

Still, he wasn't going to say no. That would only reduce the expedition's chances of success even further. He looked to the others who had already agreed. There was the bard, one 'Kassandra Black-Briar', who either didn't appear to grasp the severity of the situation or was putting on some sort of facade. He wondered if she would maintain that attitude when they came face to face with the real threat. The other was the white-haired girl, who looked somewhat nervous or star struck at having spoken with the leader of her nation. She was from a humble background, then, Gareth concluded. However, she appeared to swallow her nervousness and declare her support nonetheless.

Gareth stepped forward as well. "I assure you that I fully intend to see this through." He told the Emperor in a level, almost monotone, voice, and he briefly wondered if anyone had taken note of his accent.

Emil glanced around somewhat nervously as the Emperor began addressing their group. Their group didn't exactly look like one for fighting- though he knew that he definitely fell into that category in the eyes of others too. As it was, it'd be a matter of time before he'd have to reveal himself as a spellcaster, but at least for a little while more he'd keep it to himself- at least until he knew where the others stood on magic and its use. The Emperor and his knight captain explained the situation to them, monsters of inky black and incredibly hard substances. These creatures definitely seemed suited to protect themselves from more mundane sources of damage- blades, arrows and the like, but Emil wondered how they would fare against magic. Surely these creatures weren't invulnerable.

Shortly thereafter, the Emperor asked who would pledge their services to his cause- at which point Emil glance around again. Surely they weren't the only ones answering the Emperor's call? They totaled just over a half dozen men and women- most of them not even dedicated warriors. Emil had assumed the call for adventurers would be to supplement a small unit the Emperor planned to take on an expedition, but aside from the Knight Captain- who seemed to regard them all rather poorly- there seemed to be no members of the Caradian military present at all.

Both the bard and the bowman were quick to pledge themselves to their liege's cause, the hunter sealing her pledge with a bow, and the musician with a stiff drink. The musician seemed rather light hearted about this entire ordeal, though to be fair, most minstrels always seemed to have a lack of seriousness. The other armored man spoke and pledged his services- his voice level, but possessing hints of a foreign accent- not Caradian or Lumoisian dialects to Emil's knowledge.

Lowering his hood to reveal a head of blonde hair and almost glowing blue eyes, Emil mimicked the white haired girl in a slight bow. "I shall aid you all to the best of my abilities." he said as a way of confirming his involvement.

Looking up, Emil took another glance around. "Are.. are we the only ones going?" he asked- in a much meeker tone, the question implying if any of the Emperor's soldiers would be joining them, or if this was their lot.

This was starting to look like a real quest. The sort of thing that legends were made of. Elodan rubbed his hands together eagerly, knuckles bumping uncomfortably against each other. He ran a quick self-check, running over the equipment he had available. It looked like they'd be heading out soon, so by his estimate, he'd be stuck with the gear he had now.

Let's see here... Stiletto, though it could do with sharpening. Merlin, though it could use a tuning. Flute, a bit dented. Food, only two dozen scones. Hmm. I could do with more variety, but then,
scones taste so damn good. Aha! A bit of booze, too. Looks like I'm all set.

For all his brazen confidence, Elodan was far from sure as to what his next course of action should be. Most of the other travelers seemed... hmm. What was the word for it? Competent, perhaps? Yes, that was part of it. He had plenty of faith in himself, so long as he wasn't expected to fight, but then, fighting seemed a rather important aspect of the upcoming trip. Well. No matter. He had other skills.

Striding confidently forward, Elodan closed most of the distance between himself and the King, such that he was perhaps two paces away from the imposing man. With a smile that showed none of his brilliant teeth, he bowed flamboyantly, then stood straight once more, with an air of gravity quite out of place with his flashy clothing.

"My lord king. Er, Emperor. Either way! I will do you the honor of joining your merry contingent. No, no, do not protest. It is no trouble. I recognize my worth, and will nonetheless lend my aid to your party." He stepped closer.

"Imagine, if you will, sire, the ballads that I will compose. Not crude, vagrant's ballads like some--" He spared a glance for the other bard, whose presence unnerved him more and more. "No, nothing like that. Glorious odes to your might and majesty which will be sung for generations! Songs and tales of your swashing blows against beasts such as you have described, of your bravery in the face of danger! Why, with me composing your history, the history of this adventure, even a coward should seem heroic. Thing how much greater you shall appear, a man so far from cowardice in nature!"

He was now practically nose-to-nose with the Emperor, his eyes shining with a hint of madness. He hurriedly scurried a pace back, then waited patiently for a response to his offer of aid.

Osanne would have stepped between the bard and the Emperor before he'd gotten so close, her hand on her sword to hint at striking him down if he came a step closer.

"Let me be the one to be abundantly clear," It was the Empress who spoke up after everyone had had their chance at a say, "Your Emperor is giving you the chance at glory, aye, but you will not be the only ones accompanying him. Outside the city, a day's ride ahead, is the first garrison of his army that awaits you. There are many more along the way, lining the route from here to your destination. They have express orders of how to act should anything happen along the way and the Emperor not make it to the different destinations," she said. She also made a show of looking to the far edges of the garden, where there were indeed soldiers waiting on standby, their armor causing them to practically blend in with the walls.

"As far as I'm concerned, my lord, these bards ought to be left behind. They'll merely be in the way," Osanne spoke up, "They can't seem to contribute beyond obnoxious music, and they'll be eating food best saved for the soldiers and those actually pulling their weight."

"Never discount the morale of men, Knight-Captain," Balan said simply, "Especially those who are further away from the capital as the fair Empress just said. Mayhaps their songs are obnoxious to you now, but let's see if your tune remains the same when their music is the only thing to remind you of home," he added. He noted all the little nuances about those standing before him, seeming in thought a moment before speaking, "A smaller group of soldiers is going to be with us as we ride to meet the first garrison. We have a supply carriage being put together, and those of you who cannot ride a horse for whatever various reasons that may be, you will ride in that carriage. The rest of you who can manage to ride," he looked over his shoulder as a different knight rounded the corner. He waved him over before addressing the group again, "Those who can ride, this knight here will guide you to the stables to pick a horse. If you already have a horse, you are free to ride them. We've a long way to go and it wouldn't do to walk the whole way," he said.

Osanne and the Empress still weren't entirely sold on the lot before them, clearly, but Balan knew what he was doing. He didn't really need a bunch of random vagabonds that knew either little or none in the means of combat, though those that showed up knowing how to fight would certainly be useful. He needed their perspectives, their view on the situations at hand. When you go so long seeing the world only one way, it became difficult to remind yourself that other perspectives were viable too. Sometimes they saw the moves that soldiers didn't.

Yarri was stunned by a show of disrespect from some of her soon-to-be companions. How could someone talk like that to the king? But he didn’t seem offended, so Yarri kept her mouth shut. Perhaps this was the way things were at court.

She was incredibly relieved at the notion of more soldiers coming along. Keeping in mind the decription of the monsters, this would have otherwise been rather short journey, ending badly for all participants. She frowned when the king talked about horses. Of course, she expected it but that didn’t make her any happier. She wasn’t very fond of horses, to put it mildly. Riding slowly without falling was possible for her, but only if the horse chose to cooperate. But she sure as hell wouldn’t be going in a carriage.

She followed the knight to the stables, having Luna wait outside. “Do you have some um… nicer horses?” she asked him nervously, seeing one rather aggressive stallion. “I’m not an expert rider.”

He smiled at her. “I think I have one just for you,” he said and pointed at one brown mare in the corner. “Her name is Bella and she has the nicest personality I’ve seen in a horse in a long time. Or humans for that matter,” he laughed.

‘That doesn’t look so scary,’ Yarri thought, approaching the horse slowly. “Hey there. You aren’t going to try and kill me, right?” She patted the mare’s head carefully, giving her an apple from a barrel standing nearby. Bella neighed quietly and nuzzled her hand, searching for more apples. ‘Well it doesn’t get any better than that. It could get much worse though.’

Yarri took a saddle and the stablemaster helped her put it on the horse, showing her how to do it herself next time. After she took a deep breath, gathering her courage, she climbed into the saddle. The knight was right, Bella didn’t make any attempt to throw her off and Yarri was eternally grateful for that. She guided the horse out of the stables, completely forgetting about Luna waiting at the entrance.

Bella didn’t seem to appreciate a wolf running towards her. She let out a panicked neigh and started to jump around. “Luna! No! Sit!” Yarri yelled, desperately trying to calm the horse and not get thrown out of the saddle. “Hey, girl, it’s all fine,” she whispered to Bella’s ear, gently stroking her neck. After a while the mare finally calmed down.

‘Damn these animals. This is going to be a very fun trip,’ Yarri thought sarcastically. Still, she was proud that she didn’t fall down into the mud. That probably wouldn’t be a best way to introduce herself to her companions.

"So you're going through with this." The grizzled caravan guard stood in the doorway to the inn-room.

"Yes, Captain Wolff," Maxmilián said as he finished packing his bag.

"Doubek, you already sent a message by horse to Erostey. Assuming the messenger makes it alive, you've done enough to warn your family. Just come back with me to--"

"Sir, I'm going with the Caradian Emperor." Max belted on his scimitar at his waist and pulled his bag over his shoulder. Looking at his captain, he continued, "I can't stand by when my family is in danger. If we can learn where those creatures come from, and how to stop their advance, then I'm going to go."

Wolff nodded. "I suppose I can't stop you, then." He stepped out of the way as Max walked out of the room, then stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Here," he said, handing Max a small coin pouch. "A bit of gold for supplies. And you're gonna need a good mace or two." With a sour smirk, Wolff added, "Tell those beasts I said 'hello'."

~~~~~

Just because I need a mace, doesn't mean I know any more than 'swing and hit', Max thought. In addition to his scimitar and pack, his belt held a quality mace, with leather wrapped around its head. "Farran, what am I getting myself into?" he asked, looking down at the gray tabby cat beside him. Max stood on the corner of two streets in the capital of Caradia, just a few streets away from the castle gates. "Going up against those inky creatures again is, eh, frightening..." Shivering, Max sighed. "Come on, Farran."

Steeling himself, he resumed walking and didn't stop until, at the castle gates, a guard wearing a sergeant's uniform stopped him. "Halt. What's your name and business?"

"I am Maxmilián Doubek," Max answered, noting the old guard's face and one eye. "I am here to join the Emperor in his fight against--"

"--fight against the foul creatures plaguing the land?" the sergeant filled in, followed by a snort. "At least you look more fit than a few others we've seen." He waved for Max to enter and said, "You better hurry, though, they may be rarin' to leave about now, if I heard anything right."

"Thank you." With a nod, Max strode past the guards and found himself on the edge of a castle garden. Ahead of him were a large man in white armor, a woman in a white gown, and another woman in armor. Near them were around seven or so people; from what Max could see of their varying appearances and postures, this wasn't an everyday troop of soldiers.

"...We've a long way to go and it wouldn't do to walk the whole way," the man in white said. Max had seen a few paintings of Emperor Balan, and he'd thought they were exaggerated to some degree. Now...maybe the exaggeration was less than Max had thought.

Here goes nothing. With Farran at his heels, Max approached the armored man and stopped a few yards away. He bowed at the waist and said, "Sire, may I ask if this is the expedition decreed by the Emperor of Caradia?"

Adjantis felt a great weight lift from his shoulders, finally the journey was underway. It was a considerable moment for him, having never been given an opportunity or reason to leave the capitol city. His mind quickly glimpsed grand ideas of adventure and exploration before he focused himself on his holy purpose. This moment would be the genesis of Adjantis' great crusade.

Without a word Adjantis strode purposefully towards the stable where the convoy was preparing. He saw soldiers and other party members preparing their horses as well as servants preparing carriages with food and other essentials for the journey. The sight reminded him of the busy kitchens of his youth where his brotherhood would spend time cooking for the poverty stricken masses of the city. Scanning the area he caught sight of a few carriages kitted with seats rather cargo straps and shelving. Taking a quick breath he humiliatingly made his way over. Without a need to travel Adjantis had never learned to ride a horse, and the thought of doing so secretly made him uncomfortable. He didn't know what it was about them, but Adjantis always kept his distance from horses whenever they were in close proximity to him.

He took his seat on the carriage and produced his prayer book from his robe, hoping to pass the time till the carriage was ready to move.

Gareth Arenar

So, it turned out the Emperor had indeed planned on bringing some reinforcements of his own, and had set up precautions in the event that something happened. It seemed Gareth had been incorrect in his assessment. Good.

With nothing more to discuss, Gareth turned and walked off. He noted one latecomer appear and inquire as to the expedition. Gareth found himself subconsciously shaking his head in disapproval - as a former guard captain, he would normally lecture or punish such tardiness. Alas, he was not in command here, so it was not his duty to do so. So instead he merely continued walking.

His destination was not towards the royal stables, but instead towards a different stable that happened to be close to the castle - he had moved his horse there the day before. It was a simple enough matter to walk in, reclaim his mount, pay the stable-owner, and set off to rendezvous with the rest of the group. Naturally, due to his formerly high birth and formerly high rank, he was a skilled equestrian, who sat steadily in the saddle and easily maneuvered around citizens and obstacles.