---

As both titans embraced one another amongst their reunion, it appeared that those around them had taken particular interest in the two of them. Especially considering the aneurystic state that Ozzy found himself, who simply couldn't believe that two legendary figures were within his wake. Yang would ask him for information regarding them, having believed they were myths. This is when he explained what he knew about their history and how they fit in with the ancient world. While he was explaining it to her, Neil would ask the two directly in how long they've known each other.

"We have known each other for a very long time," the moth girl replied as she wipped a tear off her face but still clutching onto Titanica, "Yet we... we hadn't seen each other for so long! I thought she was gone..."

But they didn't forget about Yang's response - at least not Titanica. So when Ozzy was finished with his explanation, the reptilian titan responded to this rumor.

"We are anything but myths." she responded bluntly as Morgan finally lets go of her leg, "What the little harpy said was true. We are the last of our kind - the kaiju, or otherwise known as Titans - the rest being virtually wiped out millions of years ago as far as I know. I too never imagined to see any other of my kind or those I've known all those centuries ago..."

She then looked down at the moth girl with a curious inquiry.

"How did you find me?" she asked Morgan wonderingly.

Her antanee flicked softly as she began to explain.

"I was in a village to the north when two of the members wanted me to heal someone," she explained, pointing to Neil, "As I was healing them, one of them mentioned about your existence and how you were serving this guild. Once I heard this, I had to join them so I can reunite with you."

She then glanced over at the wrecked entrance hall in the front.

"D-Did you do that?" Morgan asked her reptilian friend worryingly.

"Several thieves were planning to rob this place," she answered bluntly, "Truthfully their rustling prompted me to investigate and I was then forced to fight. Just so happened to wreck their door in the process - where I felt it wouldn't be right but to help pay for the damages I brought upon. Hence my participation here."

"Why that's very kind of you," the moth girl responded gladly, "But if I may ask... what was going on over there? You seemed... furious."

Titanica's soft features hardened upon hearing this question. She looked upon Bart leaving the scene in a fit before issuing a tired sigh to keep her cool.

"We had..." she started, before pausing carefully, "...An argument. Don't worry about it. It's nothing to be concerned about."

Morgan nodded faintly. Perhaps it wasn't the best time to ask about such a raw subject. She wondered what happened that prompted this, however she didn't pursue the topic. Instead she took a handful of herbs from her pocket and presented them to her giant friend.

"Would you like me to make some Huccibi tea for you?" she generously asked her friend, "It can help with hypertension and calm you down... if you want it that is."

The grey-clad titan gave a minute to think about it before responding with a gentle smile.

"If you don't mind." she replied kindly as Morgan set off to make such a drink.

@PaulHaynek@Stern Algorithm

When Vivian offered to let John use what 'contraption with wheels' that they had been moving on, he was really glad he had a good poker face. "Um...thanks." He stated while glancing at it. It wasnt going to be very useful though he didn't want to hurt Vivians feelings. "I'm sure I'll find some use for it." John turned his head back toward Neil. "A cyclops?" John wasnt sure how to react. He knew they were one eyed creatures but he was certain they were massive in size and could crush a human very easily. He had never seen one before and the idea of standing next to a creature that could stomp him into the dirt wasn't comforting. Though he believes since her talents are similar though likely better than his own, he should meet her. "I'm sure I can find her."

John made sure he had all of his tools before walking off to find the forge. He picked up his bag and began looking around for the forge. It wouldn't be difficult for John to find it. He knew what to look for considering he spent most of his time in one himself. Forges were pretty big fire hazards and the construction around a forge was normally to help fight that incase there was an accident. John approached the doors to the forge which seemed to be closed. He set his bag down to have a free hand to knock but his hand froze. John was nervous. He had remembered reading something the cyclops being part of the giant family. "Am I really about to meet something that could crush me with a step? What if I say something wrong?" John was hesitant for several seconds more before he lightly knocked. He waited for a moment before gently opening the door and grabbing his bag. If the cyclops was working then he was sure she wouldn't hear him enter.

John relaxed when he entered the forge. These surroundings were familiar to him. The heat of the forge was a warm embrace to him and the smell of burning coal and metal, which was overbearing to many, was like perfume to him. John set his tools on a nearby workbench. He was looking around from the bench but was confused. The forge didn't look the size to fit a giant. John quickly began to work up a sweat. Having all of ones equipment on their person will do that. He took off his tool belt and set it on the table, along with his sword and other tool bag. He followed by taking his jacket off next. He folded it up before looking around for a place to put it as clothes don't belong on the workbench of a forge. He hadn't spotted the cyclops yet and so decided to call out. "Hello? Is anyone there? My name is John. Neil told me your work and I wanted to come pay a visit." John looked around while speaking. He somewhat admired her work which were strung about quite neatly. "If I'm bothering you or disturbing your work I can come back another time." He was unsure if he would get a response or what a cyclops really looked like.

Freyr

Freyr was honestly surprised when he heard Haley scolding him so angrily as she was. Even though he knew that not every single human was like that, he trusted Bartholomew. He had honestly trusted him when he had first invited Freyr to join the guild. It wasn't an understatement to say that Freyr didn't trust Bartholomew as much as he did before. Haley didn't seem to be the only one worried about him though, as it became evident when Nagare followed him, gently asking if he was ok. Her approach was undeniably much more... delicate than Haley though. Ditzy also wanted to know what was happening, but he was much more innocent than the others and apparently didn't think much about what Bartholomew said. He was too quick to trust others in Freyr's opinion... Not that it was a bad thing, it was just that the world wasn't that kind...

"You don't need to tell me that not all humans are the same, Haley!" Freyr replied, with a penetrating stare and for the first time, raising his voice even if it was a little bit.

"After all... It was me who first left the Vieran Woods with these same ideas in my head." He continued with a distant, softer stare as his voice became softer once more.

"It's... it's ok. I will be fine. I just need some time. Thanks for your concern, Nagare, Ditzy. And I'm sorry for raising my foice, Haley." Freyr said, breathing deeply as he closed his eyes for a second.

"It's funny on how familiar this all feels... Bartholomew refuses to make a decision regarding the Varjans despite the urgency of the situation. Just like the Vieran Elders, refusing to make a decision regarding humans..." Freyr said, with a somber expression on his face. What was the 'decision' the Vieran Elders needed to make regarding humans? Freyr himself apparently still wasn't certain... At least not yet.

"I..." Freyr started, but interrupted himself, sighing heavily.

"Maybe it's time for me to visit the Vieran Woods once more..." Freyr said, with a distant stare. By the way he was talking, he wasn't going to abandon the guild yet, but he indeed wanted to visit the Vieran Woods after so many years away from it.

@PaulHaynek @Restalaan @AzureKnight

Seeing Titanica acting friendly was...off-putting to say the least. She still was having a hard time believing that both her and the moth girl were part of an ancient race long thought to be extinct. Apparently in addition to being large in size, they were known for their overwhelming power. Curious about the moth girl, Vară decided to try to get on her good side - finding her to be easier to approach than her lizard counterpart.

Hello, you must be a relatively new member of the guild as well. My name is Vară Riemsianne, heiress to a noble demon house. She leaned in closer to whisper in Morgan's ear.

Hey, your friend, the scary lizard woman. How does one stay on her good side?

---

Nagare could sense the swirling emotions in Freyr's voice. Bewilderment, doubt, confusion, these were all feelings that Nagare felt coming off of Freyr. She looked with worry when she heard him say that he may be returning to Vieran Woods, it didn't sound like he was leaving for good. But, she wondered what he'd hoped to gain from it.

Mr. Freyr, if you really plan on going back to your homeland, I'll understand. But, do you think they'll welcome you back. I just think back to what you told me once before. I...

The ice dragon paused for a moment. She'd thought about going with him, but that might hurt his chances of being accepted back even more. Not to mention that this is probably something that he would want to undertake himself.

~@Restalaan (YNG), @AzureKnight (VRA), @Lmpkio (TCA & MOR), @ShwiggityShwah~

Bart's outburst left a sour air in the guild but Titanica and Morgan's touching reunion sweetened it back, ending the night in a bit of a high note. With tea from Morgan too!

~@13org (FYR), @AzureKnight (NAG), @Restalaan (DIT)~

Haley said nothing to Freyr's retort to her and sighed when the Viera had calmed down, musing about returning back to Vieran Woods. "Just come back to us when you're done, alright? If you're going, that is." The Siren shot Freyr with a tired smile before flying back to the guild.



~@Restalaan (YNG & DIT), @AzureKnight (VRA & NAG), @Lmpkio (TCA & MOR), @ShwiggityShwah, @13org (FYR), @Stern Algorithm~

"A carpenter? Bart hired us to cook! ...and make medicine. Name's Vivian! ...and Sylvia. If you could show us to the kitchen, garden, and medicine pantry, it would be greatly appreciated!"

"Oh, you two are more for housework, huh?" Neil remarked. "You're certainly welcome. Our meals were prepared by either Haley or Talia and I help a bit at times. Having someone who specializes in cooking and other house-stuff would be a big help." He then realized what his words implied. "Err, that's not to say that Haley or Talia's cooking is bad. It's just that... you know what? Never mind."

"Anyway, we don't have a... garden or a pantry of medicine. Most of our healing stuff came from our own magic-users." Neil sighed. "But they're... gone now so having, uhh, apothecaries would be a huge help. But like I said, we don't have a garden for medicinal herbs or anything so you two will have to start from the ground up. I hope you two don't mind that although, we are ready to help if you need it."

------

The next morning had arrived and the guild has completed their first week. The guild members assembled at the Main Hall where they found Neil talking with Vivian and Sylvia. "Hey there, Neil! Who's the flowers?" Haley landed beside the Liliraune and began examining the plant monster. "Girlfriends of yours?"

Neil blushed as he coughed. "These are Sylvia and Vivian, Haley. They're here to join the guild and they specialize in medicine and cooking."

"Yeah, I would think so." The Siren agreed. "These guys usually don't move from their spot for a looooooong time. They're not exactly built for travel, after all. Hey, how'd you guys get here?" She then asked Vivian and Sylvia. "Transformation magic? I heard that's the rage these days."

"Anyway, here's what we got from yesterday, everyone. Also, there's a package that came here earlier. I think it's for Bast and Eilidh but I haven't seen those two come back last night. Anyway, the messenger said it was just two-hundred gold for a job they did."

{INCOME YESTERDAY}
{@Restalaan (YNG), @Lmpkio (TCA), @AzureKnight (VRA & NAG), @13org (FYR): 450 G}
{@ShwiggityShwah, @Lmpkio (MOR): 150 G}
{@Restalaan (DIT): 120 G}

"Whoa, that's a haul, right there." Neil remarked. "However, Bart left earlier, taking two-thousand gold. He said he found a crew who'd work on the hole. I hope there's no duping occurring 'cause that's a lot of gold."

"You just let him take it?" Haley was incredulous. "Couldn't you have woken us so someone would've went with him?"

Neil had no retort. "I-I... you're right. I'm sorry but... he took off pretty quick. I had-I had no time but to-to say goodbye."

The Siren sighed. "Whatever. Let's see what we've got today."

















~@BKburke~

"Hello? Is anyone there? My name is John. Neil told me your work and I wanted to come pay a visit. If I'm bothering you or disturbing your work I can come back another time."

"Huh?! What? Hold on, I'm coming right over." You heard a reply, likely coming from Talia herself.

Moments after, the Cyclops appeared before you. She was certainly taller than you but did not exactly tower over you, just barely reaching the forge's roof. She had stone-colored skin and one, sharp horn jutting from her forehead. Of course, being a Cyclops she had a single eye. Besides that, she did not appear threatening but she was sweating a bit from the heat in the forge.

"Oh, hello there Mister John. I'm Talia Bucchas. I'm this guild's blacksmith. Err, unofficial since I'm... well, it's complicated." The Cyclops scratched the back of her head. "Anyway, it's okay, you're not disturbing anything. I'm just forging weapons and armor. Err, reforging them." Talia sheepishly explained. ""You might be wondering why I'm doing that this early in the morning and the reason for that is, well, the last days were pretty stressing days, you see. I cope by forging stuff. A lot."

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you, Mister John. You mentioned you wanted to visit me? What for? Do you want me to make you something?"

Last night was thrilling. Despite his embarrassing behavior his companions didn't seem to mind his antics and he felt much better when things settled down. Titanica was the star of the evening and Ozzy spent it observing, trying to memorize things to place in his journal.

Two legendary kaiju in the same place. He could become a paragon of scholarly pursuits at such a find.

---

Next morning, all good mornings and checking over his gear, making sure to give everyone a wave that he passed, though he had no met the new comers just yet. He was actually hoping to get better acquainted with that demon from last night... and Titanica. He still felt silly how he treated Morgan, he'd have to apologize when he saw her.

Haley laid out the jobs for all, and Ozzy was inspired from his success from yesterday, and read each with determination. All of them were great for him, though he was loath to face Ian again, odd one.

Still something truly nagged at him. "Varjans again..." he tapped his claw on the wooden floor as he crossed his arms. Was this it? Was he going to get involved. He was a member of the guild so he was already involved, and yesterday was when he felt just a mere hint at the problems of the country. The Varjan invasion will surely make thing difficult, not only for the guild, but for good folks everywhere. He needed a better perspective on it. He needed to gather information and find some way to keep things from getting worse. Its what the dream of the Embassy was made for.

He put his hand down. "L-L-Liberation at any Price." He lost a lot of confidence announcing it on the board and before finishing his head was already down, and trembling. He just signed himself up to be a part of a war. "I can be--- discreet..."

---

"Hey, your friend, the scary lizard woman. How does one stay on her good side?"

Morgan paused to glance over at Titanica, who was just stomping back to her quarters to rest.

"Oh that's easy!" she replied in a cheerful and oblivious tone, "Just be nice to her and not get in her way in battle. And also..."

She then whispered something into Vară's ear.

"She's not very keen engaging in intimacy either."

---

As dawn broke over the guildhall, the two titans were already up early preparing for the day at hand. Morgan was kind enough to prepare tea for the rest of the guild members, with each receiving a nice warm glass of green tea and morriberry juice. Surely any who'd drink it would find themselves swelling with a burst of energy ripe for activity. And as the moth girl proceeded to check the guild board, Titanica found herself returning from an early workout session in lifting tree-trunks and punching rocks. She too found herself fully energized by the tea and was in good spirits for the most part. Most of the bad energy from yesterday was behind her - although she had not witnessed Bart since she awakened.

As both looked at the guild-board, Titanica was the first to see the job that was titled "Recruiting Forde Brair". And upon closer inspection, she realized that it was from that weird George Costava that she and several others rescued the other day. He finally had the location of the first person to break into Ravager's Rest - that person being Ford Briar. Apparently he could be found in abandoned churches and graveyards south of Pravar. She already felt somewhat weirded out by this, yet having done the first part of the mission already, she felt obligated in finishing the job. The titan slashed the paper with her bone-white claw to signify it being "taken" as she turned to announce her choice.

"The next entry for Ravager's Rest has been unveiled." she announced boldly, "I suggest those present from yesterday's outing ought to participate."

Meanwhile, Morgan once again found herself interested in smaller game as she glanced at "Herbal Medicine 2". It was another apothecary job, one that involved testing out a 'Huwana' anaesthetic for other non-human species. She overheard Neil state that this sounded very sketchy - as Freyr felt super weird upon consuming it. No doubt it must've been due to how anaesthesia works - desensitizing one's body to pain. In fact, large direct doses are capable in knocking out even the strongest creatures if concentrated within the blood stream. She was no stranger to this, as her tribe dealt with such medicines, although they were in incredibly rare circumstances.

With that, Morgan signed her name on the paper and turned around as well.

"I'm taking the job for Darren regarding the apothecary job!" she announced before she began prepping herself to leave.

@PaulHaynek

John waited for Talia to respond. Her voice caught him off guard. He could hear her footsteps as she approached. These footsteps certainly hinted toward her size before John even saw her. When she had showed herself, John's poker face was put into overdrive. She was certainly tall, not as tall as John expected considering her kind were part of the giant family. He waited for her to finish talking before he would speak up. In all honesty, he wasn't really sure what to say. One wrong word and her friendly demeanor could change. She mentioned she was upset and John would hate to see someone of her size on a rampage with so many weapons and tools around her, all of which could likely crack John's head better than the metal they are ment for.

"Um....yea...I'm John." He did his best not to sound nervous. "No need to be formal, just John is fine. As far as visiting you, I was simply told you were around. I'm somewhat of a blacksmith myself. I also do construction and tailoring. I figured you were probably the person I could relate to the most. I'm not here to compare work or anything. I'm sure you are far more talented than me anyway." John glanced around at her work. Some of which John could do better but he assumed those were her on her bad days. "Looking around, I'm kinda questioning why I was asked to join when someone of your talent is here. Certainly gonna make me feel kinda useless but I'll get over it."

John wasn't really sure where to carry the conversation. She was the second monster he had seen this close up and the first one he ever went out of his way to talk to. His work always spoke for him but an actual conversation was difficult. "I um...I mean....you have a place aside from the trash where I can out my tools?" Humor was probably the way to go. Best way to get to a blacksmith was to compliment their work and talent. On top of that, if Talia really was stressed, then he hoped this talk would make her feel better. "You said you were stressed. May I ask what about?"

@PaulHaynek @Lmpkio

"It's a pleasure to meet you Haley," as the one who usually remembered her manners, Sylvia greeted the siren, while Vivian simply waved enthusiastically. "It took us a looooong time to get here, but we just pulled ourselves along on that thing," Vivian pointed to the wooden flat-bed dolly. "It wasn't fun."

"And we got lost because Vivian refused to ask for directions!" Sylvia interjected. Vivian glared at Sylvia, but decided to shelve the argument. They listened as Neil explained what was available. The liliraune made a slow tour of the first floor, enough to locate the kitchen and headed outside to inspect the surrounding lands for a suitable plot for an herb garden. Through the hole in the wall, they heard someone announce an apothecary job, and headed back inside. "Did you say, 'apothecary'?" Sylvia asked Morgan. "That might be just what we need to jump start a garden of our own here. There are only so many herbs we can share our soil with." Sylvia gestured to the base of her flower, revealing rather malnourished plants stuck in the same soil in their pot. "We'll need to replant these, and probably get a few others. So count us in!"

Freyr

Freyr's expression darkened as he heard Nagare's words. He knew very well what was the answer. He was an outsider, he choose to left the woods out of his own will, knowing very well what the outcome would be.

"No... I left the village out of my own will, knowing very well that I wouldn't be able to come back. I will be treated as an trespasser... At best, as an outsider..." Freyr replied to Nagare.

"Even if the woods themselves want to be reunited with it's child, I doubt that the Viera will welcome me again. The viera are a very old race and for them, their traditions are sacred... Even if they might cause them harm..." Freyr finished, sighing.

"Thanks for hearing me though. I'm sorry I lost my calm for a second. It will be wise for me not to leave today. There are certain preparations that need to be made..." Freyr said, looking to Nagare before Haley spoke before walking away.

"Yes. I will. Thanks for your concern." Freyr replied as Haley flew back to the guild.

"I will depart tomorrow. I won't mind if you wish to come with me." Freyr said to Nagare, with a kind smile before he went back to the guild, going straight to his room.

---

Freyr woke up early the next morning. Earlier than most. Maybe it was because of what happened the other day or maybe due to how unquiet Freyr's thoughts were, but when the others started appearing, Freyr had already eaten his breakfast and was simply sitting on a chair on the corner of the room, waiting and already prepared to leave. The only reason why he hadn't left yet was that he still had to ask the other members if anyone wanted to go with him. Why he was doing that? The answer was that he wasn't going to the Vieran Woods only because he felt the need to visit the same woods that he had a deep connection to, but because he wanted the Vieran Elders to know about what was happening on the world outside. A final attempt to make them realize that being stuck on the past and bound by ridiculous traditions would only lead to their own ruin...

After the other members woke up, two Liliraunes who had been contracted by Bart arrived on the guild. According to their cheerful and excited introduction, they were called Vivian and Sylvia. They were contracted to cook and to make medicine for the guild. Freyr knew about their race as the Viera often had a good relationship with the Liliraunes that lived on the woods. Other than the two cheerful new girls, there was another one new arrival. Despite not being exactly his first day on the guild, Freyr didn't have time to pay attention on his arrival due to the events that happened yesterday. While he didn't have much time to pay attention to him, he did seem to have a calm and collected attitude.

The request board did seem to be as full as always on that day. But Freyr wouldn't take any request this time. As he stood up, going towards the request board.

"As some of you might be aware, I will not be taking any request today as I'm going to visit my home, the Vieran Woods..." Freyr said, raising his voice only a small bit, enough for only those who were interested to hear.

"It's not an official request and as such, there will be no reward, but those who want to come will be welcome." Freyr continued.

"There are a few... personal reasons for me going back to the Vieran Woods, including reasons related to my past and certain choices I made, but if I am asking for others to join me, I should give you a reason..." he said, with a serious expression.

"The Viera are a really old race who lived on the Vieran Woods all their lives, isolated from the outside world. Highly secretive and closed to outsiders, they rarely allow outsiders to enter their village or even the forest. While this kept them safe from wars, conflicts, preserved their race's traditions and way of life, after so many years, they became stuck to these same traditions, living in the past and ignoring the conflicts going on the outside world..." Freyr said, with the same serious tone from before.

"That includes the problem with Varjo..." Freyr said, with a somber look on his face.

"Due to how dense the Vieran Woods are, coupled by being defended by the Vieran Spellweaver's magic and the fact that the Vieras are fearsome hunters, they have never suffered an attack from any nation, nor any race from the outside know much about the Vieras themselves. The thing is: Vieras have a certain... particularity regarding their own body and their sensitivity to magic... I will explain more to those that accept coming with me, but if Varjans realize that and try to use Vierans as weapons... Everyone will suffer... Both the Vierans themselves and others, be them humans or monsters." Freyr finished, looking to those who stopped to hear him.

@PaulHaynek@Lmpkio

Yang Bethlehem

Yang woke up early the next day, going through the strenuous training again as she focused on her form for today. Punches, kicks, knees and elbow, she focused every single move with absolute dedication. Not deviating a bit as she did it a thousand times each.

There was no need for other things, the simple and absolute power, speed and technique combined to crush an opponent was a trademark of the White Tiger temple.

Only after her session was over, she saw Titanica doing the same with trees and rocks. She looked on as she was curious as to how others train, way it seems, looks like Titanica also kept it simple.

She waved to her briefly before continuing on her way to freshen herself up, once done, Yang came down and was greeted with new arrivals.

@Stern Algorithm

The twin Alraune saw a short blonde hair girl dressed in eastern style thick robes kept together by a cord, though the arm length was shortened for easer of movement.

Revealing her arms that seemed wiry and built firmly, prayer beads dangle from both of her wrists. Her dark long pants were also of thick material and worn out from travel and use.

"Greetings, may you find this morning pleasant." Yang greeted them, her accent completely foreign and respectful as she bowed to the twins with a hand over her fist. "Are you perhaps new recruits? Then welcome to for our humble guild."

@ShwiggityShwah

Then when Ozzy announced he'll be doing the Liberation at any price, that got her frowning heavily as she approached him from the back. A firm but heavy arm dropped on his shoulders, and she brought him closer to her. His head in a hold and pressing firmly against her bosom unintentionally.

"You're not taking the mission, Ozzy." Yang said to Ozzy with a shook of her head, but was also announced to everyone as well. "In case you missed out Guild Master Bart orders. We're not to provoke the Varjans any further."

"If you're still insistent..." Yang arms twitch, and to Ozzy, it felt like her arm became like two bars of iron and his head between a clamp. "Break out of this, then I'll consider letting you take this mission."

Ozzy position was one that had the odds against him, with clever thinking and proper application, it was possible to get out but it would be an immense task. Yang was able to react and change her grip on the fly, and her eyes were on him completely.

----

Ditzy Stoneclub

After yesterday events, Ditzy had a so-so sleep. Washing himself up, he slowly made his way down and was greeted by the new arrivals.

@Stern Algorithm

"Oh, hello!" Ditzy waved to the new arrivals enthusiastically to them. From their perspective, he looked like a taller female goblin if not for his two mismatched large horns that indicated that he was a hob-goblin though lacking the large assets that a hobgoblin is often famous for.

However, his body build was also broader, taller, muscled and most of all, a male. A monster male. Something that was an impossibility, alongside his guildmates Ozzy and Freyr.

"I'm Ditzy, nice to meet ya!"

@13org

That's when his attention was caught by Freyr, who had explained to them that he wanted to visit his village for a moment. That perked him up as Ditzy listened to what Freyr is like.

It sounds like everyone is not having fun though. That's was the first few thoughts he got from it, then hearing how the Varjan might use them as weapons, it confused him slightly but that does sound mean.

Using others like a weapon doesn't sound nice, nor comfortable. He can't imagine Freyr would like it if someone used him like a mace.

"I'll go! It sounds fun, and Ditzy hadn't play for days!" Ditzy quickly volunteered to go with Freyr eagerly and happily. He then rushed upwards to get his gear and sandbag. "Ditzy gonna go prepare now!"

It didn't took long for Ditzy to came down with the large oversized bag he had carried with during his first appearance in the guild. Though it was much smaller for a few days, and his sandbag weapon at the ready.

"All good to go!" He beamed to Freyr before turning to Nagare and Haley.

@AzureKnight@PaulHaynek

"Wanna follow? We're going to travel!"

Liberation At Any Price
~@ShwiggityShwah, @Restalaan~

Yang had caught Ozzy in a lock and would not let go until the latter either give up in going after the Varjan-related mission or breaks the lock. "I know he wants to get killed by being a monster and heading off to Varjan territory but please don't do it for the Varjans, Yang." Haley said.

"And why are you so keen on Bart's side, anyway? Ya got the hots for him or something?"

---

Recruiting Forde Briar
~@Lmpkio (TCA)~

Making your way towards the south of Pravar, your trip was surprisingly quiet and uneventful. Despite your proximity to the Order territory and the measure of your power, your presence was all but ignored. You arrived at your destination in peace.

The areas south of Pravar were of grasslands and ruins. It appeared that this place may have been something of a town once but whatever was left were being reclaimed by nature. In one of a chapel's ruins, you hear the sounds of dirt being dug. Heading over to investigate, you enter the chapel's cemetery to find most of the graves dug up and desecrated.

You immediately find the perpetrator, red-handed as he tossed away another pile of dirt from his shovel. From his appearance, he looked like a young boy almost similar to Neil just with black hair. His clothes were simple but they were dirtied by all the soil and dust. His eyes told you that he was not entirely there, they twitched and darted from to and fro.

He really seemed into his digging activity before he was forced to acknowledge your presence. "Who are you?" He asked bluntly.

---

Herbal Medicine 2
~@Lmpkio (MOR), @Stern Algorithm~

"Hey you three, let me come with you." Neil caught up with the Moth Kaiju and the Liliraune. "Freyr tripped hard when he inhaled those herbs. Had him running around screaming about plants. It was... weird. Thankfully, no one got hurt. I figure I should be around if the same thing happens to you."

And the small party was off, heading towards Ambran. Since John had no use for the wagon, the Altissima sisters rode on it once more with Neil offering to push it for them. The trip was uneventful with very little happening in the barely-populated road though traffic increased as they got close to the town.

However, Neil found himself staring at the Altissima sisters as he pushed their cart. His eyes were glued at their legs, particularly their flower and the pool of nectar within, as if he was enchanted by them. Perhaps that was the case as he absentmindedly pushed while his eyes roamed all over the Liliraune's floral features. Regardless if he was noticed or not, Neil blinked and realized what he had done.

"So!" Neil almost shouted as he broke free from his own trance. "Uhh... uhh, you guys are like, herbalists right? So uhh, where'd you- where did you learn the craft? Did you learn it... in school or something? Mentors?"

---

~@BKburke~

"Looking around, I'm kinda questioning why I was asked to join when someone of your talent is here. Certainly gonna make me feel kinda useless but I'll get over it."

"Oh, I wasn't invited by Bart." Talia replied. "Rather, I came to be here after... it's a long story, really. I-I'll tell you some other time. Just know that I wasn't invited or anything." It appeared the subject made her uncomfortable.

"You said you were stressed. May I ask what about?"

The Cyclops sighed. "Recent events. The problems just kept piling on top of each other."

"Latest of which is... Bart. He kind of exploded last night because some of us decided to get involved in Varjo-related quests. He didn't like that since it could put the guild in danger. I don't think he's cooled off yet." Talia explained. "But we needed the gold and more than that, it's just... the right thing to do, you know?"

"So, that's why I'm forging stuff. To keep my mind off it for the time being." Talia's single eye looked up as she remembered something. "That reminds me. I posted something at the Quest Board. I'm asking for help constructing a stables for our horses. Leaving them exposed to the elements is just asking for trouble."

"Are you interested in helping out?"

---

~@13org, @Restalaan (DIT)~

(@13org will be GMing this quest)

Yang @Restalaan Haley@PaulHaynek

If everyone got their decisions in, Ozzy was intent on atleast meeting those he hadn't had a chance to speak to. The new gentleman, the alarune, the Hobgoblin, he barely got an exchange with Titanica, and wanted to apologize to Morgan, but a concerned guild mate pretty much shut that down.

"RAARWWP!?!"

Ozzy sqwauked being taken from behind by Yang. He wasn't exactly expecting to be suddenly assaulted, but he figured he was going to get a little backlash for his decision. He knew not to get involved after the fight yesterday but he had his reasons.

Still in that moment, Yang would realize just how light Ozzy was, and kind of reactionary. He flapped his wings, kicked his legs which while stylized as boots were actually very sharp looking claws. Thankfully no one was infront of him. He even took Yang off her feet and a foot into the air. He finally got a hold of himself and she challenged him, but he had no intent on hurting his comrade even as she tightened it.

"Hear me out!" he said, trying to use his greatest and sharpest weapon, reason. "We all agreed that the Varajan is going to come whether we want them or not. I'm not going to pretend I know the whole story, so that's why I want to take this mission! I want to see what has been done, and what can be done. Mostly, I want to try and stop it! I know it seems stupid and naive, but its things like this senseless war my family is striving to end. I don't intend to hurt anyone. Varajan or liberator. But maybe if I can find someway to limit the bloodshed. If I can do something, even if its just keeping one person from getting hurt, its worth the risk. I know its not my fight, and I'm not trying to, there's got to be a better way."

Hearing Haley not exactly help the situation discouraged Ozzy even more. "You didnt have to put it like that."

Not keen on engaging in intimacy...? That's an understatement, seeing as how Titanica threatened to mangle her corpse beyond recognition if so much as an utterance got out about that one night. "Sigh. Whatever, thanks anyway..." Vară weakly replied. She took one last sober look at the Kaiju woman before heading off to bed.

Nagare decided to turn in soon after, feeling it was better not to say anything after Freyr made his statement.

---

The next day, Nagare and Vară helped themselves to Morgan's tea, both finding it quite refreshing. The two found themselves amidst conversation, haven't not had the chance to do so being busy with quests.

"So on your first quest to had to help two homeless people get arrows from some Eastern noble? And you almost got skewered by his samurai guards?" The fire demon was intrigued by Nagare's story.

"Yes, it's all true. I admit I was a bit nervous, but I had absolute faith in Mr. Freyr's marksmanship. Plus, Ditzy was there to help me out as well. Said the ice dragon after finishing another sip. "But I'm honestly more impressed by you, I heard that you saved Neil from being attack by one of those Varjan soldiers!"

"Hmph, of course 'twas nothing for a renowned demon such as myself. That boy should count himself to have been saved by my grace." Boasted the heiress, proudly placing a hand on her chest.

"Actually, I heard that Neil was only put in danger because he had to save you from a fatal blow. Perhaps it would be wiser and safer to pay more attention during battle. What would Neil have if you'd been gravely wounded...or worse. Honestly, we were lucky in that battle. Sure, Mr. Freyr was there to aid me when I was surrounded by soldiers, and Yang's combat abilities and agility aided in freeing the prisoners, but if we keep being reckless like this we may not last long. I shudder to think what would've happened had Titanica not been their. Even then, they had a warrior that was strong enough to damage her thick hide. I hope Ozzy was right in saying that Varjan wouldn't spare too much effort in targeting us." Nagare stared at her tea cup, her sober expression reflected in the liquid.

Vară was somewhat taken aback by Nagare's feelings of unease. She didn't want to admit it, still trying to lift her spirits from the recent events. She did realize that her haughty attitude hasn't done her any favors, especially toward a certain someone. Speaking of which, the two noticed that Titanica had announced she'd be taking the next quest involving Ravager's Rest and Ozzy and Yang decide to take the second part of Liberation At Any Rate.

Vară looked at Titanica, as she proclaimed that those involved in yesterday's skirmish should participate, she then turned to Nagare.

"Vară, I've noticed that you've been apprehensive towards her lately. Said Nagare, as she also shot a glance at the kaiju woman. "I understand that you may have been offput by her demeanor, she can be quite...intimidating. But it's easy to tell she not a bad person at heart. I think it'd be good for you to go with her on the quest, you could learn more about her and mend your misplaced feelings. Besides, isn't it good practice for nobility to settle their dues?"

Vară finished her tea and looked at Nagare with an annoyed expression. "Cursed dragon, I'm getting tired of your infernal sense-making. Very well, I'll go with her. I kinda do want to learn alittle more about her, and yes, it's only right that we finish business. But! Know this, if I end up dying during this excursion - I will haunt you day and night for eternity!" Said the fire demon in an ominous but intentionally jovial tone.

"That's fine, it'd be interesting to have a best friend that's a ghost!" Replied the ice dragon in a cheerful rebuttal.

Vară then made her way over to the slashed Ravager's Rest quest post and marked it with a flame insignia, signifying her acceptance of the mission. She then turned to Titanica "Hello Titanica, I'll shall be joining you on this quest today. Um...I hope we make quick work of this quest. Oh, and I hope we work well together!"

Nagare, also finishing her tea, made her way over to Freyr. Though, not before she thanked Morgan for the tea. Freyr was waiting for anyone who wanted to come with him to his home woods to step forward.

"Good morning, Mr. Freyr. If you'll have me, I'd like to accompany you on you journey back to your birth woods. I believe traveling with you and Ditzy would be a wonderful experience." Nagare wore a gentle smile on her face as she greeting Freyr and Ditzy with a polite bow.

With most of the other guild members that had previous partook in the last mission, Titanica thought that she would have to go on her own. Not like it wouldn't have mattered anyways, for she was perfectly fine in being alone. She truly didn't want to go on this quest, but since it related to that previous job, she felt that she might as well finish it with honor. But before she could depart, she glanced over to see the demoness Vară come over to partake in this quest.

"Hello Titanica, I'll shall be joining you on this quest today. Um...I hope we make quick work of this quest. Oh, and I hope we work well together!"

The titan looked down upon the only member from the last quest come to her side. For a moment, a flash of light encapsulated her conscious as she remembered the certain situation that unfolded two nights ago. She seemed to abhor this idea at first - before finally getting back to her senses and nodded at her partner's request.

"Indeed." Titanica answered with a nod, "Now come. There is no time to be lost."

With that, the two made their way south to Pavar across a sea of vast grasslands and ancient ruins. Their travel was surprisingly calm and uneventful. Even as they were deep in Order territory they were given no attention by even the local guards. This was somewhat unusual, however Titanica paid no attention to this. Once they reached their destination, they found themselves within a large ruins - a town long since being reclaimed by the elements. The titan continued trodding along through the ruins, looking closely at her surroundings in order to find their culprit.

She sniffed the air at random, attempting to pick up a scent of anyone nearby. And once it picked something up, she proceeded to follow it.

"This way." she bluntly barked as she followed her nose.

As she got closer however, she could hear digging coming from a chapel ruins. Growling lowly, she motioned her partner to stay close as she approached the ruined building and traversed the perimeter before reaching the cemetery at the back.

And there they saw the perpetrator - a bug-eyed boy who looked eerily like Neil but sported black hair - who looked at them as if they had rudely interrupted his activity in digging holes.

Titanica had a hunch that this was the Forde Briar person they were to collect - after all the pamphlet highly implied that this character was a grave robber, and judging by what he was doing he could very well be doing this - however she wasn't entirely sure. And judging by his appearance and stature, she'll have to be carefully in not spooking him to the degree where he couldn't talk. The titan stopped several meters away, as to give him room to not be too intimidated by their massive size difference.

"Do not be alarmed," Titanica responded in a somewhat softer voice, "We are simply visiting. We won't be here very long - for we are seeking someone of interest. Do you know of anyone named Forde Briar?"

---

Morgan was happy to see others joining her on the mission. The first two to sign on were the new twin liliraune sisters - a race she hadn't seen for years. Being essentially plant-monster girls, they too were highly attuned to plants and herbs. They would be great assistance while Morgan could begin the testing.

"Then come along!" the moth-titan replied to the sisters excitedly as she showed them the way out.

However, before they could do that, Neil decided to join them at the last second. However, he also warned them about the incident with Freyr - essentially repeating the warning that was written on the pamphlet - and was worried if the same thing could happen to Morgan.

"You don't have to worry about me," the girl replied confidently, "I'm exceptionally knowledgable when it comes to medicine. And I'm not easily as susceptible to hallucinations thanks to my magic. I should be fine."

With that, the four began their trip to Ambran. Morgan was fine to walk on foot - being able to use her wings if need be - while the boy proceeded to push the cart for them. However the moth-girl nearly forgot that liliraunes often traveled within their flowery-pot, surrounding in a pool of rejuvenating nectar. Thus they had very little lee-way in moving, less they traveled by a moving cart as demonstrated.

Then Neil asked about how they got to know their knowledge on medicine as 'herbalists'. Morgan was the first to explain her background.

"My clan was deeply engrained in the realm of apothecary," she explained, "We were not known for our brute physical strength like those from say Titanica's tribe. We specialized in magic - and we bonded with nature in order to reveal its knowledge. My parents and mentors helped me tap into this power and with their guidance I've managed to acquire much. All the recipes for various spells and medicinal herbs that I've learned were passed down from generation to generation - stemming all the way back to the First Borns - in which they got theirs from our tribe's Goddess. I can't thank them enough for teaching me all this - yet even now I'm still learning something new everyday."

It took a good amount of time until the group finally arrived on the very beginning of the Vieran Woods, situated in the very border of the kingdom. At first sight, it was already an incredible sight. Bigger than any other forests you might have seen, that dense forest extended itself more than your eyes could see. It started as a normal, but rather dense forest, but the more you went deeper inside, more breathtaking the scenery became. Trees with trunks as big as a small house and taller than one would even imagine and powerful roots running through the forest floor like veins.

Freyr seemed to know exactly what he was doing and how to move himself inside that forest, in fact, it was clear that he was holding himself back and walking slower in order to not leave the rest of the group behind. To the others on the group who weren't Vieras though, the maze of trees, roots and plants inside that dense forest was almost impossible to keep track of, no matter how much they tried. More than just because of 'natural' reasons, the more they wandered inside, the more they started to have a feeling that the forest itself was alive. Even to those that weren't sensitive to magic, it was clear that they were in a sanctuary, a place untouched by humans and unfazed by time. The primal magic was stronger there than anywhere else...

Freyr

The moment Freyr stepped inside the Vieran Woods, he stopped for a moment, closing his eyes. For so long he stood away from the woods, for so long he wasn't able to hear the voice of the woods that he couldn't help himself but to stop for a moment and feel the woods' embrace, feel it's whispers on his ears, hear the plants moving, the animals and feel the very energy of the Vieran Woods welcoming it's lost child. Even though he had left the woods out of his own will, it still longed for his return and was jealous of those who took him away.

"The Vieran Woods are... not kind to outsiders. You should stay close to me. While calm and tranquil at first sight, there are beasts that live on these woods that even us Viera avoid to mess with." Freyr said, after a while as they started going further inside the forest. Despite saying those words, it was clear by his tone of voice and even by how Freyr was moving himself that he was incredibly happy and comfortable by finally having returned to the woods he once called home.

"One thing you should understand when walking inside these woods are that it's not just 'alive' in the same way the plants are. These woods are really alive. They have a will of their own." Freyr said, explaining as they walked further and further.

"I also mentioned that the Vieras could be used as weapons... You might have already felt it, especially you, Nagare, but there is a strange power in these woods, completely different from 'common' magic. Subtle yet powerful. Vieras' bodies are well attuned to this primal magic." he continued.

"Due to this, we Vieras are incredibly sensitive to magic in general. When we are exposed to large amounts of magic other than these that flow inside these woods, we enter in a state of frenzy as our bodies aren't capable of handling big amounts of 'modern' magic, which is incredibly rough and brute compared to the subtle primal magic. When a Viera enters this frenzied state, it gets much faster and stronger, but we completely lose our mind and simply attack anyone nearby..." Freyr said, with a serious expression. Knowing that, it was easy to know why the Varjans might want to capture Vieras to use as weapons.

As they continued walking, they arrived on a part of the forest that had a strange mist covering the air. It wasn't bad at the point of making it impossible to see where they are going, in fact it was really thin, but there was something wrong with that mist. Somehow, you could feel it wasn't just a common mist.

"We are close, the entrance to the village should be just after this mist. From now on, Ditzy, Nagare, don't let go of my hands." Freyr said, extending his hands towards both of them.

"This is a ward placed by Vieran Spellweavers. Although it's harmless by itself, those who are not as sensitive to primal magic as the Viera will end up going back the way they came, or in the worst cases... won't be able to leave this part of the forest." Freyr said, looking to both Nagare and Ditzy.

To both Ditzy and Nagare, they could swear they were walking in circles. It was more than just a feeling, they were absolutely certain they were going nowhere. If Freyr hadn't explained about that ward before, they would think he was lost himself, but after a few minutes walking, they finally got out of the mist, arriving on the very bottom of a truly gigantic tree. Almost as if it was drawn on the trunk of that tree by the Woods itself, it's roots twisted and turned to create something like a gate in the trunk of that tree, almost as if it was a door of some type, but no matter how you looked at it, inside that semi circle there was only the trunk itself, without any opening or anything strange.

When Freyr gave a few steps forward, about to explain what that portal was, they all heard the distinct sound of a bowstring being drawn from behind them.

Coming out of the mist, a female Viera wearing light armor and wielding a bow made of the same material and with a similar design to the one Freyr himself used, walked around them until she was blocking their way to the gate. Almost as if she was stalking her prey, the woman never took her eyes off them not even for a second.

"You dare bring outsiders to our sacred woods, going as far as to bring them right outside our village?" The viera woman asked, venom clear in her voice as she looked to Freyr, whom simply raised his arms, surrendering himself.

"Who are you? What do you want invading our territory?" The female Viera asked, looking to Ditzy and Nagare.

@AzureKnight @Restalaan

@PaulHaynek

John listened as Talia spoke of what troubled her. "Bart exploded huh? That the reason why the door out front? Had a hole in it?" John though it could have been but didn't wait much for an answer. "I guess that would explain why that kid Neil was in a bad mood." John was already on the fence about this place before he even showed up, now he was in a guild where no one seems to get along. That sure wasnt the kind of environment he wanted to be in. "Well I guess I'm lucky I have no one to disappoint." John said as he continued to glance around the forge. He was getting a feel for the place since he would likely spend most of his time here. It was at that time he had heard Talia mention something about posting on the board and building stables. That was the real thing that caught John's attention. He wasnt some kind of therapist to fix the group issues but he knew how to build.

John looked directly at Talia at that point. "How many horses and what kind of stable?" John started going over his tools to ensure he could go through with the job. "This gonna be an internal or external stable? You thinking of doing traditional style or more like a barn? They both got their advantages and disadvantages but I'm sure you know more than I do about it so I'll let you make the call." John thought about any more questions he might need to ask. "Do we have the materials for this or are we making it from scratch?"

@ShwiggityShwah

Yang Bethlehem.

She was readied for anything, but Yang was briefly taken aback when Ozzy managed to lift her even. Though that ended swiftly as she still maintained a hold on Ozzy and slight adjustment not to strangle him by accident. Ozzy didn't manage to escape from her grip and turned towards speaking instead.

Listening to his reason, Yang nodded at this several times but she sighed at Ozzy insistence to keep on going with thinking he can persuade the Varjo's.

"That's a fine argument, but do you think that'll work alone? Justice without power are simply wishful words. Convincing people who are convinced in their belief that there's no co-existence possible will be akin to convincing a rock." Yang said without hesitation and a more philosophical side she hadn't shown to others. She wasn't tutored officially but she learned from monks who studied scriptures their entire lives. "Sometimes, you have to use force to fight against force. And you have little of that."

@PaulHaynek

Hearing what Haley said simply make Yang shook her shoulders at that.

"I owe Guildmaster Bart and I wish to repay a debt. As part of a guild member. I have responsibilities, much like Talia who handles the smith, or Neil who handles other things." She replied, she was now considered one of the older members since most members like Magnus, Bast, Eilidh, the priest, moth sisters was gone. Someone have to step in and ensure things run well.

"Guildmaster Bart is also a little scrawny for me, and I have seen enough naked muscled men for a life time." Yang waved her hand dismissively over Bart being her interest. Being born and raised in a temple did that for her.

"You still want to take on the quest? You, who barely can break out from me?" Her hand also let go of the hold on Ozzy and into a more friendly hold as she placed a hand on his head instead. Patting him much like an older sister. "I'm not saying that what you believe in is wrong, nor that you shouldn't try. Just that, you have to consider the situation. From my experience, the Varjos are far too gone and volatile for it to happen."

"So I'll ask you one last time, are you sure to take on the quest?" She asked Ozzy one more time with a look.




---
@13org@AzureKnight
Ditzy Stoneclub

"Let's go!" Ditzy excitedly said even as he tripped forward, tumbled but quickly got back up to his feet and brush his clothes. His spirits not dampered in the slightest.

He followed Nagare and Freyr closely, listening to Freyr words and advice as they journeyed to his home land.

"Hey, hey, do you think Ditzy can get a bow? Ditzy wanna be like you and shoot good!" Ditzy commented to Freyr in between their journey, he was excited to get a bow that he can play and not break. His father gave up making one and ask him to stick with throwing his sandbag instead.

"Oh, is there any nice beast to play with then?" His memories went to the larger boars that most goblins use as mounts and beast of burden. Those were nice and gentle things.

Hearing more about the forest had Ditzy nodding to each of it, more so when Freyr seemed to be enjoying himself.

So every part of this forest is alive? He'll have to be careful to walk around then, no likes to fall down on them. More so him. Ditzy felt the forest looking the same no matter where he look, which kind of confused his head.

"That doesn't sound nice." Further words on why they vapture Vierans had him frowning in thought. There are different magic? He always thought magic was those flashy, bright things, or his father pulling his fingers apart. Maybe it was like that?

They reached a mist, and that got Ditzy confused. Don't mist normally come out in the morning? He never knew they could exist outside of it.

Ditzy held Freyr hand and followed him closely. A familiar thing as he was lead often as a child by his parents. This brought some good memories back as he reminiscence about it, his thoughts broke when they left the mist.

Ditzy was strucked awe as he looked at the largest tree he came upon, neck upwards and mouth open. He looked at it for a few moments until Freyr took a few steps ahead, that's when he turned around. Ditzy tilted his head at that and noticed Nagare was doing the same, so he turned around as well.

Oh, is that a Viera? Pretty. Ditzy idly thought as he looked at her. Not even registering that she had an arrow nocked on them. When she asked them, Ditzy happily smiled and explained.

"Freyr was feeling sad and lonely! So we accompanied him back here to cheer him up!" Ditzy blurted out their purpose, after all, Freyr did wanted to come back home to visit his village.

Recruiting Forde Briar
~@Lmpkio (TCA), @AzureKnight (VRA)~

"We are simply visiting. We won't be here very long - for we are seeking someone of interest. Do you know of anyone named Forde Briar?"

"You're looking at him, madam." The dirt-covered boy revealed. "Now begone! I've had enough of people." He went back to digging up the grave.

"We need your help, sir. Us and this fellow named George." An approaching Haley suddenly spoke up from behind Titanica and Vară. "Hey, you two. I hope you don't mind a bird flying alongside you."

"Let me be clear here, ladies." Forde responded. "I hate people. It was people, who got me in this mess in the first place."

"What mess?"

Forde snickered. "Well look at me, Harpy! Look! Scrambling around, looking for maps, half-insane!" The boy motioned to himself. "I haven't washed in six months, my hair's falling out, my mind's going. And it's all. Because. Of. People." He declared before going back to his business and looting the carcass within the newly-dug grave.

"I can certainly smell that he hasn't washed in six months." Haley remarked to Titanica and Vară with disgust. "What happened?" She went back to Forde.

"What happened? My partner! He stole half my map!" The grave robber exclaimed. "I never would've done that to him! Never! Now, look at me." Forde continued looting the corpse.

"I'm not keen on helping a deranged grave robber but we need him, right? Do you two think we should help the guy out?" The Siren asked the two monster girls.

---

Herbal Medicine 2
~@Lmpkio (MOR), @Stern Algorithm~

"You don't have to worry about me," the girl replied confidently, "I'm exceptionally knowledgable when it comes to medicine. And I'm not easily as susceptible to hallucinations thanks to my magic. I should be fine."

"I'm pretty sure that's what Freyr said last time." Neil replied.

"I can't thank them enough for teaching me all this - yet even now I'm still learning something new everyday."

"Well, Morgan. You're sure gonna learn a whole lot this day." Neil said nervously. "But seriously though, your entire people are like, herbalists and apothecaries? That's pretty awesome."

The small party reach Ambran by midday. The town was as busy as always, wagons hauling cargo to and from the city with lots of active stores lining the sides of the streets. The people were mostly human though there were some who hid in hoods while others simply looked off. Neil led Morgan and the Altissima sisters towards Darren's apothecary shop.

The apothecary's location was well away from where all the people were. While it was not hidden, the medicinal store was definitely not within the way of a passerby. Neil knocked on the door and called out the medicine man himself. "Hey Darren? It's us, the guild."

"Ah, you guys are here! Please, come in, come in!"

Neil opened the door but did not enter. "I'm... real sensitive to his 'Huwana' stuff so I won't be joining your session. Sorry." He explained. "I'll be waiting here just in case anything happens though. Still, be careful you three." The boy assured the monster girls as he beckoned them to enter Darren's shop.

Once they were inside, Morgan and the Altissima sisters met a middle-aged man who appeared as cheerful as a child. Bespectacled and wearing the robes of a humble alchemist but already balding. "Ah, welcome, welcome! Oh, is the rabbit person not with you? I see. Well, I don't blame him. Things, err, happened the last time so I understand his reluctance."

"But the Huwana he used is no more, I have a new and improved version of the herb. I made a few alterations on the formula to make it more conducive to monsters." Darren expounded. "Oh, you must be wondering what 'Huwana' is. It's an anesthetic that I made myself. Its fumes relieves pain and gives a sense of peace which could be great for painfully wounded people. But it's currently banned by the Alchemist Guild and I'm trying to unban it."

Darren then prepared an incense burner, which likely contained the 'Huwana', and set it in the middle of the room. "I'm eager to see if I had made any progress on this so please, sit back, relax, and let the medicine do its work." He lit the incense burner and thick smoke began to fill the room though neither Morgan nor the Altissima sisters have yet to smell it. "Oh and, do you three have any questions? I would love to share more about my original prouct."

---

Laying The Foundations 3
~@BKburke~

"Bart exploded huh? That the reason why the door out front? Had a hole in it? I guess that would explain why that kid Neil was in a bad mood."

Talia chuckled. "Bart and the hole were two completely different matters. Although, you said Neil was in a bad mood earlier? Why?"

"How many horses and what kind of stable? This gonna be an internal or external stable? You thinking of doing traditional style or more like a barn? They both got their advantages and disadvantages but I'm sure you know more than I do about it so I'll let you make the call. Do we have the materials for this or are we making it from scratch?"

"Oh uhh, external. We've already made some fences for the horses so we'll just build the stables inside it. And uhh, we're just doing traditional since we don't have the materials to build a barn. Don't worry, we have the materials. I've been gathering them for the past few days." Talia replied to all your questions. "Finally, I don't know much about building. Us Cyclopes are more blacksmiths than builders. It's just that I've been venturing into construction lately."

"In fact, you seem to be the one who is knowledgeable about building things. Are you some sort of engineer, John? I'd love to know more about construction."

---

Liberation At Any Price
~@ShwiggityShwah, @Restalaan (YNG)~

(I'm a wait for Ozzy's decision first)

---

~@13org, @Restalaan (DIT), @AzureKnight (NAG)~

(@13org will be GMing this quest)

@Lmpkio @PaulHaynek

Following Titanica to their destination, Vară admittedly had trouble with the titan at some points. She dreaded walking across the grasslands, trying her best not to get grass stains on her stockings. While walking through the ruins, she would trip and stumble on some old rocks from time to time. Part of her wanted to ask Titanica to take some breaks, but ultimately decided against it. Not only did they have a quest to complete, but she was afraid of how the woman would respond to her - although Vară doubted she would even listen to her regardless. After all, her partner seemed to be too busy following the scent trail her powerful nose apparently picked up on. Vară could do little but follow the directives of her comrade, lest she become lost in a sea of old rubble and cobwebs. While the young demon didn't pride herself on tracking scents, she of course could sense human mana like all mamono. She began to sense the essence of a human as they drew closer to the sound of shoveling earth. However, something was off about the mana Vară was sensing. Something that didn't sit right with her...

Sticking close to Titanica, they soon found themselves in front of the person causing the shoveling noise. A young man who looked to be as old as Neil, who also had a similar messy hair style and petite stature. Though in Vară's eyes, that's where the similarities ended. This boy was extremely unkempt and obviously took no pride in his appearance. She could clearly smell the unpleasant body odor emanating from the boy, he probably doesn't remember the last time he washed. His entire person was covered in dirt and grim, and he had a creepy - almost deranged look in his eyes. Much to Vară's disgust, this was more than likely the Forde person who submitted the request. A fact that is quickly proven by the boy's rude introduction.

Vară turned to find that Haley had followed them, wanting to offer her aid in the quest. Turing back to the boy, the fire demoness had the misfortune of watching someone rob a grave for the first time. The mere thought of it made her sick to her stomach. Ugh, what is wrong with this sicko?! She said to herself. After listening to Haley and Forde exchange a few words, Vară learned that apparently the person whose grave he was robbing had taken half of a map from him. He then goes on to say that it's the dead person's fault that he is half-crazy and lost his sense of proper hygiene. Apparently the experience left him with a large disdain for people in general...

"Well, I certainly don't anyone holding a weapon to your head, especially that person whose grave you're robbing! So unless his ghost is haunting you beyond reason, I fail to see why you lack the common sense to take your smelly behind to a bath!! At least half of you must realize that." Snapped the demon to the boy.

"Hmph! Normally I'd burn a disgusting grave robber like him to a crisp, but after traversing so far I'd like to settle this matter completely. I'm sure my partner here feels the same way." She responded.

---

@13org @Restalaan

Following Freyr to the outskirts of the kingdom, Nagare along with Ditzy were led to a massive forest which seemed to stretch on as far as the eastern sea.

Nagare began to feel something coming from the forest, some type of ancient energy. It made her feel alittle uneasy at first, Freyr was probably used to it. Freyr confirms this by saying that the forest is as alive as the three of them were and had a will of its own. She followed Freyr's advise and stuck as close to him as possible, watching Ditzy like a hawk to make sure they didn't get separated.

"I remember the other members talking about how you went berserk once, I'm glad that you're alright after the experience. I certainly hope my magic doesn't cause you or your kin to undergo that same ordeal!" Said the ice dragon.

Arriving in a portion of the forest covered in a thin fog, Nagare immediately felt that something was off about it. Freyr said that the village entrance was close by, but it felt like they'd gotten lost amongst the sea of trees. No doubt due to the mist having some mystical properties.

"I can clearly see that your kin have some amazing spellcasters in their ranks. I doubt anyone from Varjo could make their way through this maze."

After some time, the three arrived in front of an enormous tree. Nagare watched with intrigue as the roots and branches twisted themselves to take the shape of a gate of sorts. This must be the village entrance. She thought.

Before they could enter, however, the ice dragon immediately felt a surge of murderous intent coming from behind them. A fellow Viera had appeared, bow and arrow ready to pierce, a made it her mission to prevent entry into the deeper part of Freyr's homeland. She had hide her presence well, Nagare couldn't sense her until she made herself known. The best thing to do was to remain calm and answer her questions. After all, they came in peace.

"My name is Nagare, an ice dragon from the eastern mountains. Freyr wanted to return to his homeland and speak with his village elders. We are his friends and wanted to accompany him on his journey back." Politely replied the young dragon. Hopefully Freyr would be able to ease the tension.