Health: 2100/2100
Mana: 2000/2000

---

Prome shrugged as he casted his vote for Willow "It's a shame Joshua isn't here. He would probably make a good guild leader. He was always level headed like that. Although, he is lucky that he was too busy to play with us on launch day." He then quickly finished off his breakfast before checking his inventory for loot "...I wonder if the boss dropped anything..." That's when he noticed the blueprints "Huh, what's this?" He took a look at it "Blueprints for power armor? Why would the boss drop these?" His head slowly began to start hurting, before abruptly stopping "Oh well, no point looking a gift horse in the mouth."

Cecilia remained quiet throughout much of the morning rendezvous, content merely with eating her breakfast and observing those around her. There was a slight furrowing of her brow whenever Prome spoke up, the oddities of the absent-minded mechanic's psyche clear to everyone except for the newcomer, and Willow's own inability to fully understand the message was somewhat bothersome as well, now that she thought about it. As a relatively small and 'normal' Guild that made their bread and butter through dungeon exploration and quest completion, Last Genesis certainly didn't people wholly specialized in dealing with non-combat abilities. Mages, not reliant on weapon skills, could spend somewhat more freely, but there were still limitations. Datalink 66 had their Mages dump into singular skills, hyperspecializing to stay highly relevant as info brokers. And considering how easy it was to access the area to begin with...

Rivers words echoed in Cecilia's ears. First to find, but last to solve. Why not just collaborate then?

Polishing off her stew, the lilac-haired lancer rose from her own seat as people scattered, making their individual exits. There'll be time later for dealing with Prome's lunacy, for becoming better acquainted with Aura, for wondering whether which of her personas would call Holly 'Holly' or 'Patricia' or 'Patty' or 'Hollricia'. No, for now, Cecilia was satisfied with shooting a quick message towards Willow before going off on her way.

Yo-ho, basically, the value of information's in speed n all, so was thinking like, why not just sell what knowledge we currently have to Datalink 66 and then collaborating with em to dig up more deets? Can decide by tonight anyhow; was super easy for me to come across that area, so it's probably just as easy for anyone else with an eye on their minimap to do so, yeah?

Think on it, Willow.

A bit forceful?

Cecilia didn't mind overly. With a sweeping strike of the 'send' button, as if she were smacking down a card, she shot the message off to their newly appointed Guild Leader, before making the relevant adjustments to changing her outfit again. Something nice looking, something attractive, but more on the 'handsome adventurer' side than the 'elegant lady' side. Gotta look the part, after all, when she went out for new clothes!

---

Holly shook her head in disbelief with what Prome exactly said. It made her deeply sigh at the lack of paying attention, which Prome is. ”God damn it… Prome. This is irritating you know that? Kinda wish you pay attention more… but you were always like this.” Holly thought to herself, with a frustrated look on her face. She rolled her eyes mostly because of his whole lack of skill around paying attention and the fact he’s quite insane too. It was mostly insulting at the memory of Karuu to be honest, with what Prome said. However, it is better to be in this guild than in one of those larger ones because your a number and not an individual.

It took herself sometime to calm herself down, because she wanted somewhat to shake Prome and make him pay attention more. She didn’t decide to do that since it would be a pretty annoying thing to do, however, she finally got her food and drink. There was many things to do like getting more things so she doesn’t have to feel like she’s being a brute with her bow. ”Oh yeah, I should really pick up arrows… soo, I am not beating mobs with my bow, which was a bit of an annoyance to say the least. I’m not a brute… and that would help with my quest too.” Holly said, with a sigh of annoyance still at Prome.

Holly was enjoying her food and drink since it was definitely needed. She was in the middle of drinking her water, but with what Willow said made her choke on her drink somewhat. It took her a second but mostly because she couldn’t help but laugh at what Willow said. ”Damn it… Willow that was too freaking funny. And I do agree with that.” Holly said, with a bit of a giggle and trying to not trying to rush her drinking. She should’ve paid slightly more attention to her drinking her water over listening to what Willow was talking about.

It took her a bit off guard when she heard Aura’s real name, which it was a beautiful name in her honest opinion. However, she couldn’t help but be a bit embarrassed at the name. ”That’s a wonderful name, Ciara.” Holly said, with a smile back towards Ciara. It was nice to learn someone else’s real name. She’s definitely the shyest of everyone in Lost Genesis, mostly because of her upbringing in a multi-millionaire or higher family. Her father always had told her to be open with people you’re friends with and they will accept you for whom you are and not your money.

”I do wonder… how much money would my parents spend on me to keep me in the house and away from a mental institution… after this mental insanity of being trapped within a game for so long?” Holly thought to herself. It will probably take much of her family’s money to reverse all the effects of this. However, she’ll have hardcore PTSD afterwards because being trapped within a video game is terrible.

Holly finished with her food and drink, which the stew was still great to eat. She saw Willow get up from her chair and had a grin on her face, which helped her mood slightly. It did lift up her spirits, which she knew what she had to go after in terms of more arrows and what not. She checked on her equipment through her inventory to see their condition, which they were decent or good condition. The whole thing was definitely good, however, she saw Aura bow to them. ”Yeah, same with you, Ciara. Always good to meet new people and help them.” Holly said, to Aura on her way out. She heard what Prome said afterwards, before she decided to walk out of the Inn, and was a bit confused, mostly the part of him getting a blueprint for Power armor. The name Joshua definitely ringed a bell with what Prome had said, but it was good he wasn’t here.

She got up as well and decided to walk out to go to the place would help her get the necessary equipment, which was definitely nonexistent in her inventory. However, she heard what River had said, and she couldn’t help but giggle. ”Silly River, at least you were only lost in thought for a bit and not all the time.” Holly said, with a giggle. She decided to go towards the Blacksmith since she remember they sell arrows, because that’s how she got them before anyways. It would be better to be prepared than not, however, it would probably take her awhile to reach the Blacksmith.

The Market was busy for such an early hour, plenty of laborers bringing shipments to and from the docks. Carts whipped to and from one side of the city to the other, mostly hand drawn but a few horses could be found amongst the crowd. The market itself was a bright display of colors, clothes and hides trading hands as quickly as fruit and vegetables. A few food items from Genesis lined the wealthier looking stands.

Willow made a quick round, checking signs and store names, before finally ducking into a moderate sized apothecary. She paused a moment, reading over Cece’s message and dismissed the image. The idea wasn’t a bad one, some extra Renn in the guild coffeer’s wouldn’t hurt but with the public disapproval of Datalink 66’s methods Willow was hesitant. Once someone lost the server’s approval in something, it took a lot to earn it back and this game lacked the privilege of server transfers as far as Willow was aware. It was worth considering but she might need some advice before continuing with that idea. If Zeke ever showed up, she’d have him do it and then just kick him from the guild in a show of solidarity with the Council but she could never find him.

The apothecary had a few individuals wandering the shop, various ingredients and potions labelled and bottled on shelves. An older woman in heavy glasses leaned on the counter as she went over a small list with a boy who nodded as she finished, dropped a small pouch of Renn on the table, and bolted out the door with a hurried goodbye. The woman’s tag read Valrene, Alchemist Trainer as she turned to Willow and those following her.

“Welcome, welcome!” Valrene waved at the trio, beckoning them closer. “You look like fresh faces ‘round here. What can I do for you folks?”

“We heard you needed help gathering supplies and we came to offer our assistance.” Willow responded as she approached the counter, eyeing some potions. If only she hadn’t spent all her Renn.

“Yes, yes! Running through my Welkin Gland supply. Nasty things but their poison can be used to make quite a number of remedies. I’ll need at least ten but I’m always pleased to pay for a few extra.” The alchemist spoke as she rummaged under the desk, pulling out a small scroll and rolling it open. A long tailed serpentine creature was depicted on it and a close up of the poison glands behind the fangs and a quick description on how to extract it. “Make sure they don’t get ruptured!”



“Is there anything else we need to know?” Willow asked as she accepted the quest and shared it with the guild.

“Hm, hm. You’ll need to be quick to kill them before you get coated with their vomit. The smell attracts other Welkin and can start a feeding frenzy if you aren’t careful!” Valrene explained cheerfully as she rolled her scroll up and stashed it away. “Good luck! You folk seem like you’ll do great!”

Willow stared at the woman blankly for a few moments, thoroughly disgusted with that information but pulled up the guild chat.

I have the quest from Valrene. Meet me at the bridge at the edge of town and we’ll strike out from there. Make sure your gear is in decent repair on the way out.

Meanwhile....

At the edge of the market, a young girl tried to catch the attention of various adventurers. A large basket was strapped to her back and with every person who ignored her, she grew clearly more distressed. She was in no way bad off, her clothes clean and well kept and she was clearly well groomed, but she shifted from foot to foot as she tried to catch one man’s attention but was pushed a few steps back. The girl, Nanlia, crouched for a moment with tears in her eyes.

“You’re such a sweet talker.” The woman, Farlie, tittered after their conversation. Her husband rolled his eyes fondly as he assisted another customer. “A silver off for a silvered tongue is only fair, don’t you think? 5 silver a piece rather than the normal 6 and if you like, I’ll throw some bananas fresh off the boat from these bothran’s homeland. A few days old but they’re perfectly ripe! Goes great with the cream the Verdant makes special.”



Meanwhile…

Bidthorn’s Smithery was just as lively, loud and hot and full of workers. Various metals made their way in and out of the building, three large carts exchanging good with the shop and then on their way. Inside the shop proper was much quieter and several rows of cases displayed various items, ranging from horseshoes to weapons. A few suits of armor lined the walls. A balding man with a long braided beard stood behind the counter, weighing various bars of metal on a scale. Bidthorn looked up as Holly entered, squinting suspiciously.

“What’s a little lassie like you doin’ in mah shop?” Behind him, a massive hammer hung on the wall. Intricate patterns were carved into the handle and the dual sided hammer heads were emerald green.

"I'd like to think I'm sweet in action too," Cecilia replied with a wink. "But I thank you for your generous discount regardless, Mrs Farlie, and I'll be glad to relieve those bananas from your hands as well."

It wasn't as steep a discount as she'd have liked, but the Lancer certainly wasn't going to press for much more than that: four sets of heat-resistant clothing will be enough to see the frontline through, at least. Holly, Aura, River, and herself. Considering how cumbersome and stifling his suit of armor was, she doubted Prome would gain much from the clothing anyways, and Willow didn't exactly move enough to warrant the help either. They'll just have to make do then, she supposed. Making a mental note to visit the couple again after she returned, just to build a strong foundation for a relationship with someone in the marketplace, Cecilia headed off, a spring in her step. Cream from the Verdant, was it? She never heard of bananas and cream fitting together well before, but maybe that was Reliqua's version of a banana split?

Hm...yeah, now that she wanted. It was almost a tragedy that no one in her party was well-versed with ice magic; ice cream was something that'd make them all rich in these humid temperatures.

Willow's message brought her out of her dreams of capitalism though. Looked like they were doing two quests after all. Always nice to know. Taking a quick inventory of her own armor, Cecilia was more or less satisfied with her state: the Kill Team had been effective in letting the DPS DPS and the tanks tank, and her own armor was probably still good for another couple days of hard combat. No money left for any half-decent HP pots though. A good chance to see how well her new Passive helped with sustain then. Slinging her spear over her shoulder and re-equipping her armor, Cecilia checked the weather, swapped out her Raincoat for her Light's Bane Cloak, and, with some sadness towards her drop in Piercing defenses, removed her custom-made dress for mass-manufactured Java Jungle Wear.

The fabrics were coarser than what she had grown accustom to, but the design itself was loose with tribal patterns sewn in. Sections of the clothing, especially around the joints, were only joined loosely by thread, leaving gaps for ventilation while still protecting most of the skin. Breathable and tough. Not too bad...but she was still going to have to touch it up later. Colorful as it was, Cecilia wanted to add at least something colorful and reflective. Colors to complement her eyes too. Maybe improve the embroidery around the hem?

Uncharacteristically lost in her own thoughts, Cecilia certainly didn't notice the crouched figure at the edge of the market until it was almost too late.

Almost.

A mid-step from collision, the lilac-haired lady sidestepped, her movements akin to a ballet dancer as she swept around the child instead. Stopping beside Nanila, she blinked, before crouching down, amber eyes searching for the girl's own gaze. "Morning there, little miss," Cecilia began, projecting the aura of a confident, trustworthy adventurer, "Are you quite alright? Don't happen to be lost or something?"

---

Aura shrugged light-heartedly and smiled at River. "No harm, no foul. Maybe it's safer that way too. Though I might have met you before - back before all this." Aura recalled vaguely that River was something of an animal rights activist in real life, which was probably the reason why River was a Trainer here, but Aura wasn't sure if River wanted to share facts about real life, given that he didn't wish to share his real name. "Either way - doesn't really matter now, does it? I'm here more for the safety in numbers, after all. I thought maybe I should try going in a guild rather than running with white-listers all the time."

As they rounded to the marketplace, Aura habitually tightened the straps on her gauntlet and looked for the shadier areas. It was a kind of ritual for Aura - the towns were supposed to be protected areas, but it sure didn't prevent any of the players attempting to exploit boundaries, lurking around at the corners of the protective areas with hunting eyes. She would try to look more thoroughly and harrass them if she found any, but she had more consequential things to do - for example, coffee. And also meet the Cleric to pick up her subclass quest. Back of the market. Sounds shady enough. But cleric of Morrigan - wasn't she a Faerie queen of war and death in the Ulster Cycle? I'll probably be lucky to find that it wasn't a cult.
As Aura made her way towards the market's backend, her armour clanging dully in the waking din of opening shops, she noticed the lone girl with the basket attempting to do...something. Ask for help? Beg for food? She didn't look haggard in any way, and she didn't carry any weapons or equipment. It looked like the lancer from Last Genesis, Cecila was on the case (with a rather theatrical manner), but...hmph. Aura swept another look towards the shops in search of coffee, then rerouted her direction. She took the long way around, making a point to pass closely by the girl and perhaps pick up any information, in case Aura could help.

“M-me?” The girl asked in apparent disbelief, looking around her to see if there was someone else the adventurer could be speaking with. After a few moments, Nanlia turned back to Cecelia. “I need to gather Java root for my brother… He’s sick so he can’t go out right now but we need the money. There’s so many beasts out there though, I’ll get eaten up! Can you come with me and fight off anything that comes around? I’ll give you a cut of the pay.” The girl asked, hope practically radiating from her.



Meanwhile...

The shrine dedicated to the Goddess Morrigan was easily spotted, a black, red, and white standard sitting out front an unassuming building. On the front, a three faced mask was surrounded by a circle of blood on a white field. A figure, Grisham the Purifier Trainer, in full plate crashed his fist against his chest in salute to several passersby. Soft chanting floated out from inside and an older woman stepped outside, full plate and a longsword at her side shining brightly, to take the Purifier’s place. Wilka the Battle Cleric Trainer hovered above her head as she waved politely to a few children playing in the market.

Wow, the amount of dark subtext she could infer from that short exchange was sorta intense...or maybe Cecilia was just overthinking it. Though she admired Nanila’s spunk and industrious attitude, the lilac-haired lancer remained apprehensive about bringing a kid along into the wilderness, especially the sorts of wilderness that the rest of Last Genesis would be frequenting. An escort mission might be fine if that was their primary objective, but it simply wasn’t efficient, bringing a little girl with them as they worked to complete two, maybe three other quests at the same time.

“You’re a good girl, aren’t you?” Cecilia said with a maternal smile. “Don’t have many kids as plucky as you where I come from, that’s for sure. But, how ‘bout this instead? I’m sure your brother’s going to be bored and all by himself, so maybe, rather than leaving him alone while he’s sick, you stay with him? Meanwhile, I’ll get the Java Roots for you and bring it back later?”

There was a pause. A moment of contemplation. Yeah, she wasn’t that type of person.

“And hey, I won’t need a cut. Just tell me where to find ‘em, tell me how much to take and that’s all the reward I need, miss.”

“I…” Nanlia frowned at the offer, contemplating it for a short moment. “Do you know how to gather java root? There’s a lot of digging and beasts like to try and take them. Do you think you can do it all by yourself?” The girl fretted, kicking at the ground.

“I can’t do it all by myself, but I have friends that can!” Cecilia winked, keeping her tone light-hearted. “Some of them can even turn into beasts.”

“Can turn into beasts?” Nania’s eyes widened excitedly. “If they help, can you show me them when you come back? I want to see someone turn into a beast!” The girl bounced on her feet, her shy demeanor gone in an instant.

“Sure thing!” Cecilia replied. River probably liked kids, right? “Just gotta promise me that you take care of your sibling before then, yeah?”

“I promise, I promise!” The girl squealed and hugged Cecilia, dancing around in front of her. “To find the java root, you have to go to the bottom of java trees and dig out their roots, the ones that look the thickest! If you take the little ones, you’ll hurt the trees. Dig them up and cut them out and bring them back to me. We need twenty of them for today’s quota. The biggest java trees have the most roots but they also have the most Baby Blues so be extra careful, okay?”



“Got it,” Cecilia grinned, pressing the ‘Yes’ option. “And how will I find you later, little lady?”

“Oh, um, well…” Nanlia bounced on her heels for a moment but shrugged. “Brother says I shouldn’t tell people but we live in the last little house next to the ships. I’ll stay at home until you come with them so you can find me there! Do you need the basket?” Nanlia asked, offering the basket strapped to her back.

Cecilia thought about it for a moment, before shrugging. “Keep it. I’ve got a backpack for a reason, after all.” As if to make a show of it, she hefted it up, letting Nanila hear how much space there still was inside.

“Welp, gonna catch up to my party now. See you later tonight, Nanila!”

Health: 2100/2100
Mana: 2000/2000

---

The party had all split up to do their own thing. With no other obligation, Prome had decided to wander the marketplace in search of new materials, in the hopes of getting some inspiration to finish the blueprints he found "...but I still can't get over how eerily convenient it is to have found this design. It looks so much like my own work..." He pondered that thought for a few more seconds before shrugging "Oh well, I suppose it's not that important. After all, I still need to finish it. The actual suit looks solid, pun very much intended, but the weapon system clearly needs some work. Come to think of it...the power supply might also be a problem. I'm not sure coal is going to cut it. I need something better" He opened up his skill menu "Now, I wonder if...hello, what's this?" That's when he found a grayed out passive; Alternative Power (Steam). "Yes...this will do nicely. Ohh, there's a quest involved in it. Sounds like fun!" His objective decided, he began asking around for the location of this 'Alfor' guy. Once he got directions, he made his way over to his house and knocked on the door.

---

Holly had a slight smile on her face, which mostly reminded herself of how busy her father usually is. In terms of what he does since it basically runs something akin to a smithery but it’s usually called a workshop mostly. However, she came out of her reminisce of what her father usually tells herself to always be prepared for anything. It took her a bit by surprise when the owner spoke to her, but she did enter his shop. ”Sir, I am here to buy some arrows for my quiver since I am completely out of them. It’s always better to be prepared for anything.” Holly said.

She looked at her Renn and decided to part with 500 Renn for the 100 Arrows for her quiver. Since she desperately needs the arrows. It would be suicide otherwise, and it would’ve been stupid to not to do that. However, it definitely shows she’s basically here for buying arrows and already had the money for it. It kinda hurt to part with the Renn, but its the right thing to do for her continued survival in this game. ”I need to survive so I can live with parents again.” Holly thought to herself.

Holly did notice the massive hammer hanging on the wall, which he probably uses on people who tries to steal things. It was definitely a beautiful masterpiece, however, no matter what the owner Bidthorn uses it for. She, however, remembered something that it would be nice to learn how to craft arrows for herself so she could be more self-efficient. ”Uhhh, also, got any tips on how to craft said arrows? Any advice would be helpful. As well that’s a beautiful dual sided hammer you have there.” Holly said, to compliment the well crafted hammer, he has.

Holly had a slight ding in her guild chat and saw Willow say she got a brand new quest from Valrene. That was wonderful, however, she’ll be buying enough arrows for herself so she can keep her quiver full. It would be quite nice if there was a quiver with much larger capacity of arrows, but it is probably unlikely. ”That’s nice, I suppose I should respond to her.” Holly thought to herself.

That’s wonderful Willow, that you got another quest. I suppose when we meet at the Bridge, we can talk about the quest details.

Holly didn’t know what the details is, but she hopeful she can leave with the arrows and meet up with her companions on the Bridge. It’ll be different nonetheless, however, it would be nice to learn if the Smithery’s owner had any tips on crafting arrows. She wanted to be useful to help people out when they are in need, which she wants to pick up blacksmithing. It was a bit odd when her father took her to a Medieval Festival and she made a small medieval nail.

Willow wasted no time making her way to the group’s meetup spot, River close on her heels. He was chompin at the bit apparently and Willow wanted to be able to reign him in if River decided to take off without thinking. She sighed, again no response from Prome, but she put that out of her mind. As long as he was in town, he shouldn’t get into too much trouble… Right?

---

“Aye, it’s a right masterpiece. Made ‘er just last week. Last bit o’ material I had too. Nasty stuff to work with but old Bidhorn got the job done!” The shopkeeper chuckled but gave Holly an appraising look. “Now, not for nothing, but I think yer not quite suited for the smithin’ life right now, lassie. It’s plain to see you haven’t picked up a hammer in your life. Come back to my shop after you got a few projects under your belt and we’ll talk shop.”

---

Alfor Ratshrew’s home was much the same as the night before and the door opened to reveal Rowena once again who only sighed and ushered Prome in. “Frankly, I’m surprised you weren’t scratching at the door like a dog when I stepped out this morning. What possessed you to visit us at such a queer hour of the night? It wasn’t as if your business was pressing.” Rowena grumbled as she finished cutting fruit for a platter on the table. She tugged on a rope hanging by the fireplace and the same jingling could be heard upstairs. A heavy thumping could be heard as Alfor made an appearance at the top of the stairs once more.

“Ah, he returns! How exciting!” Alfor exclaimed, heavy footsteps pounding down the stairs before he clapped Prome on the shoulder. “What idea have you cooked up in your head overnight?”

With her own responsibilities handled and no other crying children on the streets, Cecilia headed off to reconvene with the others, her strides quick now. It was nice to get some more quests, but she hoped the others hadn't waited too long for her to finish up all her stuff. Picking up the pace, the Lancer jogged lightly through the streets until she reached the outskirts of Reliqua where...literally not even half the party were. Slowing down and waving towards River and Willow, she let out a low whistle, then a slight smile.

"Prome got away from you again?" Cecilia asked, before she turned her gaze towards River. "By the by, got you a gig at this Lady's house later this afternoon. Impressed upon her your shapeshifting talents and she requested your presence once you returned, River."

Health: 2100/2100
Mana: 2000/2000

---

'It...almost seems like they know me or something' Prome thought as he walked in 'What a strange decision on the programmers part. Or have I perhaps come across a bug of some sort? Oh well, no harm in playing along' He then turned to the man and answered him "I have a rough outline of what I want, just a few blanks to fill in. However, while I was taking walk around town to get the creative juices flowing, I came across an interesting piece of information; that someone was working on some sort of new power source, and I couldn't help but be curious."

---

Holly was amazed, in terms of when he got it done basically last week. ”Always great to finish something that requires hard work.” Holly said, basically impressed at his skill at being a Blacksmith. It was one of the few things she definitely needed to get a handle on, anyways. However, when he chuckled at her and felt like he was appraising her, which indeed what he was doing. She wasn’t frustrated with what he said, because he’s completely right with his assessment, including her own father would agree with him. Her father was always a step above most people in his line of work anyways.

She couldn’t help but gently smiled again, at least she got her arrows she needed to buy since her quiver was completely out. ”It is nice to meet you then, Bidthorn. I will follow your advice of getting a few projects under my belt. I hope you have a good day, sir, and thank you for the Arrows by the way, they will help me protect my friends.” Holly said. She was definitely happy for at least the experience, but she’ll definitely need to gain experience to learn Blacksmithing anyways. Her father tried to teach her some shortcuts in life but they ended up backfiring since she didn’t quite understand what he was teaching her. It’s better to get her own hands dirty after all.

Holly had a definite goal to reach now, other than all the other goals she has since she needs to start actually doing Blacksmithing. However, the one thing she did learn from her father is never stop trying, if you don’t succeed, you don’t give up you try again. It is an important life lesson she does take to heart. However, she decided to leave the Blacksmith and waved Bidthorn goodbye, since she needs to reach the Edge of Town to meet up with her friends. ”I should get to them sooner than later.” Holly thought to herself.

She walked towards away from the Blacksmiths, through the Markets to reach the outskirts of town. However, she started to pick up the pace to reach the outskirts as quickly as possible but only jogging so she doesn’t run into anyone. It would not be a good idea to bump into one of the citizens anyways, she usually tries to keep her bumping into people to a minimum. ”I wonder how many people are at the Bridge so far?” Holly thought to herself.

Holly could see River, Willow, and Cecilia. She slowed down and basically was grateful to see them at least here, but where the heck was Prome. However, she decided to deeply sigh, which was loud enough to hear from her friends. She waved to them and walked a bit more briskly towards them. ”It’s like we need to make a leash for him or some such...” Holly said, towards Willow mostly. She basically smiled at her friends even though she was a bit worried if the others got lost or something. It took her to think that would be a pretty silly idea actually, who would be keeping Prome from going all over the place if he was leashed. However, she did say it but she started to giggle at the idea.

She, then remembered what she wanted to ask Willow, in terms of the Quest that she picked up. ”Oh yeah, what was the quest you picked up Willow? Got any nifty details.” Holly said, with a curious tone. However, in the back of her mind, it feels like she shouldn’t have asked the question but she did. It was like she wasn’t going to enjoy what Willow will say but she did want to know.

---

---

Rivers eyes grew wide as Cecilia mentioned a "gig" for him back in town. He blinked slowly and then again as he stared at her a bit confused. A nervous chuckle escaping him as his cheeks turned a pale pink. "Well...let's hope this venture into the forest will help with that then. I was reading over the abilities and it appears I need to slay a creature of my level or lower in order to obtain that form. So as of now...I have no shapeshifting, not till we enter a bit of combat. But I am a bit curious...what exactly is this job you have for me back in town? And why does it require a shifter?" To say he was perplexed would be a massive understatement, but he was also extremely intrigued on what the details of this possible quest would entail and what sort of reward it may get them. They already had so much on their plate that he wasnt fully sure how many more quests they should gather up, but at least it kept them busy.

As Holly approached them, River gave her a wave as he smiled towards her. It seemed they had a few members all gathered and waiting now, just a few more and they could venture out into the unknown and learn what sort of land they have awaiting them. At the mention of Prome Rivers face fell amd a sigh followed. "Promes a grown kid, I'm sure he can handle himself...I hope...but we cant keep looking after him like this, it cant be healthy for any of us you know? We don't need him to develop a dependency on us and begin to start functioning on the basis that he can go at it like this. I know its harsh to say but it's the truth." He shook his head slightly, clearly not wanting to deal with the situation at hand as he shifted his weight onto the other leg and changed the subject "Anyways, If you have any further information on the new quest you accepted that would be grand. Any bit helps to survive you know?"

---

Okay. Aura hated to admit it, but she had spent far too long searching for coffee. What she thought was coffee was actually some strange local spice. When she asked the shop attendant, they pointed her to the other side of the market. So she lumbered over through the market, sentinel-like with her clanging armor, before being informed that the shop had moved to another location. And another. And another. She could almost hear the accursed tune of a familiar game and the annoying voice, "The princess is in another castle!" Aura regretted she didn't choose the Berserker class when she first played. Then she could throw a tantrum without breaking character. Aura just had to be satisfied with kicking around an innocent stone or two.

In any case, Aura had to fix herself to her objective, sadly striking out the possibilities of ever getting coffee here. Cleric of Morrigan. Now or never. Adjusting her armour once again (knocked off-kilter by her disgruntlement and exasperation) and sighing to get the frustration out of her system, Aura stepped up to find the cleric.

Blood. Well that ticks off one box, but not as bad as I thought, huh? Aura thought as she approached the shrine. I hope they didn't see me running around the market like a goddamned idiot. Aura saluted the trainer waiting outside. Technically not even her trainer, but Aura respected the sort of commitment the Purifier had. The sort that brought about dented gauntlets and a deep-joint ringing after banging fist to chest for so long. He looked like the pious type too, so Aura decided to adopt a bit of a lingo to match. "Ser. I've come to seek a quest from Ser Wilka. I was informed she will have guidance on the Battle Cleric class."

Is it Ser or Ma'am? Historically there were no female knights in the Crusades, with only few exceptions of a handful of princesses and prince-regents. Or is it Joan D'Arc inspired? Maybe she's closer to a nun or cleric, then she could be Lady, Saint or Sister..whatever.

Willow waved at everyone as they showed up, sighing in tandem as Holly posed her idea about Prome. Yes, he probably should be on a leash. She’d have a conversation about responding to messages when they got back from their excursion and she hunted the Tinker down again. She rolled her eyes and put the thought out of her mind. They were about to go kill something, she should be excited, not irritated with members.

“Yes he did but we can deal with that when we get back. We have more interesting things to do right now!” Willow said firmly. “For the Welkin quest, apparently the best thing to do is nuke it down as fast as we can because they will vomit on us and that’ll make everyone welkin around start attacking whoever was the target of the ability. So when we get to that point, hit them with everything you got. I know they’re only trash monsters but we still don’t know what kind of power they’re at right now, so make sure to pay attention to telegraphs and err on the side of caution when we engage.”

“Now, I’m not sure what chitters are but that one can trigger almost as soon as we leave town so be on the lookout for Chitters as well. Everyone ready to kick some virtual ass?” Willow asked, ready to get her magic into something.

---

“Welcome Paladin. The call of the Goddess Morrigan has brought you to our doorstep and we will not see you falter now. Ser Wilka does but take brief respite inside the Sanctuary of Three. Seek her out and your quest shall be granted. For the Glory!” the Purifier slammed his fist to his chest in salute after giving directions.

Inside the Sanctuary of Three, a few rows of pews faced a small altar that held a large chalice, a knife, and a book. Tapestries similar to the banner outside hung from the walls but that was all. The Sanctuary itself was rather small and cramped, illuminated by torch light and what sunlight came in through the open doorway. The room was clearly never meant to hold more than storage but Ser Wilka, the Battle Cleric Trainer, sat in the front row with her head bowed and breathing deeply.

---

“Oh, ho ho! Hear about my little experiment did you?” Alfor chuckled sheepishly. “Tis true, I am developing a steam engine but my last try experienced a little hiccup. Blew the whole damn thing to smithereens. So while yes I am indeed doing that, I have to rebuild my prototype. Although ...” Alfor gave him a thoughtful look. “If you agreed to help me gather the materials, then perhaps I could share the blueprints so you can incorporate it into your own designs?”

“Grown kid’s a bit of an oxymoron, ain’t it?” Cecilia smirked, leaning against one of the posts. “And don’t worry, River, it isn’t anything deviant. Lady Nanila’s simply curious ‘bout the whole shifter business. Her caretaking duties towards her brother, y’see, has kept her largely bound to Reliquia, so when she heard someone could show her the wildlife of Reliquia in the safety of her own home, well…” The lilac-haired lancer tossed her hair in the air, eyes closed and lips curving up. “Who was I to refuse such an earnest request? I’ll make sure you get all the kills you need to please the Lady, so don’t worry about it, my dude.”

A salacious sneer emerged then, as Cecilia stroked her chin. “Or we could leash Prome up like Holly said and dress him up like a puppy.”

No other similarly improper comments could be made though, before Willow started talking about the Welkin quest. Going all in on fodder wasn’t something that Cecilia was particularly pleased with, especially not when the two magic users that were in the party weren’t DPS focused to begin with. Wouldn’t give them much time to learn new patterns either, if they were just going to try to explode the little creatures from the get-go.

“Ain’t the Welkin goop basically a free taunt?” Cecilia ventured, turning her gaze towards the town. “If the tank girl actually shows, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just cull down the number of Welkin a bit, before taking it nice and easy in our DPS, yeah? Better to learn the patterns of these monsters earlier rather than later.”

Health: 2100/2100
Mana: 2000/2000

---

When Prome heard that his entire prototype had been destroyed, it felt like a kick in his brains balls (Don't question it dammit!). "The entire thing! Oh you poor thing, how dreadful, you probably didn't even have enough left to see what went wrong!" He clenched his hands into fist and shook his head "No, this will not stand. I can't just stand by while progress is halted by something as petty as material components!" His stance tightened up "It is my duty as not only a Tinkerer, but as a person to see that see this new power source completed!" Prome clasped the older man's hands in his, tears starting to form in his eyes "Sir Alfor, I swear to led whatever aid I can to see this deign become a reality!"

---

---

"Promes a bit of an Oxy-moron. At least he seems to be lately. This game seems to have a nasty habit of changing people, or showing others true colors. We need to be able to stick together if we hope to beat this thing and survive, and its hard to do that when one of your DPSs keeps disappearing into nowhere when he's needed. But that's an issue for a later date. Right now we have monsters to hunt, and a world to explore." River put up a fist in a show of excitement. As horrid as this game could be, there was still a level of excitement and adventure in seeing new lands, new animals, and new abilities that they could all unlock. Who knew what this game had in store for them, but whatever it was it was sure to be something to talk about. River waited for Willow to finish her explanation before leaning in to Cecilia and whispering "Alright, that doesn't sound like such a bad quest. I'll try and see if I cant find anything cool for her to see."

"As much as I agree with you Cecilia, perhaps we should just deal with them quickly? If this information was given at quest pick up perhaps it's a vital key in defeating them. Too often have I seen parties in games or even D&D get outdone by simple trashmobs only because of mere hubris. Let's looking out for the mass aggro, try and interrupt it and kill it before its cast goes off, and see how much we can gleam from watching them all fight. Maybe each one will display different abilities and mechanics so we can gather a bigger picture? Besides, words traveled that you dodged Lightning and I would like to see that speed in action." He knew Cecilia was fast, he also knew she could've been seriously injured had she not been lucky enough to dodge that blast from the wandering boss. He did, however, hope his taunt worked and would get her to side with team kill quick.