Ana of Auroris

Ana hopped off the stool and brushed her gloved hands against her pants. "Talk amongst yourselves," she said as she carefully placed the scroll back in her satchel. "Or don't. Do whatever you like." The bad whiskey had settled warm and heavy in her stomach; it was making her a bit drowsy.

"If you decide to join me, I'll be outside at dawn tomorrow. It would do no good to leave so late in the day. Besides -" She looked between the gathered individuals, each so different from each other. As good as that was, it could come with its own set of challenges. "- you all seem like you need some time to discuss."

With a snap of her fingers, she pulled a handful of contracts from the pocket she had created. The snap, however, was just for show. The whiskey was apparently making her showy. "In the end, if your answer is 'yes' . . ." She set the contracts on the counter. "Nothing much. Just the basics of our arrangement. You will promise not to touch the scrolls in exchange for a cut of the treasure, among other things. Feel free to look it over." With that, she turned back to her room. She had a feeling she would sleep rather well tonight.

---

"No, not 'why not go now'," Roland lashed in frustration towards the burly, if not well built warrior-esque human who took the mission as lightly as one would a child's play. "It's not the matter of us saying 'Oh we'd be fine' and magically we'd be fine. That's what my spells do, not reality," he continued his comment.

"Listen. The reason why I showed my magic - while yes, partially for bragging purposes - was to show the limitations of my skills. I do not conjure all-consuming fireballs; I merely tricked my targets' senses into feeling dread of incoming fireball and some sensation of heat," ire and passion filling his voice. "Nor do I heal wounds if some were to be inflicted upon you or me - I merely trick our minds into thinking you're fine, and - with some luck - probably tricking our body into healing faster."

"Are any of you proficient at ranged weapons? Do any of you know first aid? These kind of information are important if we want to attempt a dangerous mission. And let's just forget that for a minute, I don't even know any of your names aside form Ms. Ana and Mr. Miles here," Roland continued to rant.

"Would you really trust your life to a bunch of strangers you've never met before in your life? Because I certainly wouldn't."

Perhaps sensing the awkward air that loomed over the party, their contractor took her leave before telling them to settle this on their own.

"Ah damn, I did it again didn't I?" Roland realized his mistake. He took the adventurers as he would the villagers. Perhaps he had made himself act condescendingly towards the band of merry strangers.

But still. He believed that his thoughts was not wrong.

"Look, I am here for a living. And to earn that, I - well - need to continue living. So unless I know what each and every one of us is capable of, I am not participating on this mission."

~Miles Kyzalith~

Miles started at Roland's outburst, although warranted, he didn't quite understand why he must be so brash. Miles had not wished to dislike this person, but the contrast from Roland's personality to that of men back home was stark. The man who sat the table didn't leave such an impression on Miles, in fact Miles would rather the company of him over the others. Then again, he would prefer the company of his friends back home over anyone in this village.

I don't like him, Miles thought looking back at Roland. He rolled up the contract in his hands and stuffed it into his belt, the parchment crinkling and bending unnaturally.

Miles let out a sigh,"Well calm down now little one. No need to get ya trousers in a bunch." He clasped his hands together and rested them in his lap. His hands frequently moved from this position, making hand gestures when he spoke. "Look...If you're scared you can't do much on this quest 'cuz all you got is parlor tricks, ya might as well storm outta here right now. No one's judgin' ya!" Miles paused briefly than continued, "I reckon each one of us can hold their own. Well, I know I can. I 'ave no trouble trustin' a stranger, did it all the time for the guppies in the army. New recruits thinkin' their as strong as the heros of legends. You don't trust em completely, but ya trust em enough to 'ave ya back. Now I'm positive that we can all manage that, ya?"

He leaned back on the bar top, the rough corner digging into his back. Miles said his peice but he wasn't quite satisfied. Roland had been right not to blindly trust in others abilities, that would come naturally to someone who was let down often enough. The least Miles could do was give the rest of them a bit of insight into his own abilities.

"Ya see, I'm a Spellblade. Used to be just a blade, but then I got this gift, I did." Miles said. "I'm right skilled with my sword here, could fight off a squad if I had too. My magic? Simple but useful. Its defensive ya see, can make my skin hard as rock or be able to withstand fire, I don't know how well it be against your fake fireballs, 'owever." He glanced at Roland, giving him a toothy wry smile. "Focusing hard enough I can change the speed of my legs or swing, 'aven't quite got the hang of that yet..." He trailed off. Miles was finished with his little speech, officially. He looked over to the man at the table and the horned fellow, "What about you? What are y'all good at?"

He stared at the group, infighting already and he sighed deeply. "I am a blacksmith." he said looking at him, "Cugra... or Irnflow..."

But he just sat there looking at the contract, not really understanding what most of it meant, but he could decipher portions that had more descriptive words in it, or just arbitrary spell words, he understood scroll and don't touch. But he just looked at it, and he wrote an X on the bottom as he just did like what the spellsword did and shoved it in his pouch, but he did it naturally trying to slid it into the pages of the book his father had given him.

"So we have... a spellsword, a blacksmith... a tricking magician... whatever he is with the tail, and a woman." he said as he looked around the table, then to the girl who was leaving the room, and he stared at the other three, "It is best to sleep and not bicker... I am going to retreat to bed." he said standing once more and purchasing a spot in the common sleep room. Leaning against the wall as he looked down at the others in the room, and he pulled his stuff together in his arms so most of it couldn't be stolen without him waking up, or someone knowing what they were doing.

Ana of Auroris

The cold nipped at Ana's fingers. Rubbing her gloved hands together, she pushed off the outer wall of the tavern and toward the edge of town. There were a couple hours yet before dawn arrived, but she had not been able to sleep. Anxious nerves had left her tossing and turning all night, and now they knotted in her stomach. She would be leaving at dawn, with or without anyone. She had decided last night when her sleeplessness robbed her of the last of her sanity. Those scrolls were too important not to retrieve; they were her very future. Even if she died in the mountains, it would be a small price to pay for the chance to just touch those scrolls.

---

The meeting with the to-be-party-members was a mixed bag. On one hand, Roland felt that he'd been relegated to the seat of public enemy #1. Big news, I know. But on the other hand, it would seem that the adventurers were not so prideful and thickheaded not to divulge their job and skillset. At least Roland now has a name to call them with instead of human male A and human male B. A few moments of bickering, err, discussion later, the party decided to call it a night and went to their respective rooms.

Except for Roland, of course. He is a nocturnal being. To sleep at night feels very weird for him, so he decided to take a stroll around Stagcross instead. Unlike the day, the night at Stagcross could be quite beautiful. Because there were not many people living there, the land was quite pristine. Roland could easily see the moon and the stars on the clear night sky. The air, too, was delicious and sweet.

"Ah, now I feel alive again," Roland thought to himself.

Moments passed, and before he could notice it, Dawn was approaching fast. So the Dhampir decided it is time to head back to the inn and rejoined the group of adventurers with whom he's supposed to travel with. But to his surprise, he found their to-be-contractor standing by herself by the town's edge. Judging from the looks of it, she was cold and restless, too. Quite the rare sight to see a sorceress in such a miserable state.

"Can't sleep?" Roland asked as he took a seat next to Ana. "If you are worried about the folks not joining your expedition, rest easy. They won't miss this chance even if you told them to. Trust me I tried," he continued half-jokingly. Of course, he was trying to console the lady, but due to his conduct in the evening, he would not be surprised if Ana responded negatively to his words.

"Beautiful night, isn't it?" the Dhampir continued, half to distract the sorceress from her worries, and half to stop the conversation from going south. "You know, as a child I always find staring into the stars to be comforting. It made our worries and hardship.. Small by comparison, don't you think?"

Running out of ways to lift the young mage's spirit, Roland decided that talking is not his forte after all, and ended his attempt with a, "We should head back in and warm ourselves up. It won't be good if both magi failed to perform due to hunger and cold, right?"

Ana of Auroris

"Yes, let's." Ana said to the young man. She took one last look at the pre-dawn sky and turned around, back to the tavern. She appreciated his attempts to . . . comfort her, but the thought of having to journey into the mountains alone still haunted her. Only time would tell.

~Miles Kyzalith~

One by one Miles watched as the rest of the newly formed crew retired to their rooms. It was not long after when Miles did the same. He had purchased a room for the night, what little night there was left. Miles was all to eager to sleep, spending no time dawdling getting to his room. He wasn't going to be spending more than one night here so he didnt see any point in unpacking his bag, not that he had much to unpack anyways. He stripped down to his undergarments, leaving his leather armor and clothes hanging over the end on the bed. His sword, sheathed, was tucked nicely between him and the wall beside the bed, just in case he needed it. He had gotten very comfortable very fast, nearly drifting off to sleep in mere moments. He did force himself to stay awake long enough to remove a simple topaz ring from his finger and set it on the nightstand. His mind calmed and drifted off moments after.

Miles woke, about an hour before full sunrise. It was dawn now, evident by the hot orange light that peered into the room from the window. He sat up on his bed, swinging his legs off the side. He stretched and yawned, remarking on the surprisingly comfortable sleep he had, quite possibly one of the better sleeps he'd had in an inn. "That'll be the last good wink of sleep I'll be gettin' for while." He murmured to himself.

He didn't rush to get out of the room, in fact he moved quite slowly. Miles was not a morning person, so he did what he had to do to wake and become a tolerable person, in this case that meant taking his sweet ass time getting ready. On went his clothes, his armor, his sword to his hip and the topaz ring that glistened in the morning light. He was ready. He let out sigh and made his way downstairs, hoping to meet up with the others. Miles feared being late and the group moving without him. Maybe I shouldn't have been wasting time... miles thought, as he strolled to the meeting spot.

In the communal room he would fall asleep in, his stuff tucked into his arms and he had maybe one or two travelers in the room with him, just some other fellows going place to place.

But in the morning he would awake just before the sunrise and he moved back outside, his eyes opening as he looked out into the morning sunrise and he smiled softly as he walked outside, seeing Miles he stretched. "I would expect you to be asleep still," he said as he moved behind him, and he moved outside past him.

He found a nice place to sit himself down outside as he would wait for the others, he took a small piece of bread as he nibbled on it, smiling as he would enjoy it.

Ana of Auroris

Watery dawn light filtered in through the window, cutting through the curtain and illuminating the dust motes that floated through the air. Ana rubbed her eyes and yawned; she'd slept longer than she intended. Hopefully the others would be waiting. If not . . . She supposed she would head out on her own.
She quickly got ready for the day before heading downstairs, tucking everything she had in her satchel at her side. Her magic hummed softly beneath her skin. She was ready. Whether or not the others joined her, she would be finding the scrolls or dying in the mountain pass.

~Miles Kyzalith~

Miles turned his head to the blacksmith, his back against the rising sun. The man seemed a bit too chipper for miles liking especially at such early hours, but to each their own. Miles let out a soft raspy chuckle, "And miss the opportunity to quest? Don't think so." His tired voice paired with his slight accent made the words jumble together. He cleared his throat and raised his voice a bit, "I may hate the mornings, but a good fellow would neva pass this up, yeah?"

He rustled uncomfortably in his armor. His body felt a bit sluggish and his eyes still begged him to close, but he didnt have time to grab food, at least that's what he thought. He had realized he'd been idly toying with his topaz ring, sliding it back and forth around his finger. "Don't suppose you saw the others in there, gettin' ready or whatever?" He said to the blacksmith.

Ana of Auroris

Ana finished brushing out her hair and tied it up with a spare strip of leather she'd found lying around. She hoped a simple hair band and a hood would keep the howling winds of the King's Pass Mountains from being too much trouble. Next, she threw her satchel over her shoulder and slipped into her knee-high boots. They hissed, glowing bright red, as the enchantment she had placed on them came to life. As difficult as it was to assemble the needed ingredients for the spell, it did keep her feet warm.

The others should be gathered, she thought to herself as she peered out the window and saw watery dawn light breaking over the horizon. Hopefully they would be gathered. She sniffed. At least a few of them held potential, from what she could see. All of them might prove useful in the bowels of the Pass.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and strode out of her room. She would see how many chose to join her on her expedition.

---

Roland was groggy. He was not a morning person. Nor an afternoon person. Nor a person-person, really. But he was ready. If anything, he wanted to get out of Stagcross as soon as possible. Thus, when the expedition leader came out to greet the team, he was quite elated.

"About time," he thought. Looking around, he saw some of the adventurers from yesterday already gathering and ready to go. One of them - the blacksmith - was eating breakfast, and another one - the spellblade, if Roland's memory did not fail him - was looking almost as groggy as he is.

"Good morning, expedition leader. Ready to go?"

Ana of Auroris

Ana nodded once to the dhampir. "Yes." She then turned to the other travelers. "Any who plan on joining me, please turn in your contracts. If you do not, do with them what you will."

~Miles Kyzalith~

Miles nodded to the sorceress, glancing over the rest of the party. Why would they gather here at this spot at this time and not wish to join the adventuring party? Miles wasn't going to say this out loud my he couldn't silence his thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do was be on the bad side of his employer. He searched around in his bag for the contract he'd signed the previous night in his room. "So tell me girl, what 'appens when one of us don't wanna sign it, but still try to tag along anyway, huh?" Miles said, his voice losing that early morning raspiness."I mean, let's be real here. Are you willin' to murda just for the scrolls? On second thought...Ignore that, yeah?"

Miles fished out the contract, his initials signed at the bottom of the page where indicated. He handed the contract to Ana and gave her another nod, "Off we go then... Where's our first stop?" Miles said, strolling towards the city edge.

The blacksmith nodded, "I do not know exactly what I have signed up for, but I assume that I will be needed sometime in the future with the band that has formed around the girl Ana." he said as he sighed softly and rested his head against his head, "I may wake up early, but I hate waking up this early."

He watched as the girl walked out and he raised his eyebrow and held up the paper, it was similar to what she had given him, just with an x where the other guy had written it out, and in charcoal, "I assume the tomb... since that is what that paper said, if not, then do I have to sign another 'contract' or will this one also be available for that?"

Vadymc looked at the piece of parchment he had been handed -- and tried to understand it. A tiefling's language was quite different from what was common, and while he could read, write and speak the common tongue he was a far cry from an expert in it. In the end he trusted more on what he had heard than what he could read and decided to sign. For the sake of simplicitly and for the sake of not extending the sound of a scratching pen unnecessarily he opted to do so with an exaggerated 'V'.

As the tiefling was about to return the contract he was able to listen in on Miles' statements though. Vadymc could see a point in them, but it wasn't the 'murder for scrolls' part. He was a killer for profit himself and therefore had no concerns with regard to that. But what about the other part, the one about those deciding not to sign ? Miles dismissed it himself and while Vadymc spent another few moments thinking about it he too could not find anything extraordinary in it. Shrugging his enormous shoulders his own contract landed on top of the others.

Ana of Auroris

Ana turned to Miles and snatched the contract out of his hand. "No, I would not murder for the scrolls." She sniffed and collected the other contracts being held out to her. "I wouldn't have to. To tag along outside the safety of the group would be to risk death. The mountain pass is rife with dangers. Even an experience sorceress such as myself could not make it through." She placed the contracts back into the pocket realm she had created before her journey. "And if you did manage to make it to the tomb, and that is a very strong if, then I would be forced to take drastic measures." Her fingers glowed with a purple light. "Perhaps you would prefer to live out the rest of your days as a three-legged shrew."

She turned to the rest of the group. "If you find my . . . methods to be harsh, you are more than welcome to leave. But let it be known that you signed a contract, one that will hold you to your word. So it is in your best interest not to break it." She sniffed and wiped her gloved hands over her pants. "If you think my punishment to be harsh, you don't even want to know what the contract is capable of."

---

Hearing hypothetical situation and threats being thrown left and right, Roland secretly realized that he had not made the time to properly read the contracts. On the plus side, however, he had seen new sides to his to-be party. The young sorceress, while lacking in confidence the other day, were pretty assertive today. Which is good, of course. Nobody wanted a pushover to lead their party.

The spellblade too, was no simple fool. He had shown critical thinking and asked specifics not previously mentioned rather than blindly following whatever the leader told him to do. The smith as well, had begun to show interest in the content of the contract where yesterday he simply thought that everything would be fine. The tiefling.. Actually the tiefling was the one person that Roland still could not read. He was as silent today as he was yesterday.

In any case, Roland had a good feeling for this expedition, and an ancient tomb of a king is too much a temptation to miss out on.

"As harsh your punishment is, I think it is of equivalent weight to the compensation you have to offer," Roland chimed - trying to loosen up the situation a little bit. "I am in."

~Miles Kyzalith~

Miles pulled on the strap of his bag with his left hand, tightening it comfortably on his shoulder. His right hand lazily rested on the hilt of his sheathed sword. He reminisced the time when he'd gotten this sword. Before he was just using the standard issued blade most every soldier received, but on that day he got a choice. He never regretted his sword choice and to this day it is still a fond memory of his. I just hope I can put in a few more years with you, this is a dangerous one...I really don't know if we'll all make it out. But, we gotta stay positive. Miles thought, looking at his sword. He imagined his sword giving back a hopeful smile.

Miles had already started walking, giving little consideration to the others, "Hurry up with you! No point standin' round like a bunch of starflowers, let's get a move on." He spun around on his toes to face the group but continued to walk, walking backwards away from them. "The sooner we get to fightin' the sooner you folks can see just how useful each of you are." Miles bellowed. He spun back on his heel and faced the way he was walking. He wasn't quite sure if this was the way Ana intended to go, but it was the closest road that led to the cities edge. He figured Ana would correct him if he was going the wrong way, which, he didn't think he was.