Maria and Nephele left the guild, heading towards the location of the village called 'Aspenmourne'. The village was located almost halfway between the Guild and Boreal port, just on the edge of Lozagon forest. The pair left early enough to reach the forest by late morning. The forest itself had an almost eerie stillness to it. Not even a forest animal skittered across your path as the Mothwoman and Dragon walked to their destination. At least judging from the map if you had one, you were only a few minutes away from the supposed 'ghost town'.
Soon enough, they found themselves standing at the edge of the village - and from the look of things, it was by no means a town that didn't exist.
Men and women moved quickly through the cobblestone streets, some setting up colorful streamers to hang over the road. Others, were hauling basket full of freshly picked crops, bread, or other various foodstuffs. Most were jovially chatting and otherwise paying no attention to the two travelers - save for one well dressed man standing just a little ways from the old stone wall that sectioned off the village from the rest of the forest. Upon spotting you, the man seemed surprised almost, but it quickly passed as he practically ran over to greet the two of you.
"Ah! You're from the guild!" He gave both of you a bright grin, taking Maria's hand and giving it a firm, but warm shake. "Ah, I actually didn't think you'd be coming, being as far out here as our little town is." He chuckled jovially. "Ah, of course. I am Mayor Gerald Chaput, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I personally thank you for coming here today to help with the preparations for the festival." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a few seconds before continuing. "We have all the crops and outdoor things put up, but we need a bit of help setting up things inside the manor. We're putting on a show here tomorrow evening and we're a few hands short. If you wouldn't mind following me to the old manor we can go ahead and get to work and finish in time to join the festivities this evening."
He paused to let the two of them reply or contemplate what they would do.
Arletta couldn't help but to giggle at Magnus' eagerness. It was...well, kind of cute if she was honest.
"Mhm, I suppose I'll introduce myself to the new girls over there later...I am curious as to this flying machine so I will be joining Magnus, it seems." She flashed the minotaur a smile. "Promise I won't go running off this time either." This flying machine was incredibly curious though! Without magic it seemed. As Neil said it would be an incredible feat - one she couldn't help but to feel eager to see for herself. If they set off now they could make fairly good time to Mahigan. It was too far away.
The mothwoman was a bit worried when the pair left to head to the location of this quest, Luckily for them their was a map that gave them where this place could be located. Once they arrived at Aspenmourne and were greeted by a strange man, She thought that the village looked quite normal with the villagers doing their day to day work. Scanning the area of the village wondering if this place was indeed haunted. Although in her heart she felt something more strange was going on hidden form sight.
"Hello my name..is Maria..and this is..my partner Nephele.." The mothwoman said bowing her head at the mayor, Pointing to the dragoness when introducing the two of them. "A pleasure to meet you sir...please lead on we will follow...close by" She said her hands to her side. Gripping the fabric of her dress. Already she was getting strange looks form the villagers, She didn't know why this was, Unknown to her it was the wa she was provocatively dressed still.
Arming herself with the short bow that she arrived with, the weapon she had held since birth, as well as a supply of arrows, Eilidh departed the guild-house swordless. Arriving in Ambram, admiring the more metropolitan feel to the town as opposed to the rustic Boreal Port. The Centaur waved, bowed, and heartily greeted many passers-by, leaving many onlookers staring for reasons other than that she was a Centaur. Of course, some men were staring for a third reason, but that happened everywhere.
She was addressed informally by an otherwise very formally dressed knight, who she deduced must be her client, and his first sentence confirmed as much. She shook his hand with her naturally strong grip, and listened to his description of the target. "I don't particularly wizards, those who seek to control others, humans of the Order, or Varjans. So naturally I hate this man. Where will we find him? Also, I usually fight with sword and bow though I have trampled people in the past. Speaking of which, do you know where I might acquire a sword?"
"Though I speak this language, I am not great at reading it. I will still require a translator to understand what this letter is asking of the guild and of me. My first move will be to travel to one of the villages or farms north of Sonarra and try to get this letter translated properly. Once done, I will either comply with it's wishes or return here, depending on it's contents."
Seeing Magnus, Rebecca got up from the table with package in hand, and gave it to Magnus. "Good morning! I made this for you. Let me know if anything needs adjusting." Inside the package, the Minotaur would find a very large, white tunic with a broad neckline that looked like he'd be able to slip it on even with his horns.
Ars Argento arrived at the Adventurers Guild's location with disappointing ease. As far as first adventures go, Ars had been expecting to at least have a longer trip in order to reach this place. Rather, coming all the way over here was more of an errand. But then again, he wasn't yet an adventurer, so maybe he had no right to complain.
Having arrived at the place indicated on the badly drawn map Master Lucian had given him, Ars couldn't help but wonder if this was the right place. Master Lucian had said it would be an old dilapidated building, but this place looked to Ars like it could be a guard outpost or some kind. Even if it was the Adventurers Guild that he was told about, he started to wonder if this wasn't way out of his league. Ars did not yet look the part of an adventurer. Short stature, low on muscles. Well washed clothes with little sign of wear, in fact he had chosen to use his best garments for the ocasion. The only redeeming feature that he hoped made him somewhat like an adventurer should was the pack on his back, with a wooden staff strapped to it, and the knife on his belt. In short, he had the looks of a rich kid out of his element, and the imposing building only made him remember that even more.
It took a few minutes for Ars to muster the courage to knock on the Guild's doors. During that not small amount of time, he went over the likely conversations and ways he would introduce himself at least a dozen times. Still, the readiness he thought he had gathered was shattered when the door was opened by that smiling, orange-haired man who mistook Ars for a client. "Request...? No, I'm not...Not a client... Uh..." The boy struggled for a moment with his words. At least he had the right place. He told himself to just do as he had rehearsed. He was probably on the right place and he just needed this man to point him toward Bart, whom Master Lucian had spoken of. As if reading a script, Ars introduced himself. "My name is Ars Argento, delighted to make your acquaintance. I am here looking for mister Bart. My master, Lucian, sent me to join mister Bart's guild in his stead."
Arletta and Magnus make their way to monster-friendly Mahigan. However, their trip was unfortunately interrupted when they encounter a scene.
A pack of large, rabid canine-like animals surrounded an overturned stagecoach with a person atop the vehicle. The helpless man wore a rich garb and armor but that would do little against an entire pack of these foul, bloodthirsty creatures. "Tulong! Tulong! Somebody help me!" He yelled. The creatures surrounding him furiously leapt in order to get the man, their obvious inability to reach the top did not stop them from trying. Such was their bloodlust.
"You! You over there! Please do something about this!" The man noticed you. There were about six of the canine creatures and none of them has noticed either Arletta or Magnus so far. They have the element of surprise. If they decide to help, that is.
"I don't particularly wizards, those who seek to control others, humans of the Order, or Varjans. So naturally I hate this man. Where will we find him? Also, I usually fight with sword and bow though I have trampled people in the past. Speaking of which, do you know where I might acquire a sword?"
Ian unbuckled his sheathed sword from his waist and tossed it to you. "Keep it. You can count it as the reward too. I was thinking of giving you a horseshoe set for the reward but this seems to be a better idea." The sword was of moderate length but finely crafted and that was pretty much it about the reward blade. "Now then, ikuzo!"
Your client then led you south towards Coldstep Pass. Midday was almost over and the sun had began to set. In the hills before the mountains, Ian motioned you to stay low and the two of you crept up a certain hill. The hill overlooked a small encampment of armed brigands with one particular individual that stood out from them. "See that guy? With the staff? I think we can all agree that's Neith." Ian whispered to you. "Although, there's maybe a dozen of these small fry around him. They could be a problem."
"How do you think we should do this?" Ian asked you. "I'm thinking one of us distract the brigands while the other sneaks behind Neith and take him from behind. What do you think?"
After giving Magnus the Minotaur your gift, you set out for Sonarra. You reach the Varjan town by midday. Fortunately without any untoward incident.
With just one glance, you could tell that the town was poor as well as dying. There were only a few people walking the streets and most of the buildings you saw were decaying and probably crumbling. You also feel the atmosphere become tense and it only became tenser when you saw a couple of Varjan Warriors interrogate a helpless man with the scene attracting a small crowd of onlookers. You could not hear what they were talking about due to the distance but the warriors' voices got louder and angrier until one of them punched the man in the gut who then collapsed to the ground.
The Varjan Warriors then proceeded to swing their axes down at the man, killing him and sending his blood everywhere. The warriors continued swinging even when the corpse was but an unrecognizable mess. After several more swings, the Varjan Warriors left the bloody mass and began moving towards your direction. The people quickly got out of their way, not wanting to test the chance of sharing the fate of the dead, mangled man.
While it would be the best idea to make scarce yourself, you can also impersonate as an Order priestess and hope the Varjan Warriors at least are not automatically hostile towards people of the Order. After all, you do have the clothes to attempt this. Who knows? Perhaps you may even extract useful information from the Varjan Warriors.
You make your way to Boreal Port. A monster-friendly place from what you have heard so there was little to worry about in the town.
On your way however, you were intercepted by someone. A familiar winged figure. "Yo! Freyr!" The figure was Haley Wellington, that Siren who assisted on that one quest and then turned up in the guild to join it only for her to be repulsed by the words of one of your guild mates. "Told you I'll be back! So, what're you doing heading to Boreal Port? On a quest or something?" She hovered near you.
"So uhh... how's the guild? Is it still... err, you know? Like a ruin?" Haley asked, still thinking that your headquarters was still the dilapidated structure it once was. "Any new members? Or are there just departures?"
You make your way to Ambran. The Centaur Eilidh was heading there too but she left early and so any chance of having company in the trip was dashed. You reach the town by midday.
The town was extravagant, on the path into becoming a fully-fledged city. Wagons hauled cargo to and from the town and innumerable stores lined the sides of the busy streets. It was clear the town was some sort of trading hub. The people that walked the streets or browsed the stores and markets were mostly human although there were some who hid in hoods while others simply looked off.
You find the watchtower the client pointed you to and there you waited for something to happen. After waiting for several minutes, a fancy stagecoach pulled over in front of you and its driver told you to get in. After doing so, you come face to face with the passenger of the stagecoach. She was a noblewoman in looks, black dress and everything. Her hair was pink and her skin smooth. She appeared young but she had an air of maturity around her.
"You are the one from the guild, yes?" She began. It was very likely that this was Lady Natasha who made the request to the guild. "My task for you is simple. Right now, we are heading towards the manor of our rival house. What I want you to do is locate their most beautiful and expensive stagecoach and destroy it. In public, preferably." She gave you your mission. "I care not how you accomplish it. I only care that you accomplish it. Am I clear?"
The stagecoach then halted. "Your reward shall be delivered to your guild the next day. Assuming you complete the task, that is. Oh and, please do not speak of our little meeting to anyone here in Ambran. Terrible things will happen if you do. Terrible, terrible things." She finished with an indirect warning.
The stagecoach left you at the northmost part of Ambran in the middle of a wide street. In the distance, you see an isolated manor standing in the middle of an empty, walled land. The manor and the land most probably belonged to your target. You have to find a way inside and locate their stagecoach.
"My name is Ars Argento, delighted to make your acquaintance. I am here looking for mister Bart. My master, Lucian, sent me to join mister Bart's guild in his stead."
"Oh, I'm Bart. Bartholomew Barker, the guild master of this guild. Nice to meet you." The orange-haired man introduced himself. "And... Master Lucian?" Bart took a moment to think before remembering. "Oh yeah! Lucian! You're going to be joining in his stead? No problem with me." The guild master said.
"Come on inside, Ars." Bart led you inside the headquarters and into its main hall where there was a brown-haired boy holding a board. "Here in this guild, we accomplish requests given to us in the form of papers posted in the request board. Of course like I said, our services aren't free but people has so far paid us well. Including all of this." He stretched his arms to refer to the entire structure. "Oh and say hi to Neil. He's one of us."
"Hello." The brown-haired boy greeted you. "It's nice to have a dude newcomer for a change."
"There are others but they've already left for their quests." Bart then took the board from Neil and showed it to you. "If you aren't taking today to rest, you can take a request for today." He suggested. "Granted, all of them have been taken but you can still take one and just join the guild member on that quest."
-----SIDE QUESTS-----
Hey all! Now that we've introduced your generic collecting quest, it's time for the second kind of generic quest.
Meet me in Ambran and join me as we apprehend a criminal for truth and justice! And money of course! Oh and I hope you know how to fight since we're gonna get into a tussle with these guys, fo sho!
Posted by: Ian North
Neil's Comments: Oh, it's this guy again. Well, at least he's less weird this time.
To anyone willing to lend a hand, you can find me in Mahigan. I'm working on a flying contraption that someone commissioned me to do and I need assistance even just a tiny bit. Like helping me gather materials or just plain helping out. Thank you for reading.
Posted by: Talia Bucchas
Neil's Comments: Hmmm, I wonder what this contraption is. You guys tell me all about it once you get back, okay?
Greetings. I am James Saint, or Jimmy if you prefer an informal way of addressing me. I am a poet for a society and I've been tasked by my peers to head out in the more... wilder lands to write about it and possibly find inspiration in being 'in the thick of it'.
Of course, I prefer approaching such matters with a little preparation and foundation. So to that, may I request the presence of someone who, more or less, belongs to this land? You can find me in Boreal Port by the way.
Posted by: James Saint
Neil's Comments: A poet, huh? Well, I don't think he's going to make you do anything dangerous so do your best!
I am Lady Natasha, or Lady Nat, of a house in Ambran that I shall not disclose due to confidentiality. However, my house is being trampled by another house who has been hounding my family since forever.
I ask for help in this matter and rest assured that my family will compensate you generously for your help. There is a watchtower in southmost Ambran and that is where I shall meet you.
Posted by: Lady Natasha
Neil's Comments: Another plea for help, it seems. Well, be careful guys. I have a feeling things aren't going to be... nice in this request.
Sana'y maunawaan ninyo ito dahil wala akong alam sa lengguwahe ng mga tao sa labas ng Sonarra.
Ako'y isang guardia ng isang grupo ng mga taga-Sonarra. Ang grupo ko ay tumakas ng Varjo upang maghanap ng tulong sa ibang lupa. Ngunit, nahuli kami ng mga sundalo ni Barbarus. Ako lamang ang nabuhay at nakatakas. Hindi ko na alam kung nasaan ako at hinahabol pa rin ako ni Barbarus at ang kanyang mga alagad. Sana maipadala ito ng isang matulunging mensahero na umunawa sa akin.
Kung naunawaan ninyo ito, kailangan ninyo sabihin kay Hari na hindi kami nakahanap ng kahit isang kakampi. Lahat ng tao ay takot sa Varjo o mahal na mahal ito. Nasa sa atin lamang ang puwersa na humiwalay sa Varjo.
Posted by: "Isang patay na tao"
Neil's Comments: I don't know what language this is and if none of you knows either, we must find someone who can. Looking at the nouns, Sonarra is involved here as well as Varjo. Bart told me that this was indeed Sonarran but he advised that we should try something else or find someone else to translate before heading to Sonarra and into Varjan lands. Bart here. Rebecca apparently can understand this and is now on her way to Sonarra
Mhm! Good, since I um...doubt I'll be smart enough to help on my own." the Minotaur spoke, clearly relieved to have a familiar face on a quest like this, with science he was not so familiar with. Neil's comments were rather interesting though...and lead to Magnus imagining himself flying on a massive bouquet of giant balloons. And the fact that'd he'd be looking at the ground the whole time. The mere thought made him a wee bit queasy, so instead he figured that flying on the back of a bird just made more sense.
Magnus was surprised when the priestess called out in greeting to him, turning around and looking somewhat confused as he was handed a package. Carefully opening it to peer at the contents, Magnus' eyes lit up bright enough that you'd think he's stolen them from a kid on christmas morning. Holding the large white tunic out proudly, Magnus carefully put it on, having to restrain himself from jumping with joy. He...had a shirt! Tunic to be specific, but a top nonetheless! The broad neckline did show off a good bit of his shoulders in a somewhat odd way, but that helped it remain a smidge loose, given that if it was too snug, Magnus just lifting his arm would tear the thing.
"Y-You made this? Thank you so much!" Magnus said, giving her a respectful bow, this time minding his horns to point at the ceiling as he craned his neck. "If there's ever anything I can do to pay you back for this, let me know. Good luck on your translation hunt!" he said excitedly, before bounding through the hall and out the door, just in time to see the person arrive. He didn't know if they were here for a job, but it was likely that it'd get done.
Eager to get going, Magnus felt like today would be an amazing day; He'd get to finish a quest with someone he'd thought long gone, see a flying machine, and now his shoulders would stay warm! Feeling snug as a bug, Magnus rushed back inside, having absentmindedly forgotten his axe, before rushing out once more, incredibly thankful for Rebecca's gift.
Magnus was looking forward to visiting a monster-friendly town, hoping to perhaps find more clothes tailored for people with horns. That optimism soon turned to worry as he saw the overturned stagecoach and the man stranded atop it. Thankfully it wasn't people, as Magnus took a deep breath, steeling his courage and readying his axe in hand before exhaling a bit of steam out his nose, eyes narrowed on the beasts. Charging headfirst into the fray, Magnus swept one of the beasts who had tried once more to leap at the stranded man along with the blade of his axe, dragging the thing for a second before its body would fall into two halves, Magnus' axe now caked in its blood. Now that the element of surprise was lost, he only hoped that he could distract them to let Arletta deliver a strike from behind the group.
Having charged past in his attack, the Minotaur man was stooped low to the ground, exhaling furiously, as if trying to exude a sort of primitive dominance over the beasts. Suddenly, his voice cracked the snarls and growls of the beasts as he let out a tremendous bellow from his vocal chords, both trying to intimidate, and distract these things. He needed to make sure that none were trying to attack the man, or noticing Arletta's follow-up...whatever it might be. It was likely a strange sight to see the shy, wallflower of a Minotaur suddenly charge, but it seemed that he had experience fighting animals, at the very least. Five remained, and any who got close would get a swing of Magnus' Jotun Baal.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. I'm curious as to what this show will be, but we're ready to help, if needed." Nephele said, maintaining a perfectly preserved air of professionalism and pose, seeing that, at least as far as appearances went, this place most certainly wasn't abandoned. Of course, she had experience in such tucked away towns being considered abandoned, so perhaps it was just her imagination in thinking this town was...sketchy. Beyond sketchy, even. There was something she couldn't put her finger on regarding the air here, but it put her on edge.
Regardless, she had confidence in her ability to defend herself if needed, but for now pleasantries would ease her nerves beneath the surface. Her hard, sharp claws were netted together in front of her, walking to follow the gentlemen once he would lead them...if he would, more like. "Out of curiosity, why send for help from an adventurer's guild for a task such as this? Naturally we talk on all sorts of work, but it strikes me as...a bit out of the way for your village." This was, to simply gauge a reaction, after which she would follow with: "But, I suppose it matters not. We'll ensure that your festival is as joyous as ever." Gazing toward the manor, Nephele pondered momentarily on whether this could all simply be an innocent festival...but doubts still lingered in her mind. Regardless, she'd make sure that the truth, and whether her suspicions were found to be justified or not, came to light. So long as she stuck together with Maria, this job would go smoothly, she felt.
"Yes, this is definitely a better idea. Though I'm trained with a sword, I've never owned one of my own. Thank you!" Eilidh replied happily. In truth, she was a creature of sentiment, and whenever she needed shoeing, she had her old horseshoes melted down and made into new ones, so she'd always been wearing the same set in a way. After buckling the sheath to her waist, she cocked her head. "But wait. How are you going to fight now?"
Instead of answering, he gestured them on towards their destination. When Eilidh received a command to stay low, she huffed with annoyed amusement and leaned her upper body forward until she was only the height and inconspicuousness of an adult horse. The downside to this, besides sticking out like a sore thumb, was that it made her cleavage hang, and every time Ian turned round to check on her, he got an eyeful and a half of bare skin. It made for awkward sneaking overall. Eilidh was relieved when they finally reached Coldstep Pass, and could survey the camp that housed their target.
"It's as good a plan as any," the Centaur responded to his proposal. "I'm not good at sneaking, as you may have noticed. I'm large and eye catching. Let me be the distraction. Besides, an open fight with armed assailants suits me fine."
Rebecca watched with thinly veiled horror at the brutal killing of the man. The stories about the Varjan lands were true. In fact, they hadn't been done justice. At least here there was little chance of her being recognised unlike in Varjo itself, where the Order presence was stronger and more intelligent. She decided, they way that they looked at her the moment they turned round, that she must pretend to be a legitimate Priestess of the order once again. It would be riskier to stay silent and try to blend in wearing a dress like this. So she approached the two men with her serene, dignified and confident gait, falling back into the role as if she had only turned traitor yesterday.
"Blessings of the Chief God be upon thee, Gentlemen. What was the crime of that man that you delivered judgement upon?"
Even from here, the Manor could be seen sitting atop a small hill overlooking the town, situated far in the back. The thing looked to be old but well kept with a number of workers heading to and from it every now and then. Really, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary if one took things at face value.
"Maria and Nephele! A pleasure indeed." The jovial man chuckled brightly, motioning for them to follow him into the village. "I give you a formal and friendly welcome to Aspenmourne. It's really a shame we don't get much more travel these days. Absurd rumors of our lovely village being haunted, of all things." He scoffed, as if the very notion of it was absurd. "Ah, but no matter. You probably don't care about such baseless rumors." As they walked through the seemingly bustling streets, the mayor exchanged greetings with a number of the villagers. A few said hi to Nephele and Maria as well, but for the most part they were allowed to move unhindered through the village, and soon they had reached the hill that led up to the manor.
"All very good questions, my dear Nephele." He replied once they were standing in front of the manor. "To put simply, the play we will be performing is missing the 'hero' of the event, so to speak. The man I hired seems nowhere to be found and with the main event happening tomorrow that simply won't do." He grinned. "So! I recently became aware of your guild and thought - why, what better way to have an authentic heroic exploit by an adventurer themselves!" He laughed jovially, seemingly quite pleased with his solution. "Don't worry, we already have the villain set in place as well as the 'damsel in distress' as it were. All you two will be required to do is recite a few lines and perhaps have a little improvisation during the climax."
He opened the door to the manor, holding the door open for the two of them to enter.
The interior of the mansion, once they walked in was well lit and smelled of both fresh paint and a little sawdust. The foyer was as impressive as the walls of the exterior seemed to suggest. Polished, clean tile floors shined with obvious care. Expensive furniture lined a few of the walls and an old grandfather clock was situated against one wall. A few paintings donned the walls, and a stairwell alongside the left wall led up to the places second floor. The only thing that seemed out of place is a chandelier that was sitting on the floor. A system of pulleys seemed ready to pull the thing into the air, and secure the rope to the second floor.
"Agh, I thought they had already... " He grumbled, shaking his head. "If one of you wouldn't mind helping get that chandelier in place...there should be a place to tie on the second floor's back wall, near the railing." He began walking, passing by them. "If one of you also wouldn't mind fetching my daughter so we could begin rehearsal a bit so you can get a feel for your roles, that would be much appreciated. She'll likely be out back in that graveyard of all places...I don't see what she likes so much about that place..." He shook his head, leaving them to do their respective tasks. "I shall be in the ballroom making sure everything is ready."
There were a number of new people in the guild, weren't there? A dragon, Mothwoman, and even a...preistess of some sort. Odd, especially that last one. A shame she didn't have much time to introduce herself at the moment. She had an excitable minotaur to keep up with. She glanced at Magnus as he hurriedly ran back inside for his axe, shaking her head and grinning at Magnus' excitement. Well, that was one way to get motivated and get ready for the incoming mission. The Dullahan followed Magnus hurriedly out of the guild house. "Ah jeez...wait up Magnus!" She called after him.
The trek was a fast one, if not too eventful one for the first part of their trek. She was looking forward to visiting another town. Maybe she'd be able to keep her head on this time and not screw things up so much. Well, no matter she'd do her best. That was all anyone could do. It seemed trouble had found them, however. An overturned stagecoach with a man stranded on top of it - and some sort of beasts attacking him. Magnus was first to act, charging in head first with his axe, which she quickly followed up on. Brandishing her demon silver blade, she rushed behind the coach. Now that Magnus had drew their attention, she circled around and attacked them from behind. An intimidating bellow came from Magnus, providing a perfect distraction and intimidation to make sure she didn't get noticed - at least, not easily.
The Dullahan lunged forward, speedily cleaving her sword into the side of one of the beasts from behind, careful to avoid their stinger-like tails. She followed it up, speedily aiming to stab a second right in its side, hopefully skillfully executing both and taking out two more before they even knew what had happened.
Maria was following behind the quite jovial male, "I can fetch your daughter if Miss..Nephele does not mind" She said looking over at her comrade. She wondered if the rumor of the haunted house was true or not, She was not quite good with scary things because she can be scared by almost anything. She had said hello to the other villagers in the area, She was glad that they were nice to her and seemed to not stare at her for some strange reason. She also wondered if their was something the villagers and the mayor was hiding, "Mr.Mayor..i was wondering..i would like to know why people think this town...is haunted.." She said turning to the mayor her arms rested against her wide hips.
Her eyes wondering towards the interior of the mansion, Her eyes filled with amazement because of how gorgeous the inside was. She had never had been to a place like this since she lived in a forest for most of her life, She had known nature for so long and never stayed long in a city that she was fascinated by such a place. As well she was a bit nervous about the line reading and in the back of her mind hoping she would not be apart of this opera, Of course she would do her best to help the mayor as much as she could. Yet when she suggested to fetch the mayor's daughter she was also a bit scared of going to a graveyard. She was not a bit fan of graveyards because of the dead bodies and all, Although the thought of them in the ground made her glad because it reminded her of her people. That being when they past they are buried in the ground and their body nurturing the earth.
Because of Arletta's quick swordplay, three of the six now lied in pieces on the ground. Thankful for having such a skilled partner for such a fight, Magnus took a deep breath, trying to think of what to do next. Normally, wolves were cowardly once they were outnumbered, but he doubted that animals bold enough to attack a stagecoach would back off so easily. He didn't like it, but killing the remaining two was the only remaining option. If left to wander, they'd just form new packs and strike out against other innocent people. Hefting his axe up, Magnus really wished that they would have just ran away after his battle cry...even if they were animals, if it wasn't to survive, killing wasn't something he enjoyed in any capacity. However, a life was on the line, so it was reason enough. A swing of the cold axe in his hands would have slain yet another, but the beast, showing clear experience and killing instinct, sidestepped the blow only to lunge at Magnus' neck. A bite that would have been fatal, had he not managed to grab the beast by a horn to divert its bite to the air, freeing his other hand to grab its other horn. A snarling bark echoed from it as it stared him in the face, trying to snap at his face and claw through his tunic before a quick whimper filled the air, its neck snapped by the sharp twist Magnus subjected it to.
The body fell limp once let go, Magnus hurried to his feet and grabbed his axe, looking down for a moment to notice...he'd scarcely had this tunic a few hours and already there was dirt and grass staining it, a large gash now made in it from the beast's horns and claws, though Magnus himself was only barely scratched. His right eye twitched a smidge before he let out a loud bellow, THROWING his axe at one of the beasts and almost splitting it in two from the force as it collided with the stagecoach, pinning the beast's body to it.
"THIS WAS A GIFT!" he yelled furiously, before glowering at the remaining beast. Looking it dead in the eyes, Magnus seemed just as bloodthirsty as it was...a fact that seemed cemented by the furious heat of his breath, and the fury in his steps. While it backed away, Magnus slowly started to regain his composure bit by bit, before giving the ground one furious stomp, a final sign for the damn thing to back off; Outnumbered, the thing could only run to death head on or escape, as the Minotaur's gaze remained focused upon it, the previously present primal fury seeming to have faded just a smidge.
Regardless of the outcome, Magnus would dejectedly look down at the hole in his tunic, rubbing his right temple with that respective hand. "S-She is going to kill me..." he said in a hushed voice, not wanting to admit that he got careless and wound up ruining her gift for him. The Minotaur seemed...far more worried with the tunic than he was with the armored man atop the carriage.
"A play sounds delightful; I wouldn't mind performing a bit, if you would pardon my inexperience." Nephele said, keeping a reserved air about her as she walked. The hustle and bustle of the place seemed very lively, so her doubts about the job were starting to dissolve a bit. After all, what purpose would an illusion have to deceive not only the eyes and ears, but the nose as well? At the mention of the two available tasks, Nephele was made aware that she wasn't very well suited to rope work by just looking at her hands.
"Um...much as I would love to tie complicated knots, my hands don't exactly permit that..." Nephele said, a bit self conscious as she tapped her clawed digits together. Tying a rope, in just about any form, seemed like an impossible task for the knife-handed woman. She'd be lucky if the rope wasn't being shredded if she even held it. "Regrettably, I must insist on...not tying knots. My deepest apologies." she said, bowing her head in apology. "I can, however, retrieve your daughter for you. I'll be brief. Maria, make sure to ask for help if the chandelier is too heavy." she said, hurrying out to accomplish her task. It was a bit shameful, she had to admit, but she just...couldn't tie a knot. Regardless of rope or wire, she'd lived her whole life in a damn cave. Having managed to avoid an embarrassed red from coming over her cheeks, Nephele patted herself on the face after leaving to go to the graveyard. She would need to become capable...much more capable to become a dependable adventurer. For now, she simply resolved to making it up to Maria later, carrying herself on swift feet to the graveyard in search of the girl, expecting it to not be very crowded at this hour. Once she found the girl, she would approach, perhaps a bit too close, and a bit too fast. Practically dead behind her if she were facing the other way.
Freyr was still thinking about the poet as he made his way to Boreal Port. He was curious to what kind of man he was, how he saw the world around him. Many things had happened since Freyr got out of the forest and he had met many people, both humans and demi-humans. Of all the humans he met, only a handful of them were 'good' people. That said... it was true that on the place that Freyr came to live, the guild, most of the humans there were very kind and weren't as... self destructive and chaotic as the rest...
Interrupting his thoughts, a familiar voice brought a bit of life to the silent path he was walking that day.
"Oh, Haley..." Freyr said, smiling to her. The last time he saw her, the situation on the guild wasn't that... pleasing... and Freyr had completely lost his calm. Looking back at it now, Freyr felt ashamed of that, of loosing his calm like that, but past is past, and nothing could be done about that right now.
"I'm sorry, I'm just thinking about some things..." Freyr said after some time in silent, shaking his head after he realized that Haley was asking him some questions.
"The guild was rebuilt, its completely different from how it was before. And we do have a few new members... Although I didn't have the chance to introduce myself yet..." Freyr answered, smiling at the siren.
The siren's company was a real blessing that day to Freyr. Her happy, energetic mood was exactly what Freyr needed... Maybe it was still some lingering effect of the drugs on the mission the last day, maybe Freyr was only feeling a bit homesick, but he was a bit... sad that day. With what, you ask? With humans, with the world, with himself... Freyr himself didn't know exactly why.
"Would you care to... accompany me on this mission?" he asked, looking to her. On his eyes, even though he was still with the same kind smile, you could see some sadness deep inside him.
"Your presence is almost a blessing for me today, Haley." He said, looking to her, part of the sadness on his eyes disappearing.
"This brings back memories!" Bast said when he arrived on Ambran.
The city was teeming with merchants, wagons and buyers. Gold and blood ran through that city's veins. Surely, with such an amount of money running through that city, power struggles between the noble families would be rather common there...
After waiting for a few minutes in front of the watchtower that the client pointed, a very luxurious stagecoach stopped nearby as the driver signaled for Bast to get in. Upon doing so, Bast was greeted with a beautiful yet fierce figure. A young noblewoman with pink hair was there. The second she started to speak, Bast gave a smirk. His suspicions were confirmed. That girl may look young, but she was certainly used to the world of the nobility. She was direct and fierce. Her voice passed an air of superiority... It was really amusing to watch such a young and delicate figure acting in such a fierce way. As such, Bast said nothing, only listening to her with a smirk on his face as he heard and studied the girl. On his eyes, his amusement was as clear as water.
After a threat that made him even more amused, the stagecoach halted, nearby the mansion where he was supposed to do his mission.
But before getting out of the cart, Bast looked directly towards her eyes..
"My lady, please smile. Such fierce expression and voice are not fitting for a delicate flower such as you. Even though you are young, I can see that you passed through quite a lot, only by the way you talk and act... The world is not kind, I know, and people might have to do... certain things... to survive... but remember, a kind smile can be more frightening than a frown and a murderous glare." Bast said, before stepping out of the stagecoach.
"I would love to drink some tea with you once this all is finished. You do seem to be the type who would love a good conversation..." Bast said, walking away as the door closed and the stagecoach left.
Heading towards the mansion, he carefully inspected the gates and the surroundings, seeing if there were guards nearby, if there was any signal of the owners of the mansion or anything like that.
Nephele left the interior of the house, heading to where Gerald had indicated the graveyard had been. Just a quick jog through the foyer, a hallway, and then out the backdoor that was located in the dining hall. Immediately upon exiting the back door and following a short dirt path towards the fenced off graveyard, there was a noticeable shift in the towns atmosphere. Despite the day now having started to shift into noon, there was a gloom that hung over the air as she stepped into the graveyard. Not to mention...the slight macabre, whimsical nature the entire graveyard itself gave off.
The trees seemed to twist at angles that just seemed ever so slightly off. A light mist hung over the ground as a few black birds observed the intruding dragon from above, cawing impertinently at her trespassing. Honestly, it almost seemed like the graveyard itself was pulled right out of some heavily embellished story. Thankfully it wouldn't take her long to find Geralds daughter. It was difficult to miss the blue-dressed girl wearing highly embellished clothing that was fit for a noble of some sort. Her back was turned to Nephele as she ran up. In fact, she seemed to be slowly practicing some sort of waltz by herself in front of a large stone grave of some sort where the path split into different directions.
As soon as the dragon made her way to her, it took a few seconds for the girl to notice her.
"WEH!?" Upon turning and noticing Nephele, the white haired girl did a rather comical and over exaggerated jump backwards, flailing her arms a bit before she held her arms in front of her protectively. Now that she was facing the dragon, it was easy to make out a few more distinctive features about her dress. On the left side of her head, was a blue butterfly-shaped hairpin holding her hair together and a masquerade mask was hanging form her neck, currently not in use. She appeared to be in her early twenties, and her short cut white hair was well kept and groomed.
"E-eh?" Upon taking a few seconds to collect herself she finally responded with a light laugh. "And here I thought I was the master spooker of people here. I must be gettin' rusty." She gave Nephele a bright grin, seemingly unbothered by her monstrous nature. "Soooo...who are you? Haven't seen you around the village before and we don't get many new people around here. Not some dastardly dragon hoping to snatch a princess and keep her all to yourself, are you?" She giggled at her suggestion.
Maria got the seemingly easy job. Just hang up a chandelier. Couldn't be too difficult, right? As Nephele left to fetch the mayors daughter. She would head up to the stairs easily enough without much trouble. Now that the house was all quiet, however, there was simply unsettling about it. It was quiet. Eerily so. The sort of cool, unsettling silence that could make a persons hair stand on end.
Still. Nothing else seemed out of the ordinary, and if she'd continue to the balcony where the Mayor had directed she'd find a length of strong rope tied to a series of pulleys that eventually reached the chandelier below. If Maria attempted to lift it, it would seemingly be lightweight, and easily moved despite a presumed heavier nature by Nephele. She'd find herself able to bring it up and tie it without too much of an issue. Almost too easily done.
When she was done however - she'd hear what sounded to be footsteps. Definitely not the kind that could be mistaken for old wood creaking or groaning. It was followed by the sound of something breaking and the sound of creaking, like something had been opened. The noises were coming from a room over, but the door was closed. The Mayor hadn't said they were alone, but with the silence in the rest of the mansion it seemed like they would have been alone.
Would she check the source of the noise? Or leave well enough alone?
Arletta pulled her sword cleanly from the second hound, flourishing it in front of her as she readied to strike another blow. With at least three of the five or six hounds now defeated, they would hopefully back off, but the furious bellow from Magnus seemed like it might be a bit too much to hope for. She barely had time to react to Magnus's fury as the axe slammed into the stagecoach, eye widening a bit at the Minotaur's rage.
The last remaining hound snarled at Magnus, slowly backing away from the enraged monster before bolting away, whimpering as all the hounds bit it had met an untimely end. The dullahan sighed, glad the battle was over as she walked over to Magnus who was consoling his newly gifted tunic.
"Aha..." Arletta chuckled. "I'm certain she won't be too upset, Magnus." Arletta said. "Although, typically wearing clothing into battle is going to get it roughed up a little." Ah, hmm, maybe she could by him some armor at some point? Shouldn't be too hard...well, getting armor to fit a minotaur might actually prove a little difficult. Anyways...Arletta turned to the man on the stagecoach.
Maria was sort of glad that she was not going to the graveyard, She was deadly afraid of the place. However the mansion was no better and was in fact a bit more scarier, Having done her task with the chandelier thinking this job would be easier then she thought. Of course she was sadly mistaken as with the graveyard, Her attention turning to the direction of the strange footsteps. Caughting her breath feeling a cold shiver running down her backside.
Looking at the door where the noise was coming form, Glupping loudly moving just a bit closer towards the door. Strange enough she felt compelled to open the door her pale hand moving towards the door knob, Turning it for a moment feeling something cold coming form behind the door. Her other hand placed on the hilt of her rapier in case anything unsavory comes at her.
"Haaah. Salamat sa Diyos." The man sighed as he got down from the overturned carriage. "Mabuti na lang may dumating na tulong!"
He then properly addressed Magnus and Arletta. "My friends! Infinite gratitude to both of you!" He loudly exclaimed, grabbing Arletta's hand and vigorously shaking it with both his hands. "You have come to my aid at just the right time. I am Emilio and I am in your debt." The man bowed. "It may not seem like it right now but I am a man with some form of wealth. If there is anything this humble Sonarran can do for you, he shall do it if it is within his power." He offered. "But please, not too much okay? I still need some resources for my... work in Sonarra."
"Also, may you grace me with your names, my saviors?" Emilio then asked. His eyes then switched from Magnus then to Arletta then back to Magnus. "Are you two a couple by any chance?"
"No worries, Eilidh. If you're Ian North, the world can be your weapon!"
"I'm not good at sneaking, as you may have noticed. I'm large and eye catching. Let me be the distraction. Besides, an open fight with armed assailants suits me fine."
"Oh, you're definitely large and eye-catching if you know what I mean." Ian winked at you but you could not know that since he had an helmet on.
You and Ian assumed your positions. You were to assault the camp directly and once Onouris Neith sends his thugs against you and leaves himself alone, Ian would sneak into the camp from behind and make short work of the sorcerer. Then, Ian would help you out with the remaining Brigands if there would be any once his task was done.
Once Ian was away and you were left alone, however, you felt a magical surge occur just behind you. Turning around, you find your target Onouris Neith standing before you, sword and staff in his hands. Needless to say, the jig was up. "Planning a sneak attack, are you?" Neith assumed a combat stance. "How foolishly arrogant. To think you can use subterfuge against a Sorcerer of Varjo. The masters of planning, cunning and espionage."
Neith allowed you to move first so be prepared for any defensive manuevers or counterattacks that will inevitably come.
"Blessings of the Chief God be upon thee, Gentlemen. What was the crime of that man that you delivered judgement upon?"
"He was suspected of being a rebel, priestess." One of the Varjan Warriors answered bluntly. "There is a revolt happening, you see, and the rebels could be hiding anywhere and could be any one of these Sonorrans." He began to explain. "We cannot be too careful. Suspicious activity must be dealt with wherever they occur."
"And what about you, priestess?" The Varjan Warrior then asked. "What brings you here in this turbulent town?"
"The guild was rebuilt, its completely different from how it was before. And we do have a few new members... Although I didn't have the chance to introduce myself yet..."
"Really? Include me in your introduction then, Freyr. It's about time I join your guild for real." Haley replied. "Also, define 'different'."
"Would you care to... accompany me on this mission?"
"Sure! Let this be my first mission as part of your guild." Haley happily declared. "So! What're we doing?"
"And... are you alright?" The Siren then added. "You looked down when I found you. Did something happen? Is it with that Order dude? Come on, you can tell me." She inquired further but then realized that she may be prying a bit. "I mean, if you're alright with telling that is. You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to... contrary to what I said earlier."
Lady Natasha did not say a word of response to your advice and simply left you alone. However, judging from her expression, she was unamused.
Scouting out the premises, you find that the main gate into the private land had a couple of guards stationed on it. Then, you find a vantage point and spot more guards patrolling the grounds by twos. The area was quiet so right now you could not determine if any of the family members were inside or if they were away at some errand
However, you did spot two stagecoaches behind the manor. They were beautiful as befitting a noble house but one was as fancy as the other: One of them was adorned with expensive accessories and would definitely send a statement if it were to be ridden into the public. The other had less of the accessories but more of symbols of the same appearance. Family crests perhaps?
You have found your objective. Accomplishing it was easy, getting away with it would be the hard part. But perhaps not considering your abilities.
Eilidh was initially taken aback and surprised, but not finishing the Centaur off in her moment of weakness was a mistake too costly to have made. Quickly regaining her cool composure, Eilidh drew her sword and pointed it at the wizard. "I've never been very good at sneaking, she admitted, "But I'm very good at fighting head-on, and you were a fool to challenge me openly, though I do admire you for taking the courtesy, and will fight you with nothing but honor."
The moment she finished speaking, she charged and swung wide and strong at the wizard, and though her swing for cleave a medium sized tree in twain from it's force, this was still but a testing attack, and she was still on guard and ready to evade, counter or parry at a moment's notice. Part of her brain wondered if Ian would be alright, but it was quickly hushed so she could focus.
Rebecca pursed her lips and brought her fingers to her chin, in clear dissaproval of their story, though it was the dissaproval of a stern mother rather than a horrified anti-Varjo sympathizer. She was doing a very good job hiding her disgust, as she'd been practiced to through all her years of having to compromise or outright agree with Order ideals that she found backwards and repulsive.
"I come from Pravar, and have been sent to assist the Order here with their little...problem. We thought that maybe the softer, more refined touch of the East may help you in the South, and it seems we were correct in taking that liberty. You can kill all the suspected rebels you want, and a few poor innocent non-rebels, no doubt, and be no closer to ending the rebellion unless you happen to get very lucky. All you do then is make innocent people scared of being accused of rebellion, scared of you. And if they're scared of you, they might be driven to rebel! What you have to do is find whoever's leading this rebellion, and cut the head off the snake. So, next time you find somebody 'suspicious', you question them. Are we clear? Who is in authority around here?"
The glum Minotaur sighed, knowing that Arletta was right; It was his own fault for not just taking it off before charging in, or storing it at the guild for wearing around there. Dwelling on it wouldn't do much good, but the thought of how badly he just ruined a gift still hung in his mind as he looked at the man who had previously been fending for his life. Taking a deep breath, he at least felt good about saving the man's life...even if he had put a very axe-shaped hole in the side of his vehicle. Well, hopefully that could be fixed. Seemed like a waste to just abandon the thing to the wilderness.
"I'm glad you're alright, Mr. Emilio. I-I'm Magnus, and this is Arletta...a-and um...not a couple." Magnus said, tapping his index fingers at the last bit. His cheeks seemed a bit red too, clearly a bit flustered at the idea. While Arletta was certainly pretty, he'd be wrong to assume that her kindness was meant in any romantic sense...at least, that's what he thought. Female monsters tended to be more well received than he was. Female monsters were beautiful, but male ones...well, that was give or take to the eye of the Gazer, he supposed. He'd read enough of the old tales of monsters being slain for kidnapping women and the like, so he just...kind of assumed that nobody COULD want him in a romantic fashion. "We're on a job request for someone in Mahigan...b-but um, if you don't mind me asking, how did you wind up in such a tight spot? Was there anyone else with you that got hurt?" The Minotaur asked, before crouching down by the stagecoach to examine a bit of the damage. Maybe it was still usable, even without horses. Magnus could push it...he supposed. Not very fast, but it wouldn't be too big of an issue, so long as it wasn't a push needed all the way back to Sonorra. While he was down there, he pried his axe out, examining the edge and running a calloused finger along it, making sure that it wasn't blunted from the throw.
Nephele felt the slightest chill run up her spine as the birds cawed from overhead, her ears standing a bit on end as she walked through the graveyard. Honestly, she was prepared to unleash some fog if need be, but it seemed that Gerald's daughter was relatively alive and not some form of being bent on destruction. Well, that pretty much meant that her paranoia was unfounded, the act of the girl freaking out so much eliciting a small giggle from the dragoness. Addressing the noble daughter, she said: "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. While it would be profitable, I'm not the type of dragon that kidnaps, so rest assured that you won't be waiting on a knight." as a small attempt at lightening the mood. People liked jokes...if that could even be called a joke. Her delivery was far from comedic.
Regardless, Nephele offered the woman a slight bow, before continuing. "I am Nephele Megalos the Third, and it is a pleasure to meet you. Your father has contracted me and my friend to assist in preparing for your harvest festival. He asked me to bring you, so if you are ready, we can go meet with him." Nephele said, smiling slightly the whole time. This girl had a wonderful smile...assuming that by "spooking" people she meant pranks, then perhaps she was the humorous sort. She certainly seemed to succeed in making the stony faced dragon woman's expression crack a smidge.
"Thank you very much, mister Barker. I am lacking in experience, but I will do my very best." The relief in Ars face was very noticeable once the man called Bart led him inside. The relief gave way to amazement once the boy stepped into the room. Ars had, of course, never been to a guild's headquarters before, and it was all he could do to try and keep listening to Bart's explanation on the guild while eyeing all of his surroundings, trying to take in as much as he could of the place. So this was a guild? "It is incredible." were all the words Ars could readily muster to express his feelings regarding the place.
Ars was somewhat brought back to his sense once the brown haired young man greeted him, realizing that he had a duty to at least keep this social interaction, for lack of better words, social. "A pleasure to meet you, mister Neil, I am Ars. I hope you can teach me many things as a senior adventurer." He returned the greeting with a somewhat rehearsed phrase. Ars had suspected he would have to go through many of those across the day, meeting other adventurers, and had thus prepared himself for that situation. "A dude newcomer for a change..." Ars couldn't help but mutter, just loud enough that he couldn't be sure whether or not Bart or Neil had heard him. He wondered if this meant a good number of the other adventurers were females. Come to think of it, that wasn't impossible if you factored in the monsters. That could be troublesome eventually.
"So, mister Barker, I just need to choose a request from this board, complete said request, receive payment and then return to the guild?" Ars asked while reading the contents of the board Bart was holding. Ars wasn't stupid, he would search for something fitting for himself. Something that would let him gain experience without being too dangerous. Maybe this one, Keeping it real? The remark at the bottom did claim this one as being safe. "Accompanying this poet, mister James Saint. Is it fine if I take this one?" It wasn't the most exciting assignment he could think of, and it would require traveling back to Boreal Port, which he had just left, but it looked like it could provide some adventuring while being safe enough.
"Oooh." Her grin faded somewhat into a small seeming frown? Or was that just a trick of the bad lighting? "Aha, you're from the guild? You're going to be performing with me on the stage, then." She gave a very brief sideways glance towards a grave and muttered something quietly to herself. Nephele wouldn't be able to make out all of it, but there was a definite 'hope' and 'cute guy' in there. She didn't give the dragon quite long to ponder it though before her expression lit up, grinning brightly to herself as if she had just gotten the best idea on the planet.
"Ooh! Wait yes yes, nice to meet you, Nephele. I'm Christine!" She grabbed Nephele by her hands, completely unafraid of her claws - or either completely unaware of them. "If he sent you then that means it's rehearsal! Ahaha, yes yes, I have the best idea." Ahaha, she was such a genius wasn't she? Yes she was. "Come on then, chop chop, the arts wait for no man, woman, monster, or genderless space squids!" She began pulling Nephele from the graveyard back towards the house.
Or tried too.
See, Christine wasn't that strong so unless Nephele let her it'd probably end up with the noble kid tripping and falling face first into the ground in her usual over excited and slightly careless manner.
What was Maria expecting? Once she had opened the door, there was nothing there. The footsteps halted almost instantly, and the only thing beyond the door was a slightly rundown looking hallway, covered in a large amount of dust. It almost looked like it hadn't been touched in ages, but that couldn't be right, could it? The Mayor had said they had been doing renovations, which also meant that the place should have been in better condition. Judging from a small shattered window and a cold draft...well, it was odd to say the least when the rest of the manor was in almost immaculate condition.
Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind Maria, and if she were to try open the door, she'd find it quite locked. A gentle, but cold breeze was blowing through a shattered window on the opposite end of the hallway. Perhaps this was what shut the door? A particularly strong gust of wind? Either way, it seemed she was now locked in the hallway with the only option be going forward unless she found a way out, and the windows didn't seem like they'd be easy to break or get through, either.
"Ah? It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir." Arletta replied in a friendly manner as she returned the handshake. "Arletta Dupain at your service. As my friend Magnus said, we are heading to Mahigan to help someone who requested our services." The dullahan glanced over to the wreckage as Magnus examined it. It still looked usable. If she had time she could go back to the guild and retrieve her horse, and lead the man to his destination but that might take far too long and be a bit too much of a detour.
"And aha, no, we're not a couple. Just co-workers." She chuckled, offering a small smile to Magnus. "That aside, sir Emilio, would you need aid in getting to safety?"
The mothwoman found it peculiar that no one was doing renovation in this hallway, It made her think that their was something the mayor was hiding something form the two. So only hoped that Nephele was doing okay in the graveyard, Moving slowly though the hallway checking the doors wondering if any of them were open. However most of them would not open or were locked, She had her rapier out now because she was petrified. The blood in her body was running cold and the cold wind chilling her skin. She felt their was something foul in this part of the mansion.
She made her way into the room on the end of hallway, Finding it that it was open moving inside. Feeling the breeze now becoming a chilling gust of wind in this particular room, Her dress flowing from the wind and one of her hand rubbing her shoulder wondering if she should have worn something more warm.
"We're on a job request for someone in Mahigan...b-but um, if you don't mind me asking, how did you wind up in such a tight spot? Was there anyone else with you that got hurt?"
"Oh, don't worry about anyone else Mister Magnus. I am alone." Emilio replied. "And as for these things..." Emilio kicked one of the dead canines. "These are Varjan Wardogs. Heavily trained, heavily conditioned and heavily mutated. A staple warbeast for any Varjan army." The man explained. "Although, I'm not sure what a pack of these is doing so far from Varjo. The best reason I have is that they have been released by an army. Are there any signs of a Varjan force near here?"
"That aside, sir Emilio, would you need aid in getting to safety?"
"I ask what reward you like and instead you offer me further service. You two are indeed very kind." Emilio replied. "But as you say, you are heading for Mahigan while I head for Sonarra. It would be extremely rude of me to waste your time."
"However, there is still the matter of your reward..." He then noticed Magnus' ruined clothing and then the dead wardogs. "Ah, I know! Why don't I help you skin these wardogs of their hides? They sell quite a profit in the market since they are unique due to the mutations. With that money, I'm sure Mister Magnus can buy himself a new and better tunic and much much more. What do you say?"
Should Magnus and Arletta accept Emilio's offer, they would be bringing a whole lot of animal hides towards Mahigan. Otherwise, they might have something else in hand.
-----
Magnus and Arletta resume their trip to Mahigan, a peaceful monster-friendly village. Upon inquiring about a flying machine, the people there pointed you to a general store.
"Sorry Talia dear. No more of that for today either." The store clerk, a kindly old woman, came out. "Just my well wishes for the inventor."
"Ah, is that so? Well, nothing can be done about it." The Cyclops named Talia then bowed. "I shall return tomorrow then. Farewell, for now." She said softly before turning around to leave and passing Magnus and Arletta by.
"But I'm very good at fighting head-on, and you were a fool to challenge me openly, though I do admire you for taking the courtesy, and will fight you with nothing but honor."
"Honor is for dead men!" Onouris angrily retorted.
He then evaded your first swing and did battle with you. While he was no slouch in fighting, it was clear that he was outmatched. And the Varjan Sorcerer knew this since he broke off with you and leaped a short distance from you. "This is the end, monster!" With an open palm, bolts of red energy shot out and hurled towards you.
Evading the harmful magical bolts was not difficult since they were pretty inaccurate anyway. "To me, my brothers!" Onouris then yelled which called forth his Brigands from the encampment. The Sorcerer then readied for another round of futile melee. Although, this was probably just to stall you long enough for his barbaric reinforcements to come.
"Don't worry Eilidh! I'm coming!" You hear and see Ian heading towards you.
"So, next time you find somebody 'suspicious', you question them. Are we clear? Who is in authority around here?"
"Do not presume to command us, priestess. We do not answer to you." The Varjan Warrior furiously replied. "We only tolerate and fight alongside you because Lord Joshua commands us so. If he or Queen Leyanne wishes it, we would level your nations and desecrate your temples a hundred times over!"
"Our lord is Firraveus Carron if you must know." The hulking warrior walked around you so now the two Varjans surrounded you. "And I don't think he would take kindly to his warriors being insulted." He then chuckled darkly. "Unless we all keep quiet about this but that's not coming for free, priestess."
"But really, Lord Carron might demand more so you're better off with us." The two Varjan Warriors then laughed as they waited for your answer to their implied but clear offer.
"A pleasure to meet you, mister Neil, I am Ars. I hope you can teach me many things as a senior adventurer."
Neil chuckled. "I'm as new as you are Ars. If not newer since you seem to be some sort of mage and I'm just a near-useless nobody."
"Accompanying this poet, mister James Saint. Is it fine if I take this one?"
"You're taking this one? Alright then." Bart said. "There's someone else taking that quest by the way. His name is Freyr and he's a Viera, a humanoid with rabbit ears. You should meet up with him."
And with that, Ars was on his way to Boreal Port. Hopefully meeting this 'Freyr' on the way.
-----
On the road to Boreal Port, Ars soon happened upon a duo of figures. One was a handsome man with a pair of rabbit ears. This was probably Freyr who was undertaking the same quest you picked earlier. The other was a girl with wings for arms, hovering near Freyr. While one would peg her as a Harpy, you notice that she was a bit different since she had more vibrant colors on her among other things.
"Oh, hey there!" The Harpy girl greeted. "On the way to Boreal Port too?"
