[IC] The Adamant World

Contracts Available

Grand Mausoleum - Taken
We are looking for a team of Powder Mages to escort and aid our archaeologists at a new site found on the outskirts of the Grand Mausoleum. No real danger is expected but bandits have been seen in the area and have been known to steal vital equipment from us before. Payment will be a basic payment of ten silver a day, plus expenses, and a share in any proceeds from the search.

Napegeraios Hearthlands
Many of our sheep have gone missing in the past weeks with signs of animal attacks and possible banditry. Urgent aid required in removing threat from flocks vital to my family's welfare - one hundred silver for removal of whatever threats face our herds.

Hatkadedyet
One of our scholars has gone missing, bearing a key to some of the sacrosanct library chambers. Preferably return the man alive but the key must be found. Payment of seventy silver for the key, an additional fifty available for the scholar.

Nawade
Unsubstantiated reports about smugglers reaching the Old Capitol need looking into. The City Guard lack the resources or manpower to search beyond the city limits, Powder Mages required. Possible danger. Fifty to two hundred silver depending on results of search.

[Jinxer]

Dilei - Vale Craft Guild

"We've got a lot of newcomers this year."

The two of them were working by oil-lamp, all light from outside diminished with the setting of the sun, although there was no telling exactly what time it was. Alexandreus placed the sheaf of papers he had been flicking through onto the table and reached for a cup to his right, meticulously placed on a small saucer not unlike ones used to collect water below potted plants, and raised an eyebrow at his companion. The other lieutenant, leaning precariously back on one leg of her chair with riding boots nonchalantly atop the table to brace her unsafe position, had already abandoned her reading and was instead flicking through one of those penny dreadfuls she'd developed a taste for recently. Absently she hummed in agreement, her mane of white hair spilling down her back and chest in loose curls and stark against her dark skin and mismatched clothes of red and green.

Shaking his head in fond, if frustrated, resignation, Alexandreus sipped at his cup and then returned to his task. Out of the two of them he was the one more suited to this kind of plodding, methodical work. All of the new Mages joining their guild had been assigned rooms but now came the task of forming teams, with supervising members, out of those newcomers that would most likely work well together and that was a painstaking, lengthy task. Mirande's Flare was useful for seeking out other Powder Mages and when their enrolment came about she threw herself into their initiation with all the force of a Rynalemese storm but in this it was perhaps better than she tried not to get involved, it would only make his work harder.

"There ain't that many, Alexie." He looked up to see her patting the papers on the table in front of her although she still seemed to have her nose in that god-awful book. The Mystery of the Blount Exorcisms. Even the title lacked imagination, never mind that many would consider setting an undoubtedly salacious story in the holy city nothing short of blasphemy. Why had the Master given Mirande one of those cursed books? Just because she would like it did not mean it was wise to give her such a mind-rotting distraction. "Just more gooduns. Not like the usual haul of half-hearters that drag themselves in."

He winced, glancing toward the heavyset door to make sure that it was locked lest any of those 'half-hearters' happened to be overhear their conversation. Blessedly it was shut firm and, so late into the night, it was unlikely any would be up and about and certainly not trying to eavesdrop on their stand-in Masters. The glamour, the honour, of joining a guild and becoming an official Powder Mage would be something that would not fade from their new recruits for some time. In due course that spark of awe he saw in their eyes whenever he passed would transform into respect as they settled in and came to know that the guild's lieutenants were people, not merely the folk heroes the locals gossiped about.

"Either way," he turned back to Mirande and reached across the table to take her pile of records, "there should be some interesting teams we can form." Feeling a rush of air he snatched his hand back just as Mirande slapped hers down on the papers he had been reaching for, one of her orange eyes peeking out over the cheap book in her hand.

"Aye, 'we'. Done mine, Alexie and no changin' my decisions, y'hear? Get yours done quick-sharp so we can turn in, why don't ye?" That glowing orb vanished again, the penny dreadful lifted up as she returned to her task, leaving Alexie to shake his head and returned to his work. Once she had turned in for the night he would have to come back and check her assignments. Mirande's approach to team assignments was a lot like her cooking: see what happened when you mix random elements in. It was both brilliant and awful in equal measure and Alexie's obsessive nature could not handle it, not while the Master was away.

It was going to be a long night.

---

Lyrel Swistral

The halls of Vale Craft were silent except for the fluttering of the oil lamps along the walls, every other one still lit for the members returning late from completed jobs or leaving early for new ones. This deep into the bedrock of the cliffs there was little natural light in the halls although some of the rooms, those facing west out over the sea, had windows in them but it was mostly the higher rank members who had those quarters; newcomers slept deeper into the complex but that suited Lyrel just fine. She had known nothing but nighttime for the last few months, the light of day a sign that she should have been sleeping and preparing, and a dark room with no invading sunlight was familiar to her and that was comforting. Her days of freedom, sneaking through the night and thieving from the unjustly rich, were fond memories and she missed those times and the people who had crept along in the darkness with her.

It was not that she did not trust these people. No, her loyalty to the guild and the Master was absolute and she had been hard at work trying to prove that although the Master's absence did make her feel uneasy, as if her only benefactor had disappeared without a trace and left them with their untrustworthy family. She knew that that was not the case, that Alexie and Mirande would see to her safety just as the Master would, but some scars ran too deep to heal after just a month and the slave brand on her lower arm still itched something terrible despite Alexie's healing salves. She would need to beg another from him, even if the scarring had healed such that the brand's meaning was unreadable it still felt hot, sometimes as if that glowing hot metal was being pressed down again.

"Good morning, young one."

She skirted away to the other side of the corridor on instinct as light spilled out from an open doorway, one of the older guild members standing in the arch with a harmless, amiable smile on his face. Her eyes darted to the cane in his hand, his stooped back and that relaxed posture and she found herself wondering if he had his purse on him.

Stupid! You're not her anymore, this is family now!

"Mornin'." She mumbled, trying not to run as she hurried on her way while banishing the guilt she felt at her old habits resurfacing. Today was important and she needed to be the new Lyrel, the Vale Craft Powder Mage and not the captured thief, the slave. Today, she would be assigned to a team made up from the new cohort and begin taking on jobs, serving the guild and truly leaving behind that old life.

"Off to see the illuminations?" She grinned sheepishly and saw a knowing smile spread across his pale lips. Vale Craft obviously looked after its retired members or else why would there be so many old people here? "They never grow old. Not like me, at least!"

He laughed, an edge of wheezing making its way into the sound, and she smiled in as agreeable way as she could before waving an awkward farewell, fearing that he might engage her in further conversation and that was not something she felt prepared for just yet. More importantly, though, she needed to hurry or else she would miss it. Her slippered feet moved awkwardly so she kicked off the soft, comfortable but ultimately unpractical footwear and ran down the corridor toward the feasting hall, her bare feet making barely a noise as she moved. Those days as a thief, although behind her and now filled with shame mixed with joy at their mere memory, had given her skills, useful ones that she could use for the guild.

The feasting hall was a huge room, carved out from the bedrock to form a cavernous chamber filled with wooden tables and benches. The far wall, the one that protected the hall from the elements and was in fact the entrance to the guild, was pockmarked with large circular windows, their panes dyed in different colours without any apparent pattern. The room was still dim as she made her way toward the bar, barrels of ale visible along the wall behind it and a delicious aroma drifting from the closed kitchen door. Even at this time of the morning there would be a servant in there, ready to prepare a meal for those returned exhausted from their job or to see off a team with a full belly.

Behind her, up above, a raised gallery ran along the wall overlooking the entire hall. That was where the Master and her lieutenants would sit, when they were here and not too busy. She had noticed that a lot of the time they ate in their rooms, always working on something different and that gallery laid empty although it never felt that way, as if the Master's absence was never truly felt and a part of her comforting presence was always there.

None of that was why Lyrel had come so early. On her first day Mirande had told her about this, in a quiet voice as if she were imparting some important secret, and every morning since Lyrel had come to the feasting hall to watch the sunrise. The guild's entrance faced to the east and those randomly colourful windows caught its first rays, flooding the huge room with bright splendour. It was something so far removed from her days working on the docks, her nights creeping in the dark as a thief, her short life as a slave forever trapped in the dark of the rowing decks with nothing but the smell of salt, sweat and blood to accompany her.

This small thing reminded her every morning that those days were gone. She was a Powder Mage, a Mage of Vale Craft. Today she would truly become that and her chest buzzed with frantic, desperate excitement, as the guild slowly came to life. Paula, the servant on duty, brought out her usual, simple breakfast of eggs scrambled on toast with a cup of green tea, a memory of the short time she had had with her parents, and she chose a table at random. Curling her legs up underneath her, slippers on the floor below the table, she ate and watched as the light shifted through the windows, changing patterns of light swirling in the room as the sun rose further into the sky.

The new members had only been enrolled properly the day before, she practically a veteran compared to them, and assigned quarters within the guild. It would not be long before they flooded to the hall to see what their first day would bring but for that short time with only her and a scattering of veterans rising early, Lyrel enjoyed the miracle of her new life encapsulated in that shining, coloured sunlight.

[ProxyInc]

Juniper Lee Andrews

She tilted her chin up, trying to dislodge the current of bleeding energy that pulsated through her limbs. Nerves, they sparked and clamored beneath her skin while her heart quickened with every step.

Meeting new people was never her strong suit. Even with the years of experience with the constant ebb and flow of new faces that the sea brought to her home. The only thing Juniper had learned was how to school her face to hide the quivering mass that was her core. She could smile, relax her shoulders, and breeze through a conversation. Or even haggle down a trader with a fierceness. But it was the quaking that happened in the comfort of a dark closest or an empty room afterwards that she never let anyone see.

But this was a different feeling. One that lingered over from the day before. That cold and vulnerable presence that had saturated her core as she made her way towards the where the map marked her new home. It lent the friendly faces that milled around in the crowds a darker tone. As if they judged her for being here. The same way she judged herself.

No, I’m doing this for them, Juniper thought to herself, brushing away the niggling guilt that lay like a stone in the pit of her belly. Her parents needed the extra flow of income. It just so happened that she found a way to solve their problems and indulge in her coveted desires.

Juniper tightened the grip around the worn handle that contained all that was left of her old life. They had sent the new recruits to their rooms fairly quickly, with the promise of a proper day to be given to them in the morning. She welcomed the quick orientation, as they walked them down the series of halls in her half dazed state. She was worn from her journey, the seas sucking what life she had left before she stepped back on solid ground. She may be from a storm weathered town but that didn't make her an expert when dealing with the tossing and turning of undulating waves. Juniper had crawled quickly into her provided bed, not bothering to u pack or even shed her clothes as she sought rest.

But rest barely came and fled while she tossed and turned in the night. Dreams of thunderous storms that shattered the night sky and the faces filled with fear and condemnation that seemed to burn into her kept her woke in fine sheets of sweat. So when the morning rose Juniper had already risen well before that first light of day. She lingered in the bed, homesick for the gentle roar of the waves crashing against the Cliffside. And the raucous cawing of the sea birds that greeted her in the morning.

Instead an unfamiliar silence pressed at her.

With shaky fingers she quickly snapped open the buckle on her pack. The familiar smell of her father—of old spices and ale—wafted up to greet her, they lingered in the threads of the stolen jackets that lay neatly packed away. Warm memories enveloped her and settled a calm over her wavering heart. This is why she was here, the thread of sanity that reminded her of the home she needed to help provide for.

She quickly shed yesterday’s old traveling suit and slid into a fresh wash of tanned leather. It pressed nicely against the plain white shirt she wore beneath. And for a moment she felt safe and secure once more. This might not feel like home yet, but she would make it be soon.

As she headed out of her bedroom door she tripped lightly. Her nerves betraying her in a series of graceless footwork that almost sent her sprawling onto the ground below. With a sheepish look that burned her cheeks Juniper glanced around. The halls blissful empty as she let out a heady sigh of relief.

Thankfully it was too early for the guild and no one was there to witness her blunder. She pressed her lips into a firm line, eyes narrowing before straightening the hem of her jacket. This is it, she thought with a silent farewell given in the back of her mind to her old life.
And with a sense of belonging she padded softly down the maze of hallways.

The inside of the guild smelled of stone and soot. Long gone were the flames that warmed the hearths that roared last night. Only the fresh scent of new wood and the gentle clamor of servants scattering to start the day. She paused, listening to the faint chatter that echoed down a pathway, trying to remember the way that brought her here from the guild’s marvelous hall. She didn't want to ask, a sense of pride and embarrassment dwelling within her. But the map of the guild that she had thought he memorized had vanished like thief in the night. Her brain sluggish as she took another corner only to find herself at a dead end. “Where am I supposed to go," she asked out loud with a sigh.

[Lasrever]

Nila Lionridge

The guild seemed to be a large place; even extravagant, to Nila's mind. Certainly, such a thing could and should have been expected from the reputations such places garnered, especially those looking to attract new mages and keep them in residence. Yes, it was ornate and extravagant, especially compared to the bare-bones guard building she'd grown accustomed to. The same guards that were so constantly tossed aside and beaten down by the more enthusiastic mages, who there'd no doubt be a few of in these halls. And for what? Coloured panes and opulent halls, apparently.

Fair to say her distaste for this place had been rather immediate.

But then, she had a job to do, and so maybe that was for the best. Hardly a good motivator if she'd gotten here and suddenly decided to love the place. Though at least she'd slept well enough, and she'd take her blessings where they came in that regard.

That being said, she'd woken rather early; a habit of hers. She had exercises to do each morning, more for the mental discipline than any true physical exertion, though keeping her strength up was certainly a welcome benefit. Her schedule was rigid and well-defined. First came exercise, then brief time to meditate on the day to come, and then finally she'd groom herself, dress as well as was needed, and be ready to face whatever the day might bring. She'd left herself more than enough time to arrive, of course.

She didn't bother with anything extravagant, but was sure to dress smartly. You were to dress well enough that it implied respect, but not so well that you were trying to rise above your station; a simple concept. After a moment's thought, she left her spear behind. The implied lack of trust would be unhelpful to say the least, and she was perfectly capable of fighting unarmed if the necessity arose. With that decision made, she left her room quickly and quietly, keeping up a steady pace as she made her way through the corridor.

Better to be early than late, after all, if only because of the disrespect that tardiness implied. A bad start, especially if it were to throw off someone's rhythm for the day - disorganisation was the enemy of both good sense and appropriate planning. Once things had been set in stone, Nila was of the mind that the plans should be followed, if only to prevent any tragic miscommunication.

The well-built woman, therefore, walked rather inelegantly and with little pomp or ceremony. Her head, however, was held high, looking out at mages old and new with a proud gaze that seemed to seek out and challenge anyone who cared to meet it. It could even be seen as arrogance, though certainly a somewhat reserved sort. The route to the hall wasn't a particularly difficult one to memorise, thankfully. She'd paid stringent attention to it, better to gauge how much time she'd need to make her way there.

Perhaps she could simply have kept track of how long the walk itself took, but tour-givers tended to meander around far too much to be helpful. Better simply to get where you were going. By her estimate, she'd make it with a few minutes to spare. Though, that being said, she couldn't help noticing a voice from around the corner; frustrated, by the sounds of it.

Nila never was the sort to ignore someone in need, at least with matters so innocent as this, so she sighed and headed towards the voice. One of the other new arrivals, by the looks of it; at least she'd have an early opportunity to gauge the moral character of these people. She looked over the woman for a brief second - small, wasn't she - before turning her gaze back to the walls and speaking a little abruptly.

"I know the path to the hall from here," she paused, brow furrowing, "I, ah, assume that's where you're looking to go."

_@HecateProxy

[Opposition]

Gwendolyn Abramelin

Traversing the city always provided Gwendolyn with a sort of unique struggle. Everything was so... different in comparison to her life with Menes. She missed the derelict city. That was her true home. She could tell that much just by travelling along the busy streets of Dilei. There was just people everywhere! It was rather difficult to find solace in solitude as she used to. This was especially true as Gwen had no home. The remains of her raft was all that she required, though it mostly served as a spot to hold all of her hoarded possessions. Gwen was nothing without all of the nonsensical gold jewelry pieces and strange wooden idols that covered her pseudo-house's floor space. Luckily— or perhaps unluckily— Gwen very rarely slept on her raft. Instead, she chose to find herself resting wherever she felt tired. It was a habit of hers that worked out fine in the derelict city, but things were different here. Gwen sighed wistfully. Different for better or worse.

Gwen didn't have time for such silly thoughts on this day, though. The day was a day of change. Again, for better or worse. To join a 'guild' was something Gwen never thought she would do. Rather, she was content to scrounge through unfamiliar dilapidation. Alas, her environment was foreign in a different way these days. The thought of such radical change upset her, or rather it would have if she had been thinking about it. Her mind was occupied with other ill thoughts, forcing her anger for different reasons. Not only did she have to clear her raft of her possessions, she had to lug them all through the grossly crowded streets. It was certainly a struggle for someone so accustomed to solitude. She couldn't go back now, though. The offer the Vale Craft Guild had made Gwendolyn was suspicious to put things lightly, but it had the potential to pull her out of this bout of unluck. It took all of her will not to outright ostracize the idea of guilds, but the concept seemed so normalized in Dilei. So Gwen found herself struggling to haul a mass of junk through the labyrinthian corridors of metropolis.

It wasn't all bad, though. Gwen did find her anger momentarily quelled on multiple occasions when she found herself passing through the street markets near the port where she originally lingered. It seemed that her strange masses of foreign gold and trinkets attracted quite a few new friends— or at least what Gwen had assumed to be friends. Whatever the merchants were to her, Gwen bid them farewells while dragging behind her a sled just a bit lighter or with a slight variation in contents. Save for those unique encounters, Gwen managed to make it through her journey without too much conflict. That was no thanks to her, of course. It just seemed that most of the city-goers weren't as interested in stopping to chat as she was. It was strange to her to say the least having come from a lifestyle where seeing others was something that would happen rarely or never at all.

Gwen's destination appeared much grander than she originally appraised it to be. In all honesty, she felt a bit intimidated by the large guild hall. As such, she approached it with a certain air of cautiousness. Something deep inside the young Powder Mage wasn't sure if she was ready to give in to the idea of joining such an organization just yet. She couldn't turn back, though. It had been so long since she had experienced the rush of freedom that overcame her when she flowed with her Drift, and from what bits of information she had gathered from her brief encounter with the Vale Craft lieutenant, she wouldn't be very easily able to experience her art without the aligning of oneself with a guild. The concept made Gwen angry, but she would conform. She had to at least for now. She yearned to continue her practice.

By the time Gwen had pressed the doors open, the sun was already setting over the horizon. She had spent a great deal more time in the city than she had realized. Considering her distant journey, Gwen wasn't the most presentable when she arrived either. She disregarded her discombobulated appearance, pressing on to meet her colleagues regardless. As she was oriented with the maze-like hallways of the guild hall, Gwen paid little attention, regarding the entire environment around her with a certain scrupulousness. As much time as she had spent inside crumbling catacombs and basements of the derelict city, this foreign architecture felt constricting. Maybe it was something else, though. Gwen thought for a moment that perhaps she just felt an immense pressing dread upon herself because of how limited she had been in wielding her Drift Magic as of late. She spent a long moment pondering the thought when she was finally shown to a room that she could call her own. Personal claims to space— that was another concept foreign to the worn out vagabond.

For a long while after she was left alone, Gwen just laid upon her bed, aimlessly staring into space. The moon was starting to flutter its way into the night sky now, but Gwen was unaware. She felt wide awake, lost in thoughts wracked by the unfamiliar circumstances she had been thrust into. She didn't know if she was excited or not. Moreso, she was curious as to the nature of the experiences that awaited her, but she would approach them with chaste. What consumed her waking moments most of all though, was thoughts of Menes. What had become of her mentor? She would likely never find out. Tossing and turning, Gwen couldn't escape her unrelenting mind. In an effort to distract herself, she left her room, wandering the dimly lit halls for a long while in the silence of the night. She didn't really know where she was going, but destination wasn't a variable that entered her mind. She had come out just to wander, at least until she found herself in a much larger room occupied by a hearth that still burned hot with embers.

Without realizing it, Gwen paused in her strides, instead finding herself a spot sitting next to the glowing flames. It wasn't the flames that captivated Gwen's gaze, however. Instead, her eyes traced the trails of ash as they puffed from the cracking wood and floated down to join the ever growing pile. For a moment, Gwen found herself unconsciously reaching a hand out towards the ash before catching herself and pulling back her grasping limb. Things were different now... In more ways than she realized. She had to accept that. Without her control over the Drift, Gwen found herself merely staring at the ever-growing pile of ash until her eyes fluttered shut, too heavy to maintain alert and awake. Finally at peace, Gwen drifted into a land of peaceful dreams among derelict streets whistling with zephyrous winds carrying deposits of dust and sand. It wasn't conventional, but it was her peace.

As the sunrise peaked in through the windows of the guild hall, the young girl cramped in the corner next to the long fallen fire found her eyes flicking open. The rays of bright light had managed to pour right onto her. Gwen stirred swiftly, realizing that it was much earlier than she wanted it to be. Perhaps she would have fallen back asleep had she not realized that she had drifted into slumber in such a strange place. Gwen shook her head to wake herself even more. If she wanted to fit in, this wasn't something she could do. Similar guilty thoughts occupied her mind as she rose to her feet, peering around. She intended to wander back to her room with haste before she was accosted by the guild's veterans, but something caught her eye. As the sun started to peak above the horizon, the stained windows of the large hall had momentarily mesmerized the young Powder Mage. Gwen had never seen such glass and the lights glinting off of it only further intrigued her.

With a slightly awestruck gaze, Gwen motioned to walk towards the array of windows. It was only then that she realized that she wasn't alone in the hall. A girl aged similarly to herself was also gazing towards the rising sun. Gwen remained silent for a long moment, giving her disheveled appearance a once over. She certainly didn't look in the best shape. Her stark white cloak was coated with dust and ash that did very little to help accent the array of gaudy golden linings that also accented her appearance. Nonetheless, she approached the other woman.

"I've never seen anything like that... I need to get some of this glass." Gwen paused, reaching for more words. Most of her focus was averted to admiring the sight before her. "A good way to start the busy day, I guess. I'm Gwen. Are you a newfound member as well?"

_@Jinxer

[Rigmarole]

Franca Mintz

The smell of saltwater and gutted fish filled the air in this cramped alley, only some ways from the fishing docks, and stuffed itself up Franca's nose. It was nostalgic. Franca walked down to the end of the alley and to the rickety wooden door there, just shadowed by the light of a sun that was yet to rise. She softly knocked on the door thrice. No answer. She thought for a moment, then knocked again.

“It’s me,” Franca called out this time.

A moment passed. Now, though, the door cracked open and a dirty face peered out. Then the door opened more fully to reveal a boy, younger than Franca by some years, with a cautious expression on his face, though it brightened up when he saw she was alone.

"Franca,” the boy began, surprised. But then he put on a sour look. “You haven't come to see us for some time. Her ladyship the Powder Mage doesn't have time for her once boon companions?"

“Good to see you too, Peter.” Franca laughed a little while rubbing the back of her head. Her ladyship the Powder Mage. She somewhat liked that sound of that. "They keep me busy at the guild, you know. This Alexandreus fellow especially, that one's a real taskmaster."

Peter snorted, now grinning. "To be sure, if you actually are one of those mages now. It's just as like that you've become someone's woman."

"Oh?" Franca smiled menacingly, then clapped the boy's face in between her palms, just enough to sting. "What cheek. You've gotten a fouler mouth since last we met. You sturdy beggar, I ought to report you to the authorities. Have you sent to a workhouse."

"Don't even say that. That'd be a cruel jape," the boy said, brushing away Franca's hands. "Well, are you coming in?"

Franca looked over Peter's shoulder, where two girls even younger than the boy before her were huddled asleep together on the floor under a thin, roughspun blanket. Franca smiled, but shook her head.

"That's alright. I wouldn't want to wake them."

"Elisa and Anna? They'll be sad to know they were asleep when you came by."

"All the same, I have to get going." Of course, Franca would have liked to have seen them too. But today the guild was going to assign her to a team to accept jobs and she didn't want to be late. Still, there was something she wanted to resolve here before she left. "More importantly," Franca began again, tapping on the open door with her knuckles, "is the lessor giving you trouble?"

The boy frowned immediately. He opened his mouth as if to speak, hesitated, opened and closed it again. "No," he said finally, unconvincingly, looking down at the ground.

Franca looked at the boy for a moment, then sighed. She opened a clasp on a pouch at her belt, drew the drawstring on a bag in there, and counted out some coins in her hand. She took the boy's hand and forced the coins into his palm, though she wondered if she wouldn’t be doing exactly what he was doing now if their positions were switched. Then she counted out a few more coins and forced those in there too.

"That's for the lessor. It's enough to keep him away for a while. And that's for you to share with the other kids.” Franca noticed Peter’s hesitation. “The guild gave me an advance on my wages," she said in explanation, speaking without pause for the boy to respond. "They're going to let me do jobs now."

The boy stood agape and Franca wondered if he was perhaps caught between rejecting the money or asking for more. But, finally, the boy closed his hand around the coins. Then he looked up to Franca in the eye. "The guild—you've used the Adamant there, haven't you? Would you let me try? To see if I have the flare?"

"Absolutely not,” Franca replied immediately, a hint of anger in her voice. “What rubbish. You should know that Adamant can turn your insides to fire."

"But you did it, Franca. Now you’re a mage."

"That's because I'm made of sterner stuff, you daft boy." Franca thought back to that time she first took the powder, about how she was certain then that in her feeble shape even the diluted stuff would be the end of her and took it anyway. "And I was out of options then."

"Well, I’m out of options now," the boy spat.

"You're not," Franca spat back, unrelenting. "Not yet. But if something went wrong, if you became ill, if you couldn’t work, then you would be. Who would take care of you then? Who would take care of your sisters?" As the words came out of her mouth, she wondered who it was she was really scolding. Then she noticed the boy’s hand clenched around the coins turn white. Smiling a bit ruefully, she started again, kinder this time. “Save a little bit of money, so you won’t have to worry when the time comes. Then the next time there’s a muster, I’ll come get you.”

Peter looked as if he was about to argue, but then quietly assented. “Okay.”

“And once you’ve done that, you can pay your debts to me.”

“I—you—” The boy looked taken aback.

“That wasn’t a gift, you know. I’m fully planning on collecting.” Franca chuckled. “So you can accept that money now without a problem.” Franca saw that he couldn’t think of what to say, so he simply nodded. “Don’t let anything happen to your sisters,” she continued. The boy nodded again. Franca smirked and ruffled his hair. “That’s a good lad. Now go back to sleep. It’s too damn early for kids like you to be up.”

Peter stepped back to close the door, but then paused for a moment. “Thank you, Franca,” he managed to say in the end.

Franca nodded back. “Sure. Tell Elisa and Anna I said hello.”

When the door closed before her, Franca took one last whiff of the salt and rot, then made her way back through the streets of Dilei, following the shore. By now the town was waking up and already throwing themselves into opening markets and making sales. The fishing docks soon gave way to the commercial center, the shipping docks, and instead of the smell what you noticed now was the din of stevedores hauling loads and merchants negotiating dockside deals. Then there were the bluffs that stood above it all, along with the Vale Craft Guild that was carved into the rock there.

In truth, Franca was in awe of the scale, and luxury, of it all, especially as the sun rose behind her and illuminated the grand entrance. She remembered the hovel she had visited earlier and felt something bitter come up the back of her throat, but she swallowed that. Still, she thought as she pushed one of the smaller doors to actually enter the guild, she could not disagree with the incredible sense of making the feasting hall the first room one entered. And it was there that Franca saw a woman in white alongside another that gave a dark impression, both bathed in the light of sunrise streaming through the windows.

“Hey there, you two,” Franca called brashly, waving in greeting. “Here for breakfast are you? I can already smell it.”

_{@OppositionJ@Jinxer}

[wolverbells]

Raven Barrett

A flutter of dark eyelashes came to life as the soft, warm rays of light began to creep onto Raven's face. She had woken earlier in the day and gone about getting ready, but something inside her kept from leaving her room, so she chose to lay back down and just enjoy some peace of mind. She had not fallen back asleep, but simply closed her eyes and let her mind wander to her past, back to the more simple days of getting up and going to work with her parents.

With a sigh, the woman sat up and let her head adjust and prepare for the day ahead of her. She ran her slender fingers through her thick hair, slicking it back as she took in a deep breath, exhaling as she stood up. "Very well", Raven muttered before flattening out her top. She had chosen to go with her usual black clothing, of course opting for a fresh pair for the day. It was like this everyday. Black was not exactly something that those back at home chose to wear, but Raven had found that the color made her feel both comfortable and confident in herself. The only thing that made the woman feel as though nothing much had changed.

As Raven stepped out of her room, she took in the details of the hall that she had not done so the night prior. It was a little habit of her to always take in the details of even the smallest objects. It gave her a great satisfaction to see how things were made or had come to be over time. When traveling south, after the passing of her parents, Raven had spent the majority of her time strolling through wooded areas, taking notes of the trees and plants surrounding her. The detailing of the leaves and the bark on the trees made her feel more connected to the world. It was strange to see so much greenery as well, which made it all more special.

With her hand sliding along the wall, feeling its grittiness, the woman made her way down towards where she remembered was the common hall. It was where the most noise was coming from, although noise would be shooting a bit high. The ever so soft sounds of voices and thuds were what had encouraged Raven to believe that she was heading in the right direction. It was not until she rounded a corner and came upon two young ladies that she knew she was heading in the right direction. "Good morning", her accented voice filled and echoed through the hall as she spoke out loud, in order to get their attention. It was almost a custom of manner to greet everyone that was met back at Mount Jade. Those who would not greet were considered awfully rude and they would surely hear about it by the townspeople.

Raven bowed her head slightly at the two, with a small smile on her lips, before walking again. Being late was not something that she took pride in, and would rather melt into the background rather than to be the last person that everyone stares at. She passed the two ladies without much of a second glance or another word to them. She felt as if she was intruding on something, so Raven chose to keep making her way to the common hall, or rather the feasting hall.

With only a few turns, she had finally made her way into the common hall, where other mages filed in to get in their first meal of the day. 'That is so many good morning's', she thought to herself as she took in everything. With a quick breath in, Raven stood up straight and made her way past those that were deep in conversation. They seemed to have known each other already, which meant they were here well before. "Here you go." Raven's eyes glanced down as she was shoved a tray in her abdomen. She had not noticed that she was in line for breakfast, having been too busy looking at everyone and the details of the hall to really pay attention to what she was doing. "Oh, um, thank you... And good morning." With the smallest of smiles and a slight bow, Raven stepped away and slithered through the tables to find one that was fairly empty, with only a few men sitting at the far end. She had sat facing the main entrance, not wanting to miss anything that would happen while she ate.

@HecateProxy @Lasrever

[Snagglepuss89]

Erinn Steiner

_{@OppositionJ@Jinxer}

---

---

Utterly ridiculous.

Of course, it hadn't been the first time in the past day that a similar sentiment had entered Aaron's head. Or, one could say, Erinn, as it felt more appropriate to call the figure staring back at him in the mirror. Him? Her? The latter would have to do for now. The figure staring back at her was both a stranger and somehow familiar. If Aaron had ever grown up with a sister, it might have been how she'd look. Over the past twenty four hours she'd spent locked away in her room at the guild Erinn had mulled over the situation many times, and each time she couldn't help but laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

Though, it became less funny with every laugh.

Still, today was the day she finally had to leave this room and earn a living. It was both an exciting and nerve wracking prospect. She had debated endlessly whether to go out into the guild as her true self, or this new form- courtesy of a small amount of Adamant provided to her by the guild. In the end, like all things, it boiled down to risk and reward, and the former was far too great to get careless. In that sense, the... lackluster primary flare Erinn possessed was a blessing, if an uncomfortable and ridiculous one. The old man of course had found the entire thing hilarious, but she could hardly blame him for that. If their situations were reversed, Erinn would have kept laughing for days after finding out.

Hell, she still couldn't stop laughing at herself.

A final glance in the mirror showed that she would have to spend money from this first job on some new clothes- though the thought made her stomach churn. Aside from being clothed entirely in men's fashion from Nawade- A white doublet, black jerkin, and red hose- they were all clearly in poor condition. Patches covered the joint, the colors were fading, and it was clear in places that new holes were going to rip themselves into the clothing at the next opportunity. It wasn't just a matter of finding clothes that suited Erinn, but Aaron was also desperately in need of a new outfit. Still, that was something that could wait until the first job was done. She could tolerate looking ridiculous if it meant she could walk out in public without fear.

And she could, unlike Aaron.

With that thought lightening her step, Erinn went for the door and stepped outside outside her room for the first time in what felt like a year. The guild was of course impressive, but Erinn had seen it's equal or more over the course of her life, so she spent no time to stand and gawk at the magnificence of her new residence. She'd have danced in her good cheer if she could remember how, instead Erinn began making her way to feasting hall by doing the next best thing- footwork.

It was actually surprising how easy it came to her. The weight of her new body was distributed in an entirely different fashion from her true form, and yet it was as if this had been the one she'd trained with all her life. The movements flowed smoothly, and though she was self aware enough to keep the sword and dagger at her sides sheathed, the urge to draw them and carry on her exercises in full was palpable. Esquive, Lunge, Recovery, it could look like an odd kind of dance to the casual observer, though one that would clearly never catch on. She did worry that the movements might cause her clothing to tear in an unflattering way, but the embarrassment of such was a mole hill compared to the mountain of relief she was feeling at the moment.

On her way, she passed a group of women talking, but didn't slow to chat with them. Instead, she simply gave them a delighted smile, with a greeting of "Morning, ladies!" before carrying on her way. Still practicing, and still uncaring of how it might look to everyone else. She did, however, finally transition into a normal walk by the time she reached the feasting hall. The goal, after all, was to train with her new body, not look ridiculous to everybody she was to meet that day. Although it wasn't as if it mattered, none of these people knew Aaron, let alone Erinn.

Upon entering, she immediately began scanning the room for someone to begin bothering. The urge for Human interaction was gnawing at her with a startling veracity. The old man was well and good, but when you only effectively have one person to talk to for years it tended to breed loneliness. She scanned with her eyes and ears for a couple moments, a bit disappointed at how few people had arrived, before picking out;

"... I guess. I'm Gwen. Are you a newfound member as well?"

"I am!"

The words were out of Erinn's mouth so quickly it was almost reflex, an echoed a bit too loud in the barely filled hall. Where was this sociability in the hallway a few moments ago? The strength of her emotions today was both startling and worrying- she was going to be completely worn out by tomorrow. Still, she'd already cut into the conversation, so it was too late to back off now. It only took a couple steps to reach the two, but by the time she arrived there was already another new arrival.

“Hey there, you two, here for breakfast are you? I can already smell it.”

"Breakfast? I don't think I could eat now if I tried- The name's... Erinn. So you're new too?"

Her question was addressed to all three of them. As she stood there she allowed her gaze to follow the two who were originally talking, unsure of whether they admiring the sun, the glass, the stonework, or anything else about the place, so she continued with;

"They certainly seem to have a bit of money. It's promising for us really, washes away a bit of the uneasiness about getting into this line of work."

[Snagglepuss89]

(... Double post out of nowhere?)

[Rigmarole]

Franca Mintz

Seeing a third woman approaching, and especially the sword and dagger at her side, Franca became a bit apprehensive. "Oh, uh, yes, I'm new. The name's Franca," she said while making a smile happen and putting some levity in her voice. "Well hey, even if you won't eat, I hope you won't stop me. If you'll excuse me." She waved again as she walked off.

Franca made her way towards the bar and quickly pilfered a roll on a plate before making off for the tables. She wondered whether it was smart for guild members to openly wear arms like that, especially in light of the stories she had heard of Miram's Smiths. In any case, it was Franca's best practice to give the armed and dangerous a wide berth. Experience had so far taught Franca that the ones who strutted around like that were, one, quick to draw, and two, quick to do so because they were either assholes or idiots. When around people like that, someone tended to end up maimed or worse, and that person was as like to be the sword-swinging nut as the person they were swinging at.

She spotted a woman in black sitting alone at the far end of a table and went to sit down as if she had someone to meet, taking a bite out of the roll as she did. To her surprise it was white and sweet, not like the dark bread she was used to. She wolfed it down in a few quick bites before she remembered the person sitting in front of her.

"Oh, sorry about that. Had to get something down. Starving, you know," she said while offering a hand. "Name's Franca. I just joined the guild the other day."

_{@wolverbells@Snagglepuss89@OppositionJ@Jinxer}

[ProxyInc]

Juniper Lee Andrews

"I know the path to the hall from here," she paused, brow furrowing, "I, ah, assume that's where you're looking to go."

Juniper bolted where she stood, so engrossed in her own mental musings and irritation she had failed to hear the woman approach. She could feel her hands instinctively clench while she fought the natural urge to swing at the new figure. Owning an Inn wasn’t always the smoothest path—especially one that dabbled in the art of ale. Drunkards and lecherous figures always haunted in the shadows of her home. And with that in mind her father had taught her some skills in order to fend for herself if need be—not that she actually ever needed too.

She let out a hissing breath, a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a laugh, while she tried to cool the heat that flamed her cheeks. Lost, her first real day and she had already gotten herself lost. But the woman that stood before here didn’t seem to judge her, well not directly. She noted that her dark eyes bore into the wall next to them instead of down and through her. And in return she offered a small smile of thanks to be able to avoid direct eye contact for the time being.

The woman was tall, though her judgement for other people’s height was skewed due to her own diminutive stature, and broadly built. With skin that was only a few shades deeper than that of honey. She could feel the strength that radiated off her, and not just from the taunt way she held herself. Nor the hardness that seemed to lie beneath her clothing. There was a sense of experience and rigid discipline, like the sea weathered sailors that she had seen over the years. Had she been back home she would have mistaken the woman for a captain or someone of great power.

“Yes, I am, actually. All these halls look the same to me,” she said while shifting nervously from one foot to the other. It wasn’t a complete lie either. The grandiose looking hallways mirrored one another, though not to the point that one would so easily lose themselves. But she wasn’t about to admit fully that she was to blame for her confusion, at least not to stranger.

Before another word was spoken a new voice broke through the morning’s silence. Juniper tilted her head slightly to get a better look, hand raised in a half-hearted wave, while she spied a wash of pale blonde hair dip down in a quick bow. Before Juniper could get a better look the woman disappeared as quickly as she came and let her greeting die behind parted lips.

Am I the only one having trouble finding the hall?

She shook away the disappointing thought and turned back to the woman with a bright smile. There was no sense in letting it bother her any further as the reality of her new life came flooding back. There were people, not just servants wandering about. But real guild members—real powder mages—and today was one that was heavy with promise.

“Shall we,” she asked with carefully concealed excitement. Juniper didn’t bother to ask whether the woman wanted to go the hall or not, but assumed that was where she was heading and was eager to follow her there.

@Lasrever

[wolverbells]

Raven Barrett

Having delved deep within her own thoughts, Raven had simply stared at the door while mulling over her food. She definitely was not hungry, but it was the fact that she needed something to do in order to make herself busy and blend in, plus knowing that there was a long day ahead of her. She could not believe how far she had gotten, yet still felt as if her long adventure would never end. The excitement and anxiety in her danced around and threatened to show on her face as she thought more about what was to come. It wasn’t until a slight thud was felt on the table when Raven snapped out of her trance.

A young woman sat close to Raven, the aura around her seemed to positive, energy radiating off of her. It was almost contagious, causing the pale woman to smile faintly at the sight of the newcomer downing her role. She could just picture how the two looked; a fiery ginger sitting next to an icy blonde. Complete opposites sitting across from each other. “Good morning to you too”, Raven laughed a bit as she reached over and took Franca’s hand firmly. “My name is Raven, I too recently joined the guild.” With a quick shake of her hand, Raven brought hers back down and once again returned to picking at her food. “It is quite nice in here, strange to see so many people of similar interests, but it is comforting to know that I am not the only new one.” Raven flashed a brilliant smile towards her new acquaintance as she tried her best to be as friendly as possible.

“You should not apologize about eating your food. If one is hungry, then one is hungry. I can never eat in the morning for whatever reason.” The blonde woman poked at her food as she sighed, wondering a bit if the direction she had chosen was the right step to making a friend.

@Rigmarole

[Lasrever]

Nila Lionridge

"Certainly." Nila looked back to the shorter woman, a slight smile crossing her features for a split second before she nodded and forced her expression back to the usual seriousness. "You're another new recruit, aren't you? Else you should really work on that sense of direction." There was a low chuckle with that, though her eyes still avoided the woman. Gentle ribbing, for the most part, though her expression made it difficult to tell, especially since there was an element of actual sincerity to the words. Not knowing where you were headed caused far more trouble than it was worth.

Her offer had been accepted, thankfully, and so she turned to head back down towards the hall. Though it was of course the correct course of action, it had thrown her schedule off ever-so-slightly, and so she kept a brisk pace on her way down the corridors, sparing an occasional glance over her shoulder to ensure she hadn't lost the smaller woman. Not that she imagined there'd be that much trouble - she'd seemed rather excited about this whole thing. Certainly far more than Nila herself, who'd managed to work herself all the way up to slight curiosity as opposed to outright disdain.

It was a good enough leap, considering the circumstances. Adequate enough that her presence hopefully wouldn't be too much of a mystery, in any case.

As she finally turned the corner to head out into the hall, she seemed more irritated than impressed by the grandeur. "Not too far out of our way at least." She looked satisfied with herself, turning back to her companion with a nod of acknowledgement. After a couple of seconds' thought, though, her eyes widened slightly - she'd been so caught up in the distraction of her own thoughts that she'd forgotten basic decorum. After lowering her head slightly more into a small bow, she looked at her with more than a little embarrassment. "Nila Lionridge, of Carneylem. I apologise for failing to introduce myself sooner; there's a lot to consider at the moment, but it's no reason to lose my manners."

@HecateProxy

[Jinxer]

Lyrel Swistral

@OppositionJ@Rigmarole@Snagglepuss89

One after another they appeared in quick succession, new members seeking out their fellow recruits to introduce themselves or to seek solidarity in numbers. Lyrel's first instinct was to shrink away and hide, a hard-learned habit of trying to avoid attention and running away when noticed seeking to override her more cognitive intention to connect with the people here. The food in her mouth and the legs crossed under her, thankfully, prevented her immediate flight and even the most observant might put down her immediate jitteriness down to nerves or surprise rather than anything more significant.

She swallowed the food she had been chewing, feeling her throat constrict as the second wave of panic at being talked to approached so she washed it down with some of her tea despite its near boiling temperature. She winced as it cleared her airways with its heated passage while simultaneously trying to mask her obvious aversion to social interaction. By the Sleepful Watcher, she was not doing well at this!

Her first 'guest' looked travel worn, the brightness of her clothing making the marks of dust and dirt one naturally accrued from being in the outside world even more noticeable but Lyrel herself had not exactly made herself presentable. Her hair was bound roughly into a ponytail but that was clearly brushed in a hurried manner and she was wearing the same clothes she had gone to sleep in: a white blouse that was beginning to be more grey than its brighter relative and simple black trousers, both creased from her nightly tossing and turning.

"Mirande said they were a gift... some grateful artist. They make everything seem brighter, somehow." She left out the part about how she rose early every morning to see the spectacular display, a selfish part of her wanted to keep that a secret from the other recruits for a little longer. "In a way, I suppose. I've been here for a few weeks now, the Master," she paused, working out how to explain her arrival without revealing too much, "she brought me into the guild ahead of the muster. I'm Lyrel, nice to meet you."

Another young woman arrived and greeted them before moving on just as a third arrived with an ebullient greeting. More and more people were spilling into the hall as the morning progressed, breaking their fast or just woken by the sound of life stirring all the way into the heart of the guild. Some of the new members who had not slept in the guild the night before were also arriving, entering the hall with nervous glances all around them and all admiring the stained glass windows in the wall. From outside they looked unusual, almost tasteless because of their lack of pattern or apparent design but inside the mastery of their creation was shown by the differing hues of light washing over the hall. It was chaotic but not random, shifting and yet still calming; it was alive and that was what Vale Craft represented to Lyrel, it was perhaps why she found herself so attached to those windows.

"The windows were a gift." She explained again to the newcomer whose clothing did not quite seem to match her, a little too masculine but the same could be said of Lyrel herself. Part of her wondered whether that was how others saw her, she was too used to her appearance to find it an oddity and had spurned dresses and more feminine apparel for the vast majority of her life, ever since working on the docks as a child. "The guild has money though. A lot gets spend on feasts and parties, I heard. Oh, I'm Lyrel and this is Gwen. We just met as well." She gestured to the woman in the white, travel stained attire, and glanced at her abandoned breakfast. At least she had eaten most of it before others arrived, it would see her through the morning easily.

A glance around showed her that Mirande and Alexandreus had not yet arrived and she found that surprising, having expected at least the latter to have been in the hall to greet the new recruits. Mirande was more of a free spirit and paid little attention to ideas around etiquette although she took her responsibilities seriously but Alexandreus always seemed so serious, so proper. For now she would have to continue talking with the others until an announcement was made, as much as she wanted to find a quiet corner.

"Gwen, have you come far to the guild? You look well-travelled."

[Rigmarole]

Franca Mintz

"Raven, huh? So you're new too." Franca leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand propped up on the table, giving the woman before her a once over, and smiled. "I thought you might have been an old hand at this, since you looked kinda bored sitting here is all. No offense though. Me, I can't get enough of this place," she said cheerily. "'Course, I haven't even seen most of it yet."

Franca looked all around the feasting hall for a bit before returning her attention to Raven. "Been all over this town and still there are things that are a mystery to me. A guild hall carved into the bloody cliff face, how about that? I'd say someone had too much money and too little sense," Franca said with a chuckle, though her expression then became a little wry. "I hear Vale Craft isn't even the richest guild out there, yet they still have a place like this. I'd heard the stories, but it's more than I could have ever imagined. And we work here now."

But then Franca's usual brightness returned to her face. "And the food is amazing as well. Say, if you'll forgive me for eating, would you be so kind as to forgive me for eating this, too?" Franca reached across the table and pulled with her finger the tray in front of Raven slightly towards herself, grinning widely. "It'd be a shame if this went to waste." As she leaned in closer, Franca gave another glance at Raven, at the hair that was almost white, even against the fair skin. "You should maybe have some soup, though, since you seem a little pale," she joked, laughing a bit. "You've got some look. I haven't seen hair like that before. You're not from around here, are you?"

_@wolverbells

[Opposition]

Gwendolyn Abramelin

Gwen's newfound conversational partner appeared rather unabashed by Gwen's own disheveled appearance. While well kept, the woman also seemed to have a bit of a rugged appearance. Of course, she didn't appear as if she had slept inches from a pile of ash that night. Gwen seemed unaware of her own plight, though. She was rather friendly as well, though while the two exchanged words, Gwen's eyes remained locked upon the stained glass panes rising up before her. The sight was certainly something to behold, and really Gwen was content to just watch the light as it spilled in. Things only grew brighter as time passed as the colored light cascaded into the building, and as things grew brighter the feasting hall grew more lively.

"They are certainly a welcome addition to a home. This sort of thing doesn't exist where I come from. I would love to get some of my own." The strange thought crossed her mind. Gwen didn't know where she would put a collection of stained glass, but she knew herself. Thus, she knew that if she ever found some, she would no doubt seek to acquire it. She was an odd one, Gwen. That much was only further accentuated when Lyrel introduced herself and spoke of the guild's 'Master'. Somewhere deep inside, Gwen felt like an outsider. She wouldn't acknowledge it, or maybe she would, but she would never let herself appear phased by something so mundane. "The pleasure is all mine, Lyrel. It's good to finally acquaint myself with..." There was hesitation in her words. Gwen really hadn't met anyone in Dilei— not seriously. "Other people from this strange city."

Before more words were exchanged another young woman approached with a brazen greeting. Gwen's eyes finally tore away from the splendor of colors poised before her to look towards the girl as she entered the feasting hall. Gwen arced a hand through the air in a friendly wave, exuding a rather welcoming aura. She would have spoken up, but another voice chimed in and another woman entered the hall and joined in on the conversation. It was soon revealed that Lyrel and Gwen had been joined by another recruit. It was a peculiar feeling that arose inside Gwen as she observed the interactions of the other women. This was perhaps one of the first times she had ever had a common interest with the people of Dilei. It warmed her a bit. When questioned whether or not she was new herself, Gwen gave a simple nod. It was then that the newcomers exchanged names.

"Good to meet you, Erinn. You as well, Franca." After speaking up, Lyrel posed a query to Gwen. It certainly struck a chord. Deep within, she felt as though she may have been apprehensive to answer questions of her origin, but nonetheless Gwen wasn't going to close herself off. She never had before, and she certainly wouldn't start now. Everything had worked out so far. Of course the issue arose that Gwen really didn't know much of her origin. She came from the northern seas. She knew that much, but beyond that there wasn't much she really knew about her ventures with Menes. Or rather, that was all she knew. This mainland was entirely foreign to the young Gwendolyn.

"Oh yes! I've come a long way by ship. The journey was hard and arduous, but I suppose it was worth it to experience this new land." Gwen gestured vaguely to her surroundings. The thought came up in her mind that her venture here was more for seeking asylum rather than adventure and experiences. Gwen wasn't sure she was ready to share such details yet. It wasn't that she didn't trust her new comrades, though there was something to be said on that front, but instead that she didn't want to think about it herself. She wanted to imagine all was well on that old island. "I come from the Derelict City where I lived rather ascetically with my mentor. What of you, Lyrel? Are you a native of this place?" Gwen furrowed her brow as the words left her mouth. Perhaps it was a bit strange to call the majority of the world's inhabitants in this massive land 'natives'. It was quite obvious Gwendolyn was foreign, but not in the typical sense. A slight sense of embarrassment welled up inside her. She wondered if maybe she should have been more clandestine with her life's details.

"It's quite a complex place this city. To live here must be rather confusing."

_{@Jinxer@Rigmarole@Snagglepuss89}

[ProxyInc]

Juniper Lee Andrews

She winced, just a subtle movement, when the woman called her out on her lack of direction. It wasn’t as if she was wrong but Juniper's pride wilted at the comment.

“You’re right,” she admitted flatly, “I just got to shore the night before and wasn’t paying any attention during the tour. You’d think coming from a seafaring town I'd be more used to traveling the waves, but it never ceases to make me sick.”

It wasn’t like to her to blatantly admit her failings but at the moment she didn’t find the use in trying to keep it hidden. The woman had been kind enough to help her when she had been too stubborn to ask. And even still her comment held little judgement in its tone as they pushed further down the halls.

While they walked Juniper tried to pay closer attention to the winding hallways. Heat now rolled out of various rooms, fires crackling in their hearths to stave off the morning chill. Savory smells from a nearby kitchen wafted through the halls and set her stomach into a fit of low grumbles and growls.

Juniper reached her fingertips, out of habit, tracing them lightly along the walls. It felt different than home—where the well-worn wood held a polished sheen from the years. But there was a sense of solace in that touch. The slight grit of the stone was something solid and she allowed herself to find a small peace of mind with it.

As they rounded a corner her companion faltered, drawing her attention to the now flustered looking woman. Her dark eyes had widened with embarrassment as she quickly bowed before her.
“Nila Lionridge, of Carneylem. I apologise for failing to introduce myself sooner; there's a lot to consider at the moment, but it's no reason to lose my manners,” she said with a flourish.

Juniper felt her mouth quirk into a little half smile. Neither of them had introduced themselves, instead happily working their way down towards the main hall as if this was nothing but a typical day. With a slight shake of her head she thrust her hand towards Nila.

“Seems we’re both a little off kilter today. It’s a pleasure, Nila Lionridge, I am Juniper Andrews from Rynalem,” she said letting her face crack into a broad smile.

Juniper moved and grasped Nila's hand in hers, giving it the same firm shake she used back at home before letting her go. The scent of food was heavy in the air now and her stomach issued another, audible, complaint. With a forced chuckle she tipped her head in the direction of lilting voices and busy bodies before saying, ”Ready then?”

She eagerly moved into the hall and followed her nose to where the morning’s breakfast was being served. After gathering a rather stout portion Juniper hesitated when looking for a place to sit. A handful of members had already woken and sat casually around, some eating and others chatting. Insecurity flushed through her—they all looked like they belong here more than she. Or maybe it was her own mind playing at her fears while she gingerly picked a seat close to where the group of people were. With a nervous silence she poured herself into a chair, listening quietly as they talked to one another.

[Jinxer]

Alexandreus

Rings under his eyes, a mouth that would not stop yawning, a stooped gait. Yes, the lack of sleep was certainly showing, he decided. He turned away from the offending sight in the mirror and sought out clothing appropriate for the day ahead, one that should rightly be administered by the Master but she was away so the responsibility fell to her loyal lieutenants. As dearly as he loved Mirande, she was not the type to ensure the smooth running of such an occasion; she was all noise and fervour while he was quiet and planned. They made a good team, he knew, but as with any great partnership they also managed to get on each other's nerves a great deal, especially while cooped up in the guild rather than being out there, completing contracts as they had done in years past.

Shaking away the nostalgia that threatened to distract him, he rifled through his carefully ordered wardrobe and picked out some austere robes, dark with some plain patterns woven in silver thread up around the shoulders and chest. It was but the work of a moment to change into them, stiff and less comfortable than his usual attire but the new members needed to see something official today and no doubt Mirande would show up in something overly flamboyant.

There was nothing he could do about the clear signs of a lack of sleep but he hoped that being up on the balcony above the hall would give him distance enough for that to not be noticeable. The physical detriment he washed away with a small intake of Adamant, the strength from the powder filling his body with energy and powder. He only took a little, enough to feel well rested and to carry him through the morning. The Master's early warnings about the creeping addiction many fell to from the powder had always rung strongly in his mind, perhaps reflecting his cautious nature in all things, and so he had always rationed Adamant to himself tightly.

The halls outside of his quarters were quieter than usual but, of course, most would have awoken early especially for the day. He weaved his way through the labyrinthine maze, his feet knowing by habit where to take him, and he came upon barely half a dozen guild members, mostly the older sort who had risen for the event but were in no rush. They nodded to him respectfully and he returned the gesture as he swept past, his mind on what he would have to say. There had been little time to prepare, almost the entire night sorting out Adamant supplies for the recruits as well as organising teams on top of the usual onslaught of contracts that always arrived after a successful muster.

"Mornin' to y'all, both my fellow old timers and the green-behind-the-ears recruits arrivin' today!"

He froze, hearing Mirande's distinctive voice and accent echoing down the halls to reach him. Perhaps he should have seen this coming but he had never managed to keep up with his partner's ways even after a decade of fighting together. With a resigned sigh he continued onwards, more slowly now that time was no longer of the essence, toward the entrance up onto the balcony.

---

Lyrel Swistral

This woman, Gwen, had such a refined manner of speech it was becoming hard for Lyrel to keep up. Of course, she was not a full street-urchin herself but this woman was more ladylike than most she had spoken to in a long time, more accustomed as Lyrel was to dockworkers, petty thieves and slavers. The way she spoke sent Lyrel's mind back to times she had been scouting out possible targets, working as some servant in their household and listening to the gossiping of the rich heiresses. No, the vocabulary might have been as expansive but this Gwen simply spoke... properly. It was demeaning, Lyrel, realised, to associate the woman with directionless rich women merely by her manner of speaking.

"By ship? Ah, you're the same as me except I came from Regis." She left out the part about how she had been a slave rowing that ship but such details were of no use to her or the others around her, not anymore. It was certainly a past she no longer wanted to remember or dredge up. "I'm still getting used to it myself. Regis Hill was a port city but not like here, this place is so much richer 'cause of the Adamant trade coming in." She winced at the colloquialism, would Gwen judge her for it? Well, better to find out sooner rather than later. Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone slip into a chair nearby, a woman even smaller than herself but with a similar build, but turned away. It was an old habit, wanting to know where everyone around her was but she needed to be less jumpy here. At least while she was inside the guild, that was.

"Mornin' to y'all, both my fellow old timers and the green-behind-the-ears recruits arrivin' today!"

She looked up to see Mirande standing on the balcony edge, not holding onto anything to support herself but with fists on hips and her back straighter than any soldier Lyrel had seen but there was not even a hint of imbalance in her posture. The woman had always radiated an easy confidence and that was captured masterfully in that one pose as she surveyed the hall and all who were in it were eyes, such a bright orange that they seemed to glow like the sun itself, a splash of colour against the contrasting darkness of her skin and the brilliant white shock of her hair. Dressed today in bright red leathers, her trademark rapier at her hip and a forest green jacket, her clothes clashed with each other and her physical features but Mirande had never cared; this was a woman who lived brightly and loudly.

"No time for breakfastin', we've got business to get down to." She flamboyantly pointed toward a large board set against the wall to left of the guild entrance, a towering structure built of redwood and split into three sections by vast columns looking to be the entire truck of the tree from which they came. Large sheets of pine crossed the gaps and numerous sheets of paper and vellum were nailed to this, most of them clustered at the right end of the board closest to the entrance. "Those of you been here a while know this here board but for those of you just got here, this here be where y'all get your contracts, right?"

Mirande stepped off the balcony. Lyrel could hear the intakes of breath all around her and she felt herself gripping the table in front of her, as if she could do anything from where she sat, but the lieutenant dropped the twelve or so feet to the floor in a blur of colour and then walked on as if she had just stepped out from a carriage. A wide mischievous grin on her face as she strode toward the board, she waved down those closest who had jumped from their seats in panic although the guild veterans remained in their chairs, eyeing their new recruits with amusement. Lyrel breathed out, sitting back with a forced effort and trying to relax her taught muscles as Mirande reached the board and gestured to the most filled section. That had been a display of Secondary Flare but it was beyond anything Lyrel had seen before.

That's what it means to be a lieutenant in a guild, I guess.

"This end of the board is where you recruits will get your jobs. When you get better we let you do some of these ones, harder but with bigger rewards." Mirande was walking up the board, pointing to the sections until she reached the final board which had only a dozen or so contracts posted to it. "Only the best're allowed to choose from this part so don't even think 'bout takin' one from here, understand?" Hands on her hips again as she stared the hall down, the woman eyed the concentration of recruits who were gazing at her, drinking in most every word. "Now, you'll be in teams and we made some up ahead of time for y'all, seein' as you don't know anythin' yet."

She then started walking out amongst the recruits, pointing them toward their new teams. Lyrel watched, wondering how she had remembered all of the groups. Mirande held no notepad or anything else to remind her so it must have been from memory. That was unless she was choosing them without previous consideration but that level of randomness seemed too much, even for her. The tall woman boisterously moved the recruits around, encouraging them towards their new teams, flashing her shining grin and laughing as she berated their hesitation and pushed them toward their groups.

Despite herself, Lyrel found herself to be nervous and wiped her sweaty palms on her trousers. What was she worried about? She had been here in the guild longer than the others and they could only go on 'safe' missions. Besides, her Primary Flare should let her see any approaching danger so they would be safe, surely? It was her job to be confident, as the longest serving, even if only by the smallest of margins, recruit to the guild.

"Lyrel! Let's see. Well, you're here so you might as well be in the same group. You come with me!" Mirande pointed at Gwen before rushing Erinn away and Lyrel started to worry in earnest. It seriously was looking like the lieutenant was assigning people randomly but surely this had been the same in the past? The taller woman had moved off talking to the new arrival Lyrel had noticed earlier and pointing towards her and Gwen, giving the unfortunate an energetic shove before twirling away to her next group. There she separated a woman whose hair was almost as pale as Mirande's, sending her towards Lyrel's group, and then chivvying a redhead away with Erinn still firmly in her grasp toward a strong-looking woman carrying a sword.

As the others of their group arrived Lyrel mustered her small courage and forced a smile at them.

"Looks like we'll be working together. I'm Lyrel and this is Gwen, we've just met as well. Nice to meet you both." Before anyone else could speak, Mirande shouted over the hall, now standing on the bar with what looked to be a large tankard in her hand.

"Your teams are all set, better get crackin' with those contracts now, little chicks. Lots o' jobs on that board but only a few of them are worth your time. Find one you like and then bring it to me or Alexie over there," she pointed toward where Alexandreus had just entered the hall, having forgone the balcony apparently, "so we can register it. You'll get your Adamant before you leave."

Stunned silence met her as the small groups, looking mildly harassed, stared at the ball of energy standing atop the bar. For their part, the servants working behind it seemed entirely unperturbed, going about their business and taking advantage of the small lull to tidy up. Mirande threw back her head, barking a laugh at the ceiling before pointing at the board behind them all.

"I said get movin'!"

After a moment's further hesitation groups began moving toward the board, slowly at first and then faster as they began to see the other teams as competition. Lyrel found herself standing up as well but what good would it do for all of them to force their way through? They only needed one job between them.

"What kind of contract do we want? Quickly - there won't be any left!"

[wolverbells]

Raven barrett

Raven couldn't help but smile as she listened to Franca speak. She took no offense to the boring comment, knowing fully well that her own facial expressions would never give away what was going on inside her mind. Instead, Raven shrugged whenever the comment was made and kept on listening to the young woman go about her thoughts.

"Whether or not it's the richest guild doesn't matter much to me. I feel somewhat at home here, although it is not as cold as my actual home." Raven's own eyes wandered, looking at the detailed carvings on the walls and at the different structures strewn about. She only turned back to give Franca her undivided attention once more when the young woman began to pull away Raven's own food. The blonde could not help but laugh out loud and nod, allowing her new friend to keep eating.

"You are absolutely right. I am not from around here, I'm from Mount Jade, beyond the shores of this land. Up there you'll find that many look like me, except I will say that most aren't as pale as I am. I blame that on my parents." Raven smiled before looking up at the sound of a new voice booming through the hall. The newcomers had been placed into groups, and soon enough Raven was being ushered to what would be the group that she would either love or hate with a dying passion. "Goodbye, Franca. Best of luck." She could only hope that the others would be welcoming and friendly, much like Franca. "Hello, my name is Raven", with a quick smile and a slight wave of the hand, Raven turned to hear the booming voice of the lieutenant ring once more. "Oh, um, feel free to take your pick if you both hand decided already."

@Jinxer @Rigmarole

[Lasrever]

Nila Lionridge

After following Juniper to take a seat, relieved that her poor manners hadn't been much trouble to the woman. Nonetheless, their time to relax was cut quite short, as an... exuberant, she'd say, woman began to speak from the balcony.

Nila had paid close attention to the briefing as normal - she was admittedly slightly surprised at the two teammates who'd been rather abruptly brought over to her, but there'd been little time to ask questions before the boisterous woman corralling the new recruits had disappeared. Well, she was in charge, so it made sense. It was hardly as if she owed them any real respect, and so Nila didn't take offence to it in the slightest. Her companions seemed at least somewhat acceptable on first glance, though she preferred not to waste time on lengthy introductions right away. There'd be more than enough time for it while they made their way to whatever task they chose. A simple "Nila," sufficed for now.

She'd try her hardest to reserve judgement, and her gaze, for the most part, avoided them as it had Juniper beforehand. For whatever reason, having her eyes on them brought with it some unknowable discomfort, and so she looked over to the board. Perhaps it came off as rude, though she made an effort to at least give a polite smile and nod of acknowledgement. It was the least the situation required, and the most she had the time to waste on.

There was a lot to consider, though she didn't feel there was much point pushing past the crowds until they'd thought it through at least somewhat. Perhaps hesitation would make it harder to get the highest value jobs, but that was hardly a concern in her mind. She'd move a little closer for convenience's sake but was content enough to stand back and judge based on what she could make out from a distance.

It was a fairly simple thing to put together, knowing what her own priorities were, and she didn't much fancy having hours of discussion on the subject - her opening was phrased not as a question, but a decently firm suggestion. Nila wasn't going to be swayed on this particular issue, that was for certain. "I'd prefer we take something worthwhile. A rescue or some such; seems like as noble a cause as any."

@Rigmarole@Snagglepuss89

[Opposition]

Gwendolyn Abramelin

Regis... As Lyrel spoke of herself, Gwen couldn't help but wonder where exactly she meant and what it was like. Gwen imagined it may have been like the Derelict City. Perhaps she and Lyrel had more in common than she had first realized. This assumption was only further concreted when Lyrel mentioned that Dilei was a city that held much more riches. Her locution was a bit different, but Gwen wasn't particularly aware. Instead, she merely assumed that Lyrel's roots had taught her a different sort of language. "Ah, I've not heard of that place. Perhaps it is like the—" Gwen found herself cut off as someone above rose their voice to address the ever-growing crowd. Her gaze followed upward to outline the speaker. She was a bit of a boisterous woman that certainly captivated the eye. Gwen could only imagine that this was some sort of authority figure.

The woman got straight to the point. As she explained the nuance of the guild's multiple boards of contracts, Gwen flashed her eyes across the various sheets of paper just long enough to miss the brilliant feat of flare the guild's authority undertook soon after. Gwen hadn't even bothered to note the various reactions shown by the populous in the room, instead still having her mind locked on the slew of contracts enticing her eyes. Of course, most of Gwen's focus was drawn specifically to the final board that the speaker reached. The few contracts upon the most 'distinguished' board immediately called to the young Gwen. She could only imagine taking on the worst of the worst with only the best of her skills put forth. She certainly didn't want to wait, but thought that perhaps the guild was right in allowing the new bloods to take on the easiest sort of work. It would be a great way for Gwen to acclimate herself to her strange new world.

The prospect of teams got Gwen's mind racing and her eyes doing just the same as they flickered around the room scoping out the few girls she had met so far. As the recruits were slowly separated into their respective groups, only anticipation flowed through Gwen's veins. There was a rush of excitement as she thought about what sort of abilities her own would be paired up with. Gwen had only ever seen a few other Powder Mages aside from herself. Her knowledge of the Flare of a mage and the possibilities it held were almost wholly a mystery. Gwen could only smile when the guild official came to her and Lyrel and direct them both together. Already she had taken a liking to her newfound teammate. They shared a certain unnameable air about them— or at least, Gwen had thought that much. The two others that joined the group had yet to acquaint themselves with Gwen, but she put forth a welcoming smile nonetheless. Lyrel managed to introduce herself and Gwen to start off the conversation. Another of the group's members introduced herself as Raven.

"I look forward to working with you," was all that Gwen managed before the guild's official spoke up again. With a new task in mind, Gwen set her eyes towards the board. Of course, her eyes were still locked on the most advanced board of contracts. For a long moment when all was quiet, Gwen contemplated what might happen if she tried to coax her team into taking one of those extensive contracts. Another word from the lieutenant sent her focus elsewhere. Of course that wasn't an option as of now. She felt an impulse just to go over and pick her favorite, but Lyrel's voice momentarily halted her step. Gwen had a team now. That was something she had never really experienced in her lifetime. Gwen wasn't even fully sure she would be able to work successfully in a team. Nonetheless, she and her team needed to make haste. Lyrel's query and Raven's input were met with only a few short words before Gwen started moving without much heed for her comrades.

"Well we'll have to go see our options!" Gwen had already started off towards the board as directed. The crowd held her back a bit as she moved, though. She had hoped it wasn't as noticeable as it was effective in deterring her from moving forward. Crowds were not present at all in the Derelict City. That was the way she liked it, but alas that wasn't the way things were anymore. Slowly, Gwen wormed her way through the groups of people to view the contracts well, only hoping her newfound teammates were in her stead. Gwen surveyed the contracts with a mixture of haste and tact. There weren't too many to manage, but a number of them caught the eye. At first, Gwen was enticed by the mention of the scholar and his key to forbidden knowledge. The chance that she could gaze into the sacrosanct chambers was quite low, however. Her focus was quickly drawn elsewhere and Gwen had decided on where her interest fell.

"The Grand Mausoleum: certainly a captivating spot holding a number of secrets, there's bound to be plenty of dust, and it shouldn't be too difficult at all. Of course, it shouldn't be too uninteresting. I opt for that." She turned back towards her group as she had spoken up— or at least whoever might still be in earshot after she had moved to the board.

"What say you, friends?"

_{@Jinxer@HecateProxy@wolverbells}