Rhys - Npc Time
As footsteps could be heard entering his domain, Rhys pulled his head up in alert. Quickly he scooped up the workings of a new invention of some-sorts placing it into a metal bin at the side of his workbench and hopping from the stool to the metallic floor. His boots would echo through the empty room, everyone had left today since Rhys would be busy dealing with business. And that business was sending people who had found interest in the ~monster fiasco, on their way to, well, where they need to be.
Following behind him was a small construct that looked like a turtle of sorts, held a large cubed crate like structure upon it's back, with four small legs that moved slowly and a tiny head at it's front. As he exited the experimental room, he saw a golden-eyed girl standing at the entrance to his building. Rhys unsure on how to approach her, paused, staring at her for a long moment.
"Did anyone give you a hard time on your way?"
The boy scratched his head, nerve-wracking was the first time he'd met a vampire. Do they resent us for isolating them from the rest of the world? No, the best thing to do would be to act normal, Rhys did nothing to this girl personally and thus, she was only here as an applicant. That's right.
"Pardon me for my rudeness. But are you here for the flier that's been distributed throughout the city?"
Lady Umholtz a.k.a Arm Wrestle Champion
After the confrontation with her superior and being permitted to take part in this quest of dire proportion, Esther made her way through the capital streets towards a place she knew well. The Grand Church could be seen through anywhere in the city, really, it's impressive height and central location of the city made it more of a navigational point for some. The point of this is, it's not that hard to find, you just really need to look above the rooftops of the passing buildings, it's right there. [i]
"Oh, Mrs. Umholtz.. I'm so glad that I've run into you." said a croaking voice, clearly that of an elderly citizen."
Turning slowly gave sight to an extremely aged lady of the cloth, the nun caned herself slowly towards Esther who was clearly familiar with the woman. The nun raised her posture, rubbing her chin and examining the girl.
"Have you found a man yet?"
"Have you?"
Esther's attack was answered with a quick smack of the woman's cane, though it was more of a warning than anything and the paladin's armor could take hits from that wooden stick anyway.
"Well, just checking on an old student of mine."
"Yeah-yeah, I have somewhere to be granny."
"Okay deary, you be careful now."
Continuing on her way and muttering 'hag' under her breath, Esther was now viewing distance from the church. Some fellow paladins could be seen leaving it's entryway and marching in a single filed fashion towards the western part of the capital, which is where their place of operations was. Straying from this, she marched towards the church, the stern look on her face causing a few of her comrades to laugh as she passed them. One in particular, an ******* named Kurl, laughed the loudest among them, in which Esther rewarded him by picking up a small piece of cobble from the church steps and hurling it at the man like a fastball, nailing him in the chest and knocking the wind out of him. Who names their son Kurl anyway? Into the church she went.
As she pressed the doors behind her shut, the paladin realized that it was quite a happening place today. Nuns carried paperwork swiftly from corridor to corridor, a few guards on stand-by at the cathedral room, some sorcerers could even be heard muttering incantations repeatedly within this place of worship. Taking it all in, she paced quietly, passing marble pillars and nodding to the young clerics and priests who sat on the stone benches along the cathedral's center-path. A quiet blue-eyed girl could even be seen within the church, though she didn't look like someone from the church itself so she passed quietly.
"Ah, Essie right? That's what I hear the high-ranking people call you."
"Esther Umholtz, Valiant of the Holy Order. And you?"
"Valiant? So young.. I'm Alexander, my last name doesn't matter, just know that I'm the one with the luxury of sending pretty ladies like you on a suicide mission."
"The beasts out on the battlefield, right?"
"Aye, and Taelen said some of his own would come here looking for glory. Didn't expect many, and you're the first so far.
Esther stretched her arms out, grinning brightly as she looked to the high ceiling above trying to conceal some of the excitement that she had been the first to approach him.
"Oh, I'm not looking for glory. Just doing my duty as a protector of the people."
The gruff man looked concerned about her reply, but shrugged nonetheless.
"Well, you'll be waiting for other applicants before you depart. And we've had word that the other nations are sending some of their own as well, so you'll be meeting with them at the Open Scar."
"Befitting, to meet at the most ruined place out there. Why there, if I may ask?"
"That's where all the activity is, but I'll give the information to you all as a group when everyone gets here.."
The man's eyes dropped towards Esther's chest, he squinted as if focusing really hard on them but not seeing what he was looking for. The paladin didn't really comprehend what the old soldier was doing, so tilted her head in confusion and looked for an open seat. A nearby grey-stoned bench seemed vacant, so she bowed to the lecherous man and clanked her way towards her seat. Setting her rear onto the hard stone with a thud, and began humming to herself.