Song of Heroes IC

[Verwood Island Archipelago]

Returning with the cakes as promised Telsor caught sight of Pan emerging from the tavern. Pleased that he had been able to find the pastry she had requested he handed it over. Taking a bite from the cinnamon swirl he had he had chosen for himself he spoke around the mouthful, “if memory serves Goblins are borderline nocturnal.” He finished chewing and added, “an attack by night with but with their night vision ruined by magical flash bangs might just work.”

He took another bite. “Truthfully I’m getting restless - I want to find out what we’re up against.”

[Pasong Tirad]

Harald of Stoutshield

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Harald was surprised to see Simion throwing a piece of bread his way. He caught it in time, dropping his cloth. He didn't ask for anything, but was thankful nonetheless. The man with the firearm seemed like a good man. "Thank you," he said, perhaps a little drier than he would have wanted. It wasn't intentional, but Harald really wasn't here to create relationships. Ten years outside of Hold Stoutshield, and then he can return. That was it. He knew he wasn't going to be bringing these relations with him when he returns to the Northern Reaches. He looked up again, wanting to say something more than just thank you, but the words didn't come to him. He put his head back down, took another bite out of the honestly very delicious pastry, and went back to polishing his shield.

Barely a moment has passed when another person came up to them. "Greetings. I see I'm not the first to arrive," the man said. Harald looked up to see a human, someone who he didn't recognize as having initially volunteered for the mission. But, Harald was a short Dwarf, and he probably just didn't see the man.

"Harald," he said, giving him the same respectful nod he gave the Purplecloak, introducing himself to the man. And that was the extent of Harald's verbosity. Three words in just as many minutes. However, when Harald looked up again a beautiful hawk perched on the man's arm, giving him an apple stalk. "Hello there, ya' beautiful thing," Harald said, without even thinking. He got his pastry, cut it up into a tiny piece, and placed it in his hand, hoping the hawk would accept - which it did. It took off from the man's arm and perched itself onto Harald's who, luckily, was wearing his vambraces. He could see the bird's sharp claws would have torn his arm to shreds. The hawk took the piece of bread, chewed on it a little, and swallowed it. Harald cut up one more tiny piece, fed the hawk, and proceeded to pet the beautiful creature. The hawk nibbled at Harald's other fingers a little before flying back to its owner. Harald laughed because he knew the bird sped off because he was no longer being fed. "Quite the temper, ye've got!" He let out another chuckle before biting off another piece of the pastry, and then going back to polishing his shield.

[Radea]

The Bane of the Undead, Sylanna Sundancer

Arden Rooke
Legion HQ – Meeting Hall
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When Strauch and Hadrian left to handle weapons and such, Rooke found himself a bit amiss. He had been a squire for a Hedge Knight for some time, but he lacked armor that needed to be polished or fixed. His weapons were of a regular sort and he took care of them on a consistent basis. Possibly. Well enough, you could suppose. Regardless, he had what he needed to pass the time: Ale and trying to decide what to spend his future money on. 800 coin went far in some circles. The smaller towns and villages especially. Rooke had enlisted into the Legion based on a whim and partially because he had little else to turn to for employment. The money would be good, but wasn’t this a bigger commitment than he was use to?

A melancholy, thoughtful sigh escaped his lips as he ran his finger along the edge of the rough beverage mug. Who knew if he ever would find his calling. His folks seemed to but his little patch of happiness passed right out of his hands. He swung back the last bit of ale and set the mug down firmly.

It was then that he heard the call, “To any fellow Legionnaires who have signed up for the Red Hill contract, would you mind coming here for a second?"

That wasn’t the gruff voice for the Witcher Hunter Wilhard. Wasn’t he the one in charge of this escort? Looking over his shoulder, Rooke laid eyes upon an elf. He wasn’t good at knowing the differences from afar, but an elf nonetheless. Then he saw the Purple cloak. A few ranks up and naturally in command of any mission. Arden sighed with relief, thankful that there was a chance this woman wasn’t going to be a hardass like Wilhard might have been. Instinctively he reached to take a final sip of ale before standing up, but found his liquid courage empty. Shrugging to himself, he strutted over to the gathering group around the higher-ranked elf, adjusting his belt and armor-strap along the way. Nodding to both Wilhard and Hadrian, he placed his hands on his hips, “We getting’ this minstrel show on the road?” he joked.

[Toaslandia]

The Bane of the Undead, Sylanna Sundancer

Arden Rooke
Legion HQ – Meeting Hall
------------------------------------------------
When Strauch and Hadrian left to handle weapons and such, Rooke found himself a bit amiss. He had been a squire for a Hedge Knight for some time, but he lacked armor that needed to be polished or fixed. His weapons were of a regular sort and he took care of them on a consistent basis. Possibly. Well enough, you could suppose. Regardless, he had what he needed to pass the time: Ale and trying to decide what to spend his future money on. 800 coin went far in some circles. The smaller towns and villages especially. Rooke had enlisted into the Legion based on a whim and partially because he had little else to turn to for employment. The money would be good, but wasn’t this a bigger commitment than he was use to?

A melancholy, thoughtful sigh escaped his lips as he ran his finger along the edge of the rough beverage mug. Who knew if he ever would find his calling. His folks seemed to but his little patch of happiness passed right out of his hands. He swung back the last bit of ale and set the mug down firmly.

It was then that he heard the call, “To any fellow Legionnaires who have signed up for the Red Hill contract, would you mind coming here for a second?"

That wasn’t the gruff voice for the Witcher Hunter Wilhard. Wasn’t he the one in charge of this escort? Looking over his shoulder, Rooke laid eyes upon an elf. He wasn’t good at knowing the differences from afar, but an elf nonetheless. Then he saw the Purple cloak. A few ranks up and naturally in command of any mission. Arden sighed with relief, thankful that there was a chance this woman wasn’t going to be a hardass like Wilhard might have been. Instinctively he reached to take a final sip of ale before standing up, but found his liquid courage empty. Shrugging to himself, he strutted over to the gathering group around the higher-ranked elf, adjusting his belt and armor-strap along the way. Nodding to both Wilhard and Hadrian, he placed his hands on his hips, “We getting’ this minstrel show on the road?” he joked.

Hadrian looked at Arden. "Arden, are you drunk? You were still drinking ale when I returned." Before Arden could reply Hadrian put his hand up and said "Never mind, you got over here just fine. But I do agree with Arden. When are we leaving, ma'am?"

[Confederation of the Equator]

[minecraft villager sound]

[Toaslandia]

Hadrian had just finished with Arden when the Wood Elf joined them. "Mak jun en." He mumbled under his breath. It meant "Snobby Elf." in his language. "Hello. I am Hadrian, who are you? I see that you are either a ranger or scout, but I would like to know your name if we are working together." He said with just a hint of disdain in his voice.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

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Much to her satisfaction, two out of the three people the front desk attendant had told her about quickly answered the call. The first was a stern-looking aged man fully dressed in his combat attire and with a particularly long hat. His stern expression, scarce words and practiced movements indicated an underlying martial discipline, and a quick glance at his outfit confirmed her suspicions, the Snow Elf quickly spotting the insignia of the Guild of the Twin-Tailed Comet. The only times she had seen that insignia before were during her brief campaign against Kaladam the Necromancer, but that had been enough for her to commit it to memory; they had been valuable allies, after all.

"Sylanna Sundancer of Issgard." The elven woman replied as she shook Wilhard's hand. "It's good to know that we'll be well protected against any heretical forces we come across on our journey. A pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor Strauch." She stated.

Shortly after Wilhard had walked over to introduce himself, another man showed up, one with tanned skin and short black hair. Bowing respectfully, he introduced himself as a member of Clan Sword-Singer, a prominent group of swordsmen from the Northern Reaches. Hearing the comment about Sword-Singer squires mistaking their leader for a High Elf, Sylanna couldn't hold back a laugh. "It's not the first I've heard of humans being unable to tell my people and High Elves apart. I believe most of us are used to it, however." She commented lightly. "You know, for a Sword-Singer, I'd have expected you to let my actions speak instead of my race. I'll do my best to meet your expectations. Your clan aided me in the past, so I suspect we'll get along well." She said.

Just about then, a third person arrived, one that fit the description of the third person who had signed up for the contract prior to her arrival. "Ah, greetings. Arden Rooke, correct? We'll be on our way soon. I just wanted to be acquainted with the people I'll be working with today before heading out." The Snow Elf explained. "We just need to head back and confirm our party."

Unexpectedly, there was yet another new arrival, seemingly someone who had signed up for the contract at the last minute. Sylanna was delighted to see that it was someone proficient in ranged combat for a change. "Ah, a Wood Elf, correct? It will be a great help to have a ranger in our party! Glad to have you, Vul."

Afterwards, the elf knight gave a quick look at everyone. "If that's all of us, then we should go ahead and confirm our party. It shouldn't take long." She said, leading the way back to the front desk, arriving in a matter of a few moments. However, as it turned out, there were still more people who had signed up and who were yet to arrive, and the front desk attendant told her as much.

"Asra and Alcide Baragnac? Do the names ring any bells to you?" The Snow Elf asked the rest of the party.

[Segral]

Oberon Klask

Soon, the threesome grouped at the West Gate would find themselves in the company of a fourth, much bigger travel companion. Oberon was looking slightly more refined and clean today, finally deciding to wear a shirt now that he was in public. He was wearing a clean and trim maroon tunic, very flowy and thin. It stretched all the way down to his knees, and also hooded his face, casting it in shadow to avoid strange glances from nearby locals. As well, he was wearing a pair of leather breeches, a sandy brown in color and very durable, stretching to his ankles. Additionally, he toted a large leather satchel on his back, containing his coin purse, spellbooks, magical artifacts, and a few collections of thin clothing and meager rations, in case the very worst befell them. His staff firmly in his right palm, twirled around by his idling fingers. However, it seemed as if some things never changed, as he had apparently continued to give the idea of footwear a wide berth, opting to walk in bare feet across the streets. His feet were very large, thick, and had the appearance of being worn, with cracked, dirty toenails, calloused soles, and a thin layer of grime caking his ankles. However, Oberon wearing a shirt and pants that were more than a loincloth was enough of a cause for celebration.

With a small rattle of coins, Oberon dumped a small handful of money into the hands of a nearby sausage vendor, being handed a large tube of meat in exchange. Although, despite the aromatic smells from the meat, and how delicious it tasted, he couldn't help but think about how little money he had left. Sure enough, to buy food, but not enough for weapons, for proper training, furniture, none. He needed a good bounty to help pay for his lifestyle, and he needed it quickly. Hopefully, this heirloom retrieval would be a quick and painless job, as he literally could not afford to spend time sitting around and eating.

Making his way through the streets, he soon spotted the group of adventurers at the West Gate, mostly by finding Blast-Brain's silver hair. What an obnoxious clown. The other members of the group seemed to very smart and experienced though, particularly Roxana. After all, she did have that experience level. He wasn't sure about the Lycan and the dwarf, as he didn't know them well, but hopefully, they were good warriors, as he had heard from Hu.

Raising his hand with a yell to gain their attention, he sauntered over in a few easy strides towards the wall of the bakery, where a few of them were gathered. It seemed as if only himself and the Lycan hadn't already arrived, as he recognized the dwarf, Roxana, and Blast-Brain among their numbers.

In between breathless mouthfuls of meat, Oberon managed to choke out a greeting. "Roxana, Bla...Simion, it is good to meet again. Dwarf, I look forward to meeting your acquaintance. I am Oberon." he said, swallowing deeply.

"I wish to know of our travel plans for the journey. How long will it take to find our dig site, how long will we spend, when do you believe we will get back? It is good to know these things, it helps to plan our way through, instead of battling head on like a roaring fire."

[Nuridia]

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Much to her satisfaction, two out of the three people the front desk attendant had told her about quickly answered the call. The first was a stern-looking aged man fully dressed in his combat attire and with a particularly long hat. His stern expression, scarce words and practiced movements indicated an underlying martial discipline, and a quick glance at his outfit confirmed her suspicions, the Snow Elf quickly spotting the insignia of the Guild of the Twin-Tailed Comet. The only times she had seen that insignia before were during her brief campaign against Kaladam the Necromancer, but that had been enough for her to commit it to memory; they had been valuable allies, after all.

"Sylanna Sundancer of Issgard." The elven woman replied as she shook Wilhard's hand. "It's good to know that we'll be well protected against any heretical forces we come across on our journey. A pleasure to meet you, Inquisitor Strauch." She stated.

Shortly after Wilhard had walked over to introduce himself, another man showed up, one with tanned skin and short black hair. Bowing respectfully, he introduced himself as a member of Clan Sword-Singer, a prominent group of swordsmen from the Northern Reaches. Hearing the comment about Sword-Singer squires mistaking their leader for a High Elf, Sylanna couldn't hold back a laugh. "It's not the first I've heard of humans being unable to tell my people and High Elves apart. I believe most of us are used to it, however." She commented lightly. "You know, for a Sword-Singer, I'd have expected you to let my actions speak instead of my race. I'll do my best to meet your expectations. Your clan aided me in the past, so I suspect we'll get along well." She said.

Just about then, a third person arrived, one that fit the description of the third person who had signed up for the contract prior to her arrival. "Ah, greetings. Arden Rooke, correct? We'll be on our way soon. I just wanted to be acquainted with the people I'll be working with today before heading out." The Snow Elf explained. "We just need to head back and confirm our party."

Unexpectedly, there was yet another new arrival, seemingly someone who had signed up for the contract at the last minute. Sylanna was delighted to see that it was someone proficient in ranged combat for a change. "Ah, a Wood Elf, correct? It will be a great help to have a ranger in our party! Glad to have you, Vul."

Afterwards, the elf knight gave a quick look at everyone. "If that's all of us, then we should go ahead and confirm our party. It shouldn't take long." She said, leading the way back to the front desk, arriving in a matter of a few moments. However, as it turned out, there were still more people who had signed up and who were yet to arrive, and the front desk attendant told her as much.

"Asra and Alcide Baragnac? Do the names ring any bells to you?" The Snow Elf asked the rest of the party.

"We're back here!" Asra shouted when they got close enough to hear Sylanna call their names. "Sorry, we were held up a little...my brother had some stocking up to do." They made their way to a position where the both of them could be seen, and Alcide bowed in greeting. "I would introduce us, but you seem to already know our names, my lady. We're honored to be joining you on this mission today, and working with everybody in this party. I hope we'll be able to learn from each other."
"I would say somethin', but Al once again talks prettier than me so...yeah. Basically what he said." Asra pulled her hood over her head and went to go find a spot to blend in to.

[New Finnish Republic]

Edward Brunwulf
The Paean Legion Headquarters

---

Edward remained relatively silent during the exchange of ideas made by the various members of the party. This was partially due to the fact that he was not the kind of man to speak when not needed in most cases, and also he was curious to see what the fresh recruits had to offer for strategy. While they had offered up a handful of notable suggestions, they were far from anything concrete enough that he could let them decide for themselves. Placing down the small glass of ale he had ordered from the bar earlier onto the table, he finally spoke up.

"We'll find out when the time is right, lad, so don't fret over it so much. As for what our plan will be, leave that up to me," he said with a slight hint of exasperation on his voice. Looking around at the table of the Redcloaks who made up the party, he did his best to recall exactly who they were. Admittedly, he was never good with remembering the various fresh recruits that seemed to double their numbers every week in the guild. By the looks of it, he was dealing with a rouge, an alchemist, a mage, and a pyromancer. Not the best combination against goblins, but not the worst, he thought to himself. Clearing his throat, he began to detail what he had in mind for the group.

"Before I begin to outline what our strategy will be, I want to make something clear. Goblins are not something to trifle with. While on an individual basis they're easy enough to take on, in groups they are dangerous, especially when they are defending their home territory. Underestimate them for a second, and that will be the last lesson you'll ever learn in your life. Are we clear?"

He waited for a breif moment to see that the others understood before continuing on.

"With that out of the way, here is the plan: We'll head out as soon as we can so that we can arrive to the camp before the sun sets. As you pointed out," Edward nodded his head towards the rouge, "goblins are most active at night. For them, the sun setting is their equivalent of the morning. We'll scout out as much as we can while there is still light out, but as soon as the sun nears the horizon we go on the offensive. If we time it right, we'll hit them while the majority of the goblins are still groggy. You two," Edward said in direction of the rouge and the alchemist, "will go in first and try to take as many out as you can quietly. Should you either clear the camp or an alarm is raised, the rest of us will be nearby to finish off what remains of the group."

After waiting to see that the others were paying attention, he continued.

"While there hasn't been any confirmation on a cave being present, the odds are that one could be present somewhere near the camp. If we find that, we'll have to be careful, as its in caves that goblins are the most dangerous, he said before pausing to bring his attention to the female mage. "It's here that you will have to guide us. As was mentioned earlier, the goblin's eyes are extremely sesnative to bright light. Use your magic to both blind the goblins as well as provide light for the rest of us to see. I'll have spare torches if needed, but I'd rather have you all have use of both of your hands when we're in the cave as goblins will often appear out of crevices and holes hidden within the dark walls of the caves."

His expression harderned as his words became much more serious.

"Under no circumstance should anyone within the party separate from one another if we should happen to enter a cave. I'll stand by our mage to protect her from attacks, and I want you remaining three to keep close to each other as well. Always have your ears open for footsteps from behind, and take note of anything suspicious on either the ground below or the ceiling above. The goblins might be a stupid race, but that does not mean they aren't capable of setting traps for those ignorant of their surroundings. Combined with cramped quarters and low visilibity in the home territory of our enemy, any mistake can not only cost you your own lives but the lives of your comrades."

His voice softened slightly, as his thoughts returned to memories of his own encounters with goblin in the past.

"It is a mistake you do not wish to make."

A brief moment of awkward silence hung over the group before Edward shook his head to snap him out of his thoughts. His composure regained, he looked over at the others.

"Are there any questions? If not, I suggest we head out immediately."

[Radea]

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Arden Rooke
Legion HQ – Meeting Hall
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The Heartlander blinked twice at the armored Hadrian upon hearing his greeting. The pause was ended by a gut-laugh which ended with a thud as Arden knocked his fist against the pauldron of the sword-singer. “Let’s just say I come around where ale is cheap. I don’t have as much time-consuming equipment as you do. I mean, how long does it take for you to doff your armor anyway?”
Before he could get any serious reply, a short-statured wood elf approached and introduced himself to the would-be party of legionaries. Arden cocked his head and gave the elf a look-over. Seemed nimble. The group could really use someone with some skill in ranged fighting. Between the current four, they could probably wrestle a bear to the ground.

Beyond that, Arden didn’t have much to say. With arms folded, he listened to conversation of his commanding purple cloak. “Savanna. Sylvia. Sylanna. Of… Issard.” He mumbled under his breath, making sure to have her name down.

"Asra and Alcide Baragnac? Do the names ring any bells to you?" The question brought his focus back from his own mumbling. He gave a confused shrug in to address it. Hearing the distant greeting from the two seemingly human adventurers, he turned to open the group circle a bit more as a natural social que. Though when Asra (was the girl Asra or the boy? Shot in the dark) pulled her hood up, Rooke couldn’t help but huff amusingly out of his nose. He wasn’t a man of stealth by any means but if that is what counted for stealth, he could probably learn quick.

Nudging Hadrian, Arden snickered under his breath, "Not a bad group. I've seen worst caravans."

[Toaslandia]

Andorran Krel, Inquisitor

Inquisitor Krel entered the tavern part of Legion Headquarters, and immediately signed up for the caravan escort upon seeing a fellow Inquisitor. She positioned her spear on her back, and joined the group. She bowed in respect to the purple-cloak in charge of the group. "I am Andorran Krel, Inquisitor. Pleasure to be under your command." She then turned to the Inquisitor. "I'm happy to see a fellow Inquisitor here. May I ask who you are?"

[Toaslandia]

Hadrian was getting annoyed with Arden nudging his armor, getting dust, ale, and food crumbs on it. "Yes, it is a fine group. Though I believe we have a newcomer." He nudged Arden in the stomach and pointed to the female Inquisitor. "Strauch, do you know her?" And with that, she introduced herself to the group.

[Union Princes]

Andorran Krel, Inquisitor

Inquisitor Krel entered the tavern part of Legion Headquarters, and immediately signed up for the caravan escort upon seeing a fellow Inquisitor. She positioned her spear on her back, and joined the group. She bowed in respect to the purple-cloak in charge of the group. "I am Andorran Krel, Inquisitor. Pleasure to be under your command." She then turned to the Inquisitor. "I'm happy to see a fellow Inquisitor here. May I ask who you are?"

Inquisitor Strauch

How curious, very curious indeed as the next member that joined the escort mission after the wood elf and the two twins was a female paladin. Repeating the same courtesy that he performed towards the Snow Elf, Strauch greeted her with a bow.

"I am Witch Hunter Wilhard Strauch, at your service." he answered with steel in his voice. No matter how amusing this was, Wilhard's face never smiled nor grinned at the idea.

Andorran Krel, Inquisitor

Hadrian was getting annoyed with Arden nudging his armor, getting dust, ale, and food crumbs on it. "Yes, it is a fine group. Though I believe we have a newcomer." He nudged Arden in the stomach and pointed to the female Inquisitor. "Strauch, do you know her?" And with that, she introduced herself to the group.

"Know her?" Strauch rubbed his chin, "Maybe, maybe not. I've been a Witch Hunter for the past 42 years. I had seen more faces in the Free City than there are stars in the sky."

[Toaslandia]

Andorran Krel, Inquisitor

Krel replied to Strauch's courtesy, Krel bowed and said "Inquisitor Krel, also at your service. While I am ecstatic about meeting a fellow Inquisitor, may I ask you, why is it when I signed up, I was told not to drink the water? That seems a bit difficult as we need to drink, or we die." She was looking at Arden, who was still talking with Hadrian when Hadrian nudged him and pointed at her. "Hello, you must be the man who wrote on the contract, "Don't drink the water, bring your own". What does that mean?"

[The Republic of Atria]

Edward Brunwulf

Aayla listened to the plan. It wasn't anything special. Attack at a time that the goblins would be groggy and unfocused. Strike hard, fast and without being seen. She'd be working with Telsor, which seemed fair. He looked to be the only one besides herself that was capable of moving without sounding like a dozen drunken boars. Hopefully she'd get some time to make a poison, she knew many a few recipes to kill the green skinned monstrosities. She was confident, Golins loved trying to try to set up camp in her old home, but she knew the lay of the land. That advantage would be gone in this scenario, and in fact, it was likely they knew the land better. As much as she hated hearing her teachers run through the same quotes over and over, there was one she felt was applicable in all situations.

"Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer." She recalled. Not that she took her job lightly, but she was never one to act serious, even when she was doing something serious. "I don't see anything wrong with the plan so far." She shrugged. "I'm plenty good at stabbin' gobbos. Even better with an ally."

"I do." Valan spoke up. "Less something wrong and more something more suited to my skill set. Should there be an infested cave, and it's likely to be since goblins love setting up camps near them, I should be the one to deal with the cave." It should be obvious why. He could smoke them all out. Worst case scenario, they all run to him, at which point he has them funneled into an area where he can incinerate them. Best case they all die from the smoke inhalation. The former was more likely, but it was something he could likely deal with better than the rest of the team. Hopefully the blue cloak didn't take his objection personally. "So long as the others keep me protected while I burn the cave out, it should greatly reduce the risk since we won't have to go in until after. At that point most of them will be dead or dying."

Aayla loved to mentally plan ahead, but she couldn't quite figure something out without having details to work with. Ah well, she worked best on her feet anyways.

[Andsed]

Lilion Tabraham
I had walked out with my equipment ready to the bulletin board where and the contracts were and began to analyze them. This would be my first contract so I figured I should pick wisely. The heirloom one was interesting but not exactly what I was looking for so I decided no to that. While killing some goblins would be easy and probably enjoyable but I felt it was a little to risky for my first contract. But the caravan one was good. I figured it was odd and kind of fishy but whats the worse that can happen. So after writing my name down on the list of who would be going I decided to head to the tavern to get something to eat.

That is when I heard someone shout out for those going on the caravan contract. I glanced up and saw a purple cloak snow elf talking. I quickly finished up my meal and walked over to the group and spoke.

¨You guys got room for one more? Lilion Tabraham at your service.¨

[Toaslandia]

Lilion Tabraham
I had walked out with my equipment ready to the bulletin board where and the contracts were and began to analyze them. This would be my first contract so I figured I should pick wisely. The heirloom one was interesting but not exactly what I was looking for so I decided no to that. While killing some goblins would be easy and probably enjoyable but I felt it was a little to risky for my first contract. But the caravan one was good. I figured it was odd and kind of fishy but whats the worse that can happen. So after writing my name down on the list of who would be going I decided to head to the tavern to get something to eat.

That is when I heard someone shout out for those going on the caravan contract. I glanced up and saw a purple cloak snow elf talking. I quickly finished up my meal and walked over to the group and spoke.

¨You guys got room for one more? Lilion Tabraham at your service.¨

Hadrian noticed the new person. "Lilion is it? Welcome! I am Hadrian, of Clan Sword-Singer. Glad to have you aboard!" While greeting the newcomer, he almost smacked Andorran, who jab him in his stomach. "Watch it." She growled. "I'm on your side! Lokar da grich!" What he said was "Murderous whelp!" in his language. He went to sit down, still nursing his bruised ribs.

[Confederation of the Equator]

[minecraft villager sound]

[Verwood Island Archipelago]

Edward Brunwulf
The Paean Legion Headquarters

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Telsor listened to Edward’s ideas and made a mental note of the salient points. As the other man spoke Telsor rembered the bag of cakes he’d bought and put it on the table silently motioning for anyone who interested to take one.

The initial scout would allow them them to put more meat on the bone but the proposed strategy was certainly a solid starting position.

“If our initial investigations reveal that a shaman is present then they’ll going to have be our first priority. I for one, don’t fancy being half way through doing a good job and then find myself subject to some obscure Goblin magic like Guulzac’s gelatinous glue.” He paused momentarily and with a smile added, “and that’s just one I just made up.”

[The Empire of Tau]

Deep in the forest, a lone ghoul has told Ahmed el-Hammad of new adventurers, who were apart of the Paean Legion. Interested, Ahmed el-Hammad asked the ghoul of what was that they were doing. Apparently, the adventurers are taking up local jobs around the area. The ghoul heard there was a goblin camp that had a bounty on it. There was also a company of the name ‘Red Hill’ seeking protection for their caravan.

Ahmed el-Hammad further inquiry about the adventurers, but the ghoul had no info on them. Ahmed el-Hammad thanked the ghoul by the toss of two meat slabs, before asking a final question - “where is this gatherings of goblins?” The ghoul vaguely remembers, but managed to give enough details to allow Ahmed el-Hammad to locate this camp. With haste, Ahmed el-Hammad headed out to find out more about these so-called adventurers.

Galloping about on his loyal undead steed, Ahmed el-Hammad moved along the cobblestone pathways. A sharp turn to a patchwork of dirt roads, Ahmed el-Hammad took. The two hour travel time to the bluff, in where the uproar of the river lies, was cut down to merely one hour - thanks to Ahmed’s ride. The lightly forested hills is where now Ahmed el-Hammad waits for the adventurers to be watched. Of course, Ahmed laid down various traps around him - just in case if anything were to try to sneak up on him.

[New Finnish Republic]

Edward Brunwulf
The Paean Legion Headquarters

Edward shook his head as the pyromancer offered to use his powers against the potential goblin cave.

"What you've proposed is a valid strategy, but one I'd like to avoid if possible. While it certainly would make our task easier, there are there are tree issues with it," he said holding up three fingers to emphasize his point. "The first of which being the fact that I don't want to risk starting any large fires near the forests. Should we end up catching the entire thing on fire, goblins will become the least of our worries. The second issue is that anything valuable within would be lost within the flames." Lowering the second finger, he continued on. "And finally, the last issue, and the one that concerns me the most, is something that I don't blame you for missing," he said as he let the final finger return to its normal place.

"The reason goblins are not only an issue because they simply slaughter the cattle of local farmers. They will atack unprepared villages in the dead of the night. For those caught unprepared, they face a much better fate when they are simply outright killed by the goblins. For those unfortunate enough to either not be killed or escape, they are captured and led away by the goblins back to their lairs. Once they arrive, they are made playthings of the creatures, tortured mercillesly until the gods show them enough mercy to let them wither away. Unfortunately, the gods seem to often take their time in doing this act of kindness."

His eyes narrowed as he stared down at the mug of ale before him, staring at his murky reflection that bounced off the golden liquid.

"This means that there could still be survivors of recent attacks stowed away somewhere within the confines of their camp, especially if they have settled down enough to find a suitable cave for them to hide them in." His gaze returned to the pyromancer. "If we went with your idea, not only would we be killing the goblins, but we'd be killing any of the prisoners held within. And if at all possible, it is our duty to save them as well."

He reached down to take another sip of ale from his mug, the sensation of the sweet yet bitter liquid dispelling the lingering memories of the past. Once he felt them completely slip away from his mind, he addressed the pyromancer once more.

"However, saying all of this your powers will still be immensely useful to us. When goblins die, they release cloud of spores, of which a small amount will turn into more goblins. I'd like for you to burn any that we come across." He turned his attention to the rest of the group. "The same goes for all of you. Fire is the only surefire way to ensure that the spores will not develope into more goblins. If we miss even a single spore, we'll be having to deal with these goblins all over again. Under no circumstances shall we leave a single goblin alive."

His voice lowered.

"That includes any infants or youth you find as well."

He let the words linger in the air for a few moments, letting their impact stay within the minds of the recruits.

"Any objections to this?"

[The Republic of Atria]

Edward Brunwulf

Valan listened to what Edward had to say. The first two were non-issues. The only one that had actual merit was the fact that the goblins might have taken captives and that he might accidentally smother them to death with smoke. Something that he obviously wanted to avoid. "This may surprise you, but this wouldn't be the first time I've had to scorch some filth in a woodland area. There is no risk of me starting a forest fire unless I intend to. And as for damaging valuables the goblins may have, also impossible unless they would perish from lack of air. I will concede your third point. I hadn't considered that they would have captives this early in their encampment." He explained. Edward clearly had no idea how pyromancy worked, and there was no wasting time explaining the differences between man made fire and magical fire.

He did take slight issue when Edward explained that he would likely have to be scorching goblin children. Even if they would still grow up to be evil monsters, it still bothered him. They'd have to be killed, and he was the best equipped to ensure that it would be purified.

"Don't scorch all the little ones right away. Goblin spores are an excellent potion ingredient." Aayla chimed in. "Let me harvest a few spores, then do you thing and set them ablaze." Said said, pulling out one of her razor sharp knives and an airtight flask. "Just a few will let me make enough healing potions to last for the rest of the year. Or a poison to put down a dragon." She mused, quickly recalling all the potions she could make with the remains. Valan, even through his mask looked a little uncomfortable with the idea. So she tried "Ooooh don't worry burning them. It's much easier if you think about them as mushrooms. It's pretty much what they are. They're almost as smart as mushrooms, look about as attractive, and sometimes have knives. Poorly made knives, but knives nevertheless. Try closing your eyes when you do it. Mushrooms and fungi don't have children. So they're really just smaller goblins."

He gave her an odd look when Aayla causally mentioned harvesting young goblins. The way she spoke indicated that this wasn't her first time, and likely wouldn't be her last. Were they really just walking mushrooms to her? If that was the case then he knew what to spend the walk over mediating on. "Of course. I'll let you have your pick first before I incinerate them." He finished.

"Good! Otherwise I'd have to scold you and give you an I told you so instead of a healing potion next time you got hurt. Don't worry about it. You stepped on plenty of innocent mushrooms on the way here, I don't see why you're taking issue now that they're picking up weapons."

[Radea]

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Arden Rooke
Legion HQ – Meeting Hall
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Rooke chuckled to himself at the female inquisitors question, “I didn’t write the contract. The original escorts all came down with dysentery, so we got the job. You know. Don’t drink the water. Whatever was along their original route got them sick. Not that clever of jest, I suppose.”

His eyes bolted open when Andorran gave Hadrian a swift jab to the ribs and exchanged curses. Putting his hands up in front of him as a barrier and leaning back, he appeared the pacifist. The Heartlander wanted nothing to do with a brawl between these two, much less fellow legionaries.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to get involved as a new guild member approached and introduced themselves. “Lilion, was it? Arden Rooke.” The Heartlander said with a confident thumb pointing to his chin. By the looks of it, the woman looked like his kind of person. Not some rich nobility, not some mighty knight, but common folk. Arden felt sympathetic, if nothing else.
All things considered, the group had gone from 4 melee fighters of varying skills to something of a well-rounded group. Tracking, archery, wit, and lots of strength. Individually good, but as a team? That remained to be seen.

[Verwood Island Archipelago]

[align=center]Edward Brunwulf
[i]

"That includes any infants or youth you find as well."

He let the words linger in the air for a few moments, letting their impact stay within the minds of the recruits.

"Any objections to this?"

Telsor considered, what to his mind were rather disturbing words. He couldn’t but think that they came from a dark and possibly disturbed place.

“There is from me. I’ll happily engage with and kill adult Goblins who have made conscious decisions to be part of our problem. I will not however partake or condone the killing of infants and children, even if they are Goblins. Truthfully, given your stated intent to happily commit infanticide I’m thinking that I have no option other than to step down from a job which I can no longer morally condone.”

So saying he rose from the table intending to make his way to the registertation desk, albeit in this case to de-register. Before leaving he said, “don’t forget the shaman I mentioned. You really need to make him your priority.” Nodding briefly to his erstwhile companions he stepped away from their table.