Song of Heroes IC

[The Republic of Atria]

Sieg and Aria

"Nice! Have good leaders is always a plus I'd imagine. And getting to stab and or inflict injury upon bandits is always a good time. Back in the swamp, I was kind of a guard. We don't do guards like most places, we act more like hunters mixed with alchemists." She explained. "I got into some trouble because I talked back a lot, so I came here where people don't care as much. And my skills are more appreciated. Haven't met any of the elves yet, are they as stuck up as I've heard?" She asked. "I ain't met many elves, but I heard less than stellar things. That, and they're awful at holding their liquor." He glanced at the very drunk Roxana at another table.

Aria continued, explaining that she got hit with some sort magic spell that almost caused her to lose her arm and broke several of her ribs. "Wow. I've not had too many experiences with that kind of magic. To be honest I don't know much about magic. What little I do is Valan trying to explain pyromancy to me, but it just doesn't make any sense to me." She shrugged. "I stick to potions and knives. They make sense to me."

Then the ladies were a little wary of having her help them because she was probably too drunk to do so. "Drunk? After one drink? Do I look like an Elf to you?" She snickered. "Maybe if I had three or four more of these, I'd be drunk. I'm fine. Really, but if you'd rather go for the healers, I understand. I might need it for some really special potion later on. Just so you know, the offer still stands if you change your mind. Thankfully, I've got some spare potions from my previous mission so I don't have to worry about brewing more." So far the ladies seemed friendly, if wary. It didn't bother her much, she had that effect on people.

Contract Day!

The pair burst into the area where other members of the Legion were looking for contracts. The pyromancer and huntress looked at he board. One was a glorified delivery, the other two were far more interesting. One had some sort of comet strike a farm, and it was magic if what they read was anything to go by. The other was some sort of rampaging beast which seemed to have a myriad descriptions regarding it's appearance, with the only consistent detail being a black cross on it's head. Just as Valan went to sign up for the second one, Aayla was already down for the third one.

"Going to help hunt a beast?" He asked.

"Yup! Beastie hunting is easy. First part is figuring out what exactly it is. Second part is getting the proper bait and lacing it with the appropriate ingredients to make it fall asleep. Then you kill it. Plus, I'm sure I can snag a few more beastie parts for more potions." She explained. "What are you going for? The magic rock that fell from the sky?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I figure they might need some firepower to deal with whatever the star rock is doing. Plus I imagine the Legion might pay for a few samples of it."

[Zarkenis Ultima]

The Previous Night...

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---

---

Noticing as Corven interjected to try and ruin his smooth-talking, Frey raised an eyebrow - that was just poor etiquette, nothing more, nothing less! - but upon hearing what the man said afterwards, offering his own attempt at complimenting the orcish woman, the rogue found his self-control lacking and immediately burst into hearty laughter.

"Oh, oh my god, that's just hilarious. If you're going to berate someone for having the subtlety of an ogre you could at least try going with something more original. Did you steal that off another drunken mercenary or did you come up with it yourself?" The young man shot back after managing to get his laughter under control. "Though I'm flattered you reserved first place for me." He winked at the gladiator before glancing over at the monk, who seemed to realize that he had hesitated and drank twice in response. Frey smiled confidently, well aware that he was the least wasted player in this game, but his smile was quickly replaced with a look of mild shock.

Crime, huh? Oberon, you bastard, trying to put me against the ropes are you? The rogue thought to himself, though his expression quickly changed from surprise to amusement as he listened to the first brave soul, Corven, reply to the prompt, proudly showing off his list of accomplishments. Shortly afterwards, his own turn came, and he simply offered the group a sly smile before drinking from his mug - he wasn't keen on disclosing his past just yet, less so in a drinking game of all things, and besides, he felt a bit too sober for his liking anyways.

"Maybe I'll tell you all about it someday, make Corven's list look small by comparison. But that day is not today." He stated.

And the drinking game went on.

---

---

---

---

After Roxana finally took a seat of her own like everyone else instead of clinging to her - not that she terribly minded, though it did get old quickly - Sylanna listened to the communication between her an Edward, too lacking to be called a conversation as it was more of a brief exchange of words, with the two of them discussing possible contracts to go on together.

Looks like they've already gone and taken my presence for granted, huh? The Snow Elf thought. Ah, well, I'll play along. It'll be fun. I can't remember the last time I took a contract with her - it's been quite a while.

The exchange she observed was unfortunately cut short by the High Elf's unresponsiveness, however, and a glance quickly confirmed Sylanna's suspicions: she'd fallen asleep after drinking so much. Typical. She rolled her eyes, an amused smile on her face, before downing what remained of mead on her mug and leaving a few coins on the counter - even if someone else had already offered to pay for the legionnaires' drinks, it didn't hurt to leave something extra for the tavernkeep.

"Well, it was lovely to meet you two, but seeing as Roxy here's fast asleep, I think the best thing to do would be to interrupt this fair evening to take her back home." She said. And with that, the elven knight slipped an arm around the slumbering archer's legs, lifted her up, and began making her way towards the exit.

"Until tomorrow, then!"

[Confederation of the Equator]

[minecraft villager sound]

[Absolon-7]

Walter con Eisenach

Vulluin Berryann

Dido Ricine, the Elven swordsmaster!&Simion Valerin, the marksman from Nur!

Roxana Ma'gonid
The human was courteous enough to introduce himself with a pleasant enough name but he unfortunately had to excuse himself after Dido started her usual vitriolic slander. Oh great, what a way to make a first impression with someone who knew their manners but that Solfataran just had to pathetically try to aggravate her this morning. What she had to gain from this needless contrarianism Roxana had no idea but by no means is she going to take it without biting back. A crooked smirk crept on her face as her eyes stared down Dido's in a tense competition of intimidation.

"A pile of dung, eh," snidely said Roxana, "If you wanted beauty tips like that why not go to the Legion stables. I'm sure you'll be able to speak to the animals there like sisters."

Thankfully Dido decided now was a good time to leave and Roxana sighed as she took her leave. One thorn out for now but that still left the ignorant wood elf for her to deal with. Seriously, how often had she encountered Redcloaks who thought they were hot shit? More then enough to have buy a full tavern a round of ale probably. The learning curve for how things ran around here wasn't that hard was it? It's not like the Legionnaire's handbook was written in some verbose nonsense like her damn textbooks in her academy days. And now he was going off about how she wasn't the only one here, her being self-entitled, yadda yadda. And then did he just....what did that pervert say about her chest? Instinctively, she crossed her arms against her upper chest folding her purplecloak around her body and scooted back on her seat.

"H...how dare you?," gasped Roxana with a disgusted look, "The utter nerve of you! First you fail to know how contract taking operates and now you're checking me out?"

Roxana's disgust at the Wood Elf's behavior was interrupted by finally a friendly face in the form of Simion. Her tensed up shoulders relaxed slightly letting the purple fabric of her cloak to straighten out. She let out a confused sound at comparing her to drinking saltwater but considering how her morning's been that not too weird of a observation.

"Thank Mithra you're here, Simion," said Roxana as she handed the contract paper to him, "Contract about some beast in Soisson that killed dozens of people and then somehow ended up in Lietuva in the Northern Reaches. It seems gruesome but I can't help but feel suspicious about what happened. Speaking of beasts this Mithradamned Wood Elf somehow thinks he can take a good look at my chest while trying to tell me how things run around here as a Redcloak."

[Turmenista]

Luca Greyfoot
Velathri, Paean Legion HQ
__________________________________

Dido Ricine, the Elven swordsmaster!

Luca Greyfoot
Velathri, Paean Legion HQ
__________________________________

Luca held his helmet onto his side, as if he were expecting some shit like this. To be frank, he was—an elf leading the team evidently meant nothing good was bound to happen. While he could understand that the events regarding Roxana and the heirloom team were out of the high elf's control, thus meaning he could at least sympathize with her, Luca saw a dark elf leading the team as a bad omen. It was kind of like when one walked under a ladder and promptly got hit upside the head by a falling bucket of paint, or saw a black cat and then got mauled by dire wolves a few hours later. It was just straight up bad luck.

And a snappy one, at that.. Luca narrowed his eyes and glared crossly at the blue cloak that took charge, telling him, in nicer terms, "fuck off, I'm in charge." She introduced herself as Dido Ricine..and promptly repeated exactly what Luca had just said, right next to him. It was pretty much the same thing, actually—in about an hour, they'd rent out a boat and go upstream to VanLoon, giving anyone interested in joining enough time to join in and set off. She also made another comment about his true form, which he took just great by grunting, in a manner that came out as a low growl. Yep. Thought so. Commented on that, too.. and her so-called temper. What temper...? Is an angry elf really something to be afraid of?

Luca began to take up a dramatized voice now. "Of course, guys, a pissed off elf is something to look out for— but it's nothing compared to a Lycan in their True Form. Luckily for you all, I have almost complete control over my True Form, so let's make sure we don't mess this thing up and do what we need to do. And that we don't, well, tick this elf off." Smiling, Luca folded his arms behind his back, sneering at the dark elf. As if there's any weight behind her threats. After all, just...look at her! She looks like she couldn't hurt a fly.

He assumed his typical blank poker face. "Once again, we'll leave in an hour to get the boat. Until then, let's familiarize ourselves with each other and figure out what we're bringing, maybe make a plan of action for what we'll do at VanLoon with what we have regarding information."

[Segral]

Oberon Klask
The Next Day

Oberon had held out pretty well in the epic drinking challenge, roughly losing his wit at the same time as Frey. Although, in hindsight, it may been a more intelligent decision to forfeit sooner. Upon waking, his head had pounded like an unholy quake, his skull practically pushing up against the sides of his head. His temples seared, as well as the area around his eyes. He found it difficult to push his frame around his cottage, especially at 6:00 AM that morning, the time he always woke up without fail. To try to cure the massive sorrow in his brain, he made himself two large cups, one of ice water and one of hot tea. He then created a rhythm of drinking, alternating ice water with hot tea and vice versa every swig, before washing the whole thing down with a copious amount of dried dates and nuts. Now, his stomach was full and his mind and body were in a better state, thanks to the power of homemade remedies.

Of course, he could very easily perform a ritual to clear his head, but why waste magic and energy? He was a simple man, anything valuable that could be saved should be saved. His accommodations were not nice or pleasant; he lived in a cheap wooden cottage near the Legion Headquarters, one that was not large, but he kept it spotless. He had lived in a monastery for years, he was accustomed to neatness and order, a place for everything. He did not spend very much on clothes, as many of the Legionnaires were well-aware of. The only place where he spent well was food. If he did not eat well, he would not have the body for journeying and contracts, and he would not have the energy to train. So he spent money, mostly on meat, vegetables, eggs, and dried food for journeys. But he did not waste his money. After the loss of his payment in Byron's death maze, and watching Frey spend money left and right every day as if it was nothing, he had had enough. He now took any job he could find. Usually small jobs, small manual labor set-ups or building contracts. Very few in Velathiri had his bulk and muscle, and he could get jobs done quickly. In his free time, he trained. He sparred with anyone who was willing, and if nobody was willing, he practiced with his fists and his staff against a straw-stuffed dummy. If he did not want to do that, he spent his time perfecting his magical summons and meditation.

Obsessive yes, but more than anything, he wanted a promotion. A promotion so he could move on to bigger, better contracts, gain reputation, gain power. He joined the Legion to find purpose, to explore, to make a true impact outside of a church, not to deliver packages and build stands. But the only he could reach there is if he delivered packages and built stands. So he delivered as quickly as he could, and built as well as he could, and pushed his body to the limit in the meantime.

So that was why he was striding into the main hall today, more clothed than usual. It was likely a senior would be taking charge of the major contracts, and he wanted to make a relatively good impression. He remained barefoot, but slipped on a fairly well-made leather tunic to cover his chest and legs. And he was just in time to watch Roxana and another elf quarrel, along with Luca and another senior Legionnaire, Dido. It appeared as if last night's rowdiness was carrying over in every way, shape and form. He wanted nothing to do with Roxana if she was going to be this hot-headed and lacking in wits, which was frusturating, because knowing her status, the contract in her fist was likely a lucrative one. But there were other contracts, specifically the one Luca and Dido were arguing their tails off over.

Calmly and silently, he strode over to the board, and immediately, two salaries stuck out at him. 550 Ducats for delivering a "secret" package, and 808 Ducats for investigating a meteor and its effects on a village. It was an easy choice. The last time he had investigated something "secret" for an official, it had ended with a loss of payment, Simion shooting a man in the chest, and all of them nearly losing their lives. And it was 258 Ducats less. Meanwhile, the crystal one seemed more of a perilous task, and would pay better. And luckily, the only two involved seemed to be the arguing couple.

"Excuse me." he rumbled politely, addressing Dido in particular due to her higher status as a Blue Cloak. "Is there an available position for myself in this group? I also wish to take this contract."

[Bentus]

Yvonne

---

A momentary look of confusion flashed across Yvonne’s features as Rooke seemed to flinch at her friendly gesture. Instinctively, she wondered if she had perhaps overstepped some unspoken cultural boundary, or if perhaps she had struck a still-healing injury. Hastily withdrawing her arm, the Paladin quickly forced a smile on her face as the legionnaire didn’t show any overt signs of being offended. Inwardly, Yvonne couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. She still felt like a fish out of water, no matter how similar Velathri sometimes felt to her home further west. Even though it was still part of the Heartlands, the people and culture could still feel more foreign than the Holy City in the Urban Center which at least still followed the faith of the Divines.

Give it time. I’m sure that things really aren’t that different under the surface, and I doubt that it will be too hard to pick up the local customs.

Continuing to listen as Rooke brushed aside any concerns that she had following their mission together, Yvonne felt a slight stab of regret as he recalled meeting with his fellow legionnaires the previous night. Doing her best not to allow the sin of jealousy to show, Yvonne remembered that she still wasn’t a member of the famed guild. With any luck, she would gain her cloak that afternoon, but maybe she hadn’t been as welcomed into the tight knit group of heroes as she had thought. Suddenly, the Paladin felt some of the nerves from her first encounter with the Legion rearing their heads once more. If they considered her to be a member of their party, wouldn’t Sylanna have invited her to join them in the festivities?

No. I had to leave early when the caravan returned in order to collect my pay from the merchant. I am sure that the gathering just happened to be organised afterwards. They must have assumed that I simply wanted to be by myself.

Only partially convincing herself to push aside her concerns, Yvonne was surprised as Rooke suddenly made an exaggerated bow before her. It took her a moment to realise that he was making a joke, rolling her eyes to mask the concern that he had somehow discovered her noble heritage without her knowing.

“Allowing the lady to take the lead? I didn’t realise that you were one for chivalry, Arden.” Yvonne offered the man a friendly wink as she stepped past him. “Although you’re making a bold assumption, thinking that I know my way around Velathri already.”

She was joking of course. Yvonne had made sure to commit the route to the Legion’s HQ - if nothing else - to memory the moment she arrived, but it didn’t hurt to poke fun at her new friend. Initially, they walked in silence, although the Paladin enjoyed simply having the company. After journeying for quite some time on her own, it was a pleasant change - and she’d taken a liking to the peasant-turned-warrior. For all his self-doubting and the lack of finesse in his technique, Yvonne could recognise raw talent when she saw it. Not to mention that the legionnaire made up for a lack of experience with spades of willpower and determination.

“So…,” Arden began, breaking Yvonne out from her own reverie. “Would you be taking a contract with the Legion…? If there were any, I mean.”

The Paladin offered a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her head with an armoured gauntlet as they approached the Legion’s tavern. “Well, I would certainly like to.” She began. “Although I am still technically not a member, so I don’t know if I it would be too forward of me to try and claim a place on any popular contract. I am meeting with the local recruiter this evening though, and if all goes well I should officially become a Red Cloak then.”

Offering Arden a nod of thanks as he held the door open, Yvonne took a confident step into the tavern. She was excited to finally meet more of the Legion’s brave members, and to see what dangerous feats of courage and heroism awaited them. She was expecting to walk into a tavern full of comrades and allies: a band of heroes and warriors brought together by a common goal to do good and serve a higher cause. She personally couldn’t imagine a foundation for a stronger bond of friendship and camaraderie. All of which, caused Yvonne to be even more confused by the sight that greeted her.

"H...how dare you?," The elf’s shock was palpable in her voice as she raised her hands to cover her chest. Yvonne saw the woman’s ears dart upwards as a hint of red seemed to flush her cheeks with both embarrassment and fury. Confused, the Paladin followed the small elf’s gaze to another of her kind, who seemed to be the target of her wrath. "The utter nerve of you! First you fail to know how contract taking operates and now you're checking me out?"

Scanning the rag-tag assembly of beings that had gathered into groups in the tavern, Yvonne was surprised to see that most seemed to be giving each other a wide berth. A few figures were appraising the board, ignoring the heated confrontation going on in the centre of the room. It looked like three elves and a lycan were the main instigators of the argument, and Yvonne offered the group a wary glance. The elf who had initially caught her attention bore the armour and weapons of a ranger, and although her figure seemed ill-suited to pitched battle, Yvonne knew that her kind’s agility could more than make up for any lack of strength. Not to mention that purple cloak adorning her shoulders meant that she must have had more than enough experience to turn any battle in her favour.

Tearing her attention away from the bickering group of warriors, Yvonne forced herself to consider Arden’s question as she looked over the contracts for the first time. Staying silent for a few seconds, the Paladin tried to weigh each of them before speaking. She had to admit, part of her wanted to immediately dive into fighting the monster. The thought at how many innocents the beast had killed, and how many more could die by its hand if they didn’t act, set her heart aflame with righteous anger. Similarly, the faintest hope at helping the villagers who had been struck by the falling star pushed her towards the second contract, but Yvonne forced herself to hesitate. Resisting her initial impulses, she took a step back to try and consider the wider picture. She ignored the rewards that each contract offered, and instead tried to gauge how many other legionnaires were looking at them. While both the monster hunt and the fallen star seemed to have drawn large parties and plenty of interest, few seemed to be paying the simpler, less glamorous delivery request any mind.

“We should help deliver the package.” Yvonne answered confidently to Rooke, before she turned to offer him an apologetic smile. “Not that I mean to tell you what to do! I just feel like it must be for a noble cause in order to be offered as a contract, surely. And yet very few seem interested in fulfilling the request. It would be a shame if a call for help was left unanswered simply because everyone thought that it wasn’t exciting enough.” The Paladin hesitated for a second, before deciding to continue. “Although I would like to hear your thoughts too. If it is not too bold, it would be nice to work with you again on my first proper contract. I think we did well together with the caravan, wouldn’t you say?”

[Finland SSR]

Luca Greyfoot
Velathri, Paean Legion HQ
__________________________________

Oberon Klask
The Next Day

Dido Ricine, the Elven swordsmaster!

---

...Who is this Luca guy and what the hell is he doing? All she did was assert her superiority in rank over him, something Legionnaries do by the daily in this Legion, and he took it as if she had just spat on his favorite dog treat. Putting on the most sarcastic demeanor possible, the Lycan suddenly shot back, stating that an Elf is nothing in comparison to a Lycan in their true form and that he's the one people should be worried of more. Before repeating exactly what she had just said to a crowd which barely existed.

"I've seen creatures more threatening than a True Form Lycan locked away in Repubblica Zoo. Or maybe you should head back to your enclosure before you end up in something out of your element?" Dido spat back, then turned towards the crowd. "Once again, we'll leave in an hour to get the boat. Until then, it wouldn't hurt to familiarize ourselves with each other and the team dog, maybe even figure out a plan of action beforehand."

Which is almost exactly when she was approached by one of the Legionnaires in the tavern - a bald shirtless human who, at first glance, seemed to be a some sort of monk fighter - who offered to join the crystal investigation mission. Dido frowned a little, mulling over the request for a few seconds. She needed the manpower, but couldn't just pick the first random shoeless guy asking for a spot. The Dark Elf placed her hands on her hips and replied:

"Alright. Let's say, hypothetically, that I am a veeery disinterested mercenary leader and you really want a job on my band. How would you sell yourself in three sentences or less?"

---

Vulluin Berryann

Roxana Ma'gonid

Simion Valerin, the marksman from Nur!

---

Simion stumbled upon Roxana in a far from comfortable moment - accusing a nearby Wood Elf of not knowing how contracts operate and checking her out - but, thankfully, as soon as he sat down and inquired on what happened, the elven archer seemed to calm down, at least somewhat. The contract was about a rampaging beast in Soissons which somehow ended up in Lietuva. The Kingdom of Lietuva?

"Lietuva, you say?" Simion immediately noted. A fairly distant and obscure land in the North, worshipping a different pantheon of gods from the rest of Anthem, it was known in Nur as the birthplace of the famous cartographer Finnius L. Sasr. "Interesting, I haven't been there in a while." The elephant on the table, however, was obviously Roxana's newfound disdain for the Wood Elf sitting next to her, who was apparently checking her out. Some... how. With a poker face, the marksman shifted his eyes from one elf to the other, then finally spoke:

"...Are you sure, Roxana. I mean, if he's actually being a creep, then he can meet me in the back alley, but-"

An idea crept into Simion's mind.

"-Sorry, Wood Elf, I don't know your name, but if you're interested in the mission, then perhaps you'd like to tag along? There's four of us - myself, Roxana, Edward and Sylanna - planning to take on the mission together, but if this beast is as dangerous as I presume it is, then we could use additional help. Assuming you're willing to follow our lead, that is."

[Confederation of the Equator]

[minecraft villager sound]

[Zarkenis Ultima]

---

It was a new day, and a new day came with new opportunities to go on adventures and earn some coin on the side. To someone like Frey Farwind, a combination so perfect was nowhere to be found outside of the Paean Legion - at least, not in a place that offered him the freedom he wanted, while also not running afoul of his lax moral code.

Clad in his usual leather armor and with his six trusty blades on his person, Frey strolled past the gates that separated the Legion's headquarters from the rest of Velathri at a calm pace, the red cloak upon his shoulders more than sufficient identification for the guards. He hoped to find a good contract this time, as opposed to the small errands he'd been subsisting on for the past week after the Byron fiasco - said errands were a great source of income if you knew which ones to pick and got them done quickly, and in fact he had been able to edge out a decent profit, but the previous night he had wasted quite a bit of money on alcohol, and while he hadn't depleted his savings and actually had enough money left over to pay his living costs for the rest of the month, it didn't sit well with him to be low on funds.

As he would soon discover, it seemed fortune saw it fit to shine over him that day. There was a decent gathering of legionnaires, mostly red-cloaks such as himself, around the bulletin board, and there was only one thing that such a hustle could mean: big contracts.

This day sure started off well. The young man told himself as he hastened his pace to reach the bulletin board, only to suddenly get hit in the head by a falling apple that he subsequently caught with his left hand. Irked, he briefly had thoughts of figuring out why things fell to the ground like that, but they were quickly dashed when he saw a familiar mass of feathers and daggers swooping down towards him.

"So it was you, eh, little rascal?" He said, rubbing the apple on his shirt and biting into it while extending his right arm for the hawk to perch on - he had trained it and its sibling to do so on his leather vambrace instead of perching directly on his arm, of course. "Where's Gale?" He asked. The bird turned to look at a nearby building, and as Frey's own gaze followed, he was able to see the other hawk resting on top of a sign and looking around. "Curious as always I see." He mumbled, taking another bite.

Soon enough, he had reached the bulletin board. From the looks of it, there were two contracts available, and a quick look around the area informed him that there was likely a third one that was being monopolized by the purple-cloak he'd cooperated with a week ago, who was at the center of an increasingly large gathering of legionnaires. The rogue briefly thought about walking over to join them: the pay was likely good, and it wouldn't hurt to earn some more rapport with a high-ranking member of the organization, seeing as he was relatively new around.

...Eh, too many cooks. He told himself. Looking over one of the remaining two, he noticed that a blue-cloak had taken over the leadership of the party that was steadily gathering to take it, a party that included two other former colleagues of his, Oberon and Luca. The blue-cloak in question caught his eye, certainly, but the former pirate decided against joining: if the massive quarrel she was having with the Lycan right now was any indication of how the mission would go, he preferred to sit that one out.

Which leaves me with one option, let's see... He thought, looking over the third contract. The pay was modest, but sufficient, and the contract itself didn't appear to be the most complicated of quests - the most difficult thing would likely be to make sure the mule didn't disturb the contents of the trunk after a scare.

"Gust, you're gonna love this. No more narrow, dusty ruins or obnoxiously loud weaponry. How's that sound?" The young man said to his companion as he cheerfully plucked the contract from the board, though the bird obviously didn't respond. "We're probably not allowed to tackle this one on our own, though, so..." He trailed off, walking in the direction of Bacchus' Dithyramb, where a large number of legionnaires had gathered.

"Anyone else thinking of going on mule-guarding duty?" He asked the crowd before taking a third bite of his apple.

---

---

Sure is pleasant today. The Snow Elf mused as she walked through Velathri, looking up at the cloudless blue sky above - she was in an excellent mood today, content to have finished a job well done and spent some time relaxing among friends the previous night. Just like then, she wore a simple yet fashionable linen garment and her cherished winged headband, the only signs that she was more than just an affluent foreigner being the royal purple cloak on her shoulders and the ornate scabbard that hung from her hip. Just the former was more than enough for people to treat her with respect on the streets and either give her space or offer a smile or a greeting which she was happy to return in kind.

Before long, her feet carried her to the headquarters of the Paean Legion, and she exchanged an affectionate greeting with the guard stationed outside before walking through the gate, immediately turning her gaze to what constituted most legionnaire's access to their livelihood: the bulletin board. Walking towards it, she noted with some enthusiasm that there was a reasonable crowd nearby, which surely meant there were new contracts out for the legionnaires. Good, I should be able to do some good today again. Although... didn't I agree to tag along with Roxana for our next contract? She thought, slowing down her pace as a result.

Speaking of which... Sylanna turned her gaze from the bulletin board to the nearby tavern, where her keen eyes quickly spotted several familiar faces such the fighter and the paladin from the previous contract, as well as the High Elf that she was looking for. Remembering the events of the previous night, a smirk appeared on the elf's face, one laced with just the slightest amount of mischief, as she began walking in the direction of the tavern.

"Arden! Yvonne!" She greeted the two novices as they discussed which contract to take, offering them an encouraging smile. "Good to see you around." She nodded at them before continuing on her way, stepping around a man who held a contract on an outstretched arm that doubled as a perch for a hawk, before making a beeline towards her friend.

Displaying an impressive lack of ability to read the mood, Sylanna walked straight up to Roxana, who was standing by a table with a contract laid on it and a few other legionnaires around her, and threw an arm around her friend's neck with her usual cheer. "If it isn't Roxy! Hope you good a good night's sleep." She said in greeting before hunching forward slightly. "You should try to hide your spare key a liiittle bit better in the future." She whispered into her friend's ear before giving it a gentle flick - an elf's pointy ears were sensitive, a trait shared across all of their races, and that meant they were a good way for her to tease a peer.

With that done, she straightened up and looked at the group that had gathered around Roxana. "Ah, Vul, glad to see you! Will you be joining this party? We'll have the ranged department more than covered if so." She told the Wood Elf with a friendly smile. "Simion, too. Looks like we're only waiting on one person now." She nodded in the marksman's direction, before glancing down, noticing the contract laid on the table. "I take it this is our quest?" Sylanna spoke as she picked it up with her free hand and began reading it over.

[Segral]

Oberon Klask

Yet another blue-cloak unwilling to take him on because of his...less than formal choice of clothing. Understandable, there was a constant demand to appear capable in front of superiors, and superiors didn't always appreciate bringing shirtless men into their groups. However, with all due respect to the blue-cloak, he was much more than capable on any mission, and was eager to learn in any circumstance. Of course, that wouldn't exactly guarantee him a place on the band. He needed a convincing speech, a salesman's cunning eye. But what could he say of himself to convince this somewhat prudish elf to take him on?

Oberon guffawed at her words, a deep bassy rumble that practically echoed throughout the hall. "Alright ma'am, I see you are not convinced! I suppose I will need to explain why I should be allowed to join, in three sentences of course!" he exclaimed with a wide, silly grin. "Firstly, I am an excellent fighter, having trained in martial arts for over a decade and learning clerical holy magic for four years. Secondly, I am willing to take orders and collaborate with other Legionnaires in order to achieve a common goal. And finally, my stomach does not become squeamish at the thought of putting down an animal." he said with a slight wink, hoping the humor would add to his case. He was normally not a very fun or jovial person, but he honestly found this whole experience quite amusing. He never thought he would have to sell his case like this, and it was interesting to think of qualities about himself that would seem appealing towards someone of her stature. Of course, every one was true, but shameless self-promotion was always necessary in this field.

[Radea]

Arden Rooke
Paean Legion Headquarters – Velathri
----------------------------------------------------

SudBrazil

Bentus

Zarkenis Ultima

Almost as soon as Arden posed his question to Yvonne, the crowd around the contract board descended into chaos. Egos clashed in fire and ice like Dragons of old. The Great Hunt had done its work, pulling in the experienced fighters and the novice gloryhounds. Rooke had been puzzled and indifferent to the squabbles until his friend, Vulluin Berryann roared that he had just as much right to hunt the murderous monster as anyone. To a point, the wood elf likely had tracking in spades compared to settled folk.

Still, Arden couldn’t help but blush out of embarrassment on his friend’s behalf when insults to honor and ‘flatness’ came barreling into the air. “Oh, Vul…” The bewildered groaned to himself with a hand covering his mouth, “Don’t get yourself killed by your teammates before you even see the nightmare beast.”

Perhaps it was his peasant upbringing, but listening to your betters felt absolutely ingrained into his soul. Did the color of the cloaks mean nothing? They were the survivors, leadership, experience. Some even had landed titles. That was the natural order of things. Speaking of betters, a gentleman of impeccable facial hair presented himself to the two.

“Good morning, would you mind if I were to sit here?”

The way the man spoke, much less how he stood, indicated some level of nobility. Arden recalled such people from his youth. You learn when the tax barons cometh. Though, despite the incredible beard, Arden got the feeling this princeling was younger than himself. “Of course. Be my guest.” He gestured to a place nearby with some rigidity.

“We should help deliver the package.” Yvonne declared, stealing his full attention like a sudden flame in the night. Rooke cocked his head as he listened to the Paladin’s justification for taking such a contract. It wasn’t glamorous, quite the opposite, and seemingly easy work more for the likes of Corven and Arden. She made good points, being wise as any sage to the Heartland commoner. If they didn’t help out, who would? Not to mention, like the Red Hill contract, the Legion could do some good just by being in the wrong place at the right time.

“Although I would like to hear your thoughts too. If it is not too bold, it would be nice to work with you again on my first proper contract. I think we did well together with the caravan, wouldn’t you say?”

Although Rooke initially nodded assuredly and a calm demeanor, his chest was being beaten like a war drum by his heart. Like a furnace burst aflame in a cold night, youthful excitement surged in his veins. Attempting to suppress his reignited vigor, Arden rested his arms on the wooden counter and ran a hand through his hair to guide it back, “I think you’re right. We make a pretty great team. Count me in.” A false bravado smirk topped off his sentence like a cherry.

The door to the tavern pushed open once more, letting in morning daylight only eclipsed by the prepossessing figure of Sylanna the Purple Cloak. Unlike Yvonne, the snow elf was not in battle armor but was still adorned for violence with weaponry at her hip. To Rooke’s surprise, his previous commander waltzed up to the pair.

"Arden! Yvonne!" She greeted the two novices as they discussed which contract to take, offering them an encouraging smile. "Good to see you around."

Rooke offered a hardy welcome in return, showing reverence and friendliness to the superior. Still, he was bemused. “Did I really make that much of an impression to be recognized by one so high up the ranks?” His curiosities were shoo’d away as Sylanna made her departure. Arden winced as the snow elf waded into the tense air near the contract board. “Gods bless the Peacemakers,” his thoughts bemoaned.

Back to business at hand, Rooke’s calloused hand shot up when saw the adventurer with a large bird of prey on his wrist pluck the escort contract from the board. “I’ll go, plus a few companions. I can drive the cart. Mules and I get along.” The blue-haired man paused, trying to parse if he had just insulted himself unintentionally before continuing, “It’ll be a smooth ride, promise.”

[Union Princes]

Romilda Schaus

No matter where I go, I’m always surrounded by Inquisitors. Romilda Schaus thought to herself when she entered the main hall of Paean Legion. Her helmet was removed as was carried under her arm. Her face, dirty blonde of hair and pale skin, had already lost its innocence and replaced by war weariness. Strands of golden hair flew loosley from her uncombed head. She bit her bottom lip as she breath in the situation.

The scenery happening before her brought uncanny semblances from the taverns and churches in the Free City. The drinking, the banter, the roaring laughter; it reminded her of the times she came back to the Free City and told stories of her adventures. A tired smirked appeared on her face as she began slowly walking around tables spending some time to eavesdrop on their conversations.

It was so unreal on how genuine and pleasant the conversations was; Romilda had never been with people so lighthearted in a job that would require some level of caution. Usually, it would take days for Inquisitors to be cured of their gloominess after a very stressful mission, but here, she wasn’t sure how to act. Like a fish out of water, she was surrounded by people who don’t seem to care about tomorrow.

Her eyes continued to wander until it landed upon an all-too-familiar hat belonging to a man with an all-too-familiar attitude. Old, grumbling, and missing an eye, the fellow legionnaire was good example of many of the veterans in the Inquisition: tired, angry, and missing a body part. Romilda’s heart seem to be lifted by the angels in heaven knowing that she has at least one person to be miserable with.

Taking a seat at is table in front of him, Romilda looked down and saw that he was writing a letter next to a mug of beer. She chuckled quietly at the sight of that. The amount of paper used in the Free City would have been enough to dam a river. At a quick glance, she saw that the letter was addressed to “Alice”. Nice name. Romilda thought inside her head while her fingers taped on top of the wooden table though the old man was utterly oblivious to her presence. Maybe it’s his daughter. Or a wife? A friend, perhaps?

Finally, the old man was done writing and took a large gulp of beer before his one eye finally notice Romilda sitting across from him. He first put his letter into an envelope containing coin before stamping it with a seal bearing the mark of the Twin Tailed Comet. The letter was then placed inside his bag while Romilda watched every movement without a single sound escaping her lips.

The old man in his tall hat then relaxed his shoulders and took another sip of his drink. He said nothing and did nothing. Only thing he was doing was holding his mug and taking a sip. Romilda wondered if he was ignoring her but when she saw him staring straight back at her. She immediately broke eye contact and looked down on her hands, still tapping the wood with her finger tips. No one talked for a while and she would occasionally glance up to meet the man’s unyielding stare only to back down again.

[The Rebel Alliances]

Scitha-Half Orc-Red Cloak-Legion Tavern

The man who called himself Corven seemed to be...well, surprising to say the least. I am so far unsure if it was him or the mead talking but either way his...description of my features was pleasant to hear. Even if he may forget all of his honeyed words as soon as he sobers up. Not many men either man nor orc have seen anything to flirt about with my features. Perhaps I should come into this tavern more often. Corven then remarked that he must be honest and so told me that I was the second best looking person in this bar and at this table. At this I raised an eyebrow. "That so? Who might my better be? I spose if I drove a blade through their gut then I would become the best looking then hmm?" I joked in a feigned threatening tone before laughing myself. "Thank you for your words, it's not often my skin and eyes are appreciated." I then turned to frey who gave his own effort to woo me not so subtly implying that he was available. "Thank you for the offer as well, I am not really used to attention like this." The banter between the men was entertaining to say the least and the tone of the game soon shifted again to criminal pasts. I gave an internal sigh of relief as Corven proudly brandished his criminal accomplishments. "Well, I am unsure if I should be impressed or concerned at such a past Corven. I of course have committed no crimes, it's hard enough for a doctor of my people to be trusted without bringing crime into things." With that I rested my mead on the bar as we continued to play the game until all of us retired.

The Next Day
I seemed to have gotten off rather easy from last nights drinking game and was pleased that I had met some colorful personalities. Of course I had not earned any money of my own yet so I slept outside last night on a pile of straw. It was a calm night and and mild, not being too warm or too cold. I picked myself up and saddled my steed Estralla as she neighed as I told her of the last nights events. She woud comment with a neigh or a whiny as I told her of the drinking game and of the adventurers I met such as Frey, Corven and Oberon. Making our way to where the board to where I read the missions of which there were three. But only one of them cought my attention.

I hardly noticed the reward for it as it was the mission itself which stole my atttention.

A strange crystal which seemed to infect anything around it? Attaching itself to both animals and even people? I had never even heard of this occurance. And while my desire told me that I would be needed here, I was unsure how my herbal medical expertise could remedy such conditions. But...I had to be willing to try. A healer goes where she is needed. The only other obstacle was that a boat would be needed to reach our destination. And while my father was a pirate once, I was raised in a desert.

Potentially swimming is not something I look forward to. With that in mind, I made my way to the group which had gathered for this group and announced my presence noticing the lycan who was quite drunk last night.

"I intend to journey with all of you on this one. I feel as if my medical experience could be of some assistence. My name is Scitha by the way." I suggested, hoping that this group would be as welcoming of my aid as the bar was of my company last night.

[Finland SSR]

Oberon Klask

Scitha-Half Orc-Red Cloak-Legion Tavern

The Next Day

Dido Ricine, the Elven swordsmaster!

---

Oberon took her question more literally than Dido initially imagined. She just thought of it as a way to get to know what this guy was going to bring to the team, not as a way for the bald monk to start boasting about himself like he was advertising something in the local flea market. Regardless, however, he eventually answered her question - she's dealing with a martial artist trained in clerical magic. Which is, at least, better than nothing.

"You wasted your first two sentences. Not good." the Dark Elf calmly replied, her voice unamused. "Welcome aboard. My name's Dido."

Soon enough, the gathering crystal mission received a yet another volunteer, the sight of which instantly got Dido's eyes to widen in surprise. "Is that an Orc?.." You idiot, what would an Orc be doing here? This tavern would break into chaos upon the sight of one - and as the woman introduced herself as Scitha, Dido's overview of the woman's more human-like features indicated to her that this was a half-breed.

Shuddering a little at the thought of how such a half-breed would be conceived, the Dark Elf quickly replied:

"A medic, you say? The monk over here already fills the niche... but I suppose we could use one more on the team. Just, try to avoid scaring people once we get there, we don't need the publicity problems caused by having Orcish blood among us."

[Turmenista]

Luca Greyfoot
Velathri, Paean Legion HQ
__________________________________

Luca couldn’t really give a rat’s ass about measurements, or whatever measurement system the humies at Velathri used, but he did know one thing: how to measure one’s anger. If he could give an estimate, he was probably about 1 fingernail away from punching that Dark Elf wench through the wall. She was seriously getting on his nerves, and it clearly didn’t take that big of a brain to know he was pissed. Flaunting one’s superiority and rank was one thing—after all, he knew the other Legionnaires did it often—but he felt personally attacked by this. At this point, he saw himself as a “senior red cloak,” a position he had held for a couple of years now, and he wasn’t going to let some incident with Byron take him down from a potential spot as a blue cloak. Hence the new medium armor and upgrade to his greatsword Illumina, and new helmet. It was a blend of speed, protection, and style, that he managed to afford all from his own hard work...and she just had the audacity to insult him. Had anyone ever seen a Lycan in its true form?

He growled once again as she mocked him again, comparing him to a creature in the Repubblica Zoo. To be honest, those things in there were hideous, and some of the more aggressive flora and fauna belonged deep in a dungeon rather than a zoo, but that was aside from the point. Another day, another animal-based insult.

Luca rolled his eyes. “Alright, look. I came down here all the way from Lycanmire by myself, mastered control over my True Form by myself, and paid for this new armor, by myself. If you think I’m so out of my element, you’re in for a rude awakening, pal.”

Dido continued on apathetically as usual, referring to him by the not-so-affectionate moniker of the team dog. They’d be leaving in about an hour to get the boat and go upstream to VanLoon. While that happened, he saw Oberon, one of his partners on the Heirloom mission, approach Dido to join the team, along with another Legionnaire he vaguely remembered from the night before, Scitha. Aside from being a medic (that Oberon already could function as), she was also pretty notable for being the only Orc he knew in the Legion. Or, rather, the only half-orc. It didn’t hurt to have another medic on the team, or an Orc, but if the team was shaping up to be some ragtag band that included an orc, Lycan, and Dark Elf all in the same place—and all races that generally hated each other—things weren’t going to end well for them.

Oh, damn. I have a bad feeling about this. Luca thought grimly to himself, sighing. “Okay. Welcome to the team, Scitha, Oberon. Pleasure to be working with you.”

[Auropa]

Corven Roche

“You know, I think my favourite thing about the legion so far is the comradery.” Corven said to himself with a small, thoughtful nod as the group erupted into verbal chaos and he, for the second time in less than a day, felt at home.
Apart from a few ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ for some of the retorts as well as a poorly concealed chuckle when one of the elves misread an insult as some poor attempt at flirting, he had stayed mostly quiet as the back and forth’s intensity grew. Instead, he chose to watch the show unfold and tried to keep at least some tabs on those still entering the tavern. Most he didn’t recognise, some ashen haired twig of a boy with a stick, a few more humans, a ‘very’ relaxed looking wood elf and so on. Though eventually, some figures he did recognize entered the tavern. Rooke the fighter and Yvonne the paladin were among the first, he didn’t know the latter too well and considered introducing himself but after putting two and two together, choose to give the duo their space. Offering only a polite nod in greeting before flashing a raised eyebrow and smirk towards Rooke when Yvonne wasn’t looking. Not long after and much to his surprise after how much he had drunk last night, walked in a pristine looking Oberon and Frey with a bird of all things accompanying him. But seeing them getting about business, Corven finally decided to get started himself.

The delivery job was the least lucrative of the trio but also appealed the most to him and in the end he didn’t need coin or fame anymore. All he really wanted nowadays was hot meals, good company and a nice bed to sleep in and so far, doing the odd job for the legion was more than enough to provide. ‘That said, getting a few answers would be nice too’ he thought to himself as Rooke joined Frey while mentioning something about liking mules.

“You can add me to that mule-duty list Frey.” Corven called out “I don’t mean to brag but I’m a bit of an expert when it comes to sitting on my ass all day. Though I’ve got a few errands I need to run here first, I’ll make sure to meet up with everyone at the warehouse once its sorted.” and with a small curt goodbye, he turned on his heels and started making his way to exit stopping only for a moment as another familiar figure came into view. Scitha, the green ‘almost-ork’ had also entered the tavern and now appeared to be in talks with the crystal contract group. Some part of him felt a twinge of disappointment to see her going on a different mission, he hadn’t known her long but she was good company to be sure and more than little fun to try and poke fun at. Admittedly, he still wasn’t entirely sure whether she was playing along or actually threatening him last night but if anything, it only added to his evening. Though her choice made sense ‘the healers go where the healers are needed’ he remembered hearing and if anyone could help the villagers it would be a healer. While he couldn’t make out the conversation, he figured it best to leave her to her own devices and instead of jumping in, quietly wished her good fortune and left the tavern.


In the short time he had been a legionnaire, he had made more than a few attempts at gathering information. Usually it was on the basics of life in the northern lands and the general histories of the different kingdoms but recently he had been getting bolder in his requests to mixed success. While he hadn’t gotten into any sort of trouble yet, he quickly discovered that certain investigations couldn’t be done without the permission or supervision of the higher ups. But then again, he also knew better than most how no rule was ever perfectly held up.
“Good morning!!!” he shouted out as he practically slammed the door to the still closed library open.

“AAaiieeee!” A small voice shrieked in surprised followed by the unmistakable sound of a chair and at least a dozen books and scrolls toppling over.

‘Perfect’ Corven thought to himself as he happily strolled over to the librarian’s desk. Peering over, he could see the figure of the assistant librarian Lanassa sprawled on the floor beneath several different papers and a thankfully not too hefty looking book.

“What are you doing way down there?” he casually asked. He didn’t know her too well but from what he had been able to pick up over his last few visits, the small elf was a quiet, shy but kind hearted young woman. Perfect for his plan.

“…N-nothing. Its just, that the library is closed right now… and when the door opened, I got surprised and I… I fell” the small librarian quietly murmured in response as she tried to seemingly sink through the floor in a desperate bid to escape the situation. After letting out an obviously exaggerated sigh, Corven walked around the desk and helped the young elf to her feet before going about collecting the scattered papers.

“Oh, um, its-its fine. You don’t have to- Sorry. Here I can- Sorry” She mumbled as she awkwardly tried to simultaneously thank, apologise and help Corven all at once with as little interaction as possible.

“Don’t worry” he responded with a small chuckle and a twinge of guilt “Besides, what would Orion say if he came in to see you sleeping on the job.”
“-but… I wasn’t-“
“Anyways, sorry to jump in without warning but I was hoping you could help me out with something. Long story short, my caravan got jumped by a bunch of bandits on our last contract but a handful of them had these symbols on them. Any chance you can you could do some digging for me?” He asked as he put away the last of the papers.

“Yeah, definitely! I can definitely do that!” Lanassa said with newfound confidence at the prospect of being able to help with her skills, quickly grabbing a fresh inkwell and scroll from among the cluttered documents as she continued. “Can you tell me anything else about them?”

“That’s brilliant! Well, there weren’t many of them but each had some sort of power that come from their markings. And they weren’t tattoos either, they looked like burn markings, singed over and glowing a faint orange but still somehow completely healthy looking. In fact, I have a drawing of one of the marking.” He added in his most upbeat voice as he drew out an eerily detailed sketch from his pouch and passed it over to the suddenly, and once again, reserved elf.

“Um, this is… I think it might need a blue cloak’s permission. I mean I can do it! And-and I will! For sure, I just need the okay, if its not too much troublethatis.”

He knew it was coming but still couldn’t help but feel a bit annoyed. Any sort of research to do with unknown magics and potential cults tended to require blues cloaks or higher to at least be aware of what was happening and why. Something about rookies biting off more than they can chew or accidentally summoning hordes of the undead started the rule but however ‘essential’ it was, it still ticked him off.
“Don’t worry about it, in fact I’ve already got permission.” Corven said behind a warm smile “Sylanna actually asked me to leave the request. She would’ve come herself, but you know how busy purple cloaks can be.” He added as he reached into his satchel, fished around for a document that wasn’t there, before slowly shifting his face from jovial to more shocked “So this is a bit awkward but I think I’ve lost her missive.”

“I’m sorry but without it I don’t think I can start looking into this. Though I’m sure you can find-“

“I know, I know but couldn’t you bend the rules just this once? Sylanna said it’s urgent and that this group could be dangerous. I’d go get her myself but she would have already left on her next contract by now.”

“I-I’m really sorry but maybe-“

“We could keep it just between us! I know its unusual and that there’s a good chance its nothing but on the slight chance it is something, then we could really use your help in preparing however we can. Even just a name to give them could help save lives!”

“I-I-I”

“Please?”

“Alright! I’ll do it!” Lanassa said somewhat shakily but with a fierce determination in her eyes “Just leave it to me! I’ll find out everything there is to know about these guys and then some! No problem!”

“You’re amazing.” Corven replied already halfway to the door. “I’ve got my own contract now but I’ll drop in again once I get back, and remember, its our little secret investigation. I’m really trusting you on this.” He said as he slipped out of the room. The moment the door shut behind him, he could just about make out the sound of the small elf collapsing into her chair from a sudden wave of exhaustion.
Admittedly he didn’t feel good about lying and putting her on the spot like that. But at the same time, after all the work he did figuring out who’d be the most likely to help him and when they’d be the only one staffing the library, he did feel some level of pride at a job well done and more than a little excitement at the prospect of finally getting some understanding of the mark.
‘But that’ll come another day. For now, work.’ He thought to himself as he made his way towards the legion warehouse.

[Union Princes]

Inquisitor Strauch

Poor soul. Those thoughts filled Strauch’s mind while he studied the newcomer with his one good eye. The way she fidgeted, the way she looked up and down again, and her eyes...devoid of hope and desperate to be found. His jaw clenched as it reminded him of so many lost young men, women, and children that wandered their way to the Inquisition and the Free City carrying nothing but tattered clothes and whatever scraps of food that they managed to preserve on their journey. The woman before him was a survivor, no doubt about it, but at the same time she looked like someone who still haven’t recovered from the trauma of a failed witch hunt. Wilhard closed his eye for a moment and tried to remember a time he felt despair.

None. Strauch opened his eye again. Of course he never felt wretchedness, he had spent the last 46 years of his life doing one thing he was taught to do: purging. Purging heretics, purging demons, purging monsters; it doesn’t matter who. Killing such a unholy brings him satisfaction at every turn. Sorrow does not find him, if it did, Strauch would just kill it by staring it down in contempt.

He drank his beer again, and again, and again, until the mug was empty. Strauch set the mug down and returned his attention to the woman cladded in half-plate armor. Timid like an abandoned puppy, that woman brought so many conflicting responses to Strauch’s conscious. Should he help her? Talk to her? Guide her? He doesn’t know. No one had ever ask him for his advice when he was in the Inquisition.

Noticing how she was constantly up to him before looking down, Strauch was feeling fairly annoyed. He just wish she could just make up her mind and speak up already but since this is a moment of celebration, he might as well let her gather her confidence and introduce herself. But with past experience with tormented Inquisitors, Strauch might as well break the ice.

However, his attention diverted to the waitress coming around his table. Strauch quicking waved her down and paid for two more drinks of beer. He’s gonna need it for this inevitable conversation with the stranger before him.

Of all the tables and people she could talk to, it had to be him. The Gods are toying with him. Strauch was fuming at that thought. The world as it is was unforgiving and cruel as it is and now the Gods think they can get some laughs out his miserable life before his death. The woman shifting in her seat snapped Strauch out of his deep thoughts. He looked at her and saw even more unease coming off of her body.

It took him a few seconds to realize his negative thoughts had shown upon his face. Strauch relaxed his jaws and took a deep breath. Soon enough, the waitress came back with two mugs of beer and set them upon the table. The Witch Hunter thanked with with a nod before grabbing one for himself and putting the other in front of the startled woman.

“Drink.” Strauch suggests, or was it an order? “It’ll do you much good. Helps calm the soul.”

[New Finnish Republic]

Edward Brunwulf

Paen Legion Headquarters

---

The sounds of birds beginning their early morning ritual of cries and chirping caused Edward to slowly rouse himself out of his slumber. Turning over in his bed, he peered from his half-open eyes towards the nearby window, watching as the first few rays of sunshine slipped through the forests surrounding the headquarters. While significantly quieter than that of the normal part of the day, the sounds of dulled conversations on the grounds below as well as the banging of iron from the blacksmiths made it clear to Edward that it was time for himself to get out of bed.

With a small grunt, he pushed his legs out from the wool blankets that covered them, a slight chill reaching him as he lay their in only his undergarments. After rubbing his eyes for a few moments, he let out a long yawn as he stretched out his body. Twisting his torso from side to side, he felt a small twinge of soreness coming from his sides. His encounter with the goblin nest days earlier had still left a few bruises covering his body, albeit having faded away quite significantly.

With yet another grunt, he got up from his bed and began to make his way over to where his chest of various items were, including his clothing. Knowing he was bound for a contract today with Roxana and the others, he decided to not waste any time by choosing to put on his padded clothing followed by his armor which laid resting next to his bed. After tightening the last strap of his equipment on, he looped his sheathed sword onto his hip as well as placed his metal buckler onto his left wrist. Briefly taking the sword from its scabbard, Edward inspected the blade once over to ensure that the blacksmith had not made any mistakes when repairing it. Seeing none, he returned it back to its rightful place, grabbing his already prepared pack with his basic supplies, and exited out of his room and began to make his way over to the tavern where he would meet up with the others.

Along the way there, he stopped by a few of the shops which had just opened up their doors. Considering the distances the Legion travelled across the lands on quests, the owners knew enough to make sure they were opened early enough in the mornings to catch any departing legionaries who were in need of supplies.

With his helmet secured via a string at his hip, he started going through the basic necessities of what he would be needing. A few basic healing potions that would suffice for any minor injuries, some poison remedies, and a few provisions that would last for the journey. He knew the dangers that entailed carrying too heavy of a pack on long journeys, especially when one planned on combat, so he did what he could to stick to the minimum requirements that one would need.

With this done, he eventually arrived at the tavern which was already bustling with activity. Stopping by the bar to order a meal for himself and some fresh water to drink, he glanced over the tavern in search of a familiar green haired elf. After a few moments he found her, alongside a few other faces he recognized.

"Good morning," was all he said as he sat down with the others, quickly making work of the meal he had bought. Glancing over to the contract laid out on the table, Edward raised a curious eyebrow at Roxana. When he had first mentioned the topics of contracts available the night prior, he had left out the third option available. While such tasks were his strong suit, he knew Roxana tended to like more exciting ones than this. Not to mention, more profitable, he thought as he took another bite of his meal.

"This will be difficult," Edward said plainly, looking over to the others. "Wounded animals are often more dangerous than the healthy." Glancing down at the description, he couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows as he tried to think of what they could possibly be dealing with. The conflicting accounts made it clear that what they were dealing with was far from the usual beasts the stalked the lands, but with any hope it would only take a glance at the tracks it left for him to get a better idea. When it come to hunting beasts, knowing everything you could about them could mean the difference on who would be hunting who.

[Absolon-7]

Simion Valerin, the marksman from Nur!

Sylanna

Edward Brunwulf

Roxana Ma'gonid
Roxana sighed in relief as Simion calmed the situation down some degrees. At least he count him as a Redcloak that was reasonable and not some stuck up upstart like that Wood Elf was proving himself to be. However, the wood elf suddenly being offered to go with them made her flinch back. Taking a Redcloak that doesn't even know how to take contracts with them? Well she supposed it would be fair of her as his superior to teach him from repeating his mistakes. Speaking of which introduced himself as Vulluin once he agreed join their contract.

"Hopefully you'll learn a thing or two in this contract Vulluin," promptly said Roxana, "Not every Redcloak gets a chance in being a contract requiring a Purplecloak to take."

An unforeseen arm swinging around her shoulder and a characteristicly teasing voice left Roxana in a stuttering loss for words at the sudden affection. Oh no is this payback for my drunken self's antics yesterday! thought Roxana as she finally noticed it was Sylanna. Well it wouldn't be the first time her drunkenness had created less then ideal consequences for her sober self. No choice but to go with the flow no-

"Eeek!," gasped Roxana as she felt her ear being flicked by Sylanna. By Mithra she hated her ears being flicked. Their delicate skin was so sensitive to touch that sudden light impacts just felt weird. Roxana laid her ears low and pressed against her hair to prevent further flicking. "Yes that's the contract I thought would be best. It was the only Purple-rank one and with Eddie's specialties I figured we'd be suited for it."

Good morning

The out of the blue greeting from Edward made Roxana pivot around to face her friend. Just the man for the job! She slammed her hands onto the desk although her small arms were futile in disturbing it too much.

"Alright, Eddie! You're gonna love this one!," said Roxana at him, "Think about it: Dangerous beast plagues one of the largest and famous countries in the Heartlands and out of nowhere its then in the Northern Reaches! So its up to a plucky group of Legionnaires to bring it down. This will make a grand point in our records!" Roxana lifted herself from leaning on the table before addressing everyone around her. "Me and Sylanna will go register ourselves as co-leaders of the party while all of you eat here. If no one has anything planned later today how does going today sound?"

With no apparent objections from anyone the elven pair went to get their party officially recognized by front desk. With a few signatures the matter of accommodation for traveling was swiftly settled and they were free to go. An unspecified amount of time later it was time for everyone to leave and meet in the lobby. There was even another addition to the party as Roxana scurried there dragging a masked woman by the name Aayla by the arm as Roxana had heard of the alchemist in passing and thought she'd be useful. With the party finalized they were lead to another room down a hallway perpendicular to the lobby by one of the clerks. He opened up the old decorated door and the room's inside stood out for all to see. A large raised granite disc-like platform dominated the center of the room and its circumference had a series of etched in runes. The apparatus was a close held secret of the Legion along with the boon granting Singing Stone, the so called Timbre Discs were a method of the Legion of achieving long distance teleportation to any other Legion base. A supply crate of winter appropriate garments were stored somewhere near and they were instructed to pick what they liked and then to stand in the center. Roxana herself picked a dark green duffel coat and a spotted scarf.

With everyone there the runes began lighting the room one by one and a soft melody could be heard as it was emanating from the room but at the same time outside. In a soft glow of light they were enveloped slowly before the light suddenly flashed and now they here they were thousands of miles away. Roxana took the lead in stepping off the platform and opening the door and was met with a large stuffed bear head on the other side of the hall. She flinched at the shoddily done taxidermy model. She shook her head and walked outside following the hallway to the lobby. Roxana spoke with a lycan clerk to check their party in and from there the party was free to roam outside where a cold blast of wind eagerly met them.

Lietuva's capital appeared to be the definition of quaint. None of the building aside from a far off palace and temple were larger then two stories. This Legion base had nowhere near as expansive of a front garden complex as the one in Velathri as there was simply a twin field of dry grass stretching from the building to the front gate and several windows looked in need of repair. By the rusty front gate stood a tall man braced on some crutches with one foot thickly covered in bandages. Noticing the group he met up with them halfway and with a curt wave of the hand he introduced himself.

"Good tidings, Legionnaires," said the man, "My name is Mikhail Kęsgailos. And I am the King's Royal Huntmaster and just happen to be the last man to see this mysterious beast."

"Are you now? Well this is a good start," said Roxana huddled under her purple cloak and duffel coat. The elf almost looked dwarfed by the thick fabric covering her body. "I assume you're here to answer we questions we have?"

"Yup," Mikhail tilted his hat at her, "To get the weirdest thing out there no I don't know what the creature is. It sounds strange but no matter how much I remember from the encounter all I can imagine is a black void where the beast was. Almost like a painting with a certain object cut out by scissors. What I can tell you is that the beast is carnivorous. Bite marks on my legs prove that enough. Any of your party have questions?"

[Praeceps]

Tride Attle:

Tride cheerfully acknowledged the guards at the gate and walked pass the ornate steel barrier entering the Paean Legion's headquarters. As she moved towards the main building—at least she assumed it was the main building from the size of the building and it being placed in the centre—to sign up for her first contract, her eyes flittered about, gazing around the compound with wide eyes. It was a lot to take in: from the twin fountains unequally sized (and why would anyone ever have unequal twin fountains) to the surrounding, smaller buildings to the legionnaires training on the dirt field (she didn't see anyone using a knife but surely there were some legionnaires who did).

As she reached the stairs, she paused hesitantly. Here she was, about to start her new life. She put the biggest smile on her face and bounded up the stairs two at a time. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, she immediately entered the building without hesitance or looking back. She announced herself brightly: "Hello everyone! I'm Tride!"

[Finland SSR]

Roxana Ma'gonid

Simion Valerin, the marksman from Nur!

---

Traven through the Paean Legion's portals was not something which Simion was very acquainted with - however, he wasn't surprised at all when Roxana dragged their team, alongside a newcomer whom the Elven girl off-handedly introduced as Aayla, towards the portal room. After all, they were travelling to Lietuva, a land thousands of miles away from Velathiri, getting there on foot or even on the fastest horse-drawn carriage would have taken months. Nur was a third of the distance to the distant Kingdom, and even then, when Simion made his way to Lietuva from there, he felr like it took forever.

Roxana made the smart decision to put on winter clothing before the portal fired up - Lietuva may be no Issgard and the endless tundra surrounding it, but it was going to be cold regardless. Simion's all-weather Nurian military uniform had endured such weather before, and as such, he didn't put on anything else before he, and the rest of the beast-hunting team, were transported to a wooden hall holding the subsidiary of the Paean Legion in the distant Northern kingdom. The marksman released a faint snicker upon witnessing Roxana flinch at the first sight of a stuffed bear head, and checked up with the Lycan clerk without saying a single word. That's a sight you get used to here, Roxa. A Lietuvan home without the stuffed head of the largest animal which the head of the family has hunted is an incomplete Lietuvan home.

The Kingdom of Lietuva, more commonly known in Nur as the distant human-inhabited land from which the famous cartographer Finnius L. Sasr hails from, was a peculiar nation, located in the somewhat more livable southern edges of the Northern Reaches, on the valley of Rosen Vale, next to the river Tharros, known in Lietuvan as "Neman" and affectionately called "Father Neman". For those used to the warmth and lushness of the Western Heartlands or the bustling density of the Urban Center, seeing the cold and gloomy atmosphere of the Kingdom and its capital city, Vilna, might instantly send shivers down their spine. Even the edges of the Northern Reaches weren't an easy place to live, and the nearby lush valley of Rosen Vale, kept somewhat warmer by air masses from the eastern oceans, would leave many envious.

Such a less than pristine environment also bred a rather peculiar people. Lietuvans were hardy hunters and warriors, riding atop of powerful aurochs to battle and using the foliage of their dense forests as a defense against any invader which may look their way. In the past, their hardy nature manifested itself in the birth of a great expansionist kingdom, stretching across the valley of the river Tharros, but during the centuries past, most of these conquests were lost while the kingdom itself turned more compact and centralized. Though small, its location on the end of the Rosen Vale and next to Tharros made it an important stopping point for any trade routes, while the Lietuvans themselves could offer a few goods of their own. Lietuvan glass making was considered top notch by many and auroch meat a famous delicacy across much of Anthem.

Compared to the quaint, cold and shy environment and people, the King of Lietuva stood out as a complete opposite. Though Lietuva was, nominally, a hereditary kingdom like many of its peers, the hardy nature of the Lietuvan state led to many unique intricacies. Nurian catalogues specified Lietuva as stratocratic - the legitimacy of the King's rule came not from a contract with his people nor any power granted to him by Lietuva's unique pantheon of gods, but rather the loyalty and following of the kariauna, a retinue of powerful and often magic-wielding nobles and knights who expected to have a hand at the treasury and wealth of the state. And the person who currently swayed the kariauna was King Artūras of House Zuokas, famous through the Kingdom and many of its neighbours for quite a few hijinks. The most notable one of them being driving a magically enchanted battering ram across Vilna to crush and destroy illegally parked charious across the capital's streets. Everyone knows that all of the reaching out to the common people he makes through such public stunts is nothing but a veil to hide a corrupt king who squanders the nation's wealth for his clan, but nobody bothers to complain. "He steals, but does things!" they say.

All of Simion's memories of spending a few weeks in this distant Northern kingdom flashed through his mind quickly as the man stepped into the front yard of Vilna's Legion headquarters, where they were soon met with Mikhail Kęsgaila, the Royal Huntmaster of King Artūras I. A highly prestigious position knowing the lifestyle of the average Lietuvan, and the marksman responded to his introduction with a polite nod. What they were dealing with was a peculiar monster which even the Huntmaster himself had no knowledge about, despite being the last person to have seen the beast. Something had chopped his memories of the monster out of his mind - someone as supposedly experienced in hunting as him couldn't have simply not known what he was dealing with.

Some sort of... memory erasure properties, perhaps?.. It's too early to make such guesses, at least. Upon offered to ask questions, Simion immediately spoke up:

"Did you or your men at least manage to wound... whatever you were dealing with? And if this beast is as dangerous as I assume it is... will we have back-up?"

[Bentus]

Yvonne

---

Offering Sylanna a friendly nod as the woman walked past, Yvonne couldn’t help but allow her eyes to linger on the impressive warrior for a moment or two longer. The tall elf had practically stolen the attention of the room from the moment she entered: the purple cloak on her shoulders demanded respect while her warm tone and friendly gaze couldn’t help but make one welcome her presence. Out of her armor - but still wielding a well-maintained blade on her hip - Yvonne was struck by the warrior’s effortless grace. Recalling how elegant she had appeared in battle, the Paladin couldn’t help but feel even more respect for her superior as she strode fearlessly into the midst of the heated debate between their peers. Glancing over to her side, the woman rose an amused eyebrow as she saw that Arden’s gaze also seemed to linger on the Snow Elf’s back. Smirking, Yvonne decided to keep any comments on the focus of her new friend’s attention to herself as another figure called out for anyone wishing to join the delivery mission.

Arden responded at once, and Yvonne simply smiled towards the strange falconer to ensure that he knew that he spoke for the pair of them. She couldn’t help but glance curiously at the man’s winged partner, however. Falconry had been a popular sport among the nobility during her youth, although it had been considered an un-ladylike past-time so Yvonne had been forced to simply watch as her brothers were trained with the family’s birds. Still, she had gained an appreciation for the firm grace of the animals, and could also appreciate how well-trained this stranger’s creatures were.

As Arden confidently offered himself as their party’s driver, he unfortunately found himself stumbling into a linguistic trap. As the man suddenly hesitated before trying to brush past the slip of his tongue, Yvonne shook her head while smiling weakly at her friend’s misfortune. He seems to know just the perfect way to introduce himself, doesn’t he? Turning to the moustached noble that had joined her and Rooke earlier, Yvonne offered the man a friendly smile.

“If you are also looking for work, good Sir, I doubt any of us would turn down another ally.” Reaching out with a gauntleted hand, the Paladin made to introduce herself. “My name is Yvonne Delacroix, and my friend here is Arden Rooke.”

Before she had a chance to reply to the man’s response - if there was any - Yvonne was distracted by the sound of the tavern’s door being flung open forcefully as an energetic, youthful voice echoed through the hall.

“Hello everyone! I’m Tride!” The girl’s words lingered in the air for a few seconds. A couple pairs of eyes glanced irritably in her direction as conversations were disturbed by her boisterous entrance, but a few dismissive shrugs led to the newcomer quickly being ignored. Feeling a stab of sympathy for the young girl standing alone in the doorway, and being close to the entrance herself, Yvonne offered the solitary figure a wave.

“Good morning, Tride. I am Yvonne - you wouldn’t happen to be looking for a contract, would you?”

[The Republic of Atria]

Valan didn't figure that they would split up that quickly, but he supposed that there was no point in trying to tag along with her every time. The person leading this mission was an Elf by the name of Dido. He briefly overheard her bragging to one of the other Elves. Wonderful, another big headed blue cloak thinking that they knew everything. Thankfully his rolling eyes was mostly hidden behind the mask. Whatever, pay was pay and it wasn't as if he hadn't dealt with louder personalities before. His best friend was one after all.

One quick look raised a question: Everyone above a Red Cloak he'd seen was an Elf. Well, almost everyone. Edward was a Blue cloak, but he didn't have a lot of faith in him. Still, it was a little odd. Hopefully race didn't play too much of a part in progressing through the Legion's ranks. That would be quite obnoxious. He approached the red skinned Elf. "I'm here to join the mission towards the farmstead." Best not to try to get her to talk much. The sooner he got clear of all the big headed personalities the better.

[New Finnish Republic]

Edward Brunwulf
Kingdom of Lietuva

---

As the group made their way towards their destination, Edward couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort as the cold air filled his lungs. Given that major contracts seemed to be far and few between in such a remote area, it had been a long time since he had returned back to the Northern Reaches. His mother and father sent him letters from time to time, but over the months he had been with the Legion they seemed to become a rarer and rarer occurrence. He didn't blame them, seeing as they were more than busy with their duties with The Hunt. While the thought of going to see them had crossed his mind, he had quickly dispelled such thoughts with the knowledge that he had a task to be completed.

Besides, they would only scold me if they suspected me of abandoning my own duties, he thought to himself as the group approached the gates. Glancing over to the others, he wondered on how well they were dealing with the freezing conditions they found themselves in. While far better than it would have been in the winter months, the climate here was much different than that back where they were from. With the exception of Sylanna, given she was a snow elf, he had serious doubts that most of the others here had experienced such conditions prior to this. He especially felt concern for Roxana, given the occasional shivers he saw involuntarily come from her as soon as they had arrived. Let's just hope she doesn't try to rely solely on alcohol to warm her up, he thought with a shake of his head.

When they met the hunt master, Edward couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of both frustration and concern as he listened to his far from detailed account of his encounters with the beast. If it does indeed affect the memories of those who encounter it, that would most certainly explain the conflicting descriptions of it, he thought with a slight scowl underneath his helmet. While creatures with such abilities were not exactly unheard of, neither were they a common occurrence. For the most part, tales of such supernatural creatures served as little more than folk tales told to scare the young into not roaming too far into the forests. If such a creature did exist, it made sense that not even the royal hunt master could defeat it. Even with his unparalleled knowledge of beasts among the Legion, this would prove to be as difficult as he had imagined when first reading about this contract.