The afternoon sun's great rays beamed down on the bustling city and the faint green and golden landscape surrounding the rolling hills around it. Grey walls circumnavigated the inner core while small bursts of houses and shops populated outside the occasional gate leading travelers and caravans in and out through white paved roads snaking some distance away from the city. A great blue river bisected the city into two equal halves before leading off into the horizon and into the nearby ocean. The city's interior itself was a hive of activity as all manner of races and people's could be seen living, playing, interacting, and going about business. Located at the center was a great open forum where speakers made their case to willing audiences and up on a hill was the White Eagle Citadel home of the reigning council but beyond that in its very own raised district sat a vast gated off complex with a winding road leading to a ornate steel gate and a perimeter surrounded by lush evergreens.
The complex itself was straightforward at first. A large magnificent central building would be the first to catch the eye of any interloper that could be reached after a series of stairs. The main buildings itself was welcomed by a large courtyard filled with decorated shrubs and bushes with a set of twin fountains in its ends with one being much larger than the other. To one side of a courtyard was a squat but tall and deep-set building of not so clear purpose. Perhaps it was of religious use or something else entirely? On the other side was a caked field of dirt with several figures performing acts of mock combat and sounds of wooden weapons thumping with each other and yells and grunts of adventures exerting themselves. There was more to the complex but this would be the extent of anyone who was curious enough to peek through the gate. As such it was a normal day for the headquarters of the Paean Legion an esteemed organization dedicated to completing any set of odd jobs that needed to be completed. The Legion had a vast network of smaller offices and bases throughout the continent of Requiem but none came close to the splendor and size of the headquarters. And thus it was an average day.
At least that, that's what the high elf Roxana wished. She had gotten clearance from the gate guards and was walking to the main building's front door while rubbing her side. It still felt somewhat tender to the touch but she felt no pain from it and that was a very good thing indeed. Today was the day she had returned from a leave of absence from the guild due to an injury in her last contract taken. It was about time that she went back to work as staying stuffed inside her lodge all day for weeks wasn't something she was fond of. Going inside the building she could see the front desk was strangely open as usually there be lines from legionnaires with their parties waiting to confirm their contract. This was not the case all the front desk ladies were in idle chatter. Turning her head she saw that the spacious part gathering place part tavern was decently filled but nowhere near as rowdy as usual. How strange, thought Roxana.
Nevertheless, she didn't care that much. Going with groups could be such a chore. Walking all the way to the end of the room she came upon the great bulletin board where normally all manner of contracts where pinned. Something was terribly wrong. her eyes darted like flies across board hoping in a futile attempt she was somehow wrong. She audibly frowned and slouched in a sign of defeat as her fears came true. Normally there be up to a dozen or more contracts waiting to be picked but today of all days there were only three. Just three. Three measly papers pinned onto the wooden board. What made it pouring salt into the wound was how all of them were required party contracts with a minimum number of three members. With defeat settled in her heart she decided to read the contracts in more detail.
Roxana stood with her jaw dropped at how generous all were. Six-hundred Ducats were more than enough to pay for an entire month's worth of rent in the city's more upper class districts. Good thing she owned her own lodgings in a quite middle-class residential district so she the rewards for each even more appealing as she'd have way more left over. Still she was left with the dilemma of finding a group to form a part with or at least a temporary one. Looking behind her it looked be a majority of Red Cloaks and it looked like quite a varied cast of ragtags with some faces familiar and other quite new. Just great, I'll get to team up with a bunch of whelps, thought Roxana. Nevertheless, by the color of her own Purple cloak she had to take charge in situation like these. Swinging her entire body around and placing her hand on her hips she took a deep breath and with an air of confidence spoke out.
"Alrighty, as I think we've all noticed, there's only three contracts today and all require parties. I would like to propose a party to take the family heirloom contract. I'm not sure if any you are up to it but if any of us would like to get payed today I don't see any other choice. Don't really care if any you take the others as I'm not interested in them." With her last words she stared intently into the tavern's crowd and waited for any volunteers that would take her offer.