Fantasy A Guild of Heroes: Song of Champions

[Birdsie]

SETTING & HISTORY
Far off to the western coast of the continent of Gael stands the proud kingdom known to sailors and travelers as Albion, surrounded by its closest neighbors of Espania to the east and Laurellia to the north. Albion is a country where freedom is a value held in esteem and commodity; slavery was abolished many years ago and liberty plays a key part of the politics, where even the king's actions are under oversight from a council of the people's representatives. But among the vast forests and plains of central Albion, among its eastern steppes and deserts, its western shores and sea, its northern mountains, and tundras, and the cursed southern badlands, moors and dark woods, there is one place that stands out.

In the heart of the country, only an hour by horse from the capital city, there stands Castle Black. In its walls are the living quarters and training grounds of future champions and saviors. Whether you ridicule them or love them, that is where tomorrow's heroes hone their skills for the good of all.

But... to tell you the truth, the whole shebang is really just a fancy way to have a legal and widely supported guild of adventurers... You know what, they don't pay me enough to narrate this shit. Hey, who wants to go hang out at Astrid's Bar? Drinks are on me--THWACK! Auw! Okay, okay, fine! I'll narrate... but not because you told me to.

This Guild was conceived by William Black, an adventurer and first guild master of aforementioned organization. He did it shortly after he and his friends defeated Turenval, an evil demilich that wanted to turn the entire planet into a giant battery. He did it to uphold peace, order, and bring security to the land. Two and a half-century later, and we wind up in the year 701 of the royal calendar. Evil is returning once again to Albion and only the guild can stop it.

CHARACTERS
This roleplay is rated F for Freedom. Provided your character isn't stupidly overpowered with no actual vulnerabilities or flaws, you can go pretty much anywhere and explore any concept. That is, if it suits the setting well. You won't see any spaceships in a fantasy world like this, is what I'm saying. Stick to the topic and all will be dandy.

Unlike in the previous (and maybe subsequent,) versions of this cantankerous social invention we call a writer's gathering, I am willing to grant the mantle of guild master to any player who asks for it. If you're down for it, shoot me a PM and we'll discuss the specifics. First come, first served.

Posting Rules1. Include your character's name and location above the post to keep things clear when someone new joins in.
2. Paragraph your posts correctly to keep them easy to read. Having three, separate lines from different characters in a single paragraph is often too much.
3. Steer clear of grammar mistakes.
4. This goes without saying, but no powergaming.
5. Write in the past tense, third person. If you want to include a character's internal thoughts, you may, in which case you should use italics or quotation marks.

Important Posts- Description of Fort Black (page 1, post #2.)
- A Quest from an Old Man (page 4, post #95.)
- The Great Quest (page 5, post #111.)
- Description of Cyrus' workshop (page 5, post #123.)
- Chapter 2 (page 8, post #186.)
- Attack on Xhorhas (page 12, post #291.)
- Verraketh contacts the Guildmaster (page 15, post #371.)
- Chapter 3 (page 19, post #453.)
- Interlude -- Prisoner #1 (page 19, post #470.)
- Interlude -- The Essence Between (page 23, post #574.)
- Chapter 4 (page 33, post #818.)

 

[Birdsie]

The Fluffiest Floof Alteras Lovable Dark-side Hanarei fluticasone Swire LostHaven FireMaiden Bakuyoshi Octo Girl SP3CT3R CrimsonEclipse Graystone713 Noble Scion Blood Born Angel BackSet Sea Jay Kylesar1 Axel The Englishman Archdemon LoneSniper87 Fable Captain Gabriel Reinhardt Elekta Kount Akihito One Mean Ghost

Chapter 1: Enigmatic Magus

*​

​

As soon as you step through the trees, you can vaguely make out the form of the castle far away. Placed in the middle of a U-shaped river peninsula, on a large hill, was Castle Black. There are many such forts scattered throughout Gael, but this one is unique in that it is the headquarter of the Guild of Heroes.

From far away, one can see the Guild banners near the gate: a golden hand with an open palm, reaching upwards, painted on a red background. To get to the gate, one has to walk the long, wide bridge built mostly from cobblestone and big, gray bricks. At the gate, there are no guards posted, but rather a pair of adamantine golems, that are there mostly for the looks. It makes sense, considering that mostly everyone inside is a seasoned warrior.

The walls are tall and glorious. Smooth enough so that climbing them with hands is impossible. Built from a rock so majestic and exotic that even siege weapons would have trouble piercing them. An adamant construction, with tall, square guard towers going along its length and at the crossings. On them, too, are displayed the banners of the Guild, and on top of them stand golem archers - these ones constructed from mithral, as their frame glistened with a silvery sheen.

Inside, as one steps through the gate, they find themselves in the courtyard. Cobblestone pathways lead you onward, with statues of great heroes displayed at several junctions, with places awaiting for future carvings. The greatest and largest of these statues is in the middle, standing at a venerable six meters tall and adorned with gold accents - it depicts William Black. Just behind this statue is a fountain, and under it is a small tablet with a quote that reads: "Bringing justice to the untouchable is an obligation of any hero."

To the left of the courtyard is the grand dining hall, which contains five tables, each one with enough space to hold up to a hundred people and there's also a sizable bar in the corner. The kitchen is adjacent to it, and the Guild can afford some of the best cooks, although the actual number of people it has to feed means that the chefs have to begin an hour earlier and every guildsman that wants to eat here needs to pay an adequate, monthly fee or buy the meals manually.

To the right of the courtyard is the training yard. A ground with numerous enclosures where fighters can spare, a collection of dummies for inexperienced members, and training clay golems of two variants; one with wood equipment and the other with actual steel, to simulate the 'real danger.' In addition, there's an obstacle course (or rather, a gauntlet of doom, as the locals call it,) that changes every few years for added variety.

And if you go forward, you'll find yourself going to the main complex. That's where the reception is and where the available contracts are hung on numerous corkboards. The stairs that lead up go in the direction of the living quarters, the guild master's office, and the shops; including a department of Gilmore's Glorious Goods, a shop chain that caters exclusively to adventurers, as well as teleport that leads straight to Astrid's Bar in Bowerstone and back, it being the most popular pub for most of the guildsmen.

Downstairs, however, is the extensive, underground dungeon. It houses only the most dangerous individuals known to Albion, and access to the dungeon is strictly prohibited to anyone but trusted members picked by the guild master and the guard golems who also feed the prisoners. Several levels below, guarded by traps and monsters that only let the guild master through, is the mysterious vault, to which only the guild master has the key. Inside this vault, are artifacts of great and terrible power taken from those who the guild defeated in the past.

Now, then. That would be it for our tour of the grounds.

It is the beginning of a new chapter in the Guild's long history...

 

[lightdrago]

Jason was whistling.

Sauntering down the halls of the guild, twirling one of his chainblades in his right hand, Jason was happily contemplating the mission he was set out on. Jason was tasked to retrieve some 'precious' family heirloom from some rich family. He wasn't particularly enthused to take the job at first (they were rich. What's one lost family heirloom?), he was enticed by the alluring amount of gold that was offered as a reward. After taking an exaggerated amount of time of whether or not to take the mission in front of the family, he accepted.

The mission wasn't particularly hard. After gathering the necessary information turns out it was just another one of those rich family feuds., trying to show that they were the richer family. Rich people, amirite? He was able to find the location of the thief and easily climb into an unattended window. Jason did not even need to use any of his spells to hide his presence. The guards were laughably oblivious to his being there and the residents residing there were snoring as loud as a pig. After a few minutes of searching, he came across an office that contained a safe. Cracking his knuckles, Jason immediately gets to work with the lock, carefully moving his lockpicks to open it.

Click!

Opening the safe turned out to be one of the better decisions he's made this week. Not only was the heirloom in their (some stupid necklace, whoop-de-doo), much of the owner's accessories were in there as well. Gold accessories. Valuable accessories. Accessories that would hurt one's pride if they lost.

Stealing all of the contents, he then placed a bunch of random household items he could find in there to make the surprise of all the owner's items lost that more devastating. Jason's only disappointed he'll never get to see their face once they open it. He opens another window and hurriedly makes his exit.

Jason returned to the family and swung the heirloom in front of their faces, taunting them with it. "If you want it, you're gonna have to offer a bit more than was originally intended. I almost died you know." A lie, but why would he care? Money...

After "bargaining" with the family, they gave him twice the amount of gold they originally offered and angrily snatched the heirloom away from him, cursing his name. Jason thanks them for choosing him for his job offer and leaves for the guild, but not before swiping a beautiful necklace of theirs.

Patting the stolen item in his pocket and smiling to himself, Jason wandered into the kitchen for some food, a mission well done.

However, when he opens the door, he sees a woman sleeping in the far corner of the room. He recognizes her to be Xilia, one of the other guild members. Jason has seen her around, interacting with the others, though he has not talked to her personally. Jason believes she gives off an air of "rich people," a demographic he tends to dislike. It's made worse when he eyes the crown resting on her head. Just another token that expresses how more rich they are when compared to others...

Wait a minute...

The crown. With the owner of it sleeping and totally unaware that someone could just take it from her and sell it to the highest bidder.

This day keeps getting better and better... Jason's grin widens even more, as he now has a prime opportunity to take her crown. He's not sure how much gold it could be worth, but he believes it to be substantial. Even if it isn't, he's not bothered by it. Just another rich person he likes to piss off...

Casting muffle, Jason quietly makes his way behind Xilia, making sure to not disturb her slumber. Jason bites his lips in anticipation, and he can already feel the weight of the golf that will line his pockets. He gingerly places his hands around the crown and begins to lift it up.
_______________
Jason Crowe
Guild’s Kitchen
Interacting with Xilia Aravar

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

Xilia, currently at the guilds kitchen room. Interacting with Jason ( lightdrago )

Xilia had been sleeping since yesterday. She had come home from a really hard mission. She had to get post stamps. After returning, she had eaten a bit, slept a bit, eaten a bit and then slept.
Until now, that was. She was still in the kitchen, because why move away, this way you could still get breakfast when you woke up. And wake up she did. Less by herself but more due to a weird feeling on her head. Opening her eyes and stretching, she took some time to realize where she was and yawned loudly.

"Ugh. Is food ready?", she asked into the nothingness, before getting up and noticing the person behind her. A bright smile immediatly filled her face. "Oh, hello there! I didnt even realized you were there! I´m Xilia, but most people call me queen. Some call me Fay, too. I dont really mind any of those names. And you are one of the new recruits of the guild, i know that. I remember your face. Your name, however, i must´ve forgotten. I recall a J. I wanna say... Jerry. Or Jason. YEAH Jason."

Her speech was interupted by a long yawn. "Oh, excuse that, will you. Im just always so tired." She took a quick look around herself and her stomach started to rumble loudly. "And hungry. Aren´t you hungry too? They give people way too little food here, granted how much we have. What would you say if we grabbed ourself a little", another yawn, "snack? I won´t tell anybody, don´t worry. I do this way too often myself."

She giggled a bit about her dangerous activities. Then, she tilted her head. Her crown had been shifted a bit. She supposed that had happened in her sleep. "Oh, the crown isn´t straight. I must look like a mess."

A third yawn. "Ah, don´t worry the crown or the nickname "Queen". I´m really not anything special. Im a master in this guild, that i am. But other than that, im just a Faeridar that wants to help. And..." Another rumble from her stomach, "Eat. I also want to eat. The sooner, the better."

 

[Fable]

[div class=fyurifauxtabs]Veth | Great Dining Hall | Open to Interaction[/div]
Veth had only been to Castle Black a few time. She was one of the newest guild members, only having joined a few months prior after deciding to sign herself thanks to a very charismatic minstrel. She was still associated with her merc company - The Silent Order - but the jobs here were more to her taste. The Silent Order took whatever jobs were paying; good and bad. She avoided ones that she disagreed with, but had learned early on to keep her opinions on the jobs to herself. She would have had her membership revoked if she wasn't so useful to the company, not to mention having rumors about a Lecethian elf in your roster was good for business.

The first time she had ever seen the castle, she'd been in awe, though that wasn't exactly something hard to achieve due to her limited worldly experience. She was coming back for a mission regarding a group of bandits causing a disturbance along one of the merchant roads. It was quick work in luring them out and then beating them down till they agreed to return their stolen goods. The most difficult part was actually getting those goods back to who they belonged to. She ended up spending days with insurance agents. Right at this moment, she wanted to eat something decent and rest.

She dismounted from her horse and led it to the stables to be tended to. She took her things and slung the bag over her back, carrying it towards the dining hall. She picked a random seat and dropped her items down next to it. She stretched out her arms and sighed, wondering when there would be food served. She glanced around, wondering if she was allowed to go into the kitchen to ask. Ultimately, she decided to wait for a bit, snack on an apple she had packed, and if by the time she was done she heard nothing about food being served, she would go inquire. Veth sat down, plucked the apple out of her bag and took a thoughtful bite.
[class=fyurifauxtabs] width:100%; text-align:center; background:none; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(34, 25, 25, 0.4); border-bottom:1px solid #fff; [/class]

 

[Akihito]

Aaron W. Windsor - The Guild of Heroes' Bar [Location]

"I am the greatest smuggler of all...oh forget it. Another mead, if ya please."

Aaron slumped on his bar stool, idly tapping his fingers on the table. He felt a nice buzz, enough to make him feel pleased, but was rather disappointed there weren't any lovely ladies hanging around to hear his daring and dashing stories. Not to mention the current barmaid was probably sick of him at this point. It'd been a while since he actually did anything. After all, he was only a smuggler and not everyone needed his services. Aaron was quite picky with the missions he took, preferring ones with the least amount of work. Unfortunately with that kind of thinking, his funds were rather low although that wasn't anything new.

What shall I do today? Wonder if anyone is up for some gambling. Although folk around here look dangerous. Aaron thought to himself before sighing. Why I joined a place like this is beyond me.

Aaron didn't feel as if he fit in here. He wasn't a fighter, he was a smuggler and he was often called (and probably self-proclaimed) the laziest guild member in here (which he "wore" proudly) so being in a guild seemed a bit out of sorts for him. On the bright side, loan sharks couldn't get him in here. Although he often had to check his back to make sure no one was following him when he's on mission.

The barmaid passed by him again and he shot her a flirtatious look, which earned him a look of disgust. Aaron just grinned and drank the mead she dropped off for him. He turned his seat around to survey the enormous dining hall. People scattered in all sorts of places.

Aaron shook his head, sighing. "This place is much too big." He said to himself, although out loud. This was true, but perhaps this was a personal problem on his end. It was quite often you'd find Aaron roaming the halls, unable to find his way to the bar or even his own quarters. Once he went missing for a week until a guild member found him face first on the floor, desperate for mead and attention. Not one of his best moments but this guild place was no joke.

A woman with nothing more than an apple sat down near him on one of the dining tables. Aaron, never one to miss an opportunity, straightened up and slicked his hair back. He clucked his tongue and winked at her.

"How you doin'?" Aaron said in his best suave voice. God, I'm so good.

Fable

 

[lightdrago]

Damnit. Jason quickly put his hands away from her head. He almost had it too. In order to remain inconspicuous, he nabs the closest food—an apple—and takes a bite out of it, leaning on the counter.

“You’re awake...” he began, but that’s all the words he got in edgewise. She just woke up, and Xilia was speaking as fast as a bullet, and Jason could only tilt his head during her chatter. However, he was able to get a response in. “I know what you mean. I used to get hungry all the time.” Of course, that’s before he was taught the art of stealing, but that’s a tale for another time.

Jason watched annoyed, but he did not show it, as Xilia readjusted her crown. It was right there for the taking. He would have been able to get away with it too. He was so close in taking it, but she just had to wake up at the exact moment he decided to steal it.

Lady Luck, why have art thou forsaken Jason?

However, he did take note of Xilia’s humble words. It not like Jason hasn’t met a nice rich person before, but he has met those with hidden agendas. Whether or not she was sincere, Jason would have to learn in time.

Jason grabs another apple and offers it to Xilia. “Eat This if you’re hungry,” in another act of nonchalance, as if he did not try to steal her valuable crown a moment before. “Meal time should be in a few hours anyway, but nothing says a snack can’t tide us over.”
_______________
Jason Crowe
Guild’s Kitchen
Interacting with Xilia Aravar
The Fluffiest Floof

 

[Birdsie]

Spoiler: Kinda an intro

Ellis drew heavy breaths as he lumbered forward through the woods, looking back every few seconds to make sure they're not being followed. He carried a young elven boy in his arms, who reluctantly held on. He was no older than twelve.

"Don't let me fall, you idiot," the boy pleaded maliciously. Both of his legs had seen better days.

Ellis looked down at him, not happy. "Don't worry kid, I'm a garbage disposal specialist..." he answered with venom, then delivered the coup de grace: "Carrying trash like you is my job."

Fenro's blue eyes burned with rage. "Screw you! If you hurried up, we could have saved my pendant!" he barked.

"And if you would've shut up, I wouldn't have dropped you," Ellis reacted calmly.

"What are you talking abo---" THUD. "Gah!" The boy landed on the ground, amongst grass and leaves, but they did not soften the fall at all.

Ellis threw his head back and shook with laughter. When he was done, not long after, he looked at Fenro. "After giving me lip the whole way, I have to say... damn, that felt good. Let's check that wound of yours, eh compadre?" He knelt next to the child whose rage intensified twice, but the boy bottled his rage and looked away, avoiding eye-contact with the annoying bard.

"We're going back for my pendant once you heal me," the boy demanded, quietly.

"What's so big about it?" Ellis asked as he produced a white cloth from his sack. It would have to do as a makeshift bandage. He tied it around the wound on the boy's forearm: a rather small cut, with some dark spots around it, bleeding unnaturally quickly for its size. An enchanted sword dealt that wound.

Typical place to receive it, too. Untrained people tend to use their forearms as shields, which, when you're dealing with a slashing weapon is actually one of the worst mistakes you could make, unless your only other option is to use your stomach instead.

Fenro looked at the bard. "My pendant? It's magical. It can--"

"I wouldn't rely on magic if I were you," Ellis interjected with remarkable speed. "It's bad."

"How so?"

"All my life, magic brought me nothing but grief. First, they hurt me for using it. Then, they hurt me for not using it. In the end, I would have been better off not having it at all. Then, no one could complain about me doing either."

"You're... a mage?"

"Not anymore." He paused, Ellis was done with bandaging Fenro's arm, so he moved onto the cut on the boy's chest. "Look back at history, kid. Senor Fred's death? Orchestrated by an insane necromancer who warped flesh to create monsters. Turenval? He desired to turn the world into a mana farm to fuel his ascension. Every major disaster starts with magic in some way. Some archmage wants to be immortal, a novice spellcaster wants a pet demon, or the college of mages wants a powerful asset. It's a tale as old as time - I would know, I'm a bard. That's why I cut myself off from magic, and I advise you to do the same. It's neato to live like that."

The boy looked aside. "Don't say that. It--it... magic can be used for good, too."

"True," Ellis acknowledged, then beat his argument back into the dirt: "But the death count begs to differ. Magic doesn't revive people or grant them immortality because it's against the natural order... unless a deity says otherwise. But using it to kill is fine, somehow. I'll never understand that. The concept is revolting."

Ellis picked Fenro back up. The boy was discouraged by his arguments but had neither the stamina nor wisdom to fight them, so it would be futile. "What about my pendant?"

"Leave it. If it's really magical, the orcs will fight for it. They're dumb enough to kill each other for it. It's not worth going back for, and if it was, then it's a bit too late to mention that now."

Fenro felt pain grip his chest.

After ten minutes of travel, they found a road and followed it. Half an hour later, they were near a village. Ellis left the elven boy with his parents - one an elf, the other a human - and told them the story. From deduction, he could tell that Fenro ran away from home because he didn't feel like his human father was his real one.

They were really glad that Ellis arrived when he did. Who would have thought that our little escapist would have stumbled on a pack of orcs, whose warchief was a coincidentally a mage? A power-hungry one, at that. As Ellis collected his payment and took out his guild seal to teleport back to the Fort, he couldn't help but think, with a frown on his lips: 'A tale as old as time.'

*​

Ellis | Great Dining Hall | Interacting with Veth and Aaron​

(I rolled the cockblock dice. It wasn't pretty. Time to intervene.)

Ellis grinned, then strummed his lute in a high-pitched chord and broke in between the two like a bomb. "Twas a crazy old elf named Ileef, who caused the farmers much grief!" Without warning, he began to sing.

"To the cows he would run, cut their legs off for fun! And say 'look I've invented ground beef!'" Before they had time to compose, Ellis bowed to Aaron and Veth, as if he had just given them the performance of their lives. As he bowed, he thought to himself: Flirting in MY dining room? Puh-leeze! I won't condone this behavior. As a rule, I get ALL the ladies!

"Thank you, thank you! My name is Ellis... madame!" He took Veth's hand and planted a kiss on it without warning, then grinned like a viper, looking sideways at Aaron, as he spoke in a slower, less cordial tone, trying to convey a message. "Pleased... to make your acquaintance." Ellis was trying to out-suave him.

He leveled a flirtatious at Veth with the smirk of a true player. "May I interest you in some fine cuisine at my cost, milady?" he asked in a smooth tone.

Akihito Fable

 

[FireMaiden]

Isabella Thorne
Loction: Forest Somewhere near Castle Black
Interaction: Open
Glancing down at her journal, the page it was open to nearly full of neat, loopy handwriting, Isabella furrowed her brows as she finished the last sentence; the location of a rare type of tree that produced vaulable resources. She would maybe try and take some, bur at the moment, shs lacked the type of blade required to take it. Well, actually her's was in the process of being repaired. Reguardless, the tree's locations noted, and she was sure to return at some point in the future. Closing the leather bound book once the ink has dried, Isabella stood. Taking a look around the dense wood, she inhaled deeply. "Not far now," She said quietly, slipping the journal back in her bag before slinging it over her shoulder and continuing her walk.

Weeks had passed since the arguing began between the Nightingales and her family. Her employers wanted to send someone other than her to strike a deal with the Guild of Hero's, and her family, with their own interests in mind, wanted to send her and leave the Nightingales out of it. It took a while to compromise because Isabella was already working. Someone had to step in for her, and she was sent out to join the guild. And see to it that a beneficial partnership was made for all the particapating parties. It was a headache, and one she would have prefers to not deal with but she had little say in the matter.

Sliding down a small, but slightly steep hill, Isabella was growing closer to the tree line, the sound of water growing closer. She remembered, without taking out the map provided to her, she recalled that the castle in question was on a river, so it made it easier when she was trying to locate - her stomach growled, causing her to pause. Had she eaten breakfast? Isabella wasn't sure, but reguardless, she squated, taking her bag off her back, before opening it and pulling out a small parcelnwrapped in cloth. Inside, leftover dinner, a rabbit's leg and some now rather soft raspberries. Taking the leg, she shook the cloth clean before returning it to her bag, and continuing on as she ate.

"...This is pretty bad cold."

 

[Bakuyoshi]

Saia- Guild entrance

Saia was amazed by all of this. She knew it was a good idea to tail this large group. She was finally able to see the Guild of Heroes the Monks had spoken so much about. And it was everything she had imagined and more. "I can't believe it I'm actually here. The Guild of Heroes! And it's all like the books said. Even the tablet says what the book did!" Saia exclaims as she looks around even more inspecting every little thing she could find. This was all new territory. But she had to figure out where and how she could register to be in the guild. But she had not the slightest idea of what to do or where to go.

(Open for interaction)

 

[Graystone713]

Wobb Gooblesplatsh
Guild dining hall​

Wobb's morning had been uneventful, but... Well, half of the fetch quests available today were about delivering things or picking up things, and most of those things didn't hold up well to being covered in wet slime. The only other one involved babysitting those kids again, and they specifically said Wobb wasn't allowed to because of the mess he left last time. It wasn't his fault he was so goopy! And who said it was a bad thing, anyway?... Okay almost everyone did, but he still liked being gooey. Well, as nice as target practice was, and as many arrowheads as he recovered for himself, he couldn't just practice all day. Maybe he could tag along on someone else's quest? Well, he coudl hear SOMEONE's ear-grating music. The troupe would've never let that music fly. Must've been that awful bard. Now, his vocals had some merit if he developed his voice more, but his lute playing was... UGH. He had the technique, but this was clearly a song he wrote himself, and he was a terrible composer! Wobb was sure HE could play better. And he'd have to work really hard to even be able to hold a pick and strum notes with it! So, he 'walked' (shuffled, really) into the dining hall, seeing that it was indeed the WORST bard. Uuuugh.

"Shoudah hadda kazoo. Awfuw. Blech."

He said as he passed them by, headed for the end of the bar so he could get back to the waste bucket. He could get to the pantry and eat a bag of apples or something, but the last time he did that the chefs got pretty dang mad at him. So he very carefully opened that little door at the end of the bar and began to slip right on through... What would it be today? Apple cores? Bones? Nothing-NOTHING? Oh no, they already threw out the mess from breakfast! Now what was he gonna do? Now what COULD he do?

 

[One Mean Ghost]

Ki'Tavi

Well this was a strange turn of events.

Kit had been in the dining area for quite some time, basically blending into the wallpaper as he chewed on a turkey leg. He'd been a member of this particular guild for some time now. That didn't mean he had left the Phantom Legion. Not in the slightest. Lately, though, there had been a serious shortage of major jobs for the Legion, so many members had joined other guilds just to supplement their work. Legion was always first, but money was money. He watched an elf-woman come in, and almost immediately she was accosted by not one, but two so-called "smooth-operators" that were all but forcing themselves on her.

Judging by the look of her, she could probably handle herself. Even still, he was bored, and this would provide him a little entertainment. Tossing the leg bone into a nearby trash bin, he made his way over, his footfalls making almost no sound as he approached, though he made no effort to really hide. "Gentlemen... and I use that term very lightly... You both appear quite constipated... I would suggest seeing a nurse as soon as possible. In the meantime, give the lady some air!" Kit remarked, clapping them both on the shoulder.

He was, of course, referring to that "suave" look they were trying to pull off. From where Kit stood, it looked like they were either gassy or constipated. He never could figure out why anyone thought that was attractive. Oh well, that wasn't his problem. He leaned against the bar a few steps away, turning his gaze to the elf-woman. "Are you always this popular, or are you just lucky tonight?" Kit inquired with a quirked eyebrow at her. He'd heard from Mary countless times how over-the-top pushy men could be, but it still stunned him to see it actually done in practice.

Normally, he wouldn't but his nose in on it when the woman in question could clearly handle herself, but, of course, he was looking for something to entertain himself, and this elf had an air of intrigue about her. Besides, it was always amusing to upstage a couple of stooges. He wasn't going to try to act particularly suave, or flirt so shamelessly. That may work on some small town tavernmaid, but Kit imagined this elf-girl had more in common with Valkyrie and Mary than she would with a tavern girl.

He was curious about her, he had to admit, not realizing he was looking at someone from a rival mercenary group. Then again, unlike himself, who had a brand on his shoulder indicating his ties to the Phantom Legion, she didn't have a brand from her group...

 

[Archdemon]

Viska
Location: Guild of heroes Great Dining Hall
Action: Being the happy face of the morning! Also breakfast!

It was morning, Viska could usually tell by the way the sun hit her face when she slept blissfully in her bed. She
wore something akin to pajamas, because it was customary to wear special clothing while sleeping though most Kobolds would sleep in the nude because it was not shameful. Here that idea was different, if you showed your
nude body outside, you could get into big trouble, Viska learned that when she first went into a large city.

Either way Viska happily jumped up from her bed and donned her robes and jewelry. She wanted breakfast, and to hopefully put some smiles on people's faces! She began to walk/jog through the halls of the guild, the pitter patter of her feet echoing through the halls. Despite the common idea of wearing clothing on your feet, Viska didn't because she loved feeling things with her feet, oh and their pretty tough too cause Kobolds walked on rocks and other sharp things.

She jogged through the halls with a big gleeful face and she said hi to every single guild member she passed by. If you think I'm joking, I'm not, she literally says hi to everyone. She is well known in the guild as being one of, if not, the happiest guild member apprentice there, hell maybe even the happiest member of the guild. She stopped and entered the dining hall, and made her way to the person who would give her food. She liked it here at the guild, everyone was so friendly and so nice to her, it was great! Even the meanest person couldn't be that mean to Viska, well maybe but she wouldn't mind their mean manners as she was too happy and innocent to get mad.

She took her food and began looking around for a spot to sit down at, and being as small as she was at the astounding height of 4'6 she couldn't really find any open spots. She looked around before sitting down at an empty table, and began to happily munch down on the food she was given. She was like a child sure but she was older than she looked and acted, and was actually much more mature than people give her credit for. Still she was the happy little bean of the guild, and she was clearly the most peaceful and the biggest pacifist of them all.

(open Interaction)

 

[Akihito]

Aaron W. Windsor - The Bar - Interacting with Veth and Ellis

Aaron narrowed his eyes at the minstrel, possibly trying to out-suave the greatest smuggler in the world.

Whatever happened to first come, first serve. Somebody come get your man. Aaron said to himself, annoyed. Aaron rolled up his sleeves to reveal slim, although toned, arms. He wasn't usually one for confrontation but he had a bit of drink in him and he was ready to throw down, if needed. He didn't have money, so he had no choice but to use his obviously dashing good looks and charm.

"Hold on there friend! Why not continue you playing your ravishing music? Wouldn't want to put you out of the job." Aaron called out to him, stepping up towards. "Now how could a gentleman like myself let a hard-working man stop his job just to be polite. It simply will not do. Say, I have an idea. How about I treat the lovely lady to some grub and you can continue on your merry way, why I believe that table all the way down there; and I do mean down there would just love to hear some music. Oh, no need to thank me, just looking out for others is all."

Aaron slid in between the the man and the woman, putting his hand on the table with a devilish grin that could make most women swoon. (Okay maybe just a few women.) "How about it? Want to get some food and let this hard working minstrel to his job?" Aaron asked the woman, his voice as smooth as butter.

Fable Birdsie

 

[Birdsie]

Ellis | Great Dining Hall | Interacting with Veth, Ki'Tavi and Aaron​

For a moment, Ellis almost lost his balance, but a cat-person wouldn't shake him! Ellis maintained his smooth exterior, then giddily interjected when the catfolk mentioned her being lucky tonight. "Oh, she's lucky alright! She has my attention, which by itself is a sign of great fortune!"

He stepped back, lifted his head in confidence and raised a finger toward the sky, heroically. "For you see! I am the one and only: Ellis Bellathriel, the greatest bard Albion has ever known! Surely, you've heard of me," he said, then, knowing that what he was saying isn't entirely true, he continued as to not let anyone interject. "I am the skald, who had seen and participated in battles of legend! The cantor who had recounted the most magnificent tales of heroes from across the land! A gentleman by day, a philosopher by night, a bard by choice, and your hero... by fate!"

"Feel free to faint, now." He held back a laugh, as he smiled in what can only be described as the highest shelf of egotism.

Akihito Fable One Mean Ghost
(Posted out of order cuz I'm off to sleep. Night.)

 

[Fable]

[div class=fyurifauxtabs]Veth | Great Dining Hall | Akihito Birdsie One Mean Ghost [/div]
Veth heard the sound of a tongue clicking before a masculine voice spoke, asking her how she was doing in a voice and tone that was all too familiar. She swallowed the apple she had been chewing on before her blue eyes slid over to the unknown man. He was obviously another guild member, otherwise he wouldn't have set foot in this castle. She'd never seen him before, but she was still new so that wasn't shocking. She could smell the alcohol wafting off from him and wondered if he was perhaps drunk, thus the reason why he thought his approach was actually one that would work.

Right before she is able to open her mouth and speak to the most likely not sober man, another interrupted, singing a ridiculous song in a high pitch. This one was even more forward than the first one! He dared to grab her hand and kiss it?! Her gaze snapped over to the one who'd decided it was fine to touch her so intimately, slowly setting down the apple on the table. Her hand slowly inched towards the small kunai tucked into belt. "Do you always assault strangers as a greeting?" she asked, though she wasn't expecting an answer.

As if the second interruption wasn't enough, there was now a third joining in the fray. This one decided to insult the other two, not something she was expecting at all. When he asked if if she was always this popular, she looked directly at the oddly bestial man to reply, "Unfortunately, this is not my first of these types of encounters." It seemed the first two weren't done with this strange masculine display. The first rolled up his sleeves and responded to the one who had sung the odd song, speaking in a way she interpreted as threateningly.

The mistrel twisted the cat-eared man's words, saying how Veth was lucky for his attention.... then he proceeded to loudly ramble about himself. Veth was done. She grabbed her things, stood up briskly and then stared down the minstrel and the drunkard intensely, "You can keep each other company and buy each other a meal. I am not entertained in the slightest by this foolish, vain parade." She looked at the man who had first approached her, "Sober up, you smell like an old tavern." Turning towards the minstrel, "I've never heard of you and do not care for vainglorious eulogies spoken by those who simply wish to have their ego stroked."

Finally, she turned to the feline, "While you tried to assist, I am more than capable of fending off empty flirtations. I thank you for your efforts." With that she turned away from the smuggler and the minstrel on a mission for food. She ignored the two members in the kitchen, grabbing a few items and placing them on a plate then heading back into the great dining hall. She sat across the table from where she had been formerly sitting, dropped her things onto the floor, set down the table and took a bite of a piece of cheese.
[class=fyurifauxtabs] width:100%; text-align:center; background:none; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(34, 25, 25, 0.4); border-bottom:1px solid #fff; [/class]

 

[Elekta Kount]

Volkmar von Steinhäuser
Location: Forest Somewhere near Castle Black
Interaction: Isabelle Thorne( FireMaiden )
*Niegh*
The sound of a horse's neighed echoed a ways through the forest, followed by a faint sound of galloping that grew louder and louder by the minute, until a horse and it's rider appeared from between the various trees.
This horse itself was not armored, but the rider was armored, with various insignia of an iron crosses decorating the steel plates. The rider had with him a blade to sheath at the hip and his shield strap to his back.
His name was Volkmar von Steinhäuser, a knight sent by the Order of the Light to serve as an acting representative between the knightly order and the guild. No doubt it would serve beneficial to both parties to have a line of communication...it'll also serve well for the Von Steinhäuser family to have one of their own among the ranks of this so-called Hero's Guild.
Volkmar rode hard, as he followed the direction of a local had told him lead to this.... Castle Black...a rather grim title for the headquarters of a Guild of Heroes.
Volkmar reared his trusty steed, Daisy, slightly as he steered his companion down a rather steep sloop.
*Niegh*
Upon almost reaching the bottem of the slope, Daisy neighed once more, but this time he lifted his front legs as if he was startled by somthing.
"Woah, there!"
The rider said calm yet firm demenor, as the horse lowered it's front legs back onto the ground, moving to the side for Volmar to witness what had startled him.
"Who go's there!"
Volkmar's voice thundered through the plains, as he narrowed his eyes through the slits of his visors, onto the cloaked figure in-front of him...​

 

[FireMaiden]

Isabella Thorne
Loction: Forest Somewhere near Castle Black
Interaction: Volkmar Elekta Kount
She kept Her back to whoever was addressing her, though she almost immdeiatly recognized his voice. It cause a light smirk to spread across her face. Clearing her thoat, she slowly raised her hands. "I'm no one important, just a lady out exploring," She told him, still not turning to face him. Silence fell upon the pair again, the sounds of the forest the only noise made, before she finally turned on her heel to look at the man on horseback. "My, my, little lion, you're getting quite bold. Yelling at me like that, on no claimed land, how rude, like I'm some sort of criminal," She chuckled, taking a rather bouncy step towards him. "That actually raises the question on what you're doing out here."

 

[Hanarei]

​

Location: Great Dining Hall
Interacting with
Viska Archdemon

The red jacket flowed behind her as the young woman entered the Great Dining Hall. Her shorter black hair flowed with her as she walked being in a little bit of a mess seemingly roughly combed. Standing 5'5 she was far from the tallest person in the guild/ She had a rather heathy curve to her though her clothing made it quite clear she had no interest in showing off. She wasn't the type who liked to flaunt herself on purpose or wear gawky clothing. She tended to be a bit of a tomboy when it came to 'dolling herself up' seeing no reason to do much more then the basics for her appearance. The notion of spending hours in front of a mirror to look good was far from her cup of tea, specially in a morning such as this one. The sound of her boots clicking on the ground could be heard as she was being far from graceful in her walk. It was as if she had some sort of mission. She stopped by an empty table, seeing the Kobold girl sitting there one of the few that made her look tall.

"Morning." She spoke out in a rather plain voice as she sat down not even bothering to see if permission would be given for her to do so. Her voice was quite simple and to the point. She was known to be rather stern and emotionless in her demeanor when it came to dealing with others. She didn't tend to expose any of her emotion when it came to doing deals or in situations were negotations of any kind might be brought up. The fact she was acting that way in the morning was rather odd, specially since she didn't seem to have any dealings with Viska to warrant such a response. Unless it was serious she often put on a light smile or acting a bit more warm to the others. It was a bit of a puzzle for most to figure out why she would act in such a stern way until the obvious might enter the minds of those who knew her...

She was definitely hung over.

Risa sat there with her head throbbing from drinking far too much for the night before. She didn't allow it to show though it was pretty evident she was hiding something when she looked on a bit dazed. She felt like just slamming her head into the table to suppress the misery she was feeling. Her stomach still turned a bit luckily having gotten past the unpleasantness of last night in her room. Now her stomach was craving food yet at the same time feeling iffy about the very notion of eating. It was the worst kind of feeling she could get, and one that always made her regret nights she decided to go overboard on drinking. If there was one thing that could be exploited it could be getting her to drink. Her venturing to be next to Viska was just her way of avoiding showing any signs to those she drank with that she had suffered a hang over. She didn't like to lose, something that ended badly given what a light weight she could be.

"So... any plans for today?" She spoke as if to spark idle chatter. She saw Viska as the perfect target for idle chatter. She knew playing her 'poker face' wasn't likely to bring up anything about her drinking last night or how she might be feeling. Hopefully she would feel a bit better and get a little something to eat and feel better soon enough before the day truly began.

 

[Elekta Kount]

Volkmar von Steinhäuser
Location: Forest Somewhere near Castle Black
Interaction: Isabelle Thorne( FireMaiden )
Volkmar had his eyes on the cloaked figure, as he steadied Daisy, who was starting to get a bit more excited then he was.
"I'm no one important, just a lady out exploring."
Volkmar narrowed his eyes further on the sound, using one had to reach over and griped onto his sword, but was yet to unsheathe it.
She sounded...familiar...a bit too familiar...
"Well...odd place for someone to be exploring, but...I guess I've heard of worse excuses..."
"My, my, little lion, you're getting quite bold. Yelling at me like that, on no claimed land, how rude, like I'm some sort of criminal,"
Volkmar's eyes widened in surprise at who he saw, as it was apparent through the slits of his helmet. What was less apperent was the fact that his cheeks was glowing slightly at the "Little Lion" comment, and he was glad he had his visor down.
Only one person would call him like that.
"Isabella!"
Volkmar exclaimed, as he quickly dismounted from his steed, quickly turning to her before he took a step forward towards her.
"That actually raises the question on what you're doing out here."
"Me? I could ask you the exact same thing..." Volkmar said, taking another few steps forward with Daisy in tow, until he was tilting his head down to look at her. "...I'm looking for Black Castl-wait a secound...I don't suppose your mixed up with this "Hero's Guild" too?"​

 

[FireMaiden]

Isabella Thorne
Loction: Forest Somewhere near Castle Black
Interaction: Volkmar Elekta Kount
She made no effort to hide her smile upon see her nearly life long friend, and of course, his mount Daisy. She was happy to see them both in fact, since it had been quite a while since they last spoke in person, and letters can only do so much when you're lonely. And before he could even finish saying her name, her arms were already draped around him in a hug. A brief, not very tight one because of his armor, but a warm one none the less. Taking a step away, she still had a smile on her face.

"Oh my, what a wonderful coincidence! I am in fact on my way to the Hero's Guild," She said, before turning on her heel once Moreno face the direction she was going in. However, she lookednbacknover her shoulder to him seconds later, "As I'm sure you know, Castle Black is this way, I don't think we're too far off."

 

[Elekta Kount]

Volkmar von Steinhäuser
Location: Forest Somewhere near Castle Black
Interaction: Isabelle Thorne( FireMaiden )
Volkmar had faced a lot in his life, from charging headfirst into a horde of orcs to standing his ground against a troll, but nothing could have made him freeze like when Isabelle gave him a hug.
If they were still kids, this might not have been that big of a deal, but it was so long since he was hugged...after all, knights generally don't get many hugs for their troubles, and much less a hug from Isabelle...been so long since he's seen her....
Nevertheless, Volkmar was still happy about it, thank goodness for his helmet visors...
"Uh, yeah...coincidence..." Volkmar said, he was about to lift his hand up, when Isabella pulled away. Volkmar watched Isabella walk away, then suddenly he smiled under his visors. "You...need a ride? It's still kinda far from here to Castle Black, you know...I'm sure Daisy wouldn't mind...right boy?"
Daisy neighed in response, seemingly agreeing with his companion.​

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

Damnit. Jason quickly put his hands away from her head. He almost had it too. In order to remain inconspicuous, he nabs the closest food—an apple—and takes a bite out of it, leaning on the counter.


“You’re awake...” he began, but that’s all the words he got in edgewise. She just woke up, and Xilia was speaking as fast as a bullet, and Jason could only tilt his head during her chatter. However, he was able to get a response in. “I know what you mean. I used to get hungry all the time.” Of course, that’s before he was taught the art of stealing, but that’s a tale for another time.


Jason watched annoyed, but he did not show it, as Xilia readjusted her crown. It was right there for the taking. He would have been able to get away with it too. He was so close in taking it, but she just had to wake up at the exact moment he decided to steal it.


Lady Luck, why have art thou forsaken Jason?


However, he did take note of Xilia’s humble words. It not like Jason hasn’t met a nice rich person before, but he has met those with hidden agendas. Whether or not she was sincere, Jason would have to learn in time.


Jason grabs another apple and offers it to Xilia. “Eat This if you’re hungry,” in another act of nonchalance, as if he did not try to steal her valuable crown a moment before. “Meal time should be in a few hours anyway, but nothing says a snack can’t tide us over.”


_______________


Jason Crowe


Guild’s Kitchen


Interacting with Xilia Aravar


The Fluffiest Floof

Xilia Aravar, Kitchen, interacting with Jason Crow


Xilia smiled and took the apple, taking a bite. "Why thanks.", she happily replied. She had the fruit decimated in an impressive speed. Her stomach rumbled again though. As if to show this wasn't nearly enough.

"Oof.", she said, rubbing her belly. "Dont worry, well get more. Though not from this part of the kitchen. That'd be taking other people's food. That'd be a mean move." She waved around. "This is where the current meal is prepared, you know."


Then, she came real close. Whispering as if she would now spill the most important secret ever known. "If you promise not to tell anybody, I'll tell you where to get food from whenever you want without anybody being cut short."


Before she could get herself an answer, however, a person angrily stomped through the kitchen. Taking a bit of food, the person stormed off again. Wordless and stunned, Xilia's head followed them. When they were gone, she looked at Jason. Her mouth opened, as if to comment on it. And then she yawned.


Picking up where she left, she squeezed past Jason and offered him a hand. "So what? You coming?"

 

[Birdsie]

Ellis | Great Dining Hall | Open For Interaction​

"Assault?" His mind went blank for a moment, as he associated the meaning of the word with any action he performed. Then, Elsimore Ellis felt his heart sink into his chest with terror. "A-Assault?!" he mimicked his previous word, yelling it out nervously in a high-pitched tone. His bubble of pride was popped by the idea of being mistaken for some kind of sex offender. His mind was conquered by dread.

He flailed his arms defensively, shuddering, closing his eyes, and looking away in fear of a beating. "S-Surely, you're mistaken! I meant no such thing! I swear! It was an innocent greeting! I promise, I promise!... Please-don't-beat-me-black-and-blue!" He spoke the last sentence with such speed that it was almost impressive, making it seem like a single conjoined word yet managing it in a way that it could be more or less understood. The way he said it actually made it seem like this wouldn't be the first time such a thing happened.

Having nothing else to say, he emitted a slightly strangled noise. When he saw her not pull out a knife, or draw her sword, he knew he was safe. Ellis opened his eyes. He almost let his guard down and allowed the tension out, but then she tore him apart with a single sentence. He felt his stomach sink to the point where the anxiety almost caused him physical pain. He gave her a defeated look, speechless.

Only after she left, did the shell-shocked Ellis manage to squeak out a quiet apology. "I'm... sorry..."

He had faced rejection before. He faced harshness from women, sometimes coldness or straight-up disregard. But never something like this. His entire pride turned to ash in a moment, like a brittle stone hurled against a wall at high velocity. It would take several hours, a few bottles of the good stuff, and some strong mood supplements to recover from this.

Ellis sat down and contemplated his life, his ego utterly shredded. He seemed broken. He rose his hand, indicating he wanted a drink, and the barmaid approached a minute later and put one in front of him.

In his beaten state, he reflected on what she said about him. He seemed to repeat her words to himself, slowly. "Vainglorious... eulogies..."

Akihito Fable One Mean Ghost

 

[Reinhardt]

Bianca Ensyreia
Location: Great Dining Hall
Interactions: Risa ( Hanarei ), Viska ( Archdemon )

On the far side of the hall, was the exit leading towards other branches of Castle Black. From there, you could hear murmurs echoing through the corridors.

"Hey did you hear? Another one of the guild's suppliers got their farm burned!"

"Oh damn. This is the third one isn't it?"

"Yeah. I wonder when they are gonna do something about it."

"I doubt it. The guild is not as good as it used to be anymore."​

The discreet chatter was interrupted by a loud thud, causing those who discussed it leave in a hurry. Behind one of the corridor's support pillars, lying down on the ground, was Bianca.

"Ow.", she said, as she rubbed her forehead. It took her a few seconds before she finally stood back up. "Stupid thing.", she kicked the pillar, which didn't really do anything other than slightly hurt her own foot.

Reacting to it, she rubbed her sole, causing a folded piece of paper to fall off from her pockets. As it fell to the ground, Bianca took notice of it.

"Right. The farm thingy.", she said to herself, before grabbing the paper and heading off into the dining hall.

Once there, she immediately took a quick look around - as if she was searching for someone. And after a few moments, she found what, or more specifically, who she was looking for - Risa, the new Guildmaster. Hence, she rushed to the side of the said person, but not without shouting in a loud, and distracting tone. "Hey boss!"

Since the distance between Bianca and Risa was small, it took her no time at all to reach the Guildmaster's side. When she arrived there she took did not hesitate to toss the folded paper towards Risa's hands.

"It's one of the farms again. Seriously, they keep getting ruined for some reason.", she said. "I think this one belonged to an old lady. Her name was Mrs. Parkinson? No, wait. It's uhh...Mrs....Peterson? Yes, Mrs. Peterson!"