Fantasy Karma's song - fantasy Aerth Rp

[NeonFlow]

In the land of Karma. A green plague grows... (still!)
A evil stretches reaching further and further looking to consume all. Orc’s are what Aerth calls these monsters. Created by the Elves of Blador, orcs have been a nightmare to all since the second magic war. The world of Aerth is in peril not just from these foul beings. It's just they are the most apparent threat to the general population of Karma and Restag.
It's hard to worry about where darkspawn comes from or why islands are falling from the sky when a squad of orcs might raid your home, kill your kids, rape your wife, mock you for their success before putting your head on their armour or weapon as a decorative piece.

It's safe to say everyone hates and fears the Orcs. Strange enough or perhaps lucky. When four God sent souls arrived in Fieful it was Darkspawn that proved their first trial. A small horde led by a number of screaming winged spawn attacked the town killing two champions from the gods and many civilians and guards. When the attack was fought off by the brave souls a curious thing was noticed by members of the Hunters guild...

Randolf's weapon somehow absorbed or learnt ice mana from the spells casted by a mysterious Orc slaying snow elf.
Elyse's God given gun had done the same thing with her mana.
When Shiki attempted to take the God given gun from the slain Elyse he was unable to, Kan however was able to snatch it up.
Jacks God given staff evaporated as it touched the ground, falling from the corpse's grasp before Kan's greedy hand could take it.

With result of one associate lost and two 'hero' recruits gained Shiki paid for Kholis to be buried in Fieful with a proper ceremony. The God sent didn't have to attend if they so wished. Kan chose not to stating very bland...
"I don't like funerals"
Before walking off to drink and smoke with the townsfolk who celebrated his effort. No real battle plan was had when it all boils down to it.
Randolf and Kan were just lucky their weapons had a drastic effect on the creatures. With Kan taking down the first winged creature followed by Randolf and then Shiki. The two God sent made it look easy where as the guild master had to teleport and stab a number of times before even downing the winged Darkspawn.

Nevertheless. A month has past since that night, the first two weeks were rough as both Randolf and Kan travelled with the guild to fort stronghold. Located at the top of the mountains dividing Karma from Restag...

The two learn the basics of their weapons and combat as well as the land they walked. The creatures and enemies that lurk as well as some common knowledge of Karma.

The two soon found the confidence from slaying Darkspawn shaken with the first meeting of orcs. Despite the warning given by shiki " you two stay together! Watch for archers don't run out in the open!"
Kan rushed from cover to pummel a orc his size, leaving Randolf alone Kan gained the net profit of two arrows in his back from a orc archer.
Luckily for him... Shiki and Phor are able to put down the hiding orcs, and with great strain and annoyance Shiki teleported the party to fort stronghold...

The rest of the month was spent training with and getting acquainted with other members and people of the guild. Durseam would usually oversee the two performing simple tasks and quests. The main objective in these quests was for the two new recruits to understand riding a mount. Horse, bird or lizard. (As the guild currently has five of each.)
((horses being a waste of mana for Shiki as they cannot scale the mountain as easily as other mounts.))

The most current quest was relevant to the horses as it is a quest issued by the guildmaster himself.
"....gonna build a tavern that's also a outpost for supplies and the horses, I want some of you to help build as well as guard the workers I hired yesterday. When I checked up on them last night they said Orcs and Gorgons could be heard. Makes sense orc parties would pass over the mountains to Restag but mentions of Gorgons is surprising."
The Spider, Bear, Elf, and illusionist dwarf were out on quests of sorts so Shiki was putting a bit of low-key pressure on the newer guild members currently in Fort Stronghold.
"I mean it's not trial worthy but it's important. I'm sending Phor as well..."
The guildmaster dropped Phors name knowing his yet to be named second in command would take this mission. Not that it's a order, just that Shiki is needed for a job in Restag and upkeep of fifteen animals on top of a mountain is unsustainable. Moving the horses helps lighten the load on everyone working in the fort. (The main idea was to have a warp stone in the somewhere in the fort linked to one at the foot of the mountain but finding such stones proved harder then originally thought.)

"I don't think it's right to send the newest recruits alone even if they have God given weapons and powers. It's only been a proper month of them wielding said weapons and Kan has a dam problem of not knowing the time and place to enjoy himself!!"
Kan had learned to change the shape of his pipe the first week walking, and when he was shown Aerths various plants, dusts and drinks he became a very different person. High functioning addict would be the description of him but somehow he has successfully completed any task given albeit a few "fuck ups"
Consisting of scaring away prey and alerting enemy orcs to their presence with that damn flint.
He can fight physically and use that club well. His skill with mana steadily grows each day.
Not to overlook Randolf and his God given glavie. The two from the heavens are somewhat putting truth to legends.

Shiki raised his voice as he gave a glare at Kan who was drinking in the morning and munching on bread. God given pipe shrunk down to fit in his front pocket with the stolen God given gun at his side in a holster. (the quartermaster had crafted it for him)

Shiki looked towards Fel trying to muster the charming smile that wins over most it's shown to. "so can I count on Fel helping out too with guard duty? Say yes please I have errands to run"
Kan ignored the guildmaster poking fun at his habits, it seemed everything he has said and taught was useful. While modern Earth wrestling and boxing is good for a fight...
Actual combat requires, tactics, information, mana is important to, that's how you survive on Aerth.

The Hunters Guild and those living in the fort were worth adhering to. It felt like being a teenager in school again except people younger then him explained shit like.
"Only mount a Runner (lizard) from the right hand side"
And
"A horned wolf's sense of smell can pick up your scent from huge distances, that's why wind direction matters"
Or
"Yea a cloud of poison won't scare or hurt slime... Some orc's are immune as well. Not just that, I've seen fireproof orcs."
Finishing his breakfast and the bottle of wine Kan laughed heartily in a attempt to mimic Shiki.
"I'm up for a tavern close to home. That and a chance to shoot a orc. Would love to headshot a orc"
"you don't get a choice, you and Ran are being ORDERED to guard. I'd normally have you target practice but as you two can't hold normal weapons you can only hunt with what you've got. Thank the gods you have a pistol to share."
"I won't."
====================
FearTheKumquat Goonfire dae mec Deadbeard

Your characters are being forced on this quest, they can accept it or be shitty about it before being forced to accept aha I promise the rp can be more open in regards to choices and outcomes but the first arc is a bit of a tutorial for us to get used to how we write as well as you guys to do some combat/skill attempts.
As we used to roll dice to determine success this time it's more just how you write a action that determines success. I'd get into more but it's midnight lol
Hope you like the first post, makes sense etc

Post order like always is 1 2 then you. 1 2 3 you if more join

 

[dae mec]

Fel heaved a sigh. "Guarding? You know that I'm so much better at doing the opposite. What am I supposed to do, sneak past any intruders?" She spoke this with a bright, teasing smile, clearly not serious. Well, not entirely serious.

With a barely a sliver of concentration, she summoned a tiny, smokeless flame rabbit that jumped over her fingers and danced on her knuckles. Showing off, as she usually did.

"Fine, fine, I'll do it," Fel said. "Eh, someone has to keep these future legends out of trouble. And there's some ale and food for me in there, isn't it?" Her ear twitched. "Maybe I could convince the owner to name the tavern after me."

She grinned, and with a twist of her finger, the flame rabbit was hunted down by a summoned flame fox, equally tiny. Both disappeared as she closed her fists, leaving no trace of fire. "So, boss, when we heading out? Guess I gotta ask the darling Phor about that, hmm?"

There was no jealousy when she said the younger, higher-ranked half-elf's name. Instead, there was a barely hidden glee.

 

[FearTheKumquat]

Randolf was in no position to object, but he was hardly fond of this latest assignment. The last tavern defense mission had ended... well, poorly would be an understatement. He watched a lot of people die. People that might have lived if he had been just a bit faster, just a bit stronger, just a bit more competent. Even now, he could hear that voice from his old life, reminding him constantly--

So, yeah, he didn't like to think about the Wretched Wyvern. Although he had improved markedly since that battle, he wasn't too keen on being responsible for innocent lives again. Then Kan's boisterous voice cut into Randolf's thoughts.

"Of course you won't," Randolf muttered in reply. "To share would make too much sense."

Kan, his fellow otherworlder, never seemed to worry the way Randolf did. It was as if he never thought anything was truly his problem, even when neck-deep in trouble. While Kan did produce results, Randolf considered him a liability overall; the consistency with which Kan made costly mistakes had gotten them both into a number of tough spots. It would only be a matter of time before their luck ran out. And Randolf hadn't quite forgiven Kan for skipping out on the funerals of those who died that first night. Randolf might never be able to.

His eyes drifted over to Fel's display of mana. Despite the predatory nature of the little show, it was ultimately a display of finesse, not ferocity. And given - his? Her? Randolf couldn't really tell - remarks, their flames weren't much of a weapon. This mana struck him as the polar opposite of that used by the snow elf from a month ago. She was powerful, but wielded that strength lackadaisically, largely wasting its potential. And yet the end result was the same in both cases; an impressive ability, but not something to be counted on in battle. Randolf would keep that in mind in case some of those orcs or gorgons took too much of a detour.

Of course, ideally, there would be no fighting. Learning to control two kinds of mana was difficult enough without the frequent opportunities he had to field-test them both. But if anything had become clear this past month, it's that nothing in this world went smoothly.

Randolf sighed and tried to shake the thoughts from his mind. Only a month in this line of work and he was already judging strangers, acquaintances, and even himself based on martial utility. Just what was he turning into?

 

[NeonFlow]

"hey why make sense when this world makes no sense itself? There is a green moon and a red one with a pink sun, lizards the size of horses faster then cars, and these full blooded Elves ive heard about which are supposed to be gifted with all mana on the planet yet they were basically wiped out from their own creation. They got Yumcha'd by their own saibamen."

Kan stood up listing what was nonsensical to him with a slight grin forming from the references he made. Shiki understood the gist of what was said but not the nouns...
He chose to move forward and answer questions he was able to.
"My Fiery feline friend, I shall warp you to the location before leave for Restag. I'd suggest you all take a pack as you will be roughing it during...
but Fel,
if you take your culinary equipment I will forage the best ingredients for a skilled chef such as yourself. I should only be gone two nights at most... imagine the seafood from Dunwel or the fat fire bunnies of stag plains..."
Shiki lost himself for a moment as he thought of his favourite dishes. "the glow shrooms of our mountain home ain't bad but I want to try growing some spores for edible mushrooms, cooking shrooms instead of potion ingredients"

Hearing they would be 'roughing it' prompted Kan to ready himself. "Shiki sir, can I take some black powder and bullets sir!"
His salute seemed serious but it was taking the piss. Kan calls shiki sir knowing it annoyed him... The dramatic soldier pose and demeanour was used only with the guildmaster as a repetitive joke. Asking for directions, advice, or even when giving a light ribbing.
(the diagonal scar down your face bothers me sir! Who lashed you so unevenly sir!)

Shiki squinted at the recruit knowing that mentioning what annoyed him would only make Kan happy.
(Shiki Naza below)

"speak with Storm about equipment"
"But he doesn't talk english, what about As-"
"Storm the beastkin is fort Strongholds Quartermaster for good reason. Ash studies under him and you would have as well if you God sent were more normal"

(Storm the cat above)
===========================
Goonfire FearTheKumquat dae mec Deadbeard
Now a race against time. Will spell or dead make a first post before a new CS arrives just in time? Find out next time on Dragon ball Z

 

[Deadbeard]

No one welcomed Durseam back as he walked through the stronghold. No one gave him more than a cursory glance. He had just returned from his mission - a simple task and no great adventure: a rabid wolf that needed putting down. Such tasks were beneath someone of his experience, he believed, but someone had to do them. Some fresh sprogs might have been better choices, though. Rabid wolves were nasty beasts but nothing a grown man with a sword couldn't handle. Pathetic.

The guildmaster would want to hear his report, so he went to find Shiki Naza. He found him at his post as per usual where he was obviously fraternising with the new recruits. "'Ey, bossh. Thought ye'd wanna 'ear that wolf'sh decoratin' a wall now - shamshed itsh shkull in. What'sh ye got for me now?"

The dwarf looked at the others in the room. The human seemed a bit short to him. Should've drank more milk as a child and more beer as a man. All them softskins were alike. Looked a bit mopey too. Needed a beer. Other one he'd seen around. Still couldn't figure out what they were - softskin? What the hell did it matter anyway. Another human - shorter! Same face, though. Humans were a miserable lot. Should probably drink more beer.

 

[dae mec]

Her ear twitched again at Randolf's muttered comment, noting the byplay between the otherworlders. Oof, yeah, that might be a problem. The bubbly one—Kan—seemed determined to be flippant. She understood the impulse, but he looked unconcerned with Randolf's clear disdain. Spicy, spicy! Hopefully, that wouldn't get them in trouble... though she did relish in the potential gossip. The quieter boy had glanced at her fire display, so Fel winked at him. She always enjoyed using mana. Maybe he'd be interested in learning some tricks.

Then, Shiki brought up food, and all other thoughts flew from her mind. Fel's eyes grew distant as she considered the potential dishes. "Glazed fire rabbit, marinated in herbs, crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside... fried fishsticks, port style, breaded and dipped in a tangy sauce..." She licked her lips and nodded sharply. "And mushrooms. I can work with proper mushrooms. Forage me some stuff, and if the ingredients are good, I'll cook something delicious. You got it, boss."

(Even if they weren't good, Fel could probably manage. She'd worked miracles with hardtack, broth, and mystery meat. Fel would love to make some actually fantastic food, though.)

Then Durseam the dwarf walked in, and she almost cackled. Fel hadn't seen him in a while. Oh, that one was hilarious. She didn't know what he was saying half the time, but boy, he sure had stuff to talk about. "Ay, boss, is Durseam coming with us?" She sure hoped so.

Sounded like the beginning of a joke, actually. Two otherworlders, a fox, an elf, and a dwarf walk to build a bar...

 

[NeonFlow]

"Durseam!"
Shiki called out like one would a old friend who had walked in and stood at the bar. The gruff dwarf reminded the G.M of his uncle. Darsuhd Naza. Durseam may not have been from Rockhold but as Shiki himself had dwarf blood in his veins he couldn't help but see family in the man.
"Indeed Fel, I was just about to send for Mr Durseam, to catch you up like I've stated before I'm sure... I was foolish to stable horses up here. I won't elaborate my plan as I know now warp stones are as rare as gold dragons. That is to say you need to know where to look and when they are in season... I nor the damn grand mage of Restag knows where to get a matching pair of those damn teleportation geodes."
Shiki's eyes flashed annoyance for bit as he sliced a chunk of cheese from a wheel and assembled his breakfast. Calming down as cheese melted on toast he continued with that usual Naza grin.
"I digress, I have hired labourers from Hunyot to build us a outpost that can also provide income... hopefully. A tavern halfway between Hunyot and the iron mountains. I'll stable the horses there, people traveling can spend coin and rest there, people can post jobs there as it's easier then waiting at the foot of the mountain or me actively searching for jobs... my main concern is orcs and bandits but as it's a home away from home I figure one or two from the fort can take residence there. Ash might like that he loves the sea."
Shiki thought of plans as he ate happily leaning next to the fire in the common area/dining hall.

Kan thought hard for a moment before saluting again. "Shiki sir, I volunteer to live at the new outpost bar, sir!"
Shiki gave a glance as he chewed but ultimately conveyed the words "no" quite easily with said eye contact.

Kan gave up on pushing buttons for today and asked all in the room "anyone wanna come talk to storm with me? I only hear meow from that one"
Shiki swallowed before laughing "give it time and you'll understand. It's odd to begin with sure but soon enough you understand him when he makes noise. He understands you as well so don't fuck with him. He's a adorable killer worthy of my rank."
Unknown if this claim was true, but Storm the cat does have telekinesis. He trains the few children of the fort with a floating practice dagger.
===============
Y'all can get ready or do anything within reason until Goonfire posts or a new CS is posted and makes their first post. From there I will move the story along to the actual starting quest
Deadbeard dae mec FearTheKumquat
Not to put pressure on you all but great stuff keep it up aha

 

[FearTheKumquat]

"You should have watched Star Wars and Terminator when you had the chance," Randolf murmured.

Everything Kan listed can only be found "illogical" if one is incapable of imagine a world that's not Earth. To anyone who grew up with green and red moons, they'd be just as normal as a silver moon was to the otherworlders. And "a species destroyed by its own creation" was a popular sci-fi trope. As fantastical as Aerth might be, it was still well within the realm of human comprehension. Kan never ceased to grate on Randolf's nerves. Rather than deal with him any longer, Randolf devoted his full concentration to observing Fel.

That focus shattered as soon as Fel winked. In a momentary panic, Randolf's head swiveled away, breaking eye contact. He'd never been terribly good at reading people, but that was compounded here by the fact that, in his experience, people rarely (if ever) communicated via winking. Worse still, he wasn't sure if Fel was a man or a woman. Randolf suddenly realized that he was not only incapable of comprehending the gesture, but also who was performing it. And whatever conversation they just tried to start, through which Randolf might have achieved that comprehension, collapsed the moment he turned his gaze. His cheeks burned with the intensity of his failure. In his fluster, he didn't notice Durseam walk in.

Then Kan asked for a companion to see Storm, which, as that man's voice usually did, roughly yanked Randolf back from the depths of his mind. The blush faded from his face as he realized he could be separated from Kan, if only for a little while. As the two god-sent souls, the pair of them were kept damn near joined at the hip by the Guild leadership. Each opportunity to spend time apart was a precious reprieve.

"Try listening for once," Randolf said, "and maybe there won't be a problem."

Whoa, when did the dwarf get here?

 

[Goonfire]

A familiar lean form emerged from the corridors of Fort Stronghold, carrying some hefty equipment. Phorcis Thorn, the arrowsmith and scout, had packed a bag with several bowstrings and quivers of arrows. He had been slaving away trying to stockpile arrows, those everyday wartime necessities. There were also some extra goodies like medicinal salves from his brother Ahlmus and dried jerky from his sister Elin. "Oh gods, this is heavy..." he grunted as he shifted his grip. That was just Phor, lacking in muscle but quite the avid hunter. "Apologies if I'm running behind. I think we have most of the essentials." He then turned to address the newer additions to the Guild. "I sincerely hope everyone double-checked their bags, because we might not come home for a while. If you'll miss it dearly and you can carry it, bring it. Durseam, I'm certain you know this whole song and dance by now."

NeonFlow dae mec FearTheKumquat Deadbeard

 

[Deadbeard]

Durseam had been listening to the guildmaster's plans with unexpected interest. Of course, tavern building and guard duty were beneath the vainglorious, but the chance to cave in thick orc skulls and scalp bandits... who could resist the temptation? There would also be beer. For once the guildmaster had crafted an atypically well thought out plan. The dwarf stroked his beard and produced the occasional hum in agreement or - seemingly - contentment. There were still issues to settle, though. Could he trust these greenhorns to watch his back? Were they really as skilled as they liked to make out? One of the humans couldn't even understand the bloody cat!

"Ish a good plan, bossh. Even a broken clock'sh right onshe a day, aye? Or ish it twishe?" Durseam scoffed, flashing the guildmaster a near toothless grin.

Before the guildmaster could utter a reply, the elf busybody had come in. Elf? Half-elf? Was there even a difference? He offered his apologies for his tardiness in his usual long-winded, pompous manner and dished out his unnecessary advice. Lanky fellow sure knew how to make his presence known. "Aye, twiggy. I've more experienshe in me left foot than ye 'ave in that empty noggin o' yersh. Tell it to them upshtartsh!" Durseam narrowed his eyes and flared his nostrils like a bull preparing to charge.

 

[dae mec]

Aww, adorable, the otherworlder was blushing. And she hadn't even tried yet! Fel didn't change her smile, but she was cackling on the inside. Randolf would be stuck with them on the excursion, too. A captive audience. Oh, this was going to be fun.

But Durseam quickly commanded her entire attention with his near-incomprehensible speech, and she watched with fascination as he mumbled through a compliment/insult two-punch. Yeah, he was definitely at the top of the "most entertaining guild member" list. Fel wanted to throw him into various situations and relish in the chaos that resulted.

Then came in the Phorcis, the other halfie, though he was of the elf variety instead of the... whatever that Fel was. That kid was definitely near the top of her entertainment list too. Barely out of his second decade and already the second-in-command.

"Oh, Phorcis," she purred, dropping down her voice an octave. "We missed your presence dearly. How considerate of you to ask after us. So very sweet!" (Fel was already packed; after fifteen years living on the road, she always kept everything ready to depart on a moment's notice. But like hell she was going to give up on this opening.) "I'm ready to go anytime you are. Anywhere, too."

Fel couldn't follow up on her words with more teasing, but she wasn't disappointed in the slightest. In came Durseam, bringing the sparks that she'd gladly flame. "A very knowledgeable left foot," she agreed. "Bet it could pack a helluva kick, too."

... would it be too much to try and convince Durseam to start a fight? Yeah, the fight would probably be with Phorcis—who she actually did like as a person, though he was more fun to tease—and the guild master would definitely be mad at her... but it would be entertaining enough to be worth it.

________

OOC: Reposted later due to weird approval shenanigans in the thread.

Also, do we have a full OOC? I couldn't find it. Is it just the interest thread?

 

[NeonFlow]

Shiki wondered for a brief moment if Durseam was to proud to want some metal teeth. Those smiling gums must be terrible for thick cuts of meat. Before the guildmaster could greet Phor in his usual cheerful way the recruits started to give a bit of playful banter to each other.

Kan left the room muttering loudly about communication skills. He didn't expect a volunteer to join him, but the sneaking suspicion that they were all fucking with him began to creep into his mind as he walked the halls.
that damn cat probably speaks normally like that damn fox mage in Fieful... Just meows to me. I'm more a dog guy anyway.

Shiki gave a chuckle as he stood up to interrupt any more attempts at wasting time
"Well people, I'm only making one trip. So be at the entrance hall in ten minutes or ill expect you to run to the build site.
Get your shit, poke fun or whatever you want but I'll be leaving in nine minutes"
With that he disappeared (literally) to his room to ready himself.

Storm the quartermaster and his apprentice Ash were busy crafting arrows. Storm doing so with perfect form due to telekinesis. Each shaft identical in shape as the blade cuts and shaves the wood as needed. Ash was less impressive as he attempted to make decent arrow heads... It's a good thing Phor and Storm know what their doing...
"heyo storm, Ashman. Can I take some shit? Shiki says I need to ask you for bullets"
The cat didn't even look up from his task.
"meow" (ah it's the drunk, welcome. I can smell the wine on you from here. I trust Shiki has given you permission to practice with that firearm?)
"Hey Kahn" Ash beamed happily standing up from the bench he sat
Like always Kan only heard a meow,
(it literally is different for everyone but it usually takes a week or two to understand the cats noises.)
"Yea I've been practicing at night, it's a lot easier to see the magic in the gun. I reckon I could make it a railgun if you have iron bullets. I bet this world makes lead balls still... lead isnt magnetic is it? pretty sure it isn't"
Kan scratched his face as a brain fart happened. Being tipsy in the morning doesn't help.

"Does your pipe have a power?" Ash asked, aware of the gun holding electricity and the spear able to turn into ice.
"dunno.."
"nyahh rrr meow...."
(yes we have some bullets of various materials here... you have odd intelligence for a drunk, my clan use lightning mana to launch projectiles themselves. It is considered a difficult task as the amount of control needed can...)
the cat stopped making arrows to get up and fetch a pouch of black powder and different coloured pouch that he put a few handfuls of bullets in them. Placing them in the Kan's eager hands
"Hey thanks buddy"
"meoow" (though my own mana is not like my clan. I can offer you instruction in the actions you wish to control)
"ay your squinting eyes almost seem human"
"pff-rah" (you... you still don't understand me do you wino?)
Kan left happily rushing to his quarters to gather what he deemed essentials. Ash giggled at the miscommunication as Storm shook his head returning to his job.
========================
dae mec Goonfire Deadbeard FearTheKumquat
The party will leave in the next few posts. I wanted to ask you all if you prefer a small time skip of the group teleporting where they need to be via Shiki or if you want to interact and gather Shit in "real time" so to speak lol
Either way is fine by me.

 

[FearTheKumquat]

As Kan left, Randolf's head cooled, and he turned his attention to the experienced hunters in the room. Compliments appeared to be a go-to conversational option for Fel, though Randolf couldn't tell if it was flattery or if Fel genuinely liked everyone (the latter seemed unlikely, but Kan was right that oddities filled Aerth to the brim). And Durseam's accent, however thick, didn't veil the size of his ego. Well, whatever. The banter of the professionals gave Randolf an opportunity to learn about those he would accompany - at least to the extent his social skills would allow. So long as their personalities didn't become a hindrance when lives were on the line, he could coexist just fine with them.

Randolf quietly moved to the hall's corner, where he had leaned the bags holding the mission's tents, and swung them over his shoulder. His mana made him the ideal candidate to pitch them, since he could guarantee secure anchorage on most terrain. Thankfully, Randolf's personal belongings didn't require much additional space; one of the conveniences of being a "god-sent soul." He moved to the door, ready to depart, but kept an ear on the conversation at hand.

 

[Deadbeard]

Shiki's departure left Durseam feeling deflated. He'd been given no special treatment whatsoever and that damned knife-ears was higher up the chain of command than him. That said, he felt he had found a comrade-in-arms in the strange lass or lad with the cat ears. It seemed they could hold their own in a bout of verbal boxing! The humans still seemed a bit too cool-blooded and didn't have enough fire in their bellies. One had simpered off, while the other had just gone about gathering supplies for the mission. The pair of them had less backbone between them than a pair of earthworms.

"Well," said Durseam, turning to his potential comrade, "let'sh give thish elf the shlip and get ready to depart, ey. I'll grab me bagsh from me quartersh and meet yesh at the entrance hall." He winked at Fel and scowled at Phorcis, bumping into him as he sauntered out of the room.

As he made his way to his quarters, Durseam grimaced at all who crossed his path, and everyone without fail gave him a wide berth. First impressions are, of course, everlasting. Durseam had learnt this from his father when he was a little boy, and considered the belief a part of his personal creed. His meetings with new acquaintances were always memorable for some reason or another because a strong character makes a strong man - or dwarf in this case. Scowls must be worn at all times before the unacquainted; grins and winks and other cunning facial twitches should be displayed only in the company of friends or comrades. These were the lessons the frailer tall folk failed to understand. How could they ever live their lives being so inauthentic and deceptively charismatic?

Durseam opened the chest in front of his bed and took out all the supplies he needed: fresh torches, dry rations he had kept for longer trips (now quite stale), and his tinderbox. He would have to refill his waterskin at the well before heading to the entrance hall. He sighed. He'd been part of the guild for a month now and felt no great pleasure in making preparations. He longed for beer, some hardy folk to clink tankards with, and adventure. Childhood dreams had been sapped from him as water is drained from a flask.

Durseam looked around. Making sure no one was in sight, he concentrated on the torch on the far side of the room. Beads of sweat began to drip from his forehead, he gritted his teeth with a look of pain spread across his face, a barely audible groaning coming from his stout form. The flame on the torch grew brighter, then dimmed, then flared up, then receded. Durseam let out a gasp. A year of training and he hadn't even mastered the basics... He wiped the sweat from his brow, filled his waterskin at the well and made his way to the entrance hall.

 

[Goonfire]

Phor stared blankly at Fel for a moment, unsure of what to make of her sweet talk. “Oh... well that’s good to hear.” Of course, nothing quite made him clam up like dwarven sass, which unsurprisingly came at him in tandem. He didn’t know what to make of the fiery veteran with the perpetual foul scowl. “Of course,” he simply dismissed the flex about Durseam’s experience, paying the bold claims no mind.

Indeed, the scout was more polite in conversation, though most had seen the barrages of splitting arrows he hurled when fighting. Many orcs had the displeasure of getting their vital organs skewered several times in an instant.

Phor stood there, waiting. Once the others had left, he let loose a sigh and relaxed. That was when his eyes flickered up to Randolf. Resting a hand on his hip, he stated, “Well... out of the frying pan and into the fire, am I right?” He hadn’t talked much to either of the surviving god-sent men, so this was it. “I don’t suppose I ever asked what it was like on Earth, or at least made the time to listen.”

NeonFlow FearTheKumquat dae mec Deadbeard

 

[dae mec]

Ah, Phor freezing up was a true joy in her life. Fel took some—some—pity, though it was born of necessity. She did have to go grab her supplies. With a last smirk and mocking wave at him, Fel headed out of the room.

Durseam winked at her and said something she got the gist of, so she winked back and said, "I'll meet you there!" This was going to be fun.

Fel's bag was already packed, of course. In it were her cooking supplies, dried foods, spices, sets of disguise (male and female), a rope, and a few other assorted necessities. Fel's knives, obviously, were always on her, tucked in easy-to-reach but hidden locations.

She slung her pack over her shoulder, feeling a tad nostalgic. This reminded her of her travels with Bert, that old fool. He'd suddenly say they were going to this city or that coast, and Fel would be huffing after him as they made the long trek. She had to send that retired rogue a letter; Bert had sent her one a week ago, and Fel had put off her response out of sheer laziness. Was he still running that book shop, or had something else caught his fancy? She'd better send one to her mother and dear friend Nee as well. Fel's mother was living in relative comfort thanks to Fel's provisions, and Nee had made use of her quick hands to become a tailor. (Several of Fel's disguises were made by her.) Well, Fel had parchment in that pack of hers, so she could write it after her journey.

With one last rub of cloth, Fel picked up her scimtar and tucked it into her belt. And, because vanity was definitely one of her flaws, she looked at herself in the mirror and preened. She tied a scarf around her head to hide her ears, now mostly able to pass as a human. (Thankfully, she had no pesky tail. That would've been murder to hide.) Perfect. Fel looked androgynous, innocuous, and mildly threatening. Perfect for a mission like this.

Satisfied, Fel headed to the entrance, ready to head out.

 

[NeonFlow]

Five minutes passed quickly as everyone arrived, Kan arriving with a average sized bag over his shoulder wearing the armour bought from Fieful blacksmiths.
Shiki was less then a minute behind him. "righto get close and hold your breath as I warp us to the job site"
The guildmaster held his hands out for the group hug necessary for mass teleportation, two large bottles of blue juice attached to his belt would be the sign Shiki had much more teleporting to do today.

When everyone assumed the position in a instant they would find themselves standing outside. A grand view of the sea with a town in front of it,
the iron mountains from where they just came from to the side,
And the plains of karma as well as the inevitable threat that is, Grimdar. The forests still stand but what was once a number of farms is now a orc fortress in the centre of karma. Bodies lay stuck on the spiked walls, screams sound out of every hour of the day, orc parties constantly leaving and returning from raiding the land and villages of karma.

Not that the party can see or hear the bodies on the walls or the victims inside grimdar, just the Forrest and the massive base is visible from this somewhat safe distance.
The party has arrived in the plains, trees bushes rocks etc have been cleared out from the builders and they have begun constructing a foundation for this tavern.

Shiki immediately drank one of his potions before speaking "right... this here hasn't a name yet so I'm just calling it The build site. These fine gentlemen and I believe two ladies are building this place with mana and construction so it's your job to ensure that runs smoothly for however long it takes. Go be yourselves while I speak to the Foreman and get a estimate on how long"

Shiki swaggered over to the workers, from what you can tell at a glance...
They have piled up lumber for building and used mana to make a stone foundation, it's obviously a large building but they have finished the basement. (yay)

Kan took this moment to sit crosslegged away from the group to prepare his gun. Black powder stuffed and packed with a bullet rolled down afterwards, he seemed annoyed at the time it took to accomplish this.

Shiki however came back after ten minutes to give his last orders and goodbyes.
"As always, if I'm not here highest rank calls the shots, that being Phor at this moment so adhere to the man like you would me. Keep the men and yourselves safe and I shall be back hopefully before tomorrow night"
Shiki finished the last of his potion and stuck the empty bottle back in his belt before waving to everyone with a warm smile and then teleporting away in a instant.

The task was simple in thought, "guard the people"
But as many in Aerth would tell you, karma is dangerous as hell. It could be a orc raiding party or a pack of wolves, the rumours of Gorgons from the workers is scary. (From the info provided beforehand)
Kan assumed Gorgons to be large bull like creatures with hard exoskeleton instead of fur, They spew venomous clouds from their nostrils aswell... Sound more like giant insects to him.

Orcs are something everyone has dealt with or heard of. Apart from them lots of threats roam the grassy plains of karma. Giant Insects, horned wolves, bandits, maybe even a Dragon or sub species of flying lizard that breathes magic.
(Not often though as proper dragons migrate from mountain to mountain with the seasons.)

Point being, while it looks calm now that could change in a instant.
=======================
Goonfire Deadbeard dae mec FearTheKumquat

 

[FearTheKumquat]

Randolf was surprised when Phor called out to him. This might prove a good way to pass the time until departure. "Well, for one thing, its moon is alone..."

~~~

After the teleportation, Randolf wasted little time in scanning their surroundings. The grassy plain was basic enough, simplified further with the removal of small obstacles for construction. Flat, empty land characterized the immediate vicinity, save the lumber pile and the unfinished building. Aesthetically pleasing, but militarily disadvantageous. Orcs tended to be faster and stronger than regular folk. On even ground, that gave them an edge. As it stood, a mere five people would struggle to guard the entire workforce effectively. There was at least one advantage, though. Stone formed the foundation of the soon-to-be tavern. In an emergency, his mana would have a readily available source of material. He'd deal with the repercussions of meddling with the project after the builders were safe.

Ideally, Randolf would like to build defenses, but that had its own problems. First, it would be difficult to fortify the construction site in a way that wouldn't hinder the workers. Second, his plan would be both time and energy intensive; to save enough strength for battle, he'd probably have to settle for manufacturing inconveniences. Also, his current level of control over his mana did not allow him to mold earth very intricately. Though he had been practicing, Randolf could not yet rapidly and reliably replicate the traps of the Viet Cong. Someday, he told himself. Someday...

"The terrain could use some work," Randolf said. His longer-term companions were probably familiar with this side of him by now. While Phor could order him to stop, Randolf suspected the half-elf would share his view of the potential battlefield. "Where's the workers' campsite? I'll pitch our tents near theirs and add some safety measures."

 

[dae mec]

Fel nodded along with Shiki's words. "You better bring me those ingredients!" she said, giving a coy wave before he disappeared.

First, she stretched, raising her hands above her head, arching her back, and giving a wide, open-mouthed yawn. She glanced at her teammates. Ooh, Randolf was getting straight to business, huh? Cute. Fel tossed him a smirk before jogging over to the workers. They were here to guard them, after all, so it'd be a good idea to know who they were. Besides, the weakest point was always the people. Fel knew that, having usually been the one to get past the guards. It was going to be quite interesting on the other side.

"Hello, there!" she pitched her voice just a little lower than usual, a few notes down from perfectly androgynous. She shifted her posture slightly, keeping her feet shoulder-length apart and her shoulders relaxed. Before, a stranger would have trouble deciding how to address her, but now, she seemed decisively masculine. "I'm Fel Waters, nice t'meet ya. And what are your names?" She gestured back with a thumb, pointing to the empty space that Shiki once occupied. "The bossman sent us to guard this place. Anything we should look out for?"

 

[NeonFlow]

Kan aimed his gun at various targets and made small noises to keep himself from being bored. "Bang, gotti" "pew pew, double kill, multikill!"
Randolf probably didn't notice Kan had sat by the workers campsite because of pure discontent for the man.

The builders however are much more like decent people. A few of them including the foreman came over to Greet Fel.
"Hail hunter, my name is Jogan hall, but you can call me Forman like everyone else"
The Forman offered his hand to shake before introducing a few others.

"This here is Salk, he and Amie manage anything to do with Aerth mana"
(dirt, stone, etc)
"Those still working over there are the Dullen twins, one two and three are their names but forgive me I can't tell which is which."
The triplets looked identical apart from the colour shirt worn.
The rest of the workers introduced themselves or were pointed out by the Forman and given a name.

Once done the workers got back to work. Mostly physical labour now that the basement and floor was done, Salk and Amie seemed to be mixing a slurry of some kind. Magical medieval cement perhaps?

For the most part it was peaceful, keeping watch and making traps. You could spot a threat from a fair distance during the sunlight hours. Mostly wolves seemed to roam close but never approach. Probably because Kan shot one.
The loud bang rang through the air. Scaring off wildlife and surprising the builders.
"oi who saw that!!? I just shot the horn off a wolves head!!"
The gun was incredible, more accurate and powerful then a modern handgun. Is what Kan speculated anyway. He has no real experience with guns and the science behind it.

Just that after a certain a distance a bullet would drop off, this gun seemed to ignore that and fire in a perfect straight line. It made him think of the pipe, and randolf's weapon. They change in shape and more... But never need to be cleaned or maintained. They just stay immaculate.
(Blood stains evaporate from it, they cannot be damaged by normal means)
===================
You have spent at least three hours doing something, elaborate or summarise in the next post! My next post will introduce conflict
(take that as a surprise or a feeling in the air your character can't help but notice)
FearTheKumquat dae mec Deadbeard Goonfire

 

[dae mec]

Fel helped the workers with their projects, acting as another set of arms. She got to know the workers and learned about their jobs, goals, and lives. She also learned their schedules and the usual flow of people around the camp, problem areas, and general combat ability of each of them. All the better to guard them, after all... After Fel was satisfied that she had a general idea of how each person would behave, she took over the area that the workers used to cook. It took little effort to get a slow-cooking stew going; with all the juices marinating, it would taste fantastic, even if the ingredients weren't the best. She set a lid to cover it and started a casual loop of the area, scouting and keeping an eye out. To keep herself from being board, Fel conjured miniature fire images on her fingertips--though she made sure not to be excessively distracted by it. Before she knew it, three hours had already passed.

 

[FearTheKumquat]

Randolf wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled. He had improved again; (slightly) better results with (slightly) less effort. The plains bordering a portion of the camp had been modified in an arc, out to a distance of several meters. In the past three hours, Randolf had simply created a field of raised and lowered ground. Miniature hills, valleys, and pits, none higher or lower than a few inches, wove together into a bizarre system of difficult terrain. Approaching the camp from this direction would be very hazardous to one's ankles. And for now, that was enough. Damage to the ankle on most any walking creature hampers mobility, stability, and as a direct result, survivability.

But something was... off. Randolf tensed, became wary. It happened to him on rare occasions, starting about a month ago when he had been revived. Whenever this feeling crept into Randolf's spine, the imprecision of the anxiety and the uncertainty of its source irked him. Some sort of instinct, perhaps? If he were more experienced, he might understand it better. The otherworlder's gaze swept back and forth over the horizon. He knew this sensation to be a herald of danger. While the uneasiness did not precede every confrontation - Randolf had only felt it a handful of times - he had yet to experience a false positive. The shaft of the spear, Randolf's ever-present companion, found its way into its wielder's free hand.

"Hey, Kan!" Randolf called into the camp over his shoulder. He knew his de facto partner's instincts to be sharp. In the absence of intellect, raw talent and keen intuition had preserved Kan until now - even if the man chose to ignore danger sometimes. "Does something seem off to you?"

 

[Goonfire]

Phor roamed the construction site, placing long, unlit torches and lanterns throughout it. “Is it safe enough to store the rest of our supplies in the cellar now?” he asked, lifting the heavy bag that was hanging over his shoulder. Most of his time was devoted to painstakingly storing essentials in easily accessible places throughout the construction site and camp.

The scout found himself hovering near Fel, more often than not. She was gathering useful information he should know, though a keen eye might mistake it for stalking her. He lost his focus every time Kan fired his gun. “Hey! Don’t be reckless. The last thing we need is to ring the dinner bell so close to Grimdar,” he warned.

 

[NeonFlow]

As Randolf yelled at Kan the man was standing upright whilst pointing his gun at nothing, the question broke a stoic concentration. "huh? Yea...been watching the wolves chase them horned rabbit things with wings... They chased the rabbits out of view way that way"
Kan pointed a few kilometers towards Grimdar where sloaping hills and ditch like valleys block the view.
"But maybe two wolves ran back that way towards the Forrest... can little winged things kill wolves somehow?"
It was possible but not likely. But in the coming moments was a sure sign of what would easily have wildlife running.

As the rumours from the seaside village of Hunyot had said. If one was say patrolling or simply taking in the views, They might notice a green glint due to the setting sun... a beast running on all fours, one can probably see the exoskeleton like shell making up it's horned head and limbs.
What followed after was seven orcs, they ride wolves but not of the horned sort.
Almost like a oversized hairless cat on steroids that never missed leg day. These orcs rode upon several Terrorgores. Almost as if herding the gorgon toward the campsite in the stupidest route possible, they thunder in and out of view heading straight into the plains with direct firing line of campsite. Plus Randolph's traps...

What became scarily obvious to Phor anyway... Was that was no gorgon. That was some orc hybrid, it stopped running to stand on two legs. It's horned head cast to the skies sniffing the wind. It wore armour protecting it's chest and had a two handed blade strapped to it's hulking back. With it's hind legs like a bull and giant arms with hands that could crush a skull it stood over nine feet tall more like a minotaur then a gorgon. But the armoured green scales would worry any Hunter.

The orcs riding terrorgores hold their position behind the hulking green demon as he cocks his head toward Hunyot and the campsite, the campsite was closer.
The entire camp can see this now, the workers take to the basement ready to seal themselves away with earth mana literally as the orcs barrel their direction.
Probably discussed and planned beforehand once the basement was finished...
No wolf would dig a stone floor, most orcs aren't intelligent enough to search beneath one. The guild would say otherwise but no point arguing the average brain power of a orc when they are charging from a few clicks away.
Goonfire FearTheKumquat dae mec Deadbeard

"should we be shooting them? I'm gonna shoot them"
Kan decided for himself once he had spotted the mean green battle ready machine.
A loud shot rang out, a lead bullet propelled by black powder ignited from a spark of electricity effortlessly bounced off the leading horned monster. Charging still Kan began to reload muttering swear words and ultimately being pissed off a headshot means nothing in this world.

 

[Deadbeard]

Durseam, maintaining a silence which was somewhat strange for someone of his disposition, had been watching the group with interest, figuring out exactly what type of people he was working with. They seemed dependable for the most part; even the workers had got part of the job done already. The task didn't seem too difficult, but he'd yet to see the younger three in combat. He leant against a neighbouring boulder, looking towards the mountains and taking the weight off his feet. "Ish not a bad plashe really..." Birds flew overhead, the sun was beaming down on him, and even the rumbling of the workers was comforting to him.

BANG! "Shon of a vikshen!" Durseam leapt to his feet, pulling his axe from his belt and his shield from his back. He quickly scanned the vicinity and found the source of the noise: one of the humans with a gun. "Shtupid chuffin' fool..." he muttered, sidling back to his boulder, engaging in an internal debate on the nature of ale. Nought but a few minutes had passed when a bang made itself known once again. Durseam stumbled up from his sitting position with a scowl spattered across his face. "Human, ye'd besht be a fool and na' a prankshter, 'cos I'll lif' the shkin from yer fashe if -"

Durseam stopped short of the human, finally noticing the arrival of new prey in the distance. Hand met axe, and shield met dwarf. "Chuffin' hell..." He hurled himself forward, in the direction of the encroaching targets, letting his signature battle cry ring out across the plains: "To armsh! Make 'em shcream!"