Fantasy &nbsp; Tales of Raeligard

ERode · Nov 22, 2022

Location: Roadside Inn

Stonetusks, Wurms, and Phasmanders? None of them seemed that likely then! Especially because it sounded like none of them sounded like they could get inside the warehouse without leaving a trace! It seemed like there were pieces of information missing then, things that they all more or less lacked the knowledge to figure out, which meant everything else was just...talking for the sake of talking!

"Ok!"

Lori clapped her hands together.

"It sounds like we're just going to keep doing our jobs then!" Because that was what they were hired to do, after all. Leave the smart things to the smart people, and the mole things to the mole people. Lori herself certainly wouldn't be crawling down any Holzekt size holes, that was for sure. "Let's keep an open mind and not attribute everything to Holzekts going forward unless it's like, super duper obvious it is, ok? And really, remember what we're here to do!"

Her eyes met everyone else's.

"Report on what the warehouses' conditions are, not why they got this way! Now, I'm hungry, so can we order something to eat? Or is more you'd like to tell us, Arien?"

Huntertabbysandshark3 · Nov 23, 2022

interaction:

the beast's sudden turn in the air toward hyss left Risax in a nearly fatal moment of indecisiveness he wouldn't make the distance to be able to hit, it and if he picked up his dropped "crossbow" he'd waste too much time and she'd likely be seriously injured before and even if he managed to get a shot.. the spider froze in indecision what should he do , what should he do? hundreds of thoughts scatter and skittered about his mind like spiders in a web it was only with sen sudden appearance to smash her shield and hammer into the beast that broke Risax form his stupor.. a mistake he'd not make again.. or so he hoped.. but now wasn't a time for remakes nor whining over colourful language, one leg flicked the loaded hand ballista up into the air Risax catching it in both and then turning it to the beast and with a "flatik" sound the large bolt shot form the weapon slamming into the beast with a rather decisive impact while he couldn't get a head shot the monster lungs and spin where the next best shot the impact puncturing into the beast flesh iron tip punching into the beast's spine breaking multiple vertebrate the shock likely leading to its death or at least a easy kill for sen.

Thalia_Neko · Nov 24, 2022

Currently: Attacking the cat monster
Thinking: "C'mon. Cmon, kill it!"

Location: Oyten
Interacting:

Huntertabbysandshark3
Mentions:

It had worked out... Somehow. The beast was over there thrashing about, clearly annoyed by her weapon lodged in its jaw. Thank goodness that maneuver worked and bought her time. She was still alive. That's what mattered. The snake girl scrambled a bit away to try to hide once again -but with the wound it would likely be fruitless.

Her weapon finally popped free, with a stream of blood grossly painting the forest for good measure. Now the beast was rounding on her once more. More enraged than ever.

That's when the Syrieth interrupted it, crashing into it. Saved. Even when she was saving someone, the woman had to be irksome. "We're not idiots!" Hyss retorted, wincing as she did so. The effort of the shout stung, and her hand went to her chest.

She noticed she couldn't feel the magic from her arcanizer anymore. She held up her hand, intoning her spell once more. "The wind howls.. A swift zephyr, cyclone winds. Return!" And just as before, winds whipped up and 'yanked' the glaive off the forest floor, whistling as it did so, sending it spiraling back into Hyss' hand. She didn't even notice the blood dripping from the weapon, splattering on her outfit as she caught it.

After catching it, she grimaced, as she got back to her feet. It was distracted by Sen and her shield, and even Risax managed to shoot it! Putting in the effort, Hyss spun on her feet, putting a bit of strength into it as she threw her glaive at the beast's side once more. She had to catch herself from falling after the aggressive twirl she made.

AnonyMouse · Nov 26, 2022

Sen Hyazari

Location: Oytenrand Woods

Sen took a half-step back, and raised her shield as the crossbow bolt slammed into the creature's side. The sturdy shaft impaled the creature diagonally, piercing it from shoulder to hip, just as it reared up to pounce at her. Time seemed to slow. The beast froze mid-attack as the savagery and ferocity left its eyes. It slumped forward, landing on all four paws and, for a moment, seemed as if it might simply walk away from this encounter and recede peacefully into the forest from which it had come. Instead, it merely collapsed here, never to move again. The scene could have been peaceful if not for Marcel howling in her ear.

Sen watched as the beast heaved its final breaths and then, after spotting movement in the corner of her eye, she turned just in time to swat away the snake-girl's glaive with the broadside of her hammer, creating a loud clash and a brief eruption of sparks. Why're you throwin' shit! It's dead, goddammit! she thought, flashing a look of pure fury at the snake-girl as the metal disk skittered away into the grass. The elf muttered a string of expletives under her breath as she prodded the beast's corpse with her foot, checked for a pulse, and opened its eyelids to reveal lifeless pupils. Yup, dead.

"Ya know, you two are really pissin' me off," she said as she set down her hammer and shed the round shield strapped to her left arm, so she could begin dealing her own child. "Not idiots, hmm? We'll see what yer friends have to say 'bout that. They ditched you to save a lyin' stranger. Either they're just as dumb, or they know when to drop the dead weight. Either way, that's some cold-blooded shit and y'all got some issues to work out," she scoffed as she began to unbuckle Marcel from the rig on her back and set him on his own two feet.

There was also a third option: they trusted Hyss and Risax enough to handle themselves. But that seemed very unlikely. Sen nearly laughed at the thought.

She gripped Marcel by his tiny shoulders and dusted him off. He seemed none the worse for their trip through the woods. The child tottered for a moment, though his crying stopped almost instantly as he stared into his mother's eyes, before beginning to look all around at the trees, the grass, even the dead hooktail and its slowly-growing pool of blood. Best kid ever. I guess he just didn't like all that runnin' around, Sen thought with a smile as she wiped his face with a dirty bit of cloth before standing.

"Spider, watch the perimeter. I don't think there's any more of these things, but we can't take any chances. Girl, get your ass over here so I can patch you up," she said as she moved a few feet away to pick up the glaive, allowing the infant to get his bearings while she did so. "By the way, that spell works better if the thing's still in the air. Keeps its momentum that way. In battle, you pause, you die," she commented with a nod to Risax as she returned the glaive to its owner and began to fetch some gauze and a flask of what was probably strong alcohol from her pack. "I've probably fucked with every weapon known to man and I think throwin' stuff is kinda dumb, to be honest... but if you're gonna do a dumb thing, might as well do it right," she added as she began to prep the bandages. "Consider yourself lucky ya ain't holdin' yer guts in your hands. Been there myself and it ain't a good feelin,' kid, trust me."

Falion "Falco" Cauphix

Location: Oytenrand Woods

Falco frowned as Thea began relaying commands once more. He had no issues with being given orders, but could see her rising temper was beginning to take a toll on them all. The way she spoke to Sakura, the way Lucia side-eyed her, it was all building up to something ugly. It seemed killing the beast did not heal all wounds. With a small sigh, Falco coiled the severed tail as best he could and tucked it into a bit of cloth from his pack before stowing it away for safekeeping. It was certainly easier to transport than an entire pelt or a severed head or whatever chunk of meat hunters typically chose as a trophy, while still being unique enough to serve as definitive proof of the kill.

As the group began to move out, Falco noticed the 'uninjured' hunter appeared to be struggling slightly. It hadn't occurred to him until now, but both men had been attacked. One had been mauled near to death, but clearly the other hadn't gotten out unscathed. Not only had this man ran frantically through the woods to find help, but had also ran back here, thanks to Sen's hurried pace.

To think, we're squabbling over petty shit and this guy nearly lost kin today. Goddess, help us, Falco thought, feeling his heart sink.

"Hey, I'll take over," Falco said softly, offering to swap places with him and silently praying Thea wouldn't object to breaking formation. "You've had a long day, man. Lead us home. And... uhhh... sorry about earlier," he said as he slid under Rick's --was that his name?-- shoulder, opposite Lucia, so they could share the burden.

The hunter merely nodded and moved to the front, leading them through the woods. This wasn't the way Sen had led them, but they seemed to be moving in the right general direction. At least that's what Falco's, admittedly flawed, city boy sense of direction told him. There seemed to be the ghost of a trail here, instead of brutishly cutting through the thickets as the wildling had done.

As they walked, his mind wandered. What can he say to make everyone get along? Actually, no, that's the wrong way to look at it. You can't make everyone get along, he corrected himself. He had fought with friends before --sometimes, literally[-- but that was different. Back then, no one was relying on he and his stupid friends to save them from beasts or bandits or whatever problem-of-the-week was plaguing the town. We're Kriegslowen now. Shouldn't we be' bettter'

Now, he wasn't even sure if he knew what that word meant.

The return trip, while brief, gave him far too much time to stew in his thoughts. If nothing else, the walk was, mercifully, uneventuful. If anything or anyone attacked, he would surely not have been prepared to defend himself. "Maybe I ought to go back to being an annoying little prick," Falco muttered to himself, when they were nearly there. "Things were simpler when everyone was only angry at me."
Interaction(s):

RedArmyShogun (Thea) /

EmperorsChosen (Lucia) /

Thalia_Neko (Hyss) /

Topless (Sakura) /

Thalia_Neko · Nov 26, 2022

Currently: Greatly disturbed by Sen, and mad at her to all hell
Thinking: "What the frick? I'm not going to let you touch me. Who just knocks someone's weapon away?.. Have you no manners?"

Location: Oyten
Interacting:

AnonyMouse
Mentions:

As she regained her balance Hyss saw the woman block her attack, knocking her glaive aside. Her mouth fell open. She was stunned, literally stunned. "Hey, what are you-?!" She blurted. She couldn't believe what she had just witnessed! And she was the one being chastised! It wasn't dead when Hyss threw her weapon! Furthermore, it was better to make sure anyway! Who knew if that monster was truly dead? It could have some sort of sudden second wind fueled by anger and adrenaline or something! And and and, no matter what, intercepting an allies' attack just cuz was poor manners and frankly, quite rude!

"You're the one getting mad?" Hyss retorted, sharp eyes in a glare. This woman! Ever since she had shown up she had constantly been an ass. And she has the nerve to winge to someone else about it. Even so, Hyss was likely to agree they were idiots for going to go after some random person rather than stick to the mission. After all.. look what happened.

"No way!" the Beastkin hissed stubbornly, as she held up her hand, calling her glaive back over to her before the woman could pick it up. Catching it, Hyss still had a perturbed look on her face. At least that bit of advice was something worthy of note. "I'm new to using this spell. Especially in combat. But I'll keep that in mind." Then she furrowed her brow. "Your way of fighting isn't going to work for everyone. Other people have their own way of fighting. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. It's better to lean into them, temper those strengths, rather than force something someone's not good at. Like a square peg into a circular cut-out. It's strange, you claim to be so knowledgeable, yet you don't even know that much."

Hyss tensed up and narrowed her eyes, flicking them around. "You mentioned 'more'? -I suspected there might've been others out there.."

Huntertabbysandshark3 · Nov 26, 2022

interaction:

Risax let out a deep sigh watching the beast limp forward and the slump down dead his body hanging low to the ground as he was just trying to take in the current situation at hand… they‘d managed to slay the monster, slightly unfortunate that they couldn’t capture it but the job was done. he’d simply give sen an nod legs and arms moving to reload his weapon carefully watching the tree line around them, of course their was a damn good chance anything crashing through the woods would be the rest of the team so blinding firing at noises was to be avoided up until he could actually tell what it is. However he’d take a moment to look back at hyss Then back to the tree line to speak. “Just be appreciative we are alive right now we both screwed up, best we use this experience to avoid it again less we end up cat food”

AnonyMouse · Nov 26, 2022

Sen Hyazari

Location: Oytenrand Woods

“I never claimed to be ‘knowledgeable,’ you asshole. What I DID do, is run through this fucking forest to save YOUR fucking LIFE, pissing off my kid along the way, and the thanks I get is a fucking TOY thrown at me, and a fucking LECTURE from a know-it-all who nearly got herself KILLED!?” Sen barked at the girl.

Every muscle in her body tensed. Even her enormous mane of mangy ashen hair seemed to bristle, like the fur of an angry animal. Her body language had all the makings of a homicide-in progress.

But, in a moment of clarity, she paused, feeling the weight of her hammer in her hand. In her blind rage, Sen didn’t even remember picking it up. It was just… there, in her white-knuckled grasp. A year or so ago, she'd be standing over a pool of blood by now, but she had changed.... at least a little. The look of pure, unbridled rage on her face slowly melted away into something akin to sadistic pleasure.

“Advice… from an E-Rank?” Sen said calmly as she slowly twirled the weapon in her hand, enjoying its weight. “Nice. Let me write that down, so I’ll have somethin’ to wipe my ass with later.”

She pointed an accusatory finger at the girl. “Let me say this again, so you’ll hear: you’re an idiot. Not ‘cuz of your rank. It ain’t even ‘cuz of what you did, though that was a fine start. Nah, you’re an idiot because you can’t see how stupid you are. I’d hit you if I thought I could beat some sense into you, but if that fucking treecat couldn’t, there’s no hope for you.”

But hittin’ you for fun sure ain’t outta the question…

The rustling of trees signaled the arrival of this one’s so-called friends, which erased the smile from Sen’s face. With a small grunt of annoyance, she knelt to pick up the bandages and flask she had discarded… but the hammer remained in her hand and her eyes remained firmly locked on the girl.

“Think I’ve never wielded a fucking glaive before?” Sen scoffed. “You have a glaive, moron, so I gave glaive advice! Next time I decide to teach you somethin,’ I’ll talk with my hands, bitch... and you better be ready to do the same. Consider yourself warned.”

Interaction(s):

RedArmyShogun (Thea) /

EmperorsChosen (Lucia) /

Thalia_Neko (Hyss) /

Topless (Sakura) /

RedArmyShogun · Nov 26, 2022

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oytenrand Woodlands

As they moved through the jungle landscape Thea took note of Falco dropping back to converse with the other hunter. It was natural he was slowing down, she was not totally ignorant of his state of being, though she had to admit that it was not till now that she took real notice of it. Between the hurry, saving his brother, the realization half her team had pissed off and the forced march back, it had slipped her notice.

This is not good, should I keep letting things here with the hellish weather to keep getting to me, I won't be able to heal anyone... Goddess grants me strength, father, grant me wisdom.

With these thoughts, she allowed her gaze to briefly linger on Falco and Lucia in carrying the more injured of the pair and she said nothing. Or at least, she took the time to consider her words as she spoke,

"I'll be behind you. Should there be problems, fall back around my right side, I'll come up the left. Don't fight, just make for your brother to free them to join the fight." She says to the hunter, seemingly accepting Falco's choice to aid the man. Being left with her own thoughts, what Hyss and Risax did would have to be addressed, and while she had plenty that she would write on this matter in her field report, she herself was not without blame. Or was she? It was hard to say. Her order was loud and clear, the needs of the situation was clear. She had made the correct choice. The job however had thrown them for a loop, there had been not one, but two beasts, and that fact alone determined they would stay for at least one, if not two days.

The mission was done, but something nagged at her to not leave the job in a half measure. How had the beasts gotten here if they were not here before, what was among the fresh bone pile, where there anymore? A lot of questions circled her mind. She was in no position to help the other hunter as things currently stood. And then there was the issue on what to do with those two. Provided they were still alive that was. Humming along to herself, with her zweihander in her right hand, she kept it tucked across her chest with the left steadying it in trail behind her, this path was thankfully easier to follow.

Within scant minutes they were back at the trap site, where a different beast laid slain and where Hyss seemed to be making the mistake of challenging the hammer wieldier, unfortunately for Hyss, any mercy Thea had to spare on the girl was suddenly spent in this moment. Hyss had been poking that beehive from the first time Sen had shown up, provided the C ranker didn't kill her, she wouldn't make a fuss over it.

Nearby from partial concealment, Thea took note of Rixas, the other problem of this situation, then of the big cat and unsurprisingly dead cat. Did they even make the attempt to capture it? Likely not, nor would they have been able to without Sen's assistance. It was just another disappointment. She was however a bit calmer over what had happened, still she had a stern gaze as she looked over the pair, turning her head to do so, then at the corpse. She had no intention of stopping Sen or dealing with this here and now. Neither seemed too badly hurt, though Hyss was bleeding a bit and Thea would not waste the time dealing with Hyss here and now, as she was sure the other would only try her patience.

Given the ending bits that she could hear, the hammer in her hand and dropped or anger clenched medical items in a face that carried traits of rage out of Sen, she assumed Hyss would now be at the mercy of herself or the kindness of Thea herself. Kindness, she didn't see fit to share... For now. She would have to treat the other sooner or later, least she did her own treatment. Thea was not so petty, least not yet.

Walking past the commotion and over to the dead beast Thea knelt down, with her sword still clutched across her chest, as her blood coated gauntlet runs through the matted fur as she reached for the tail, a death grip was wrapped around a blade of bone. This cat did not have a natural weapon tail, it was in fact holding an improvised weapon. Were they wrong on what this even was? Then was the hooktail said legendary beast? Was this it? Was the Hooktail, an actual hooktail that was a long way from home and an unusual size?

She found herself with more questions than answers, as she gripped and tore the bone blade away, setting it on the ground next to her. Reaching into her pack for parchment and lead, a lesson she had learned from her corpse pile, she then started to write down facts about the beast in detail, from its size, markings, how it died, the fact it was holding a makeshift weapon and was tempted to try a sketch. Given her skills at copying the map, she quickly abandoned this and spoke up, turning her head towards Lucia and the hunter, then what was happening between Hyss and Sen.

"Lucia, if you can please sketch this beast, I will not pretend I am an artist of any sort. If you cannot then we leave with what we have. Hyss, Risax... We will speak of this later, for now I want you to carry the hunter." She said, jerking a thumb at the spider and then the man that Lucia and Falco were carrying. "Hyss, you and Huntsman, I will tend your wounds when we are back at the camp if you need it. Provided you don't wish to just go off on your own once more."

With a hint of anger in her eyes as she stared at the snake girl, Thea turned her attention back to the beast and collects its weapon. "Be ready to leave quickly, within ten minutes. Talking can be done once there. Our job is also not yet complete, we will go back to the feeding grounds in the morning. Many questions do I have till I will consider this job done."

Is there anything else of this beast we should take?

Interactions:

EmperorsChosen

Topless

Thalia_Neko · Nov 27, 2022

Currently: Greatly disturbed by Sen, and mad at her to all hell
Thinking: "What a total assbag. This is the caliber of Kriegslöwen?.. Concerning.. I miss Cephilia."

Location: Oyten
Interacting:

RedArmyShogun
Mentions:

This woman was making Hyss miss Cephilia. 'Nearly got herself killed'? What a way to phrase it. As if it was her fault. All that happened was she and Risax were attacked by a big monster! While Hyss was grateful for the help, this woman's attitude made it hard to be. And even harder to voice. In the end, Hyss just stared at the person, slowly sliding her hood over her head. She wasn't going to be baited by this person's bait. Or did she think those words held any meaning? "Aren't you Kriegslöwen? Why do you behave this way? Are you truly only useful for smashing things? Pathetic. Your child was crying because of your choices, because you're recklessly bringing a babe to an active danger zone with monsters. I'm an idiot? Look in a reflection."

"If you say so." Hyss retorted, wiping off her weapon and folding it up. 'Don't use your weapon as it is designed' is hardly advice. That'd be like Hyss saying 'Don't smash with the metal of your hammer, but instead whack with the wooden handle.' "Typical brute. No sense of delicacy or civility. Can only speak with violence and through pathetic, empty threats. Getting worked up over the words of your junior, shameful. Signs of immaturity." Hyss knew she was pushing it, but she wasn't just about to back down because this person held seniority. That mattered second to simply being a good person and showing others the respect they deserved -or didn't, in this case.

Hyss glanced down at her chest upon hearing Thea's words. So Thea and them had arrived, and were alright.. Good. The snake bit grit her teeth and touched the gnash across her chest. She definitely needed some aid. So long as that one didn't do it. Feeding grounds? If they weren't yet done, then Hyss would do her part to complete the mission -if she was even needed.

With a side-glance at the pathetic "senior" she began gently walking towards where Thea had indicated, taking careful steps since her chest was causing her some issues.

EmperorsChosen · Nov 27, 2022

Location: Oyten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucia's eye glanced in the direction of the rogue as he approached to relieve the hunter before returning to gaze forward. She said nothing, as it didn't make any difference to her. She only really preferred that Falco took over as he could move faster than the other weary woodsman. Thea's command fell upon alert ears, but still a mute tongue. At least she seemed to acknowledge it, if only with her one-eyed gaze.

She caught Falco's quiet words, even if they weren't intended for her. Perhaps at a different time, she would've been in a mood to console him. As it stood now, the Caskarieth was hardly in a supportive move past a physical sense. Prior to this day, however, Lucia had never held the other in any contempt.

As they reached the other three, all were alive, and seemingly in as good a spirits as the rest. Particularly, Hysydice and Sen were at odds. If ever Lucia was to think poorly of the beastkin's intelligence, aside from the decision to stay behind along with Risax, it would be engaging with Sen in this manner. The look the older Caskarieth shot her earlier in the day was not lost on her. Lucia thought she could read people to a decent degree, and it didn't take one with an upbringing as her to identify what the woman had considered when she spoke up.

Perhaps the woman was capable of restraining herself when her ire was earned, but that wouldn't be a test Lucia would run herself.

"Take him," Lucia told Falco, carefully lifting and laying the injured's arm down as she stepped forward and took the parchment and led from Thea. Though scowling still, the one-eyed woman still took pride in what actions she attempted and appeared to be taking the task seriously as she began to sketch. "I will do my best, though I cannot promise a masterpiece."

However, while Lucia sought fit to stay out of the argument as it seemed to be ending. However, Hysydice obviously did not care or did not catch on to the danger she was treading. "Hysydice." She called out, her stern voice resembling Thea's manner of speech slightly. "That's quite enough. I would greatly suggest taking more care in the words you choose, or choosing none in this situation."

@Team A

Topless · Nov 27, 2022

Location: Oyten

Sakura's ears perked up when she picked up some sound from a distance. They're nearing their location as they move. When they have arrived, the second beast has fallen and both Hyss and Risax are being treated to some verbal abuse from Send, the latter of which Sakura did not like. Yet still, she was about one thing; being left behind. Sakura sighed as she watched. It looked like Hyss was having none of Sen's words to her and Risax.

Sakura dropped down from the tree branches and then approached Hyss. "Hyss, calm down." She said to her as gentle as she could "What matters most is that you two are safe and sound. But really, you two should have followed us when Thea have told you so. Let's just...catch our breath while we have the chance here, okay? I...really don't want this team to fall apart by ourselves. Imagine what would Cressey say about this matter."

Thalia_Neko

Reinhardt · Nov 27, 2022

Arien Bermille

Location: Roadside Inn

The various theories on the origin and reason behind the Holzekt infestation at Heine Warehouse 4 gave rise to different plans - some seeking prevention of further infestations, some requesting investigation not only on the location but any other things, or people, that may be attributed with it.

Sadly, they were just that - plans. Without the necessary information, the team ultimately could not act rashly. Something that a different group of recruits could perhaps use.

"The guild has no such authority, contrary to how it may seem. We cannot simply quarantine an area without the blessing of the land's authorities, especially one owned privately.", Arien replied to the young spear-wielder. "Investigating the nearby forest would be a wasted effort."

"I shall remind you.", he added. "I am here as an observer. Not as an aide."

"Although...", he uttered, but never finished the thought.

He, then, turned to Talio. "It is as you say.", he answered the merchant's question. "You face a great number of uncertainties with only but a handful of clues at your disposal. Getting a clear picture of the situation would be much preferable than the reckless pursuit of a blurry image."

The recruits had mostly decided what path they were taking, and it was one that was different than the other recruits. While there are some alluring loose threads to tug on, their task at hand takes priority. In Kriegslöwen's line of work, knowing what to prioritize and what to pursue makes a great difference between a job well done and a terrible failure. For that, Arien silently gave a nod of approval.

"That should be all.", Arien responded to Lori. "I've notified the owner to prepare us dinner beforehand, so it should arrive shortly."

And right on queue, a knock came from the door, before being opened, through which the owner, alongside a female aide of his, entered, bringing along with them the team's dinner. The meals, plates, and cutlery were laid out on the once spacious round table, occupying every space they could. Once all was set, the owner and his aide left the team on their own.

Granted, these weren't the most luscious-looking meals nor were they best prepared, but after a long, exhausting day dealing with dusty old crates and insect guts, these meals may very well be sent by the divine.

Interaction/s: Cresslinde (

King Crimson ), Endymion (

lunar_moth ), Lupa (

Silver Wolf ), Talio (

TreasureSniper ), Lori (

ERode )

AnonyMouse · Nov 27, 2022

Sen Hyazari

Location: Oytenrand Woods

When the others arrived, Sen was ready to leave it at that. She knew her temper and its limits all too well. Schuerer would deal with the girl. She was their so-called 'leader' and would render whatever punishment she deemed appropriate for their disobedience. Sen began angrily stuffing the healing supplies back into her pack and then turned to Marcel, pausing only briefly to settle her thoughts and affix a more pleasant look to her face, lest she upset the child. Infants could sense tension and anger. The last thing she needed was to start him crying again.

But, as a false sense of calm washed over her and she lifted the boy up, Sen noticed something missing: the absence of Thea's booming voice. The knight had not scolded the two beastkin. Or, if she had, it certainly lacked the thunderous fury she had displayed at the rock shelter.

Sen's annoyance rose as, behind her back, the girl continued to speak, continued to flirt with catastrophe. At the mention of her child, Sen whipped around to face her, the flames of her rage stoked to their full intensity once more. She was still cradling Marcel in her arms, which made the girl's verbal blows land all the harder. His tiny hands pawed playfully at his mother's chest and face, even as her grip upon him tightened, oblivious to the fact that his caretaker was contemplating turning another sentient being into red paste at this very moment. Hyss even had the nerve to turn her back and walk away, as if this matter were settled, the ultimate disgrace piled atop the things she had said. If not for her son's gaze and his touch, Sen likely would have set the boy down and launched herself at this parasite minutes ago.

"And now my child smiles and you live... because of my choices. Remember that," Sen said, her voice low and seething as she transferred him to the rig on her back and began to affix the straps. "You should listen to your friends. Their only error is suffering a fool."

That said, she gathered her shield and hammer. "To camp. Now. Sketch it from memory, elf," she said as she unsheathed her large hunting knife and pointed it at Thea. Its intended purpose was to cut through brush and foliage on the return trip, but, considering the current state of affairs, they could be forgiven for thinking she was brandishing it as a threat. Despite waving the large blade, Sen's voice was flat and calm as she continued:

"And you, knight. You'll tend to nothing. That girl receives no aid of any kind until she explains herself," the Syrieth declared. "I've prepared food at camp. Enough meat for all. But I don't feed ungrateful mutineers!" She wagged her blade at the dead hooktail as she began to walk away. "It is male. The other was a female. Likely a pair and no more. I know where these beasts are from. We'll discuss it as we eat," she said dismissively. "If we're gonna pursue this further --as Kriegslowen should-- the deeper Woods won't tolerate bullshit and I will not save her again. Pay be damned. If we must lose one to win some, so be it."

Interaction(s):

RedArmyShogun (Thea) /

EmperorsChosen (Lucia) /

Thalia_Neko (Hyss) /

Topless (Sakura) /

RedArmyShogun · Nov 27, 2022

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oytenrand Woodlands

By the Goddess, they say I talk a lot, but at least I don't go digging a grave for myself. She thinks as she listens to Hyss, as the words continued to roll out and Lucia took the pad, the look on Thea's face changed to one of shock, followed up with anger, words still coming to her voice as Sen spoke up. In truth what she said and even the knife being pointed in her general direction did not bother her. Nor did the excessive commands. That being said, there was one thing that did bother her, actually the whole situation bothered her. But she was one to speak her mind in general and more so when angered.

"Hysydice! Mind your tongue!" She said the girl's name correctly for a change as she barked her voice at the other in a commanding tone. "She is right, and It is only by luck you both still live. It may have worked out for the better now but that may not always be the case! Orders are to be followed!" She says, shaking an armored fist before continuing, trying to be brief;

"I have tried being accommodating of this circus since this began, all it has gotten me is venom or a chaotic situation that continues to get out of my control. I have neither the time nor inclination to explain myself at every decision I make. If you want to see how best a piece is used, then the place for you may be back on the transport in town."

And with that her attention switches to Sen. Rising to her feet, the knight looks at the other as she chooses her words carefully, "These are my men, Hyss has errored multiple times and I am fucking furious at what they did, but I'm not going to have her bleeding out on the way back. A corpse cannot be punished or listened to."

With that she reaches into her bag and retrieves a roll of bandages. "I concur with what Sen said, I will not heal your wounds till we are back in camp and we decide how best to deal with all this. Tape yourself up and get moving. We move out now, no rest.

A male and a female, huh... We don't have to worry about any cubs, do we?"

The later bit was asked of Sen, as Thea tossed the bandages but kept an eye on Hyss, if the other provoked her or Sen, she already had it in mind to run in close and punch her real good in the face or gut. As frankly that would likely be the only thing to stop the other from doing something worse. All the while she moved to walk from the area, to head back to camp and what small comfort it offered.

Interactions:

EmperorsChosen

Topless

Thalia_Neko · Nov 27, 2022

Currently: Walking back to camp to tend to her wounds
Thinking: "Ugh, this hurts..."

Location: Oyten
Interacting:

RedArmyShogun
Mentions:

Hyss glanced from Lucia to Sakura. Then even Thea. She had a point at being in command of this particular mission. Huh? Cressey? What did she matter? The hooded snake lowered her head so that her face was cast in shadow.

Sen said some pretty nasty things, but what else was new. And Hyss was used to looking after herself. ".. I thought it would be different joining Kriegslöwe..." she mumbled beneath her breath. She caught the bandages. At least someone had a head on her shoulders around here. Their senior was shameful in that respect, but Hyss was clearing her mind of it now.. It simply didn't help the situation. Or any situation.

She took a step back towards Sen, turning to face her once more. She peered enough up at the woman so their eyes connected. "It seems I must apologize. While I do not agree with your dumb ideas and assessments, I realize I may have ran my mouth a bit too much. The worst error a shadow can make is drawing attention to oneself." She breathed in. "And seniority does afford you a certain level of respect." The girl dipped her body so that her head hung low. "I am sorry." After which Hyss turned, and began to slink away, heading towards their camp. All the while looking at her wounded chest. Her footfalls were short and slow.

King Crimson · Nov 28, 2022

Current Location: Roadside Inn

Nodding fervently in agreement with Endymion, Cressey jumps from her seat, pounding one of her small fists on the table in indignant outrage, as she hisses,
"Yeah! That Hedwig is totally suspicious! How can he stay afloat, running such an awfully run business!? How do you even fail at something so simple as 'keeping things in place!?'"
The memory of the indignities she'd suffered today boiled to surface on her reddened face as she continued her tirade.
"But...!" she prepares to start again, before a stray thought causes her to hesitate, the flame of anger within her suddenly petering out, until she shifts uncomfortably back into her seat.
"...I-I suppose that if he were running some sort of illegal operation, sending us to investigate his warehouse wouldn't make much sense...not unless he was hoping to get caught..." Cressey admits, planting her head once more in her palm.
The flame briefly ignites once more, however, as Cressey slams her fist down on the table again, emphasizing, "...But I still don't like him!"
With that theory shot down, discussion on the day's events continued, though it seemed they only managed to speak in circles as more and more obstacles sprung up to block their path.
"Fuu...And I suppose your role as an 'observer' comes before your role in protecting the people..." Cressey pouted in response to Arien, her disappointment in his response clear in her narrowed, leering eyes and small, displeased frown.
She didn't even bother looking upon the large spread of food brought before her and the others by the Inn owner and his aide; she'd already ate her fill.
...Although, the pleasant aroma did prick at her nose as she tried to keep her stoic, serious façade.
"I don't recall such passivity from Cephilia and Vivienne when we were in the sewers," she adds, before sighing in defeat, surrendering both to the futility of arguing the subject any further, and to her own temptations, snatching a large, ripe apple from among the array of foods for herself, and quietly biting down into it's crisp, red skin.

In any case, the group seemed to be in agreement that their own best move was to push forward, and see what lie ahead, and with everyone enjoying a well-deserved meal, the table grew silent, sans the occasional sounds of silverware and errant, fervent feasting.
After a few more tepid bites of her after-dinner snack, Cressey turned back towards her guild superior, her curiosity and concern both writ clear on her face.
"You...spoke of the 'other recruits'," Cressey hesitantly began.
"Are they faring well? Will they be back soon?"

Interacting:
Arien (

Reinhardt )
Talio (

TreasureSniper )
Lori (

ERode )
Endymion (

lunar_moth )
Lupa (

Silver Wolf

ERode · Nov 29, 2022

Location: Roadside Inn

Luscious or not, food was food, and in this case, it was even hot and came with proper cutlery! Lori’s eyes sparkled at the silverware that was procured, each fanciful instrument shiny enough to reflect firelight. She didn’t exactly know what any of them were meant to be used for of course, outside of the rounded object that must have been a spoon, but that certainly didn’t detract from her enjoyment of the meal. Cheese, bread, and soup was already luxury enough compared to the dense mixture of dried meats and hardtack she was accustomed to, and the inclusion of wild forage-ables, as well as fresh fruit, elevated the meal into something absolutely glorious.

Ah, but now she’d have to be careful about how much she ate too, lest she wanted no sleep this night…

Scrunching up her face in a show of true self-discipline, the birdfolk beastkin sealed away her desire to eat her fill while on the job, and instead turned her attention towards conversation instead. There was, as always, lots of bad stuff to be said about Hedwig, but more importantly, Cressey was talking about the other recruits again!

“Right, right, the others, are they like, your main team, Cressey?” Lori said, leaning forward. “What are they like anyways? Do they all have magical weapons like you? Will you be leaving us after this job ends?”

AnonyMouse · Nov 29, 2022

Falion "Falco" Cauphix

Location: Oytenrand Woods

Yet again, there was bickering and squabbling. As they arrived at the clearing, they were greeted by a bloodied and wounded Hyss trading insults with their senior. Falco's first thought was that the Syrieth had inflicted these wounds on the girl in a fit of rage, however it quickly became clear the elf was the one being attacked... verbally, that is. Being saved from a potential mauling seemed to have greatly upset the hooded beastkin.

While others warned her to calm down and watch her words, Falco merely stared at the spectacle through glassy, lidded eyes, unable to offer even a whisper in her defense. It's every one for themselves now, he thought, his lips tightening. That's what she wanted, right? That's why she stayed behind, right? She wanted to be alone, do everything herself, her way, the very same thing she had accused others of doing. So be it. If the pair came to blows, Falco had no intention of stepping in. Not because of the threat the C-Rank Kriegslowen posed, but because Hyss wasn't worth it. Throughout the day, she hadn't shown they were worth anything to her. Just empty words.

At least Risax was unharmed. And, if the large ballista bolt piercing the hooktail's body was any indication, he had managed to fell the second beast. Falco traded places with the arachne, allowing him to support the wounded hunter, as Thea had commanded. "Glad you're alright, man. And... I guess she'll be okay, too," he added, referring to Hyss, of course. But the words felt hollow, half-formed. Because, despite how he felt, Falco didn't want Hyss to be harmed either. He feared his hands and feet would betray him if she and the elf crossed blades. He would end up in the middle of it, despite every fiber of his being crying out to let it be.

However, his words were ill-timed. The dispute was nearing its crescendo and Sen angrily demanded they move out immediately, while also denying food or healing for Hyss until she explained herself, which forced Thea to step in. Falco sighed and trudged over to where the three women were, just as they began to depart.

"You're not a fucking 'shadow.' You're barely a fucking Kriegslowen," Sen said to the girl's back as Hyss slunk away. "Have fun bein' F-Rank for the rest of your short life."

"Can we... not... please?" Falco said softly. "Just let it go. We're all tired."

"I did let it go. She still alive, ain't she?" Sen hissed as her eyes fell upon him. But her gaze briefly flickered to Thea and anyone else within range as she added, "Sure, keep lettin' it go. Dumb bitch gonna get somebody killed. And then, what?" she grumbled before trudging away to the head of the group to lead them back to camp.

* * * * *

The walk back to the abandoned logging camp was blessedly brief and eerily silent. Falco didn't like being left alone with his thoughts. He was accustomed to the noise and activity of city life. The silence of nature made him uneasy and he often prattled about nonsense to fill the void. However, now hardly seemed like the time to speak, rendering even him mute. He wanted to brighten the mood, but all attempts at doing so this day had ended in failure or only made things worse. So, he kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the trees. They were, quite literally, not out of the Woods yet.

The only positive thing he could see was that Sen appeared to be calming down. At the start of their trek, her movements were stiff and erratic, stomping on any rock or root which dared to cross her path, and slicing at vines and brush with her knife, regardless of if they were encroaching upon the trail or not. But, after a few minutes, she seemed to be back to 'normal.' She led them down a relatively gentle path, probably for the wounded hunter, but Falco told himself she was secretly doing it for Hyss's sake... even though he knew better.

When they arrived at the logging camp, they found it exactly as they had left it, only now it was bathed in the orange glow of a late-afternoon sun. The rain had ceased, but the humidity still hung heavy in the air and a slow-moving column of ominous clouds suggested it would likely return by nightfall.

I suppose we ought to track down some kindling and figure out how to get a fire going, Falco thought, realizing how little he knew about this life, but how eager he was to learn. Shelter would not be a problem, thanks to the logging camp itself, which had plenty of tents and lean-tos scattered about, but-

His thoughts were interrupted by the loud fwoooosh of a sudden inferno and a shockwave of heat blasted across his face. He only caught the first snippet of Sen's incantation before her words were drowned out by the spark of flame. Apparently, the Syrieth had had the same idea he did and, true to her nature, acted upon it without hesitation or restraint, setting a small pile of damp wood on fire, a little too close for comfort. Though, he had to admit, the warmth was nice.

"Overkill much?" Falco exclaimed, shielding his eyes as the mushroom cloud faded and the inferno began to settle down to something less like an apocalyptic event and more like a proper campfire.

She merely grinned back at him. "It was wet," she said brushing aside his concern as she set down Marcel. The boy marveled at the flames and giggled as he clapped his tiny hands. "Keep an eye on him, would ya, while I go dig up the meat. Y'all make yourselves comfortable. And track down some kindling. Fire won't keep itself goin', ya know." And, with that, she was gone. The elf trudged over to the large pond near the camp's center, doused herself with cold water and shook dry, before rising and prowling away elsewhere, presumably to fetch their meal.

Dig... up? Falco thought, wondering if he had misheard that. Ugh, she even bathes like a wild animal. To be honest, he was surprised she washed at all.

He pushed it from his mind and took a seat on a log near the sudden bonfire. "I'll go. Even a city boy like me can find wood in a logging camp, right?" he said with a small chuckle. Everyone was so prickly today, so maybe he should stick to making fun of himself. "Just let me get warmed up first. Not that I'm cold or anything..."
Interaction(s):

RedArmyShogun (Thea) /

EmperorsChosen (Lucia) /

Thalia_Neko (Hyss) /

Topless (Sakura) /

Topless · Nov 29, 2022

Location: Oyten

Sakura stayed silent, yet felt very bad for Hyss as she was being verbally abused by Sen even when she did apologized for her actions. When it is time to leave, Sakura walked alongside Hyss, thinking that she may need someone to lean on to considering the weight in her heart. She then heard Sen talked smack behind Hyss' back and thinking that she might stop to talk back, she covered the snake beastkin's ears. "Don't listen to her." She told her "She's just being stressed out is all. In fact, all of us are. Let's just keep moving so we can take a rest."

After a whole while of walking, the group finally made it back to the camp and Sen had already set up the fire before walking away to find food, though she laid a command to find kindle for the bonfire. After she had heard that Falco would volunteer to go, Sakura went up to him and said "I'll go with you too. It will be getting dark soon after all. Also..." She leaned in to his ear to whisper "Let's bring along Hyss. I'm sure she'll need time to get away from the more "stricter" people around here, if you know what I mean."

Thalia_Neko

Thalia_Neko · Nov 29, 2022

Currently: Walking back to camp to tend to her wounds
Thinking: "Ugh, this hurts..."

Location: Oyten
Interacting:

Topless
Mentions:

Hyss heard that last little jive the woman just had to get in. Oh, she definitely heard it. There she went again, trying to push her own ideas and concepts onto other people. It was exhausting. But Hyss was not going to be baited again. Speaking of not worth it. She acted like that was an insult; but if that's how Kriegslowen were, then their reputation was not just unearned, but greatly inflated. If all Kriegslowen were like her, then maybe Hyss misjudged this place. Not to mention, no one came to her aid, which she happened to note. What? Was being bullied by older members cool or something? Ah, she could hardly blame them, they were all new, too. Probably wanted to suck up to the older members. Be their little bitches or pets or something. Nah, that was too harsh. Most likely they were either scared, too scared of the brute woman, or they were also trying to figure out this place, their place, and what it all meant. Again, she could hardly blame them. But Hyss was watching now.

The girl barely tilted her head when she felt someone press against her head. Ah, she was wrong. There was one good person around. Just one she could count on. Only one? Well, she'd take it. Sakura's support wasn't so necessary though, she had clearly heard Sen already, and Hyss had no intention of drumming anything up again with the big bad boss lady over there. She was as thick-headed as her muscles. That is to say, she was incapable of learning.

But regardless, the support from Sakura felt nice. Little Hyss tilted her head up to the fox and afforded her a smile of appreciation. Her mask clearly wrinkled into the shape of that smile.

Back at the camp, Sakura ran off after Falco. Which came off as no surprise. That was okay, Hyss thoguht, sitting herself down. She immediately went to work on pulling off some of the matted cloth of her clothes to get to the sticky wet bloodied wound underneath.

RedArmyShogun · Nov 29, 2022

Thea Schuerer
Location: Oytenrand Woodlands

At least it all ended peacefully, for now at least. That was something and Thea was thankful for near constant silence, without incident and Sen venting in her own way the group makes it back to the campsite. Sen was useful again as she used her spellcraft to make a fire, though it needed more kindling to stay burning. While this area wasn't all that cold it was damp and inviting of bugs, both things a good fire could and would combat. Falco and Sen traded a few words, at least she seemed to get along with him, though she had a feeling it wasn't mutual.

We have taken care of the largest needs, fresh water should be possible from the water barrels such camps used, but better boil it to be safe. The fire was taken care of and seemingly food, I may share some of my rations, so we have more than just meat to eat... Not that I'm ungrateful for it, then there is Hyss to deal with... And Risax. Plus are those hunters too, though they should be headed back into town shortly. Well, one thing at a time.

Looking around her immediate area Thea picks up some scrap lumber feeding it to the fire, it would be enough to buy time for the rest that were keen with helping to go out and find some more. It seemed Falco was keen to do that, and Sakura wanted to take Hyss with them to do the job, that much she had overheard. It didn't seem that Hyss had hear of it, as she went about lifting and removing some of her clothing to get to the wound underneath. She would help Hyss eventually, least the answer to why those two stayed behind made her too livid. The clapping of the infant then got her attention, seemed mother and son both enjoyed fire...

Well, it wasn't her problem, she had enough of those and was eager to get those answers and to plan out tomorrow's trip. On that note now was time for maintenance on her armor... But first she should deal with the issues at present, while Sen went to get the meat she buried, Thea knew a thing or two in this regard, she just hoped it had a solid covering with this putrid soil.

Whistling to get all of their attention, she decided to address them all as she got more scrap wood for the fire, throwing it in bit by bit to buy the fire more time. "Before we all scatter to the four winds, let's get the most pressing issue out of the way. We all are close enough to hear, even if we wish to take a seat, work on our equipment and wounds."

"Risax, Hyss, why did both of you not obey the decision to move ahead? New orders from a command source overwrites the previous order and what we acted upon was in accordance with the information we had. The fact this all worked out is why I do not consult the guild book immediately on how to handle this situation.

What happened out there?"

Interactions:

EmperorsChosen