Fantasy Tales of Raeligard

[Topless]

Location: Tylsen

"Oh? Is that so?" Sakura asked after listening to what Lupa has said about treating her tail. She was going to make a counterargument had Hyss not decided to show her tail off. "I didn't know you had a tail." Sakura said out of astonishment "It just as beautiful as you showed your face to me."

Just then, Falco went in-between her and Lupa in order to stop their argument. How typical of him. Sakura stayed quiet afterwards.

AnonyMouse Reinhardt Thalia_Neko
King Crimson @Silver Wolf ERode ​

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: back, meeting new peeps
Thinking: "See? I knew it. Scaley tails are the best. Someone understands!! Eee!"

Location: tylsen
Interacting: Topless
Mentions:


Hyss looked shocked. Or as shocked as she could look when one could only see her eyes widen. "I.. I-I don't know what you're talking about.." she mumbled in response to Sakura, glancing off to the side bashfully. Be she did seem rather pleased to hear her tail praised so. There was just an air of jovialness around the little hooded Beastkin. It wasn't often her snake-like traits were praised, and hearing so seemed to have quite the effect on her. "Teeheehee..~" Hyss softly giggled to herself, glee overtaking her mood.​

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Location: Tylsen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

"Are there any other bulbous green pods that use flora and vines to drag corpses into it to feed on?" Lucia questioned rhetorically after Sen's reply. However, while a bit haughty, she seemed to take pause, as if recognizing that there was a decent chance Arien or Sen's response would be 'Yes'.

Taking that as a cue to leave before she received an answer she didn't want, Lucia followed Thea over to the group. She gave a nod to Cressey first, being the only member of the new group she was familiar with, and also one of the people not brandishing their tails. "An easy target isn't worth bragging about. Two Hooktails and one rather large Esservine to be precise," She added to Falco's vagueness. "A pleasure to see you well, Cressey."

While smirking, it was just as likely that the elf's greeting was genuine and she was simply riding the high of pride from their successful quest. Giving a short curtsy to the others, primarily facing Talio to avoid whatever it was the beastfolk were doing, she introduced herself. "Lucia Corinna Edelgarde. Pleased to make your acquaintance. It would be more so were I not muddied from our return."

Interactions: @Team A+B

 

[ERode]

Location: Tylsen
​

Well, Lori would love to get into the whole conversation of tails and shenanigans, but of the many physical advantages she had, from her incredibly long and voluminous hair to her slender yet sturdy legs, having a tail wasn’t one of them. Still, she could admire it, sure, and both Lupa and the fox girl had wonderful tails.

Though neither tail could compare to the truth that Falion revealed: one, he was a fancy type, going by how he talked like all the rich people (even Hedwig didn’t speak like that!) and two, Cressey was even fancier! It caused Lori to look at her short friend in a different light, noting in that moment how unblemished her skin was (outside of dirt and mud and blood) and how glossy and blonde-y her hair was (outside of dirt and mud and blood). Yeah, she could see it for sure, Cressey all dolled up in a frilly dress, like a proper inner city girl or aristocrat. But one thing, indeed, had to be asked.

“Hey Falion,” Lori said, butting into his whole self-report, “First off, introductions! I’m Lori Delivery, same day rates no matter the days! And I’ve got a question! How did Cressey become the princess of a dwarf kingdom? She’s human. Was it like an adoption thingy?”

Whether he fed her bullshit or not was irrelevant though, as Talio came in with a clock! The birdfolk beastkin lit up immediately at the sight of the clockwork construction, holding it on the tips of her fingers as she rotated it around. Certainly, it wasn’t nearly so expensive-looking as the Arcanizer she had, but something more antiquated like this was super interesting too. All the gears turning against each other, and the weird thing on top that seemed to be regulating its timing. What was it again?

Yeah, Lori, hiring a scribe makes it look good, but doing yourself shows your love.

“Thanks Talio, I love it! Can’t really make something like that myself though, but hm…alright. Next time you need something delivered to anywhere else in Raeligard, give it to me! So long as I can carry it, I’ll do it for free!”

More of Cressey’s former party was gathering up now though, and considering how everyone definitely looked like they were hitting it off, she was happy to propose to them all a simple little thing.

“Hey, how ‘bout we all go out for dinner today? I’d be super happy to hear all this stuff about hooking tails and Esther’s Vines! Bet y’all would be happier to catch up after like, you know, being able to rest, right? Still got plenty o reporting to do!”

 

[lunar_moth]

@/Everyone

THE PAST​

The land ferry’s journey is quiet, contemplative. Save for the fact that nobody died, Endymion would have almost called it “somber.”

He spends a lot of the trip sleeping — making up for all the energy expended, he jokes, which is mostly accurate, except that his sleep can hardly be called restful. The feeling of a spell seeping into his body is one that haunts him. Worse, one meant to disable him, make him feel heavy and sleepy and useless, well… the feeling’s not quite an old friend, but something close.

He dozes, but wakes often, startled back to reality by flashes here and there of dreams he can hardly remember. One that he does recall is more of a memory than anything: it’s the night he spent with the farmer’s son, back in his childhood village, where the two of them watched his farm dog labour for hours and give way to scrunchy-faced pups with salt and pepper fur.

Endymion can recall vividly how the farmer’s son scooped up each of the puppies with no hesitation and began to rub his palms all over them, until their little hearts picked up and you could breathe a sigh of relief. He also remembers the way that the farmboy smiled at him when Endymion followed his lead and knelt in the straw to pick up the next pup, and dirtied his hands and his good breeches just to hear the pup’s little squeaks and breaths.

It had been the dog’s first litter, and so they were few in number and weaker in health; four survived, with the boys’ ministrations, but the runt with the little crooked tail passed before they even had a chance to try to stop it.

It was sad, for sure, and both their eyes were misty, but it was difficult to find the time to sit around and wail when you were knelt in a chilly barn and surrounding by squirming little lives. There were things that needed to be done; grief could wait.

And it did! It always did, Endymion would later find. His memory tapers away shortly after this. He recalls the farmer’s son, so full of emotion that his whole body shook with the effort to keep it from spilling out — whether with tears or with laughter, it was hard to say — and it must’ve been that franticness that urged him to reach over and pull Endymion in by his shoulders for a kiss, teeth clicking with the force of it, and then over just as suddenly as it had come. The farmer’s son stood up to wipe his hands off on his thighs, and just like that he went back to doing his farmerly duties. Endymion didn’t have time to realize what had happened until much later even, because his mother was upset with him for returning home so late and covered in filth, and the next morning was when he fell ill enough that he was trapped in his bed for the better part of the spring season. By the time he was well enough to leave his bed, the farmer’s boy had already sold all of the puppies and was so busy packing up to move to the city with his father that he didn’t have time to act as if he remembered any of the moments the two had shared together.

That was long enough ago that the dogs are probably dead now. The farmer’s son is long gone too, and probably busy looking for a wife to have kids with in the city, if he hasn’t done so already.
There’s really nothing left for him at home. Everything he might’ve loved once is dead or gone now. The finality of the situation has never really hit him until now; and he’s certainly not about to start weeping over burned bridges in front of all his new teammates, so here is what he does.

Endymion wipes the back of his hand over his eyes, and he peers over the ferry’s deck at his teammates, still full of spirit and life even after the whole ordeal they just finished scrambling through, and he flips open his notebook to a new page and begins to scribble notes on the technique of his lapis healing spell. When there is nothing left, there is still forward, and Endymion pushes back down the emotion that wells in his chest again. Grief can wait; for now, he has something new to hold onto, and hold onto it he will. Maybe this time he can save something important to him for a change.

Endymion closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them again, the beginnings of a new spell is burned into the back of his eyelids and he begins to trace it onto the page.

…

THE PRESENT
​

Back in Tylsen the air tastes sweeter, or perhaps he’s just imagining things.

Arien gifts them their payment for the mission and leaves them to their own devices. The others seem to be interested in sticking around to chat, what with the simultaneous arrival of the senior Kriegslöwen into the fray, but Endymion has some business to attend to first.

It doesn’t take him long. Shopkeeps and merchants are abundant in the heart of the city, and he is quickly able to locate both a seamstress and a cobbler. The former mends the tears in his two travelling outfits, and Endymion purchases a pair of cuffed leather boots from the latter — sturdier and better for dashes through the woods than his glorified slippers, that’s for sure.

On his way back to the guildhall he takes a detour through a street market. A woman is selling sweets at a stall with her two young children and Endymion stops to buy a little sack of candies from her. Those he tucks in his pocket as a little pick-me-up to share with his team later.

One last merchant catches his eye before he ascends the steps to the guildhall — a trader of sorts, it seems, as the man’s wares consist of all sorts of things. It’s the little dagger with a silvery hilt that Endymion picks up however and he examines it up close. No bigger than the length of his forearm, and certainly nothing fancy, but the grip fits into his palm like a well-worn glove, and he knows that he needs more than a shard of glass and a stick to protect himself in the long run.

You don’t have to use it, he reminds himself. It’s just in case.

Endymion passes over the coins and tucks the dagger snugly into his waistband. The metal chills him even through layers of clothe.

…​

It seems that quite a gathering had amassed in the guildhall since he’s been gone.

The other Kriegslöwen party is just as lively as his own — and they appear quite, well, beastly! In a good way, of course. Some of the girls are already having a tail-off, and his eye is drawn to the large arachnid person observing quietly on the sidelines. How fascinating; they all seem well acquainted with each other. What sorts of things have they seen?

Endymion catches the tail end of Lori’s proposal to the group.

“Might I join you tonight? I can’t help but feel like I’ve missed out somewhat on getting to know you all.” Also, I have candies to share as a social lubricant in case I panic and don’t know what to say.

 

[TreasureSniper]

Location: Guildhall
Direct Interaction: ERode Lori AnonyMouse Falco Thalia_Neko Hyss King Crimson Cressey EmperorsChosen Lucia lunar_moth Endymion​

So many people to talk to, and so little time. Fortunately, for Talio, he was used to the world of fast-pace dealings, so social interaction at this speed should be a piece of cake, or at least he hoped it would play out in his favor. "Don't mention it." He quickly replied to Lupa and Lori's thanks. It was in his best interest to stay in the good graces of his allies, and they really do seem like nice people to be around. "Hmmm who knows, maybe I'll hire you to manage my wagon stall someday." The thought was tempting, but he had a feeling someone like Lori would rather be adventuring than running a static stall. But then again, maybe if he could somehow convince the guild to let him use his wagon to go on a supply run. Turning to Hyss, he decided to satisfy the snake girl's curiosity by explaining to her what he was giving to his teammates. "They are clocks that I made in my spare time with the spare parts of my other devices. I did want to sell them, but I can't find a good price. And well... I think they are worth more to me than other folks. But at the same time, it'd be a waste to just sit in storage gathering dust. So I am giving them away a gift to commemorate our first successful mission together." Talio usually doesn't make a big deal about simple inspections and deliveries, but considering what they when through, he has found a new appreciation for having people who he can trust.

Seeing Cressey, he reminded himself he had the clock for her as well, quickly reaching into a sack to grab hold of a smaller but no less functional model. This had a blue tint to it thanks to the armor scraps that it was made from. He thought that such a piece was appropriate for the young lady. "And this one here is for you, Cressey." Once again, his hooked hand seemed a lot fidgety than his usual prosthetic, making him look a lot clumsier than he usually is. Cressey, despite her small stature, fought bravely by his side. He was mostly relying on her combat prowess while he mostly saw himself as more of a nuisance and distraction to the enemy. Hearing Falion share insight about his own mission, he couldn't help but respond in kind as well. "We were tasked with inspecting a warehouse. A relatively mundane task until we ran into a few large insects. But even then they were that much of a challenge. The mercs on the other hand..they were something else." Talio voice shifted into a more serious tone, showing how much did take a toll on him. To feel so powerless against such foe, it wasn't a feeling he wanted to ever feel again. "Fortunately, I had Lupa and Cressey to fight by my side. Had it been anyone else with lesser moral fiber, I don't think I would be here talking to you right now." He of course didn't forget about Endymion's contribution to getting Arien.

With the beastkin now discussing about their tails, Talio turned his attention to the heavily armored knight who introduced herself as Thea. He recalled his conversation with Cressey about her. A pious knight. She was a lot bigger than he had expected, and an impressive-sized lady with an equally impressive sword. "Well met, Knight Thea. Yea, we have some mysteries of our own. But so far, all we have to go by is an image drawn by Lori." Hopefully, with enough, they will be able to unravel the hidden activities of these warehouses and with any luck, recoup the cost by charging it to these damned mercs. "I like to think that we were compensated quite well for our troubles, but I know some of us are likely not satisfied by monetary rewards." He knew Cressey was likely still upset that she lost despite of her combat prowess.

Talio turned again to face another newcomer, this time it was an elf, with an eye-patch. She looked like the type of person who had an interesting story to tell. "The pleasure is mine, Lucia." Talio returned the elf's gesture with his own bow, placing a hand on his chest. "Well..returning muddied is much more preferable than not returning at all." Talio thought back to the time he first met his team. He too was covered in blood, which thankfully was not his. But with the right cleaning products, he was able to remove the bloodstains. "If you ever need cleaning products for your clothes I am more than happy to sell you some. Removes bloodstains too. Very useful after a close encounter with brigands." And the best about that was he was able to write it off as a business expense.

And finally, the man with the stick makes an appearance. "And last but not least Endymion. Here is your clock." Talio took out the last clock from the sack and placed it in front of the only other male member of his team. This model seemed a lot older than the others, likely the oldest one of out of all of them. Its design was much less refined, featuring a lot more makeshift parts that don't look like they should fit together, but miraculously did. Its ticking was also a lot less subtle than the rest, but it was nonetheless a clock that served it's purpose. "Not as pretty as the others, but it will do its job." Hopefully, Endymion wasn't too picky about his gifts.

"I'll take you up on your offer Lori. Though I would like to get my arm fixed first." He didn't like this damned hook hand and he didn't think it was a good look to bring something so unsightly to a dinner among comrades. "Would any of you happen to know who the guild tinkerer is and how I can get in touch with them?" Since these guys here were his "seniors" they should know more about the people that worked there. Hopefully whoever this tinkerer was is willing to help him repair his arm and with any luck critique craftsmanship, pointing out flaws and weaknesses that he can improve on.

​

 

[Reinhardt]

Arien Bermille​

Location: Tylsen Guildhall​

"I must have mistaken you for a different person then.", Arien responded to Sen's correction as he finally stopped flipping through the pages of Thea's report. "My apologies." His eyes would occasionally stray over to see what the other Kriegslöwen are doing in the distance as well as the vast area of the hall that he could see, but inevitably returning to gaze at those who were present before him. "Hm.", he uttered under his breath, as he had taken note of something not for the ears of the many. Before Arien could decide whether to answer Lucia's query, however, the latter had opted to leave and join the group of recruits in the distance.

After hearing Sen's affirmation of Thea's report, in addition to speaking about her job, as she proclaimed to have been given to her by Cephilia, Arien gave a silent nod. "I see.", he said. "I am not quite certain where Miss Cephilia is at the moment, given that we have both recently arrived at the guildhall. I would recommend you check if she is in her office."

"After you take those stairs, it is among one of the rooms of the second corridor. The door you would be looking for would carry the family crest of Miss Cephilia.", the senior Kriegslöwe turned and pointed upwards, to the second level of the building, where the stairs led to an indoor balcony overlooking the reception desk. "If she is not there, I believe the next best place to look for her would be at her residence."

Arien turned once more as he searched for anyone who had ventured to such a location previously or anyone who would know the route to such a place. His eyes fell on two certain individuals. "Falion can guide you to her manor. If he is unavailable, then I believe Thea also knows the way to it.", he pointed out the two recruits.

Clearly having noticed that the Caskarieth was not one to idle around and socialize, he decided not to hold her for too long. "Well then, it was nice to be reacquainted with you.", he said with a nod, before placing his attention on Thea. "Thea, if you would, do remind everyone to submit their reports as soon as they are done. If I am not here to receive them, you may leave them to whoever is manning the reception desk."

The senior Kriegslöwe gave the latter a nod as well before he turned and left the scene, with Thea's report in hand. If one were to pay close attention, Arien headed to the reception desk and made some short conversations with the person currently in charge of it, until he finally went down to the guild's lower levels via a different set of stairs, one a little past the reception desk.

Interaction/s: Sen & Falco ( AnonyMouse ), Thea ( RedArmyShogun )

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Currently: back, meeting new peeps
Thinking: "What gifts should I give?"

Location: tylsen
Interacting: TreasureSniper Reinhardt
Mentions:


"Clocks? You made those?" Hyss seemed genuinely impressed, given her tone, and as she leaned over to catch a closer glimpse. That was two gifts given now. First Risax, and now this man. Did people give gifts to their team members? Her eyes flicked to the others. Other than Risax, none of them had given any gifts. Was that just poor manners? Or were they going to do so at a later time? Having needed some time to accrue the gifts? The snake wondered if she should get some. She thought about the arrows she bought, then decided against it. These arrows were slightly smaller to fit her bow. Thea, for one, needed much longer arrows, if she were to ever use a bow. Which most of the others didn't. So... gifts.. What sort of gifts should she give?

As she contemplated that, glancing at his hooked prosthetic, she heard the man state his gratitude for his companions saving his life. Hyss' eyes then flicked to Cressey, then to the one called 'Lupa'. These two were that impressive, huh? Hyss wanted to know what made them so impressive. To an extent, Hyss understood relying on one's allies. She, herself, relied on Thea's strength and armored body to take frontal attacks. And, even if she didn't like the older woman, Sen's brute strength had proven invaluable in that previous mission. Maybe these two were similar pillars for Talio.

The bird person was next to introduce herself. Lori Delivery, was her name. Though Hyss didn't understand whatever it was she uttered after her name. Lori invited the people to dinner, and Hyss supposed she would go. But she didn't necessarily want to spend too much more.

Seeing that everything calmed down, Hyss released her tail, and it slid back up to hide comfortably back under her cloak, wrapped around her waist. A moment later, she heard the man mention the reports, and he was holding Thea's in his hand, affirming his words.

"Hey, wait!" The hooded girl called to him as he walked away. Her voice carried as she ran up to the uhm receptionist-clerk-counter man and held up a few papers tightly clipped together. Hyss handed them to him, turning in her report before he opted to disappear off to wherever he was going. She didn't want to forget to turn it in later, so while she wasn't normally like this, she was being a bit pushy turning it in now. It was written succinctly and didn't add any superfluous details. It was a rather boring read, all else said. But it explained what happened on their mission, and what she did.​

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Tyslen - Guild Hall
~~~
​

Listening to the words of those around her, Thea had much to breakdown and in rapid succession. It was much akin to when the various local militia were summoned to serve, or when a childbirth, wedding or celebration happened at the county seat's beerhall. One had to pay attention to it because they had a responsibility for those that the led or even served. As a result, Thea engaged in the conversation with what was a charismatic nature that she had shown time to time, or as a few had put it, talking too much. Yet showing she was actually paying attention and did live up to her looks and upbringing of a Knight.

Letting out a chuckle at the insistences and bragging of Falco, it seemed this was the Thea one would get if the first interactions with them were not cannibalistic and the heretical. "Ha, you say all that as if I played a small part. Indeed, these words ring true, it was a struggle for us all. I think it will be a tail I can share, but we faced a beast the size of a bear, with the aid and trickery of Falco, the magics of Lucia, Archery of Sakura was I given an opening to face the beast and took her head off in a single stroke. There was also the issue of the wounded hunter I tended and the mistakes and split in our formation that worked for the best thanks to the timely aid of Sen... Though there are more details aside and of course there is the matter of the Esservine, with the green tide that tried to destroy us... And unfortunately remains mostly alive."

Turning her attention back to Talio, she speaks aloud and chiefly ignoring the two beastfolk from her own team for the time being, unknowingly correcting the faulty thought process of Hyss, the knight stares at the clocks. "Hmm, that is an unusual thing to see, not many would give such gifts, the Goddess blessings upon you. Though your craftsmanship is of interest..."

Before she could say much more, Thea found herself in an unusual situation, looking up to another as Lori made her presence known, the girl seemed to be a bit too excitable for her own good and got a few details wrong, still, she at the very least wasn't a Heretic... Was she? "Well met Lori, I dare say looking at you and hearing your last name that you likely live up to it..."

There was a bit of a pause after that, before she continued, as if wrestling with a decision of her own mind.

"I may have use of your services later, though I'm not so sure you would wish to run as far as where I have mind to deliver something. As to Dinner, mayhap. If there is anything I wish to do here and now, it is to finish my duties, clean my equipment, then clean myself. I rather not eat with this grime and mud in various places."

With that she looked back at the rest, before adding; "...That is if the rest wish to go. I have the feeling we all will be working together in the future. Judging by the state of your comrades it seems trouble and glory has a way of finding us both."

With that she turned her attention back to the merchant inventor and presses her lips together in thought, voicing it in kind, "Mayhap you should speak to Risax, the spider folk looming over us all...well I don't know, Lori may be able to leer over him, still, he was or is the son of a local merchant, you may find greater success in your efforts with local backing. The Empire and the Kingdom have a troubled history, though that seems too mostly be behind us all." At his question for guild tinkerer, it was then that Arien spoke up. Nodding her head at that, she remained silent and spoke up only after he was finished.

"As you wish." Turning her head to the rest on her team she spoke in a curt fashion that was lacking the friendliness of her previous conversation, being more inlaid with a seriousness to it. Speaking up in a louder tone, she called out those that had still not handed in a report one by one. "Sakura, Hyss, Falco, Lucia. I know most of you did your reports, or are in the process of it, just get them up before you do anything more than get cleaned up, today... And with that I formally relinquish command of this team. Our mission is complete in full."

Once more turning her attention back to Talio, she gave a nod. "You may find that Lady Valdergeu-... Eh... Huh... I'll get used to not using the titles one day, but Cephilia Valdergeuse or better known here as the Clockwork Witch, is a rather... Interesting woman... She means well deep down I believe. I have reasons to speak to her as well, but my topic with her can wait for another day. Falco or I can led you and Sen to her easily enough. What happens thereafter is out of our hands. She is the top tinkerer in all the land I dare say." It was then that she turned her attention back towards Sen, wondering if she would go off on her own or seek out herself or Falco to finish the job.

Interactions: EmperorsChosen Thalia_Neko AnonyMouse Topless Huntertabbysandshark3 Reinhardt King Crimson lunar_moth @Silver Wolf TreasureSniper ERode

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Tylsen Guildhall, greatroom​

"Sure. That sounds great," Falco said when Lori suggested they all get together for dinner later. He knew he should be tired from the landferry ride and the bit of training with Sen during one of their stops, but being back in town and meeting new people had him energized. As the conversation swirled around him, he couldn't help but think he ought to head home to drop off his gear, finish his report, and probably get cleaned up, but couldn't bring himself to leave.

Falco's thoughts didn't properly return to the words being shared until Talio handed one of his clocks to Cressey and the other boy, while explaining he had made them... from spare parts... of his 'other devices.' Wait, he has more stuff like this? Since he was still standing quite close to Cressey, Falco got a better look at this clock than the ones he had given Lupa and Lori. He now realized each was a little different, obviously custom. And, if Talio's words were to be believed, there was more where these came from.

Smart. Well-spoken. Business-minded. And has 'stuff.' Falco knew a rival when he saw one. But his confidence was not shaken, for he also knows an opportunity when he sees one. Smart, well-spoken, and business-minded? Ha, those things describe me, too, he thought, undeterred. And, frankly... I think I'm better looking. No one's throwing their tails at this guy, right?

Although he strived to impress the fairer sex, Falco would never forsake his fellow man to do so. Be a bro, first and foremost, and everything else will fall into place. "I got you. Cephilia and I are best buds!" Falco said with a bright smile after both Arien and Thea suggested going to see the Witch. "I can take ya there." On one hand, Falco knew the guild had deals with some local craftsmen, including tinkerers. Cephilia would give them an earful for daring to take up a moment of her precious time, as if she's a random oddjobber. On the other hand, he knew no one else in this town --nor this county-- would know fuck-all about Talio's metal arm. And it seemed Sen had business with her, too.

"This bitch better be ten feet tall and breathe fire," the Syrieth remarked as she followed him up the stairs, along with Talio and, to his surprise, Thea. He wasn't sure what business the knight had with Valdergeuse, but it was not his place to ask. For a moment, he thought she might be heading to her room in the guildhall's hostel but, as he reached the top of the stairs and turned toward the offices and meeting rooms, she did not part ways. Hmm.

As Falco rounded the corner to said offices, he found something amusing, yet oddly familiar. The door to Cephilia's office was closed, but, further down the hall, the guildmaster's door was open and a familiar face stood there. Or, perhaps, a familiar rear end. The hind quarters of a large equine creature protruded from the entryway. I know that ass, Falco thought as he picked up his pace. "Viv! Hey, Viv!" he called out.

The small tuft of white fuzz which served as her tail instantly began to wag with glee as the centaur began to reverse into the hallway, extricating herself from the relatively small (by her standards) office. Her cloven hooves clicked on the hardwood floors as she turned to greet them with a gleaming smile. "Ah, young Mister Cauphix! I see you have returned in good spirits. Shuerer," she said with a nod to the knight as well before her gaze fell upon Talio and Sen. "Cephilia, darling, we have guests! Falco and Thea have returned, with friends," she called over her shoulder, to no reply.

"Goddaaayum, yer big. Can't decide if I wanna ride you or fight ya," Sen said with a toothy grin as she gazed up at the antlered beastwoman, as if all thoughts of her business with the Clockwork Witch were forgotten in favor of climbing Mount Viv and planting her flag at the summit.

"Viv's cool. She'd probably let you," Falco remarked.

"Oh my! And what spirited friends they are," Viv said, clapping her palms on her reddening cheeks.

Vivienne Yvarra​

Location: Tylsen Guildhall, Guildmaster's Office​

Through the many years of their friendship, Vivienne Yvarra had become accustomed to Cephilia's 'moods.' The elf often fluctuated between highs and lows. She could be sociable some times, only to suddenly shut herself off from others for days or weeks even. Viv assumed these moments were simply part of Cephilia's creative process, as she often retreated to her workshop during these moments of self-imposed isolation. However, this time seemed different.

Viv departed town shortly after the first batch of rookies did. Despite what some believe, she was a working adventurer, not just a friendly face who loiters around town, dispensing good vibes. But, upon her return, she was met by numerous fellow Kriegslowen informing her Cephilia was being Cephilia again. A friend was in dire need of said 'good vibes.' Probably worrying about the rookies and too stubborn to admit it, Viv thought at that time. It had been quite a week in Tylsen. Mercenaries in the sewer. The Krafen guild branch was being oddly silent. And Kaira had skipped town. The Clockwork Witch could hardly be blamed for being on edge. Surely, dinner and some time with a dear friend would set her heart at ease. That always seemed to work...

And it did, for a time. They had dinner. They talked. They even sparred a bit --with normal weapons, not one the Witch's silly contraptions-- which is not something Cephilia often did. And, as Viv departed her manor last night, she appeared to be in much better spirits. Another heart mended. A job well done.

But, then came the morning...

Currently, Cephilia was rifling through the relatively empty drawers of the guildmaster's desk while a very concerend Viv stood silently in the doorway. Kaira wasn't one for excessive paperwork. She often delegated reports and such to the guild's clerks and stewards. This room had remained closed since her departure over a week ago, but Cephilia took a sudden and abrupt interest in it this morning. She picked through every drawer and cabinet, lifting reams of paper to her eyes to be studied. Her cold blue gaze raked across the letters of each page, absorbing information not meant for her level of clearance, yet did not appear satisfied by any of it. There were gaps in her knowledge, which these documents could not fill, but which must be filled, one way or another.

She did not seem panicked or hysterical. If anything, Viv sensed an eerie calm had fallen over her longtime friend. The last time she had seen such focus and determination was when they stood opposite a living calamity.

Ironically, the Clockwork Witch was not wearing her dragonbone tiara. Her iconic headgear was absent, but she wore a long overcoat, with an inner lining of lacquered red scalemail, greaves, and a broadsword on her hip, which was certainly more arms and armor than Viv had seen equipped upon her in years. Was this simply a fashion whim or did it carry greater meaning? Was it cause for concern or should Viv find solace in the thought that her friend was 'prepared?' Prepared for what?

"Viv! Hey, Viv!" a voice called from afar, accompanied by many footsteps. At least four people, Viv estimated. At least two were armored.

Cephilia's eyes lifted from her studies. She stood transfixed, her intense focus momentarily broken.

"Get it together. Whatever it is, don't let them see you like this," Viv warned, her tone as flat and stoic as her stony features. And then, like the sun rising upon a barren landscape, he smile returned. She was, once more, the friendly centaur they all knew. She gave the elf one final nod before backing out of the doorway.

"Ah, young Mister Cauphix! I see you have returned in good spirits," she said, beaming, before directing her eyes to the knight, "Shuerer," she added, with a small curtsey for the tall girl. "Cephilia, darling, we have guests! Falco and Thea have returned, with friends."

Slightly behind the rookies stood a lanky Syrieth woman, with wild eyes and even wilder hair, clutching an infant in her arms. "Goddaaayum, yer big," she remarked as she sized up the centaur. The child gawked at her antlers, as if fascinated by the various trinkets adorning them, which instantly made Viv's heart melt. "Can't decide if I wanna ride you or fight ya."

"Viv's cool. She'd probably let you," Falco said. May the gods smile upon him...

"Oh my! And what spirited friends they are," Viv exclaimed, tilting her head ever-so-slightly. The double meaning was not lost on her, nor was she offended by it. Quite the opposite, actually. She was about to address the Syrieth's challenge when Cephilia emerged from the office, coming 'round the centaur to present herself. The low clicking of various metals competing for space upon her body and the synchronized tick-tick-tick of too many watches worn beneath the sleeves of her coat announced her arrival.

"Hmm," she said, sweeping them all in her frigid cerulean gaze. "Good spirits indeed. Thus, I can assume you found success on your end? Oyten is secured? Well met, Thea, Falion," she said, using their first names before shifting to the strangers. She folded her arms. "Hyazari and Ferromanus, I presume. Cephilia Valdergeuse. Welcome to Tylsen," she said.

So overjoyed was she that the elf didn't simply mumble a greeting and slip away, Vivienne nearly missed her opening. "Oh! Um, yes! Vivienne Yvarra," she said, quickly wiping her hand on her voluminous and quite colorful garments... despite her hands not being dirty at all. "So very very pleased to make your acquaintance,"she said before thrusting her hand toward them both for a firm shake. Her eyes lingered on the boy's hook for a fraction of a second, but she remained undeterred.

Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax) // Reinhardt (Arien)
King Crimson (Cressey) / @Silver Wolf (Lupa) / TreasureSniper (Talio) / ERode (Lori)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Tyslen - Guild Hall
~~~
​

As events swiftly unfurled themselves Thea found herself face to face with Viv and soon thereafter with Cephilia, the later not where she expected, then again it wasn't like she had met or seen the leader yet, yet someone had to keep the guild running. Allowing the pair to speak, Thea felt a bit on edge with Cephilia's change in appearance and the faint sounds of her clockwork eventions. Was something... No, even Thea was not blind by her sake of duty to know that all things were correct in the Guild. The still unsolved situation with the sewers lingered and now she had one more piece of bad news to add to the collection. Still, duty called, she would just have to see if she could help with the problems.

Snapping back to the here and now, Thea nods her head. "Good afternoon, La..er Vivienne, Cephilia."
A brisk nod of the head towards the pair and a shifting of her right hand towards the other two with them and a turn of the head, she continues,

"And indeed, they both would have word and business with you. I'll let them speak for themselves. I simply tagged along should you not been here. I can leave if you wish, I had only come for that purpose and to relay the ultimate findings and accomplishments of the Journey. My report has been handed in, however I assume it will find its way to you quickly, provided it's not mentioned by Sen in the here and now."

With that said the Knight takes a step back, close enough should she be needed and far enough to allow Talio and Sen to speak with Cephilia.

Interactions: AnonyMouse TreasureSniper

 

[King Crimson]

Current Location: Guild Hall
​

"Pfft!--Phwah!--Ack!"
Moments after Crssey released the beastkin's tail from her iron grip, it leapt up to retaliate against her for her mistreatment, battering her into submission with it's soft, furry, fluffy wrath.
Her arms crossed at her chest, a displeased scowl on her face, and a sprinkling of white fur now covering her person, she looked on in discontent as Sakura took the opportunity to join in on the antics, showing off her own lavender cloud with errant pride.
Even the normally reclusive Hyss took part, holding up her own, sleek, snow-white appendage, clad in a sheen of robust scales, as opposed to the soft, welcoming fur of it's counterparts.
Falco, for his part, of course seemed over the moon at the whole display.
"Perverts," Cressey grumbled, spitting out a stray bit of loose fur that had managed to find it's way into her mouth.
"The lot of you, perverts."

Mercifully, Lucia was here to save her from the inane stupidity of the debate of whether or not she was a dwarf, and the value of fluffy tails compared to scaly tails.
Sure, Cressey found the elf a bit haughty and high-handed at times, but she at least had a solid head on her shoulders.
"Hm," Cressey nodded back to the caskaerith, a small smile on her face.
"The same to you, Lucia. I hope you brought back a fine trophy."

Shaking off the rest of the fur still clinging onto her, she turned back towards Falco, her mouth open to answer his question, though a stray thought gave her room for pause.
Should I really tell them about the arcanizers?" she mulled quietly to herself.
There was no telling what sort of stir that kind of news could bring; the guild's greatest invention and weapon, compromised, in the hands of every single cutthroat and marauder in the countryside.
And there was no telling who else amongst the crowd could be listening in, perhaps even whoever is their supplier.
Fortunately, Talio did a good enough job summarizing events in her steed, opting to leave such worrisome details out of the equation.
And he did her a further favor, giving her a thoughtful compliment on her resolve that brought a fair bit of warmth to her cheeks, along with a small, makeshift clock, that fit right in the palm of her hands.
She took a moment to turn the device around, inspecting it's craftsmanship from different angles, bringing it close to her ear to hear the pleasant, metronome ticking coming from within.
"I was in need of a timepiece to put in my room. Thank you, Talio," Cressey remarked, marveling at how the merchant could have made something of such quality in such little time.
"And I'd be glad to see some of your wares in the near future. I've run low on my personal stock of cleaning supplies, and it would be a nice change of pace to use something I didn't make myself."

Holding her new clock up to the light, she caught sight of Falco and that large, imposing woman separating from the others to meet with clockwork witch lurking in her lair beneath the guild.
She did catch the menacing glower the woman gave her before her departure. Cressey stuck her tongue out at her in response.
The epitome of a posh, noble, maturity.
So much for meeting with her today, Cressey grimaced, watching them descend down the stairwell, disappearing out of sight behind the guild desk.
With Cephilia's plate evidently full, Cressey's earlier quandary of what to do next seemed to have been made for her; she had no choice but to lick her wounds for now, write out a report and hope that an opportunity to speak with Valdergeuse in private comes some time in the near future.
But before all of that, her stomach was rumbling, and Lori's invitation to dinner seemed more tempting than ever.
"Sounds good to me," Cressey replies, turning towards the birdkin.
"I did spy a few charming places on our way to the inner district that might warrant a visit."


Interacting: @ Everyone

 

[TreasureSniper]

Location: Guildhall
Direct Interaction: AnonyMouse Falion, Sen, Viviene & Cephilia RedArmyShogun Thea​

Hearing both the knight and rogueish fella agree to take him to the tinkerer, Talio couldn't help but smile as he grabbed the sack that contained his broken artificial arm. "Thank you, Thea, Falion, I appreciate it." Hearing Thea's words of praise towards this tinkerer of the guild stirred a bit of excitement within the young man. It was like he was a young boy once more, going to the annual invention exhibition where he got the witness the greatness of the people's innovation. Perhaps this broken arm was a blessing in disguise allowing him to have an excuse to have an audience with the clockwork witch herself. Never in his life as a lowly pseudo-adventurer that he thought he would have an opportunity to meet such a noteworthy individual of great innovation.

Talio followed the duo, and much to his surprise would eventually meet even large woman then Thea, A graceful centaur. While he didn't know of her personally, he heard from the grapevine that she was a rank A krieglowen, one specializing in escort missions. Based on her reputation, she sounded like the perfect guard unit for important expensive shipments. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Viviene Yvara." He said with his signature bow of respect And then there was another Kriegslowen, one which had the title the sword breaker. She had a much rougher exterior compared to the other kriegslowen and emanated an aura of feralness and fearlessness towards her. He's heard about her as well, and her tales of slaying great beasts. Another legend in the making, no doubt. "A pleasure to meet you, as well, Miss Swordbreaker. The tales of your monster slaying are always interesting ones to listen to. I look forward to one day have an opportunity to be in such stories with you." Talio gave the lady a pleasant smile as he gave her an earnest compliment. Monster slayer feats were always something Talio was fond of reading when he was a kid.

And finally the moment he had been waiting for, meeting the clockwork witch in the flesh. His attire was...interesting, but he was sure that there was a reason for each piece of her outfit, no matter how peculiar she looked. After all, she was an S rank for a reason, she can pretty much wear whatever she wants. Talio, gave a deeper bow to the master tinkerer, before speaking . "It is a great honor to meet you, Miss Cephilia Valdergeuse." Talio seemed unpractically shakier, sounding a bit nervous for once. Upon recovering his bow, he gently placed his sack onto top of the table and began unpacking its contents. First of its contents was the arm itself, looking relatively intact as it slowly slit out of the sack. It looked beaten up, but nonetheless still in good shape, at least from an external view. "This is my Manatek arm Mk.I custom. It started off as a normal prosthetic arm until I modified it for combat use... Please feel free to critique my work." Taking two rolls of parchment, Talio unfurled both of them, revealing schematics for the initial manatek arm alongside the schematics of his own modifications he had made to it. While the arm itself was clearly an expensive piece of equipment, the modified parts attached to it did not match the clean profile, looking like they were pieces that came from other devices. A master tinkerer such Cephillia would easily deduce that Talio did not have many resources to work with and was essentially forced to make do with what he had. Upon opening the interior of the arm, the interior looked a lot better than expected but still had an element of crudeness to it. Talio had, some limiters had been removed from the arm to allow it to operate outside of its intended use, however, this has also caused it to overheat and break down a lot more often. While it was possible to attain such a performance level more consistently, to do so would require a hefty investment in funds to obtain the parts, not to mention hiring someone who knows how to do it.

Throughout all this, Talio remained silent. He seemed nervous, but at the same time curious to hear what she had to say about his current magnum opus. He knew his arm had flaws, he simply does not have the funds to have it a peak efficiency. And from his point of view at least, even in this somewhat cobbled state, it mostly was able to serve its purpose. Although he had intentions on asking for an upgrade, he purposely left the parchment out for now, wanting to know what her thoughts about his contraption were first before annoying her with his ramblings.

 

[AnonyMouse]

Cephilia Valdergeuse​

Location: Tylsen Guildhall, Guildmaster's office​

The shift in Schuerer's tone as she mentioned her report finding its way to Cephilia 'quickly' made the elf's brows rise as she gazed upon the knight. Those words did not bode well. As if I don't already have enough to deal with, Cephilia thought as she looked to Ferromanus next. The boy provided only a small greeting before launching right into what he wanted of her. Normally, Cephilia would be pleased to see a piece of technology such as this but, under the current circumstances, the guarded curiosity she had shown to Schuerer became mild disdain.

“Getting right into it, are we?” she said, as her cold gaze lingered upon him far too directly and far too long. Her arms remained firmly crossed, despite the offered device. “We’ve barely met, young man, yet it seems I have already been demoted to the role of a common handywoman. By all means, let me know if you all need anything else mended. Leaky pipes? A clock which won’t keep the time?”

"Hey now, hang on," Falco said, stepping forward. "He’s here on our recommendation, so if you’re gonna be mad at somebody-"

"Yes, yes, I know," Cephilia said as her stoic expression slowly melted into a smile and she accepted the manatech arm and dismissed Falion’s prattle with a flutter of her wrist. "At ease, Cauphix,, I’m merely having a dig at the boy." That same smile slowly morphed into a knowing smirk as she added, "From one Valgemian to another, I’m quite sure he’s accustomed to a little straight talk."

“See, you were not ‘demoted’ to handywoman. You have been ‘promoted’ to dearest friend, willing to assist young Talio in his hour of need!” Viv exclaimed.

Honestly, I know if I don’t do this, I'll never hear the end of it from you, Cephilia thought as she turned the arm over in her hands, ignoring the centaur as she inspected Ferromanus's handiwork.

Manipulating the fingers revealed the mechanisms were tight. Too tight, she thought. That may be good for precise movements, but terrible when operating at high speeds or under great loads. There’s not enough backlash in the geartrain. A common mistake. Signs of chipping, scoring, and heat degradation on the teeth. But the wear pattern is even. A softer material could take up the slack, but… no, that would sacrifice longevity. Re-cutting the gears with a harder material, but increasing the play could work… but that would make his arm jerky and noisy outside of combat. Perhaps a softer material, but heat treat the teeth, so only the tips are hardened-

"Oi, Dragon Lady! Jerk off to his arm on yer own time. Me and you got business," Sen said, snapping her fingers to get the Caskarieth's attention. Her impatience had been mounting during this entire exchange. Frankly, based on what Cephilia knew of this one, it was a miracle she had remained silent this long. "No offense, kid, but I'm, tryin' to get what I'm owed, while you’re over here askin' fer handouts… no pun intended." she said, briefly looking Talio up and down before squaring up with Cephilia. "You done?"

Glancing up fom Ferromanus's magnum opus, Cephilia's eyes loitered on the wild-eyed Syrieth for a moment, getting a proper measure of her, as well as the infant clutched in the woman's arms. He seemed intelligent and relatively well-behaved. Either the apple falls far from the tree... or I've misjudged the tree, Cephilia thought. If not for the strong resemblance the two shared, she might think the former bandit had taken up kidnapping. In any case, she now understood why the Swordbreaker had taken such a lenghty hiatus from guild work. Maternity, of all things. If I had known, I never would have called upon her. Perhaps an apology is due...

On second thought, no. She would likely take offense to that. More importantly, Hyazari could have refused the offer. No one forced her to take on this task. But, did love of coin or love of the guild bring the Swordbreaker back into the fold?

"Far from it," she said, a belated response to the woman asking if she was 'done' fiddling with Talio's manatech arm. She turned to the boy as she accepted his notes and schematics and neatly tucked them into the crimson confines of her coat's inner lining: "If I'm being honest, I don't have the time for this, but you've piqued my interest, Talio. May I call you 'Talio?' Anyway, I believe I see a way forward, but would like to perform a more thorough inspection at my workshop before making any repairs. I shall present it to you here, tomorrow, same time."

"As for you Miss Hyazari," she returned to Sen. "Your... how shall I put this... 'brusque' manner of speaking has inspired me to move forward, in a moment where I was beginning to feel somewhat adrift. You are correct: we do have business. More than you know. Viv..." she clapped the centaur on the shoulder, "Come to my estate tonight, 10PM. Be sure you aren't followed. We have a very important matter to discuss."

As the beastwoman nodded, Cephilia briefly looked to Talio, Thea, and Falco. Her tone as she spoke to the other woman and the piercing look in her eyes as her gaze settled upon them like a leaden weight was suffiecient. Surely, they needn't be told that this matter --whatever it might be-- was not for their consideration and they should refrain from any further thoughts on the matter.

Shortly after, she pressed a couple of gold coins into Sen's palm. "You, too. 10PM. Alone."

"Good thing I don't know where you live. That'll be my excuse when I take the money and run."

The Clockwork Witch merely smiled. "Tch... No, I don't think you will. See you tonight, Miss Hyazari. Now, if you'll excuse me," she gestured toward the door, indicating they should all leave, "You all are standing in my office and I have much work to do."

Interaction(s): RedArmyShogun (Thea) / TreasureSniper (Talio)

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Tyslen - Guild Hall
~~~
​

Narrowing her eyes as the next events were to unfold, Thea had to admit that she didn't know both of those two were Imperials. That explained a bit in Cephilia's demeanor. Though Talio had not done himself any favors. To ask one for repairs would have been better than looking for an apprenticeship. Still, it seemed he was versed with machines. Still she would not trust her life to such contraptions, or at least not ones from one untested by the fired of experience. Still, she made no effort to voice this, keeping to the rear of the group, though she did let out a sigh at Sen's interaction. Though there was no means of stopping her.

It was as this interaction seemed to spawn off yet another, instructions were given that were as pointed as they were direct. While it wasn't exactly what Thea had wanted, she also knew better than to pry into the dealings of others, being told to not follow others to her home at 10pm wasn't some sort of reverse psychology. Tt was an order, pure and simple.
Already Thea was making for the doorway, to head back to the rest, she was already exiting as Thea said a simple remark. "As you wish." Jerking her thumb to make sure the other two followed. Once they did Thea was out of the hall and back to the guild front proper, to see what the rest had done, if anything.

For now, the offer of food was welcomed, though she would pay her own share, a bath was more pressing, she may be stalwart, but there were limits for even she.

Interactions: Everyone and no one (till I post again on the weekend I'm sure)

 

[AnonyMouse]

CHAPTER 1x:
A Confluence of Unfortunate Events…​

Location: Tylsen, (Marble District,) Valdergeuse Estate​

Sen Hyazari marched up the front steps of Cephilia’s home… at least, she hoped this was Cephilia’s home. This was not a part of town she wished to be seen in. The roofs were too tall, the marble streets too clean. Dressed as she was, in a dark cloak riddled with holes and patches, the last thing she needed was to knock on some strange noble’s door and cause a ruckus.

Valdergeuse told her to come alone, so she did. And now, as she lightly rapped her scarred knuckles on the woman’s door, with only the moon and stars as her witness, she felt something she did not often feel: fear. The forest was her home. The trees, her brethren. but cities… cities were unnatural places. Men were unnatural creatures, filled with unnatural thoughts and desires. They did strange things. Terrible things. Sometimes for coin, sometimes for their shitty ideals.

And sometimes, just for the sheer hell of it.

The door was drawn open before her eyes, revealing an opulent interior and markedly less opulent Caskarieth woman standing before her. Cephilia Valdergeuse appeared quite different this night, than she had in the light of day. Most people did. Sen wondered if the change was more than superficial. She was dressed in a plain blouse and trousers, with two gold watches on one wrist and an arcanizer on the other, glowing with a faint jade glow. And elderly gentleman stood at her side, likely her butler or manservant or whatever, but Sen’s eyes lingered on the arcanizer.

“A spell, to detect intruders. Arien’s familiar is also circling overhead,” the Clockwork Witch explained as she stepped aside. “Come in. You’re late.” Simple words, for such a not-so-simple thing.

As she carefully skulked across the threshold, Sen looked to her left, then to her right, as if expecting an ambush. But none came. “You told me to come alone,” she said, mildly annoyed at the woman’s accusation of ‘lateness.’ “Hoss and I left her place at the same time, so I took the long way.”

“I see. So, you two have been getting acquainted? Good. Your son is at her ranch, with one of the workers, I presume?” Cephilia remarked as she shut the door behind her and fastened its three locks.

To this, Sen warily nodded. "That a problem?" Clearly this woman’s intelligence extended beyond book smarts. Within a fraction of a second, Cephilia had correctly surmised ‘Hoss’ = ‘horse’ = ‘Viv,’ and formulated a theory regarding Marcel’s whereabouts.

"Not in the slightest. Let’s go, the others are waiting," Cephilia said as she led Sen deeper into her mostly-darkened home. "That’s the last one, Maurice. Thank you," she added and the butler departed toward some stairs.

"So, what’s this about? Why all the secrecy?" Sen asked. Her steps were light, as if she feared the floor might swallow her up at any moment. " An orgy? I know how you nobles are. Y’all pretend to be squeaky clean, but yer really a bunch o’ dirty fuckers."

"Crass humor to hide your own insecurity? I’ll tolerate it," Cephilia said with a small sigh as they moved down a darkened hall. "I also counted the silverware… because I know how you people are, too." She stopped and gestured toward an open door, where Manatech light spilled into the hall, interrupted by shadows of people within. "Now, if we’re done stereotyping one another, what say we get on with business, hmm?"

Sen entered the room, where she found a group of mostly familiar faces waiting. Bookcases lined all four walls, from floor to ceiling. There were no windows, which is likely why this particular room was chosen. At the room’s center, was a table, where Arien Bermille and a rather gruff-looking tattooed man were seated. Vivienne Yvarra was seated beside the former … well, as seated as a reindeer-woman could be, with her hooves neatly tucked beneath her bulk. She waved enthusiastically at Sen, as if they had not seen one another a mere fifteen minutes or so ago. The Syrieth took a seat beside Arien with only a subtle nod of acknowledgment. Lastly, Cephilia entered. After lightly shutting the door behind herself, she –unsurprisingly-- took up position at the head of the table, completing the ensemble.

"Most of us here are already acquainted," she said, looking across the various attendees, before settling upon the gruff man. "Van, this is Sen Hyazari, C Rank Kriegslowen. Sen, this is Vandred Nosthrum, A Rank. You both already know myself, Vivienne, and Arien. I have summoned you because I trust each and every one of you…and I fear we are entering a time where trust is of the utmost importance."

From within her sleeve, she fetched a sheaf of papers and set them on the table before herself. A slight frown creased her lips as she did so, as if merely handling these documents troubled her. It did not take a genius to see that this --whatever it might be-- was the catalyst for tonight’s clandestine rendezvous.

"I will begin from the beginning, for those not intimately familiar with the recent events which unfolded here in Tylsen," she said, clasping her hands before herself and speaking plainly.

"Nearly two weeks ago, on the morning of the 2nd, our guildmaster, Kaira Zalketh, departed Tylsen on personal business, unannounced.” Her gaze briefly settled on Sen, the only one here unfamiliar with Kaira’s quirks. "Which is not entirely out of the norm for her, so I thought little of it. That same morning, we were to welcome some fresh new faces into our ranks. At the time, I assumed she merely wanted nothing to do with them… a sentiment I, and many veteran Kriegslowen, share to some degree.

“Anyway, to test their resolve, I sent the ten new recruits into Tylsen’s underworks on a basic pest extermination exercise. However, while they were away, we discovered our map of Tylsen’s sewer passages was missing… a fact I find quite alarming, considering Renavari and I uphold strict standards regarding the guild’s archives. Fearing a greater plan might be in motion, Miss Yvarra and I ventured into the sewers, where we discovered mercenaries were attempting to conduct a clandestine operation therein. Miss Yvarra and I assisted the recruits in suppressing these trespassers and taking as many as we could into custody, however the map was never recovered.

“In short, an enemy operation was taking place beneath our noses and was foiled by pure luck,” Cephilia said firmly. "When you factor in the missing map, it carries with it the foul stench of sloppy recordkeeping, at best… or an inside job, at worst."

Here, she paused for emphasis, before continuing: “In light of this, I immediately called upon the unique skills of one Integra Masri, better known by her alias, ‘Maze.’ A specialist in investigating criminal activities, including incidents within the guild’s own ranks, Maze arrived the next day and immediately identified the mercenaries’ deceased leader as one Lewllyn Randall, aka ‘Lou the Raven,’ a highly-skilled assassin. Interviews with Randall’s surviving accomplices, however, revealed little. Maze surmised they were disposable assets, a common pattern seen in The Raven’s past jobs. These men were thusly turned over to Tylsen’s authorities, as we saw no further value in keeping them in guild custody.

“While investigating the crime scene, Miss Masri and I discovered these men were amassing crude veracite containment devices within the natural caverns attached to Tylsen’s sewer system,” Cephilia stated, as she fetched a pair of reading glasses from her pocket. “In my professional opinion, these vessels, which appear to be little more than modified barrels, were not only unfit for safe containment of such volatile raw materials, but appeared to be intentionally unfit for such a purpose. Which brings us to the current situation….”

She split the sheaf of papers into two neat stacks before herself. “I received correspondence from Miss Masri early this morning, delivered directly to me by one of her crows. Not to my mailbox, or my servant, or even my office at the guild hall. Directly… To… Me,” Cephilia explained, slowly drumming her fingertips atop the stack to her right. Sharp-eyed viewers would note the page was filled with numbers, not words. “It was written in code and makes no mention of my name or hers, likely to protect our identities, should these messages be intercepted. I spent two hours decrypting and transcribing its contents. Its opening lines read as follows:

"‘On the morning of the eighth day of the third month, somewhere between the hours of 10 AM and noon, the Krafen branch of the Kriegslowe guild and a significant portion of the surrounding structures at the intersection of Main Street and 10th Street, were destroyed by what I believe to be a spontaneous arcane energy criticality event,’” Here, Cephilia paused and looked up from the page. “A veracite explosion,” she said in plain terms, in case Maze’s obtuse verbiage was too hard to follow.

Viv gasped.

"Fucking cowards…" Sen muttered under her breath.

Van pounded his fist on the table. “Who did it!?” he growled, glaring at Cephilia. “We ride tonight, to go fuck ‘em up! That’s what this is, right?”

"Easy, Van,” Viv said, urging calmness. “We all have friends there, but now is not the time for-"

"You mean had friends there…" Sen said, folding her arms as she rocked back in her seat.

“We don’t know that,” Viv said before looking to Cephilia with pleading eyes. “What do we know? What else does Miss Masri’s letter say? Casualties? Local response? Why are you stopping here?”

"Because we don’t know anything, Viv." With a small sigh, Cephilia passed the letter to Arien, so they could all have a look for themselves. "Maze only traveled to Krafen because she overheard some merchants in a neighboring town talking about it. She was too late. By the time she arrived, cleanup was already well underway. Krafen’s lord runs a tight ship. That man values order to an almost maniacal degree. His response to things like this is to make them disappear."

“Well, that’s bullshit!” Van exclaimed.

"Is it?" Cephilia replied sharply. “We didn’t exactly shout it from the rooftops when a similar plot was discovered under Tylsen’s streets, did we? I don’t like it any more than you do, Vandred, but I can hardly fault the man for trying to keep calm and carry on.” She scoffed. “Besides… he’s a fucking lord. What are we going to do, write a damned letter!? Besides, we have problems of our own… isn’t that right, Mr. Bermille?” she said, looking to Arien.

The man’s face as his eyes traveled across the pages of Maze’s letter said more than enough. Arien did not often look surprised or worried but now it was writ upon his features. “Miss Kaira’s… it says here, Miss Masri found her scabbard in the rubble,”[/b] he said solemnly, as he lifted his eyes from the page and slowly shook his head. “That can’t be. Why would she…”

“Krafen’s guildmaster is --or was-- a close friend of Kaira. We’ve been unable to contact him for weeks. Now we know where she went. And before you start thinking ‘that could be anyone’s scabbard…’” Cephilia lifted a page from the original, encrypted version of Maze’s account. This page was littered with highly-detailed illustrations. Among them were images of guild badges, which seemed slightly… off; scientific sketches of depleted veracite shards; and, lastly, a depiction of a very familiar, yet heavily damaged sheath for a greatsword.

An eerie silence fell over the table.

"A scabbard, but no sword? Don’t mean a goddamned thing," Sen said. Being the only one who neither knew nor cared about Kaira on a personal level, she was in a unique position to look past the potential loss of a friend and see through to the heart of the matter: "What really fuckin’ matters is that a guild branch was attacked. Fake guild crests? Am I seein’ this right? Are you fucking kidding me!? The nerve of these people to think they can do this shit, in broad daylight, and not have a fucking mountain come down on their fuckin’ heads!"

"Keep your voice down, Hyazari. We all share your outrage," Cephilia said and was met with a collective nod. "Let’s look at the bigger picture: A missing guildmaster -- and I don’t mean Kaira. Fake crests. A map stolen from our archives. A top tier assassin, operating in our sewers," she said, looking to Viv. “High level mercenaries, operating in and around Heine’s warehouses,” she said to Arien, before at last looking to Sen. “And a cultivated Esservine, set loose in the Oytenrand woods. This cannot be a coincidence.”

"Our new recruits have been quite busy," Viv commented, with a twinge of sadness.

“Oh, I’ll get to them in a moment,” Cephilia said, briefly meeting the centaur’s eyes. “I’ve said this many times before, and I will say it again: Kriegslowe is an institution. We represent the hopes and ideals of the Raelgardin people. Where else can a noble’s daughter, a former bandit, and some pagans sit together and converse as equals? One heart, one mind, one Kriegslowe… which includes our F-Rank comrades, as well,” she said, symbolically lifting her index finger as a symbol of solidarity. “We must defend the homefront and the guild’s future, yes, but do not forget, we exist to protect Raeligard, first and foremost. And that is why, Vandred, even if I knew the perpetrators of this foul act, we would not ride into the night as avenging demons. We operate within the rules of the realm.

“If I were Kaira, I would… well, first of all, I would be alive,” she said, with a cheeky grin at Sen, “and secondly, I would be that ‘fucking mountain’ bearing down on the heads of the people who ‘killed’ me. And if I were Maze, I would… to be quite honest, I have no idea how Maze thinks. She is one of the few people I consider to be my intellectual equal or superior. They don’t call her ‘The Labyrinthian Mind’ for nothing. She has a plan and I dare not fathom where it will take her next. Suffice to say, two of the guild’s best are pursing this matter, each in their own way. Our duty is to hold the line here. Currently, the people in this room are the only ones aware of the rising threat and I wish to keep it that way until we have a more concrete plan of action,” Cephilia said.

"What about the rookies?" Sen said, leaning forward. "They deserve to know what’s goin’ down. Like Hoss said, they been caught up in a lotta this shit. It don’t seem right to leave ‘em in the dark."

"Yes, but their involvement has nearly cost them their lives. It is a miracle they still draw breath," Cephilia said. "I like this current batch of recruits. I truly do. Perhaps more than I ought to. But they have arrived at a dangerous time, so we must proceed with the utmost caution, for our sake, as well as theirs. I want us to focus on developing them and providing a safe environment for them to grow. That means no mercenaries, assassins, or carnivorous plants festering in our town!” Cephilia said firmly.

“To that end, until further notice, I ask that you all refrain from accepting any quests which take you beyond Tylsen. Hyazari, you will patrol the surrounding plains and forests. See that no one sneaks into our underground caverns again. Van, Arien, the town proper is yours, to divide up as you see fit. Don’t make yourselves too obvious, but keep your eyes and ears open. We’re looking for clues, not digging for them. And, Viv, you remain around the guildhall. Do as you have always done. I consider you an excellent judge of character and someone many are willing to speak openly with. If this threat truly is internal, we’ll be counting on you. And it goes without saying, you all will be compensated for this.

"And what’ll you be doin?’" Sen asked.

"Kaira’s work is already piling up… So, same thing I’ve always done," Cephilia said with a sigh. Her shoulders sank for a moment, however, she soon looked up and smiled. "Though, if I’m going to do her job, I think it only fair I wield her authority. There are a couple of things I would like to do immediately, as acting guildmaster."

 

[AnonyMouse]

Falion "Falco" Cauphix​

Location: Tylsen Guildhall, greatroom
Time: 3 / 12 / 422AC, early morning​

Falco awoke feeling refreshed and ready for more adventuring. The previous day had been mostly uneventful. After leaving the guild hall, he returned to his apartment and begrudgingly paid another week's rent before stowing his gear and spending an hour or so finishing up his report. Then, he cleaned himself up, donned some casual clothing, and headed into town for dinner with the others.

Now he smiled, thinking back on it. Some of his own companions were a bit more open than they had been on the road. And Cressey's friends added some much-needed life to the party. Especially Lupa and Lori. It seemed as if their first outing had been nearly as unpredictable as his own. Was this the norm for F-Ranks, running into unexpected dangers around every corner? On one hand, it gave them fun stories to tell. Someday, they might look back on these chaotic early days and laugh. But, on the other hand...

"Nope. We got this," Falco told himself as he drew the laces of his boots taut and stood, stretching up onto his tiptoes, despite the apartment's cramped confines. He cycled through a couple of brisk exercise routines Viv had taught him, then gathered his coat, armed himself, and headed for the door, to greet another day.

However, as he exited his apartment, he found a note pinned to his door. Oh, c'mon, I already paid you! What now? Falco thought as he plucked it free and began to read. It was a summons from the guild, stating he was being recognized for his 'esteemed service' and his presence is requested at Meeting Room #3 in the guildhall at 1pm. "Nice. 'Bout damn time," Falco said, stifling a small chuckle as he folded it and stuffed it into his pocket. His smile --and, possibly, other part of his anatomy-- grew three times larger at that moment.

Spoiler

The following adventurers will receive a similar letter: Thea, Lucia, Risax, Hyss, Sakura, and Cressey. If you do not have a residence, you will be notified by an NPC when/if you enter the guild hall.

For better or for worse, his current loadout meant he didn't need to spend much time or money tending to his gear. At first, he did this out of necessity: he couldn't afford to maintain a suit of armor or a fancy sword or buy arrows for a bow. But now that his adventuring was beginning to line his pockets, he began to turn his mind to possibly upgrading and 'looking the part' as it were. It might be nice to actually look like an adventurer, instead of just some kid with a pocketful of knives, who'd stumbled across a bit of scale mail and some scraps of leather armor.

He had planned to head to the market first, then get in some adventuring later in the afternoon. But with this meeting looming over his head, perhaps he should go straight to the guildhall and try to nab a quick quest. One o'clock was still many hours away and, if this meeting is what he thinks it is, he might get a reward or something. Maybe even more money! It might be best to save a trip to the market until afterward.

With a skip in his step, the young former thief made his way down Tylsen's familiar streets, past the merchants' stalls and shops, which were only now beginning to open for the day. He soon arrived at the guild hall and pushed through its heavy doors into the warm, spacious interior. He enjoyed seeing the guild hall in the early morning or late at night, devoid of the bustling throng of adventurers. it felt more intimate at those hours, more his own.

On this particular morning, the greatroom was mostly empty, save a couple of adventurers gathered around the quest board and Rena reading a book behind the receptionist's desk. To his surprise, Cephilia was also there, seated at a table, doing some paperwork. Their eyes definitely met, yet she took a sip of her coffee and continued reading, as if he did not exist.

"Top o' the mornin', Cephilia, my love," Falco said, with a dramatic flourish as he strutted by the prickly elf and marched up to the receptionist. "And you as well, Rena," he said to the feline beastfolk as he drew his report and slid it to her.

Rena peered up from her book and blinked at him through the lenses of her thick glasses. In a voice as soft and pure as a gentle breeze, the painfully shy young catgirl whispered, "M-morning, Falco," as she timidly accepted the report and filed it. "Thank you." One other advantage of arriving when the guildhall wasn't bustling with activity was that he could actually hear Rena speak. Her voice tended to disappear when the place got too crowded. Actually, she tended to disappear, too.

"So, what's new in town?" he said, leaning casually on the counter, as if they were very good friends. It's not as if they weren't, but his interactions with Rena usually consisted of him doing all of th etalking while she fought urge to literally melt into the floorboards.

"Umm..... n-nothing," she said, studying the ceiling for a moment... then the floor... then, at last, meeting his gaze. "Oh, umm, all adventurers below C Rank are required to operate in pairs. It's on the job board," she said, regurgitating the words as if she were a machine and had said them a hundred times before.

"Huh!?" Falco said. "Says who? Since when?"

"Since I said so," Cephilia said and Falco turned around to see the elf side-eying him from her table.

"Are you serious? F Rank jobs are a joke, anyway," he said. "Do we really have to hold hands while we escort sheep and move boxes and stuff?"

"We live in a dangerous world. It's for your own good, Cauphix," she said as she returned her attention to her paperwork. "Now, instead of bothering me, or my apprentice, how about you go make it a little safer, hmm?" she said with a dismissive flick of her wrist, pointing him toward the job board.
Interaction(s): none (yet)
Mentions: RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura) / Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax) / King Crimson (Cressey) / lunar_moth (Endymion) / @Silver Wolf (Lupa) / TreasureSniper (Talio) / ERode (Lori)

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Hysydice "Hyss" Maliss

Currently: Waiting for the time the note said
Thinking: "Hm. What's our next mission?"

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall
Interacting: no one
​

Hysydice poked her head out of the hole in the attic that was her 'lovely residence'. She quickly spotted an arrow knocked in the tree with a paper pinned to it. It wasn't there last she looked. The snake girl quickly hopped down and plucked the arrow out of the tree. Nope, this was not her arrow. She quickly noted by its length, and if one wanted, could easily compare it to the several arrows strewn about and knocked into the tree. Arrows she had left from last night's late-night training. The makeshift target she made swayed in the gentle wind, an arrow stuck to its center. From her training, she had broken 3 arrows before she learned how to control the bow's strength to not break her arrows upon impact. A couple more had frayed fletchings, making them incapable of straight flight, so deemed those unusable, setting them aside incase they could be repaired. That left her with 5 less arrows to use, but that was okay, she still had enough.

Hyss read the note, and slightly smirked. Someone had a flair for dramatics, once she considered how they left it to her. She wondered who had shot the note, thinking none really fit the bill. Then, she narrowed her eyes and glanced quickly around. Eyes darting left and right. She thought she was being discreet, yet here a note was. She didn't like knowing her whereabouts known, but supposed it was alright if it was the guild.

She slipped back inside her home and stashed the note away with other similar notes and parchment in a collection of her own for safekeeping. Then finished with her early-morn readying. Slipping into various garments, tying them or clipping them in place, along with fitting her usual hood and flipping it over her head. She slid her grappling hook into her bag, along with a couple knives and throwing needles. Placed her arrows into her quiver, tied to her waist. And finally, she knelt by her small shrine and prayed, as she always did.

A moment later she was slipping through the streets of Tylsen with a noteworthy expedience. Like a quick shadow one wouldn't notice enough, always making one take a second-glance, but by then, said shadow was long gone, making one wonder if they saw anything at all.

Even another moment later, she was at a bakery she frequented. One would almost say routinely, but Hyss was savvy enough to not do anything with enough frequency to have it be called 'routine'. Unlike many, Hyss would not maintain a routine. That was liable to get one killed in such dangerous professions. She wondered where she learned that from, but the thought left her as she bit into the muffin she had bought for a couple copper (or uh, whatever low-cost feln is). The snake made a face of delighted satisfaction. Despite being a snake, she had a bit of a sweet-tooth!

She glanced around, swallowed, and pulled up her mask before departing the store. Hyss always made sure to take bites when no one was looking. The hooded snake girl began her trek once more to the guildhall. It was still early, but hey, Hyss always worked under the idea of being prompt and efficient. There wasn't a time she would ever consider as "too early".

Hysydice entered the guildhall chewing on the last remnants of her muffin. She took a quick sweep of the place. Then walked up to the counter. The hooded girl placed her report atop it before the counter girl there. She had already given one to Arien, but had written up an extra incase he had lost it in his haste. It was word-for-word a repeat of what she had written in the other report. "And this," she murmured, setting the lengthy arrow down beside the paper. With that, she dipped her head to the feline beast girl and made her way over to the job board. Even if she didn't intend to take any, she made it a habit of checking them. Well, not too much of a habit. Obviously.

 

[Topless]

Location: Tylsen

When the night had came was the time Sakura had decided to not go back to the forests out of the city, and instead took up residence in Flora's household, much to her delight and joy. "Madame Sakura of Kriegslowe has decided to stay in my home?! Thank you Aurelia! My dream has come true! Now I won't be lonely anymore!" Was the response Flora had spoken before she welcomed the beastkin into her humble abode. Sakura was very much delighted, though curious as to why Flora did not hesitate. Perhaphs its because of what she did for her that made her felt immense gratitude, or that she finds Sakura interesting. One act of kindness can positively affect others, such as Flora.

"Madame Sakura, since you're going to stay with me, I hope you don't mind sharing a bed with me, even if the bed itself is only meant for one person. But, I don't mind though. Normally I would give you the other bedroom, but that's where my father sleeps when he not partaking in quests. He rarely comes home and spend time with me ever since mom died. It feels like it's my fault because after I was born, she suddenly passed away. Huh? Am I crying? S-Sorry, Madame Sakura, I shouldn't shed my tears right in front of you. You're a really nice person. All this stuff about you eating another person's heart is something I do not believe. It's just a baseless rumor as far as I know, and I'd prefer to believe it as such. For all my life I've been only tending to my business because this is what mom wanted. I never had any friends to turn to and I've always been harassed by those hooligans until you showed up. Perhaphs this is a blessing, for us to be together. Well, not in a romantic way really. Oh, are you tired? Come, I've already prepared the bed."

"Wait, Flora..."

"Huh?"

"...Thank you."


The new day had came and Sakura woke up from the smell of good cooking. Sleeping on Flora's bed felt very nice and comforting. She let had let out a yawn and did a bit of stretching before walking out of the bedroom and followed the scent of the cooking. She went to the dining room where she saw Flora doing the cooking. On the table are various breakfast staples; fried eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, orange juice and coffee. Flora turned to her side and saw Sakura.

"Good morning, Madame Sakura, you came in just in time. I've cooked breakfast just for the two of us." She greeted. "Wow Flora, I didn't know you were a great cook." Sakura was astonished as she settled down. "Thanks, I've read some cook books my mom used to read and got pretty well used to it." Flora responded with a smile as she finishes her cooking and sat across the beastkin as the two begin their feast. "By the way, those Kriegslowe people sure has a tight surveillance around Tylsen because someone left a letter on the doorstep." Flora said as she pulled out the letter and open it "It said that you're invited to a meeting down at the guild hall. Must be something important."

"Let me see that." Sakura said and Flora passed the letter to her and started to read it. "I see. Then I should move out when I'm done eating." Sakura said. "You're going out early?" Flora asked "I think, uh, you should take a bath first. It will help you fully wake up throughout the day." Sakura had thought about for a brief second before she said "Alright." Flora felt very happy.

After taking a bath together, Sakura has her stuff ready for another adventure and bid Flora farewell as she set off to the guild hall. "Oh Aurelia, thank you for having my savior stay on my side. I will cherish our precious time together while it lasts." Flora thought.

After much time of walking, Sakura made it to the guild hall. She had went straight for the receptionist and handed her the report. She worried that she might not understand the details due to how badly written it is. Sakura never touched a pen before until Flora taught her how to write. She made a quick bow to the receptionist before walking over to the job board where she meets up with Hyss.

"Hey there, Hyss." She greeted "So, how are you? You looking for a job, I see?"

Thalia_Neko


​

 

[RedArmyShogun]

Thea Schuerer
Location: Tyslen - Guild Hall
~~~
​

With the earlier events of the day wrapping up, a bath taken, and a meal accepted, Thea kept a curious mix of armor and her typical downtime clothing on, sharing tales of the ordeals they underwent and scoffing with some contempt towards one particular happening, or one person one could say, though she did not dwell on the subject and allowed others to speak of different things or she drifted her conversation to something else altogether. As time advanced a bit, Thea would eventually leave the meeting of the two teams, taking care to pay attention to the ordeals of the other team if they cared to share it.

The following morning, Thea awoken early, donned her armor and then kneeled to say her morning prayer in silence, gripping the religious icon around her neck. Once this was finished, she got to her feet and reached into her satchel to get what would amount to her morning breakfast a bit of bread, smoked fish of some sort and a drink of water. Once that was finished she went for the doorway of the guild barracks room, where she spied a few missives assigned to a couple of them, Gathering the missives and setting them on a table kept in the room with some of the bunks, to serve as a place to write ones reports or to take meals at, speaking as she did so, "Letters for some of us, I'm heading out now."

Exiting the room and making her way to the guildhall proper, Thea caught some of the conversation Falco was having as she read the letter, she would have some time to do a simple job before the afternoon meeting. "Pairs at the least huh..." She said to no one directly, as she thought over the idea. It wasn't a bad one, operating in pairs was basic security and would help to ensure any future happenings at least had a chance to survive to report or to fight it off. Though it would mean splitting pay. Some would grumble, just as Falco was now, but for herself, Thea didn't much mind.

Waiting for Lucia to turn up, Thea would be quick to inform the other on this change as she gave a head nod to the others in the guild and a "Good morning" in general.

Interactions: EmperorsChosen AnonyMouse (anyone else in the hostel?)

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Location: Tylsen
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

"Well, well, a gentleman. Perhaps I will," Lucia replied to Talio's offer of products. He was a craftsman of some sort it seemed, and quite formal. However, before further conversation could be had, Thea spoke up with regards to their reports.

"Yes, of course Komandant," Lucia complied with a playful exaggeration to her voice in response to Thea's urging. She produced a small scroll neatly tied closed and held it up, sign that she had indeed finished the report already. "Dinner does sound lovely. Though a bath is more welcome first," She commented, handing in the paper to Arien.

Glancing over to Cressey, she nodded to where Falco disappeared. "On the contrary, Fallion was the one that severed a piece of one of the creatures to return with. I did acquire nice pendant as a gift from the local craftsmen, as well as a new technique," She said pridefully. "Now then, I'll excuse myself. I'm sure we can catch up, or familiarize ourselves at the aforementioned dinner, later."

Bidding them farewell for the moment, Lucia would get cleaned up and spend her time resting before the dinner with the others, followed by a nice night's sleep. The following day she awoke and organized her things. She had planned to use her pay for some apparel and to look for housing in the area. However, prior to that, Thea had notified her of a meeting at 1 p.m.

In acknowledgement of her performance or some such. It sounded like a promotion. Yet, she hadn't been even an F-rank for long. Then again, F-ranks didn't get the kind of assignments she had participated in, nor excelled in them as she had.

Good! As it should be. Less sheep escorts and more of substance.

Lucia entered the guildhall shortly behind Thea, hearing the others repetition of the new rules. The Caskarieth rose a visible brow and glanced over to Cephilia. "No lone questing? Is this a result of the sewers?" She questioned, sounding surprisingly reasonable rather than argumentative. It only made sense to be a result of that situation or something else happening. Lucia wasn't opposed to group questing, however especially for those of them who had just attained, or were looking to attain a roof of their own, the pay would be divided and it would be more of a pain in general, having to coordinate work with others just to work.

Here's hoping they really were receiving promotions and could opt for higher ranked, and higher paying, quests to make up for this.

RedArmyShogun AnonyMouse King Crimson TreasureSniper

 

[TreasureSniper]

Interaction: AnonyMouse (Cephilia Valdergeuse)
​

Cephilia's initial reactions were interesting to say the least. He never thought she was the high and mighty type that would take Talio's request an insult in some way. Perhaps he was wrong about her. Though he was a bit confused by this statement, his expression remained as calm as ever. "My apologies, Miss Cephilia. It was not my intention to be brazen with you. And no, I don't. I just need assistance with my arm." Talio clarified without missing a beat, clearly taking her words in a much more literal way. He was mostly doing this on purpose as he was merely answering her question even if it was more rhetorical. Though he did note that Falion was willing to come to his defense despite only knowing him for a few minutes. Perhaps this person wasn't as bad as Cressey had said.

Upon hearing that the clockwork witch was just teasing him, Talio was mentally relieved that she was not that type of person, at least he doesn't think she is. Unless of course this was also another layer of her deception. Nonetheless, his outward appearance remains the same, maintaining a facade of calmness in front of everyone. "Yes I am." Talio responded to her statement about being accustomed to "straight talk". Though in his experience, the people that he straight talked with have a higher tendency of causing problems. "Yes of course. Miss Cephilia." He did not expect to be willing to call him so informally but nonetheless welcome it. Perhaps he was one step closer to becoming her apprentice, though that wasn't exactly what he was asking for, at least not right now.

Eventually, the clockwork witch agree to fix his arm, no doubt seeing a few inefficiencies in his design. Talio was well aware of the shortcomings of this arm, but he had always believed that the benefits of taking such risk were necessary. After all, a crippled merchant was a perfect target for bandits to raid. He admits, his solution was...less than ideal at times, but it was also a good opportunity to put his craftsmanship to the test. "Thank you, Miss Cephilia. Words cannot express how grateful I am for your assistance." Talio thank the legendary figure of the guild, giving her a well-deserved dignified bow. And with that, Talio left the workshop, seeming a lot happier than usual. Its not every day you would get an opportunity to have the witch of clockwork to look at your work.

That night, after finishing his detailed report, he would join the others for dinner. He was quite forthcoming about what happened during the fight, with these "bandits" on their first mission, though he did of course omit the emotional breakdown of their senior as per her request. If asked about his other experience, Talio would share his stories about being your own bodyguard as a merchant.

The next morning, Talio would enter the guild hall without any prophetic attached, allowing his empty sleeve to hang freely. Since he was getting his new arm today anyways, he didn't see a point in bringing his spare arm. He sat in the corner alone, eating his rations while looking through his inventory list for the month. It was a bit of a slow month, with him just barely breaking even. Thankfully, the large reward of the first mission did offset this. Perhaps it was finally time to sell off the business, but then again, perhaps he should hold on to it a bit longer. Surely it would be easier for him to sell his wares if he manages to leverage a positive reputation. He decided to hold off in making the decision, hoping the next quest would be able help him decide which path he would take.

 

[AnonyMouse]

Cephilia Valdergeuse​

Location: Tylsen Guildhall, greatroom​

"Good morning," she said in response to Schuerer’s greeting, despite not truly paying the knight’s arrival much mind.

However, when Lucia addressed her directly, Cephilia slowly looked up from her work and briefly met the eyes –well, eye-- of the other Caskarieth, before taking in the room as a whole. In addition to Schuerer and Edelgarde, the two beastfolk had entered. Both approached the receptionist’s desk and handed in their reports… which was odd, because Cephilia had already read Hysydice’s report last night, in addition to the one written by Thea, and Sen’s oral rendition of the Oyten situation.

As the fox and snake joined up and approached the job board, Cephilia returned her attention to Lucia’s question: "It is the result of many things," she said, crossing one leg over the other and taking a delicate sip of her coffee before continuing. "View this as an opportunity to deepen your relationship with your fellow Kriegslowen. No one makes it to the top alone, after all… not for lack of trying, mind you."

"Are we getting promoted?" Falco said. "Cuz I don’t wanna do F-Rank stuff now if I can do E-Rank stuff later today… not that there’s much of a difference," he added, his shoulders sagging slightly.

"You’ll be promoted to ‘frog’ if you don’t stop pestering me, Cauphix,” Cephilia said with a roll of her eyes. "This job isn’t all about slaying beasts, you know. Respect these quiet times. It won’t last forever."

During a small pause, she looked around once more. Talio Ferromanus had entered at some point and was now seated in the corner, snacking as he perused some paperwork of his own. His empty sleeve caught her eye and she briefly wondered if he was here to see her. But she quickly dismissed that thought. Yesterday afternoon, she had told him to meet her at the guildmaster’s office at the ‘same time.’ It was not yet noon.

However, her own words echoed in her pointy ears: ‘view this as an opportunity to deepen your relationship with your fellow Kriegslowen.’ With the exception of a select few, she tended to keep others at arm’s length.

"On second thought, you’ve brought up a good point, Falion. I suppose it can’t hurt to begin the meeting early. Yes, it is about your promotion," Cephilia said as she gathered up the various papers strewn about before her and tucked them into a satchel. Most of them were reports from various adventurers; nothing top secret or sensitive, but probably work that should be done in her office, not here in the greatroom. Perhaps she had changed, slightly. "Let’s get on with it, then. Who are we missing? Cressey and Risax?"

Interactions: RedArmyShogun (Thea) / EmperorsChosen (Lucia) / Thalia_Neko (Hyss) / Topless (Sakura)
Mentions: Huntertabbysandshark3 (Risax) / King Crimson (Cressey) TreasureSniper (Talio)

 

[Thalia_Neko]

Hysydice "Hyss" Maliss

Currently: Waiting for the time the note said
Thinking: "Why'd I say it that way? Ugh, how stupid of me! What was I even doing??"

Location: Kriegslöwe Guildhall
Interacting: Topless
​

"Ah, Sakura," Hyss mumbled upon the fox girl coming up to her. At her question... Hyss' ears pricked to hear Falco's voice. Gosh, his voice carried, didn't it? Boy liked being heard, that was for sure. Hyss enjoyed those types. It made listening in on information easier. And she could remain either fixated on the job board while listening, or on Sakura. Both made eavesdropping so effortless. "Um, well." Truth be told, she was of the same mind as Falco. What reason would she have to embark on a random request now? If she had to be back by 1 to raise a rank? Oh, it made this so awkward.

Thankfully, Cephillia, despite her odd passive-aggressive, decided to go ahead and expedite their promotion. "Oh, well, no need for that now, Sakura. Seems we've been summoned to go over the letter's contents early." She began to walk over to join the elf and the boy. Then paused mid-step. "Oh, uh, and.. how are you, too, Sak..y..ura." Shoot. She was trying the nickname thing, but decided against it mid-saying it. 'Cuz it was stupid!' Only barely managing to make it sound normal. Well, sorta.. Good thing she was faced away from Sakura. There was a slight flustered frown on her face. Which likely could've been seen through her mask.

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

Location: guild hall
interaction: AnonyMouse​

Risax rolled out of bed or more accurate rolled out of his hammock, Becuse regular beds didn’t really work for arachne like himself with a yawn, he‘d groggy get all his gear in a long and somewhat complicated process but it was one the spider man had to do all the time so he’d gotten far better at it frankly it was then when he found the note letter and was surprised if not somewhat overjoyed it was clearly important of course he'd not been thrown put although that thought did cross him mind it seemed frankly a bit silly, he did take a bit of time before heading directly to the guild hall to finish a bit of shopping he was missing out on annoyingly it was a incredibly busy day meaning there was little room for risax to actually manuvour so it took him alot longer then he actually would have liked to finish was he was doing. And actually arrived he wasn't too late just strolling in as his name was called out. "Im present miss cephilia apologies for the delay foot traffic was.. awful.."