Bael Hunt (Closed)

[Duma]

MONSTERS SIGHTED IN THE MOUNTAIN RANGES NEAR THRIA. STRONG AND BRAVE WARRIORS NEEDED TO KILL THEM. REWARD GOLD/FAME. MEET AT THRIA PUB/INN, THE LOFTIER, FOR DETAILS.

Duma read the poster from the town's bulletin board. Monsters? As in fairy tale monsters? He a was bit skeptical. The only real monsters he had ever encountered were bandits and slavers. Duma had killed plenty of those during his travels.

A chill breeze went by, and Duma pulled up the hood of his cloak. Mountain towns were notorious for cold and unpredictable weather. Duma avoided jobs near mountain ranges for this reason, but the guild wanted him to investigate, and he was a little curious himself. The pub was conveniently located nearby. Duma wasted no time walking over, he wondered who else would be taking the job with him.

[Ajari]

Ajari's quest had not gone smoothly from the start. After getting off the mountains of her homeland, trying to find these vile creatures that she was apparently supposed to destroy was proving very difficult. People of the 'Lower Lands' seemed to pretend that they didn't exist, but the fear in their eyes spoke clear as day that they knew otherwise. Eventually, she'd found someone who was willing to speak of them. A young woman, of all people, who worked in one of the town's gathering places, they called it a 'pub'. She claimed hearing of a call for people to cull such beasts from a nearby region.

The Loftier, what kind of name was that for a place like this? It seemed unusual, but then again, so did many of the customs of the Low Landers. She sat alone at a small table, sipping from a mug of (relatively) clean water. While she was familiar with alcohol, she was not fond of it in the slightest. A vile taste and disorienting effects on the weak willed. She needed to be at her sharpest, at all times.

She reached into her pouch, pulling out a few berries to sate her hunger for the time being. A welcome chill entered the tavern as she saw a man walk in. He cut an imposing figure, but judging from appearances alone was not going to suffice in this new world.

[Yorick]

"How about a whiskey?"

Accepting her drink with a nod, the halberdier looked around at the faces of the tavern from her seat at the bar. Not many promising faces yet, but then again, not everyone carried around an arsenal like she did. Sword, knives, lance, javelin, axe, throwing axe... All her weapons were freshly cleaned and her armor had been polished just hours ago. She'd heard there was a job to be done. Killing monsters, huh? She couldn't complain... Beggars couldn't be choosers. All she wanted was to slam her weapons into some flesh. Something.

"Who's here for the 'monster' job?"

Probably nobody, but whatever. Couldn't hurt to ask.

[Kyle]

Hm, Bael. They were an annoying creature to fight, but he'd done it before. Granted last time he wasn't nearly as skilled or experienced, and a bunch of people made the whole mission fail in the long run. But the spider part went off pretty well, no one died. Well, no one at the general time did. He didn't know if any passed afterwards because most of them split Maybe they ended up okay, there was no reason for them to die.

Kyle took a deep breath before he walked into the pub which reeked of meed and something else that stunk. Well, at least it did to him. No matter who he had to do the job with he was determined to get it done. If he was going to start a guild like his dad wanted him too he needed to get his name out there somehow, and getting this done might just help with that. The poster said fame after all. So he went and sat down at the counter, avoiding eye contact with all others.

[Ajari]

Ajari heard the declaration from the woman and turned her head. Armored, heavily armed and spirited. The polish on her gear suggested a lack of experience, but Ajari would not judge the woman's capability on the state of her attire. After all, Ajari herself seemed more out of place than the others did.

"I take it you've come to see those things destroyed?" Ajari said, moving over to the table with her mug of water in hand. "Are you the one who placed the notice?" she asked, unsure of who the person they were working for was. She pulled out a seat at the table and sat down, looking over this woman who was armed to the teeth. Ajari, at first glance, didn't appear to be armed at all.

Anyone thinking her an easy mark because of that would have another thing coming.

[Vincent]

It had been some time since Vincent had parted ways with Neil. He found himself back home in Lycia. How he missed these lands. Although after all the time he'd spent in Ilia the heat was simply murder. Still, he had a quest of importance and he would see it through. He had to find Near, and learn about the Black Feathers. His search brought him to yet another pub. He knew not the name but knew information would circulate through here.

As he walked in he heard the words Elder Bael. As in those giant spiders that have been appearing as of late? "Excuse me" he asked the person as they passed him what was going on. A job to squash a spider huh? He wasn't really out to do work at this time but it was his home. Very well he'll do it.

He marched into the pub and found an empty seat at a table alone. For now he would analyze the people that came in and see what and who he'd be working with. Thus far only two others stood out to him. A large man with a blade and a woman who was rather loud and drinking whiskey. There was another one that looked familiar... Where had he seen him before?

It was the drunk from back in Bern! The same day he had met Near! This! This was his lucky day! Maybe he'd know something! Still he remained calm and sat showing no signs of emotion aside from a raising of eyebrows.

[Duma]

As Duma entered the pub felt a few eyes on him, as he made his way to an empty seat at the bar. He pulled his hood off and got as comfortable as he could. He took a quick glance around at the other patrons, no one he recognized. Then ordered a drink of mead, and paid the bar tender for his mug. He took a sip of his drink when the pink haired halberdier next to him spoke up, asking about the "monster" job.

He raised his arm and spoke.

"Right here." He then proceeded to finish his mug, and quickly wiped away his mead mustache with his sleeve.

"Are you charge of the hunt?" Is it really a monster?

[Kyle]

Kyle looked over at the man that sat not to far away at the counter, he looked a bit different from most of the people he'd seen, then again most people he'd ended up working with did too so he wasn't surprised when someone asked who was here for the job and the man raised his arm and confirmed it. Hopefully this wasn't a key that this was going to fail like the other jobs. He NEEDED this to go off well. NEEDED.

He turned around as the woman asked who was there for the job, was she the one hosting the thing? Hopefully she knew how to lead troops, or at least follow orders from someone that could. If he was lucky it wouldn't have to be him.

As he continued to look around he also noticed the grey haired kid from the port in Bern, it was well of him to survive Near, others weren't so lucky. Like Ingrid, poor her. One day he would put an end to Near, but feelings such as there were of no place in a mercenary's work. Especially when they could harm the outcome of the job. Maybe the others were more professional than the last batch he was with. professionalism is one reason he was starting his own guild. Among other reasons.

[Vincent]

The pink haired woman's inquire made it quite clear who was here for the job. Five of them. Five people to one spider. Very well, he decided to acknowledge the question by speaking up.

"I'm here for the job as well." He stood and made his way to the table with the two women. "So what can you tell me about fighting Baels?" He had never fought any monsters yet, at least not the kind from nightmares.

He saw one wan carried a myriad of weapons and the other none? What would she defend herself with? Were they hidden? He wouldn't question it but it did make him curious. "Mind if I sit and join you?" Before they answered he looked to the swordsman, "come join us!"

[Ajari]

Ajari looked up at the light haired youth. "I'm afraid I know little of fighting them. Come, have a seat," she said, gesturing to a chair. "It seems we'll be spending time with each other. It would be best to introduce ourselves. I am Ajari, and you are?" She passed the question both two the boy and the Lady of Arms that she now sat with.

The pub seemed to have become a bit more lively. Perhaps whomever put up the paper would soon appear? She wanted to root these monsters out, and this seemed as good a time to start as any. The question still remained as to who these other people were and what they hoped to gain from this. Coin? Notoriety? Or were they doing it because it was the right thing to do?

Ajari had no idea, but it was worth finding out. "Are creatures like this common around here? I'm afraid I've not seen them personally."

[Yorick]

"I'm not the leader... I didn't put up the fliers. I just followed them. And unfortunately, I have no more information than the rest of you. I've fought the zombie-things a couple of times, but that's about all the monster-hunting experience I have. Hopefully, these spiders will be somewhat similar. I know to kill the zombies you needed a strong stroke to the head. Maybe Bael will be similar."

Surveying the scene, Yorick looked the others up and down, a cursory glance sufficing. There was a man with mead. His hooded appearance seemed to give him the air of a sneak, but his demeanor was not at all thieflike. There was a friendly woman, who was named Ajari, and a young man who seemed quite nice as well. Then there was the one at the bar. Hm, the strong and silent type. Maybe he wasn't even here for the job. He hadn't spoken up, after all.

"I'm Yorick. Glad to be working with you three. My areas of training are the sword, lance, and axe. And you three?"

[Duma]

Duma sighed and took a seat closer to the group. He took notice of everyone and their names. The pink haired one with the many weapons introduced herself as Yorick. The white haired one who called him over as Vincent. The dark haired one with the friendly disposition as Ajari.

"You seem to know the most about what we are up against. The flyer only mentioned monsters. I'm afraid the only thing I know of monsters besides the human variety, are the ones told in fairy tales for children."

"Oh, my name is Duma. I'm a sword-master, my specialty is well.. it's obvious. I am also unfamiliar with the terrain of this area, so any information on that would be a bonus." He did his best to try and sound personable.

[Kyle]

As the group that was there for the job began to get closer it was apparent that the force was a bit small, hopefully there weren't that many Bael there. The people around here were making a big deal out of it, but who wouldn't if those things were around to attack their village? It was also a bit worrisome that none of these people had fought Bael before. Was he really the only one herewith experience?

Kyle stood up and moved a bit closer to the group as well, leaning on a nearby wall. Getting to know others may be a mistake, getting to comfortable in a job could be deadly, and getting to attached to people may include pointless life risking when one of them gets doomed. People dying was the last thing he wanted. Well, maybe failure was, but death was a close second at least. Hopefully no one cared to ask about him and they could get to work. Getting to work would require whoever to put up the poster to appear first. Where were they?

[Vincent]

Vincent smiled taking a seat. "I'm Vincent Clark, I use a dual bladed sword style and I have been in Ilia for several months now. As far as the things commonality they weren't. Over the last few years there have been more and more sightings. It would seem that recently though that they are everywhere. I have yet to fight any though." The very words brought a worrisome thought to mind as he spoke them. How was the farm? What if they'd been assaulted? "Sorry. I didn't mention, I am from here in Lycia."

Vincent took another look at everyone, Duma and Yorrick looked very strong. Stronger than him anyway. Ajari was still a mystery but she was at least friendly. But how would she fight? If she can't she'll only be a liability. He didn't want to be the one to raise the question and have just overlooked something obvious but it was bothering him. Then there was the 'drunk',he kept looking at them like he was a part of the hunt but his hesitance made Vincent not so sure. But if not then why is he staring? "If you're here for the job too then come on and join us."

[Ajari]

When she first came down from the mountain, Ajari would not have caught the suspicion in the tone. Her new comrades were explaining their areas of proficiency, but Ajari could see through the ruse. They weren't doing it to show off their own ability.

They were doing it to subtly judge hers.

"Zom-bies?" Ajari questioned, not finding herself familiar with the term. Some local expression for these monsters? So, most of her companions chose to use a sword, with the exception of Yorick, who used everything she could get her hands on, apparently. The sword was a fine weapon, lacking of any true strengths or weaknesses. That, in itself, became both its strength and its weakness.

She eyed Vincent and Yorick, looking as pleasant as could be. "I suppose you are both curious as to why I appear unarmed. Your eyes do not fail you, I do not carry weapons as you might consider them. Rest assured, however, that I am more than capable of holding my own in extermination of these vile creatures. A finely trained body is stronger than even the toughest steel."