The Call Knows Where You Live (Open)

[Orcleous]

The City of Heroes, Orcleous fought in the first half of the ordeal, but he did not stay for the entire blood bath. It was a wise decision as the word of monsters and demons filled the tongs of those who survived. Orcleous was tired of fighting monsters. Where ever he turned around there was always monsters. It seems like he could never get away from the things. When he took a mission down in Nabata he was ambushed by giant spiders. When he wondered the plains he was ambushed by Tarvos. When he took a trip to Lycia, well you know Zombies. It seems like the beast were everywhere. Finally Orcleous had enough. He wanted to fight something that was not filled with black blood and oozing of elder magic. Orcleous left the plains, left Lycia, and returned back to the place that made sense, Bern. However when he returned to Bern he discovered that monsters had also left there mark on the nation, but not some village in the middle of nowhere. No this was closer to home as a matter of facts it was home.

The village of Mordor, a small community of farms and houses was protected by high walls and tall mountains. Most bandits avoided the place because of its high security and low profit. Even the roads to and from town were designed to be hidden from view. It was a precaution against the growing threat of Civil War and Bandits. It was a haven in the middle of chaos and for a while it was untouched by the sword. However that all ended the day the Gargoyles attacked. No one knew why or how, but the flying beast descended from the mountains and raided the small farms that thought they were safe from harm. One of the first farms hit was Isengard, Orcleous family farm. The attack was swift and brutal and in the end the beast claimed the wife of his eldest brother, and even sadder her young child. When Orcleous returned home he was meet with the news and as a result he went into a frenzy. Taking all the gold he had collected along his adventures Orcleous set out to hire mercenaries. For the first time, and from his own pocket, Orcleous was going to lead an assault.

"Alright listen up lads. There is a few things you should know before you sign your name on this dotted line. The first, if you die at the hands of the gargoyles you are more than likely going to come back as a undead, and no I will not send your gold to your families. I don't have the resources to provide that service. The second thing you should know is that the flying beast have skin as hard as stone. A normal iron sword is not going to cut them up like butter. Prepare for a tough fight. The third thing you should know is that more than likely most of you are not going to come back. It is the bitter truth of war and of battle. Our goal is to root out the horde that has nested itself in the mountains above the village. Until the colony is defeated we will not return back here. Any man who retreat will not be paid, no exceptions", spoke the Hero as he sat back down at his table.

Even after hearing the bitter truth of the expedition there was still a good group of people willing to sign up. A lot of them were from the village. They had family member killed by the beast and loved ones taken away from them. Everyone in Mordor was out for blood, but only a small group of them would prove to be useful. The rest of them might as well stay in there homes and prey they succeed. There bodies will only serve as a undead shield for the beast if they joined the fighting.

[Yorick]

"Hmmph."

The Halberdier smiled as she listened to the Hero's depressing speech. She'd fought enough monsters. She knew the drill. But she'd never fought Gargoyles, and so she was excited. She fought here on behalf of the Verdant Cross, her monster-slaying guild, and so she was excited to build her organization's clout and reputation.

"Hide of stone or not... My weapons are sharp, and I fight for the Verdant Cross. We will exterminate these creatures and return victorious!"

Walking up to the leader of the group, Yorick offered an Isles salute and nodded to the man.

"I am Yorick of the Isles. I fight for my monster-hunting guild, the Verdant Cross. I am proud to bear arms against the fiends and with you. I will fight with honor, sir."

Yorick pulled her shield off of her back and presented its surface to the Hero, her face set and determined.

"I have history. I have fought Baels, Bonewalkers, Wights, Revenants, and Entombed. Even a giant Revenant about eight feet tall. You can count on me to get the job done... And I'll be more than glad to add another monster's outline to my shield.

Is there anything you want me to do specifically to aid the cause? I fight with sword, lance, and axe, and have ranged versions of all three. Obviously, I also can use a shield if it is beneficial.

Overall, I am a Yorick of all trades. Whether I am a master or not... You will see for yourself in battle."

[Orcleous]

Orcleous actually cracked a smile as the maiden walked up and introduced herself. She was clearly above all the other common rabble hanging around the tavern trying to get a piece of Orcleous gold, but not willing to spill blood for it. The scars on her body told the tale and her masterwork shield stood testament to her exploits. Her track record was good, almost as good as Orcleous. The Hero took pride in the victories of his youth and counted well the beast he slew with his blade.

"Well if all you say is true, then you have more than earned a position in this force. Your track record", spoke Orcleous as he ran his hand down the shield. He felt ever bump and groove. The little scratches and dents told it all and confirmed part of the maiden's words. "Is just short of mines", spoke Orcleous adding a unexpected twist. "In the plains of sacae I fought creatures who were half horse and half man. In the dry deserts of Nabata I faced against ancient horrors that came in the form of giant spiders. On the roads of Lycia I faced undead horrors and walking bones. After the city of Heroes I crossed paths with a monster so frighting and so demonic that it can not be described with words. Its face none existence and its voice a thousand souls screaming in agony. So if we are talking kill streaks and glory mines is bigger than yours", spoke Orcleous as he pulled Xigshaw from under the table and placed the mighty war hammer on the desk for all to see.

The very sight of the club made all the villager awe. Like Yorick's shield Orcleous used the magical hammer as justification for his deeds. Unlike the maiden's shield Orcleous did not have it long. It was only recently that he acquired it, but it served its purpose.

"All in all, you are welcome to join", spoke Orcleous as a wolfish grin crossed his face. "I will truly enjoy seeing you on the battlefield", spoke the lad as he stared into the maiden's eyes.

[Ilheod]

News had spread to him shortly after his return to Fort Redoran. No sooner had Ilheod returned clad in the armor made entirely almost of gargoyle leather and bone; had he heard that the monsters his unit had battled in the City of Heroes had fled into northern Bern. It had sickened him to hear it, and sent a special type of rage into his soul. A fire that could only be described as malefic unwavering loathing. That they had the gall, the nerve even, to enter his home? Ilheod had set out almost instantly to learn more about the creatures. Where they had nested. Where they were attacking. All of it. He had been in the skies fighting them within their own domain; and had done a damn good job kicking them out. The skies belonged to the Wyvern Rider's of Bern, by right. He wouldn't allow inhuman filth to take that from them.

He knew he had reached the right place, just by the atmosphere. Damaged homes, and a bleak sense about the entire place. Gazes were drawn to Ilheod as he entered the town; armored hand resting on Astraeus as he tugged the Wyvern with him a bit by the reigns and moved through town. No doubt, the armor adorned in bones and hide of the gargoyles seemed outlandish; however he knew why the Sacaen smith had made it for him. Not just as thanks, but so that none would refute his title. Ilheod wouldn't boast it out; but neither could others deny his actions when he wore the creatures he had helped slay. The silver spear that rested upon his back he could attribute a fair bit of it to as well; housing literally the best weapon to kill the creatures of the abyss with. Their tough hides and powerful bones were far more easily sundered by it with the silver infused layers at it's tip and metal shaft.

Word was, a man who had lost some family was invested in hiring others to fight them out. Ilheod had no need of the money even. He would join on simply to kill them. The man had been within the tavern, or so someone had told him when he began prying questions. A young stable-boy, who seemed more frightened of Ilheod than his Wyvern; which given the armor was not surprising but still surprising in concept to the Wyvern Lord. Commanding Astraeus to wait for him, he made his way across the town's street and opened the tavern doors. Ducking a bit as he entered so his lance wouldn't catch on the doorway arch as he strode in Ilheod gazed around briefly. Fully adorned in the armor; even still wearing the face mask which covered from his nose down to his chin he took but a moment to spot a group that looked suspiciously like the gathering.

A few foot steps later he was able to hear the man's speech. Aye, he had come to the right place it seemed.

"And I'll be more than glad to add another monster's outline to my shield."


At that comment Ilheod tilted his head. Though he let the man apparently running the show speak, Ilheod spoke up soon after. "Save that reservation for when you've seen them in person. When there's tens of them, within the sky and striking at you from different angles. A single scratch, just their claws or weapon cutting flesh is all it takes; and your done. You've become one of them. While their hides are tough, and their bones stronger that's not what makes them dangerous. It's the time that it buys them to scratch you. Throw in numbers, and you've got a fight on your hands."

Ilheod crossed both his arms over his chest. He knew the other man had explained it; but having seen it first hand Ilheod knew the explanation didn't do enough justice to them. He spoke again, shifting his weight to his left leg. He still wasn't used to the gargoyle skulls tempered into shoulder pauldrons at his shoulders; it still lingered within his mind each time he saw them with his peripheral vision.

"I was there, in the skies when they came flying up at the siege. Mad black hearted bastard laughing as they picked people from the skies only to let them fall. Doesn't matter what quality of armor you have when your dropped from sixty feet onto your head...nor does it matter when they grab you by different limbs and begin to claw at you. Go in there with your mind on glory and you'll not come out; I can say that for certain now. Any of you lads..or lasses...that don't keep your heads firmly on the ground might lose em. As for me...You can count on me to help; but keep the gold. I saw enough of em at the City of Heroes. I'll not let their filth linger in my home. "

The dark expression of his gaze was long from the lingering memories of that day. Trained and disciplined soldiers had hardly stood a chance when the winged fiends fought together. they had formed a home in this make shift bastardized nest he heard tell of. That would make them even more dangerous; because they'd have no where to flee.

[Mila]

Mila had delayed herself observing the ruins of the village and talking to the people. She had arrived here with Yorick but opted to get a lay of the land before joining her companion in the tavern. Gathering information was her specialty and she would need if they were going to make the journey up the mountains to slay gargoyles. The town had a somber atmosphere to it. Houses were destroyed and there were few people. Many of the town’s folk were in the tavern eager to kick the rears of the gargoyles that caused them such grief. Mountain climbing was not the Mage’s forte’ so the more info she got the better. Pack accordingly. Bring extra food, water, kindling, rope, and warm clothes.

The mage arrived in time to hear a dark skinned man give a run-down of what to expect. Oh. Goodie. Skin as hard as diamond is nothing when faced by magic. Though I do not think I like the prospect of becoming a walking corpse. She sighed softly and pulled out her journal. She kept herself to a quiet corner of the tavern, by the door, and began writing down notes. Then another individual came in. This knight was clad in armor she had never seen. It looked strong and sturdy. Crafted from monster hide. She recognized the inhuman skin and bones. Doog and Baels do not have hide of that caliber. Bone Walker and Wight Bones are not nearly as sturdy as to become armor. I can’t speak for Tarvos’es or Malduins. I can only assume it’s from the gargoyles themselves. Magnificent, truly magnificent.

She found herself staring for a moment. The armored man had spoken about fighting gargoyles in the skies. A wyvern knight. And how he had seen how they attacked. The monsters can either kill you directly, drop you from the sky, or wear out the human body with their talons. Just perfect. She sarcastically thought.
Her pencil found the pages and she continued to write some more notes. Even drawing a rough sketch of a gargoyle from what she had read and recounts from the people. Once she felt she was satisfied with what she had written she snapped her book shut and walked up to the sign up list. The young mage gave a nod to Yorick before introducing herself to the leader.

“I am Mila. A member of the Verdant Cross. While I lack weapons of metal I make up for it with Magic. I research monsters. And plan to learn off of these fiends and use that knowledge to help save future villages. Although my hair be green a greenhorn I am not. I’ve crossed paths with the living dead and of the doogs that roam the country side. Examined the remains of all manner of monster and the corpses they leave behind.” Hey. That wasn’t half bad of a speech. She signed her name on the list.

[Yorick]

”Aye, you’ve got a good track record… But I wonder…”

Yorick looked at the mighty war hammer, and her eyes narrowed. She’d confront this man later.

”Stories do not frighten me. The only serve to make me wiser, more prepared… For the slaughter that is to come. I will not be taken, and I will not bow. The Verdant Cross shall rise above these monsters, and peace will come to this stricken town.”

Yorick bowed her hed in determination, her resolve evident as she moved back to stand next to Mila. The duo had come as quickly as possible, both of them loathe to miss any opportunity to fight a new monster and exterminate an infestation. There was no doubt that this would be a fierce battle… But Yorick had no fear that she and Mila would emerge victorious and unscathed. She had faith in Mila, faith and trust. If she was in danger, her friend would come to her aid… And vice versa. They were back to back, metaphorically if not figuratively, and there was no force that could defeat their combined power and intellect.

Speaking softly to Mila, so no others would hear, Yorick shared her observation.

”That man leading us… He gives me a bad vibe. Either he’s great friends with Oya, or he’s a thief and a swine. That is the same war hammer Oya was using when we fought the Bonewalkers and Wights. How did he get it…?

”Mila. I’ll defend you and protect you, as always… We’ll cover each other. Are you ready to slay these hellborn abominations?”

[Orcleous]

"Armor made from the bones of departed monsters, hair crossing over left eye, and stories of war and horror from the City of Heroes itself. There is no denying it, you must be the Devil Slayer. I heard about you, when I was leaving sacea your name was on every tong. They say you slew Hargus himself and brought the horde of gargoyles to there knees. To have you in our numbers would be a great boon to our cause", spoke Orcleous as he looked around. The people around him were almost in a daze. They had no idea that someone famous had walked in. Most of the farmers heard about the City of Heroes. However they did not know much detail about it beyond that Hargus had summoned monsters and was killed. Beyond that they had no idea. Ilheod was probably a celebrity in sacae, but in Bern he was just another soldier. Only those who were well informed and there themselves would really know him. Orcleous knew him though. He was at the city of Heroes and saw him and his wyverns before they became big heroes. The man did not look that impressive to him then and he did not look that impressive to him now. However he was there when the monsters started rolling in. Orcleous however was not, he left during the first day, complications. Still he kept his ear to the ground about it long after he finished. It was surpising to him that the Wyvern Rider would be the one to slay the demon. He half expected the hero of the plains himself to do it.

"Adding you spear to ours is a great boon to the mission, but", spoke Orcleous placing emphasis on the word. "If your fight with us you have to fall under my command. I will be #$%^ed if I pay for a force run by another man. I understand you have the most experience with fighting the beast, but I will not have my orders second guessed. Anything with two head is a monster and monster are slain. If you can deal with that then you are welcome to join."

Orcleous then turned his attention from the Devil Slayer and back to the common farm folk who gathered up to join in the hunt. "Right you have heard the word not just from me, but from the man who slew the very creator of the monsters tearing this village apart. Any of you who die will come back as undead and undoubtedly cause problems for us. So, any man who does not own a real weapon is prohibited from signing up!" Immediately a mass of complaints and distasteful comments swarmed Orcleous, but the burly Hero paid them no mind. "Shut up you idiots", shouted Orcleous as he slammed his hand on the table. The ferocity in his voice silenced the mob as the hero once again began to speak. "We can not afford to babysit you! I know your angry because I am angry! I know your vengeful because I am vengeful! However I will not be held back because some stupid corn farmer thinks he can fight against creatures from the abyss. If you have not spent years swinging your blade or chopping with your axe then you are useless to me. Your wood chopping axe is not going to pierce there hide or even leave a scratch on them. All you will do is bring more grief and sadness to the village. However you all are to stupid to realize this very fact so I am banning you", spoke Orcleous as he took his sea. The man was swarmed again with hateful words and angry comments, but the common rabble moved out.

"So this is all we have left huh", spoke Orcleous as he looked at the remaining people. They numbered only twenty strong less than the time Orcleous took on that horde of zombies. However he was going to have to make due. "We move out in two hours", spoke Orcleous as he took up the paper of signatures and handed it to the innkeeper. The man then took it and sealed it inside of a vault along with the promised gold. "Prepare yourselves it is going to be a long climb up the mountain and even longer fight with the vermin. I have discussed with the local merchants, they should give you a discount on prices." After he finished addressing everyone Orcleous dropped his hardass routine. He was more a mellow person, but in order to lead he needed to seem tougher and stronger than he actually was. After everyone was allowed to go there own way he did not have to keep it up any more.

"Hey Mila", spoke Orcleous as he got out of his chair. He stretched a bit before walking over to greet her. He had been sitting in that chair for quite some time before he got enough pros to actual do the mission. "The name is Mila right, oh and before I continue this has nothing to do with the mission. I just wanted to ask you a question about your guild, Verdant Cross. Are you all new or something. I have heard of a silver cross guild or silver something can't really remember right now. However they were a group out of Lycia that fought monsters. Is yours connected to them or are you all your own branch.

The truth of the matter was that Orcleous could care less about her guild. At the moment his main concern was his hometown, but he took a interest in the mage and would not pass up the opportunity to start a conversation. He loved her hair color and was looking to add a bit of magic into his life. The other chick, Yorick, well she was too old for him. Plus he did not like all the scars. She also had a bit too much muscle. Orcleous could not speak for other men, but he liked having something soft to grab onto when talking to a woman. All the muscle was a bit of a turn off for him.

[Ilheod]

A shrug of the shoulders and a simply comment was all he could spare as the armored woman spoke. Only personal Spencerian would reveal it. "If your content to think of it as a slaughter against gargoyles, simply go in expecting surprise." He had been given a stroke of luck. Creatures like the undead and gargoyles were weak to silver infused weapons. Ilheod's spear was literally ideal to fighting them. Standard weapons had a severely difficult time piercing their skin or rending their bones. His entire unit had to exploit momentum and gravity with aerial charges just to efficiently kill them. Unless any of them were nothing short of divine; he expected them to have a fair challenge bringing down gargoyles. Save for the dark skinned male; holding a hammer even Ilheod recognized. Though he did not comment on it, he had seen it and knew it held power within it. That weapon would have a far easier time.

Ilheod turned to take a few steps away from the table in thought; arms crossed over one another. He spun on his heel turning in a manner purely habitual to those in the military life when Orc spoke to him. Here the fellow was coming off as a bit rude, but again, Ilheod's gaze remained passive. Then again the mask of gargoyle flesh covered all but his eyes so little would have been discerned had he shown reaction. He simply nodded quietly before speaking in a short yet appropriately blunt phrase. "The only orders I would disobey are ones that would get me killed. I'll be giving no commands. " Quietly he observed as others began to leave the table once the man spearheadding the hunt mentioned the rule on weapons. True, it was for their own good. Even iron weapons had a horrifying time trying to fatally harm gargoyles on simple strikes.

Ilheod quietly walked over, arms still folded and took a spot a few feet off to the side of the shorter blue haired girl. With nothing else to say at the moment he would simply wait and listen. It was partially a nice change not to be commanding for once. It was less for him to focus on.

[Mila]

The wyvern knight took a spot near her. Yorick whispered something to Mila as the tanned skinned man started speaking to the crowd. His words intended to scare out the common man. Good. Yorick spoke to her about the familiar axe in the man's possession. Ah I remember Xigshaw. She remembered the axe. She remembered how the orange haired warrior Oya cleared a small crowd of bone-walkers with the blade. The green hared woman wondered if their new leader knew of Xigshaw's magical properties. The fact that he was able to lift the weapon meant that the axe had accepted the man as it's new owner.

"Whatever happened between Oya, Him, and Xigshaw is none of our concern, the important part is making sure Xigshaw is used properly. We need to know if he knows the full properties of Xigshaw. It's bad if he over exerts himself due to not knowing about Xigshaw's magic. I will confront him about it once things quiet down." She stared at the tanned young man for a moment.

"I know you will Yorick. Don't worry I'll be watching your back too." She smiled softly. It had been so long since she actually had a friend watching her back she almost forgot what it felt like. Sure she had family who would have her back on jobs back home but it had been years since her last job with family. And mercenaries that were hired out for protection did not have the same sense of comradely. Plus she was part of a guild now. She needed to do her best to protect Yorick, her employer, and the other citizens who decided to join them on the job. Hopefully if they do well people could spread good news about the fledgling guild. Good news could lead to potential hires which could lead to more members.

Once the dark skinned man had finished his speech a significant chunk of the people left. Mila saw no problem with this. It was true they simply did not have the time, effort, and resources to babysit monster fodder. The mage had seen more then her fair share of incompetent men and women rendered into corpses by monsters. She heard that they would be given a discount on supplies which was good. Money was tight for the new guild.

The man had taken a moment to address her. His voice shifted from the commanding leader of a few moments ago to one that was more casual. Mila liked it. It showed that this man understood that being 100% in command mode was a bad thing. An overbearing presence in a casual setting would have showed that their was pride. Pride often leads to consequences that would have otherwise compromised the job. The dark skinned man, their leader, did not show that. His casual tone of voice was refreshing.

"Sir. Yes, it's Mila." Her voice was polite and professional. When asked about the guild Mila maintained eye contact and answered.

"Yes sir. We are a new guild. Though the guild is new in name only, my skills, and my partner's are top notch. We have no connection to a silver named guild in Lycia. If I may, I've a few questions for you." She took in a small breath.

"Specifically about Xigshaw your axe." Her mind went over her words carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was accidentally offend their boss.

"I will not ask how you came to acquire it. That is an issue between you, the previous owner, and the axe. It is clear that Xigshaw has accepted you as it's new owner. Meaning you now have access to all of it's wondrous magical properties. Are you fully aware of Xigshaw's strength's and price for that strength?" She asked calmly.

[Orcleous]

"Xigshaw", spoke Orcleous in a calm, but intrigued voice. The Hero possessed the magic weapon for some time, but he never really new its name. "So that is this hammers name", spoke Orcleous as he looked at the shaft. "For the longest time I wondered if that was its true name or the name of the person who originally owned it. You can never know when the name is placed on the handle. Most of the time smiths place names of weapons on either the flat of the blade or the pommel. On the handle is where one usually places there own name in case there weapon was ever lost, not that it helped. I have never known a man to give back a fine weapon once they got there hands on. Still the fact that you not only know the name, but seem to have a idea about it means that this thing is famous", spoke Orcleous as he looked the weapon up and down. Five feet long from head to toe and the massive head of the weapon being three feet long and a foot thick. It was a massive weapon, that weighed just as much as it looked.

"So the darn club is magical", spoke Orcleous confirming that he was not a hundred percent sure it was. "The first time I used it, it weighted a boatload. Now however it is as light as a feather. At first I wondered if there was some kind of curse on it to keep it from being used, but recently I have noticed the effects of its weight on things around me. I thought it might be magic, but I did not know what kind or if it was some kind of weird hex. I will bet money that there is some kind of weird dark magic going on with this thin. As for the previous owner", spoke Orcleous as he pulled his lie out of his file draw. The hero could not tell him that he raided a Eturian caravan and stole the weapon from one of the most powerful nations on the continent. That would be asking for both mass desertion and assault toward seeking a reward. Instead Orcleous had taken his time and prepared a lie just in case somebody asked him about it. He had it filed away in the back of his mind ready to be pulled out in a moment's notice.

"Well the last owner of this thing was a walking pile of bones. I have no idea if this thing was a ancient weapon or it it was created recently, but when I got a hold of it the weapon was being wielded by some kind of super bonewalker. The creature was humongous and stood maybe 7 to 8 feet tall. The beast fell to my blade Fiery Dragon Slayer, but alas I lost it during the fight. So in exchange I took the blighters axe. Poor trade considering Fiery's blazing capabilities, but the hammer has some uses."

"As for the magic inside the thing. I have no idea how it works or what I need to look out for. All I truly know is that once I hit something with this thing its head usually explodes from the force. That was good enough for me. However you seem to know something about it don't you?"

[Ilheod]

Ilheod knew of Xigshaw, and remembered a man entirely different from the one before him had wielded it. Then again, he held no lost love towards either of the men so that the weapon had passed hands made little difference to him. He remained quiet as they began to talk of the weapons magical properties and powers. Magic weapons and powerful magics fueling them were of little interest to him honestly. He had a fairly strong dislike for magic as a whole. It wasn't any one particular incident; besides the city of heroes and that disaster of an incident. Shifting his poise he crossed his arms over his chest while leaning against one of the wooden support beams behind him; still standing near the light haired mage that seemed to be a small wealth of knowledge.

He was still unused to the armor's lightness. The mobility it offered. Flexibility even. A slight roll of his shoulders within their joints and a small tucking of his elbows as he leaned against the support beam confirmed mentally what he had been thinking upon. Indeed, he had unprecidented mobility in the armor. Yet when the smith had him test it as a sign of faith; it was indeed durable. Very resistant to standard weapons; and even going so far as to offer stronger protection where the boned segments adorned it, it was impressive to him. Folding his arms back over his chest he looked around quietly observing the few that were left compared to the others. It was better to gauge them now and know what to expect come time to hunt the winged demons. Better that, than blindly trust them with his own life. It was, as it had to be. However this group was a very...talkative one.

[Mila]

OOC- Wall o text incoming.
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Mila took a moment for her new boss to process what she said about Xigshaw. Perhaps I should ask for his name. Instead of just thinking of him as dark skinned boss guy. She listened to him speak about how he acquired Xigshaw. Walking pile of bones? Well I know that’s a lie. That pirate had a strong aversion to death. And we.. er.. I saw him fairly recently. I know flesh takes at least a few months for it to be rendered from bone. The mage tried to keep her expression neutral. Like she had said earlier she didn't care how boss guy got Oya’s axe, just if he knew what it could do. Judging from his story about hitting things with Xigshaw and having it explode that… well it sounded right. Xigshaw had a lovely knack for making the skeletons explode into dust if her memory served.

She casually wrapped an arm around this dark skinned man and turned him around so that others wouldn't read their lips. Then spoke to him in a slightly hushed tone.

“Like I said before I don’t know or don’t care how you got a hold of Xigshaw. That is your business. I signed my name, I am a member of your group. That comes with professionalism sir. You are my boss and I will follow your orders until the job is done or fails. That, being said.” She cleared her throat.

“From what O.." She paused mid syllable. If this man had lied about his origins in acquiring Xigshaw which may mean he was on bad terms with Oya. Don't associate yourself with him. Distance. Quick think of a word.

"Lore... I could gather. Xigshaw is a holy axe originally meant to slay “witches”. And I am using the word witches loosely. The light magic it is infused with makes it equally effective against monsters. And It.. has.. how do I put it delicately.. uh.. emotions? The club likes to club things. Switch weapons and the club likes to club things less. Like... it gets upset at not being used.” Maybe jealous would have been the proper word.

“Xigshaw’s strength sharing properties are reflective of that. The axe grants it's wielder power. But only of those reflective of the person holding it. For example if a strong person uses it, the axe works to keep that person alive. By granting better defenses and a stronger bash. If the person is physically weak, then the grants it's wielder with additional strength to use it. Xigshaw does what it can to keep it's owner satisfied so it can always be used. If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot use Xigshaw and are forced to use something else instead... the next time you use Xigshaw it might feel like your trying to lift a boulder.” She took a moment to look up and tap her chin with her index finger, as if trying to remember something else. Mila stop talking. You need to use this time to prepare. Mountain to climb and all that. She gave a brief pause.

“I know it’s a lot to take in Sir. But there is something else that is unrelated to Xigshaw. Ah yes! Gargoyles. Like many flying units they are weak to bows. And it’s been discovered that silver weapons have latent properties that are effective against monsters. So if any of our numbers have the money or resources to acquire one perhaps that would help.” She broke away from the young boss and sighed. I don’t know if you knew that. But now you know. Got to make sure the boss is well informed. After all our lives are in his hands. She turned her head to look back out at the group. Well what’s left of us. Then returned her attention back to the dark skinned man.

“Sorry for running my mouth but if I did not say anything now I would most likely forget once we get going. Uh.. Speaking of which Sir, When do we get going? And your name… if you already introduced yourself I am sorry for missing it.” Otherwise I am just going to keep calling you Sir or Boss for the remainder of this trip. Once she had heard everything else the young man had to say she headed back towards Yorick. She took a seat on one of the nearby benches and tried to relax. The next person she really wanted to talk to was the knight in Gargoyle hide armor. But she figured she had done enough talking for now. And the knight, well he looked like he did not want to be bothered. What she really wanted to hear were stories about the City of Heroes. She had heard what had happened and of all the monsters under the control of one man. Someone named Hargus. And despite the odds the City of Heroes, no the people, won that battle. Perhaps, I should make a trip there and study what remains. She took a drink of juice from one of the cups. Refreshing. Good now what does the guild need to survive a trip up a mountain. She looked over to Yorick.

[Orcleous]

The women seemed to know a lot about Xigshaw. Great there goes his chance of showing of. She probably knew the last owner, the guy who used the hammer before he got a hold of it. Orcleous did not know the guy, nor did he hear any tales about the guys so he can't have been that famous. Still she did not care and he did not want to go into how he really got it. So Orcleous let it drop. However the maiden seemed incredibly knowledgeable about the weapon. The way she spoke of it you would think she wielded it herself.

"You know more about it than I do", spoke Orcleous as he lightly chuckled. "Right let me give you a proper introduction. I assumed that everyone in the room already knew who I was. This is a small community and at first there were only people from around the area volunteering to join the fight. I figured anyone who walked into the tavern already heard the word that the young boy Orcleous was giving away his gold to slay winged monsters. Just to let you know that is my name, Orcleous. I know it sounds weird, but it is the name my father gave me. As a short background to give you a bit confidence in my skills at killing monsters I will let you know I have been fighting these things for the past two years. I am well aware of the advantage that silver gave against these beast. In the past I even wielded a Silver Blade in battle, before it broke from the claws of a beast. However I have no experience killing Winged Horrors. For that we are lucky to have the Devil Slayer", spoke Orcleous as he turned his head toward Ilheod.

"So Devil Slayer", he shouted in a attempt to get Ilheod's attention. "Any advice for slaying the winged beast", spoke Orcleous as he walked halfway over to where the man was. Before the conversation could go any further the bulk of the group had returned. Many of them had on new gear and a few of them had replaced there crummy iron weapons for shinny new silver. They were ready, and there was no reason for Orcleous to stall any longer.

"It seems most of you are ready to roll out so I will go ahead and tell you how this is going to go down", spoke Orcleous as he put back on his boss persona. "There are only three options available to us", spoke Orcleous staring off the meeting. "We could climb the cliff, ropes and hiking. However by the time we reach the top we would either be dead by the hands of the winged monsters or too tired to actually fight. The second option would be for some of you all with Wyverns to fly us all to the top of the cliff and attack from there. However the chance of being attacked while we are being transported is far too high. Instead we are going to choose option C. Built inside of the nearby cliff is the burial grounds for the village. If we pass through the cypt we can take a long passage up to the top of the mountain and avoid most of the dangerious spots. From there we will take a short break and then march onto the infestation. People with Wyverns and animals too large to go through the catacombs will fly up the hill and meet us at the gate. Any questions."

[Mila]

Orcleous. Orcleous. Orc-leo-us. Yep. We're calling him Orc for short. Mila’s mind had already decided on an appropriate short hand for the boss. When Orc took a moment to address the “Devil Slayer” she turned her head to the knight. Then she went and returned her gaze to the floor. Orcleous began explaining the three methods that the group could take to climb up the mountains. Climbing was out of the question due to the fact that the group could easily be picked off by the winged beasts as they climbed up the rockface. Those with flying units can reach the summit with ease, but run the risk of getting picked off. That might require some planning. Perhaps a small branch group led by the devil slayer to act as interference while the other riders focus on getting supplies, people, and animals up. She thought to herself. And then, Orcleous mentioned taking a path through a crypt. Immediately the mage stopped thinking and turned her head up to look straight at Orc. There was a mild look of panic to her face. Crypts. Crypts. As in a subterranean chamber or vault, usually beneath the main floor of a church. Used as a burial place, a location for secret meetings. And now apparently passage up a mountain... She could feel her heart beat quicken.

Prior to this the mage had briefly, explained to Yorick her fear of closed, confined, dark places, especially of the underground variety. Unable to go into the full details of that fear, but the pink haired warrior at least knew of it.

“Y..Yorick..” She muttered softly. Hoping the halberdier wasn’t too distracted. She could feel the grip on her mug tighten. Her white knuckles showing through her skin. She still kept her gaze focused on Orcleous.

“W..we.. we are going underground…” Again, she spoke in the same soft voice. Something akin to a scared child. She doubted anyone paid enough attention to her to notice the subtle details of her worry.

Does anyone have any questions? As if right on cue a new face had shown up. A boy with bright yellow hair who was looking to be contracted for the job. Mila took advantage of this momentary distraction to try and calm herself. Her hand touched her heart. She wasn’t any where near a dark confined space, but yet the very thought of having to set foot into one gave her a feeling of distress. She shook her head. Her perky attitude and professionalism gone. Now she was just a scared young mage being forced to come to terms with her fear for the sake of the job. And we haven’t even started yet. She rubbed her face with her sleeve, then gave a small sigh. She needed to fix this before they got to the crypt entrance. Or else once they get there she would be reduced to a quivering, useless, unprofessional mess.

She quietly got up. She slipped past a few people and managed to make her way towards the one they called “Devil slayer”. As far as she knew, this man was the only wyvern rider in the room. Mila was sure there were others, but she did not know who they were. She tried to put a brave face, despite the fact her insides felt like they were tying themselves in knots.

“Uhm. Excuse me, Sir Devil Slayer. Can you spare a moment?” She spoke calmly and politely. She wasn’t as cheerful as she had been with Orcleous, but she wasn’t cold either. The stories she wanted of the City of Heros would have to wait. She was hoping if the knight would be able to give the mage a ride.

[Ilheod]

"Any advice for slaying the winged beast"

Ilheod turned his head to look to the man, before gazing to the men around. Though he kept his mask on, so his voice had a slight distant echo to it's tone he responded quickly. Even as the gargoyle armor clad Wyvern Lord spoke he felt the distant tug of memory guiding him. Distinctly...he could recall the rushing of the winds past him as he lead his unit higher into the skies above the city of heroes. The fluttering of wings as a literal horde of the monsters ascended to chase his men. The reeling as they turned about mid air and dove downwards head fist into them. The resistance their hide and bone offered even with a silver weapon. When he spoke, he maintained his arms crossed over his chest and continued to lean against the wooden support beam. "Even with silver weapons..they are surprisingly tough. Silver weapons can still get caught on their bone if you don't angle it properly. You can't attempt straight stabs through them either if your on foot. The only reason me and my lads killed them so easily is we used our mounts to our advantage. I can strike far harder upon wyvern back full dive than any man can just standing still trying to fight the beasts..so keep that in mind. Avoid bone, and don't simply assume weapons will carve them up. Also...don't let them lock weapons with you. They can still bite you or claw at you with an open hand if you do..and your instantly gone. Other than that..just keep your wits about you and don't get over confident. It only takes a single hit, can't emphasize that enough."


The Wyvern Lord tilted his head and looked to the ground quietly afterwords. His expression blocked by the mask; it hid the small frown he wore. The older man gazed down for a few moments before he heard Orcleous explain the options. Ilheod was about to speak when the younger mage lass approached him. Ilheod's gaze drifted to her, a single eye blocked by the red bangs hanging over it. He tilted his head quizzically before responding. "I can lass..but just a second." Before getting distracted with talk, Ilheod spoke up to the dark skinned man leading the hunt. "I'll be going up the mountain myself. Astraeus and I have no fondness of confined spaces, let alone ones under ground. Just speakin' up." Turning to look back at the girl he spoke quietly, given she had been quiet herself and was much closer to him than the other man who was also dealing with others talking to him. "I can lass, what is it?"