The Pale Compass (Duma, Evelyn, Bones/Open)

[Evelyn Bradford]

Evelyn decided to humor Ravvus' joke with a soft giggle. She had expected him to follow up with something of the sort, but it was harmless overall. She cast a quick glance at Duma and saw that, after he had further explained his situation with herself, he now was listing his work experience in the hops of being hired. That really was a process all mercenaries were ready and willing to go through, it seemed. Like when Zak had basically told Evelyn his resume back in Etruria.

She also decided to ignore the fact that Duma explicitly stated that he wanted little to do with Etruria. Evelyn had already thought enough negativity towards her homeland. She'd merely accept that sort of talk about Etruria without so much as batting an eye.

Ravvus, however, went on to offer himself to her. Er, offer his services that was...which was explaining the nature and structure of the guild even further...though of course he had made a quip about Evelyn and getting her hands dirty, or rather not being the type to do so. She would have taken greater offense to that if it were not the case, but it undeniably was. Evelyn was a noble, a noble lady at that, and her parents would frown upon her even making an appearance in an establishment such as this. Then again, her father would likely choke on his wine if he discovered that Evelyn practiced dark magic. There was quite a bit the elder Bradfords did not know about their daughter.

Regardless Evelyn was a bit interested in this expedition. However her reason for coming so far from home had been her curiosity in the guild itself. So when Ravvus offered to explain it all to her she nodded and gave him a smile, "Let's not rule out my involvement in any expedition just yet, but I would like to hear about this guild's hierarchy and history,"

[Bones]

Bones sat there for a moment in the bar. She was staring at the green drink weighing her options. If she drunk that she might not remember tomorrow, or maybe even the whole next week. However she had already paid for it and not drinking it would make her look weak. Still, it was green. "Just how strong is this", spoke Bones as she held the shot glass in her hand. The barkeep however did not pay her no mind. She could see it in his face. He was sure she was not going to drink it. Sure it was green, but who was he to judge her. Well then again she was hesitating. This was probably not the first time somebody has ever ordered it and not drunk it. The green color was a good way of turning people off.

"In the name of Bern", spoke Bones as she gathered up all of her courage. In a single gulp Bones chugged the shot. The green liquid burned the back of her throat as it went down the hatch. "Goh wow", spoke Bones as she fought through the burning sensation. The barkeeps eyes where wide when he saw the women had actually chugged the mixture.

"Well I be a foxes uncle", spoke the man, but to Bones the only thing she heard was fox. Everything else started to turn... well green. Her vision blurred and her entire body took on a numb sensation. For a moment Bones thought she had drunken poison and was going to die. Then however came a sensation that was almost lost to her, happiness. Suddenly she felt happy, joyful, and just alright. Her speech was a bit slurred and her eye sight a bit green, but beyond that she was fine.

"Holy moly that was good", spoke Bones as she stared into the glass. Fairies and little green men began to climb out of her cup and dance on the brim of the shot glass. "Fairies", spoke Bones with excitement as she began to stare at the glass.

"Jill go prepare a room up the stairs for the lady", spoke the Barkeep as he watched Bones trip out. She was not the first person to take a shot and he was sure she would not be the last. However there was one thing he knew, and that things where going to change. It all depended on what type of drunk Bones was. Though at this point he was sure she was not the angry kind, well he hoped.

[Duma]

At the moment Duma ignored Anton's comment about his sword skills. As much as he liked to give a demonstration of his skills the area behind the booth was a bit too small for him to do a presentation safely. There were far to many people around who could accidentally get sliced by one of his blows. Instead he focused his attention on the other question, about the Killuan tribe.

"Killuan.. Killuan.." Duma thought for a moment. The name was familiar to him but he wasn't sure he had met the tribe personally. As he thought he noticed that Anton had not moved his hand off the contract page. Duma sighed softly. He closed his eyes for a moment. Eventually he recalled the wise words of an elder woman regarding the clans of the south.

"I.. do not think I have met the tribe personally. But.. I do recall something about them from the matriarch of another tribe. Killuan's are a proud people. Nearly wiped out.. have rebuilt.. and are distrustful of strangers. Other tribes seem to have trust issues with them as well. Something.. very grave must have happened if they are looking for.. and willing to accept foreign aid. I'm afraid that's all I know." He shook his head softly.

"Anyway.. It seems you are still skeptical of my abilities. I assure you I.. am well versed in swordplay. I do know how to use this brave sword. However.. these quarters.. are a bit difficult for me to give a proper demonstration. But.. then again.. the battlefield is never exactly ideal." He pulled from his bag a crisp green apple. He took a step back then drew his sword. He pulled the sleeve from his sword arm over his hand and carefully grabbed the bladed end past the handle so the brave sword was shorter.

"This.. might seem dumb to you. But safety for the crowd.. is my main concern." He smiled softly then threw the apple into the air. He struck the apple quickly with an X shaped slash that was very quick. The apple fell into the ground in four pieces. Duma then gently wiped the sword clean and pulled it back into it's sheath. He crouched to the floor and picked up the four pieces.

"I hope.. this demonstration is enough." He walked to the edge of the stall and fed the apply remains to a farmer's horse. He then patted the creatures head and returned back to the booth.

[Ravvus Wiseau]

Anton cocked an eyebrow. A particular piece of information stood out to him. The Killuan tribe had a penchant for xenophobia. The notion that they would employ, let alone do business with, outsiders was apparently cause for alarm. The stern Ilian was impressed. In spite of the guild's network of connections, the Pale Compass had been unable to contact anyone with knowledge regarding the Killuan tribe. Duma had given them more information in the past minute, than anyone else in the last month. The Ilian would need to speak with Gavrilova later. With Duma's new information, it was now apparent that the Killuan envoys had been less than forthcoming with their reasons for hiring the Pale Compass.

Anton watched as Duma unsheathed his blade and expertly cut apart an apple with an x-shaped pair of slashes. Again, the Ilian was impressed, though he was not one to show it. The swordsman would do, hell he would likely be the most useful sword during the expedition. “That will suffice.” Anton said, meeting eyes with Duma briefly, removing his hand from the contract, and turning towards the next freelancer.

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Ravvus took a deep breath. This was going to be a mouthful. ”Well, the guild is generally broken up into three different groups, the Guildmaster, Expedition Captains, and Explorers. Think of the structure as a triangle with three different sections. At the highest point is the Guildmaster, whose jobs mostly entail overseeing operations, but not directly participating in them. For example, Gavrilova, our current Guildmaster, will meet with potential employers, such as Barons, Lord Knights, and even the occasional Ilian Councilor, to discuss the terms and conditions of contracts. However, she generally isn't physically present during any of the jobs themselves. Beneath the Guildmaster are the Expedition Captains. Expedition Captains are exactly what they sound like. They report directly to the Guildmaster and are in charge of leading expeditions, excavations, escort squads and caravans, etcetera. At the lowest point are Explorers. Explorers are expected to be proficient in some form of magic or arms, be well-learned regarding the customs and culture of Elibe's countries, have some measure of literacy, and preferably have some knowledge of archaeology.” That was good. Ravvus was a little surprised at how eloquently he'd described the guild's structure, let alone remembered all of its' details. ”The structure in practice is a little more complex then that. Some Expedition Captains may rank higher above others and be granted more responsibility depending on things like veterancy or how often they work with the Guildmaster. Likewise, the Explorer definition can be stretched a bit broadly. Ivan, despite being the guild's book-keeper and receptionist is still considered to be an Explorer.” The blond mage paused for a moment, wondering if he'd forgotten anything. Satisfied, he moved onto the guild's history.

”The Pale Compass was formed more than two hundred years ago near the end of eleventh century. Most of our work has taken place in Etruria, Ilia, Sacae, Bern, and Lycia. Distance makes it difficult to explore Nabata or Elibe's archipelagos.” Ravvus tapped his chin in thought. It was now that Ivan's expertise would have proven useful. The old book-keeper was familiar with many of the guild's records and could list specific jobs the Pale Compass had undertaken in the past. ”Jobs tend to fall into one of two categories: escorts or digs. Escort jobs are what they sound like. Someone comes to us wanting protection during their travels and we provide them with a suitable body guard. Such jobs have high success rates. It's rare for harm to befall an escort, even if the mercenary guarding him or her receives fatal wounds. As for digs, those tend to be more philanthropic and archaeological in nature. The guild will usually be contracted by a Baron, Councilor, or some other foreign noble, for that kind of work. The guild usually ends up exploring old ruins, trying to find clues about civilizations that came before us.” Unfortunately the blond mage could tell her little more than that. Sure, he might be able to ramble for another sentence of two, but such discourse would be just that: rambling. He hoped what he'd provided was enough to satisfy Evelyn's curiosity. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

[Evelyn Bradford]

Evelyn took in everything Ravvus had to say. It was a quite a bit, a lot more than she expected from the heirarchy and structure of a mercenary guild, but she it wasn't so much that she couldn't handle it. She nodded as she politely listened. It went very deep it seemed, and it also seemed like this Guildmaster had quite a bit on her plate. Rather than take part in most jobs she seemed to set them up in the first place and served as the company's face towards clients. The skill and knowledge such a large leadership role required was certainly admirable.

The blonde man went on to explain the guild's history from there. Judging by their typical jobs the horse riding warrior she had come across must have been on return from an escort mission. It didn't look like he had much to do with digging and such, so it was a logical conclusion. Still, Ravvus soon came to a conclusion and asked if there was anything else she wanted to know. Evelyn tapped her chin and then shook her head.

"No, I suppose not. Though I am curious about the present as well. You're doing a sort of mass recruitment/hiring, correct? I take it a rather big job must have turned up, in that case,"

Evelyn glanced over at Duma and saw that he was still speaking with the older man whose name escaped her. The green haired swordsman was here because of that job. Technically Evelyn's business here was finished but now she was curious to see the guild in action. Besides, coming so far just to have that small conversation would be a massive waste of her time. 

[Ravvus Wiseau]

”Right, right. Recent work.” Ravvus muttered, a tinge of discomfort crept into his voice. Unfortunately for the both of them, the mage was not well-versed in that topic. He, himself, had only just returned to Edessa. It had been some time since he'd worked with the guild. He had no idea what they'd been up to recently. ”Sadly, Miss Evelyn, I am afraid I will be of little help in that regard. I myself have been traveling the country. I only just arrived in Edessa today and have not had time to familiarize myself with the guild's most recent ventures.” The blond mage exhaled, embarrassed to be so uninformed. He shot a glance at the line of mercenaries, recalling the second part of Evelyn's question.

”It's not that a big job's come up.” Ravvus' mind wandered as he sought the right words. Though he'd not been properly briefed by Gavrilova, the mage had been able to glean a few things about the upcoming mission. "The job itself is fairly simple. We need to escort a pair of Sacaens and then help them uncover... something." Ravvus wasn't sure what the proper word to use was. "The guildmaster and Anton, He pointed at the stern Ilian. ”The one who was just now speaking with Duma,” 'Speaking.' Ravvus used that term very loosely. ”have been referring to it as an 'archive.'” The blond man was motioning with his hands now. ”You know, it's like a time capsule, except... bigger.” His lips curled into a half-frown. The man was still embarrassed to be so unhelpful.

Ravvus pivoted on one foot, both to escape the woman's gaze and to focus his attention on the queue of sell-swords. The line had dwindled significantly. Anton and the other guildsman worked through the recruits at a studious pace. "Now, as to why it looks like we're hiring a small army well... with the rebellion in Bern and rumors of Etruria invading...” His voice trailed off. The notion that his guild was reduced to hiring inexperienced swords was disquieting. They were supposed to have higher standards, supposed to be able to pick and choose their applicants. His lips now curled into a full frown. The blond man shrugged his shoulders, once more at a loss as to what to say. "A lot of our members left to join the army. Now we need able bodies to take their places." He leaned in close, lowering his voice to a soft whisper. "And we can't afford to be picky about it." Perhaps he shouldn't have added that last part.

The blond mage eyed Evelyn with interest. Why exactly was she here? He knew she wasn't an Ilian. The lack of blue hair gave that away. He pegged her Etrurian, maybe Lycian. Either way, she must have come a long way and, as the mage understood it, her only reason for doing so was because she'd met a capable mercenary. The blond mage wished to know more. "I'm curious, Miss Evelyn, what exactly is your interest in my guild? Would you like to join us? Would you like to hire an escort? Do you need help uncovering buried treasure?" That last one was a half-joke. "Tell me, what can we do for you?"

[Bones]

OCC: Sorry about that guys did not know it was my turn

Bones was drunk, and that was easy for anybody to see. Luck for everyone else she was a happy drunk. As a matter of facts people told Bones that she was a far nicer person when she was drunk than when she was not. This was probably mainly due to Bones natural state of paranoia and her lack of trust in other people in general. This was dude to years of working with bandits and having to try and keep up a reputation. However when she was under the bottle all of that did not matter. The twenty two year old girl came out to play along with the brilliant hallucinations caused by her green beverage it was a sight to see.

"So how long have you owned the bar", spoke Bones to the barkeep as she looked the man up and down. There where fairies and small creatures sitting on his shoulders. One of them was running there own bar and serving liqueur of equal or lower value. The man did not know it, but Bones was talking to the little creature and not him, thought that did not stop him from speaking back.

"Strange most people just pass out", spoke the man as he looked Bones up and down. He did not guess it, but she was tougher than he thought. "Well I have had this bar for over twenty years, and have been serving The Green for about fifteen of those. I have to say I am pretty impressed ma'am, you are the first person to not simply pass out from it. Most people last about a minute or two. They report seeing some strange stuff and then fall out on the floor. By my count it has been five minutes and thirty seconds. So congratulations", spoke the man.

"A hundred years", spoke Bones as she looked at the little bartender on the man's shoulder.

"Oh a hallucination", spoke the man, should have known.

[Duma]

Duma gave a small smirk then lifted up the contract paper. He read it and reread it to make sure he had understood all of the details. Once he felt satisfied with the terms on the page he grabbed a pen and signed his name. He handed the contract back to Anton. The sword master received more details from Anton about the job regarding the Killuan tribe. The job seemed simple enough an escort mission and a retrieval of an archive. Three hundred gold wasn't much but it would suffice. The money would be spent repairing his clothes and light armor.

He hoped for a quiet job. But the fact that he was going to be helping with a tribe that other tribes knew little about kind of excited him. He figured these Killuan folk would be of the stubborn type but he really wanted to know what happened that had caused these two to seek aid outside of Sacae. He hoped that wasn't due to Eturia. If it were due to bandits then maybe he could offer his sword to help the two tribesmen after the job was done.

"Very well if my business is done here. I will go find a pub and get some food. Have any recommendations? And also when do we depart on the job?" He spoke to Anton. He then looked over at Ravvus who seemed to be talking to Miss Evelyn about the guild. Duma wondered if he should jump in and help the mage out.

[Evelyn Bradford]

Ravvus appeared to be embarrassed on his own lack of knowledge of recent work from his mercenary company. She supposed he had reason to be, but he didn't appear to be an elite member of the guild, so it was not his responsible. Evelyn didn't bother to comment on his lack of knowledge, her silence should serve sufficient to her understanding. She wasn't about to waltz into a large guild in a foreign country and openly mock it's employees. Where was the tact in that?

"Ah, an escort mission this time. And yes, I am familiar with what an archive is. Fascinating," A Sacaen archive? Her peers would laugh and ridicule the very concept of such a thing. After all Sacaens were "barbaric savages" according to some members of the nobility. It was so ridiculous. While Evelyn did believe that they were 'uncultured' in comparison to Etrurians, they were certainly not all savages. Evelyn had seen savages in the slums and taverns of her country, and she was certain there were others just like them across all of Elibe. Yet the church saw them as heretics whose only salvation was to convert. Clearly such mongrels wouldn't keep archives, and if they did they would have to be ones of evil and sin.

Evelyn chuckled a bit at her own musings. Perhaps she was over-exaggerating, but they were merely thoughts. "I personally am interested in such a 'mission' then, in that case. An archive would contain knowledge from a time before our own. For all we know it's contents could date back to the Scouring or just beforehand,"

Still, Evelyn was a touch disappointed that the guild's standard was on the decline. Such was the collateral damage of war. It was a shame but one that could not be helped. The guild needed to survive the war's beginning to exist at the war's end, and to do that they would have to cut costs and corners. Farmers and merchants did the same thing. Even nobles, to varying extents. "That is unfortunate, but I understand your plight,"

Evelyn paused before answering Ravvus' question, "I'd like to be signed up for the escort mission. Surely you could use a lady with more class than the one from earlier, and the contents of the archive intrigue me. Knowledge is something I value highly, and it's pursuit is always worthy,"

Lady Evelyn Bradford of Etruria, working a mercenary job. Her father would choke to death on his wine if he ever found out.

[Bones]

Bones sat there for a moment as she stared off into space. Normally one would try to get the person to lie down or rest in a corner some where. However the Barkeep was not going to go anywhere near her as long as she was drunk. It was safer that way. Not only was Bones armed, but she had the look of somebody who has been through the muck and grime. If she got violent he was going to get hurt and the price she paid for the green drink was not worth the trouble. So instead he waited and did what he did. The other patrons mostly watched as for some of them it was the first time they seen anybody drink the concoction. The legendary green swing was living up to its name that is for sure.

Faries and Butterflies, that was all Bones could see at the moment. So far there was a feeling of euphoria, but that was starting to come down a bit. Most people passed out so they did not have the luxury of having there happy feeling start to drain as the weird visions remaining. It would be a while thought before Bones would loss her happy moments, but she was already on the process of coming. "Hey mister do you have any bread", she asked the bartender as she dumped a handful of coin on the counter. It was far more than needed for such a item. The barkeep however did not say a word or touch a single coin. Instead he simply gave a order to his assistance to bring some forward. Her had been running this bar for over twenty years he knew better than to touch a drunk persons coin.

Placing the bread on the counter Bones began to eat through it like a savage. She did not think it or know it, but the bread would help her come down quicker. Though it would not be a instantaneous process.

[Ravvus Wiseau]

Ravvus' eyes bugged out in surprise. He had not anticipated such an offer. Evelyn had the bearing of an aristocrat, the type of person to hire the guild but not join it. Everything she did, down to the words she spoke and the manner in which she moved, was becoming of a noblewoman. ”Miss Evelyn...” The mage started tentatively. ”I had not pegged you for a sell-sword.” He looked her up and down again, just to make sure he hadn't missed something. He could spy no obvious weapons on her person. Her attire was elegant, not entirely suitable for combat. She even had good posture and carried herself in a dignified manner. There was something fishy about her interest in joining the expedition, but Ravvus could address that later. The woman had piqued his interest.

”Uh... Very well then. What kind of combat experience do you have? I don't see a sword by your hip or a bow on your back, so you're talents must be of a subtler variety. Perhaps you've some skill in concealed daggers or are attunement with the elements?” He patted his travel satchel twice, where he kept his fire tome. ”I myself am a practitioner of anima magic, though I can hold my own in a fist fight too.” The mage moved to grab a contract with one hand. It briefly occurred to him to ask if Evelyn was literate, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The answer to such a question was obvious. Asking it would only get under Evelyn's skin.

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The stern Ilian was reading through the contract for the next freelancer, a slim fellow with a lance on his back. He stopped abruptly, annoyed to have been interrupted. Without taking his eyes off of the paper, he spoke. “Regarding pubs, go with whatever catches your eye.” The stern Ilian dismissed Duma's first question. “As for the job, we'll be departing in the morning in two days time. Make sure you're ready and waiting at the main building by then.” Anton was brief, not once making eye contact with the swordsman. “Your Etrurian friend can show you the way if you don't know it.” He said, pointing in what he imagined was the direction of Ravvus. With that he went back to explaining the contract to the lance-bearer.

[Duma]

Duma sighed softly. He had gotten the answer he needed from Anton. The job was to take place in two days and he was to meet them in the main building. As for the situation with the pub, well it seems that Duma was to figure that out for himself. He dismissed himself from Anton’s company and went back to Ravvus. The young blonde was still talking to Miss Evelyn over things about the guild. And it would seem that Miss Evelyn would be joining them on this little expedition. Duma knew the situation with the economy was bad. War’s tended to dry all sorts of funding from all walks of life. And he knew of tales of noble houses that had fallen from grace. Heck in Eturia alone several noble families were erased from existence due to the prophet’s mad religious zeal. Perhaps Evelyn was a survivor? He shook his head at the thought. The way she carried herself told him she must have been recently cast out.. or forced to work. Her situation wasn’t his concern. Right now his concern was finding a place to eat and a place to stay for the next two nights.

“Excuse me, Ravvus. It’s been awhile since we last spoke. We should catch up over a drink..”
Or a fight. He thought to himself. The green haired swordsman remembered their first and only fist fight. But it seemed that Ravvus had gotten stronger since then. Perhaps not physically but mentally, at least from what Duma could see. He was being quite patient with Miss Evelyn, rather than lash out in impatience, which was a sign of personal growth. Either that or he was being very professional with Miss Evelyn for the guild’s sake.

“I’m on a bit of a budget.. so nothing fancy. There was a small pub in front of the main building.. I’ll be waiting there once you're done here.” He waited a bit for Ravvus’ response. Then the swordsman gave the orange clad mage a pat on the shoulder before heading out.

[Evelyn Bradford]

Evelyn took some small pleasure at the blonde mages' surprise. She couldn't blame him though. It was incredibly odd for one of her status to want to be hired as a simple mercenary, "Oh I'm not a sell sword, just a lady in pursuit of knowledge..."

Evelyn hesitated before continuing. She was a long way from Etruria and quite far from the prying eyes of the Church. Yet out of sheer habit she was hesitant to reveal what magic she practiced. After a moment she reached into her cloak and pulled out her own black tome, "I myself am also a practitioner of magic. Elder magic to be precise. I have some training and experience with it in combat, but plenty of practice and study with it in general. I assure I would be a solid combat asset,"

This was a bit of a fib. Evelyn HAD trained with it for combat, but only a bit. And she usually had bodyguards and hired hands deal with actual threats. However she had used her magic against enemies before, just enough to be familiar with it, and her magic itself was quite potent if she did say so herself. All that truly needed improvement was her combat sense, for Evelyn had put in years of practice on her magic alone.

Either way Evelyn had felt a sort of thrill at being able to speak freely of her craft. There was no need for subtlety and hushed words to describe her magic, she could call it what it truly was. It was freedom she very seldom had access to, and that sense of liberation was enough to light her expression up and make her smile.

Evelyn watched as Ravvus moved to grab a contract. She had feared, for only a moment, that the mage would have tried to deny her. It seemed he was merely surprised at her desire, not opposed. Duma then came over, having finished his business, and asked if Ravvus wanted to catch up over a drink. Right, she had forgotten the two had some history together.

[Bones]

Drunk on the strange green liquor Bones began to walk around the bar. She was a bit wobbly, but for the most part she was alright. The maiden in her mind was in a world of magic and excitement. Small creatures jumped all around her and music filled the air. However everything did not stay that way. As Bones looked at the face of one man things began to change. His face began to morph to something that only she could remember, her father, Zod. He was sitting there in the bar, on a body that was to thin for his head. He was drinking and laughing with a few friends and chatting up as maggots started coming out of his head.

"Father", shouted Bones as she rushed forward and grabbed his leg. In reality it was just some poor lad having a pint with his boys. It was a strange sight when a random women who was just as old as he was came running up to him calling him father and bragging onto his leg. Obviously there entire conversation stopped as there attention was turned to the crazy women sobbing her heart out all over there friends leg. Snot and buggers covered the man pant's leg as Bones began to wail like a small child.

"Who is this crazy wench", spoke the man as he looked down at her. He then turned his gaze toward his friends, who looked at him just as bewildered. After a moment of shock the man decided he was going to get her off him. "Hey let go of my leg", he spoke as he attempted to push her off with his hand. However Bones tighten her grip around his leg making the motion completely useless.

"I am sorry father I did not mean to kill you", spoke Bones. Well that was what she thought she was saying. What she really was saying was something like this. "fawther me sorrrry, me no kioll youz. Mez noat meannie to kioll! Mez sorrrey. Forgive Mezz! Forgive Mezz fawther!!"

"Is she saying forgive me", spoke one of the patrons as he tried to make out what she was saying.

"I don't know, but get off me", shouted the man as he lifted his left foot up and started to try and kick Bones off him. It only made her tighten her grip and hold on.

[Ravvus Wiseau]

Ah, so Evelyn was not a mercenary. On one level, the information reassured Ravvus in his ability to pick up on obvious aesthetic and behavioral cues. Evelyn had not come off as a sell-sword because she wasn't one. On another level, her comment only served to bewilder him further. She claimed that her interest was purely in the pursuit of knowledge. Not an implausible notion. Ravvus himself was driven by such a conviction, but it felt like there was something more to Evelyn's compliance. He didn't quite buy her story. Perhaps he was reading too much into her situation, perhaps she truly had an ulterior reason for joining on the expedition. Whatever the case, the point was quickly rendered moot when Duma approached the blond mage. Torn between giving his friend his attention and questioning Evelyn further, Ravvus relented. It was probably fine. Whatever reasons Evelyn had for offering her assistance were her own. The blond mage offered the shaman her contract.

Ravvus nodded in agreement to Duma's suggestion. After all of the recruiting, the young man was ready to unwind with a hot meal, and a drink or two. Ravvus, now practically shoving the contract into Evelyn's hands, turned his head so that he could see Duma. ”Ah, I know it. I shall be with you momentarily, my friend.” The word felt somewhat alien as it left Ravvus' mouth. Friend was not a term he used often or lightly. And, when Duma and he had first met, it had certainly not been a term he'd expected to use for the swordsman. But it seemed that fate, or the eight heroes, or whoever plotted the journey of life, saw it fit to build a bridge between the swordsman and the mage. Ravvus allowed Duma to part company, and then returned his attention to Evelyn.

He eyed her curiously as she signed off on her contract. Though Ravvus wanted to dismiss his suspicions of her, and be done with it, he simply couldn't. He wanted to know why this women wanted to help the guild. Was it purely because she sought knowledge? Was it really that simple? If so, why did Ravvus feel like she was hiding something? Why did it feel like she was playing her cards close to her chest? The mage wondered, his eyes fixed on her. He began to speak. ”That's good to know. About your magic, that is. Should we require it, it would prove to be quite useful in dissuading any highwaymen from violence.” The blond mage had met few shamans in his day. Despite the ill-fortune associated with them, he had a great respect for the magicians. In the right hands, a single strike from a flux spell could shatter the shaft of an oak tree. Something that, though Ravvus was loathe to admit it, not even his fires could accomplish in such a short amount of time.

Ravvus glanced in the direction of Duma. He breathed in deeply, once again hoping to placate his interest in Evelyn. He would have plenty of time to ask her questions during their journey into Sacae. Though he was able to convince his mind of this, his body was less willing. His eyes still lingered on her. He'd been starring at her for such a long time that one might think he had affections for her. He took his eyes off of the woman, glancing in the direction Duma had gone. ”We should catch up with Duma.” Once Evelyn was finished, he took her contract, as well as the others he'd acquired that day, and began to leave for guild's main building. ”Come. We would do well not to make him wait.” He stated, gesturing for her to follow him.