Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Jul 15, 2015 12:59:10 GMT -6
A cool breeze swept through Ravvus' hair. The mage took a deep breath, enjoying the refreshing wind. Here he was. After an Etrurian expedition, three unanticipated detours, and meeting a lot of new people, Ravvus had arrived in Edessa. The city was just as grand as he remembered. The capital of the Ilian country, it might have been the biggest city in all of Ilia. The streets were paved with shops, taverns, and a handful of professional mercenary guilds. In the center of the city was a towering spire, the seat of Ilian governing power. A true architectural masterpiece. Humbling in its' immensity and unassailable in it's defenses. Guarded by patrols of the finest falco and seraph knights and ballistas stationed on varying stories and battlements, the Ilian spire was a daunting capital building. It was the head of Ilia, The watchful eye which, at its' highest point, was rumored to overlook Arphen. An exaggeration, truly, but one which did the capital building justice. It was the voice through which Ilia's battle-tested and politically-wizened governors made their decrees. Ravvus liked to think that it was also the ears of Ilia, where all of the country's spies came to report to their lords. Indeed, the spire was one of Ilia's, if not all of Elibe's, greatest sites.
It was here, in this city, that Ravvus would finally embark on a new mission. He was restless for work. The desert expedition had been a little more than two months ago, and, while the mage had taken up side jobs along the way, he was eager to explore again. It was his life. It was his calling. It was what he knew how to do. And given what had happened in the last few weeks, the incident involving George and Donovan, Ravvus needed to do something he was familiar with. Something he was comfortable doing. The beginnings of a content, jubilant smile formed on his lips. It was good to be in Edessa. With spirits high, the mage strolled through the streets of the great city, quickly finding his destination. The headquarters of the Pale Compass. A stone building, two stories total, with a pair of tall, oak doors at the entrance. The blond mage placed his hands on the double doors and entered the establishment.
To his surprise, the lobby was vacant, save for the Pale Compass' receptionist/bookkeeper. There, sitting in the back on the room, sat Ivan. Ivan was an older gentleman, easily in his mid-sixties, sporting a thick, peppered mustache on his upper lip, a pair of old, worn spectacles, and a bald head save for a gray fringe covering the back and sides of his head. His face was mousey in appearance, consisting of a small mouth with an even tinier set of teeth, a medium sized nose with a slight droop at the end, and a set of small, inconspicuous ears. He had the beginnings of a beer bellt, but was otherwise in good shape, his elderly frame retained some of the lean muscle he'd built in his youth. All in all, he had the appearance of a delicate, aging librarian. But, delicate or not, he was the most pleasant member of Ilia's Pale Compass to interact with. A kind man, often seen with a warm smile, he took his job seriously and was very accommodating to those who approached his humble desk. He peered up from his place of work, noticing the blond mage's entrance. A pair of wiry fingers adjusted his glasses and the book-keeper flashed his characteristically warm smile. “Ah, Mr. Wiseau. A pleasure to see you again.”
The blond mage approached the desk, skittishly glancing left and right, confused by the lack of people. ”Good to see you too, Ivan. How's business? Anything come up?” The old man nodded “It could be better. Work's steady but...” Ivan shrugged, contemplating his next choice of words. His tone was soft and light. It was very relaxing to listen to. “Memberships dropped recently.” Ravvus furrowed his brow. ”Why? Did something happen?” Ivan looked at him curiously. “Don't you know?” The blond man shook his head. ”Etruria's on the march again.”
Ravvus' lip curled into a frown. Etruria's militance was unsurprising, but inconvenient. War was bad for business. It made traveling more dangerous and had an uncanny tendency to promote the wrong kinds of nationalism. That is to say, xenophobia always had a way of rearing its' ugly head when war popped up. For Ravvus, an Etrurian, this was especially debilitating. Almost every Elibian country had some reason to bear a grudge against Etruria. And with blond hair like his, Ravvus' heritage was a dead giveaway. Indeed, the young man had received more than a few mean looks simply because of his appearance. War was bad news for him.
”Well damnit!” Ravvus swore, sounding more annoyed than anything else. “Damnit, indeed.” The kindly book-keeper concurred. “Given that and the unrest in Bern, a lot of our members volunteered for service. Some were even conscripted.” Ivan looked around the small foyer and decided to crack a light joke. “It's made things a bit lonely here.” Ravvus gave a slight smile. ”I'll say. How about Old Ironwings, is she still around?” Ivan adjusted his glass. “Miss Gavrilova has not returned to military service, no. She's actually out recruiting for one of our operations right now.” The old man stroked the edge of his mustache. “Come to think of it, I imagine you'd be quite interested in the job she's recruiting for. A couple of Sacaens came to us the other day, twins by the look of it. They say they needed our help in recovering their tribe's history. Uncovering a hidden archive, I believe they said.” Ravvus, rapt with interest, eyed the kindly man. ”Oh? Which tribe is it?” Ivan shrugged. “The Killuan clan, they called themselves. Have you heard of them?” Ravvus shook his head. “Me either. Apparently they were nearly wiped out. That's why they made the archive in the first place. They wanted to preserve their traditions, even if their people were annihilated.” Ravvus nodded. ”Curious. So where might I find Ironwings?” “Ah!” Ivan interrupted, grabbing a feather and a piece of parchment. “Miss Gavrilova and a few others are manning some stalls on Greenwillow street. She'll fill you in on the expedition's details. I imagine everyone will be quite gladdened by your arrival.” The old man started writing down the street address on the piece of parchment. Ravvus lips formed a half-frown. ” Lets hope so.” The mage appreciated Ivan's optimistic attitude, but it was no secret that some of the guild-members disliked Ravvus because of his Etrurian blood. “Jeez, Ironwings is out getting freelance mercs? We must have lost a lot of people.” Ivan waved a hand dismissively. “You're telling me. Woodley, Anne, and Pavle all volunteered for service. ” Ravvus placed his hands on his hips and shrugged. ”Times are tough.” “Times are tough.” Ivan agreed. There was a brief pause. ”Well thank you Ivan, I'll go see Ironwings now.” The old man merely nodded, handed Ravvus the piece of parchment, and returned to his duties as book-keeper. Ravvus turned around and headed out the door.
“Oh, Mr. Wiseau.” Ivan called, just as the mage was half-way out of the establishment. “Do be careful with using that name around Miss Gavrilova.” The man warned in his characteristically soothing voice. Ravvus couldn't help but smile at the warning. Granny Ironwings was the nickname of the guild's leader, a woman by the name of Luba Gavrilova. She was a proven veteran, in her mid-sixties like Ivan, who'd retired from mercenary work and found herself serving and eventually leading the Pale Compass. In her earlier days she'd served as part of a prestigious group of falco and seraph knights all equipped with delphi shields. They're unit, impervious to arrow-fire had come to be known as the Ironwings. Because of her glamorous record and old age, some of the guild-members referred to her as Granny Ironwings. Luba Gavrilova, however, did not take kindly to such a nickname and made this very clear to anyone fool enough to utter it in her presence. Ivan, thoughtful old man that he was, was looking out for Ravvus.
”Will do, Ivan.” The mage began to step out the door when a thought occurred. ”Ivan!” He called. ”If a green haired swordsman stops by, let him know where I'm headed. He's got an x-shaped scar on his face and looks kind of Sacaen. Goes by the name of Duma. He's good fighter, might want to help out with this expedition. Ok?” Ivan nodded. “Very well, Mr. Wiseau.” Ravvus didn't know if Duma had truly been interested in assisting with the Pale Compass, but on the off-chance that he was, the mage would prefer to have his bases covered. With that, he left the building and started on his way to GreenWillow Street.
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Post by Duma on Jul 15, 2015 13:49:35 GMT -6
A traveler's wagon rolled through Edessa, once it stopped the driver called out towards his clients that this was the last stop. Duma thanked the man kindly, paid for his passage, quickly checked his stuff, and stepped off the wagon. The swordsman wrapped himself up in his thick cloak and pulled his hood up over his head. It was rare for the swordsman to be up this far north in Illia. When he visited the country he usually stuck close to the area near the Sacean borders. He had traveled to the capital city before but that was a long time ago. Duma sighed softly and began walking through the streets. He had a destination in mind. The Pale Compass. He thought to himself as he looked around hoping to find it. The swordsman asked a few villagers for directions and was guided to the guild. Ravvus was right it seems that everyone knows this place. He started to move his fingers on his hands, they were starting to become pink with cold.
Duma didn't know what to expect when he walked in through the doors. Well no he expected it to be like a regular guild, with a fire in it's main lobby, and a receptionist of some sort. That much was to be expected, but he did not know what kind of jobs were to be in store for him. It had been some time since the events in the bandit encampment back in Lycia, for all he knew Ravvus could have been dead. Duma shook his head. Only one way to find out. He put his hand to the door and let himself inside.
The atmosphere inside the guild seemed to be cold. Not cold in temperature sort of sense but cold as in there was a lack of people. Duma knew things were tough with Eturia beginning to mobilize their war efforts. But he hadn't expected it to be this bad. The lack of people was unsettling to the swordsman. He pulled his hood down and approached the older man at the reception desk.
"Greetings Sir. I am looking for Ravvus, has he been here lately?"
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Jul 15, 2015 20:31:18 GMT -6
Ivan stared studiously at his ledger. “Last years budget was around... and the year before that...” The man muttered, switching between external and internal dialogues of the same conversation. ”We can anticipate cuts again this year... may be fortunate that membership has dropped... equipment and tool maintenance costs-”
“-Greetings sir.” An unfamiliar voice interrupted. Ivan pulled his face out of his ledger and rested his eyes on a man he'd never seen before. “I'm looking for Ravvus. Has he been here lately?” Green-hair, a sword, and an x-shaped scar. This must have been the man Ravvus mentioned. Ivan smiled. ”Speak of the devil!” With rehearsed ease, the old man shot his hand out for a shake and enthusiastically greeted the green-haired man. Despite his years, Ivan had been able to maintain a solid, firm handshake. ”You must be Mr. Duma. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The mouse-faced man beamed at the swordsman. ”Mr. Wiseau was just here, actually. He is currently....” Ivan turned his attention back to his desk, grabbing a quill and some paper. ”On hiiis way to GreeeeenWillooooow Street.” Ivan emphasized each word as he jotted the directions down on paper. ”He said that you would interested in joining one of our expeditions, yes? Well, if you simply follow the directions on this piece of parchment you will find both your friend, Mr. Wiseau, and our recruiting officer.”
Ivan held out the parchment with the hastily written directions. A thought occurred to the old man, causing him to adjust his glasses. ”Ah, how presumptuous of me. You do know how to read yes? If not, I can get us a map of the city and show you were you need to go.” Not every mercenary was a literate man, and while Duma by no means looked like the average unlearned brute, Ivan considered the possibility that the swordsman had not been educated in such matters. Thoughtful old man.
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Ravvus appreciated Ivan's kindness, but he didn't really have any need for the directions the man had given him. He was familiar with Edessa, least enough to find GreenWillow Street. And even if he hadn't been, he could have asked for directions easily enough. The young blond man turned the corner and found himself before his desired destination.
Strayed along the streets were a duo of hastily erected booths. Wooden stalls quickly built for the purposes of advertisement. Manning the stalls were members of the Pale Compass, with Granny Ironwings sitting at the one on the right. There were two small lines formed before each. Mercenaries, most of them green by the looks of it, were eager to make a quick bit of coin. Ravvus began his approach, heading straight towards Gavrilova. “If you die during the mission any known relatives will be compensated with your fee...” Ravvus walked to the front of the line, much to the annoyance of the prospective mercenaries. Gavrilova's voice was getting louder. The closer Ravvus got, the more he could make out her face. She was staring with a fixed, tense gaze at the contract before her. She didn't look happy. ”Before you ask, no this does not make you an official member of The Pale Compass, however you'll have better chances applying for membership after completing the job.” Gavrilova wore a long tunic, in stark contrast to her usual golden armor. Draped along her shoulders was a purple scarf. She wore a pair of thick boots perfect for the snowy Ilian weather. ”Boss!” Ravvus interrupted.
Gavrilova glanced up from the contract with a pair of fierce-some, sharp eyes. If Ivan was a mouse, then Gavrilova was a hawk. She kept her graying blue hair cut short and neat. The back of it ended a little more than an inch from the nape of her neck. It was almost butch in appearance, the exception being the beginnings of a set of bangs on her forehead. Her nose stretched out more than Ivan's, and was a bit larger than average. The protuberance was not abnormal in appearance, and though one could describe her face as that of a hawk's, this did not mean she had a bird-like nose. Even so, the facial feature earned her another nickname, the Ironwinged Witch, and a play on those words brought about an even less flattering nickname. Unlike Ivan, she had continued to maintain her physique well into her golden years. She was taller than most woman, with an average frame, but every last inch of her was covered in muscle. Her lips were a dark red and only ever contorted when the woman wanted to frown. Which was frequently. She had a pair of hazel eyes behind two narrow eyelids. Ravvus suspected that the sharp appearance of her eyes could be attributed to Sacaen ancestry. She glared at the mage for a moment.”Anton, take over for me.”She ordered the attendant in the her booth.
The old valkyrie waved Ravvus over, the mage hastily complied. ”Ivan send you?” Ravvus nodded. ”He give you the details?” Ravvus shook his head. ”Just that we're doing an escort and digging operation for some Sacaens.” Gavrilova nodded in response. "Alright." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ”Man the booth.” She ordered plainly. The mage's eyes widened in surprise. Before he could levy a response, Gavrilova started walking away. ”Wh- wh- what?” Was all the blond man was able to stutter in response. The guild master turned around and shot him a queer look. ”Man the booth.” She repeated, gesturing with her arms as if having asked 'did I stutter?'. ”Anton will show you what to do.” With that she turned about again and quickly left the street. Ravvus glanced at the stall and then at line of inexperienced mercenaries. Those who didn't look frightened or confused looked angry. The mage sighed, took a seat, and watched as Anton talked contracts and deals with the greenies. This was not what he'd had in mind.
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Post by Evelyn Bradford on Jul 15, 2015 22:38:57 GMT -6
Evelyn heaved out a loud sigh, the volume of which was clearly intentional. The young lady Bradford had paid good money for her carriage, enough to purchase the entire thing for herself, and so she was quite displeased at the slow pace it was moving at. In all fairness she definitely did not take into account the rough, snowy terrain of Ilia making carriages quite a bit slower than they were in Etruria, but money was money and Evelyn was not satisfied.
She let out another sigh and looked out to the left. The winding road they were trotting along at long last curved into Edessa. The young lady drummed her fingers against her thigh, her impatience gradually getting the best of her, yet sucked in a breath and did her best to remain composed. A lady could demand what she was entitled to, which included higher quality service of any kind, but it was quite un-ladylike to show a temper at inconveniences. Her mother had taught her that...and it was advice that plagued Evelyn everyday.
For as patient as the young Lady Bradford COULD be, she COULD be equally impatient if the mood struck her. A bit too hot-blooded, she was.
The carriage made it's way into the capital of Ilia and slowed to a halt. The driver looked back at Evelyn and bid her good day, but was only met with a stare of pure shock. A few moments passed before Evelyn's expression twisted to one of utter disbelief, and then one that showed a complete lack of amusement.
"Do you honestly believe it fit for a lady to let herself out of your carriage, sir?" She asked, doing her best to keep her tone clear of any anger or snark. At once the carriage driver grunted, uttering apologies as he hopped off the fornt of the carriage to open up the door at the side. Evelyn accepted the man's hand and stepped down from the carriage, her white boots crunching the snow beneath them, "Thank you, and a good day to you, sir,"
"Bloody fool. Do all Ilians lack courtesy?" Evelyn thought, walking away from the carriage with a huff. It wouldn't do to let that small experience plague her thoughts, so she tried to focus on her task at hand.
Edessa was quite the interesting city. For one Ilia was an interesting country in that nearly every citizen was a trained warrior in some way. Most Ilians served as mercenaries that worked across the world so that they may send back money to their company in order to import the necessities they simply cannot provide for themselves...namely crops. The majority of the country was a tundra, the rest was mountainous and still far too cold or snowy to grow much of anything.
As such, the country had come to truly embrace mercenaries and was host to many a famous guild. Evelyn came to investigate one in particular. She had met a...rather dashing horseman on her travels and he claimed to hail from a guild called "The Pale Compass". Of course it was not the man's appearance that drew her so far from home, and so far from warmth, but the man's skill. He had shown himself to be as competent, if not more so, than most knights. For a mercenary that was very impressive.
Evelyn decided that, if she was going to be travelling, it could pay her well to make a connection with this "Pale Compass". After all, having access to some highly skilled mercenaries at potentially discounted prices was always a benefit a young lady could enjoy. No more finding mysterious men in back-alley monasteries that try to swindle you the first time around.
The young lady Bradford pulled out her map of Edessa and managed to follow it well enough. Eventually she made her way to the guild's headquarters, or whatever they would call it, and entered the building. She made sure to stride in with both confidence and elegance, gently flipping her hair before gazing around. Before anything else her eyes were drawn to a green haired man, who seemed to be speaking with a bookkeeper of sorts.
"Ah, pardon me, sirs," Evelyn said, approaching the two men before giving a curtsy, "My name is Evelyn, and I came here because I have heard good things about this guild,"
Ordinarily the young lady would have happily given her last name as well. However...Kraft had certain ambitions for Ilia. While the Bradford family had not gained as much power as her father wanted yet, they were still Kraft supporters. It was risky for her to be in the country at all, let alone be announcing her family name. The least she could do was keep it hidden.
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Bones
Brigand
RETIRED
Posts: 97
Profession: Bandit
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Butorega
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Post by Bones on Jul 15, 2015 23:06:16 GMT -6
Bones had come a long way from Bern. She just wanted out of the region, out of the area, just far away from that idiot as possible. He said something that bothered her. She could not put her finger on it, but she needed to clear her head. The best way to do that was to simply murder somebody, but things where to hot in Bern. Bones could not risk murdering somebody important or simply causing trouble. She no longer had her gang. As a result she was vulnerable. Leaving Bern behind Bones returned to the plains. She could not stand that place either. Her father once told her she was originally from there, but she cared little about the history of a dead clan and the land simply reminded her about it. So Bones went north and she soon found herself in Ilia. The land was cold, not colder than the mountain tops of Bern so Bones climateized well. Still Bones hated the place. It was Ilia, the place that thought it could place a claim on her homeland. Though to be honest Bones really could care less, but any true Bernanite's pride was scared by the very idea of it. What bothered Bones was the fact that Ilia brought there $%^^ Pegasus knights in. If there was any type of fighter Bones hated it was the pegasus riders. Not only was there uniform stupid, but they also had a nack of showing up at just the right time to screw you over. She could not count the amount of times her or some other gang almost had victory then a regiment of pegaus knights suddenly appears and starts descending on them like sea gals from the sea. Still that was another subject for another time.
"So this is the capitol", spoke Bones as she made it to the heart of Ilia. Bones had made her way to this city for one thing and one thing only, a weapon. During her time in Bern Bones had been pressed by swordsmen left and right. The axe was not going to cut it. She needed another weapon, but one she could easily adapt to. At first she thought she should take up using the lance. It was the most logical choice. However she pulled back on it when she saw a vision of herself fighting like a filthy sheep. Instead Bones went with the more exotic choice. Battle Gauntlets, it was all the rage with a few brigands that formed a mob down south. They had no true advantage on the battlefield, but at the same time they had no real weaknesses either. It was a weapon that was easy to start up, but hard to master and Bones was looking to expand her skill set. However to her great dismay she could not find a decent pair of Battle Gauntlets anywhere in Ilia. The blacksmiths here where either not as good as the ones in Bern, or the weapon had not caught on in the north as it did in the south. Either way Bones was forced to make her way to the capital to get a decent pair of weapons.
"Alright now this is what I am talking about", spoke Bones as she bought a pair of vampire gantlets. The craftsmanship was fine and sturdy and from what she heard about them she knew they could be effective in battle. However Bones knew that simply having them was not a marker for success. She was going to need to practice with them and she was not talking about against a training dummy anyway. She was going to have to use them in real battle. Only in the fires of war does one truly understand the limits of both there abilities and there weapons. Bones needed combat and she needed to scratch that itch that was growing in the back of her head. The trip had done well to cool her head, but there was still a burning desire inside of her to send somebody to the after life. Somebody needed to die, thought murdering someone in the capitol sounded like a stupid idea.
As Bones left the shop she took notice of a growing line outside. "What is going on here", spoke Bones as she walked up to the back of the line.
"The Pale Compass is recruiting", spoke a man as he pointed the axe maiden toward the table. The recruitment line caught Bones attention. It seemed the mercenary guild was looking for new members, but Bones was not interested in joining up. She was a lone wolf. She was not going to join some stupid guild like a stupid sheep dog. At that moment Bones was about to walk off, but then she heard the leader talking about members not being true members of the guild. "Oh so they are picking up freelancers", spoke Bones as she turned around and moved back toward the table. Her pockets where pretty light after buying her new weapons and Bones was looking forward to some action. She was sure that whoever they where hired to take down would scratch that itch for her.
For a moment Bones simply sat in line and waited like everyone else. However that got tiresome after a while. She was tired of seeing snot nose boys standing in front of her in the line. They where not only fit for battle, but there knees refused to stop shaking. Bones could not handle there presence for much longer. With a violent shove Bones pushed one of her examples out of the way and pushed her way through the line. "Move out the way", she shouted as she manhandled her way up to the front. As she arrived she looked down at a particularly weak looking guy. From what she could tell he was probably a mage. He did not have the harden look of a true grit warrior.
"I heard you all are looking to pick up freelancers", spoke Bones as she looked the man in the eyes. She completely ignored the people complaining behind her and the man who was actually the senior between the two. For some reason the mage had grabbed Bones attention and the fearsome pink haired maiden was sure he was the one to talk to.
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Post by Duma on Jul 17, 2015 12:13:47 GMT -6
"Mr. Wiseau?" Duma looked at the elderly sir with a bit of a quizzical expression. Then realized that that was Ravvus's last name.
"Oh.. Oh right Ravvus' last name. Ah and please.. Duma is just fine. No need for the Mister part." He corrected lightly and shook the elderly man's hand. The elderly sir had a firm grip and a warm hand. Duma watched for a moment as the elderly man went ahead and scribbled the name of the street where we was to meet Ravvus. After receiving the peice of paper another voice caught his attention. That of a young lady. Duma turned around to look. Before him stood a young lady with blonde hair and poise. Ah.. a noble lady. He could immediately tell from the way she presented herself. Great. Time to screw up regal titles.
"Welcome." He paused for a moment trying to remember the right way to address a young noble lady.
"Milady Evelyn." Duma's voice was casual.
"If you be looking for recruitment.. this kind sir here has just informed me we are to head to Green.." Duma looked at the paper once more to make sure was going to say the name right. Perhaps this would satisfy the receptionist's curiosity about his literacy.
"Green Willow street. I have directions and was about to head there myself. If it about other buisness then you may direct your questions to the gentleman next to me." He sighed softly then began to inspect the young lady for a moment. Most nobles usually travel with an entourage of guards and very few would even bother to set foot in a place of business unless it was something important. Usually messengers would be done for this sort of thing. So either she's a lesser noble... or a run away. He thought to himself as he tried to figure out a bit more about Evelyn. He shook his head lightly then returned his attention to the gentlemanly receptionist.
"Sir, I thank you. Both for the information and your concern. I do believe I can find my way out to Greenwillow and meet up with the recruiter. Until next time then." He gave the gentleman a pat on the back before making his way out of the establishment.
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Jul 18, 2015 11:06:19 GMT -6
Ivan wrinkled his mustache. Formalities were very important to him, and he would prefer to refer to the swordsman with the proper title. But, if Duma preferred otherwise, Ivan was willing to comply. As Ivan spoke with Duma, another person entered the establishment. She was a woman with blonde hair. She behaved politely and was quite the looker to boot. It seemed that fortune was smiling on the Pale Compass this day. First Ravvus had brought the guild a capable fighter, and now a stray had wandered in asking questions. Ivan beamed at Duma and gave a simple wave as the swordsman started to leave. ”Good fortune to you Mi-” The old man cleared his throat, stopping himself. ”Duma!” He then turned the newcomer, Miss Evelyn. Well Miss Evelyn, the good Duma is certainly right. I've been with the guild for quite some time now. If you have any questions, I would be most certainly glad to answer them.” He raised one of his fingers and pointed after the green-haired swordsman. ”Of course, if you're looking for work, you'd best follow Duma. The Pale Compass is currently recruiting freelancers on a street a few blocks from here.”
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The blond mage watched with a pair of glazed eyes as Anton completed a contract with one of the freelancers. Despite his boredom, Ravvus was able to pick up on some of the dialogue. Tell them how much they'll be paid when the job is done yada yada. Inform them of the potential risks that come with the job blah blah. And, most importantly, remind them that signing off on the contract does not make them an official member of the Pale Compass. It was straight forward enough. Ravvus glanced at the boy standing across the table, the one potentially signing his life away. He was young, with a valley of freckles sprinkled across his cheeks and dotted along the bridge of his nose. He looked like he was still in his teenage years, with little to no experience as a mercenary. Something he had in common with most of the other people in line. But that was alright. Ravvus hadn't gotten the impression that the Pale Compass was looking for professionals with this particular job.
Then something, which was bound to happen in a line of youths and brutes, happened. One of the mercenaries muscled her way to the front of the line. She wasn't the only mean-looking warrior in the queue, but she was the only one brazen enough to shove her way to the front. Were it not for the mercenary's gender, Ravvus would have been entirely unimpressed by her tactless show of force. To the blond man's chagrin the warrior woman directed her questions to him. He glanced at her, meeting a hard, ruthless gaze, and then to Anton. His companion was very nearly glowering at the impatient woman, clearly frustrated by her lack of restraint. Ravvus briefly placed one hand on Anton's shoulder, getting the fellow adventurer's attention. ”I'll handle it.” He spoke plainly, hoping to sooth the man's ire. Anton merely shared a quick glance with Ravvus, then went back to talking with the freckled fellow.
Ravvus placed one of the contracts before the new woman. ”You heard correctly. I assume you're interested in joining, yes?” The mage cleared his throat. ”To be clear, this does not make you an official member of the Pale Compass adventurer's guild, but it will help you build a better resume if you choose to apply in the future.” He glanced at the woman. Her face hadn't gotten any less fearsome. Strange. There something familiar about her. Ravvus felt like he'd seen her before, or at least recognized her voice. ”The job is a simple escort and dig mission, you'll be protecting two Sacaen tribesman and a supply wagon of excavation tools. Once you arrive at the dig site you will be expected to pitch in and help. Failure to do so will result in a reduction of your pay. We aren't expecting a lot of trouble on the road, or even at the site, but that doesn't mean there won't be any.” The longer the mage looked at the woman, the less he felt the need to talk her through the contract. In spite of her crass behavior, she exuded a certain air of confidence and experience. Much more so than any of the other freelancers. The mage decided to cut to the chase. ”The entire job will pay three hundred gold upon completion. You'll get one hundred when we set out and the other two hundred when we get back.” The blond mage slid the contract towards her, and handed her a quill. ”Your name?”
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Post by Evelyn Bradford on Jul 18, 2015 14:53:35 GMT -6
Evelyn was quite pleased at the way the two men reacted to her. It was nice to finally be treated as a proper lady, especially after that oafish carriage driver had failed so miserably. She listened respectably and realized that they believed she was looking for a job. That...wasn't exactly the case, but Evelyn most certainly was interested in the guild's employees. If she met with the recruiter perhaps she could earn herself good favour with the guild.
"Thank you, good sir, and while I do have questions I believe it would be best for me to follow sir Duma," Evelyn replied to the receptionist with a smile. She bid him good day and turned round to follow the green haired swordsman as swiftly as she could. If she lost him then she would have to go back to the receptionist and ask for directions to this "Green Willow street". She was a little bit confused as to why this guild was doing it's recruiting outside of it's main building. Perhaps it had two buildings to it's name? Now that would be impressive.
"Excuse me, sir Duma!" Evelyn called out to the green haired swordsman, taking quick strides that she may walk up beside him. Upon closer inspection it seemed he was indeed a swordsman, and he looked to be a skilled one at that. He was tall and well built, but lean...plus that dark green hair? He had to be a Sacaen. Hm, and he knew to show courtesy to a noblewoman? That was indeed commendable for a Sacaen...even though he had failed to introduce himself in return. It had been the old receptionist that told her his name.
"I pray you don't mind that I accompany you to this recruiting. I'm quite curious how this guild is managed, and if they truly own more than one building," Again, Evelyn didn't intend on seeking work, but she did want to see how this guild was run. If that one cavalier had been so chivalrous and talented she wondered how the rest of the guild stacked up in comparison.
Hmm, Evelyn didn't know how long this trip would be, so she decided to throw in a little small talk, "So you are a Sacaen swordsman, correct? More and more of you have been travelling about, lending your swords and bows to the people of Elibe. I take it you're similar?"
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Bones
Brigand
RETIRED
Posts: 97
Profession: Bandit
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Butorega
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Post by Bones on Jul 18, 2015 15:30:37 GMT -6
"Good because I am not looking to join up, just to put some extra coin in my pocket", spoke Bones as she looked at the mage. He looked familiar, thought Bones could not place her finger on it. She had meet so many people in her life she could hardly remember who each and every person was. Most of the time she did not have to worry about it however. Eighty percent of the people she meet she put into the ground. "Three hundred", spoke Bones as she began to maul over the number. It was pretty low compared to some of the scores she snagged back in the day, but it was not back in the day. The gang was disbanded and Bones no longer had the luxury of robbing merchants for big scores. She was going to have to settle for mercenary work till the day she could rustle up some knuckleheads herself. "Yeah I guess that is alright", spoke the maiden as she grabbed the quill. "The name is Bones", she spoke as she moved her hand to write on the paper. It was then that Bones remembered that she did not really know how to read. She knew a little, but that was mainly small stuff like tavern, gold, bank, and stuff like that. Most of the contract and everything else on it she did not understand. She was so use to following everyone else motion that she did not realize that she was stepping into uneven waters.
After pausing for a good minute Bones gave the man back his quill. "It is just Bones write it down", she spoke as she walked away from the table. Needless to say she was a bit embarrassed. She turned her face away from the table to hide her red face away from the crowd. "Tah the stupid bimbo can't read", shouted a voice from the crowd of mercenaries. The embarrassment that burned through Bones body before hand quickly faded and was swiftly replaced with Rage.
"How about you say that to my face you balless piece of chicken #$%^"!" Bones turned around to see who it was, but everyone seemed to suddenly grow quite. The maiden's fist where clenched and the Vampire Gauntlets gleamed in the new morning Ilian light. With a face as red as the sun and a temper as hot as a pepper Bones turned around back toward the mage sitting at the table. "What time and day do we leave", asked Bones as she looked at the man. She was still angry, but the maiden just wanted to get out of there. She did not want to be thrown out of this job, nor did she want to cause even more of a scene. It was embarrassing enough to have everyone in the street know she could not read, now she was making a fool out of herself by arguing with weak pathetic cowards who did not have a spine to stand up for themselves. After getting the information Bones wanted the war maiden marched off. She was going to the tavern. She at least knew what that looked like. She was going to need a drink, and a strong one.
"Great even more coin spent", spoke Bones as she pushed open the door to the din of booze and shame. She walked in and sat at the counter, but before she could even order anything she got pissed off again and rushed right on out. She needed to kit something, something that was tough enough to take a beating, but not soft enough to die and cause a problem. Marching back through the street Bones walked off till she found the nearest tree. Removing her gauntlets, they deserved the blood of a human for there first meal and not the bark of a tree, Bones slammed her fist into the wood. The blow caused snow to fall from its branches and onto her pink hair, but the maiden did not mind. As a matter of facts she did not even think on it. Instead she simply punched it again, but this time with her other fist. Getting into a rhythm Bones began to simply punch the tree and burn off some steam.
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Post by Duma on Jul 19, 2015 20:08:22 GMT -6
Duma turned his attention to Evelyn whom had invited herself to his side. The swordsman was only a few paces away from the guild building when he heard her calling out his name. Ah, she decided to follow. Duma did not mind that he had a young lady along side him. He had done escort missions to lesser nobles before and to people who felt as if they should be treated as nobles. Both demanded large amounts of courtesy and respect even if they did not return that same level of courtesy back to the "help". But Evelyn did not seem to be too demanding at least not yet. He hoped that Evelyn
"Ah no Miss Evelyn it is quite alright. This trip to the recruitment booth shouldn't take long. Green Willow is close by." He spoke as he walked. He kept his pace steady so as not to out pace lady Evelyn and not hold up the other people who could be behind him.
"Hmm as for how this works? Well.. I imagine they usually do recruitment in the main building. But given that Eturia seems to be on the war march.. and with Ilia having to deal with Bern and their rebellion.. they were forced to do open air recruitment. Since, pretty much everyone passes through the street.. it is one of the best ways to recruit free lancers. AS for the Sacae thing.. Well.. I am not Sacean by blood... possibly.. It's a long story... but I have adopted most of the life style of it's people as my own. And while I cannot speak for all of Sacae I imagine that many Saceans are turning their bows and blades to earn income from outside sources due to Etruria's presence in their lands." He turned a corner and saw their destination. Up ahead he could see a familiar tuft of yellow hair poking through the spaces in between people.
"There's a line. Fortunately.. there's a blonde headed man I am acquainted with running the booth. I suggest sticking close to me. Pull up your hood, tie down your coin purse, and hold on to my arm. Crowds of this nature have a habit of drawing out thieves and kidnappers alike." Duma turned around to see Evelyn then he returned his gaze back to the booth. He looked around at his surroundings. The swordsman extended his cloaked arm back towards Lady Evelyn. He walked to the side of the line getting closer to the booth. There was someone being punched by a pink haired person to which a crowd of people were gathered around. Some people were shouting, some cheering, some were indifferent, Duma didn't care he kept walking. Up until he got up to the booth.
"Hello Ravvus." Duma had a bit of a smirk.
"I really hope you let me behind the booth so I do not disrupt the rest of the line. Please extend the same courtesy to the young lady behind me too." He looked around it seemed most of the line was distracted by the fight.
"Well.. Never mind that. The fight is disrupting the line more then I ever could. I hear you are looking for free lancers. While I cannot offer a lance.. I can offer my blade." He hoped that the mage would understand his attempt at humor.
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Jul 20, 2015 10:03:12 GMT -6
”Uhhmm...” The mage stuttered, mortified. The woman he'd believed to be confident and experienced quickly proved to be insecure and short-tempered. He was immediately beginning to regret not rejecting her after the initial blunder. ”Assuming we get uh...” By Barigan this was embarrassing. “enough people to sign on by the end of the day, we'll uh... leave within the next two days. If that happens, you'll want to show up at the Pale Compass' headquarters by morning two days from now. And that's if we get enough people by the end of the day. So... Ravvus pinched the bridge of his nose. Barigan, Elimine, Roland, eight heroes of every name get him out of this situation. ”check back with us later.”
The woman walked off. At last it was over. Ravvus let out a relaxing, heavy sigh. He looked over at Anton, who had a queer, accusing look on his face. The mage rolled his eyes. ”Oh shut up. At least she's got some muscle on her. Much less than I can say for this lot, or that freckled boy you signed on.” “Tch!” Anton grunted in response. Ravvus turned his attention back to the contract before him. Now he had to sign the paper on behalf of Bones. Damnit! He wasn't supposed to be doing this. Not just signing off on behalf of another person, he wasn't even supposed to be working in this stupid stall. This wasn't his job. If he'd only arrived in Ilia a day or two later, he wouldn't have to be dealing with this.
The parchment stared back at him. The underline called to him, scritching and scratching at his mind. Whatever. If Ironwings, or Anton, or anybody else wanted to give him crap about this, then he'd get the earful later. He jotted the name Bones down on the paper. Bones. Ravvus doubted that that was even the woman's real name. Probably just a cover she used for jobs like this. But it would do for now. The mage leaned back in his seat, allowing relief to wash over him.
Ravvus rubbed his eyes, his fingers slowly worked their way down his face so that they were pinching his nose. And then, just as it seemed like things couldn't possible get any worse, things did not get worse. “Hello Ravvus.” A familiar voice rang in his ears. The mage's head shot up and he, to his joy, saw one of few men in the world he called friend. There, standing on the other end of the booth, was the green-haired swordsman who'd given him such a sound thrashing more than a month ago. ”Duma!” The blond mage spoke gleefully. ”My friend!” He quickly dashed to the other side of the booth and embraced the green-haired swordsman. He was glad to see Duma again. Though their time together had been brief, the two had bonded during their brawl and subsequent tavern outing. Ravvus broke off from his initiated hug. ”Right, right. Come on, quick, while they're distracted. I swear, if one more person cuts in this line today there's going to be a- Ravvus was unexpectedly cut off by Duma's joke. The blond mage lurched forward, surprisingly amused by the swordsman's attempt at humor. ”Snrk... hehehaha!”His giggles were very nearly on the edge of erupting into uproarious laughter. The blond man calmed himself long enough to finish what he was saying. Get... heh heh... get the hell over here before they... snrk... turn around and start a riot.”
Ravvus turned around, still snickering, only to be met by the wrathful gaze of Anton. The blond man immediately stopped laughing. ”Hey, hey, hey! I know this guy, I've worked with him before. He's really good at what he does.” The blond man bit his lip, daunted by Anton's scathing gaze. ”And he's got a lot more self control than the last person I hired, ok?”
“He'd better.” The Ilian spat contemptuously. The blond mage ushered both Duma and the swordsman's companion to the other side of the booth. A bit ticked off, Ravvus shot Anton a dirty glance. The Ilian could really have a stick up his ass sometimes.
Seeing that everyone was distracted, Ravvus took the opportunity to make small talk. ”You look good, Duma. I see the roads have treated you nicely.” He leaned to the side slightly, getting a glimpse of Duma's companion. ”And you've come across a lady in your travels too, haven't you?” Ravvus smiled at the swordsman cheekily.
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Post by Evelyn Bradford on Jul 21, 2015 8:21:18 GMT -6
"Ah, excellent, thank you Duma," Evelyn replied with a smile. The Sacaen was kind, or wise enough, not to try and dismiss her from his side. That was good. The last thing Evelyn needed was to find herself lost in such a large, cold city. Ilia was quite the mystery to her, as her travels had mostly taken her from Etruria and through Lycia.
Evelyn listened carefully as Duma explained how the guild went about recruiting, and did her damndest not to react to his quip about Etruria. It was a war that Kraft wanted, and Evelyn's support for Kraft only went as far as she needed it to, for her family's sake. She had known the man was mad before, but especially during her brief travels in Lycia she had heard nothing but curses and death wishes for the man. Sacae was no different apparently, likewise with Ilia, and if Bern wasn't so concerned with obtaining their independence back from Ilia then they'd probably hate his regime as well. Kraft had no support aside from what he had in Etruria...and it was only a matter of time before a reckoning came. That was the nature of the world: the balance of power always shifted. One country may have it or a year, one man may have it for decades, but it will always shift to a new country. A new ruler.
The young lady snapped herself out of her thought tangent and refocused on Duma's words. She had missed a portion of what he had said, to her chagrin, but managed to piece it together with common sense. Something about him not quite being Sacaen? He looked it, to an extent, though if she looked closely it was clear he might not be fully Sacaen. Not that it made much difference.
"Hmm...interesting. I suppose it is a rather simple thought process that went behind it all," Evelyn said in regards to the recruiting policy of the guild, "As for your heritage, you do look Sacaen, if only a bit,"
Evelyn entered the building with Duma and furrowed her brow. Not only was there quite a large line, but the majority of those in this line were hooting and hollering like a group of ruffians. They were all engaged, one way or another, with a fight that had broken out. Hmph, Evelyn was thankful there was a fair amount of distance between her and the scuffle.
Apparently they wouldn't have to wait behind the line, as Duma had an in with a man that worked at the guild. A blonde haired man by the name of Ravvus, apparently. The two men exchanged greetings and some small humor before she followed Duma over to him. Ravvus made a quip that seemed to imply that Evelyn was Duma's "lady". The young lady's eyebrow twitched, but she bit back her intial thoughts on that jest. There were a great many number of reasons a man like Duma could never be her man, most of which she was neither proud nor fond of, but there was no need for her to think on that now.
Instead she curtsied. A noble was not to save customs for other of similar or higher class. If a noble found themselves amongst low-borns or commoners, then it was up to them to bring class to those without.
"Well met, Ravvus," Evelyn said with a smile, "My name is Evelyn, and while I have come here with Duma we only met mere moments ago. I have come out of curiosity and intrigue. I came across a man that hailed from your guild and am happy to say he was one of the most capable merecenaries I've seen,"
That ought to clear up that bit of confusion.
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Bones
Brigand
RETIRED
Posts: 97
Profession: Bandit
Affinity: Fire
OoC Alias: Butorega
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Post by Bones on Jul 21, 2015 11:09:32 GMT -6
"D@#% it, D@#% it, D@#% it, D@#% it", shouted Bones as she continued to punch the tree. The maiden only stopped once she felt a sensation of pain in her first. She was still kind of ticked off, but at the very least she burned off a bit of steam. Turning away from the tree Bones saw that there was apparently a crowd of people. What the f$%^ where they looking at, thought Bones as they stared at her. She was finally understanding why her father use to say he liked killing Ilians the most. Not only where they annoying, but they where also a pain in the rear end. Here Bones was trying to blow off some steam and they where gathering around like she was putting on a show.
"What the F#$% are you all looking at", shouted Bones as she pushed her way through the crowd! Today was not her day. If only she could just simply gut one of them. She bet the rest of them would not gather around to snicker and laugh anymore. Cities where starting to become a pain in the a#%. Though she was starting to think it was just this snow filled nation. Maybe that was it. It was her first time in Ilia and she was already hating the place. She would rather be back in the mountains of Bern or, she can't believe she is saying this, but the plains of sacae.
Bones pushed her way back into the tavern and walked up to the bar. She slammed a good amount of coin on the table and looked up at the barkeep. "Give me the hardest thing you have", she spoke as the man gave her a puzzled look. He was sure she meant strongest, but for some reason hard came out. At the moment Bones was angry so she was not thinking logically at the time. Still he knew what she wanted and she was paying. The man returned with a bottle of green liquid.
"Its green", spoke Bones as she looked at the concoction. In the back of her head her mind told her not to drink it, but her forward conscious wanted to see how strong it was.
"You are sure", spoke the man as he poured a shot.
"Maybe", spoke Bones as she put her hand on the shot glass and began to circle it around. Bones began to measure the pro's and cons of drinking such a drink.
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Post by Duma on Jul 22, 2015 9:32:15 GMT -6
Duma gave Ravvus a small hug as the mage embraced him. There was a bit of a smile to his face. It was nice to see a familiar face. He was practically grinning when he saw that his little joke about blades and lances left his blonde friend fighting off the giggles. Quickly Duma went behind the booth with Lady Evelyn following him. But before he could clear up any quips about lady Evelyn the young lady spoke up. She explained that they had met a short time ago and was simply looking to see how the guild was run.
"Yes. Miss Evelyn speaks the truth. She is a lady in every sense of the word.. but is not 'My lady'." He decided to continue on with the word play. He sighed softly then looked around at the others behind the booth. "Anton" as he was introduced seemed to be a fellow of the serious sort of nature. Duma figured he should stop with the jokes and explain that he was here on business.
"Well. The gentleman in the main office directed me to here. You guys are looking for workers yes? Well I am in need of a job. If I recall correctly Ravvus said you had need of an experienced sword for hire. Well I have that. Along with good knowledge of Sacae, Lycia, and Bern. I can speak the language of some of the Sacean tribes but not all of them. I've experience being a guide, guard, escort, bandit hunter, retriever of stolen goods, cook, and other things." He decided to omit some of the more shadier jobs. Such as smuggler (with just cause) and trafficker stopper in case there were people nearby who took offense to that.
"As long as we can avoid Etruria I am willing to work with you all."
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Ravvus Wiseau
Mage
We will not stop until I have bested you at least once. My pride simply won't allow any alternative.
Posts: 207
Affinity: Anima
OoC Alias: Ravvus/Luba/Rowan
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Post by Ravvus Wiseau on Jul 22, 2015 15:10:18 GMT -6
Ivan stood up straight, stretching his legs. He tended to get a little stiff working at a desk all day. The old man stretched an arm across his chest and then alternated to the other one. He rubbed his hands together, breathing into them. The tips of his fingers were a little numb. The elderly receptionist strolled over to the fireplace in the main hall, noting little more than dwindling embers dancing among the firewood. ”Could use some heat.” He mumbled to himself. ”Let's see if I remember those words...” Ivan muttered something, correcting himself every now and then, and snapped his fingers. The fireplace shined brightly, the fires rekindled by the kind, old man. ”Still got it!” He congratulated himself. Just then, the door to the main office swung open and in walked the guild master. ”Miss Gavrilova!” Ivan greeted her enthusiastically. Luba approached him, her hawk-like gaze a bit softer than usual.
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Ravvus cocked an eyebrow, eyeing Duma and his newly introduced companion. ”It is said that when two people deny interest in one another, they're secretly madly in love.” The blond mage smiled, enjoying the opportunity to poke fun at the two. He waved a hand dismissively. ”Just kidding. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Evelyn.” He offered her a handshake. The mage observed her curiously. Had she just curtsied? Like some kind of high-born girl? Or was that just a quirk of hers? Unlikely. The woman had a certain eloquence to her speech, like that of an aristocrat. He nodded to the blonde woman. ”The Pale Compass may not be Ilia's foremost explorer's guild, but they've certainly never been known to hire slouches.” The blonde man looked around, remembering that his company was trying to hire freelancers. ”Until recently.” He corrected himself. ”I'd be surprised if the man you ran into hadn't caught your attention.”
The mage placed his hands on his hips and shifted his weight from one hip to the other. Duma seemed to be directing his resume towards Anton, so the mage figured he'd allow to the Ilian to handle the swordsman. ”So, what can I do for you? You'll pardon me if I assume you didn't come here to assist in the expedition, you don't look like the type who enjoys getting her hands dirty. Of course, if you would like to sign up, don't let my assumptions stop you.” He paused for a moment, wondering what had brought the woman this far north. “I can tell you most things you need to know, such as the guild's hierarchy and structure, our known associates, present and past expeditions, and so on.” Ravvus mused how immeasurably helpful Ivan's company would be right now. The old man knew the guild like the back of his hand.
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Anton turned his gaze so that it encompassed Duma. He gave the mercenary a bit of a skeptical look. The Ilian had developed a habit of mistrusting people until they'd proven their worth. He looked the green-haired man up and down. His resume was fairly impressive, but nothing that couldn't have been forged or imagined more than a few minutes ago. Then, the stern Ilian noticed something that caught his attention. On Duma's person was a rare blade, a brave sword. Made of an unnaturally light alloy, the weapon was about as light as a pocket knife. Anton slid the green-haired swordsman a contract, but did not lift his hand from the piece of paper. ”You know how to use that?” He asked simply, pointing a finger at Duma's brave sword. Skeptical though he was, with Ravvus' word and Duma's rare weapon, the Ilian was beginning to find the swordsman's story plausible. He waited for the green-haired swordsman to somehow demonstrate his ability with the sword, then asked. ”You said you're familiar with Sacae. You ever interact with anyone from the Killuan tribe?” Anton spoke the name of his employers, a Sacaen clan the guild knew next to nothing about. If Duma did know something about the tribe, then Ravvus might have actually done something beneficial for the guild by inviting the swordsman.
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