A simple matter of monsters? [Carmichal]

[Gaius Balmung]

Lycia was a great place for anyone looking for mercenary work that was certain. Whether it be to fight off some monsters or due to the paranoia that the people are being subjected to causing them to want to beef up their security with more bodies. It was also great for finding odd jobs that people are trying to find a poor soul to take. So all and all it was a great place for a man like Gaius Balmung. Whether or not it be to slay monsters or some thugs there was never a dull moment and always a way to make some money.

Gaius had recently just completed a job and had been relaxing and enjoying a drink in a local tavern in the town he was currently in. At some point a man had come up to Gaius and began to try and offer the man a job. According to him there was a bit of a monster issue not too far where they were staying and that there was a desire for a mercenary group to group up and take out the monsters. Now Gaius was no monster slayer, nor was he all that interested in trying to go on the forefront of fixing Lycia’s monster problem.

However it did sound like there was going to be a rather hefty reward for those who actually managed to survive the whole ordeal. Gaius told the man that he would think it over as it was quite the thing to agree with. The man would be lying if he said he had a lot of experience fighting monsters but they couldn’t be too hard, especially with Phantom on his side. Add on top of that the numbers for this mission sounded good made the whole deal even more enticing, though Gaius would need more time to come with a complete decision on the matter.

With a belly filled with some nice ale the man decided to go for a walk about the town. He came to a stop when he heard the sound of clashing wood. There was a group of people gathered about and from what the look of it they were practicing their combat skills. It was a humours site seeing how one man was easily knocked off his feet. Terrible form and an even more terrible attempt, the townsfolk here didn’t seem like the type who knew how to fight. There was the obvious group of mercenaries who had gathered up to try and teach these townsfolk how to put up more a fight.

A good drink and a show afterwards? Gaius felt that he couldn’t miss up on an opportunity like this so he decided that he would stick around and watch. If these were the folk who were going to be monster slayers then they were going to be in for a rough time. Gaius doubted they could take out a measly guard so taking on monsters seemed like a horrible idea. The mercs would certainly have to pull most of the weight if they were going to get out of this ordeal alive. If it was monsters after all.

[Carmichal]

As a man in almost constant need of work, Lycia was a godsend for Carmichal. Sure, it was tragic that the nation had fallen on hard times. The threat of war with Etruria sowed much panic and distress among the common people. The reports of monsters, the aging mercenary assumed, were a direct symptom of this panic. It pained him to see the common folk suffering so, driven to irrationality by their hysteria. Yet, he needed to eat too. The only skill Carmichal had ever learned was fighting, so trouble in the realm meant more work for him. He sometimes felt as if he was taking advantage of the misery of others, but it wasn’t as if they got nothing out of the deal. After all, he was being paid to get rid of, at least, some of their problems.

The city was bustling with activity, but Carmichal could feel the tension in the air. He had arrived around midday, following a juicy tip about profitable work near Laus. As it turned out, the job involved dealing with a monster infestation. He accepted the job on the spot. What could be easier? After all, it’s not as if monsters were real. With all the paranoia going around some farmer must have mistaken a bear or a pack of wolves for something far worse. Gossip had a way of spiraling out of control in times like this. It would be a simple matter of killing some wild animals and claiming the sweet, sweet reward. No boats to fall off of. No towers to knock over. No maidens to save. Just good, clean hunting.

After accepting the job, a group of locals invited Carmichal to join them in training. With nothing better to do before the job began, he accepted. He was more than happy to show a couple of young punks the ropes. He wasn’t expecting them to be such abysmal fighters, though. Their footwork was sloppy and none of their blocks held up to repeated attacks. If this was the best the town had to offer, they were in some serious trouble. Just as the aging mercenary had knocked another man to the ground, a newcomer arrived. He lingered outside the group of villagers, watching the fights with no small amount of amusement. “Ya here for the job too?” Carmichal called to the man. “Come spar a round or two! It never hurts to keep ya skills sharp!” He knew the man was capable. He could tell that from his stance and the way he eyed the locals. But Carmichal also knew he could judge him better after they had knocked each other senseless. There was something revealing about a fight. A coward could hide behind words all day, but when steel was bared? A person’s true nature shined through.