"Which time?" Barkley retorted, tossing the cylinder in her hand now. "The one where I dropped it, the one where I threw it at someone, or the time that dude with the axe got at me? All tragic in their own way, for sure."
Sumanai Man
"Perfect as always, Iyo. I still want to know how you're so bloody good at everything." grumbled Talia, although she smiled at her friend before carefully picking out an egg.
Talia smiled even more when Rosa showed up to offer her tea, to which she gladly accepted.
"Thank you, Mama..." she said, giving the older woman a warm smile.
Talia's mother, a prodigious Spellweaver and Teacher at the Arcanum Imperial College, had died when she was very little. She could not remember much of Caecilia Alvaine aside from snippets of magic lessons. And so for the longest time, Rosa had been her mother-figure. She loved the priestess dearly and their bond was one of her most cherished alongside her bond with Iyo.
She nodded respectfully at Afar. "I'm sorry for the noise, sir, but I wanted to get everyone up."
Finally, she turned to their oldest member.
"Not much to report, since we've been stuck in the godsforsaken wilderness for bloody week. That said, I did get some news from my letters with Wurd's mayor..."
"Hey! Hey...uh, Brand! There's some papers in my tent...hand them out to everyone, why don't you?!"
....Brand might not be the most social person but only Rank I's were allowed into Talia's tent.
Nothing is what it seems. Master of Shipping and Sadism.
Dragon Camp
Despite the large amount of racket going on outside from the pot banging to the cartridge exploding it took more then a little while for Suzu to leave her tent and join the others of breakfast. Even when she did the fox still looked a bit tired, and one could notice faint traces of shadows on her form, and she carried with her her sword on her back just above the base of her tail despite never really using the thing.
The small fox gave every one a passing glance as she made her way to where the food was, trying her best to figure out what was going on and with whom, "Ohayou gozaimasu" she said to the others briefly rubbing her eyes, before before proceeding to try and grab both types of bacon that were available.
Sylphid Forest: Breakfast
"Is that safe?" Mira said. She regarded the cartridge with curiosity. "I haven't seen it yet."
Mira gradually approached Iyo, hand outstretched and still smiling. Slimes ate, too.
"The magic words are pretty please, right?" Mira said. "Now, what kind of spell could you cast with those words..."
Mad Pinoy
Brand was in the middle of cleaning up after breakfast when Talia summoned him for the task of handing out papers to all present at camp. The scarred man walked up to Talia with a nod and his usual grim expression, though it seemed to soften near the young leader of the Red Dragons. "To everyone?"
Allurand and surrounding world loading, 28%...
Dragons' Camp, Sylphid Forest, Belandi
"That's Tams to you, y'old fart!" Came the response from Tams' wagon, which was the closest to the breakfast line. Tams himself had a lovely breakfast. Though given the way the Dragons were packing food away, it wouldn't be long until they were down to hard tack and the iron rations. Fresh supplies were hoarded like gold and usually the first to disappear.
And with strong carnivores like Kaguya and Barkley... The quartermaster was only lucky he had pick of the supply, right after the commander, of course.
He stood up and rested a leg on the wagon's side. "Fires are down, ladies and gents. Besides, you're looking at the last of the fresh bacon and eggs. We're down to hard rations at this point." Tams scratched his back with the haft of his mace as the last of the eggs and bacon (especially the turkey kind they'd found a cache of not to long ago) found their way to the plates of Osmund, Suzu, and Afar.
"Anyway, hurry your butts up and fix your tents. The commander wants us moving before the twelfth bell." Tams yawned and went to rummage around for his checklist.
edited 23rd Jan '17 11:47:10 PM by KR_Vandal
Combat mode, engage
Breakfast
"I can confirm that she said everyone, yes." Morgana stated matter of factly to Brand as she walked past. The dark-haired woman gently plucked some of the breakfast away from the serving dish, not really seeming to notice the heat as she held them. "Thank you for the food, Iyo. And ignore the Quartermaster, we've still got plenty of deer meat. I've had a lot of time on my hands."
edited 23rd Jan '17 11:34:29 PM by guyshane
-dramatic music ensues-
Dragons' Camp, Sylphid Forest, Belandi
"You're only lucky we've plenty of salt left," Tams drawled at Morgana, flashing her a rude gesture, but nevertheless dutifully noting the extra supplies. He reached down and smacked one of the younger staff lightly on the head, ordering him to get more barrels ready to deal with the excess and prepare for the preservation of more meat.
"We're lucky we got plenty of beer to wash this down." Speaking of beer, Tams went ahead to pour himself his third jack for the morning.
edited 23rd Jan '17 11:44:30 PM by KR_Vandal
Is this your power, Yagami?
Camp
Rosa's face colored a bit at hearing Talia call her "Mama." Such a thing was small, but it warmed her regardless.
"Ah, Afar. Please go right ahead, I made enough tea for everyone. Well, everyone who drinks it." She said with a nod and a smile. "In fact, please, all of you, help yourself." She called out as she set the tea tray down nearby. With a small smile still on her face, she turned to Iyo. "If possible, I would like mine rare, Iyo. Though I suspect you know how I like my meat."
"I am nature's weapon. You are unfit to carry on your species, and I shall ensure that you do not do so!" - Charles Darwin, XCOM Sniper
Sumanai Man
Talia snorted as her quartermaster basically asserted his dominance. Tams was reliable, and she appreciated it. The bickering needed to go, though.
....Talia was struck at how this coming from her made her a giant hypocrite.
She shrugged.
"Yep! Everyone on active duty. Those are the news I've gotten from the Mayor as well as potential jobs and the one I've already taken."
Once everyone had a paper, this was what they would see, all in Talia's neat handwriting, scribbled all over.
She must have done all those papers by hand. Huh.
News: Things looking pretty bad for the current ceasefire between the Empire and the Alliance
- A lich in Altore? Probably bullshit. Mad rumors and such from farmers. Claim they saw a dead woman making zombies. Safe to disregard? Morgana's from Altore (?), what does she think.
- Floran's King Apollo apparently very ill. Probably legitimate. Floran's been awfully quiet. Queen Artemis of Altore's been going ther a lot to see her brother...
- Speaking of Queen Artemis...possible arranged marriage to Senator Ywain of Gothal. Possible Alliance and Altore partnership? Empire might not like that.
- Belandi thinking of surrendering to Empire. Definitely legitimate, and fucking worrying. We've heard about this a lot and the mayor confirmed there are diplomats in his town staying there before making a trip to the Empire. Alliance definitely won't like that. If hostilities commence, we should leave Belandi.
Jobs
- Mines have a monster problem. Already took this one. From what I've heard, goblins and trolls emerged from somewhere down there. We have to clear them out. We've done that before. Easy money.
- Rich Merchant currently staying in Wurd. Might need bodyguards? Maybe we should talk to him.
- Bandits spotted near Wurd's neighbor, Tria. Might as well take care of that and get money.
- A missing woman. Vanished in the mountains. Probably dead? Might want to bring body back. Personal request from the family. Doesn't pay well, but rejecting doesn't sit well with me.
Waking up
Soseki covered his ears and clenched his eyes shut as the leader of the band made a racket in trying to awaken the rest of the company. His voice slurred slightly, half-asleep as he was.
"Three...years...and I'm still...not used to this..."
Shifting uncomfortably for a bit, the noble trying in vain to get back to sleep, he knew that someone would come wake him up personally if he didn't get up soon. So after a few minutes of the stirring, Soseki sat up, yawning and stretching his arms.
"Another day..."
He sighed. There were days such as these that he missed the life back at Biamonte Manor. A real, quality bed, the finest food...no sunshine shining on his face or waking up to the sound of metal clangs. Still, he knew what he was getting into, all those years ago when he left his home. Knew what he was getting into, three years ago when he joined the Red Dragons. He slowly rose to his feet, stretching slightly. Soseki was wearing a soft, thin white shirt, and a black pair of pants, his normal sleeping attire. As he stood in line to get his breakfast, he heard the blast cartridge go off, and startled, instinctively reaching for where Stinger would have been at his side.
"By the gods...what a morning this is turning out to be..."
When it was his turn to get food, he gave Iyo a polite, respectful nod as he took his plate. After all, he'd learnt over the course of three years that being a noble in this group didn't mean anything.
"Good morning Iyo. I know I've said this probably a thousandfold times, but thank you for making our breakfast."
With his breakfast in hand, and the scent and call of tea in the camp, Soseki made his way over to where Sister Rosa had served tea, pouring himself a cup. Again, he gave a bow of his head to the Sister and their leader.
"Good morning, Madam Commander, Sister."
The noble got to sipping his tea in silence for a while, until he would eventually get his slip of paper with news and jobs. He spoke between sips of tea.
"A lich in Altore? Queen Artemis probably getting married? Her brother, sick?"
Another sip. He looks at Talia, respectfully averting his eyes so as not to stare her in the eyes.
"I guess it just goes to show how out of tune I've been with my homeland these past three years. Do we plan on going there, Madam Commander? This lich rumour sounds interesting."
Hopefully...it's false, or if it is, hope it isn't someone in my family who has Fallen...
Mad Pinoy
Brand handed out the papers as Natalia requested, with as little interaction as possible aside from calling out someone's name to get their attention before he handed them a paper. He could see that she was indeed putting in great effort to manage the Red Dragons, and he and the other high-rank members had watched her come into her own over the last four years as leader, though Brand mostly relegated himself to combat duties in that time.
As he read through the last sheet that he saved for himself, he paid particular attention to the activities of the Empire. He had expected them to make their move on the Line for years, and now it looked like they were about to do it once they had Belandi under the imperial fist. If he didn't already know that Natalia and the other high-ranking members would discourage him from breaking neutrality so boldly, those Imperial diplomats would be good as dead after they arrived in town.
"Any division over job choices?"
Allurand and surrounding world loading, 28%...
Dump Stat
"Vatever ze commander chooses, I vill follow." Replied Wolfgang.
Anyone who had joined the Dragons within the past 10 years has experienced Wolfgang's brutal 2-year training regimen, one that has made grown men cry. Though a strict drill sergeant, he was a benevolent teacher and liked to keep the morale of his students high.
He approached Mira, who had been in the group for about a year. Halfway there.
"Hallo, fräulein Mira."
edited 24th Jan '17 8:20:52 AM by ctrl_alt_deliiiight
REMOVE SOY LATTE remove soy latte you are worst hipster. you are the hipster idiot you are the hipster smell. return to portlandia.
Combat mode, engage
Briefing
Morgana read through the slip of paper and rolled her eyes when she heard Soseki's comment. "The lich is just a tall tale out in the farm lands. No one has ever brought in solid proof of her but she's apparently been around since my grandparents were alive, if you believe the frightened whispers of children. We can go look if you wish but we likely won't find anything." She explained, her distaste clear though her tone.
I already spent a month looking for that damn corpse raiser, only way we'd find her is if we were all corpses. The assassin thought to herself. "My vote personally goes to clearing the mines and protecting the merchant. Both are relatively high paying, both will probably get us more work in the long run."
-dramatic music ensues-
The Flamebringer
She gave it a quick read over. "The Line is disappearing, there's probably not a lich, but there might be... Trolls. Lovely. I bloody hate trolls..." She shrugged.
After finishing her food, she walked over and leaned by a tree near Wolfgang, watching the training.
All are significantly abnormal in a normal world... All are significantly normal in an abnormal world.
The woman got her own breakfast, while making sure to stealthily purloin a couple extra pieces of bread for her own equipment. Rare that you need to feed a bag, as she was doing by stuffing it right then, but when your bag's a slime, you end up doing that a lot.
Then, sitting down with the rest, only slightly off to the side this time, she read the paper as everyone else did. That Senator getting married? Itellia had seen him once before during a tour of the University, and she had no idea what a Queen would see in the man. Must be a political marriage.
When it came to jobs, she offered her own two (very quiet) cents on the matter. "If we work for a merchant, that means connections. We'll get more business if we impress people on a public stage, and the rest...not exactly public. Mine's out in the wildnerness, nobody cares about bounties, and..." she paused as she tried to avoid the notice of the Commander, "...that last one's not worth anything..."
edited 24th Jan '17 12:46:08 PM by wikkit
Stop Killing My Titles
Rouncy, Fuck I'm Illiterate
Amongst the group was its newest addition, the youth in light armor with a blade almost as big as he was tall resting safely on his back. Though his expression was thoughtful as he was offered the paper to review Commander Alvaine's handwriting, there was a simple problem.
He couldn't read the damn thing. Of course, that wasn't how Rouncy du Aigle of the Wolf Crest dealt with things. He has learned to listen. He had to, ever since he became Rouncy du Aigle and stopped being a simple peasant. The thick cloak he has wrapped himself in could not come so easily.
"I would be wary of simple tales." He shook his head in response to Morgana. "For 'tis often that they are not as false as thou might think." The lich in Altore was a history old as time itself, he felt. If it's been repeated for so long, there had to be some credence to the claim. It wasn't as if the dead couldn't be risen. He faced the long departed before and the sight still was hard on the eyes.
Rouncy's morning begun way before Natalia saw fit to wake everybody up with clanging. An old habit of his old life, he would get up first chance he got, ate his rations - there was no need to waste good food on him if this one suited him just fine - and do a couple of exercises. Thank goodness there was a river nearby, so he was coming into the morning fresh as a leaf. "Now trolls, trolls are definitely a real deal." Rouncy's big dumb smile shone brightly in the morning. "But whatever real can be unmade into myth with but a swing of steel." He tapped the handle of his Wolf Blade - though calling it "a blade" or even "steel" was probably an offense to both - to emphasize.
"Whatever Lady Alvaine wishes me to do, I shall commit to it with utmost de..." Shit, now that was a word he was still having a hard time with. "Di... with utmost focus." There. All better.
grah
Sumanai Man
Talia stared at her cup thoughtfully, listening to her band give their thoughts.
She gave Soseki and Rouncy disgruntled looks.
"Don't call me Madam, or Lady. It gives me chills, what the hell."
The commander lowered her cup and glanced at everyone around her.
"We're definitely not going to Altore anytime soon. Lich rumors are bullshit, I agree. We don't need to waste our time chasing fairy tales."
"As for the jobs...Clearing out the mines is a request from the mayor of Wurd. It pays well and will definitely sway the town towards us. As I've said, I already accepted it. Victoria is our best monster hunter, so she's definitely going. The team composition is up to her, but I suggest to wait until we arrive at Wurd before you finalize anything."
"I'm in complete agreement on the merchant. As soon as we've settled down in Wurd, Tams and I will head over and try to negotiate. Tams, any objections?"
She sighed as she heard Itellia's quiet aside.
"I'm well aware of the fact that the last request pays almost nothing...however, it really doesn't sit well with me."
She looked towards her two "knights" and one "Samurai". "This isn't a command, actually more of a personal request than anything, but...Rouncy, Georgia, Suzu... if you can, why not try doing a quick investigation? Just for a few hours. You can decline, of course."
"The rest of you, find someplace for us to stay in Wurd and set up shop. There might be more jobs there. Listen to rumors and scout potential work."
The commander looked up at the rising sun. "Finish eating and get ready. We leave before the hour ends."
Nothing is what it seems. Master of Shipping and Sadism.
Stop Killing My Titles
Rouncy, Mission Start
Whoops. He wasn't here even a week and yet already he committed such a blunder. "Apologies, Commander Alvaine." He bowed down in an apology before straightening himself out.
"I am ready to set out as soon as you say." Rouncy nodded energetically, smiling.
grah
Omega Overlord. Or superjwren329. Either or.
Campsite, Decision Time.
Trevor made a mental reminder on how...not to address certain people in the group once more after their commander's outburst as he looked through the list, the...surly(?) Quartermaster's attitude making it somewhat difficult to focus on their options.
"Onto the fourth round of liquor already, Quartermaster...? You may want to call it quits, even if...this stuff is watered down. ...Or stronger than the usual brew. I forgot which one it was."
...The news was somewhat un-nerving, but events were probably going to escalate regardless of how Belandi handled it as he glanced back at Soseki.
"Didn't sleep well, I wager...? Don't worry, we can pick up the slack if you're not at your best. Probably." The armored mercenary remarked. ...It was a little weird saying that since in the greater scheme of things, he himself was pretty much at the bottom of the chain so to speak, but that was besides the point.
Trevor shook his head in response to Brand. "Majority of our band seems to be going towards the tasks that will bring in more money." He trailed off, giving a slight frown Itellia. "Yes, but if it's a simple task as that, it'd only require a few of us to handle. Our group's large enough and we have little idea on who this family is. It isn't as if all of us are needed for two jobs." The young man pointed out, before sighing.
"...But I'll simply go with what the orders are. I'm still, how do you put it, a neophyte compared to most others here."
Hope you weren't expecting anything witty here. Maybe some day.
Dragons' Camp, Sylphid Forest, Belandi
Trevor's cheek earned him a rude gesture that Tams cheerfully threw in his direction as he polished off his jack of beer. It'd take a week of hard drinking before they finally had to water the rum ration. And that's not considering what each Dragon had squirreled away in various places they thought their quartermaster didn't know about.
"No objection, ma'am," Tams belched and scratched at a growth of blond beard. "Anything involving better pay or the promise of discounts has my vote."
He scanned the bulletin with practiced eyes. "I've spoken with some of the scouts. The woods 'round Tria borders are treacherous. Not to mention the Riders of Tria seem to be antsy 'round this season. And you can forget about the missing woman. Seems more trouble than it's worth, but that's just me."
Dragon Camp
Afar finished his breakfast, he drank his tea as he read the news and available jobs, the man slightly lowered his head and held it with the back of his hand as his eyes looked to the side, thinking upon what most of this means and what they should do in response to the news and how to approach their jobs. He spoke in a calm voice.
"This looks bad, at this rate another war will start in about half a year between the superpowers, and with all these alliances being formed and conflicts rising, we might have very few places in the line to work with come next year, seeing as everyone is throwing their lot with one of the sides"
"As for the jobs in Wurd, I suggest we search around for the last two's details and only then decide on how we divide our manpower. Rushing things is a bad idea"
As Talia asked for 3 people to investigate the payless request he put up his hand, speaking to her. "Alvaine, i have yet to go out with 2 of those three on a mission and I do not like them going alone without a veteran on this. I volunteer to keep watch on them and guide them during the investigation at least"
"I don't have any reason to decline, rumors of things like liches are the main reason I came to this land, but... they are not going to go any where while we are investigating and one should bring honor to the dead", the fox replied looking down and too the side, her body language that of remembrance.
Is this your power, Yagami?
Dragon's Camp
Rosa had spent the time passing tea out to everyone, once the orders had been given she made her way back to Talia's side and stooped down to speak into her ear. "Talia, I am fine with whatever you and the others will decide. That being said, is there aught you will require of me for the coming mission?"
"I am nature's weapon. You are unfit to carry on your species, and I shall ensure that you do not do so!" - Charles Darwin, XCOM Sniper
Such was her hurry that she didn't even notice the sapient slime woman, this kind of relaxed moment the perfect time to study her behavior in situ. There'd be other times, surely.
She roughly took a cup of tea from the Sister's arms and downed it in one scalding go, before slamming it back down onto her tray. Now, for an attempt at a strange activity: socializing. "Yeah, getting back to work. Yeah. I can't sit around all day like this...not good for the body."
edited 25th Jan '17 1:18:04 PM by wikkit