[System]
SPECIES: Voidhanger

AGE: 23 in appearance, 85 in real time

FACTION ALIGNMENT:

Before being incorporated by the GES he worked for an independent owner of a Mega-Corporation. He has no ties to any governments and is disinterested in each faction's games.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6'2, 120kg's (accounting for cybernetic parts)

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

BACKGROUND PRIOR TO BEING SELECTED FOR THE MISSION:

Silver was born in the Void, though where, when or to what family within the mysterious race he does not know.

During a run through the edges of Pact space, his ship ran too close to a patrol for their liking. In the ensuing engagement Silver's ship was destroyed, along with a decent portion of his natural born body. Whether it was through some series of luck, ether or natural ability, Silver clung to life and was picked up by a large time scavenging corporation.

Recognising the value in even a partially intact Voidhanger, they stabilised Silver and kept him alive long enough to put him on the black market. There he was bought by parties unknown with the intention to sell him as an exotic trophy in order to seal an upcoming corporate merger. The majority shareholder of the mega-corporation was known to be an eccentric trillionaire, Nolan Grimes.

Though instead of adding Silver to his xenogenic collection, Nolon saw a different kind of purpose. He had heard the rumors of the Voidhangers and was well aware of their strange connection to the Ether (a subject that fascinated him more so). As a result, Silver was imbued with cybernetics, redesigning his internal structure, parts of his arms, part of his skull and completely rebuilding the lower half of his body.

Why Silver was able to retain his own mind and not be constrained in any manner is a question that the Voidhanger still asks himself even today. Regardless he was brought back better and stronger than ever. He spent the next several years training and actively engaging in corporate espionage and assassinations. Always corporate and never political, Silver (Nicknamed Silvershot), stayed out of the limelight creating an infamous name for himself.

Though he has never met any Voidhangers, he has grown not to care for the galaxy's politics or wars, he simply exists for the function he was brought back to do. For the longest time Silver believed himself to be without attachment and even without feeling, allowing himself to get lost in the cold calculation and logic needed to be an assassin.

This was until his contract was sold. It was an odd mission, his employer tasked him with stealing documents from the GES. What the documents contained Silver didn't ask, he never did, but he infiltrated the black site with success. Not saying it was easy but he pulled it off without the operation going south, retrieving the documents and relaying them back to Nolan.

It was only when Nolan's deal with unknown parties went south that the GES came knocking. Though instead of vengeful reprimand, they brought a deal, access to information about certain Archaeotech projects in exchange for Silver's contract. Nolan didn't even blink before signing him over. And there began a new life for the assassin, though how long it would last is anyone's best guess.

REASON FOR MISSION RECRUITMENT:

Even before his heist at the Gnosis black site, Silver's infamous reputation was well known within the corporate and even political world. Rumours swelled throughout the communities with some stating the man glides through the thickest of walls and others believing he can morph into existence through any shadow cast.

In reality the Voidhanger has honed his ability to slip into the Ether and is now attempting to learn how to blink,. His preferred method of assassination is ship to ship, piloting a small stealth craft and pulling off otherwise impossible maneuvers to be able to reach his targets in the black of space using his natural space immunities.

Though considering how this mission is shaping up, maybe the GES were still sore about the heist and that's why he's here. Regardless, nothing matters, not to Silver, the goals haven't changed, only the path to get there.

WEAKNESSES:

Unknowingly to Silver, his biggest weakness is actually psychological. Not knowing his kind, years upon years of shutting down his emotions and a final betrayal of the only father figure he ever knew has left him rattled. Everything is starting to bubble to the surface leading to a potential explosion or collapse.

This, in turn, is affecting his ethereal abilities. The rush of emotion causes him to lose focus and make mistakes, either leading him to spend too long in the sub-dimension or causing real world consequences.

Another weakness is working within a team. Silver has never had to co-exist or work alongside anyone, he has no experience in this area and is not overly fond of the idea. The work he produces is like an operation or a delicate artform, others detract from this.

Combat wise, Silver is not built for frontal assaults or dug in grunt warfare. His armour is light and built with stealth in mind. He can slip in and through enemy lines but leading a charge across no man's land is basically suicide.

Finally his immune system on planets is still subpar, though his cybernetic enhancements overcome the most severe repercussions, his natural born immunity deficiencies (planet side) still come into play now and then. If unfocused and untreated, they can become a real problem.

SKILLS AND TRAINING:
Silver has excellent knowledge in the following areas:

Long range sniper
Hand to hand combat
Swordsmanship/daggers
Throwing knives (and variations of)
Deception skills/lying
Natural born ethereal abilities

He also has a decent knowledge in the following:

Explosives
Tracking
Languages of the UCL
Healing/repairing himself (and himself only)
Cybernetics/robotics
Programming
Piloting small ships

LOADOUT:

Camouflage ability "invisibility cloak" more like translucent, so still partially visible
Suit is solar powered
AI scout drone (in built into the suit, can help with repairs to suit/cybernetics)
Silenced High Impact Sniper
Silenced pistol
Small Ammo pack with 3 mags for the rifle and 4 mags for the pistol

AUGMENTATIONS:

Shoulder mounted darts (stun and poison)
Cybernetic filter system
"Hidden blade" wrists that can be removed and thrown, suit can manufacture more from scrap metal
Right hand has an EMP charge, not powerful enough to take down full power armour but can fry vital circuits if placed in the correct spot, or override door panels etc.
Knock out gas left hand
HUD interface
Powerful legs
Thrusters for jumps or movement in space, cannot fly

ETHEREOLOGY:

Silver, although he had no training from other Voidhangers, has honed his natural abilities over a much longer time period. He is able to heal his flesh and fade out of existence in the physical plane. He can reach the full minute before needing to return.

He's also pushing himself to learn how to blink. He has learned to do it over less than a meter but struggles to move further.

PERKS:

Silver has the Unearthly Resilience and Traveller of Outer Realms abilities. He has also kept a hold of his defence shield, not needing to improve it in any way.

[User]
"Gnosis Eaters? Well, that's better than shit-eating troglodyte insurgents." Rho-Hux was interrupted by explosions and a voice coming from the strangers' coms. "Speaking of which! I think a little bloodshed is in order."

In one of his four arms, he pulled out one of his Earth-based swords. In another, he pulled out a las-pistol. "All the matters in terms of allegiances is that as of right now I am your friend. I know can help you find the base of the insurgents but first I think we better disarm these trigger-happy terrorists before they start to improve their aim."

Rho-Hux used his grapple hook gun to people himself deeper into the woods. He soon felt the need to return to the group to say one last crucial detail.

"Just to be clear, when I say disarm, I mean cut off their arms and show it to them before you further torture them for information. Professionals have standers and traitors need to be reminded about what happens to dishonorable deserters."

[Assistant]
Through the undergrowth

Sounds and images flashed as Zsresrinn refocused her senses through the cycle of disruptions that came with the destruction of a number of her drones. Normally this would not have been very taxing, but the sharp bursts of sensation from the void-howitzer's shots gave her perception a slight pause as it was inundated by the blinding surges from several angles at once. In a moment, however, her briefly scrambled strands of mental input were cleared up again. She began to make her way towards the mouth of the path.

"Caution," she hissed at Rho-Hux as he leapt into the thick of the jungle ahead of the group. It would have been false to say that she cared much about what happened to the gealtirocht, but, like it or not, for now they shared a common enemy. She would have to make the best of it. Perhaps more importantly, if he went in swinging he would stir up both the militias and the local fauna, which from what she had glimpsed was already dangerously agitated. Those creatures looked dangerously agile, and it was hard to tell how many of them there could be lurking around nearby. "Insurgents on alert, beasts prowling. Camouflage if you can. Direction is known."

She gave a mental tug at one of the remaining symbiotes, and the eye-like drone rose into the air to indicate the way where the howitzer seemed to lie before ducking back into the undergrowth. It was best not to expose them too much as long as they were her only link to the deeper paths.

As she began to make her way through the brush, trying to step carefully on the tips of her legs but still making an unavoidable amount of noise, she glanced up with a row of eyes at Rho-Hux's last words.

"Interrogation not my specialty. Will disarm as I can." She brought her upper limbs forward, and wide recurve blades quietly extended from the shell along their length like unfolding palm leaves. Shooting where the trees grew so thick would be difficult, and if some feral creature decided to ambush them, she had best be ready to fight it off on its own terms.

[User]
Silver
Since entering the dense forest Silver had been tagging along behind the bulk of their little group. Having his paranoia confirmed by one of the troop commanders had only made the voidhanger's fretting worse, opting to engage his cloak despite being among 'comrades'. Their newest compatriot was no different to any other of the paramilitary soldiers they had met so far; full of bravado and out for blood. Silver hadn't even bothered with an introduction, attitudes like that got people killed real quick and who knows what the gealtirocht's angle was.

The voidhanger grimaced as his foot sunk deep down into a flooded pothole that Zsresrinn had punched into the ground. The beast of a thing was surprisingly nimble and quiet for its size but the forest floor could only bear so much weight.

Egh. Silver thought as he shook loose the mud that stuck to his leg. Note to self: never leave space again!

Continuing on, the cyborg rolled his eyes as he shooed away another report from his little AI companion. There was nothing new to be gained from such things, more enemies, more threats, more carnage. The voidhanger didn't need a report to tell him how royally fucked they were.

Right on time Gourlan's slimy, stomach churning voice crackled through the comms, calling the group into action. Seemingly without a second thought, the gealtirocht bounced into the tree's with talk of dismembering while Zsresrinn whirred into action mode. Silver, however, paused; instead choosing to open up their comms channel.

<Guys, I'm not sure about this. Back at the outpost Yrilovan warned me that Gourlan shouldn't have known about the rendezvous spot and that he didn't know why he was there. This could be another ambush.>


[System]
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: 31
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 125 lbs
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Significant Other: Hugh Van Halder
Hair color, texture, length, style: Dirty ash blonde with layers from ears to shoulders. Her hair is usually worn with shorter layers crimped and pulled back with a few loose strands around her face, the longer layers are curled under and left loose falling to her shoulders.

Eye look, shape & color: Milk Chocolate with amber specks, round eyes with a slight slant at the outer corners.

Skin Tone: Tanned with olive undertones.

Body Type: Toned body over all with very defined arm muscles.

Voice/Accent: Her voice has a tad deeper intonation than most women and is slightly raspy. Though not skilled in the magical arts of her people Sana has a stunningly beautiful voice when she sings but it is something that she rarely ever does.

Clothing: She wears a very simple halter top made of tanned leather that tied around the back of her neck and is trimmed in a deep brown rawhide. She wears a matching shorts that is slit on each side of her thighs as to not to hinder her movements. Her boots are a soft suede material that come up to just below her knees and lace up the entire way, soft soles, no heels. She wears a sheer mantle that flows to the ground and is trimmed in the same material as her halter top, usually pulled over her arms to hide their definition.

Armor: Snake Band Arm Cuff with Enchanted Garnet (Barkskin)

Weapons: She carried one small dagger that is used for cutting up meat before cooking for the most part though is works as a throwing dagger if need be. Nothing special about it, the blade is 6 inches of plain steel while the hilt is carved oak. Her other and main weapon is a Recurve Bow that was hand carved for her, she uses cedar arrows that resist warping. Silver Dagger found in the chest of a Liches Layer.

Spells: None

Natural Abilities: Agility, acrobatics, gymnastics, ambidextrous

Skilled: Excellent marksman with a bow and skilled dagger thrower. Knows some close combat fighting, using her bow in a staff like manner. When weaponless Sana will use her knowledge of acrobatics and gymnastics, combined with her agility, to attack and defend herself.

Personality: Quiet and untrusting, hard to get close to. She prefers to be left alone and detests asking for help. A very stubborn woman who prefers to do things alone than in a group. She can be quite volatile if provoked and tends to be a bit moody.

History: She comes from a wandering band of gypsy that she left long ago for she refused to become what they wanted her to be. Another dancer and entertainer for the group. She was a tom boy growing up who preferred to spend time with a bow and arrow than a person. Though she never sought the way of her people she is very defensive of them and knows their ways. Skilled in song, dance, showmanship. Nothing traumatic happened during her childhood or growing up but being the typical teenager, hated what her parents wanted for her and in the end left those she knew for a world she wanted to know.

After she reached maturity she decided to leave the home and family she knew and set out on her own. Over the years she has worked in various towns trading furs from animals she has killed on her journeys and worked mercenary from time to time as wars broke out, utilizing her skills as a marksman. Currently she wanders the land hunting and selling fur when she reaches a new town.
(A more in-depth history can be provided if needed.)

[User]
Drizzak

---

The smaller goblin sat on the step of the wagon as his mutagen finally wore off. His nice new skull adornment had been stolen right off of his head, rather painfully and now he let out a sigh as his draconic, ogre-like physique faded, looking down as his club-handed arms shrunk down to skinny claws once more, shedding of their scales like bark falling from a tree. Pale and ashen once again, a stark remind of his goblin heritage. His low mood quickly faded as he began to mix up another batch of his vile chemicals. The familiar firelight glowed from the vials as he packed them into his costume once more, as he donned it from where it had been thrown into the wagon when the short gnoll slaughter had finished.

The small goblin scratched at his side, now his chipper draconic self again. For a while he stared at the others in the party, seemingly unfazed by the previous floating sphere that had sailed past them. Was it above his understanding, or was he just too headstrong to care? Did he honestly believe himself able to dominate such an unearthly force? Truly his thoughts were an enigma to even himself. Such a ponderous wonder he was. A beast to be admired. Revered, even.

Drizzak scratched at his behind and let out a loud belch before speaking in the same high-pitched shriek.

"Drizzak wish big ball left dogmans. Drizzak hungry. He burn them good enough for eats. What waste."

[Assistant]
Hugh was a little taken back by her sudden flight. He reached out his hand, "Wa-" He interrupted himself, bringing his hand back in, "Okay." His expression looked as though he felt a little guilty that he had done something wrong. He overheard Ellis's teasing. His face suddenly felt flushed and he brought a hand up to his face, rubbing around his eyes. After hearing Vivian saying they had yet to share a bedroll, Hugh cleared his throat, feeling a little embarrassed at the whole conversation. "Okay then, too much commentary from the peanut gallery for the day." He said waving them off.

He listened to Ellis and Vivian speak of what they were after, the whole chalice and treasure stuff. Hugh thought of how much he had changed, since long ago becoming a paladin. Now he did things to provide a living for himself, with a good amount of danger and excitement. The promise of a great reward, enemies numerous, danger around every corner. You had to be a little insane to take this up as a living.

The reasons why Hugh was no longer a paladin were numerous. He had shut himself off from the rest of the world, choosing a simple life, leaving his paladin life behind when the tribe adopted him. He didn't want anything to do with being world police, anymore. All that he wanted was a simple existence, but even that was taken away, forcing him to become a wanderer, taking up questing to make a living. Mercenary alone was enough to make him an ex-paladin.

Hugh simply walked alongside the wagon, observing that Sana had run up ahead. He wasn't particularly sure if he could just walk up to her at this moment. She seemed like she wanted to be alone for on the little scouting mission. He felt kind of stupid at the moment, but simply walked to the back of the wagon and put on the rest of his gear, including strapping his warhammer to his back. Then he headed towards the front of the wagon.

"Hey Sana, I can scout with you!" He said yelling up ahead, figuring that regardless it would not really be very good if someone was scouting alone.

[User]
Sana kept an eye out before them, chuckling to herself slightly as what their new companion had said. At least he had a sense of humor. To what Ellis had said, it took everything in her not to turn around and snap out of pure embarrassment. Gulping she had kept moving to take a scouting position figuring that it was better than to confront the hafling. He seemed to like to tease, yelling wouldn't stop that.

 When Hugh called out to her, she swallowed hard and took a deep breath before waving him over to her. She had a moment to calm down and compose herself as it were and felt she had been reading far too much into his simple action. Sana wasn't exactly young, in human years, but Hugh was definitely her senior and she thought now, having a moment to reflect, that he was probably just acting as a parent or older sibling may have to her outburst. Trying to give a little comfort to a tense situation. At least that is what she tried to convince herself of.

[Assistant]
Tagged; Everyone in the party,

Sana said another retort, and it did ring some truth and merit. Wariness is a good trait, and before he could reply she ran off. Walking behind the wagon, his thoughts were wrapped around his outburst, I wonder why I was outraged to that degree. he thought, pondering to himself. Before he knew it, Ellyn was next to him and began singing a song in an unknown language, but it was soothing to the ears. Closing his eyes, a repressed memory of his younger years triggered in his head,

Artos' parents had just died a few months ago, and he was still dealing with their untimely deaths. His uncle had sent him to do a request from a personal friend, the request detailed a retrieval of an item that was rumored to be around the area. He was paired with another young Magus, a half orc, half human. She was called 'Turael', and Artos didn't really get along with her, his distrust and prejudice of orcs had gotten in the way of that. Their friendship did gradually get better over time. Long story short, the mission was successful, but Turael was captured, tortured and eventually left to die on a road. Many people passed by, and left the half orc to her demise and some even spat on the Magus as they walked by. By the time Artos found her, she was already at death's door, and with a smile she sent him off with a 'goodbye.'

His eyes slowly opening near the end of the hymn, and a single tear escaped his eye and with a sigh, he remembered why he himself is not prejudiced and biased towards any of the races. His glare had all but left, and now he went back to his relatively normal self. "Thanks, I needed that." he said towards Ellyn with a slight smile. "You can go rest in the wagon, I'm fine now." he continued after seeing her yawn. Noticing that the male elf with the pointy ears was glaring at him for some unbeknownst reason, Looks like three might be after my life, well I guess I should apologize to Hugh. So atleast I could worry about one less. he thought to himself with a sigh. Placing his tome in his pouch, he stopped Hugh in his tracks "Apologies for the outburst." he said, swiftly bowing his head, and with that he began walking away, behind the wagon again, reaching for his tome and began reading.

[User]
Ellyn heard him as she walked off and smiled at him; 'your welcome... your such a kind person after all' in the midst of things she continued walking with the wagon and wondered why he really needed that;

'why was he crying... Did my song make him cry...?'

As she pondered on about this little question in her head she heard him apologise to Hugh and hopes he will forgive the fellow human.

[Assistant]
Hugh was about to rush on over to Sana, but the magus, Artos spoke to him, issuing him an apology. "You know you are forgiven by me, Artos. I won't hold it against you." He said, speaking as a man who was tired of holding grudges. He had no time for them. He still had too much of a life to live to hold them.

He unstrapped his warhammer from his back and threw it over his shoulder. He headed over to Sana's right, being a few feet away from her as he jogged up. "You ever think you'll abandon adventuring someday?" He said, a rather different conversation topic. "Maybe hit the big reward and retire?" Hugh had always assumed that he would die from his life style, but at the time being he felt as though he could live through it all. Maybe establish a new life for himself and be happy. He had no idea why any of this was getting into his head right now, but he felt happy.

[User]
Sana glanced towards Hugh out of the corner of her eyes as he caught up to her; brow rising slightly at his questions. It was definitely a change of topic from earlier. She continued to walk as she pondered his inquiries, having never really considered what she would do if she did ever make the big score. She had been out and in this life for well over ten years now.

 "I...I don't know," she answered slowly, in a reflective tone as she contemplated the thought of retiring. She had left home for a reason, even if she did make enough to not to have to work, why stop. "Probably not, I have no home anymore. This is what I know." Her voice was quiet and even slightly remorseful. She hadn't wanted to live the life of a gypsy and ironically running away from it just turned her into one on another level.

 Shaking her head slightly she forced a smile. "And you? Would you give it up?"

[Assistant]
Ellis smirked at Hugh's response. What made him chuckle even more was that Hugh ran up to follow after Sana. "If they didn't want to give me excuses to tease them,... They sure keep failing at it." He said shaking his head. He decided to give them a break. For right now.. He kept his thoughts on their destination. This was a ancient city. There must be all kinds of valuable items inside.

 Vivian watched as the group got ever close to their destination until finally they could see it's door. They got there a lot faster then normal. Perhaps the wagon helped a lot. They had a new choice,.. Enter now or rest a bit and then enter. "Okay everyone,... We can enter now, or wait tell we are all well rested and then enter?" She asked.

 Gurlekk was more than just ready, but he could see that people such as Ellyn were tired. It would not be wise if they all went in while someone was not ready. "I say we wait. I don't believe all of us are ready." He answered.

[User]
'm-may we rest, please??' Ellyn asked ever so politely, she was still smiling but you could see that she was tired... really tired, as she glumly prodded towards the door, going way ahead of the wagon to examine the entrance and then suddenly felt her knees suddenly 'oh god... Lactic acid... it sucks...' she retorted as she chuckled, she may have finally got her wish... she always wanted to feel lactic acid and now that she has she wished she never wished for it in the first place... it really did suck.

'Don't any of you's have lactic acid??' Ellyn asked. Not wanting to feel a burden to the team but didn't want to drag them down either, she may be 355 but that was pretty young for a surface elf, or so she thought anyway.

[Assistant]
Sana saw their destination and nudged Hugh slightly, "there in the distance," she said before heading back to the wagon and the rest. Pulling the hood of her mantle up to shield herself from the sun slightly as she reached the group. Resting sounded like a good idea, no one really had had any sleep to speak of it seemed. Thinking back to the tavern the night before she was now wishing they had gotten sleep before they had headed out.

 "I vote rest," she said as she leaned against the side of the wagon and stretched her neck from side to side. "It was a long night and I don't think anyone really got rest. Maybe we could find shade too before the sun really starts scorching," she said as she looked over at Ellyn and perked a brow. "Girl, you need to sit down and rest."


[System]
Real Name: Keith Wyatt
Age: 17

Appearance: Caucasian, 180cm, 80kg, toned body. Grey hairs coming out, looks 10 years older than he is. Has perpetual bags under his eyes.
He wears Kevlar under a heavy jacket, denim jeans and construction steel-toe boots

Faction: The Forgotten

Personality: Everybody knows Kin the guard. The one that that patrols the place far more than he needs to. The one that reflexively grips his weapon if he hears a gunshot in the distance. The one that looked down the length of a raider's gun barrel, pushed it to one side and dislocated the raider's shoulder as he pinned the poor bastard to the ground. Despite this, so long as you're on good terms with him, he is possibly one of the most dependable and protective people you'll meet. The Forgotten is his home, and he will fight to his last breath defending it and everyone in it. He's loosened up in the past years, but you'll still be hard-pressed to find him smiling, or even laughing at anything.

Equipment: Remington 870 Shotgun (max. 7 shells), Kevlar vest, binoculars, makeshift spear.

Skills: Shooting, endurance, strength.

Other: He is suspicious of anything that could possibly present a threat to his home, and is a little jumpy, as a result.

[User]
Erren stood off to the side of the funeral procession and watched from a short distance. He had connections to the people who were dead, of course, but he never really stayed with the Forgotten long enough to make any real bonds. The only two he actually had some kind of relationship with were Hans and Kim, but even then there wasn't much. He lifted his right hand and looked at the card he held; 17. Then his arm dropped to his side, and he stared into the distance and past the graves.
"Fear thee not, oh beautiful, for he is a dead man." he sung under his breath, flipping the card in between his fingers in a melodic fashion to the music. The only people there were Hans, Abe and him, which left an eerie quiet atmosphere over the graveyard only broken by the disjointed psalm or hymn or whatever the two were reciting. Erren then pulled a deck of cards from his pocket and slid the 17 back in, careful to aim for the exact spot it had left. Then he dropped it into his coat and pulled out a small revolver from his pocket, before spinning the barrel. He always kept one bullet in for times when he needed occupying.
"No bullet," he said quietly, spinning it again, "No bullet," and again, "No bullet," until, after 7 attempts, he said "Loaded," and emptied the barrel, the bullet sliding from the chamber where he predicted. Dropping that in his pocket, he turned and walked off with the revolver in hand, towards the Forgotten base.

[Assistant]
Fox couldn't quite stop his small smile from turning into a grin, especially at the girls words, she was only a bit shorter than he was. Give it a few more years, she would probably be taller than him. Not that he really cared, height was never a serious problem for him anyway. Even if the whole 'not so good to eat once it has maggots' wasn't really a joke, he sure thought it was one. Even meat with maggots in it was salvageable. Strange people to let it something like that go to waste, he supposed.

"Yup, yup." He muttered, quickly closing the distance and following after the girl with dreads- choosing to ignore the fact she had raised three fingers into the air. Some kind of signal to someone he couldn't quite see. Not that he minded- he was here to do business, after all. Fox waited very patiently for her to spread the cloth out over the counter, humming very quietly to himself as he gently tapped his fingers against the straps of the various bags he carried.

The moment the cloth was down and she patted the counter, no time was wasted as he carefully slipped the first dufflebag strap from around his chest and onto the counter- quickly followed by two more. There was some clanking and clicking from all three of them and some blood splattered on the outside of the bags, but otherwise they seemed clean-ish. He left the bloodied bag that rested on his right hip alone, only sparsely touching it to move it out of the way while he picked up one bag and set it on the counter-cloth and unzipped it. Or well, tried to, it was stuck!

"Ran into some Scorps while traveling and figured I should deal with them while they were down." He mused quietly, his grin having vanished into a small smile. "Nasty bunch, they are. But they had some good stuff! Seems they had been killing all sorts of people, though. Tons of different shit they had on them, not raiding but... collecting, almost?" Fox made a slightly annoyed noise as the bag zipper refused to open, but after a few rough tugs it finally came free and he flipped the bag, spilling most of its contents onto the counter.

This batch of stuff seemed mostly clean, a few drops of blood on the items. The first bag, it seemed, mostly consisted of canned food and small blankets. There was a good variety among the canned foods too, ranging anywhere from potatoes to what appeared to be some ravioli. Fox then moved to grab both of the other bags and place them onto the counter as well, unzipping them without any problem, though he did not flip them. Instead he merely pulled them as far open as he possibly could to show all of their contents. In both of the other bags there were countless oddities and the alike. Partially filled gun-clips, some clothing that was relatively free of blood, a pair of shoes, and so on and so forth. A bunch of stuff though that was all still in relatively good use and repair.

"Oh. Whoops, that wasn't supposed to be in there." Fox said with a small grin, quickly reaching a gloved hand out to yank a small sewing kit with a large crack in the case. He promptly shoved the small case into one of the small bags that were attached to his belt, not having to even tare his gaze away from the girl. He hadn't bothered with anything that had been too bloody, having to carry around a dufflebag of three different heads and various limbs and sections of flesh, he honestly didn't want to carry anything with more blood than necessary.

[User]
"Well, I suppose bringing the internet back is impossible," said Drake. He chuckled. "So getting yuri doujins is probably out of the question." He started back towards the shop. "Life goes on, Abe. And as much as I miss the internet and Xbox Live, I'm glad in a way.

"Not that I approve of billions of people dying, but the government we had was screwed up. What was wrong was the people on the far right, and far left. Nobody got anything done. Just politicians with fat wallets and their thumbs up their asses, being elected by morons. Garbage in, garbage out."

[Assistant]
Abel laughed, and he trailed barely behind Drake as they walked to the shop. "I know. We have to keep going. Personally, I wasn't very attached to the way things were, either. I just try to salvage the good things that I can. And even then, I just want to feel close to someone again." That was only as close as Abel ever got to talking about depression. He was numb, hollow, and without purpose.

The blond put his hands back into his pockets as he and Drake stepped into the pawn shop. "Yeah." He accidentally stepped on the back of one of Drake's shoes. "Sorry." Abel went quiet after that, and he waited for something new to come up, to distract him from his thoughts.

[User]
Alice flinched as the madman before her started yelling. How dare he yell at her? He deserved to die several times over now, but... those samples might not be a bluff...

Without realizing it, Alice began chewing on her lip. She looked weak right now - she knew she did! But what was she supposed to do when her own life was being threatened? She didn't want to die... the guards weren't supposed to have allowed anything so suspect in...!

"Oracle," whispered a soft voice. Alice jumped a little, but turned to find Katie, a nineteen year old blonde girl who was among her loyalest, longest-standing servants. "It's not safe for you here - nor is it prudent to dispose of a medic. Please, retreat to safety and allow me to handle this. I will not fail you, I swear."

Safety? When was the last time Alice had really been safe in this messed up world? She was always putting herself in danger... it was ludicrous to expect one of her followers to be able to protect her from doing so! But, still...

An image flashed before her eyes; water surrounded her on all sides, and her arms flailed weakly, uselessly, as the last of her breath left her. Then, as if from nowhere, a woman's face - her mother's - emerged from the blue, and she wrapped her arms around Alice, pulling her...

Katie. She was like Mama.

"F-fine," said Alice, hopping to her feet. She allowed two armed guards to escort her toward quarters; there, she would be able to observe the scene from a safe distance. As she hurried through the door, she heard Katie ask, "Now, Charon, you have shown disrespect our Oracle, chosen by the Highest, and by extension, you have insulted us all. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

[Assistant]
Charon stopped his rant and lowered his arms, his head tilted so slightly. When it was clear that he wasn't going to be immediatly shot, his awful visage of madness relaxed quite a bit. "Defense? Girl, You can't be serious. 10 year olds should be able to fool around and play, not be God-Queens of a cult. I tried to play by the rules and civility. Then I tried to offer both the opportunity to hone her mind even further, and even perhaps fool around in the last remnants of her already ruined childhood."

He folded his arms. "There was no harm intended. Haa, I tire of this rethoric." Charon took his glasses off and began cleaning them, sighing loudly. "Truth to be told I thought she was like my kid sister. Little cute loud 10 year old thing. And then she puked blood on me and died on my arms. The usual story." Charon's voice didn't waver the slightlest when saying it.

"Alongside three hundred odd patients which also died on my arms back then." He added his eyes glaring at Katie. "And 12 accidental infections, plus having to forcibly learn 5 years of medicine in just two because all the good doctors kept dying." He paused.

"Not only the doctors, but pretty much everyone. I had become, at age 19, the world's last adult, in theory. But I'm rambling aren't I? My bad." He then snapped his finger. "Chosen of the Highest, too! Might as well, cause otherwise I can't understand why my life has been a shitty hell of death and impotence." He put his glasses back on.

"So stop wasting my time. Kill me, evict me, or let me read those goddamn books." He finished snarling. "I don't like posturing nor self-entitlement."

[User]
Kin stopped crying. His grief hadn't passed yet, but its sting felt weaker than it did before, weak enough that Kin could try to start pulling himself together. He sat up leaning against the wall and opened his bloodshot eyes to the world. The light of the sunset burned his eyes, and he had to blink several times before his vision returned to him. He felt numb and tired, but mostly just tired. From the shouting, gunfire and fighting from the raid, and moving the bodies of his once-friends to the graveyard, Kim was drained.

While he had been crying, Kim had sat next to him, keeping him company. Kim wasn't the type of person to pressure him into talking, and Kin was thankful for that. He really couldn't summon the energy needed for a conversation, and besides that, her mere presence was kindness enough anyways.

It felt like he had been crying for an age, and yet the sun was still crossing the horizon. For a while, Kin sat there, motionless, staring at the sky watching it gradually change color from amber to red, his mind calming. The home of the Forgotten stood before him, engulfed in a bright orange light like a bonfire. Somewhere within were seven empty spaces where people used to be. In the back of his mind, he remembered that the Vikings used to place their dead on a burning boat.

Kin took a jagged breath, the fresh air displacing the clammy air inside his lungs. The dead were still in the front of his mind. Some time after the sun sets, he would stand up and walk back to his room. He would wash his face in the sink. He would get in bed, and lay there awake for God knows how long until exhaustion finally carted him away to a restless sleep. This happened every time they lost somebody. For now though, the sky was turning a dark rust color.


[System]
Character Template
Quality: <example: Determined>
Description: <example: you don't need an example for this one>
Main Weapon/Fighting Style: <example: sports equipment>
Skills: <example:* PK Flash: Blinds the enemy with a bright light of PSI energy!
* PK Fire: Burns enemies within a small area of effect.
* PK Heal: Removes status effects from a party member.

>

Stats: <this is where you allocate your stat points! You'll earn more stat points for specific stats as you fight.>
* Speed: 4 (influences your turn in a fight and how fast you can avoid things outside of battle)
* Strength: 1 (influences how much damage your attacks do and how much you can lift outside of battle)
* Guts: 2 (influences how many hits you can take and how long you can stay alive)
* Wits: 3 (influences how perceptive you are (how much information you can gather from a certain situation), i.e. how an enemy is described so you can find a weak spot or if you can find a hidden trapdoor)
* <custom stats here>

Pockets (16 items max):
<example:
* Sandwich
* Baseball Bat (equipped)
* Baseball Cap (equipped)
* Odd Key

>

[User]
Karol was ready to have a little bit of rest but there was no rest for the wicked. He would have to agree with Spruce that getting out of the now demolished dojo was a good idea. He walked briskly over to the final pine cone and noticed that it had what looked like an energy drink inside of it
 How weird a place for that to be. Oh well he scooped it up and placed it in his knapsack and walked over to Spruce. That was when the floor shook and started to crumble apart from the tree outward.
He noticed that there wouldn't be enough time if he had to help drag/hop Spruce to the door so Karol took a deep breathe and lifted Spruce up over his shoulder and ran towards the door.

Karol could feel the floor giving away right behind his toes as he jogged with Spruce on his shoulder. Karol had to give a jump for both of them to make it through that ordeal. Karol placed Spruce on the ground to take a second to catch his breathe. He took a look back at the dojo that had no floor after it giving out and a giant tree that was in the middle of the room and smashed out through the roof. As he stared one tear managed to creep down his right cheek. Karol took a few seconds and bowed at the dojo before turning towards Spruce.

 I hope that I haven't been paying insurance for nothing and this gets covered. We better get going, probably to the hospital for you eh. I think there is one in this town.  He looked at Spruce with a little smile on his face.

[Assistant]
Spruce mustered a smile in reply but was unable to speak because of the pain of his leg. He gritted his teeth and looked around.

The Megamall looked like a dark jungle. It would have been impossible to see if the trees hadn't ripped the roof off the mall and if the moon hadn't been shining so bright. Fortunately, the pale, bluish moonlight illuminated everything as though it was a strange, washed-out daylight. In addition to the strong evergreen trees that they had seen growing before, foresty shrubs had sprouted up on the first floor, and ivy and mossy vines had strung themselves across nearly every vertical surface of the mall.

To the left, the Megamall continued its miles-long stretch to the other side.
To the right was an exit just a couple doors away. Another tree had grown up on the other side of the second-floor walkway from where they stood, and thick vines had spread across the exit doors.
In front of them, a walkway led to the South Food Court and a (now-broken) escalator, overgrown with various plants. The branches of a huge oak tree hung over the top of the walkway in front of them, and Karol could see a couple of moving Acorns swinging slightly from some of the other branches.

Spruce, through gritted teeth, asked, "Got any way to cut through those vines?", gesturing with his head to the right.

[User]
Looking around the giant mall it looked like it was something out of a museum or a movie. The amount of trees that were on the inside of the mall is crazy. He also looked around and seen that there was more of those pine cones and other animated objects, which was making Karol a little more nervous about getting out of the mall safely since there is no easily accessible ways to get out.

 Umm we could check other exits to see if they are blocked by trees also or there is a hardware store that might have some equipment that might help.

This was just Karols assumption being that there had never been a need for him to explore into the store. Hopefully even if there was some in that store they might have been lost after getting raided by trees. He had no idea how we was going to beat that many of the monsters if they all charged him given that he had such bit of a time beating three of them.

[Assistant]
"Now that I think about it, I did see a sign that mentioned a gardening store when I came in that entrance... I didn't get a really good look at it, but I'm sure it said 'gardening' in the store's name. I don't see it over here, but maybe it's downstairs?" Spruce grunted, "This would be a lot faster if I could just use my damn legs..."

The only way downstairs from where Karol stood was across the bridge and down the broken escalator's stairs. The Acorns swaying in the tree had not noticed Karol or Spruce and apparently hadn't heard their tussle with the Pinecones. In fact, Karol noticed that they seemed to be asleep! Other than these living plant monsters, there didn't seem to be any other danger in the way of his path to the escalator!

(Please roll for successful crossing. Anything greater than 2 is a success.)

[User]
If Karol could get out of this mall without any more encounters would be perfectly fine by him. Those things were a nuiance to try and fight since they were tough little guys that dealt small physical damage. His favourite training judogi now had a cut in it because of those pine cone, also their arrival had caused another human beings leg to get crushed.

 Yeah anything that could make getting us out of here and getting you fixed up could be a great help. Lets go down and check out that store.

[Rolled a 5]

Karol noticed that the pine cones had been in a very zen state so he wanted to be extra quite going down the stairs to hopefully avoid their presence. The longer that they were stuck here the more pain that Spruce was encountering. Karol had helped Spruce down the stairs keeping their steps in sync to reduce noise. When they got to the bottom of the escalator Karol looked around to see if he could spot the store and do a little bit of surveillance. He looked around and he spotted the store but couldn't look inside of it directly since there was a giant tree that was partially blocking the doorway of the store.

 Guess were are just going to have to go into the store and hope for the best eh.

[Assistant]
"I suppose so... Hopefully there's not too much debris so we can find what we need," Spruce hoped.

[Rolled 1]

Unfortunately, as they rounded the tree, they found that the store had been directly below Karol's dojo. The practice mats were strewn about and large bits of the floor and ceiling were strewn all about, covering everything in the center of the store, not to mention the large spruce tree growing straight through the middle of the store as well! But fortunately, fate was not altogether against them, because the walls were mostly untouched and there were plenty of wares hanging there and free for the taking.

On the wall to the left of the entrance were all sorts of rakes, hoes, and those garden claw things that break up the dirt for more nutrients to get in.

On the wall to the right was the checkout counter and next to it was stacks of bags of fertilizer and plant food, some of which were ripped open by the fallen debris and currently being eaten by a small crowd of Pinecones, Onions, Ferns, and Potatoes.

And on the back wall, past the feeding group, was the kind of stuff Karol was looking for: shears, clippers, machetes, weed killer—you name it!

[User]
It was just as Karol was starting to remember his dojo for the beautiful memories that he had there spreading his love for kickboxing with the towns youth but when they entered the gardening store the beautiful memories were slowly crushed. For some reason Karol thought the dojo was one store to the right of there current location but seeing all of his mats on the ground of the gardening store was a little heartbreaking.

It was lucky that the bandage was still fresh and didn't cause much pain at the moment. He looked around and to his delight he spotted more of the pine cones from earlier. He let out a slightly audible sigh and put his down for a second. When he raised his head back up he happened to look behind the collection of little rodents munching away on fertilizer, just what he wanted to see. They had been annoying enough without getting that little added boost which made him a little nervous since there wasn't really any way to get around them to get to the back of the store where was the materials that could get them out of the mall.

He wished that they could make it to the back of the store first and than make fight with the monsters since it would give a slight advantage to use a weapon against them even if Karols most efficient striking method was his kickboxing.

 Hey Spruce do you think that you formulate a distraction to get to the back of the store to get some equipment before having to fight these guys since it is pretty much inevitable for a fight to break out.

If Spruce was witty enough to find Karol in this small down he must be able to formulate a good distraction.

[Assistant]
"I'll see what I can do, but given my crippling situation, I'm not sure there is much that I will be able to help with. But my arms are strong and I've been trained to fight through pain. Maybe I can get around myself after all."

Spruce hoisted himself up by his arms, dragging his useless legs behind him. He picked up a piece of debris that had strayed close to him and, holding himself up on his left arm, threw the chunk of cement as hard as he could at the ceiling above the little crowd of feasting vegetables.

[Rolled 5]

CRAASH! The ceiling that was left crumbled down on top of the vegetables! The less-protected vegetables were crushed under the weight, but one Closed Pinecone remained, struggling underneath a large piece of debris, its stubby arms and legs flailing about but going nowhere.

"Ha! Well that takes care of that! Grab some shears or whatever you think will work best and let's get out of here!"

[User]
Karol was trying to devise a plan that they could use to avoid a unnecessary fight but before Karol figured out what Spruce was planning on doing it was already to late to prevent him from doing, he had grabbed a piece of cement and brought down the rest of Karols remaining dojo on top of the enemies that were munching on plant growth.

 JESUS! Spruce you could have hurt yourself doing that, especially since I asked you to formulate since you were intelligent. Not put yourself at risk of more injury.  He let out an audible sigh and Karol helped place Spruce on a bench that looked like it was used to reach stuff on the higher shelves. As he started to walk to the back of the store he stopped and spoke to Spruce  Thank you for coming up with such a good plan.

He made it to the back of the store with ease thanks to Spruces plan, it worked better than anything that he could have thought at the moment. When he got there he thought that with his strength he could use the machete for the entrance and possibly in battle. He also grabbed the weed killer to weaken up the strength of the weed itself. When he made it back to Spruce he placed the machete and weed killer in one hand while helping Spruce with the other.

 What do you say we head up to the entrance and get out of here. The sooner we can get you fixed up the better, would be a waste to see someone of your talent have anything happen since we didn't make haste. Don' t forget that you still owe me a rematch.  He said the last part with a giant smile on his face.

[Assistant]
Spruce nodded and flashed Karol a smirk. "Don't get cocky." he winked and then grimmaced, "But yes, the sooner the better. Let's get back to the exit!"

The mall was strangely quiet as they headed back up the broken escalator. No more clops of the wooden feet of sentient seeds could be heard, and the trees had stopped rustling. An odd tension hung in the air as the deafening silence resounded. They reached the vine-covered exit door a few doors away from the destroyed dojo. The vines were massive, maybe the diameter of a basketball, and ivy leaves spiraled all around them. The vines seemed to almost pulse slightly, and the ivy leaves and vines kind of looked like veins if you thought about it that way...

[User]
Karol wanted to get out of this place as much as Spruce, everything that he loved about this place had disappeared, the atmosphere now dark and gloomy as opposed to vibrant and bustling. For the first time since he ever set foot inside of this mall it was absolutely quite, you could hear a pin drop, given the turn of events it was also eerie that this would take place also. He took a quick second to look around and he didn't spot a single pine cone or any other sign of messed up life form. He decided to think on the positive side and hope that this ordeal was now over, not the same as it was before since given the damage that had occurred but not getting any worse.

 When Karol and Spruce made it to the exit that they would soon make their escape from. Given the size of the vines it was unlikely that they were going to clear the whole entrance but just enough that he and Spruce would be able to squeeze through them. When he was looking from afar the vines didn't look that large but they were actually the size of a regulation basketball.

Karol was now glad the he had grabbed both the weed killer and the machete since it was probably going to take both of them. Karol took the bottle of weed killer and sprinkled half of it on the vine and waited a minute for it to sink into the roots. After waiting he took the machete and raised it above his head and gave the vine its first chop.

[Assistant]
Pale green liquid squirted out of the cut where the machete landed, and then...

"Karol! Look out!" Spruce shouted as a giant bulb uncoiled from the mess of vines and raised up, the tip pointing at its assailant.

The huge vines loosened and fell from the walls with a thud, only to be coiled up into a large, tidy pile with the bulb head peering down from the top. The bulb thrashed a couple of times and exploded into a vibrant chrysanthemum bloom with a large, unblinking, green eye in the center looking down at Karol. The Vine Snake's bulk blocked the entrance

[Rolled 3]

It pauses for a moment, and then roars, piercing through the silence like a knife!


[System]
Gender: Female

Age: 16

Appearance:

"Which one of us is the mask?"
Arcana: Temperance

Personality:
On the surface, Shizuka may be the stereotypical "ojou-sama" (young mistress), from her formal speech to her delicate mannerisms with a blend of shy and soft spoken side, but do not let that deceive you as the class dismissal bell rings and Shizuka's part time hour begins, the counterpart she created for herself, Shizu-chan, takes the spotlight with her lively demeanor, friendly smiles, and undying passion of being an otaku.

Equipment/Skills:
Twirling Baton (Cosplay prop, can be upgraded to Rod weapons)
Sewing, professional make up, baton twirling, which were all gained from her experience with cosplay.

Background:
Being a balanced student with an appropriate amount of intellect and proper physical fitness, one would say Shizuka is an average high schooler if it weren't for the fact that her family was of a higher class compared to that of an average student. Like most children coming from a wealthy family, Shizuka was left alone most of the time, with the exception of servants, by her parents in their mansion with no one to play or interact with. Not necessarily neglected, but she didn't mind either way as she was an obedient child and she understood that both her parents were flooded with work which needed to be taken care of.

This is why she sought out a hobby to preoccupy herself with. Flipping through the channels as a curious child, she abruptly stopped when an animated female character on the screen magically transforms, with all the colorful lights and sparkles, and shouts, "In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" Eyes widened in amazement, Shizuka could not take her gaze away from the television screen while her thoughts were of how exciting whatever this was and how she wanted to become like them, hues of hair she's never seen before, costumes of different variety and color, and the dynamic personalities each one had.

Years had passed since then, but her love and excitement for anime never wavered. What remained though was her calm, delicate nature she presented towards her fellow classmates, friends, and parents. Her passion for anime (and now manga) was to not leave the four corners of her room. Shizuka would occasionally show hints of interest when her classmates discussed about them but no one, and she means NO ONE, should ever find out about how "otaku" she was.

Keeping all of this within her had limits and before she was about to breakdown, someone on the hallway of the school uttered the word, "cosplay". It took quite awhile for her to learn the meaning and to take enough courage to disguise herself in the colorful costumes and hair she once saw years ago, to find people of similar interests without them ever finding out her true self.

With the positive reactions given by the people she has met, Shizuka continued to create more disguises by her own hands, to the point where she landed at her current part time job at the cosplay cafe as Shizu-chan, the persona she presented to the people of the otaku world.

Persona: Inari Ōkami

Appearance: Illustrated by: Sho Minazuki

Abilities:
Twin Slash - 2 light Slash attacks. (1 enemy)
Tarukaja - Increases 1 ally's Attack.
Tarunda - Decreases 1 foe's Attack.

[User]
Dragunov Siblings - Warakuma Hospital

"Sorry, Ni-san!" a faint voice broke Alexei's calm siesta. It was nice to relax a bit sometimes, now that he had done nothing but rest for full sixteen hours. No chores to run, food to make or things to fix. It was a welcome rest and he needed it but what he didn't need was her sister's voice filled with guilt.

"For what, Akachan!" he said in his deep grumble, eyes still closed but he moved his torso to the side to face his beloved sister.

Elena was pleasantly surprised, she hadn't seen her dear brother smile in god knows how long and for him to call her 'baby' meant that there was a change that she may have missed in their last harrowing experience together.

"Nothing!" she whispered quietly as she turned to face him, looking at his visage carefully. She had always felt protected and nurtured but something was different today. Her brother wasn't know for open display of love, well if you discount the flowers and the pains he goes to in making her lunch but smiling together and other non verbal communications were rather limited. She couldn't place it but she was happy if things looked like what they were.

A faint knock caught his attention, it was a bit too light for a hospital staff and the fact that almost everyone knew him because of his mother here. They could openly announce themselves and enter. Perhaps, the news may have caught on to Inoue and Sagat. He didn't expect any others.

So he was pleasantly surprised when Kotori opened the door after a brief pause. Carrying two bouquets for the siblings, this was certainly unexpected.

"Ah! Shirohane-san!" he said, a bit surprised, as he sat up in his bed.

"Kotori-chan!!" Elena almost screamed in excitement as she too noticed the flowers. Kotori wanted to place it on the side table but hesitated. Asking whether it was okay. It was Elena who tried to put her at ease.

"Thank you!! They are beautiful. I'm so happy you came to see me." she carried in her excited tone,perhaps making the other girl a bit embarrassed.

"So? How did you know, we were here?" Elena asked.

"Calm down, sis. It was through Shirohane-san's help that I was able to rescue you." Alexei finally said. "I don't know how I'll repay your debt, but I'll try, Shirohane-san." he added sincerely. Elena's eyes just widened at his response as she motioned for Kotori to sit next to her on her bed trying to make her feel comfortable with the two foreigners.

[Assistant]
Warakuma Hospital
14/6/2015 Sunday

"I see you're doing well", said Rui as he entered. He expected Akane to be here considering she had friendship with him. Maybe she was late? Likely slept in. In any case, he was going to speak about the dungeons and shadows with Alexei, but his sister was here... She didn't have the power, and involving her might not be the best idea.

"And hello to you too Kotori... Alexei, we met once, outside the manga club room, when do you think you can be discharged?", he asked. Alexei was likely going to be discharged tomorrow and allowed to attend school again as his condition had improved... But his sister on the other hand was still experiencing nausea and a bit of trauma from being kidnapped. It probably would've been worse if they didn't rescue her sooner, but she ought to be fine by the end of the week.

At least that's what the nurses had told Alexei earlier this morning before visiting times began. Still, this was a better result than expected, but it only raised more questions for Rui and Kami in their investigation...

[User]
Kotori Shirohane - Warakuma Hospital | Afternoon

As it turned out, her worries had been unfounded - Elena, who seemed rather elated about her visit, was quick to show her appreciation. With a small smile of relief, Kotori said "Ah, that's good," as she placed the flowers in their vases - though her relief wasn't just about the flowers not being unwelcome, but also to see that both of the two Dragunovs were awake and well; or at least appeared as such. At the very least, Elena was still showing as much enthusiasm as she had back at the library - even as she asked how she'd known that they'd been there.

"Eh?" was Kotori's first response, having just placed the flowers on the small table, as she really didn't know how to respond to the question - should she outright tell them? Should she try to talk her way out of it - even if she heavily doubted she'd be able to do so? However, before she could even say anything further, Alexei spoke up to try and calm some of his sister's excitement - and quickly making Kotori rather surprised when he said she'd been of such help. "Eh? Ah, I..." she began, trying to say that she really hadn't done very much, before he continued to say that he'd try to repay this debt.

"Ah, n-no, no, there's no need for that, really!" Kotori quickly said, shaking both her hands before her and her head for emphasis. "T-the others did a lot more, so..." she began, embarassment rather evident in her voice - not only didn't she know how to answer the previous question, but also not how to dissuade him from seeing it as a debt to be repaid when it was far from her alone who'd been there to help. Luckily though, a distraction presented itself as Rui stepped into the room; prompting Kotori to stand back up after she'd only just sat down on the edge of the bed at Elena's motioning to give a bow in somewhat thankful greeting: "Ah, good afternoon, Shinichi-san."

Seeing as he'd been the one to tell her of all the details after she'd been rescued and subsequently gained her persona, Kotori assumed - or rather, hoped - Rui was here to do the same for Alexei; though it was a slightly different situation with his sister in the know but not having gained a persona - either way though, Kotori sat back down for the moment to take a momentary breather and hoped that Rui would be able to clear up some things.

[Assistant]
Alexei Dragunov | Warakuma Hospital

For a moment he could see Kotori turn red as a tomato, perhaps she wasn't expecting such reactions from either of the two siblings. Alexei wondered why a helpful and studious girl like Kotori had such timidness or perhaps it was just a little discomfort. He tried to allay her the best he could, "Okay, we'll talk about it later."

He took an apple from the fruit basket and offered it to her, "Sadly we aren't at home so this is the best I can do, why don't you come over our place on a Sunday? you may like it." he said lightly just as then Rui entered.

"Yeah it seems, all I needed was a shut-eye." Alexei said in response to his observation. Before the junior began how he knew of him. "Well we have crossed paths more than once but those are insignificant details. I'll be discharged tonight,if you gotta talk about something you can give me your number, I'll ring you up." he said.

"Help yourself to the fruits if you feel like, I could really use some needless sweet drink at the moment but the nurses said No!" he finished.

[User]
Kenji Hoshikawa || Star Drop Cafe || June 13 SAT
Business at the cafe was as usual on a weekend noon, filled with customers thanks to being the only cosplay cafe in town. Warakuma was a rural type of town not too long ago; it was slowly developing like the neighboring big cities. That aside, today was the day a new waiter had come into work and Kenji was just in the middle of instructing Aiko Yamamoto on how to brew a hot cappuccino when the doors slammed open. By instinct, the waiters and waitresses dressed in prince/princess outfits greeted in chorus, 'Welcome home, master!'

"Aiko! Hey Aiko I need your help!" It seemed that the boy was not a customer but an acquaintance of his new trainee? Kenji lead his new waiter to whoever it was that was looking for him before the manager's eyes quickly scanned the boy. A grin replaced his curious expression as the older male started, "Are you related to my new waiter here? You two resemble each other!" Noticing that he might've interrupted something between them, he bowed slightly before deciding to leave them. "Sorry about that, I'll leave you two to your business but if you have time tomorrow, could you drop on by? Your build has potential to be popular among our female customers just like this boy here." His thumb pointed back towards Aiko before offering another bow and leaving their side.

Shizuka Otonashi || Pastry Shop || June 13 SAT: After School
After the attempt at regaining her composure, Shizuka gratefully bowed as she received the cake from the upperclassman. "T-Thank you, Saji-senpai." Flashing a soft smile in appreciation, that smile became brighter as her hazel eyes sparkled at the marvelous pastry. With her habit to eat her favorite part first, the younger student picked up the fork and poked at the chestnut atop the cake before plopping it into her mouth. The satisfied expression upon her face made it evident that she was enjoying the mont blanc until Masahide thanked Shizuka once again for introducing the shop to him. But before she could reply, he continued and ended with a teasing statement. Being how she was, the female teen took the question seriously and averted her gaze to the side as she spoke in an embarrassed tone, "Um... No-Not as often as you think I do."

A curious question relating to the topic at hand had formed in Shizuka's mind as she turned her gaze back to the upperclassman in front. "I-Is it strange? Do others not offer help to strangers evidently in need? She supposed not everyone would be as kind as to give their concern to strangers but being raised in an environment that encouraged such, the maiden grew up to act in such a way. Though with her shy trait, Shizuka couldn't bring herself to approach strangers unless she felt that they were in dire need of help.

Time seemed to pass quickly as the two continued occasionally conversing while enjoying their coffee and cake but as the sun seemed to be setting soon, Shizuka thanked once more for Masahide's time and for the treat he bought for her before excusing herself to start heading home.

Shizuka Otonashi || Warakuma Recreational Center || June 14 SUN
WHACK, followed by the sound of a bouncing tennis ball. And another WHACK. Ponytailed dark tresses danced in the air as the girl rushed from left to right. Sudden movements caused her sky blue pleated skirt to flutter around with each movement, flashing a peek of her upper legs.

After the last WHACK, Shizuka released an exhausted yet satisfied sigh, lowering the tennis racket in her grip as she walked over to the bench by the court. The neatly folded towel atop the bench was picked up by the tired tennis player, before being gently tapped along her face. Having the need to see properly to accurately hit the tennis ball, the long, dark bangs were pinned up by simple, white hair pins. Her eyes were clearly visible for anyone to see but fortunately for the timid teen, she had yet to see anyone she recognized today. The towel was then tapped along her slender neck to wipe off the perspiration while Shizuka decided to buy a drink from the vending machine at the main lobby.

Out of the tennis court and into the recreational center's main lobby, Shizuka walked as she dried herself with the towel. She was still in her tennis uniform, white polo shirt with a pleated sky blue skirt, since it could pull off as casual clothes anyway. Dropping a few coins into the vending machine, the teen pressed the button for a refreshing sports drink before taking a seat at one of the benches to take a sip of her drink.


[System]
Age: 24
Physical Appearance: Valerie's appearance seems very well put-together, almost embodying her background of nobility with a soft delicateness offset by steadiness, confidence, and inner strength. She has fair, unblemished skin, pale blue eyes, and long, dark brown hair most often secured in a low bun with a moderate amount of loose strands flitting about her face. Her height is a few inches on the tall side, and her physical build is slim and lithe, with subtle muscling visible where her clothing hugs her body. Obviously not a powerhouse of strength, but capable and in excellent condition.

Armor/Clothing: Her light-weight gear functions well enough with her style of combat and of fashion, and indeed, she finds the blend of noble elegance with mercenary ruggedness somewhat appealing, and some part of her even desires to stand out clearly from common sellswords. The high quality tailoring and craftsmanship speaks volumes about her history, or at least gives away that she wears clothes and gear more expensive than a common mercenary and adventurer just starting out should be able to afford.

Starting with her upper body, Valerie wears a long-sleeved and thin undershirt close fit to the point of a second skin. Over this she wears some actual protection, in the form of a light but sturdy leather breastplate to protect her heart and lungs. It was custom tailored for her and fits extremely well, secured around her neck and lower back. It cuts off just below her ribs, sacrificing some protection for the sake of full flexibility and range of motion.

Her leggings are closely fitted and comfortable linen, with some extra layering of leather around her thighs, hips, and waist to better protect her upper legs. Buckled loosely around her waist is her sword belt, as well as a decorative sash of dark blue silk with golden floral patterns. The sash flutters down from her right hip, partially concealing the hilt of the long, thin dagger sheathed there. Her boots are made of soft leather, designed more to be comfortable than tough, and are buckled below the knee, and again at the ankles.

Under her clothing she wears a pendant with the snowflake emblem of her family, secured on a very thin golden chain.

Weapons: Valerie's primary weapon is a thin, extremely sharp sword, most suited for dueling engagements but functional enough in other styles. It packs a surprising bite, given how quickly Valerie can strike with it, either thrusting or slashing, and can pierce many armor types. It's not a fragile weapon, either, and can block or parry incoming strikes if she needs to. Valerie can wield it with either hand (technically right handed, but she's very ambidextrous) or with both for added strength.

Her sidearm is a long, thin knife at her right hip, which she can wield in either direction front or back, but will only do so in the event that she is somehow disarmed of her sword.

Combat Overview: Speed, decisiveness, grace, and fluidity define Valerie's style. She's very well trained in the use of her weapon, and knows well how to make the most of situations with skillful deflections that turn blows aside rather than stopping them cold, and open up holes in her opponent's defenses for her to exploit. Her offense is swift and precise, and rarely forces her to overextend on the attack and expose vulnerabilities. On the defensive, Valerie is light-footed and agile, able to dodge most attacks lacking swiftness, while parrying attacks strong in speed but lesser in strength. And while she prefers single combat, she's both swift and aware enough to handle multiple enemies of lesser skill simultaneously. At full strength, Valerie is a deadly enemy to fight, with the speed and precision to turn small mistakes from her opponents into lethal ones.

She still has significant weaknesses to overcome, most stemming from her overall lack of actual experience in battle as opposed to rigorous training. Underhanded tactics can catch her off guard, and fighting hand to hand or grappling are both particular weaknesses of hers. Her physical endurance has not often been tested, and her choice of extremely light armor doesn't help much when she ends up getting hit. Despite her determination, she can only endure a limited number of wounds.

Personality: On the outside Valerie is quiet, calm, composed, an excellent picture of nobility. Inwardly she feels very passionately about causes she puts herself behind, something that can sometimes show in the heat of a conflict. She's quite sociable and kind with the majority of those she encounters, and tends to be both understanding and forgiving of others. She does, however, retain some aspects of her upbringing, and is just a touch vain.

Her morals are quite strong, and indeed drive her to do things that have little benefit for her to offset the risk. She believes the position of power she was born into gave her a responsibility to help those beneath her, rather than a right to rule over them.

History: Valerie is the third child of four of the wealthy and powerful Winter family of the kingdom of Ardennia, and the only daughter. While not in line to rule the kingdom, her family watched over a large swath of diverse land with farms, towns, forests, rivers, and small mountains. Her kingdom, however, had an expansionist king with dreams of conquering their northern neighbor and expanding his domain. After years of military swelling and building of tension, war was declared following a loosely conceived insult against them, likely fabricated for an excuse to attack.

The Winter family was called, and answered. Valerie and her brothers had been trained among other things in the art of war, and were to serve as commanders of varying levels in the army. Valerie, however, refused the call, bringing some shame upon her family and soon forcing her to leave her home. She traveled far from her kingdom's borders, using her honed skills with the sword to pay her way in adventuring, which she took to naturally. Her experience thus far is limited, but it has served to build up her confidence, and reassure her that she made the correct choice in leaving her home behind.

[User]
He sat back and listened, sipping his Ale as he did so. Had he heard of the Winter family? He felt as if he had, though it would probably have only been in passing. He couldn't help but feel a small nagging in the back of his head that he recalled a story of the family once, but it was no matter. If he and Valerie spent more time together, doubtless he would find out.

He chuckled and looked around as he spoke. "This is quite the life to choose, though." he replied. Even for an exile, to be a Mercenary was to be in constant danger of disease and combat. "But, I'm glad you did. I think we both saved each other a few times back there. You're pretty handy with that blade of yours. A bit reckless but, I have no room to criticize." he admitted. He gazed into his cup and thought about challenging her to a small duel, but...not yet. He felt like talking a bit more first.

A waitress strode up at that moment and offered to give them some extra Ale. Markus decided he'd have one more, but none after that. He felt like talking than anything. It was dangerous for a Merc to get too dependent on alcohol either. He also ordered a small beef and cheese sandwich. He'd only had jerky throughout the day. After they gave their orders (if Valerie did as well), Markus crossed his toned arms, resting them on the table, and in turn rested his chin atop them. His eyes gazed up at Valerie through his tousled hair. "You probably didn't expect the butchery today." he said. "Honestly I didn't either but, now that it's happened and you did the job, what're you thinking of doing? Going down south again or waiting for something to pop up here?"

[Assistant]
Valerie didn't disagree with being called reckless. It was hardly the first time she'd been called such. The leniency she was shown in childhood, combined with the training she was given and her natural talent, had turned her into a young woman who was perhaps overly eager to put those skills to use. Ruling over lands had never been in her future, as what could be passed down would go to her older brothers, and to be honest she'd always despised the idea of simply starting and managing a family for a life. Thus she preferred the word adventurous even if reckless was sometimes more accurate. What other way allowed her to see the world, utilize her abilities, and do so with a clear conscience?

It was dangerous, yes, and she'd almost lost her life that very day. But she didn't, thanks to Markus, and as a result she had a chance to learn from her mistake, and improve until she could handle more and more.

When the waitress came by, Valerie declined the extra ale, having not yet finished her first, and knowing she certainly wouldn't require a second. She did order for a salad, at least, hoping to eat something fresh before she was on the road again. She glanced out the window and thought over his question for a moment.

"I was going to go back south," she admitted. "I figured there were be more chances for contracts there. But after the fight, I think I'd actually rather see if there's something that can be done here." Perhaps that was the reckless side of her speaking again. Any job here would have a near guarantee of danger, given the orc presence. "It seems like a good place here, and one that could use the help."

[User]
Markus nodded, his poise now thoughtful as he listened to her. "I agree." he said, referring to the Orc presence here being the cause for more contracts. "I was figuring I would do some scouting out here if it brought any money, or joining another caravan traveling further north. I'm not sure what's north of the RidgeTalon mountains. I hear a few cities are that way but, the highlands, lowlands and foothills here aren't exactly clear of dangers, or have the most well maintained roads." He looked into the crowd, thinking aloud. "There might even be a few openings for Road Wardens. Need a horse though..."

He shook his head, and was about to turn around and ask more about her. He was curious on more than a few things, but even as he opened his mouth, he was interrupted suddenly.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Markus blinked, lowering his brow curiously at the noise. It was coming from outside, fairly close by. No one else seemed to notice except two older men sitting behind them. Probably because they were the only ones near the wall. "
Hold on a sec...
" he said under his breath, more talking to himself than Valerie. He caught himself though, not wanting to give her the impression she should stay put. "I mean, you know what I mean." He replied, simultaneously giving a small shrug and playful grin before nodding for her to come follow him. He believed he knew what that sound was.

As they stepped outside, one of the Soldiers of Hillglen was indeed just where Markus thought he'd be. A wooden board with a small thatched roof to keep the rain or snow off stood across the courtyard of the street. The Soldier was just leaving a new notice for the town. That's not a contract, is it?

He glanced back at Valerie and met her eyes, before turning back and striding forward with purpose to the board. Rough script on rougher paper covered the wooden wall set up by thin pillars of roughly hewn stone. Most were notices of law, and some were Mercenary contracts far outdated. But the one just placed at the center...

He pulled it off the board and read it under the street lamp light, for the sun had just lowered past the horizon. He read it aloud, though his voice was low and he held it between he and Valerie that she could see, though there was little light above them and she would need to lean close to catch it.

Attention.

Due to the recent incursions and raids by the savage races, Adventurers, Trappers, or Hunters are needed to scout the surrounding lands within a week's horse ride, and to map out the areas where the Orcish tribes frequent the most. This contract is for Freelance explorers, and you will receive no aid in medical supplies or strength of arms. Every Orc hold to be discovered will garner 5 pounds of Gold. If interested, meet me at my office and make your mark. Take caution, for this is for the very foolhardy. I expect results, for this town breeds nothing if not foolhardy folk.

-Mayor Brizana

P.S. The same rules of kills apply as well, and will be added onto the amount.

5 Bronze for every Goblin Ear.
5 Silver for Orc Ear.
3 Gold for every Ogre ear.
5 Gold for a Giant Ear.

Any other beastial monster is up for haggling, as always.

"Damn." he breathed. He could almost shake his head. He hadn't even finished reading it before he knew it was too interesting of a chance to pass up, even if it was near suicide. Guess I'm foolhardy. "I'm not a smart guy." he admitted to her, turning his head to look at Valerie. "Because I'm probably going to do this. But..." He let the unspoken question hang in the air. He wanted to voice the opinion that if she felt like living, she wouldn't accept this like he was. But he wouldn't disrespect her enough to act like it was too much for her either. @Luminosity

[Assistant]
Grabbing her things, Valerie followed Markus on his way out of the tavern, though she made sure to catch the attention of the waitress and make sure she knew they were returning for the food they ordered, and that they'd pay for it as well. She was quite hungry after all. Buckling her sword-belt back around her hips, she exited the tavern into the cool evening air, noting that few enough seemed interested in whatever had just been pinned to the board.

She stood close beside Markus so she could read the notice along with him. Honestly, she'd underestimated the funds the little town was willing to give out for work, as the reward for the job seemed quite generous to her. Perhaps that was because of the very high risk involved. Still, payment wasn't Valerie's biggest concern when sizing up a contract. Hillglen needed something like this to better plan a response to the incursions, and someone had to be willing to go out and do it.

"Well I'm not going to let you go alone," she answered, quickly enough, and steadily too. They'd already proven beneficial to each other in the previous scrap, and Valerie was hardly going to allow a friend of hers to take a risk like this on his own. She glanced back at the contract, noting the rewards for trophies from specific races. Ogres and Giants were almost certainly more than she could handle, as even single orcs were often serious threats to her, but Valerie was thinking positively. The job didn't actually require any killing in the description.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, and exhaled. "If we're careful, we can avoid most conflicts. Only strike when we have to, and make sure we do so on our terms. Hopefully we don't have to take many risks, and we can make it back in one piece." Of course, she was no expert on orcs or the other savage races, and navigating their territory in of itself was a great risk. They would only have themselves and each other to rely on, but Valerie was not easily deterred.

"We can do this," she said as she nodded. It was mostly for her own sake.


[System]
Appearance:

Ghisronia is a short young woman, with a noticeably overweight body. A mixture of fat and muscle, she has a squat, rounded form, with a large stomach, pudgy face, and a double-chin. Whilst markedly flabby, her arms and legs also have a decent amount of muscle on them.
Age: 18

Gender: Female

Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual

Occupation: Performer/Cook

Weaponry: A variety of poisons, lightweight crossbow, and a slender short-sword.

Apparel: Ghisronia dresses in a motley combination of cloth and leather when not performing; with a hooded cloak, and trim shoulder pads for added protection. A simple leather mask is sometimes worn to obscure her features.

Equipment: Basic cooking supplies, materials for making a campfire (flint and steel etc), ornate necklace, and a handmade waterskin.

Skills: Acting, Cooking, theft, the art of disguise. Reasonably skilled with her crossbow and sword, but not at a remarkable level.

Magical abilities: Very mild understanding of healing magic. Can patch up minor wounds, and can prevent larger wounds from festering and becoming infected.

Personality: A self-aware narcissist, Ghisronia cares about one thing, and one thing only; Herself. Whilst not completely sadistic, Ghis does draw a slight sense of satisfaction from the suffering of others, and delights in meddling in affairs that aren't her own. A survivalist at heart, Ghisronia is good at adapting to hazardous situations, and is able to keep a cool head in the face of danger.

An expert actress, Ghisronia will usually pass for a fairly eloquent teenaged girl with a slight air of spitefulness about her, working to shield the full extent of her dark side.

Backstory: Born to a family of farmers, Ghisronia suffered at the hands of her abusive farther, until the day she snapped and killed him. Running away from home, Ghis spent a few months as a beggar and a thief, before falling in with a troupe of traveling performers. Having always had a skill for cooking, Ghisronia worked as a chef for the performers, whilst they honed her acting skills in return.

Plagued by memories of her mistreatment at the hands of her father, Ghis spent the majority of her childhood in melancholy, feeling like a victim, until the day of her second kill.

After a performance, a spectator from the audience followed the young girl back to her tent, attempting to force himself on her. After she refused his advances, her stalker became feral and violen; giving Ghisronia a black eye and a split lip. Enraged, she killed the man in a fit of anger, slashing his neck with one of her cooking knives.

Horrified about what might happen if the body was discovered, Ghis began to cannibalize the man who'd followed her, finding that taste of human flesh send electric sensations through every fibre of her being, in a manner that she had never before experienced. Ghis cooked the remains into a stew, which she served to the rest of the troupe; thus awakening a dark thirst that she would never be able to shake. Wherever the troupe travelled, Ghisronia would pick off easy targets, before feasting on their remains, and satisfying her gluttonous desires.

Ghisronia has continued to develop her acting skills, becoming an extremely convincing actress, as well as her thievery, to the point where she is a formidable pickpocket and con artist.

Other

[User]
Skællmagde

A swell of pride swept through Vala as she heard the term left his lips. Despite her elation, Vala noted a difference in how he talked, placing him somewhere farther North, presumably, as he talked like one and addressed Vala as a 'southern sister'. There were a few isles to the North that she could recall visiting but usually the ice made it difficult for the bulkier longships that the navies used.

"Heiketa Vala." (I am called Vala) And after she introduced herself, returned the Seothrunn's bow. She was warming up quite nicely to the man she had only met a few minutes ago. Kinship played a big part in that.

Seothrunn's next words, however, caught her off guard. At first she didn't understand it. Reputation? Why would I care? But it didn't take long for Vala to catch on. By that time she had taken the pastry from Seothrunn's hands but once she made the connection, she dropped it and shoved it away as if it were some pile of shit. A Boneman was sitting right next to her...

"Oú ert Bienmǫgr?" (You are a Son/Kindred of Bones?) She asked curtly, raising her voice slightly. "ótrúlegt..." (Unbelievable) She added without considering Seothrunn's defense. She felt her right hip burn as if reliving an old wound. "Ég skulda einn af mǫgrfólks þíns fyrir særa mig." (I owe one your kind for wounding me). As she said this, she leaned back in her chair, glowering ahead, and rubbed her right hip. "Hann stakk mig í bak." (He got me in the back). With that she leaned forward again and glared back at her dining companion. Taking up a different pastry, she took a bite out of it. Chewing, she took the opportunity to think on her situation. She didn't outright hate the guy because Bonemen never went that far South and her ships never went that far North. But the snag was that they were on separate sides until now.

"Anzvíti..." (Damn) Vala said aloud as she thought about it longer. She was probably stuck with this man for the foreseeable future and petty squabbles weren't something to have going on a ship, or whatever was in store for them. "Gleymdu því, Það mun vera langt ferðalag, ef við erum í hár saman." (Forget it, it will be a long journey if we are at each other's throats). She couldn't be 100% sure that it was a Boneman who had stabbed her, after all. There were a lot of folks who turned to brigands and Vala wasn't petty enough to assume all folks were brigands. No matter where they came from.

As a peace offering, she reached across the table and grabbed a plate of smoked meats slices, making it easier for both of them to enjoy something a little hardier. Taking one she shoved it down after taking another bite of her pastry. It was kind of a hazy area and Vala wasn't really sure how she felt, so she kept quiet and stuffed her mouth to prevent something petty from leaving her lips.

[Assistant]
Seothrunn was not too surprised by Vala's reaction when she worked out who, or more accurately, what, he was. Still, he could not help but feel disappointment filling his heart as her indifference turned to slight hostility. His eyes were drawn to her hip as she rubbed it and made it known that it was one of his people that had injured her. "Isk år hvågur." (I am sorry) Seothrunn said rather stupidly, though in all honesty he had no idea how he was supposed to feel. On one hand, he did feel sorry for her; the bone weapons were impossible to make smooth, and so more often than not their blades had unintended hooks or snags that tore at skin and muscle with every swing. It must have hurt intensely when she received the wound.

On the other hand, he did not like how she acted as if he had any part to do with her wounding. As far as he was concerned, she engaged a Boneman in combat and came away with a wound. That was how fighting worked. You fought, you bled and at the end of the day, you rejoiced at simply having been given the chance to live another day while your opponent became food for carrion. Maybe that was one difference between the Bonemen and Vala's people. Seothrunn found himself wondering, much to his own amusement, just how she would react if she found out that the Bonemen actually respected her people by no small amount. The ships of her people were strictly off-limits to younger, less-experienced captains and at times some were even to be left untouched.

Still, Seothrunn knew that there was little he could do now; he could not speak for the future, but he was being carefully optimistic. Vala was a northerner, despite their differences, and he would have preferred it if they had not gotten off on the wrong foot. Now all he could do was just hope that their next step did not make things worse. He gave her a little, almost undetectable smile and said, "Isk hårt stjälunin-nejat et vesa sætt dejan sämnta." (I have no intention of being at your throat) She was a person of the sea - or at the very least she had the look of one - and Seothrunn felt confident that regardless of her misgivings, she would be willing to set aside her personal grudges endanger their mission.

If they were going to have one, at least. The king was certainly taking his own sweet time.

Seothrunn reached forward and picked up a slice of smoked meat from the plate and took a small bite out of it. Now that was something that reminded him of home, of the smokehouses filled with the scent of smouldering charcoal and raw fish, of his mother chiding him for eating too much of the stuff and his sister and him sneaking off a few slices for their own consumption later on. He glanced sideways at Vala and noticed her stuffing her mouth. She must be very hungry. Seothrunn noted. That, or she could just be eating to prevent any conversations from taking place. His own sister did the same, and once ate herself into sickness.

"Mäk isvokk fæthet dejarin." (My people respects yours) He said, not even noticing the words leaving his mouth until he heard them for himself. Quickly, he added, "Isk båri väskett dej skeld vasa." (I just thought you should know.)

[User]
Ghisronia watched the peasant boy sit down next to her out of the corner of her eye, grinning ever-so-slightly, and giving her eyelashes the faintest flutter.

"Nice to meet you, Jobe." She said softly "My friends call me Ghis."

Ghisronia took a voracious bite from her mutton, letting out a little squeal of pleasure as she savoured the taste. Lamb wasn't her usual choice, but she very much doubted they'd be serving her preferred recipe at this feast, and she was more than happy to scoff down most kinds of meat.

"Hello!"

The merry greeting pulled Ghis back into the real world. Turning her neck slightly, she saw a girl about her height, with bright green eyes and coppery hair sit down next to her. She grimaced slightly when the girl began picking at the mushrooms, which Ghis had intended to eat herself, but decided it was best not to make a scene. Adopting her most authentic fake smile, Ghisronia greeted the girl in an overly-pleasant manner, channelling her best ditz blonde.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Ghisronia." She said, with a great big cheesy grin.

This one seemed sweet and innocent. She'd have some fun with her.

"Wine, my lords?" called out a serving boy from over the other side of the room.

"Over here, please." She shouted back, gesturing to the empty flagon in front of her.

Polishing off her mutton, and swallowing a deep burp, Ghisronia picked a few cuts of roast swan off of a nearby serving tray, placing them down on her own plate. Not quite satisfied, she cut herself a chunk of bread and a generous slice of cheese, snatched up two fried squirrels, and scooped up a rack of board ribs.

Nosily tucking into her second plate, Ghisronia turned to address the pair who were seated on either side of her.

"So where have you both come from?" She asked with just the right amount of feigned sweetness, licking a few crumbs off of her dark red lips.

She gave the peasant boy's bulky form a quick look over, smiling just enough to not seem to keen.

"I'm guessing you do a lot of heavy lifting?" she asked coyly.

The young woman was quick to make a considerable dent in her meal, breaking it up with occasional sips of mead from the large metal mug. She picked a few sweet rolls off of the pastry tray, absent mindidly popping them into her mouth before leaning heavily back on her chair, causing it to moan rather worryingly loudly as it strained beneath her.

Her eyes drifting over the other guests, Ghisronia found them settling on the white haired fellow, who seemed to have an air of something other about him. Her interest adequately peaked, she called out to him.

"I can't help but shake the feeling there's something more to you, sir." She declared rather suddenly, with a sugary, honey-like quality to her voice, which held an undertone of something a little murkier and more ambiguous; like the sing-song voice of the handsome cut-throat who lurks about in dingy bake alleys, calling out to unsuspecting young girls, before drawing them in and robbing them blind.

Biting the head off of one of her fried squirrels, Ghisronia undid the bronze-clasped belt she wore around her vast waist, giving her a little more room to breathe as her large stomach oozed outwards.