<span style="font-style: italic">"Good morrow, my goodman. You must be Eirik?"</span>Ashmedei bowed his head and his smile was short yet it offered the man a sufficient volume of warmth. The humble tone in his voice held a slight concern.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Master Ashmodei, then?"</span>The red headed one asked. The rogue advanced a little closer to the man and extended his right hand, accepting his firm hand shake.<span style="font-style: italic">“Aye, you are correct, Sir.”</span>Ashmedei – or Ash for short, responded and stepped to the side. He concluded from the hand shake that the man's hands had gone through years of training which toughened them up.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"What kind of work were you in before this, if you don't mind me asking?"</span>His host asked. The rogue directed his form towards Eirik and followed him to the shallow apex above the wide manufactory door. As he was about to respond a feminine voice vibrated in the air.<span style="font-style: italic">“Is there a Great Raven inside, by any chance?”</span><br/><br/>Ashmedei turned around on his heels to see a woman stepping forward. She was a unique sight, dressed in metal and a taller height than him. Eirik's voice soon followed with a high spirited flavor to it. When the Fighter fell after trying to climb down, he threw a gimmick to lift himself upward. Ash's head cocked to the side. That was something he did not know about the red-headed one who was now safely standing on both feet. He turned his attention to Ruavia and two newly comers; a halfling on a feline mount and a man draped in lustrous white leathers. He had seen this man before in the city but only knew of him what the distance had offered and brought to his knowledge.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">“My apologies for bothering you sir but might I find a Master Craw here?”</span>Adien asked of the man.<br/><br/>Sighting the halfling again made the Nephilim smile warmly, but he made sure to make his staring brief as to not make the little thing uncomfortable in the presence of tall beings. He noted the wonderful aroma of bread in the air and turned his attention to Eirik to answer his previous question. He felt as if he needed to delay time before meeting the Craw, his new Leader. He was nervous. He knew that time has come to face the deadliest of sins.<span style="font-style: italic">“I was first assigned to my duties in East Saxia six years ago as a Forester. I was appointed by the Sire himself to operate areas of hunting land and to enforce our previously strict laws.”</span>In East Saxia, Ashmedei had lived the life of a peasant, but a freeman he was before the invasion of the Tiberian Empire. He was offered the most fortified of houses close to the city, but he did not feel that the reinforced protection was necessary despite the danger from the criminals who roamed in the dark. He opted for a small cabin in the woods instead. When he was sent by his Creator on the mission to face the seven deadly sins, he was also stripped off his unholy Nephilim powers, but was left with little magic for his Creator might have foreseen what was to come in this new realm. On the other hand, Ashmedei has always viewed himself as a normal human being, not different than any of them. It did not matter what his tribe thought of him back in his world. The son of a criminal does not always have to follow in his father's steps.<br/><br/>This magic in his hands called Gimmickry, had certain limitations in potency but Ash did not quite use it often, not even when his life was at risks. His skills in archery and sword-fighting were enough for him to help him survive any danger, or at least for now.<br/><br/>A cold shiver ran down his spine. Wisps of golden hair peeked out from the dark brown hood of his cloak as he eyed his new comrades with akin reverence.<span style="font-style: italic">“I have heard that the royal family had faced a terrible fate only recently. While some were forced out of the land, the rest were ... executed.”</span>The young man's voice trailed off weakly. He leaned over to pick up an abandoned felling ax on the ground and placed it upside down against the wall. The sacred aura surrounding the Priest was so delightful and warm that it somehow helped him subdue his nervousness. If there was anything else beside his gimmickry and weapon skills that he excelled at, it was sensing people's auras, and being highly receptive to the energies surrounding them. Once or twice in the past as he walked through the city, he had noticed a severe burn deformity from the Father's chin to his neck. In his opinion, the purity and divinity of the man worked as a veil to his dis-figuration. There can be dust or a scratch on the most perfect of gems, but it does not make it low in quality nonetheless.<br/><br/>The rogue's cloak swept the ground as he turned around to face the promising pathway which led to the Craw. A green leaf fell off his right shoulder and it swayed slowly in space by air resistance. He lowered a cerulean gaze to the ground and a silent sigh fanned over his lips as if to escape the heaviness deep inside his chest which set his heart ablaze.<span style="font-style: italic">“A mist i saw the night before. It hung heavy on the ground surrounding the city. I caught a distinct scent upon the light air and I knew ... I knew what it was. The corruption in the land has become unbearable. While these puppets swam in wealth and prestige, the people drowned in merciless poverty, damaged fields; agony and despair.”</span>Ashmedai spoke in his usual speech patterns - a calm tone, never raising his voice.