One by one the new order soon assembled before the open, wide doors of the abandoned sawmill.  Those who had been wooed to the cause by Craw Maghar might have found themselves leery of the prospect of defending the peace in the tumultuous city given that their headquarters was a disused manufactory - hardly the grand, steepled citadels of the Tetrarchy in Tiberia or the ancient solid stone fortress carved into the Melrakkin mountainside.  No, it was an inauspicious, humble beginning for the dangerous venture of saving a city on the brink of collapse, but from humble beginnings grow great things - or so Eirik hoped as he noted the gathering collection of warriors and wanderers before him.<br/><br/>Apparently Craw most valued promptness in his candidates as more showed up at nearly the same time, one atop the other atop the other.  Eirik greeted each in turn, making a mental checklist as he did so.  First had been Ashmedai, armed and armored like a rover or wayfarer, which made sense as the man revealed his background as a royal Forester, charged with protecting the Eorls' lands.  Eirik had done some scouting with a royal Forester once - the man had moved like a gentle breeze and fought like a hurricane, and had had a level head on his shoulders to boot.  Good group of men, them.  He gathered Craw had seen those same qualities in Ashmedai.<br/><br/>Next had come Ruavia, the Alkhev warrior.  As traveled as he was Eirik didn't know much about that secluded race of near giants, only that their ways were as inscrutable as the expressions behind their ever-present helms.  He'd known a man to have been brutally beaten by one over some slight only the Alkhev had seen, but he'd also heard stories of their loyalty and generosity once befriended.  That this one here was making her way in the outside world, mixing with the other races in a hodge-podge city like Danelagh, spoke well of her character - even an Alkhev wouldn't far make it in this world if she flew off the handle at every interaction.  Still, he'd have to watch out how this one handled herself, maybe make sure to team up with her for the first few days.<br/><br/>Next of the Universus brotherhood to arrive had been Adien, the healer priest of the Temple of Life.  The man was rather renown in the city, and held a reputation of unimpeachable honor and forthrightness, along with serious skill as a warrior.  What exactly that old raven had been able to promise him to secure his aid Eirik could only guess at, but he was glad for it all the same.  The only thing he was worried about was whether or not the priest would be willing to get his hands dirty.  Eirik intended to see this city set straight, and right now the lawless ran rampant with little regard for the sermons of preachers.  It remained to be seen if this Adien would be able and willing to help when the going got tough.<br/><br/>The Lulf girl, Sara Belson, introduced herself into the conversation with an abrupt "<span style="font-style: italic">I did not know we were suppose to be wearing that Tiberia stuff!</span>" referring to the parfum Eirik had tentatively tried out this morning.  He grinned and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish look.  "I, uh, thought there'd be more Tiberians among us," he said with a self-deprecating smirk.  "<span style="font-style: italic">Thank you though for not dousing yourself in their smell,</span>" the Lulf continued.  "<span style="font-style: italic">While not an awful smell, they were entirely too much for my tastes. Are we all here to see Craw or do I have the wrong building?</span>"<br/><br/>"Yep, he's just inside there," Eirik replied, gesturing through the wide door open to the manufactory floor.  "I think we'll be getting started in a moment, why don't we all head inside?"  He turned back to the halfling on her housecat mount.  Curiosity getting the better of him, and knowing that Craw's reaction to the spectacle would be priceless, the Saxian crouched easily in front of the duo, gently extending a hand for the cat to sniff if it wished, while he spoke to the small woman.  "Say, we're all about to have a meeting inside.  Looks like there'll be plenty of fresh bread to go around," he said with a nod to Adien's armload of loaves, "Why don't you come on inside?"<br/><br/>"Hello!" came a bellowing voice from a few paces away.  Eirik looked up to see a massive black man with creepy white tattoos about his limbs and facial features, like some kind of deranged child's stuffed toy.  "Galloping ghosts!" Eirik declared with a startled half-step back from his crouch, even as his brain registered that this must be the strange mortician from the Obeahn islands, Ill Papa Conjuur.  His pants were rough-spun cloth that hung loosely from his heavy frame, ending in frayed threads near mid-calf, revealing his large bare feet and thread-tattooed ankles.  For a shirt he wore an open purple vest that revealed the tattoo of a stitched scar that followed his sternum from his throat to just above his swollen belly.  Add this to the thread-style white tattoos that crossed his eyes and lips, and his short shock of white hair atop his massive head, and you had the strangest man Eirik had ever seen.<br/><br/>"No, I'm not a ghost but a man you see!" the sorcerer replied with a booming laugh.  "Although I did once see a galloping ghost in my hometown of Obeah, did you know?  As a child I raced it from shore to shore, taking half the day, and when I won it granted me the power to speak to the dead!"<br/><br/>"Say, that's just great," Eirik replied politely.  "I'm sure we'll be putting your skills to good use soon.  Coming inside?" he asked, turning to everyone assembled with a wave of his hand inviting them to follow.  As any remaining brethren arrived as well, they were all invited to go inside.<br/><br/>***** *****<br/><br/>Only moments earlier, when Eirik had spoken to Craw before meeting the arriving team outside the front entrance, the manufactory floor had been an open space from wall to wall, as all previous heavy tools had been reappropriated for the war effort and then later lost.  Now, however, as Eirik led the team inside he was surprised to see that a large table had been assembled in the middle of the open room, with enough seats for maybe two dozen people.  Half of these seats were occupied.  Eirik saw a lot of red and gold, uniforms of the Tiberian legion.  Briefly he wondered if he had put on enough parfum...<br/><br/>"Ah, good, your men are here," said a woman as she stood from her seat near the head of the table.  Beside her, at the head of the table, perched Craw on a stool somehow designed for him specifically.  Eirik wondered if the Tiberians had come this prepared, or if some sort of conjuration had been used to set the scene.  He turned his attention to the woman, whose uniform bore the insignia for a File Leader, meaning she commanded somewhere between 50 and 100 soldiers in the legion.  Rather high up, then, and obviously comfortable taking over control of the room from the High-Reeve of Danelagh.  For himself Craw seemed unconcerned, merely plucking at something beneath his feathers as they waited for the new arrivals to be seated.<br/><br/>"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Universus," the woman declared to the room, as she moved to stand before the podium at the head of the table.  Behind her was a large stand, holding vertically a map of the city roughly 6' x 10' in size, with enough fine detail for every side street, dead end alley and garden statue, all labeled in tight and neat Tiberian lettering.  Even aside from her immaculate Tiberian uniform, red leathers beneath golden plate armor, crafted to the individual and designed for mobility as much as protection, the woman was the typical Tiberian.  She was pretty if statuesque, with golden hair kept in short regulation styling around a squarish face, with proud features and bright blue eyes.  "I am Verina Galla.  As you may know, in our tongue Universus means "<span style="font-style: italic">Becoming One</span>."  That is our goal here.  Tiberians; Saxians, whether native or foreign-born; members of all manner of races," Eirik noted that the Tiberians were all human, "are here to come together for the good of the people of Danelagh, East Saxia, and the Empire as a whole.<br/><br/>"General Publius and Baron Tasgall have jointly authorized this Order, to be led by your esteemed High-Reeve, Craw Maghar, with myself acting as liaison for the legion.  Our task is simple.  Preserve the peace in Danelagh.  Law-abiding citizens and members of your city watch alike are being overwhelmed by the degenerates of this city.  Our duty is to investigate the most heinous acts, find the culprits and see that they are brought to justice.  Commander Craw?"  Verina returned to her seat as she introduced the Great Raven, who sat up somewhat straighter.  He made to begin, but then stopped as his beady black eyes locked with the halfling woman.  Now seeing that the room was full more of Tiberians than Saxians Eirik wondered if it had been wise to bring the woman in as a joke, but Craw surprised him by letting out a great cackling cry.<br/><br/>"Graelle!?  My dear girl is that you?  It has been some time... Please, you must stay so we can catch up after this meeting here."  Without waiting for her answer Craw turned his attention back to the table.  "Yes, as F.L. Galla said, our mission will be twofold.  One, find and punish the worst of the wrongdoers the chaos of war has unleashed on our fair city.  Second, we must act as emissaries for the new union with the Tiberian Empire, and show the people of Danelagh that peaceful cooperation between our two nations is possible and profitable.<br/><br/>"First order of business.  Role call and introductions."  At that, Verina Galla stood again and began to call out names from a sheaf of paper she had placed before her.  She rattled through the Tiberian soldiers quickly enough, with each one of them standing to attention quickly before announcing themselves by name and rank.  Next came the Saxian side of the table, starting with Eirik.  He stood too, and said "Hello, I'm Eirik.  I'm to be Sergeant here, which means the teams of Wardents will be coordinating with me daily.  I look forward to working with you all."  He sat back down, as the rest our names are called.  Any of you who were given a specific task by Craw when recruited will be able to announce it now, otherwise you are to be a Wardent, an agent in the field and part of Eirik's team.