Alright then-- from what I've seen, so far the three applied characters are outstanding.  I'm looking forward to this story's kickoff.  :D<br/>I'll be ready to open up the IC thread as soon as Sunday, but to make things easier for all involved, I have a couple requests and I'd like to touch base.<br/><br/>Current characters:<br/>Wintercat -<strong>Fiera Ilmari</strong>- Elven Wizard<br/>Healergirl -<strong>Quinta Jana </strong>- Human Fighter<br/>Shihong-<strong>Takhaluuc </strong>- Goblin Barbarian<br/><br/>A couple things for players...<br/><br/>-I would like a 4th character just for the sake of group dynamics.  Requests and suggestions will be earnestly considered.<br/><br/>-Player Requests: Please write me privately if you would like to see something specific happen in the game... like, for instance, if you need more humor in a scene, if you want your character to run ripshit-riot over a minor enemy to show how badass he/she is, if you want the native elven chieftain's son to take particular interest in your character... etc.  I can't always pick up on the character clues and, while it may not help the story and I might say no, it does not hurt to ask.  I won't ignore or discourage private requests if you're really interested in something different.<br/><br/>-<strong>Background: </strong>Your characters have been in town long enough to know of each other.  I think it's pretty clear what we can learn from the current backgrounds, so let me know if anything below doesn't work or isn't fair for the character:<br/><br/>Fiera and Quinta: Fiera runs a jewelry shop in the walled city-- this is not the kind of shop you would expect from a modern perspective, with goods on display, comfortable atmosphere,a little work being done in the back-- there are no tourists in this city, and the few who have the opportunity to purchase jewelry or armor repair service will make appointments to do so based on reputation.  Having a display of one's wealth with no hired guards to protect it would be non-productive and potentially hazardous.<br/>Luckily, the jeweler was able to acquire the services of a mercenary fighter, Quinta, within the last two weeks.  Since her departure from her company, Quinta has worked for a local company, extracting minimal coin for the protection of local farms from supposed wildlife incursions.  The environment among her cohorts was... hostile, to say the least.  They lacked the discipline and experience of her former company, not to mention respect and candor.  Leaving that company was a no-brainer<br/>Fiera's 'shop' is one street off the main thoroughfare, but it's essentially a small warehouse with an office area and boarding rooms upstairs (accessible by outside entrance.  Fiera lives in one of these apartments).  Most of her income, at this point, is from crafting with local materials and mined resources which can be purchased cheaper locally, then crafted into marketable goods and shipped.  Her last shipped order included a chest full of finished goods local silver, onyx, and various volcanic stones.  The shipment left three weeks ago and she expects to hear results in within a year.  In the meantime, money will be an issue.<br/><br/>Takhaluuc: I'm PMing a piece of local lore.  He's been camping and lurking in the outskirts of the city, which is primarily marshland.  Again... the PM should have some useful details.  Everybody knows about this goblin.  Local statutes prohibit goblins from visiting the city except with trade permit, which allows one (not groups) to enter with up to six cubic feet of goods.  Takhaluuc owns one of these permits , which was especially difficult to get because they cost gold and cannot be bought through barter (which, consequently, is the only currency that most traders will extend the goblins in an effort to lower their overhead).<br/><br/>