The Comrades of Istek

[Jade]

[fieldbox="Chapter One, Ivory, dashed, 10, book antiqua"]The Journey Begins

"My name is Kallrin', I am a merchant, and I am in need of some cheap sell-swords..."

It was a nice enough tavern, despite to slight reek of fish that permeated the town in which it was situated. It was fairly well populated at this time of night, many of the town's men relaxing and blowing off the steam generated by a hard day's work. One table was left bare, though, save for a single elderly man dressed in the garb of the east.

As he finally began to bore of waiting for those he had summoned with the poster outside, wondering if any would come at all, a slew of men and women walked in all at once. It would seem that many of the aspiring adventurers already knew one another, all but a few chatting familiarly with one another as they gathered to the table and began sitting.

The old man wasted no time revealing his intentions, speaking the moment the final ass hit it's chair. "I'll be both quick and blunt. My name is Kallrin', I am a merchant, and I am in need of cheap sell-swords to escort me to Masrin City. I've been cursed to return to a Rarkonir where I am unable to ply my wares. I've never had a trouble in my life making the trip from here to Masrin, but I hear stories that chill my bones, and from sources I'm inclined to believe. So, again, as I said, sell-swords, yes; I need you all to help me get from here to Masrin, WITH my cart intact, of course. I can give you each forty silvers here and now, and sixty upon our arrival. I'll even put you up both here and there for a night. So, can I trust you're all..."

Before he could finish, several of the others had already began agreeing in various ways, one shaking her head vigorously, another slamming their fists on the table in a seemingly joyous display. Before long, all had taken their silver, and retired to some rooms Kallrin' quickly ordered. Most slept restless, unable to hold back their excitement; tomorrow would be the start of a great and wonderful adventure, to be sure!

"The air was crisp and nature was alive as the party approached the river..."

The next day, the newly forged group of dissonant novices broke from Istek an hour after dawn, only awake long enough to gather for a quick meal, and then pack for the journey ahead of them. The road to Masrin City wasn't a particularly long one. None were in the Kingdom of Rarkonir, true be told, the realm itself slanting on the small side. No, the journey would not take long, should it be unimpeded; two or so days walk, depending on the pace. But these times were not ones of unimpeded travel. Indeed, they were times of plunder and thievery, as Kallrin' so bluntly pointed out the night before. Yes, it was true; any time spent on these roads was now trouble at the least. And at the worst? Slavery, death, even unending torture. The stories of the terrors abounding on these highways were what led the merchant to hire on the adventurers in the first place, and now, they would all see how true the stories were.

Hours and hours passed uneventfully, and nearly a third of the journey to Masrin had already been completed. The group decided they would continue on till they reached the Montari River, hoping to break for camp a bit before late evening. The air was crisp and nature was alive as the party approached the river, birds and bugs filling their ears with pleasant noise. Walking in no particular formation and with far too little caution the group was startled and surprised to find, after coming over a hill in the road, a group of surprisingly well armed and armored folks. Most of our adventurers noticed the kings colors upon them, and a few even noticed the more subtle insignias some of them bore. These were soldiers, or at least they had been during the war. It was quickly becoming clear to all but Hull that these were once proud warriors turned brigand; there was even what looked to be a knight among them, dressed in fineries of red and gold. True to the assumption, he soon proved to be leading the others, stepping forward to speak to Kallrin'.

Brigands

"Leave th' cart and your other supplies an' I'll let you go on to Masrin. Otherwise..."

The man puffed up slightly as he spoke. "Leave th' cart and your other supplies an' I'll let you go on to Masrin. Otherwise we'll slaughter ya raggedy bunch right now." He was plain enough, reaching for his weapon as he finished, his men following suit a moment later. Kallrin' quickly ran behind the cart to cower, shouting as he went "This is what I'm paying you for! A-at it! Get at it! Go!".[/fieldbox]​

 

[Weiss]

For the most part of her life, Zahra had waited tables. She was accustomed to carrying wooden trays with mugs of ale and pewter plates of heated meals planted atop them. After two years, Zahra accepted with a smile that this degenerate tavern, riddled with men and women from all walks of life, from lowly paupers who wished to spend a week's worth of begging for alms on one cold beer, to fishermen and guardsmen who wanted some rest and relaxation after a long day's work, to even cutthroats partaking in deals so shady, had become her home away from home, which was better than her home in the first place. She had called one of the rooms in the attic her own, and after about two years serving Istek's wonderful citizens as bartender, bard, and waitress, grew attached to her job.

Tonight, however, was different. "I quit!" her voice was heard from her attic. The bustling pub silenced itself for a moment, until ultimately going back to its rowdy state. The sounds of chattering became accompanied by the furious tapping of her shoes upon the wooden steps, shaking her head left and right.

"Oi, come back. wench! 'Thout me, ya won't s'rvive th' night! Now, come back and wait these tables! Gustav, the owner of the pub had said. He wasn't exactly branded as a kind man in Istek. In fact, he was greedy, selfish, and treated his workforce like how her slavemasters treated her and her sisters–as if they weren't human. The pub's previous owner was far kinder and more accommodating. That's when she heard the elderly man's pleas. "Better anywhere than here. Good luck finding another musician with as much allure as I, you disrespectful, infirm of purpose pignut!" Zahra said, slamming her palm upon the elderly man's table and sitting beside him.

The next day, Zahra was all set. She cooked for her comrades, and off she went, combating the silence of the atmosphere with the sweet sound of her flute, giving her and her adventurers a piece of Istek with her music. Suddenly, a quintet of armed individuals stopped the party in their tracks, causing Zahra to stop her playing of the flute. She stepped back along with the old man, looking over and gazing upon the other ragtag group of sell-swords. With a protective hand upon the elderly's back, Zahra patted him with reassurance. "Fret not, ser. I've seen and served these folk. They're worth every piece of copper you've on you." With her free hand, she subtly got her whip from her back, and readied herself for the ensuing chaos.

Inventory

Weapons: Whip

Food, Drink & Smoke:

• Waterskin
• Wineskin
• Apples
• "Magic" mushrooms

Misc. Items:​

• Black flute
• Coinpouch with 7 gold coins, 32 silver coins, and 53 copper coins (all either stolen, earned as tips in the bar (as a bartender or bard), or from her time as a bedslave.)
• Carving knife

​

​

 

[★Under The Stars★]

---

Father, I am leaving today to go to other lands. Currently, I cannot see how I can inspire people by sitting by and honing my skills as a follower of Müelier. I believe that Müelier has inspired me to take action, and to deliver the message of his divinity and power. I wish you the best. Thank you for all you've taught me. I could never hope to be as wonderful as you, since you are the essential epitome of Müelier's discipleship. Please accept my gratitude. If I do not return, do not mourn me, for I shall inspire others with my own separation of spirit and body. May Müelier keep you.

---

Liola left that letter on her father's bedside table. She looked longingly at her father before deciding that it was finally her time to go. She adjusted her priestess robes and snatched a small dagger from her father's armory. As she hid the dagger in the folds of her robes, she headed outside. She slid the door to the shrine closed and let a calm feeling wash over her. Liola opened her eyes and if someone had seen her, they would've described her as someone who had a fire burning inside of her. Okay... Let's go.

Liola had always heard that adventurers gathered in the tavern, so that's where she decided to start. As soon as she entered, she knew that she was out of place. Her robes were too clean, she had an air about her that just didn't match the rest of the people's here. It made her feel incredibly awkward, but it seemed that no one cared for the time being. Luckily, a quest was extended towards people who were willing to guard an old man on his journey. Liola thought this would be a nice quest to begin with, especially since probably needed to start small and simple.

As they journeyed, Liola was a bit tense. The old man had said that people had been attacked here, so she wondered why there hadn't been any enemy encounters yet. They had gone a good portion of the way through, which was concerning to Liola. Liola wondered if the old man had a map that she could look at. If he had one, she thought she could be of use.

Soon enough after she had that thought, there were 5 people garbed in bright colors and differing armors. It seems we've finally run into a problem. Liola forced herself to take on a relaxed look, although she was the exact opposite. She was worried about her own well-being. She couldn't fight. The old man seemed to be in a panic as well, so Liola decided it would be helpful to try and calm him down.

Liola got closer to Kallrin' and started speaking in a hushed voice. "Kallrin', please take deep breaths. These brigands' true objective is to strike fear in you. If you give in to their objective, they have already won. So please, we shall do the job you have paid us for. Place trust in these people. Otherwise, this situation could quickly turn ugly." Liola paused for a moment, trying to console the old man. "Do you happen to have a map I could look at for this region? If not, that's alright. If you do, I believe it could help us significantly."

Inventory

Dried, Salted Meat Strips (x3)

Loaves of White Bread (x2)

Slightly Dull Dagger (Concealed)

40 Silver Coins

 

[Jade]

Liola paused for a moment, trying to console the old man. "Do you happen to have a map I could look at for this region? If not, that's alright. If you do, I believe it could help us significantly."​

"A MAP!?! N-no, no, uh, yes, uh, what... never mind," Kallrin' said as he turned to frantically rummage through his bag. As he did so the knight's gaze sharpened toward the old merchant. "'EY! Get your bloody hands outta that fucking bag before I chop your brains in, 'ey!?!" He readied his sword and, with a slight tilt of his head as he strode toward the party, bid his companions to follow. The took their spears, glaive, and staff and took the stances and positions of trained fighting men, two set to either side of their commander.

The bandits walked forward. Loila, distracted by terror, was surprised to feel a piece of parchment slip into her hand. "Here," Kallrin' said, "I don't know what you're trying to do, but..." he looked from person to person, "PLEASE, HELP!"

They stopped after closing a few yards, the knight in red holding his hand in the air. "One last time; give us the cart or you're dead."

Loila has acquired a new item!

Kallrin' gave Loila the MAP OF RARKONIR!

 

[Greenie]

Although Rinata Sojourn wasn't much of a drinker, she often visited the tavern before and after setting off on hunts. It was a good place to see others, perhaps join in on a friendly (or drunk) conversation, even make deal or two with some of the patrons. The butcher paid her well enough, but that money was for the family as well, and after distributed, it hardly left her with anything to keep for herself. All that aside, it was nice to simply come and unwind, a little time off from work and family and the blandness of a life that was pretty much the same every single day. Not to say she wasn't happy, but hearing tales passing travelers would tell had her dreaming of leaving one day on an adventure of her own, travelling to distant lands, seeing amazing things.

So, when the man named Krallin called out for sell-swords, Rin was more than ready to comply. She didn't exactly use the 'sword' part, but she was a fair archer, according to all the game she had hunted. One could always use a long-range fighter, right? She certainly thought so. She wasn't too worried about danger; how bad could it be? And with the group that seemed to have assembled, she figured there would not be much of a problem. Any person would probably rather parley, if they had vicious intentions to begin with.

Her parents were not very pleased that she was planning on leaving as a sell-sword. However, Rinata was stubborn this time, and thankfully her brothers backed her up. She refused to take any of the money they offered. After all, she was already going to be paid by the man, Krallin. She wasn't worried about food, and her clothes were perfectly fine. Nevertheless, even as she left her parents' house to spend the night at the tavern, they were not very convinced she should go. That simply made Rinata determined to come back without any scratches. She knew they worried about her, and her strange ability caused them to wonder whether she was all there in her mind. However, she was more than old enough to venture on her own. Not that she would be alone, but after seeing some of her companions, she preferred not to mention them.

As they began their journey, Rinata kept quiet, mostly taking note of the others. They seemed pleasant enough, and she recognized faces, as she thought she might. This will all be fine and dandy, she told herself with a smile. Mother and Father are just worrywarts. She'd been hunting through the forest plenty of times and nothing happened to her there.

Ironically enough, the thought only left her when she paused, looking up ahead. Who was that talking? Oh dear. Well... this is not good. Perhaps they had been right? She'd let the others do the talking for now. Instead, she looked over the brigands, brown eyes scrutinizing them even as she took a few steps back. None of them seem to carry any bows or arrows. That would certainly give their group an advantage, right? She didn't want to shoot anyone, but if that's what was required... She sidled toward the side of the cart to give her some sort of cover. As she did, she reached back and grabbed a couple of arrows from her quiver. She nocked one and aimed toward the knight. Pulling back on the bowstring, she let the arrow fly; it hit the ground before the knight's feet, purposely. "That was just a warning!" she called. "Leave or more will follow."

Inventory

Garb: A rather simple button up brown collared shirt.
A pair of woolen brown trousers.
Black leather boots that reach the knees.
A silver chain around her neck.
A belt around her waist. (where she keeps her hunting knife)
A small pouch attached to her belt. Big enough to carry some food and coins.

Weapons: A short bow, a quiver with 19 arrows, and a hunting knife.

Food, Drink & Smoke: A small amount of jerky (in the pouch)

Misc. Items:
45 silver coins
9 copper coins

 

[Crono]

Hull had, as a matter of fact, gone to the tavern not for adventure but a drink after a hard days work. However when he spotted the help wanted poster outside he relized he could begin a errand that had been long overdue, and get payed for it. So after ordering a drink (he didn't have a cent on him but he delivered barrels for the tavern) he sat his rump down at the table, causing the chair underneath him to squeak in agony. He didn't speak the entire meeting, he simply observed the scene with a icy eyes hidden by the skull on his head. When the tavern owner had come down to yell at the one named Zahra some more, Hull gave him a death glare and a snarl that made him return upstairs. The confirmation that he was willing to go was a single silent nod, and a open hand for the silver of course.

Hull fetched his things, left his wolf cub Cull with a kind young couple of fellow leather workers, and arrived to devour Zahra's cooking. He walked with his cane solely for matters of comfort, so when confronted with clearly evil, and poorly dressed, fellows he put it away without a second thought. He gave the party a look that said 'wait' and inched near the mule that was pulling the cart, he put his muscular arms up as if in surrender. "You want cart, Hull give cart. But fancy hat man only have cheap stuff, you see?" He gestured to the cart, pulling the flap up ever so slightly and motioning for the bad men to come closer. He gave them fifteen seconds before he made his move.

Hull brought his meaty hand down onto the mule's behind and growled as loudly as he could right into its ear, trying to make it sound like a hungry beast. Hopefully this would be enough to frighten the mule, sending it charging toward the bad men and at least trample the one in metal. Either way he would draw his ax after doing this.

Inventory

Weapons: A large lumber axe, a skinning knife, and 5 wooden javelins.
Food, Drink & Smoke: 10 peices of dried animal meat, a leather flask full of water, and a pipe with a bag of tobacco.
Misc. Items: A carving knife, some peices of unworked wood, and a walking stick.
40 Silver

 

[UltimaCircuit]

[fieldbox="Eira, orange, dashed, 10"]



The Past

An audible sigh left the steel oddity as she gazed upon the other members of the ragtag group. In her eyes, the idea of having a group with this many different personalities meshing together was a recipe for disaster. None of them really seemed intimidating, or strong at that - except for the towering figure with the glacial gaze. 'Seems as if there are some who really don't know what is out there in the world... it can be a very, very scary place...' Eira thought, as she crossed her arms. Her attention then turned to the merchant who gathered them all together, as he began to explain the reason of assembling the party. It only took him a few seconds to get the message across.

The task seemed minor in comparison to Eira's other assignments, so minor that she almost scoffed at the idea of doing something so easy. She had delivered carts in the past, and had to deal with nothing more than a few thieving humans here and there. 'No matter the situation, it does not matter... there is no way I can fail. Not until I at least find my way...' The steel plated being then turned her gaze to the blade at her hip. She stood there for a second, relishing in past moments, before taking hold of the hilt with her right hand...

The Present

...and withdrawing it with a slash to the side, picking up enough wind to raise the tattered cape at her back slightly. Brigands are fools; individuals without the tenacity nor strive to be better than the common lowlife. These types of individuals were the ones that Eira did not waste her time with. A few steps was all it took for her to be at the side of her bow wielding companion. She was focused upon her foes, and barely took note of the actions that Hull was taking to her side. With a flick of the wrist, her blade then pointed in the direction of armored fellows before her.

"I have dealt with people like you before... You best listen to the woman right here. Clear the path now, or we shall clear it ourselves. The greatest treasure that a man could ever have is life, is it not?"

Inventory

(Currently No Items)

[/fieldbox]​

 

[Spekkun]

Thanks to his apprenticeship, Aedan often found himself being used as an errand boy by his Master, not that he minded. The Master Smith was tough on the apprentice but hardly cruel unless something was done to earn his ire. And while he was lazy outside of the smithy, he was a hard worker within. A teacher ought to be given the proper respect, so Aedan would run the errands he was asked without any lip, and because of that he would be given errands constantly.

The particular errand he would be running on that night would be to retrieve some ale for the Master Smith, Aedan was feeling somewhat solemn. He had been growing more sour with his life. He admittedly hated how routine it had become. Wake up early, eat a heavy breakfast, warm the coals and start work until sunset, clean the forge, enjoy another meal and go back to bed only to do the same thing over once more. Maybe it was because he was young still or because he was simply an adventurous spirit, but he wanted to get out and experience the world and what it had to offer.

Maybe that was why he dropped the Smith Master's mug of ale when he heard the man by the name of Krallin announce his need for sell-swords. He wasn't anything special with a sword but he could pass, right? But his apprenticeship...! He couldn't just leave it behind, could he? Should he even take the chance? The danger, the adventure...it was all alluring to the young man, tempting him like nothing ever had before. Perhaps this was a sign? Who knew if he would ever get another chance like this!

And this was how Aedan found himself travelling with the group of sell-swords, not for the silver (though it was appreciated) but for the adventure! He had to promise a heft chunk of his reward to the Master Smith and promise to pay for the sword he was currently borrowing but it was worth it. He had the biggest smile on his face, looking somewhat out of place he was sure but it didn't matter. He was finally going somewhere else! When the bandits showed up though, his excitement roared to new heights, even though he was terrified. He wasn't scared enough that he wouldn't pull it his own sword. It helped that the woman shot an arrow at the bandits. He brandished his sword with both hands on the hilt and legs spread slightly apart. "Don't make us have to kill you.." He added, just for effect.

 

[LVL1337N00B]

Lastnight would mark the beginning of Marda's rise to glory, the opening verse to the songs on every bard's lips for years to come. Finally, she'd been presented with the start to the adventure she'd been wanting to embark on for so long. "Sign me up, boss!", she'd said as the Merchant laid out his proposal, not giving it a second thought. She finished her ale and bought a round for the tavern, celebrating her imminent departure. From there she'd have one drink after the next as she shared her excitement with the other patrons and proclaimed her future deeds [Most of them impossibly grand and very unlikely], eventually blacking out and being carried home by a couple of locals.

The next morning.. Well, some time the next day was slightly hectic. Marda had to explain to her family and regular buyers that she'd be leaving soon, gather up her things and rush to meet the rest of the party- All with one fierce hangover. Normally she'd feel fine the day after a few drinks, but in all her excitement she'd had well over her definition of "a few." The sound of Zahra's flute had been grating at first, but after the pounding in her skull subsided she actually quite enjoyed her tune. She'd had to apologize for curses spat at the woman, hoping her grumpiness wouldn't leave a lasting stain on the impression she'd make on her travelling companions.

Now Marda and the rest of the group of would-be heroes stood faced with their first real hurdle, not counting her earlier attitude. It was much sooner than she'd have expected, but that wasn't a problem. In her mind she was more or less ready to do the job she was hired for - She was eager, even. The arms their foes possessed did take some of the pep out of the redhead's step, so to speak, but she wasn't about to make her first real move as an adventurer be turning tail or cowering.

Thankfully, others in the group proved ready to take action as well. With a warning shot fired and a pair of swords drawn, Marda stepped forward and readied her own shoddy weapon. Hearing her companions' remarks, she felt the need to talk a little smack as well. She pointed her spear toward the leader of the brigands. "You lot had better-", she began to speak, but was cut short when Hull made his attempt at spooking their mule. She made sure she was out of the way, watching to see how the beast of burden might react while simultaneously trying to keep an eye on their foes and stay at the ready for an expected engagement of combat.

Inventory

Garb

• White cloth shirt
• Beige trousers
• Gray leather vest
• Brown leather gloves
• Brown leather boots
• Stone moon charm necklace

Weapons

• Crude spear
• Large knife

Consumables

• Skein of water [Full]
• Skein of ale [Full]

Pack

[3-2 shiny green stone, 8-2 22-inch leather cord; Necklaces for her brother and sister - Behind the scenes mushiness]

• 22-inch leather cord x6
• 10-inch leather cord x11
• Spare shirt x1
• Spare trousers x1
• Spare boot-straps x4
• Shiny gray stone x2
• Shiny orange stone x1
• Shiny green stone x1
• Finished charm necklace [Shiny gray stone, bear paw motif] x1
• Finished charm necklace [Shiny orange stone, sun motif] x1
• Thin cloth blanket x1
• 3-foot spool of fishing line x4
• Small metal hook [Contained in pouch sewn into the pack] x6
• Simple lure x4
• Flint x2
• Small bundle of tinder [Dried Grass] x9
• Rock-hammer x1
• Small cloth rag x2
• Bottle of ale x1

Coinpouch

[2+40 Silver; Hired by Kallrin, 42-8 Silver; Celebratory booze, 13-1 Copper; Also booze]

• Silver x34
• Copper x12

 

[TheWanderingWolf]

Ronric was doing what he always did on a busy night at the inn, pickpocketing. He looked into the pouch he had just stolen and saw that it had only 10 copper pieces. "Nothing goes my way anymore does it?" Ronric said miserably under his breath. Ronric was working his way around the room, barely making away with the coin purse, when he heard Kallrin's voice. "This is probably going to be the best way to make any sort of money right now" Ronric thought touching his light pouch. "Sign me up!" He exclaimed slamming his fist on the table while pulling his hood back. Ronric held on tightly to the silver that Kallrin handed him knowing that it was more then he would make in two weeks. He had been in a pretty rough patch lately and had been lucky to make enough for food.


That night was filled with hectic preparation as Ronric mixed together his herbs and made a basic poison. He then decided that turning in early would be the best course of action. After restlessly tossing and turning in bed, Ronric decided to go outside and climb up to the roof of the inn to get some air. While up here he looked at the forty silver he was given by Kallrin. He put 20 into his coin purse and took the other twenty and walked to the local temple where he quietly and stealthily slipped them into the donation box. Afterwards, he walked into his room and promptly crashed.

The next morning, after gearing up, Ronric joined up with the group. He actually quite like the bard's tune and decided to slip her the ten copper pieces he had stole the night before. Seeing the bandits appear, Ronric thought about slipping away from the group. But after seeing the rest of the group stand up to the bandits, Ronric decided that he too would stand. Stepping up beside Marda, he flipped a dagger out and coated it with poison. "Please don't make me waste this poison on you," He shouted to the leader looking to his left and right.

Inventory

Garb:

• Basic black dyed leather armor set (Chest, pants, and boots)
• Black cloak with a hood
• Shoulder strap that holds vials (Runs diagonally across chest)
• Raven skull necklace (Stolen from a man who collected oddities)
• Pouch to carry money and small collectibles

Weapons: One dagger and a basic longsword
Food, Drink & Smoke: A basic waterskin and some dry rations.
Misc. Items:

• 20 silver coins
• 20 copper coins
• Mortar and Pestle
• 1 empty vials
• 1 used vial of poison