[R]The Arion Chronicles - The Grand Rebellion [IC]

[Atrum Daemon]

[Role Play Information] (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=3898)

The wind blowing through the north was pleasant and cool. The breeze whipped about the green robes of a young male Vezier standing near a well kept wooden stable. His breath steamed before his face as he let out a slow, deep breath. The sound of crunching snow behind him caused him to turn. A group of young Vezier, mostly male and one female, had joined the green clad Vezier near the stable. The robed Vezier nodded in approval. “All right,” he said in a smooth voice that held a hint of a rasp, “much better turnout than I expected.”

“We’ve all put up with too much not to show up, Archon,” Zasszel, one of the males in the front, said grimly.

“Excellent point,” Archon Sin responded, “anyway, you all know what this meeting is about. We are all tired of just laying down and letting these corrupt foreigners roll over us. Everyone else is too afraid to take action, but we are not.”

“Do you have any kind of plan to strike back?”

“I do,” Sin said with a grin, “through my own investigations, I have found that the barracks the Kera soldiers sleep in is basically a giant sound-proof box. Since they’ve killed our friends over the course of the last four years, I say we kill them back!”

“Definitely,” Meras, one of the taller males in the back spoke up, “those bastards nearly killed old Krosa only an hour ago. Gave him a nasty crack over the head. How’s this going down?”

“Tonight,” Sin said, “we will meet at the barracks once all the soldiers are asleep or passed out drunk. We sneak in and kill them all. But keep in mind, everyone, that this will have consequences. We won’t be able to stay here long once the deed is done. They will send other soldiers to investigate. I need all of you to be prepared for that. You all need to be prepared to leave all of this behind at a moment’s notice. Now, any of you who are not willing to give everything up, leave now. No one here will think any less of you for it.”

There was some shuffling about among the gathered, but no one left. No one broke out to go home. “No one’s leaving, Archon,” Zasszel said firmly, “we all accepted the consequences when we showed up. They forced us to this. They deserve what we will bring.”

“Good,” Sin said with a smile, “then at around ten tonight, meet at the barracks.”

The group of young Vezier dispersed, going back to their families and trades before for several hours before taking part in something that would change their lives forever.

***

Sin trudged through the thick snow, a fur cloak drawn around his green robes. He greeted the townspeople who waved at him, all going about their day despite the biting cold. He was walking toward the stone chapel at the far end of the city. On the chapel’s sides were plain green flags that marked it as belonging to the Pilgrims. The wooden door creaked lowly as Sin pushed it open as he stepped inside. The interior was lit by torches hanging on the six stone pillars and there was warmth spreading from the fire at the far end of the chapel’s main room. There were two other figures inside with Sin. They too wore the green of the Pilgrims, but were much older than the Vezier who had just entered and had started walking toward them. “It is a brave thing you go to do, Sin,” the one on the right said, turning his head to look at Sin with blind eyes, “are you certain in your decision?”

“Of course I am,” Sin said with a firm nod, “they have abused their power here and need to be punished for it.”

“Very well,” the one on the left said, “go with caution, young one. And return successful.”

Sin gave a bow before excusing himself. He entered one of the side halls that contained bedrooms. He turned to the left and walked along the stone hall, his shadow thrown up against the opposite wall by torches. Sin stopped at the second wooden door, raised a fist, and knocked. His heavy strikes echoed loudly in the small space. The door was opened by a young female Vezier. She looked to be about nineteen with a thin, slightly hear-shaped face and an athletic-looking body. She had a pair of markings on her face shaped like fangs starting at her lower eyelids and extending down to her upper lip. Like Sin, her skin was jet black. She was a head shorter than Sin and looking at him with a bright smile. She was Selesna Shadowstrike, one of Sin’s closest friends. “Did anyone show up?” she asked, her voice sounded almost musical with excitement.

“Yes. A good amount,” Sin replied, stepping inside the room as the Selesna moved aside to allow him access, “we can pull this off. I still wish you could be there as well.”

“So do I,” Selesna said, shutting the door and sitting on the small bed in the room, “but you know how these visions affect me.”

“I do,” Sin said nodding as he shrugged off the fur cloak and stretched, “but your sister will be there.”

“I know,” she said, smiling knowingly, “I have seen some parts of what is to come more clearer than others. Including this moment.”

“Why suddenly so specific?” Sin asked, turning away from the window where he had bee watching the snow.

“Well, I didn’t see this moment specifically,” Selesna said, smiling slightly, “but I know where it is going to lead.”

Sin simply stared at her in response, one of his eyebrows raised slightly. Despite the fact that their relationship could be described as siblings and lovers, Sin still had a hard time understanding what Selesna meant sometimes. However, her full intent was shown when Selensa stood up and opened her fur lined robe, revealing herself to Sin.

Sin cracked a grin and stepped forward to Selesna and claimed her lips with a kiss. The next hours of the day were belonged to the two of them. With the heavy curtains drawn across the windows, the only light to show their act was the candles Selesna used to focus her power.

***

Sin drew his cloak around his body again as he kissed a sleeping Selesna on her cheek before leaving for the barracks. The bright yellow moon cast an almost haunting light over Mombas as dark figures stole from houses all over the town. They were all heading for the Kera barracks at the eastern end of town. “How do we get in?” Zasszel hissed.

“Leave that to me,” Sin grinned, putting his hand to the metal door. There were mutliple clicks before the sound of the lock releasing cracked and the door swung silently open. The Kera soldiers were all sound asleep, some even passed out drunk. Once the group of ten was inside, Sin shut the door and relocked it. Then, it began.

Armed with various objects and weapons, the young Vezier all attacked. The soldiers that were not killed in the first attack all sprang up and attempted to defend themselves. One came for Sin, but his neck snapped with a wave of the Vezier’s arm. Two more fell victim to Sin’s psychic powers as every bone in their bodies shattered. The floor was quickly soaked with blood as the Kera soldiers fell victim to the perfectly executed surprise attack. Three of the Vezier were raiding the weapon stores as the fight died down. No words were exchanged as they left the bloody barracks. No trace of forced entry would be found.

[Lord Tully]

(Next day)

Soran closed the letter he received an hour ago, which told him of the butchered soldiers, he was to take part in the hunt for the perpetrators, and hopefully stop a potential revolution. His face turned into a disgusted scowl as he looked over the sketches of the crime scene, "Who in the fuck coulda done this without being seen or heard?" Soran mumbled under his breath. He quickly went to his quarters to pack up what he needed, a few sets of clothes, his hunting knife, and ammo for both his repeater rifle and cylinder pistol. The ammo box was quite heavy so he borrowed on of the local Veizers from his duties to assist in carrying it to the stagecoach that had been arranged to pick him up. "Thank you kindly," he said to the bright blue man tossing a coin his way, "Get yourself something to eat, you look hungry." The Veizer thanked Soran and ran off back to his original work. Soran rode the horse pulled box for several hours reaching an outpost just out of the city of Mombas, and with his rifle slung over his back and his luggage in his hand, Soran got out of the stagecoach and headed towards the law enforcement HQ.

[Ludypoof379]

Ayla looked out upon the snowy road that was her path she was following. She was heading back to the stone chapel where the Pilgrims resided. She had been gone for three long months searching out new territories further north. Today she was too exhausted to fly since she had been traveling for the last 24 hours without sleep. Her search was not very eventful but she had covered some more tracks and mapped out some cliffs and caves that had not been explored. She had not encountered anyone and she was glad for the absence of others. Especially the Vera. The Vera and herself did not tend to get along very well. Ayla did not always follow what the Vera said to her.

As Ayla continued on the wind blew her deep green hood from her hair. She softy inhaled as her face was revealed to the cold. A small delicate hand pulled the hood back over her head and her icy blue eyes darted to look around her. The green robe was known to belong to the Pilgrims and the other Vezier typically respected that. She did not want to be respected. Truly she did not know what she wanted though.

The stone chapel finally came into sight and she walked swiftly towards it, her smallness was really getting to her as the other Vezier towered above her. Her swift steps lead her to the chapel and she pushed the heavy wooden door open. Within the main hall Ayla saw her teacher Kalial and walked towards him swiftly, and then bowed at the waist out of respect. " Teacher Kalial, I have returned."

Ayla's teacher was smiling and replied, " Welcome home Ayla. Much has changed since you have left. I am sure you are exhausted. Go and rest my student."

Ayla nodded to Kalial and then turned and bowed to the elders before heading towards the bedroom chambers. Walking down the corridor she stopped at a wooden door close to the end of the chamber. She slipped a key from her pack then opened the door and entered into her bedroom to rest.

[SikstaSlathalin]

The small fire crackled and popped sending smoke up into the rook of the granite cave. Marga was sitting on her bed roll with her heaviest hide blanket wrapped tightly around her. She tossed another log on the fire and felt a cold wind whip around the corner of the cave and meld with eh fire creating a hot cold blast that smacks into her face.
"That's the last time I go trapping in the middle of fucking winter. She shivers pulling the blanket over her head. Didn't even find a decent hide to sell, what a waste of a day. I could be in Mumbas right now in a nice warm bed letting my cloths dry by a big fireplace and not over a pit while I shudder and shiver under a blanket." She reaches a bare arm and hand up and rubs her hide jacket slowly.
"Still wet damn it I'll freeze to death before the nights out." With another shiver she lays down on her side watching the flames. Tomorrow she would break camp and head for town hopefully she'll have some hides for her effort. This is Marga Morao, traveler, hunter, and Kera. Despite her complaints she'd never trade this life for another. Nothing beats living on your own and making a living with your own hands. But if only it wasn't so damn cold tonight.

[Atrum Daemon]

The next morning, the town was in a panic. The Kera night watch had returned to the barracks to find the gory scene laid out before them. Entrails strung over the walls, twisted and broken bodies lying around, and the floor soaked with two inches of blood. Most of the town had gathered to listen to the Kera governor rage. The Vezier were all very worried since the deaths of the soldiers meant that a larger would most likely be sent to replace them.

***

The local law was simply stumped as to how the murders had been done. “All right,” said Kanewulf, “let’s go over it again.”

The young leader of the Kera Rangers braced his hands against the wooden table and looked at the Kera sheriff and his deputies. “There was no sign of force entry at all?”

“No, sir,” the sheriff replied, “the door was simply unlocked.”

“Physical evidence?”

“Too much blood and the snowfall during the night covered any footprints leading to or from the place.”

Kanewulf sighed heavily and rubbed his temples in irritation. He had planned on staying in Mombas a single day before taking his men and moving on. But, with the killing of a barracks full of soldiers, he knew the governor would not just let him leave without first helping to sort the issue out. “Just fucking perfect,” Kanewulf grimaced.

***

“We can’t stay here long,” Sin said, gazing out the window of Selesna’s room.

“You’re right,” she nodded, carefully lighting the candles on the stand opposite her writing desk.

“But, where will we all go…?”

“…I had a dream last night,” Selesna said after a few moments, turning to look at Archon and walking over to him.

“Was it a normal dream or one of those special dreams?” he asked, turning his head to look at her.

“The latter,” she replied. “I think it told me that we would head east. You, me, my sister, and many others.”

“East? Why east?”

“There’s more to the dream,” her voice began sounding more excited as she spoke. “I saw myself standing beside you as you spoke to a gathered crowd. There were many familiar faces in it and twice as many I had never seen before. And they were armed, Sin. Armed and listening to you as though ready to follow you anywhere.”

“You think it was…”

“An army, Sin. A small one, but an army still. You planted the seeds of rebellion in many hearts last night. We have to let those seeds sprout if any change is to be seen.”

Sin was quite for a long moment. He knew she was right and knew not to brush off what she saw in her dream. He looked back out the window at the snow covered ground and trees. After a minute of total silence, he said: “East it is, then. But not right away.”

“Of course not,” she nodded, “you want to at least wait until things have quieted a bit, right?”

“That’s right,” Sin nodded.

***

“We’re going to have to start questioning people,” Kanewulf said, finally. “It’s the only option at this point.”

“Will you be the one to question them?” the sheriff asked.

“What? No! They won’t talk to a stranger like me,” Kanewulf said with a small laugh. “They’ll be more likely to give you answers than me.”

[Ludypoof379]

Ayla slept for over 14 hours when she woke up to darkness in her room. The window was dark and she guessed that it must be before dawn. Moving from her warm bed she stood up and dressed swiftly, so to not catch cold from the stone room. While pulling a heavy wool cloak over her green Pilgrim dress she left the room and walked down the hall way to exit out into the cool morning air. A nauseous wave of smell entered her nose; it was blood. Ayla began to walk and saw that in the distance at the barracks the soldiers had been murdered.

Ayla wondered what could have happened. Gazing down at the snow she saw that a new layer had covered up the old. If she removed the lightest snow she would be able to tell but the words from Kalial rang in her mind, ' Much has changed since you have left.' In her mind Ayla left the possibility at that. Ayla began to wander about the city watching the town as it became alive, and shocked. The Kera soldiers that still breathed were angry and the towns people afraid. It might have been foolish that she was out and about but Ayla was ignored for the most part as the people were too consumed with their own fear and rage to notice.

Ayla came upon a small park where she brushed the snow off of a stone bench and sat down. Dawn had come to Mambas and so did the reality that the Kera weren't as safe as they thought.

[Lord Tully]

Soran eventually reached one of the sheriff's offices and banged on the door, a Kera deputy opened it and let Soran in. "Just put your bags over there for now and we'll get you squared away soon." The deputy instructed Soran motioning to a corner next to the door. Soran followed the young man to meet the sheriff and discuss what had happened, after setting himself down in a chair he smirked at the sight of a Kera who barely looked old enough to carry a gun, "I didn't realize they let children to these things." Soran said sarcastically addressing the young man.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Just as dawn cracked over the horizon Magra awoke stiffly feeling the cold prickle over her body even through her heavy clothes which she made sure were dry before she went to sleep.
"I hate Mombas, why do all the good hides have to be up in this ice box?" She grumbles to herself pounding her arms and legs to get some circulation going to her numb extremities. She got up with her blanket still wrapped around her body and marched along the cave stomping her feet. After a few laps she can feel her toes and fingers. Crouching down she breaks camp and begins her march toward town.


After a few hours walk she reaches the town. Life was slowly bustling around getting wood in, shoveling and various other mundane tasks folks always do in the morning. What got her attention was a cluster of bodies a way down the road. Taking up a trot she walks up and grabs the nearest person which happens to be a small Vezier boy. She hauls him up by his cloak and asks.
"What's all the commotion kid?" The boy at first surprised at being lifted off the ground took a look of annoyance which looked rather cute to Marga.
"There's been a murder, the whole east barracks of the Mombas Town Guards. Every last one of them mutilated, torn apart, and dead." Marga whistled and tried to look over the crown but with little success.
"You yellow bellies must've finally grown some spines." The boy scowls at the adventurer trying to look fierce but only manages to be a little cuter.
"Shouldn’t you be mad Tyrant? I mean seeing your own evil kind killed should even make a hermit a little pissed." Marga smiles at the kid then says.
"Aren't you just darling? Using big words like that, but it's their own fault for occupying this place. We should've just let you twits kill each other then moved ."

The little boy scowled then tried to squirm out of Marga's iron grip.
"Can you put me down now? I gotta go claim my sleeping spot in the inn before the other kids take it." Marga looks at the kid in her hand for the first time. He didn't look any older than 8 his skin was a tint of brown which meant he was a user of earth magic. His hair was bushy and brown but his eyes were steel blue. He was skinny even for a Vezier and had a nice long scar over his left eye and another going diagonally down his neck. The dried blood on the knuckles and various other scratches showed the kid to be a scrapper which in her opinion is normal for folks with earth power. He seemed to have more spine then most of his kind, she liked him already.
"What's your name kid?" The boy stares at her for a minute then says.
"Tathias, who are you?"
"Marga, so I take it you're an orphan?" Tathias's eyes and mouth harden before he looks away pain on his face.
"No my parents just decided to die one day leaving me with another relative that felt like dying." Marga nods putting the kid down but keeping hold of his cloak.
"I see well lucky for you, I need someone to carry hides for me. Want the job? You get a portion of the earnings, some of whatever food I have and you get to get the hell out of Mombas most of the year." The boy nods slowly.
"Sure, Boss?" Marga smiles shaking her head.
"Just Marga easier to remember now come on I'm hungry and you look like 10 miles of bad road. When was the last time you had a bath?" Tathias thinks counting on his small grimy fingers.
"Last week sometime." Marga whistles again.
"Good thing the cold kills the smell." Together they walk toward the East Sheep Inn.

[Atrum Daemon]

Standards are way down,” Kanewulf said in response to Soran before signaling to the two men in heavy, Kera military winter gear to follow as he headed for the door. “Good luck.”

The sheriff sighed heavily, rubbed his temples, then looked to Soran. “And what do you want? Here to help?”

***

If you asked any Kera politician what one would get if a group of thugs was given power and authority, he wouldn’t be able to give a straight answer. Ask the same question to a Kera military officer and he would point straight toward the Rangers and be perfectly right. Though well respected, the Rangers were all violent thugs at heart. Even Kanewulf, the cunning and charismatic major, was considered a thug as much as the rest. That’s not to say these men went about harassing people in the street, but they did have a reputation of being excessively violent with targets and missions.

Mombas citizens would get a live showing of it as a drifter from a more southern area burst through a shop door and into the street. The shop owner came tearing out after him, holding a hand to his bleeding face and screaming at the thief to stop running and face him like a man. Seeing this as he stepped out of the law enforcement building, Kanewulf swung the ornate, single shot, long-barreled sharpshooter rifle from his back and took aim. The shot echoed throughout the town as the left half of the thief’s ribs was completely destroyed by the round as it explosively fragmented upon entry.

Still holding a hand tight against his eye, the shopkeeper turned to look at Kanewulf as he tossed the empty casing to one of his men, who fumbled with the hot shell for a moment. The older Vezier gave a simple nod of thanks and walked through the snow to snatch up the money the dead man had stolen.

***

“Holy fuck,” Meras breathed as he and Senesa watched the incident from the forge.

“Helluva shot,” Senesa said. “So when are we all leaving?”

“Wait, what’s all this ‘we’ stuff?”

“Oh, don’t be stupid,” Senesa glared at Meras. “My sister is going, so I am.”

“Zasszel told me that Sin wants to wait until things calm down,” Meras said, returning to fanning the forge as Senesa tempered some metal tools. With her father having an injured hand, it was up to her to do the work.

“Smart move. As much as I’d expect from him.”

“Let’s just hope we all don’t get killed.”

***

The East Sheep Inn, even in the early morning hours, was busy and very much alive. Most of the towns workers were there having breakfast and exchanging stories, rumors, and theories as to who or what killed the soldiers. In the basement was a gambling den and the second floor held rooms for travelers to rent. In Mombas, it was how the town learned of events in other parts of the North and in other parts of Levis depending on where travelers passing through were from.

[Lord Tully]

Soran nodded to the Sheriff, "Yes, I'm the bounty hunter you sent for, Soran Klenis sir. I saw the renderings of the scene, terrible incident." Soran flinched a bit when he heard the massive shot just outside the door. ~Did someone bring a fucking cannon into town?~ Soran thought, turning back to the Sheriff, "I promise to bring who ever did this to justice, dead or alive. What can you tell me about what happened?"

The Sheriff sort of shrugged, "Probably little you don't already know, the lock was somehow opened but not forced, the attackers killed an entire barracks full of trained soldiers and looted the place. As far as we know, not a single person saw it happen and survived. It also seems that none of the attackers were badly injured, so I'm thinking it might be a rouge military unit. No one could've done this and made it out unharmed and unseen without extensive training."

Soran smirked again, "A group of of military traitors, this is gonna be fucking great. I thank you Sheriff for this, now if you'll excuse me I must be on my way to catching these bastards. No one spills a Kera's blood and gets away with it." Soran stood and turned to leave ~Maybe I'll see what that explosions was all about.~ he thought contently as he walked out into the cold winter air.

[Ludypoof379]

Ayla relaxed upon the park bench for quite awhile as the commotion rose within the town. She heard the gun fire and stood up slowly, her long white hair flowing behind her. She moved towards the town once more and soon she came upon a scene with a shop keeper getting money from a dead man. They were both Vezier. What was this land coming to? Shaking her head she glanced towards a building and saw a Kera exiting from the sheriff's department. This town was really hot with all the commotion right now.

Ayla turned away from the dead man and walked towards the East Sheep End. There she might learn more about what was going on in the town, although she most likely already knew all that she needed to know...

[Lord Tully]

Soran bit his lip when he saw the Vezier dead in the street, he frowned even more when he noticed that almost no one seemed to care that there was a dead man in the middle of the road. He looked about to see a young woman who actually did seem to care about what had happened, and he approched her as she turned to leave and tapped her on the shoulder. "Scuse me, sorry to ask, but we should probably take care of him before the body attracts vermin or worse gets buried in the snow, nasty surprise that'd be come spring. Help me would you?" Soran asked the Vezier girl looking towards the dead man.

[Ludypoof379]

Ayla was surprised when a Vera asked her to help move the dead body. He didn't act rude or anything. Her face concealed any emotion as she turned towards him and stared straight into his eyes. She knew a few other Vezier who had seen her around were surprised that she wasn't attempting to behead him or anything. Her icy blue eyes then looked to the body and without a word began to walk towards the dead body with her white hair flowing behind her. After each step Ayla took the snow seemed to drift back into the foot print leaving no trail behind her. There were no tracks of where she walked. It was a habit that she used so animals would not track her among other things.

Ayla didn't like the look of all the bleeding so she held a hand over the bullet wound and froze the blood in place and in result froze the body so it would be easier to carry. Ayla glanced back at Soran as if to say she was waiting on him.

[Lord Tully]

Soran's eyes grew wide when the girl froze the body solid, "Magic eh?" He said with a nervous laugh. He cautiously edged towards the top half of the body, "I got the head you can get the legs." he instructed the girl hefting his half of the body, "Let's get him out of town and give him a burial, he deserves that if nothing else."

[Ludypoof379]

Ayla walked around the legs of the man and looked up at Soran and it seemed he was being cautious of her and her powers. Her power was not just snow, it was water whether in ice, water, or gas. Water can be taken from almost anywhere. Ayla picked up the legs so that her back was facing him so she could lead them out of the town...

... once they were out of town to a place where they could bury the thief Ayla let down her half of the body and then cleared a patch of snow with a movement of her gloved hand. Although she could somewhat thaw the ground by pulling the frozen water from the ground she had no way of removing the earth. Ayla had though removed the water so that within the ground was only cold dirt that should be somewhat easier to dig up. Ayla then looked up to Soran to see what his next move would be.

Ayla was curious to see what this Kera would do. So far he had treated her decently well. In her heart though she couldn't fully ever forgive the Vera for harming her mother causing her to die according to the Pilgrims. Soran was on thin ice but so far he was treading it well. If he broke the thin ice then he would never get the chance of her aid again.

[Lord Tully]

Soran sighed and looked down at the empty space in the snow, "I know that look." he told her rather bluntly, "And I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. My people have no doubt put yours through a great deal of hardship in the time since we came here." He continued as he started to dig a shallow grave in the dirt, "In fact with your power, you'd be perfectly capable of killing me right now, and no one would find me here for quite some time." He looked back and stared directly into Ayla's eyes, "But I get the feeling that you aren't the type to do that." He stepped around the dead body and placed it into the hole and started to cover it. "I am Soran, Miss, would you happen to know about what happened at the barracks a few nights ago?"

[Ludypoof379]

Ayla simply watched him and she was softly amused because he was right. She did have the ability to kill him but she wasn't going to. There seemed to be no reason to do that. She silently watched him with the gentle breeze blowing softly against her face. It was refreshing. She was slightly impressed that he looked her on so seriously in the eyes even though she could kill him so easily. Finally she spoke, " My name is Ayla. I've only returned to town yesterday from a three month trip away so I don't know whats gone on..."

"It seems that anything could have happened to the barracks but I've only heard about it this morning. I did not pass the barracks yesterday when I was returning here." Ayla continued speaking then she leaned against a tree that was a few feet away from her. Ayla was feeling tired from carrying the dead weight of the body and she was also still exhausted from her return trip. Under her eyes were faint dark circles. " Once we are done we should probably return to town." Ayla was referring to when they were both done talking and when he was done with the body.

[Atrum Daemon]

As he entered the town proper, Archon quickly found himself swarmed by a mob of the local orphans. It was a common occurrence for the young Vezier and something he did not mind in the least. Archon himself was an orphan left on the steps of the Pilgrim temple as a baby. He laughed lightly as the children tugged at his robe and babbled in the Vezier tongue.

“Away with you!” Sin said with a wide grin tossed two loafs of bread to the mob, which immediately dispersed to go divide up the food.

Sin could not help but shake his head and smirk at the sight of Ayla, a girl he knew only by name from the Pilgrim temple, and an unknown Kera carrying a corpse out of town. “That body will probably be dug up before nightfall.”

A loud whistle caught his ears from the direction of the local forge, causing Archon to join Meras and Senesa under the awning.

***

“So what would’ve happened if I hadn’t blasted him in half?” Kanewulf asked one of the Vezier hunters.

“Shopkeepers boys,” the hunter replied in a heavy accent, “would chase him down, hack off leg, then drag him back to be skinned.”

“So I did him a favor then?”

“You just made the skinning less painful.”

“So is this town just full of lowlife, shady types or what?”

“Pretty much,” replied a second hunter who had a greater grasp of the common tongue than his friend. “Mombas is a word in our language that means town, or city, of the damned. And this place is just that. Founded by clan-less outcasts and the unwanted, it soon became a haven for those types. Murders, con men, thieves, or in the case of the Pilgrims, retired mercenaries. Also a common place for dropping off orphans and unwanted kids.”

“The Pilgrims are mercenaries?” one of the Rangers, simply called Flag, asked. “I thought they were just scholars or something.

“Centuries ago, they were mercs. They used their signature robes to disguise themselves as traveling monks in order to ambush targets and such. After the major tribe wars ended and we started becoming a bit more civilized, the Pilgrims became what they are today. Though I imagine the younger members still teach certain skills to initiates. The oldest living members are in the local temple. Four hundred years they‘ve been around.”

The Rangers whistled lowly as a waitress slid bowls of stew onto the table.

***

“So what are we hoping to find out east?” Senesa asked Archon.

“I’m not sure, really,” Archon admitted. “But, your sister’s visions have never steered us wrong before.”

“He’s right,” Meras nodded. “Without her, we wouldn’t have known the night watch was going on a long patrol last night.”

“Who’s the new Kera in town?” Archon asked, sitting himself on a stool.

“Dunno,” Senesa shrugged. “But he was in the law office for a while and left it just after a couple of military lookin type Kera. One of em blasted a thief near in half. Loudest damn thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I saw Ayla and the new guy taking that body out.”

“Well, she can take care of herself well enough,” Senesa said with little interest as she returned to pounding a scythe blade back into shape.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Marga and Tathias arrived at the East Sheep the smell of freshly baked bread and sizzling meat. She pushed the door open and looked around placing her hands on her hips.
"Just as I remember it hot and full of drunks." Tathias looks around then smiles and stalks his way over to the rug right next to the fire plopping down he fishes around in the wood before pulling out a small box. It was made of old cast off wood but it had a big T scratched onto the lid. Holding it close to his narrow chest the boy returns to Marga.
"What you got there kid?" Tathias slips the box into his pants then looks up at the woman.
"Just what little I own some cash, some heirlooms and my grandfather's knife." The adventurer nods walking to a table with Tat in tow they take a seat and wait for a server.

It was then when they noticed a couple of people walk by carrying a dead body. One was in a green robe and the other looked like a soldier.
"Guess the cleanup is starting already." Tat nods trying to catch the pair before they went around the corner.
"Mighty quick but then again so are rats." Marga smiles at the boy's wit.
"Very true." Just then one of the servers a young girl with yellow hair shuffles up and asks them for their orders.
"I'll just have some ale and bacon, pick anything you want kid." Tat mumbles to himself looking at the menu.
"I'll have the full breakfast please." The girl nods jotting them down then goes to give them to the cook.
"Must be hungry that's a lot of food kid." Tat looks down cracking his knuckles nervously.
"Well it's not every day I get a chance to have breakfast, plus you said pick anything." Marga smiles nodding.
"True well don't worry I have the extra cash." Tat smiles leaning back in his chair watching some of the girls his age play near the fire.