It began in Portua, capital city of Pardinal where a group of merchants were moving a large caravan of goods to the city of Sundel to the north. As with many merchants, they wanted bodied more than skill and were hiring the green and the very green as guards. Not that you had much experience, but you had enough fights under your belt to know what to expect and enough sense to take ready cash when it was offered. But the merchants were thinking that lots of armed men were the way to go.

So you struck out over the hills and pastures of Pardinal towards the Railir Peaks. Somehow, the six of you ended up around the same fire on the second night and found that you liked each others’ company more than the brash bragging of the young ones and the depraved games of the hard up soldiers. Two Khords, Two Syls, a Keldan and a Human princess – sounded like a bad punch line but you didn’t care. You at least respected each others’ privacy and the lady could sit and eat without fighting off unwanted hands.

Once you were in the Railir though, things got bad. You were attacked at night by creatures as soon as you were far enough in not to turn around. They were humanoids with rough hides of gray or brown, no hair, tendrils across their faces and as evil as evil could be. They attacked on mass and without fear or fatigue. They would take your fellow guards when they fell and eat them alive or torture them in sick disgusting ways so that their screams would echo through the mountains. You had heard whispers of these creatures before but never this far south – the Cruniak!

The six of you were able to work together and protect the caravan leaders and get through the mountain pass. It wasn’t easy, and you spent many a night without rest. The mage’s spells were very beneficial as was his ability to fly above the battle. Bjarki the Khord warrior was a battering ram against the wave of Cruniak. Gamard, the other Khord and cleric of Solanis kept you alive though healing and the use of light spells that seem to drive the creatures off. Crow used his bow and throwing daggers to great effect and also Talon’s bow and dual short swords were always at ready. Bas, the female gladiator held off the attacks with shield and disemboweled them with her short sword. You learned to watch each other’s back and made it through. But you were the only six guards to survive out of the thirty hired.

So it was that the merchants gave you each 100 levens each as a bonus for your bravery and you are enjoying a congratulatory drink at a local tavern called “The Red Dog Inn”. It seems that you may all end up going separate ways now when suddenly there is a bit of a commotion outside. A man comes in and loudly tells the bartender “Hey! The Mayor just posted a 1000 Fuscat reward to any person or persons who can go after the Cruniak, wipe out their lair and bring back the head of their leader! Woooie! That’s a lot of money! If I was an younger man, i’d be sharpening my sword right now. Hey, give me a Bulleye! Now in my days I was...”

The old man’s story is lost in the eruption of chatter. You all look at each other across the table, some with grim determination, others with carefree smiles. Yes, that is a lot of money.

Wanwa'er went wide eyed at first at the loud intrusive voice of the announcer. Once the news sunk in, a smile spread across his long alien face as he caught the attention of his friend Crow.

Wan and Crow had been friends for a very long time and could just about tell what the other was thinking with a single look from the other. Not that they were telepathically linked, mind you, just that they knew each other well enough to know HOW each other thought rather than WHAT each other thought.

Wan, being the adventurous and curious kind, relished the thought of a new adventure, not knowing what would be around the next bend or corner. Sure the thought of all that money interested him, but you can't go carrying a satchel full of money on adventures. You'd have to deal with banks or safes, which was a prospect Wanwa'er preferred to avoid. This mission on the other hand would no doubt top anything he and his friend had taken on in the past, and if successful, would set anyone that took the mission up financially for a good long time.

A twinge of magic seemed to sparkle in Wan's eyes as he gave voice to his thoughts as he pulled his dagger and whetstone and began to sharpen the blade,"Well Crow? I'm in if you are. No need resting on our laurels."

Maithias Crowmarhte aka Crow was enjoying his extra 100 Levens and had clearly caught the attention of the cute redheaded human bar maid, as she seemed quite eager to keep close to his area of the bar when not serving drinks elsewhere. So at first he was unaware, as he watched her seductively move around the bar, of the commotion outside and the entrance of the old man catching only the words ‘1000 Fuscat reward.’

Though he continued watching the redhead, who seemed to blush every time his eyes met hers, he used his Syl hearing to listen closer to the crowd’s mutterings.

“Go after the Cruniak” “That’s a lot of money”
“Wipe out their lair” “That’s a lot of money”
“Bring back the head of their leader” “That’s a lot of money”
Then as the serving wench disappeared into the back for a moment, he finally became aware of Wan’s excitement, a twinge of magic sparkling in the Keldan Mage’s eyes. As Crow watched, Wan pulled his dagger and whetstone and began to sharpen the blade as gave voice to his thoughts.

"Well Crow? I'm in if you are. No need resting on our laurels."
Looking over the other people sitting at the table, assessing who out of the four of them might also take up the Mayor’s offer Crow turned back to his friend.

“I say patience my friend, let us first see who else takes up this offer before we decide to commit. That is not that much money to risk our lives alone and I would like to know who we would be traveling alongside and trusting our lives to before we say aye.”
With an ear back into the crowd and a sign to the redhead for another lite ale, Crow listened and waited...........


(OOC: Gonna listen to the crowd to get a hint of the possible undertone of this annoucement. Is the Mayor's word good, is it bad, has he made false offers before, is he mostly trustworthy ect...)

Gamard the Grim did not hesitate to make his intentions known to the rest of the group sitting at the table having their farewell drink.

They had each one proven to be stalwart companions through the severest of recent adversities. Gamard had found them to be the most trustworthy and valiant of warriors this side of his past company with members of the Knights of The Holy Avengers!

The evil of the Cruniak needed to be eradicated and Gamard could not sit idly by knowing that a bounty had been placed upon the head of the leader of such vermin. It was high time for the adventurous to eradicate the problem!

Slamming his tankard of Elven Ale upon the table ... Gamard looked his companions each in the eyes ... then stood upon the table top and declared to all within listening distance:

"I Be Gamard the Grim!

"We fought these devils and barely made it here alive!

"But I be a Knight of The Holy Avengers ... and I will help track down this vermin ... exterminate these devils ... and return with the head of their leader ... in the company of those brave enough to company to hell and back ... with a Cleric of Solanis!

"So I say to One and All ... Cruniak Beware!"

Bjarki downs the last of his tenth farewell pint, lamenting the fact that with this weak human brew, he is still able to keep count. Setting the empty mug down on the scarred wood of the table, he smiles a slow smile and responds to his fellow Khord:

"Aye, brother. It would be a shame tae gang our sep'rate ways now that we're all just gettin' cozy wi' each other."

Looking up at his other new-found friends, he goes on:

"This little warm-up we just finished would be an awful waste o' time if we didn't get in a real work-out after. And as for the cruniak, well, we only just met 'em a few days back. It'd be rude tae part company wi' 'em sae soon. They might get tae missin' us, an' then, well, I just wouldn't be able tae sleep wi' that hangin' o'er me heed."

Turning to the barmaid, then, he called out across the tavern:

"Could we get another round o' drinks here, deary? Mak' 'em dark as a daemon's soul and bitter as a widow's kiss. Looks like this party's just gettin' started."

Tâlyonaas Faelandaerl sat quietly sipping a Sylvarin al he was the mostly silent one of the group. He hardly smiled, and while friendly he took everything seriously. He was uncomfortable in crowded places; much preferring the quiet openness of the forest, therefore he was even more silent then usual.

Talon, as he was called by those unable to pronounce his full name, shifted in his seat, adjusted the bow that rested across his back, and looked about the room as if he were always on the lookout for danger.

He looked at his new friends; most of them would never have had a chance to become his friends if not for what they had gone through recently. He couldn’t have seen himself befriending any of them except for the Syls if not for them being thrown together in danger and being forced to count on one another to survive.

Survive they had, out of 30 other guardsmen, only they had made it through the pass with the Merchants. During that time he had learned to depend and trust his new companions; they all had different opinions and talents but he had learned that it could be a good thing. Talon was still lost in thought regarding their recent trials when a man burst into the tavern exclaiming to all.

Hey! The Mayor just posted a 1000 Fuscat reward to any person or persons who can go after the Cruniak, wipe out their lair and bring back the head of their leader! Woooie! That’s a lot of money! If I was an younger man, i’d be sharpening my sword right now. Hey, give me a Bulleye! Now in my days I was...”
The Syl raised an eyebrow, that was a lot of money, and though he didn’t require money for his endeavours it never hurt to have some on hand but that wouldn’t be the thing that would interest him. He was more interested in the chance to deal with the Cruniak once more.

,"Well Crow? I'm in if you are. No need resting on our laurels."
Talon turned to look at Wan, the Kelden mage of the group; he had never encountered the Kelden before and thought them one of the strangest races of Audalis but he had learned that Wan could be a valuable asset and fighter.

“I say patience my friend, let us first see who else takes up this offer before we decide to commit. That is not that much money to risk our lives alone and I would like to know who we would be traveling alongside and trusting our lives to before we say aye.”
He heard Crow’s answer and glanced at the Syl Rogue; the man had a good head on his shoulders and was one of the better archers, other than himself, that Talon had known. Wan and he were very close, inseparable really, and they fought well together in a fashion that spoke of a long familiarity and friendship.

Talon was pondering the thought of this mission when the sound of a tankard slamming to the table interrupted him.

"I Be Gamard the Grim!

"We fought these devils and barely made it here alive!

"But I be a Knight of The Holy Avengers ... and I will help track down this vermin ... exterminate these devils ... and return with the head of their leader ... in the company of those brave enough to company to hell and back ... with a Cleric of Solanis!

"So I say to One and All ... Cruniak Beware!"
It was Gamard, the Khord Cleric pronouncing his willingness to go on this mission; the corner of Talon’s mouth lifted slightly in what on him would be considered a smile. The Khord was a very energetic and enthusiastic person; he had shown almost a hatred of the Cruniak when they had been battling them. It seemed that he wanted to finish the job that they had begun earlier and the Syl wasn’t sure that he wasn’t right about his belief.

Aye, brother. It would be a shame tae gang our sep'rate ways now that we're all just gettin' cozy wi' each other."

Looking up at his other new-found friends, he goes on:

"This little warm-up we just finished would be an awful waste o' time if we didn't get in a real work-out after. And as for the cruniak, well, we only just met 'em a few days back. It'd be rude tae part company wi' 'em sae soon. They might get tae missin' us, an' then, well, I just wouldn't be able tae sleep wi' that hangin' o'er me heed."
Bjaki, the other Khord and a hell of a warrior, spoke up echoing his brother Khord’s words of accepting the mission. He didn’t doubt that the two Khords would agree to take this assignment; they seemed to support one another and any idea to join in a fight.

Talon took another sip of his ale before he would speak; his face showed neither excitement or disappointment but rather a appearance of acceptance of the inevitable.

“Aye,” he said nodding his head, “it would be a shame to not finish a job that we started.” He reached up and ran a finger along a fresh scar that ran along his right jaw line from just under his pointed ear down to almost his chin, “Besides there is a debt to be paid to the Cruniak and their kin.”

He had received that scar during one of the last battles and though Gamard’s magic had healed the damage it had left a scar which had given the Syl a wish for payback every time he saw his reflection.

“What say you now Crow?” He said to the Syl who had cautioned his friend Wan to wait and see who else might join the mission, “Are we suitable companions once more to battle the Cruniak menace?” He raised a brow, and though he didn’t smile, the tone of his voice would show he was poking a little fun at his new friend.

Crow was quiet as first Gamard, then Bjarki and then even Tâlyonaas his fellow Sylvari spoke up in favor of undertaking this quest. Though the money was reasonable, the risk perhaps was not. To go seeking a Cruniak stronghold in mountains over run with the creature’s plus finding and defeating their leader who clearly was smart enough and strong enough to band such a large number together, would not be easy, even for 1000 Fascat.

“What say you now Crow?, are we suitable companions once more to battle the Cruniak menace?” Asked Tâlyonaas from across the table.

“Perhaps, yet I think the reward should equal the danger and mayhap we should think on discussing with the Mayor a bit more in regards to that. However there is still one at this table who has yet to say yay or nay.” Glancing to the lone female at the table Crow addressed her.

“So Bas what say you, should we tentatively accept this quest while we discuss with the Mayor a larger reward??".......

“Perhaps, yet I think the reward should equal the danger and mayhap we should think on discussing with the Mayor a bit more in regards to that. However there is still one at this table who has yet to say yay or nay.” Glancing to the lone female at the table Crow addressed her.

“So Bas what say you, should we tentatively accept this quest while we discuss with the Mayor a larger reward??".......
“I think you have been too long among the Human kind when money is so important to you,” Talon said with a nod to Crow’s suggestion to ask for a greater reward, “But if you want to ask for more I will not gainsay thee.”

He then turns to look towards the last member of their companions who has yet to speak her mind on the subject.

Bas was looking around the room at the reaction of the people. She laughed ruefully, "The money is good Crow - certainly more than we would get for clearing out rats from a church crypt or spiders from a forest. Sundel needs the trade route to be clear and the mayor has at least four lords who will tribute to keep the route free of threat. So at 250 each, I'd say the reward is what it is. I doubt the Mayor would entertain us to negotiation, besides, the longer we wait the more chances of someone else getting there first. " She motioned with her head towards a group of human sell-swords moving out of the bar in haste and then another group in the corner that were huddled in close and talking but watching the announcement of the cleric with a cautious eye.

"I'm in for a fight, never doubt it." she says, "But we have an edge - we know what we have fought and we have someone who can track them."

Wan took on a worried look as more and more mercenaries and nomadics began making there way to exit the tavern. Then he relaxed somewhat when Bas mentioned that at least we have an advantage over the lot of them. Just to poke a bit of fun, Wan spoke up.

"Ah, 'Patience' my eye! Crow just wants a farewell kiss from that red haired wench, and maybe a bit more." Wan said with a sly smile and winked at his friend.

"Come on Crow, She's not the kind you take with you on the road,she's the kind you buy a house for and settle down with. She could no more wait for you than you could bring her along. So put away any notions of getting a room and lets deal with this problem first."

Suddenly a terrible thought came to mind, "You know, considering we have opposed these creatures before, they may know where our kind can be found. If we don't get out of here soon, the Cruniak may be tracking us as we speak and attack this city or the known villages we come from."

With that serious thought in mind Wanwa'er up-ends his tankard and takes the entire pint in a few measured gulps, and unknowingly slams the tankard down on the table almost in true Khord fasion, sheaths his dagger, and precedes to grab his pack.

He then leans in with a whispered voice,"Well I'm pretty serious about this now. I say we let the inexperieced goons go before us and draw the Cruniak out. If these sell swords fight anything like the 30 guards that died, we can use them to soften up our quarry and take the creatures out. We can then use the cruniak tracks to follow back to their lair. Sound like a plan?"

Bjarki takes looks at the table. More money would be good, of course. Money itself is good: no civilization worthy of the name can function without it. But ...

He looks up and addresses the group.

"If our friend Wan is right, we may not have time tae be askin' for higher pay. Much as I love a good bit o coin' in me pouch, I don't want it drippin' in the blood o' innocent folk. As for lettin' the local toughs soften the cruniak up, well ... It mak's sense frae a certain point o' view, but I'm nae comfortable wi' usin' livin' people as bait. Not when I have no grudge agaisnt 'em. It may be best tae get movin' soon.

Any thoughts?"

Reluctantly setting his ale mug aside, then, he leans back to see what people say.

"If our friend Wan is right, we may not have time tae be askin' for higher pay. Much as I love a good bit o coin' in me pouch, I don't want it drippin' in the blood o' innocent folk. As for lettin' the local toughs soften the Cruniak up, well ... It mak's sense frae a certain point o' view, but I'm nae comfortable wi' usin' livin' people as bait. Not when I have no grudge against 'em. It may be best tae get movin' soon. Any thoughts?"
Crow using his superior Syl hearing to both listen to the crowd and the conversion at the table at the same time, overheard Bjarki comments and just had to laugh.

“Ahh my Khord friend surely you jest, those be not innocent folk we would be using as your so called ‘bait’ but adventurers much like ourselves that would also be after the reward. Call them the competition if you like and if they were to die killing lots of Cruniak, well that just leaves less for us to deal with in the end. By all means let them go first I have not a care if they live or die just as long as we end up with the money in the end. As for leaving soon, mid morning looks good as this eve is already mostly done, and late night approaches”
Turning to Wan he smiled at his Keldan friend

"As to the fine redhead my friend, I nay plan to ask for her hand in marrige, but perhaps a night under the sheets is a possiblity."
(OOC: OK once again am assuming its early evening say 7-8ish?? If I am incorrect I will edit this post accordingly)

… Bjarki drains the mug and sets it down with unaccustomed precision. Looking up then at his Syl companion, he responds:

“Nae jestin’ here, my friend. If waitin’ till mid-mornin’ mak’s the best sense for our ain purposes, then aye, I say let’s wait. But that's between us an' the cruniak. As for bankin’ on the blood o’ others tae pave our way tae the gold, I’m no’ sae easy wi’ that. They get there first an’ meet wi’ ill fortune, well, that’s their bad luck. But if we knowin’ly work their deaths intae our profit, that’s anaehter matter, and ane that may mak’ the gold all the heavier, tae my mind at least. Still, you’re right about this: there’s nae sense rushin’ out this time o’ day an any cas’, and nae sense rushin’ out any time wi’out a good plan. Sae what say we all bang our heads taegether an’ see what comes out on the table?”

“Nae jestin’ here, my friend. If waitin’ till mid-mornin’ mak’s the best sense for our ain purposes, then aye, I say let’s wait. But that's between us an' the cruniak. As for bankin’ on the blood o’ others tae pave our way tae the gold, I’m no’ sae easy wi’ that. They get there first an’ meet wi’ ill fortune, well, that’s their bad luck. But if we knowin’ly work their deaths intae our profit, that’s anaehter matter, and ane that may mak’ the gold all the heavier, tae my mind at least. Still, you’re right about this: there’s nae sense rushin’ out this time o’ day an any cas’, and nae sense rushin’ out any time wi’out a good plan. Sae what say we all bang our heads taegether an’ see what comes out on the table?”
With Bjarki's reply Crow could tell that perhaps the Khord warrior had gotten the wrong idea on his statement about letting the other adventurer's go ahead of them, though the Syl Fighter/Thief was glad he agreed to the rest.

“Nay my friend we will not knowingly let them die, if it be within our power to save them. However I will nay go out of my way to save them if they be beyond saving in the first place. As for a plan that’s simple Tâlyonaas and I track them to their lair, Wan covers us and scouts from the air as much as he can. Then once we find the lair with you and Bas in the lead followed by Gamard and Wan and then Talon and Myself with our bows we enter and kill them! Quite easy if you think on it hard enough.”
Then turning to the redhead as she finally brought his ale, he turned on his Sylvish charm and softly whispered in her ear of his wish to spend more time with her alone later that night............

Bjarki thinks for a moment and nods agreement. "Seems we see eye to eye, then," he says, wondering to himself what this Syl sees in human women. Their faces are so ... hairless.