följe [mission 1]

The guildmasters office was imposing and oddly picturesque, with the beautiful woman sitting in the middle behind a large desk. The timeliness of the party had brought a slight smirk to her face as the ragtag group filed in a line, standing before her. It was no surprise to her that a few of them were visibly impressed by the room. The decor ranged from official certificates from various places, to her most prized taxidermy trophies. She'd seen the look on their faces in the faces of hundreds of others. Some destined for greatness, and some destined for defeat.

[BGM: Alluring Overseer ]

Her brows lifted as she wondered what the future held for these young adventurers.

The new recruits had finally decided on a mission they were all content with and were now scheduled for briefing. Clearing her throat and lifting a paper she'd carefully sorted out before they'd entered, Nia broke the silence.

"Welcome. I appreciate your punctuality. Let's not waste any time and get through this briefing, so you can be on your way. Our client doesn't like to wait, after all." She started, flipping through the pages of her folder.

"Our client is a travelling emissary of the country Kal'Tir, and his wife.Their names are Garad and Lath'a Waratheg. You are to escort them to the gates of their homeland. This is simple enough, but I implore you not to take this lightly. If you've read the papers lately, you might know that Kal'Tir is...Well, we'll say they're in a state of unrest." Her emphasis was barely subtle.

"I'm not authorized to say much, but there is a reason they had to ask Galdin for help." Nia spoke, despite surely having her own opinions on the matter, making sure to stay a neutral party.

"You're supplied with food and supplies for the trip there and back, it should only be a few hours, provided you stay out of trouble." Her slender hand motioned to a set of rucksacks, one for each of them.

"I have time for a few questions, but if you want to be back before dark, you should be on your way as soon as possible."

Alisa listened to their briefing in polite silence, mulling over the information as it came.  She hadn't been paying much attention to politics lately, but news about Kal'Tir was hard to avoid.  She couldn't say she really wanted to go there, but at least they wouldn't be staying (if everything went as planned).

Still, just a few hours? Somehow it felt less like an adventurous mission and more like an errand, but a little traveling was just what Alisa needed.  The excitement of getting into the guild and everything that came with that had sidetracked her a bit, but this was a perfect opportunity to start looking for her missing master.  Her brow furrowed.

"Thank you, Lady Nia." Alisa said with a half bow, all too eager to get this show on the road.  While the others spoke, she grabbed the strap of one rucksack and slung it over her shoulder, with a quick nod toward the members of her team as if to say 'Ready when you are!'.  If they had any questions, hopefully they wouldn't take long...

Sveta listened to the guildmaster diligently with a look on her face so determined, it was almost comical. When she started speaking of Kal'Tir, her concentration was broken as she tried to figure out what the hell she was talking about. Kal'Tir? Never heard of it. The elf girl tried her best to not show it on the outside, but Zed could see her worry as clear as the day.

A slightly distorted voice rang inside of her head. "I think she's implying this emissary is dangerous cargo."

Sveta nodded, just seeming to acknowledge Nia's orders. She'd already forgotten the names of the clients. Listening was not her strong point, what a surprise.

"Yes, ma'am!" Sveta saluted excitedly. She immediately shrunk in confidence when she saw how polite Alisa was, and bowed along as well. Smooth.

Slinking over to the backpacks, thoroughly embarrassed, she had a harder time lifting the bag over her shoulder like Alisa did. Damn her strength. Sveta rubbed her shoulder to try and relieve some of the tension the straps caused, quietly whining something in Elvish to herself.

At Alisa's gesture, Sveta straightened up to the best of her abilities and gave her a thumbs up. She was excited to get started on their first real mission. Something felt so much more dangerous about it than their entrance exam.

Now, truly anything could happen!

On his travels, Adelo had heard whispers of the troubles in Kal'Tir, but he never concerned himself with those matters. It seemed like a load of trouble that he wasn't quite prepared to deal with... but now it sounded as if he was going to be thrust into the middle of it. Perhaps he should have studied up before hand.



"Ah, thank you for the opportunity, Lady Nia. We will not disappoint you!"

He removed his hat and bowed to their guild master before looking to the others, nodding confidently. The others seemed excited too, although their trip sounded as if it would only take a moment... Or would it? Adelo had a gut feeling that this mission would not nearly be as simple as Nia had implied... and he was sure the others felt the same.

He retrieved his pack and slung it over his back. He looked to Sveta and tilted his head slightly... This girl was a half-elf... He had heard that elves lacked the physical strength that other races possessed. He reached over to her and loosened the straps on her bag, making it a bit easier for her to carry. "Ah.. I hope that works better for you, friend. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance if you need it. I'm a bit larger than the average human, ya know..." He laughed and scratched the back of his head nervously... He hadn't spoken to her very much since their entrance exam, but he wished to befriend her quickly. Every bit helps, hm?

He looked to Alisa and Sveta returning their prepared expressions and clenching his hand into a readied fist! Now their adventures truly began... What will they discover in this mysterious troubled land?

So, this was it. This would be Mori's first official mission as a member of the Galdin Guild. It was... different. The freedom to choose an assignment meant that any group could take a job. There were no orders from the head of the guild, no commander to set jobs aside for the skilled. The concept annoyed the assassin. An escort mission required little skill. Even the lowest of Cavea's ranks could succeed at an escort. Still, a job was a job, and someone had to protect the emissaries of Kal'Tir.

Kal'Tir. Mori felt an odd curiosity about this mission. Saying the country was in a state of unrest was... an incredible understatement. Mori knew it all too well. The revolution in Kal'Tir was down a good number of men because of him. Why hadn't they hired Cavea for protection? Interesting... Whatever the reason was, Mori wanted to find out.

He went to retrieve his pack, not bothering to spare a moment of thanks for the guildmaster. Elvish words grabbed his attention. Mori turned to notice a certain healer struggling with her bag, but Adelo quickly stepped in to assist. The assassin rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath.

"Hm. Let's hope you can be this helpful out in the field, huh?"

At Alisa's ready-up, Mori headed towards the door. Time was ticking by, and the emissaries had to be waiting on them.

"Let's just hurry up and get this over with."

An escort mission is the perfect job for Cecilia. So she smiles confidently and accepts the mission. There's probably more to it than simple escorting, however, but the knight knew to be prepared for anything. She's acted bodyguard for most of her life.

Before they headed out, Cecilia just packed a few things in a small knapsack--mostly food, and not much else. She walks behind the rest, so to make sure not to get lost, and to watch their back. They'll be ways out of the city of Galdin before she actually thhinks to ask an important question.

Cecilia taps the shoulder of the person closest to her. "Um. So... what has been happening in Kal'Tir?" she asks, a bit embarrassed.

Cecilia isn't even sure of what kind of place Kal'Tir is. In fact, this is the first she's heard of it. In her two years living in Amadiah, she was more concerned with getting used to her new life than of worldly news. But the other seem aware, at least.

Watching with amusement as the ragtag team of adventurers made their way out the door with some difficulty, Nia wasn't sure what she expected of them. In theory, an escort mission should be simple. The papers in her hands implied otherwise. In the folder, clippings of newspaper articles showed violence and riots abound, directed at people just like the emissaries.

As far as she knew, that might have been the last time she would see her new team.

--

Just outside the guild hall, down the steps waited a horse drawn carriage. Luggage was being hauled onto the back of it by some of the lower ranked members of the team, much like them. Out of the norm, were two very tall people who looked quite out of place. Giants.

Lath'a stood straight and slender, gentle curves on her body were accentuated by clothes that seemed very traditional. Traditional and expensive. Her black hair was loosely held back by a red and gold headband that matched with the rest of her outfit. The woman looked quiet and stern as she watched her baggage slowly fill the trunk of the carriage, not even noticing the approaching team.

Garad looked rather similar, dressed in clothes common to giants. His face remained unchanging as he watched the guild members, his tan skin almost appearing as stone. His grim expression made it pretty clear that this group was not his first choice. Or was it something else..?

"You must be the escorts. We leave as soon as we are packed, I have no intention of waiting much longer." The man said simply, seeming to stare right through them. Not the most friendly guy ever...

Lath'a didn't even offer a greeting, a glance full of annoyance and possibly slight disgust on her face as she glanced back at the team. Without looking for too long, she climbed into the back of the cart.

This was going to be fun.

After the team took a few minutes to talk among themselves and help load the last of the baggage into the carriage, they would be off to Kal'Tir!

Once everyone was prepared, Alisa marched forwards, although since their destination was pretty clear this time she didn't feel like she had to lead.  On the contrary, as her thoughts drifted away from the guild's mission and towards her personal one, she fell closer and closer to the back of the line.  She hadn't told her teammates about that, either... should she bring it up? They were from all over, maybe they'd seen him.

A light tap on her shoulder snapped her out of it, and she looked back as Cecil voiced her question.  She didn't know? Well, if the knight traveled around a lot, then maybe she wouldn't have heard about the details of one country's political conflicts..."Kal'Tir's not terribly stable right now." Alisa spoke quietly, trying not to embarrass Cecil by explaining everything out loud. "There's some kind of rebellion rising up to try and usurp their government.  Our escortees are probably targets."

They arrived at the carriage soon after her condensed explanation, and Alisa was taken aback for a moment at the stature of the emissary and his wife.  Of course, she'd seen giants before, but in her distraction she hadn't been expecting them.  She straightened up, wanting to make a good impression, but the emissary's curt introduction ended those hopes immediately.

"Of course. Sir." Alisa made a strained face resembling a smile and then turned her back to the carriage so she was facing her teammates.  "Ughh!" she whined as quietly as she could manage, with a subdued stomp of one foot. "How rude!  What makes them think they can act like that? Their lives could be in our hands, you'd think they would be grateful!"

Sveta seemed uncharacteristically meek as they approached their clients. The war was long over, but the relationship between elves and giants were...Strained, to say the very least. Sveta wasn't the type to judge people by history, so she offered a smile to them. It wasn't received well, getting little more than a scoff from the tall lady in return. The elf fought herself, trying not to take it personally.

Zed remained silent, feeling a little guilt as the discomfort in the girl grew. The war between giants and elves was a holy one, and he had been a part of it. The gods had buried the hatchet long ago, but the people still continued to hold a grudge. He nudged the girl gently and leaned his head against her arm to comfort her.

Sveta grimaced almost comically, with her pointed ears laying as low as they possibly could. Alisa's frustration was shared, but Sveta was also afraid of getting yelled at.

"I don't know...They're probably grumpy cause they want to go home...They don't need to be jerks about it, though." Sveta pouted similarly to Alisa, ignoring the carriage as to seem less suspicious. "I suppose we'll just make the trip there as quick as we can. With any luck, we won't have to talk to them at all..."

It wasn't long after the baggage was off the ground that the horses were signaled to go.

Sveta frowned, there wasn't a carriage rented for them. Travelling on foot wasn't anything new to her but it was still kind of a let-down. Following alongside the carriage, the girl continued to pout. This mission sucked.

Adelo blinked at his far more frustrated companions. Well, sure, the folks they were supposed to escort were a bit rude, but perhaps they had a good reason to be! The setting they were accustomed to at this point must have been rough with the inner turmoil their nation is facing... The bard nodded and smiled to his companions.

"Perhaps they just need a little love and care, hm? Let's do our best to keep them safe, and keep the good vibes flowing!"

Adelo strummed his mandolin and joined the others following the carriage. He played a soft tune to fill the silence that remained after their journey began. The air felt a bit tense... He couldn't quite explain it, but... something felt strange about the journey. Then it suddenly hit him...!

"Ah...! I... won't be able to take naps if we are walking all the time..." Adelo strummed sadly. "This just won't do..."

The words of Mori's employer floated through his head. They were blunt, uncaring, and meaningless. They reminded Mori of the way he himself spoke. His team had, no doubt, taken the words of Garad to heart. He listened silently to the conversation of the other while distancing himself from the group, casting glares of disappointment towards the rest of the group. It was only when Adelo had piped up did Mori feel the need to contribute.

"What they need are the Coragyps, not some ragtag bundle of adventurers. And don't think you're entitled to their respect. They're paying for you to protect them, not to be their friends, so shut up and do your job."

As the team walked beside the carriage, Mori lost himself in focused thought. There had to be a reason the Kal'Tir emissaries went to Galdin instead of Cavea for aid...

Cecilia nods understandingly as the client speaks, and helps them load up the baggage onto the cart. These kind of people weren't unusual. They usually have a reason for it, and besides, she's handled worse. A smile forms on her lips in... memory.

??

Which memory? What memory? The smile had disappeared with a stinging pain in her mind; Cecilia shakes her head. Focus. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask," she says to the pair of giants as soon as they sat down in the cart. After waiting for a reaction, she joins her group.

The knight faces the rest of the crew. "Mori is correct," she tells them. Then she gestures, "Shall we go?" she smiles.

The first hour of the trip was mostly uneventful. Lush woods on the outskirts of Galdin slowly faded down into dead brush. The climate towards Kal'Tir was cold, the map pictured the land with a soft dusting of snow.

Most conversation on the trip had lulled to a stop by the 4th hour, the excitement of travel wearing off at last. The monotony of dying trees and soft flurries of snow were tiresome, to say the least.

Suddenly, the horses stopped in their tracks. Slight whirring and shifting could be heard close by. Gears clanking, metal groaning. Something mechanical, poorly made. Yellow eyes flickered behind the brush, before the creature leaped forward.

A mechanical canine of some sort, with rusted metal joints. Constructed of scrap metal and magic circuit work.

"Defend the coach!" One of the drivers called out, trying to calm down the horses.

While the others might have been able to justify their clients' responses, Alisa was still annoyed. At first she only kept quiet out of spite, but as the climate changed she slowly realized that she'd never been this far away from Galdin before.

That was only exciting for so long, and she eventually resigned herself to silently trudging through the light flurries of snow, hugging her arms as if that would help keep her warm at all. But this was adventure, right? No one would take her seriously if she complained about a little chill--

Lost in thought, she didn't notice that the carriage stopped until she smacked face-first into whoever was walking in front of her. Her complaint about the sudden stop was left unsaid as the driver shouted for help, and the now much paler Alisa quickly brandished a vial of acid before backing up against the side of the coach as her eyes met the mechanical enemy. Now wasn't really the time to be impressed by the creature, was it?

"Stay back!" Alisa instructed before launching a vial of acid at the machine, hoping everyone else would keep their distance until they could come up with a plan of attack.

When the carriage came to a halt, Sveta was jerked off of the wheel shelter, but managed to catch herself before landing on the slightly iced ground. She almost started to shake her fist towards the driver but soon noticed the mechanical beasts emerging.

She fumbled with her wand frantically, and managed to get a shield over the carriage. A shield that large took a lot of concentration, and she almost was unable to keep it together when she heard something else in the bushes.

Clicking? A crossbow bolt whizzed by her head and bounced off the light purple shield.

"Th-There's more!?"