A walk through the woods

[Ingenious]

{open}

Things were terrible. He had been loitering around Radasanth for the past few weeks like some vagabond. Not even a whisper of a worthwhile job had come his way. His luck seemed to have turned sour lately. He felt that he would soon lose the place he had been squatting in. He was about to lose all hope when he had overheard a delectable rumor.

Supposedly bandits had been raiding trade caravans passing through Concordia woods. It seemed to him like the perfect opportunity to make a bundle. Likely it was the same simple-headed group hitting all of them and all he needed to do was simply relieve them of the stolen goods. It was more along the lines of liberation now that he thought about it. Most would probably think him insane, but with the right people and the right plan, he could easily pull it off.

The problem at the moment was pulling it all together. He needed to find people who needed money and were willing to risk their neck. He figured it was in his best interest to spread word of the job as far as he could. He knew some people around Radasanth, but it would take some gold to push it further.

With a mixture of a few favors and the greasing of the right palms, he had insured that the message of his job would spread to the right ears. It held allure yet wasn't too revealing of what exactly it entailed.

"To those lookin' for a right easy job that will line your pockets, make your way to Underwood before month's end. Meet at the post a ways north of town on the last day."


~ A few weeks later ~

The journey had been arduous but he managed. The planned seemed like a diamond in the rough, but it was enough to carry through. He arrived in Underwood a few days prior to the meeting so he had poked around town a bit, found a place to stay, a warm bath and a few odd jobs to pay for his expenses. He also managed to pick up a bit of information about the bandits in the meanwhile.

It was finally the day of the meeting and he was on his way to the rendezvous spot when Kazuo finally decided to put in his two cents. The ferret always seemed to poke his head in at the worst possible times.

"You really think it'll be as easy as an in and out job. Bash a few bandits, walk out with the loot?" said Kazuo as he chuckled.

"Well it might be if some over-sized rat kept his trap shut. Everyone around knows where we are now" said Kinchiro sarcastically.

The ferret chuckled once more. "Is someone getting bent out of shape at a little comment."

He snickered once more before hopping off of Kinchiro's shoulder and wandering off into the woods to scout out the area. He could only shake his head at having allied himself to such a wretched and devious little critter.

He decided to ignore the rat's remarks and focus on the mission at hand. He noticed the sign post just ahead in a small clearing. It seemed as though the maples rejected the sign, for it sat exactly in the middle of the clearing. The clearing was devoid save for the grass and sign. He didn't dwindle long on why he was the first one to arrive.

As he walked towards the sign it hit him. He had never mentioned a specific time during the day to arrive which meant that people might randomly show up. He paused for a moment, raised his hand to his brow and shook his head for a moment. He walked to the sign and sat down against it.

All he could do is wait for people to show, but in the meanwhile he wasn't going to stare blankly into space. He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a finely lacquered oaken pipe and a little bit of fine smoking herb. He ground the herb between his fingers over the bowl until it was all well ground. He lit it with a fire stick and then brought it to his lips. He breathed the sweet aromatic smoke in, held and released it. He supposed he would do this until someone arrived.

[Lathienas Miraq]

Lathienas was at a loss for feeling. He wandered, stunned and lost through the forests. He had been here before, long ago, with the elder's advice. Now though he was simply walking, without a purpose or care in the world.

His plan was to find the famed Bazaar, and find a method of focusing his mind. As it was, his attention wandered from quest to quest and he was unable to keep an interest in many things. After a particularly restful night, Thien was wandering and humming to himself, for once, a quiet minded soul. In this sobered state of mind, his meanderings took him to a main route for traders to the city of Underwood. On this path he talked to many merchants and adventurers. He learned much of the surroundings and happenings. While talking to a large purple skinned Orcish adventurer. The heavily muscled and armed veteran obviously looked down his pug-nose at Thien but he deined to talk to him anyway. When Thien mentioned in passing that he was short of gold, the tusked mouth almost grinnned.

'I belief that there is wark in the city for one such as yarself'

His thick accent and tusks made the common tounge sound rough and alien to Thien's ears, used to the refined, ringing voices of elves and half-elves. The orc continued, telling the tale of caravans on this very road that had been ambushed and raided. He finished by telling of a group of mercenaries and men-for-hire who were planning to advance on the raider's camp. Although he was not a merchant and therefore cared little for the raider's plight, the orc gave Thien directions to the proposed meeting place of this party. Thien left the orc to his journey and struck out into the forest. What it was that drove him to the idea he was not sure. It may have been the circumstances of his settlement's downfall, or simply boredom. Whatever the reason, he arrived at a clearing where a brown haired youth bearing a katana was slouched. He placed a hand on a healing stone in his pouch, as a reassurance and then advanced on the boy, planning to inquire of knowledge of the adventurer's party. He held out a hand in greeting.

This is also serving slightly as backstory for a bazaar thread I have.

[Ingenious]

Sorry for the late post.

The song of birds was carried on a gentle breeze to him in the middle of the clearing. It was quite soothing to the ears but it was disturbed by the sound of a twig snapping. His attention focused to that direction. A young man with elvish features appeared from behind one of the large oaks and entered the clearing. It appeared that the elf was heading his way. He seemed ready for adventure, garbed in leather and shrouded with a cloak. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a club dangling at the elf's waist.

It eerily became silent save for the crisp grass crunching under the elf's boot. Normally he would have found this to be unsettling but his focus was elsewhere. His heart leapt for a moment at the excitement that someone had finally shown.

He shoved his hands into the ground at full force catapulting himself to his feet in hardly no time at all. He dusted off the back of his jet black long coat and threw his wide brimmed hat onto his head. A grandiose smile appeared on his face as he watched. By his own accord, he was fairly whimsical in all respects.

If one person would show, surely more would to. This gave him faith that more would certainly show up. The daunting task would seem easy and he would take his first step of many towards his goal.

Soon the elf was upon him and he firmly clasped his hand around the elf's and shook a few times before releasing and patting him on the shoulder warmly. He continued to smile and chuckled a bit.

"Greetings and welcome. I can only assume you are here to assist me in my endeavor to rid this forest of bandits? If so well met but alas we must await the arrival of more. In the meanwhile would you like some of this savory smoke?"

[Lathienas Miraq]

It's fine. Oh and possibly if people haven't replied by now, we could just start. They can always join later anyway.
Thien accepted the greeting with a grin.
'I am'

He declined the offer of pipe-herb and sat, cross-legged, a metre or so away from the black-coated man. He suddenly noticed the youth's companon: a ferret. The small creature looked perfectly at-home but strangely out of place. There was intelligence in those eyes that Thien did not trust. He pulled a fire-stone from his pouch and collected a small pile of kindling. Igniting the wood, he stoked the fire to a moderate blaze and sat before it. The dancing flames had little effect in the light of the day but Thien suddenly felt cold and the warm glow was comforting. He pulled out his tools and a few spare pebbles and proceeded to replenish his supply of runes, hammering and chiseling his work into the pebbles' surfaces. As he worked, he rembered the boy was the reason for his being there, and that his name was still unknown.
'I am known as Thien, what's your name?'
Even as he spoke, he felt a slight paranoia. The thought of wild bandits roaming made him uneasy and he glanced constantly at the edges of the clearing to reassure himself of security.

[StormWolf]

Word travels fast when the booze flows, and overhearing a drunkard is not difficult when one has such keen ears. Bandits, sick bastards killing and stealing. Rath hated people like that. . . too much like Kaine, his kin slaying eldest brother. It was difficult for one like Rath to make conversation at an inn or tavern and still have his eyes remain unseen by the masses. Rath al'Perrin Stahltann had wolf eyes, a golden amber-yellow that seems to glow when they reflect light or are in total darkness.

Rath would hunt these bandits for a small price. The satisfaction and just enough gold and silver to make it through another week of tight rations would be enough. The wolf-eyed young man found the place specified on the notice easily, thanks to the local wolves. Rath felt at home in the wilderness. . . a bad sign when someone is like him. He could Lose himself to bestial impulses if he is not cautios.


Rath noticed two young lads in the clearing ahead. Both younger than he, even though Rath was young by Lycan standards. A glance at Rath would leave one confused or curious as to what he really is. Keeping eyes cast down to hide their eerie wolfen nature. He had a stony face and even more stony jaw. Oil black hair fell about his shoulders, held out of his face by a braided leather cord. His garb was a mix-match of soldier and citizen clothes. Rath's boots, belts, weapons, bracers, and crimson cloak where that of a trained soldier. But his breeches, deep "V" collar sleeveless shirt, blacksmith's vest, and scarred hands where that of a common worker and farmhand, as well as blacksmith.

The wolf-eyed man was the tallest and broadest one there, by the looks of it. His arms as thick as one of their legs, possibly. His broad shoulders, height, and bulky musculature gave him an aura of no bullshit and someone to be feared. That was without exposing his eyes. His hefty half-moon axe hung in it's belt loop, blade and counter spike simple, effective, and masterfully crafted. His wooden buckler and six foot, broad blade claymore were slung across his back. Rath was among the two other men now, still hiding his eyes, the fire not helping them stay hidden.

"Is this the bandit hunt I have heard so much about?" Rath said in a deep and rumbling voice that sounded more like. . . a growl. It was smooth as oiled leather and deep as rolling thunder, but still had roughness and authority to it. This man was here to work, it was in his tone and his posture.