Since the volcanic eruption and meteorite strike of the previous year, Corone had been plunged into chaos. Natural, economic, and faunal chaos. Indeed, the paper flier fluttering from the wind, hung tightly to a wooden pole, was a sign of this. On the poster read:

WANTED:
At least two people required. Clear out den of World Eaters and Faceless. In the ruins of the settlement Bluevale, south of here. The World Eaters and Faceless are Eldritch creatures from who knows where, who somehow appeared in Bluevale after it was wiped out by disease.

Reward: 1,000 coin per person!


Standing in front of the poster, a young woman reached out and signed her name on the parchment. The redhead lowered the pen to the tray hoisted below and took a step back. She had been a bit obsessive with these bounty missions as of late. In the Coronian Ranger outpost of The Red Clearing, outside Concordia and between the town of New Brookshaven and the ruins of Whitevale, Felicity Rhyolite had been frequenting. Of course she did, since her mentor had left her for more important things... again.

The small outpost took up a single, dry clearing with only a handful of buildings. The makeshift inn and tavern with no name to the right was where people ate and slept. A sloppy equipment shed was at the other side of the clearing, with three outhouses visible at the very edge of the encampment. The final building was a business collection rep and office for the Rangers who set up this place, for the pure purpose of setting up a bounty board to help with duties. Felicity adjusted her gear, knowing fully well that with how overwhelmed the Rangers were, they were actually reliant on increased mercenary activity to get the dirty jobs done. That way, they could focus on guardian duties and relief efforts. Felicity, obviously, has become one of those mercenaries. The rewards had become inflated due to this, with higher coin offered than usual to bounty hunters in these troubled times.

Felicity turned to go to the tavern, until she was summoned to the office to pick up the job she had signed up for.

~~~




Monsters and Men.
[Closed to Aldritch the Pale.]