Old World Monsters Act One: Of Pagans

[Shark Bait]

This thought of Per's made Agrilos frown as he thought for a moment. "Well, from what I've seen, his shifts and changes are normally more personality-wise, with the confusion setting in after the fact. In a fight though, I don't think it would disorient him too much. But I agree with you in that each of us has something about themselves they're not eager to volunteer, but why do you think it would give him cause for confusion?"

Its not what he would see in one of us but more the situation, you do not think he would become too disoriented but I've seen people far more sane crack in the heat of battle. But more importantly I recall today when he chilled the entire inn out of momentary anger then could not recall the event. My worry is that he may become confused yes, but also that his attacks may become less focused or directed.

[rhoenix]

"Its not what he would see in one of us but more the situation, you do not think he would become too disoriented but I've seen people far more sane crack in the heat of battle. But more importantly I recall today when he chilled the entire inn out of momentary anger then could not recall the event. My worry is that he may become confused yes, but also that his attacks may become less focused or directed," said Per.

At this, Agrilos nodded. "Aye, I remember that - he was getting upset about how I suggested we find some way of talking with the interlopers to see what in all the hells they think they're doing, instead of simply exterminating them."

Pausing again, he thought more about what Per had said. "Perhaps you are right about his...changes of consciousness. For that reason, I would suggest he be paired with someone to help watch his back tonight. As a matter of fact, I think all of us should meet together again fairly soon to go over the specifics of tonight, to be sure all of us work together efficiently, and know contingency plans and so forth."

[Marcao]

His eyes tracked the priest as he moved before he eventually was seated. In the end, he could see nothing amiss from the man. He seemed to be carrying his burden well and there was something about the man that made him feel somewhat at ease. When the priest spoke about the end of days he hesitated for the priest to finish speaking before he spoke.

“If the end of days are upon us then all we can do is stand and face its coming.â€

[Shark Bait]

At this, Agrilos nodded. "Aye, I remember that - he was getting upset about how I suggested we find some way of talking with the interlopers to see what in all the hells they think they're doing, instead of simply exterminating them."

Pausing again, he thought more about what Per had said. "Perhaps you are right about his...changes of consciousness. For that reason, I would suggest he be paired with someone to help watch his back tonight. As a matter of fact, I think all of us should meet together again fairly soon to go over the specifics of tonight, to be sure all of us work together efficiently, and know contingency plans and so forth."

Per nodded, we certainly do need to coordinate ourselves as to whom should be paired with him I do not know certanly someone who can win his trust but also someone who can be effective at range.

[rhoenix]

Per nodded. "We certainly do need to coordinate ourselves as to whom should be paired with him I do not know certainly someone who can win his trust but also someone who can be effective at range."

Nodding thoughtfully, Agrilos tilted his head to the side as he considered. "Winning his trust would be difficult for any of us I think, but the rest of your points are well made. In the meantime however, please join me as I talk with the magistrate about my preliminary plans . You can likely spot weak points in my plans so far if you're willing, and afterward we can gather the others together to discuss who would be best at doing what."

[The Silence and I]

One large man who had been hammering away at a long nail looked up and stopped his work as John came closer. Leaving the work to one of the others the man stepped up and spoke. "Not much use for many blades, most here have no real knowledge in how to use them. But there's some armor needs fixing and plenty of other things that need doing, if you're capable."

"I am."

The man was nearly as big John was, with a deep tan and short black hair. He looked younger than John, but not by much. "Come with me, we'll get you set up on something then. As the man led John towards one of the workstations the pair passed a wall that carried a few swords, but more importantly, three guns. Two matchlocks and a wheellock.

As John eased himself into the work flow and began his first few tasks he started eying the wheellock with interest. "How much for that weapon, the wheellock on the wall?"

[Charon]

The first few tasks set before John were very simple things of making nails, hinges, horseshoes, the sort of work that any beginner should be capable of. It was clear that while the man was eager for workers he was not stupid enough to set a new man up with something he could screw up.

When John asked his question the man looked at him with curiousity. "I doubt you've got the money man, but what would you use it for?" The large man paused in his own work as he looked from the gun to John and back to the gun.

[Charon]

[quote]“If the end of days are upon us then all we can do is stand and face its coming.â€

[The Silence and I]

The first few tasks set before John were very simple things of making nails, hinges, horseshoes, the sort of work that any beginner should be capable of. It was clear that while the man was eager for workers he was not stupid enough to set a new man up with something he could screw up.

John seems satisfied with the work he is given and shows no sign of being bored by the easy jobs.

When John asked his question the man looked at him with curiousity. "I doubt you've got the money man, but what would you use it for?" The large man paused in his own work as he looked from the gun to John and back to the gun.

John takes a moment to answer but does not look up from his work or pause. "I have volunteered my services for the armed defense of your town and my usual equipment is ill suited for battling monsters from a fortified wall." He indicates his strange looking staff, pausing his work briefly to do so. "That staff is hollow and I keep a short hunting bow within, but it's power is best used against small game. I need something more substantial if I intend to harm the likes of vampires or grendel, or whatever it is that plagues your town."

[Charon]

The man nodded slowly, and did not speak for awhile as he thought it over. "I'll tell you what, we'll see how much work I can get out of you and you can pay the difference. If you can, the gun's all yours."

The man looked at the work John was doing and then nodded approvingly. "Looks like you weren't kidding. Alright then, there's some chainmail that is in need of repair. I'll have one of my boys send them to you and we'll see what you can do with it."

[Shark Bait]

Nodding thoughtfully, Agrilos tilted his head to the side as he considered. "Winning his trust would be difficult for any of us I think, but the rest of your points are well made. In the meantime however, please join me as I talk with the magistrate about my preliminary plans . You can likely spot weak points in my plans so far if you're willing, and afterward we can gather the others together to discuss who would be best at doing what."

"Certainly a good idea" Per replied approvingly "I've had a few ideas on how we might better protect the citizens of this town while handling the threat of these monsters."

[rhoenix]

"Certainly a good idea" Per replied approvingly "I've had a few ideas on how we might better protect the citizens of this town while handling the threat of these monsters."

Agrilos grinned. "Excellent. In that case, let us go see the Magistrate. And between you and I, I do hope he doesn't mind if I leave the door open this time."

With that, he resumed walking toward the Magistrate's building, and reaching it, knocked firmly upon the door.

[The Silence and I]

The man nodded slowly, and did not speak for awhile as he thought it over. "I'll tell you what, we'll see how much work I can get out of you and you can pay the difference. If you can, the gun's all yours."

"I'll take you up on your offer, it looks like a good weapon."

The man looked at the work John was doing and then nodded approvingly. "Looks like you weren't kidding. Alright then, there's some chainmail that is in need of repair. I'll have one of my boys send them to you and we'll see what you can do with it."

He nods agreeably and sets to work with an easy concentration; working with mail takes patience but that is something John has endless amounts of.

[Charon]

With that, he resumed walking toward the Magistrate's building, and reaching it, knocked firmly upon the door.

A few moments after the door was openned by one of the servants who looked at the two men with rather dull eyes. "Is there something you require sirs? The Magistrate is very busy with running the city."

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There were several pieces of mail that were in need of fixing, but all of them were rather simple jobs as well. The blacksmith was busying himself as well molding and shaping small bits of iron into caltrops.

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Manfred's work was almost oddly constantly delayed from it's completion by small occurances going wrong. A bird once flew too close and distracted him in the middle of an incantation, which resulted in an entire section of the moat he'd meant to reinforce giving way and needing fixing. Another time a gleam of sun had pierced through the cloud cover, which was beginning to dissipitate, and reflected off of the spear tip of one of the guards, which again distracted the wizard and that time resulted in eight foot stone spikes sticking out of the moat for a twenty foot length.

Manfred was feeling weary already by the time he finished setting up most of the moat.

[rhoenix]

A few moments after the door was openned by one of the servants who looked at the two men with rather dull eyes. "Is there something you require sirs? The Magistrate is very busy with running the city."

Greeting the dull-eyed servant, Agrilos smiled gently. "Indeed - we wish to speak with the Magistrate about matters of the town's defense. May we have a moment of his time?"

[Charon]

The servant nodded slowly and stepped aside, closing the door behind the pair he led them back to the room they had been in previously. The servant openned the door to reveal the magistrate busily scribbling on a sheet until he seemed to become aware that there were others in the room and he looked up at them. "Yes? Is there something I can help you with?"

[Comrade Tortoise]

Manfred was officially tired. But he was almost done. All he had left to do was fill the moat

"Alek nordo virani" he lifted the wall of water he had been holding back, and arced the water over the lip of the moat, so as not to erode it, and starteded filling it from the bottom directly(like he was pouring the water in with a very wide lipped pitcher)

[rhoenix]

The servant nodded slowly and stepped aside, closing the door behind the pair he led them back to the room they had been in previously. The servant opened the door to reveal the magistrate busily scribbling on a sheet until he seemed to become aware that there were others in the room and he looked up at them. "Yes? Is there something I can help you with?"

Bowing gracefully to the Magistrate, and not showing his mild annoyance with the door being closed again, Agrilos spoke after rising with a smile. "Hello again, Magistrate. I've completed my walk around the town, and I've now a pretty good idea of how the defenses and plans for tonight should go. I'd like to meet with my compatriots again, and anyone else who'll be involved with the town defense tonight within half an hour at the inn to discuss placement, strategy, and the like. I can go over my preliminary plan with you now, if you wish."

He really hoped the Magistrate didn't want to have a drawn-out discussion; that the Magistrate was doing extensive paperwork boded weal for him, he hoped. The air, he noticed, was already slowing down; its stagnation would begin wearing on him in short order. Having the training and discipline he did however, he didn't let this show - it would be unseemly.

[Marcao]

“It is not surprising to hear that the worries of your parishioners has begun to take its toll on you Father.â€

[Charon]

Bowing gracefully to the Magistrate, and not showing his mild annoyance with the door being closed again, Agrilos spoke after rising with a smile. "Hello again, Magistrate. I've completed my walk around the town, and I've now a pretty good idea of how the defenses and plans for tonight should go. I'd like to meet with my compatriots again, and anyone else who'll be involved with the town defense tonight within half an hour at the inn to discuss placement, strategy, and the like. I can go over my preliminary plan with you now, if you wish."

He really hoped the Magistrate didn't want to have a drawn-out discussion; that the Magistrate was doing extensive paperwork boded weal for him, he hoped. The air, he noticed, was already slowing down; its stagnation would begin wearing on him in short order. Having the training and discipline he did however, he didn't let this show - it would be unseemly.

The magistrate looked up from his work at Agrilos as he continued to speak, nodding slowly, though at the same time it seemed that the magistrate was annoyed about the useless interruption. "Yes yes, I will send out some of my people to collect you all so you may come up with a plan." With that the Magistrate began to shoo the pair out.

“Thank you Father.â€

[rhoenix]

The magistrate looked up from his work at Agrilos as he continued to speak, nodding slowly, though at the same time it seemed that the magistrate was annoyed about the useless interruption. "Yes yes, I will send out some of my people to collect you all so you may come up with a plan." With that the Magistrate began to shoo the pair out.

Quite clearly getting the hint, Agrilos bowed again with a smile. "Thank you for your time, Magistrate."

After doing so, he marched out of the building. Upon standing outside again, he took a deep breath and exhaled with a shrug as he looked at Per. "Well, that went faster than expected. Would you mind helping me round up the others, and tell them that we can meet back at the inn in a half hour's time."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Manfred was tired, that should not have been so difficult Must have something to do wuith that magical field he felt earlier. He surveyed his handywork, and saw that it was good...and something else.. He thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, and heard children laughing... but there were no children. Not that he could see. He felt watched again... but there were no birds. Was it the field? Was it something else? Was it merely his madness? He did not know. What he did know was that he was tired. He was tired and his companions would probably not allow him to sleep.

[Shark Bait]

After doing so, he marched out of the building. Upon standing outside again, he took a deep breath and exhaled with a shrug as he looked at Per. "Well, that went faster than expected. Would you mind helping me round up the others, and tell them that we can meet back at the inn in a half hour's time."

Not a all, we should probably all meet back at the inn or maybe somewhere else where we can all gather around a table or something similar to coordinate how bet to defend this town.

[Rukia]

Krystyna felt immensely better after her encounter with Visira, but knew that it was in her best interest to rest until dark. She pulled her cloak tighter around her as she made her way back to the inn, sticking to the shadows. On her way she thought about what Visira had said about helping each other. She wondered what kind of monster he was, then her mind jumped to the information she had been given about the town's attackers.

Once in her room, she locked the door and pulled the drapes closed tight. Rubbing her stinging eyes, she pushed her hood off her head. Unhooking her chain and cloak and placing them on the bed she sunk down next to them. She reached into the pocket of the fabric and pulled out the jar of ointment. She rubbed a thin layer on the burned skin then set it back on the bed, then she relaxed back onto the pillows to sleep the rest of the afternoon away. With her companions around her she quickly fell asleep.

[rhoenix]

Walking purposefully around the town, Agrilos smiled and nodded to any townspeople he passed. When he found one of the other mercenaries, he quietly told them of the imminent meeting to discuss the details of tonight, and he'd move on.