A trip to the furnace with a guest. (Lion.)

[Anonymous]

Dragons keep was silent now, the usual buzzle of merchants and steady trickle of the usual put on hold for a few moment's. Looking down on the long table containing but one scrap of paper, promoting adventurers to enter The furnace and aid its inhabitants in destroying a dangerous abomination.

Tasting the musky cavern air that had lured itself into the air like a silent thief while his gloved hand held up the paper begrudgingly walking trough the process within his mind. Obviously they had withheld most of the information so as to have as many applicants as possible. "Send her inn so we can finish this rather peculiar waste of my time and tell the Heelan to prepare his finest for a side trip back into the furnace along with a guest." Not that he did not have time, it just did not feel appropriate to say it out loud.

His servant exited the room in swift motion, and left him all alone. Or as alone as he could ever be. Already the shadows seemed to draw into him with an inviting sleep. He could hear birds chirping where not one ever flew and his wife's laughter. Then the main door flung up and a servant announced the arrival of someone either brave enough or fool enough. This conversation would tell.

placing the paper down on his table again, and rising from his chair the not so high lord rose mostly out of rehearsed and well versed habit's than out of respect for the applicant. He stepped on his wooden leg hesitantly, still not too used with the unnatural feeling it gave when he rested his knee on the exquisite wood. The next step was taken care of by gravity, sending him rolling forward in a relaxed pace with something akin to a salesman's smile pulling his face yet not distorting it.

Making it seem natural and well placed for a civil greeting amongst equals rather than keep a tone of being above everyone. Much like the simplicity of his rather small and less impressive keep the idea as old as business making itself. A deal amongst people who consider each others equals is easily passed and met with less resistance than one made by from king too peasant. "Welcome to Dragons keep friend. I trust the wait was not long."

[Lion]

It had been a while since she had taken a contract, especially one that didn't involve having to drag small, annoying children in from the cold Pits of Despair, a small but popular and creepy pond to the south of the city that attracted youngsters like a lodestone.  At the time, she didn't mind it because, for one, it was paying work, and, two, it bumped up her credibility with the locals.  Thus far, her powers hadn't been completely out of her grasp as they were in the recent half a year.  Not to mention the two small horns growing out of her head, which did little to help the situation at all.

But how she had receive a note from some high lord to enter the Furnace and destroy some kind of dangerous creature...  She wasn't sure exactly what was in store, but if it paid well enough, she would take the job, since it was better than wallowing in one's physical deformities.  She preferred action and combat than sitting at home in her small mansion on the outskirts of town, wondering if the passing glances of villagers and cityfolk would turn from glares into welcoming grins.  She was no hero, not by the least, but it was better than being viewed as a destructive monster.  If she was going to cause some destruction, it was better that that destruction be put to some constructive use.

The black beast she rode on, a horse she called Ayszin, had strode through the gates of what she had been called to, some place called Dragon's Keep.  She made her way through the place fairly well, though with some guidance from any of the groundskeepers that offered her assistance.  She was smart enough to keep her helmet on, a silver one that would hide the horns on her forehead.  She didn't need any remarks from any would-be nobles.  Germaine was somewhat uneasy to this meeting, but not unprepared.  If all went well, she would get a hefty sum from this excursion.  And that was all she was here for.

She glanced up at the man as he entered in from his previous quarters and merely nodded to him.  "No, not long at all.  But I'd rather not wait any longer," she said, hoping to maintain in the moment's first that she was no servant of his.  "Let's get to business shall we."

[Anonymous]

"Business it is then." His onlook changed, less friendly this time.  I had my artists and mages draw the beast's. Rather accurately all things considered."

Pointing at the table, a set of servants came in carrying drawings. Silently yet very accurately putting them at the precise spot he had pointed. They where different somehow, with dark slit's as eyes. Most likely makeup.


The targets looked human in the drawing, with large bat wing ears. Figuring it would be nice to start off at a haggleable price he found a suitable chair and sat down. Letting the image of these creatures do the talking for him.

His magical aura moved freely and unfocused, subtly influencing the people within range to agree with what he suggested. Within his head spun a resonable price and everything moved automatically from there without the mind bothering to check what was about to be said.

"1000 gold pr head and anything you'd ask us to provide for while your attending the quest itself."



Heelan entered without knocking, simply opening the door with a sharp thud. His feet clawing on wooden floor's, crawing dirt and stone for ground. Tongue flickering wildly and tasting the magically enhanced air. "Do you really think the rabble of so called heroes you have gathered will." The giant lizard hissed annoyed at the sight of what would probably be another victim. But the high lords insistant gaze made even him choke on his words halfway trough the sentence.

An intimidating mixture of muscle, plate and mail, eleganty put together and mercilessly polished. His young nature was the only downside to the warrior chief.

[Lion]

Germaine eyed the high lord oddly and kept her distance, studying him and her surroundings.  It wouldn't do to be summoned here and suddenly have a trapdoor open up from beneath her.  In her experience, she knew that some rich people had fancy walls and trick passages to fool people and pursuers.  Who knew what this man had up his sleeve.  Only delving further in this excursion would truly tell.

She stalked around a little, burrowing further within her own magical reserves and trying to knock herself from her dizzy state.  Spellswords were warriors of magic and not so easily influenced.  Yet her head was starting to throb a little though she knew not why...  A glare went to the door when it burst open. She barely had time to view her prospects when suddenly they were interrupted.  Huh?  Heroes?  Rabble?  Hm, she'd have to pay attention to this lizardy man.

Germaine focused on the pictures and frowned.  "These bastards, eh?  Two thousand a head.  And would you mind telling me who this one is over here?"  She gestured to the lizard-man and stood staring.

[Anonymous]

Molotom and his Lizard general exchanged glances for a few moments before the high lord returned to the task at hand. "I am Heelan Mantella, leader of my people and High lord Molotoms close confidant in this matter, that's why I have come. I have been slightly delayed as you might have guessed." His voice was stoic and metal, drawing breath with every sentence like his dragon ancestors.

Tom raised a hand to stop him from speaking further. "If you take the job, he is the one you will answer too and get your pay from. There is a 50 gold daily pay, free quarters, drink and food along with servants to order about for you and the others we have hired."

Then his hand was lowered again, waiting for a reply. This sort of people always loved to haggle so he raised expectations at first turn to see if it was either satisfactory or if they desired more. This one proved slightly harder than usual to read, or had he forgotten how to care?

[Lion]

Germaine knew when to cut to luck.  She didn't necessary believe in luck, but she didn't want to test the concept's wrath if in fact it did exist.  Like she didn't gamble on the existence of powerful deities.  She knew there was something out there, but there was yet a single one to claim her loyalty.  For now, her loyalty was to herself and her earnings.  Even she knew when the draw the line. Enough money was enough money.

She shot a glance at the lizard man and gestured her head in his direction.  She'd heard of people like him.  She didn't think she'd ever live to see the day she met one.  "Germaine," she said simply.  "Good to know he has lackeys he can trust."

"Fifty a day, huh?  That sounds good enough to me.  I don't care much more about that.  I take care of my own.  But, where exactly is this quest going to take place?"

[Anonymous]

OrSpell Check Your Text
Language:  English (change)


"Outskirts of our grand city, there lies a plain tower forged in a red rock they found while digging for jade so its made to look like dried blood. No doubt you saw the five spires on the way into the city, its inner machinations have stopped so no dark clouds are being expunged from them but its fairly impressive regardless."

As The High lord spoke, servants presented large pieces of paper where the layout was drawn. The drawings looked old and presented an accurate building description with rooms and measurements.

Most of it appeared to be underground, a giant entrance hall, and several sleeping quarters along with ventilation shafts and storage rooms large enough to outlast a siege and grow your own food if necessary. The high lord waved his hand to divert focus over to his lizard servant and Heelan spoke plainly using his finger to point on the maps. "We haven't managed to clear a path in towards the heart of the problem yet. Lacking the manpower to explore any further than the entrance halls and first floor."


"My full attention was required elsewhere so in preparation for a proper offensive the high lord suggested hiring adequate mercenaries to speed up the process of reclaiming it."

(occ: sorry if its less than great. xd)

[Lion]

Germaine nodded in comprehension at the high lord's explanation, still thinking he was quite odd even for someone of the nobility.  She always knew there was something quirky in the head of most, if not all, nobles.  This confirmed her suspicions since she only ever came across a few.  Most of her services were given to the poorer folk, like farmers, that needed minor pests gotten rid off that threatened either their crops or their families.  That wasn't to imply that she couldn't handle larger foes should the need arise.

The small horns itched a little under her hair and strained against her instinct to scratch at them.  It was better to keep them covered, but that didn't stop her from looking very stressed for an intense moment before glancing at the spread out maps.  "Unique enough.  Nothing quite like the burrows I've ventured through.  But I think I will manage."  Her hand slipped to one of the swords at her side and she clutched the hilt possessively.

She studied the map very closely, working the design into her memory, to the point where the very idea of getting lost seemed all too farfetched.  Germaine grimaced when she saw how far it went.  Because it was underground, as it seemed, there was a good chance that it went down further and further into the earth, possibly for kilometer after kilometer.

Glancing up at the Heelan, she nodded.  "Mercenaries might do the trick, perhaps if you pay them enough.  But what exactly is it that we are reclaiming?  Would that be the hold itself?  Or is there something else down there that you seek?"

[Anonymous]

"Yes, yes you will manage." The high lord replied insulating that she would take the job as a contract was presented, it was small compared with the other documents all it said was her pay, 50 gold pieces a day and 2000gold for possessed magi head and in chase of death where your belongings and pay would be sent, if injured each individual would be allowed to take out the money they had earned and leave.

He sighed, the whole issue bothered him slightly, and many good people had died already. "The whole issue lies in spirits; ancient wraiths have taken physical form and possessed powerful magi. If you kill their bodies the spirit will attempt take another one. Our mages will then trap the beast inside designed jade crystals that can hold such spirits."

"They have about 100 mind controlled minions to fool around with, who knows what's going on in there right now all we know is that if we let it continue for long, these creatures will get really inventive with what's available to them." He paused thinking that should suffice for an answer.

Heelan was more interested in getting to work; he had never been a talkative person even when it came down to saving lives, if the mercenary in question had already come here to waste time. It was more an issue of price rather than willingness to participate or at least that was what his priest advisors had said. "Around half of the troop will die the first day, we have something big in the works and intend on clearing out as much as we can in one big attack rather than keep them waiting at every turn."