Adventures in Erozea (for Croup)

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Ul'dah's Adventure's Guild was generally packed with people of all different races and backgrounds, all gathered together either to rest from battles they had just completed, share stories of achievements they obtained or looking for the first step in the door to becoming an adventurer. The Lalafell who ran the joint was always catering for such fellows, forever filling in her journal of people who signed up t the task.

Ryn sat at the table, grasping the tumblr of fresh water, staring over at the Miqo'te lad staring back at him. The two of them had answered an advert placed on the market boards suggesting of fame and fortune to be made through working the arses off in the adventuring class. The request was to meet at the guild, the Quicksand, and assess each other skills to if they'd manage to form a robust party up to the challenge.

"Wherrrrrrrre are they?" the Miqo'te hissed, his tail straightening to ehance his impatience. He had been quite talkative before, talking much about his family and background, mentioning something about a missing brother, his love for fish and scenery and how he hopes the party will help him learn how to fight. He introduced himself as Seto, and even though Ryn thought the young feline was canny, he wasn't sure if he could stand on his own two feet. He already took a mental note to keep his eye on him; he seemed the type to get into the most trouble and will need healed the most. Being a conjurer, he knew too well that the talktive ones had too much courage than sense.

"It's only just passed midday. The city is bussling with traders and marketsfolk today. They may simple be held up in the crowd somwhere," he offered in explanation to calm the young man down. The agreement had been to meet just after the midday sun in the guild at the table closest to the levemete assistant. Now it was just a waiting game to see if the other two adventurers who signed up would make an appearance.

[Croup]

Presently, a tall Elezen with a longbow slung over his shoulder approached them. He had the haughty gait and bearing of many a Wildwood elf, with a widow's peak and long, slanted ears which were both heavily pierced. Despite his air of superiority however, his equipment looked as new and un-worn as any other starting adventurer. He paused as he glanced at them, as if matching them to a description, before approaching.

"Apologies for being late," he said smoothly, taking a seat. "The trip from Gridania was longer than I had reason to believe. These desert dunes . . . they do go on, don't they." He sniffed. "You may know me as Delmont. While lacking in experience, I regardless plan on making a name for myself as the surest archer in all of Eorzea. If joining forces with you lot will aid in accomplishing that, then all the better. If not, you may consider my services temporary at best." He looked about. "But the advertisement was for four, was it not? Where is the last of our number?"

Just then, a massive Hellsguard seated at the bar turned around. He towered over everyone else in his vicinity and had a truly impressive physique. His skin was the color of red clay, and green bristles made up his beard. A pair of fighting claws sat at his hips. "Oh! Are you the other guys? Sorry! I got here early and got bored waiting for y'all, so I was helping myself to some drinks." He stood up, unswaying despite the large amount of alcohol he'd apparently drunk. He grinned wide. "Ahh, this is gonna be fun! I can just tell!"

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Interrupted in the introduction from the Elezen by the grinning buffoon of a Roegadyn, Ryn turned his attention back to Delmont. "Guess he's number four and most likely the creator of the advert we all answered," he assumed. "I am Ryn, and this fellow here is Seto." He gestured towards the Miqo'te who was seemingly starting at the Hellguard Roegadyn with a curious look to his expression. He took note of the longbow he carried. "A back bencher, like myself. I am a conjurer. I guess we'll be working closely to protect our comrades," he said, smiling warmly.

He took a drink from the tumbler, clearing his throat, feeling slightly nervous in the company other strangers. This could go amazingly well or disastrously wrong but that was something he would have to wait and find out. He looked back over at the Hellguard, waiting for him to stumble over to them.

“I am assuming you’re the person who wrote out the call of party?” he asked inquiringly, waiting for a response to see if this Hellguard who take the role of party leader. Every party needed its leader, a strong person within the group, and he seemed the perfect candidate with his bulging attitude and confident stride.

[Croup]

But the hulking Roegadyn shook his head. "Not me. I thought it was one of you?" He seemed just as confused as the others. If none of them had called this meeting, then who had?

"Name's Brittle, by the way," he said, pulling up a chair and seating his bulk on it. "Don't judge me by it though. I didn't pick it, it's just a Hellguard thing." He made a large bicep flex as if to prove his strength, before letting out a great booming laugh. "Bet you've never seen arms like THESE before, huh!"

" . . . ahem. While it seems we have a mysterious benefactor who would wish to remain nameless, I see no reason why we should not go ahead regardless. We are all looking for a party to delve into dangerous areas with, to watch each others backs and so on, after all. If we can fill each other's needs, I say we begin immediately. That is, *if* you all are as competent as you claim." He looked back and forth from the buffoonish, slightly drunk Roegadyn, to Ryn and Seto. He raised an eyebrow. "I have yet to see solid proof of any of your credentials."

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Grabbing his sword, Seto jumped on the chair, ears perked and balancing on the seating equipment as he raised his sword high. "Is this proof enough pointy ears?" he asked before grinning at the other men at the table. Ryn nodded in agreement but told the young miqo'te to sit back down and to stop drawing attention to the table.

"We all have our skills here. As said, I am a conjurer, Seto here is a gladiator..." Ryn said as he checked the Hellguards knuckles hanging from his waist. "And Brittle here is obviously a pugilist. I believe we have a good formation of a party here; a tank, a healer and two damage dealers." Seto gave a cheer and was once again advised by Ryn not to draw attention to themsevles. The guild wasn't awalys filled with the plesent of adventurers. But he couldn't help but wonder who called for such a meeting? Was there a hidden agenda? A missing member? The others may not seem as bothered but no-one writes a request for adventures to join a party and then not join.

'I pray there be nothing of concern,' he thought.

[Croup]

Brittle nodded along. "Hell yeah. It looks like we got everything we need. Of course, I'll be the one doing all the HEAVY liftin', but you guys can at least help with the mopping up."

The Elezen rolled his eyes at the two cases of bravado sitting at the table. "Forgive me sir Seto, I thought you were a gladiator, not a circus performer. The true test of your skills will lie in your ability to keep the enemies focused on you--and yourself alive--while the rest of us deal the damage required to put them down. But I suppose we will only see your capacity for that in a true life or death situation. As for you, sir Brittle, please try to remember that brawn rarely trumps brains, especially under battle conditions. Otherwise this party may fall apart before our first dungeon is vanquished."

"Ahh, whatever man! You're thinkin' too hard!" Brittle told Delmont, giving him a hearty slap on the back. It almost knocked the slender man out of his chair. "Anyway, you are right about one thing though. We're only gonna prove ourselves in a real slam bang fight. So let's get started already!"

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Seto slumped back into the chair, dishearted by the Elezen's words, his normally perked ears flopping back against the back of his head. Ryn comforted the lad as he spoke to the other two men around the table. "I agree with Brittle. If we don't go out and test our might as a party we may as well sit and quibble as much as we like. The only training we will get is on the job." He grabbed his own oaken staff as he beckened Seto to follow him. As he passed by Delmont, he thought for a second about bring the uptight man back down to their level with a scolding, but he tried to take the light hearted approach Brittle took and forced a warm smile upon the other man.

"I can do everrrrything he says," Seto moped as he followed Ryn, dragging his feet like a spoiled child who had been denied a treat that he wished for He was feeling rather disheartened by the cruel words of the Elezen man, doubting his own abilty from the brief trying he had done with his own tribe members when he was younger. Ryn slowed beside him and gave him a soft nudge to the arm, trying to rally Seto's spirits back up.

"When we are on the field of battle, you can show him how strong you are. Given by how new his gear is and his snotty attitude, I highly doubt he's anymore skilled than the rest of us," he said, chucking at the thought of The Elxen trying to get an arrow to position in the bow itself. Seto, chuckled with him, his goofy laugh only make Ryn smile more. "We'll head to the guild's main desk and register ourselves, then head out into Thanalan and see what we can tackle," he suggested to Seto, who nodded back in agreement, his brightened smile plastered back on his young features.

[Croup]

The four young men were soon gazing out over Central Thanalon--a wide expanse of blue sky over their heads, all of Eorzea beckoning them to explore it's rich forests and valleys, to scale it's peaks and dare all it's secret places . . .

"Ahhh, now this is more like it!" Brittle said, stepping forward and clapping his fists together. "What should I beat up first?"

Delmont was more restrained, but likewise pleased to be out of the city. He looked up the road leading north, noting the scores of low level creatures scattered within bowshot range of it. "Though these beasts are hardly worthy of our time, they may serve as a good training run for more perilous encounters."

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Ryn paced his outstretch hand over his eyes, using his palm to sheild the view of the sun in order to scan the area around them. He verbally nodded in agreement with Delmont about tackling the little creatures around them as training material.

"I suggest that instead of fighting them one on one, that Seto gather four or five of them together and tank them. While he keep emnity, I'll focus my cures on him and you two can deliver your attacks as you see fit." As he finished his suggestion, he gathered himself together, pulling energy from around him and cast the envocation for protect, giving each of them extra protection against the attacks from the beasts.

As they made there way down the steps, Seto pointed out a suitable place where they could group together and take on the mobs around them. They gathered together adnd Ryn gave the okay for Seto to go and round together a few of the beasties roaming around them. One, two, three, four, five of them gather around him as he casted Flash to blind them and gather hate on himself. As he came running back towards the group, Ryn thought the young Miqo'te acuring spell, keeping the young man in as good shape as he could.

"This might actually work!" he shouted at the other two as Seto lay his blade straight and true at one of the Cactuars that were brayed at him. He held himself strong and steady, Trying to use his sheild to ward of attacks from the other mobs while staying focus on one at a time, delivering strike and strike at them.

"Uh guys, when ever your ready yeah?" He asked in a sarcastic but paniced tone to his other damage dealing comrades.

[Croup]

" . . . and I keep telling you, a bow is a far more elegant weapon than merely battering them with your fists," Delmont was saying to the beefy Roegadyn.

"Hah! No way in hell. Arrows may be good for huntin' down dinner, but they ain't got nothing on getting up close and personal. Ask anybody. A man trained in his fists will do WAY more damage against mobs than one of you fancy pansy archers."

"Hmph. I think you've been knocked on the head one too many times during your training. Though I will grant you that at least fists are superior to the middling damage conjurers can achieve with their rods."

"Oh, tell me about it! And don't even get me started on SHIELDS. A real man should be on the offensive, not hiding from the enemy behind a scrap of metal."

The two adventurers had apparently gotten involved in their own conversation while waiting for the rest of the group to get ready. They weren't paying attention to the imperiled Miqo'te at all!