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ZOCOM wrote:Moving past the trauma and accepting what he once was, leaving it behind in this fresh start. But it won't mean much if he gets killed now... So these next few days will have to do. He needed to be ready. Though he had an advantage, he has carefully watched and noted the abilities of everyone that hated him while he was at the Citadel, they have had no idea what he is capable of now.

Though in fairness, neither did he. Not fully.

Future Vance focussed on teaching his past self how to use Remove and Rule Maker, while Vance mostly taught himself how to use his new powers to create and recreate things he used in the past or needs now. But getting some more training in the real world would be best, he isn't used to using his power out here yet.

"So this is gonna be alot of me reacting to the Mentat again but in the Real World, right? Since the world pushes back against my powers we need to train it to lessen the fatigue... Or to train me to just survive long enough to talk to Scotti." Vance says as he grimaces. He didn't know if he could use his hate to fight Scotti... It was easy with Samantha, hell it would be easy with Felix and Tobbi. But her? He didn't know how he was going to handle it.

A curveball comes his way. "We can worry about that later. Right now we got a bigger issue; What we're making for breakfast."

Heimrich notices Vamce having some reservations about not getting right to training, though Alice says something first. "It does no good to worry on an empty stomach. Let's eat first, then we can plan from there."

Wabacha wrote:<[He is coming. He is coming, the thriceborn. He is coming, I feel the burning-]> The man sputters blood in the recording as Lee watches, unmoved at the method taken to get the invader to talk. He is an ugly man, warped by inhuman energies. His brutish build cannot be hidden by the prisoner's uniform he currently wears. He is locked to his seat in the interrogation room, with a table doing little to separate him from Eva. Lee watched the recording in his office from an aerial view from the recorder in the room, allowing him to see the blood trickling from his mouth, nose, and underneath Eva's fingertips along his shaved head. Both of her hands are used to press the pads of her fingers on different parts of his temples and scalp. Lee is well aware that it isn't Eva's grip on their captive's head that is causing the bleeding. <[I await the thriceborn, the one to lead the Firestorm.]>

<[Who is the thriceborn?]> Eva questions him flatly in the recording.

<[Godslayer. Manslayer. Allslayer. He will kill all things, the thriceborn. All things in the name of war. In the name of war. In the name of-]>

Her fingertips remain in the same place, but she adjusts the angle of two fingers. The man's face immediately slackens as his eyes become blank. After twisting another his eyes regain clarity and he perks up, as if he caught himself dozing off. <[Who is the thriceborn?]> Eva asks again.

<[The thriceborn will rise from the well of the damned, souls to fuel the warmachines. He will be granted power and godhood, made General of the bloodhost. He shall have endless glory and slaughter. Praise be to the man who saved his soul! Praise be to the egg that will doom the world! May Death feast upon the world, holy lord Jaggomoth! Pres be! Brgh, bcccch-]>

Eva stops the recording there. "The subject proved to be incapable of forming coherent sentences after this moment. The only information we will be able to gain now will be from the brain download and autopsy report."

Such vague, ominous warnings do little to help the detective's headache. "Well, at least we know now that the sector sized storm coming our way is in fact something to be worried about. Do we know what sector this guy came from? No Puriran or Earthling nationality looks like that."

"We do not, at this time."

"Hmm. And he was the only survivor of his group?"

"Yes Detective."

"That leaves us little to go off of. We need his memory before we make any conclusions."

Synnadine
Later That Night

No matter what time of day or night, East Vedran is always at max volume. The din of never ending parties and celebrations of inane things numbs the mind's receptors, making everyone crave bigger, brighter, and louder sensations to fill the bottomless hole in their souls. Lee fills his with another suicide dangling from his lips as he nears his apartment building, along with the chilling knowledge he and Eva pulled from the foreigner's brain. What they found gave them little that was useful in tracking down the source of the barbarian. In fact, the information they gathered painted too broad and dangerous a picture. He was born to an isolated village, a disposition for violence already instilled in him from his youth. When he had grown older, his village was attacked by raiders under the same banner that they captured him with. He had slain four with the sword and two by hand before being gravely wounded. Instead of being made an example, they celebrated him and the men he had slain, and as his village burned around him he was offered a place under the banner of Death. He fought as one of them for over 400 years, his strength and energy renewed by those he slew and the covenant he had made to a monster cloaked in fire. His run-in with a Vedrani scout group outside the sector proved to be the end of a long and blood-filled life.

And what did they learn? Their numbers were limitless, hordes that stretched across the horizons, hordes with champions that battled angels and gods. Other dark gods fought for the fiery monster, the one they called Jaggomoth, and they burnt everything in their sector-wide path to the ground. Based on what they could glean from the memories and the raiding party they had wiped out, they may pass across their sector's north going west-southwest in 15-17 years. Give or take a few sector's and years. "As if things couldn't get any worse around here." Lee's grumblings to himself as he tosses his spent suicide in the trash outside his apartment building is completely lost in the oblivious noise of the city. He enters right after, and heads up to his apartment.

With the knowledge of annihilation marching steadily towards them, Lee forgets the details in the big picture as he enters his home and heads right for the kitchen, forgetting for a moment that a dangerous G-Class individual is somewhere in his apartment right now. Right now he needs a drink.

Tuesday December 2nd, 4998 1:13AM
Duskvale Tavern, Duskvale, Aetheran

Times have certainly gotten tougher. Order has begun to crumble under the strain of attempting to maintain the semblance of civilization, even as the nation's valiantly struggle to keep it alive. Not only have the Forgotten bounced back in a more dangerous form, monster attacks have become more vicious, with new beasts being thrown on quest boards all across the kingdom for more and more heinous deeds. So much so that even taverns like this carry bounty papers for beasts both creature and man, as mortal man cannot help himself but give in to his more sinister desires. In this day and age it is every man for himself- a good reason one such bounty can take shelter from the cold night air in the same place he is wanted.

Not all crimes are equal in bloodshed. Wanted for many accounts of swindling, petty theft, burglary, and larceny, "Silver" Smythe is a rather well known thief in Zocom for his pilfering from both upper and lower classes, anyone who has the displeasure of meeting him and souring his mood. His calling card? A single silver piece, left in the place of whatever treasures, coin, or valuables that have mysteriously disappeared. If you're lucky, whatever was stolen wouldn't be worth that silver piece, creating a confusing set of rumors as to the reason for his stealing. Unfortunately for the romantics that follow his exploits, there is no romance behind it. He does not seek to aid the poor, or punish the upper class and nobility. He takes what he needs, and he takes what he wants. He has no other reason to do what he does. It has earned him a 10,000 gold bounty for his efforts, not that it is doing the law any good, as Perrin takes another swig of his ale within sight of his own bounty.

Times have become too wild for the common adventurer to worry about a crook like him. Murderers, monsters, and Pureborn alike hunt the lands, emboldened by the Avenger Elf Rhys and the Crossed King Kutter both locked in battle with impassable foes, and unable to deal with them. All of Aetheran and its allies have rallied against the threat against its very existence- No time to spend the time on a thief. And they wouldn't have to worry about him right now. And potentially not for much longer. With the arrival of the Wabachans and their near-alien technology of the Mainland, centuries beyond what they knew, the age of his brand of thief is coming to an end. There is not a building in this land he could not make his way in and out of, but when more and more things are protected by scans, ai-recognition, or whatever "Threat Assessment Scores" are, that is not something he can use a lockpick on. He has roamed farther and farther away from Castelia and the Wabachan technology, but it continues to spread. Soon the only places that haven't caught up to the mainland will be the monster-infested wilds. Perrin rubs his stubble-covered jaw as he puts the mug down, his glance at his own bounty poster hidden by the brim of his black hat. His future is uncertain.

https://i.imgur.com/zN2A69Z.jpg

Wabacha wrote:A curveball comes his way. "We can worry about that later. Right now we got a bigger issue; What we're making for breakfast."

Heimrich notices Vance having some reservations about not getting right to training, though Alice says something first. "It does no good to worry on an empty stomach. Let's eat first, then we can plan from there."

That curveball certainly did come out of nowhere. Vance didn't know how to react to that immediately. Annoyed? Maybe a little. Stressed? Yeah. Anxious? Absolutely. He wanted to start preparing for the problem that's infront of him, he wanted to tackle it and handle it now and here were the two of them trying to distract him with food of all things.

Stood under those trees, he couldn't help but feel a little spark of anger at this attempted diversion. But he knew he was letting himself get angry for nothing... They were doing everything they could to distract him. To help him. To keep him from letting Scotti's anger crush him and stop him from doing something stupid.

Because he totally would have by now if Alice didn't tell him that Heimrich had a plan.

They were helping him. They didn't have to. They really didn't. But they were. The least he could do is humour them and eat something to keep himself distracted.

Vance composed himself, tucking that growing spark of anger away deep inside him for later. A deep breath in, and out. Not exactly zen, but stable. "Yeah sure, I'd rather worry on a full stomach.." He says with an amused exhale of breathe through his nose. "... I hope you don't expect me to cook, I'm pretty much the more handsome twin of a spoilt noble. The only thing he could make was drawings, and I was good at gaslighting."

ZOCOM wrote:That curveball certainly did come out of nowhere. Vance didn't know how to react to that immediately. Annoyed? Maybe a little. Stressed? Yeah. Anxious? Absolutely. He wanted to start preparing for the problem that's infront of him, he wanted to tackle it and handle it now and here were the two of them trying to distract him with food of all things.

Stood under those trees, he couldn't help but feel a little spark of anger at this attempted diversion. But he knew he was letting himself get angry for nothing... They were doing everything they could to distract him. To help him. To keep him from letting Scotti's anger crush him and stop him from doing something stupid.

Because he totally would have by now if Alice didn't tell him that Heimrich had a plan.

They were helping him. They didn't have to. They really didn't. But they were. The least he could do is humour them and eat something to keep himself distracted.

Vance composed himself, tucking that growing spark of anger away deep inside him for later. A deep breath in, and out. Not exactly zen, but stable. "Yeah sure, I'd rather worry on a full stomach.." He says with an amused exhale of breathe through his nose. "... I hope you don't expect me to cook, I'm pretty much the more handsome twin of a spoilt noble. The only thing he could make was drawings, and I was good at gaslighting."

"Could you gaslight yourself into knowing how to cook?" Alice asks so innocently, covering her mischevious curling lip with her hand.

"We'll have to give it a try," Heimrich concurs. "Who knows? Maybe you were a master chef and just forgot."

With a mix of sass and light conversation the trio arrive at Heimrich and Alice's new home. It's a bit larger, expected for formerly belonging to an Alpha of the pack, though still a rustic and simplistic cabin home. They don't spend much time exploring, and drop their belongings in the living room along with the quilt before moving to the pristine and spotless kitchen. Spotless due to there being not a single crumb in it.

"Nothing... Don't know what I expected really. Whoever got the place ready probably ate everything in here during clean up." Heimrich closes the fridge door before looking at Alice and Vance, the former hopping up to sit on the counter. "We're not cooking anything until we find a store. We can get the basics in the village, like meat and veggies, but everything else would be a shopping trip."

"Well, what all is nearby?" Alice questions, lightly kicking her feet.

"Geographically not much, besides the Warrens." Heimrich leans against the fridge with his shoulder and crosses his arms over his chest. "Though I'd rather not head west. These forests extend for hundreds of miles in every direction. There's nothing besides other villages of werewolves and forest folk, like around Arcius." Heimrich refers to the outpost and its magic-adjacent neighbors moreso to Vance, as he would have experience with them from his and Duncan's shared memories of their days patrolling the Crimson Range. "Past the forest east are some more normal settlements, then East Vedran's endless cities. South is about the same, though both would have us closer to the law, which might be a problem given our strength levels. North of here's not as bad since it's approaching the mountains. Not as urbanized."

"Oh, Darly's up that way! I always wanted to visit their museum. Oh! And their breweries. Darly is rather famous for how many award-winning liquors and beers were created there." Having worked in her family's tavern back in Tropica Village her entire life, the interest in drink and how it is produced has certainly ingrained itself into her.

"They probably have some decent breakfast places to entrap tourists." Heimrich looks to Vance now, gauging his reaction. "What do you day? Want to go get caught in a tourist trap and have your first meal as a free man?"

Wabacha wrote:"Could you gaslight yourself into knowing how to cook?" Alice asks so innocently, covering her mischievous curling lip with her hand.

"We'll have to give it a try," Heimrich concurs. "Who knows? Maybe you were a master chef and just forgot."

With a mix of sass and light conversation the trio arrive at Heimrich and Alice's new home. It's a bit larger, expected for formerly belonging to an Alpha of the pack, though still a rustic and simplistic cabin home. They don't spend much time exploring, and drop their belongings in the living room along with the quilt before moving to the pristine and spotless kitchen. Spotless due to there being not a single crumb in it.

"Nothing... Don't know what I expected really. Whoever got the place ready probably ate everything in here during clean up." Heimrich closes the fridge door before looking at Alice and Vance, the former hopping up to sit on the counter. "We're not cooking anything until we find a store. We can get the basics in the village, like meat and veggies, but everything else would be a shopping trip."

"Well, what all is nearby?" Alice questions, lightly kicking her feet.

"Geographically not much, besides the Warrens." Heimrich leans against the fridge with his shoulder and crosses his arms over his chest. "Though I'd rather not head west. These forests extend for hundreds of miles in every direction. There's nothing besides other villages of werewolves and forest folk, like around Arcius." Heimrich refers to the outpost and its magic-adjacent neighbours moreso to Vance, as he would have experience with them from his and Duncan's shared memories of their days patrolling the Crimson Range. "Past the forest east are some more normal settlements, then East Vedran's endless cities. South is about the same, though both would have us closer to the law, which might be a problem given our strength levels. North of here's not as bad since it's approaching the mountains. Not as urbanized."

"Oh, Darly's up that way! I always wanted to visit their museum. Oh! And their breweries. Darly is rather famous for how many award-winning liquors and beers were created there." Having worked in her family's tavern back in Tropica Village her entire life, the interest in drink and how it is produced has certainly ingrained itself into her.

"They probably have some decent breakfast places to entrap tourists." Heimrich looks to Vance now, gauging his reaction. "What do you say? Want to go get caught in a tourist trap and have your first meal as a free man?"

Alice's question, and Heimrich's follow up, had Vance looking to the both of them individually as they kept walking. Both times with a look of derision. "F u n n y ~" He says as he gets to their new house, still hauling the blankets for them. He does take a second to compare his own house to theirs. It was bigger. Makes sense since it's for the two of them... Wait a minute. This has to be Diego's house. How come they get his place when they're making him Diego's replacement?

Well. Actually he doesn't really care. They did beat him so it was theirs by that logic.

'I guess the 'keep what you kill' mentality is playing out. Even if they didn't kill Diego...' A fact that Vance was still very against.

Once inside Alice and Heimrich's new place, he puts down the blanket beside the stuff that they brought in.

The sight of the very empty kitchen insights such immense snark within him, it overshadows his disproval of Heimrich's mercy of the Null Mutt. "Maybe I can gaslight your empty kitchen instead." He says as he becomes nosy and starts opening up random cupboards full of nothing. "They didn't even leave you crumbs. Tragic." He says wiping a fake tear from his cheek before he stands near the entrance to the kitchen to listen to Alice and Heimrich and their ideas of how to get some provisions since their new pantry wasn't just going to fill itself by magic. As Alice and Heimrich talk about the area around the village, Vance get's a better idea of just where they were on the map. He thought back to some places they could get food from, though they were either too close to the Lullian Forest and the Citadel at it's near centre to be worth it, or too close to the Warrens and Salem's own investigations in trying to retrace Heimrich's steps so they could find him after the rematch.

Darley was a new name to him. Which was good. Just means they aren't likely to run into anyone affiliated to Salem or Duncan out that way...

Though... With Salem seemingly switching to using only Pureborn Forgotten, and knowing that some of the original generations survived, he had to wonder what happened to the very few original Forgotten that were either made up of Salem's own Angels or the multitude of creatures and peoples that were 'uplifted'. He wouldn't be surprised that most of them will likely be pledging themselves to Chaos. That witch. For hope of some sort of cure or a way to loosen the absolute bonds that bind them to Salem's cause.

"Hmm?" Vance initially says as Heimrich asks him about going to a tourist trap. Though he mentally catches up before Heimrich or Alice have to repeat what was said. "Only if you're paying, this free man is flat broke. I'll get you back though... Y'know. Once I can make money." Darley didn't sound half bad. "I'm not going to drink any booze though." His reasons for that would be painfully obvious to Heimrich. His first drink was being reserved for someone else.

ZOCOM wrote:Alice's question, and Heimrich's follow up, had Vance looking to the both of them individually as they kept walking. Both times with a look of derision. "F u n n y ~" He says as he gets to their new house, still hauling the blankets for them. He does take a second to compare his own house to theirs. It was bigger. Makes sense since it's for the two of them... Wait a minute. This has to be Diego's house. How come they get his place when they're making him Diego's replacement?

Well. Actually he doesn't really care. They did beat him so it was theirs by that logic.

'I guess the 'keep what you kill' mentality is playing out. Even if they didn't kill Diego...' A fact that Vance was still very against.

Once inside Alice and Heimrich's new place, he puts down the blanket beside the stuff that they brought in.

The sight of the very empty kitchen insights such immense snark within him, it overshadows his disproval of Heimrich's mercy of the Null Mutt. "Maybe I can gaslight your empty kitchen instead." He says as he becomes nosy and starts opening up random cupboards full of nothing. "They didn't even leave you crumbs. Tragic." He says wiping a fake tear from his cheek before he stands near the entrance to the kitchen to listen to Alice and Heimrich and their ideas of how to get some provisions since their new pantry wasn't just going to fill itself by magic. As Alice and Heimrich talk about the area around the village, Vance get's a better idea of just where they were on the map. He thought back to some places they could get food from, though they were either too close to the Lullian Forest and the Citadel at it's near centre to be worth it, or too close to the Warrens and Salem's own investigations in trying to retrace Heimrich's steps so they could find him after the rematch.

Darley was a new name to him. Which was good. Just means they aren't likely to run into anyone affiliated to Salem or Duncan out that way...

Though... With Salem seemingly switching to using only Pureborn Forgotten, and knowing that some of the original generations survived, he had to wonder what happened to the very few original Forgotten that were either made up of Salem's own Angels or the multitude of creatures and peoples that were 'uplifted'. He wouldn't be surprised that most of them will likely be pledging themselves to Chaos. That witch. For hope of some sort of cure or a way to loosen the absolute bonds that bind them to Salem's cause.

"Hmm?" Vance initially says as Heimrich asks him about going to a tourist trap. Though he mentally catches up before Heimrich or Alice have to repeat what was said. "Only if you're paying, this free man is flat broke. I'll get you back though... Y'know. Once I can make money." Darley didn't sound half bad. "I'm not going to drink any booze though." His reasons for that would be painfully obvious to Heimrich. His first drink was being reserved for someone else.

"Yeah that's no problem," Heimrich responded regarding Vance's lack of funds before a second passed for him to realize what he said after and why. That brings with it a sly grin. "Aren't you a romantic."

"Hmmm?" Alice doesn't want to be left out, though it doesn't take long for her to make the connection to Scotti. Heimrich still makes it painfully clear.

"He's already promised his first drink to a fiery young lady."

"Oooh, what a romantic you are!" Alice teases Vance with a big smile. "Don't worry, we'll taste test everything so you don't have to."

"Well, it's probably time we got moving. At least both our houses have dishes, the main thing is spices and odd ends like that that we both need. That and drinks. Like I said, meat and veg we can get from the were-villages around us."

"Right. Hm, is there a village nearby that has a shuttle pass through?"

"... I don't know, but I don't think so. Atticus would likely see it as a potential security issue."

"Oh, makes sense."

"Which means we're gonna have to go on foot this time. Once I'm there I can commit it to memory for a Memory Dive. So, ready for your first training session?" Heimrich asks Vance as he pushes himself off of the fridge with his shoulder to stand on his own.

Tag:Lore
Tag:Aetheran

Aetheran Adventurer Guilds and their ranking system

Even since the initial creation of the Guild and their own archaic ranking system during their thousands of years of isolation before being reintroduced to the more widely accepted TAS system that is used in TGC today, the Aetheran people have ranked mortals, immortals, reincarnators and monsters by a set of levels that loosely speak vaguely to the actual rankings that exist today.

These rankings still exist but still fall short of the actual TAS system. It is a practice that is slowly being phased out, but will likely be reworked to better reflect the TAS system.

So below will be the rankings and the vague description of where they should acquaint the to the TAS system:

Bronze - A Bronze rank Adventurer is someone with the bare minimum of combat/survival skills. Not really your average person, but someone trained to be able to protect themselves with basic weapons and some survival training and first aid skills. So on the TAS system, they would still be in the M-class Grade C2.

Copper - A Copper rank Adventurer is someone with various skills, knowledge and survival techniques along with better equipment. Not exactly a soldier but more akin to your weathered mercenary. They can comfortable handle most normal monsters and aggressive animals in small teams of 4. In terms of individual rank in TAS they would still rank in Grade C but be at Grade C3.

Iron - A Iron rank Adventurer is someone who is comparable to a novice soldier from many of the Kingdoms. They are marginally more well equipped than a Bronze rank, more knowledgeable, more skilled and capable of handling most normal monsters and wild animals that get in their way. In terms of TAS, these individuals would sit in Grade B1/100 points into B2.

Steel - A Steel rank Adventurer is someone on the level of a Veteran Soldier. They are someone who is capable of keeping calm, collected and focussed under duress and able to handle themselves in a life or death fight. They are better equipped than your average soldier of the Kingdoms, either totting custom gear or magical items to bolster their own abilities or have magic of their own to help turn the tide of a fight. For that reason, in the TAS ranking, they are capable of hitting into Grade B3.

Silver - A silver rank Adventurer is someone who begins to step beyond normal human bounds, being able to easily slay large numbers of men and monsters both with ease. Either their natural abilities outshine human limits, or their gear is a cut above the rest. These Adventurers are among some of the most grizzled or the most talented of their generations. In terms of TAS, they hit squarely in the B4 to B6 range.

Gold - A Gold rank Adventurer is someone who has stepped firmly into the realm of the Supernatural, their strengths and experience, their weapons and armour, their abilities and magics, all step into a realm of their own. Thus allowing them to step into the realm of Z-Class in terms of TAS. Gold Rank Adventurers can range anywhere in the Grade D range, being able to wipe out large groups of people/monsters and easily start to damage structures with their power. Though most sit commonly at Grade D2.

Platinum - A Platinum rank Adventurer is someone who steps beyond the prowess of all who rank below, either with astonishing personal might, unprecedented talent, or monstrous skill. These individuals can easily take on whole small villages or people or monsters, damaging many buildings in the process. In terms of TAS, Platinum ranks sit across the whole Grade C range, though most commonly sit at Grade C2 with exceptional individuals hitting C4.

Mithril - A Mithril rank Adventurer is commonly referred to as a force of nature, often called upon as a trump card for Dungeon raids or as personal guards for Nobles or people of import of the various Kingdoms. And there is a good reason why, a single Mithril rank Adventurer can turn a town into a graveyard or utterly ruined in several short hours depending on the Adventurer in question. That speaks volumes to their own power and how they use it. In terms of TAS, they occupy the entire Grade B range of Z-class and peaking into A grade, with most commonly staying in rank B2 with exceptional cases in A1.

Orichalcum - An Orichalcum Adventurer is often referred to as a Natural disaster, just one being able to term a large town to rubble by themselves in a matter of hours. Their skills, armaments, abilities and power are all exceptional. Damn near superhuman really. If a Mithril Rank is called in as a trump card, then Orichalcum are the desperate measures. Few are they in number, but each could wage war on an average small nation and come out losing relatively little besides their life while the country would be in ruins/ In terms of TAS, Orichalcum Adventurers dominate the entirety of the A Grade range of Z-Class.

Notice: Due to the Archaic nature of the old Guild Ranking system the Rank of Adamantine is reserved for ALL G-Class entities since they possessed no way to accurately estimate power down to the digit like with the TAS system. Though all Adamantine Adventurers and Monsters have their own ranking system, since this is rare they have their TOP 1000 style list based on how much damage they are either theorised to cause or known to cause.

Adamantine - A Calamity in humanoid form. A single Adamantine Adventurer is worth more than a nations army, more deadly than any weapon, and more destructive than any disaster. Save for Armageddon itself. The achievement of becoming an Adamantine Rank Adventurer is often a death sentence for any Adventurer's career, because either you're too crazy strong or just too damn crazy to be held down by mortal limits. Your job prospects are few, save being made a bodyguard to some Kingdoms ruler, or asked to help kill the extremely rare Adamantine rank monster that appears. The rank comes with prestige, but also notable infamy. Who would want to stand in the same room as a nuclear weapons without some way to control it first?

Wabacha wrote:With the scent of meat taking up his thought process, Farnus further ignores Lox-aan as he finishes climbing over the counter and heads straight for the kitchen. The kobold in his way is ignored, and if he does not move he doesn't provide any resistance, knocked aside by Farnus walking into him. The hybrid walks straight to the steak in the pan and snatches it up, biting and ripping chunks out of the half-cooked meat and quickly swallowing before continuing. The steak disappears quickly, and his attention turns to other delicacies in the kitchen. He is ravaging their supplies like he has never eaten before.

The Kobold staff member did her best to stand her ground... But he was a good few feet taller than her and he was just eating monster meat from a beast that would turn her into paste with a single swipe. So she eagerly hugs the wall to let him past into the staff room, since Herlick didn't want to die. Without any evidence that statement sounds dramatic... But Kobolds have a keen sense for danger, it's why most Kobolds end up as trackers/scouts in either the Adventurer's Guild or as past of the Onxy Court Armed Forces.

Farnus was now free to start scarfing down the food in the staffroom, and the ruckus he was starting to make as he no doubt scarfed down that bit of steak and then started to smash into cupboards for the packed food that the other Guild staff brought in for themselves, would go uncontested for the moment.

Though some of the guild staff were starting to give Lox-aan varying looks from helpless or angry.

"I-I'm sorry Lox-aan, I-I couldn't stand my ground." Cried Herlick as she scurried out from behind the the reception area.

Lox-aan was now chewing worriedly on the nail on her thumb, scowling at how this has played out. She knew humans were boorish creatures but this guy was being a d1ck for seemingly no reason. He was closer to a beast than an actual person. "It's no fault of yours... We just approached this from the wrong angle. We're clearly not dealing with anything civilised, wherever this man has been he is far closer to a beast than a person. So we'll need to deal with him like a beast."

Better said than done. A Gurgoth is no easy beast, but still easy enough for even veteran Bronze level Adventurers to handle if they can utilise terrain and outplay the beats with skill and equipment. This man ripped it to shreds with ease... So Farnus must be around a Silver or even Gold level to so handily beat one. None of the Guild staff, even herself, rank higher than Steel with some like Herlick Ranking lower. The only one amongst them who would stand a chance was the Guild Master, the person with connections who told her to look into the Dragneel situation in the first place.

“Herlick, go upstairs and get Guildmaster Thrak, hopefully he isn’t too neck deep in Newt Liquor to come help…” Lox-aan says while the diminutive Kobold nods and scurries off to the side of the room to head upstairs to find the Guildmaster. Guildmaster Threll of the Thrak Tribe, A lizardman of some renown in the Dominion. A Gold Rank Adventurer who took on the position of Guildmaster because of a previous injury where a Chimera managed to gore him in the stomach. Surviving only because of a Gold Rank healer that was in his party at the time.

A loud clatter could be heard from upstairs, along with the sound of shattering glass. Soon enough, Herlick was scampering down the stairs and sluggishly followed after by a humanoid Lizard with the likeness of a gecko. Standing at 6'3ft with broad shoulders, a strong upper body and a well built physique under the robe that only covered half his torso, showing the large horizontal scar across his midriff. A spear clutched in his left hand as his left hand for support, the spear's shaft was made of a black metal while the spear tip glowed an ethereal light blue, chilling the air around it.

The Lizardman stunk of cheap booze, but his eyes focussed on the ungodly sound of clattering and mayhem coming from the staff room in the back of the Guildhall. "Umph... Shouldn't have had that fifth bottle... Is the Dragneel in the back?" He asks aloud.

Most of the guild staff immediately look to Lox-aan since this was her mess to deal with. Looking to them and challenging their gazes, Lox-aan answers. "Yes. He is. He was brought in a short while ago by two of our local Bronze Ranks. He tore a Gurgoth apart with his own hands, sir."

A slight smile curled across the wide mouth of the Lizardman as he lulled his head from side to side, pressing the tip of his spear against the top of his head to sober himself up. "Huh, truly? I might need to give this welp a try then before we turn him over to Overseer Brunt." Threll says as the cold spearhead eases his headache enough for him to take this seriously. "Wait for me outside. And send someone to fetch the Overseer." On his word the guildhall begins to clear out, Lox-aan leaving last as she watches one of her colleagues disappear to carry out the order to find Overseer Brunt.

Now that everyone was gone, the Guildmaster hops over the counter to head to the back, to behold the mess this human was making for himself.

Wabacha wrote:"Yeah that's no problem," Heimrich responded regarding Vance's lack of funds before a second passed for him to realize what he said after and why. That brings with it a sly grin. "Aren't you a romantic."

"Hmmm?" Alice doesn't want to be left out, though it doesn't take long for her to make the connection to Scotti. Heimrich still makes it painfully clear.

"He's already promised his first drink to a fiery young lady."

"Oooh, what a romantic you are!" Alice teases Vance with a big smile. "Don't worry, we'll taste test everything so you don't have to."

"Well, it's probably time we got moving. At least both our houses have dishes, the main thing is spices and odd ends like that that we both need. That and drinks. Like I said, meat and veg we can get from the were-villages around us."

"Right. Hm, is there a village nearby that has a shuttle pass through?"

"... I don't know, but I don't think so. Atticus would likely see it as a potential security issue."

"Oh, makes sense."

"Which means we're gonna have to go on foot this time. Once I'm there I can commit it to memory for a Memory Dive. So, ready for your first training session?" Heimrich asks Vance as he pushes himself off of the fridge with his shoulder to stand on his own.

A soft scowl, that became a much bigger and grumpier scowl, formed as soon as both Heimrich and Alice jump on him for what he said. Their reactions being met with an immediate grumbled 'hmph' as he looks away, doing little to hide the fact his face was turning red at being rumbled for his promise. "I forgot you knew all about that promise. I hate that you've been inside my head." He was just being grouchy. He knew Heimrich wouldn't needlessly use that knowledge against him. But annoyingly he will 100% use it to torment him like this.

Though he got the feeling that they'll be hiking it to Darley. Fun.

The only movement techniques he has is if he copies Accel, or create wings with his black flames. Copying Instantaneous Movement from memory won't work, he's never been to Darley and he lacked the Godling's warped omniscience to solve that issue. Copying Samantha's teleport technique could work, since she could blind jump in theory. But he doesn't know how it works to just will it.

So. It's either Accel or flying.

The mention of a 'training session' has Vance thinking he was wondering the same thing. "Let me guess. Try and use my power for travel skills? I was just thinking about it. I can either fly or use Accel. I'd need to have been to Darley to use my fake Godling movement."

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