The Meager

Sorrel arrived at the desert at where he was told to.

~Lesalia~

<They've barricaded themselves deep in the manse since they heard of the Corpse Brigade's assault. The lady is most distraught.>
==========================================
~Zeklaus~

*Sorrel arrives at the ruins of a village on the outskirts of the desert. The corpses of monks, knights, & archers lay about the area. The Mage's voice is coming from inside the building. As does his sister's.*

Mage<We underestimated those accursed Order moppets. Now the Marquis has gone free. But surely they didn't slay Ser Gustav...that fool Wiegraf must have found us out. But I have bigger problems...that boy & his mother will be her soon.>

Alicia<Please, let me go, I'll give you whatever you want.>

*Next he hears a slapping noise & a cry out of her.*

Mage<That is the plan! Now shut up, I'm trying to think!>

Sorrel walks to the building and opens the door. With a cold, icy tone he says, "Please do not slap my sister. She's frail and if she dies you wont get paid." Sorrel highlights this by pointing to himself then doing the cut throat hand sign signifying he could kill himself.

Reiter: <No, I'm good. Let's just go.>

*Rhea nods, and they begin crossing the village.*

=====

Parker: <...You're a jerk. You obviously have a lot of jobs to get done, so you get to be picky on which you take. If you change your mind, if only because you're bored and know helping me will be awesome, I will be upstairs. Sleeping.>

*She sticks her tongue out to him and fucks off to her room.*

Astarte gave a relieved smile, "Thank you."
She then began walking down to where they would be barricaded.

OOC: Damn it, woman, it's YOUR imaginary house!

~Dorter~

R"What an annoying woman."

*A couple come into the tavern, talking loudly about an altercation with the Corpse Brigade at Zeklaus Desert.*

<Looks like you might have a job after all.>

*After a moment's hesitation, Roatha runs out of the building.*
========================================
~Fovoham Windflats~

*Once outside of Gollund, they travel through an expansive plane of black rock, with a smoking volcano & a mountain range in the distance. As the smoke clears & they start to see grass, they come to a mountain range on the ocean. At the top of that is several wind mills, one of which the group goes inside. When they arrive on the scene, they find a knight & a couple of thieves, with a brown-haired woman in a purple dress tied up near some crates.*

Thief<Uhh...Gragoroth, what's going on here?>

*The knight steps forward.*

Gragoroth<The assassination didn't go as planned. But I've been thinking...the girl is a Beoulve, we finally have the leverage we need to negotiate.>

Thief<I'm not so sure. The Northern Sky may yield, but the church has been deaf to our plight this whole war. Why would this open their ears? To say nothing of the Southern Sky & Lesalia.>

Gragoroth<It doesn't matter. The Beoulves alone have the power to give us the funds & recognition we deserve.>
=============================================
~Zeklaus~

*The sound of Chocobos running up to the building from the other side can be heard.*

<...And that will be your mother. Gods be damned.>

"I can't dance and stab people at the same time," Noctis explained, "Luckily talking is a free action."

Mortal breaths fire on Lilith at this point, shocking the hell out of Noctis.

"What the hell was that?"

--

"How did he know I wanted a gun?" Zac asked.

Iliad shrugged, "Perhaps he was tailing us for longer than we imagined," he offered, "It doesn't really matter though. Now quickly, let us make way for an Outfitter."

-Outfitter-

Zac purchases a Romanda Gun, and learns Item (Potion), Piracy (Leg Shot), and Concentrate.

Iliad purchases a Mage Masher, and 10 Shuriken, and learns Throw (Shuriken), and Concentrate.

The two of them then hurried over to Seraph.

OOC: Not sure if you're going to treat learning abilities like you did in FFX.

"You really didn't think this completely through did you?"

~Besselat~

"It's not a punch is what it is! Forget about me, go tell the Order that the Corpse Brigade is attacking!"

*With that, she runs in, aiming to slash Mortal across the stomach.*
====================================
~Goug~

*Seraph is already cutting the lines. Before he even gets on the boat.*
====================================
~Zeklaus~

<Ah ha. Ha ha. AHAHAHAHA! It's all so clear to me now! I don't need Gustav, or the rest of the Brigade! I have all I need right here!>

*He grabs Alicia by the arms, twisting them behind her back. Then he holds a knife to her throat.*

<You! Bring your mother & the gem into these ruins! Be quick about it! And no sass!>

Noctis stopped dancing and rushed to go and alert the Order, "Quickly, help! The Corpse Brigade is attacking!"

Mortal dove out of the way, then turned to Euryale, "What is a Corpse Brigade?"

--

Zac and Iliad hop on board.

--

Sab falls asleep with her head in a book about teleportation, and dropping meteors on people.

~Besselat~

*Unfortunately for Noctis, no one is on the street to hear her. She can either go from building to building, take the hike up to the fort, or go back.*

E"I don't know much, but I'm told they're a group attacking the nobles because they think they aren't treated fairly."

L"You attack the Order, then plead ignorance? Is this some kind of legal strategy, or just a sick game?"
=========================================
~Goug~

*Seraph climbs on board from one of the lines. As the ship starts moving, they notice that all of the rafts are gone. There are also some discarded vestaments.*

"And if you look to your left, you'll see the Mullonde Cathedral. Which they probably stole."

Sorrel gripped at the hilt of his sword but released, "Fine" then he went outside to grab his mother.

"My ignorance is not feigned. I don't know you, this Brigade, or any Order! Until today I've had no human contact besides those who ventured too far into the Beddah Sandwastes." Mortal responded, ready to shoot another fire breath at Lilith should she attack again.

--

Crap, I could go to the fort, but if Lilith has already died she may turn into a crystal before I can revive her. Noct began to run back to Lilith, just in case.

--

Iliad looked at the Cathedral, "Not a fan of the church?" He asked.

--

Sab woke up with a crick in her neck from sleeping at a desk, then peered out her window. After a small yawn she noticed a small boat far out at sea, but thought nothing of it.

~Goug~

"Oh, no, why should I bear them any ill will? After all, they donated their boat to me!"
=========================================
~Besselat~

L"Oh, I see. I'm dealing with someone who's violently insane. And what about you?"

E"By the time I got back up, the fight had already started. Do you expect me to stop you for an interview?"

L"Well, it doesn't matter. Even if you kill me, you'll be captured by the Order of the Southern Sky & imprisoned. Fitting that you chose to attack at Fort Besselat. My only regret is that now that creep Argath will probably become the Marquis's retainer instead of me."
============================================
~Zeklaus~

*In her hands is a spherical red crystal about twice the size of a fist. A family heirloom, carved with the symbol of Cancer & said to be a Zodiac Stone.*

OOC: I am not posting for family NPCs, everyone mark that well.

Sorrel takes the stone from her and gives her a death glare before returning and showing the time mage the stone.

OOC: I would be upset if you did.

Iliad and Zac both got a small chuckle out of that, "Their generosity is endless I suppose," Zac said.

--

Mortal furrowed her eyebrows, "I'm not insane, I just didn't leave my home to worry myself about the problems, and wars of your petty kind." Mortal then let out a sigh, "We're not attacking anywhere! We ran from you, did we not? Since when was fleeing tantamount to an attack?!"

Noctis sees that Lilith is alive and well, "Oh good, you're not dead. I couldn't find any of the Order nearby."

OOC: That was poor writing.

~Zeklaus~

<Good, now--what the Hell?>

*He'd said that after the stone began floating & gave off a bright red glow. He then turns around, noticing a knight crawling towards them, bleeding from a gaping sword wound.*

<Gustav? How are you not dead?!>

Young Knight...I am Beelzebub, Lucavi demon of the Cancer Stone.

<Lucavi? What is going on here?>

Unite your flesh with my power, your spirit with my spirit, & you will not only draw breath again, but you will be endowed with strength & magick enough for vengeance. Will you accept the contract of the auracite?
==========================================
~Besselat~

L"Running from a knight is suspicious enough. Then you assaulted me."

*She turns to Noctis, keeping her sword pointed at Mortal.*

L"Then find them! I said to forget about me! If I don't come out of this, I should at least make sure the fort is safe!"
=============================================
~Ocean~

*Seraph spends the rest of the trip igniting fire & lightning spells in the air. They soon approach a series of islands with abandoned, fortefied fishermen settlements built on them.*

Zac lets out a small yawn, "Well, it seems we've arrived," he said.

"Yes, but where exactly are we?" Iliad asked.

--

Noctis runs off towards the fort.

"You grabbed me first, I was startled. For the last time I do not want to attack this place, I don't even know what this place is!"

~Besselat~

*A glimmer of doubt crosses Lilith's face.*

"Being startled is no excuse for assaulting an official. If I'd really wanted to hurt you, I would have approached with my blade drawn. I just wanted to question you about what your circumstances, but you've turned this into a debacle."
-----------------------------------
Orator<Oh Gods, what now?>
====================================
~Brigand's Den~

"This is a group of fishermen settlements that thieves often use as a fort. I'd heard the Corpse Brigade was using it, but apparently they got cleaned out. I'd give 'em another week before they're gone altogether."

"Let my sister go no- what... what the hell is that!?" Sorrel drew his blade.

Reiter: <Wait, wait. You were going to kill that girl? Why?>

*Rhea awkwardly stares at the girl, a little scared.*

=====

*After waking up from her long nap, Parker opens the room's window and looks up and down the street, sighing.*

Parker: <(I seriously need to find a way back to Lesalia.)>

*She suddenly has an idea and, widening her eyes and grinning, darts out of the room and back down to the tavern, looking around for Roatha,*

"The last person I saw with a sword like yours did this to my face," Mortal said pointing, "I just reacted, plus she made it seem like you were going to kill me." She finished, pointing to Euryale.

Noct had hoped to find someone else, "Lilith Psyche of the Order of the Southern Sky requests aid; she fears the fort is under attack by the Corpse Brigade."

--

"Who do you think cleared them out?" Zac asked.

"After hearing about Dycedarg's plan in Goug, and with Eagrose so close, I'd imagine it was the Order of the Northern Sky," Iliad replied.

~Dorter~

<If you're looking for the kid, he left for Zeklaus about an hour ago.>
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~Fovoham Windflats~

Gragoroth<Not her! Her Lord Brother, Dycedarg Beoulve. Ser Wiegraf wanted to retaliate, after he bribed the lieutenant commander to rebel against us.>

Wiegraf<But I didn't instruct you to resort to petty kidnapping.>

*Wiegraf walks into the room soon afterwards.*

Wiegraf<Why did you kidnap the girl, Gragoroth?>

Gragoroth<We needed a hostage to escape.>

Wiegraf<Even so, you could have released her once you were in the clear.>

Gragoroth<She is a Beoulve! Of noble blood! A hundred swords, no, a thousand could not buy our freedom with such ease!>

Wiegraf<You see naught that lies beyond your own nose. We must fight to make a better world for our children.>

Gragoroth<You want us to die?!>

Wiegraf<If, by our deaths, a single drop of noble blood is spilled, it will not be in vain.>

Gragoroth<You're a fool! The only blood the earth will drink is our own!>
==========================================
~Besselat~

L"...Why would she do that?"
------------------------------------------------
*The orator nearly falls out of her chair.*

<Every knight within the sound of my voice, please present yourselves immediately!>

*Three male knights emerge from various hallways to stand in front of the desk.*

<This woman says that we are under attack. Go with her, take care of the situation, & report back if any further action needs to be taken.>
===========================================
~Brigands' Den~

"Now you're starting to get it. The Order has been bragging about their plan of making co-ordinated assaults on Brigade Forts for some time now. They also claim they were 'enlisting the help of the Southern Sky' when the Brigade kidnapped their Big Whig, but that's a bunch of bullshit."
============================================
~Zeklaus~

*The man on the ground speaks in a gargly, raspy voice, spitting up blood as he does.*

Gragoroth<Vengeance on whom? Wiegraf? The Order? The Crown?>

Everyone. My power will be yours to command.

Gragoroth<...Gladly.>

*The stone hovers over to Gragoroth's body, where it shines even brighter. Several red specters enter the stone & an explosion of red energy, like lightning, issues forth. When it clears, standing in Gragoroth's place is a monster with a bloody-black stained carapace standing on 6 legs, with a raised upper body, enormous pincer claws for hands, & a large scorpion tail on its back. Its face is a long snout of mashing mandibles, with dozens of beady black eyes.*

Mage<...Gragoroth?>

Beelzebub, the Lord of Plague<It is still I! And what's more, we are not alone!>

*It raises its arms to the sky & brilliant white lights fall down all around the battlefield, reviving the fallen Corpse Brigade members. 3 knights outside one doorway, 2 monks outside another, & an archer next to the Time Mage. Roatha runs up behind Sorrel's mother in time to see the spectacle.*

"What the Hell is that thing?!"

Beelzebub, the Lord of Plague<I leave this to you, for it is not yet time for me to act openly. Kill them all, & await further instructions!>

*Beelzebub teleports off of the battlefield.*

Noct leads them too Lilith, "I'm back with the knights you requested."

"I don't know, she said something about people not liking dragons," Mortal explained. When even more knights showed up she got into a fighting stance, unsure of what to do, and having flashbacks of her fight before.

--

"Circuitous plans indeed," Iliad said quietly, "Anyway, I guess it is time to make our way to Dorter."

"Will you accompany us, or is this where we part?" Zac asked.

Reiter: <(We might or not have made a baaaad call.)>

Rhea: <Please don't hurt her.>

=====

Parker: <Are you serious? That's where I wanted to go! Did he go on foot or...?>

[Bastard.]