Fires In The Deep, What Lies Beneath

[Frosty]

"Be careful with that crate, ya pair of galoots!" Tai Greensburg planted her hands on her wide, shapely hips and fired a scathing glare at the two men carrying a large wooden crate bearing a "FRAGILE" stamp. She was just one more day away from opening her new public house, The Exile, and her troubles were mounting already. First, she had to jockey for a space in Underhall's labyrinthine expanse just to house her business, since there was no way she could hope to compete with the Crescent if she ran her pub on the surface. Then there were the inspections, the refits, the constant badgering by that lecherous halfbreed who headed up the city's land survey department - not that she didn't appreciate some occasional attention from the opposite sex. The last thing she needed now was to lose her collection of vintage wines because of some oaf and his two left feet.

The loud clink-clank of the glass bottles that resounded inside the crate when the two hired hands dropped it on the floor, a little less gently than she would have liked, caused Tai's brilliant blue eyes to flinch slightly. The burly men were spared a severe tongue lashing, however, since nothing sounded broken. Still, that stock and the clothes on her back were all she had to her name since fleeing Zeland nearly a year ago, so if she lost even one drop of it due to their carelessness...

"You're payin' us now?" one of the movers rumbled. He was easily the larger of the two, having nearly a foot over his companion, and it wasn't hard to see why. Severe eyebrows and a siege engine of a nose, not to mention his sheer girth, hinted at the presence of something more than human blood coursing through his veins. After ten months of living in Freeport, the environment of tolerance cultivated by its native residents didn't shock her any less than it had the day she first landed. Here was a creature - a person, she had to remind herself, even if she barely believed it in her heart - who would have been hunted down and killed like a dog in any other land, working alongside men as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Before Tai could answer, a deafening crash and frantic cries of "Ma! Ma!" resounded from the back room. Damn those brats to the depths! And she'd been so worried about the movers breaking something! With a growl of frustration, Tai tossed a sack of coin to the two men. "There. Split it between yourselves. If you'll excuse me, gents." She moved around the bar purposefully and threw open the door that led into the back room - a dark, cool, dry area where she planned to store the establishment's food and drink, and precisely the one place where she told the children not to horse around. "What in the hells are you going on about?! If I find something's smashed when I get down there, you best make peace with your maker!"

It was a shock to some people that Tai Greensburg was a mother of three, considering her decidedly un-motherly demeanour. Even more surprising, though, was how old her brood was. She'd met her husband when she was young, about a season before she turned fifteen, and had her first nine months after that (though if someone counted carefully, they would come up with eight), so that by now her daughter Lee was blossoming into womanhood while Tai was still in her mid-thirties. Guiding her daughter and two sons through that complicated stage of life wasn't made any easier by the fact that she had to do it on her own - thanks to the Empire - and in the absence of their father's firm, disciplinary hand, they had become difficult to control. Since coming to Freeport as refugees, the children had been prone to shenanigans - and if this was another one of their stunts, there would be hell to pay!

The smashed bottles, broken shelves, or spilled food Tai expected to find in the back room were nowhere in sight when her eyes finally adjusted to the dim light. There was, however, a wide crevice in the smooth stone floor which exposed a long set of stairs spiraling down into the earth that wasn't there the last time she was in this room. "We were cleaning out cobwebs, like you told us," blurted her youngest son, Taman, while he waved his arms wildly through the air. "And we found this mark on the wall. Lee touched it, and the floor opened up just like that! She said she heard something below, so she went to check it out, and--"

"Idiot child!" Tai hissed, referring less to Taman as to his brash sister. She shot a warning glare that could have made a rabid bear think twice at her remaining children. "You two wait right here, got it? If either one of you moves a damn inch, your rump's gonna be as red as your sister's when I get through with...!" Tai was brought up short by a shrill scream that tore up through the cavity in the floor, a chillingly familiar sound that was quickly followed by the unmistakable rhythm of footfalls rapidly mounting the stone steps. A vulgar curse leaped from her lips, despite the presence of her sons, when she realised she was hearing more than one set of feet. "Get out of here! NOW!"

[Gen Wolfbane]

If a person ever looked for peace and quiet in Freeport, the Old Fort was the last place they would want to be. Leaving aside the fact that the ancient structure was never intended to be used as an assembly hall and that the acoustics were terribly unsuited for it, the people of Freeport tended toward outright rowdiness during town meetings, and especially during emergency sessions. It was a government of consensus, which meant that the process of reaching a decision could, at times, include the hurling of insults, rude gestures, or even shoes. Today, all three of these phenomena showed up in full force, although some of the outsiders who had been attracted to the assembly by curiosity managed to remain still and silent (most of them paralyzed by utter shock at the nature of the proceedings), and all were directed at one man: Gen Wolfbane.

The young Master Captain of the Freeport Militia weathered the fierce onslaught of words and projectiles hurled in his direction, his strictly professional expression unwavering under the pressure, as if his face was carved from stone. Most people would have been angry, or at least insulted, at receiving such disrespectful treatment, but Gen was made of sterner stuff than that. Besides, on some level he actually sympathised with them; he wouldn't have found the answer he gave to the last speaker's question satisfactory, either, but it was the only answer he had at this point. "You all know Freeport doesn't have the resources to fully excavate and explore the entire Underhall," Gen tried to shout over the rumbling din, with mixed success. "So how can you expect us to know what's down there?"

Rather than getting the gathered townspeople to see reason, the Master Captain's words only inflamed them further. Even one of his own soldiers, an older man by the name of Gred Beroz, had joined the mob in shouting him down. Gen didn't hold it against him; it was his right, after all. The Old Guard situated at the dead centre of the tumultuous assembly chamber seemed far less patient than the militia's commander, though, if the irritable frowns they wore were any indication. Finally reaching the limit of his patience, one of the councilors slammed his fist down at the long table he shared with the rest of the Guard. "Would you all shut up, damn it! Do I need to remind you that the Greensburgs could be in very serious trouble as we speak?!"

That seemed to kill the noise in the assembly chamber quickly enough - all save for the quiet sobbing of one young man off in the back. Lee Greensburg's boyfriend, Gen noted with more than a bit of disdain. He was behaving like a child over this entire affair. Lee was depending on him to grow a backbone now, not fall to pieces. "And I intend to see them back here, safely," Gen shouted to the assembled crowd, his sharp stare daring anyone in that room to question his determination. "If it comes to it, I will tear the Underhall apart to find that family. For every drop of Greensburg blood spilled, I will take a gallon from their attackers! Who here will volunteer to--" The militia commander's voice was drowned out by a collective roar that practically shook the walls of the Old Fort before he even finished the question.

"Oh for...!" The Old Guard councilor who had silenced the crowd earlier threw his arms up in exasperation. "The whole town can't fit into a four-foot-wide crevasse! Let's find a somewhat smaller group of volunteers, shall we?"

[Domerin]

From the first moment Domerin Lorcasf had been allowed to get up out of bed and move around this strange place, he had been both surprised and impressed by the people here. These people had carved a very good living for themselves out of a nearly inhospitable area. These people had turned a tiny bit of space into a sprawling city. THESE people ruled themselves. There was no King here to decree that thoughts or beliefs should be punished. These people stood up for convictions that Domerin had to admit he shared himself, to a certain degree. This strange island, shrouded in mists, was the last place he'd expected to encounter people of this kind, especially after the rather rude greeting he and his mate had received upon their initial entry onto the island back in that Scalea place or whatever they called it.

Domerin felt a painful tug in his chest at the thought of his beloved, still lost out there somewhere, and he still too weak to make another attempt at bringing him back from those damned elves safely. What kind of crazy politics were going on in this strange place he didn't know. All he knew was that his last attempt to rescue his mate had left him a thread away from death. It was only chance - or dare he say? luck - that had saved him from the grave. He just wasn't going to think about what number time this was that he'd been saved from death by pure chance... what number was this now anyway? He had to be getting high up in the double digits by now...

Standing near the back of the assembly, still half covered in bandages, Domerin Lorcasf was again impressed by the people of this strange place when it seemed the entire town was ready to jump down a hole in the ground, into unknown dangers, simply to rescue a single family. He'd rarely encountered that kind of courage in the common inhabitants of a place - soldiers and adventurers, yes, but the locals? The locals HE knew tended to run into their houses and cower in fear until the danger had passed.

This is the sort of place I could really settle down in... though I'm not all that certain Sesha would like it. Not that I should be thinking about this sort of thing anyway without him being here... I have to get him back. Soon.

Preferably NOW, but the Healers of this place still wouldn't let him leave. They were still trying to force him to rest all the damn time. Domerin had never been a very good patient, and he was even worse when he felt there was something urgent he needed to do. But perhaps this was exactly something he needed. Something to keep him occupied. Something to allow him to build his strength once more. And then when I get back they won't be able to tell me I'm not ready to try again.

And that was all the more thought Domerin Lorcasf gave to the matter. He was an impulsive person even at his best. Besides he had the kind of experience and knowledge that would be valuable on this kind of mission. And if Sesha were here he wouldn't want me to let innocent people suffer when I knew I could do something about it it... He thought as he shouldered his way through the crowd. Injured or not, he was still pretty strong, and a crowd like this wasn't any trouble for him. Worked up into a frenzy or not.

He stood before Gen Wolfbane with his feet planted firmly and his arms stubbornly crossed across his chest. Still on the mend or not, Domerin was going. He'd made up his mind and that was final. Many a stubborn man (Seibel) had argued with him and lost. This Gen Wolfbane had no chance. None at all. "I will gladly offer my blades to the solving of your trouble. I have experience with just about every kind of nasty thing that can possibly live in a hole, so I'd imagine I wouldn't be getting too much in your way."

[Gen Wolfbane]

Domerin could be forgiven for not expecting this level of support for Gen's proposed rescue venture. Freeporters were a brave and relentless people out of necessity as much as anything else - every man and woman currently present in the assembly chamber had trained for service in the militia to defend their fair town and the people within it. It was only natural that some be willing to lend a hand for their neighbours, even if it wasn't yet their time. The fact that everyone had volunteered to help the Greensburgs caught even the young Master Captain off guard, however. Even the people who had been shouting him down a few seconds ago were on their feet, pledging their assistance.

The councilor's final, exasperated statement poured water on the fires of the crowd's enthusiasm, however. Brave and relentless, yes, but Freeporters could also be accused of being a little too impulsive from time to time. The men who first discovered that the Greensburg family was missing also reported that they had discovered a winding staircase descending down a deep, narrow shaft in the cellar area of the future tavern. Judging by what they had uncovered of the Underhall so far, it was reasonable to assume that the interior of whatever structure lay at the bottom of those stairs was likewise made up of small rooms and narrow corridors. If that was indeed the case, a small party was ideal, as opposed to a large force.

Of course, it meant that the people were now somewhat more hesitant to speak up. Whoever went down had to be both uniquely skilled, and experienced with close-quarters fighting in that kind of environment. Not many could say they met the second requirement. Gen was beginning to show visible signs of impatience at the hand-wringing when one voice finally spoke up. The militia commander strained to find his first volunteer in the sea of faces gathered in the assembly hall, but when it was Domerin Lorcasf that emerged from the crowd and folded his arms stubbornly across his chest, Gen's features pinched in a perplexed expression. "You're the man Ranilthas Nedrin and Alphonse Leyuri brought back with them," he stated more than asked. "You shouldn't be out of bed, let alone volunteering for something this potentially dangerous. I appreciate the offer, but this isn't your problem, friend."

[Domerin]

Domerin wasn't surprised by the Master Captain's reaction to his offer. He sounded like the healers, actually. They were always nattering at him that he needed to rest more often, sleep most of the day, and relax. But Domerin had slept enough since he'd been wounded to last him about a year. What he needed was activity. What he needed was to stretch himself.

What he needed was to make sure he was ready to go and bring Sesha back from his captors. There wasn't going to be another repeat of his last attempt.

The dark skinned elf's initial reaction to his dismissal was a lopsided grin. It wasn't quite that easy to get rid of him, after all. Lesser men had folded in the face of Domerin's unrelenting stubbornness. "I"m what healers tend to call a 'difficult' patient. I've decided that I've had quite enough healing and whether or not I go down that hole to bring back your missing family, I'm certainly not going back to my bed.

"Besides, it is as you say. It was freeporters who saved my life. It seems to me that makes this little problem my business. I owe your people here a debt of gratitude... and a pretty damned big one. I'd like to do what I can to help alleviate this situation."

It was then that Domerin's grin grew. It split his face until it was a full fledged smirk. Domerin may not have been the sharpest knife in the belt, but he was clever when he wanted to be. "Aside from that, honourable Master Captain, you and I both know that a rather unique set of abilities is required for dungeon delving. I just so happen to be possessed of those skills. I've seen my fair share of similar situations... and I've got the scars to prove it."

[Magda Garis]

"Oh come on Gen, let him climb down in the hole if he really wants to!"

A far different voice crowned the silence left by the thick crowd that had gathered in the fort and by the pause between the dark skinned elfs words and those of the Master Captain that would no doubt follow them up. It was a naturally slightly rough voice and like Domerin's grin it held a hint of mischief in it despite the serious matters being discussed right now in the hall. It was also a very familiar voice to most of the people in the room, Gen Wolfbane included.

The woman it belonged to stepped forwards through the crowd that mostly parted for her, a slight bit of grin on her lips. Hair so dark a red that it might have been black had it not been for the light hinting off it was let loose to fall down past her shoulders. The pieces in front were long and falling about her face though not enough to hide the pale green slitted eyes or the noticeably strange tint to the skin. And none of these features were nearly enough to distract from the black rams horns that grew from the womans skull, curved around her ears and ended in sharp tips against her cheeks.

Magda Garis. In any other place someone who looked like her would have been cast out or killed but she'd grown up in Freeport and this was just as much her home as it was everyone else's here. It didn't matter that her 'freelance' work took her away almost as much as she was around these days and the townspeople had gotten used to her random comings and goings. She'd been gone several months in fact and had only just gotten back in town that morning but the need to help outweighed the need to reacquaint herself, it was what any proper Freeporter would do. Besides that, she was uniquely suited to delving down in the dark.

"I'll even go to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't get lost."

[Gen Wolfbane]

For all Gen acted like the newcomer should be resting in bed rather than volunteering for dangerous missions (which he really should have been), he was inwardly impressed by Domerin's resolve. If the man really felt that way, perhaps he would fit in in Freeport quite well. All the same, he was still hesitant to let Domerin come along. His spirits might be up, but his body was still injured, and no one knew what they were facing in the unexplored reaches of the Underhall. There was no telling how well the structure had stood up to the ages that had passed since it was last used, no telling what kind of traps or pitfalls they might fall into, and there was no telling what whatever creature or creatures had abducted the Greensburgs were capable of.

His mind was all but made up to politely refuse Domerin's request, when another voice piped up from the tightly-packed crowd assembled in the Old Fort. Gen recognized the tone instantly, and turned with a grin that was not at all like the serious militia commander that the Freeporters knew toward the source of the sound. A figure emerged from the sea of bodies that surrounded Domerin and himself, quite a bit different and matured from the lanky girl he remembered, but sporting the same face (and horns) nevertheless. "Magda Garis," Gen greeted the discussion's newest participant. "I see you still enjoy making a dramatic entrance."

Gen's mind was definitely made up now, as he turned his attention back to the dark-skinned elf and nodded. "I guess that settles it, then. The three of us and four of my men will go."

[Vahni]

He sighed inwardly as he walked through the Old Fort, still lost and hearing the meeting. It is strange how the Plains of Nevoasu always bring me somewhere I do not wish to be at the moment, he thought to himself as his acute sense of smell caught scent of the ocean and fish. He licked his lips then his sharp canines at the thought of food, hearing his own stomach growl in protest to his thoughts. He finally came upon the press of people, looking at all of the different sizes and races, and it seemed there was no true prejudice here in this strange place.

He shook his head as he ran a gauntlet clad hand through his dark ebon hair, the hair not staying back for long as it lolled back around, only the maroon headband holding it back slightly from his strange eyes. The scarlet irises seeming to float in the pools of his black scleras, the eyes never staying in one spot as he searched around the new place. He moved through the press of people as he heard the conversation about delving down under the citadel, the idea intrigued him slightly. He looked over the Master Captain carefully.

He didn't see much of interest except the fact he might be interesting to talk to, he then glanced at Domerin. He saw the elven heritage in the man but was surprised to see and elf. It had been far to long since he had been around others. He then lastly looked to Magda, she was not ugly, that was for sure, she was more so exotic. He found his eyes widened as his curiosity seemed to grow and stem around her over the other two. He then looked away from her and back to Gen as he came to stand near them, his right hand falling to the handle of his jian which was strapped horizontally to his lower back, the handle sticking out to his right hand draw, his only other two visible weapons beside his clawed gauntlets were the strange daggers holstered on either side of his chest.

For the first time he looked down at himself to see his ragged form, his shirt torn slightly like a strange beast had clawed him across the chest. A strange bite mark which encircled his whole left shoulder, then the most notable feature beside his eyes, the scar under the middle of his right eyes was bleeding from reopening. He shook his head at his appearance and then looked back to the Master Captain.

“I fear I do not look like much but I am rather good at close-quarter combat and other such skills,” he paused as he coughed to clear his throat,”I would not mind joining this party, I wish to learn more about this new place that I have never seen before.” He looked Gen over yet again, he still saw nothing that caught his interest except the man's cold face. He had spent years fighting and traveling and had never seen such a man like Gen who seemed to be so normal, a man to have mastered humility. He was fixated on that fact alone.

He then looked the rest of the crowd over again, glancing over his shoulder several times, his eyes never stopping. He paused for a moment to think of the possibilities that could be waiting for this group of people, I must wonder what has taken this family so easy in such a rough looking environment... He raised one foot and chipped dry blood from it before setting the black leather boot clad foot down. His look went to impassive as he waited for a reply to his request.
((Kinda choppy sorry. Couldn't think straight.))

[Gen Wolfbane]

Gen was somewhat surprised when yet another stranger chimed in to offer his services for this mission. That Magda volunteered wasn't unexpected - she was as much a Freeporter as the militia commander was - but in his experience, foreign travelers were rarely willing to put themselves at risk for total strangers. Gen wasn't nearly as optimistic as Ranilthas Nedrin, who had patched Domerin's wounds and carried the elf back to the city. He'd seen more than his fair share of 'adventurers' who journeyed across the sea from the distant mainland, only to descent to banditry once they reached the Islands. Perhaps, the young mercenary leader grudgingly admitted, his time in the Empire had jaded him somewhat, at the same time as it endeared him to the ideals Freeport, and his father, stood for. However, he found this quite refreshing.

This new stranger seemed to be in the same, worse-for-wear state as Domerin, and Gen stared openly at the man's wounds. He looked much different from the dusky-skinned elf, though; in fact, while it was just unusual to see an elf with as dark a complexion as Domerin's, Gen had never encountered anyone quite like the second man. His eyes reminded the master captain of that eccentric magic shop owner - coloured irises floating on pools of pure black, though this one's hue was different. Evidently, the man was as intrigued by Gen as much as Gen was intrigued by him. He found it quite disquieting. "We'd appreciate your assistance, mainlander. You can come, so long as you take care of that shoulder." He pointed to the man's bite-shaped wound. Then, he turned back to face Magda and Domerin. "We'll all meet at The Exile, tomorrow at lightrise. Pack light, but prepare prudently. We have no way to know how large the unexplored region of the Underhall is."

Gen spared a final, thankful look for the three volunteers before he nodded to the Councilors and turned toward the door. At that signal, the aged members of the Old Guard stood as one. "It is decided then!" the voice of one venerable woman cut through the low murmur of conversation in the hall. "Azana guide our brave volunteers, that they and the Greensburg family may return to us safely. This meeting is adjourned!"

* * * * * * * * * *

Despite his own instructions that the rescue party was to meet at the Greensburgs's tavern at first light the next morning, Gen Wolfbane roused himself out of bed and made his way down much earlier than that to inspect the night shift guarding The Exile - now one of the most dangerous places in Freeport - and make some final preparations of his own. By the time the first of the three adventurers arrived, they would find the young militia captain already packed up and ready to embark, along with two of the four soldiers who were accompanying them. Despite merely being part-time soldiers, called up for duty in the town's occasional lottery, they cut a rather professional figure with their leather armor and black tabards bearing Freeport's green-X standard. Still, there was no way to completely hide the trepidation they felt from their eyes.

[Vahni]

Vahni slowed his walk as he came to stand in front of Gen. He still remembered last night. He had found no rest, he had wandered uselessly around, searching for new exciting things to toy with. Finally he looked to the two men besides Gen and cocked his head slightly,"Curious... Why do we need more than a four man party?" He looked around the area and examined it haphazardly as his strange eyes returned to stare at Gen.

He then glanced down at himself and smiled, flashing his strangely elegant larger canines,"I have also healed myself and new clothing... Master Captain I think I heard someone call you, yes?" This new land still interested him. Yet he could not say he had any love for the sea, the last ship he had been on he was only allowed on for his fighting prowess. He moved his strange silver clawed gauntlet hands to smooth his strange looking tight shirt down, then tucked his sirwal like pants legs into his black boots.

He then patted his old wound on his shoulder with a light grin,"I am all healed and ready to go. Do we have any idea what is down there or are we just going in blind?" He made sure his jian, Nenha, was securely strapped in it's harness loops just above his waist. His right hand sliding back to land on the handle, feeling it for the first time in a long time.

He then began stretching as they continued to wait for the others. After finishing his stretching he leaned against a wall and slid down its length to sit back, he then set his face into and impassive look, his cold face.

[EMTia]

From the shadows, there was another who heard Gen's call to action.

Nageki hadn't been long in Freeport and had unfortunately stumbled upon hard times. With little to no work to be found, she kept to the shadows waiting, listening carefully for any opportunity. She'd pondered honest work, but that wasn't going to improve her means quickly enough. Even with honest work, she'd need to supplement some how.

Gen was asking for volunteers. She smiled to herself - there was too much at stake here to not offer some sort of monetary reward. His mistake would be her means of testing the waters - so to speak. To find out about this little town and if she would prosper here. She needed to get there first. If she didn't, bargaining would certainly be a whole lot harder. The problem was, she didn't know much about Freeport - especially when it came to the land scape, and where things were.

The half elf kept herself hidden, waiting.

[Magda Garis]

Magda arrived not long after Vahni, looking disturbingly awake and alert for this time of the morning, offering a pleasant smile to the men who had already gathered. This was serious business, yes, but that certainly didn't mean they needed to be morose about it. Besides, it wasn't as if this was going to be her first time venturing into darkenss teeming with unknown dangers to retrieve something.

Her clothing was dark and practical, clearly for working in and she'd packed lightly having hoped for a good balance of things she knew she was going to need and things she'd brought but hoped she didn't have to end up using. The only weapons immediately apparent on her person were a pair of long, slightly curved, daggers on either side of her waist though there were no doubt more hidden just out of sight.

"Morning Master Captain." She couldn't exactly call it good, that would be pushing things somewhat though the lighter tone in her voice indicated that she probably wasn't going to be calling Gen by his title very often. She sized up the other men coming with them, able to catch the trepidation in the two who'd had bad enough luck to get picked by the lottery when something like this happened. "Morning boys. I hope Gen didn't keep you up all night."

[Domerin]

Normally Domerin was not all that appreciative of getting help from a woman; not out of any sexist belief that women were inferior. He'd met plenty of women who could hold their own in a battle, and he respected women warriors for their skill with a blade, drawing no distinction between a man and a woman if their blade skill was equal. It was more that help from a woman usually resulted in said woman trying to feel him up and eventually trying to slip him into her bed. He didn't want any part of that and usually ended up feeling rather uncomfortable. This woman looked quite capable, however, and there was no feeling of his muscles, commenting on his scars or suggestive eyebrow movements that mean 'want to see what my bed looks like?!' And she had vouched for him, which was rather kind of her, seeing as they didn't even know each other. He nodded to her and offered her a smile and a kind thank you. Now as long as she didn't try slipping her hands down his pants while they were traveling together, everything would be just fine.

He eyed the other new comer when he entered with some trepidation. He shared Gen's assessment that the man was in worse shape than he was, which was saying alot since he'd been cut rather to pieces when he'd been rescued by the fair folk of Freeport. But then too he couldn't help but notice the odd look the man had about him, not to mention those very strange eyes. Domerin frowned ever so slightly. He had his suspicions about their newest volunteer. He seemed to be able to function quite well despite his injuries. Domerin had met some of those kinds of people before and he wasn't all that fond of them either. Mostly because he usually ended up on the wrong end of their sword and they were extremely difficult to kill. Suspicious as he was, he had to admit to himself it would be nice to have one on his side for a change. He was about to offer the man some of his bandages, since it looked like he needed some, when the meeting was called to a close.

After a brief introduction to those who were going to be his traveling companions, Domerin excused himself so that he could begin making his own preparations. He spent the night packing, preparing his armor and sharpening his weapons. When he'd finished with that, and he was satisfied he was ready to depart, he went to work on himself, stretching and exercising and running up and down the hallways until his healer caretakers finally got so sick of him that they threatened to tie him to the bed if he didn't lay down and get some rest. Since it was always a good idea to sleep well the night before a journey - one never knew when one was going to have a chance to rest on a trip of this kind, nor how long it might last - he obeyed and settled himself in for the night.

Domerin too arrived early for the journey, but since it seemed everyone had decided to arrive before the appointed time, something he rather approved of, it seemed he was just 'on time'. He arrived with his pack on his back, already adorned in his light, leather armor, his regular traveling cloths underneath. His twin longswords were strapped to his belt and back respectively. He'd packed light, bringing only the bare essentials. In fact it was clear that he was experienced with this sort of journey. Most of what he'd brought with him was provisions, a small sleeping roll, and a spare set of traveling cloths just in case the ones he had on now got shredded, as tended to be the case.

He set his pack down for the moment and offered everyone a greeting and a nod then settled down to listen because he was just as interested in the answers to Vahni's questions as the other man was. He kept alert though. It was never a good idea to let one's guard down. And he wasn't sure why but he had an odd feeling, as if there were eyes watching the back of his head. He could feel the tiny hairs on the back of his neck standing up, but when he turned to glare at the shadows behind him, he saw nothing. Frowning to himself he turned back to the conversation, pushing it out of his mind, though he didn't let his guard drop.

[Gen Wolfbane]

Gen didn't have to wait long for the others to show up at the Greensburgs' unopened tavern, and he was quite pleased to see that they had come prepared. As unhappy as he was with the present situation and what they had to do to fix it, it was a relief for the young militia commander to know that he was at least leading professionals into potential danger. The other two militia soldiers who had volunteered for this mission arrived shortly after Domerin as well, laden with provisions and a few spare weapons. The pair of green-clad soldiers who had arrived with Gen responded to Magda's question with a grin and a chuckle. "Couldn't wait to chase us to bed, more like it. You know how he can be."

A round of good-natured laughter from the militia soldiers was abruptly cut short when their commander noisily cleared his throat. When he spoke, however, his words were meant for Vahni. "This is a rescue operation, Mr... er..." Gen hesitated, only now realising that he hadn't actually gotten the man's name yet. "In any case, a smaller party might be more suited for reconnaissance or exploration, but the simple fact is that we may need the extra hands to carry the Greensburgs out. These aren't farmers with pitchforks, if that's what you're worried about." The young Master Captain laid a hand on one soldier's shoulder. "We may not be some sort of warrior society, but we see to it that our people can hold their own."

With that settled, Gen started toward the back room and motioned for the others to follow. "To answer your second question - no, we don't know what's waiting for us down there. This is a recently excavated part of the citadel, with much more unexplored space beyond it. Of course, not even the foremost experts on the Underhall believed something would be living here after so much time, but as you can see..." He pushed the door open with one hand, revealing to the adventurers a scene of destruction beyond, with broken bottles, shattered crates, and a trail of brown, dried blood leading to an open entry way in the floor. "...they've had to revise their theories."

[Magda Garis]

Magda was glad she'd managed to bring the soldiers to smile at least for a few moments before their task was to begin. She knew this couldn't be easy for them though no doubt they'd do their part as best the could and if she could do anything to ease things for them she would do so. For herself she was eager to begin, the sooner they started the sooner the nervous waiting ended and the closer they were to finding out what had happened to the missing family.

She followed Gen as he led them to the lower room where everything had taken place, eyes running over the mess that had been left behind by whatever creature had done this. She also followed the trail of blood to where it disappeared into the hole though it was to the slice of darkness she could see that her eyes really remained.

She did notice Domerin's slight unease though, because she felt it herself and she sidled up to him though he wouldn't have to worry about any inappropriate attentions from her. "You feel it don't you? There will be plenty waiting for us in a darkness like that." She could feel it herself, perhaps more so than the others because of her unique heritage and she hoped it might prove to be some sort of help to them, if it didn't drive her up the wall first. She pulled her gaze away from the entry and to their leader. "When do we start Gen?"

[Domerin]

Domerin Lorcasf wasn't the sort who generally minded marching into the unknown. He'd done it for a very large part of his life, and he'd been largely successful against most things he came up against. After all, he was still alive. There was just something about discovering something new, walking into a situation and not knowing what exactly was going to come out of it that Domerin thrived on. His Mate didn't tend to share his enthusiasm for such adventures, but he wasn't going to be accompanying him on this particular venture, something that caused him to feel a small tug at his heart strings.

He forced the feeling away, however, and concentrated on the task at hand. Since none of them knew what they were going to be up against, Domerin felt it best to be prepared for anything - or everything. He glanced around the ruined room, looking for any sign of what they might be facing; stray claw scratches in the walls and floor, the way the blood had fallen, any odd or potentially identifiable markings or symbols. Then he joined the others at the verge of the entrance to the dark void below.

"Seems as though you may need some new experts." He said softly, though he was mostly muttering to himself. He didn't see the wisdom in building a home out of caverns that had apparently been abandoned by other creatures in the past. You never can tell if the former residents have actually gone... especially if you don't even know the extent of the abode. But it would have been rude to give Gen such a lecture, and the last thing he wanted to do was offend.

It was right about that time that he was distracted by the decidedly feminine form of Magda Garis very close to him. He was glad that it was dark because a fiery blush took up residence on his dark cheeks when he heard her saying, "You feel it don't you?" It took him several seconds to realize that she was talking about the odd prickle surrounding the hairs on the back of his neck as they stood up, rather than some sexual attraction as he had feared she might initially be indicating. Of course he was rather relieved to learn that his initial impression that she would be more interested in the job at hand than him had been the right one, but he was also incredibly embarrassed by the fact that he had obviously misinterpreted her initial words.

His cheeks burned slightly but he did his best to recover quickly. "I uuuh..." He'd started but he quickly cleared his throat and revised it to, "I... yes. Yes, I do. I just hope we catch whatever is waiting for us down there before it catches us..."

[Vahni]

___He smiled slightly as he followed them, his nonchalant manner making it hard for himself to focus on the strange feel. He kept his strange smile as he began,"My name is Vahni Blood, as it would be I am a freelancer of sorts, a sellsword... I am just curious on this, and I know nothing of this land." He moved on following them, his metal clawed clad hands clenching and unclenching as he thought of what was to come. In his home world he dared not to venture to far into the dark, knowing he could not take armies on alone and even a small raiding party of the beasts back home was a difficult fight with no one at your back. His strange eyes looked to Domerin, he sensed the unease the man held about him, he frowned slightly but it stayed only shortly as he followed on.
___"It would seem that your people are careless for the ones around them, yes?" He speculated, his own people held no true family or blood lines, only the strongest could survive and everyone was a brother, sister, or some type of family, maybe not by blood but by the sword there was no other feeling but love and blood lust. He watched Magda, for a moment, he smiled at her way of relieving the others before the delve into the unknown. It was refreshing to know there was someone to relieve the stress of others. His crimson eyes then moved to look over Gen again, he watched the man, he seemed more like a person to handle diplomatic matters than to fight, yet appearance meant nothing in the end.
___He followed onward, he was only dressed in dark clothing, everything black except for his maroon shirt and headband. He grinned at the thought, Always diving into others worries for your own curiosity... He looked down to his dark scarred leather boots, the buckles on them rubbed over with soot and scrapped down then died black to help make them not glint in any type of light, knowing in his line of work it meant automatic death. He sighed in boredom as he continued to follow speaking one last time,"Well at least in the stretch we will be able to kill something... Or be killed by it," he could only smile at the thought of a well earned battle after traversing the undergrounds of the fort, he shifted his pack and moved on, right hand sliding back to rest on the handle of his blade Nenha.

[Gen Wolfbane]

A momentary look of irritation passed through the Master Captain's gold-hued eyes at Vahni's observation. Until now, he'd thought the man was a curiosity, but there were limits to how patient and accommodating the ever-serious militia commander was willing to be. He wasn't about to take such a rash judgment about his beloved city laying down. "We are most certainly not careless for the ones around us," he all but snapped. "This entire section of the Underhall was completely excavated an examined three times before this space was given to the Greensburgs." Gen waved a hand toward the spiraling staircase that led deeper underground. "That isn't supposed to be here. At least, it wasn't here the last time this chamber was surveyed. So if you entertain the notion that we send our own people to settle down here without regard to their safety, I suggest you take it to the council after we bring this family back.

"As for your question, Magda, we start now." With that, Gen turned and practically stormed down the stairs. Two of the green-clad militia soldiers rushed to fall in behind him, and one of them giggled under his breath while he shot Vahni a look that seemed to say 'You've done it now!'. The other just sighed, rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, and muttered, "He'll be impossible to deal with now."

The crude stone stairway led the party deep beneath the Greensburgs' tavern; even deeper than what had thus far been excavated of the Underhall. In an odd twist, there were no signs of sconces on the rounded walls, a feature that was prevalent in the rest of the ancient cliff side citadel, as its former dwarven occupants had used them for light. Before they got very far at all, the party had to resort to lighting their torches in order to see the way down. After several minutes of walking, the stairs abruptly ended, and the wall opened up to the empty air of a spacious cavern. Far below them, the orange glow of their torches danced on the slanted roof of an ancient, long-forgotten structure.

[Magda Garis]

Magda lingered near Domerin for a few moments longer, perhaps enough to make him uncomfortable though she didn't seem to notice if she did. She did notice that blush on his cheeks though, her darkvision was very good, and it was all she could do not to grin. This wasn't the time but she had to admit that was pretty cute on someone so manly and muscly.

She was a bit miffed with Vahni as well, she was a Freeporter just as much as Gen was and though she hadn't had anything to do with the settling of the Underhall she knew that when it came to the citizens every possible precaution would have been made beforehand. She wasn't quite as vocal in her displeasure as their leader but she did shoot him a bit of a look before Gen declared their immediate departure and led the way down into the dark. "We'll manage somehow." She whispered to the soldier who had muttered before taking up her place, her eyes adjusting quickly to the far deeper darkness that greeted them.

When they reached the open cavern she was skirting the edge in a way that would have made most people want to pull her back but she could see far better in the low light than the rest of them and being down here didn't really feel all that odd to her. "Time to pick up the trail." There was dried blood to follow but she sincerely hoped that wouldn't be their only guide down here, for their sake as well as for the missing families.

[Vahni]

He only smirked slightly as he continued to follow. He held up his left hand to block the light of the torches, he did not want anything to interfere with his night vision, even though he felt like a wolf in the end for being made to bob his head up and down slightly it was still better than being blind in the darkness. He felt his right gauntlet clad hand fall back to take hold of Nenha's hilt as he moved on farther down, following the others, trying to stay in the rear to cover any type of ambush or deceitful people who could be behind this strange occurrence.

"And please forgive me I meant no real offense to your honor, I am just curious and did not think before I spoke," he spoke softly trying to sound sincere, his smile a fake one but he knew it was sometimes not easy even for himself to discern his smiles from fake or real anymore. He walked on, crouching down to look at the blood as the others moved on and the light from the faded, I wonder what could have happened, if something is living down here it must be eating rodents or some kind of insect to stay alive, he saw no real sustenance around.

Vahni glanced up, his eyes shifting from scarlet to a deep jade emerald as he noticed he was falling behind, he stood slowly flipping his hair from his eyes as he trotted after them.
He paused as he noticed the structure before them, it was strange to him as he felt some unknown presence. His nose and ears twitched as he thought of past things he had fought and killed and then the times he even lost and was almost killed in turn. He could not think of anything to say. He stayed looking at the structure, still covering his eyes from the light of the torches.