"What of your injuries then?" Asked the Barbarian, with a smug look on her face.
"These? These were the cost of learning the strengths of our enemies. This Tatterer had armor like the ranger described, but more. It acted in defense of it's wearer, trying to hinder my blade with each attack."
"A formidable for it would seem." Said the Sorcerer rubbing his chin.
As the group approached a guard walked up to them.
"Hello there, what business have you hear?"
The ranger stepped forward and said," We were hired to guard this town, and have word for your official. It concerns news about the refugees to the south."
"Sir Henrick's group? We've been worried since yesterday, they have yet to arrive. What happen?"
The group lowers their heads sadly before the rogue comes forward, saying,
"Take us to your official."
The hope that sparked in the guard's eyes fade as he turns to guide the group into the small, but growing settlement. They pass some houses and buildings still in construction. After arriving in what looks to be the town center, one of the only areas with fully constructed buildings, the team is guided into a town hall and escorted to a room in the back.
"What sort of man do you think the official is?" Asks the Barbarian.
"Organized hopefully, starting a new city isn't a venture taken lightly, so the king would put a man that is either known for his ability to organize, lead, or is at the very least trustworthy." Said the Sorcerer. At that statement the guard winces as he grabs at the door.
"Well... the mayor, is definitely trustworthy."
"Fantastic." States Raza in a sarcastic tone. The door opens and at the desk sits a blonde haired fair skinned man with his hair up and spiked, standing at least a foot up from his scalp. His apparel is regal and colored green.
"YO! Who ya'lls be?!"
Raza reaches for her dagger, but the Rogue reaches down and stays her hand. The Ranger's face contorts in shock along with the Sorcerer. The Barbarian, never having met an official before acts as if that greeting is perfectly normal.
"We have been sent to guard your town mayor, I am daughter of a tribe of warriors from the west. We have come to be called Barbarians."
The Ranger steps forward and says," I'm the most skilled Elven Ranger from the Felsan forests to the north."
The sorcerer walks forward, "I'm a descendant of a red dragon from the Mage's Circle of Terath to the east."
The Rogue walks forward and says," I also hail from the east, but my skills lie elsewhere, typical of those who hail from the merchant port of Griffith. I suppose you can call me a Rogue."
Raza steps up, the shortest of all her team and says, "I'm leader of the mercenary band called the Wings from the Sarin Desert to the southwest, my men refer to me as the Bloody Bird."
"Kinda short ain't ya?" Says the mayor putting his hand to his brow to look at Raza. Once again Raza pulls for her blade, but the Rogue once again intervenes. The mayor walks out from behind his desk. and takes an unsteady bow.
"My name is Gale, Mayor Gale is what they've been callin me, but please call me Gale, or Bro, yeah, that works too."
Raza takes a deep breath, walks over to the window, and flips up out of the room. Everyone else runs to the window except for the mayor, who goes back to his desk and takes something out of the draw, then proceeds to begin smoking it. By the time everyone has made their way to the window they look up to see Raza standing, perched on the tip top of the town hall.
Raza was looking to find a peacefully location to set up residence in near the town. She saw a river to the east that flowed from the north and it's trajectory became lost behind a hill. That would be ideal. Raza lept from the top of the house and landed by her men in front of the hall.
"I care not for that fool of a mayor's words, I want the three of you to spread out and await the arrival of our tribe, also construct a map of the area within a 5 mile radius to give a solid understanding of our surrounding resources."
The Tengu bow and speed off into the town, leaving Chakan and Raza.
"What would you have me do, Raza?"
"Come with me, I've found a possibility for a secluded spot to train, away from view of the town, but close enough to jump to it's defense."
Chakan bows and him and Raza begin to take off. They follow along the river behind the northern hill and the come across a ritualistic looking cave entrance. The entrance had bones of deceased with cave paint and feathers along with beads making the look of the whole thing look rather primitive.
"Wasn't expecting this, looks like the town already has a few visitors." Said Raza.
"If the mayor is as foolish as you claim then he would probably overlook invaders like this. Looks Goblin in make. We should be able to make quick work of-"
Raza puts out her hand to warn Chakan not to enter. She then points to a cave painting on a discarded shield. The picture shows a circle of goblins worshiping some four legged wolf creature.
"Look, these goblins have a master, likely more dangerous to deal with than it's green little followers."
"It looks like just a Worg, we could fell one of them without issue."
Raza motions back to the painting again.
"No, Worgs and Goblins travel in packs, but the painting only shows one worg, This is something else, this is a Barghest."
"Barghest? What is that?"
"A planar wolf that makes a habit out of consuming things in this plane, they are extremely dangerous, but in one regard they have on thing that makes them less dangerous than a worg." Raza begins walking.
"What would that be?"
"A worg is merely a more dangerous wolf. A barghest is a being with a code of honor."
Raza and Chakan march into the cave, following the scrounging and scrambling of small goblinoid creatures. They arrive in an opening after less than a minute. They come to a hoarded up area full of about a dozen Goblins and one wolf like creature prowling at a stage like elevation of the cave.
"Master of the cave, I presume?" Shouts Raza, breaking the routine of all the goblins and the barghest, leading to a panicking room of short green beings running for something to use as a weapon. Two unlucky bastards tried to hold some ears of Corns like daggers. The barghest kept more composed than it's underlings and pounced down in front of Raza.
"Have you come to be a meal for me Birds?"
"We are representatives of the settling village to the south of the river, that I'm willing to bet that you have been preying on." Says Raza.
"Then it would be in my best interest to eat you, so you don't report back to them."
"Then what? Wait for the guards to all come and kill you, nobody wins then, both of us are dead. I have a better idea."
The barghest's eyebrows furrow before it says," Really? And what would this idea be?"
"I don't tell of your position, and supply you with food, under 2 conditions."
"And these conditions are?"
"The first is..."
Raza reaches for her double blade and says,
"Prove to me you are worth my time."
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