Fate - First Reply A Coin for Your Ranger

[Haydn]

Along the Southern Side of the Drawa River. Between the Blightlands and Ixchel Wilds

The sounds of water being splashed. Played in. A child ran through the shallow end of the water barefoot. An older man ran after him. Chasing the child in a game of catching the youngling. They continued to play as a woman sat back on a blanket. Covering the harsh grass and rock near the inlet. Watching the two play. She drank from a waterskin Enjoying the soft breeze. having gone through the Ixchel Wilds safely, this would be the last day that they would be here. Moving home and leaving for the isles. She smiled and stood.

I watched her from a distance. Hidden among the foliage and environment. The hood pulled over my head. obscuring my form to not appear like a person in the brushes. My eyes scanned the area. Looking, Searching. Knowing. Another cart was coming towards this direction. Headed to the river as well. However, I was not fond of the idea that someone else was coming close. I readied myself. Slowly, carefully drawing my bow. At this distance they wouldn't be able to see me unless I moved fast or hastily. Instead, I took my time. Staying back and watching. Pulling up, the two men came down and walked over to the woman. Talking to her.

The father stopped chasing the child. Looking to see two human-ish males near her. She stood up and started to back away. Holding her hands up. In that moment, I looked to the cart. Seeing movement in the back. Slowly, I knocked an arrow onto the bow string. Gently starting to pull. My attention was pulled. A loud smack sound. Turning to look, the woman was on the ground holding her face. Appalled and surprised. Yelling ensued and as soon as one of the men reached towards his waistline, I drew and released the arrow.

A quick draw of the weapon and release sent it flying in an instant. Covering the distance quickly to find the arrow lodging itself into his arm. He yelled out in pain. With how much of the shaft was sticking out, I am sure it hit bone. They turned to my direction. However, I was too fast, and they couldn't see me just yet. Another arrow flew across the distance. Slamming into the chest of the second man. Clutching it he stumbled back and tried to keep his body up. The woman already ran towards her significant other and the child. Trying to hide not from just the men, but the arrows of mine.

Another two men hopped out of the cart. Attempting to run over to the men. They yelled something to each other, but again. Arrow after arrow after arrow found its home. Slamming into them. Not killing all of them. Two were clearly dying. One had gone into the center mass of the man. Blood leaking from him profusely as he wanted to remove the arrow through the pain. Fine by me. The other had it through the neck. He laid on the ground writing and trying to breathe as he bled into his throat. Choking on his blood.

The other two were hiding. Clearly trying to stay out. One I had missed when he was running in a crouched position. The other was the man I had hit in the arm. I could hear him yelling at the other about how much his arm was now hurting.

Standing up from my spot, I drew another arrow and sent it flying near the bushes they were hiding from. Hearing a yelp of surprise. Not sure if I had hit them or just surprised them. However, as one lifted their head, he saw a chance. Knowing where I was now. He kept his head up. hoping I would shoot for it. Which I did. the arrow flew next to him. He knew he didn't get hit. But he rushed me. His thoughts were clearly about how I needed to draw another arrow and knock it, then fire it. Surely he could close that distance in enough time.

No. I had a second arrow in my hand waiting for him. No need to draw. Just knock and pull back. Releasing it to find it sliding through his throat. He fell hard into the dirt face first from running and rolled over. trying to stay alive but slowly stopped struggling. I walked over. Kneeling down next to the croaking man. His face filled with fear of what I would do. I reached down, held onto his chest, and yanked the arrow out. Sadly, the head stayed lodged into whatever bone it found its way into. Wiping the end off on his clothes, I slung my bow over my back. Standing up and looking over to the couple and their child.

"Didn't I tell you guys to keep your eyes open?"

_________________________________________________________________________________

A couple Hours later.

I had the small bag of coin in my hand. Hefting it into the air and letting it fall back into it. feeling its weight. A smile and nod to the man. He paid me for my services of helping to transport them across the Ixchel Wilds. To the meeting place where they would be dropped off and sent down the river. A small village by any name. I waved to the child and walked off. Placing the coin bag into the satchel I had around my waist. Feeling its weight be added to all that was in there.

"Alright, time to see if there is anything here I can find."

 

[Nuir]

Hood drawn against the strong light of the sun an Aerai stood speaking to some of the villagers nearby.
The conversation was brief. They pointed out a building that passed as a sort of Tavern. Albeit a not very impressive one. Having confirmed that none of the local traders were headed in the direction he wished to go, he would have to wait.
He had just turned to make his way over to the tavern when a green cloak caught his eye. It wasn't as if the man himself were imposing or impressive in stature. They were also traveling far too lightly to be a merchant. Still the sort of satisfied gleam the man was making while holding a coin pouch was something Nuir did recognize. He wavered for a moment but ultimately decided to approach.

He lowered his hood and closed the short distance. "Pardon....you wouldn't happen to be..." Nuir realized 'for hire' was both too direct and much too open to misinterpretation. "the mercenary sort?" He amended.

 

[Haydn]

Putting the coin bag into the pouch, Keeping my eyes low and focused on my hands, and putting away the coins. What piqued my attention towards them, was the mention of "Mercenary" sort. A lifted head with a slight tilt to the individual. Scanning their face and features.

About eye level with each other. Similar height if only the difference was with whatever boots we wore. Hair, white as the snow in the Spine mountain range. A piercing blue eye next to a light brown. Heterochromia. Facial features of an elven race. Masculine enough to tell, but still could easily be considered "beautiful" by many. Clearly, a younger member of the Elvish.

What really grabbed me, was the hesitation of their words. Was it for a lack of desire? Hiding some truth? Maybe it could have just been a gathering of words. However, there were more negative thoughts of what that pause was. As such, I played carefully.

"Anyone will do anything for coin. Its the price that matters."

My attention left him. Moving behind him and around us. Quick glances to keep situational awareness. Many considered my job, and what I did, cowardly. Even more so fighting with a ranged weapon. Not meeting my foe face to face. Should this individual already know who and what I am, then there was a target somewhere near me.

"Depends on the job. You tell me what the job is. Of course, you will pay half of whatever is full payment up front."

Such a brash and sudden showing. Coming up to me and asking if I was a Mercenary. Broad daylight, in the open public. Not in some seedy tavern, or at the guild house. Sure, a hooded cloak kind of showed either I wanted attention, or none at all. Yet, picked me. Curious.

Nuir

 

[Nuir]

Nuir could certainly tell he was being sized up. He couldn't begrudge that considering he had approached unprompted. The first to propose a deal usually lost the upper hand in negotiations. Now that he took a better look at the man,
he could see a sort of weariness imprinted in the mans posture and features. He couldn't tell if that was their general disposition or if there was something about himself that had caused alarm. He wasn't hasty to jump to the conclusion that the bow the man was carrying was the man's only weapon. Though the man didn't seem large enough to rely on brute strength alone. He also didn't seem to be carrying a sword at least the Nuir could see. In any case he had little in the way of prejudice against one style of violence over another. Well, aside from the practical concerns of which were hardest to clean up after. Arrow injuries really weren't so bad to heal depending on the location. He certainly didn't care for having to dig out arrowheads when they became lodged. However, on the scale of kettle burn to cosmic taint, it was safely middling in pain.

"Right, of course." Nuir replied his voice trailing in thought. He was hesitant to name a price quickly. Coins mattered little to him, so it was not for fear of loosing them. He found his services were needed any place he went and so coins he could earn easily. He was finding that taking such an attitude openly was frowned upon.

"I am in need of someone who has knowledge of the wilds and is..." He thought for a moment "capable of combat if needed." Nuir knew it wasn't the most direct way to answer the question. He wasn't the sort to be impatient about deals but he did want to ascertain that the mercenary would be a decent fit. In all honesty he was hoping that he wouldn't run into anyone or anything too troublesome. The mercenary had the general look of someone capable of hunting so he hoped that at the very least they were capable of warding off some of the fauna of the wilds.

Haydn

 

[Haydn]

A game was being played. At least, a small one.

His demeanor changed ever so slightly. His eyes sizing me up just as I had done to him. Which was a fair trade in all things. if I was being potentially hired for a job, I had to be able to do it. Look the part if needed. Sure, I knew he could clearly see the bow and quiver I carried with me. A hunter to some degree. Moreover, the fact that the bow was of elvish make, and while not ornate, clearly was well crafted.

His voice came out slow and methodical. Asking in terms if I could handle myself, essentially. Considering the Ixlan Wilds were not something many wanted to trifle with. Fauna growing bold and attacking caravans, bandits as bandits do. Not to mention, Fae Court territory the further south one went. While Elvish folk were not adverse to Fae and their ilk, some humans saw themselves as superior and would do their best to avoid the area.

I sighed softly before answering the man.

"Blight Lands, Wilds, or the Delta matters not. As long as we respect the forest, and stay away from old ruins, we should be fine. Unless, that is what you are wanting."

Voice and cadence methodical. Keeping vague words and even more vague actions. I lowered my voice and continued for the sake of this conversation. At least opening up where we could go.

"If this is a more private matter you want hushed, we can speak else where. Otherwise, be direct."

I was paid to do a job. Sure, there would be the occasional problem that shows itself. Gods willing, nothing would, but one would never know. Information and what to do with said resource, is where I kept myself ahead of whatever else was happening with the contract. this vagueness, should it continue, was not something I was fond of.

Nuir

 

[Nuir]

For the first time in their conversation his blank face twitch into a small guilty smile. caught.
He hadn't been withholding the information due to any nefarious plans. He certainly wouldn't have approached a stranger about such things on a whim. If he had some more distinct purpose for his interest he would have been freely upfront with it. Saying 'I want to look at it.' seemed an awfully childish way to start such a negotiation. But then much of Nuir's travel plans involved divining a direction and wandering about.

"To be direct. I am interested in rumors of a library in the ruins." He usually avoided trouble while traveling well enough. The ruins were another matter. He had come to realize he wasn't very good at detecting traps or avoiding danger in a confined space. He knew the next question would be payment. He was hesitant to name an amount outright but he didn't intend to aggravate the man with a length barter.
"As for the price of payment..." He tilted his head in thought. He supposed it was similar work to the job he accepted exploring the catacombs. He surmised a similar payment might be acceptable but there might not be 'loot' as the adventurers had called it. That had comprised quite a bulk of the profit. He gathered doubling it might be sufficient.
"I suppose....two silvers would be appropriate. One now, and one once we reach the inside of the ruins."
His expression a poker face of innocence.
"ah...and as I am a healer by trade, that I will do for free so long as you are in my employ."

Haydn