Quest We Need Lumber [Closed]

[Twister]

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Castle Commons - 40th of Winter, 513 AV

It was looking like a harsh winter, this year. Snow had already started to fall, and with last season's flood many of the buildings in close proximity of the river had either collapsed or been weakened by mold from the water. Roofs had been unbalanced by shifting structures and the new layers of snow on top of them had already caused many to collapse and made a majority of the weaker buildings unsafe for living in. Many of the city's populace had banded together as a result of this, determined to save as many lives as possible for the coming winter. There was a great deal of personal interest invested in this charitable project, but at least it was underway! ... As soon as they gathered materials and manpower to get it off the ground! That was always a problem in a city like this. You watched your own interests and didn't stick your neck out for someone else's sake unless you somehow found a benefit for yourself in the offer, somewhere. When it came to putting yourself at potential risk going out into the wildnerness to gather lumber and then hoisting it back to town... It was a lot of labour and strain in a dire time, and not everyone was ready to put out.

That's why this little group of five women and three men, huddling close together to eachother, appeared in the Castle Commons this morning. Business was underway as usual, merchants and potential customers at eachothers' throats since sunrise. People were cold and hungry, and the huddling little crowd was certainly no exception. Orin was hungry; that much he knew. He could ignore it, or try, for the sake of the cause. He'd been the one to gather the small crowd and mustered enough courage to rub off on the rest. Else, and without his help, they wouldn't have come here at all. His mother was homeless, and so was he. Or, he had a home. A home he didn't trust with his life, at this time, and he would rather find some other place for himself, his mother and his little daughter that he'd dropped off at a friend's place before he came here today. She shouldn't have to see her father huddle in the cold like this. Not before he knew if it would last, anyway. Best not to worry her fragile mind in vain if there was still a way to get out of this situation.

So, what did they need? They needed manpower and goodwill. And a whole boatload full of luck. Most importantly, they needed help killing themselves a bunch of trees out of town that they then could chop into bits and haul back to the ruins to the north, where they would use a few of the old stone walls that still remained to construct the new, temporary refuge around and on top of. The ruins were more or less abandoned, if you didn't count the animals and occasional dreg, so no one should complain if they dragged half a forest there to build themselves an ugly shack to get a roof over their heads, at least while there was still snow outside. Orin sighed to himself, pulling his cowl over his blonde head while stepping out of the huddle to address the crowd around them as best he could. He'd best start pulling at their heart strings soon if he wanted to get anywhere with the shelter. "Sunberth's winters are cold!," he started. "Very, very cold. So cold, in fact, that people without a home freeze to death in the streets!"

No one was listening yet. Regardless, Orin continued. "We need all the help we can get! The flood destroyed many of our homes and now the snow has made even more homeless! Our homes aren't safe anymore, for us or our families! So, we're... we're coming together, a few of us, to start building a shelter!" Orin was doing his best not to focus on the crowd, at this point. Frankly, he wasn't too interested in knowing how many were actually listening to him just yet. He wanted to finish talking, before his motivation was drained and nothing would come of it. No one else dared speaking like he would, so he forced himself to go on despite his voice beginning to waiver a bit from the anxiety that grabbed a hold of him, squeezing at his chest. "It's out of the way of the general populace and would be able to house us until at least winter's over! But... but we need help! We need wood! We need hands to help us build! ... We need all the help we can get, really! Anything you have, any time you've got to spare... Anything! Anyone, too! As long as you're there to help!"

The bustle of the crowd made a rock sink in Orin's stomach. Were they ignoring him?

... He'd give them something they couldn't possibly ignore.

"We... we'll pay you!"

That ought'a do it.

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OOCThere we go. Feel free to approach in your next replies and offer your assistance and ask any questions you may have. You'll determine your continued posting order from here on out with the order you reply in. I will reply once everyone else has, and I'll set a deadline of a week before I skip over those who failed to reply to move on with the quest.

[Fallon]

Petch it was cold. That was the first thought that struck against the mind of Fallon as she forced her stiff limbs against the still air. Gloves were worn, her from wrapped up in layers to conserve her heat and fight back the bitter snap of ice and snow. Although it was common knowledge that Sunberth was barely held together structurally with its mishmash of wood, stubbornness, blood and sweat, she was not quite aware as to how bad it was. Even the groan of wood and slumping of roofs were beyond her immediate notice until clearly pointed out to her. With her head forced in cocking to the side, she was forced into taking a slightly different approach when it came to terms with the buildings of Sunberth - a skewed gentleness and handling of care, almost as if they were a house of cards.

And if that was not bad enough, there was the row of the hungry to deal with, their cold and frozen bodies clawing for the next meal. She only gave a shudder to such a thought, her feet focusing on travelling quickly through the slurry of ice and snow. There was not a lot she could do for them in honesty, to give up her time meant she was at risk of losing a job, which meant surrendering coin received for such a pursuit. And whilst in the perfect world this should not have been an issue, it was. She needed it to live just as much as the next, and without the guiding hand of protection over her she had to work. And thus, as Fallon passed the speakers with her head down and her mind set on the cold and hard cas-

Did he say 'pay'?

Fallon had never pivoted round so hard before in her life. There was a grunt of disapproval from the walking against the flow as she pushed on through. Steel clinked, a determined look forming on her face. Coin, work, labour, not pointless violence, something constructive - yes, she could do that. A hand hooked past another as she closed the gap, the sprouting of words from the chilled and distressed locals. Like a moth to a flame Fallon was drawn to them, her mind turning and formulating answers. There was no use beating about the bush with her thoughts however, so when she gave only a quick nod to Orin and extended her hand out to shake, "I heard work and pay. How much you thinking? Coin, power and materials that is." There was a pause, her brow creasing before she shrugged, "I like to know these things. It's business after all."

[Jax Bradshaw]

Jax kicked his way through the snow that blocked his path. Some of it got into his boots as he kicked up into the air only for it to drop back down. The chilling winds blew from the opposite direction, right into Jax's face, freezing it right up. It also make his nose sting since it was still swollen and healing itself from the fight with a thug a few days ago, making his face look oddly out of proportion. Sunberth in winter wasn't a pretty sight either, with the homeless and poor freezing to death out on the streets or dying of starvation. Or both. More people had become homeless because of the night before which was a constant barrage of snow that crushed anything that wasn't strong enough to withstand it. The newly-homeless mourned over the losses of their homes and sometimes they had relatives or friends that had become trapped inside and had become frozen or crushed by the falling roofs.

As he got onto a less snow-covered pathway, most had melted from people continuously walking over it and it turned into a brown-coloured slush, the sights of devastation still did not change. Except this time, there were more homeless laying on the street, begging for food or coin. One had the courage to grab Jax's foot and attempt to pour out a sob story in desperation for sustenance, but Jax promptly kicked him off and said something along the lines of getting a job. Actually, speaking of jobs, Jax had been unemployed for going on six years. He pulled out his coin pouch and pilfered through it. Not nearly enough to cover food and living expenses for the season. Then he heard the man. It was almost like luck.

The hooded man spoke of pay. Jax almost laughed at the impeccable timing of the man. The only problem was the constant stream of Sunberthans going to and from their respective locations. Jax sighed and stepped into the fray, pushing and shoving through the now annoyed locals. One attempted to stand his ground, but Jax swiftly shoulder-barged the man, knocking the Sunberthan away and creating space for him to get to the money-offering vagrant. As he came into view, a dreadful sight. The girl from the tavern five days ago. Jax smiled and chose to ignore her, instead going straight to the employment offering man.

"How much are we talking here?"

[Aland Stewart]

The crisp Sunberth air burned Aland’s nostrils as he breathed. His nose was red, his fingers were almost numb, and he almost forgot what it felt like to have toes. Burying dead in the middle of winter was not the best way to make a living, but he didn’t get cold until he stopped working. He had helped a dozen people in as many days, the frozen earth seemed to resist the burials, and fight every shovel that tried to pierce its icy shell- and the rocky area didn’t help much either. It was hard work, but it was honest work… except when the workers nick something from the dead. But everyone needs to make a living, and its not like the dead need them any more. Aland would probably steal a pair of gloves the next time around, unless another worker grabbed them first. He was lost in though as he wandered through the city after burying a Daggerhand killed by the hound- Aland couldn’t have told you who he was, but he had been buried quickly, and even Jebediah wouldn’t let them work over the body for valuables.

The Castle Commons was packed as usual, merchants selling shoddy and ill gained goods, pick pockets working the crowds, beggars asking for alms, all of them busy trying to ignore the cold, some more successful than others. Aland was one of the people ill prepared for winter, and the laborer’s wage he got for his charitable work would barely buy him enough food, he was on the prowl for opportunity. He saw a group of people huddled together, it was a weird sight for a city that was so suspicious of everyone else. He watched over the bustle of the crowd as a man began to speak, and what the man said was true, except it applied to the entire city, but only there was only so much a person could do.

Before the man had even brought up pay, Aland was already making his way to him. The gravedigger was easily swayed by emotions, and he could feel the man’s worry and passion. When Aland heard about the pay, that only sweetened the deal, and it seemed to interest other people. ”I’ll help.” He called, maybe a bit to quiet to be heard over the roar of the crowd.

[Xavior Silhouette]

Winter 40th 513AV The winter had proven to be harsh as ever as the first heavy snow blanketed the land and stuck like a melted sweet. The weight had proven too great for some structures as the poorly made supports crumbled under the weight of compacted snow and ice. The homeless grew greater and so had the dead. The cold mistress loomed over the city and urged souls to move on to Lhex in numbers that seemed to be unjust. But to those who stood on the outside of time, untouched by disease and famine, saw the true mercy in the act. Rations had grown low, warmth was a luxury some only dreamed about. A roof or a tent made of the thinnest cloth was sanctuary if not a liability. With death came the unconscious promise of a new life away from it all. Misery had company and the name was Sunberth. Xavior’s feet stepped through the icy slush that littered the ground and still wore the stench of fecal from chamber pots. Or more likely from those who spewed their shyke onto the ground directly like animals in the forest. The must of soiled water, stagnant in the filth, mixed with the unpleasant stench of death and disease permeated the streets just as heavily as the snow had fallen. The cart’s wheels squeaked, swollen with water, the donkey’s struggled to wheel the haul of wood through the town. Two men pushed beggars away from the cart as they asked for some wood to put on their fires or to even start a fire for warmth. Xavior could do nothing to help the wood was not his but belonged to the Carvers. Cutter had accompanied the small group out into the wilderness to oversee the gathering of wood himself. He claimed he wanted to be there because some of the hauls have arrived lighter than they had prior. But Xavior had worked long enough with the brothers to know that there was something more to the reason. The sound of a voice caught in his long ear as he continued to walk with the cart. His eyes scanned the crowd and soon focused on the small group huddled together. He listened to the words as the cart began to cross. He regarded their clothing, no doubt homeless and less fortunate than himself. Xavior began to think to himself before he turned to Kander Cutter Carver, “the city seems to be getting worse by the day aye?” Kander nodded his head, “aye it is.” “Only wish I could help out a bit more,” Xavior began as they continued to walk, “do we have any more plans to go in the forest?” “Maybe, if this weather keeps up we’ll need to. But you’re on holiday after this anyway Xavior. I don’t expect to see you till Spring,” Cutter said with a chuckle, “well I mean I do hope I see you in Spring unharmed that is.” “Aha, come come now do I really seem like the fragile type?” Xavior chuckled throatily as he scratched at his thick pelt. Snow began to collect and the dark fur as it began to fall from the sky once more, “I suppose not! Haha.” Cutter eyed the crowd some and took notice of a few individuals who gathered near Orin at the mention of payment. Xavior heard the desperation in Orin’s voice grow as they grew closer, “do you mind if I stop off here?” Xavior’s rusty eyes loomed over at the thrown together group. Cutter noticed this and rubbed his face, “if you want. Just be careful these are desperate times and people can do particularly hostile things.” “Mmm right you are sir, I shall see you in more warmer times!” Xavior nodded and began to walk away from the cart. He adjusted the straps of his pack and double checked his axes as he slowly made his way toward Orin and the others. He was mindful of his wings as they curled close to his back. His uncovered feet gripped at the ice and snow as he dug into the ground to brace for the nudges and shoves of people as they walked. He barely even noticed the change of textures as a severed finger rolled from beneath his sole. Soon he was able to stand near the back of the crowd and listen to the propositions Orin had.

[Amora Jade]

Snow crunched beneath her feet as Amora worked her way through the Castle Commons in search of some easy money. As always, there were people crowded in the area. Most of them were in search of food or of some way to keep warm through the harsh weather, and some- like herself- were there only to reap the pocket goods of unaware citizens. Considering they had much more to be on their minds, it was fairly easy. The only thing that proved to be difficult was actually finding someone who had any coin left. It seemed that many people had already paid out all of their earnings for food and shelter, rather than try and fight the pain of hunger and the sharp sting of the cold. The young thief found herself weaving through the crowds over and over again in search for at least one person to rob. Much time had passed and she began to contemplate just throwing in the towel and head into the nearest bar to buy a nice stiff drink that would chase out the cold that was set deep in her bones. The slightest breeze swept across her face, the cold was so strong that even it was able to freeze her cheeks. Amora slid her arms around herself and pulled her jacket tight against her body to try and battle it away. The groaning and crying from the sick and hungry people made her feel even worse. It wasn't because she felt bad for them, rather it was just because their constant complaining annoyed her. She believed that if they were that hungry and sick then they should have left the city a long time ago. People who weren't fit to live in a place like this really shouldn't, after all. The sour attitude she had towards the poor, starving, and sick citizens began to lessen as she found herself unlucky in the business of pick-pocketing, also as her stomach began to cramp from the little food she had been able to come across the past week. Maybe she should take her own advice? "... We'll pay you!" The words tickled her ears as she spun around quickly to see a man who claimed to have money to give away. Surely she had taken a look or two at him before when scanning the crowds for a change purse, yet she hadn't noticed any coin bulging in a pocket or anything. If he really did have money to give away, maybe she should have seen what he was asking for. As she weaved through the maze of bodies to approach the man, she saw that three others had already done so. Hopefully this wouldn't ruin her chances of making some coin to help get her through the harsh season. Plus, now she had a look at who he would be paying- at who would have coin to take. Instead of introducing herself or asking questions, she decided to stand and wait until she could find out exactly what it was that he was proposing. She was standing close enough, though, to where he could see that she was interested.

[Naeya]

"Robern is Dead." The parchment fluttered fragilely in the wind as Naeya brushed snow from the dark script. The paper looked worn, as if it had been nailed to the wall for the past few days, but she felt only cursory surprise that she hadn't spotted it earlier. Between the recent snowfalls and the rise in post-flood poverty and homelessness, she'd had her hands full trying to find work, avoid trouble, and keep warm. Sunberth had been hit hard and fast with winter's onslaught and, despite having lived through worse in Riverfall, the konti was unused to living next to such glaring impoverishment. "The time of the Daggerhands has passed. With their leader gone and in the wake of the storm, Sunberth seeks new opportunity." Naeya's brow creased as she searched her memory for talk of the Daggerhands, but could recall only the barest whisper. A race of people with daggers for hands...? That seemed a bit farfetched, even for this city. A group, then. A powerful group, from the sounds of it. She scanned further down the parchment, her gaze pausing carefully on words and phrases that seemed particularly meaningful. "If you seek change... power beyond what the individual can give..." Even with just a brief period in the city, it seemed indisputable to the young konti that Sunberth needed change. Its people were dying. Couldn't they see that? The entire city was a slum, overrun by gangs and warlords and criminals - both hardened and petty. To be afraid to walk alone during the day, let alone at night? That was no freedom. "A New Power is rising..." She ran a gloved finger along the the fresh scar beneath her left ear. Power... She had never given much thought to power, save perhaps for one day advising a powerful leader should that ever be her Call. Still. Sunberth needed change, and it was not something one could do alone. The law - that was power, was it not? Power beyond what the individual could give. Was there a chance... was it at all possible that someone in this justice-fearing city could actually want to bring a sense of conscience to its people? She frowned. Whomever they were, they certainly were not going to make it easy for others to offer their assistance. "My power is no myth and my goals are not meager... find me." A mystery, then. A challenge. And a veritable army of questions. Whatever the world thought of her habitual nosiness, Naeya was hardly one to leave so many questions unanswered. Even in winter. Even in Sunberth. "Hound." She spoke the last word aloud, tilting her head. And then, "Hound." Softer, now. It was presumably nickname or an alias, if the man or woman meant to continue the game of secrets. Or - Naeya thought of her tiger acquaintance with a smirk - quite possible, an actual dog. Footsteps crunched along the snow. Naeya snatched the parchment, ripping it from the nail and tearing off the R in "Robern" in her haste. With a swift hand, she folded up the paper and tucked it into an inner pocket of her cloak. Information wasn’t always easy to obtain in the Quarters. The Castle Commons? That seemed a better bet. ---- But thoughts of the Hound quickly fled as Naeya surveyed the crowd that morning. The Commons was full of icy bodies and crabby merchants, but she was most struck by the homeless men and women who were out in droves. She could spot them by the despair dangling in their vacant eyes, and by the way they pulled their cloaks around themselves, as if they hadn't been warm in years. So many families forced from their homes, penniless and starving on the city's streets. How would they survive the long winter, one that was only just beginning to fulfill promises of snow and ice and sleet? Who would help them? How would Sunberth help itself? Her quiet questions, asked in every twitch of her fingers and in each crinkle of her brow, were not ignored. As if he could read her body beneath her many warming layers, a blonde orator separated from his huddled group just ten feet from Naeya. She paused in her step, eager to listen to the man put a voice to her silent concerns. Brilliant. A shelter for the homeless sounded like a project that would have been backed by the Rivarian Council should the city of Riverfall have faced a similar dilemma, and Naeya was surprised to hear it come from a common citizen. Disorganized though it was, the plan made sense. And more importantly, it was needed. The konti made her way toward the small gathering and stopped behind a teenage boy with chestnut hair. While she wasn't the most skillful of women or the strongest, she had both time and hands to spare - and a conscience to boot. She felt pulled toward the orator and his impassioned plea, and offered him an encouraging smile to indicate her willingness to help.