Connection ErrorBad RequestThis page went staleSession ExpiredSign in requiredForbiddenNot FoundToo Many RequestsServer ErrorBad GatewayService UnavailableGateway TimeoutHTTP Version Not Supported
Session Expired
Your session has expired. Please log in to continue.
Sign in required
You need an account to do that. Sign in or create one — it only takes a minute.
This page went stale
Your security token was rejected, usually because the page sat open too long or you signed in elsewhere. Nothing was saved. Reload the page and try again.
Request Failed
We encountered an issue while processing your request.
Please check your internet connection and try again.
A bit ahead of the appointed time, Gullveig came to the statue of Felicia and thanked the local valkyrie for the warm welcome in her country. Shortly after, the first people began to gather, clearly intending to join her party because everyone else is just some kind of bandit. Their number was perhaps fewer than she would have liked, but clearly exceeded her worst expectations. Convinced it was time, Gullveig begins her speech. — I am the representative and commander of the "Dracaena" party, Gullveig of Baldur. My name likely means nothing to you "And it would be better if it didn't, Mother." — But you have come here for the reason that you wish to work together, in one party. Or — having received an invitation and are considering it. Or — because you want to seek adventure, fame, or riches, and the only advertisement for allies was in my name. These, of course, are also reasons. — Dracaena — the dragon tree, a plant that some people say brings happiness and luck. This plant is strong and resilient, though perhaps somewhat heat-loving, and it is not without beauty. Who knows, perhaps the ability to survive in harsh conditions — is exactly what leads to luck and success? After all, happiness is rarely given to anyone for free; usually, it must be won through labor and strength, enduring many hardships along the way. In that case, I wish for our party, like the dracaena tree, to overcome possible adversities and eventually find its fertile soil. — To do this, we must all stick together and cover each other's backs. Our business involves enormous risk; each of us could perish, each could become a helpless cripple overnight. Therefore... Although my words may sound too premature right now... I will say them anyway. All of you, if your applications are to be believed, possess the skills for such work, and therefore I have no special requirements for you, but I do have one important requirement — you must trust me and each other. — Foolish? And is it wise to entrust your lives and your future into the hands of complete strangers? For what? To earn a bit more than one could do in the workers' guild? For some special experience and sensations that, for some reason, cannot be obtained in the war that Visteria has plunged into? Or so as not to sit idle for a couple of months until some other party announces recruitment? In short, if you have any doubts, any serious skepticism that cannot be resolved in the very first battle, well... In your place, I would make a different decision before it is too late. I would prefer to fight side by side with fewer people, but those strong in will and spirit, than with a larger number of people who do not possess such qualities or do not manifest them when required... The Arterian looked around to see if anyone had filtered themselves out after the previous words, which she had been prepared for. It seemed, however, that she could continue. — For my part, I will care for the lives and health of everyone and each person who agrees to go with me, as well as take responsibility for the completion of tasks. I will not receive any special reward for this: according to what I wrote to you, it will be distributed in equal shares among all. You must also understand that your opinion in the party will matter. Your duties, however, will depend on your abilities; keep that in mind. After this, Vegi described her own skills in detail, concealing neither her faith, nor her origin, nor her styles. Except that she omitted her abilities in theater, moving furniture, not getting drunk after a bottle of strong liquor, and other such things. — Any questions? After listening and answering, asynchronously if possible, Gullveig proceeds to personal introductions with each candidate she does not yet know (and in the case of Guy and the old man, she asks them as well). She approaches, looks into their eyes, asks for their name, where they are from, their faith, why they decided to be a mercenary... And more details on skills than just "specialist in one-handed/two-handed/throwing toothpicks." Then she smiles and, after thanking them, moves to the next. Let's do this asynchronously too. I also thought about a skill test, but that can probably be done off-screen in the forest. I'd like people to just wave a wooden stick or whatever they use, or hit a dry stump if Revan says it's safe there. If not, it doesn't really matter, we'll check everyone on the first quest... Ideally, of course, we'd go to the adventurers' guild for such a thing, or a fighting club. But the second is currently closed to us since we are without money, and the guild seems to be just a one-story little house with one room; it doesn't look like they help with infrastructure. Unfortunately.
Not a bad speech. At least, it's better than Guy expected from her. Equal reward – a very powerful argument for any mercenary, but does she understand what she's getting into? He wanted to find out more about what kind of people would be his companions, but Gulveig asked him first, and he had to answer first.
Author
She approaches, looks you in the eye, asks for your name, where you're from, what your faith is, why you decided to become a mercenary... And asks for more details about your skills than just "specialist in one-handed/two-handed/throwing toothpicks."
-- Guy. From the West. Not sure about his convictions. He's been a mercenary all his life, it's his calling. I'm like your drunk dad, -- he allowed himself a smile. -- I can knock someone out so hard they'll drop dead instantly, but sometimes I can miss, I can get hit in the head and knocked out, and so on. In short, I'm not a master swordsman, I'm not a perfect soldier, I'm not a Telos universal killing machine, -- Guy had already seen Asterion. Who is this guy? A random thug, a personal bodyguard from some aristocratic father, or maybe even a husband? -- But I'm an experienced warrior, and every other blow I strike is devastating. And also, I know how to work stealthily when needed, and this friend of mine, -- Guy gently patted the flamberge on its guard. -- won't be a hindrance to me.
E si sui vius, er mi grans benananza, e si ieu muoir, er mi grans deliuriers
-- Gai. From the West. Not very confident in his convictions. He's always been a mercenary, it's in his blood. I'm like your drunk old man -- I can knock someone out cold in an instant, but sometimes I miss, sometimes I get hit in the head and go down, and so on. In short, I'm not a master swordsman, I'm not a perfect soldier, I'm not a Telos universal killing machine -- Gai has already seen Asterion. Who is this guy? Is he just some random dude, a personal bodyguard for some aristocratic father, or maybe even a husband? -- But I am an experienced warrior, and every other blow I strike is devastating. And also, I know how to work stealthily when needed, and this friend of mine -- Gai gently patted the flamberge on its guard -- won't be a hindrance to me.
— My father didn't drink much, but he was incredibly strong, so the comparison is clear, — the girl liked Gai's boastful yet humble answer. The phrase "not very confident in his convictions" was slightly unsettling. However, the occultists in Lungwort say they couldn't penetrate, but you can find common ground with everyone else. — I'll be glad to work with you, Gai.
From the strained tone of her voice, the logic in her words, and the fanaticism in her brazen, half-asleep eyes, it was clear that she was completely insane. However, nothing less could be expected from the Butcher of Baldur. Lester didn't find anything in the faces of those present that was worth paying attention to, but he couldn't help but be amused by the charade between Gulveig of Baldur and her henchman. From the outside, it might seem as if a random mercenary was setting a good example for the others and proceeding with the appropriate procedures for acceptance, breaking the ice of distrust among the group, but this could only deceive someone who was unaware that they had been rehearsing this for a long time behind the scenes.
Smiling at this thought, Vargas almost missed the moment when Gulveig of Baldur approached him.
"Night Blade of the West and East..." he said casually, looking away and displaying an expression of disinterested, lazy professionalism.
"I'm the one who does the job well," he added, stepping up and locking eyes with Gulveig of Baldur, pulling back half of his cloak, revealing Widowmaker and Boarcleaver, and patting them with his hand.
Gulveig of Baldur's eyes showed no understanding, which gave them a rather menacing look at that moment, so he added:
"Special operations, reconnaissance, counterintelligence... elimination."
Listening to Gulveig, Atarax carefully observed her neck and mouth. He pondered how her vocal cords worked. How she produced all those sounds and what sound was in principle.
- Hmmm... Hmmm... Hmmm... a functioning vocal cord... hmmm...
Небо – мольбы не ждёт Небо – угроз не слышит Небо – ведёт особый счёт Небо – тебя найдёт
It's better to prepare without buying information.
If you buy information, you die because you don't have enough money for upgrades and gear. If you don't buy information, you die because you lack information.
We die either way, so I don't see the point in thinking about it; at most, we can toss in a coin.
Небо – мольбы не ждёт Небо – угроз не слышит Небо – ведёт особый счёт Небо – тебя найдёт
Veritta was very impressed by Gulveig's speech, although most of it had already slipped her mind a minute later. But the intonation alone was enough to inspire even the most sullen mercenary.
"Gul-veig from Baldr," the anemone said, pronouncing the complex name syllable by syllable, "in my homeland, many also worship the mistress of the sea. And although this young movement differs from the true teachings of our ancestors, we are united by similar ideals. So I am glad that you will be our leader! Or should I say, leaderess?" The girl politely bowed to the Arterian. "Oh yes, my name is Veritta, with two 'T's. I am from Anemone, and as you may have guessed, I follow the path of the great spirits of nature. I am currently traveling and arrived in this bright land not long ago, and I joined your group of adventurers to help those in need and earn some local trinkets. I fight with a two-handed sword," the girl said, raising the heavy blade in front of her with some effort, "using the techniques of the sword of dawn. Well, more precisely, just one technique so far..." she quickly blushed. "But I already have all the necessary knowledge," Veritta tapped her forehead with her index finger, "so as long as my hands serve me, I will learn many more over time. In short, I am very glad to meet you!"
Shanaaz couldn't say that Gulveig's words had particularly moved her – the girl displayed the same naiveté and inexperience in this kind of endeavor as Shanaaz herself. However, this was overlaid with a naiveté that shone through her speech, which only became more apparent due to the sheer amount of pathos she poured into the phrase "Gulveig of Baldr." Essentially, in the first half, she spoke of things that were already obvious to everyone present, interspersed with a lecture on what a Dracena actually was, and then she moved on to lengthy pronouncements about trust, which could easily have been omitted – such tactics were usually employed by those who wanted to prolong their speech rather than say something truly valuable and meaningful. And to top it all off, she told a story about herself – about how she lived and trained in some backwater of Serberia, where, by some miracle, heroes, each more talented than the last, had gathered. And each of them, of course, helped this "Gulveig of Baldr" with her training. It was hard to say whether the reason for this story was simply naiveté and impressionability, the ramblings of a young girl losing touch with reality, or a poorly thought-out lie designed to inspire respect for her leader among the mercenaries.
“What a wonderful speech,” the Heckelian smiled charmingly when it was her turn in the round of questions for Gulveig. “My name is Shanaaz, and I am from Heckelia,” she said, followed by a curtsey. “I do not offer prayers to gods or spirits of nature, but I honor my ancestors and pay them due respect. The reasons for joining the group are simple: the desire to earn money and experience new sensations, perhaps to hone my skills. As for my skills themselves, some of them are already obvious from my attire,” the girl said with a light laugh, “although this is hardly something that will help us with our missions or that I can practice while hunting bandits. But my talents are certainly not limited to this. I am not only physically fitter than I might appear at first glance, but I also possess knowledge of the Shenghai style of hand-to-hand combat, ‘Taolun’ – I do not need armor or weapons to defend myself. If we were in a more suitable environment, I could even demonstrate a few techniques to prove my words with action.
Judging by the strain in her voice, the logic in her words, and the fanaticism in her bold, half-asleep eyes, it was clear that she was completely insane. However, one shouldn't expect anything less from the Butcher of Baldr. Lester didn't find anything in the faces of those present that was worth paying attention to, but he couldn't help but be amused by the staged interaction between Gulveig of Baldr and her henchman. From the outside, it might seem as if a random mercenary was setting a good example for the others and proceeding with the appropriate procedures for acceptance, breaking the ice of distrust within the group, but this could only deceive someone who was unaware that they had been working together behind the scenes for a long time. Amused by this thought, Vargas almost missed the moment when Gulveig of Baldr approached him. - Nightblade of the West and East... - he said casually, looking away and displaying an expression of lazy professionalism. - I am the one who does the job well, - he added, standing next to Gulveig of Baldr and fixing his gaze on her, pulling back half of his cloak, revealing and patting Widowmaker and Swinecleaver. Gulveig of Baldr's eyes did not express understanding, which gave them a rather menacing look at that moment, so he added: - Special operations, reconnaissance, counterintelligence... elimination.
"Why did I send an invitation to a person who didn't provide any information about himself? Excellent experiment, Mother, excellent experiment..." The girl tried to make a understanding expression on her face. - So, that's how it is... Mr. Nightblade of Death, uh... well... In many situations, I will need speed, and therefore I would prefer to know, if not a name, then some shorter form of address. Think about it. However, given my responsibility to the adventurers' guild, you will also have to tell me your name, perhaps privately. Otherwise, welcome.Author
Veritta really liked Gulveig's speech, although most of it had already flown out of her head a minute later. But the intonations alone were enough to inspire even the most sullen mercenary. -Gul-veig of Baldr, - Anemone pronounced the complex name syllable by syllable, -in my homeland, many also worship the mistress of the sea. And although this young current differs from the true teachings of the ancestors, we are united by similar ideals. So I am glad that you will be our leader! Or should I say leaderess?... - the girl politely bowed to the Arterian. -Oh yes, my name is Veritta, with two "T"s. I am from Anemone, and as you may have guessed, I follow the paths of the great spirits of nature. I am currently traveling and have only recently arrived in this bright land, and I have joined your group of adventurers to help those in need and earn some local trinkets. I fight with a two-handed sword, - the girl raised a heavy blade in front of her with some effort, -using the techniques of the sword of dawn. Or rather, uh... for now, just one... - she quickly blushed. -But I already have all the necessary knowledge, - Veritta touched her forehead with her index finger, -so as long as my hands serve me, there will be many more of them over time. In general, I am very glad to meet you!
"Mother, I asked for adults..." That was her first thought. But still, Gulveig decided that the adventurers' guild couldn't be wrong, and everything must be okay with that. - It's nice to meet you, Veritta, and I'm glad to see such sincere and good intentions. "If only everyone was like that, and not 'Nightblade', 'Nightblade'..." - Given the nature of our work, be prepared for difficult trials to preserve them, but I am on your side. (Glancing at the girl's weapon) I would be happy to see you in action!Author
Listening to Gulveig, Atarax looked intently at her neck and mouth. He wondered how her throat worked. How she makes all these sounds and what sound is in general.
- Hmm... Hmm... Hmm... working throat... hmm...
While the puppet was in a stupor, it was his turn. - I apologize... - Atarax's incoherent mumbling made one think something was wrong, was he really okay? - Atarax, right? Tell me more about yourself.
And to top it all off, there was a story about herself – about how she lived and trained in some remote Serberian backwater, where, by some miracle, heroes, each more talented than the last, had gathered. And each of them, of course, helped this "Gülveig from Baldr" with her training.
I wanted to say that Shanaz elaborated, because it was implied to be a brief mention, but I wondered if she really did elaborate, heh... Author
"What a wonderful speech," the Heckelian smiled charmingly when it was her turn in the series of questions for Gülveig, "My name is Shanaz, I am from Heckelia," she said, followed by a curtsey. "I do not offer prayers to the gods or spirits of nature, but I honor my ancestors and pay them due respect. The reasons for joining the squad are simple – the desire to earn money and experience new sensations, perhaps to hone my skills. As for them, some of them are already obvious from my attire," the girl gave a light chuckle, "although this is hardly something that will help us with completing missions or that I can hone during the hunt for bandits. But my talents are certainly not limited to this. I am not only physically fitter than I might seem at first glance, but I also possess knowledge of the Shenghai style of hand-to-hand combat, 'Taolun' – I do not need armor or weapons to defend myself. If we were in a more suitable environment, I could even demonstrate a couple of techniques to prove my words with deeds.
— Well, if I understand correctly, and you possess techniques from Reichheim, then they are quite useful in combat as well, disciplining and honing the accuracy of movements. In general, I am really glad to have such a specialist in your person, Shanaz," she smiled. "Mother, well, that's great, because with the children, the pensive warriors, and the Nightblades, I was already thinking that maybe we should call off the mission, this is no joke. But, well... We'll get through it?"
— Please excuse me... — Atarax's incoherent mumbling made me think something was wrong; is he alright? — Atarax, right? Tell me more about yourself.
- Huh? Oh. I'm from Marion, a philosopher by calling, and a future doctor by trade; I study at the local hospital. I love to think and train. If necessary, I can drive my hammer very deep. Into the faces of ill-wishers, of course. I'm getting carried away... Hmm...
Небо – мольбы не ждёт Небо – угроз не слышит Небо – ведёт особый счёт Небо – тебя найдёт
Ment
Граф Орлов
