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[SirAston]

Quick rules reminder:

1. Keep non-IC stuff in the OoC thread. Otherwise you'll get dope-slapped by [REDACTED] before they suck your arteries dry.

2. Post formatting mandatory. As such:
"Colored normal text for spoken words!"
Colored italized text for thoughts.
*Colored text that is small and/or between asterisks for whispering*
Normal text for general descriptions.
Bolded text for mechanical actions and orders!

3. Order of battle posts:
Player actions -> GM resolves -> GM posts and resolves Ally Phase, followed by Enemy Phase -> New turn map -> New round, repeat above
If posted actions need to be resolved first before you want to plan your action, ask in the OoC thread or on the Discord server.

4. Activity is key! You don't have to make eloquent RP posts all the time (or even have to RP, especially during combat), but try to post your action within a reasonable time. To keep the flow going, during combat, each turn enters a "Megapost" state if there are still unresolved actions after roughly a week (exact date will be posted on the FEF Discord server in the dedicated game channel's description). During a Megapost, all players are allowed to make actions for the remaining players who haven't posted an action yet. However, it would be polite to ask the respective players beforehand if they still want to write an action themselves, to give them a chance.

5. If you feel like you cannot participate for an extended period of time, there's no shame in informing the GM and players about it. Common solutions to that would be to let a player write actions for your character if the non-participation is temporary, or make the character leave the game if the non-participation will be permanent.

[SirAston]

Prologue
The Silence of Daylight

[Now playing: Demon's Crest - Legend of Firebrand]

The sun looms distantly at the horizon, promising to disappear within the next few hours. An eerie stillness besets the area, barely a bird whistling its song. Said silence is soon disturbed by the trampling of horses pulling a carriage, unmarked and unremarkable, moving closer to the creaking woods of abandoned homes and smell of moss permeating from the partially-intact stone walls. Yet, there was life remaining within such a desolate place.

Welcome to Pazin.

In the direction where the sun was setting, the spires of a dark castle can be seen at a far distance, engulfed by a shroud of mist that likes to fool the eyes into seeing shapes of skulls, death and profanity. The mere presence of the eerie architecture at the horizon seems to warp the atmosphere within the formerly-lively castle town, making it difficult to escape weary minds and wary thoughts.

Thus is the power of the Demon's Castle, to be felt even at such a distance.

The carriage comes to a halt at the center, where the only signs of human activity remain, especially around the tavern named The Holy Cross. Maybe the name brought comfort, maybe the booze brought distraction, but whatever it was, the heart of the remaining community was beating warmly within there and the lights offer acceptance where the distorted air only show rejection.
A small group leaves the carriage, first an unlikely pair of siblings who seem unaffected by the Demon's Castle's presence. There was a blazing furnace in their eyes, an unwavering stance in their body, weaponry and tools on their belts and backs. The Grando siblings enter the Holy Cross.

"A bottle of liquid courage, bartender."
"Don't get drunk just yet, brother. We're here for a mission."
"No need to worry. My sword will receive most of it, for good luck."

From the far corner of the counter, a middl-aged man rises, moving towards the outside group with a stern face. He is accompanied by another man clad in city guard armaments, resting one hand on his sword.

"Now hold your horses there, strangers. Pazin ain't a sightseeing spot in these accursed days. Who are you and what is your godforsaken business here?"
"We intend no harm. I am Vincenza and this is my brother Leo, of the Grando clan. We're monster hunters."
"Monster hun..."

The man lets out a cackle, half amused, half disgusted. He then symbolically spat over his shoulder.

"The last group of hunters who showed their faces here stole our bread and ran away with piss-soaked pants the moment a mere wolf came close. You can fool Mayor Jakov once, but not a second time! So sod off!"

The Holy Cross promised a welcoming atmosphere. But the Mayor's tone was as malicious as the air warped by the Demon's Castle's presence. The Grando siblings and the allies that joined them on their travel silently stand against the Mayor and the locals of Pazin, distrust haunting the place. Other people huddle in shadowy corners, observing, not yet willing to interject. Yet others are soon to arrive at the Holy Cross themselves. It was rarely this busy in the Holy Cross since the castle appeared. Some may see this as a sign of divine destiny that they all have gathered here...?

Everybody may post now.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Sasaki just shook his head in response to the mayor.

"Men of little worth / We are higher quality / We will resolve this."

He lifted his cloak slightly, revealing multiple glints of iron from his array of flintlocks and the sheath at his side containing the shinto-blessed katana he used to finish off demons.

"I am Sasaki / I have slain many demons / Your dark days will end."

[TricMagic]

Nearby a man nurses his drink.
"Takes real guts to stick around here. Those last ones may have looked tough, but folded under the pressure."

Beanhard stands up to an imposing 6'3.

"Only way to prove you're worth the talk is a test of arms. Few match my stature or strength in a brawl."

[Solymr]

The barkeep watched as his tavern became more and more busy. He'd watch business slowly decline, people fleeing as the castle's influence grew, and seeing so many new patrons at once made him light up.

: Come oan, Mayor, at least let 'em spend some coin in here. Lord knows a haven't seen much new business lately.

He turned to the newcomers with a big smile.

: Welcome, lads, to the Holy Cross! Am its owner, ye can call me Barry. Got any preference in yer liquor?

[IcyTea31]

A lanky man enters alongside the Grando siblings. He is wearing the habit of the Order of Preachers, and overall carrying himself as a holy man should, albeit with a focused gaze, searching for threats. It seems the mayor classified as one.

"They've traveled with me for several days now, all the way from Trieste. There'd be no sense to come this far just for beer and bread. I am here to take on the Demon's Castle, and so are they."

He then turns to the barkeeper.

"Beer, but not too strong for now. There is still work to be done."

[adzi]

One of the strangers, once staying a bit aside from the rest, also approached the bar.

"One beer for me, too..." - he said, putting few coppers of the local tender down as payment.

His outfit - robust travelwear with important areas protected hardened leather and a metal shoulderpad implying a certain readiness for combat - didn't betray any specific affiliation, but attentive observer could deduce from his facial features he might hail from the Middle East, and maybe noticed a small golden pendant of a nine-pointed star.

"I assure you, a wolf is far from anything that would scare me or most of these fellows here."

[Gaterhyme]

"He challenged them to a fight, Barry," Bärbel said, leaning over from where she was perched at the bar, not having been drunk or even really drinking, just trying to catch up on the latest rumors.

She could never call herself something like a monster hunter, not with the little she knew about what was plaguing Pazin. Ever since she arrived, she'd only been helping out in any way she could. But this was exciting, these eclectic new hunters - their attire, their weapons, their manner of speech! She couldn't bring herself to be so cautious like the mayor when there was so much that she might learn.

And she might not know the owner of the Holy Cross like the locals did, but she thought she had a little idea of him by now.

"Aren't you going to join in? So you can get to know them yourself?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

Chimazen, though it was unseen under his hat, glanced over toward Bärbel and then Barry.

"I intend no harm / To the people of Pazin / Only to devils.
There is no honor / In fighting the innocent. / Do you have rice wine?"

He withdrew some of the local currency from the pouch around his neck (under his kimono) and put it on the bar as a gesture of peace.

[Solymr]

: Haw! No problem with a brawl, as long as it's after we're all nice an' plastered!

Barry proceeded to distribute some alcohol, stopping to check for a special request.

: Lesse, rice wine... Here it is, no' a common request that one. Ye must be well traveled, lad. He said as he served.

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Well-traveled indeed, / Expanding my horizons. / I hail from Nippon."

Sasaki rested an elbow on the bar as he waited. It would be impolite of him to take a drink before everyone was served.

[SirAston]

"Hrmpf... As long as your coin is good, you may stay. And you, Bernard, if you have to punch someone, at least make it quick and save your strength. The palisades ain't building themselves."
With this, Jakov returns to the mug he left at the counter and holds it in both hands, silently staring into the beverage. He definitely has seen better days.

The larger and burlier of the Grando siblings adresses the giant of a man.
"I've handled bigger and scarier threats in the past. Although, if your defenses are lacking right now, how about a competition who can sharpen the most logs until sunset?"
There is a small but confident smirk at the corner of his mouth.

Aside from Jakov and his guardsman, there aren't many other people of note to observe right now in the Holy Cross. A group of three grey-haired elderly men keep to themselves at a table, playing with worn cards and overall ignoring the commotion around them. Their cups are refilled by a barmaid who is now returning to a rudimentary cooking area. And no more unaccounted-for guests within this establishment remain. This may be the most the Holy Cross has seen since weeks.

"Let's assume you're the real deal. You're not the first I've heard from who tried to reach that accursed castle. The shroud of mist that surrounds it seems to keep intruders away by messing with their sense of direction. Can walk forward all you want and still end up going away from the castle. And even without it, there's rumors of all kinds of security measures before the gate. Corrupted spirits that could instantly turn people into demons. Countless skeleton arms buried under the earth ready to grasp, trip and strangle anyone within reach. A gatekeeper that is immortal and invincible. If that is what people have to deal with, I'd shudder at the mere thought of what may be within the castle walls... ... If you don't know how to overcome these things, you being a monster hunter is meaningless here."
"That much is true. For now, we will conduct research. Knowledge is the greatest weapon of mankind against the forces of evil."
"As long as you pay for food and board, I don't care how long you do research here. Just don't get in our way."

[adzi]

Jahid looked at Sasaki.

"From Nippon? Now that's really far from here. Not to be rude, but didn't they close off about 60 years ago?"

[TricMagic]

"If you wish to help, I will glady accept that challenge. Though perhaps in the morning when we're well rested.

Bernhard takes a drink from his mug of ale.

"As well rested as we can get anyway." Beast and monster attacks are always a problem these days, especially at night.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Aiya, and I was hoping that would last a little longer."
Nearby, someone not quite like all the other inhabitants of the Holy Cross sits on a table.

The slender young woman, clad in all black, frowns as she checks the innards of her coin pouch. They were much lighter than she had been hoping for, far too light.

That previous job had gone right. That ghost had been rather rowdy. He'd been a violent drunk gambler in life, one who'd died a rather ignimonious death drowning in his own vomit. Her employer had bought the house from the gambler's wife, who'd fled the place when her husband's ghost had decided to become a poltergeist. He'd resisted most of the efforts by the local priest to get rid of him.

He hadn't accounted for an exorcist from the East with far too much experience dealing with the dead.

It was no trouble, no trouble at all for Lin Guifei, daughter of Lin Qiang, former director of the Lin Funeral Parlor and exorcist of the Hundred Trees, to get rid of such a meddlesome, mundane ghost.

It was far too much trouble for her to be paid properly. She suspected the house owner had stiffed her. They'd agreed thirty guilders; what she'd gotten was ten. It'd get her through the week, but....

In a word, Guifei was broke.

"It'll be a long time before I can return home."

And then salvation.

A group of people had gathered over near where she was, and she even recognised a face.

If she knew her rumours - and Lin Guifei knew them well, she'd been the subject of them herself - then she knew who was standing right before her.

The man in the hat, if she was right, was the demon slayer from the islands to the Far East. The one she'd been hearing about, and the one she always just about missed.

It was about the closest she was getting to a fellow Easterner, and if rumour served right, the best chance she was getting at a payday.

"Well, it is what it is."

She stands up, steeling her courage, and walks over.

"Sooooooo what's going on here?"