Chapter 1.3 (4)

Markus: So before we enter Thog, you said that for this particular "adventure hook", if you will the adventurer is framed for murder?

Thog: Indeed.

Markus: Would you be so kind to go and find the gentleman that this person was accused of murdering and bring him into the jail for me?

Thog: Yeah okay, sure. He's a paid actor, it'll take me a minute. Go in and see if you can get him out.

Markus: Hm. I'll do my best.

Marcus and Alexander enter into the jailhouse noticing an armed and armored guard pressed against the bars. About a dozen keys jingle on his waist. He's turned away and yelling something quite loudly

Guard: Oh dear, certainly getting TIRED over here...It'd be a real SHAME if someone...aah, reached onto my belt, and....aaaah, took THE KEYS...to the JAIL CELL!

Alexander looks to Marcus and motion him forward allowing him to deal with the ridiculous situation unfolding be fore them

MARKUS: *clears his throat*

Guard: Aah, I'm getting... REAL tired...

The guard slides down the bars his butt sticking THROUGH the cardboard bars.

Markus: *clears his throat angrily*

Guard: AAAH, aaw man, i can't believe i'm falling asleep on the FLOOR...With the KEYS...

???: Sir.. that... that...key you dropped earlier... I've got it. You can...

The caged man reaches over and attaches the key the guard dropped earlier to the guards belt.

???: There you go. Be a little more careful with those.

Markus: Such and innocent man. Guard!

Guard: Okay, the hell do you want?

Markus: What is the meaning of this?

Guard: I...I don't follow.

Markus: I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Markus Velafi. Traveller of the world, Guardian of that which is just and lawful in all of our society.

Markus: I am here to offer you-

???: So you're a judge?

Markus: No, sir, I am in fact...

Markus: A lawyer.

???: Are you a good kind of lawyer or a bad kind of lawyer?

Markus: Let's just say I'm here to help you pro bono.

???: Good kind of lawyer, I think.

Guard: Oh this is just fucking great.

The guards having apparently been dealing with the caged mans 'irregularities' for apparently weeks by this point finally has enough and storms off

Markus: Anyway...What's your name? Mysterious jailed man?

???: My name is Gregor Hartway.

Markus: Gregor.

Markus: My name is Markus Velafi.

I've been sent here to assist you with your current... ehh, residential arrangement.

Markus says gesturing around himself at both the jail cell and the jailhouse.

Gregor proceeds to stick his hand out to shake Marcus's hand but knock a bar loose by accident.

Markus grabs the bar as it begins to fall and gingerly re-insert it into the hole from which it came out. As he does this he finally notices that it is made of cardboard.

Never being one to miss a beat Markus quickly sticks his hand through the bars and shakes Gregors hand.

Markus: Now, what exactly have you been jailed for Gregor?

Gregor: Murder most foul.

Markus: And did you...

Gregor: But it wasn't me.

Markus: I figured as much, you are clearly not the murdering sort.

Gregor: Not even a little.

Markus: Don't have the eyes for it and...your nose is hardly the right shape.

Markus: Now then. I have talked to my associates and I believe that my assistant, Thog has just brought the man who you supposedly killed!

Markus: Is this him, Gregor?

Gregor: That's him! But..? I..? I didn't kill him, so...I guess it makes sense that he's here.

Markus: It does!

Markus: Did you... did you assume he was dead for some reason?

Gregor: That was good lawyering!

Markus: Did you... did you assume he was dead for some reason?

Gregor: Well, everybody else did so I was just kind of...

Markus: Of course.

Gregor: I mean, I started to doubt myself.

Not so dead man: Uh oh yeah, uum...I...Fell... Ill... to... aah...

Markus: You can, you can leave. You can leave.

Not so dead man: Fell... Ill... to... aah...

Markus: You can leave.

Man: ...rare plague... and...

Markus: Your presence is no longer required.

Thog throws the man outside mumbling something under his breath

Markus: Thank you! NOW as you can see, my client Gregor Hartway is perhaps the farthest from guilty that he could be!

Thog: Is all this...*quietly to Markus* is all this necessary Markus?

Markus *quietly to Thog*: Not right now Thog. *normal* Now, Guard I do believe that is your name.

Guard: *sigh*

Markus: If you... If you would kindly release my client from his cell.

Guard *annoyed*: With.

Guard *annoyed*: Pleasure.

Guard opens the gate and motions Gregor out of the cell.

Gregor proceeds to give him a salute and make his way out

Markus *to the guard*: And if you would kindly take his place.

Guard: What, WHAT?

Guard: WHY?

Markus: Justice must be served.

Gregor: OOOH yeah! False imprismint! in-prisn-mint

Markus: Yes.

Guard: I...okay...

Thog motions him into the cell. Guard slumps over and takes Gregors place in the cell

Guard: *annoyed sigh*

Gregor: Shouldn't have done the crime. If you can't do the time...in jail.

Markus: That is what they say, Gregor.

Markus: Now.

Markus: I have a proposition for you. How would you like to help me kill a monster?

14:07

Gregor: Aaah...I would love to?

Markus: Very good!

Gregor: Is that...Is that what we're going to do?

Markus: Perhaps! I joke, of course that's what we're going to do.

Gregor: Thank Goodness! I was getting SO bored in there.

Markus: I imagine. How long were you in jail for, Gregor?

Gregor: Few days. I mean...I...It's kinda confusing, there's no windows in there.

Gregor: I'm not really sure. Markus: Did you never think to, perhaps...

Markus: Did you never think to, perhaps... steal the key from the guard and let yourself out?

Gregor: What's the point of justice if I just break the law?

Markus: You're a very special sort of man aren't you Gregor.

Gregor: Not everyone can have my sense of justice and to be a good person and be good at killing monsters.

Markus: Certainly you're-

Gregor: I'm glad we're friends!

Markus: I'm glad we...we're frie-we're friends- I'm glad we're friends too, Gregor!

Markus: Now then!

Thog leads us back to the town of Meadshire it's garish color assaulting you once more.

Thog: So, eh...Markus, I've taken the liberty of converting all of your...personal posessions to Meadshire Mondo bucks. Which is coincidentally what you're going to be paid in.

He hands Marcus and Alexander a heap of bills.

Thog: and your last paycheck Alex

Markus: You really...You really shouldn't have Thog.

Markus: ah...So...Wait, what's the.. what's the infl-What's the inflation rate on these?

Thog: Oh yeah, the convertion? It's a lot to a little.

Thog: Here you go.

Markus: Hm.

Gregor: So the government is paying you to be my lawyer?

Markus: Aaah? Not quite, although that does fall under my duties. Sure.

Gregor: Works for me, got me out of jail. Now we're gonna kill stuff!

Markus: I'm sure I'll do it again, Gregor. I'm sure I'll do it again. Now. Where's the last member of our little... adventuring party Thog?

Thog: Oh, she's right over here, drinking her ass off.

Markus: Like oveeeerr...

Thog motions further down the road, past the newly erected GIGANTIC skeleton statue.

Thog: Eh, just ignore that.

Markus: Hm, Paper mâché?

Thog: Eeeeeeh...Could be.It's the corpse of the overlord

Markus: Is it?

Thog: ...we say.

Markus: Overlord of?

Thog: Yeah. Oh, you know.

Gregor: No I don't.

Thog motions into the bar.

Thog: You'll find her in here, I'm gonna wait outside. I can't stand-

Thog voice is cut off as the party walks in to the bar

Markus: AAAH, You must be the final member of our party!

Alex see the one we are supposed eyed them walk over to her and sits down in front of her and watches the other two walk across the room to a radon adventurer

Gregor: Welcome!

Markus: My name is Markus, this is my associate, Gregor. He has recently been freed from jail. We are told, that you are here to... meet us before we set off on our journey to rid Meadshire of...some unsavory monsters.

Gregor: I was framed by the way, so don't let the whole thing-

Markus: He was, but my superb lawyering managed to get him off the hook.

Gregor: Hmh.

Woman: F-finally, Finally a group? Somebody is helping me out here? I've been waiting in this bar for sooo long...

for somebody to come by and pick me up!This is great guys!

Markus: How long have you been waiting in this bar for?

Woman: Three weeks! I paid them three weeks ago! I'm too afraid to go outside of town and kill monsters but...it' ll be great if I have a group!

our drunk cartographer leans forward and kind of, taps on the table before waving at the two idiots that just walked up to a random person. Markus's head whips around and I sweat ever so slightly.

Woman: So, when are we gonna get going?

Markus: Aaah..? With..in the hour...Within the hour. If you would- If you would go and wait outside.

Gregor: We... have to prepare first?

Markus: Eh, ye- yes Gregor, we'll have to gather supplies but, if our new companion here could go outside and wait underneath the statue of the overlord?

Woman: Okay, I'll wait outside! I've already got supplies. See I've got this bow!

She says this while slamming her bow into the table repeatedly

Markus: Very good. I would like for you to practice your meditation. While we gather our own supplies.

Woman: Okay, I'll just- I'll be waiting outside! Please, please come back, please come back...

Markus: Oh we will!

Woman: This is so exiting! *runs outside*

Smiling from ear to ear the white haired woman eyes Marcus from across the room

Markus: *sigh*

Markus: And you must be the ACTUAL person we came here to see.

Gregor: WAIT

???: You'd be right.

Markus: I made a bit of a mistake Gregor, don't...don't let on to anyone.

Gregor: Ooh.

Markus: Now.

Gregor: Oh, this is setting up an awkward situation.

Markus: It's...It's fine Gregor, I got her to practise her meditation, so her eyes will be closed. We can just walk right by her.

???: You know, these adventurer types are very persistent. Tell her to wait and she'll probably wait until she starves...

Markus: That is...dark.

Alex and ???: It is the truth.

Markus: What's your name?

???: How about you two give me yours first.

Markus: Well...I was the first one to ask...

???: Yeah, but it is common practise...

Gregor: My name is Gregor Hartway.

???: Nice to meet you Gregor.

Gregor: Monsterkiller...and helper

???: Ah, yes, helper. I remember you, actually! You're the one that was in the jail!

Gregor: Yeah! I killed a guy!

???: OOh hoh!

Gregor: Allegedly!

???: No, you didn't!

Markus: He did not actuually...

???: Yeah! No, i know...

Gregor: I did not.

???: I know. Kind of.

Gregor: Everybody's been saying that over and over...It just kinda...get's in your brain, you know?

???: I'm sure it does, this place has a knack for getting under your skin.

Markus: And into your... eyeballs...

what is with all of the garish color?

???: I'm not sure. I think so that they can just-It's a constant battery against everybody's common sense. I'm not sure.

Markus: My name is Markus Velafi.

???: Excellent.

Markus extends his hand towards the woman waiting for her to shake and introduce herself

She kind of eyes Marcus's hand for a moment staring at his horns and just decides to nod her head

Aesling: The names Aesling.

Markus: A pleasure, may I call you Ashe?

Ashe: Do so.

Markus: Very well, Ashe. Well, you are the last member of our little...

Ashe: The monsterhunting squad that Thog is putting together?

Markus: I DO believe that's our official title, yes.

Gregor: Sweet.

Alex: radical

Ashe: He gave it a title?

Markus: Aaah, something of a title, yeah.

Ashe: It's great!

Markus: Now, I've been led to believe that you, aaah... know the lay of the land around here.

Ashe: I do, actually! Have you seen any of the maps that the adventurers towed around?

Markus: Not even one.

Alex begins to mumble under his breath "there is a good reason for that useless map maker" Ashe is either deaf to it or ignores the man

Ashe: Well, I drew the maps. I am a cartographer for Meadshire Number 7.

Markus: How many Meadshires are there?

Ashe: You know, I'm not really sure.I hear they've got installments all over this damned island.

Alex: twelve last I heard with plans to build more

Gregor: Can we go to another one?

Ashe: It's exactly the same as here.

Gregor: I know, that's why I want to go! We can meet ourselves...

Ashe: But...Yeah, it would be really cool if we met ourselves.

Markus: Most assuredly, yes. We'll have to...definitely follow up on that at some point in the near future, Gregor.

Ashe: Yes. Uuh...Hmh.

Gregor: But first comes the monster killing though.

Ashe: Right.

Markus: Of course.

We all hear a "thump thump thump" on the door and Thog yelling through the door

Thog: I'm not paying you by the hour, but, eeh...how about you stop taking up space in the bar? We got a group of adventurers coming through...who wanna drink some of that paint thinner.

Markus glances idly at Ashes cup.

Ashe shakes her head and tosses back the rest of her drink

Markus: Well, Thog does make a point.

Gregor: Yeah! Let's gooo! Which waaay?

Markus: I don't know Gregor, which way do you think looks best?

Gregor: I don't have a map.

Gregor: They did not give me one.

Ashe: So, umm...You know, Mapmaker here so, maybe, consult me first.

Ash begins to lead us outside when Marcus spots the woman from before who he had told to mediate

Markus: SHHHHHHHHHH

Markus: Now kind of quietly!

Ashe: *Whispering* Okay, listen. So how much... How much did Thog tell you about...about the monster that we going to be killing?

Markus:*Whispering* Ah, little to nothing.

Gregor: *Not whispering* Next to nothing.

Markus: *Whispering* Little to nothing.

Ashe: *Whispering* Okay then, as soon as we get out of reach of this little booth over there I'll give you the skinny.

Markus: Okay, I think we're fine here.

Ashe: Alright.*clears her throat* Well...Apparently there's some sort of...strange creature hauled up in the mines up north.

Ashe: Usually...

Gregor: How strange?

Ash: I...can't say for certain. Strange enough that it's been killing people by the handful.

Gregor: That's strange enough for me.

Ashe: I don't doubt that it will be easy. It's very likely just some sort of stray cat.

Markus: Ah...I...I was going to say that I would think it would be a bit more lethal than that, but having met a few of the adventurers here...

Ashe: Cats have claws.

Markus: Cats do have claws, they also have teeth!

Ashe: This is true!

Alex: I checked some of the bodies I wouldn't say claw marked were exactly the cause but a cat it still possible for some of the deaths

Ashe: The sheep around here are actually, believe it or not...The sheep around here all get their teeth...rubber capped. They all get their hooves softened.

Alex: I have to level balance them somehow

Gregor: I'm pretty sure it was a sheep that locked me in jail in the first place.

Ashe narrows her eyes and looks at Gregor.

Ashe: Huh, you teach them that?

Alex: nope. looks like they're learning on their own.

Gregor: Like...75% sure. I just went with it.

Ashe: Any way the monster is likely up in the caves north. Not that far from here...