[IC] The Delivery Quest, Part 1

Beartrand is a little sick of his village as usual his parents obsessed with bears called it "Bearokaraistis". He was reaedy to move and leave the village to its fate but suddenly the quest to find a legendary oracle arose his interest; may be she could help him to get rid of that curse r at least accept it, or tell him why he found these three zippers, AND WHY MUST THEY BE BEARS !

He began then to tremble, most people thought it was of eagerness, but it was with fear, fear to be stuck as or with bears for the rest of hi life, so he eagerly respond.

I will go and find the legendary Oracle and ... save the village of Bearokaraistis.

Gypsies are not very much liked around these parts. People have, for a while now, found them shifty and secluded. The church has even called them out as dangerous sinners who serve no faith. Ivario, however, remembers his grandfather's stories of the days when gypsies were celebrated and wanted, and he wants those days to return.

The curse of Burokaraistis was, ... to put it in biblical terms..., an answer to his prayers. A chance to show the people that they need his kind in their life. When the call for volunteers was put forth, Ivario decided to grab that opportunity. Of course the church council was all too eager to send him on this dangerous mission, hoping he would perish along the way.

Ha! They'll eat their own words when The Great Ivario returns triumphant!

He's sitting at a table in The Idiot Sandwich, the local tavern, waiting for everyone to show up. The owner, Gordo Ramsley, brings him his breakfast.

Beartrand come forward without any hesitation.

A bit dirty from trekking in the nearby wood, a slender male human walks through the commons of Burokaraistis. He is a bit unkept, but some know him as Vincent and to most locals, he is simply a hunter that spends more time in the wood than anywhere. Known mostly as a quiet fellow, his tan and weathered look gives him away in an instant. Having a small pheasant hanging from his side from a recent hunting expedition he was seeking a bit of trade, only to be caught off-guard by the rabbitfolk's call for aid.

He casually strolls up to the rabbit-person, "If this is in response to the rumors that have reached my ears. . .then I volunteer. This is my home and I fear the curse that has befallen the village may spread."

Ivario stands up. "The Great Ivario will go on this quest! For the sake of the people!" He raises his cup of goats milk up high and downs it in one go. Then he triumphantly wipes the milk moustache from his face.

Esther slips through the alleys and past the buildings in the village with a light step, eluding the men her former master has sent looking for her. Well, her and a certain tome of magic spells, and perhaps a few other tokens and remembrances the girl lined her pack with on her way out the door. She'd had enough of his instruction, his constant lecturing about how she wasn't ready, about how she didn't exhibit the discipline needed to master the arcane arts. Instead, she decided, she would make her own way in the world. The slim, short-haired brunette (she hadn't been allowed to keep her hair long in the tower, which was visible in the distance over her narrow shoulders) had nothing if not determination, so when she discovered that the lands outside the wizards' tower were in some distress, she resolved immediately to do what she could to help.

As Beartrand, Vincent, and Ivario all make themselves known to the rabbit-herald, the former apprentice, her head coming up no higher than any of their shoulders, pushes through them to the front of what suddenly becomes a quartet.

"I volunteer as well!" she declares, wanting to help and certainly to leave town for a bit until Farzario the Wizard's absent-mindedness distracts him permanently from her trail.

"What is it we're volunteering for?" she quietly asks the others, out of the corner of her mouth.

He murmurs between his teeth
Forest, countryside,why can it never be a nice city ? That would be a welcomed change !

Louder he continues
My name is Beartrand, Beartrand Barebear; please don't laugh !

Would there be any chance to cross path with a bear by any chance, even if it is only a bear possibility ?

Visibly he seems excited by the possibility of seeing such creature-- in deed, he is frightened to his core and trembles with fear.

"For me, you can write down 'The Great Ivario'!" Ivario says with a flourish, wavings his hands through the air in front of him in some mystical gesture. "Mystic of the Gypsies of old. 7th generation! Teller of fortunes and Spirit-talker." Even though not all of this is true, Iviario likes to think it is. And most of all, likes to make others think it is.

He notices Yarbi writing down his name and points at the middle word on his parchment. In a softer voice he says "That's 'Great' with a capital 'G' there. You put a non-capital.".

"I'm Esther the Apprenti-- erm, Esther the Spellbinder! You may also call me enchantress, sorceress, mage, or magician."

Looking at the map, the youth -- Esther is sixteen but doesn't look it yet -- smiles and helps to keep the corners down as she pours over it. This sounds like just what she's been hoping for. A fabulous and fantastic journey, distance between herself and the mad old wizard, and best of all? Adventure!

"I'm Vincent, Vincent of the Woods as some say."

Studying the map for a moment Vincent recognizes some of the landmarks from his time in the woods. He has never ventured as far as the "Dark Forest," but seems optimistic about the journey ahead as he is no stranger to the wild.

"I hope to be of assistance to your quest." He nods in acknowledgment to his new companions.

Vincent looks to Yarbi and the rest of his companions, "Well, is anyone hungry?" Vincent's own stomach does feel a bit on the empty side, but he is confident he could forage along the way, as per his more familiar routine. "I could just as easily clean and cook this pheasant I acquired this morning." He shows the product of his brief morning hunt to the group. A small pheasant, certainly not enough to satiate everyone, but something nonetheless.

"You must have been up very early. I just finished my breakfast!" Ivario laughs. He picks up his backpack and his crystal ball and leaves a few coins on the table to pay for his meal.

"If you're cooking that pheasant, I'll gladly try a piece, though." He smiles at Vincent. Anyway, I'm good to head out. "See you outside with Yarbi,... Uhm... I'm sorry, I missed your name."

A pheasant at breakfast, we will never arrive ! And I'd rather arrive as soon as we can.

With brisk pace he joins Yarbi to start the voyage.

How fast can you walk Sir Yarbi ?

Esther watches Beartrand go, headstrong and determined as he seems to be.

"Perhaps save the bird for plucking and roasting later?" the mussy-haired girl offers to Vincent. The apprentice's pack contains some bread, cheese, and a bit of fruit and nuts taken from the same tower where she loaded handfuls of books into her satchel. She has enough for the road, she thinks -- certainly if there's also a pheasant to be eaten.

Gesturing after the other two, she adds to the woodsman and the gypsy, "Let's go!"

With a smirk and a nod of agreement with the group's desire to head onward, Vincent agrees and keeps the pheasant for later.

"Indeed Ivario, I rise early to fetch the best game I can. . .and with the condition plaguing this region, I'm lucky to find anything worthwhile." Damn curse...

"Well, seems we are set then." He briefly situates his materials, preparing to trek onward.

"Northward, yes?" He addresses Yarbi, and by extension, the group.