The town has fallen under hard times, it seems. The crops died a couple days back and food is running short. Cattle are getting sick and dying.  It would normally be a comfort to see it rain so frequently... but it's acid rain. This is Sunshine Villa. Once a happy town now driven low, it's people replacing high-spirited conversations with bickering.

The mayor has called a meeting of the town, asking for those who were willing to do the impossible. This is where the future of the town could very well be decided.

(OOC: Sunshine Villa is located near the southern border of Kei.  If you don't want to be from this town, chances are you are a visitor who had heard this place was quiet and pleasant. Or you could be someone who heard the rumor that the place has seen better times. Still yet, perhaps you were originally from somewhere nasty and moved here a couple months ago for solace. Feel free to come up with a good reason, but either way, your character should start out at the Mayor's office or near it at least.  This thread is property of Timothius.  To play in this thread you must not use a character that has been introduced in another thread.)

Sunshine Villa Benefit:
You may choose an extra Background Benefit instead
of a Regional Benefit, thus allowing you to have
2 Background Benefits. You may not stack the same
benefit on itself, however.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:04, Fri 28 Nov 2008.

While the dozen or less people who showed up would normally wonder what in the world a kid is doing here and probably shoo him away, they are more worried about the future of Sunshine Villa. One or two of them tell Maverick to get lost or take a hike, but he just narrows his eyes at them. He weaves about among the few who are there and soon disappears, hiding behind some barrels in the office.

(When taking 10 means I get a 25 stealth, somehow I doubt anyone in the room will see Maverick. But feel free to try.)

"Looks like this is where the meeting is being held," a well built blond man with a solid voice says to his pet tiger just outside the office, "Wait out here, Lucky."  Besides it's unusual reverse coat, black fur with orange stripes, the massive beast looks surprisingly timid.  It sits near the outside wall and tucks it's tail around it's feet, glancing nervously at the gloomy scene.

"Adam must be crazy coming to a place like this," the cowardly tiger thinks to himself, "The least he could have done is hire a few guards.  What?  Does he expect me to protect him?!  I wunna go home!  The darkest alleys of Unity beat this place!  Well... Maybe."

Adam enters the room and returns unwelcoming looks with a bright smile and a polite nod that uncovers the fact that there's a huge sword strapped to his back.  He asks no questions and simply waits for the mayor to begin the meeting.  He didn't hear about the meeting by being a local, rather he asked for the latest news when he entered town.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:25, Mon 01 Dec 2008.

Angel is there among the adults at the meeting and nobody really makes a deal out of it since she has been a member of the town for a while now. Originally, Angel had planned on using the fact this place was quiet in order to train in peace. But when this problem came up, Angel decided now was as good a time as any to perform plan 1: Establish herself as a hero. She smiles as Adam enters the room and gives him a polite bow.

The mayor enters the room and says, "So many... I am proud to see you all here. Those of you not from around here, I am honored you have come to show that we can still rely on people outside of our community."

He clears his throat and says, "There is a tree just south of here that has been growing at an unnatural rate. It is now the size of a guard tower and seems to have some kind of cave-like maw at the base. Nobody has been brave enough to enter yet, but considering all the problems in this village happened not too long ago and this tree is a new and rather unusual sight... well you get the idea. So I was hoping you bunch could investigate the tree and see what it's about. If not, whoever decides to stay behind, it would be greatly appreciated if you could help with keeping the peace here in town. People have gotten even more restless as of late and it's all I can do to keep a riot from breaking out."

His eyes slowly move across the people present. "Questions, my good people? I will do anything I can to help you..."

Maverick stays hidden and tries not to be scared as the news comes as a shocking confirmation of what he suspected. Magic. He was so afraid this was the case and, well... here it is. Sunshine Villa is being ravaged by the dark arts. And what's more; Maverick knows he has little knowledge in the area and little he can to do combat such wickedness. But he will lend an aid from the darkness... whether the people like it or not.

  Due to the nature of the hassle facing their town, Jack considered some obvious words his father once told him.  'Trees are the natural enemy of the Lumberjack.'

  Of course, Jack wasn't a Lumberjack.  But it did bring up a valid point to consider.  "I'm assuming there is a reason cutting it down like any other offending bit of plant life isn't an option.  Or failing that the angry Torch and Pitchfork mob method, just skipping the latter part."

  Of course even if that was an option, 'cave like maw' suggested that might only be destroying the roof of a bigger hassle.  He might be taken a bit more seriously if he was wearing armor or had an obvious weapon visible, but Jack had this silly habit of not going through his day to day life in Sunshine villa heavily armed.

  This of course, would probably be one of the first habits to go soon enough.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:31, Thu 04 Dec 2008.