One of the most important and basic tricks in negotiations of any sort was to learn to hide one's eagerness. The mention of strange religious rites made the hackles rise on the nape of his neck, had his jaw clenching as the dark hunger uncoiled like a serpent within him.

He gave a faint smile and nodded his head in response to Jareik's prompt. "I am free at the moment and surely looking after a scholarly and pious man is worthy of my time."

Seeing as everyone was offering their services, that there was a big sum per head to be had and most importantly, that she was starved for coin, the previously not so truly interested in the affairs of anyone not at her table, the wizard sprung from her seat and rushed to the main with somewhat unnerving enthusiasm. Once by the man, she ran two fingers along the rim of her wide hat, trying to look her sharpest. "I heard it all good Sir, you are in luck. I am Milly Minhelm, esteemed wizard of the Bright Order and Magister extraordinaire. Just so happen to have free time and since you require able hands of trustworthy talent, you might as well hire me, I think that you should." Mimi energetically nodded a couple of times, very much in clear agreement with her own pitch.

"I can go to try and rescue this man as well" Etain says to the watch captain "I am Etain Seanait, I could name my people but you would not have heard of them. I am decent with an axe should it be needed, but I know a few languages should they be needed, as well as a few other skills"

The watch captain nodded.
"If you all can focus on the assignment and keep personal matters sidelines, I see no issue here. I will advise with my sister shortly, that I have found suitable help and expect you to return to me with any worthwhile update.
I will make note of it here, and with your names I can now offer you this.."

From his bag, he took out 5 small notes.
Those in the trade, but in particular Jareik knew these. Note of Employment. Basically stating a name, allowing certain things and an directions on pay and such.
He handed one to each agreeing participant.
"So in short, head to Faltdorf as soon as possible. The coachmen at the northwest gate should have a coach, and with this you can simply set out when you see fit.
Just shy of the coachman, lay A. Müllers, which is the financier of this venture. He will have the coin up ahead. Again, keep this note for your dealings before your trip and upon return. For those unaware these are used to track and keep your work official in terms of who hired you, your pay and your rights. That means if you mess up or act beyond the law, I will be advised, and there will be hell to pay. Keep that in mind. I have nothing further to add, but ask now if you do. Otherwise, the crossroads near the rural area of Faltdorf is ahead for you. The matter is of some urgency.."

Kargun peered around the nascent party of would be investigators/rescuers. A wizard, three other humans of varying heights and fashion sense, and drunken Dwarf pit fighter. This had the feel of one of Snorri’s tired jokes. The though of his brother, dead for years now, snapped him out of his reverie. Kargun needed the money.

“Aye manling. I’ll tak’ yer note and you consider the job done.” Kargun slapped a meaty paw on the shoulder of the watch captain as he took the note in his maimed hand. Turning to the the male humans from the bar, he introduced himself anew. “Kargun Halfhand, good tae know you.” Now the group was standing it became clear that while Kargun was in fact the shortest, but he was certainly the widest.

“Let’s get going tae see this Mullers. Then we can tak’ the coach and maybe figure out who we all are.”

Jareik scanned his note briefly and nodded, everything seemed in order.
"Description ain't much to go on, let's see that letter."
He scratched his chin thoughtfully as he read it. "Nothing important it seems, other then he was there for theological concerns and I leave those to the priests." He passed the letter to Gerhart and whoever else wanted to read it. "Allright we should be able to finish the job within a week or so since the villagers will point us in the right direction and seems he didn't intend to travel anywhere else. Likely he is just stuffed in his work, scholars tend to lose track of time easily." Either that or he was perhaps waylaid and murdered by robbers but it seemed unlikely this close to the capital.

The specifics of the assignment sorted, he turned to his new companions.
"Jareik Schneider at your service master dwarf. Never got to see your kind fight in the war but I heard the stories, it will be a pleasure to see if they are true." he said warmly to the dwarf. His equipment left little doubt that this one could fight so his first assesment of this new companion was positive.

The next one however..."Oh euh..You're coming too Miss Etain?" Jareik's expression at Etain was skepticism incarnate and his eyebrow was so high up as to threaten to escape his face, interrupted only by a brief worried glance at Gerhart. "I guess we can protect you if need be. Are your companions coming aswell I take it?"
Having a band of savages in tow as they trailed the countryside seemed like it would complicate matters more then it would help.

Finally he turned to the last one, a diminutive mage girl... He wasn't sure what to think."Miss Milly." he said curtly with a cautious nod. "I've worked for mages before but never with one. Just don't turn me into a toad and we will be peachy." He said in a jesting tone and a quick smile. He didn't know wizards  bothered with mundane tasks like this but he wasn't about to question her over it.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:57, Sat 28 Dec 2019.

Etain has a ghost of a smile cross her face, why do these people think women are useless whenever anything beyond child rearing and cooking is brought up and says "I've trained with weapons since before my eighth winter, and have been fighting with those skills since I was 15, I won't need your protection and yes Éimear and Roan are coming with me"

"The lass here speaks Khazalid so ah've nae worries about needin' to do any lookin' after. Anyone wi' a hard enough head fer that is more than up tae finding a missing scholar." Kargun smiles through his beard.

"I also speak Breton should we run into any of them" Etain says to the dwarf "We are close to their border yes?"

"Lovely, I'm sure her knowledge of the dwarven tongue will be critical to our endeavour." Jareik said dryly.

"Closest routes to Brettonia is through the grey mountains. Our travels won't be taking us anywhere near axe bite or grey lady pass so doubtful we will meet any." he said even though the question wasn't addressed at him.

Between these statements and the prospect of being in a group with these foreigners who clearly didn't know their way around the Empire, it was all he could do to resist pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, but then he realized..What kind of savage knew how to speak both the dwarven and brettonian tongue? He wouldn't consider it unusual for a barbaric raider from the north to know human tongues by their travels and taking slaves but knowing khazalid was something else entirely. His eyes narrowed at Etain in suspicion as he considered that, admittedly this knowledge of languages was a bit curious.

"Anyways Mr Kargun is right, let's get ourselves sorted with Mr Muller and be on our way, there will be plenty of time to chat on the coach, and a geography lesson if need be."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Sun 29 Dec 2019.

"So as long as you remain in my good graces, you have nothing to fear. I wouldn't turn anyone who has not slighted me into a toad, maybe a chicken though." Feeble assurances aside, Milly was evidently quite pleased with the pay and company, with a group like that, she wouldn't be the sole center of negative attention. "I any case, I suppose it is settled, we could get moving as soon as the weather outside is more amicable."

"The first thing we should do is rest, it is nearly the middle of the night and we should be rested before we leave" she says to the group, giving Jareik a caustic look before turning her head to Kargun and says [Language unknown: "Th io ofce plest omch wasicaort se il rievckst poure e prenteore safi mofiho to pr ereratstaing int ngati daysomate encmi ectlesoutoul posilaomas a elatil inhand andratine i thupo ulomna."]

"First light then? A guid time tae set off oan an adventure!" Kargun grabbed a flagon from a nearby table and slurped down another mouthful of whatever happened to be in it. His eyes twinkled as he replied to Etain. [Language unknown: "Be nitili and ri wercomnti i ti outineorehas e paac oulre eauto m whe pr."]

Kargun smiles widely and lays one hand on Etain's shoulder and the other on Jareik's after tossing the flagon back onto the table. "Let's hae a wee drink and relax. I'll wager you'll be fast friends 'afore there's blood spilled. And if not then we've being turned tae toads tae worry aboot." He winks at Milly.

A warm smell of bread spreads in the tavern for those resting there.
It's morning. Two skillets over a fireplace are making eggs, and the ale is opened.
A.Müllers is likely opened in a few hours, being a man of some repute, and those of some social standing. They allow themselves as a designated man of the law and academics to meet in  after the markets have opened.

One can expect a few things, but one is certain: Everything will be by the book. Everything. Notes should be brought, in pristine conditions and no idle talk is welcomed.

The innkeeper stood, idly, and eyed those who came by. He nodded. No smalltalk, it was too early for that, even for a former soldier and watchman, but also as a sign of respect. Let those who come talk, and then react afterwards.

With a second nod as you walk out, you can at your own pace make your way to Müllers estate.

[A. Müller's Estate]
A townhouse, with a low stone wall and a sign depicting the practice. It is obviously also his home, split over two levels, living on the upper floor most likely, and having his office and reception below. The estate and flora outside initiates the idea that he is well off, as everything is in impeccable order. A middleaged man stands outside, tending to the garden which has a fresh fruitful and herb like flavour and inside you see the steward of the house, opening the door as you arrive.

You are lead inside, to a wide room, with a staircase, and two soft sofa's on each side of the room, with a small table aside them. A bookcase stands near one of them, under the staircase, built into it, with the office being on the left, and a meetingroom and library on the right. You are asked to sit, waiting for a bit, before being led in.
Müller is a man of some age, but showing little signs of aging thought. He has short brown hair, glasses and a small bushy mustache.
He opens his eyes, at you, calmly asking.
"State your business please."

Kargun is up bright and early despite the heroic quantity of ale consumed the night before. Wasting no time, he packs his possessions which seems to be mostly weapons, and prepares to leave. Before long he is ready - packed lunches ordered from the innkeeper for each of them, Kargun with armour on, shield and flail hanging over a shoulder. While he waits as the others make themselves ready he produces a pipe from a pouch and beings to smoke contentedly.

Upon arrival at the Müller estate, Kargun decides that things will go best if he lets someone more reputable looking carry the conversation. He eyes the more normal looking humans and waits.

The night before Etain orders a hot bath made up and drinks a half-pint of the house ale, a bitter drink that leaves a bad taste on the tongue for her. Her peoples drink being much sweeter and as Caoimhe used to say a bitter drink breeds a bitter people. Leaving the company of the others she makes her way to the bath chamber where she disrobes and sinks beneath the water to scrub away the filth of the week as well as the woad she had been wearing.

***Next Morning***

Having fallen asleep shortly after her bath Etain woke up early and spent a half-hour intricately plaiting her hair to keep it out of her face while they travelled and during any unfortunate business they may have to deal with.

Coming downstairs she heads to the fireplace and takes a piece of bread and a couple of fried eggs, to her plate and eating them while waiting for the others. Once she was finished she went over to the dwarf and says

Jareik spent his time at night checking his armor for any signs of damage or wear and tear on the straps, followed by a bit of polishing . He also took the opportunity to reread his note of employment and sign his name onto recipient box on the sheet.
After waking up he took the time to grind his blades on a whetstone. With both arms and armor looked over, Jareik had a hearty breakfast and greeted the others with a pull of his hat, finally they went to see Muller.

Jareik absent mindedly looked at the paintings as they waited.

When they were finally called up, Jareik step forward for the group and did the talking with the bored tone of someone who had gone through this bureaucratic process a thousand times.

"'Morning Sir. We five have accepted the commision by Frau Magnussen to find her husband, here are our employment slips to peruse at your pleasure."

As he handed over his note of employment he turned his head to the rest of the group bar Gerhart who was likely no stranger to this procedure aswell and added in a whisper:

"You gotta show yours too so mr Muller can confirm our identities and that none of us have tampered with them...Wait you did sign your name right?" he said the last part while looking at Etain.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:13, Mon 06 Jan 2020.

Etain lets a look of surprise cross her face "A savage like me write?" she says in a mocking tone "But how do I form the letters of your alphabet" she adds a jab before taking out the note and handing it to Muller, her own well written signature in the flowing script she used. "Perhaps I should write it in Ogham or Klinkarhun instead?"

A.Müller shrugged.
He was not a man who appeared to own the notion of humor, or even understand sarcasm, being as dry as a raisin left in the sun, and as far as academic predujice goes fit the bill.
For each valid note with a signature he nodded, writing down in a large book, on a new page, with scripting already in place. It gave the sense that the man was meticulous to the smallest detail, and nothing left to chance.
He raised his head.
"Go to Buckners stable, roughly three streets down, and take the coach. Use your employment papers. Leave soon. Buckner knows where to take you and set you off. As far as returning that is on you however.
Return with proof of the man, alive or not, and the rest of the payment is yours. For each of you, as signed, a small pouch with exactly 40 crowns, in mixed coins for your convenience. Use them wisely. Any further questions not already answered?"
He nodded at his steward to stand ready to lead you out with some haste assuming you took the coin and had no questions.

Turning her attention to Müller she asks "Should he be dead, whats the preferred method of identification should his corpse be unrecoverable?" She looks at the man with a no-nonsense look of someone who may have had to deal with officials like this before.

The man eyed Etain.
"Any official document would be fine. Clergywise with a recognizable and dependable seal, or from any town official. I see no sense in dragging a body back to Altdorf. He should remain and the family should deal with that themselves. The assignment states clearly to find and discover more about what happened to him. No more."

For a Dwarf festooned with weapons, Kargun seems strangely unsettled by talk of verifying death. Something in his eyes seems to drift far away and he lapses into a morose silence, content to let the others talk. From time to time he raises a hand to left bicep as if to reassure himself something is still there.

"What the..?..That's actually not half bad.." admitted Jareik with a raised eyebrow upon seeing Etain's flowery signature that was hardly what he would expect from a woman in furs.

He was too surprised to think of a good comeback for Etain's comment and could only stand there flabbergasted to the point he had to remember to close his jaw as she handled the bureaucrat with surprising ease and asked the right question. He was far too distracted to notice the dwarf's glooming as a result.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:48, Wed 08 Jan 2020.

As a wizard, Milly was no stranger to bureaucracy, having to carry a separate set of papers every time she went out. But no Magister worth it's mettle would go out of their way to present them and let their presence and nature known, unless they had or wanted to. So far things were as smooth as going to visit a relative, that is, if she was allowed or in the habit of doing so.

Etain raises one of her eyebrows back at Jareik before looking back at Müller and asking "Are there any decent maps of the area or important information about the route we take and the town we are headed too? Known bandits or crimes, battles, creatures, terrain?"