Dr. Hannigan's Grand Hunting Expedition

[Trabant180]

Just east of Fovaros nestled in a clearing of middling size lay an encampment filled with all sorts of things one might expect to find in such a place including multiple tents, cooking fires, pot, pans and other assorted cooking and camping gear. Anyone approaching the campsite unless they came from somewhere other than Favaros would see an older gentleman with a large mustache sitting on a stump carving away at a lump of wood and apparently waiting for newcomers to arrive at the site. Looking past the aging explorer one would see an eclectic looking woman with bright red hair in the distance wildly dancing around a fire much to the obvious approval of what appeared to be a young girl with black hair who was nodding her head seriously along in time with the woman's movements. If what was going on behind the older man was out of the ordinary he certainly didn't seem to show it.

[Jacob Aranthime]

Approaching the area from the south-east, as if intentionally avoiding Fovaros, walked a young man with long navy hair tied in a braid that reached his waist. As he walked a black silk cloak flapped behind him and a wooden quarterstaff seemed to follow him as if held by an unseen hand. As he drew nearer he waved at the man whittling away.

"Hello!" he said, loudly enough to be heard on approach.

[Trabant180]

Hearing the voice speak up from off to his left the man halted his carving long enough to eye the approaching mage curiously. He shifted his legs so as to be somewhat facing the young man and waves a greeting, seemingly opting rather to wait for Jacob to arrive than to come and greet him. When Jacob did reach the old man he spoke up. "Welcome to our encampment young man, I suppose you're responding to our advertisement?"

[Jacob Aranthime]

"Yes, its rather... colourfully worded." he said pulling out one of the flyers from somewhere behind his back.

"The bit about fire cicadas is rather specific." he smiled.

[Trabant180]

The old man rolled keen looking green eyes. "I tried to get her to say we were leaving the end of the week or tomorrow if you will but that'll be the Doctor's way of saying just that." He jerked thumb over his shoulder towards the dancing woman. "Name's Herald by the way."

[Jacob Aranthime]

"Nice to meet you, Herald. I'm Jacob." the mage replied. He looked around for a place to sit and settle on a nearby log.

"So... the doctor you said?" he said after making himself a bit more comfortable.

[Trabant180]

"Doctor Hannigan that is." He nodded towards the dancing woman indicatively. "Well that's what she's called herself ever since I've known her. Must be... Hmmm Maybe 15 years now?" He seemed to ponder that for a moment before continuing. "You don't exactly seem the hunting type. What caught your eye?"

[Jacob Aranthime]

Jacob rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking a little sheepish.

"Honestly? The gold. I have things to pay for." he said.

[Trabant180]

Harold chuckled gently "Well you wouldn't be the first man what stepped out of his comfort zone for that." Jacob has the strangest feeling as the old man peered intently at him. Almost like his blood was attempting to crawl out of his veins. The feeling passed as Harold's eyes moved back to the hunk of wood that was starting to take some sort of shape. "A mage was it? How's that working out for you?" The question had an offhand sort of feel to it as though he had asked as an afterthought.

[Jacob Aranthime]

"Its a bit like whittling, actually. You spend your time working on it a little bit at a time, hopefully don't hurt yourself in the process and when you're done ideally it looks how you want it to." he said, a lot calmer than he was a moment earlier.