Chapter Two: Discoveries in the Dark The Ranger casually moved to the body of the snake-woman. His eyes widened, and he stepped forward, through the crowd of drunks and criminals. The bard and he now stood side-by-side. The bard looked up at the taller Elf, who lowered his hood: "Y'don't suppose this is one of those 'Extaminaar', do ye?" The Elf shook his head, slowly: "No. I believe we are looking at a far more insidious threat. Come. Let us dispose of this body and get inside where it is safe." The bard nodded, and stepped inside, leaving the Ranger to quickly examine the young-looking woman's body. He shuddered as he looked at it, but pulled out a small tinderbox he always carried, lighting the body on fire and watching it go up. A few moments later, when the magically-aided fire was finished burning, he cast a wind spell that blew the ashes of the woman into the air and to the farthest corners of the earth.

He walked back in and spoke: "I need a few courageous individuals to help me on a quest that, if successful, will bring the greatest of treasures and renown. But be warned...you are guaranteed to lose whatever innocence you ever had, and may very well lose your life." The bird-man, knowing what the ranger meant, jumped up: "I will accompany you." The half-Orc fighter looked up: "I'll do it...if the cause is good." The ranger smirked darkly: "I assure you, sir. The cause is the very best." The Orc nodded and stood up, powerful muscles flexing all over his body: "Then you have my axe." The man with the sais from earlier stood slowly: "You have my sais, stick-eater. But why do you call together a party?" The Raptoran fighter was back on his feet now. He and the bard, the thief, and the Orc fighter were standing fairly close together. The sai-fighter came over and looked at the Ranger, who bowed his head: "You make a point, sir. I call together a party so that secrets may be told to them and an adventure undertaken." Another Elf stood up and spoke in Elvish, obviously probing for more information than the others were privy to. The look on the Ranger's face said it all, even as he opened his mouth. The Wizard nodded sagely, apparently understanding the Ranger's logic. Jena looked up from the bar, and suddenly shook her head. She went into the back, and her voice and the voice of a man were heard. She came out wearing a suit of leather armor, a shortsword, and a large pack, obviously full of rations. She looked at Tira and grinned: "Looks t'me like this 'party' of yours needs a woman's touch, eh?" Tira grinned and the Ranger looked at her: "What skills do you possess? Each of us here is an adventurer...what are you?" She chuckled: "Well, looks t'me like you need someone to set up your camp and cook your food. I'll be the first to admit I'm inexperienced in adventuring. But since ye all saw fit to meet here...you're taking me with you, like it or not." The Ranger and the Wizard smirked. Jak smiled in full at her, as did the Raptoran. Tira just rolled her eyes. A woman walked over, a longbow strapped to her back beside a quiver of arrows: "You also need a healer. Heavens know you fighting types know how to get banged up." She cast a smiling glance at the Raptoran, who blushed and looked at his talons.

The Ranger nodded: "Then that is it. The League is set. Accompany me." They walked out as one. Jena's husband shook his head from the bar: "No good can possibly come of this." But he did nothing else.