Sigmund looks very interested in the idea of hunting in the woods near Byrgenworth. After all Byrgenworth is a bastion of knowledge and Sigmund loves knowledge.
Sigmund however has come to appreciate having another hunter at his back and decides to see what his new-found fellows are wanting to do.
He spots Sybille leaning against a wall and decides to join her.
'' Greetings Sybille. Have you any inclination on where you'll be hunting tonight?''
Sybille nods and grins. "I've been thinking of asking someone to keep me company in Byrgenwerth woods. I quite like it there, although I doubt we'll have time to enjoy the scenery."
Morgam sees ego and bloodlust being contested and bartered as the hunters all flock to their most desired hunting grounds. Though Morgam himself is proud, he's hardly vain, and doesn't need to lead any hunts this evening. But he does need to make sure one in particular is done properly.
He shoulders his way into the group arguing over the city center, wordlessly letting his strength and presence notify the other hunters he's fixed on this locale.
Morgam pushes to the head of the room. Might makes right after all, and were words may fail violence tends to prevail. Of course there's nothing stopping Morgam from simply going where he pleases during the hunt, but ignoring the traditions of the workshop is too dangerous a prospect it seems. Excommunication is considered paramount to a death sentence by many.
Morham pushes his way to the head of the room and someone pushes back. In the small cluster of hunters of who he only recognizes a few - the hunter Djura and another named Samael, along with Heinrick and a collection of others that he can not recall the names of. As he tries to shoulder past someone pushes back, a large man with foul smelling breath who turns to face him down immediately. "Oi whelp, you got fungus growing out yer eyes? Watch who you're running into."
Dominic, too, thinks the city center a capital idea - especially since all that foliage wreaks havoc on his aim. He's not nearly so brutish as Morgam, though, instead settling for his most regal bearing and a look that could heat winter lead. He is a scion of Cainhurst, and though the others may not know it he still walked with hundreds of years of history behind every step. The other hunters would move, or be walked over.
As he is stopped by the big man, Morgam surveys him like a butcher eyeing a cut of meat. A few different thoughts run through his head before he spots Dominic making for the same crowd.
He keeps his eye on his former companion, waiting to see how he fares.
The hunter turns to address Dominic "And who is this supposed to be, yer sister?"
At this point the discussion has died down amongst some of the other veteran hunters and they have turned their attention to Morgam and Dominic
A sneer crosses Morgam's face for an instant as the claws begin to poke out from his fingertips. He clenches his fist to conceal the beastly tell, the tips pricking his palms.
"Hardly past a week ago we let some of them Lorans in. We stopped the beast among 'em but they brought some kind of curse too--a man could lift you off your toes with one hand an'd snap your neck sooner than look at you. Now the way I figure it this group is gonna be the one to run into him, and seein' as I'm the only hunter here as seen this man, save fer Dominic catching a glimpse," Morgam says with a nod towards his companion, "I figure you'd be damn foolish to go without me. Some of you as hunted with me before know I tell it like it is, and I'm not makin' this up. So I think you'd best make room for two more, if ya have any sense."
"No, but if your own sister is as ugly as you are I'm not surprised you'd expect sisters to look like men. Or fungi, maybe, if the resemblance is particularly strong." Dominic says, smiling through clenched teeth.
The other hunter is silent and you think for a moment that he may be cowed. Then he lets out a hearty laugh.
"I thought I recognized you!" he shouts, loud enough to catch the attention of the rest of the workshop. "You lot are the ones who let those foreigners through! Why, you're probably the cause of this whole mess in the first place. Can't imagine how you managed to screw up such a simple hunt but you did and now we have to clean up the mess. We don't need you underfoot in the meantime so how you just stay out of the way?"
He glares at Dominic and Morgam both and then turns back to the other hunters with a grimace. Around the room eyes are drawn, waiting to see how you will react.
Sigmund sees the stand off that is taking place between Morgam, Dominic and these other hunters out of the corner of his eye.
He turns to look at Sybille and points at his other companions with his head.
''Think we need to go give them a hand? Or should we just leave them to it and fight for our right to hunt in the woods?''
Sybille shakes her head. "They are big boys, they can handle it. Let's stake our own claim." She pushes inside the room to have a better look at whoever is claiming the woods.
"Ah yes, while you had the dubious pleasure of... I don't know, comparing warts or whatever it is the lower classes do in their free time, we were busy working. Hunting. And the beast was slain. But it's no beast we're hunting now, and you and your... ilk... would be liabilities. At the very least he'd smell you coming. So perhaps it would be best for you to go back to the styes and stables and search for the beast among your own kind?"
The woods are relatively uncontested. Only two have seemed to stake a claim, a man and a women - they look to be a couple.
At the center the man snorts and brushes aside Dominics insult. "Bust muzzle your woman, pup. She's making a wolf of herself."
While Dominic and Morgam are arguing, Sybille nods to Sigmund and stakes their claim to the wooden area.
"I don't believe we've met. I'm Sybille, this is Sigmund. Are you planning to hunt near the Byrgenwerth?"
Morgam looks between the man and Dominic and smirks. "Why don't I leave you two to sort it out? 'Scuse me."
He then jumps right over the man's head to take his place in the crowd.
The two hunters turn away from there conversation to address Sybille.
"Hello!" says the man "Yes, we thought a walk in the woods would be a nice way to spend the evening. My name is Hogar, this is Enrietta[b]" indicating the woman who nods. [b]"We'd be happy to have you along if you'd like"
Nearer the front of the room the mood is far less welcoming. To Morgams rear the man who he was arguing with looms over and seems ready to do something before another hunter interrupts.
"Enough of this childish fighting. Zecharius, shut your trap. And you, boy, need to cool your head. City center will be a blood bath, we'll be stacking bodies high all night. It's no place to be if you can't handle yourself."
"Thank you. We were also planning to take a walk in the woods and four is better then two. Especially with what has been going on in the last weeks." Sybille sighs. "Let's hope there won't be too many troubles this night."
Morgam smirks, thinks for a moment, and then shrugs. "They've got a point, Dominic. I think we can leave 'em on their own. We all might learn somethin'."
He brushes past Zecharius again and removes himself from the crowd, instead heading for the least-disputed territory.
"Seems the beasts won't be the only ones getting culled tonight. Wonder how many dead hunters it'll take for them to listen." He mumbles as he paces off.
"And what when the common people see the hunters slaughtered like sheep?" Dominic asks. "You are the only one to have seen this man, and you're willing to risk panicking the entire city to show them up? This could end very poorly."
"You got a better idea? Won't be pretty, but at least the dumb ones 'll die first." Morgam says with a gesture back to Zecharius.
A walk in the woods? Is that arrogance or are these two just ignorant as to the dangers of beast hunting?
Still his mother had taught him that a gentleman did not air such thoughts aloud, so Sigmund merely smiles instead.
''As my charming companion mentioned already, I am Sigmund and we would be happy to join you.'' He offers the couple a short bow.
''Shall we look for others who might wish to join us or is this to be a party of four only?''
"Oh, you do have a way of seeing the silver lining." Dominic says with a small grin.
With the matter of hunting grounds settled the hunters disperse. There is only one last matter to consider.
As the official organizers of this hunt, a representative of the healing church workshop will be announcing the official commencement at sundown. Though it is more often directed towards the citizens, many hunters choose to attend out of obligation.
Do any of you plan to attend, or will you make straight for your hunting grounds?
Dominic does not intent to attend in the slightest.
Sybille does not attend, and heads straight to the woods.
Morgam, being an older hunter, chooses to attend. He may not like all of his fellow hunters but he respects the traditions.
Dominic heads to Yharnams docks. They are part of the newer construction of the city, wooden storehouses built atop cobblestone roadwork. The docks themselves are wooden and hang over the surface of the Erudite River. They are well used as the river feeds into the coastline and facilitates passage between the city and the far off fishing hamlets. The hunt has not officially begun yet and some handful of wretches still linger about, securing their belongings and otherwise going about their business. You have time to prepare, should you choose, or decide how you wish to conduct your coming hunt.
Sybille, meanwhile, is at the threshold of the Byrgenwerth woods. The heavy foliage turns the lingering sunlight into a strange twilight that casts ominous shadows. The smell of smoke drifts from nearby, likely huntsman preparing the fires for the nights bounty. The deeper woods are known to twist and turn, with dead ends and branching paths everywhere. The more traveled way is littered with the occasional abode for those who choose to live here, another leads to the newly abandoned Castle Cainhurst, and another still leads to Byrgenwerth college. Even know huntsman are scouting the woods and laying a myriad of traps.
Morgam attends the ceremony. Most of the citizenry that is brave enough to linger at this time of day has also gathered here. This is by design, as it allows the hunters to attend with compromising their identities. This time the scene is set at the Cathedral Ward, or rather the area that connects it to Yharnam. The massive iron cathedral gate separates the holdings of the Healing Church from Yharnam proper and you can see the construction all across the ward. Looming clocktowers, cathedrals and churches, new residences. The captain of the Church Hunters is there to lead the ceremony. A wizened hunter by the name is Edmund, he is infamous for his twin bladed trick weapon and furious conviction in his duties. When he speaks it is in a strong, commanding tone.
"People of Yharnam, the insidious beasts have invaded our city. I come to you to announce that, on this night, we will burn out the plague and restore peace and security to our home. It is the duty of every able bodied citizen to join in, and for those that do not - stay in your homes this night. Do not interfere with our sacred duty. Most of all, if you believe summon to have been infected make no attempt to harbor them."
He raises the emblem of the church hunter chief, a small piece of folded cloth. "With these words I declare that the night of the Hunt has begun." Behind him attendants close and lock the iron gate to the cathedral ward - not to be opened again until the chief hunter has declared an end to the hunt.
Beyond making sure his pistols are fully loaded, Dominic has no special preparations to make. For all his airs, the excitement of the hunt is beginning to overtake him - he's practically panting with relish.
Morgam heads off to join Dominic at the docks. There would be much blood tonight, but he wasn't likely to find much of it. And with any luck, none would be his own.
Sybille checks her pistol and furnace hammer one more time and impatiently looks around. She will wait for Hogar and Enrietta to come before entering the woods.
She turns to Sigmund. "How many beasts do you think are hiding in those woods? I wonder how many good men we will lose tonight."
Sybille and Sigmund
It is not long before Hogar and Enrietta arrive. In fact, they emerge from the forest, apparently having taken to scouting out the area by alone. They approach with a brisk step "Good evening" they say "Are you ready for the coming night? The huntsman are already moving out to kick up game but we should check the plague stilts before too long."
Morgam and Dominic
No sooner does the hunt start then the pair spot a man step out of an alley. You lock eyes and he seizes up and immediately turns and ducks back into the alley.
Do you pursue him or is he better left to the huntsman?
Sybille and Sigmund
It is not long before Hogar and Enrietta arrive. In fact, they emerge from the forest, apparently having taken to scouting out the area by alone. They approach with a brisk step "Good evening" they say "Are you ready for the coming night? The huntsman are already moving out to kick up game but we should check the plague stilts before too long."
"Yes, let's get there and do what we came here to do." Sybille hangs her hip lantern back on the belt and takes out her pistol and hammer. "I see you came here earlier. Found anything interesting?"
Sigmund nods at the newcomers and continues to clean his blade for the night to come.
He says nothing at first and looks up only when Sybille asks her question. Outwardly he does not have much of a reaction to the question but curiosity burns in his eyes as he regards the couple.
Dominic draws a pistol.
"Feel up for a chase?"
Morgam grins and draws his morningstar. "Not doin' anything else."
Morgam and Dominic move quickly, as they reach the mouth of the alley they see boards and debris littered in the space. He has a healthy lead, about 10 yards or so, and he's moving as if his life depenxs on it. You could dive in after but maybe you could try and cut him off instead?
Sybille and Sigmund
"Nothing much, we spooked the lepers for a but and drove them towards the stilts so that they aren't scattering and the local wildlife is as ornery as ever, but other than that everything looks to be in order."
Morgam signals for Dominic to go around as he himself prepares to leap over the debris.
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Dominic sighed to himself. "I could've just shot him, you know." But he jogs around the corner to try and cut the man off.