Vittorio and Gloria sat down to await their "friends", with no small amount of nerves. They knew nothing of these people they'd be teaming up with. Who were they? What could they do? Would they get along? Vittorio was determined to try and tough it out even if he was unhappy with them, still fully dedicated to their goal.

Before long, he noticed a new figure enter the hall: A brown-furred minotaur, well over two meters tall, and a single wicked-looking horn on the right side of their head pointing forward. The minotaur approached the front desk, and as the man behind it pointed at Vittorio and Gloria, turned to follow his finger. The minotaur gave them a nod and started walking over.

Vittorio had heard stories of minotaurs. It was said they were as much beasts as people, bad-tempered and violent. This one, at least, didn't look that way. She - for it was a she, he realized - was tall and imposing, yes, but she was also smiling, and her large, dark eyes were gentle. She wore a pair of loose, soft trousers and matching, flowing shirt and a pair of slippers.

"Vittorio and Gloria?" she asked in a low, strong voice once she reached her table. After they nodded she bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you! I am Kwon Ji-tae, but please, call me Ji-tae. The others are in our suite if you want to join us, I imagine you're exhausted."

"Nice to meet you too, Ji-tae!" Gloria only stumbled slightly over her name. "And yes, it's been a very long day."

"I can imagine. Do you need any help carrying anything? Are you sure? I'd be happy to help. Okay, well, it isn't far."

They followed her out a side door, noting a lot of speculative looks from people in the hall as they did. Ji-tae ignored them and set a slow pace, chatting as they walked.

"Did you arrive today? How was the journey?"

"Mostly boring, really", Gloria said. "it was the first time we'd even seen the ocean, and then we were off! Exciting for a bit and we saw some places along the way, but mostly it was just sitting around."

"When we weren't sick", Vittorio added.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that! Just sea sickness I hope? I was fortunate enough to be used to ships for my journey here, but I know well how unpleasant it is. It took me over two months to get here, and I do agree that seafaring as a passenger is not the most exciting thing."

"Are we the last to arrive?"

"No, we are waiting for one more. I myself was the first to arrive - except Luss, but they live here. Where are you from?"

"A village outside Pogna."

The minotaurs brows furrowed. "I am deeply sorry, but I'm not familiar with that place. Geography has never been my strong suit. I hope I am not offending you."

"No no, not at all!", Gloria hurried to assure her. "It's a city in the Marezian League. South of the Sacred States?"

"Ah, that I do know where it is. Thank you for your understanding. That's about as far a journey as mine, I think."

"Where are you from?"

"I grew up in Yongwan, but I've lived in Songju since I became an adult."

It was Gloria's turn to apologise, if only to be polite. "I'm terribly sorry, but I don't know where that is."

"My apologies. They are cities in Sunhang." She gestured at a door with a small sign next to it reading "Team suite 9". "Here we are. I hope I did not bore you."

Gloria and Vittorio both hurried to tell her that she hadn't. Ji-tae gave them another little bow before unlocking the door and opening it. Inside was a large room, the walls painted green and silver while the floor and ceiling were dark wood. Not counting the one they entered through, there were nine doors: Five directly opposite and two on each side wall. The room was furnished in two parts, one half occupied by a rectangular table flanked by ten chairs, and the other by a large couch and several chairs around a coffee table. On the couch sat an anura, a frogperson. His skin was blue, mostly dark with lighter stripes, and as they entered his all-black eyes turned up from a game of solitaire he was playing. He smiled and stood up.

"And the numbers of our jolly band grows! Name's Okpara, nice to meet ya." He strode over and vigorously shook their hands. "Welcome to our slice of heaven! Bet you're dying to kick back and relax a bit, eh? My room's over there, that's Xo's, and that's Ji-ji's" he said, pointing at three doors.

"My name is Ji-tae, please."

"That door's for training and baths and stuff, the rest are yours for the taking. Are you gonna share or..."

"No!", Vittorio said, blushing.

"Oh sweet, you can talk too. That'll make things easier, don't think Xo and Ji-ji would do well with signing."

"Please, do not call me that", Ji-tae said.

"Fine, but I don't see what's so bad about nicknames. Or codenames! And we need a team name! My vote's on The Okpara Corps."

Ji-tae turned to Gloria and Vittorio, looking very serious. "Please excuse him, I assure you he isn't always like this."

"Don't apologize for me!", Okpara said. "I'm my own person. She is right though, I'm just messing with you. You go unpack and get settled in, and I'll grab some snacks." That said, he quickly left the room. The remaining three looked at each other.

"He really is very nice", Ji-tae said. "He's just very... lively as well."

Gloria and Vittorio picked rooms next to each other and went to unpack. The bedrooms were small and clearly not really meant for anything but sleeping: There was a bed, a chest, a dresser, and an armour stand. There was no window, and the room was lit by a small magical light that could be covered up. Halfway through unpacking, Vittorio heard Okpara return, and he did seem a bit more settled. He started chatting with Ji-tae and had the good manners not to talk about the new arrivals. When Vittorio rejoined them, Okpara had resumed his game of solitaire and Ji-tae was stretched out in an armchair, reading a book. Okpara motioned for him to join them.

"I got some nuts and dried fruits, and I didn't know what you wanted but I bought a cup of wine for you. Luss should be coming back soon too."

Vittorio settled down in a comfortable armchair, popped a dried banana slice in his mouth, and took his wine. The other two stayed silent, giving him a moment to unwind and truly relax for the first time since leaving Beylaya. Gloria joined them not much later and took a seat next to Vittorio, sighing deeply. They sat in silence until Okpara finished his game.

"Wine okay?"

"Yeah, it's really good. Thank you", Vittorio said. Gloria nodded.

"Don't sweat it. Figured you could use something if you just got off the boat."

"Actually, we got her at noon, but we had someone to meet up with."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she helped us with getting equipment and stuff."

"Ah, right. They did the same for me, but before I left."

Ji-tae put down her book. "My gifts were delivered after I arrived. I am very grateful for them."

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"So, what did you get?", Okpara asked. "I got a bow and some shoe things, and Ji-tae got a shield and potions."

"A shield and an amulet."

"A wand and a spear. I don't really need a spear, but I didn't get much say."

"You a [Mage Warrior] or something?", Okpara asked.

"No, I'm a [Pactmaker]. It's... kinda complicated, so it might be best to wait until everyone gets here?"

"Sure, sure."

"Where is... Luss, did you say?", Gloria asked.

"Yeah, Luss. They're at the university most of the time, just stops by now and then to check in. Part of why I'm so psyched for more people, you know? Ji-tae's cool, but we're a bit chatted out."

At that moment, they heard the door unlock and open, revealing the fifth member of the group. They were dressed in a long, all-white robe, its sleeves long enough to cover the wearer's hands. The hood was raised and actually hung down in front of their face, completely encapsulating them in the cloth.

"Ah", the figure said. Their voice sounded oddly flat. "I see Vittorio and Gloria have arrived. Wonderful!" They raised their hands and lowered the hood, revealing not a face, but rather a roughly head-shaped piece of dark glass, dimly lit by internal light. "I am Luss, and it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." As Luss didn't have a mouth, it wasn't clear where the voice was coming from.

Vittorio struggled to find words. He'd wanted to see a crystalline, and now he was going to work with one? There were very few of the strange glass-people, and so of course there were all the more stories about them. He wasn't stupid enough to really believe them - especially the ones about the crystallines being evil or monsters - but he was curious.

"It's nice to meet you too, Luss!", Gloria said, while Vittorio was still recovering. "Did you have a good day at school?"

While their face remained static, of course, surprise and amusement were clear in their voice. "I have graduated, but thank you, yes, it was a productive day. I am making the most out of access to Havens libraries to broaden my spellcraft. I take it you arrived today? And while I'm sure the question is growing tiresome, was the journey pleasant?"

"It wasn't terrible, let's put it that way."

"Then, at least it is behind you. Are you rested enough for us to discuss our capabilities, or would you prefer to wait?"

"I'm good", Vittorio said. Gloria nodded.

"Thank you, I am sure Okpara at least has been eager to talk." That said, Luss sat down on the couch by Okpara. The couch sagged noticeably under their weight.

"Allow me to begin. I am a [Wizard], a second-degree graduate from Haven University, and while I specialize in divination I maintain a broad array of spells. I was previously a [Runecarver] and while I have, of course, lost those skills and talents I retain a great deal of knowledge on runes, which may be useful."

Okpara spoke up next. "I'm a [Disabler]. I cause debuffs and deal damage, the more debuffs the more damage. I'm also good for dealing with traps and doors and stuff."

Ji-tae stood up and bowed slightly. "My name is Kwon Ji-tae, and I am a [Combat Medic], with a third-degree accreditation from the Royal Institute of Healing. It is my solemn duty to ensure your health and safety with healing and defenses."

Gloria and Vittorio looked at each other. He motioned for her to go first.

"I'm Gloria Innkeeper, and I'm a [Fervent Warrior]. I'm a defender with a shield and sword and I get buffs depending on my mood, and I have an aura so I can share that with you!"

Vittorio took a deep breath. "Right, so..." he began, and a rather long conversation followed where he tried to explain his class and how it worked. Being able to change skills was simply too unusual for them to gloss over. Eventually, things settled down after Luss insisted they could wait with in-depth discussions.

"So right now passively I can't be heard and I have some defence, and actively I have a ranged magical attack, I can make air turn solid, and I can sort of walk in the air for a bit. Also, from my talents I've picked up occult spells, so I can cast some hexes and debuffs."

"That's the stuff!", Okpara said. "More debuffs! That's great, it'll really help me out with damage."

"Your current skillset sounds well-rounded, but would you be open to changing it at times? Our team is well-suited to protracted fights, but lacks upfront damage", Luss said.

"Yes, absolutely. Though I can only change in the morning, and one of my talents makes me stronger the longer I maintain the same pact."

"I understand, I just wanted to know if that was something you were open to or not. There is another matter I need to make clear to you, Vittorio and Gloria. I am nominally in charge of this group, in the sense that I am the point of contact with the larger organization. I am also a long-standing member, and I am considerably older than anyone else in the group. As I mentioned, I used to be a [Runecarver], a business and class I abandoned to volunteer to join when word reached me that an adventuring team was being established. I was accepted as, due to the nature of my people, my advanced age is not a detriment in public relations. You can imagine how a team with a tier 1, greying human adventurer would be seen.

"While I have experience in how the organization at large operates, I am new to adventuring and have no intention of giving orders where that is concerned. I hope that is agreeable?"

They nodded. "Sure, that's fine", Gloria said.

"And also, Gloria", the [Wizard] continued. "I want to assure you of your place. I understand your recruitment was a bit unusual, but when I was asked if I would accept to have you on the team, I was ecstatic. Not pleased, not accepting; ecstatic. A second defender along with the person we are still waiting for is excellent and something I was concerned about. I am grateful that you chose to join us."

"That's... thank you, that's really nice to hear."

"I am happy you are here as well", Ji-tae said. "I do not know about your recruitment, but having two defenders will ease my burden greatly."

"And I'm always happy with more people between me and whatever I'm killing."

They stayed up late, chatting about their journey to Kara - except Luss, who had lived here for over a year while studying at Haven - and inconsequential things, just to get to know each other a bit. Vittorio felt pretty comfortable around them already, and was happy that Ji-tae's apology earlier turned out to be true: Okpara actually was quite nice and considerate, he just got loud and rushed when excited. Ji-tae was the one to call an end to the evening as she saw Vittorio and Gloria struggling to stay awake.

When Vittorio rose the next morning, he found Luss and Ji-tae already up, and there was a spread of food on the large table: Bread, cheese, fruits, and rice balls.

"Good morning Vittorio!", Ji-tae said. "I hope the breakfast is acceptable."

"Oh! Yes, of course! It looks great."

"Good! I thought, since it's your first day off the ship we might get something better than what the Company provides."

"What's that?"

"Gruel", Luss interjected. "The vast majority of food eaten in Kara is gruel from conjured barley mixed with conjured water. The island grows no food and has little water, so the only way the eating population can sustain itself is through immense effort by Haven. A lot of foodstuff does get imported of course, but if the city relied solely on trade for food there wouldn't be much cargo space for anything else. It's pretty interesting: What are usually considered highly niched spells are here effectively the largest source of wealth. Some of the richest, most powerful people in the city have dedicated their lives to just create as much food or water as possible."

"That is pretty interesting. But I'm guessing the gruel isn't very tasty?"

Ji-tae seemed to struggle with her phrasing for a moment. "It is... inoffensive, with no strong flavours. One can live off it, but it is perhaps not what I would personally choose if given the option."

"I have heard a number of colourful descriptions, and I believe none of them to be good. 'Lumpy water' is a common descriptor. The University uses food as a motivator, altering the gruel for students who do well at exams and similar achievements."

"That seems a bit unfair to you. I mean... you don't eat, right? So you couldn't get that reward?"

"No, but I considered it a fair price based on the demoralizing effect the regular food had on the other students. My physiology gives me considerable advantages in studying which could be seen as unfair. I do not need to sleep, for example, nor do I suffer most maladies that plagued my fellow students such as diseases or most physical discomfort."

Gloria came out of her room and joined them, which prompted a retelling of the state of the local cuisine. This was interrupted and restarted again when Okpara got up, and he had very strong opinions on the matter. He'd grown up in Olotlanco, and had a love of Aylajupa food and food culture, where [Chefs] and [Cooks] were constantly inventing new dishes and trying new things. To go from that to the same gruel every day made him terribly homesick.

"I've been spending all my money on food", he said. "I'm fine, of course, but it'll do my money pouch good to get back to work. Our... friends are generous with the rooms of course, but it ends there. More than enough! I'm not complaining! I'm just saying."

"It is actually I who am paying for the suite", Luss said.

"You? Like, out of your own pocket?"

"Yes. If you all wish it, I could add some food to the expenses, that would not be a problem."

"But aren't these rooms really, really expensive?"

"It is perfectly manageable. I was a quite successful [Runecarver], and I was wealthy even before selling my equipment and workshop. I am quite happy to provide room and board for the team, and a suite does suit our needs very well."

"Oh. I'd assumed you'd been like tier 1 or something. An apprentice maybe."

"Ah, I see. No, I was not an apprentice, though I have had several over the years."

"Well, don't I feel like an ass. Don't buy any food, you're doing more than enough as it is. Thank you so much."

"There is no need to thank me. I do this because I believe it to be the best thing for the team."

The group spent the day helping Gloria and Vittorio familiarize themselves with the Free Company hall and its surroundings, with Luss taking a day off from studying to do so. As the newcomers had arrived via the portal network, they hadn't seen what lay outside the main doors: The Road to Enlightenment, an immense road connecting the harbour in the south to the university to the north. It was easily wide enough for six or seven carts to move side-by-side, and the lightly pebbled black surface was broken up by text in lighter colours, telling you how far you were from the university.

It was a pleasant day, despite some rain in the afternoon, and Vittorio appreciated the help. He'd felt completely lost the day before, but the new team members were more than happy to give tips and aid on how to navigate. The next day, they cautiously started training, despite being one member short.