Lamar's face fell at the mention of Bravo's Brave Band. A moment of stunned silence overtook him and the rest of the company. He quickly masked his surprise, replacing it with a strategic smile. 'Ah, you flatter us, Princess Hilda. Bravo’s Brave Band indeed has a commendable reputation.' Lamar paused for dramatic effect, 'Rest assured, we are well-prepared and committed to assist you with your troubles.' Despite the unexpected introduction, Lamar kept his cool, steering the conversation expertly, not giving anyone the chance to question their identity further.

As Lamar finished, the silence was palpable. He could feel the wide-eyed stares of his team boring into him. Macey, the rogue, seemed to be holding back a laugh, her lips quirked up in a smirk. Kark, the barbarian, looked utterly dumbfounded, his brow furrowed and mouth agape. Healbot, the cleric, tilted slightly, as if processing this new information - a clear sign of surprise for the usually stoic construct. And Aribelle...well, her shocked expression spoke volumes. The elf mage had her arms crossed, her brilliant blue eyes darkened by surprise and perhaps a hint of concern. Lamar held his breath, waiting for their reactions. But for now, all they could do was stare, the name 'Bravo's Brave Band' hanging in the air between them.

Lamar cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence. 'Well,' he began, his gaze turning back to the eager Princess Hilda, '...as humbled as we are by your warm welcome, we should discuss the matter at hand with you Princess. Top secret stuff you understand.'

The Princess nodded and pulled Lamar aside.

'You see, Princess, our services come at a price. Rest assured, we intend to earn every coin by ridding your village of its problems.'

He cast a glance at his team, his eyes sending a silent message: Play along. Lamar was staking it all on this risky performance. He was playing the part of a leader of a famous adventuring band, and the others had no choice but to follow his lead. For now, they were Bravo's Brave Band in the eyes of these villagers, and they would have to uphold that reputation until their mission was done. 'Shall we discuss the specifics of your problem now, Princess Hilda?' Lamar asked, successfully shifting the focus of the conversation.

Princess Hilda nodded, her pink hair bobbing with the motion, and started explaining the situation, her voice laced with fear. 'We've been finding... animals in the river, dead ones. Creatures that once were full of life, now lifeless and drifting downstream.' Her eyes, brimming with unshed tears, scanned the faces of Lamar and his team. 'It started around the same time when we began encountering...the aberrant.'

Hilda paused, casting her gaze towards the ground for a moment before lifting her eyes to meet Lamar's, her determination clear. 'There have been... attacks. Small waves of monsters have been ambushing our hunters when they venture into the nearby forests.' Her voice shook slightly as she continued, 'Our hunters, they're skilled, but these monsters are unlike anything they've faced before. They're unnaturally aggressive and strong. We've already lost too many good people... we didn't know where else to turn.' Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, her knuckles whitening. 'We need your help to protect our people and find out where these creatures are coming from.'

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Macey jumped in. 'What about this necromancer, "The Ruinous Storm". What's his role in all of this?'

Princess Hilda hesitated at Macey's question, her eyes darting to the ground for a moment before meeting the rogue's gaze. 'The Ruinous Storm...,' she began, her voice noticeably quieter, 'he's a figure of nightmares, a myth... or so we thought.' She paused again, seemingly gathering her thoughts. 'The stories tell of a powerful necromancer, banished centuries ago, who could summon and control the dead. They say he was driven by vengeance, a formidable storm leaving ruin in his wake.' Hilda's words were veiled, her tone filled with an unsettling mix of fear and secrecy. 'But those are just stories...fairy tales to scare children... ,' she added hastily. Her eyes, however, told a different story, as she swiftly looked away, her gaze lingering ominously towards the forest's edge. The unsaid words hung heavily in the air, bridging the gap between myth and their chilling reality.

Kark slammed his fist into his palm. 'Shouldn't be too bad. The bonier they are, the easier the punching.'

Lamar frowned. 'That's...a terrible thing to say. Work on your catch phrase.'

Aribelle put a firm hand on Lamar's shoulder. 'Lamar...we need to talk in private.' Her fingers dug in painfully.

Lamar squeaked a little. 'But Aribelle, don't you want to survey the defences?'

'....defences?' Aribelle asked.

Hilda nodded. 'Of course you'll be in charge of the Town Core for the duration of the quest.'

'A town core?' Aribelle's eyes widened. 'All for me?'

'Couldn't hurt to look right?' Lamar said, pleading with his eyes.

Aribelle hesitated, clearly caught off-guard by Lamar's proposal. After a moment, she sighed, giving him a pointed look before turning to the princess. 'Alright, we'll inspect your Town Core. We need to assess the situation and prepare accordingly.'

Princess Hilda clapped her hands together with a relieved smile. 'Excellent! I'll have someone guide you right away.' She signaled to a guard, who nodded and stepped forward, ready to lead them to the Town Core.

As they followed the guard through the bustling village, Lamar seized the opportunity to address Aribelle, dropping back so they were walking side by side.'Aribelle, I know this isn't what we signed up for, but we must adapt. We'll figure it out, just like we always do.'

Aribelle glanced at him, her face softening slightly. 'I understand, Lamar. I just hope you know what you're doing.' She looked ahead, her gaze thoughtful. 'Because if these tales hold any truth, we could be facing an enemy far more dangerous than we anticipated.'

Lamar nodded solemnly. 'I know. But we won't let fear dictate our actions. We are the Bravo's Brave Band, after all,' he added, trying to inject a note of levity into the conversation.

Aribelle chuckled, shaking her head. 'Bravo's Brave Band, huh? We'll see.'

The tension eased slightly as they continued to navigate through the village. Healbot just stared at Lamar, without saying anything. Kark had procured a giant leg of roast mutton from one of the villagers, and Macey...

Macey had disappeared.