It's an early hot morning in Salia and the voices of merchants beckoning, haggling and screaming their goods are like war cries in the stiff air. The townspeople swarmed the plaza that acted as the market place like ants in a corpse that's left to dry, adding their voice to the already loud volume.

As far as the good people of Salia are concerned this day would just be another uneventful day as the ones before, their familiar routine unmolested.

This lasted until the arrival of the lone host. A pack of jackals can't have drawn more attention than them. Merchants gave worried glances whenever they're near. Townsfolk avoided them like leprosy, giving them a large space to thread through, afraid to even catch their attention. Looking like raiders, the lone host are garbed in battle-bitten armors and armed with weapons that have seen much use, they reach their destination unopposed.

A large building with a big sign, "Prokopis Herbal Shop" the worn painted words say. A bell rang as they entered and the shop-owner, a burly short man, emerged from another door behind a counter. "Welcome, what may I offer... you?" his face instantly paled as he looked the band.

Volkhard, the crew's leader, steps forward. A big man, he wears chainmail armor with short sleeves showing his scared arms. An old leather hood draped over his broad shoulders and head, covering his face in shadow.

Volkhard approaches Prokopis and the shop owner shrinks behind his counter.

He stops in front of the counter, pulls a folded paper, flaten it back to shape and shows it to Prokopis.

"We'll take the job" Volkhard said in a gruff voice, like he has screamed his whole life and it left him breathless when he talk.

"Huh?" Prokopis asked.

"He says we'll take your job" Hagen said beside Volkhard. The shop owner look at the shorter man. Draped in black fur coat he looked more animal than human. Hagen give Prokopis a dog leering smile showing his sharp yellow teeth.

Pantelis' eyes wandered down Hagen and saw his right hand, two fingers missing, holding an axe.

Prokopis looks back at Volkhard and he just notices a sword slung to his belt. Then he looked at the crew of the lone host idling around his shop.

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Arnulf is sitting in one of the chairs, hugging his matchlock. His head turned this way and that, worried eyes looking for potential danger in every corner of the shop.

Till, a big lad taller and wider than Volkhard with small piggish eyes barely visible under large brows. He is just standing in place, leather armor draped over his large body, a giant club with a rusty spike at the end resting in one meaty paw.

Thilo meanwhile is looking at the herbal plants inside the jars arranged in a shelf. He's leaner than the rest, head and body hidden in a rancid hooded cloak. Thilo turns, unblinking eyes staring back at Prokopis and the shop owner could see his head, arms and hands are covered in old bandages. But most distressing of all are the various fetishes hanging in a necklace made of rat spines around his neck. A witch.

Prokopis pulled himself from Thilo's gaze. Armed men are inside his shop, dangerous and strange men. Whatever it is they want they will no doubt take it by force. Spilling his blood in the process and maybe his daughter too.

"Excuse me" a voice came from below.

"Huh?"

"Down here" said a dwarf man, straining beside the counter, his tiny child's hands clutching its edge. Prokopis leaned down, looking at him, even more confused than before.

"Halo!" the dwarf said "my name is Rocco, what my friends here are trying to ask you is about the caravan job in the poster their" his eyes pointed to the paper atop the counter then back again to Prokopis and he grin.

"uh... Oh!" Prokopis finally understands what's happening, these men aren't here to rob him they are here to work for him, that drained some of his fears out, but only some. "Yes, forgive me for not acknowledging you earlier of course the job..."

"Is it still up?" Volkhard cut him.

"Huh... ah yes! Yes it is still on offer..."

"Then we can take it?"

"Yes... yes of course you can take it" Prokopis said, still worried, sure they're gonna hurt him if he said no.

"Great" Volkhard said "then we got a job everyone" he announced to his crew, they didn't seem to notice. Volkhard lifts a large hand, Prokopis nearly jump, afraid that he will punch him. Volkhard scratched his head instead, snorting in satisfaction.

Prokopis wants to cry, he can't take another second with these men anymore. Would his day get anymore crazier? Then the hood dropped, Volkhard scratching pushed it down.

The face the shadow have hidden is now revealed to Prokopis and he wishes that it have stayed hidden. It's like someone had carved a modeled head of a man in wax and left its right side near a fire to melt. Volkhard's right face, skull and neck is a red leathery patch of burned flesh. Right eye melted shut. Right nostril scorch to slit. Right side of his lip burned to a line. No hair grows on his right pate, their roots charred to ash. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!..." Prokopis screamed in horror and the door behind him opened and emerges Lia. "Father what is happening I heard your cry, who are..." she looks at Volkhard and screams also.