"I think that sometimes, nothing is better than anything," Noburo replied as he watched the villagers, "However, beggars can't be choosers."

Stepping forward, he started inspecting the "militia" more closely now, his displeasure never reaching his face. IF his suspicions were true, he had to turn them into a proper fighting force in only couple of hours, a task even his old master Musashi would have trouble pulling out.

"Tell me," he began, trying to control his thick accent in order to sound more natural to these villagers, "Does any of you have any experience in fighting? Not counting bar fights...Also, do you have any weapons in town and has any of you used them? Ever? If no fighting, how about hunting experience?"

First things first, he had to know just what kind of people is he dealing with here. In Qyris, every village was under protection of their Daimyo's army, who besides his castle's garrison had couple of outposts across the territory, depending on its size, where professional soldiers lived and fought against anything that could threaten their Lord's laws. After all, Noburo was a Daimyo himself and he was familiar with how these things worked and he also knew that sometimes, villagers could not wait for his soldiers to arrive and therefore each town had its own small standing militia that could be raised if such need occurs that could protect the settlement until the army responds and comes to save the day.

However, being here in this foreign land that he still wasn't accustomed to, Noburo threaded carefully as he tried to figure out how much work would be needed to put into this effort before it bears them fruit.

@Colapse

Shaila approached Noburo slowly as he instructed the villagers. She had no doubt he had this well under control, regardless, she figured she might make a suitable "Training dummy" if need be. "Happy to assist you... If you like?" She stated.

The trip to the mines were unnerving to say the least, the path through the forest wasn't used often. Light was becoming scarce, vision was lacking and it hard to stay on the path.
Usual sounds of the forest weren't there. It was all eerily silent and unnatural.
Elisa and Cyntheria had made good time in their travel, but with Arthur as a guide Benjamin caught up with them soon enough.
Arthur gave simple directions that boiled down to "just follow the path" and headed on back to town. The man had been nervous and agitated the moment he left his home and eager to get back.

Nearing the mine, the trio found themselves going uphill. The terrain began to have more stone than grass.
Some light was shining on top of the hill, and judging how it fluttered about it could be a torch or some other fire source.
Getting closer to the entrance they saw no life present but a lonely torch wedged between some rocks near it.
There was also several clear footprints and cart wheel tracks on the ground leading into the mine.
Clearly there was traffic here, in an old long since abandoned mine that had nothing of worth anymore.

The mine itself seemed to be pitch black dark, the torch and waning sunlight managing to illuminate little into the mine. They'd have to bring their own lightsource if they dared venture in. Lucky torches cant discriminate against anyone.

From the mines a faint sound of screaming emanated that stopped abruptly. All the while, the forest around them felt oppressive still, although more scarce here.

@Vlayden @Maleth @BloodySoulStealer

The ferret would glance over at the others at the sound of the screaming, eventually patting Elisa's shoulderplate and skipping off to the ground.
"'m gonna git in there, and see what I can find." He said, before scurrying in. As a ferret - the tiny thing was certainly able to sneak about, and he had great eyesight, not to mention decent hearing. Darkness be damned, Benjamin's on the scene!
He'd do his best to try and stay near the walls and under rocks; his dark pelt would probably make him easier to miss, after all. And with torchlight, he'd see them before they see him! Just a matter of hoping there isn't anything like... Monstrous bears, or angry dogs, or things like that which could find him even in the dark.

"I appreciate your offer," Noburo replied, "But let us first see what we are dealing with here, so we can figure out how to proceed next."

Ulrich grumbled. He looked at the would be fighters that had gathered for a moment before responding.
"It's killing all the quarry. Now that the mines are no more this town lives off of the game and lumber. That thing is a serious hazard, we need to assemble a kill team and gather more information."
Ulrich rolled his shoulder and held back a yawn.
"Right now, I'll show Gwyneth to her quarters and catch some rest myself. Excuse me."
He nodded stoically to Ferdinand. Ulrich then escorted the drained and tired Gwyneth to the tavern, she looked ready to sleep for days anyway.

Hearing the screaming, Elisa said to Cyntheria (@BloodySoulStealer ) "I don't suppose you'd mind waiting for me? I've got a little trick up my sleeves to help out with exploring those mines... And well, I'm fairly sure you'd agree that being invisible was a very handy tool for a stealthy reconnoiter of the place?"

With that said, the Mage brought out some chalk and started drawing out her ritual for invisibility but not yet focusing upon etching out the core part of the ritual that focused the effect upon a person. After all
she decided that it was perhaps worth leaving it ready for Cyntheria to step inside the ritual space should she wish to use it.

So Ferifan then asked "Anyways, would you feel better taking the invisibility or shall I use it?" Naturally, she was drawing out the markings that helped shape and focus magic into the form she desired, leaving the focusing for after her ally had made her decision about taking (or not) her offer of a magical piece of assistance.

Cyntheria looked to Elisa and gave a nod.
"Thank you. I will accept your offer but I was instructed if in danger I would go back and warn my master. I will not leave anyone behind but I ask if you might have a way to come with. I don't know how big the caves are and might be easier with two. I give my word I will protect you to if you go."
She bowed and waited for her to finish to the spell while listening carefully for any noise possible. She grabbed her double blades and took a deep breath before entering the cave and trying to listen carefully. She was careful of where she stepped and her blades touching anything. She went towards any out of place noises and trying to locate where the scream was from.

@Shadhunter @Colapse @ItsTime
The peasants were silent after bar fights got ruled out. Most of them just stared at Noburo and whispered among themselves. Then they started nodding when hunting was mentioned.
As for weapons the usual answer was an axe or a club, bows and crossbows as wells. Some sharp farming tools would be readily available as well.
"I have a sword." said the one woman of the ten would be fighters. "Father was a soldier, he taught me to fight before he passed away."
All the others turned to look at her and she stared back. Victor smiled and nodded at the lass. She didn't look particularly strong and the others were bigger than her.
The blacksmith that accompanied the party joined in on the conversation.
"I could make some spears and polearms, If I had enough time and help to do it."
He said, scratching his scruff.
"Ollie, help the smith. Henry, try to find something for training dummies."
Victor ordered the squires, who were busy doing nothing. They quickly barked acknowledgments and went off to their duties.
"With three of us, this could amount to something."
Victor said to Shaila and Noburo.
"You want to help with this, Asher?"
He turned about and addressed the mercenary on the carriage.

@Vulpas
Red's work with the spike traps went slow. It was hard work for a single man to do. After about a half an hour, some peasants came about with shovels. Without saying anything to the mercenary they started helping him digging and making the spikes. At this rate it would get done at morning.
"Are you a Knight Elusine?" One of the peasants asked Red, and pointed to his dagger on his belt.

@GrimFritz @OgrynLord @TuskatheDaemonKilla
Now that Hay was cured, he was back to his old self. Happy and about and so were the kids. Hay ran for every new guest and nudged at their hands with his muzzle to beg for scratches or rubbed his sides along their leg, tail wagging. All these new scents and people and Hay was loving it.
After a moment, Hay ran for Urghak and gently bit on his hand and began pulling. He ran a few meters towards the forest and turned around to bark at the barbarian and Ori.
Seems like the dog wanted them to follow him, somewhere, if they wished to follow. When the two weren't moving Hay again began pulling Ori from his boot, barking at them again. Ferdinand was close by and saw the whole thing.
They could follow the dog if they wished, into the cold dark forest in the middle of the night.

@Vlayden
Benjamin's venture inside the mines went slower in the dark. The silence now was oppressive, he only heard his own little feet pattering. Soon he came to a point where the mine forked to left and right. Right tunnel was collapsed, the floor completely gone with a pit so deep you couldn't see the bottom (or anything else for that matter in this dark.) Benjamin almost fell into that pit too, quickly managing to pull himself back from it's edge.
When there was nowhere to go but left, he headed there.
Benjamin arrived at a larger area in the mine, the air wasn't so thick here. It seemed like a hub of sorts that had about six different tunnels leading deeper into the mine.
Eventually, he started to hear whimpering, from somewhere in the dark. It sounded like a child, Benjamin still remained undetected. The darkness made it hard to make out anything proper and Benjamin bumped nose first into a mine cart.

@Maleth @BloodySoulStealer
Elisa's ritual took about thirty to fourty minutes to make. Thanks to the rocky terrain, the lines weren't so neatly set but still adequate. When all was set and done and both ladies inside it, Elisa called the magic forth.
The ritual did most of the work for her, giving her only a tingly feeling all over.
Elisa and Cyntheria flickered in and out of invisibility and eventually faded away from sight, completely invisible. The spell tickled both of them a little and it was weird to move around when they couldn't see themselves anymore.
When they moved in the mine, the darkness slowed their progress considerably. Cyntheria slipped into the same pit Benjamin was about to, Elisa quickly grasped for her in the dark where she assumed she was (they were both invisible), and by luck she grabbed Cyntheria just in time not to fall to her death.
They got lucky this time.

Shaila untied the claymore from her back. She took it in her hand and stared at it for a moment before she glanced at the peasants. She raised the blade high. "Can anyone wield this?" She asked the crowd. She doubted it, but if one here could, she'd be happy to lend her blade in the hopes of increasing the chances of survival for others.