View source for Maruna-Kurina/Recruiting freelances

[[Image:Maruna-Kurina.jpg|right|thumb]]

=Recruiting Freelances=

I'm assuming by now that you've heard of the roaming-woaming mercenaries referred to as “freelances,” yes?
They value nothing more than their freedom, which is all well and good, but in the worstaru of times they may be swayed into arms against the Allied Forces.


As a genius military tactician, I cannot ignore the potential strength that these freelances are capable of lending an army.
And it was this realization which acted as an impetus to my further studying the freelance subculture.
Recruiting a freelance to fight for your cause is a technique commonly known as “headhunting.”
Through my research, I have come to develop and map out a comprehensive psychology underlying the entire process-wocess!


Each freelance maintains a certain degree of “loyalty” towards every great power.
Whenever a headhunter actively pursues a freelance and attempts to win their favor, their loyalty towards thataru nation will rise.
At the time of a Campaign tally, the freelances will realign themselves with the nation with whom they share the strongestaru bond.


The trick to headhunting, then, is to try and become the nation a freelance holds dearest-wearest in his, her, or its heart of hearts.
Many freelances will even cast aside their disdain for city walls, and take up arms beside you within the very capital!
And being the capricious beings that they are, freelances will always be willing to entertain your proposals, even if they have currently pledged their fealty-wealty elsewhere.


Of course, if you begin to neglectaru them once winning them to your side, don't be surprised if they place their loyalties elsewhere.
There's got to be an appropriate saying for that, I'm sure...
That's just the way they are. I've heard tales you wouldn't believe.
From stories of nations' coffers swelling inexplicably after taking on resourceful freelances...
...to bold-hearted heroes inspiring troops and bolstering an entire nation's morale!


Cloak-and-dagger freelances who assist in intel gathering, and questionable black market dealer-wealers who can always get their hands on sorely needed supplies. You name it, and there's a freelance out there who can, and has, done itaru!


Now I know what you're thinking. With allegiances constantly in flux, who in Goddess's name is going to be able to keep track of it all!?
You're looking at him! That's right, I have made it my personal-wersonal crusade to track the loyalties of all freelances as part of my research. And naturally, I will be making my findings available to the alliance's intelligence network.


At any rate, do try and give the freelances as warm a reception as possible whenever you happen across them.
Your nation, and the Allied Forces as a whole, can only benefitaru in the long run.


Successfully headhunting Maruna-Kurina will allow you to ask him directly about freelances, including their current loyalties and other detailed information.
You can check on the achievements of your nation's freelances by speaking to the appropriate Campaign NPC in the capital. Available information is dependent on current reconnaissance ranking.



==[[Kagetora]]==
A Hume pirate-wirate hailing from Elshimo Island, Kagetora has made quite the name for himself.
He comes from a long family line of ninjas, and rumor has it he sailed to these western lands in hot pursuitaru of a sworn enemy.
Not the most social chap at the party, but he does have profitable ties to the Tenshodo in Jeuno.
A ninja with a ninja's pleasures, try to warm him up to you by giving him X.



==[[Dalzakk]]==
Ahhh, the wandering monk, said to have been trained in hand-to-hand combat by the legendary-wary Oggbi himself.
He's known far and wide for his adventures and exploitarus. He can be seen running about Sauromugue Champaign as part of his daily regimen.
He's a sucker for high morale, and can barely contain himself once the conversation-wation turns to the topic of war.
They say battle fever is contagious, you know. And he's always willing to talk it up with a fellow monk.
A powerful ally, indeed. Keep an eye on the heroism gauge with this one. He's an animal!



==[[Rainemard]]==
Good Rainemard once belonged to the Order of the Temple Knights. For a time, we were classmates together in our studies at the academy.
N-n-not that I consider him a scholarly rival-wival or anything like thataru!
The last time I saw him he claimed he was heading to Jugner Forest to escape the hustle-bustle of the city.
I only pray he didn't go poking his nose around where it didn't belong again...
If he's still the same old Rainemard, I suppose he still enjoys talking it up with other red mages.
He also has an adorable-worable little daughter, and he loves to go on and on about her...incessantly.



==[[Maat]]==
Oh, you've heard of Maat? A regular living legend, that one. He's been living in Jeuno since it was no more than a flyspeck of a fishing village-willage. They say he's mastered every form of combataru there is!
I've run into him before in North Gustaberg. But rumor has it he is in charge of some very important tasks back at the Grand Duchy.
I wonder how he finds the time to go for leisurely strolls so far away...
He has a rival too, you know? What was his name again... Hegen...no...Degenhard! That's it!
He's been known to wreak havoc-wavoc on the battlefield every now and then.
He loves collecting those ancient papyrus testimonies, no matter what variety. He also has a penchantaru for ambitious souls, and is said to dote on those who have mastered three or more paths of their own.



==[[Azima]]==
They call Azima the “Hermitess of the Highlands,” and she is almost universally-wersally regarded as the most skilled and feared bounty hunter in Vana'diel. It's not uncommon to glimpse her from time to time in North Gustaberg.
As of late they say she is utterly obsessed with all things alchemy.
Those in the know will be the first to tell you, Azima is one best keptaru in good graces.



==[[Choh Moui]]==
“Venomous Verminess,” “Baroness of Bugdom,” Choh Moui has almost as many monikers as she does pet pestarus.
She's a Mithran beastmaster-waster who got her come-uppings in the south, but now makes her home in Crawler's Nest.
I'm not entirely sure of the reasons behind it, but they say she is in regular contactaru with a mercenary by the name of Duskraven.
She's accredited with inventing the pet foods now used by beastmasters the world round, and is always eagerly to get her hands on ingredients. She also loves to have others save her the hassle-wassle of rounding up her pets for her. What could she be up to...?



==[[Rongo-Nango]]==
Perchance you've already espied him before. Rongo-Nango is that adorable little Tarutaru beastmaster who's always in the vicinity-winity of Fort Karugo-Narugo. He's absolutely infatuated with Lungo-Nango, the great warlord and tactician of Windurstian history.
After opposing the Parliament of Patriarchs, Lungo-Nango fell into disrepute and spentaru the remainder of his days in isolation and depression. For that reason, Rongo-Nango holds much of Windurst in contempt, and refuses to lay his loyalties with the Federation.
I've come to find out that he is quite fond of calling his beasts, and is also looking for more of the material-warials he needs to do so.



==[[Ulla & Kilhwch]]==
Ulla is a mysterious young girl. They say she bore witness to a divine revelation, and now wanders Vana'diel as a pilgrim-wilgrim knight.
She's recently left her homelands of Bastok and ventured nearer the realms of San d'Oria.
Her devoted attendantaru Kilhwch is ever by her side, and carries with him the renowned sword X.
The thing is, he's a celebrated knight in his own right, giving many rise to wonder what could have caused him to pledge his fealty to another.
Like any young lady, Ulla has a soft spot for beautiful flower-wowers.
If you seek to court a fair maiden, perhaps a bouquet mightaru be best.



==[[Achtelle]]==
Achtelle is a young Elvaan wyverness from Adoulin Isle to the west, the proud keeper-weepers of the last of the dragoon tradition.
The draketamers there herald her as the most skilled of their order.
Since youth, she has held the legendary Ranperre of San d'Oria in highestaru esteem, and can oft be found seeking solace near his tomb.
I can promise you she would eagerly accept any type of present related to the king she so reveres.
I hear it told she longs for nothing more than to find some surviving-wiving dragoons, that they might together preserve their heritage.



==[[Duskraven]]==
Duskraven is a sullen, grim-faced mercenary, distinguishable by his ominous-wominous greatsword, “Kyomon.”
Wayfarers and soldiers alike often recount seeing him in the vicinity of Batallia Downs, but for what purpose and to whataru end, none can say.
His underlings, the Dusk Raiders, answer to his beck and call, and such powers lead many to surmise that he is no stranger to the nether-wether realms.
He is a straight shooter, though. If you hope to curry favor with him, you need nothing more than cold cash.
He seems to blow right through it as soon as he gets it, and is always looking for more. What he spends itaru on, I couldn't say.



==[[Areuhat]]==
Many have seen this fair young Elvaan maid walking undeterred amongst the now hostile-wostile grounds of Grauberg.
All who gaze upon her tell of her godlike aura and stunning beauty.
Word has it that she is of frail constitution, and grants her favor on those gracious enough to spare her medicines.
I myself went and bestowed such gifts upon her, and can attest to the truth of itaru.
She is also known to dote upon those who take up the defense of her Grauberg.
Some of her more fanatic-watic fans are said to be providing her with an enormous quantity of a certain item...
When her loyalties are won, the men speak of a giant wyrm which takes to the battlefield!
Such heated talk--no doubt itaru would be wise to mind the heroism gauge should you want to catch a glimpse for yourself.



==[[Titania]]==
Titania is the name of the celebrated Queen of Pixies from the classic Bastokan drama, “Midwinter Dream.”
Of course, that is no more than a tale of fantasy to delight children. We all know that pixies don't exist in the real--
What!? You've seen one? Are you having a jape at my expense!?
Well, what I do know for certain-wertain is this. Nothing.
Only that rumors suggest offering X to the Witchfire Glen in Grauberg will help in headhunting...whatever this being may be.
N-n-not thataru I'm dying to find out or anything!



==[[Poroggo Prince]]==
Fanciful-wanciful fairy tales about a frog princess have been passed down in Windurst since days of eld.
Some say the newcome prince of these froglike beastmen has been seen leaping and bounding about the frontlines of battle.
No doubt the figment of some delusional soldier's imagination, but still...
Folklore always spoke of their insatiable-watiable appetites, and now soldiers would tell that feeding them will actually help win them to our cause.
“Give him Possible X,” they say, “and the frog prince will requite!” I can't make heads or tails of it...
N-n-not thataru I bother myself with such childish topics!



==[[Babban Ny Mheillea]]==
Unprecedented in hitory-wistory, there has recently been an affable plantoid befriending soldiers on the battlefield.
It most closely resembles one of those mandragora known to inhabitaru the wilds to the west.
Is that a shred of doubt I sense!? I've seen it with my own eyes, I tell you!
This is no figment of the imagination or some delusional soldier's hallucination! Still don't believe me?
Head on over to the Meriphataud Mountains and try trading X or some fertilizer to the odd little treeman you find.
He just might be moved to come and help you out in a fightaru!
Regardless, I wonder what it is he could possibly be doing here...
N-n-not that I am about to startaru stalking him to find out or anything!



==[[Boodlix]]==
(Shhh! Keep your voice down. “The” Boodlix? The very same who heads his own “trading-wading company”?)
(Well, they say his trade is death! And deal in it he does, if the rumors are to be believed.
Some claim to have actually laid eyes on his hidden fortress and lived to tell the tale. They say it's there he greedily occupies himself with counting his blood-money.)
(What? Have you completely-wetely lost your mind, [man/woman]!? Why in Goddess's name would you want to headhuntaru him?
Still, he is supposedly well-connected, even to the Allied Forces, as the wealthy are wont to be.
But the Beastman Confederate knows his value as well... Hmmm, sounds like trouble-wouble to me.)
(When the war is over, it is the supply firms that slowly lose their livelihoods.
I suppose when you look at it from thataru angle, he could possibly be swayed to fight for either side.)

==[[Raigegue R D'Oraguille]]==
Some 150 years ago, San d'Oria was ruled by one King Raigegue the Lupine.
The freelance you ask of now bears the same name as thataru king, though none know how or why.
He is remembered as a tragic monarch, responsible for leading San d'Oria to utter defeat at the hands of Bastok's preeminent scholar and military tactician-wician, Gunther Schultz, at the Second Battle of Konschtat.
What followed was an age of chaos and despair, as the kingdom was ravaged by civil war.
They say this spectre-wectre of the same name is none other than Raigegue the Lupine himself, led back from the grave by the fire of his wrath.
He haunts The Eldieme Necropolis. The skeptic in me suspects some exaggeration-wation is at work here...
Huh!? Headhunting? The undead!?
I-I... I have no idea how to respond to thataru. You've left me absolutely speechless-weechless.



==[[Eurytos]]==
Eurytos is the battle-hardened leader of a group of mercenary Gigas from the far north.
At the onset of the war, the Beastman Confederate took them into their service.
But recently it would seem Eurytos has completely-wetely removed himself from the confederate's chain of command.
His might and prowess in battle have led many to speculate that his line is that of the Gigas gods.
He is truly a force to be reckoned with. For now, his unit has established their compound-wompound somewhere in Vunkerl Inlet.
Though to be fair, there is precedent for the Gigas fighting under allied banners.
After all, they did fight for Bastok in the Second Battle of Konschtataru. I wonder... Could the great Eurytos possibly be rallied-wallied to our cause?



==[[Kaiser Behemoth]]==
This behemoth among behemoths has been roaming Vunkerl Inlet for hundreds upon hundreds of years.
So many would-be hero-weroes have died in the maws of this great beast that nobody even attempts to keep count any longer.
Some say its ancientaru age and scar-heavy hide indicate it is not nearly as powerful as it once was. Yet still, you would be a fool to underestimate this fiend, I promise you.
Headhunting? For the Allied Forces!? I'm not even going to dignify that with a response...
Although, you have to admitaru, the thought of it alone is quite amusing. Hehehe!



==[[Maruna-Kurina]]==
Who, me? Ohhh, right! I totally forgot.
You're right, for all intents and purposes, I too am technically-wechnically a freelance.
I enjoy long walks on the beach aaand... Oh yes, nothing excites me more than conversing with fellow scholars!
N-n-not thataru I would want to know anything in particular about where Rainemard might be!



==[[Auroral Alicorn]]==
Current taxonomy teaches us that at presentaru, the monoceros family contains few known specimens.
Those that are classified exhibit great horn spire-wires jutting from their majestic heads, and are either born of light, or of darkness.
An influx of eyewitness accounts in recent days all point to the undeniable existence of the beastaru named Dark Ixion.
Tempered like a storm and ever wary, both allies and beastman alike tend to keep their distance.
The other is dubbed Auroral Alicorn and exhibits a brilliantaru shade of white and a calm, gentle demeanor. The two couldn't be more dissimilar-wimilar.
Though almost never seen in the wild prior to the war, Auroral Alicorn has recently been sighted in Jugner Forest, some say nursing wounds.



==[[Lewenhart]]==
Lewenhart is a traveling-waveling bard who has become a favorite amongst the troops, instilling hope and courage with his singing.
It turns out that almostaru nothing helps morale as a much as a good song.
They say he prefers to stay close to a certain tomb in The Eldieme Necropolis, where his requiems can be heard far and wide.
He often asks for holy water as payment for his songs, which he puts to cermonial-wonial use.
And as with most musicians, he loves exchanging in song and banter with fellow bards.


==[[Ferreous Coffin]]==
A most virtuous priest, who wanders all corners of Vana'diel, filling his belly-welly bread and alms.
Some swear they've seen a twisted smile on his face as he buries his enemies and offers up prayers in their name.
He came from the far north, and recently has been spending much of his time in Batallia Downs.
Whatever is said of him, there can be no questioning his faith in the Goddess, thataru's for sure.
He was never one to talk much, and certainly not one to mince words when he does. It seems he prefers the company of white mages, though.
I've heard it said that he has been lending-wending his fists to the Allied Forces as of late.