Of course Joe would do that! /lh Anyway, who is in each party? is it like one big guild and they divide depending on what the mission is or are there multiple parties that vaguely know about each other? - K
Glad you enjoyed Joe's story!
The party is one big interconnected group eventually. They don't usually all travel together at the same time or end up on the same quests (both for writing purposes and efficiency/usefulness). Do they really need 26 (+3) fighters hunting down the same monster terrorizing a town? There are a few moments when the whole gang gets together like for celebrations (Mumbo's first individual win, Grian becoming the Ender Dragon's paladin, etc.) and for big world ending events (the Wither).
The Hermits usually group up in smaller parties. There's the normal ones they tend to stick to by habit and that they originally came from, and there's the ones they form randomly such as when they meet for the first time, call on someone specific for a quest, or when people leave to deal with things individually. I like the easy way it facilitates new character groups and interactions.
Everyone gets to know each other eventually, usually by hearing about them from other members first and then teaming up, but plenty of Hermits met each other for the first time when joining the "Main Party" (aka Scar's group). I call it "Main" because everyone who joins the Hermits joins the party through whichever group is traveling with Scar. There are cases where people meet other Hermits first, but it's in passing, directing someone or noticing them in the background. Perhaps it's his natural maxed out charisma drawing them in? Perhaps it's Jellie's very being bending reality that way? Either way, everyone goes through Scar's group before officially sticking around.
This post is getting a bit long and I haven't hashed out all the groups, but I'll give you how the first group forms (planned out at this moment at least). Impulse and Cub probably won't make sense until I make their posts lol.
Scar leaves home with Jellie determined to travel the world and adventure for the first time in his life. He's so happy Jellie seems as excited as him to go exploring. He doesn't think he'd be able to do it if she wanted to stay home. He also doesn't know who enchanted his wheelchair to travel over any terrain with ease, but he really wishes he could thank them and maybe cry a bit. (It was Jellie, and she heard all his thanks and cuddled up close when he cried tears of joy.)
He meets Impulse first, also adventuring. They team up for the only interesting quest they can find. It's a bit tense at first (much to Scar's confusion, Impulse is nice and Scar hasn't done anything) until he notices Impulse start getting along with Jellie really well. Then the tension breaks. Scar tells Impulse they're officially a team now that he's passed the Official Jellie Test of Approval. Scar isn't exactly sure what happens in the OJTA, but it must be something from the amount of times he's woken up to find Impulse petting Jellie at the campfire late at night. Impulse is more than happy to stick with the two, just as excited as Scar when Scar drags them to see things he's never experienced before.
They meet Cub in the middle of some magical ruins. He's been having trouble with the ancient puzzles. Scar hasn't been having much luck either, but thankfully Impulse and Jellie are able to get them through in no time. Well of course that's because Jellie is just the smartest most *amazing* cat ever! When Cub finds out they're both magic users, he asks to stick around, a magic user himself. Magic solidarity, if you will. Scar is more than happy to have him, and is especially interested when Cub starts explaining how he gained his magic. He sure does talk nonsense, insisting that Jellie wields unimaginable power. Maybe if it's the power of unimaginable adorableness! Look at those toe beans. No way something so squishy could trample cities. Cub side eyes Impulse too, but Scar has a hankering that Cub is paranoid about everything. That's fine, Cub can worry about things, and Scar can persuade him otherwise.
The last one to join the starting gang is Grian. He's quite a mess and down on his luck. He's trying to put on a strong front, but it hasn't been much time at all since he broke his oaths and left the Watcher. He doesn't want to join the party at first. In fact aside from the beast they all slay together, he attempts to break off as soon as possible. The townsfolk, gossips the lot of them just a town or two over from one of the Watcher's many temples, turn Grian away at every turn. Now, Scar sees this and just can't stand for that. He invites Grian to join them in their already paid for dinner and bought rooms. Grian finally gets a good look and feel for the group and goes quietly along, staring at them in confusion. Thankfully Cub says something that must get him out of his funk, because Grian is thanking them and attempting to act chipper again. Grian doesn't assimilate as fast as the other two, he won't open up and his playful act is a little too forced. But as they adventure together and the party accepts the little tidbits he drops about his situation, his smiles grow a bit more genuine and he even asks that they keep an ear out for rumors of a strange keyed portal. Scar couldn't be more proud.
