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Post by Lorenic on Mar 15, 2011 21:35:27 GMT
Listening to Eruhs's story, Lorenic learned that his own story was vastly similar to that of the scholar's. Not to mention their fighting style was also similar, which piqued his interest. But content with what he was hearing, he had no regrets with his decision to travel with the man.
To the Vassa, Lorenic directed his focus, "So I understand why the merchants are here. Is there a rarity of sorts you seek to find Castile? Or was it for the winters night festivities you wanted to partake in?"
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Post by Jynx on Mar 16, 2011 1:07:39 GMT
Jynx thanked the waitress who had enlightened her of the Mangalord’s kind disposition and the possibility of his appearance being anticipated by many of the citizens and visitors for the festival. As she moved professionally through the crowds making pleasantries, Jynx arrived at her destination within the inn where the entertainers gathered together putting on various acts that could be done in such cramped conditions.
Stealthy striating out her entertainer’s dress, Jynx walked over to one of the bigger troops and up to the flamboyantly dressed director. She waited patiently until he was done chatting with a buoyant fiddle player before interjecting his moment of calm with an, “Excuse me?”
When he turned around she gave him a charming smiled, “Good evening sir, I was wondering if you might have room for another performer on your stage tonight. I’m a singer and am not interested money but in publicity, so anything I make on your stage it yours.” She spoke her proposition in a diplomatic matter that she hoped will be enticing to the cheery looking director.
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Post by Rolph on Mar 16, 2011 2:13:28 GMT
"I've fought the Drakkarim myself at sea before," said Rolph. "Lencia used to be a much larger country. The lands across the Tentarias from Lencia were once known as Northern Lencia before the Drakkarim came and conquered them. One day they shall be free again, but until that day the Drakkarim are a scourge. Their raiders frequently attack Lencian shipping, and they are brutal. Before I had my own ship, I sailed one for King Sarnac. I had just received my first command when I came to the aid of a ship that was under attack by the murderous Drakkarim. We closed quickly while they were occupied and boarded the enemy ship, swinging across on ropes. Once on their deck, I sought out the Drakkar captain and fought him in single combat while our crews fought each other. It was the toughest battle of my life, but in the end Ishir smiled upon me and I prevailed. I was sorely wounded, but the enemy captain was dead. Without him, the Drakkarim lost all discipline and were overcome with fear. My men were able to make short work of them, and victory was ours that day.
"I do see what you mean about nations cooperating more, Eruhs. When you have a common enemy, it benefits you to trust each other and work together. That is why Lencia came to Eru's aid recently and helped liberate her cities of Luomi and Cetza from the Hammerlanders. Unfortunately, the sieges of the great Drakkarim fortress-cities did not go so well." He smiled when he saw the little owl fly over and perch on the mug. "Oh, how adorable!" He tore off a piece of bread and offered it to the owl. "You'd probably rather have a nice juicy mouse or something, but I don't have any. This is what I do have."
Rolph nods to Castiel. "If it's strategy you want, then samor and chess are the games for you. No chance is involved; they are games of pure skill. Both games are similar, though with subtle differences. I have the boards and pieces back in my cabin on the ship, but we'll be here for long enough that I'm sure we'll have an opportunity to play. I look forward to teaching them to you."
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Post by Castiel on Mar 16, 2011 2:26:28 GMT
Castiel turned to Lorenic and tried to block out Eruhs story. Even hearing some of his story turned Castiel's features a bit pale. Killing was a necessary evil for him, and one he chose not to relive for fun.
Castiel sighed "Coming here was an opportunity presented by my friend Aetos. I had partook in a battle less then a year ago, but it seems war never gets any easier for me. He offered an escape and a friendly confidant for the trip, and i took it happily. So in essence I am on a vacation, next time I must remind myself to travel some place with more sun. I had hoped to see what the festivities had to offer."
Turning a glance over to Rolph, Castiel inquired "I would wish that you could teach me some of these games of chance that you had learned while aboard your ship. For my own personal interest games of chance provide me more entertainment then a story. Moreover, games of strategy are of a particular interest."
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Post by Maerin on Mar 16, 2011 4:55:21 GMT
The tavern woman started to respond to Eruhs’ demands, starting to shake her head. However, the Stornlander’s rapid-fire, impulsive conversation changes left the tavern woman standing, open-mouthed and confused. When he immediately addressed Altor, she merely shrugged and went about her business. When Eruhs turned to again speak with her, she was gone.
The conversation between companions had split into a couple different discussions, with only a couple participating in one topic or the other. However, all their attentions, as well as a good many of those around them, were drawn to the small owl. The bird settled so sharply onto Eruhs’ mug as to spill half the drink within onto the table. When it began chittering and hissing at all of them, head revolving to glare at each in turn, the conversation ceased entirely. The owl ignored Rolph’s friendly offering as it continued its scolding of all at the table.
Eruhs tried to wave the owl off its perch on his mug. The owl hissed and snapped at his fingers, though it’s sharp beak did not actually bite the man. However, the bird startled all the onlookers with its next, indignant act. Staring directly at Eruhs’ face, it uttered what sounded like two muffled grunts, followed by a sharp cough. A small, dark lump dropped quickly from its beak to land in the Stornlander’s drink with a sharp PLUNK!
As Eruhs lifted his mug and stepped away from the table, the owl hopped off with another angry hiss. Ignoring the Stornlander and Bouncing two steps across the table, the owl next hissed and snapped its beak at Altor.
GM OOC: A reminder to all of you that you do not control NPCs in the game. You all only play one character. Even the friends of PCs are NPCs in this game. I’m being nice right now, which is why Eruhs didn’t just lose a couple fingers…
Also, pace off each other and the GM posts. Don’t steam roll each other, or the game.
Needless to say, where this post contradicts elements of Eruhs’ post, this post takes precedence.
***
The man who seemed most in charge of the various entertainers gathered towards one corner of the room merely shrugged at Jynx in response.
“Do what you wish, stranger. So long as you are not singing for free during a time when one of the rest of us here is trying to earn an honest living tonight, no harm done.”
The other entertainers, overhearing the man's response to Jynx, just nodded in agreement.
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Post by Eruhs Ohf Leitus on Mar 16, 2011 22:07:49 GMT
Eruhs turned and sat at the table, setting the spoiled mug off to the side. Eruhs tried speaking to the bird in in different languages to see if the bird responded, and partially to showcase his grasp on many languages to the people at the table.
In Vassa, "What is wrong? Where is your owner?"
In Eastern Vaderish, "Oi. What do you want, bird? Hmm?"
In Western Vaderish, "Did we do something to offend you? Did you escape a cage?"
In Borese, "Do you need something? Are one of the merchants your owner?"
In a Naelan language, "Why are you here? Can we help?"
In Trade, "What is it? What you want? You have master?"
In an Aluvian dialect, "Is there something I can do, little one?"
In Sommerlunding, "Why do you perch here, owl? Please, leave us be."
Eruhs stared at the owl, waiting for it to indicate what the purpose of its presence was, or waiting for an owner to come and claim it. Eruhs continued to watch, amusedly as Altor began poking at the owl with a spoon. "Oi, Altor. I don't think he'll respond well to that." Eruhs squinted his eyes, anticipating that the bird will attempt biting Altor.
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Post by Altor "Al" Cloudscraper on Mar 16, 2011 22:27:31 GMT
Altor stared at the bird, quite shocked, and then at Eruhs, who seemed to know quite a fair number of languages, and seemed eager to show them off. Altor, though, did not appreciate either the bird coming and squawking at them, nor did he appreciate it vomiting in his new acquaintances food.
Picking up a spoon, he prods the bird, saying "away wi' ye, before we make a meal o' ye!"
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Post by Lorenic on Mar 16, 2011 23:21:47 GMT
Startled by the appearance of the tiny avian, Lorenic soon found it to be quite nice to have dinner, conversation, and a show. Ok, maybe the throwup in Eruhs cup was a bit much. But an owl of such stature and brass was not something Lorenic was used to seeing. Obviously something or someone at the table had angered the tiny creature.
Pets are not uncommon for people to have, especially the traveling merchant. But miniature owls were unusual to say the least. Throughout the day no merchants he saw had brought in any avian creatures for sale or trade. So Lorenic started to look around for whose owner the owl might belong to, also arbitrarily offering it a small piece of bread.
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Post by Rolph on Mar 17, 2011 1:53:48 GMT
Rolph understood many of the languages Eruhs had spoken, but not all of them. Still, he was sure he wasn't missing much. "I am certain that the owl understands what you're saying," he said to Eruhs. "I am just as certain that it does not care for anything you have to say. I advise you and Altor both to leave the bird alone."
"Tawula?" Rolph said when Castiel mentioned the game. "No, I haven't played that one, but I'd be interested to learn." He looked up when Ilia approached the table.
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Post by Castiel on Mar 17, 2011 2:51:18 GMT
Nodding in agreement with Rolph's statement Castiel added his bit "Seeing that this creature has a certain bravery around Humans it could have been raised or taken care of by someone. That said someone could be in the tavern and very much not enjoy the treatment of their feathery friend. If we leave the him or her alone I believe the owls business will be conducted and will return to its roost". Castiel took a quick pause shooting a crack of a smile to the table. "If its business has not already been conducted into Eruhs’ mug".
Castiel proceeded to continue his conversation with Rolph "I do not know the game of Samor but I have played Chess, or what im told is a similar game to Chess. Do you know the game of Tawula? I think its more commonly known as Backgammon in other places. Its a game of luck and skill, quite enjoyable to pass the time among friends."
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Post by Ilia Underwing on Mar 17, 2011 2:53:27 GMT
Ilia rolled her eyes at the antics of both Rhia and the men surrounding her. Less amused now, she made her way over to the table, intent on stopping said antics before they got any further out of hand.
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Post by Jynx on Mar 17, 2011 3:29:43 GMT
Jynx bowed slightly and respectfully to the other players showing that she understood quite well what they meant before waiting for her turn to go up on stage.
When her turn came up, Jynx left her handmaiden offstage with the instructions of having the red head woman gather the money at the end of the performance. She would watch the Jayda carefully to see if this test of trust would prove fruitful for any future investment in this woman.
While on stage, Jynx then elegantly take off her colorful shawl and laid it neatly on the floor for any money offers before starting and upbeat and festive song.
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Post by Maerin on Mar 17, 2011 3:45:08 GMT
The companions heard, briefly, an angry hiss start from the little owl as Altor poked it with the spoon. Eruhs warned Altor his act might be a bad idea. Then…
THUD!
A much larger owl appeared out of nowhere, landed with violent force directly on Altor’s hand and wrist! The force was such that every mug on the table was bounced off the surface, sloshing drinks everywhere.
The dwarf’s hand slapped flat upon the table under the force of the landing. Altor found his vision filled by owl’s heart-shaped head and sharp beak a mere couple feet from his eyes. Something, however, made him freeze instead of pull back immediate, and glance quickly at his hand.
What Altor saw shocked him. The owl had not just gripped the back of his hand and wrist with sharp talons curved in and all-but-piercing the flesh. The owl had, somehow, accurately placed most of those sharp talons directly over tendons and the weak points of hand and wrist bones. A pull away, a twist of the wrist or arm, or even just the owl closing its grip the slightest bit tighter…and Altor’s hand could be crippled for weeks.
The spoon, spinning away from the dwarf’s open hand, skittered off the edge of the table near Lorenic. The appearance of the owl, and the resulting surprise, was so sudden both Castiel and Rolph actually finished speaking before mentally comprehending what had just happened.
Altor, for his part, returned his gaze to the owl’s. The black eyes fixed his attention. The owl was silent, staring back at the dwarf with disconcertingly emotionless coldness. Then, the owl very slowly and fractionally move its head side-to-side, never breaking its stare at the dwarf.
The noise of the crowd evaporated, as those nearest the table of the companions stopped whatever they were doing. The five new acquaintances found themselves suddenly very much the focus of attention for everyone around them.
***
Though Jynx was out of direct sight of the table where the strangers had sat, she had heard the loud thud of impact as she started to stand upon one of the slightly-raised, improvised stages. Noting the sudden drop in room noise near the center hall, she recognized something had occurred to draw a lot of attention from the room.
***
Starting to work her way through the crowd from her stand to the table, Ilia was able to see the full tableau of Sage’s intervention. The owl’s aerobatic maneuver had impressed even her.
As she approached, Ilia watched as an average-build brown-haired man dressed as a nondescript tradesman suddenly appeared next to the table. He was, to Ilia’s eye, Bautarine. But it was different, with people still in the way, for her to make out much more about him.
Ilia doubted those at the table, staring as they were at Sage and the dwarf, had yet either noticed the strange nature of the man’s appearance or were even yet aware of his presence.
However, the strange manner the newcomer had appeared was obvious to Ilia. He had shifted shape, with breathtaking rapidity and grace, from something that had been very much smaller next the table. The effect was far faster than she could manage with great effort, an observation Ilia found more than a bit unsettling. At a minimum, the stranger was powerful. The watchmen Ilia saw converging on the table confirmed it.
***
The brief silence around the table was suddenly broken by a soft “Ahem.”
Again surprised, the companions realized that the brown-haired tradesman next to them had either magically appeared out of nowhere or had moved up to them with phenomenal stealth.
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Post by Ilia Underwing on Mar 17, 2011 4:00:18 GMT
Ilia focused her attention to the newcomer, still walking towards the table. She spoke soft and low, not whispering, but not wanting to raise her voice. "Rhia, Sage, would you please come to me?" She waited for their response, be it flight as she requested or otherwise, but didn't allow her attention to waver from the man that unsettled her.
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Post by Jynx on Mar 17, 2011 4:02:26 GMT
Noting the direction of where the commotion was coming from, Jynx turned away from the stage and headed swiftly yet nonchalantly towards that area of the inn.
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