A Fine Day Out [Vincent, Open]

[Reliant]

Aperitus, Summer of Era II, Era XI

It was a bright, sunny day. One of those days that made you squint when you walked outside. One of those days in which the breeze blew gently through your hair as the children giggled playfully in the streets. One of those days that screamed opportunity. One of those days that just begged to taken advantage of. One of those days for adventure. Vincent Stefan was in search of something he wanted dearly, an object that not only had physical beauty, but wealth and power as well. So dearly, in fact, there was not much he wouldn’t do to obtain it.

And it was indeed this day that fate had decided for him to begin this quest for the object he wanted. The man walked steadily down the street, his mind deep in thought, his eyes on path ahead of him, his boots a resounding thumb on the stones beneath his feet. As he moved his shoulder to clear a pedestrian that stumbled in his path, he lifted his head and something grabbed his attention. From the window of a store front hung a poster, its message splayed across brand new paper in bright blue and red inks.

WANTED

Party members for expedition.
Excitement, danger, action, treasure.
Experience needed.
Apply within for details.

Vincent stopped to look at the poster, and pondered whether or not he should enter the shoppe and take this opportunity the day had given him.

[Yarrow]

Yarrow was walking in the streets of Abestat not looking for any trouble, but just making sure that none was about when she saw Vincent curiously reading a sign. Yarrow stopped to watch him read it and smiled. She knew Vincent and had fought beside him many times before and each time they all came out a live. She took a deep breath and wondered if she should make a move to go talk with him. She finally shrugged and made the first move. Serale Vincent! She called out to him and then moved across the road...past the giggling children and frowning mother's...to where he stood. She looked over his shoulder at the sign that had caught his eye and shrugged. Getting board with the dull military life I see? She teased.

[Vincent Stefan]

Thoroughly enjoying the day, Vincent found himself almost lost in the different sounds and smells of the bountiful port city. Gliding along in the large throng of people the half elf soon found himself in the merchant quarter and there before one of the stores was a poster that caught his eye.

As he read it over and over Vincent could not help but begin to consider going with this expedition. After all one of the pre requisites was to have experience and that was something the half elf was not lacking.

Continuing to ponder on his diction Vincent’s thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. Even before he turned his head to look over his shoulder he knew who it was that had spoken. Staff Sergeant Yarrow one of his commanding officers.

Vincent was about to reply to her greeting when she noticed the poster in front of him and remarked about it. Her question was meant to be rhetorical; However Vincent found himself pondering it. Was he upset with his life as a private in the military? There was definitely nothing that made him happy about his service. He had been passed up for promotion more than once, though he had pout his life on the line just as many times. He had fought always in the defense of the port though what had he gotten in response.

Even so, Vincent could not complain he was no hero and even in the times he had fought, all he ended up doing was allowing his enemies to escape. That perhaps was one of the reasons he surmised that he was now looking at the poster this was a perfect opportunity to do something for himself rather than for others.

His mind fully in decision Vincent turned from the poster and spoke to Yarrow.

"No, the military has been good to me." He stopped on that thought for a second then continued. "I think I am going to take this place up on it's offer. I joined the military to help out were I could and this looks to me to be just as good an opportunity as any. Though I am curious are you going to go to? It would be a grate help to the expedition, people of experience are hard to find these days so any help you and I could offer these people would probably be a welcome addition."

Vincent decided to let it go there and wait to see what Yarrows reply would be. Though secretly he was hoping she would go, the more people of experience that went on these types of expeditions. The more possible the groups chances of returning alive.

[Yarrow]

Yarrow hadn't been thinking about going. She had just recently started more training in her Druid arts and hadn't thought about leaving her post. What if something should happen while she was away...but then again...there were others who would be staying behind. Weren't they capable people?

Yarrow thought back to what he had said...he had mentioned joining the army to help out. She remembered that this was the true reason why she had also joined up. She had wanted to help people. A lot of good I have done recently for people... She thought of a few faces she had saved or helped to save, but the numbers weren't as many as they once had been. That had been one reason why she had joined the Guild Underground, but she hadn't heard from them in sometime now. Yarrow sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

I don't know...I think I want to hear a little more about this before I put my life on the line again. Well I put my life out on the line everyday...never mind... Yarrow shook her head as she realized that she was babbling. The poster doesn't tell you much...I think I'll go inside with you and then decide in a bit. Yarrow gave him a smile and then turned toward the shoppe.

[Klue Malinconico]

The mercantile district was as good a destination as any for passing the time when not otherwise occupied. And Klue, a young human that never abided time on his hands with much grace, was eager to pass it with something more interesting than staring down the four walls of his room at the inn. He might’ve spent that time sketching out a new notion that had occurred to him just the previous brightening…an innovation that would surely change brightening to brightening life in the very empire. But once he’d discovered his imagination had far exceeded the mechanics of the thing, he’d crumpled up the beginnings of a design and tossed it away for further consideration.

The district was a busy place, so appealed to his nature, where every manner of entertainment might be found on one corner or another. Wasn’t so much that he was looking for trouble…In fact, he was bent on staying out of it. No mucking up his learning in the city, no mischief that would get back to regiment commanders in Frigid River. Though it should be said that trouble usually wasn’t hard pressed to find him on occasion, and he didn’t tend to discourage it.

The near boy strolled the streets wearing loose fit gray trousers and a bright red shirt, a flat crowned bowler tilted back atop hair so red it seemed almost unnatural. Wasn’t, but looked as much. The brim of his hat shaded blue eyes and freckled features that tended to make him look younger than his seventeen patterns and a long sword was strapped loose across his hip. And as he strolled, he ate an apple snagged from a tray in the hall outside his room at the inn. And if not for the small group gathered around the window, he likely wouldn’t have noticed the sign. But as it seemed of interest, Klue redirected his course to have a look. An expedition…Did he have the time for an expedition? The mention of a treasure seemed to point out the wisdom of looking into it. As for experience…What sort of experience? He was a soldier, so there was that. A gadgeteer with a mind for approaches to problems from sometimes odd directions, maybe some use.

He glanced at the other two there, strangers but both humans, offered a brief ”S’rale”, and figuring they might be looking into the details as well, tossed the core of his apple away before stepping into the shop.

[Vincent Stefan]

Vincent let the conversation go there. He was never one to force someone to do something they did not want to do. There was also the fact that what Yarrow said did make sense, finding out more information was a good idea.

So Vincent decided to follow Yarrow into the shop. However first he had one thing to do. Turning in the direction of one of the other shops, Vincent did a small number of hand signals to a dark shape perched on a particular shops roof. The shape understood the signals and flew down to land on the half elf's shoulder.

Vincent was proud of his pet raven Shadow. The bird showed distain for many things however when it came down to it the bird never failed to obey. Reaching into a bag strapped on his belt, Vincent produced a hand full of seeds which he placed in front of the raven. The bird took the seeds up in one gulp then proceeded to fluff its wings.

Satisfied Vincent walked into the shop.

It was then that anther person arrived at the shop drown by the promises of the poster. Vincent did not know this person though the man seamed nice. As the figure gave a hello Vincent responded with a Srale of his own then he turned his attention back the shop.

[Reliant]

And it was when all three adventurers, or wanting to be at least, converged on the building that boasted the poster that an elderly man opened the door. A small bell jingled as the door opened slowly, swinging smoothly on its hinges. A wrinkled face emerged from the dim inner dwelling of the shoppe, and a smile stretched across his features, his eyes brightening quickly. "Serale, good brightening to you all. Please, come in." He raised a hand and beckoned all three into the shoppe, closing the door behind them.

He leaned gingerly on a cane, and walked slowly from the door to his counter, fetching a hot cup of tea from a small leather pad. He took a sip, his arm wavering slightly, and set it back down, turning to face the newcomers. "So are you three customers?" He asked, pointing to a sign atop the counter, stating proudly:

ABESTAT ANTIQUES
Proud to serve any citizen.
We have everything.
If we don't have it, we can get it.
-Ryan Pouterschmidt, Owner

"Or...are you coming to inquire about the poster out front?" He ended, pointing a crooked finger to the front of the store.

[Yarrow]

Good brightening, sir. The two of us are here about the poster... Yarrow gestured to Vincent and then gave the stranger a smile. She had never seen him around these parts before. New to town maybe? She turned back to the man behind the counter. Her eyes took in the cane and then his age. Her eyes came to rest on the sign. She read it quickly then...back up at the man.

The poster was rather...uh...vague on the details. Where is the group going? How long is the estimated time? When is the group leaving? What are we...they looking for and why? Hmm...and who is the one in charge? Did I forget anything Vincent? Her smile was genuine and there was even a shine to her eye as she spoke because she knew that she asked a lot. Then she turned to Vincent and glanced at the stranger. Ah...time for introductions later I think...

[Klue Malinconico]

Upon entering the shop behind the other two, Klue removed his hat...after tipping it to the lady with a grin of course. Antiques...Not much interest in them really, except where odds and ends might be modified for a different use altogether. But he didn't say as much and was curious enough to have a quick glance around anyway.

"No, no' lookin' for antiques this bright'nin'," he said after the young woman had asked her questions. The same as he'd have asked and needed answered. "Like these two, I'm curious about th' poster."

[Vincent Stefan]

As Vincent stood there listening to the growing line of questions, he sadly found that he had nothing to add. Most of the questions he was going to ask were already out there.

So When Yarrow asked if he had anything to add all he could say was. "No, I think that just about covers it."
Even as he spoke, Vincent found it hard to stop a smile of his own from forming.

Resigned to letting Yarrow take care of the talking, Vincent decided to see what was in the store. The half elf rarely Visited stores like this one so he wanted to see what he could.

[Reliant]

The old man stood there, sipping his tea, waiting as Yarrow asked the old man the question that, most likely, all three were wondering. Neither Klue or Vincent had much to add to Yarrow's questions. The man stood and listened intently to the woman, then sipped a bit of his tea before answering. He set down the mug and walked in front of the three, his cane tapping lightly on the wooden floor.

"I wanted to let you know that the poster was put there by my son, Jeffrey Pouterschmidt. He told me to let anyone interested know that he would answer all questions directly." The man scratched his chin and continued.

"He will be leaving the next brightening, and I believe he said he would be here this brightening to answer any questions about his little expedition. I believe he will be here in about a candlemark or so."

With a glint in his eye, he smiled and continued. "In the meantime, I suggest browsing around my shoppe. I am sure you can find something you want. May I get anyone something to drink?"

[Yarrow]

Yarrow frowned, but nodded her head just the same. Thank you master...Pouterschmidt. It didn't help her curiosity that she had to wait longer, but she would have to deal with it. Tea would be lovely, thank you. Yarrow told him after a pause.

Then she turned her attention to the stranger. He looked to be about two years younger then herself, but you couldn't judge a man by his age. Serale sir. I have not seen you around these parts before. My name is Captain Yarrow Woodruff. She extended her hand warmly and looked him over without hiding it.

He stood about 6 feet tall and was also very lean and fit. He had lovely red hair that Yarrow hadn't seen for some time. His grayish blue eyes and freckled skin were all taken in. He seemed to favor a longsword for that was the only weapon she saw on him, but that didn't mean he had no other weapons. Everyone could be a danger including the old man she had turned her back on a moment before. She shivered at the thought, but wouldn't let the daggers fall from under her sleeves. She kept her attention on the newcomer's eyes.

[Klue Malinconico]

A candlemark…There was no harm in waiting then, Klue guessed. He’d the whole of the brightening to while away. But if this expedition proved something to go on, he’d have to dash back to his lodgings to gather a few things anyway. But the waiting would tell, so he’d content himself with biding his time. ”No. No tea, thank you sir,”

The young woman gained his attention when he’d have been consigned to browsing the shop and he grinned, a rather boyish one and a mischievous look by default...He had the sort of face that couldn't avoid it, then took the offered hand. Her bold assessment, he didn’t mind, for he’d done the same. Copper hair and skin a bit more tanned than his. And an usual shade to her eyes. But it all suited her well, he thought. And his age, maybe, and another officer of rank. Young for that, much like himself.

”Th’ name’s Klue Malinconico…Lieutenant in the Frigid River Prince Maverius Regiment…but on leave for a month t’ study Alchemy here in th’ city. Bu’ call me Klue, if ye will. An’ time on my hands t’ see what this is all about,” he added with a nod to the other man as well. A half elf, now he’d a better look, maybe older than himself. Hard to tell, for Klue’s tendency to look younger than his own patterns. But he extended his hand to Vincent as well with a firm grip. ”Sir."

"A pleasure,” he added to both.

[Vincent Stefan]

Vincent allowed Shadow the raven to fly up to one of the shelves the bird was getting somewhat cluster phobic. Vincent found that in a way he to was beginning to feel it. So many things and people packed together in a shop it could get to a person even one of hard resolve.

It almost came as a relief when the half elf noticed the exchange between Yarrow and the stranger. There conversation gave Vincent something it take his mind off of there cramped area.

As it turned out the unknown person named Klue Malinconico was here on vacation and that he was sent here to learn alchemy. Though, it was the fact that the man was a lieutenant in his respective army that caught Vincent complete attention. This said much of what experience this person might have and that was a definite plus, should this job require people familiar with a blade.

Taking Klue’s hand when it was offered the half elf responded by giving his own introduction. “Nice to make you aquatints, I am Vincent, Vincent Stefan and this.” Vincent pointed to the raven still perched on one of the shelves. “Charming fellow is Shadow.”

With the introductions out of the way Vincent turned back to checking the shelves for anything interesting, since there was really nothing else to do.

[Yarrow]

"The Frigid River? I have never been there. How is it?" Yarrow asked to keep the conversation going a bit. She hasd no idea what else to say. She glanced at Vincent and gave him a kind smile before turning back to Klue.