Curiosity killed the cat (Open)

[Danil]

Timestamp:
Brightening 1 of Imperos
Autumn, Era XII Post Fractum
Evening

Songstamp: Mozart – Requiem XIII – Agnes Dei

"I need some wine!!! Danil shouted as he stepped inside the crown from the rainy streets. It had been too long since he'd taken a seat in one of the Crown's innumerable corners. Or picked some hapless drunk’s pockets to feed himself for the cycle within its walls. He missed the smoke and the dim lighting and the clamor of the people coming and going. It truly was the heart of the city.

He took off his weapons and set them on the receptionist’s counter for her to put away in the lockers, even his hidden throwing knives. No matter though, the soldier even without his blades was never an easy opponent for anybody. Especially since it had been burned to the ground for the twentieth time and had the no weapons rule in place. There really was no need to carry anything into the tavern anymore as the crown was hardly a dangerous place anymore. At least not by his standards.

As he walked over to the bar Danil glanced around at the customers to see if he recognized any of them and much to his dismay none of their faces registered. “Bottle of your finest elven wine, sir!” Water dripped from his hair and pooled on the counter as he leaned against it. “And also I’m looking for a few of people as well - An elf with blue and grey hair that is followed around by a Halfling.” He brushed his sopping blond locks from his face and stared the bartender in the eyes not blinking an instant and whispered their names. “Zephyr and Josep.”

No information was free. Definitely not that sort of information. And Danil’s old bodyguards would definitely prove difficult to find. Like him they were ex Alyssan Elites, and like him they had become disenchanted by the way the current Empire was being run. “If you happen to hear anything about them, be sure to tell me.” He said, palming 250 in crown notes to the bartender. “It would be greatly appreciated.”

[Kilan'tos Nia'mnyth]

Seated in a dark corner was a figure wearing a cloak, the dark gray blending in the shadows while the hood covered his face. One of the things Kilan'tos liked to do was sit in the tavern for no other reason than to observe and study the people. He held a mug of water in one talon, and had just raised it to his lips when the door burst open. His amber eyes narrowed as he observed the Humanoid enter, but from this distance, he couldn't tell if he was Human or Elf. He was still too inexperienced to differentiate between the two unless he saw his ears. And the Dracon wasn't about to climb to his full four feet just to get closer to look. So he turned back to his mug while keeping an eye on the interesting male.

[Khaellii Wrenwitch]

With the rain and the wind and the few odd fallen leaves, a shady character blew in from the streets, growling for some wine like a man on a rampage. It was characters like these that gave Khaellii the shivers. He looked to be up to no good, stomping around as if he had something major to hide--or to find. Khaellii's ears perked up at the strange sight as she made her quiet way up close to the bar to eavesdrop on his conversation.

He plopped himself onto the bar and one of the first things that he asked the bartender was the whereabouts of an elf and a halfling, both of whom would stick out like sore thumbs amongst the local gentry. Blue and grey hair was an oddity, even for elves, and halflings were not as common as one thought they would be in a city the size of Alleria. For them to be together was an even stranger anomaly. And then he leaned closer to whisper something to the bartender...whispered in such a low soft voice that Khaellii almost missed it--except that she was a half-elf, and her ears were quite a bit better than the usual human.

“Zephyr and Josep.” He whispered, and slipped a wad of notes to the bartender. Khaellii could not tell how much was in the notes, but she could tell it was considerable. It was getting odder and odder by the minute. Khaellii stopped breathing to catch any other words he might breathe to the bartender. “If you happen to hear anything about them, be sure to tell me. It would be greatly appreciated.” he said.

She buried her face inside her ale mug even as she looked up. Her eyes caught the glint of light as it bounced off his striking countenance and dripping blonde hair and she committed the angles and planes of his face to memory. She would definitely recognize him again if she saw him once more.

[Yaevin Ralahir]

It was Alleria Prime and it was raining. He had been in the crown in and tavern for about two candlemarks now. The crown, it was perhaps the best inn and tavern in the entire empire and perhaps the entire world. He had so many good memories of this place and wondered if there was anyone who had been in Alleria Prime for more then a brightening who hadn’t attended the crown.

Yaevin was sitting at a table; he hadn’t been served at all, which was definitely strange for what was perhaps the finest tavern ever. When he was waited upon he would order his favourite, Arakmatian Red. Just the thought of the bitter red was enough to make him want some right away. It was raining outside and his hair was still wet, even after two hours, frustratingly. The place was nice and warm though, so he doubed he would shiver.

And who did we have here….Danil Silverblade. On time, as he had suspected he would be Yaevin, on the other hand had been a bit early. His entrance was most peculiar. Barging in like his hair was on fire demanding wine. Not even a dwarf was that blunderous. Perhaps he was inebriated. But if he was, he was seeking further inebriation. He seemed somewhat sober. Perhaps he was just frustrated. He’ll never know. Although this would be a good time to prank the poor sod. He saw him talking to the bartender, the words he could not make out. He was probably asking for him. Danil seemed a little stockier then he was. Yaevin had grown up outside of common elven culture in the melting pot of prime, he lived with humans and dined with them. He was, like most humans in mannerism and seemed more in line with a human build then elven. But he remembered no matter how he tried he could never build large muscles like his human counterparts could, but Yaevin still kept a firm definition. Training every day would do that to even an elf. Yaevin quietly stepped behind Danil while he spoke and put his arm on his shoulder.

Yaevin noticed one thing, however, which would prove important in the near future…perhaps. We’ll see how the night went, of course. Danil would do one of three things, Yaevin predicted. He’d turn around and take a swing at his face. He’d get a shock turn around and recognise the elf or he’d just turn around. All but the last would end in hilarity.

[Kavan Kayhan]

ooc: I have been granted permission to peer mod this thread by Aesha. If you need to ask, just mention my name is Jarrad.

Martim Galestrom had not seen a bribe in a while.... not since this morning, quite a coincidence and one that made Martim a little edgy in dealing with Danil. Taking an appraising eye to the rowdy elf, he was quick to make the large wad of crowns disappear with a sleight of hands that was all too professional and too quick to catch to most eyes except for Khaellii Wrenwitch. The bartender however seemed to both know this and not be perturbed.

However, Martim continued to stare Danil down in the eye a moment before turning around and grabbing the finest sylrosian wine they had, uncorked it for Danil and proceeded to pour Danil a small amount into the glass for Danil to taste. The bartender put the bottle down and lent close to Danil, "So, these friends of yours.." the bartender started in a low gruff voice "they wouldn't be about to bring me any trouble here would they? I'll keep my eyes and ears open, but bewarned I'll not take any trouble a brewing in my establishment"
The bartender had meant it, he had been with the Crown Inn and Tavern for a long time and was very much to this man like a son was to others.

The bartender though was very quick to notice the approach of Yaevin and before the hand reached Danil's shoulder the bartender had already said louad enough to be overheard by Hkaelli Wrenwitch "and is this one a friend of yours too?" with his eyes looking behind the elf at the approaching Yaevin

[Khaellii Wrenwitch]

The wad of bills quickly disappeard into the bartender's large hands, and if it wasn't for the fact that Khaellii had seen it with her own eyes, she would be hard-pressed to explain where it went. The bartender poured the shady character a glass of some exotic stuff and bent his head towards the man.

Because the bartender had his face between the bottle and the patron, Khaellii could not hear exactly what he said aside from a few snatches and words that her elven ears could pick out. But she surmised that since he had taken the bribe, he would be assuring the man of his complicity in the situation should there be a reason for his involvement.

Then, he glanced up at a patron who was heading towards the bar. Khaellii's eyes widened momentarily as she saw the patron reach for the man's back. Trouble was brewing! Just then, the bartender said in a loud false voice to his briber, "...and is this one a friend of yours too?".

Obviously, the bartender had wanted to warn the man of the elf at his back. Khaellii breathed a soft sigh, glad that the bartender was wise enough to notice and circumvent a possible violent scuffle between the two males who were obviously fighters and had well-developed hair-trigger reflexes.

She narrowed her eyes and took detailed mental notes of elf's physical appearance. It was hard to say if this was the elf who the man wanted to find, but she knew she didn't have long to wait to find out.

[Danil]

"The last I've seen of my friends they weren't any trouble, my good man." Danil said in a low voice "No more trouble than the next, I assure."
He picked up the glass of wine and grinned at the bartender, giving a small toast by tapping the edge of his glass gently against the bottle Martim held. "Cheers."

Somebody put their hand on Danil's shoulder as he raised the glass to his lips and his eyes narrowed. If the elven warrior spun and saw that the somebody touching him was somebody he didn't know, well, that somebody would be quick to find out how the countertop tasted.
Luckily for him it was only Yaevin, who he did not wish to acquaint with the hardwood counter.

Barely giving any recognition as he turned his head slightly to peek over his shoulder Danil spoke once again. "And yes. This one's with me."

"Father Ralahir, you look well. How have the past few months been treating you?" Danil spun to face his friend and patted him on the shoulder with his free hand.
Looking just past him though, Danil noticed that somebody was watching them. Placing himself just in front of his friend so Khaellii couldn't read his lips he whispered, "Don't turn just yet but there's a woman staring right at us."

[Yaevin Ralahir]

Yaevin let out a grin as Danil sprung up and instantly took notice of the elf. By the time he had seen the Aslanite, his smile was completely hidden, even if he let out a bit of a humorous pant. “Quite well, fortunately, thanks be to Aslan that the trip here was miraculously peaceful. Do you bring good tidings yourself?” Yaevin leaned into the bar with his right shoulder, facing inwards towards Danil. He tapped twice with his index and middle finger. “Bottle of Arakmatian Red, cheers.” The wine would be as always, cool, refreshing and a little bit intoxicating. That’s how the elf liked it.

Yaevin stood up to his full posture. A woman? Why would she be staring at us? Yaevin shook his head ever so slightly. He started to feel a little hungry, like his stomach was empty, strange he didn’t have this feeling a few moments ago, but he hadn’t eaten for a few candle marks now. So it was natural. “Can I get a bowl of roasted potatoes with that red please?” The elf shouted, in a voice that the bartender could hear. Even if he wasn’t paying full attention, even if he wasn’t that was ok. He was sure he wasn’t feeling hungry anymore.

Yaevin turned to Danil and asked in a very quiet whisper, only load enough that he could hear. “Is she pretty?” A moment later he was wondering why he had asked that question. It had come from thin air.

[Danil]

Danil did his best to look past Yaevin again without making it noticable to Khaellii but couldn't really discern her features from such a distance in the tavern light. "I can't really tell. Maybe you should go over there and talk to her and find out." He replied with a wink. "Go buy her a drink and woo her. That sort of thing."

Danil took a sip of wine from his glass and attempted to look for anybody else who may be spying on him before turning to the bartender once more.
"Have you noticed anybody else watching us since I've walked in?"
If Danil seemed a bit paranoid it's because he was. He hadn't survived for as long as he has without being cautious. Everywhere Danil went there was someone had a bone to pick with him.
From Gang members and smugglers, to bounty hunters and assassins, to revenants and even ex-Elder Circle elves looking to settle a vendetta. There were plenty more to list as Danil has run across plenty of unsavory individuals in his life.

Even as cautious as he was it was only a matter of time before he stepped into the wrong place at the wrong time. And in Prime there were all sorts of shady characters just lurking in the shadows.

[Khaellii Wrenwitch]

Khaellii's eyes widened momentarily as she heard the half-elf call out to the elf who had joined him. "Father Ralahir," he had called the elf, and for the first time, Khaellii's mind registered the white robe with blue stripes that the elf wore, signifying the colour of the Church of the Faith.

It had been awhile since she had seen a clergyman of that particular faith, having had a casual acquaintance with it since her father had been of the elven persuation himself. Obviously, this elf was not the blue-haired one that the man was looking for, but it was odd that the priest should be here.

Just then, he ducked behind the elf, making it impossible for Khaellii to read his lips or overhear what he was saying. But then her hand involuntarily tightened on the mug of ale she was drinking as his eyes roved over to where she was sitting and focused in on her.

Or at least he tried to focus his vision on her.

Even from this distance, with the dim interior of the bar, Khaellii could tell he was unable to focus on her face. She could see his pupils, tightening and enlarging as he strained his eyes to see her. It would seem that half-breeds like the two of them were not created the same. He seemed more human than elven, and she was more elven than human. Her visual and aural acuity was better than the average human, and it was obvious that his visual and aural acuity was not as good as the average elf.

Still, her cover was blown, and she could tell immediately that the mixed-elf was fully aware that she had been spying on them. Thank the heavens he could not make out her appearance.

Time to split.

There was no reason to invite a dagger in the throat just because she was curious about these men. Khaellii thunked down her mug and picked up her healer's pack, slinging it over her shoulders. As soon as the doorway cleared, she would slip out quietly without any fuss or fanfare.

[Danil]

Khaellii shuffled off as fast as she could when she spotted Danil glancing at her. Talk about a way to invite even more suspicion...
Was she an Imperial spy? After all both he and Stephan were making some rathre treasonous remarks in Candaceburg together...
No. If that were the case then Khaellii wouldn't have been phased by somebody just glancing at her sideways.

Maybe she was working for somebody that wanted his head? Some local that was paid a few crowns to tell some of Jaeger Sicarius' (RIP) old street thugs that 'that damned elf' Danil Silverblade had returned to town. He hadn't seen any of them since he'd abandoned Prime to join the military
In either case it was best to let her walk away. Alive. And healthy.
Whoever she worked for would eventually come looking for him and the story would unravel itself. And besides, it was best not to dwell on it lest he make himself go crazy trying to figure out conspiracy theories.

Danil watched her as she walked over to the door, narrowing his eyes on her like some predatory beast as he commited her features to memory. The closer she got to the door the easier it was for him to pinpoint every small detail. The slightly pointed ears that halfbreeds like he and Khaellii posessed, and dark brown hair with eyes to match. He'd find her another day.

"Looks like you missed your chance, Yaevin." Danil whispered to his friend. "There will be plenty of others. But in reply to your earlier inquiry why not take a look for yourself."

[Jarradium]

Khaelli's exit was noticed, with disinterest, by several other patrons. Apparently she was no where near as interesting to your average joe than she was to Danil, whose past was far from quiet. The bartender, who watched also, with eyes of interest would also be fairly good at finding Khaellia again. However, for my precise details, he could always ask the other staff members as well...

Having already taken a note of Yaevin's request, for both roasted potatoes, got out the Arakmatian red and a glass for Yaevin, pouring a little bit in it for him first for him to taste, saying "Your roasted potatoes will be ready soon". For a moment the bartender seemed troubled by a memory - a recollection from the past.

"You know, Sir" speaking to Danil openly between Yaevin and himself [b]"You might need to keep your head down for a while. Since I like you, there was a human girl and a rather nasty old mother after a halfelf matching your description...by their accent, they may have been from the province of Lauryl"

The bartender's seeming care may have been only as a result of a bribe, or maybe he liked Danil. Either way.... the bartender turned away at that point to write on a note. After that, he turned and served other patrons leaving Yaevin and Danil alone together for a short amount of time

[Yaevin Ralahir]

Yaevin pivoted slightly; he needed to get a better grasp of the scenario. He turned away, almost a full one hundred and eighty degrees. He could see what Danil had meant when he said he missed his chance; the girl who was looking at them was leaving. Yaevin could easily recognise her if he ever saw her again. Leaving after being spotted was a sign of suspicion. This just made the elf conclude that she was spying on them for a reason. Did she work for someone? Did it matter? Of course not. If she reported to someone who was waiting to ambush them then he would meet them head on. The man was a hand of honour, not an acolyte of the chaos gods.

The priest turned back to the bar, the spying lady had left. But Yaevin was certain that finding them, even in the biggest city in the empire, would not be too difficult. The task would be made easier if she was connected to the Allerian underground. It didn’t matter. Yaevin turned to the bar. His wine was waiting for him. And on the bartender’s words that the roast potatoes would be coming, the knight strangely felt hungry again. He had been on vacation for too long it seemed. Well, tonight was the dawning of a new season, autumn. It was a very appropriate time to kick back and relax a little bit.

Information wasn’t cheap and the bartender giving information on people looking for Danil, was almost priceless. Yaevin would be sure to tip him extra for that when he paid. He took a sample of the wine and nodded. This was the stuff. “Thank you” was all he gave to the bartender for the moment, however.

Yaevin was unsure why he had asked his previous question, it was best not to dwell on it, for the moment anyway. Food was coming soon and they were both still standing. Yaevin took a seat at the bar on a stool. He did feel a little fatigue. “It’s been a long time since I have come to Alleria Prime, what news tides the city?” Yaevin said, looking at the bartender. Things were passing rapidly, as they would in the crown, and by the sounds of it. The night was just getting started.

[Danil]

A halfelf matching your description.

Danil had half a mind to make the bartender swallow his teeth but the information he gave Danil was indeed priceless. The Laurylian accents told him everything; His estranged wife and mother-in-law were looking for him and they meant business.
His wife already had all Danil's money and most of his weapons. What more could she possibly want to drain Danil of? How did they know he would come back to Prime of all places? He'd definately have to keep his head down now, with those vampires on the loose.
His stay in Prime just got shorter...

"What a...pleasant surprise. He said solomnly. "Food sounds very good right now.
Possibly my last meal...
"So I'll have the Crown Ribs. Medium. And thank you for the information..."

Danil managed a smile and took the bottle of wine from the bartender and walked over to a table. Near one of the countless corners. And made sure to face the door so he could catch a glimpse of whoever was entering.
"Prime just became a lot less pleasant, Yaevin."

[Jarradium]

The bartender nodded at the elf, whose true racial nature to him was still known as a half-elf and went off to make the order. It seemed to the bartender that Danil would not want to talk for a while.

When he came back, Yaevin then drew the bartender's question and asked a question. It’s been a long time since I have come to Alleria Prime, what news tides the city?.

The bartender took a deep breath. A place like alleria always brought new tidings.

"Well, Father Ralahir?" The bartender started, making sure he heard the name right "When did you last set foot, as you're well aware by now, alot of things tend to happen here, and more so of late. The past 13 patterns have been little more than one event after another, especially after allerians.. most of all, been having lots of requests of people looking for others. All sorts, been having to pick and choose with whom to share information." Having already been well plied, and also quite influenced by Yaevin's position as priest, he was more willing than usual to speak openly, yet still it was obvious he had not spoken of everything.. which at this point he added "and I tell you what, there have been some particularly sour patrons over the past few patterns, seems not all is well in alleria prime. Just murmurs right now but trouble's a brewing and its best if we both keep our noses down"

Seems the bartender was either fishing for information or fishing for imperial currency. Either way the bartender would not say more....