Jayn's Tavern

[Ceala]

Jayn looked around the empty room, a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. The fireplace on her left, the bar to her right, and six or seven wooden tables complete with chairs--everything was in its place It was opening day, and she was all jitters. Hopefully lots of customers would show up. Without thinking, she slipped into a meditative trance, her mind reaching for glimpses of the future.

No, better some things remain a surprise. She opened her eyes, slipping back out of the trance before anything became clear. The future is a tricky thing. Every time you look at it, it changes simply because you looked at it; which, in turn, changes everything else.

Jayn sighed, picking up a large wooden plaque to examine the letters burnt on its surface.

"Where do you suppose we hang it?" Jayn asked Rupin, the bartender and her longtime best friend.

He smiled at her and grabbed the plaque, nailing it to the wall behind the bar where everyone could see it. Jayn laughed; of course Rupin would know the perfect place. Quickly, Jayn read over the words.


Tavern Rules

1. Everyone is welcome. Whether you're a mage, a dragon, a hafling, an elf, a regular human, or whatever else wanders happens to wander in, feel free to hang out and buy a few drinks. We don't discriminate here.

2. No killing. If an argument escalates into a fight, please have the decency to take it outside. If things get violent, I will kick you out.

3. Flirting is ok, but again, if things start to get out of hand, I will kick you out. There's a nice little sleazy inn next door. If you need to, get a room--just not here.

4. Have a good time. Talk, get drunk, or just sit back and laugh at everyone else. If you like it here, feel free to come back.

5. The bartender is a mute, not an idiot. Do not patronize him. Please be polite to him or you will be kicked out. His name is Rupin; don't be afraid to use it.

6. The owner is in charge. Jayn reserves the right to kick anyone out at any time for any reason. Hopefully she won't have to exercise this right too often. If you have any questions, go here (http://www.role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?p=93408#post93408)

With that, the doors of the Tavern were opened and both Jayn and Rupin were left waiting for customers to show up.

[Ceala]

Jayn sat down in one on of the chairs near the fire, tapping her foot anxiously. She could hear people walking past outside the tavern, but no one as much as touched the door.

"Do you suppose anyone will show up?" she asked, looking over at Rupin sadly.

Rupin signaled back, his hand motions a mix of "be patient" and "it's still early, cheer up." Jayn began to respond, but decided against it, turning back away from Rupin to stare into the flames of the small fire burning brightly in the fireplace.

"Perhaps if I had offered food, not just drinks..."she thought. "Maybe if this place becomes popular enough, I can hire a waitress or two. Until then, I hope drinks will be enough to bring in the customers. I can't keep this place afloat without them."

She stood up, dusting off her skirt more out of habit than necessity. She always had and always would hate waiting. She paced for a bit, her new shoes clacking on the hard floor. Eventually people would come, she was sure of it.

[Uncertain]

A black horse galloped over withered fields. It's rider leaned against the cold autumn wind as her red hair was flying wildly around her. She could see a village on the other side of a field that still hadn't withered completely, with smoke coming up from the pipes of the cozy-looking houses. She bent further down towards the horse.
"Time to rest, Shadow," she said to the horse, and made him slow down to trotting as they approached the village.

Some villagers were staring at the rider as she rode slowly through the town. The woman ignored them, she was used to staring because of her clothes and armor. Female warriors were unusual around here.
She was looking for someplace to put Shadow for the night. Eventually she found him a stall in a warm stable, took a sky blue rug from the bag she carried over her shoulder, and laid it over his back.
"See you tomorrow, dear," she said, and stroke his neck. The horse snorted.

She stopped outside the stable and looked around. There was a cozy looking inn across the street, but beside the inn, there was something more tempting. A tavern. I need something to drink, she thought. She had been riding all day, and her fingers were stiff from the cold.

A bell rang as she entered the door, and a warm fireplace welcomed her frozen body. There weren't many people there. She nodded towards a woman sitting by one of the tables, and went over to the bar. She read swiftly through the rules hanging on the wall, and looked at the two people in the tavern. She figured they had to be Jayn and Rupin, and sent a smile towards the bartender as she turned back to him.
"Hello there, Rupin," she said.
"My name is Daniela. Have you got any mead?"

[Ceala]

Jayn could hardly contain her excitement as Rupin poured the woman a drink.

"My first customer!"the thought filled her with warmth, but she tried to keep it from showing in her face. "Act casual, Jayn. You don't want to scare her away."

Jayn approached Daniela, sitting down on the stool next to her. The woman seemed friendly, despite her armored attire. A small pang of jealousy hit Jayn at the sight of the newcomer's vibrant red hair, Jayn had always wished she had born a redhead; but she quickly stifled the feeling.

"So..." started, not daring to look the woman in the eyes, "What brings you to my tavern?"

Jayn found herself suddenly second guessing the choice to greet Daniela right off the bat. What if she scared away her first customer? What if the warrior was somehow insulted by Jayn's actions? What if... What if... The list went on, a new doubt surfacing with each passing millisecond.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Rupin signal to her. "Calm down" his hands said silently.

[Uncertain]

Daniela thanked Rupin as he poured her a lovely, big cup of mead. It was indeed her favourite, and she was thankful they had it there. She smiled at Jayn as she sat down beside her.
"So... What brings you to my tavern?"

"I'm just staying here for the night, and was in serious need of something to drink," Daniela answered to the question. She took another big gulp of the mead, before she looked up again. The warmth from the fireplace was starting to thaw her frozen limbs, with the sweet mead as a helping hand.
"I have been travelling for days, and I'm planning to take in at the inn next door later."

Jayn seemed a little nervous, but perhaps it was Daniela's outfit. Most people seemed to keep some distance because of it. But Jayn seemed like a strong woman, she thought. You had to be strong to run a Tavern on your own, to handle whatever could come tumbling in the door.

[Ceala]

"A traveler, eh?" Jayn replied, trying to keep the sound of longing out of her voice. She had always wanted to travel and see the world. But no, her place was here, taking care of Rupin.

"Well, I've got to warn you, the inn next door doesn't exactly have the best reputation. The owner is nice enough and the staff is trustworthy, but most of the people who stay there have normally come in pairs and have only one thing on their minds..." Jayn let her voice trail off, hoping the hint was strong enough not to need further explanation. "The walls are paper thin, so if you want to get a good night's rest, I suggest you ask for a room near the back, away from other tenants."

A few of the men from town entered the tavern as Jayn was speaking. She was happy to have more customers, but worried about their reaction to Daniela. However, the men simply got their beer and took it to a table near the back corner of the room, talking quietly amongst themselves.

Jayn turned her attention back to Daniela, keeping the men in her peripheral vision, just in case. They seemed to be minding their own business.

[Uncertain]

"Ah, it's that kind of place..." Daniela barely looked at the men coming into the room, but she noticed that they sat down far away from her.
She became worried that she was scaring away Jayn's customers. The last thing Daniela wanted was to make any trouble for the sweet Tavern owner, but after another look at the rules on the wall behind the bar, she figured she had as much right to be there as they had. No discrimination.
"Well, I guess I'll just sleep with Shadow in the stable if it gets too bad," Daniela said to Jayn, thinking of the dowdy inn again.

She drank the rest of the mead and sat the mug down on the bar. The bartender, who were washing some glasses in the other end of the bar, came over.
"Can I have another one, please?" Daniela asked.
He nodded, and filled the mug once more. She thanked him, and put the mug to her lips again, enjoyed the taste of honey and the hint of alcohol in the drink.
It had been about five days since the last village, and she had been looking forwards to sleeping in a bed again. Too bad the inn wasn't, according to Jayn, the best place to get a silent night of sleep.

[Nekte]

The dark skinned elf watched the Tavern door from afar debating if it would be a safe place to relax a moment. It looked cozy enough and she had not seen any questionable characters go in. She glances down and snorts as she realizes her leathers are quite dusty from travel. The tiny girl quickly brushes her self off and pulls a few leaves out of her raven colored braid. Her hair was always collecting leaves and such since it hung to her ankles. After one more quick glance around she slips through the Tavern door. The elf choses a chair close to the fire to warm herself.

[Ceala]

"Oh, I don't think it should be that bad. If things get too loud, you're welcome to..."

Jayn's voice halted, mid-sentence. One of the men near the corner had gotten up from his seat and was approaching them. She could tell by his tipsy gait that he was drunk--an acceptable thing to be in a tavern.

"Can I help you?" She asked politely.

The man ignored her, his sights set on Daniela.

"So you think you can fight?" he asked, indicating Daniela's armor with a flick of his finger. "You no good bitch. Let me show you how a man does it."

"If you want, we could take this outside, sir," Daniela replied evenly, "but I'd prefer if we didn't. I would hate for one of us to get hurt."

The man smiled revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth.

"Oh, so that's how you wants it? Maybe we can settle this in the inn next door," he said leaning in, the liquor on his breath stifling.

Jayn gasped, the familiar pull of the present pulling her back to reality. She hated it when the future grabbed her without notice or permission. She glanced around, the man was still talking with his buddies; it had all been a vision.

"Can I have another one, please?" Jayn heard Daniela ask.

Jayn left her seat, walking over to the men in the corner.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice silk, "but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

The men nodded, filing out of the tavern with a blank look on their faces. The power of persuasion was one of Jayn's other useful gifts. They would come to, eventually, and find themselves at home without any recollection of how they got there. One perk of running a tavern: most blame strange occurrences on the brew.

The door opened and an elf walked in. Jayn smiled, it wasn't every day you saw one of those. She walked toward the beautiful creature, suddenly very curious.

[Uncertain]

Daniela was wondering why Jayn had asked the men in the corner to leave, as she hadn't seen anything unusual about them, but her mind was put on other thoughts as an elf entered the Tavern.
The tiny creature looked harmless, but Daniela followed her with her eyes as she sat down by the fireplace. One could never be too careful when it came to strangers. Jayn seemed trustable, but she was allways suspicious to new people.

After seeing no suspicious behaviour by the fire, Daniela concentrated on her mead again. Her mind wandered to lost battlefields, deep forests and vivid seas. Leaves were whirling around outside, and she was glad she was in the warmth of the Tavern. The thought of setting off and keep riding the next day seemed distant, and not at all tempting.

[Nekte]

Glances up at Jayn as she pulls a few more leaves from her hair. "Good day. Are you the Bar keep here?" her voice soft and musical. "What kind of patrons do you normally attract?" Her dark green eyes quickly look over the female warrior.

[Ceala]

"Anyone who's willing to come," Jayn replied cheerfully. "This is a place of peace, I assure you. Please feel welcome to converse with any of the people here or none at all, if you so please."

[Nekte]

"Peace..that would be a welcome surprise" She smirks and tosses a few coins on the table. "Do you have any wine on hand? Something rich and very strong.Oh and where is a good place to clean up....somewhere that my appearance will not draw any unwanted attention." The elf absently began undoing her braid as she waited for Jayn's answers.

[Uncertain]

Daniela felt her head starting to get a little dizzy from the mead. She had finished the second mug now, and decided that was enough for the night. She had to get up early in the morning, so that she could get some distance behind her before the evening came.
The warrior woman stood up from the bar stool and laid some golden coins on the table.
"Thank you, Rupin," she said to the bartender.
"Farewell Jayn," she nodded to the Tavern owner.
Daniela left the Tavern with a ringing of the bell over the door, heading towards the inn next door.

[Ceala]

"Ask Rupin. I'm sure we've got something for you," Jayn smiled at the elf. "This town is quite a special place, as is this tavern. You will attract attention wherever you choose to go, but it will not be of the particularly unwanted sort. The townsfolk normally just mind their own business. If you can't find anywhere else to stay, I have an extra bed you may use. I don't normally offer room and board, but I'm pretty sure I can make an exception in your case."

Jayn noticed that Daniela was leaving and nodded a silent farewell. She hoped the lady warrior visited again. She would have liked to get to know her a bit better.

[Nekte]

"You are gracious, butI will not sleep in town. I merely need to wash my things and myself." she shakes her hair out before continuing to speak. "What am I to call you? I am called many things but you may call me Nekte. Oh..one more question. What entertainment may be found in this town?" Nekte grins wickedly for a brief moment then returns to an unreadable expression. "It has been a while since I have entered any town.."

[Totenglaut]

They stood together just outside the door of the bar. Twins. Beautiful twins.

The female had hair golden as the sun and eyes blue and sea. The male had hair dark as a raven's wing and the same blue eyes. They stood about the same height not tall not short just there. There was something ethereal about them about the way they stood. The female turned to her brother. "I am tired, Lux"

"Here is a good place to rest don't you think, Luze?" Her brother asked gently. Luze nodded.

To most they wouldn't be recognized unless you could see the shine coming from the twins. Luze and Lux were light and dark. Twin Gods running from Heaven. They were weak now after having just battled. And here seemed a good place to blend in.

[Ceala]

"Well then Nekte, my name is Jayn."

Jayn paused, searching her mind for a place in town that an elf might find find entertaining. The mental search came back blank.

"This town really isn't much for entertainment, I'm sorry to say. There's a nice line of shops along the western edge, though, if you need any sort of supplies. There's even a jeweler around, if you're in the market for a new ring or necklace."

Jayn paused again, hoping her next question wouldn't be too much of an intrusion.

"Just out of curiosity, what brings you to my humble tavern? If you don't want to share, that's fine too; I'll respect your privacy."

Jayn heard the tavern door open, letting in two more people. She didn't turn to look at them, though, her attention still focused on the elf in front of her.

[Atrum Daemon]

“Looks like I hit a lucky break,” a man wearing a hooded cloak said as he stopped before the tavern. “Looks a lot better than other places I’ve been.”

Making a small adjustment to his hood to make sure it obscured the majority of his face, the man stepped inside. He made quick notes of the other interesting looking patrons. A female warrior, an elf, and two others who seemed about as out of place in the small town as he did. The man breathed easier, thinking that he had become much too paranoid of other people in recent months. However, his ease did not make him comfortable enough to remove his hood. Shaking his hooded head lightly, he crossed the wooden floor to the bar and, after noticing a wine on display that he was particularly fond of, asked for a round of it before stepping closer to the fire with his drink in a gloved hand.

[Mattie2009]

A young man and woman approached the tavern. The man looked in his late teens, the woman her early twenties. The woman was particularly strange in that she had wings. Two pairs, in fact; one pair on her back, the other on her head. Several people turned and stared at her, mainly out of curiosity. They sat at a nearby table and waited. The man looked over the plaque while the woman searched through the drinks. They were a strange pair.

[Nekte]

Nekte watches the strange new patrons enter. The male seating himself not far from making her slightly uneasy. Each patron peaking her curiosity. She shakes her head as a strange feeling washes over her then returns her attention to the barkeep. "I don't enter towns very often..not overly fond of crowds. To many directions to watch my back. As for why I am here..it is a downfall of mine that I enjoy a bit of wine, entertainment....and other things I can only find in a town." She smirks and shrugs "So every so often I will endure the crowds and venture into town. Which is what I was doing when I happened onto your little tavern."

[Ceala]

"Well, we're honored to have you here. Feel free to talk to anyone you please."

Jayn smiled and got up, leaving the elf to greet her other customers. There was a hooded man that seemed a bit sketchy, but it never hurt to be friendly. She approached him cautiously.

"Greetings and welcome to my tavern, sir."

[Totenglaut]

Lux noticed the gathering crowd. His blue eyes became worried. The more people that were around the more chance that someone would see through their thin guise. But he didn't have the strength just now to darken the ethereal glow coming from him and Luze.

Luze shifted uncomfortably at the table she'd picked. Twin Gods with very little power left was not a good thing when you had powerful enemies in the Heavens.

[Mattie2009]

The woman looked away from the shelves, apparently looking for something. Her semi-curious gaze moving through the room. She didn't linger, her eyes resting for a moment on every face she saw. A half-smile was on her lips as her eyes scanned the room. Eventually, she made a full turn around the room. Her gaze again fell on the selection of drinks once more.

[Totenglaut]

Lux's gaze narrowed in on the bewinged woman. What was so amusing? Her companion was still looking at plaques. Something about them felt off. But he didn't have the strength to sense much. He doubted that he would ever regain all his godly abilities.

Luze looked through a menu browsing not really paying attention to the names. A headache was coming on.

[Nekte]

Nekte inspected the glass carefully before pouring herself some wine from the bottle the silent male had brought her. Her eyes danced over the different patrons starting with the female fixated on the wine then moved on. A sudden shudder moved over her again as her eyes came to rest on the two that seemed to balance each other perfectly. Each what the other wasn't. One light and one dark. Something wasn't right there but it was only a feeling. The elf sipped her wine and then turned her attention once again to the hooded male. She would fix her attention on him though she was not sure why.

[Mattie2009]

The woman looked to her companion. "Decided yet, Blaze?" She asked, her headwings starting a slow flap. Blaze shook his head. "I don't know. Decisions, decisions." He said. The woman tilted her head to the side. "How about that one? It doesn't look too strong." She said, before turning around to face Lux. "What, haven't you seen wings before or am I just that interesting?" She asked.

[Totenglaut]

Lux glowered pulling his dark eyebrows down. "It doesn't matter what I thought" He told her.

Luze put a soft hand on his shoulder. "Brother," What she meant was Brother, let's not draw attention to ourselves this time around okay? "I'm sorry, Lux has no manners, miss" She directed this at the winged woman.

[Mattie2009]

The woman nodded. "I'm used to dealing with people with no manners." She said, pointing a thumb at Blaze. "Heey-" He began. The woman cut him off. "My name's Nova. Nova Xelon. I'm not going to tell you exactly what I an, because then you'll get the wrong impression. Nice to meet you."

[Atrum Daemon]

“A fine place, madam,” the hooded man responded, noting her cautious air as she spoke. “I apologize if the hood makes yourself or the other customers uneasy, but I have found it necessary in these parts. However, if it‘s truly a bother, I‘ll remove it.”

He took a deep sip of the wine, nodding in satisfaction at the familiar taste. With such a diverse number of customers, he began to wonder if he even needed the hood to begin with.

[Totenglaut]

Luze smiled. "I'm Luzel- well, just Luze" She had been about to spill her full name. Luzella Goddess of Light.

Lux slammed an elbow into her. He didn't bother to introduce himself. Didn't want to.

"That's my ill-tempered brother Lux" Otherwise known as Luxen God of Darkness. But that didn't come out.

[Mattie2009]

Nova smiled. "Well, Luze and Lux, it's nice to meet you both." She said, placing a finger to each of her head-wings. They glowed blue for a moment before dissapearing. "So, what brings you and the bad mood fairy here?"

[Totenglaut]

Lux's expression didn't change.
But Luze said. "Just looking for a haven for a while. We were involved in combat not too long ago"
"What about you, Supernova?" Lux asked rudely.

[Ceala]

"It's not a bother," she said, sitting down next to the still hooded fellow. For Jayn it was a bold move, but reaching a mental hand into the immediate future she felt nothing terribly detrimental to her own health or the health of those around her, so she proceeded with confidence.

"People keep secrets. We feel the need to hide things from one another; it's part of our nature." Jayn's gaze drifted, her words holding a deeper meaning than the man would ever know.

She quickly returned her full attention to the patron, her voice taking on a more cheerful tone.

"For example, despite my seeming authority,"she said, half smirking half teasing, "I know absolutely nothing about how to run a tavern. It wasn't my idea at all, I'm just here because Rupin couldn't do it on his own. I have to admit though, I am beginning to enjoy my new position."

[Atrum Daemon]

“You seem to be doing a fine job from where I’m standing,” he said before taking another drink, “my name is Kye, by the way.”

Kye felt comfortable enough with the atmosphere to show his face after taking another glance around. Hooking one finger under the hood he pulled it off, exposing that his flesh was black as night and had white markings similar to a skeleton. This gave his face a “grim reaper” appearance. It was a common practice for areas far west to have death shamans that adorned themselves the same way Kye was. “The less than favorable reactions in a few towns to me being a death shaman was the cause for the hood. But, I’m hoping that won’t cause any problems here.”

A small, pleasant smile crossed his face before taking another drink, finishing off the dregs of the wine.

[Mattie2009]

Nova grinned. "How many sleepless weeks did it take you to come up with that one?" She said teasingly. "I'm here to visit an old friend of mine."

Behind Nova, Blaze was hiding his face in his hands out of a mixure of shame and fear. "You're gonna get us kicked out. Stop."

[Ceala]

Jayn was a bit astonished at the man's appearance, but she hid it well. Over all she was just pleased that he had finally lifted his hood.

"Pleased to meet you, Kye. In case you haven't guessed it already, though I'm sure you have, I'm Jayn." She paused for a moment before continuing."Death Shaman? I'm not familiar with that title."

Jayn ran her fingers through her long brown hair absentmindedly, her blue eyes trying to study the markings on Kye's face without appearing to stare. Eventually her curious nature would catch up with her, but hopefully her gift of seeing into the future would help balance out her odds a bit.

Jayn could hear the buzz of conversation beginning to build in the room. She had always loved the white noise of several voices talking at once. It could make even the coldest places seem warm. She couldn't help but be in a good mood; her tavern seemed to really be taking off.

[Atrum Daemon]

“Our faith exists almost exclusively in the far west,” Kye explained. “A Death Shaman usually plays two roles within society. The most common is simply administering the rites of passing to the recently dead. The one most are not aware of is that we are also used as private killers by the noble houses, which is something our faith allows. This duty is what brings me so far from home. I apologize if I am boring you. I do tend to carry on sometimes.”

Kye tugged off his gloves as he spoke, the same black skin and white markings showing as he slid the leather gloves into his belt.

[Totenglaut]

Lux smiled. "All fun and game until someone gets hurt" He said.

Luze smiled gently. "If it comes to that I'll make sure my brother takes the blame"

"Yeah right" Lux scoffed earning an elbow from Luze.

[Ceala]

"No, not at all. I quite enjoy conversing with you. It's not very often that I meet someone of your..." Jayn paused slightly, searching for the right word. In a millisecond's time, her brain flipped over the many choices, landing on the one she felt was safest, "...faith."



"When you say that your second role has brought you here, do you mean specifically here or is this town just a stop on a longer journey?" Jayn asked with a surprising amount of nonchalance, considering she was discussing the potential death of her neighbors.

"This man is a sort of assassin, I suppose" the thought should have frightened Jayn, but for some reason it didn't.

[Mattie2009]

Nova smiled. Blaze turned away. "All fun and games until the insane on gets involved. Then you're playing russian roulette with a fully loaded gun." He said. Nova's smile vanished. "Et tu, brother?" She said without turning around, her eyes seemingly glowing crimson red.

[Atrum Daemon]

Kye chuckled lightly at her question before responding: “This is just a stop, I assure you. I’ve only come this far because my mark has managed to elude me this far.”

Kye ran a hand through his hair and scratched the back of his head. He was surprised that the situation was going as well as it was. For once, he wasn’t being forced out of the place by a gang of angry drunks.

[Ceala]

Kye chuckled; the sound was pleasant and inviting, even if his outward appearance wasn't. Jayn had learned long ago not to judge people by their looks; a practice far too many people adhered to almost religiously nowadays.

“This is just a stop, I assure you. I’ve only come this far because my mark has managed to elude me this far.”

Jayn tried not to appear too relieved at his words. She was sure Kye would eventually find and kill his mark; he seemed like a very goal-oriented person. His build was strong and his intelligence obvious. Quite honestly, Jayn felt sorry for the poor soul set in the death shaman's sights.

"You do not strike me as the sort of person that is easily evaded," Jane commented, "Your mark must be an incredibly clever person. Would I be overstepping my bounds if I asked you what your prey has done to deserve his sentence?"

[Atrum Daemon]

“He’s a spy,” Kye answered smoothly, “tracking and killing spies is an area I’m a bit of a specialist in, which is why I was chosen to find him. Unfortunately, I underestimated his skills in disguise. So, here I am.”

Kye turned away for a moment to refresh his drink. He found that Jayn’s willingness to converse with her customers something of a curiosity. ‘Is she really just that sociable? Or does she have an ulterior motive? Or am I just thinking too hard on it?’

Kye decided that the third choice was more than likely correct as he turned his full attention back to the conversation.

[Ceala]

"Well, you sir lead a life far more exciting than mine," Jayn said with a sigh. "I am just a humble tavern owner with an incurable sense of curiosity. I also consider myself a rather avid conversationalist; though, I do have a rather nasty habit of boring people, annoying them, or inadvertently insulting them."

Jayn paused, unpleasant memories of rebuffed friendships and broken ties surfacing.

"I do hope I am not currently falling into one of those last three categories," the sentence came out of Jayn's mouth sounding far more formal than it had in her mind.

[Totenglaut]

Lux lifted an eyebrow. "Siblings? You certainly don't act like it" He moved to sit aacross from Luze afraid that if they kept talking her tongue would get a little too loose.

"Not your place to say, brother"

[Atrum Daemon]

“Not at the moment,” Kye responded, “but you never know what direction the conversation might take.”

As he spoke an amused half-grin split his face for a moment before he took a sip of wine. Kye was truthfully enjoying the small talk as it was the first real conversation he had had in several weeks.

[Ceala]

"The volatile nature of conversation is one of the reasons I love it so much."

Jayn sighed again.

"That, and it gives me an excuse to indulge my curiosity."

[Atrum Daemon]

“Curiosity can be a good thing,” Kye nodded, “if applied in the right situation. Too much of it can lead to such things as…oh, I dunno…outing yourself as a spy and being pursued by someone like me.”

Kye took another drink of his wine as he finished, chuckling slightly to himself as he did so.

[hoteldress]

Princess Kal'Avareth steps into the tavern she has long black curls and deep purple eyes.

She has come a very long way fleeing from her father's Guards, and she is tired.

The bartender is a mute and she smiles kindly at him before asking for a simple red Wine. She startes to look around for a seat...

[Mattie2009]

(Pink Text + Tangled Up In Blue Layout = Bleeding eyes.
I'm not in the habit of highlighting everything I read, don't make me start now.)

Nova smiled. "Well, aside from the obvious differences, we're practically the same." She said. Blaze scoffed. "Yeah, aside from the mind reading, the flying, and all those other wonerful traits you got. Not that I'm complaining, y'know. I love being left in the dark when she goes off on one of her little tangents." He muttered loudly enough for them to hear. Nova reached over the table and punched him. "Don't mind him. He's just a bit mad that I got these." She said, pointing to her wings.

[Totenglaut]

Luze smiled. "We have something in common then. I got all the charm in our family. Lux got whatever was left"

"We're twins" He grumped.

"Yes but that doesn't mean we're the same. Perfect opposites actually" She said gently but in a teasing tone.

Which was true. Though they stood at the same height and had the same eyes everything else was different. Perfectly opposite. Like Yin and Yang.

[Ceala]

Jayn's eyes drifted past Kye, facing the wall behind him but not really focusing on anything. Her voice was soft, but not inaudible.

"Someone like you, eh?" Her eyes returned to Kye, but her voice stayed soft. "And who exactly would that be?"

[Atrum Daemon]

“An accomplished spy hunter who would never stop seeking until death took you. Oh, and who has an ego about as big as this building,” he answered nonchalantly.

A light smile played upon his face the whole time he was speaking. When he was done talking, he finished what was left of the wine and set his cup down.

[Ceala]

Jayn laughed.

"I'm sure your ego is at least somewhat well grounded."

Jayn nodded towards Kye's empty cup as she stood, dusting her skirt off more out of habit then necessity.

"I can refill that if you're up for it."

[Atrum Daemon]

Kye shook his head lightly and said: “Thanks, but I’m fine for the moment.”

Kye then turned his attention to the room at large. He could never help his habit of getting a handle of his surroundings and chalked it up to a side-benefit of his chosen lifestyle.

[Ceala]

"Alright, but if you need anything, even if it's just some small talk, feel free to call," Jayn replied, walking away from the strange yet interesting man.

Today was shaping up to be a very decent day. It was a shame Kye was only a passing visitor. She would have liked to talk to him more often; it wasn't every day you had the opportunity to discuss things with a talented spy hunter.

Jayn looked over her other patrons, deciding to simply go and sit next to the bar instead of initiate another conversation with a total stranger. Perhaps someone would come up to her and perhaps not. For now, she would just provide some company for Rupin.

"How are you holding up, brother?" she signaled to him silently. She had always loved calling him her brother, even if it wasn't technically true. They were siblings by heart if not by blood.

"I can hear you from here, no need to use hand motions," Rupin signaled back as soon as his hands were free. He sent her a coy smile, indicating Kye with a quick jerk of his head. "He seemed to like you."

Jayn blew off the comment with a wave of her hand.

"Tattooed secret assassins just aren't my type,"she replied nonchalantly.

"Ah, come on Jayn," Rupin teased, a silly smile still plastered on his face.

Jayn would have punched him playfully if he had been close enough, but being across the bar, he was out of her reach.

"But if I run away with some stranger, who will look out for you? You know you couldn't survive without me," Jayn said, teasing right back.

"You underestimate me, as always." Rupin rolled his eyes.

"We'll see about that, bartender. Now get me something to drink, nonalcoholic please. I don't want to get too comfortable on the first day. No, not yet."

Rupin sent Jayn a mock salute. "Yes, mam."

[Atrum Daemon]

The man who next opened the tavern door and stepped inside wore a white traveling coat over his otherwise simple clothing. The left side of his face was adorned with a very nasty burn wound that had left that side of his jaw bone exposed and had never fully scarred over. His cyan colored eyes scanned the room as he crossed the floor and took a seat at the bar. He examined the drink selections for a moment before indicating a bottle to the bartender. “That one,” he said, “and just leave the bottle.”

Once the bottle and cup were on the bar, he filled the cup and drained it in one gulp. He filled the cup a second time, but drank slower, actually tasting it. Kye glanced at the newcomer out of the corner of his eye, noting that he had the feel of a mage about him.

[Ceala]

Jayn sipped her drink. She didn't know what it was, but she trusted Rupin enough not to get her drunk her first day on the job. It had a relatively pleasant taste, so she didn't complain.

A man sat down at the opposite side of the bar, but Jayn decided to stay silent. By the way he was gulping down his drink, he didn't exactly seem to be in the talking mood. More like the "I-just-want-to-get-terribly-drunk-and-escape-from-my-life" mood. Either that, or he just had a crazy high tolerance for alcohol. Tolerance or not, Jayn decided just to act as if he wasn't there, focusing her attention on the cup in her hands.

[Nekte]

Nekte remained silent while watching Kye intently. Her fingers idly weaving a lock of her raven hair, her drink forgotten. Her curious nature had always drawn her towards the darker things in this world. She cocked an eyebrow as the man drew back his hood.Perhaps this explains the pull she thought. The only other patron that had attracted her attention was the cranky male or whatever he really was but the pull was not as strong.

[Atrum Daemon]

When the bottle was halfway gone, the mage stopped drinking and rubbed his temples with two fingers as he closed his eyes. He didn’t open his eyes as someone sat next to him. “Drinking pretty heavily, don’t ya think?” Kye asked him.

“Not as heavily as I’m about to,” the mage responded.

“Day worth forgetting, huh?”

“Last couple days.”

“I’ve been there,” Kye nodded, indicating a refill for his wine, “my name’s Kye, by the way.”

“Well, Kye, I…holy crap,” the mage paused when he got a good look at Kye. “Are you seriously real or have I underestimated how strong the drink is…?”

“I assure you, I’m real,” Kye laughed lightly.

“Good,” the mage sighed. “Anyway, I was gonna say that my name is Myrdred.”

[Mattie2009]

Blaze shrugged. "I don't have wings or thought-reading. Therefore I can't be high-and-mighty about them like some people. What I can be high-and-mighty about is my immunity to Miss Thought-reader's attempts to read me. Something I can constantly use to send her face-first off her high horse." He said. Nova sighed. "Anyway, what do you guys do for a living?"

[Totenglaut]

Do for a living? Luze almost chuckled. "I govern over light and my brother governs over dark" She didn't say it but thinking it brought a smile to her face. She didn't worry that Nova would read her thoughts because she'd been thinking enough about the war that any semblance of covering she tried to do would be redundant. "At the moment we're in between" She said.

Lux pulled the drink menu from Luze's hand gently. "If you're gonna talk at least let me order" He grumbled not btohering to ask permission to take the menu. Luze didn't seem to care. As soon as he regained enough power to restore their human disguises fully he was going to smother her with it. He was spacing off not really paying attention to the conversation. I just want out. And I should've kept up with the symbols humans use I can't read a thing. I wonder if Luze can? His face was buried in the menu.

Luze hadn't been able to read the symbols either as Gods usually had no need to write or read. The last she'd read had been some heiroglyphic-type symbols.

[Atrum Daemon]

“Say,” Myrdred said, having warmed up to Kye after sharing a few drinks with him, “do those two over there seem a tad off to you?”

“Which tah?” Kye asked, his odd accent beginning to show.

“The twins…the lad’s reading a menu and the lass is conversing,” Myrdred answered, indicating with a nod.

“I dinna really think too much about it at first,” Kye admitted. “But nah that ye point it out, somethin does seem a bit off.”

“And I thought as a spy hunter you’d be more perceptive,” Myrdred said.

“They dinna seem dangerous, so I found it safe to not keep an eye on em.”

“But anyway,” Myrdred said, “something does feel off. I can’t quite sense it…but it’s there. Or maybe I’m imagining it cause of the drink.”

[Ceala]

Jayn continued to sit alone at the bar.

"I'm bored," she complained to Rupin.

"Then talk to somebody or serve some drinks. Earn your keep, sis," Rupin replied, a bit annoyed but mostly just teasing.

Jayn sighed, but remained where she was.

[Nekte]

Restless Nekte fidgeted in her seat. If she didn't find a cure to her boredom soon she would have to do something drastic. Her kind is not suppose to be impatient or restless, her mother had always told her. She couldn't help it though. If she didn't find a bit of trouble soon she would implode. The withdrawal was setting her veins a fire.
She tossed her head back finishing her drink at the same time signalling the bartender for a refill. The dark skinned elf slammed her glass down with a smirk.

[Ceala]

Seeing that Nekte wanted more drink, Jayn got up and walked towards the dark-skinned elf, arriving at her table just in time to see her slam her cup down with a loud thud. Jayn was a bit surprised by the sound if not the action.

"Here, let me have that," Jayn offered, gingerly taking the empty cup from Nekte's hand and filling it.

Jayn handed the now full cup back to the elf, pausing a moment at her table, silently debating with herself whether or not to stay and make conversation.

"I noticed you eyeing the man over there," the words popped out of Jayn's mouth before the rational half of her had reached a conclusion. She motioned toward Kye with a tilt of her head, "You know, he's not a bad guy. Now, his new drinking buddy... I'm not so sure. What do you think?"

[Atrum Daemon]

“…So, I finally got to the window and climbed through,” Kye explained. “But, the lady of the house was not there.”

Kye and Myrdred had become distracted from their curiosity for the time being by the arrival of a fresh bottle and had started trading a few of their more interesting stories. “What’d you do?” Myrdred asked, refilling his cup once more.

“Well, I introduced myself to the lady that was there,” Kye answered with a grin. “Woke up the next day to find that we had somehow ended up in the bedchamber’s wardrobe.”

“Lucky night,” Myrdred said with a laugh, “but did you find the mark?”

“Oh, yes,” Kye nodded. “I had to wait until the lady of the house arrived, but it was a worth-wile wait.”

[Shani]

Magenta was visiting a friend, who lived in the village. She had not seen her in a while. Her friend has been trying to convince her to move into the area. It was getting late and her friend begged her not to go. But Maenta reassured her friend that she would be alright. For Magenta had a seceret that she couldn't tell anyone, well she could but she didn't want to scare her friend. So she was heading for the inn she was to stay at when she noticed a tavern. Maybe just one drink, she thought. Magenta walked over to the tavern then walked in. She was wearing a black knee leangth dress with black tights and high heels. She walked over to the bar and read the plaque. "Hi there." She smiled. "Can I have a Bloody Mary? Please."

[Mattie2009]

Blaze looked at Lux, one eyebrow raised. "Having a bit of trouble with the menu?" He asked, with a note of calm surprise in his voice. Nova smiled. "Us too. I've been doing a bit of freelance work here and there. Delivery work, Bodyguard, the usual stuff. By the way... Tell me about this war. I'm usually up-to-date with the latest goings-on, so your 'war' is new on me. I've been keeping secrets since the day I was born, so you can tell me." She said. Blaze looked at her angrily. "Sure. Every secret anyone's ever told her has stayed up in her head, unless the secret is either from me or about me. Then it's fair game to tell EVERYONE." He said, arms crossed. Nova looked at him. "But you're so funny when you're angry." She said. Blaze threw his arms into the air. "Oh, THAT makes it A-OK then!" He snarled.

[Ceala]

((since Rupin technically isn't my character, I hope I'm not breaking my own rules by posting this. If anybody has a problem with it, don't be afraid to tell me))

Leana entered the tavern; she'd lived her whole life in this town, but she'd never heard of this place.

"It must be new" she thought as she approaced the bar.

She motioned to the bartender, leaning over the bar so that top dipped down low and revealing. She smiled innocently when he approached, running her hand trhough her golden hair in mock nervousness.

"Hello sir," she said, her voice smooth,"I don't know what to do. You see, I though I had my money with me, but it seems that I don't. "

The leaned a little further, biting her bottom lip, "Do you think you do do me a little favor, just this time?"

The bartender hesitated, so Leana threw in another shy smile.

"Just call it an opening day special. I'll pay you back, honest. Just bring me whatever."

The bartender either fell for the act or just didn't know how to aruge, because he soon returned with a cup full of ale. He seemed annoyed, perhaps even angry, but he handed her the cup anyways.

She smiled again. "Thank you."

With that, Leana got up and walked over towards a woman in a black dress holding what looked like a bloddy mary. By the time she had reached her, all hint of the "maiden in distress" act she had put on for the bartender was gone.

"Nice dress," she said to the woman, her voice not quite cold but not quite kind.

[Mattie2009]

((Technically he's everyone's character, so unless this thread is just a wild mass fever dream, he's your character as well.))

[Ceala]

((Haha, I suppose so. But you know what I meant))

[Totenglaut]

Lux thought about sneering at him but said nothing. Stupid humans they should just stay with one set of symbols it would be so much easier. He didn't look up. Blaze and Nova he just wanted to shoot both of them and grab Luze and take her away.

Luze listened. "Most wouldn't know don't feel bad. It's..."

"...fought through elements leave it alone" Lux finished angrily still angry that he could not read the menu.

"Lux!" Luze elbowed him. "You can be, can't you? It was your temper that got us in this mess in the first place,"

Lux lifted an eyebrow. "Not how I remember it" He said simply.

[Mattie2009]

Nova smiled innocently. "Well, Lux. If you don't mind, I'd like to know how you 'remember it'." She said, never one to avoid trying her luck. Blaze stood up. "I'll be outside." He said, not wanting to be around if anything happened.

[Totenglaut]

Lux watched Blaze leave. "You're pressing your luck" He said simply. He could answer but he didn't feel like it. In fact he wanted out. Dark mood for a dark god he thought. But could he help it when they had most of the Heavens coming at them.

"You got Elia angry, brother. There's no other way around that" Luze sniffed.

[Mattie2009]

Nova grinned. "My luck's been pushed more than a button that dispenses the secret to happiness. I've lived for thousands of years, I don't intend to stop now. And stop being such a grump! We're in a bar, not a courtroom."

[Totenglaut]

Luze smiled. Her blue eyes searching she asked. "Have you been here before? Perhaps you can tell me what's good I cannot seem to read the menu" She allowed her inability to air.

Lux got to his feet. "I'll wait outside. We should be moving on soon anyway" He added reproachfully.

[Nekte]

Nekte nodded in gratitude as Jayn refilled her glass. She found it hard to focus on what the woman was saying she was to annoyed with herself for slamming her glass. She was normally better at keeping her frustration quiet. She jerked her head up as something Jayne said caught her attention. "Watching him...I wasn't..I was..I have been keeping an eye on all here. I don't know what to think of them." She takes a sip of her drink trying to not watch the two males.

[Ceala]

Jayn tried not to laugh as the elf stumbled over her words. It wouldn't have been a cruel laughter, had it slipped out, but luckily it was never given the opportunity to be misinterpreted.

"That makes two of us," Jayn added with a small sigh. "The dark one is polite at least; the other one I don't know what to make of."

Jayn wanted to nudge the elf playfully, but she new the gesture was far too informal. Instead she settled for simply taking a half step closer as she offered her next sentence with a smile.

"If you're curious, why don't you go and talk to them? I'm sure they'd be honored to speak to such a beautiful person."

With a wink, Jayn left Nekte to her own thoughts, returning to the bar.

[Atrum Daemon]

“That’s interesting and all,” Kye said in response to part of something Myrdred was telling him, “but that doesn’t quite explain how the entire damn city ended up as a crater.”

“I’m getting to that,” Myrdred said with a wave of his hand. “So the energy condensed down to about the size of my fist. What we didn’t know was that the thing was inside a reversed barrier for a reason. We took the orb-thing out of it’s cage and it blew up right in our faces. That’s what reduced the city to a crater.”

“Then how did you survive?” Kye asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I honestly have no idea,” Myrdred admitted. “I just remember this blinding white light for a few minutes, then when my vision came back we were standing at the bottom of the crater where the city was and three of our group had been vaporized.”

“So you really have no idea?” Kyrozan asked.

“Not even a clue how it didn’t kill all of us.”

[Shani]

Right when Magenta took a sip of her drink a woman complimented her dress. "That you," she said her sharp teeth showed as she smiled. She noted the way the compliment was said, with a tone of friendliness and a mix that wasn't so nice. She must have the wrong impresion. "Where are my manners my name is Magenta." she spoke in a friendly tone.