Trog's Tavern CLV

[Ironsmith]

Vlad shrugs. "'Immediate' immediate? Get the ship fixed up. Shouldn't take too much longer, I'll have the parts I need in a few hours. But tomorrow? No idea. Fortunately, that's not really my problem. My boss probably has a plan already; she's good at bouncing back like that."

[5a Violista]

"Sounds like a pretty decent immediate plan, actually," June says.

She sighs again, and puts her head on the table.

Then, she sits up again, and (gently) slaps her face a couple times. "Okay! I should actually just do something. Just sitting around gets nothing done."

[Ironsmith]

Vlad smiles. "True that." He stands and stretches. "Well, this was fun. I'll tell you what; you ever need a lift someplace, or find yourself with a surplus of duck, give me a call. I'd love to do this again sometime."

[5a Violista]

June laughs: honestly, it's unlikely she'll have too much duck again, but it's still funny.

"Yeah. When I ever get a phone, I'll keep that in mind," she says. "Staying at the Black Dragon's Den, for now, so. Should be easy enough."
Actually, that's not where she's staying.
It's nowhere close to where she's staying.
But the barmaid here mistook her for someone who looks uncannily similar to her, and because June doesn't really know the name of where she's staying, and the barmaid mentioned the BDD which is where the other girl is staying, she got under the mistaken impression that that's where she's staying.
...
It's complicated.

She also stands, and, uncertain whether to give a handshake or a hug or one of those cheek-kisses, June just...gives a little wave. "See you later, hopefully."

And since there's so much more of the city she wants to see, she smiles, and then leaves.

[Zefir]

Sandels half-heartedly nods along as Demion tells him this. "I knew that. And that. That, too", he mutters while sipping his new beverage. "All that's kinda cut and dried. Don't get me wrong, I'm not angry at you for wasting my time or anything. Nice and polite of you to recount all this. Besides, how could you know what I know, without checking? But all of that is kind of vague, large scale stuff that doesn't really get me going. It's like a... a badly made travel brochure. With only fake pictures of smiling tourists in it, no authenticity at all. You know what I mean? Doesn't really make you want to visit that place instead of any other place with smiling tourists."

Demion seems mad now at Sandels words.
"I wasn't aware you are from around here." he replies. "You could have told me, then I wouldn't have to 'waste your time.'" Demion even mimics the quotes with his fingers. No doupt he is unhappy about that.
"In the end this was a rundown of what is actually here and I didn't want to give you a tourist tour. After all I haven't been around. I arrived in this place and had some talks to people. I haven't decided where to go next."
As mentioned Demion is annoyed, maybe mad. He doesn't have much to add.

[Vahnavoi]

"Ah, but I'm not from around here. Claiming I was would've been lying" Sandels says matter-of-factly, as if that's the most important thing in the discussion. "Why are you letting it rustle your jimmies anyhow? Like said, I'm not mad at you for wasting my time - not in a hurry here. Certainly, there is no point in you getting mad at wasting my time - don't think you've given a reason why I should hurry. And I don't think there's a point of getting mad at me for wasting your time - 'cause from the sound of it, you're not in a hurry either. Maybe you should just drink more beer?"

[Zefir]

"Ah, but I'm not from around here. Claiming I was would've been lying" Sandels says matter-of-factly, as if that's the most important thing in the discussion. "Why are you letting it rustle your jimmies anyhow? Like said, I'm not mad at you for wasting my time - not in a hurry here. Certainly, there is no point in you getting mad at wasting my time - don't think you've given a reason why I should hurry. And I don't think there's a point of getting mad at me for wasting your time - 'cause from the sound of it, you're not in a hurry either. Maybe you should just drink more beer?"

Demion sights this guy is kinda strange. He should have know with the whole name thing.

"Look, Telling someone that he wasts your time isn't very polite. I just tried to be friendly. I even asked you if you want to hear it, but it seems you already knew. I don't know what to make of it, but...." he pauses. Maybe this is on purpose and Sandels wants to anger him. At least it might be so.
"Forget it. And no I don't need any beer. I plan to go to some places and I rather not be drunk. I suggest you stop. Wasn't that the reason for your bandages?"

[Vahnavoi]

"What? Oh, no. I wasn't drunk when I got beat up", Sandels replies, aghast. "Certainly not on beer! If I'd been, it would've hurt much less." He finishes another drink for emphasis. "So, where are you planning to go, then? And why?"

[Gnrlshrimp]

Normally, Kestrel loved to watch the various patrons enter and leave the tavern. Everyday she saw something new, something extraordinary, something that she would never have imagined before arriving in the Nexus. Right now, though, her mind was on something else. Trog's Tavern was giving out free breadsticks tonight, so with an empty coinpurse, a rumbling stomach, and a mild sense of guilt, the birdwoman was slipping more than her fair share of the snack food into a paper bag- taking the time to eat a couple along the way as well. It wasn't like she was stealing or anything, but regardless she couldn't shake the feeling that she was doing something perhaps a little wrong. Her hunger, and lack of any current means for buying any real food, was enough to push her past that feeling.

Focused on her forage for free food as she was, Kestrel did not notice the werewolf she had met a few weeks ago smoking in one of the tavern's booths. Atreyu, however, should have no trouble spotting her as he looked around. For all her mild guilt, Kestrel wasn't exactly trying to hide herself or her actions.

Atreyu has taken all of about five puffs when he catches sight of Kestrel. Ah. Oh dear. That's quite a lot of breadsticks.

He lets out a sigh and puts the cigarette out, standing up and waving to the waiter who just took his order. "Hang on a sec. I'm changin' tables. Follow me over in like ten seconds."

Atreyu snags his menu and walks quietly over to Kestrel's table, sliding softly into the seat opposite her without so much as word. And after a few seconds, cue waiter! "Oh yes. We'll both have the rabbit-" He pauses long enough to smile across at Kestrel. "And what would you like to drink, Missy?"

[Zefir]

"I plan to go to MERC and see if I can get some money. Then I go around try to connect with people. That's why i need to be sober. Not a really good impression if you smell like a brewery." He smiles a bit.
"Otherwise I'm open. I hope to meet people that i can help me find the way back, but there is nothing urgent in my homeworld so I don't rush things.."

[Vahnavoi]

"Why do you want to go back? What's there, in your homeworld, for you to go back to?"

[Zefir]

"I got some friends ther, some reputation and a job." he says. "I know nothing special but still more then here. Let me ask you. Do you have anything here that makes you not go back?"

[Vahnavoi]

"Not yet. On another hand, there's nothing for me to go back to. So it's sort of a toss up."

[Morty]

"Hey, it's what partners are for, right? Wouldn't be much good to each other if we couldn't trust each other." Ithuriel seems determined to stick to this cheering Michalson up plan. A little positivity can help at times, and if that's the best help she can provide right now, she'll gladly do so. "And it feels like it's worked out pretty well so far. Honestly, working with you has been an absolute delight. Especially compared to the shifts I've had with some of the other guys in T division. Buncha guys not used to being werewolves, wereyaks, were-anything. Gets a little awkward at times."

"I'm glad to hear it. Really. It's been... I don't know if anyone's ever said that to me." Michalson seems legitimately unsure about it. "Why do we have a whole division of shape-shifters, anyway? I've never thought to ask anyone."

[Zefir]

"That is a rather common thing. Most Storys about someone lost in another land start with his will to go back if he has anything to go. Mostly they stay unless something very important is back home. That said I stick to it and seek my way back first. This way I might know morw about this place ."

[Vahnavoi]

Sandels tilts his head and thinks. "Hmmm... true. A place such as this has different implications, depending on whether you can go back or not. I once heard a theory that if there was a nexus of universes, it would imply that on some level all those universes are one. And if you could prove it -in a mathematical sense, prove it - you could use that proof to construct a thing that touched on the edge of all those universes at once. Then you could use it to travel from one of them to another. Or something."

[Zefir]

"Sounds intresting enougth. I guess you could find out more if you find some researcher. " Demion says.
"I add it to my list, but only after I found some income. It is nice that this place offers a free meal for newcomers. That way you can start without the urgent need of food."

[Vahnavoi]

"You find that researcher", Sandels says. "Me, I don't know what I would do with such a device even I had one. Good luck." He begins to wander away, looking for another patron to pester.

[Morty]

Fayyaad comes walking into Trog's. The tiefling's usual charm and grace are somewhat dulled by how tired he seems to be. He's wearing an open waistcoat, shirt and loose trousers, all of them looking rumpled and seeming to have been put on recently. He sits down by a table, putting a short red rod on it, and waves a waiter over for a drink.

[Ironsmith]

"Well, hello there." Comes a deepish yet feminine voice.

It takes a minute for it to become apparent who actually said that. The voice belongs to a horned woman who seems to have invited herself to Fayyaad's table. She has pale skin, long, dark brown hair, and a set of violet-tinted eyes that are giving him a hungry look. Not quite "I literally want to eat you" hungry, more "I've been on my own for three weeks and I like the look of you" hungry. She's dressed in mismatched leather armor, with a sea-green cloak draped over her shoulders. She had her hands folded in front of her, with long fingers and pointed nails.

"Good evening, stranger." She says, with a salacious lilt in her voice. "Who might you be?"

[Zefir]

Demion just nods to Sandels and let's him leave. He waits for a moment and then takes his leave as well unless anyone stops him.

[Morty]

"Well, hello there." Comes a deepish yet feminine voice.

It takes a minute for it to become apparent who actually said that. The voice belongs to a horned woman who seems to have invited herself to Fayyaad's table. She has pale skin, long, dark brown hair, and a set of violet-tinted eyes that are giving him a hungry look. Not quite "I literally want to eat you" hungry, more "I've been on my own for three weeks and I like the look of you" hungry. She's dressed in mismatched leather armor, with a sea-green cloak draped over her shoulders. She had her hands folded in front of her, with long fingers and pointed nails.

"Good evening, stranger." She says, with a salacious lilt in her voice. "Who might you be?"

Oh ho. Looks like this evening might have become more interesting. Some fatigue seems to clear away from the tiefling's head and he becomes noticeably more animated.

"My name is Fayyaad ibn Haashid al-Zafar. But just Fayyaad is fine," he introduces himself in his customary way. "And who is it that decided to join me this evening?"

[Ironsmith]

"Braon Hexenborne, at your service." She replies, putting a certain suggestive inflection on "service". As she talks, her hand slips under the table, where Fayyaad won't be able to see the arcane gestures she's making. "Tonight seems like a terrible time to be drinking alone, doesn't it?" She clicks her tongue against her teeth. "Terrible time. Good way to wear yourself out even more, I'd say."

[Morty]

"There's really no good time to be drinking alone," Fayyaad points out. "Or at least, no time where drinking in company wouldn't be better. Still, though, today has been long. A pleasure to meet you as well, Braon." He raises his glass. Her arcane gestures seem to indeed have gone unnoticed.

[Ironsmith]

"The pleasure is all mine." Braon replies, cradling (but not yet drinking) a glass of wine of her own. She's looking at Fayyaad rather intensely; her smile suggests it's with a sort of carnal interest, but her eyes betray some kind of malicious intent. It's hard to tell what, exactly... unless Fayyaad has some way of knowing when he's being hexed, that is. "What's a hunk like you doing alone on a night like this?" She asks, attempting to further distract him with more flirtation.

[Morty]

Fayyaad's good mood chills somewhat. He has no way to know he's being hexed, but the malicious intent in Braon's eyes doesn't escape him. The strong and direct way she's coming onto him doesn't do much to ease his suspicion. He's not a fan of being overly subtle when flirting, but there's still such a thing as finesse.

"Oh, it's simple enough. I just finished working. A long day of making sure casino guests behave themselves. It's boring, but it pays the bills."

He subtly shifts himself away from the woman as he speaks, to take a better look at her and an idea about her intentions. This does include observing her body language, even if he can't see what's under the table.

[Ironsmith]

"A casino?" Braon raises an eyebrow, fascinated by this answer. "Making sure guests behave themselves?" She clicks her tongue again and gives another little smile, two of her top teeth poking out from under her lip. "Ooh, I should have known... you're a bouncer, aren't you?" As soon as Fayyaad starts moving away from her, she moves in again, keeping them at a somewhat intimate distance; it seems she doesn't want him getting a different angle on her. "Heh. You certainly look to be strong enough."

[Morty]

Whoever she is and whatever she's doing, she wants to stay close. As she moves in, Fayyaad stands up, or rather leans out, to wave a waiter over and ask for a refill of his wine. Which he might or might not drink, but it's an excuse to move away from Braon and take a look at her from up above. Strong enough, she says? Flattering, but he's well aware strength or an imposing build aren't his strong suits.

"Not quite a bouncer," he explains, in the same casual tone. "Bouncers are large and intimidating people stationed at the doors. I'm there to blend in and observe. Looking like just another part of the crowd or the staff."

[Ironsmith]

Crap. He was going to see what she was doing for sure. Fortunately, it wouldn't be particularly obvious that the gestures she's making are magical; no spontaneous glowing symbols or anything. Without context, it just looks like she's practicing her sign language. Which is still suspicious as hell, but not for the same reasons.

"Sooooo... you're their loss prevention guy, then?" Braon says, leaning on the table with one arm. "That's so interesting." And ironic. She chuckles a little to herself. "Why, I bet you've got some stories to tell, don't you? Lots of people think they can pull one over on you?"

[Morty]

Unfortunately, Fayyaad has a rather close relationship with a sorceress who has a penchant for illusions. It's not quite enough to make him realise magic is being cast immediately, but enough to pique his suspicions even more.

"Quite frequently, yes. I've been described as having an honest face by some. A pretty one, too. It can make people underestimate me, which suits me fine. But you strike me as a woman of the world and subtle, so I'm sure you wouldn't make this mistake. Are you trying to signal someone?" he abruptly asks.