Atharen, A Fantasy Roleplay Forum

Posted: **Thu Mar 10, 2022 2:20 pm**

Glade 27 4622¤

Schattige Mulde
Podvrak stood completely still staring in blatant horror and awe at the beast rending the flesh from three gnomes in the middle of the square. He had just arrived off the dimp from Nivenhain, a mechanical flying contraption created by the very same people being savaged right in front of him. The master of the chaos wasn't like anything he had ever seen. Great dripping black wings flapped as the gnomes cried until their dying breath. A sleek yet terrible black beak was covered in the small ones blood, devouring the last of them. Right when Podvrak had enough the beast let out a great cry before swopping in its wings and taking off into the sky.
'Kindred. Here? Attacking gnomes? Why?'
Podvrak had to collect his thoughts and dry his eyes before anyone saw him shedding a single tear. Someone nearby scoffed at the ragged mess in the street saying to their companion.
"And serves them right talking about fake hand made gods, when the truth lies in the Omen. Let that be a message to any more false prophets in the future."
The bull could only shake his head in ultimate defeat before shouldering his pack and heading to the library. He tried not to look at the mess as his solemn foot path lead around the bodies. Surely the Kindred was nearby still, waiting and watching for any slight chance a heretic would clean up or wish well for the beings it tore flesh from bone.

The door to the library swung open with a quiet creak, its gentle turn on the hinges stirred a few pages laid dormant. Other than the fluttering pages all was quiet and still in the library. Podvrak shut the door behind him and made his way to the front counter. He was here after all looking for a new job and chance at citizenship, the women from Nivenhain had given him enough grief. Their antics were much behind him and he searched now for something more. Unfortunately this didn't seem to be the most quiet of spots either, with the blood splatter for greeting. That was until she hopped into view. A tall, white furred rabbit Rathor in her true form. In truth it was her eyes which first struck him as they were a beautiful lilac hue. He immediately stood up taller and bashed his head off of an overhang. It started the hare and she looked at him from her vantage point behind the front counter. She had just come from a side door and had a pile of receipt paper in her arms.
"Many books here then?"
He asked simply, staring into her eyes. She twitched her nose and gazed at his bulky form wide eyed before replying,
"I would think not anymore, the gnomes made mistakes bringing their business here."
She looked him up and down before standing straighter herself, the quality of her clothes showed she had to be better than a Nameless.
"Are you looking for something, I haven't seen you around here before?"
Podvrak twisted the shoulder-strap of his backpack before replying, deadpanned,
"I am looking for a job, I have experience all over and have a library of my own at home. I am only Nameless, though, I understand if you must turn me away."

The woman considered this and after some time told him seriously,
"This is the dreariest peak in the Valley. I have other hands who I could go for help but show me you are better than them, I will give a single chance. If you can retrieve a book from the gnomes. It's one of our oldest books and they've had it for awhile. I would do it myself, but with the Kindred lurking around any corner I don't think I want to be marked with consorting anymore than I already am obligated to. Bless the Omen and He Will Come From The Black. Come back with this and I'll give you a job."

OOC; No permission to interact with the Kindred is granted, the Kindred is considered Gone after this post.

Posted: **Thu Mar 10, 2022 8:56 pm**

27 Glade 4622 ◈

Location ◈

Tag: Gore

Language 2 ◈

Blood sprayed from the chest of the screaming gnome, Vera stepping back to press into the crowd as the Kindred threw its head back, ripping a string of entrails towards the sky with its gullet bobbing as it swallowed. A seriousness sharpened her expression, gaze unwavering as the large avian repositioned itself around the body and buried a talon into the thief's chest. The grotesque raven crushed its ribcage with the same ease as cracking an egg. Loud shattering of bone resounded among the somber crowd. When the Kindred lowered its head once more, it devoured a pair of lungs and then a heart. The screams were replaced with a dying gurgle, the strength leaving victim's body as his fight ceased. The gnome's head rolled to the side, Vera watched the life dim from the man's eyes. She recognized the symptom. Shock. Death.

The Kindred bowed its head and ripped off his face.

Vera tugged at the draping of her hood and pulled further into the crowd.

It was getting cold.

◈◈◈

She found herself gravitating to the library. Vera always found solace among stacks of knowledge and had yet to experience the village's supply. It would be farfetched to believe this place would have anything that could rival the Grand Archive, but she'd be able to settle and record the execution while it was still fresh in her mind. She sized up the building, noting its punitive size compared to the Gothenburg's cathedral-like library, knocking her boots of snow at the doorstep before stepping inside. Warmth slithered beneath her stiff cloak, and she pushed her hood back to expose silvered hair, tucked behind long, pointed ears. Unusual in Lorien, and even more exotic in these remote villages, Vera braced herself for stares or ignorant commentary, just as she did any time she went somewhere new. Dark purple skin wasn't exactly easy to hide or well understood, but as she swept her attention across the room, she paused in surprise.

It would seem she was not the only unusual in this place.

A creature? A beast? A man loomed over a smaller Rathori female who held a box of receipt paper bound in tight rolls. Above him was a wooden overhang with a chunk carved out of the beam. The duo continued to converse, Vera taking the opportunity to slip into the nearest row of bookcases. The entire library was familiar; still and smelling of old paper with the Rathor's voices sounding louder than surely intended.

Out of a direct line of sight, Vera went to work, pulling her journal from the purse strapped across her chest and beginning to write details of the murder. She noted the size of the gnomes, appearance, dress, the final words. The identifiers of the Kindred, an estimate of its wingspan, the size and shape of its beak and the cruelty of its devouring. Which organs it feasted on first, its feeding pattern upon the offering. Her pen scratched against the paper furiously, but seemed to snag with the interrupting conversation that repeatedly fought for her attention.

"If you can retrieve a book....."

Vera stared at her own words, trying to refocus, but losing quickly.

"-one of our oldest books..."

Vera's ears pricked up and she tried not to be too inconspicuous as she leaned forward and peaked between the rows of books, watching the two with a needling scrutiny.

"I would do it myself, but with the Kindred lurking around any corner I don't think I want to be marked with consorting any more than I already am obligated to," The next words had Verasol stepping out from behind the stacks, interest peaked, despite not being remotely involved in the conversation herself, "Bless the Omen and He Will Come From The Black. Come back with this and I'll give you a job."

Vera kept a safe distance from the enormous bull, on the off chance she angered the towering figure, "Is this quest solely reserved for a single player?" she asked, unapologetic in her eavesdropping as she looked at the face of the Nameless bull, "I'd like to assist, if you're willing."

Posted: **Fri Mar 11, 2022 8:05 pm**

Text Here¤

Podvrak snorted and swished this tufted tail gripping the straps tighter as the newcomer spoke. A dry chuckle came from his lips as he sized the
woman up. There was a momentary pause while he wondered about purple elves before he addressed the newcomer.
"What do you get out of it? I didn't know my interview was open for two."
The hare laughed, although an interjection it seemed innocent enough,
"I saw you come in, are you too looking for a job? I can't let every Nameless who walks through the door waltz in here and get a paycheck."
Podvrak nodded his head gruffly, he told her in his somber tone.
"That settles that. I'd like to know where I could find these gnomes."
He winced slightly in recognition of what he had just seen, hoping they weren't the very same. She replied with a smile.
"Alright, well your guess is as good as mine. If I were you I would get to it before they leave like they should."

Both the young women were left there where they stood as he ducked his head away from the awning and headed out the door. He figured he needed somewhere to rest for the night, and with the little funds in his pocket he went to the tavern to buy a room. Passing by the gruesome sight again Podvrak made eye contact with no one, keeping his eyes faced low to the ground. It wasn't hard for him to humble himself as his stature gave him a certain amount of accountability for his body language and tone. That said, his scars and sheer visage was one of someone who had seen battle and won-- he was hard to miss even in a crowd.

The sign creaked on its hinges reading in cursive light blue script, "Windswept Nightingale". He pushed the ratty door in, which swung open with a flick on the hardwood floor where it was clearly weathered by time and foot travel. Inside was dingy but had a certain charm. He made his way to the counter and looked for a server. Time drew on, so he turned his attention to the other patrons, hoping to catch a glimpse of any gnomes. Though it seemed like an obvious place, they could be in one of the rooms. Would the Kindred burst through the walls, or were the others somehow spared? It would be dangerous to meet with them so soon.

Using a large hand he rubbed the back of his neck and stretched out a leg. Until the tavern keeper arrived he wouldn't be able to look anywhere. It could stand to be a long night.

Posted: **Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:14 pm**

27 Glade 4622

Windswept Nightingale

◈

"What do I get from it?" Vera asked, looking at the bull with an incredulous offense, "Why, experience, of course."

An opportunity to peek between its pages would have been payment enough. After all, it was not a common occurrence when one was given the opportunity to return an aged tome to a conservator. Vera prepared to express her personal interest in the text itself when the hare barked a laugh. The bull shut down the notion of her assistance, deciding the thought no longer up for discussion.

That settles that, he said.

That settles nothing, she decided stubbornly.

"Of course," the silver-haired elf bowed her head and forced a smile, "My apologies for interrupting. I hope you both find what you're looking for."

Vera retreated back to the stacks, running her fingertips along the spines as her mind wandered. Where did gnomes hide? Assuming the holder of the book was not one murdered on trial, they would be seeking comfort. A few places came to mind. Their homes or perhaps a residence... An inn? Vera drummed her fingers along her chin in thought, calculating the odds of chance. At the very least... it might be worth looking into. She was going to be in town a while anyway. Perfect efficiency.

The Arkanai tucked her belongings back into her purse and slipped out the front door, paying little mind to the bits of carcass that littered the execution sight. She kept her eyes peeled for any living gnomes and stopped once to ask for directions to the nearest inn. A human nodded up the road and told her to turn left, where she came across a dilapidated sign that had seen better days. Faded by sun and snow, the words, The Windswept Nightingale caught her eye. There was something about the name that saddened her; it was oddly romantic for a village in this land, the image of a bird fighting against the current and getting swept away.

Vera reached for the worn brass handle, glancing once towards the skies, and headed inside towards the warmth, tugging her gloves off as she moved, "Hello," she greeted the barkeep who was finishing a conversation with a bored looking miner at the end of the bar. The man did a double take, recovering with a new caution that hadn't been there before. Purple skin conundrums, "I am here to meet a gnome," she said evasively, struggling to judge what information was safe and what wasn't. The book hadn't involved anything unscrupulous, right? She supposed it didn't matter; it was unlikely he would know either way. She opened her mouth to speak but realized almost instantly that she wasn't sure the gender of the borrower.

"Uh..."

The man furrowed his brow. He set down the rag he had been holding, watching her expectantly.

"Hee....?"

"He?" The bartender was looking at her fully now and crossed him arms.

"Sorry," Vera cleared her throat quickly, pretending more knowledge than she had, "He should be here, or maybe you've seen him? I'm late, I'll admit. Um, usually wears dark pants...glasses... Although, he loses them often, so he may not be wearing them... Anyway, if you've seen him, you might notice he's quite to the reader. Always has a book or two..." the lies continued to fumble out of her mouth, generic descriptions that she hoped were open enough for interpretation.

The bartender snorted, but he eventually smiled, "You're not very good at this, are you?"

Vera laughed, half nervous, half excited. There were so many ways this could go wrong. It was thrilling, "You're not wrong," she returned the smile, looking back around the room to see a dark figure passing a front window. The bull from the library. Vera stood up a bit straighter, clearing her throat once more and leaning across the bar to lower her voice, "I'll be honest with you, after the business in the square... I'd rather not be here at all." She could have been buried in a good book or back in her caravan, tucked away with a cup of cider, "I'm a student at Gothenburg and a faithful. The quicker I can be done with this errand, the better. I just need to deliver a paper." she patted her bag for good measure.

"Ah, well that first half, I can understand," the man looked over as the door opened and a draft blew in. The bull had officially arrived. The barkeep looked back at her and Vera seemed to be acutely aware of every thudding step of hoof on wood floor. Her heart pounded just out of sync.

'C'mon. C'mon.'she thought, gripping the handle of her purse until her knuckles turned white.

"There wasn't a man... A lady, though. I saw her reading the other night. Been in her room all day, from what I saw. Makes sense."

"Must be his wife, Vera added with genuine interest, unable to believe her luck. Even if it wasn't the right person, non-humans tended to recognize each other in a town such as this one, "Do you mind if I...?"

Vera was already moving towards the stairs when he stopped her, "Woah, woah, woah, easy there. I don't know you," he said honestly with a shake of his head, "I can't just let anyone go upstairs. Patrons and their invited guests only."

So much for moving quickly and unseen. There was no way the bull hadn't spotted her now. Cursed hair and dreary surroundings.

"Oh, yes... Of course. That... makes sense," she stepped back, "Ha."

"Why don't you wait there for a little while and when I finish up, I'll send one of my servers upstairs to let her know you're here?"

Vera could almost here the added, 'If you're telling the truth, that shouldn't be a problem.'

"I would love nothing more."

She wanted to scream.

Forcing herself to wait patiently, the Arkanai woman pretended not to notice as the bull took his seat, the room feeling smaller than before in comparison. She tapped her foot and then glanced over, curious if his own theories brought the Rathar here or if her competitor simply craved a keg. Either way, when the barkeep turned to make his next drink, Vera took the reigns of her adrenaline and slipped up the stairs, as agile as a silver cat.

Posted: **Fri Mar 18, 2022 3:10 pm**

¤

He almost wouldn't have seen the woman had she not been thwarted by the man at the stairs. While Podvrak was a patient being, he still looked around hoping to see a worker or else someone who seemed local. Tapping his finger against the bar with a leg extended he looked relaxed and lazy. Brown eyes meandered the room to see a dirty Nameless leaving the building, his ear twitched as the door flicked back into place when the man left. Following along the side wall he scoped two waitresses smoking a cigar at the window, they were obviously taking a break by the way their shoes were kicked off and hair let down. He wouldn't bother them, then. That was when his eyes returned to the stairs leading up to the rooms.

Podvrak watched her talk to the man and his head did a slight tilt. Silver hair and dark skinned, she was hard to miss in a place like this. What is it she had said at the library? Podvrak was so quick to dismiss her then, but what of later? It would seem she was headed, at the very least, where he was. Was it mere coincidence? Wracking his brains he tried to remember her phrasing, something spirited.
"Why, experience, of course."
It rang through his mind like a burst of color and somehow rang dignified. If she were telling the truth and she simply wanted to "tag along" as they said, well, Podvrak was unsure how to take the purity of that statement. Truly what would someone stand to gain from this? Perhaps she was targeting the gnomes and wanted to set them up, but surely no one was as mad as to sick a Kindred on innocent beings. Undercover perhaps, but what would that make him? Fodder for the fire or a cog in the machine?

He fidgeted in his seat as the tavern keep chatted with a local. Time grated slowly in his mind, the worry about the woman finding the gnomes first buzzing through his mind like a gnat. But he would not interrupt their conversation. Impatiently he drummed his finger against the table, waiting until finally service arrived.
"I would like a room."
Said Podvrak with no greeting or pleasantry.
"Sure there, pal. How many days?"
Was the reply from the too-chipper tavern keep.
"Hmph, three."
Money was swapped and directions given to the room. Although he was fraught with worry he paced himself and lumbered with his head low up the stairs and to his room. In the hallway there were two rows of doors, each side had five doors lining the walls. The fifth door, the one at the end of the hall, was a larger suite, as was explained to him, and was more expensive to rent. Podvrak's room was the first door on the left. Inside there was simply a straw and wooden bed, an armoire, a chamber pot, and a window. It was drafty but not dirty. He had to bend down low and the bed was too small, but he had seen worse in his day. Biding his time he sat on the bed which creaked under his weight. Cracking open his favorite paper back he listened for voices through the wall, the woman was surely up here. But where?

Posted: **Sun Mar 27, 2022 9:24 pm**

27 Glade 4622

Windswept Nightingale

◈

Vera suspected she had only a few minutes before her absence was noticed, maybe a bit more if those downstairs demanded larger amounts of attention from the barkeep. She tore up the stairs, nearly smacking into one of the visitors coming down, rushing apologies as they both sorted themselves out, "Are you alright?" her silver hair had fallen into her face, giving her a disheveled appearance, "I'm so sorry-"

"What is wrong with you?" they snapped, recoiling slightly when they looked up and noticed her appearance, "I swear."

Vera frowned, wondering if now was a good opportunity to ask if they had noticed any gnome neighbors during their stay. By the time she thought to ask, the disgruntled stranger had stormed down the stairs and out of sight, "Rude," she grumbled under her breath, straightening the front of her bodice, "It was just an accident."

She couldn't waste any more time. Vera began to rush down the hall, knocking vigorously on the doors, borderline pounding them, while she heard the shouts of, "Who's there?" or "Just a minute!" some male, some female, some completely void of patrons, "Housekeeping!" she shouted, deflating the couple times a door was opened and she rushed inside, past the confused and disoriented visitor to find not a single gnome in the room, "Sorry," she apologized, "Wrong room. I was..." she looked over at the man who had clearly climbed out of bed, half delirious, "I was told you needed new sheets."

"Huh?"

"I must have gotten it wrong," she rushed, moving towards the door.

"Who the hell told you that?"

"What?"

"You don't work here, do you?"

"Uh-"

"That's it," he wiped away his sleep and snatched up the shirt that had been draped over the back of a chair, "I'm getting the owner."

"W... wait, wait, wait," Vera pleaded, holding her hands out in an effort to will him to stop, "You're right!"

It worked. He paused, waiting.

"I'm not housekeeping," she admitted, "I'm... undercover."

"Bullshit."

"It true!"

"Ha!"

He walked out the room and Vera cursed, her competition about to be over before it even started. She began to weigh her options, wondering if she could still manage to make it to a few more rooms before she was absconded. What were the odds of getting out of here?

Vera emerged from the room, struggling to think of a plan when she heard the sounds of voices talking and footsteps heading up the stairs, "-I don't know who she is. Just came in my room..."

"Shit shit shit," she scrambled to the nearest door, tugging on it handle. Locked. She did ran to the next, on the left side of the hall and to her surprise, the handled turned. She ran inside, shutting the door behind her and locking it. She exhaled and turned around. A Rathor sat on the bed and she froze. It was the bull from the library.

Outside, voices were talking about her, "Oh, hi there," she smiled, heart pounding a million miles per minute, "Come here often?" she laughed nervously, jumping out of her skin when a knock resounded on the door behind her. Vera looked wide-eyed at the sound and then scurried closer to the stranger, "I'm not doing anything wrong," she hurried to explain, breathless, "But I may have ruffled some feathers. Help me and I swear I'll help you get citizenship, alright?" she reached out to touch his arm, "Please?"

The men at the door were waiting, "Oi! You in there?"

So much for getting to the book first, "I'll explain everything."

Posted: **Wed Apr 06, 2022 9:25 am**

Text Here¤

"Oh Charles, the way you touch is me is so... delectable."
Even for a dime store paper back this was poorly written. Chewing his cud, Podvrak skipped the sex scene and looked in vain for any signs of character growth or conflict. It was a good thing his new novel wasn't a real page turner as his ears were flicked left and right listening for signs of gnomes or that woman. A fervent knock and then,
"Housekeeping!"
Came her voice in a too-stressed tone. Podvrak chewed and stopped reading, listening with both ears pointed towards the noise. An argument followed? Podvrak smirked slightly but didn't get up from his spot.
"Charles! It was NEVER meant to be. I only have eyes for William-- you killed my father!"
At that scene, the bull rested the book in his lap. He could only take so much garbage in one sitting.

Resting his hands behind his head he laid in his creaking bed still eaves dropping, he couldn't tell what was truly going on out there but by the sound of the commotion someone was causing trouble. With a lazy swing of his cloven hooves to the floor once again he sat upright and was about to ascend from the bed to head to the door when...
"Oh hi there... Come here often?"
Entered the room uninvited, again.
Podvrak stoically said nothing at first and let her talk, sweat, until the men behind the door became adamant.
"Oi! Some witch is causing troubles and posing as staff--"
In his deep growl he replied, cutting them off, looking not through Vera but right into her eyes as if he noticed the whole of her.
"It would be nice if I could get some rest. Lousy house keeping already woke me up once! I paid for this room with the expectation of not being bothered, would you like to make it so?"
It was rare he would raise is voice, indeed, instead he had honed his deep growl like a blade. He knew its effect on people, how he intimidated, and the men behind the door were not immune.
"Y-y-yes so sorry to bother you sir. Enjoy your rest."

The sound of their feet scampering to the next room to knock and ask about the young lady before him was plainly heard through the thin walls. Putting a single finger to his mouth he waited for them to retreat downstairs empty handed. Lowering his voice even more he told her,
"I can tell you want this meeting very much, child. Fine, as long as this helping of yours doesn't infringe on my job at the library. You think you can get me citizenship? I'll test that but I am a harsh debt collector, I hope you can pay."
In reality he doubted very much this woman was any less Nameless than he, but he played along and asked her to explain. Debt collector he would not be but that was quite the lie to tell, someone so brazen in action and speech surely had at least some trick up their sleeve. He would test this line and if it hooked no fish, discard her. This was Lorien after all, and Shattige Mulde, as a Nameless no one owed you any favors. Unless?

Posted: **Thu Apr 07, 2022 12:02 pm**

◈

The bull watched her, and Vera stared back, the seconds seemingly stretched out until he finally inhaled and shouted a response to the men in the hallway. Vera did not move, listening as the men moved to the next room. The bull held a finger to his lips and she remained still, until at last he spoke. His voice, deep and hushed was directed at her, in a gruff tone.

"I can tell you want this meeting very much, child. Fine, as long as this helping of yours doesn't infringe on my job at the library. You think you can get me citizenship? I'll test that but I am a harsh debt collector, I hope you can pay."

"Why would I want to disrupt your errands?" she asked, not sure how to interpret his tone. If she didn't deliver, he would do what, exactly? Kill her, hurt her, humiliate her? It was bold for a Nameless, "I'm only in this predicament because I want the same thing you do. I just have a more... hands on approach," Lorien really was a dangerous region to play detective in. It was kind of exciting for the scholar, she had to admit, "After the execution, I had simply deduced the any gnomes in the city will be hunkering down for awhile; death has a funny way of inspiring a need of comfort. A soft bed, a warm fire and edible food seemed to fit the bill... Surely you rationalized the same?"

Or maybe not.

Vera seemed to take real notice of the room and its spartan furnishing. She frowned and inspected the room, leaning towards the wall to scratch at the peeling wallpaper, "I am not from Schattige Mulde, but a village of this size rarely has many options for lodging. Thankfully, I have my own accommodations," she straightened, tucking a wave of hair behind her pointed ear. Her silver eyes swept the room before she wandered to the bedside table and opened it in search for spare candles. All that sat inside was a religious text promoting Kindred ideology, curtesy of the Omen. She sighed and pulled it from the drawer's depths and idly flipped through the text, although she lacked any real conviction, "My name is Vera. Is that yours?"

She was looking beyond the book in her hands to the one that had been set aside on the mattress. Her head tilted as she read the spine, eyebrow raising as a grin crept upon her face, "Ecstacy of the Heart? My, my."

Posted: **Thu Apr 14, 2022 10:01 pm**

Text Here¤

She sure did talk a lot. He did not answer the first question, merely chewed his cud and twitched an ear. He said nothing until she directly asked him a question again.
"Did I rationalize the same?"
He paused as a great hum came from his chest.
"Well I think I did. We certainly found ourselves in the same place. I think our best bet is here, though I am surprised you beat me to its doors. Very interesting."
She also moved a lot, he watched her fidget and talk more. Scratching at the wall and poking around in his drawers. It was when she commented on the book his demeanor changed. Each word uttered next was spoken slowly, as each if word hung in the air. It was with great care he spoke and his facial expression was bare, as if he were reciting a passage from a text book rather than talking about sex.

"It started off with a nice clincher about time pulverizing us all into dust. It described it as a great crescendo with a deep fall, akining it to love. That's what drew me in. Sadly in the end it became a trite smut novel and I found its pages to be worthless. It's nice to meet you Vera, they call me Vrak in some places."

He hid the book with a quick movement under the pillow of his mattress and sighed, this one coming off somehow as annoyed.
"Well if we're both here I say we ought to look for the gnomes. That being said, someone has attracted a lot of attention to themselves in this tavern. It might be best if we don't knock on every door to find them. Maybe if we wait until dark they might come out for some food and drink. I will stay down there and wait for them, if you can manage to stay in one place I think I will come get you or bring them here as soon as they show themselves. You're quick, I will admit that. Take it from me, if my citizenship hangs in the balance I will come get you for this book-- whatever you need it for."

A snort followed as if that solidified his statement. She almost had no choice, she would need to lay low. Lest the Kindred be told about purple women looking for gnomes.
~~~

He waited down below with stoic features, like his mind was blank. Shuffling his legs from side to side he drank a beer and read his book in silence, taking the occasional sip and flipping the pages with great care despite his large hands. He watched from atop his small glasses people come in and out, as well as the waning of the sun. By dark he still had seen no sign of any gnomes or other out of place people. That was until early in the evening what at first he thought to be the form of a child revealed themselves as gnome after coming away from the darkness of the rickety stairs. A young woman, she was served sandwiches and a pitcher of water before cooly returning back up the stairs. Podvrak was already on her heels, not approaching her yet. In the hallway he pretended to fiddle with the lock as if the key didn't fit until the gnome had gone inside her room first. He then opened the door and told Vera,
"The one at the very end. Let's go."

He knocked on the door and no one answered so like the ex mercenary he was he opened the door with gentle force saying,
"I'm from the library, I'm here to collect a book you owe. May I please come inside?"

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2022 11:19 am**

◈

"...Sadly in the end it became a trite smut novel and I found its pages to be worthless. It's nice to meet you Vera, they call me Vrak in some places."

"Ah, well... most things in life are disappointing in one way or another. Death and sex especially," Glancing at Vrak, she grinned and shook her head, clearly amused. Had he really thought a title like that would be anything more than smut in the end? She pretended not to notice how he stuffed the book away, turning to continue her inspection of the meager room.

There was a small dabbling of stain near the window. Water damage or the beginnings of mold, she surmised. She couldn't wait to go back to her caravan later, where she could enjoy a steaming mug and maybe even enjoy a bit of stew. With the weather outside, a hot meal was a rather attractive prospect. Behind her, the bull man talked, irritated or scolding, she couldn't quite tell in his tone. Back in Gothenburg, Vera spent very little time with Rathar in such close quarters. She couldn't help but doubt whether or not they expressed themselves in the same way as humans and so far Vrak had a very dry sort of speech by nature.

"I was under the impression time was of the essence, and... hm, if I'm being completely honest," she admitted, "I like a good competition, you see. That doesn't mean I'm incapable of teamwork." After all, she didn't have anything particularly important riding on the success of this endeavor and helping another gave the project a stronger sense of urgency, "I just hate sitting idle, I suppose." And if this book was as old, or ancient, or whatever the librarian had said, it sounded right up her alley of interests. With any luck, it would have mention of some sort of myth or creature, or a sliver of knowledge that might explain the current state of religious affairs in Lorien.

Vrak decided that he would go about and stand watch, telling her to stay put and lay low in the meantime with a resolute snort. She tilted her head back and sighed into the air, unable to argue with that particular fact. Had the man in the other room not pitched a fit, she would have made it further up the hall and likely would have found a gnome had she not been forced to hide, "If I must." Not long after, Vrak went downstairs, Vera not ignorant to the fact that he took his romance novel with him.

She pouted, bored, and when threw herself onto the bed, staring at the yellowed ceiling until she occupied her time the only literature left in the room. She flipped through the religious text, skimming for mention of Kindred, their cult, and compared the words on the page to the temple sermons she had been forced to sit through back home. Not a particularly religious woman, she still noted the teachings, particularly the main tenants of Omen ideology, although by the third page of priggish warning, she felt yawning into the mattress and relaxing upon the quilt.

She was jolted awake by his heavy footsteps entering the room and his deep voice telling her it was time to move, "The one at the very end. Let's go."

Vera jumped to her feet, wiping at her mouth and tried to smooth her hair as she did as she was told. How much time had passed? She tried not to be disoriented by the shift to reality, bleary eyed as she poked her head into the hallway and trailed after the large man.

To her surprise, his voice was a bit gentler, but he did not wait for permission when they reached their destination, "I'm from the library, I'm here to collect a book you owe. May I please come inside?"

"I'm coming inside anyway," Vera added, more sing-songy than intended, smiling as she slipped under Vrak's arm and took her first couple steps into the room, "Shoot me if you must... Ooh," she spotted a tray of fresh food, that must have been brought up only moments ago, "Is that brisket?" She reached for the sandwiches but stopped short, glancing at Vrak before pretending as if she hadn't been reaching for the food in the first place. She pretended to straighten the plate.

As she admired the tray of food and pitcher of water, she scanned the room for gnome woman, surprised to find it empty. The window was opened, allowing a cool draft to trail in through the shoddy curtainsThen, she noticed the slight rustle of the comforter, in a different direction than the rest of the sheets. Tilting her head in thought, Vera dropped to the floor, bent on her knees to peer under the cot, "Goodness me, why in Lorien are you hiding down there? I'm not armed," she reassured as the gnome cursed, trying to twist her waist to see she was in fact, not in possession of a blade, "Truly, we're just here for a book. Although, I can't say I blame you, after that business in the center square. Come now, don't be scared."

She smiled, her voice smooth in a way that Arkanai were often naturally blessed with and she debated crawling under the bed with the tiny woman, "I'm going to shut the window now. Your food's getting cold."

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