Drink and the Devil Had Done for the Rest II

Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:57 pm

46th of Searing Year of the Age of Steel
Sun's Zenith¤

Shasco scrutinized Althalos for a while but kept his thoughts to himself now, just focusing on eating, drinking, and listening to the conversation. He nodded at Athalos when addressed but other than that was mostly silent, clearly enraptured by the man’s tale. Saej on the other hand had stopped eating when the man was talking, focusing his words and trying to problem solve. The woman was no detective but had an urge to help people, it was a damnedable moral that always went against her better nature of wanting people to leave her the hell alone. This did cross her mind slightly but she pushed it away, he was mild enough and interesting with his amnesia. She had truly never met anyone like him before and she liked the curious and the odd.

“I see what you’re saying, it’s definitely quite the struggle getting here with all the danger around, we were rather vigilant in the wilds. If you say the Knights wouldn’t be interested well, maybe you’re right. It’s probably already been looted to hell and back if you just left all the things strewn there. What an awful way to wake up. Like Shasco said I’m not surprised you lost your memory, that’s quite the thing to suppress.”
Saej didn’t have the slightest clue what he meant by “the Knights don’t make a habit of raising the dead” and was confused for a moment.
'Why would they raise the dead?'
She thought maybe it was just some creepy turn of phrase in these lands and let the moment pass.

“I think maybe you’re right about knowing what kind of creature killed your caravan, I think maybe it could actually help jarr your memory, granted I am no doctor, but maybe it would be too traumatic. Best not to go stomping around the woods in any case.”
Saej nodded at his mention of the assistance, he then explained about the ring on his finger. She didn’t touch his hand but placed her finger on the ring, trying to see it clearly. It was very broken and cold to the touch. Once satisfied Shasco also inspected it from a distance, he looked deep in thought. She regaled what she knew about Kalzasi while inspecting his ring for a second time, peering over the rim of her glasses.
“Well, it’s one of the Free Cities of the north. There are many different varieties of nobles and indeed, many of the lower ranking ones are tradesmen involved in guilds or even guild masters. Because of this the guilds are rather, what do I want to say, betwixt in with the government. They like to meddle in people’s affairs with lawyers and such. One of the biggest guilds would be the Merchant Guild, where it’s very possible you could have come from. From what I’m seeing here, it’s very broken, but I really don’t recognize anything from Kalzasi…”

That was when Shasco finally spoke up, drinking the last of his cider and giving a burp.
“You know, and this is just a hunch, but it could be from Radenor. Almost looks like their style of ring. I’ve only been a few times to Varden as its closest through the Black Road’s pass. But the capital is Tilema. I’m not certain, but I would look around there. That’s all I can really say, I’m not familiar with their customs at all. I’m sorry. I also need to go, it’s my turn to play the lute now that Rose is done. Time to make some tips and get a few butts shaking!”*

With that he got up and left for the upstairs, eventually he would come back down and play on his lute some different upbeat tunes, juggling intermittently to some great cheers. Who was left was just Saej and Althalos. Saej wasn’t uncomfortable by his presence and seemed to be very interested, hanging on his every word.

OOC; *these tips are not for df, just story purposes.

Fri Jun 19, 2020 3:27 pm

She hadn't encountered anything like his story before, had she? Althalos observed as her attention remained rapt on his pale form as he went through the process of providing details hither and thither. Had she really become so invested in the story that he was weaving, or had she hooked onto some unseen implication in his story that provided more than he really wanted anyone to know. She didn't seem frightened as her hound had upon their first meeting, and so he felt confident that she hadn't managed to unravel every line of questioning and discern his ghoulish nature from mere observations and assertions.

Finally, she spoke, and Althalos paid his own attention, hoping for some detail of his own that he might triumphantly stow away into his memory. Instead, there seemed to be primarily agreement with his own perception. At the very least, he supposed that meant that he hadn't gone completely mad over the course of the season, still capable of formulating thoughts just like a living being. "I can assure you there were things I wish I had forgotten even after waking." He said, his mind's eye settling onto the image of the maggots which had needed to be expelled from his form, and of the twisted and contorted figurines that now lay as mere husks of themselves.

"You're right about the danger. If a dozen people couldn't stop it -- or them -- then there's little hope I'd be able to myself." He glanced gingerly at his own shoulders, implying the frame that made up his body and it's inherent frailties. He wasn't an absolute pushover, of course, but clearly he'd not been a proponent of heavy labor before his awakening. At the examination of the signet ring, he flexed his hands, testing their grip on the air itself and finding it notably unsatisfactory. "I can assure you I'm not craftsman, at least, but it makes sense to think I may have been associated with some business or other."

The caravan had been hauling trade goods when it had been overturned by the monstrosities. He wished he had stayed back going over each and every detail of them now, but perhaps the information he needed would be recorded within the ledgers. They had been stolen away from the wreck of the wagon along with a few basic supplies he had thought might be necessary. Now, most of those very supplies festered away in his home, his appetite always stirring, and yet never directed towards the rations. An unpleasant irony that he had spent so much energy hauling them only for them to provide him with none at all.

Shasco seemed to have an inkling as to it's possible origin as well, highlighting that it might've belonged to 'Radenor'. Between the Free Cities, Radenor, and the mention of places like Kalzasi, there was despondent despair beginning to overtake him. He was a single man, an individual person, and while he may have been nobly born, clearly it hadn't caused much of a stir, because no one had been sent to search for him. Was he really going to travel to so many different nations just to tie his past to his present? He soundlessly sighed, his lips going through the motion, but finding no intake of air to provide the sound they needed, his hands gripping at the bridge of his nose for a moment as if to relieve the building pressure.

The bard himself stepped away from the table, eliciting a two-fingered salutation from the pale elf as he continued his subtle vigil. Finally, he tore himself away from the useless position, clearing his throat of any built-up phlegm. "A vast world to search." He said plainly, the nail in the coffin of his actions. He forced a smile, but it felt mirthless, and he didn't doubt she'd be able to tell it. Removing his attention from the matter at hand for a moment, he observed as the quarter-Hytori returned from his escapades, wielding an instrument as skillfully as a knight wielded their weapon. "I didn't realize you'd been staying here in the Inn. How long do you think you'll be staying in the city?"

He stopped himself a moment, recalling his noble decorum as he slid his ring back onto a naked finger. "I don't mean to pry. That's your business, of course. It's just -- it's been pleasant to have someone to talk to again." A gentle warmth made his friendly smile all the brighter, and he flicked a finger towards the dishes still laying on the table. "You can order more if you're still hungry or if you'd like some more to drink. I ate a large breakfast and I've got a week's worth of rations just stinking up my house as it is. It won't break me." He wished he had eaten. His last meal had been a couple of nights ago at least. The stinking vermin weren't much, but they were something to halt the pangs, and his fingertips hadn't broken out any further since he'd started his nightly feasting.

Sat Jun 20, 2020 12:57 am

¤

Listening to his tale Saej could only shake her head muttering,
“Just awful.”
Of course she had heard of people getting attacked on the road. These kinds of stories were common in caravans for late night scary tales and a warning for the overconfident. It could truly happen to anyone. What made this different from her was, of course, the lack of a campfire ambiance but also how he seemed so scarred. To wake up with no memories and only as the husk of himself was something that she had a hard time wrapping her mind around. Who would she be if not herself. Was a rose truly a rose?

Shasco’s juggling had attracted a crowd and she watched him for a moment drifting away. How many near misses had they had on the road growing up? Wheels breaking, rationing food after getting lost, even beasts in the night howling a time or two. How scared she had been but without him she wouldn’t have been half as strong. Saej may have been hard on him but her patience was small and he knew that better than any, always leaving her be when she needed it. He was a kind and good brother, and coupled with the fact that he brought joy to so many people with his music and even the shameless flirting, it could be said that it something she admired about him. She would never be able to do that no matter how long she lived. Looking at him now was a moment of sisterly adoration, the secret kind that was fuel to the bond of love and fires of destiny.

Drawing her attention back to the man he seemed to be making a pursed face, lost in his own train of thought. After giving out a terrible sounding hack when Althalos spoke up again she had to tear herself away from Shasco’s performance, this was one of her favorite songs.
“Vast indeed, it’s hard to imagine being so lost. I should be staying here for some time, unfortunately this trip has already cost me and Shasco a pretty penny. I forgot how expensive travel was and with no real place outside the city to camp in my wagon I should quickly go broke… Err…”
She had to stop herself, she was revealing much more than usual. The drink was barely enough to give her a buzz, she considered it was the revealing nature of this man’s story.
‘Tit for tat or something like that.’
“Anyway, I’m not sure what we’re going to do next. No, you’re not prying. We’ve been talking plenty, I suppose it’s my time to share a little more than just geography. Honestly? Stinking rations would be better than ending up a pauper at this point-- well. With your situation in mind maybe that was tasteless, not that you’re a pauper but maybe I shouldn’t complain too much considering. With that in mind maybe I shouldn't take another cider.”

Shasco was grinning and kissed a maiden’s hand to the delight of both her and the crowd. She seemed to be enjoying herself the most as she was entranced in what looked to be a local style dance. Saej could only watch knowingly, thinking about how he must be using his mesmer. It made her somewhat nervous when he did that but it wasn’t ever with any intention of harm, she tried keeping that in mind. The fact was his own mother initiated her into the secretive art of transposition, stressing the entire time about keeping her talents well hidden. He grew up knowing this too and she reminded herself of that. Turning the attention back to her new found acquaintance she asked,
“Where do you stay, Althalos? An inn?”

Sat Jun 20, 2020 10:44 am

Althalos found himself briefly caught up in Shasco's act as the conversation went on. It seemed that he had managed to establish quite the sizeable crowd for his performance, and it was obvious as to how he had managed it. The part-Hytori was a charmer, and there was a charisma about him that was undeniable. The corpse was certain that much of it was a falsified persona, but the raw energy that permeated his act was something that could not be refuted. Instead of playing his instrument, it now seemed that he had managed to entrance the audience through a juggling routine, tossing this and that up into the air and catching it with well-practiced movements.

When Saej broke her gaze upon him, he did as well, a brief "He's very talented" breaking the stillness. It seemed she held his own ideals on the vastness of the world, but in truth, he didn't expect to find anyone who thought it was a minuscule land. Many people no doubt held to thoughts that their local areas were smaller than they appeared, but to doubt the scale of the mortal plane would be folly. Perhaps the touch of alcohol or the warmth of friendly conversation had loosened her tongue, but Saej revealed to her newfound acquaintance that she had managed to rack up quite the debt already in her stay within the city. He gave a subtle nod. Though he'd not lacked for money since he had arrived, he understood that staying within one of the rented rooms of an inn and having to purchase meals and drink each day couldn't have been cheap for the travelers.

The issues of a loosened tongue made themselves known as she continued to ramble about the worth of the 'stinking rations' he had within his home, and about how much better it would be to eat than to find oneself a mere beggar and transient. Althalos' grin began to grow as whatever clouded her inhibitions continued to take its hold. It was becoming apparent that she was losing some control, what with the repetitious statements, and the hip-fired apologies. There was amusement to be found in the innocent loss of coherence, he thought, far better that than some more severe ailment.

"I think that might be for the best." He agreed when she pointed out that she ought to avoid another cider, the smile stretched ear to ear in good humor. Having revealed so much about her living conditions and the circumstances surrounding them, it was only natural that she would want to know where he was staying within the city, and after a three-second interval to make sure it wouldn't reveal anything too peculiar, he decided to reveal it to her. "Not an inn, though I can see why you'd expect it. It seems I have my own residence in the city, actually. It's not what I would call 'large', but there's some convenience in how close it is to here." Sifting through his coat pocket, he retrieved a key in the process of rusting, dangling it between two fingers as if to demonstrate the validity of his statement.

"You know --" He paused, sliding the key back into his pocket, and considering his words and actions carefully. He had just met the pair of interlopers, but they had proven to be good company and a reasonable source for information. While he had hinted at a meeting in the future... perhaps there was a way to expedite the process and guarantee a steady stream of knowledge. "--maybe you'd like to stay a few nights? I won't charge you any rent for it." He finished, glancing to Shasco as he performed another of his routines. "There's only one cot, but I'm sure both of you could fit." He wasn't entirely sure whether he meant they could both manage to squeeze into one cot, or into the building as a whole, but he didn't want to delve too deeply into the context surrounding their relationship.

"It would be nice to have some live company for a change." He smiled with both enthusiasm and melancholy twisting his features, gently rapping his signet ring against the table as if to clarify what he had lost.

Mon Jun 22, 2020 8:45 am

¤

“Yes, he is. He’s always been talented, more talented than I-- even as kids.”
They gazed at each other now with the attention back on each other and his grin got wider and wider as she floundered over her words. The heat was rising to her face as she got frustrated at herself and found herself wondering with a bit of indignation,
‘What’s so funny?’
Then he told her it may be best to keep the drinking to a minimal, essentially, and she turned a deep red.
’Ah, he thinks I’m a drunk. Great. Not like the bartender doesn’t already think the same, gods I made an ass out of myself when we arrived to the city.’
His smile was toothy and kind though, she could tell there was no maliciousness behind his teasing.

Saej broke her gaze on him and looked down at the ground as if in some offense, which was really at herself. When she looked back up she saw in his hands he held a rusted key. As he continued on with his description of the house she could only look at him stunned. Thoughts bounced around her head in a flurry, things like ‘is he really asking a complete stranger to stay with him’ and… was she actually considering it? The key seemed to dangle like a lifeline that was hanging precariously over the poor house. She pressed her glasses up her nose as she considered, ‘what would Shasco say?’

As she thought about his offer she looked at Shasco and realised in all his gregariousness he wouldn’t mind one bit. A little too quickly she said,
“Yes. Absolutely.”
The key disappeared and she blinked at him behind the glasses, trying to see the situation clearly. It could be said staying with someone could bring out their true colors and she knew very little about him, in fact the only thing she knew was that he was a supposed amnesiac. Could this be some kind of plot or ploy to rob or hurt her in some way? His smile answered her question, no he seemed at least to her to be genuine as just someone trying to help her and her family out. She tried to take back the quickness of her answer by saying,

“I see what you mean about needing some living company, considering the recent experiences. Sure, I think Shasco and Poppy wouldn’t mind. Poppy is a good dog, she doesn’t eat too much and never leaves a mess. I’m out of here tomorrow, would you like to meet up, say, around late morning?”

She gripped the table now as if it would steady her. She felt like she wasn’t truly knowing the weight of her decisions but diving into it anyway.
‘Staying with a stranger, gods I hope he doesn’t have too many skeletons in his closet, literal or otherwise. What's a few days of free sleep?'

Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:08 am

They'd known each other for a long time he considered as Saej's comment reached his elven ears. To know someone ever since they were a mere youth meant interceding in their development into the person they were today, and vice versa. It was the constant interactions and conversations which manipulated the soft matter of a person's consciousness into its adult state. As if though the two of them were merely two pieces of soft clay, their pressing against one another had left imprints on them in their formative states that would last forever. Althalos didn't identify the feeling in his unbeating heart as envy, but more astutely recognized it was jealousy.

A lifetime had been stolen from him. Every action and chosen moment of inaction in him now was an absolute mystery. Why did he prefer to sit in the middle of the room and observe others? Had he once been boisterous and gregarious as Shasco, or had he always been the epitome of an introvert and an eavesdropper? He chewed at the inside of his lip, considering the predicament that he found himself in, the smile still plastered across his face doing its best at maintaining a facade of joy. He was the facsimile of a man, and it ate away at him just as he ate away at the vermin which found their way near his cottage.

"Great. As I said, I'm looking forward to having company." He said, listening as she went about the process of explaining that her hound had been well-trained. He wasn't entirely certain what he was going to do about 'Poppy' in such an enclosed space, but he wondered whether he could bribe her with the remnants of his meals and eliminate evidence of his carnivorous habits in the process. Perhaps she would simply become accustomed to his unique and deathly odor and cold touch.

"We've got a lot in common already, then." He jested at Poppy's habit of eating little and leaving no messes. He was still existentially distraught over his role in life, of course, but that didn't mean he couldn't demonstrate a touch of humor to alleviate any worries about his state of mind. After all, Saej and Shasco were about to entrust their safety into his hands, and it wouldn't do to let them know he was so precariously standing on the edge of despairing over his lost identity.

"Mid-morning would work fine for me. I'll meet you here and lead you over. We can discuss any house-rules and preferences when we get there." He nodded in acceptance of the offer, acknowledging that it would give him an opportunity to sleep in a bit. That meant he could go for a nightly escapade tonight and settle the rumble in his stomach with another supper of live flesh. "I should warn you now that it isn't a large building, so I'd take care of any other 'business' you have here before you set out. Never bothered to invest in a chamberpot with so many stores so close." And he never would not that his digestive system had nigh completely shut down.

"Might be good to have a cart of some kind too if you have a lot of possessions. I can help you with the loading, but -- I'm a painter, not a laborer. Don't expect any feats of strength out of me." Another smile, a final smile.

Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:13 am

Saej Mir'illa

Experience: 8 points

Knowledge:
Persuasion; Accepting an offer with little hesitation

Injuries/Overstepping: N/A

Althalos Sil

Experience: 8 points

Knowledge:
Investigation - Using Items To Gain Leads
Investigation - Unique Items Can Be Identified
Investigation - Narrow The Possibilities
Deception - Smile Often, Laugh Frequently
Deception - A little sadness is alright, a lot is not
Persuasion - Offer to Cover a Need
Persuasion - Make Your 'Motives' Clear
Meditation - Remain Calm

Injuries/Overstepping: N/A

Comments:

► Show Spoiler

Please edit your review request to show that it has been graded!