Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Seeking Sweetness

(To anyone thinking of joining, I'd like to note this may well wander into ridiculous territory with Ervaina behind the wheel and contain a bit of combat, so keep that in mind.)

The Forked Eye Tavern was an average establishment, perhaps above average considering how most gathering places in port towns were depicted as full of rough, thuggish types. Most people inside looked fairly normal apart from the bard strumming on a lute in the corner with a very bizarre poofy-pink hat and a handful of the usual travelers that wandered in seeking a relaxing reprieve from the roads. The atmosphere was perfect for just that. Peaceful, quiet... until a small woman with a large voice threw open the door and coasted inside.

"Good afternoon, tavern-goers!" She said loudly, sliding across the floor on one foot, leaning forward with her arms outstretched like wings. Coming to a stop at the counter, she stood up straight and smiled at the bartender. "Ah, the barman! A veritable fountain of information!"

"Uh... sure." The man behind the counter mumbled, eyes drifting to the streak of something on the floor that must have been left by the woman's foot. "Can I help you?"

"Not today, my good man. I'm not here for lunch, I'm here for the other commodity taverns carry in spades. Adventurers! I have it on good authority that seedy places like these are a prime gathering point for that sort." The barman looked offended at the "seedy" comment, but she spun around on her heel before seeing his expression, facing most of the customers. "Attention patrons of this tacky little tavern! My name is Ervaina Roka, and I'm in search of fine warriors to help me on my quest! Which of you shall rise to the challenge and face destiny with me?!" She announced with a wide smile on her face, oblivious to the funny looks she was getting from almost everyone.

A short snicker came from the obvious fire elemental in the tavern. Her Deity did not object to her taking in alcohol. If anything, it made her stronger. Thankfully, neither did the bartender. Somehow, she must have managed to convince him that a woman made of fire would not burn his tavern down if she added fuel.

"For being able to attract more attention than I am able to," she spoke in a dull voice, "I will see if I can help you."

The elemental's eyes laid on Ervaina in the most unaffected way possible. It was just like Taromae to accept a job without knowing what it was. That was her career path, after all. "I shall accept you as my leader for now, Miss Roka," she declared. "You will be considered second only to the will of my God."

A large man sat a few empty stools away from the first woman. He was drinking from a mug, he turned his head to look at her. Was she just kicked out of another tavern and decided to come here? He shook his head a bit.

He was a large man,wearing a dark blue vest, with a steel chain mail t-shirt underneath, and leather pads in his shoulders. He had a claymore on his back, and a dagger in the back of his belt. He also was wearing steel arm and shin guards. he also wore a dark blue, and black plaid kilt.

He then looked back when he heard the second lady talk. "I think you two had a bit too much to drink..."

Farther away, though not entirely out of earshot--indeed, one would have to be deaf NOT to hear the proclamation--Nathan sat at a table by himself and tried not to smile. A longbow was propped up next to him, and a quiver leaned against his leg, attached to his waist by its strap. His clothes were worn, but not shabby, and the pack sitting across from him showed he had only just arrived a day or two ago. A shadowy form rippled under the table. A long, narrow black muzzle with gold eyes framed by sharply pointed ears and rather-coarse fur, looked at the woman.

"Easy, Bella," he murmured to the wolf, knowing the last thing he needed was to make a scene. Still.

Nathan sighed and glanced at the meager meal before him. He was running low on coin and needed to make some money so he could afford his dinner and Bella's. And beggars couldn't be choosers, he thought wearily. Perhaps there would be tracking involved; but he would wait to ask her the details outside the tavern. He could already see a few people casting looks of interest, or perhaps amusement, towards the lady and he didn't want to come across as desperate.

Ervaina's smile grew to the point it looked like it was going to split her face in half after the flaming woman declared her intent to help. A chef was severely limited without fire, so she couldn't help thinking such an addition to her team was a good sign. The comment from her side caught her attention and she glanced at the muscular man who made it. Buff, big sword... spot-on storybook hero.

Whipping one arm, she spun across the floor in his direction like a human tornado, both feet flat on the floor and another trail of slippery stuff behind her. Hopping when she was close, she landed sitting on the stool next to his, it wobbled and probably would have fallen if not for her grabbing onto the counter to steady herself.

"Well now, you certainly look the part, don't you?" Ervaina said brightly. "And you might be right, I do tend to get carried away when I have an endless supply." Holding out her hand to him, palm up, she murmured something and a white orb of liquid swirled into existence, floating just above her hand. "Would you like some? Milk's really good for you, you know."

Artair was drinking when she spun towards him, and when she sat down, he removed his mouth from the mug. While she talked, he looked at her then at the orb. "I'm...good...Thanks though..." He shifted his eyes to look at everyone in the tavern to see if they were staring at him, they were...he turned his head back to her and shook his head again. "Fine, I'll join your little quest, just tone it down a bit alright?" He said in a voice slightly louder then a whisper. He didn't have anything else to do anyways so why not...I just hope I regret it.

Taromae let out a sound similar to quiet laughter. A hand covered her mouth as she observed the typical 'adventurer' becoming what she considered overwhelmed by the loud girl. Was she happy? Could anyone tell past those emotionless black eyes? Did it even matter?

She took a place near the two barstools. "You say I drink too much," she cooed to the man. "I say I do not drink enough. Alcohol is the most wonderful drink for me, don't you agree?" A long time ago, she would have smiled after saying something like that. However, as time passed, that just got exhausting.

Artair looked at her. "All I'm saying is you're acting a bit chilled for how she's acting." He said, then gulped the rest of the mead he had in the mug. He looked at the fire lady, then to the woman in front of him, then back to the fire lady, "You're not gonna get drunk and burn all of us are you? I mean when people get drunk they do dumb things, and when you put booze on a fire...well you know..."

The oversized, possibly crazy smile returned when he said he'd join as well. "Fantastic!" She exclaimed, not noticing the part about toning it down. Looking back and forth at the exchange between her two companions, she failed to notice that the sphere she was holding was beginning to shudder as her focus on the spell drifted elsewhere. As she turned to look out at the other customers again, the orb exploded, spraying her and everything else in the vicinity with milk. Blinking, she glanced back at where the spell had been and laughed. "Oops. Sorry about that. Don't worry though, I've heard milk can make a good skin moisturizer too." She said, though it didn't seem to be directed at anyone specific.

Jumping off the stool, she started sliding around the tavern, coasting by tables and asking people a bit more directly as she passed. "How about you? Maybe you? You look like pretty tough. Ohh, nice bow. Hey, you'd be good for bait!" Coming to a stop in front of the door, she held up a hand and conjured another ball of milk. "Come on, I'll supply all you can drink!" Silence. "Don't be like that, think of all the adventure stories about four people setting off to save the world or something! This could be the chance to live it! Sure, one of them usually ended up dying horribly, but it that a reason not to try?!"

She raised a fist at the climax of her little speech, trying to look determined and motivating. The only motivating she managed was by accidentally nudging the sphere of milk in front of her. It took off like a shot across the room and slammed into one of the cases behind the bar, shattering an entire shelf full of bottles. The bartender looked from whatever mess was now on the floor behind the counter to her, his face turning a bright shade of red.

"Looks like I'm already to the part where I get run out of town. That was faster than usual." Ervaina commented. "Flame lady, big guy and anyone else interested, I'll be waiting on the road well north of town for a while! See you there!" She announced over the bartender yelling for her to get out. Hurrying out the door before anyone tried to detain her, she coasted down the street as fast as her buttered boots could take her, hoping to be long gone before any mob they might be planning to make could form.

Her head tilted ever so slightly toward the man. "You assume I can get intoxicated," she noted. "I see."

And then Ervaina happened again.

She chuckled as the woman got thrown out by the bartender. "I get the feeling that I will thoroughly enjoy this," she sang as she left through the door quite literally. If the bartender was mad about the mess on the floor, he would be doubly mad about the person-shaped hole in the door. By the time he could react, however, she was long gone.

"Redecorating a place with food," she joked when she caught up to the woman, "Gives a new meaning to the term 'culinary artist'."

Artair watched as they left. His mouth open as far as it would go. He didn't know what to say expect. "What did I get myself into?..." He looked at the barkeep. "One more, and I'll buy the mug as well..." He said taking it with him as he walked outside. He took a swig of the mead, then started to walk slowly north not looking forward to his next meeting with them...

Nathan ducked his head and blocked the wolf's exit with his long legs. "Stay, Bella," he ordered. But the milk exploding everywhere nearly did him in anyway as Bella wanted to help clean up. He waited until the lady was gone, and things quieted down a little before moving. He slapped down his payment for the meal and a little extra besides to make his return easier, and then grabbed his gear.

The pack he slung easily over his shoulder and he carried the longbow in one hand. The quiver hung easily at his side, within reach should he need an arrow. And then the shadow under the table moved out. A half-grown wolf, tall but thin, appeared next to him. The tavern watched as he left the building, having been unaware of the deadly creature lurking in their midst.

Once outside, Nathan and Bella stretched, before heading for the North road. If he got there early, mayhap he'd get some idea of what he was in for. He slowed a little when he encountered another man--the one from earlier in the bar who'd almost been accosted by the two women. He had intended to give him a wide berth, but then Bella suddenly sprinted for him.

"Bella! Come!" Nathan called sharply, and then reluctantly hurried after her to perform damage control as the golden-eyed wolf arrowed for the stranger.

Artair turned when he heard him call Bella and was frozen for a second. He didn't move, afraid that the wolf would attack him. His left hand held the mug while his right hand was almost touching his claymore when he stopped. He said very quietly but loud enough for the man to hear. "This is yours right, is..she? Friendly?"

Nathan nodded and then grabbed for Bella's scruff when he got close enough. He was lucky the man had only reached for his sword. "Yeah, she's friendly. Her name's Bella; sorry about that. I usually keep her on a leash but I thought she was behaving well enough to try some...free rein." He took a deep breath. "Bella, down." The wolf whined, obviously curious to go and approach the man, but she obeyed. Her gold eyes tracked Artair, as did her ears.

More relaxed, Nathan added, "Do you have any idea who that lady was or why she wants some adventurers?"

Artair lowered his right arm to his side and shook his head. "No idea but hopefully she'll tell us without covering us with more food...you coming along then Mr.?"

Nathan couldn't help but grin. "Yes, though I daresay Bella would be more than happy with that prospect. I'm Nathan, Nathan Hunter. I guess we're both heading the same way...?"

Bella, sensing that all was well, sprang to her feet once more and this time approached more carefully, tail wagging.

Artair stuck out his hand to Nathan, "Artair Tytler." He ignored the wolf waiting for him to shake his hand

Nathan shook the proffered hand with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Artair." Releasing his grip, he added, "Don't mind Bella, she'll come and go as she pleases. Just try to avoid looking directly into her eyes; you'll freeze up if you do."

Artair rose a brow at the comment, but decided not to test it out. "Well shall we meet up with our new leader and comrade?" He said turning around. "At least I'm not the only guy now..."

"Sounds good," agreed Nathan, falling into step beside Artair. The black wolf surged ahead of them to roam at her leisure.