In a corner of the tavern (open)

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Zephyra

Zephyra

Artisan
*Kai sits with her awkward stack of gear at a table by herself. Having been surprised once already, she's far from the front door with her back to the wall. In front of her is an open notebook, and she's fairly engrossed in writing something. Every few minutes she pauses to re-read what she has, making alterations here and there. It's obvious she's been chewing on the end of her quill as she thinks, for the tip of the feather is mangled and damp. Kai looks over her work again, frowns, and scribbles out long lines of text with a frustrated sign. She finally takes a break, setting her quill down.

Flanked by stuffing and buttered corn, a cooling slab of turkey sits on a plate by her left elbow. She stares at it blankly, her appetite as absent as her wayward muse. Kai pokes and prods the meat with a claw-tip, and the edge flaps wetly on a thin sheen of pale gravy. She sighs and pushes the plate further away, looking around the tavern for the first time in hours.*
 
*Watches with curiosity as a man tacks up a notice on the wall. When he's done, she wanders over and gives it a read.*
Fredrick? *She heaves a pained sigh* Oh, what have you done? *She chews her lower lip, thinking, and returns to her seat. She takes up her quill, and starts writing again, the feather tip bobbling furiously as the words pour onto the page. She fills page after page of the notebook, oblivious to anything else around her.*
 
"Anyone sitting here?" comes the gruff voice of Crow, standing across from where Kai is seated. "This city is too large and I don't seem to see many familiar faces these days."

As he continues to chat he rests his staff on the table beside him, and unceremoniously plops onto the bench across from Kai, motioning to a passing wench for a pint of ale.

"What do you normally do in Calanhelm to pass the time Kai? I'm enjoying the libraries in the guild, however," as he talks he arches his back, his hands on either hip with a grimace on his face, "extended periods of reading are doing a number to my back and it's beginning to get painful. I can understand why so many people think us magic users have a hunch when we walk."
 
*Kai freezes mid-word at being addressed and her eyes roll up to view Crow across the table.* I... didn't see you come in. *She closes the notebook abruptly (heedless of the still damp ink) and shoves it awkwardly into her shoulder bag.*

This is my first time in the city. *She shifts, looking a little uncomfortable* I imagine I will amuse myself with all the same things I do in Parson's breach. *She says nothing about the bulk of time being spent evading the undead and other types of monsters. Kai waves down a wench for another mug of that hot chocolate drink.* I suppose here there is a bit less...*she pauses to consider her next word* adventure than the breach.

*Looking to see who is near, she speaks quietly.* Mostly, I gossip. Ask questions, learn stories. Sometimes I write songs, or poems. I read a little. I sing a lot. Mix alchemy stuff. I've tried my paw at the gambling games, but I'm really terrible at the ones that make you remember numbers. *She chews her lip, remembering the dice game that had looked so easy.*

So the library huh? *The wench brings her drink, and she spends a long moment inspecting it for possible alchemical tampering. Satisfied, she takes a sip.* I keep meaning to do some research, but day slips into day and suddenly there is something else demanding my attention. *She frowns* It seems the hours evade me in the winter season, and I even find it hard to stay awake. What sort of things have you been reading about?
 
The dark elf enters the tavern as dusk settles in outside. Ordering a cup of tea, she enjoys it's warmth. Her eyes scan around, looking for any familiar faces.

Spotting Crow and Kai at a table, she makes her way over.
 
Nodding to Hyväksyä, Crow motioned to a seat at their table before turning back to Kai. "It's my first time spending any amount of extended time in this city myself. I find it quite overwhelming having this many people packed into such a small amount of space, I long for the wilderness of my homelands but I realize the need for my presence."

"Have a seat if you wish Hyväksyä, always nice to see a familiar face around here. Kai and I were just speaking of the things we've been doing in the city as of late." Turning back to face Kai, Crow continued, "My research has unfortunately not been about anything light, after what happened to myself and Frederic I've decided to try and become as learned about the Dark Reaches as I possibly can. I still do not understand how I could have come back unscathed, while a much more powerful member of the guild fell. I plan to make the bastards pay for what they've done to my friend, and I plan to make them remember my name and use it as a scary bedtime story to scare their children."

Facing Hyväksyä once more Crow inquired, "After spending a little more time with the guild here in the city, do you have any questions that I can answer? Any teachings you're looking to learn that I may teach you?"

Edit:Spelling
 
"After speaking with Lady Zanthia, I have withdrawn my earlier interest in the guild. So I cannot ask you to teach me." Hyväksyä explained. "Once we reach Parsons Breach, I do intend to help with efforts there. I hope we can organize our healing regardless." She added, then sipped her tea.
 
*Kai listens to Crow intently, and she nods in understanding as he mentions Fredrick, her ears drooping a bit.* I missed all the trips to the dark reaches, so I know next to nothing about the place. I would love to maybe read your notes some time, or perhaps I could even help you. How many libraries are there in the city? Two sets of eyes...*she motions at his posture* or... backs.. might make the job go quicker. After the king's big party, perhaps? *She looks at him intently for a moment, and the weight of her gaze is palpable. She's on the same page as Crow about making the bastards suffer, and she hopes he knows that.*

I've also noticed there are posters going up for a reward on his spellbook. For all his poor life choices, he was a learned man, and I suspect his book was full of rare and unusual magic. After that final battle, who went through his cabin? I assume wizard locks and wards dissipate on final death?

*Kai tilts an ear and nods towards Hyväksyä at her arrival.* Good evening, M'lady. I wasn't aware you were interested in the Earthweavers. I'm curious what you have learned, since it's a topic I have been considering myself as of late. Mostly I'm interested in making potions, but the guild seems to be about much more than that. *She takes a sip of her hot chocolate, and leans ever-so-slightly towards the dark elf lady, hoping for more information.*
 
Hyväksyä now seated, pulls away from the fox-kin as it leans nearer. Placing her mug on the table while her left hand settles covering it, she looks at Kai with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"I decided against joining for my own reasons. If you're curious about joining, you would be best asking your questions of a guild member." She jesters at Crow while saying that. "As of any organization they have their rules, and a leader. I do not find it encouraging when such a structure is unable, or unwilling, to give a clear answer to a simple question." She pauses and sips her tea.

"But you may reach a different conclusion. And yes, they are about more then that. They are expected to combat undead, fetch whatever sort of thing the Fate Spinner may need, and essentially serve under her to protect these lands. Certain tasks may be assigned to them by His Majesty. The benefit for such risk being access to knowledge that would otherwise be difficult to obtain."

She looks at Crow. "Anything you would add?"
 
Nodding at Hyväksyä, "Quite, I am in complete agreement with you. Were it not such a necessity for my own studies and goals I would not have joined the guild either. Where I am from we know that individually we must be strong, however as a family we are unbeatable. Which means that when we are in the Breach I hope you know that your decision does not sway my opinion of you either way, I would prefer to make friends and allies rather then dribble on about politics. Unfortunately whether you want to combat the undead, while you're in the Breach you definitely will be."

Crow stretched his back again against his chair, a few light pops can be heard from it, before he tilts his stein and finishes his pint in a few hearty gulps and orders another before finally turning to Kai. "I would love some assistance in research if you're completely bored out of your skull, or want to be Kai. However I do warn you that like you, the weavers seem to know next to nothing about the Dark Reaches, so I don't want either of us mounting any excursions there if we don't have to. I want to avenge the friend that they took, I do not want to share his fate."
 
*Listens intently to Crow, until he's finished speaking*
While I admit my family of birth was not terribly cohesive, I understand safety in numbers.

*Her ear flicks, thoughtfully.* What sort of creatures were found inhabiting the dark reaches? With the right application of magic or alchemy, it might be possible to question some of the less dangerous locals. Or even ask for information around the taverns- surely someone has to know something about the place.

*She finishes the dregs of her now-cold chocolate drink* As for the 'weavers most of my interest in earth magic falls to being able to harm the undead. I know healing harms them, but I'm not sure how regular weapons work. *She shifts on the bench.* Heck, I'm not even sure if they can feel pain. *A thought occurs to her, and she gets a dark look in her eye. She leans closer to ask pointedly,* Can the undead feel pain?
 
"Perhaps you should ask them." Hyväksyä suggested in an uninterested tone. "So far I've been told the Breach is attacked by undead, angry Duskholmers, goblins, gnolls, and something from the Reaches... I understand the Duskholme situation, but what is causing the other attacks? Do either of you have any ideas?" She asked the two of them.
 
*Puts her unwholesome ideas aside to consider Hyväksyä's question. She chews her lower lip a moment before replying* I had just assumed that such events were normal for settlements. Growing up my family was on the move constantly, and I thought it was to avoid monsters. *She chews her lip again, wondering what her folks might have really been running from.*

I've heard the odd murmur about a female necromancer near the breach, which might account for the undead, as well as a powerful vampire Duke who's made the occasional stir. I'm not sure if or how the two are related. *She scratches her ear, and then lowers her eyes in discomfort* It shames me to say that I've been elsewhere when most of the altercations occurred. I've never even seen the necromancer myself. *Her stomach grumbles, and she eyes the stone-cold plate of food. Sliding it closer, she takes an experimental half-forkful of stuffing, to find it still pleasantly edible.*

As for the other types of monsters, I'm not sure. *She takes her knife and fork and starts cutting her piece of turkey in to neat little squares* There is some sort of ongoing issue with the fairies that I don't half understand, and the other types of attacks have gone on intermittently since before I arrived. I'm curious if this is a hot-spot of trouble and the breach was built to control it, or if the breach came first and the monsters came after.

*She pops the first forkful of turkey into her mouth, eating quietly while she considers her own question, and the conversation as a whole.
 
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Shrugging before he admits to Hyväksyä, "I'm really far too new to the Breach to have figured out what's been going on yet. I have merely been trying to make sure that people don't die in the middle of the storm, as it were. My tribe, much like I suspect Kai's, was very nomadic where I come from, we spent much of our time hunting for food, and when we weren't doing that we were hunting to hone our skill." Taking another swig of his ale he continued, "My dreams told me to come to the Breach, I did not know why at the time, however I believe it has to do with the necromantic infestation that they seem to be suffering from. I plan to find the root of it and cull it while I stay in the Breach, beyond that I haven't much reason to venture into the backgrounds of attacks."

Crow ordered another pint before turning to Kai, finishing his current pint and continuing with a soft drawl to his words, "From what I know of the undead, the common ones anyway, I doubt they feel pain. Skeletons and zombies are normally nothing more then the animated puppets of the ones controlling them. If you want them to feel the pain you need to find the puppet master and apply pressure."
 
"I see... Who has been in Parson's Breach long enough to possibly have some ideas on the motivation of these attacks?"
 
"You'll want to talk to more of the veteran types like, Hamish, Isawda, Garridan... those types."
 
"Hamish is the highest ranking Home Gaurd member the Breach has, and Isawda is sherif under magistrate Mobeus, or am I mistaken? What is Garridan's role in the Breach?" She asked, wanting to learn more about who might be able to best answer her previous questions.
 
"You're correct in both, Garridan I just know has the seniority of being there a long time, I've heard many rumours about the man, one including him, the king, Az'Caine and a dragon."
 
Finding her tea to have long gone cold, she let the mug sit out of her hand, idle on the table. "His Majesty as well as Lord Az'Caine? These sound like rumours worth sharing."
 
*Finishes her cold meal in silence. She follows the exchange between Crow and Hyväksyä like a tennis match, back and forth.*
*Her ears perk visibly at the mention of Garridan.* I would be interested to hear more of that, and the dragon.
*She remembers the tale of Garridan entertaining the medusa for an evening, smirking, and wonders if it's a similar tale.*

*She waves down a server for another mug of hot chocolate*
 
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