So cold. Have to search for work anyways. [open]

[Rhask re Betrit]

"Why is this land so numbingly cold? Why does the sun not show itself? By this rate, i will be frozen solid before i reach the tavern!" Rhask thought, "Unhandy i know no-one here either.." While dodging the incoming crowd of what looked like heftily armed men.
Only after walking a couple more of streets did he realize he did not know where he was going, and realized he had walked in a circle. After re-orientating, he set course to where he heard a well-known tavern should be.
After asking several locals, Rhask was delighted to be finally bathing in the heat of the tavern, and unwrapped his arms from his body, his fine clothing finally getting a chance to loosen up. "Now, " Rhask thought, "who should i ask first? Are there even any distillers working in this city? I'm sure i didn't see any. I hope i do not have to rely on mercenary work in these thin clothes outside. Maybe my cooking talents could be more of use."

[Rhask re Betrit]

"Well, no use thinking on a frozen mind. I'll go get a good drink and warm up here first." thought Rhask.
After procuring some wine, Rhask found a small table to sit.
" Ahh, this is better. This wine is somehow heartier, and has a warmer taste then my usual fare. I was right apparently, this city might be the right one after all." Rhask thought.
The inn seemed fairly busy, but Rhask knew not if it was due to festivities or standard fare. He never was much of a inn-person, anyways. The awkwardness of not having a job yet had forced him to reduce his living standards, which was not something he looked forward continuing for very long.
"Well, time to go find some work then" Rhask said, ogling the tavern for people who looked knowledgeable or offering open work spots.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian found that he liked spending some time in the company of others, mostly strangers. He wasn't completely anonymous anymore. Many had heard of the reclaimed Iceglaze foreigner wizard person. That was him, though he was far taller than the average Vantha and had little of their coloring. If his eyes were intense, it was as much a function of his fierce attention as their strikingly pale blue color. His slender frame was folded like a map into his chair near the fire, his winterbane coat open so he could feel like he wasn't in the land of everwinter for a few moments. There was a mug of ice cold beer beside him, and he was drawing in his journal, some kind of schematic that would only make partial sense to some people and perfect sense to him. The designs were geometrical, often with mathematical calculations beside them, glyphs and sigils, some to encode, and some bespeaking true magic. What he was plotting was anyone's guess. Nobody's mind was warped in quite the same way, though some were certainly more warped. When he came up from his trance-like reverie of scribbles and slants, he took a swallow of beer and looked about. His eyes settled on the Eypharian, wondering what brought such a one here to Avanthal, the opposite side of the continent. Then he blinked. "Pardon?" he asked politely. "Were you speaking to me?" This was in Common, of course. He wished he could speak Arumenic, but his studies had not left him much time for linguistics.

[Aiza]

Aiza found herself in the tavern today. A hot meal from another cook sounded wonderful after working overnight at the Hold. Stepping into the busy scene she scanned the tables, searching for a place to sit. While some seats remained empty, they were at a taken table. The shy kelvic dare not to intrude onto someone else's meal or drink.

With a heavy sigh, she waited nervously by the door, hoping someone would leave their table, leaving it open for her to take.

Her eyes shifted through the crowd again, watching their behaviors. Something she enjoyed doing, people watching, getting to know someone by their mannerisms. It sounded strange to most, but to this cat, it was quiet normal.

[Rhask re Betrit]

"Excuse me, who are you?" Rhask wondered, as suddenly someone answered. "However, if you do know of interesting work, i would be interested." While looking at the stranger.This man had a strange air around him, something Rhask couldn't quite put his finger on. After flexing his arm muscles a bit to alleviate the slight ache left over from trying to keep himself warm,he continued: "And if you know, perhaps you could elaborate which areas of work you know about?"
"If it really is going to be this easy," Rhask thought, "then only to hope the work and it's pay would be likewise good."

[Hadrian]

Momentarily confused, Hadrian continued, nonplussed. An Eypharian is Avanthal was an odd enough sight to keep his interest for a few moments longer, at least, and then back to calculations and schematics. His eyes wandered up and down the man's form, noting how many arms, but it was all clinical, detached, rather than being judgmental. "Sorry, I'd thought you were speaking to me. I'm Hadrian." He left off his surname, did not identify either with the Hold that claimed him ever since Morwen had sussed out his bloodline, muddled though it was. "I haven't been here all that long, but if you tell me what sort of work you're looking for, I might be able to point you in the right direction."

[Aiza]

The kelvic watched as a couple left their table and out the door. With a rather happy squeak she shuffled through the tables and sat down, brushing her silver hair over her shoulder. She began looking round, getting a feel for what there was to eat when the sight of a rather green man caught her attention.

She tilted her head to one side, eying the man and then the one he seemed to be talking to. She has never seen such a strange colored person before. Of course, the kelvic was curious. She looked away, but leaned in close to listen into their conversation.

[Rhask re Betrit]

"Ah. My name is Rhask, and my preferred fields of employ would be the production of alcoholic beverages and philtering, maybe some cooking, and mercenary work if those are not available." Rhask said.
At least this man could be spoken to reasonably, unlike some of his former contacts. Good that most of those were now either buried under masonry or dead by other causes. Speaking of contacts, Rhask remembered that he still hadn't managed to look for people which he could obtain materials from to prepare his special substances from.
Luckily, the warmth of the tavern had now made it's way into Rhask's system and the surroundings started to get comfortable again. Maybe this was not such a bad place to revisit at a later time...

[Hadrian]

"A pleasure to meet you," he said glibly, knowing how cunning the average Eypharian was, linguistically speaking. Someday he would have to learn Arumenic; it would be a great challenge, and teach him a great deal about the culture. He was still an anthropologist. "If they don't require your services here," he said, "I would suggest going to the source. Ask at the Winterflame Hold if anyone is hiring help fermenting anything, or philtering for that matter. The Icewatch has the market on security cornered unless you want to leave when Spring comes, and you could probably sign on as a guard for any traders leaving town when the weather breaks. But that would mean leaving Avanthal. I don't know what your plans are in that regard, but that would be my advice, such as it is, not being a local myself." A thought occurred to him, and he looked down at his paper, balancing an equation and then drawing a couple of lines to make a connection between ideas and parts of the whole, and glyphs to codify his ideas to himself. Really, it was a form of encryption, much as MaeClair had taught him back in Syliras. "Ahh," he said, looking up and returning to the conversation at hand. "Does that answer your question?"

[Rhask re Betrit]

"Ah i see. I was of yet unfamiliar with this "hold" structure they employ here." Rhask said.
"I presume the acquisition of various substances is also likewise regulated? But yes, that does answer my question.
I do not intend to leave the city come hell or high water until at least autumn. May i ask what you are drawing?"
Rhask said, as he saw his conversation partner suddenly write something down.
He could really do with another drink, he reckoned. Sufficient new influences were hopefully still awaiting in the future.