[Sharp Tongue Pub] Drawn Together

[Hadrian]

67th Spring, 512 A.V. It was all of it new to Hadrian. He had read about Nyka, but never traveled there himself. His father had been hesitant about dealings with the monks, and as negotiations were delicate, his young children had been left in Syliras in those times. There had been classes in comparative culture in his anthropology course at the University of Zeltiva, but theory and practice were two different things. But rumors of the pub of sharp wits and sharper tongues had found him and, curious, he had found it. Pushing his way inside, he hitched his satchel over his shoulder, always carrying reading and writing materials with him wherever he went. But he had no great desire to call attention to himself, so the strange colors with which the djed storm had painted his hair and his eyes were masked with Ionu's own illusions, and his aura adjusted to hide the flare of divine magic, subtle as it was. He looked himself rather than the vaguely Vantha version of himself he had become, but his eyes weren't the only things darting hither and thither; his aura was reaching out to brush those of the people around him, just taking the pulse of the crowd. There was no need to walk into danger; but, that being said, he had not shied away from places like Ravok when the need arose. And so here he was. He needed a drink.

[Lucas Arias]

As it happened Lucas also needed a drink. He always needed a drink. Since he had come to Nyka, the Sharp Tongue Pub had become something like a second home to him. It was better than anything he had ever experienced in Syliras. Unfortunately selling food was illegal in Nyka and the rations they gave him left a little to be desired, but at the same time alcohol was also free which was awesome. And then there were all those battles of wits and the fact that those people actually appreciated all those swearwords he knew!

That was probably the reason why he had so readily agreed to work here even though he usually hated work (in Syliras he had avoided it wherever he could and tried to bribe his fellow squires so that they would do his patrols for him). When Hadrian came in, he had just finished wiping the bar that had been covered with spilled beer and a bit of spit. He had rewarded himself for doing this unpleasant task by filling a glass with beer for himself. He had just been about to lift it to his lips when his gaze fell on the other man.

Furrowing his brow slightly, he put the beer down again. „Hey, do I know you?“ he asked. There was something vaguely familiar about him, although he couldn’t say what exactly it was. Although their conversation had been a rather interesting one, they had only met once. Hadrian for his part would probably also stare at the young man that stood behind the bar. In a city that was filled with dark haired people Lucas had bright red hair and freckles, and he wasn’t exactly dressed like a Nykan either.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian knew the customs of Nyka as one who has read a book on the subject. Indeed, he had read several over the course of his years at the University of Zeltiva as a student of anthropology. He would make mistakes, of course, such as forgetting not to pay for goods and services rendered, but with a little leeway for the traveler, he might escape unscathed. He was just casing the joint when the bartender spoke to him, and his too blue eyes snapped to his face, which was familiar. Hadrian was the one who had changed, and he might have recognized Lucas unaided, but in a strange bar in a strange city, he cheated. That aura he recognized. Pieces fell together. "You are Lucas, from Syliras." He nodded as the memories came. "I'm Hadrian. We drew together in the Stone Garden one time. You were a squire..."

[Lucas Arias]

„Yes, obviously I am“, Lucas replied and furrowed his brow some more as he tried to remember Hadrian’s name. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to. Actually he wasn’t sure if the man had ever told him who he was. He remembered something else though. „You also told me about …“ He lowered his voice a little since he doubted that the patrons were particularly open minded when it came to that topic. „… magic. And we talked about flying knights. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to make anybody fly yet. Although I’ve made some progress with the other thing.“

He filled a glass mug with beer and put it down in front of Hadrian. „It doesn’t cost anything“, he told him. „In Nyka you can drink as much as you want to and not pay a single laat. That’s what they call their money. It’s a weird name if you ask me.“

„And yes, I was a squire. Maybe I still am. I told them I was going on a pilgrimage. I’m not sure if they believed it. But it does sound better than telling them that I find their way of life boring, doesn’t it?“ He grinned a little. „I can always blame it on Nyka and say that the city abducted me because of that gnosis mark if I ever want to go back. I don’t think I’ll want to though.“

„What about you though? Are you on a pilgrimage as well? Or did you just decide to become a monk?“ Since he had found out that monks didn’t have to be chaste and that there were female monks and that monks were even allowed to get drunk Lucas considered becoming a monk a perfectly acceptable career choice.

[Hadrian]

"Ah, thank you." He took a sip of the beer, wondering what other details were missing in the lad's pilgrimage, what brought him out of Syliras and all the way to Nyka to become a bartender. He was hardly upholding the values of the Order of the Knights of Syliras, but neither was Hadrian no matter how many reports he sent back on the goings-on of Ravok and Avanthal. If Lucas didn't want to speak of magic, that was fine with Hadrian. He had learned to be tight-lipped both due to the prejudice of others and not wanting the secrets of his work plumbed by lesser minds. They could speak of it later and in private if the need arose. But he smiled at the rest of it. "I am just waiting for a ship heading to Zeltiva. I have unfinished business there and will likely settle there for a time. Travel is more interesting since the Storm, and ships aren't as plentiful. So here I am for probably another week or so. Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime? I feel strange just being a tourist."

[Lucas Arias]

„Zeltiva?“ Lucas asked. That had definitely peeked his curiosity. „I’ve always wanted to study at the University, but my parents didn’t allow it. I actually briefly considered running away to Zeltiva, but somehow I ended up here instead.“ He made a face and poured himself a drink as well because he felt like he needed one. He hadn’t decided yet whether it was a good thing that he had ended up in Nyka or not. There were a lot of things about this city full of monks that were awesome, and he could certainly have done worse, but still …

„Interesting? I wouldn’t call travelling under those conditions interesting“, he replied. „It’s more like dangerous and slightly adventurous, but if you are into those kind of things …“ He shrugged his shoulders. „Where are you staying, if you don’t mind asking?“ Lucas didn’t know much about the inns of Nyka – if there were any. He had just applied for temporary citizenship right away so that he could get a place of his own and free rations. It had seemed like the better and cheaper option at the time.

As Hadrian asked him what he could do for him, the failed squire furrowed his brow. Was Hadrian the bartender now and the Nyka specialist and he the tourist? He hadn’t been aware that their rules had changed. „Ummm …“ he made and looked at the patrons. „You could tell me more about … magic and how to make things fly. But not here. I’m not sure if those people over there like magic, and I’m a little too nervous to ask them what they think of it.“

[Hadrian]

"I'm staying in the Safe Haven Hostel," he said, "in the Celestial Square. I was told that was really the only place travelers could stay, but I suppose you've managed to go native?" All that Lucas had said was being answered in a roundabout way, not quite in the order in which his queries had come. "I studied anthropology at the University of Zeltiva, actually, in the hopes that I could learn to go native wherever I traveled. I've had varying levels of success." He would have dropped the illusion that made him look his old self, but there were those who didn't appreciate magic, even god-given magic. "And magic. So I suppose we could go somewhere and talk about it. I might apply to teach at the University, actually, when I get there. Perhaps you should come along." His smile was a little awkward, but he wasn't joking. Not exactly.

[Lucas Arias]

„I have at least temporary citizenship“, Lucas replied. „And I managed to find a great job, but they don’t really consider me one of them. I still get stared at a lot because I have red hair and such.“ The failed squire made a face. Sometimes their attitude was really getting on his nerves – as if there wasn’t anything more interesting than a redheaded Syliran in their city! Had they forgotten about the Aperture?

„Lucky you“, he remarked as Hadrian revealed that he had studied at the university. He couldn’t help but be a little jealous. His parents had always wanted him to become a knight and wouldn’t accept anything else. If they knew that he was serving drinks in a pub now and insulted people on a daily basis, they’d probably get a heart attack!

„So where exactly did you try to go native? I suppose you speak a lot of languages? I only know a little Nari and Arumenic.“ He had often wondered whether there was a way for him to pass himself off as part Eypharian to increase the chance of finding a beautiful Eypharian wife, but all the languages and anthropology in Mizahar probably wouldn’t make people believe that he was descended from the elegant, multi armed desert dwellers.

„Perhaps I should come along“, he agreed. „We could go to my place if you don’t have a problem with it. It’s not too far form here.“

[Hadrian]

"I suppose if you were to join one of their orders, your hair would be subsumed by the grace of your chosen deity," he offered, but he could not imagine worshiping an Alvina of Wheat. Were he inclined to farming, he would have worshiped the gods of the seasons, each in their turn. Were he a warrior, he might have worshiped Myri, though he supposed the Alvina of Sharp Blades might better suit those not of the Myrian race, or those who would rather worship a male deity. And of course his father, being a merchant, was devoted to Laat and Xannos, but Hadrian would have worshiped Xyna as a merchant, Semele as a jeweler. His father and these people scaled down their sights on deities closer to them in status, perhaps easier to understand, but Hadrian sought the more abstract, the less anthropomorphized deity. The one from which even Lhex and Tanroa sprang. Of course, he said none of this. Eyris had taught him some little wisdom, it seemed. "In Avanthal and Mura most recently, but with limited success. I need to speak the languages to truly immerse myself. All the same, Queen Morwen told me I had some Vantha blood, and when the storm came, it..." He raised his hand to indicate his eyes, ice bright, and his hair, streaked through with dark blue. "Well, the storm seemed to confirm that. "I mostly speak Nader-canoch and a bit of Isur. Words and phrases of the other languages, but not really enough to speak. Someday I would like to go to Sultros, but from what I understand, they aren't exactly friendly toward humans. Hm." Illusion might save him, or... well, those were plans for another day. He drank, set his empty mug down. "I will follow you," he averred. "Then perhaps you can follow me to Zeltiva. Professors need assistants."

[Lucas Arias]

„I’m not sure if I want to join one of their orders“, Lucas admitted. „I mean, being a monk isn’t as bad as I thought at first – they can be with women, they can drink alcohol and do pretty much whatever they want, but I just escaped from Syliras. I don’t want to become part of a similar organization just now and follow all kinds of rules. Besides I’ve already chosen my deity, and serving more than one god at the same time would just be plain confusing.“

He shrugged. Lucas liked Kelwyn more than any other gods and did what he could do please them, but he couldn’t care less about the Alvina that were in charge of Nyka. He didn’t say it out loud though or word it that way. Since he had come to Nyka he had learned that conversations about certain topics weren’t always well received despite the fact that people with gnosis marks supposedly felt drawn to Nyka.

„You met Queen Morwen?“ he blurted out. „What was she like?“ Lucas had never met a queen, let alone a queen that was also a goddess. His eyes were wide with fascination now.

The fact that Hadrian also spoke Nader-canoch provoked a similar, although less intense reaction from the redhead. „You need to teach me a few words“, he told him. „So that I can pretend to be a scholar or something. I can teach you Arumenic if you want to. I also know swearwords in at least half a dozen languages that I’d be willing to share with you.“ He looked rather proud as he said that.

As Hadrian informed him that professors needed assistants, Lucas looked rather thoughtful for a moment. „Is the food in Zeltiva free as well? Do they have free drinks?“ He absolutely wanted to see Zeltiva sometimes, but there were certain things that he’d definitely miss – such as not paying for his beer!

„Anyway, come.“ He gestured for Hadrian to follow him. Lucas‘ home – 391 Bronze Rd – was truly modest, but it was much bigger than the dorm room in Syliras that he had been forced to share with several other squires, so it wasn’t too bad. It was also kind of chaotic. His armor and his shield were jus lying on the floor, and his drawings were scattered across the bed and the table. Everything was clean though.