Open [Pig's Foot Tavern] Majesty Amidst The Squalor

[Therizo Tafos]

39th day of Winter, 513AV Therizo had ceased counting the days since his arrival to Sunberth on the second fortnight thence, and was now quite resigned to staying, though he still missed the marble Isle of Dira that had been his home for the first 20 years of his life. He looked at the palm of his right hand wherefrom a black scythe, the Eiyon, ingrained upon its skin, looked back at him - a gift that he had been blessed with on the day of his departure. The memory of the moment brought with it the street in which it was set, and that memory, in its turn, brought up an empty feeling within Therizo that he recalled feeling before on the ship that bore him and his father to Zelitva. His stomach felt as if contorting in impossible knots, and he clentched his teeth and closed his eyes to make Blackrock go away. Yet It was still there, though blurred as it was by the passage of time that Tanroa so undeviatingly pushed forth. It was perhaps this empty feeling - a void within their heart - that set to crying the ones who brought the corpses of those dear to them to be buried in the Dust Bed. "Had I been raised like them, would I too feel as they do about the cycle?" he wondered now, as he often did, struggling to solve this riddle that perplexed and unnerved him. He did not want it to be true, but at the same time felt that there was no denying it. "My father too lived in Blackrock, yet he is ignorant." Lived yes, but was not raised there - to not know the mortal fear instilled in him by the authorities of his childhood. "Instilled, or not expelled?" It was afternoon in its senescence, and Syna's rays had already that blush tint that eased the day's passing in to night. Therizo had elected to take a detour on his way from the graveyard that day, and Instead of taking, as he usually did, the left at the now familiar crossing of two streets, turned towards the city center. "Father can wait, I have been returning on time for the last ten days at least," he had thought to himself upon making the first steps. The excursion had brought him passed some taverns in which he found himself uninterested, after hearing the unpleasant laughter of drunkards coming from inside. The shops he walked by did not entice him either, for he had not enough money on him to buy the things they sold, and no enthusiasm to browse through them aimlessly. A beggar or two stopped him, and begged for coin or food to no avail, though he saw and pitied them for their snow chilled feet, hunger sunken cheeks and dirty rags that barely covered them enough to keep them decent. Past all that, what stopped him stood in the very center of the city - majestic and grand, though it was old and decrepit. He stepped slowly, even reverently towards the entrance of the massive cathedral that sprawled in front.

[Therizo Tafos]

The temple was visibly old and long since abandoned by whatever priests and worshippers used to go to it for respite and to consult things more divine then themselves. It was sad to think that such a majestic sight was nothing more than that - an old relic of a time when this city was perhaps more than it was now. As Therizo stepped closer and saw that the entrance was blocked by impenetrable stone, a feeling of disappointment struck him, and he murmured to himself a silent curse against the residents of Sunberth for sealing him away from the one thing that was unlike them, and therefore precious. He pressed with his hand upon the stone in a vain attempt to reach the majesty that he was sure lay beyond, but the wall of stone gave not a single inch. Sighing profusely he turned back to the city, and was confronted by a stark contrast that the plain, unornate architecture of Post Valterran Sunberth presented against the towering temple of old. Walking away he glanced at it once again, thinking it a glorious monument that if brought back to life could lift up with it the people by whom it had apparently been forgotten. "I could." The thought rang hollow in his mind, and yet did not seem wholly out of grasp; if only the stone that sealed it off could be broken down and that there were some willing to listen. Alas, the minds of Sunberthians would likely be as insurmountable a wall as the one erected at the entrance of the place that he imagined would unite them. He shook his head to bring himself back down from the clouds of ambition to the matter at hand; namely surviving the winter that was beginning to show its teeth. He tried not to ponder his pretensions as he walked on, away from the temple that gave them, yet they kept intruding upon his thoughts and remained unthwarted. * The evening was already well on its way to giving way to night, when his ambling feet brought him back to the tavern that he had dismissed previously on account of the type people he was sure such a place attracted. On his second passing however, his feet were sore, his throat parched, and his humor of a kind that seeks solace in drink. Hesitantly he made his way to the door, and when he opened it, the scent of booze and bunched up Sunberthians hit him, making him almost regret the decision. He grasped tighter the cane sword so as to ready himself should anything go awry and went towards the bar, where he sat down, ordering a mug of ale. The man at the counter obliged, demanding four copper mizas for the service. The money came hard out of Therizo's pocket, as he knew it was not a wise way to spend one's livelihood. Nevertheless, he slid the money conspicuously across the counter, then lowered his head to ward off unwanted attention. OOC-4cm

[Alias Burns]

It's hard not to get sick of living in a tent in these conditions.. The various fires to be found around the cramped area burn the surface of my skin, but leave the flesh beneath to freeze. Sitting on my stool in front of my fire, I notice myself staring at my frozen hands again.. and snort reaching inside my fur coat and pulling out a flask. Empty.. After a lengthy sigh I stand and walk into my tent. Following learned behavior I move to the cask to refill my flask with sweet life blood, only to receive a few drops.. As I ignore the clawing frustration, I pull my cloak tighter around myself and yank on the fastening straps. I then rap the scarf dangling loosely around my shoulders more snugly around my collar. I pause briefly to look over the contents of my tent, and to be honest, to procrastinate maybe a few moments longer before I have to brave the weather. After double checking that my sword is sheathed on my belt, I heft the cask into the crook of my arm and leave the tent. I take one more glance around for any curious expressions in my neighbor’s faces. Feeling satisfied, I lift my hood to drape over my head with my remaining free hand and begin my trudging towards the Pig's Foot Tavern for my usual refill. As the tavern comes into my view I can already hear merry making coming from within. I enter and glance around. The tavern is pretty packed with clientele, as to be expected at the close of a day. "Hey Merv! When you get a chance, same old, please." I say as I place the cask down on the bar counter. Taking a seat upon one of the bar stools, I look around. 'People watching' in this city isn't quite rudimentary.. You have to look not too interested or else you're asking for trouble. Yet if you look oblivious, then you're a target.. Either that or I'm paranoid.. Instinctively, my hand reaches into my furs and reappears with the flask. I stop my movement half way to my lips. The flask is still empty dammit. I tighten my grip and push it back where it came from. I notice my unwelcome senses are sharpening as I feel a freezing gust from behind me. I turn my head to see a person hesitating in the entrance to the tavern. Uninterested, I leisurely turn my head to view Merv in my peripheral. He's still busy with those three guys over there, I think with a hint of annoyance. That's when the newcomer sat upon the stool beside me calling to Merv for a drink. My eye twitches as he receives his mug almost immediately. I glare at Merv from under my brow. He eyes me and walks back to the other end of the bar again.. "Merv did you not-" "I heard you." His eyes meet mine. "For bigger orders people have to wait." He says in a annoyed tone. Bigger order-? Just fill the cask you-! My pent up breath comes out as a low sigh as my frustration drips off me.

[Buras]

Sitting comfortably at a table, Buras was debating how to get a drink. He could buy one, but then he would have to get up. Or he could steal someone's, but again he had to get up (He was very comfortable). Wondering what to do, Buras sees someone walk hesitantly walk through the door and take a seat at the counter.
Perhaps I can get him to come over here, and maybe convince him to buy another for me. Grinning at his own cunning Buras then starts to think how to get his attention. I don't know his name, and almost everyone here is bundled up in a cloak to stay warm. Buras thought some more and decided to just hope the man would turn around and come over
"Hey you, in the black coat, come here, I need to ask a favor of you. No not you, you drunk fool, I'm talking to him. The last part directed at a bleary eyed man, also in a dark coat, and emphasized with a point in his intended person's direction.Now, all Buras had to do was sit, wait, and hope the man came over.

[Alias Burns]

"Hey you, in the black coat, come here, I need to ask a favor of you." What the Salak? I look over my shoulder to the source of the voice. "No not you, you drunk fool, I'm talking to him." He says this to me as he points to the fellow beside me. Eh? He must be mistaken. You are a drunk fool. well, beggars can't be choosers. I go back to what I was doing.. Life is still within me. for what you've made it worth. Low blow.. I come back to the present with a sigh. "Merv! If the wait is going to be much longer, could you throw me a little something to whet my appetite?" I say as I gently shake my empty flask followed by me pulling a few Miza out from my furs letting them rat-tat-tat on the surface of the flask. OOC : -4 cm

[Therizo Tafos]

As he took a sip from the mug set before him, Therizo glanced at the man that sat beside him, whom he had heard complain to the bartender about the swiftness of his service. Perhaps it was unfair that his order had gotten delayed in favor of Therizo's, but this whole city was unfair, and he found himself celebrating that the wretched place decided to favor him for once, even if it was just a little thing. "Of course it could just be a prelude to this man starting a fight - a petty reason, but a perfectly believable one given the location.” It didn't seem that the man was of such a temper however, at least not overtly, so Therizo turned back to his ale and contemplation. But before he could take a second sip or think a thought a man's voice came calling from behind. "Hey you, in the black coat, come here, I need to ask a favor of you..." Therizo gritted his teeth, annoyed by the attention, but tryed to ignore it in the hopes that it was another man in a black coat that was the target of the shady request. "No not you, you drunk fool, I'm talking to him." "Not a drunk fool?" he smiled bitterly, "that does narrow it down." He turned to face the direction that the voice came from, and much to his displeasure found that the man that sat there was pointing directly at him. “Ignoring him might bring on more trouble, bruised ego's being what they are among the drunks that frequent these holes,” he thought bitterly before speaking up: "Why don't you come here instead? It's you asking the favor after all." it was a relatively save request, and he kept his tone cordial to avoid offence that was often so easily taken.

[Buras]

"I am not going over there because I am comfortable here. Don't worry I wont make you pay for something I can afford." Well, Buras thought, I guess it was a bit much hoping for him to come here for no reason. "If you do this for me, I will do somethin' for you. Comon mate, there has to be something you need done." Buras stared at the man, praying that he would come over. Probably wont, can't blame him. If an odd man with a fancy hat told him to come over, I would try to take everything he got. "So, you comin over here, or are we going to keep shouting at each other?"

[Alias Burns]

As Merv comes over and takes my flask to be refilled, The man next to me speaks up. "Not a drunk fool?" I give my neighbor a questioning sidelong glance. "that does narrow it down." My eyes involuntarily squint at his tone. What is with the hospitality of these patrons? Why else would people be in a tavern than to get drunk? A crazy amount hipocracy going around here.. "Why don't you come here instead? It's you asking the favor after all." Alarms sound in my brain as the tension in the room rises. A feeling of ultimate powerlessness overcomes me as the escalation of the situation is taken out of my hands. It looks like holding in my anger may not stop this fight.. But then I remember these are the men who called me a drunk.. You'd be petty enough to damn them for that? I tense my shoulders in my rebellious response. Though the rebuke had hit home.. "I am not going over there because I am comfortable here. Don't worry I wont make you pay for something I can afford." I do my best to stifle a guffaw. I just can't get over the ridiculousness of the situation. These two going head to head over who's mug is bigger.. Pathetic! "If you do this for me, I will do somethin' for you. Comon mate, there has to be something you need done." I don't understand this at all.. What the Salak would he want from this guy? I can't help but wonder as my eyes look over the slightly pale, tall man beside me. No substance to him discounting his height. I catch the mans eye for a second, what I see surprises me. Though he was obviously trying to hide it, the look on his face reminds me a lot of how my father looked when he was among people he thought beneath himself. The fates have seen fit to place you in Sunberth, and you still think that? "So, you comin over here, or are we going to keep shouting at each other?" That was the first thing I'd heard out of this guy that made sense; Yeah, stop shouting. Ignore them. Okay. I take my newly filled flask from Merv's out stretched hand and take a good sized gulp. I'll just get my cask filled and head home to.. to.. Wiping my sleeve across my mouth, I inwardly roll my eyes at myself as I stand. Grabbing my cask in the crook of my arm I motion my chin to show Merv where I'll be waiting. I walk over to the pleading man's table and set my cask down with a audible thump. I nod to him as I kick the chair out from under the table and collapse my body into it. In the same move I whip out my flask and take another good sized gulp. "I heard something about an exchange of favors." I lean back leisurely into my chair. "Please, do tell."

[Buras]

A startled look passed over Buras' face as a different man sat down. "I wasn't talking to you, but I just needed someone to come over here so they can get me a drink." Laying 4 copper mizas on the table Buras says "Unless Merv has changed the price, this should get me a drink. And don't think about running out with that now, I'm good at following people, and fighting. Leaving the money on the table. Buras goes on "Now, I believe I owe you a favor. Before you tell me what, remember what I just said. Going on in a lower voice, so no one but him and the other man can hear. "Oh, and by the way, I can get places, most people can't. Perhaps I can get you some information about the layout of something. Going back to a more normal tone. "So, those are my specialties. Keep those in mind when you pick your favor. Leaning back in his chair, Buras eyed the man. Maybe he just wants someone to talk to. Nah, by how he came over, he probably just wants me to shut up. Oh well, lets see where this gets me.

[Alias Burns]

"I wasn't talking to you, but I just needed someone to come over here so they can get me a drink." uh, huh.. I can't help but raise my eyebrow as he places four copper Miza down on the table. "Unless Merv has changed the price, this should get me a drink. And don't think about running out with that now, I'm good at following people, and fighting." I look from him, to the Miza, and back to him.. "Alright.." I say after a moment. I scrape the Miza into my open hand and walk lightly over to the counter. A small thing to ask in exchange for causing no ruckus. No Miza out of my pocket.. "Merv, a mug for my good man here!" I say as loudly as possible to further defuse any left over tension. With that, I slap the man's coins onto the counter. After grasping the newly filled mug from Mervs out stretched hand, I head right back over to the man's table and set his mug in front of him before seating myself. "Now, I believe I owe you a favor. Before you tell me what, remember what I just said." He lowers his voice before continuing. "Oh, and by the way, I can get places, most people can't. Perhaps I can get you some information about the layout of something." My eyebrows raise slightly as I think of possible uses for my new found ally. He goes back to his normal tones before continuing, "So, those are my specialties. Keep those in mind when you pick your favor." I take a swig out of my flask before replying. "Deal." I say as I hold out my hand.