Steel Meets Steel

[Harundar Veilborn]

Winter 23rd 514 AV Today seemed to be particularly dry for some reason. Though the native Sylirian didn't usually notice, it was clearly apparent for those familiar with stone instead of dirt. The sun peaked out from behind a cloak of clouds, shedding light over a slice of land near to the Sylirian entrance gate. The steets had the usual flurry of people hurrying about from one place to another, rushing to work, strolling for a breath of fresh air, and getting to the places they felt they needed to be. Amidst a city bustling with people, a lone, homeless, Isurian man wandered about the area by the entrance gate, his eyes seeking out any signs of a blacksmith's shop. Harundar Veilborn's idea was that he'd be best at home, and most useful, working at forge. A large man bumped past the short man, dropping him to the ground with a gruff grunt. The man uttered a quick apology and simply continued onwards, leaving the Isurian to help himself to his feet. For the first time in his life he was truly left to fend for himself in a new city full of the unfamiliar. He licked his chapped lips, wetting them and reminding himself what dust tasted like. Oh yes, by now taste he most connected with was surely the taste of dust. Dust, dirt, and grime. Only a day ago he had strolled through the massive gates into the great city of Syliras with the impression that soon he'd be able to find a bed, a meal, and a place to practice his way of life. Only a month before that, he'd been clean, well fed, and even relatively wealthy. But here he was now, where the only thing of which he had plenty was strife. That and dust. There was always plenty of dust. Haru wiped his forehead of sweat only to smear more dirt onto it. With a hefty sigh, he stood and continued onwards, eyes straying to the left and to the right, hoping to see the familiar shine of black iron, hot steel, and the glorious ring of metal against metal.

[Alexander Magnus]

Now almost a third of the way through winter it was becoming quite cold, not Alexander's favorite season of the year by far. Having finished work for the day and with his smithing tools in a belt around the waist, he put a jacket and cap on before getting ready to head out. The rest of the workers on the morning shift began to filter out of the Iron Works and the first thing on Alexander's mind was getting something eat. Working as a blacksmith helped him acquire quite an appetite. Not in the mood to try his hand at cooking some abysmal dish Alexander decided to head toward the gates of the city and one of the inns. The first thing that came to mind was the Rearing Stallion, not fancy, but not disgusting either. Alexander also made a mental note to pick up some food for Sparky on the way home.

The city streets were filled with people coming and going about their business, and the indistinct murmur in the air was occasionally punctuated by the sound of a street vendor calling out the quality of his goods. There were a few people who sold ready to eat food but their prices were also a bit high. Alexander passed them by, his mind set on a cold mug of ale and a hearty meal. As he moved away from the area where the Iron Works was located the temperature began to drop. This made Alexander shiver slightly and quicken his pace. He just hoped all the tables by the hearth weren't taken yet.

The Nettle District was always busy during the day with people coming and going, and soon the crowd started to thicken. The smell of unwashed animals and people also pervaded the area making Alexander wrinkle his nose slightly. Many travelers having just gotten in hadn't had a chance to bath and it was hard to miss. Continuing to wind his way south Alexander ducked through a few alleys to act as a shortcut. Both hands in his pockets the man bumped into someone coming out of an alley near the tavern... literally. Not watching where he was going Alexander ran into a man but wasn't walking fast enough for either of them to be knocked over.

“Excuse me,” Alexander said. The man was shorter than him, only around five feet tall with brown hair pulled back into a pony tail. There was a scar on the man's cheek but what caught Alexander's attention was the crimson colored arm. Alexander stood six feet tall and was a little hard to miss with a head full of short white hair. His build was muscular and years of concentration gave his face an almost perpetual scowl, despite being generally friendly to strangers.

[Harundar Veilborn]

After a few steps forward, Haru stopped once more, deciding to find a citizen to ask directions from. He took care to avoid the legions of pedestrians plowing through the streets, keeping towards the more open areas. The gadgeteer peered about to find an idle native when he noticed a tall, pale man, scowling down at him. Harundar paused a moment, simply holding eye contact with the stranger for a bit. Haru felt some sort of confrontation was imminent. The tall man with white hair was staring directly at him. The Isur guessed at the thoughts going through the potential assailant's head. Homeless? Foreign? Strange? Vulnerable? He couldn't help but feel threatened. So he kept facing the stranger, waiting for him to make a move. Haru squinted at the man. "Well... come on then, will ya?" he muttered under his breath.

[Alexander Magnus]

Alexander arched a brow curiously, looking down at the man not entirely sure how to regard him. From the reaction garnered by the accidental collision it was obvious to him the shorter man felt threatened. It wasn't Alexander's intention to threaten anyone and from the look of things the man was a traveler or visitor to the city rather than a resident. His first thought was to just take a step and defuse the situation and excuse himself altogether. Then a little idea sparked in the back of Alexander's mind, he just hoped it didn't get him into trouble or worse. Every now and then he liked a good joke, but not everyone had a good sense of humor.

That in mind his head tilted to one side looking the man over. Rather than immediately say anything Alexander only smirked slightly. The man mentioned making a move which and that was what gave him the idea in the first place. Since the invitation was given Alexander decided to take Harundar up on the offer. He stood up a little straighter and looked down at the man.

“My move is it, alright then,” Alexander said, removing a hand from one pocket he held it out. “Alexander Magnus, welcome to Syliras.”

[Harundar Veilborn]

Haru watched as the 6-foot man raised his eyebrow and smirked a bit, as if Harundar was a kitten threatening to paw the man to death. That only pissed him off more. As the larger man withdrew his hand from his pocket, Haru lunged forward to jab the man in the stomach, prepared to throw his fist at him. To Haru's surprise, the man held out his hand in greeting. It was just slightly too late. Even though Harundar had realized at the last moment that he had horribly misunderstood this man, he couldn't stop his right fist. Luckily it happened that Harundar had never really gotten into a fight before, so everything about the punch was sloppy. The form, the angle, the strength, and even the direction it headed in were off. A simple side-step would be sufficient to avoid the poorly planned strike. Immediately afterwards, no matter what the result, he'd re-balance himself and clasp his hangs together apologetically, making sure he correctly projected the message he was trying to communicate to Alexander. "My deepest and most sincere apologies!" Haru wasn't sure whether or not he should prepare for a fight, now that he clearly could have provoked one. He kept his eyes on "Alexander," but maintained a sorrowful expression on his face.

[Alexander Magnus]

Alexander didn't try to move, instead the young man tightened his stomach allowing the blow to land. He let out a light grunt and wasn't in the least bit upset over it. Instead Alexander actually laughed slightly knowing that his approach would have likely garnered such a reaction. What did surprise him is when the man apologized for it. The situation could have easily gotten out of control after that, but Alexander saw no reason for it. Instead he decided to continue with the same approach, only without any sudden surprises. Then there was the matter of still being hungry. The rearing stallion was only two blocks down the road.

“Don't worry about it, I kinda deserved that actually,” Alexander said. “Tell you what, let's head over to Rearing Stallion and I'll buy you a drink.”

Although not what one would consider an upper class establishment Alexander liked the atmosphere. As he walked inside there were a good number of customers scattered about, some sitting, some standing by the bar, but more importantly to him was the smell of the food cooking. Alexander wasted no time in taking a seat at one of the tables by the hearth as it was the only one close by that was still unoccupied. It didn't take long for one of the serving girls to approach, a brunette in plain clothing with a plain appearance to match. Alexander ordered two mugs of ale and a gallon to go with it to start with.

“So what's on the menu for tonight my good lady?" Alexander said.

“Beef stew with a side of mashed potatoes, green beans, and buttered bread” the barmaid said.

“Sounds good, I'll take a plate,” Alexander said. With the order placed he took out a gold Mizah and placed it on the tray to pay for everything. Having been here more than once he knew what the prices were. Instead of immediately diving into conversation he waited for the drinks to arrive. The tavern was filled with the sounds of talking, laughter, and was quite lively. One could easily smell the food, drink, and Alexander was already glad to be warming himself by the fire. When the barmaid returned with the ale she set a tankard of ale in front of both of them, then placed the gallon in the middle of the table. After taking a long drink Alexander looked over at Harundar.

“What brings you to Syliras?” Alexander said.

ExpensesMug of Ale x2: -2 SM
Gallon of Ale: -2 SM
Dinner Special: -6 SM
Total: -1 GM

[Harundar Veilborn]

When Harundar's fist made contact with the other man's stomach, he flinched a bit before he stepped back and apologized. Haru was amazed as he watched Alexander laugh. Here was a man that chuckle off a potential brawl with a stranger. And then immediately after invite him for a drink. Did he just offer to buy me a drink? Harundar felt confused and somewhat ashamed. However, he still believed that he had done the best he could in that moment, and therefore didn't need to feel too guilty. Doesn't mean he wasn't intrigued by Alexander's reaction, though. Harundar nodded at the man. The thought of some sort of food very much appealed to his grumbling stomach. "Thank you... " Harundar didn't really know what else to say to a man he'd just tried to strike. He shouldered his pack and followed the man, always a few steps behind. Upon entering the bar, he felt an immediate wave of warmth flood over him. Haru cracked a slight smile. He hadn't been in a bar in a while. A long while. The creaky wooden floor, the drunken huffaws in the background, and the crackling hearth all came as a welcome sight for him. He let himself take a seat besides his new acquaintance, all trouble forgotten. Haru watched Alexander order food and drink. The Isurian tried to subtly lick his lips at the mention of today's special, his own pride holding him back from asking some for himself. It wasn't as if he'd be able to pay for it anyways, and he felt that asking more from the man ordering him a drink was too far wrong. He only waited, however, without taking any action. Alexander didn't provoke any conversation, and Harundar was perfectly fine with that. He wasn't one to go on flapping his lips about a popular fad going around, nor did he care much for gossip and other such things. Instead, he preferred silence or intellectual conversations. As soon as the drinks arrived, he took a few moments to clasp his hands together and give thanks to Izurdin for the drink borne of what was surely luck. With a grin, he grabbed the mug and threw it back, taking a long series of swigs and allowing a small stream of ale to slide down one side of his cheek. "What bring you to Syliras?" Alexander posed. Harundar felt enough respect for the man in front of him to put down his drink and kept a respectful conduct while speaking. "I'm here on a quest. A sort of goal my father had that I wish to fulfill for him." He sighed and gave his scruff a bit of a scratch. "Honestly, I'm not sure if it's worth it. I don't-" he paused to reconsider whether it was wise to tell his troubles to a stranger. "I don't have too much going on for me right now."

[Alexander Magnus]

Though Alexander was curious about this whole quest he decided against prying overly much because Harundar didn't seem like the type who was eager to talk about himself, at least not to a stranger at any rate. Considering how they just met under less than normal circumstances he thought to let the man speak about personal matters at his leisure. After downing the rest of his drink Alexander took the gallon pitcher in the middle of the table and refilled both tankards. The gentle heat from the hearth combined with the ale was starting to help Alexander relax.

While thinking about what to say next a man at another table cut loose with a belch. Rather than a slight burp this was one of those low pitched window rattlers that came after having a few. Somewhat surprised due to the proximity Alexander looked over and the two exchanged neutral glances. Then without warning he returned the gesture with another loud belch. The two then laughed, raised tankards, and went back to drinking. When the food came Alexander didn't immediately dig in, rather he thought about what Harundar said.

“Don't let it get you down, after all if something's important you can't a let a simple bump in the road stand in the way. Besides, you don't seem like the quitter type to me,” Alexander said. With that he leaned forward unfastening the belt that carried his smithing tools and set it on the table. Trying to eat with a wide variety of metal objects poking someone in the stomach was never pleasant.

“By not a lot going for you if you're inferring a lack of employment, I might be able to help. What do you normally do for a living?” Alexander said.

[Harundar Veilborn]

The Isur nodded in thanks to Alexander for refilling his tankard, and then chuckled heartily at his interaction with the stranger at the other table. After a few swigs more, Alexander's food arrived. Harundar couldn't help but notice the hot, sizzling, succulent quality of the beef stew accompanied by the warm, moist, welcoming mashed potatoes. It took a considerate amount of effort in order to stop himself from drooling. Haru's attention only snapped back to reality half way through Alexander's sentence. "...let a single bump in the road stand in the way. Besides, you don't seem like the quitter type to me." The Isur tilted his head in appreciation towards the complement. "Why, thank yo-" Alexander placed his blacksmithing tools onto the table, giving Harundar pause. For a few moments, he stared at the tools, processing the situation. Immediately afterwards, he was offered the possibility of a job. He could barely believe his luck. Under his breath, he uttered a wild and gratuitous set of praise and thanks to Izurdin. Haru reached for the chisel with his Blessed arm, it's powerful red skin highlighted slightly by the nearby fireplace. Carefully he picked up the chisel and turned it in his fingers. A large grin crossed his face. "Well, you see... I'm a blacksmith."

[Alexander Magnus]

When Harundar spoke of being a blacksmith that caught Alexander by surprise and he arched a brow curiously, a personal quirk that was often visible when taking stock of something unexpected. While never one to believe in coincidence the chances of bumping into another blacksmith newly arriving in town was quite low. This left Alexander to sit back and think about the situation for a moment. There were several things running through the man's mind and a lot of questions. Some of which might not be pleasant. When mouth closed and brain engaged Alexander wasn't nearly as thick as most people thought.

“Have you taken leave of your senses... didn't catch your name by the way. I can understand if you feel driven to do something in honor of your father, however, you walk into town with no money, no job, and I doubt you have a place to stay either,” Alexander said, shaking his head lightly. “Here in Syliras if you don't have a job and contribute, the knights who rule the city are liable to find you work and believe me it's rarely pleasant. Or they might just throw you out the gates and wish you luck outside. This isn't exactly the type of place you want to show up unprepared.”

While he may have come off a little harsh Alexander wasn't trying to dress Harundar down as most might think, he was simply trying to impress how easily one could get into trouble in the city for not contributing. The last thing he wanted was for a skilled worker to end up press-ganged. Then taking a moment he thought about the last statement and how harsh it no doubt sounded.

“Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying say you were foolish or stupid. On the other hand if you're going to undertake something of such importance you need to plan and prepare ahead of time,” Alexander said, then stopped the same barmaid from before and ordered another house special for Harundar.

“Now tell me, how much do you know about Syliras and how do you plan to achieve this goal you've set for yourself. If this is as important as you say, you'll need a plan, you'll need to set a goal, then figure out precisely how to get there,” Alexander said. The last question wasn't so much to pry, but to see is Harundar had thought ahead and planned out what he was going to do now and how to go about achieving it.