Open A Good Way to Know [The Red Diamond Tavern]

[Nassella Poinsettia]

Season of Summer, Day 7, 513 AV After such a long travel, Nassella was so exhausted, and was in no mood to search for interesting things around the city. Though this was the only reason she came to Avanthal. Awaking late that morning, she went downstairs in her cabin to eat. After packing her journal into her bag, and leaving most of the other contents in the cabin, she left and locked the doors. Nassella found herself actually enjoying the weather of Avanthal. She expected the cold, snow, and ice to be dreary, plain, and exhausting. Rather she found the cold to be almost comforting and the look of the city rather desirable. This was a good place to chose for her first stop. Even if there was nothing interesting to be gleaned here, she will have at least enjoyed her stay. As she made her way around town, it occurred to her that she may need to find work, to make up for the amount of money spent while in the icy city. Her walk was not undirected. The day prior, Nassella had inquired others she found around the city about points of interest. She had decided The Red Diamond Tavern would be an easy place to spend her first day of the search. She could relax in the warm building, eat, drink, and perhaps learn something from the patrons. Asking the locals in a tavern seemed like a reasonable way to hear rumors, anomalies, and stories of the hunters and other explorers. As she approached the tavern, it was already getting dark, and Nassella could hear the crowds inside already. The sounds of all the patrons made her nervous, she would have to be very careful as she navigated through the tavern, and sit in a place without too much traffic. When she entered, Nassella was overwhelmed with the aroma of different drinks, foods, and people. She smelled breads, meats, wines, and she embraced the warmth that was being shared from the fire. Quickly looking around for a suitable place to seat herself, she noticed a staircase. Nassella moved carefully through the crowd, make sure to avoid bumping into patrons of barmaids, making her way towards the stairs. Once she reached and ascended the stairs, she noticed the upstairs was much like the first floor, though much less crowded. This suited her well, and she smiled to herself and took a seat. She waited and observed the others as the drank, laughed, and ate. Though she was beginning to lose hope that something interesting would happen. She may actually have to get up and attempt to talk to someone. That much effort would be absolutely exhausting! After asking a barmaid for a glass of water, she decided that waiting could only be done for so long, and if nothing interesting happened soon, she would attempt to talk to some other patrons herself.

[Minosayaa]

Mino had made her rounds bounding through the snow, chasing her tail, and sniffing every other sled dog she met. Good day! It's been a good day! Mino thought to herself. She had received a nice deer bone from an old man on her way and was looking for a place to enjoy it.

The tavern came into view and she paused to think. Her paws were starting to hurt from her romping and the chances of anyone really minding her being there. If anything she might get some table scraps! That settled it. With bone in mouth she headed in toward the warmth.

Minosayaa stop inside to listen to the clatter of dishes and laughter. She recognized almost all of the voices as regulars, who had come to drown the cold with cider and stew.... judging from the smell it was a rich venison-like stew.... with a bit of....rabbit meat, potatoes, and carrots. Mino let out a small whine, the chef had certainly outdone themselves tonight.

Looking around she judged the main floor too crowded and trotted up the stairs to an unoccupied corner and began chewing her bone. While she gnawed a lady caught her eye and nose. She watched this lady carefully, she was different. Looked different. Smelled different. Mino looked away every time she looked towards her, and as the pale lady looked elsewhere Mino focused on her.

[Nassella Poinsettia]

While she sat around drinking her water, the noise was starting to get to Nassella and she was contemplating just leaving the tavern altogether. Though earlier she did notice a dog walk upstairs. When she looked around, she noticed the dog chewing on its bone, and staring at her. Though whenever she would look at the dog, the dog would turn away and act as if it didn't notice her. After repeating this process a few times, she finally decided that it would be her that moved first in this stare-off. Nassella stood and began walking over towards the dog, taking a chair next to it in its corner. After a moment of silence and observing the dog, she leaned over scratching the dog and asked in common "Hello there. Do you have anything interesting in that head of yours. My name is Nassella, and I'm looking for things that are..... different..."

[Minosayaa]

Minosayaa watched the women approach with curiosity and after a head scratch Mino had made up her mind. Strange or not, she liked this lady. Different or interesting....Are Kelvics 'interesting'? Mino thought back to some of the times people had seen her take to her human form... The looks on their faces had been interesting. Mino gave a bark followed by a yodeled howl. Yes! I am most certainly interesting! But all Kelvics are.

Avanthal had become a haven for Kelvics, it seemed that more and more Kelvics came through the gates these days. From mice to foxes to Avanthal's iconic polar bears, Kelvics were everywhere... If you knew where to look.

I could show you. But not out here, people don't like when I change out in public... Mino still couldn't understand humans with their nudity taboo. If people weren't meant to be seen naked why were they born that way? As a dog she didn't wear clothes, so why did she have to as a human.

Mino got to her feet, ran down the stairs and to the kitchen. In the back in a corner was a folded dress. Mino had such a habit of changing forms, it had been made manditory that she had a change of clothes. Carrying the dress in her mouth she returned to her pale friend. Dropping the clothing at the pale lady's feet and gave a back.Just watch this!

With a blinding light the form of a dog became a girl. Mino scrambled from her clothes, in hopes of not being scolded again. Looking toward the lady there was a moment of awkward silence, which was broken by a bubbly voice, "I'm Mino! One of the Frostfawn sled dogs! Who are you?"

[Nassella Poinsettia]

As Nassella scratched the dog, it barked, startling her, and then yowled. When the dog got up and left, she was convinced that she had offended the dog in some way. Nassella slumped back into her chair and began sipping on her water again. After a moment, she saw the dog return up stairs carrying something in its mouth. As the dog got closer, it looked more and more like folded clothing, though what exactly it was, she was unsure. The animal dropped the clothing at her feet with another bark, and then there was the light. Nassella had read about this in the Cribellum. When a kelvic changed they produced a bright flash, so when the dog suddenly started glowing, Nassella knew this was a kelvic. Though much was running through her mind, this was the first kelvic she had ever had the chance to interact with. Once the kelvic had finished switching forms, and clothing herself, there was a moment of silence. Then the kelvic introduced herself as Mino from Frostfawn. Nassella took out her journal and began scribbling out everything she observed about the kelvic. After another moment of silence, due to her writing, Nassella stood up to introduce herself saying "It's nice to meet you Mino of Frostfawn. Please forgive my writing, but you are the first kelvic I have ever seen. Would you not mind if I asked you a few questions for my journal?"

[Minosayaa]

Mino took a seat on the floor, stareing up at Nassella. Her choppy black hair fell in her face. She smiled a childish smile, " You've never met a Kelvic before? You haven't been in Avanthal very long, have you? Kelvics seem drawn here. But yeah I'll answer some questions!"

Mino eyed the bone she had been gnawing on earlier, "You're not human are you, Miss Pale Lady. Your arms are different... So are your eyes, and arms. But that's ok! I've met lots of different people, there was the Furryman and the Fur-Seal Fairy!" Mino stopped to realize that a some point she had picked up her bone and had begun chewing on it. She attempted to set it down to the side of her and focus.

[Nassella Poinsettia]

The kelvic was so compliant. And when she offered to be questioned a flurry of questions began flooding her mind. She wanted to ask so much, wanted to know everything there was to know about a kelvic. The more she could take from this creature, the easier the rest of her journey would be. It simply meant less she would have to find out later in her journey. However, it would be polite to answer the dogs question first. Mino. Nassella was quite sure that is what the dog called itself. She looked at the dog and postponed her own question to answer Mino. "You are right, I am not human. I am a Symenestra. Our arms are a bit longer than a humans, our eyes are different colors, and our skin is very different from that of a humans. I came from Kalinor, which is very far south from here, in order to learn as much as I can, then return and add my knowledge to our library. You are very good at noticing things. Has this ever saved you in your adventures? Are your animal senses hindered or improved by your ability to change? Does anything interesting happen in Avanthal, anything out of the ordinary? Are there many strange people, or ones with many stories to tell?" Though Nassella had many more questions, she did not want to overload Mino with too many, or scare her off for that matter. Nassella asked for another glass of water from a passing waitress. After finishing her water, she realized that the more she waited, the more fidgety she got. Nassella needed something to keep her idle hands busy until she would begin writing every last word the kelvic said, and then more. Water would have to tide her over until her journal pages would need filling. She then awaited for the return of her water, and the answer to all of her questions.

[Minosayaa]

Mino's eye's gleamed with child like wonder,"Sy-mene-stra... That's a fun name! I've never met a Sy-mene-stra before. You're pretty!, She smiled, the pale lady was very pretty. Almost like those expensive dolls people bought just to put on a shelf and look at. Mino shifted how she was sitting.

"Adventures? You mean like hunting? Yeah it helps. Senses stay the same either form, like I can tell you what that guy over there is eating just by smelling the air." Mino pointed across the room. She stopped to think about the next questions, "Well Lady Morwen lives here in the winter, that's always a happy time. We celebrate her return."

At the last question Mino laughed, "The Vantha people love to tell stories! It's one of their favorite things to do! The gather around the fireplace downstairs with big mugs of cider, and tell stories and laugh the night away! Everyone is pretty friendly around here."

Mino watched the lady write, she herself had made very little progress with reading and writing. Basic math still eluded her as well. The human pups of Frostfawn did their best to teach her, but everything was beyond understanding. She scooted closer to look at the journal. The markings inside were beautiful looking although they had no meaning to Mino. She scrunched her face trying to understand. Nope, nothing. "Those are pretty swirls you're making. I like that one." Mino pointed to a meaningless marking.

[Nassella Poinsettia]

Nassella smiled and laughed at the comment about her appearances. She didn't often receive compliments like that. Though she discarded them as soon as Mino started answering the questions. She wrote down everything the kelvic told her, already formulating new questions that she would ask. When Mino put her finger up to one of her words, Nassella had to stop for a moment to process what Mino was saying. "Oh, I'm sorry if you can't read any of it, I write in Symenos most of the time. This is so my people can read it when I donate it to our library. Also, if I were to find an untimely fate, and another Symenestra finds it, they will know what to do with this journal.The word you pointed to is Enda. It is a name we use for young women, or those who are unmarried." Then Nassella remembered reading that kelvic tend to roam, and that she may not be able to read at all. In any case, she had many more questions to ask Mino. After gathering her thoughts, and putting them into order she decided to start where the questions left off. She turned back to Mino and said "Who is Lady Morwen? And why does she leave? Do you know any of the Vantha here? Perhaps you can introduce me to one of them sometime. Do you know how to read? Is your family in Avanthal too?" Nassella stopped herself before she got too far. Again not wanting to overload Mino with questions, and not wanting to poke too deep into a subject that may be uncomfortable for the kelvic. Her water had finally arrived, and she sipped her water while she waited for Mino to reply. She hoped sorely that she hadn't touched some painful subject, and the more she thought about it, the more she worried that she had offended Mino. Though nonetheless, she set down her glass, and prepared to write down the answers to her questions.

[Vidar]

A cloud of warm moisture escaped his lips, although it was below zero sweat formed on his brow. With the moon reflecting off of the snow, he had no need for a torch or any other extra lighting. It made the woods around him eerie, the stillness of the open plains had his skin crawling. He knew better than to let his superstitious mind get the better of him.

Off in the distance he could see the city he had once loved, the city he still loved. It had been home to him in his early years, but now it seemed foreign. He hadn't seen this city in over two years, it was always hard to face relatives from Winterflame. After his last job, he needed a place to recover and this always seemed to calm him. He'd visited it alot when he first left home, but over the years he slowly stopped coming back.

Finally he was nearing, his first stop as usual would be to stop at the Red Diamond Tavern. Each step brought him closer to the warmth. The steady snow fall making it impossible to follow other's footsteps or ruts.

After a cold while he found himself sitting downstairs listening to a cousin, or at least what he thought could have been a cousin telling a story of a great hunt. He laughed at the appropriate moments and smiled. But he'd heard it before, he'd heard it many times. He no longer cared for the company of people, usually taking on quests on his own, or jobs. Once the bottom floor become to much for him to handle he stood quietly and respectfully, and moved himself upstairs where he took a spot near a window so that he may look out and admire the beauty of the city. It took him a moment but he soon realized that a foreigner was amongst the regulars. By the look of her pale skin, and extended limbs he assumed it was a Symenestra. He'd delt with them before, he knew what they were capable of, and now one had come here.

His mind quickly pushed down thoughts of hostility as it was obviously female and not a male. But he decided to keep an eye on the creature, its back away from him.