Initiation

[Izuyanai]

28th of Spring, 516AV It had been a stirring couple of days. The panic and then collective relief of the missing child being found, as well as the the unexplained fountain, and the strange buzzing in the park. It was a good thing Izuyanai had taken to dropping by the stone notice boards so as to not be caught off guard. It wasn't rare for such debates and theories to be thrown around in her work place. Currently, she was rearranging and organizing the countless bottles and glass jars behind the counter. The constant dull clink of the glass being lifted and set down again mingled with the light conversation of early evening customers. This act of taking stock was sorely needed. The raven had already found around five bottles of brandy in varying degrees of emptiness, crammed toward the back of the lower shelves. Not to mention the the bottle of gin with barely a drop of liquor remaining. As the shelves housing distilled spirits were steadily cleared out, a small sea of bottles awaiting organization gathered on the inner countertop. After briefly considering her strategy by gazing at the crowded lot, Izuyanai decided to go with the organization of type, emptiness, and then size. However, just as she was about to tackle her task, a rather conspicuous person sidled through the narrow entrance way of the Demise.

[Xyse]

Xyse had been wandering for a few bells already, not sure what to do with himself since his morning work-out. The work-out had consisted of a load of push-ups, boulder-weighted squats, and a good amount of pull-ups. A light one, as today was one of the days he'd set aside as a resting period for himself. No-one liked being injured by too much exercise, and Xyse was no exception.

He was garbed lightly in his black trousers, grey no-sleeve shirt, and black boots, his pack slung across his back as it usually was on one of his outings. He glanced around easily enough, being taller than most inhabitants of Lhavit, his eyes roaming the shop before he started to notice the looks he got from random people. Their eyes were not all too bad: just... Overly friendly, he decided.

He'd noticed he started drawing these strange looks since the 25th, when he took a drink from the fountain... He didn't not like them, but he didn't like them all that much, either. As he drew the eye of another random being, a male human, he quickly excused himself without a word and entered a random building. He let out an inaudible sigh. Until he looked up. He'd drawn the eyes of a few people, but didn't quite look at any who looked to him. He quickly and steadily moved to the bar - tavern, by the looks, though he wasn't sure which - he sat down easily, arms lightly clasping each other onto the table. He took a better look around, before realizing he'd entered the Scholar's Demise.

He waited until the bartender moved towards him, making a small, light wave. "Glass of amber ale and a vegetable platter, please?" He fished into his pocket for his coin-purse, setting it into his lap as he waited. He hummed a light tune, leg bouncing along. He looked behind him once more, before clearing his throat and turning back again quickly. "How's the work load been lately, might I ask? Anything interesting happen yet?"

He scooted closer as he was brought his drink and platter, taking out the required amount of kina and sliding it over. "Many thanks," he said with a nod, taking a quick swig of the ale then taking a carrot and throwing it into his mouth as he looked at the bartender, awaiting an answer.

Transaction[Glass of amber ale] 90 kina - 2 kina = 88 kina
[Vegetable plater] 88 kina - 3 kina = 85 kina

[Izuyanai]

Izuyanai watched like a hawk as the man neared the counter. She was doing her best to pin down his every movement and motivation. The spark of her eyes stirred from their slumber as the events taking place piqued her interest. He was tall and well-built, courtesy of what must be an occupation requiring plenty of physical activity. Had this not been Lhavit, the raven would have been more wary, but as it was, the creature didn't seem dangerous in any way. What did intrigue her was the emotion she experienced as he approached the bar. An attraction? A bond? No. Not a bondmate. Still, it was rather rare for her to be so emotionally moved by someone she had just met. Ugh, must be the season getting to her. What was also noteworthy was the fact the she had almost missed her other patron's reaction to the stranger's entry. Heads turned and gazes lingered even as the newcomer sat a slight ways away from her. There was the matter of how to take it in stride. Feelings could be ignored easily enough. It wasn't as if she hadn't done something similar before. She had a sort of pitying affection for love sick fools who made, well, a fool of themselves. She had no wish to join their ranks. However, no reason not to be a little friendly. Not missing his cue to order, Izuyanai lightly stepped over and offered a smile. Taking note of his pleasant disposition as well as his order, she nodded and started moving away. "Mhm, of course. Just a moment, please" She'd say the food here was easy enough to prepare. Whenever Roric was busy, she had taken it upon herself to prepare the plates. Retrieving the required vegetables, Izuyanai held up the knife and skinned the moderately before chopping them into edible pieces. For the corn, she angled the knife and shaved the kernes off into a neat pile on the cutting board. Arranging them all onto the platter, she then reached over for a stout, curved glass and poured the amber liquor until the top was brimming with foam. Laden with the glass and platter, the raven returned to the man and set the food down gently before him. "Work has been getting livelier," she said leaning onto the counter. "As for anything interesting, nothing as of yet. But if you aren't in a hurry, a performance is due to start soon. I don't think you'll be disappointed."

[Izuyanai]

Izuyanai pushed herself away from the bar and turned toward her previous project of reorganization. This left her customer time to get started on his order and enjoy his drink. The glass bottles made satisfactory sounds as they clunked gently against the worn surface of the shelves, each sliding into place with every wave of the her hand. Varying levels of liquor in the bottles slowly settled as Izuyanai opted to continue their casual conversation over her shoulder as she worked. “About the performance, have you ever seen someone perform with a gea’tar?" she queried. "I would describe that instrument as an oversized fiddle, but it makes quite a different sound. The owners invited a talented musician about a week ago, and I’d say she was quite well received. She’s scheduled to perform again in a while, so I recommend staying to listen.” The day the gea’tar player had debuted in the Scholar’s Demise had happened overlap with Izuyanai’s shift. It was always a pleasant surprise to see that there would be some form of entertainment in the tavern. After all, it was not only the customers who got the opportunity to enjoy the shows. Of course, workers at the Demise had access to performance schedules through their employers. However, Izuyanai preferred to be kept in suspense, allowing Aleah to do the scouting as she saw fit. She only knew of this particular musician's schedule because the strange music had left a lasting impression and had peaked her curiosity. The way the entire mood of the tavern changed depending on the tune being played had been an interesting experience. Though perhaps, a bartender would be more acutely aware such subtle changes due to their constant presence in the establishment. There would still be some time until the show, and as Izuyanai moved about, she noted that a thin layer of dust had begun to collect on one of the highest cabinets. That would need to be dealt with before she returned any bottles. Fetching a clean rag, she proceeded to swipe away at the offending particles. "Now that I think about it, I might let you know that the Star's Shadow reopened a while back. The Demise can expect some healthy competition now," Izuyanai said with her eyes twinkling. She finished up the last of her cleaning and dragged a spare stool into position, across from the man. Hopping up, Izuyanai braced one elbow against the counter and placed a conspiratorial figure up to her lips. Flashing a mischievous smile she confided, "I should consider paying a visit to get information on the rivals. In the meantime, I trust you'll remain a loyal customer." This was precisely one of the reasons why Alhea and Roric enthusiastically invited artists so often. Dare she say music was instrumental in keeping customers entertained and occupied. What was more, entertainment meant that patrons lingered in the tavern a tad longer than they would have otherwise. During this time, more orders could be collected and additional profit could be generated. It was a smart technique. Then again, she wouldn't have expected any less from such devoted business owners.

[Izuyanai]

The distinct sound of the tavern door swinging open briefly sounded across the room and a woman carrying a medium sized instrument case strolled out from the narrow corridor. In all appearances, the newcomer seemed to be human. However, Izuyanai could testify firsthand that that was not always the case. The woman's light brown hair was carefully trimmed and just barely skimmed her shoulders. Even from a distance, Izuyanai could note her expressive features and smooth, graceful movements. She stopped briefly further down the counter and seemed to murmur a few words to Aleah who was minding the counter several paces away from where they were currently seated. Izuyanai nodded to the man and jumped off the stool. She felt that it wouldn't do for anyone to think she was not taking her job seriously. Entertaining guests with light conversation was all very well, but she couldn't neglect her other duties in favor of it. She dutifully sidled along to Aleah's side and took her place while she and the gea’tar player conversed in low but cordial tones. True to what she had informed the man from earlier, the tavern was gradually beginning to receive more customers as the day wore on. Ever since the musician had emerged from the corridor, other customers continued to appear at intervals. It still being light out, a few Ethaefal of Syna were lounging in the room. Their other worldly presence was a bright glow in the comparably mundane tavern. Some of the beautiful creatures were talking business while others were simply passing time with a glass of The Sun's Glory in their hands. Indeed it would be fitting for that particular drink to be a favorite among their population. At the counter however, Izuyanai ended up mixing a round of Tanroa's Gift cocktails as well as frying a plate of onions. As the special drink of the hour, customers were eager to try the limited beverage. Delicately pouring and mixing the liquor into their appropriate glasses, Izuyanai produced a small knife and garnished each creation with bright curls of orange that she had carved away from the fruit. She slid the finished drinks toward awaiting patrons. The fragrance from the carved fruit wafted in the vicinity until it faded back into nothing. She then moved over to Roric's usual haunt by the stove where the cooking was done. It was neatly kept with pans stored on one side and food stowed away in a makeshift pantry. Izuyanai leaned down briefly to get at the lowest storage space where most of the earthen vegetables were kept. She procured an onion and horseradish, deftly tearing away the flaking outer skin of the onion before setting the roots down beside the cutting board. She then reached for a medium sized pan and set it on the stove to heat. While it was getting to the appropriate temperature, she could finish preparing the vegetables by washing the now peeled onion along with the horseradish. Once she deemed the roots clean enough, Izuyanai balanced a slightly larger knife and uneven horseradish in each hand. To get rid of the bitter outer skin, she had to make small, precise movements in guiding the knife. Cooking this dish was relatively harmless until the edge of the knife sank into the skin of the onion. Steadying the root so it would not roll away from her, Izuyanai first brought the knife down right in the middle if the onion to create two halves. She instinctively narrowed her gaze against the stinging and blinked rapidly in order to see through watering eyes. She thought she finished the task admirably, though she may have been leaning away from the cutting board. Going through the radish with a similar but much less tearful treatment, Izuyanai followed the motions that she had seen Roric do countless times. The pan sizzled crisply as she poured a dash of rich oil onto its surface. Izuyanai tossed in the onions and stirred appropriately as she set out a plate and piled the shavings of horseradish onto the side of the plate. When the onions browned into an appetizing color and were producing an equally enticing smell, she finished the plate and quickly set it in front of the orderer. All the while, she had tried to catch the Aleah's conversation a slight ways away. However, the pair of voices were lost to her in the general flurry of activity. It was hard to pinpoint exact conversations through the racket of sizzling onions.

[Izuyanai]

The two women finished their discussion and parted ways with a nod and a smile. On her way to the more open area of the lounge, the musician paused at the counter in order to swoop down and commandeer a stool for herself. Noticing Izuyanai's gaze, the other woman struggled with all the objects now crowding her arms but managed to send a friendly wave. Nodding back in acknowledgement of the performer, Izuyanai turned to find a relatively mindless task to undertake. If the musician intended to start playing soon, she wanted to be able to listen properly. Eventually, Izuyanai settled herself with recently washed glassware and a dry piece of linen cloth. Taking the cloth in one hand and the nearest wine glass in another, she set about removing any moisture and clouding fingerprints. She was either very lucky or had extreme grace. For all the seasons Izuyanai had worked at the Demise, not one piece of glass or plate had been broken. At least not by her, anyway and she hoped this would continue. On the occasion that an unfortunate employee did manage to let fragile objects slip from their fingers, they earned themselves a meaningful stare from either of the tavern owners present, along with the curious gazes of customers who had turned to see what noise had shattered the atmosphere of the tavern. Soon enough the musician strummed her instrument, calling attention to her self introduction. The conversation in the tavern died down to a respectable level and the music began. The songs sang were sweet and bright. As the array of music played on, Izuyanai wondered if the musician had chosen them to celebrate spring. The lyrics were certainly fitting. They all alluded to renewal and the musical tone set a rather cheerful tempo. One of them could possibly be categorized as a love song if the listener were openminded. Izuyanai noted that one particular song was sung in a completely different language. However, out of what she had heard so far, it had to be her favorite. The song took a small turn from the musician's previous style and echoed with melancholy, as if someone were nostalgically thinking of the past. At the same time it wasn't despairing and the singer's voice sang it so gently that Izuyanai could almost imagine the words in translation. The song couldn't be in Common or Nari, so if she had to guess, it would be a language outside the region of Kalea. Wiping away droplets of water from another piece of glassware she had picked up, Izuyanai continued in this peaceful manner until Aleah called her away for another task.

[Samuel Longwell]

Grading Complete Please edit your grade request thread so that it's obvious that it's been graded. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions/problems with your grade. Name: Izuyanai XP Award: Organisation 3 Observation 3 Cooking 3 Socialisation 2 Rhetoric 1 Mixology 1 Lore: Musicians attract customers Mixology: simple Lhavit cocktails Notes: Grade withheld for Xyse due to inactivity. Enjoy your grades