The Mermaid's Harbor

[cyanidesawtooth]

    A change os scenery had all but completely turned Clio's mental space around. The woman, born to the Glass Flats, had found herself in an unfamiliar and completely new area some three years ago. In that time, she had established the Mermaid's Harbor. This bar had quickly become a new passion for her. Tending to the business and getting to know the patrons brought her great joy. The work itself helped her to find a new degree of stability as well. To provide a service and provide a place where here patrons could relax and feel safe was an amazing feeling. Sure, she could have found herself becoming an adventurist, living her life from inn to inn, solving problems like some problem sleuth. But no, this was much more her style. If everyone adventured, who would provide the places to find the adventure, or the shelter for the wayward souls?

    Very few people were going to come into a bar this early in the day. The sun was high in the sky but it wasn't quite noon just yet. Given the quietness of the early day, this gave Clio the opportunity to relax and enjoy the morning in front of the building. She had tugged one of the light colored leather arm chairs out onto the patio. Bundled up in a woven blanket from her home, she tucked her legs under her while sitting in the chair and observing the morning foot traffic. She absently sipped on a pint of coffee in her hands. A ridiculous amount of coffee, granted, but for Clio, it was mostly sugar anyway. The morning air felt chilly against her exposed skin, thanks to this being the "winter" area of Avalon. Though this feeling was still foreign to her, Clio was in love with it. She had come from one of the hottest regions on the planet, and here she was enjoying the chill of the air. The warmth of the coffee spreading over her tongue helped to heat her core. The sweetness woke her up and the heat relaxed her bones. The woman smiled and gave small waves to anyone she recognized walking near by. 

    Given the quiet morning, she sat and pondered the world around her. She studied the faces that passed by, wondering who they were, what magic did they use, what was their story? She wondered if any of them were out of place like she was. Did any of them use fire? Earth? Were there others who used sound too? She gave a soft hum, closing her eyes as she took another sip of the steaming coffee. The heat hit her first before the sweetness. She tugged the thick blanket closer, the familiar stiffness of the fabric brought her great comfort. Soft brown eyes flickered back up to the street, thin smile across those red lips. She sat back in the seat, humming a quiet song, head bobbing absently as she did so. 

    Clio was in love with this area, the gentle hues of the Deep Sea Sanctuary. She loved the little pearls of light that brought light to the sidewalk at night. She loved the marble walls of her bar, of the buildings nearby. She loved to watch kids play in the little snow drifts when they appeared, or young mages working on their skills. The whole place gave her peace of mind, really. Simple, quiet. She smiled, curling up a little tighter around herself, comfortably positioned in the chair.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Avalon. A grand and noble city. For someone from the cold and isolated North, walking it's clean and bustling streets was like a dream. Wolf couldn't help but let his eyes wander. The strange marbled buildings, fashioned more to be ornate and celebrate form over function, were alien to him. Through his journeys, the mercenary had certainly seen his fair share of odd architecture, and while Automata still held the crown, The Capital was a close contender. Still, the place had an odd... cozy feeling about it. The warm, friendly people, the bustling shops. The thing that seemed to comfort the warrior the most, however, was the cold. Sure, it wasn't as harsh as he was used to, but it was enough to fill his heart with nostalgia. 

    However, the wandering warrior hadn't come here to admire the sights. You couldn't exactly be a sell-sword if there was no one to sell yourself to. Wait, that sounded wrong. The point was, Wolf was here looking for work, and if his experience was anything to go by, the best places to look for information and work would always fall upon the shoulders of one, single place; 

    Taverns.

    Always bustling hives for rumors and legends, if you knew where to look and who to ask you could always find bounties to take part in. Monsters to slay, bandit lords to kill or capture. Trinkets to fetch. If you were able to tell who's word you could take, there was always a chance of felling some legendary enemy and making a decent chunk of gold for one's self. And, even if you couldn't, then the barkeeps could always spin a trustworthy yarn. Hell, sometimes they even had work themselves. It felt like every other week Wolf was finding himself in someone's basement, clearing out mutated rats or some other small horror that had managed to sneak in. 

    As an added plus, Wolf's growling stomach served to remind him that you could also always find yourself something to eat. Good food was definitely a way to ease one's weary heart after a long journey. Especially when one was trying to figure out why the hell you would make a building out of coral. 

    Wolf stopped a passerby, inquiring about the whereabouts of the local tavern, and was kindly pointed towards a simple looking building. Comfortably simple, at least in the Northerner's opinion. At least until he opened the door, then he was met with a similar aesthetic as the outside. Just on a smaller, at least semi-cozy scale. Never seen anyone decorate a tavern like this before. The young man mused. 
    
    A sigh escaped his lips as he stepped further in. At a glance, the bounty board had nothing of extreme interest, but if he couldn't find any lead then they would do in a pinch. For now, he would approach the counter, peering about to see where the Bartender was. Wolf wondered what kind of person they'd be. The man had met a good number of different types. Hearty and bright, cold and aloof, warm and friendly, flirty and seductive. Perverted. 

    He was still convinced that one woman tried to get him to drink drugged ale. Only thing that really saved Wolf was the fact that he didn't drink all that often. 

    The tavern wasn't too terribly busy this morning, which wasn't all that surprising, but Wolf didn't think that it was enough to warrant the Bartender suddenly up and disappearing. Perhaps it was just... that slow of a day. The man couldn't fault that reasoning. With a sigh, he simply took a seat and set to waiting. Worse comes to worse, he could just quietly grab a bounty and leave. I could really use a quick bite to eat though... 

[cyanidesawtooth]

Clio had gotten up at some point to refill her pint with hot coffee and tons of milk and sugar. A second round should kick her into gear for the rest of the day right? She was upstairs for only a few moments, standing in her little kitchenette up stairs. Since the morning was so slow, she figured she wouldn't have to worry about anyone coming into the bar. It was barely noon by now. Oh well.

With a small smile, she tossed her blanket back onto her couch, heading out of the little apartment type space she kept up to return to the bar downstairs. Her footsteps were soft down the stairs, and being she wasn't paying attention, she was taken by surprise to see someone sitting at her bar. Without a notice, she let out a soft gasp as she turned the corner, silver armor catching her eye.

She pressed a hand to her chest, letting out a sigh, followed by a soft laugh. A friendly smile spread across her lips as she took up her spot behind the bar. "You scared me! Gosh at least ring the bell." To show her point she nodded toward a little silver bells sitting to the side of the light wood bar. Her dark hair seemed to bounce with her, falling into those lively brown eyes.

"Ah well, what can I get for ya. Something to eat?" It was too early to really be serving drinks, but if Alec should ask Clio wouldn't wonder why. Besides, it is a bar. With a friendly smile, she leaned against the bar, waiting for his reply.

Clio didn't pay too much attention to the different missions and quests, but she would always help someone find a good fit if they asked. Nor did she have any quests to give out herself, but there was always a job waiting behind the bar to anyone who needed one.

Clio seemed relaxed and easy going. For the day she was dressed in a simple maroon flannel, a dark grey tank top and simple black jeans. A small apron was tied around her waist, a few odd colored pens shoved in the pockets as well as a little notebook. Her hair was tucked into a high pony tail but her bangs still framed her face. She looked young despite being the age of 30 now.

As far as the bar itself went, the light colors paired well with the area. There were a few dark wood pieces, deep blue couches that looked comfortable. Everything looked tidy and we'll kept, bright and cheerful even. You'd think it was a regular restaurant rather than a bar or a tavern.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    "Apologies." The young man stated, lifting a hand. A small smile graced his features, his expression seemingly easy going and apologetic. The warrior shifted slightly, sitting up a bit straighter. The bartender was an interesting woman, she had a gentleness about her that sort of reminded him of his mother when he was a small lad. "I'm used to Taverns being moderately busy all hours of the day. To be frank, this is my first time in the capital, so I suppose things function a little differently here."

    The woman was an unassuming sort. While, taking it in, she seemed to fit the type of person to keep an aesthetic like this, she wasn't exactly what Wolf had in mind when he thought of a bartender. More like... a family restaurant owner. Though, if her personality matched her motherly appearance, Wolf had no doubt the woman could handle her fair share of rowdy customers. There really was nothing like a mother's scorn to set a man straight. 

    No telling what that kind of scorn could do to a drunk.

    "A bite to eat would be nice. Do you have any sort of menu I can peruse?" Wolf calmly responded. He genuinely still felt a tad shell-shocked about how different this place was to other taverns he'd been too. Even if they didn't get rowdy until the late day, you'd at least still find a good number of quiet drunks or usual customers around this time of day. Must be a different type of culture in the capital compared to the outlands. Wolf mused. 

    Crystal blue eyes, like the pure blue of arctic water scanned the finer details. Of both the tavern and the woman herself. It seemed like she was one of those... "New-wave" types, harboring a different sort of fashion aesthetic than those in the periphery. Times changed quickly, but none faster than Fashion. Fuckin' nerds. Sure, Wolf could get behind making himself look nice (and by nice, he means threatening), but at some point, some pieces of clothing started to look weird. Thankfully, the bartender hadn't crossed that threshold and actually looked decent.  
   
    Whatever, Wolf was just paid to kill things, it's not like the guy was in a position to police what people wear. Besides, some people might think the same things about him as well, so the warrior should probably keep his judgement out of the picture.

    "I'm Wolf, by the way." The boy continued, finally. His voice was youthful, but it had a firm... gruffness about it. Made it feel deeper. More mature, beyond his actual age. "I'm from up north. Been journeying around, taking up bounties where I can. Felt it was finally time to see what the Capital was like, and if I could find some good paying bounties here as well. Figure, bigger place, bigger jobs." 

    The warrior shrugged. Even if there weren't, everyone still needed something done, so even if it was easy or simple, the young man could still lend a helping hand. He wasn't one of those elitist dickheads who refused to take certain jobs because it wasn't "worth their time" or whatever. While the guy preferred stuff that kept him interested, he also wasn't picky if those weren't available. 

[cyanidesawtooth]

[Clio "Muse" Sharp-Aim]

Clio just let out a soft laugh, seeming relaxed. She didn't hold any anger or annoyance at least. "It is a little weird for the bar to be so quiet, but I'm not really complaining. Im more or less happy to not see people getting smashed so early in the day." She shrugged with a lopsided smile, pulling out a menu from under the counter per the warrior's request.

She found the other to be a bit of an odd man, but then again, most of her customers were odd people. There were all different sorts of people who frequented her bar or even just popped in once in a while. Clio handed the warrior the menu that read simple, hearty things. The menu consisted of a multitude of options, from soups to burgers to lighter options like fries or even a special sort of fry bread and honey.

Clio found herself leaning against the bar, her cheek absently resting on a closed fist as she watched the other with curious eyes. She surveyed her face, trying to guess his age. He was young, but the lines on his face gave away years of stress. From the amount of stress he had endured through his life. She wanted to poke and prod around his mind. She wanted to hear the stories he had to tell, but then again, that was nothing new for her character. She was always curious about those who came into her bar.

She wondered about the young man before her, eyeing his cape and his armor. She wondered if he was a more traditional minded type of person.

A bright smile flickered across her red lips as she stood back up straight, holding a hand out to the other for a friendly hand shake. "Clio. My friends call me Muse." She hummed softly, listening to the other. "From up North huh? I'm from the Glass Flats."

The woman smiled slightly, leaning back on one hip. She nodded,"I'm sure there's some better quests somewhere around here. I refuse to post anything too dangerous. I know it's a tavern, but I don't think you should let a drink cocky fool pick an S class quest just to go get himself offed or something stupid." She chuckled softly, shaking her head.

The bartender gave a soft hum, stepping away from the counter for a moment to walk into the kitchen for a moment. She came back with a small cardboard box with a lid on it. "I've kept most of the quests and missions I thought would be too dangerous. But- you're sober and seem to be the type who could handle this sort of thing. At least I assume."

She set the box to the side, "But, let's get something in that belly of yours. What sounds good, Mr. Woof." Mr. Woof? Come on Clio, he's a professional.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    "Muse, eh? Any reason you got that nickname?" The stories behind nicknames could be relatively simple, or some of the most complicated tales you'd ever hear. And, with "Muse" being so far from her real name, Wolf was interested to hear how she got it. At the same time, this woman was quite intriguing. Most barkeeps certainly didn't care for rowdy drunks, but he'd never known anyone to actively argue against good business. Yes, he'd seen good ones cut patrons off when they'd gone too far, but to actively wish against even getting close to that point was just a weird concept. At least when one was thinking about the owner of a tavern. 

    Wolf supposed this was just the type of area he wandered into. 

    Perhaps this is just a more... casual local? Certainly, this section of the city seems softer than what I'm used to. Armored fingers danced against the menu the woman gave him. Calm blue eyes studied everything on it. Many of the food items seemed pretty common or usual, others were things he hadn't really heard of before. 
    
    Likely due to the fact that Wolf wasn't exactly from the city. 

    "Glass Flats, huh?" Wolf mused over that as he browsed the option. A harsh desert, scalding heat, the only protection offered by ancient temples or hardy buildings. In a way, it wasn't too far from the place Wolf grew up in, only, instead of a frozen tundra, hers was an ocean of sand and sun. "Heh, not exactly an easy place to grow up in. Dunno how long I'd last in a desert- but then again, I guess the same thing could be said about you and the northern tundra I was raised in." 

    Amusement played in the crystal blue gaze the man gave the woman, though it quickly changed to curiosity as the young warrior watched her vanish, then reappear with a large case. The warrior withheld his first thoughts on why she kept those bounties hidden. Wolf knew they were unfavorable, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel that if some brazen idiot wanted to get himself in over his head- he should be allowed to. If he was wrong, natural selection would take over. If he was write, then that's just one less problem for people to worry about. 

    Wolf personally preferred the "Natural Selection" route. Just a few less idiots he'd have to worry about running into. Plus, in a sense, the more people a monster kills, the more the bounty raises. So there was a monetary element in that as well. Though, the warrior had to admit, even to himself, that thought was far too cruel. Even if it was a distant thought, it was one that made the young man sick towards himself for even thinking about. 

    The man's head snapped up, breaking free out of his thoughts as Muse started talking again. Right. Food. Forgot that I actually wanted to get something in my belly. If he was going to be taking a bounty, he'd need that sort of energy- however, before he could even really think about what he wanted, his attention was instead draw towards... one little comment.
    
    "Woof... really?" The man muttered, quirking a brow towards the bartender. Just... ignore it for now. He told himself, the man shaking his head with a tired sigh. Some people you just... really couldn't read. "Anyways. I'll have the fried dough with honey. That sounds like a decent enough breakfast." 
    
    A casual smile formed on his features as he closed and slid the menu back towards the woman. While Ale- Wolf, was hungry, the young man wasn't "Give me a whole fucking banquet so I can feast like a rabid animal" hungry. A bit of a sweat, fried treat would be enough to sustain him for 'til dinner came around. As his fingers left the menu, Wolf gave a nod, adding a "Thank you." 

[cyanidesawtooth]

[Clio "Muse" Sharp-Aim]

She gave a soft chuckle, "Well, growing up I learned sound magic. One of my specialties, I guess you could call it, was voice mimicry. I learned to use it to lure in people closer and convince them to do things. So, my elders started to call me Muse, which made more sense than a siren. Come on, its a desert. Plus- Clio is the name of a Muse from some far away pantheon my mother liked to study." With a lopsided smile, she shrugged it off. "And a few patrons of mine like to call me "Their Muse"," she snickered softly, shaking her head, "dirty old perverts, the lot of them." Despite the harsh words, her tone carried a playfulness to it.

Clio loved her patrons, she really truly did. When she opened this bar, it was never to just earn money. Rather, her goal was to help her community. Little community events, giving people a place to have fun, to find quests, her goal in this all was to more or less push her beliefs, while still providing a place for people to be a little drunk and stupid. The poor woman was a bit too nice for her own good. The case full of quests had plenty to choose from, from assassinations to monsters to eliminating bands of rebels. It was because of how intense these quests were she chose to keep them stashed away. Of course, she would never hide them from her patrons, but rather they would have to ask. She wanted to ensure they were of clear mind and conscious before they even saw the quests.

Looking at the young man before her, she could see that he would most likely be able to handle it. The heavy armor could protect him. She could see it in the way he sat, and the way his voice was gruff. He was a man of discipline, military maybe. "I'm sure it was no easier than the tundra. But, the Glass Flats are gorgeous. I'd recommend you going to see it sometime, but you might have to lose the armor unless you want to turn into a baked potato." She giggled softly, tapping one finger on his iron clad forearm before knocking on his shoulder to be rewarded with the metallic clinking. The bartender gave a pleased smile at the sound, flashing a dorky grin at the warrior before stepping back.

"Come on, it was funny! Is your name really Wolf or are you one of those sort who call themselves by their military code name thingy." She beamed at him, soft red lips pulled back. It was kind of funny, the start contrast between her and the area around her. Deep Sea Sanctuary was such a light colored place, full of blues and greens, light grey, white. And here's Clio, her color scheme was a deep red and gentle browns. She stuck out like a sore thumb. Well, maybe she stuck out like a tropical fish in the open ocean. Even still, her warm coloration helped to set her aesthetic and personality.

"Alright grumpy gills, want me to grab you something to drink so I can go back and make that for you?" The bar tender pulled out a tall clear glass from the shelf behind her. She set it down, "I've got liquor, tea, water, soda. Take your pick."

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    "My last name is Kriegwulfe, so Wolf is a shortened version of it. I haven't used my birth name since my days as an apprentice." He felt a bit insulted by her joking about the military thing. Whether she knew it or not, there was a strong tie to where he'd come from. Gal was starting to play with fire. Calm down Wolf. She doesn't know, she wouldn't be able to understand that she's stepping on old wounds. The warrior sucked in a deep breath to collect himself. "Water would be fine, thank you." 

    When it came to the Glass Flats, the warrior really couldn't see himself going there. As much as he didn't doubt it was "Beautiful" like Muse stated- he didn't do good with immense heat. And there was no way anyone was pealing him out of his armor anytime soon- 'less they killed him somehow. In which case- good fucking luck getting even that far. 
   
    Even if Wolf went down, there was a solid chance the guy would do everything he could in his power to take whoever was killing the young mercenary down with him. And, no offense to the bartender, she certainly didn't seem like she'd be able to make even a scratch on the warrior's shield. 

    While Muse's color palette seemed a bit contradictory to where she lived. The mercenary seemed to fit right in. Well, then again, monochromatic wasn't too big a challenge to slot into places. But, the man at least had the air of a northerner. So Wolf had that at his advantage. 

    When the woman turned her back, the warrior's blue eyes darted over to the bounty box. It was packed full to the brim. It truly made the man wonder how many people even knew she had these, and what the point was of her even hanging onto them. The girl obviously wanted to have as few people as possible get their hands on them. But if that's the case, why even keep them at all? Wolf shook his head. There was no point in even really asking. 

    "So, aside from your hobby of hording quests and getting hit on by your usuals, is there any other reason you decided to open up a tavern? I feel like you would be much more at home in a family restaurant. Perhaps even a toy store of sorts." She just seemed... too... warm and motherly to fit into a bar scene. Maybe she's just a different person when the night rolls around? Her playful demeanor certainly could give way to more... mischievous antics come the busy hours of the night.
   
    Actually that was a bit of a terrifying thought. 

    Who knew what kind of trouble a lively young woman like her could get into. Or cause. Wolf had certainly known and met his fair share of hell-raisers, could definitely be one of the reasons why the Mermaid's Harbor was so popular. That or the drinks were good. Honestly, despite how many tavern's he'd been to, the young warrior really couldn't figure out why some places were popular over others. Nor were the mysteries all that interesting enough for him to dig actively into it. Such as this situation. Curious? Maybe. Enough to actually ask about it? Not even close. Such is life. 

[cyanidesawtooth]

[Clio "Muse" Sharp-Aim]

"Huh, well that does make a lot more sense." The bartender gave a soft laugh, a smile on her lips. "You would believe not how many adventures I get who come in and say their name is something stupid like "The Night Rider" or "Dark Shadow." I had one who came in who called himself "Hound," when I asked him why he said, and I quote, "Because I have a nose for blood." Like- okay." The bartender laughed softly, filling the glass before her with ice and topping it off with clear water. She placed it on a coster beside him, flashing him a friendly smile before disappearing into the back. A soft ambient sort of music hung in the air from a few installed speakers around the tavern. Clio's soft humming from the back could be noted as well.

Slowly but surely, a few more people filtered into the tavern, taking places in the booths or tables, absently chattering. Clio chimed out from the kitchen, "Be with y'all in a minute!" The regular cook should be in soon enough at least, poor Clio couldn't run a whole tavern on her own so she did have a few helpers who popped up.

The woman returned a few minutes later with a steaming hot plate with a stack of fry bread, which could really be considered like a very thick tortilla coated in sugar and cinnamon. She set the plate out before the warrior with a bottle of honey. The sweet scent was near intoxicating and sickening at the same time. Clio gave him a quick smile, "I'll be right back." From there she was off again, taking a few quick drink orders and setting out requested menus to the new customers lingering in. Her talent for this job was really starting to show with how quickly she prepared and distributed the alcoholic drinks. Once the other table was settled in and happy, Clio returned to Wolf.

Muse couldnt help but give a soft laugh at the question, "I guess you can say its kind of a hard thing to answer, but in short, I wanted to make somewhere safe for people to relax. Theres a lot of other things that went into my decision to found a bar, but, yeah." A bit of a sad smile flickered across her lips before she shook herself out of it and grabbed a drink for herself, well- a glass of soda anyway.

In truth, Muse really did change when things got busier. She was a little more laid back, a bit more relaxed. Part of the reason was because she had more help around the bar, the other part was because she was able to blend in with her patrons. She knew a good handful of names, she chatted with adventures who were returning from their bounties, she sang with the drunks during Karaoke. Should things get rowdy, the respect her patrons held for her was the first line of defense. Should that not stop anything, Muse had more than a few tricks up her sleeve for getting things to settle down. A few sweet words and a little bit of magic and things were hunky dory again.

Muse leaned back against the bar behind her, lifting her glass of soda to her lips absently. Bright brown eyes flickered across her patrons, a trained response to check for refills and get a read on the room. Things were too quiet to really raise any suspicions. She leaned forward, eyeing the box, "Well, did you find anything that caught your eye?" She had read each of these over herself and determined them to be some of the hardest quests to cross her board. Granted, it wasn't much. Her boards had simple to medium missions really. There was only one place on the boards that said to ask for the more complicated or S-class missions with the owner.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    "I suppose that makes a bit of sense. There are a few... interesting individuals." The warrior mused, using one hand to drizzle honey over the sweet bread, while the other shifted through the pages. "Mine came from my comrades. It was easier to say than the full last name, and in the military most people have a tendency to just stick to last names. Only rarely do you find people using first."
    
    That habit was likely borne out of the superiors who trained them all, those men shunting them down to just the bare bones. "So it went from Wulfe, to just Wolf. I just kinda stuck with it. Less effort. Besides, I'd like to think of it as a gift from them. Using it helps keep me close to them. Nifty bit of history with that, though. My grandfather said our family name was originally something along the lines of Wulfe des Krieg, or whatever "Wolf of War" translates into Old Germanic."
    
    "Honestly, I don't know German, never have and probably never will, so I couldn't tell you. But time eventually shortened it like a lot of last names do. Names tend to be weird like that. Ulric, Wulfe Des Krieg.-" Wolf mused, playing with the names of his ancestors. The young man gave a shrug. "I can see why it got shortened. Bit of a mouthful."

    His left hand set down the honey and picked up a fork, splitting off a piece and picking up a bite. It was certainly sweet. Almost sickeningly so like he'd get cavities just from that one bite, but at the same time it was good. Really good. Bit of an odd blend. As Muse wandered around, Wolf finally picked out a difficult looking bounty and slid it forwards, shuffling the rest back into the box. When the woman came back, the young warrior gave a smile and a nod, motioning towards the paper. It was an Assassination mission against a rising Bandit lord. 

    His eyes scanned around at all the other patrons. They were fairly clean looking, cheerful. Pampered. Even in the taverns that were lighter and friendlier, the usual's still had a rugged and tested air about them. The air of the periphery. You could tell a lot, who had experienced more and who hadn't. If not from their appearance, than from their gaze. Their voice. The way they held themselves. Muse had an inkling of that scent upon her. But whether or not it was buried well, or if her experiences hadn't been to such extremes, it wasn't his place to ask. The flickering gaze was at least enough to show a hidden pain. Wolf at least had enough respect to keep himself from getting curious.

    "I think this one seems a bit challenging. Might give me a good run." Wolf cut off another bite and chewed thoughtfully before speaking again. "But that's for the future, for now why don't you tell me about this city. I've never been anywhere near here, so forgive me if it seems a bit alien to me. What sort of sights can I expect here?"

[cyanidesawtooth]

[Clio "Muse" Sharp-Aim]

"Oh honey you wouldn't believe the folks I've had come through here. Granted- most are bright eyed adventurous sorts, some are rowdy old drunks, and once in a while a military man with scars and stories." Clio shrugged with a lopsided smile. "Wulfe, makes sense that it would end up at wolf." She offered the other a smile, chuckling softly as she watched him drizzle honey over his breakfast as well as shuffle through the papers.

She thought for a few moments, "My last name- Sharp-Aim, follows my ancestors too. Back in the early days. We earned our names in various ways and the exact way of doing so would vary from tribe to tribe. My great great grandfather was the best shot in the obsidian flats. Thus-" she made a gesture with her hand, "Sharp-Aim."

When Clio returned from taking care of her other customers again, she pulled up a chair, looking over the paper. She read it over carefully, tilting her head before nodding. "Sounds pretty dangerous to me. Tell you what- you come back with a cool souvenir for the bar ill give you a round on the house." She pointed at the top of the bar where there was an open space backlit by thin marble windows. She loved hanging interesting things around the bar that gave it a little bit more of an intense look. She still loved to keep the gentle white and grey aesthetic.

"I may not be the best to tell you about the city, but you're more than welcome to ask." Clio crossed her legs in the chair. Clio leaned forward, grabbing her coffee again and sipping as she relaxed. Every once in a while, she glanced over her shoulder to check on her other customers.

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    "My ancestors had a knack for waging war, even went toe to toe with the Blood Raven himself for a time. One of my Grandad's favorite stories was how a hundred of our clan held their own in a battle against Artauros's thousand man army. But those Rowley's always were better at the art of war than we were, so my forefathers wound up losing pretty badly. Still, not many can say their ancestors fought so hard that they earned a warbred bloodline's respect. My great, great, great, great grandfather served alongside The Blood Raven after that hundred man battle." Wolf took another bite out of his food and sighed. "Funny how history is like that. Honor and all that shit. Honestly I can go for ages about the history of my family's service with the Raven Wings, probably the only interesting thing about my family." 

    "I can imagine taking stupid risks with terrible odds is just genetic at this point. Just wish it worked out better." Alec finished up his meal and dabbed at the sides of his mouth. He seemed content. "Enough about that boring nonsense, just tell me whatever you know about the city. Whatever you think would be useful, location you know of, sights and all that. We don't really study much about this place out in the periphery. Mostly just "Hey, it exists, ain't that neat?" and some of the important bits." 

    Hell, Wolf's brother still thought that the city was still just some fantasy written up in a story book. Alec too thought the city sounded too good for it to be real. A peaceful place, separated  from all the bloodshed and suffering? No way. And even if it was as peaceful as it made itself out to be, why didn't more people live there? Why didn't the country do more to model itself after the city? Bandits, diseases, famine- all would be a cakewalk if it just followed the same structure. 

    Or if the city's military exerted some sort of force, maybe even their fancy, schmancy gods could even lend a hand. 

    No doubt bandits would be a cakewalk to the elite. 

    Actually... that was a good question...

    "You're from the periphery, like me, right? Did you ever get a little... shell-shocked when you came here for the first time? Moreover, what about before you came here. I mean, living out in the world like we were, it was a little weird hearing stories about this place. How... "perfect" it sounded. Don't you think it's kind of odd, that this place is so clean and sanitized and safe, and yet they don't extend anywhere outwards to try to bring some sort of order to the chaos? Feel's a bit selfish, doesn't it, leaving that sort of responsibility to bounty hunters looking for a quick buck?" Wolf took a sip of water, grimacing slightly. "I mean, the northern army I was apart of- we shed sweat and blood for our land, and only once did we ever see the presence of the city after we defended ourselves from a massive attack. All they even said to us was "good job" and left."

    "It's like they treat it like two separate countries instead of capital and country, don't you think? Supposedly they have a mighty army- supposedly the mages here are the best in the world, but I've seen hide nor hair of any of them out in the periphery. The few that I have, were from the periphery originally and emigrated to the city to train so they could go right back out. You didn't leave your old home for no reason, and I certainly didn't go to war under this city's banner."

[cyanidesawtooth]

[Clio "Muse" Sharp-Aim]

Clio listened to the other as he talked letting her mind wander about the idea of this man's family tree. He knew so much about his family, the history of it all. It was like each drop of his blood was mapped back to someone prior his. Her tribe's history was much different, their history was written in the obsidian flats, scorched into the sand. It was harder to track, there was no pinpointing. Stories of wars and heroism was passed down through stories. She could remember cuddling close to her mother and listening to her recount the stories of previous chiefs, warriors, and the first of their tribes. She could remember hearing the stories from scouts who had moved beyond the flats to explore the world around them. That's why the Raven Wings sounded so familiar, but she couldn't remember all of what she had heard.

Muse didnt feel like she would be the best to talk about the city, but she could probably talk about everything she was familiar with. "Lets see- Avalon is split into four regions, each more or less catering to each season and different magic types. Birds of a feather flock together right? So- theres Ignes Reach, Pillar Stepes, Hurricane Keep, and Deep Sea Sanctuary, which is where you are now." She thought for a moment, "theres an Academy that helps to hone the skills of the best young magic useres in Pillar Stepes. I think the most notable bar in the capital would have to be the Triangle, which is where you could find the best missions if you try." She offered a lopsided smile, "theres all sorts of tourist attractions and stuff around here too, plenty of the little stores all over the place are probably hiring too. Oh! In pillar stepes theres a bar called the Copper Cradle, its ran by a centaur. I'm sure if you talk to him he would have a couple of quests that are too high end to put on any boards. Hes a real nice fella too, a good man- er- horse man." She laughed softly, shaking her head a little.

Her smile fell when he spoke again. Her lips formed a thin frown as she listened to him talk. Guilt was something that she always toiled with. She always felt guilty to live so easily here, knowing that so much of her family still lived in that desert. She folded her hands, twirling a thin bronze ring around her thumb as she thought of how she wanted to reply. She started to grow restless, standing up and glancing over at him. Her brown eyes had seemed colder in some degree, "I would have been a fool if I'd've stayed in the periphery. Yeah-" her voice broke a little, "i knew this was a big risk, coming to some perfect city. But this city isnt perfect. But at least here I dont have to keep looking over my shoulder. I dont have to worry about being burned into ash by the sun and the sand, I dont have to worry about the wolf at the door. And you can call that cowardice if you'd like- but I wasnt going to grow as a person. I was bound to do nothing but survive, but i wasnt living." She sighed softly, shaking her head.

Straightening, she looked back at him. "If you don't know what your fighting for, what was the point of even being there? I know how hard it can be to live in the periphery, but theres so much more out there than just fighting." She softened to a degree, "so yes- i do feel guilty about living here some times, but i worked to get where I am now. And no man, god, or demon could take that away from me."

[Sparky]

[Refs]

    Alec quirked a brow and leaned back in his seat, studying the woman for a time. Seems that he touched a nerve there. The warrior downed the last of his water and set the cup down. His fingers spun it back and forth in his armored hand, staring at the glass. Brows furrowed, expression... thoughtful, he spoke without actually looking her way. "I didn't say anything about guilt, nor did I even call you a coward." 

   "All I said was that you and I both know the hardships, and yet the capital with it's mighty forces could bring order if they wanted." The man  shifted, both his body and his gaze. His hand left the glass and extended, motioning towards her. "I feel you're projecting just a bit."

    The warrior's hand returned to the table as he straightened his posture a bit. Wolf wondered what it was that she left behind that caused her such grief. Was it just the act of leaving itself? Somehow just bringing up the periphery shifted her personality so dramatically. It was like she was still recoiling from grief. It made the young man wonder if there was something she was running from. A death she refused to face, a betrayal of some sort. Maybe just the idea that she was running away was enough to make her feel like shit. 

    In Wolf's opinion, she didn't need to feel like shit. But his brain didn't exactly work well either. 
   
    God's only knew that fuckin' dopamine machine's been broken for a while. 

    Still, he wasn't a walking landmine either. The warrior shrugged, pulled his hands close and laced the fingers together. He was mulling over her last few words, chewing on them like a piece of gum. He made a face, nodded, mulled some more, then continued to nod. "Fortunately I know exactly what I'm fighting for. I'm fighting for a future where those in the periphery don't have to constantly watch their own back. Someone's gotta do it, and that someone certainly isn't the capital's grand army."

    "You don't have to tell me there's more out there than just fighting. I've seen it. Lived it, loved it. It's the whole reason why I still fight the good fight. It's why I'm not part of the northern army anymore." Wolf shrugged again and began digging around for his gold pouch. The man grunted as he continued. "Don't worry, this demon's not coming for you anytime this century. Far's I'm concerned, whoever makes it out of there earned it."

    The warrior dumped an appropriate amount of gold coins on the counter, give a little extra for a tip. The whole time his voice had remained level and calm, though it seemed gentler now. Like a parent who'd just seen their child start to cry. "I'm not going to take anything from you, and I never accused you of anything. You get to live however you want to live. All I want if for everyone outside the city's borders to have that same right."

[cyanidesawtooth]

Clio stopped, her breathing was still ragged and a bit rough. What was she so worked up about. She had totally blown this out of proportion but apparently there was more on her mind today that she initially thought. Clio felt so stupid now, listening to the other talk for a moment. Her face turned a bright red as she let out a sheepish laugh, covering her cheeks and eyes with her hands. Wow, that really was embarrassing, she could just about crawl into a hole and die.

"Oh my gods, I feel so stupid. I completely misinterpreted that," she still couldn't help but laugh at herself. This poor boy just sat and listened to her spout off about how she "definitely" didn't feel guilty for leaving her home behind. She let out a soft sigh, pushing her hair back a bit, rubbing one of her eyes in the same motion.

Her brown eyes flickered back to the armored man, rubbing her cheek slightly. "I'm so sorry about that. I don't get a whole lot of people from the periphery and todays been a bit-" She shrugged a little, "Too emotionally taxing?" Again, Clio let out a soft kind of laugh, waving him goodbye as he started to stand and leave. "Don't forget about what I told you though, bring back a souvenir from that quest of yours and you'll get a round on the house

As the warrior left, Clio leaned her head on her hand, pondering the words of the other. She took them with a grain of salt. Their hearts were in the same place, just in different ways. Clio believed that people needed to take charge and seek their own safety, while Wolf believed everyone should be entitled to safety. She kind of liked his thoughts better. She stood for a moment before collecting the coins and tucking them away in a safe place to clean up the glass and plate of food.