[Tavern Roleplay] The Arcanist's Mill
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“Transmutation is an interesting study,” says Malyvern to Azhidal. “Our disciplines aren’t too dissimilar, though they do have their differences.”
Malyvern waves his hand and an apple appears on the table. It’s a slightly rotten brown. It's gooey on the outside and there might be a worm wriggling about. With a flash the mage’s hands become a pale blue. Steam rises from his fingers as the air around them chills. His joints crack, and the air pockets between his knuckles pop loudly. He brings his hands up and faces the palms towards Azhidal. “Kalakoth’s Sunless Grasp,” says the mage from behind the blue glow of his frozen fingers. He goes to grab the apple, but it suddenly freezes into a solid mass; the head of the wriggling worm pokes out from the top. With a flick of the mage’s finger, the apple cracks into icy splinters.
“It’s a level one spell, usually the first that a novice conjurer would learn,” says Malyvern. “Also doubles as an effective party trick,” he says with a wink. “Perhaps as we come to know one another, we can teach each other what we have learned on the path."
Malyvern welcomes the shadown demon Esher to the table.
“Welcome friend,” says the mage, “but do you have coin to wager?"
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Esher smiled at Malyvern.
"Maybe after you've finished your game. I prefer to watch a first time before going into something. I don't know this game, just looking will make me learn."
He took a chair from the table behind him and sat, his leg against his torso and his arms on his knees. (I don't know if his position is well described ^^ a bit in a foetus position ^^ )
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Azhidal looks at the trick that Malyvern did and, with a bit of curiosity, he wonder what more can this conjurer do, since he choose to hinder his powers.
But before he can even say something to his fellow mage, he sees another demon get in the vicinity, and his face goes dead serious,and he looks at the demon, with instead of dark green eyes, bright red eyes, with a mix of fury and hatred.
He stares at the demon for a little while, but then he takes one deep breath, calms down, and says to the conjurer:
"A nice demonstration, but the spell I used, Greater Metamorphosis, is a nine level spell. I wonder why are you hiding your conjurer abilities, that are way above basic, to a fellow mage?"
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"What can I say," Malyvern smiles, "I like to play card games, and it's never good to show your hand too early. Same goes for magic."
With that, Malyvern begins to radiate pure energy. It seems to hum, and the mage is surrounded by a soft blue aura.
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Esher sneered.
"Oh, useful for reading when you don't have any candles to light."
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Chise hesitated before she spoke to Azhidal, his question digging into her mind as honesty had always been a very familiar trait for the woman. After a few seconds of thoughts, she cleared her throat and looked at the man.
"Always on a moving foot but to put a simple answer to such a question. No, I do not come from this town or any nearby." worried that she might have said too much, Chise turned to the second man and watched his movements as the card spread out smoothly.She stood up and stretched before fishing out a coin out of her leather purse that was dangling on her belt, close to her sword. Chise put the coin down on the dark table that had many marks from previous games, the wood was getting old from all the battle over money or alcohol it had to endure.
Watching quietly as the men showed off their skills in magic, Chise unbuckled her belt and threw her sword sheath on the table as the hilt of the sword was showing. It was a simple handle with silver decorations and a red ruby at the end of the hilt, making it obvious that no such weapon would come cheap. "A sword is all you need in this world" she sad as she slowly pulled her sword out of its sheath, revealing the burning blade.
"Enchantments has always been a hobby of mine." she said with a smirk as she in a smooth movement push the sword back into its sheath. As quickly as it had gone on the table, the sword was now resting against her chair as her green eyes looked at the demon that had approached them. Curious over this race she had never interacted with, Chise leaned towards him and stared, knowing very well that she had already intruded into the demons personal space.
"Tell me, What is a demon?"
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Esher looked at the young woman that wa taring at him ? What was this question ?
"Oh, dear miss, you've never seen a demon before ?" asked the demon with a surpised tone. "You must come from a relly far land, or have been living in a cave for year for never have seen one of us."
He stood up and did a reverence.
"To answer your question, a demon is something like me. Most of the time, red skin, horns, cunning mind and a penchant for murder and blood. We have three races, vampires, the most fond of human blood, shadows, like me, ace of assassination, and hellfire, small brain but big muscles and really hard to kill."
Esher sat again in the same position than before and looked at the woman.
"Did I answered your question ?"
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Azhidal, still extremely tense for being so close of the demon, such evil creature, ignores for a moment and looks at Chise's sword, and put a smile in his face, fascinated by the simple, yet well crafted enchantment. Almost remind him of his past.
"I am impressed, Chise, did you ever had any type of magical training? Because, even thought is a simple enchantment, it's truly a precious gem, and I can tell from experience"
While this is happening, Azhidal discretly gets a few items from his handbag, put on a silver ring he has, do some rubs with the palm of his hands and starts to communicate using Telepathy with Malyvern, and he asks mentally:
"What is your intention with this game, my friend, is it just to make some easy money or do you have something else in your mind?"
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"That's a fine blade" Cronykil said, looking up from the sheaf of papers on the neighbouring table and rubbing his ink stained paws together. He wasn't large for his kind, but his ursine features and amber flecked eyes revealed a a creature with a deep curiosity for rare artefacts and knowledge.
"I'm Cronykil of the Salt-folk, from the coastline far east of here."
The brown bearkin rolled up his parchment and placed it in the bag on the bench beside him. His ink well and quill followed and he carefully pulled the drawstring to close the bag. It wasn't a pretty thing, a yellowing tangle of what appeared to be fisherman's nets, crudely tied into a facsimile of a pouch with a cracked leather thong as a drawstring.
He didn't have many other possessions, a dark green kilt, a pair of leather bracers and a leather belt with a coin pouch and large skinning dagger. A hemp sash draped over his left shoulder decorated with colourful beads that rattled as he stood and bowed. He looked like the savage he should be, but his eyes, there was knowledge there, an undeniable power.
Cronykil sat back down and scratched his ear, making the silver earring with its small yellow and red feather decorations dance in the candle light.
"As I said, that's a good sword. Perhaps you'd like to tell me who you've dispatched with it? I'm a writer you see. I'm looking for somebody with a story worth documenting. Are you such a person?"
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Valek had just made his last business with my last customer and headed off. He wanted to see the last few parts of the city before he stumbled upon a tavern. "It couldn't possibly hurt to order a drink now would it? I'm pretty sure coming late wouldn't risk an invasion back at home. Might as well." He thought to himself.
The Tavern door creaked open as the Erwydra peered inside. He made sure not to get his antlers stuck in the door frame. He carried what seemed to be a rucksack containing many items, and he proceeded to sit down near a crowded table. The Erwydra was slightly short for being one of his people, but he carried himself in a joyous manner. He proceeded to lay his staff down against the table. It was made of elder-wood, typical for a beastman mage, but it had markings of ancient letters that seemed unreadable, even to him. Unfazed by his surrounding he proceeded to count the gold in his hands, thinking what he could possibly order. He glanced back up from coin counting, trying to find anyone worth conversing with. A couple other beast-kin, demons and humans, all seemed swamped in conversation, especially one going with a tavern card game.
(How the hell do I enter this. This is stressful)
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((OOC - as Mimi has left on an adventure to Avermore with the Rhila Trading Company I am introducing a new character to this thread. Emma, a young human woman who has worked at The Arcanist's Mill for the last few years. She is apprenticed to a local assassin - but no one knows this - and uses her time at the tavern to keep an eye on newcomers and learn whatever she can))
Emma walked downstairs from her small room on the upper floors of The Arcanist's Mill, still tired even after her nap. Stretching her arms slowly above her head she mused about the events of the following day before checking her appearance in a nearby window reflection, straightening her dress.
I need to get word to Stanos, he would be interested to know the Rhila is due to depart soon.
Routine is everything to Emma, she doesn't appreciate surprises but she is a master at pretending they don't worry her, so when she cast a glance over the patrons in the Tavern and spotted several demons, some mages opening practicing at her bar, and even a couple of beast-kin, no one would have noticed even the slightest change in her expression. She settled herself behind the bar and approached the noisy group of magic users.
Looking sternly at the mages Emma raised a skeptical brow, "Ok you lot, if I see a single scorch mark, stain, or otherwise un-explainable thing on this bar that wasn't there before you'll have the owner chasing you down. Understood?"
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Valek chuckled as he saw the woman yell at the entire lot of the table. "Well, what is magic without a bit of magic shows?" he asked jokingly. He grabbed his staff during this time. He peered around looking at whoever casted magic last. With a bit of glancing around people's feet he saw frozen shards of what seemed to be... A rotten thing. Obviously someone has been either conjuring, or enchanting, and it seemed only minor.
"Care to see one?" He asked the lady.
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Esher giggled.
"Pay attention, guys.Madam keep an eye on you !"
He looked at the new Erwydra coming at near the table.
"With all of those mages around, we could do a little battle."
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Emma rolled her eyes, Mages are all the same. Get a few drinks in them and all they want to do is one up each other.
"No! No battles in this tavern!" Emma slapped her hand on the counter for emphasis, just in case they'd had so much liquor they thought she was kidding. "If you even think-" Emma was cut off as Esher let out a high pitched, manic giggle and conjured a whirlwind of flame to dance and flicker in the palm of his hand, How much has this Demon had to drink?
Emma eyed the burly mercenary they had hired to help out with unruly customers, wondering if she should call him over. Thankfully he looked sober this time...
Failing to get even the slightest grin from her, Esher sobered, looking disappointed and the flame sputtered out.
Turning to the approaching Erwydra, she smiled wryly, "What can I get for you, darlin'?"
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"I really have no clue what you guys serve here, but I guess a light ale wouldn't hurt. I'm not planning to get wasted before midnight."
He finally set his staff down back against the table, and took a glance at the person who gave the idea of a tavern battle. He seemed in a drunken rage, but might as well talk to someone here other than the lady.
"Had a bit too much to drink?" He seemed a bit unfazed for the fact that he's talking to a demon, and there was a strange confidence when speaking.
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Esher looked at the Ewydra.
"Oh, again an Erwydra. Maybe the bartender put something in my soft, it's like beastmen are multypling."
Saying this, he looked at the room, a half-empty look and blinking two or three times, like he was drunk. Then, he tilted his head with a smile.
"But nop, I'm not drunk and I'll not be. I'm just enjoying being a pain in the ass of everybody, I love to bother people."
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"Don't we all?" Valek laughed as he said this.
Valek went back to minding his own business, and patiently waited for his drink.
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Emma sighed dramatically, I really should ask this Demon to leave. If we start loosing patrons because he's "bothering people" I'm sure to cop the blame. But, Stanos does like odd stories, and this is certainly an odd fellow.
Pouring the house ale for the Erwdyra, she smiles politely "You're the third of your kind through these parts in the last few days, what bring you so far from home?"
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@cronykil Malacath pulls his hood down and looks over to cronykil "you talking to me kin"
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"Business mostly, but to enjoy the sights that humans see as well. As much as we're different, we do have a lot of similarities as well." Valek takes a sip from the ale.
"Divided by grace, yet intertwined by fate. It's all a bit confusing for others, but that's how I think of it mostly."
I get a good glance around the bar. Then look at the drink once again.
"That being said, thanks for the drink." I hand her gold pieces and a bit of a tip.