A lank figure opens the Shady Corner's doors, checking the tables for any customers and casually shakes the rain off of his coat. He meets the gaze of the occupiants as his rune covered hands clasp his alligator necklace.
"I'm looking for a dwarf who has a thing for stags."
Blisdon solidly bumps his outstretched and clenched fist with the rune covered knuckes of the bare-chested man seated across from him, Followed by outstretching the digits of his fingers and twiddling them in collaboration with Pendrad's in a furious blur of twitching fingers as per the wild hunt tradition.
"Aye, My name is Blisdon. If you find those manling guts o' yours ever spillin outta your belly then it'll probably be me that stuffs em back in like potatoes into a sack. " Blisdon puffs his chest out somewhat proudly when saying that as he moves to take a deep swig of his ale. "And what purpose do you serve in the hunt? You don't seem much the sword swingin' type with a frame like that." The dwarf paused to expell a slight burp before wiping the froth of the ale from his mouth.
" I always found dwarven manners more favorable than others, as to your question well, I make my enemies die real dramatic like." Pendrad stops sniffs the ale a little then takes a swig swished it around and downing it with a gulp.
"I'm a bit new here so if you wouldn't mind giving me a run down of who I need to know and who I need to look out for and if there are any other brothers in the hunt."
Blisdon lets out an exasperated sigh as his eyes size up those around the pair of them in the fairly crowded tavern. "ah...It's not an easy question to answer, Many here are alright if you let them go about their business but....Theres a few out there that you might want to keep your eyes peeled for."
Blisdon leans inward and closer to Pendrad as his voice drops to a much more hushed tone " What do ya' reckon ya' know of the shadowfolk? " he inquired, The dwarves eyes drifting around the room to the various uordeqs occupying the tavern, most of them clad entirely in shades of darkness as black as their eyes.
" I know enough to be suspicious of them.Me and the shadowfolk have one thing in common and thats a homeland; they keep their friends at bladelength and their enemies closer, preferably at leash length, and a habit of killing a villager or a few of the slaves they keep to saite the thirst of their dark gods." Pendrad finishes speaking and smirks.
"I've heard some folk blame their unusual behavior and secrecy on survivability, but I think thats just a convenient excuse they throw around when they fuck someone over." he says as he downs the rest of his ale in a gulp.
"Gentlemen, there's no need to be so harsh on the shadowfolk," Wreynn says calmly, placing two tankards between Blisden and Pendrad. "We're misunderstood at best, feared and ostracized at the worst - but no more of a threat in general than goblins or angori." Wreynn reaches into a pouch and pulls out a handfull of small delicately wrapped red candies. He quickly opens two of them and pops them into his mouth, leaving the rest on the table.
"Its not like you have to worry about some secret Uordeq club running around stirring up trouble or anything. Like you say, blades length. No sooner than you start to worry about them, they'll be worrying about each other. Just look at Zarmcher over there. I'm not sure I could trust him, even if I had him on a leash."
Blisdon couldn't help but to huckle at the new uordeqs joke at the end of his rebuttal as he helped himself to last of his own mug of ale before eyeing one of the fresh ones before him with a lustful gaze.
"I've healed many wounds in my time, or at the very least been able to inspect the aftermath... It's fair to say that many victims of angori blades had the pleasure of seeing them coming and were offered the chance to defend themselves in a true test of skill. As for Goblins...Their greed is almost as famous as their stupidity,very few of them are clever enough to think past the concept of what goodies and yum-yums you might have in your sack after they ambush you and steal your life from you before you think twice."
Blisdon took a moment to eye Zarmicher who was indeed looking just as untrustworthy and unpredictable as he always is before turning his eyes back to the uordeq and human closer to him "However with uordeq...your lot is smart enough to understand the profit and power to be had when one deals in suffering. Uordeqs have the capacity to do terrible things in the interest of their own personal gain unlike most other races I've seen. If they stand to gain anything at all then I wouldn't put the idea of a secret uordeq club past them at all..."
Blisdon's face seemed to sour at the thought for a moment, nodding slightly at pendrad before turning back to the uordeq with a much more chipper outlook. "Though im sure you know plenty enough about it already! While it's doubtless any uordeq in this town doesn't know my name by now but it still can't beat a formal introduction, eh? I'm Blisdon of the Wild Hu- -"
Blisdon Silenced himself immediately as his ears caught the shrill clang of a metal cup hitting the floor as his eyes darted to The cause. The dwarfs eyes watching intently as the sheriff herself threw herself against the tavern wall, screaming in horror at the sight of her own hands. He merely sighed as the rest of the town crowded around her as he eyed his own empty mug in the vain hopes of there being just another refreshing drop hiding at the bottom.
"Terrible, terrible things..."
Noticing the new human, who appeared to be a member of the Wild Hunt, Katri rose again, a cold and calculating smirk hidden behind mask and hood. She slowly walked over to the table that Blisdon and the new comer occupied. She slid her hood back just enough to expose dark brown eyes, shadowed naturally all the way around with black, and dark bangs. Her smirk was obvious in her tone, even if it wasn't visible, "You are new, yes Human? Velcome My name is Tatiana, you may call me Ana." She paused a moment to hear his reply before turning to Blisdon, "Another member of the Vild Hunt, dwarf? Best you keep an eye out for him, I'd hate for him to accidentally get caught in the vay of something." Her voice had turned delightedly cruel and excited at the thought of the score that she had yet to settle. "Ah, forgive me. I have gotten ahead of myself. Nothing could happen to the innocent." She added so softly it was barely audible.
Pendrad raises an eyebrow at the threat then has an easy laugh.
"Either draw your blade uordeq or have a a seat and help yourself to one of these fresh mugs of ale and welcome me to the town properly. Without any thinly veiled threats if you please." Pendrad says as he waves an open hand in the direction of an empty seat.
Blisdon let out an exasperated sigh as he casually unwrapped and tossed one of the candies that the other uordeq left on the table into his mouth "Aye, I've got to agree 'ana. It'd be a shame if you lost your head over the matter." The dwarf chuckled at his own pun before looking back up at her with a much more serious look painted across his features.
"The debt's been paid uordeq, In my eyes we are even. Fate is rarely so kind to offer an opportunity where both parties can leave the table satisfied such as this." Blisdon moved the candy around in his mouth from one cheek to the other, savoring it's flavor as his serious expression faded into a much more wide and joking grin
"I can speak for the Wild Hunt when I say that we are content to find peace between us after having restored the honor of our order. We didn't die in combat. We died defenseless in our sleep as one of your kind led us through the astral, what choice did you leave us with? I am a healer Tatiana. and I have every intention to mend this wound before it has the time to grow pustulent and infected. Perhaps you would like to fetch your guardian to join us over a refreshing pint as well? I'm well aware that you and rasiri have enough problems already...The last thing you need is more bloodshed on your doorstep than is already fast approaching for the pair of you."
Ana nodded to the human and took a seat as she listened to what Blisdon had to say. "Yes. There has been more than enough bloodshed for a while. And yes, I vould say, in my eyes, ve are even. I'm afraid our law system doesn't feel the same vay. It has come to my attention that ve may have to insist charges be dropped to call this even. It is, of course, up to you. However, it is not my control vhat Rasiri does. He is not my guardian. I vould very much like to call this even before it becomes more tangled, though."
"He ain't yer guardian? Well then what good is he then. Don't think ye two have pulled any wool over me eyes lass, I remember everything I see and hear. Ye two can play yer little games but I know whats afoot. Ye may be able ta' keep yer trap shut, but yer.....Rasiri can't!" A shrewd smile comes across his face as he completes his rant to the duskling. "Now tell me what ye may know about the aptitude of the Cassitran's in the working's of magic. I have a riddle that I am needin' solving, and my big mouth may be able to be shut if'n I can get a couple of questions answered from ye."
"Vhat good indeed. I have asked myself that question for a very long time now." Katri replied quietly. Then she smiled beneath her mask, "There is no vool being pulled over anyone's eyes, dwarf. I can promise that. As for your question, Rasiri vould be the best to answer." She nodded noting the elder Uordeq's presence.
The dwarf looks to Rasiri and says "Aye lad yer gonna answer some of me questions, but I would prefer we speak privately about such matters." He then looks to Katri and grins "Yer right duskling, I have eyes and ears everywhere. Yer brother can't keep his mouth shut, but I will respect yer wishes and keep me trap shut, but know that I have me eyes on ye. I'm not fer forgettin' what happened to another dwarf in town, and I have enough eyewitness accounts to know who "slipped" and murdered one of me kind. That is not any of me concern, as he has decided to put his lot in with all of ye, but know that that ain't fer happenin' to the other dwarves of this town! Now move yerself outside Rasiri, afore I put me foot in me mouth any more." He strides outside to talk to Rasiri in private. (OOG conversation had in chat).
Blisdon shrugs as he moves the candy around in his mouth. "I can speak for the wild hunt when I say that we can find it in our hearts to...forget things. If perhaps those just as close to you found themselves with a..." Blisdon gave himself a pause, glancing over to Pendrad before turning his eyes back to Tatiana "...A similar case of amnesia regarding anything that we may have done."
The dwarf stretched his arms wide, cracking his joints in the process "The wild hunt is preoccupied with other things that are far more important than what our defense in court might be or which stupid, stupid souls wish to try their luck stealing from our cabin. I am certain there is a similar feeling on your side as well. If your people can live with what has all transpired then so can we."
"I believe that my.. ah.. 'people,' as you call them, von't have a problem with a slight case of amnesia to avoid court and bothersome defenses." Katri tipped her head in ascent. She dropped her mask to take a swallow of the drink offered previously. "I vill speak with Stiers and Lord Cassitran and see vhat can be done, shall I?" She looked at the dwarf, partially leaned on the table with her small hands wrapped around her cup. She glanced at the human for a moment before speaking, "Your name? I must have missed it."
Somewhat reluctantly, Katri grasps his outstretched hand, meeting his gaze. "My name is Tatiana, most of this town call me Ana."
She stood and stretched slightly, lifting her hood and mask back into place. Giving a partial bow to the pair she excused her self. "All being said and done, I believe there are cases of mild amnesia to be discussed with a few people. So I vill say farewell for now."
Ensuring she had all of her weapons and belongings, Katri turned toward the front doors of the tavern and left.
"Such a wonderful thing when Dwarves,and Humans, and Elves, and Uordeq can all sit together all peaceful like around a table, spill each others blood, and claim to never remember any of it ever happened." Wreynn's form shifts from behind Blisden as he reappears on the other side of the table, pulling back a chair and kicking up his feet.
"I find it most unsettling really though, how you can just get along like that. Might just be too long in the undershard or hiding from my brother, or it might be the fact that I know all too well the only way to make sure an Uordeq forgets what happened last night is to make sure they don't wake up tomorrow."
Wreynn stares at the few pieces of candy still sitting on the table and looks over his shoudler nervously. Nodding to the candies he says almost under his breath, "Kidna surprised those are still sitting there, I fully expected Ariekins and Ripper to have swiped them all by now. So much has changed in Jastrey, but so much is still the same." Placing a finger in the air, Wreynn absently signals for Tinryn or the little Sendran girl to come refill the empties at the table. "So much has changed..."
Blisdon leaned back in his chair, nodding appreciatively to the serving girl as his mug is soon refilled with another refreshing pint of ale. "Aye, just another benefit from the wonders of lawmaking and democracy finding their way into the town of Jastrey like the lost puppy that it is. Dwarves, Humans, Elves and Shadowfolk can all sit around a crowded table in a tavern and share their wine and ale together in the full comfort of knowing that should any one of them raise their blades against any of the others that the rest of the town would be upon them in an instant."
Blisdon paused for a moment, taking a long draft of his ale, letting it refresh his parched throat from all of his long speeches from earlier. "Aye,your brother would be Alyial, right? It's humorous that you talk of killing uordeq's in their sleep yet he's free to employ as many agents as he wishes to hunt you out and kill you for him." Blisdon's eyes scanned the tavern, many of the town residents now leaving as the meeting adjourns itself "Should you find yourself alone and vulnerable on a cold and stormy night such as this I've got very little doubt that you might accidentally wander into a cloud of death gas if you weren't careful."
Blisdon helped himself to another candy that sat upon the table, the bizarre sweetness being something wondrous that he was entirely unused to. Savoring every drop of it's flavor as it slowly dissolved in his mouth. "Throughout the ages, some shards regard the rare sightings of a white stag upon an emrald banner as an omen of change...usually for the worse. " Blisdon once again turned to grin at his new brother in arms next to him before turning back to Wreynn " I'd be a liar if I tried to refute these claims."
"Aye, That'd be me lad- It damn well took ya long enough." Blisdon's voice called out from an empty table in the far back of the tavern. "Welcome to Jastrey, Brother!" shouted the dwarf, raising his half-full mug in the air and gesturing for the human to have a seat across from him. Precisely where an untouched pint of ale eagerly awaited consumption.