The Bracers ::-Haru|Anna-::

[Haruchai]

Faerûn, a vast continent on the planet of Abeir-Toril . A place where monsters roam, and where a myriad of races make their home. From the Frozen North, to the Sword Coast, the Dalelands, and then eastward to Thay - adventure awaits. Death too, if one is not careful. The Adventurer's Guild is a vast network that operates all over the continent, the members charged with doing what they can to keep the common folk safe. If you need a caravan guarded, or ruins explored, or even if you need to try and recover stolen property, it is likely that you've hired someone from the Guild. Each major city in Faerûn has a branch, and they tend to take their own specific name. They often work together, though do sometimes find themselves at odds, not only between each Adventurer's Guild, but with local Thieve's Guilds or even others.

This story begins in Waterdeep, a sprawling city set on the Sword Coast. Home to nearly two million souls, the City of Splendors is a major hub for The Realms, as Faerûn is known. The Adventurer's Guild here is known as "The Bracers" and their membership is as varied as the city and surrounding environs they serve. Made up of not only stalwart warriors and wily rogues, The Bracers have in their number some magic-users of renown and clerics wielding divine power. The Bracers keep the location of their hall secret save for members, though contacting them is easily done through various avenues; temples and libraries, taverns and shops. Bills can be posted on approved boards and sites throughout the city, and most that seek out the Bracers are the ones that are found instead. Posing as Bracer brings with it a punishment unto itself, and though few know the details it can be truly said that those impersonating a Bracer, and caught, are rarely seen again.

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Kornalath strode into the Great Hall of the Bracer Guild, greataxe over his shoulder. The goliath had been a member for some years now, and was well respected. His prowess in battle was well known, as well as his slow wit. He was the perfect weapon to hammer in a nail, but it was often joked that if you asked him, he'd not be able to tell you which he was. Still, the warrior had his talents. Close to eight feet of solid muscle, the goliath stood head and shoulders above any human man. His skin was a deep grayish purple, and his eyes and beard were black as pitch. These were both oddities for his kind, most of his ken being completely devoid of hair and with light eyes. However, the natural markings along his arms and chest spoke to his heritage, though many also wondered if he might have some giant's blood somewhere in his lineage. His beard was always neatly kept, two heavy braids adorning his mustache.

His boots thudded heavily as he walked along the hardwood floor to the office of the Guildmaster. He'd been summoned and Kor, as he was known to his friends, always answered the call. The Guildmaster had worked diligently to keep Waterdeep safe, and had also worked extremely hard to attain that station. She was prideful of that, stern but fair with her subordinates, and a great teacher to those who sought her counsel. Guildmaster Athenia carried a certain reputation in the city, and she was certainly not one to cross. Her temper was known to get the better of her at times, like most redheads.

Knocking politely on the door of her office, Kor announced himself. His voice was deep and guttural. Able to be easily understood, but never mistaken for human. Two guardsmen were posted outside her door, junior Bracers if Kor had to guess.

"It's Kor. You ask'd f'r me?" he said. In moments that smooth feminine voice answered from behind the door.

"I did. Please enter." Athenia said.

The office that Kor entered was well appointed and opulent, the smell of wood polish and leather greeting him warmly. He could see wood in the fireplace, as yet unlit, though the days were growing longer with Spring, the evenings still held Winter's chill. Athenia watched him enter, her eyes roaming over his well muscled form. There was a certain hunger there, though she didn't speak of it, nor act on it. Those that knew he though, her closest friends, knew her curiosity about the goliath... and the unspoken desire as she wondered what he might be like to bed.

"It's nice to see you again Kor. I assume the caravan arrived safely?" she queried, the dagger in her right hand twirling in a show of dexterity few could manage.

The big warrior nodded. "Yes'm. Got 'ere jes' fine. No trubble at all." he replied, sounding almost disappointed that the edge of his axe remained unsoiled.

Athenia smiled and gave a nod, setting down her blade. "Good to hear it. I do, however, already have your next assignment." she said. "There was an envoy of diplomats scheduled to arrive in the city yesterday afternoon. They've yet to show up, and there's been no message. So, I've agreed to send two of mine to travel north along the High Road toward Thornhold. That was where they last sent word." She looked at him with a little smile.

Slow as he was it took Kor a moment to do the math. He nodded. "I 'ave a partn'r this time? Got it." he said, looking around the room for said person, and looking confused at the emptiness of it. His eyes settled back on Athenia, obviously thinking she was the one. She shook her head with a lilting laugh.

"I'm sorry, sweet Kor, but it is not me. No, there's a new recruit. This will be her first assignment, and I thought it best to send her out with a veteran. She's skilled in survival and the wilderness, so she should be an asset. You'll report back to me on how well she... performs." Her eyes were filled with mirth as Kor processed what she had told him. Again he nodded.

"Wh'n do I meet 'er?" he asked.

"She should be here any moment." came the reply, as Athenia took a sip of her wine.

 

[Anna]

​

Waterdeep and Mooncrest were like day and night, two completely different worlds. Where Waterdeep was massive, with endless diversity and a massive population, Mooncrest was nothing more than an old, small hamlet with no more than about fifty individuals, give or take, all of whom were human and had lived in the settlement for generations. No one really left Mooncrest anymore, but to be fair, most of the inhabitants were elderly, or at least old enough to be quite stuck in their ways, not interested in the ‘hustle and bustle’ of large town or city life. There really was no youth left in the hamlet, not now that Marlow had decided to leave. Most frowned upon the idea of her departure, but Edmon, the man whom had raised her and taught her all she knew about the hunt and survival, had encouraged it greatly. It helped that she had always wanted to go out and discover the world beyond their little grove. She used to read books about fabled heroes and great adventurers, who put their skills to use for the betterment of others. She felt like her abilities were wasted in Mooncrest; There was nothing more her mentor could teach her, something he reminded her of more and more frequently the months before she finally decided to leave, taking with her what little Edmon could offer her and setting off on her own.

She was in awe of the busy roads, full of trade carts and caravans, unable to help but stare when she saw someone of a different race than herself. Sure, she had seen a few non-humans when she would spend time away from Mooncrest hunting, but those were rare, brief encounters from afar as she lurked unseen in the forests while they walked along worn paths. Seeing them up close was completely different, though! She found that she especially enjoyed looking at tiefling, with their unique skin color and curious tails, not to mention their horns! Elves were quite beautiful as well, she decided. However, staring was rude and invasive, so she did try to keep it to a minimum - or at least make sure she wasn’t caught gaping.

The path she took lead her along River Delimbiyr, just passing Secomber before crossing and traveling along The Sword Coast until she found herself following the road into the massive city of Waterdeep. It was a shock for sure! So many buildings, crammed wall to wall! So much noise! So many people, and of all ages and races! There was just so much going on that, at first, she truly didn’t know where to go or how to start. Perhaps it was all-too-apparent that she was new to the city, because it wasn’t long at all before a charming man approached her, offering her a ‘great deal’! Since she was new, he’d help her out by finding her a room at the nearest inn, supplying her with food, and helping her find a job around town. It would be hard work, he noted, but she assured him she could do it. His price? Fifty gold, which apparently wasn’t a lot, but she certainly didn’t have that much… He was kind, though, and said he’d do it for what little she had. She happily forked over her gold, and he told her to meet him at the inn he had pointed out earlier later that night when he had everything set up.

She did, and it turned out to be a total scam. There was no reservation, there would be no room waiting for her, no food, and now she also had absolutely no gold to her name. In a major city, that seemed like a pretty big problem. However, while she was totally pissed that the guy lied to her face and stole her gold, she wasn’t shit out of luck. She just headed back out to the forest come nightfall, which was a place she was at home completely. She found a tree, slept in it, and in the morning she managed to catch herself a rabbit for breakfast. Then it was back to the city for another shot, this time though, she knew not to trust so easily, and instead began her search for work of some kind. Which… proved to be more difficult than she had imagined. Apparently, being good with a bow wasn’t a skill that most businesses really cared for. For well over a week, she went from establishment to establishment, but was shot down each time, until finally someone mentioned she seek out The Bracers if her only skill was using her bow, which was apparently some kind of adventurer’s guild. It was the first she heard of the guild, but from that moment on, she decided it would be her best shot. Plus, an adventurer’s guild sounded a lot more exciting than working some regular job selling fur! Problem was, their location was a secret supposedly… so, she set out, asking about them wherever she went, until finally a few days later she was contacted by some shady individual who claimed to be with The Bracers.

Fast forward another week, and here she was. She had to prove she had some fighting capability before she was accepted as a recruit, which was easily enough done with a trip to the woods to show off her marksmanship.

She moved down the hallway with light, graceful steps, that were hardly audible at all. The man beside who escorted her mad for more noise, his armor echoing down the halls and his steps clumsy and clanky. She was a light thing, her mentor often referring to her as having ‘bird bones' due to her slender, delicate features. She was tall for her age and gender, standing at 5’9”, her legs longer and more slender than most girls, her neck swan-like and thin, her arms gracefully long as well as her delicate fingers. Her body was lithe, with only the slightest of curve to her hips and breasts, which was where the little body fat she had gathered. Not that it mattered, really, as the large black cloak covered most of her figure, the wolf fur that bunched around her shoulders, chest, and neck to keep her warm hiding her physique entirely. Her bow was strapped to her back, with her quiver and shortsword at her side beneath the cloak.

After a few moments longer, they arrived at a large door, guarded by two young-looking guys. Bright eyed and curious, Marlow stood back as the man escorting her stated that she was the recruit that the Guildmaster was waiting on, and with that, she was allowed entrance. The man who had brought her all this way, however, stayed outside with the guards, which admittedly made Marlow a little nervous… but she kept her nerve and, gulping dryly, grabbed the handle of the door and gently pushed it in, her wide blue eyes full of wonder and optimism as she stepped into the room- only to freeze dead in her tracks when she immediately found herself staring up at the tallest person she had ever seen. She was considered tall, but the man, who looked to be made of pure muscle, easily towered a foot or two over her! Her plush pink lips parted as her jaw dropped, her eyes going wider still as her rosy cheeks paled slightly.

“Holy shit,” was all she could manage to get out, before she seemed to grasp reality, realizing her reaction was possibly very rude. “U-Um! I’m so sorry, I just-! I’ve never seen-!” She could hardly get a sentence out, her face warming into a deep cherry-red blush as her skin became flushed with embarrassment. Tensing, she forced herself to look away, peeking just past the mountain of a man to the woman behind the desk, who was supposedly the woman she had come here to meet with about her first task with the guild. She felt like she was already messing it up, though.

“Should.. I come back at another time?? A-are you in the middle of something?” She stammered, unable to help but steal another curious peek back up at the man, hoping he didn’t take offense.

 

[Haruchai]

As Athenia and Kor waited, she offered the warrior a glass of wine. Kor waved away the offer.

"None f'r me, fanks. I prefer grog." he said, which was oddly true. The goliath had never acquired a taste for the finer spirits, though he'd tried. He could stomach wine, but he had to have it with food. Exactly why, he had no idea. Kor was about to ask if she had a nice stout when the knock came at the door. The man on the other side announced the arrival of the recruit, and Athenia allowed entry.

The person who entered was, in Kor's eyes, just a little slip of a thing. Obviously female by the way she moved, oh and of course Athenia had said it was a she. The girl was young, and her fine red hair would brush Kor's tummy if they stood face to face. Yet she did move with a certain sort of grace. Her words and expression as she saw him made him smile. He often had that effect on people. Athenia shook her head at the girl's question.

"Not at all my dear! We're waiting on you." she said, a smile gracing her feminine features. Like the new arrival she also had red hair, and for whatever reason she felt some affinity with the recruit. Word had come to her when the girl had been asking around, and of course they were always looking for new talent. So far the girl had proven capable, and this first assignment would test her further. Athenia sat on the edge of her desk and observed the two.

"I would like you to meet our newest recruit. Introduce yourselves." Athenia said. Turning more toward the slight female Kor extended his hand.

"Oy! I'm Kornalath, b't me frien's call me Kor." he said, his voice low and rumbling. When, or if the girl took his hand, that immense paw absolutely engulfed hers, his fingers the size of two of her own, and the spread of that hand likely able to easily engulf and crush her skull if that was what he wanted. He gave her a smile, and though it certainly could be recognized as such, the expression looked odd on his face, as if it somehow did not fit the man.

Once their introductions had been made, Athenia got down to business, explaining the situation to Marlow just as she had to Kor.

"So, this is what we have been asked to do. A diplomatic envoy coming to Waterdeep from Neverwinter has gone missing. The last word we had from them was in Thornhold, north from here along the High Road. It could be nothing, and a simple delay, or it could be more serious. What has our employer concerned is that the envoy has magical means with which to contact them. This has not been done, so either something has happened to their magic-user, and this is just a hiccup, or they might be in real trouble. I agreed to send two Bracers to investigate." she took a sip of her wine and her bright green eyes flitted between the two of them.

"Marlow, I can assure you that Kor knows how to handle that big axe he carries. It's not just for show. Not only is he your partner in this, but he's also your grading senior officer. I would not say that he's in charge, but he's responsible for you and keeping you safe, as well as reporting back to me on your performance. Should all of this prove to be nothing at all, then you'll be given another assignment. Or, should you be deemed to be a particularly effective team... you'll be given another assignment. Only the most seasoned and experienced of Bracers are allowed to take solo missions. One person, usually, simply does not have the skill set to cover all their needs. For this mission Kor is the muscle, and Marlow you've been assigned due to your skill in the wilderness." Athenia looked between them again as if this should have already been realized, but she felt the need to make sure they knew just how things were supposed to work. It was obvious that Kor would not be sneaking through the woods, and if for some reason they found themselves in a difficult or dangerous fight, Marlow would likely have to retreat.

"Now, I've set up a small shopping trip for you to grab things you might possibly need, but I need the two of you on the road by midday. Valikys will accompany you to the "Essimuth's Equipment" so you can get supplied for the road. A horse and cart have been loaned to us by our employer, who, I must say, wants to remain anonymous." her eyes slipped to Kor, "So don't ask." she warned, with a little bit of mirth creeping into her tone.

Essimuth's Equipment was a well known adventurer's supply store located in South Ward of Waterdeep. Kor nodded, knowing the place well. It seemed that the little briefing was over, and Kor leaned toward Athenia and said quietly, which meant that Marlow could still hear him clearly.

"D'we 'ave time t'use th'privy? I gotta piss." he said, unabashedly, though trying to be a little incognito. If this was how the man tried to be quiet, Marlow could see why they wanted her to go along. Athenia chuckled.

"Yes, yes. Val should be waiting just outside for you, but so long as you're on your way by midday..." she said, trailing off. She looked at them with raised brows. "Any question my loves?" she asked, her tone kind and bordering on motherly. Kor, for his part, had been through this all before, so he remained silent. It seemed they were waiting on Marlow.

 

[Anna]

​

“Well, in that case, I um… I hope I didn’t keep ya waitin’ long,” She could hardly focus on her own words, still very much distracted by the big grey giant standing in the middle of the room. She was startled slightly by his smile, not because it was frightening or looked bad on him, because he was actually quite handsome once the initial shock of his sheer size was out of the way! However, the smile just felt a little like it didn’t fit with a giant axe-wielding mountain man, was all. Most, or at least Marlow, had always thought guys like him only smiled when they were squashing their foe, like little insects. So, while it was unexpected to see kindness in the man’s face, it was a huge relief, allowing the strain of her shoulders to relax and encouraging her own lips to form a genuine little smile as well once he was introducing himself as per Guildmaster Athenia’s request.

His words were a little hard to understand, admittedly, but that only added to the giant man’s charm. “The name’s Marlow. It’s a pleasure ta’ meet ya!” She piped up at him, that rosy hue coming back to her cheeks as the shock was ridden from her face, replaced with excitement. His hand was as huge as you’d definitely expect, but she didn’t hesitate to extend her own hand, stretching her palm out, doing her best to extent her fingers so that she might be able to fit her hand well enough into his own to properly shake his hand, but she felt like a child with how small her hand was in his own. She could feel him doing his best to be gentle as not to crush her palm in his own, as it certainly would have been an easy task for him to do so.

“Sorry for gawkin’ at ya, I’ve just never seen a real live giant!” She couldn’t help herself as the words excitedly flowed from her brain right out of her mouth, no filter at all. She assumed he was a giant, as she’d never seen one of those before, either, but he wasn’t human, so… he was obviously a giant! That was how her brain decided to rationalize it, at least.

Introductions aside for the time being, Marlow turned her attention back to the reason she was here to begin with, looking back to Athenia as she began to go over the details of their assignment. It was a little weird, knowing she was a part of something that sounded pretty important. Missing diplomats wasn’t like a good thing, after all, and being charged to potentially save their lives from who-knew-what was pretty big for someone who had only ever hunted down animals before! Her heart immediately began to dance nervously in her ribcage, fluttering high into her throat, but she did her best to keep her nerves intact. After all, it wasn’t all on her - Kor was going to be with her! Not that she intended to cower behind him, but she felt a little more at ease knowing she wasn’t being thrown into this alone. She didn’t really know how these ‘assignment’ things worked, so having an experienced guild member to show her the ropes was excellent.

“Are we merely investigating, like ya said, or are we going to intervene and kick some ass if these diplomats are actually in some hot shit?” She couldn’t help the eager, excited tone that rose in her voice as she spoke, her hands balling into earnest little fists at her sides beneath her cloak. She was eager to show that she could fight, and that she wasn’t merely some nature guide. Maybe she wasn’t a tower of muscle, but she was capable of holding her own. And who knew? Maybe she’d even be the one to keep Kor safe! … yeah, it was a laughable thought, but she liked the idea of it all the same.

She stiffened up again when talk of a shopping trip before the mission was mentioned. Immediately, her smile became a nervous one. She didn’t know who Valikys was, obviously, and had never been to that shop, but… considering the fact that she had been conned out of her gold, which was her own fault really, she hoped she wasn’t about to be expected to pay. When they were asked if they had any questions, she blushed lightly and nibbled at her bottom lip, hoping she wasn’t coming off as stingy or anything when she murmured bashfully: “So, the supplies… does that come out of our own pocket then, or…?” She trailed off, wondering if the guild paid for that stuff, but not wanting to suggest such a thing outright in case it was a blasphemous idea.

She really didn’t want to admit that she was dumb enough to have given a stranger all of her money. She lightened up a little and stifling a giggle when Kor pretty much blurted that he needed to piss. Was that his idea of a whisper??

 

[Haruchai]

"Not long at all." Athenia said, allaying Marlow's fears. She watched the girl as she spoke, taking in how she stood, her facial expressions, and where she looked. All indicators of whether she was paying attention or was distracted, whether she was invested in this, or simply using this as a means to an end - or even if she might be a spy. Other Guilds sometimes tried to infiltrate their ranks, and sometimes they became allies, whereas there were always those that would strive to bring the Bracers down.

As the little slip of a girl had taken his hand and he smiled, Kor gave a nod. "Th'pleshur is mine." he said, and he meant it. His very first impression of the girl was that she was tiny, but then, most human women were, compared to him. However, the second impression was that she was quite pretty. Now and then as Athenia spoke he also looked marlow's way, but his motives weren't as deep as the Guildmaster's, and he just liked looking at the new recruit. As she spoke about him being a giant he chuckled, a low rumbling sound from deep in his chest.

"I'm a goliath!" he said proudly, then continued. "Tho' I might be 'avin' sum giant's blud in me." he admitted. "Yeh nev'r seen a goliath before?" he asked, curious.

As the briefing of their mission continued and Marlow asked her question, Athenia shook her head a little.

"If the diplomats are found, and in danger, I leave that to you. You'll be given a way to contact us, but depending on how far you are away, and how dangerous you deem things to be, you can call for help. But know that if you do need help that it might take some time to get others to you, depending on how far away you are." Athenia warned. "Obviously we're hoping this all pans out to be something simple."

As Marlow asked about funds, Athenia gave a wave of her hand, seeing how Kor was starting to shift from foot to foot.

"I'll wait f'r yeh jes' outside." he explained, and grabbed his axe before heading out of the office, obviously intent on finding some relief for his bladder. Athenia turned back to Marlow.

"Oh no my dear. You'll be outfitted as you think you should be, though in a way we're simply renting the equipment. Nothing out of pocket from you. Though this mission isn't for treasure finding, in genera the Guild would take five percent of the value of anything you found while on assignment. That helps us cover our costs, and yours as well. You can always throw in more of a cut of your treasure, and though of course that helps our coffers, it is also tallied under your name and should you need healing, or a curse lifted, or any number of other things, you can call upon your tab to help pay for such things. But no, you won't have any money out of pocket to pay for any equipment you might need." she explained.

After a moment, and waiting to see if Marlow had any more questions, Athenia would dismiss the young girl, and send her out into the world, a fledgling Bracer. Her hopes were high for this one.

----------​

Kor left the office and headed toward the head, spotting a familiar form coming in the other direction and it had just passed the privy door. It was Valikys. The red-skinned tiefling walked casually along the hall, a single gold piece flowing over his knuckles as the rogueish figure looked up with a smile at the heavy footfalls on the hardwood floor. The gold crown seemed to disappear and the tiefling raised a hand in greeting.

"Kor! Hello there my friend! The Guildmaster said I'm supposed to escort you down to Essimuth's. You about ready to go?" he asked. His smile was genuine, and he had to look upward as Kor passed.

"Gotta piss. Tha's a long walk." Kor said. He gave the tiefling a friendly nod and pressed past him into the privy. Val paused in his movement and nodded.

"Actually, that's a very good idea!" Val echoed and followed Kor into the head.

Soon both men stood at the long trough-like channel, and Val looked over with a frown. "It's always inspiring and an honor to stand next to you in battle, Kor. At the urinal? Not so much. I think you're going to give me some kind of complex." he said with a chuckle.

Both men stopped at the washbasin to rince their hands and as they would exit the privy back out into the hall Val looked up at the immense warrior with a curious expression.

"I hear we have a new recruit. That you get to pop her cherry. What's she like?" Val asked with a waggling of his eyebrows.

Kor looked over, a bit disapprovingly. "She's smol. Nice. Very pr'tty." he said, eyes narrowed at the tiefling. The lithe rogue had a certain reputation.

"OooooOooo..." Val intoned, but kept his thoughts to himself for now. He'd seen that look from Kor, and knew better than to press the issue. The big man had been assigned as her training officer, and Val could tell he was already protective of her. That was ok, and probably a good thing. Besides, he'd get to see for himself soon enough, and once more that gold crown had appeared, rolling over knuckles and occasionally disappearing before reappearing again.

Soon they stood just across the hall from the door to the Guildmaster's office, waiting patiently. It was only a few moments before the door opened and Marlow would exit.

 

[Anna]

​

Of course, Marlow had no hidden agenda or malice towards The Bracers. She was no spy, and she certainly wasn’t here to undermine the guild or the Guildmaster in any way. However, having been basically raised under a rock as she was finding out, she couldn’t claim to have some deeply rooted reason for being here other than it being an opportunity she thought beneficial. She didn’t know if she’d stay with the guild, didn’t think about if she might move up any ranks, or any such thing. It was simply a good way to decide if she was suited for the life of an adventurer, while learning about the world, and getting to meet new people of the endless cultures that she had only vaguely heard of back home. She didn’t think anything bad or frightening about the Guildmaster, as she had not been in the city long enough for any rumors to reach her ears, but she did think that the woman was completely and utterly enthralling!

Not just her physical beauty, which was definitely something Marlow admired as her deep blue eyes looked Athenia over, but her confidence. The fact that she was Guildmaster in such a sprawling city, where there had to have been some degree of competition for the role she assumed, was something to be impressed by! In Mooncrest, women never really tried to rise to any position of power. The small town council always has been and likely always will be strictly male. So, seeing that a woman in such a large city could rise to a position of power, and at such a seemingly young age? It left an impression on Marlow, filling her with new found excitement for her own future prospects. What would she be able to accomplish if she, too, threw her hat into the ring and put herself out there? It was all the encouragement she needed to really want to apply herself to this assignment and prove her own worth. To the guild as well as to herself, and of course, her mentor, who had been the primary reason for her leaving Mooncrest to begin with.

As for the diplomats, she certainly did hope that it was nothing serious, because she felt it was too late to tell the Guildmaster that she had never actually been in a fight where life and death were at stake. Or even any other kind of fight. She had talked pretty boldly about ‘kicking ass’ a moment ago, but it was more of a figure of speech. Hunting had been her life, that and training under her mentor for basic self defense. She had fought wolves and bears, though, and felt no fear for beasts such as them, be they large or small! Was a man really much different than a beast, when it came down to it?

She found herself distracted again when Kor so proudly declared that he was actually a goliath. Her eyes widened in wonder and she quietly shook her head ‘no’ when he asked if she had ever seen one of his kind. “You’re the first. My home is quite small, so there’s lots I haven’t seen… Yet, at least!” She grinned, flashing Kor her pearly whites as her soft pink lips parted ever so slightly, her eyes gleaming with passion. She had plenty of questions, but decided that right here and now was hardly the time for them.

Right about then was when Kor did the ‘I’m gonna piss my pants!’ dance, and Athenia graciously dismissed him to relieve himself. She had to stifle another laugh, her lips instead twitching into a smile and her head bowing politely into a little nod as her excused himself, letting her know he’d be waiting just outside.

Needless to say, Marlow was relieved beyond words knowing she wasn’t going to have to pay for anything. “Well, I’m real bad with handlin’ coin, so puttin’ in a tab of sorts for healin’ and stuff sounds better then luggin’ it around!” She said with a smile and a shrug, not seeming particularly interested in coin. She never had any money back in Mooncrest, and aside from maybe buying new leather armor some day, she didn’t see the point in having a lot of it on her. Though, after seeing the nice houses of the city, she did kind of want one for herself one day… but, being that she was just sixteen, she saw no reason to rush into something as major as owning a permanent residence.

With all of her questions out of the way and with her growing anticipation for her first ever adventure, she bid Athenia farewell, waving goodbye and smiling at the woman from over her shoulder as she stepped out into the hallway and gently closed the door behind herself. Turning around, she fully expected to spot the hulking Kor waiting on her, though she knew she’d be shocked at the sight of him. It would take time to get used to the sight of someone so large! What she hadn’t anticipated, though, was to turn and spot not just her massive new friend, but a rather handsome tiefling now as well, the vivid red of his skin startling and causing Marlow to freeze for a moment as she stared at the man with the same wide, surprised look she had first given Kor.

She had seen tiefling on the road and in the city, so it wasn’t quite the same level of surprise, but she was still completely dazzled by him at first glance. Peeking quickly up at Kor and noting his calm demeanor, she pieced together that the tiefling had to be the escort Athenia had mentioned. “O-oh! You must be Valikys…?” There was hesitation in her voice as she fought back the strong urge to blush again, a bashful, but very warm, smile tugging at her lips when she realized he was indeed the one they were supposed to travel with to the supply shop.

She wasn’t the religious type, but she thanks all of the gods for blessing her with this chance to travel with such fine men! Just how lucky could one girl get?

Setting aside such thoughts, though, she moved to close the space between them with a few long, graceful steps toward the man, extending her hand the same way Kor had done to her moments ago. “I’m Marlow. Very nice ta’ meet ya. You have very nice horns!” She blurted with a sprightly little grin. Was it rude to comment on a tieflings horns? She didn’t know, but definitely meant it as a compliment, just as when she had called Kor a giant.

 

[Haruchai]

They did not have to wait long before the young woman would exit, and her eyes lit up as she saw the tiefling. She drew the correct conclusion and Val gave her a flourishing bow and as she extended her hand he took it and placed a soft kiss on the back of it.

"It is my greatest pleasure, I am sure. Our dear friend Kor did not lie, you are quite pretty." he said, his eyes full of mischief as he lifted his gaze back to Marlow, and then slid them to Kor who, quite amusingly, had the slightest tint of blush on his cheeks. "I am Valikys Nightstar and I give you permission to call me Val." His hand still held hers delicately, and the pad of his thumb rubbed softly across the back of her hand as his dark eyes met hers. "May I have the name of this lovely creature?" he asked, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth, just before Marlow gave her name. He spoke her name a couple of times, softly, almost as if he was tasting it, and her comment on his horns elicited a grin.

"I would be more than willing to allow you to inspect my... horns." he offered, staying bent at the waist, eyes on her face.

Kor watched, a little embarrassed that Val had so casually revealed what Kor had thought to be a private comment. Of course the young woman would know she was pretty, but Kor had hoped to not be outed in his opinion so quickly. Val was doing his dance, and there was no stopping it. The tiefling was not a man that Kor would call a womanizer, not really. He loved to flirt and to needle the males he considered rivals, but exactly how many women he cajoled into warming his bed was unknown. Still, even just that brief meeting with Athenia, and Marlow, Kor was protective.

A massive hand dropped onto Val's shoulder and gave a little squeeze. No words were spoken, but they hung there between them for a moment. ~Careful.~ Val's eyes, still crinkled just a little at the corners in his mirth, would slowly allow Marlow's hand to drop, though his touch lingered perhaps a moment longer than what most would consider casual. As he dropped Marlow's hand so too did Kor remove his.

"So I understand I'm supposed to escort you to Essimuth's? That's quite a walk. I think we should maybe stop and grab a bite on the way." Val suggested.

"I th'nk th'ts a good idea." Kor agreed, and the trio would set off, Val and Kor walking on either side of Marlow. In this moment she looked like one of the most well protected women in all the Realms.

----------​

Val led them along several corridors and up and down a few stairs as well, though it was easy to tell that they were inevitably moving upward. It was not long before they came to a door, bound in iron bands and set in a heavy iron frame. Sitting on a stool next to the door was a man with a longsword at his hip. He seemed to be reading something, but set it aside as Val and his little entourage approached. Without a word but exchanging a nod, he let them pass. The door opened into what could only be described as a large pantry. Sacks of flour and various grains were set on shelves off the floor. A large bin of potatoes could be seen in one corner, and the rest of the room was a wine cellar.

Letting them through Val would close the door behind them, and they would be able to see that it was cleverly designed and hardly detectable when closed, this side of the door covered in stone to match this room. Motioning for them to follow Val would lead them then through a kitchen area and out another door where they found themselves in an alley. A glance at the sky as Val moved them between buildings would tell Marlow they were moving south, and in another few minutes the alley opened into a proper boulevard. A small roadsign proclaimed the wide avenue as "Hassentyr's Street". To their left, which was east, Hassentyr's opened into an even larger thoroughfare.

Pointing that way Val said, "That, my dear Marlow, is The High Road." The name rung as familar since that was the way her and Kor were to go and investigate. Once more Val set off with them in tow, and they stepped from Hassentyr's to the High Road, the hustle and bustle of people along this very wide road almost sweeping them along. The Road was wide enough to accept horse drawn carriages and wagons, up to four abreast. This allowed a very decent flow of traffic, and most of it were people on foot. Paved with cobblestone, at least here within the city proper, The High Road was actually exceptionally smooth, all things considered, the traffic having worn down the stones over time.

Leading them southward at a more leisurely pace, Val looked to them both, but mostly at Kor. "the Market is not far. Would you like to grab food there? or at a more proper restaurant? My treat either way." he stated, making sure to put those possible fears to rest. It was obvious now that Val no longer played with that gold crown, and his eyes constantly scanned their surroundings; a man who knew the ways of some of the people on the streets.

Kor thought a moment and looked to Marlow. "Th'mark't will 'ave all kinds o'food stalls. Street food. But if'n yeh want a meal prop'r we c'n find a place t'sit." he explained.

 

[Anna]

​

Marlow had never exactly thought of herself as pretty. She didn’t think she was ugly, it was merely a thought that never crossed her mind, seeing as how back home there was no one to compare herself to or be judged by in that way. She was always known as the person kid back home. The brat, the girl, the child. And upon entering the city, she was blinded by the beauty and allure of everyone else, but had yet to consider her own appearance to others. She supposed she thought of herself as being plain, with her furs and leathers. She’d never even owned a dress or any of the nice modern clothing that seemed popular with the ladies (and some men) of the city. So, when she was referred to as being quite pretty by the likes of both Kor (supposedly) AND Val, her heart suddenly quickened its pace in her chest and her eyes shifted to glance surprised up at Kor. Her own face plenty flushed as she saw the faint blush warming the goliath’s features. Her blush would only deepen as Val kissed the back of her small, slender hand, her stomach exploding into a million and one butterflies as the sensation of his lips against her skin would cause tremors to flutter across her skin. He was so charming! And yet, even as he caressed the back of her hand in an almost sensual way, she couldn’t stop wondering if Kor had really told Val that she was pretty.

It was a petty thought, she knew, and maybe a little conceited. But she found Kor to be quite attractive himself, in many ways, and would be flattered to know he thought she was anything akin to‘pretty’. She fancied Val as well, but they were both very handsome, so surely, all the girls they crossed felt the same. And likewise, they probably just called all the girls pretty. She was definitely thinking too much into it, the fact was simply that the men were both very nice, and she was appreciative of their acceptance of her. She certainly hoped she could count them as her friends in time!

“You sure it’s really ok?” She asked, maybe a little too excitedly, when Val offered to let her look more closely at his horns. She noted that her hand was still delicately held in the tiefling’s own, so she lifted her free hand to curiously graze the tips of her thin fingers over if of his horns as he kindly remained bent forward so she could reach them. She wasn’t short, but he seemed to be quite tall, so it was an appreciated gesture. Were they made from bone, or cartilage? Either way, it felt smooth to the touch, the top as pointy as it looked. “There's no tiefling where I’m from, either. Just humans.” She noted up at Kor in reference to her admittance to having had never seen a goliath earlier, giggling just a little, her eyes squinting pleasantly as a genuine, wide smile spread across her lips and she gingerly removes her hand from Val’s horn before she began to feel like she was violating his personal space.

As she did this, he released her hand. She completely missed the way Kor’s hand has rested on Val’s shoulder, so to her, the entire exchange seemed natural and innocent enough. She wasn’t so sure about the prospect of getting food, as she had noticed it was quite expensive here in the city the one time she had tried to get something to eat from one of the shops after her money had been stolen. She had tried to barter with the shopkeeper, but the only thing he seemed interested in “trading” had been certain... favors... that she had of course immediately turned down. Still, Kor and Val both seemed interested in grabbing some food, so she didn’t have the heart to be the one to stop them. Instead, she nodded and hummed a soft tone of agreement before they headed off together.

And to be honest, Marlow had never felt so short in her whole life… but she could definitely get used to the feeling of safety that came with a goliath walking to her left and a tiefling to her right.

————————————————————​

The pathway leading out onto the street was confusing, so many twists and turns, and even a trip through an impressively stocked hidden kitchen! How did anyone know where they were going, she wondered? She was lucky enough to have been escorted to the guild hall, and through it as well for that matter. What she’d do the day she was left to her own devices, she had absolutely no idea, but for now she stuck close to Kor’s side and did her best to pay attention with wide, curious eyes as they went.

“I don't understand how ya know your way around so well... this city is so massive,” She murmured, trying not to sound too frazzled as they made their way onto what was apparently the High Road. There was no way she could lose sight of Kor, at least, and she felt as though Val stood out as long as he desired to do so, but she felt like if she got lost there was absolutely no way they would be able to find her, so she was pretty set on staying at their side… until, that is, she saw something that caused her to falter, slowing her pace just as the two began to discuss the matter of food again. Apparently, the decision was hers to make, but what she saw completely distracted her from the conversation.

She had stopped completely now, her eyes narrowing as she did her best to get a better look at the person whom had caught her eye. He was dressed differently now than when she saw him last, but there was no mistaking it!! That slimy bastard, the one that had conned her out of her gold, was standing just down the street, at the mouth of an alleyway! She didn’t know what the odds were that she would run into him, but knew she wouldn’t likely see him again. “Hey, sorry, but I’ll be right back…”

She gave neither of the men a chance to say anything before she slid from the safety of the space between them and weaved through the crowd, making a beeline for the guy from before, growing more certain it was him the closer she got. He was wearing some fancy-looking black leather armor now, with a nice red shoulder-cape billowing at his side that had some sort of crest. It could have been a guild crest, maybe even the crest of The Bracers for all she knew, or even one of their rivals, but that didn’t matter much to her as she stormed right up to him.

The man, a half-elf perhaps, stood at around 5’11” - just enough for Marlow to have to lightly tilt her head backwards to glare up at him. His back was to her and he was busy telling some kind of story to a group of men she assumed were his friends.

“Excuse me!” She called up at him, but he either didn’t hear her among the murmur and chatter of people passing around them or he chose to ignore her as he laughed on with whatever he had just said. Growling, Marlow roughly grabbed the man’s arm and pulled, not enough to turn him but certainly enough to grab his attention. “Hey!” She called again, more loud and far less patient. He fell silent at this, turning his head just enough to glare down at her from over his shoulder with a look of distaste in his narrower icy blue eyes.

“... can I help you, girl?” He sneered, jerking his arm free and dusting off his armor where she had grabbed him.

“Yeah! For starters, how’s about ya give me back what ya stole from me!” She snapped, swallowing the anxiety that knotted in her throat and tensing her body somewhat nervously. She’d never had to confront anyone like this before, so when he just stared at her for a long moment, she worried that he’d go on pretending like he had no idea what she was talking about. She really had no proof, but she knew it was him… Suddenly, though, a look of recognition lit up in his eyes, and the lightest of smirks danced across his lips. He turned then, slowly, and just enough to flash her a glimpse at the golden-handled rapier he kept at his side beneath his cape, flipping his shoulder length golden hair over his shoulder as he glowered down at her though his now slitted gaze.

“Girl, I think now’s a good time for you to move along. Oh, and while you’re at it… never approach me again, hm? Next time, perhaps I’ll have to take more from you than mere pocket change.” The last bit was said in a whisper, the half-elf leaning down toward her ear as he spoke the threat. Then, with a hand suddenly planted against the fur cloak that covered her chest, he gave her a firm shove, sending her staggering back a few steps, but she steadied herself and watched in disbelief as the man laughed again and turned his back once more, his friends all laughing as well.

That asshole! Her face was red with rage, her cheeks puffed out and hands balled into angry fists at her sides, but she felt at a complete loss for what she should do. She didn’t want to make a huge scene, but she was too stubborn to let it go… ah, but he and his friends were all armed. Not that she was scared, but again, making a scene in the middle of the street didn’t feel like the right thing to do. Plus, she didn’t really know what was allowed within city limits. What could she do…? Snapping his neck or cutting off his hands for touching her somehow didn’t sound very legal.

 

[Haruchai]

The tiefling had shuddered slightly as the young human girl had stroked a finger along his horn. Every tiefling was different however, but for Val her touch along that place was very erotic. He glanced at Kor and had shrugged off the feeling as best he could. By the time they reached the street it had passed, but he would sneak glances at her now and then. Her form was slight, but certainly feminine, and she was a little narrow in the hips and small breasted. Val swallowed as he could not help but imagine her.

Out on the surface streets of the city it was easier to forget, and she definitely seemed alittle lost, sticking close to himself and Kor. The crowds moved out of the way of the goliath, and then, for some reason, Marlow broke away from them. Kor looked a little concerned, and shared a look with Val. Marlow crossed to another alley and there she confronted a half-elf. One that was known to them.

"Mezg'r." Kor murmured, and he started after the slight young woman. Val, for his part, had slipped into the shadows, though Kor could see him as the tiefling took a longer route. His intent was clear; cut off any egress from the alleyway.

Catching a little bit of the conversation as he got closer, Kor watched as Mezger pulled away, the sneer on his face obvious. It faded as he spotted Kor, the massive for of the warrior cutting toward them through the crowd. With a sniff he gave Marlow another look, turned his nose in the air, and turned to head down the alley away from her just as a dark form dropped down from a rooftop, a flash of sunlight off a dagger's blade briefly seen before the figure blocked the path.

The half-elf sighed and leaned casually against the wall. "Valikys. So nice to see you old friend. I take it that you know this... girl?" he asked, glancing back at the red-faced Marlow, a hint of a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. His little smirk died completely at the sight of Kor. He inclined his head, a hand slipping into his cloak. "Kor." he said, a little more quiet, and withdrew a small pouch, tossing it casually at Marlow's feet. His icy silver eyes settled on Marlow. "Our business is concluded then?" he said, and without waiting for her response he pressed past her and disappeared into the crowd, much as his friends had done as soon as the confrontation began.

Kor quirked a brow and looked at Marlow curiously. "Yeh kno' Mezg'r?" he asked, wondering how this little slip of a girl had ties to the half-elf. By now Val had sheathed his blade and pulled his cowl back down to reveal his face. Mezger just knew him too well and had recognized him easily.

"Are you alright?" he asked, a hand reaching down to snatch the small pouch, opening it. There was a bit of coin in it and he could put the pieces together. Likely Mezger had duped her out of this somehow. He handed the pouch over to Marlow. "Make sure you keep that tucked away." he said softly. It wasn't a huge amount of coin, yet to someone like her it might be a whole life's savings. Not that Mezger would give a shit.

With an exhale Val smiled brightly. "Alright then! Let's be on our way!" he said. Guiding them both back out to the High Road, the tiefling turned to the south and started that way. It was quite a walk, and as they passed along the High Road they let Marlow speak to how she'd met the half-elf. Neither seemed surprised. After a time Val guided them off the High Road and down an unnamed street. It was still busy, but foot traffic thinned and he stopped outside a door to a particular building. "Here we are!" Val announced.

The sign outside the stone and timber building proclaimed the establishment as "The Maelstrom's Notch". Even just out on the street the smells of food wafted to them, and Val pushed open the door and ushered them in. The interior was spacious, and one could see why Val had chosen this place, as many ceilings were too short for Kor. Heavy wooden beams crossed and formed the rafters, and it was easy to find a table, Val taking a seat and gesturing for them to do the same.

 

[Anna]

​

Sucking in a shallow, shaky breath, Marlow took another step in the half-elf’s direction, ready to try again, but was surprised when he seemed to drop his glowering and turned to head for the alley for some reason. She didn’t intend to let him get away so easily, of course, but before she could give chase, there was a flash of metal in the alleyway, and a dark blur… and just like that, without only a few words exchanged on the half-elf’s part, he tossed the coin purse at her feet and left, brushing past her to make some kind of point as he did. She glared at the pretty boy the whole time, until he was swallowed by the shifting sea of people that made their way up and down the busy road. She accepted the purse with a soft ‘thanks’ as Val offered it to her, doing as he suggested and tucking it into her clothing beneath her cloak.

As they walked and Val’s mood shifted back to being chipper and perky, she managed to calm herself down enough to tell the men that she didn’t know the man, just that he had conned her out of her coin basically the minute she had stepped foot in the city. She admitted she had been naive and dumb to trust him, but he had seemed like a genuinely nice person!

She forgot all about the idea of food as they walked and talked, though the minute they arrived at the place Val had been leading them to the whole time, her stomach twisted painfully as the scent of food met her nose, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten yet today. Or for most of yesterday. Hunting didn’t always work out, after all, but she was quite used to going a few days with an empty belly! Not that she wanted to do that, of course, and the smell of food immediately had her salivating in her mouth, her mood lightening up as she began to grow excited at the thought of some warm food in her belly.

“How do you two know that guy, anyway?” She asked curiously as she sat beside Val, giving Kor plenty of room to situate himself. As they spoke, she decided to peek into the purse to see if all her coin was there. She had been too upset to even care to look before. She certainly didn’t expect to see her coin all accounted for, so was genuinely surprised to open it up and see there was a little more silver and copper than she had set out with, and a whole 'nother gold crown added as well!

… and a piece she didn’t recognize. Furrowing her brow in confusion, she plucked the platinum piece out and inspected it with narrowed, confused blue eyes. “...Hey, what’s this one?? Weirdest silver piece I’ve seen.” It wasn’t even shaped like a silver piece should be. It was shaped more like a copper coin, actually, making her feel like perhaps it was some city-currency that was between a silver and copper in value. It was shiny, though, that was for sure!

 

[Haruchai]

​

The Maelstrom's Notch was known the city over for it's excellent, if a bit pricey, seafood. Fish was brought fresh from the docks every morning, and the proprietor of the place, one Thaddeus "Teddy" Tucker, was a dwarf of impeccable taste. He'd moved to the city in his youth and been fascinated by it, and decided to stay. He'd built his business, bit by bit, and now reaped the rewards of that hard work.

Val, Marlow and Kor took their seats, and Teddy stuck his head out of the back. Just as quickly as it had appeared it disappeared and in another moment a pretty elven lass hurried from the back with three steins of beer on her platter as she hurried to the table.

"Hi! I'm Lana." she said, her gaze on Marlow as she sppke, and set the steins down for them, the outsides showing condensation from the cold liquid inside. She'd obviously introduced herself for Marlow's benefit as she leaned against Kor's shoulder in what could only be described as a very familiar manner, her slender fingers tracing along one bicep as her bright blue eyes settled on his face, the tip of her tongue just wetting her lips as she spoke. "Been a long time Kor, Val. I was getting lonely." she said, a hint of mischief in her eyes as she spoke, and gave that arm, as large as her head,a little squeeze.

Much as she thought she had sen back in the Guild, Marlow could see the faintest hint of blush on Kor's cheeks. He lifted his stein and took a quick drink before replying. "Been b'zy, Lana." he said quietly as she practically dragged his arm up and about her waist.

"Too busy for me? That hurts my feelings Kor. You're going to have to make me feel better." she said, obviously winding him up, and her gaze flicking to Marlow to give her a conspiratorial wink. Val chuckled and spoke up, obviously trying to save their goliath comrade.

"Ah, quit teasing him Lana. Besides, we have a new recruit here. She's looking to be a Bracer!" he said, looking at Marlow proudly.

Lana's eyebrows raised. "And they gave her to you two? She won't learn a thing!" Lana teased. She gave Marlow a genuine and polite smile and a deferential nod of her head. She then disengaged herself from Kor's arm, much to his obvious relief, and headed back to the kitchen, looking back over her shoulder. "Teddy knows you're here. I'll have him fix extra, like normal." she called.

Val gave her a wave and then turned his attention to Marlow. He commented on her questions. "Mezger used to be a Bracer. Athenia kicked him out since he has certain... proclivities. Which you were a victim of." he explained, as if that would answer all she needed to know about the half-elf. Val moved on to talk about her coin. "You're familiar with gold and the others, but that octagonal coin is platinum. It's worth ten gold crowns. I'd not flash it around if I were you. People have been killed for far less." Val took a drink of the slightly bitter brew and looked at Marlow. "You ever had ale before? I could order you something else." he offered.

Kor listened and soon his stein was empty. He got up and moved to the bar since Lana hadn't returned yet, and flashed the barkeep something on the underside of his baldric strap. His Bracers patch. He soon returned not only with a stein, but a full pitcher of the cold brew. It seemed his appetite for food and drink matched his size. As he retook his seat L:ana hurried from the back and approached their table with two huge platters. One she sat before Kor and the other she sat between Val and Marlow.

"We have mussels, oysters, prawns, fried shrip, battered cod, crab legs and under it all some fried chips. Anything else I can get you boys?" she asked, then her eyes settled on Marlow, bright and friendly, "or the lady?" she asked.

 

[Anna]

​

Just as she was sitting down, she happened to catch a curious, wide-eyed glimpse at the red-bearded dwarf just before he vanished back into the back room. She internally pouted, sad that she hadn’t gotten a better look at the very interesting looking man, but was quickly distracted from such thoughts as a busty, very beautiful elf woman came bounding from the back where the man had been only moments prior. Immediately, Marlow’s eyes went wide, a heated blush burning at her face as she had to force herself not to stare at the way the woman’s breasts bounced with each hurried, graceful step the woman took. And she was headed right for them, with three very large mugs balanced over her shoulder. There was absolutely no missing the way the woman stared right at Marlow as she introduced herself, causing Marlow to tense a little and look from Val to Kor, realizing rather quickly that they seemed to know the woman already. If her hanging all over Kor wasn’t making that obvious enough.

“I’m Marlow,” She murmured quickly, maybe a little too quickly, as she took one of the mugs for herself and lifted it to her mouth to hurriedly occupy herself. Pretty girls was another thing she wasn’t quite used to, and obviously, she was even more new to seeing such beautiful elven women! Having to use both hands due to how massive the mug was to her, Marlow was hasty to fill her mouth with the malty, cold beer, shuttering as the bitterness of the beverage washed over her taste buds. She tried not to stare as the woman, Lana (even her name was pretty!) flirted in a very obvious way with Kor. It was hard to tell if Kor was interested, but that blush made it seem like the two were… intimate, to a degree at least. Marlow swallowed hard, the gulp having been a bit too big, causing a little pain as she forced it all down, but it wasn’t anything worth thinking twice about.

She nearly choked at the wink Lana casually tossed her way, her face heating up a little more. Clearly, the elven women’s goal was to work Kor up, but she had managed to do the same to Marlow, who felt immense relief for Val as he spoke up and changed the subject. She was able to relax a little then, the heat that radiated across her skin cooling a little as a bashful little smile found its way to her lips instead at Val’s introduction of her.

Only when the woman was gone, though, could Marlow more fully relax, leaning back in her seat as she watched Lana go, but quickly looked away, not wanting to be a creep. “She’s so pretty!” She breathed in a small sigh, cupping her warm cheeks in her palms and resting her elbows on the surface of the table. “Is she your girl, Kor??” She hoped it wasn’t too direct of a question, but with how familiar the two had seemed… well, she didn’t want to keep gawking at the woman if she was already spoken for.

Meanwhile, the platinum remained on the table, forgotten until Val spoke, answering her previous questions. She made a face when he mentioned Mezger, nearly sticking her tongue out in distaste at his name alone. She wanted to sock the guy! So, she was happy to let that topic go. But when he mentioned the platinum her expression became genuinely confused. She knew that people killed over greed, but over something as small and unimpressive-looking as the piece of platinum? “That’s stupid,” She mumbled, shaking her head. “Ten gold must be considered lots if people are willing to fight and kill over it,” Pursing her lips a little, she took the coin and dropped it back into her purse, tucking it back into her clothing. “Could it afford a trip to one of those fancy city bathhouses?” Of course, she didn't plan to go find a bath house right away. It was something she wanted to do when they were done with their assignment, though! She was curious about what a bathhouse was like. She asked her question curiously as she watched Kor stand and move to get himself more to drink. She probably shouldn’t have been surprised that he had finished his drink so quickly, as she hadn’t even dented her own in the slightest, but he WAS a mountain.

“Oh, and ale is fine with me, thank you.” She said with a light shrug and a polite smile at Val, fingering the outside of the mug indifferently. It didn’t taste great, but it quenched her thirst well enough. She hadn’t drank it very often back home, but it would do. She was curious about what Kor had flashed the guy at the bar, but kept that to herself for now. Instead, she decided that it was getting hot in here, from the ale to the beautiful Lana, so she stood to remove her cloak and set it over the back of her chair, taking her longbow and shortswords as well and leaning them against the back of her chair so they were out of the way. Her armor beneath the cloak was nowhere near as enticing or revealing as Lana's outfit had been, but it did showcase just how gracefully thin the teenager was, the leather tight to her body, but worn in from years of use, for optimal movement with minimal restriction to her movement. She was light enough to easily sit cross-legged in the chair as she sat herself back down. Just as she did, and as Kor was rejoining them, Lana came back with two massive trays of food Marlow had never seen before.

Meat from the woods, potatoes, and some berries primarily made up her diet, so seafood was another thing she had always hoped to try. She didn't fully recognize all of the names of the food Lana described to them, but it looked and smelt amazing all the same... though, it was definitely still hard to keep her eyes off of the beautiful woman, that was for sure. "A-ah! Um! No, ma'am, I'm plenty fine!" She stammered, shying away from the bright, friendly smile the woman offered her, but managing a grateful, pleasant little smile of her own as her cheeks again tinted a soft pink hue, her thick red eyelashes batting modestly.

 

[Haruchai]

​

That hue on Kor's face deepened a little as Marlow asked her question. Val snorted a little. "Kor doesn't have a girl. Lana just liked to get under his skin, and she's an incessant flirt. Not to say she hasn't given him a favor from time to time." he said with a chuckle.

Kor, for his part, shrugged and mumbled. "Lady fav'rs." he affirmed. Which should tell Marlow all she needed to know. They'd shared a bed at some time, to be sure, and Lana liked the big man, but they weren't an item per se. Kor had dug into his food and he ate slowly, but quite a lot, and soon it was obvious why he'd been given a platter all for himself. The pile of food that Val and Marlow had was quite delicious, though much of it was quite different from what Marlow was used to, being from quite some ways inland. Oh, now and then someone might catch a fish from a stream or river, but Marlow had rarely gotten to eat fish, much less many of the other items on the plate.

Answering her questions about the coin, Val nodded. "Ten gold is quite a lot actually. Here in the city it is a tidy sum, and if you were prudent you could probably live a whole year on such a wage. Not lavishly by any means, but you could get by. Far outside the city some people might not even see that much money in a few years work." he admitted, sad as it was to say. "As far as those fancy bathhouses, well, depending on how opulent you would like it to be, it would easily pay for you and Kor, or even the three of us." he said.

The dark gaze of the tiefling watched her as she stripped off her cloak and revealed her slender form. He and Kor shared a look as Marlow's head was down, as men would be men, and Val lifted his mug to take a drink. This new recruit was quite fetching, and truth be told Val was a bit jealous that Kor got to take her under his wing. It wasn't hard to notice the look nor the blush that Marlow had when Lana was around either. Val briefly wondered if women were more Marlow's speed, and he filed the info away.

As the platters were slowly emptied, the dwarf that had peeped from behind the door when they first arrived made another appearance. As he approached the table he was all smile and with an outstretched arm he clapped Kor on the shoulder.

"Kornalath my boy! It's been awhile since I've seen you, and I was starting to worry that something ill had befallen you! I should have known better, eh? Eh!" he grinned. The dwarf's hair was red and peppered with some gray here and there, but his beard had a wide streak of gray right down the middle. Eyes the color of burnished copper looked at Marlow and a bushy brow raised. "Better be careful around these two, girlie! Bad influences!" he teased, obviously joking and quite friendly with the two. "I hear you're new to the Bracers. Heading out of the city?" he asked, eyes on Marlow, and curious.

 

[Anna]

​

“Umm.. Lady favors? … Oooh!” Marlow flushed at the realization of what they meant, a surprised look springing to life across her delicate features as she looked from Kor to Lana, assuming she was running around serving patrons their orders still. It was definitely a new notion to her, the idea of sexual “favors” being so loosely mentioned. She had already assumed sex was a casual topic in the city, they had a plenty of brothels, after all! She just didn’t know that Kor was the type to, well… be into that, which she realized had been stupid of her, because he was a man, and all men had needs. But, Kor was so big, she could only assume he was big everywhere. Whereas Lana was the size of an average human. How did-... no, she wouldn’t let her mind go that route. It was their business, not hers.

She did notice, just from the corner of her eye, the way the two men seemed to share some kind of ‘secret’ glance as she removed her cloak. She faltered for a moment, blushing as her heart danced in her chest, but was quick to act natural again, settling down in her seat beside the tiefling, whom had just taken a drink. It was impossible to tell what the glance had meant, or if she was simply overthinking again, but she liked to think that perhaps they did find her to be ‘pretty’... and she made a mental note to maybe look into buying herself a set of nicer lounge clothes that might better display her figure. Something that other women in town wore. Something that wasn’t armor.

Following Kor’s lead, she turned her focus to the food before she could allow her thoughts to go places she knew they shouldn’t. She opted to learn how to eat the seafood from Val rather than from Kor, due to the simple fact that Kor ate impossible proportions and that made it a little hard to know if he was even consuming it ‘right’.

She wasn’t sure what to expect, honestly, but the food turned out to be the most delicious thing to ever grace her taste buds. She couldn’t help the way she nearly moaned at the unexpected rush of flavor, her eyes closing and her body wiggling excitedly as she munched away at the delightful little sea creatures. She never seasoned the food she cooked, she just cooked it and ate it, not for pleasure, but nourishment. But this stuff? It was definitely the best tasting, most exotic thing she had ever eaten! How many of these trays would a platinum piece get her, she wondered? Well, she didn’t wonder for long, because she soon went back to pecking away at the platter between herself and Val. As much as she loved the food, she had a small stomach and really couldn’t eat much, so she knew to simply savor what she could eat. She did take note of what Val seemed to like, though, and made sure to quietly and casually leave more of that on the platter as to not be a hog.

As they ate, she listened to what Val had to say about the worth of gold, remembering as much as she could so she wouldn’t be confused later. It wasn’t that she was stupid, but having never dealt in money until she came to the city, she just wasn’t very educated on the matter. But she considered herself a quick learner. “Well then, once we’re back from our assignment, I’d love to pay for us three to go to the fanciest bathhouse I can afford with that platinum coin!” She chimed, licking the juices of the seafood from her fingers as she spoke. She didn’t know how bathhouses worked, exactly, but assumed the baths were separated by gender or something.

As they were finishing, she was surprised to see the man from before peep back out, only this time, he came out and headed right for their table, immediately greeting Kor like the two were old buddies. Kor must have been a lot more sociable than she assumed, because he knew everyone, it seemed. She was beginning to grow accustomed to the many races of the city, but found that she quite liked looking at the short man. He had very unique characteristics, and he seemed friendly! She offered him a coy little smile when he suggested she be ‘careful’ around her two new friends and bit her lip to stifle a little laugh, nodding when he mentioned her being new to the Bracers.

She didn’t think she was allowed to tell the specifics of their assignment, but his question was innocent enough, not at all requiring a specific answer, so she gave him a slight nod. Why would he be asking if they were heading out of the city unless he knew they were on an assignment...? Well, if Kor and Val trusted him, then it likely wasn't a big deal... “Mhm, but not quite yet. I think we have some errands to run. I’m Marlow, by the way!” She introduced herself politely with a bright smile, wondering how many times today she would have to do that. Not that she minded meeting new people! More friends was always better, right?

 

[Haruchai]

​

When Marlow realized what they meant by 'lady favors' and her subsequent blush as she removed her cloak, Val hid his smile behind his mug, though not very well. Kor watched her casually, and seemed to be a bit quiet, as was his way.

As Marlow spoke of wanting to buy them all a time at the bathhouse, Val looked at her with one raised brow, and Kor only gave a deep rumbling 'Hmmmm' sound. Neither seemed opposed and Val spoke up. "That sounds like a wonderful way to relax once you get back!" he confirmed and shifted his body a bit to sit a little more sideways, just facing Marlow a bit more, his knee pressing gently into the side of her thigh.

By now Teddy had joined them, and Marlow could see he was far shorter than she was! Yet he was wide, very wide, and under his shift and apron she could tell that he had a very powerful build. She'd always heard that about dwarves, and so far it seemed true. As she introduced herself the dwarf gave a nod.

"I'm Teddy. You ever need any help, or a place to have a roof over your head for a night or two, feel free to knock on my door. We're friends to the Bracers here." he assured, her and gave her a nod.

By now Lana had come back out and there seemed to be a little congregation at her table. She certainly wasn't shy, and she squeezed herself onto the bench, forcing Kor over and into Marlow a bit more as she practically sat herself halfway on Kor's lap. In fact, the goliath was forced to put an arm about her slender waist to prevent her from tumbling to the floor. Lana leaned forward and peered around Kor's muscular chest as Teddy excused himself and headed back to the kitchen.

"Did these boys ever tell you how we met?" she asked, and whether Marlow said so or not, Lana quickly followed with, "Kor saved my life. It's why I like the big lug so much." she said, beaming and rubbing a slender hand along Kor's arm. That seemed to certainly explain her behavior in a lot of ways. She owed Kor her life, and some people took that very seriously. Lana went onto explain. "I come from a very small elven village. We were peaceful, farmers, and we were attacked by a large orcish warband. They slaughtered my people, and took the women as bedslaves. One was able to get away however, and jst by luck stumbled upon these two while they were out on an assignment. She pleaded for their help, and being the kind hearted men they are, they came to our rescue. Unfortunately, most of my ken died and we had no village to go back to, no males to try and start over, and we elves do not reproduce as easily as humans anyway. So I cam e back here to the city with them and I've been here ever since." she said, and despite the sadness that was in her voice, there was a brightness too. She hadn't been broken, hadn't been slain, and was safe now, and got to see her saviors now and again.

 

[Anna]

​

“Thank you, that’s incredibly kind..!” She was shocked at his generosity, something she hadn’t expected. Of course, try as she might, she couldn’t help but steal a quick glance over Teddy’s body as he spoke, so graciously inviting her to come to him should she ever need a roof over her head. He looked to be quite strong, as the rumors and tales often said about dwarves. His arms were thick, his hands large, and from what she could tell, he was likely quite built! Like a miniature Kor, she assumed--

She was brought back to reality as Val’s knee brushed up against her outer thigh, giving her a little start. She peeked demurely in the tiefling’s direction with a little smile treading on her lips, noting that he had turned to face her more directly now, giving her a better look at him as they lounged on the bench. They were already close as it was, with Kor leaving little wiggle room, but she thought it to be a very cozy squeeze. Of course, that was until Lana so smittenly added herself to the already full seat, causing Kor to scoot more towards Marlow. And, in turn, Marlow instinctively scooted to try and give the elf and the goliath more space, her hand meaning to reach down to grab the bench between herself and Val for support, but… Well. The bench wasn’t supposed to be soft or warm, was it? Curious, she gave it a small squeeze.

Blinking in surprise, Marlow glanced down, only to gasp and immediately draw her hand back when she realized she had grabbed Val’s upper thigh, close to his hip, very near to his groin. As in, the tips of her fingers could have grazed something down there that she had absolutely no right to be touchin’ on.

“Ah! S-Sorry…!” She stammered out quickly and in a hushed tone, lifting her hand apologetically and shooting him a nervous little smile, holding her hand to her chest as not to clumsily violate anyone else. Even through the fabric of his pants, she had been able to feel his lean, tight muscles, and it certainly didn’t help the way the two men had her mind rolling towards the gutter…

Thankfully, she was saved from the situation by Lana, who had climbed into Kor’s lap and was leaning around his muscled core to look at Marlow, stealing her attention from Val. She shook her head when she was asked if she knew how the two met her, though she got the impression Lana would tell her regardless. Not that Marlow minded, as she was definitely open to learning about her new friends. Only, the tale turned much darker than she imagined, Marlow’s smile fading to a soft frown as she found herself also leaning forward to see better Lana better around Kor’s chiseled core as the elf told her story.

“Oh, Lana… I’m so sorry-... I mean, that’s just..” There were no words, really. Lana’s people had been slaughtered, after all. Peaceful farmers murdered, and helpless women taken and raped. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what it had been like. She didn’t know what she’d do if anything like that had happened to her village, and yet here Lana was. Saddened, yes, but she was very strong. She didn’t understand how someone could go through such a tragedy and manage to become such a bright, cheerful person! Her eyes were soft as she looked up at Kor, then back at Val, her heart growing warm just hearing about what the two had done before she looked back at Lana. She wanted to hug the woman, but piling onto Kor’s lap to do would probably be a bit much. Though, she wondered if Kor would mind? A beautiful woman like Lana on one leg and Marlow on the other. It was almost an amusing thought, had the situation been different.

All she felt she could do was offer Lana a sad smile, but she was happy that she had been able to start anew here in the city, with someone like Teddy, who seemed like a very kind man indeed. “How long have you been in the city, then? Was it a total shock to you when you first got here…?” Surely, she wasn’t the only small-village-dweller star struck by the city!

 

[Haruchai]

​

Teddy gave Marlow a smile, a genuinely warm smile, then clapped Kor on the shoulder again as he excused himself. Then, as Lana took her seat and the four of them scooched to make room on the bench, Marlow's hand slipped along Val's thigh. The tiefling seemed to take it all in stride and smiled as Marlow apologized.

"No harm done." he said simply, though as Marlow got comfortable in her seat, she would feel the warm presence of something on her own thigh, and Val's hand rested there. It simply stayed in place for a moment, and then he patted her leg and leaned into her to whisper softly. "Turnabout is fair play, my sweet." he said, his face close enough to her ear that she could feel the warmth of his breath on the side of her neck.

Lana watched the two of them with a knowing glint in her eyes, and a soft smile on her lips as she wiggled on Kor's lap. When Marlow asked her question she leaned into the big warrior, her small form practically fitting under his arm. If Kor wanted he could completely cocoon her in his embrace. "It's alright. Though Kor and Val saved me, and Kor killed the orc who was going to kill me... the Bracers wiped out that orcish raiding party. So as petty as it might seem, I got my vengeance. I've now lived in the city for about five years. Is this your first time here?" she asked Marlow, her eyes bright with curiosity, eyelashes fluttering just a little as Kor's hand - more out of instinct than anything - smoothed over the lush curve of her backside.

Taking another drink of his ale, Val snuck a peek out a nearby window to note the position of the sun. Once the conversation began to wrap up he looked to his compatriots and said, "We're going to need to get moving you two, get you out and on your way before Athenia has my hide." He then stood and made his way to the bar to settle their bill as he left Marlow and Kor to gather their things. Lana stood and leaned forward to kiss Kor's cheek.

"Better not be so long before you come and visit next time." she said, and then approached Marlow and wrapped her arms about her in a tight but friendly hug. "Keep an eye on him for me, will you?" she asked, her eyes pleading. Then she moved away, once Marlow had given her word, and waved the trio off.

----------
​

Once back on the streets they were once more treated to the bustling of the city, the sights and sounds almost overwhelming after the relative safety and quiet of the inn's tavern. Val once more began to sort of lead them as they traveled southward. They made idle chatter as they walked, though Kor was a bit quiet as he tended to be. He stayed vigilant as they moved, though as before, most gave the goliath a wide berth.

Eventually they arrived in the South Ward of the city, and approached a conclave of shops, all arranged in a circle. Essimuth's was easy to pick out.

The ground floor of this less-than-tidy two-story tenement contains this equipment shop, its wooden sign showing an armored knight walking doubled over with an overstuffed pack. Inside, the shop is surprisingly organized and well kept, a shop boy always busy polishing and dusting the rack of weapons and armor behind a counter. There are barrels and racks of nearly any conceivable piece of equipment usable by adventurers at reasonable prices.

The short, battle-scarred proprietor, Essimuth, sits upon a stool behind the main counter at all times of the day, constantly whittling and carving pieces of wood that he also sells as trinkets (his standards are little orcs that he often just tosses to children who enter his shop). His right eye is covered with an eye patch, a dull, jagged scar from brow to jaw telling its fate, and his right leg is replaced below the knee with a peg leg (also carved by Essimuth into a little owlbear bearing his weight on its shoulders and arms). People that shop here can expect great service in terms of Essimuth telling what’s available and how best to use it in the dungeons; of course, this is all tangled within somewhat long-winded stories of Essimuth’s adventuring days. He loves hearing adventurers’ stories (as it gives him an excuse to tell his) and continuing patrons with stories to share receive special attentions (and newer merchandise) than those patrons who know better about their equipment or don’t have the time for an old man’s tales, who tend to receive higher charges.​

A little bell had tinkled as they entered and the one eye of Essimuth brightened when he saw Val.

"Val! Good to see ya! Athenia said you'd be bringin' a new prospect by. This must be her then!" he said, eyes settling on Marlow. He nodded to Kor and then looked back to Val, speaking almost as if Marlow wasn't there. "She's a skinny one. Ya think she'll be alright out there? Word has it Kor's going with her, but been hearing word of some bad goings on outside the city." he warned.

As Val moved off to talk with Essimuth, the grizzled old man readily eager to talk business with the tiefling, Kor gently took Marlow's elbow.

"He don' mean nuthin' by it. Let's be gett'n sum shopp'n done while they jaw." he said, and he started to look around the place.

 

[Anna]

​

Marlow didn’t really know what to expect when she grabbed Val’s leg by mistake, but she certainly hadn’t expected that he’d in turn grab her own. Her thigh was much more narrow than his own had been, his hand capable of wrapping nearly halfway around her leg it felt as the warmth of his fingers seeped through the leather of her pants and radiated through her skin. She let out a soft, surprised exhale, glancing down at her lap where his hand so casually rested as the tiefling leaned in close, a shutter dancing up her spine as his warm breath tickled the pale, sensitive skin of neck. The hand on her leg wasn’t extremely sensual or anything, little more than a teasing pat atop her thigh, but it was the way his breath seemed to kiss her flesh that had her blood rushing beneath her skin, a balmy shade of pink blossoming along her neck, over her ears, and of course, across her already rosy face.

She was all too eager to stand and gather her things when it was time to head out, covering herself with her cloak again and putting her gear back in place. She couldn’t help but glance briefly at Val as she did so, doing her best to hide the heat that he had stirred within her eyes as, quickly, she looked away to focus on strapping her quiver into place to distract herself. Of course, she hadn’t minded the sensation he ignited inside of her. It was new and exciting, but she definitely knew that this wasn’t the time or place to be exploring such thrills. Plus, she had only just met Val, but it was flattering to gave her a bit of a confidence boost to think that Val maybe thought of her as even mildly enticing, that was for sure.

Giving her attention back to Lana, Marlow returning the embrace, smiling and nodding at her request. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep him safe.” She laughed, though she was genuine. It was certainly a funny thing, to imagine him needing her to ‘protect’ him in any way… but she’d do what she could do watch his back, and at the very least, not become a burden to him. Plus, she didn’t believe that just because she was smaller meant that she was weaker. She knew what she could do, and was grateful that Lana seemed to maybe see enough in her to trust her to keep an eye on Kor.

-------------------------------------------------​

It was quite a walk, but Marlow had no issue keeping up with the two men as she strode at Kor’s side, doing her best not to think too much about the small incident at the restaurant and instead think about the task at hand. She didn’t know how long they would be gone, but couldn’t think of much they would need, either. Apparently, though, they’d be given a cart to lug their more or less borrowed equipment, so she assumed it would be a potentially length excursion. That, though, very likely depended on if the diplomats were in trouble or not.

The shop itself was actually very neat. She couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips as she saw the sign, her eyes lingering on the illustration of the knight struggling to carry his large pack, even chuckling softly at how clever and, in her opinion, cute such a sign was for a shop like this. She didn’t stand there gawking too long, though, and entered just behind Kor, eyeing all of the different ware and utensils as they approached the counter. She opened her mouth to greet the man, but wasn’t given a chance to speak, as immediately the man was talking to Val. About her. Like she wasn’t able to hear him call her a ‘skinny one’ and question her ability to take care of herself. She had made it to the city just fine, all on her own! It seemed that Kor noticed her getting riled up, because he quickly mentioned in that deep, rumbling, oddly charming voice of his that the guy meant nothing by what he had said. She sighed, defused enough to nod along in agreement.

“Guess you’re right, but still, I'm capable of handling myself well enough. I made it to the city all on my own, no problem.” She grumbled, huffing a little through her nose and relaxing her shoulders as she turned and opted to help find some items they might be able to put to use. She made sure to point each thing she thought might be beneficial to them out to Kor, as he was the one with experience as far as adventuring went, and he’d know if it was something they’d need or not. The items were simple: A compass, bedrolls, blankets, candles, a chain or two, a hammer and a hatchet, hunting traps, and a lantern. Items she definitely didn’t have, but seemed like they could have a practical use so long as they had a wagon to tote it all in. She was especially keen on the hunting traps, though, as she usually had to make her own traps or just hunt the animals down all on her own. If they were to be out for over a week, then a trap or two seemed useful… and admittedly, she just thought it would be fun to see how it would work. Maybe she’d have to buy some later to bring back to her teacher!

 

[Haruchai]

​

Having seen the deep blush from Marlow as he'd casually laid his hand on her thigh, and then as it deepened with his words, Val was quite satisfied and confident that her thoughts had taken a particular turn. Which was exactly what he wanted. Truth be told he was a bit of a womanizer, far more than Kor, it was simply that Lana was like that with the goliath. It embarrassed Kor, which was part of the reason Lana did it as well. Besides, goliath's could not procreate with humans or elves or in fact any races except their own and some giant-kin. So Lana's amorous advances could not lead to little ones. It made her much more bold. Val found himself happy to have Marlow along, since it gave him someone to give such attentions to, even if they were innocent. So far.

The comments from Essimuth obviously got under her skin, and Val was relieved as Kor led Marlow deeper into the store to check out the wares. He turned his attention to the veteran retired Bracer, now shopkeep.

Away from Val and Essimuth, Kor would sometimes guide Marlow along the aisles with a gentle placement of his hand on the small of her back. It was really meant as a guide and to help her avoid some of the things that seemed to stick haphazardly into the aisles. Even from those small touches, and the handshake earlier, Marlow could tell his hand was huge. He could likely about palm her whole backside if he wanted, but Kor was gentlemanly, and seemed impressed by things she chose.

For his part he also chose a hammer and some iron pitons, a huge length of rope, a bag full of round metal bearings, some flasks of oil and some torches, as well as a large bit of oiled canvas and a huge bag of horse feed. When Marlow grabbed the traps he also grabbed some bait. Soon they seemed to be done.

Essimuth and Val were chatting up closer to the front, and Kor, who had loaded most of their items in some large backpacks, motioned to the back door of the establishment. The door was barred from the inside, but Kor lifted that and they could exit, a cart and a horse already prepared and waiting. Kor loaded all the items into the cart, and covered and secured it all under the oiled canvas, which would serve to keep everything dry.

"If'n yeh wanna wait out 'ere I c'n be let'n kno' we're goin'." Kor offered, unsure if Marlow wanted to say goodbye to Val. Either way they had to be out on the road soon. So as Marlow waited in the doorway to keep an eye on their stuff, Kor moved back into the shop. Far enough away so that she couldn't hear exactly what was said, the deep rumble of Kor's voice still reached her a little, and he pointed back in her direction. Essimuth nodded, shook Kor's hand, and then Val peered around the goliath and threw up a hand in a wave.

Marlow saw and waved back, the tiefling grinning as he blew her a kiss, and Kor shook his head, almost in exasperation. He was smilingsoftly though as he came back, heavy boots thudding on the floor, and he gave a little gesture. "We're good t'be goin'." he said, and shut the door as they would exit.

The cart would hold them both, and the undercarriage and seat had been heavily reinforced. This was obviously something that had been done for Kor before to support his mass. Taking up the reins Kor patted the seat next to him and once Marlow had taken her spot he clucked his tongue and the horse dutifully began to move. It was very slow at first, as Kor guided the animal out of the alleyway, and then they were back on the familiar High Road, but this time heading northward.

The city looked quite different from her perch now, several feet up. She could see over most of the crowd, and their trusty horse plodded along the road off to one side. The ride was smoother than Marlow might have expected, and it was actually quite comfortable After making their way to the shop it was quite nice to ride and be off her feet. Perhaps a bit unexpectedly Kor turned to her though and spoke.

"I got one more stop t'make." he said, though didn't explain further until he stopped the cart outside of a particular tavern, 'The Gentle Mermaid'. It was located in the North Ward, of that Marlow was certain because she could practically see the North Gate from where Kor had stopped the cart. Looking around she recognized their surroundings and could see that this is where they had exited earlier today! The cart was on the corner of Hassantyr's Street! The Gentle Mermaid was actually more of a festhall, and soon Kor emerged with a half-barrel hoisted on one shoulder and some pieces of wood, curved on one side and flat on the other.

Setting the barrel down he placed the wood, flat side down, curved side up, then lifted the barrel to set it in what Marlow could now see was a cradle for the barrel to keep it from rolling. A hard blow, and the barrel was tapped, the spigot was off, and Kor looked at her with a smile.

"In case we g't thirstee." he said by way of explanation, and then climbed back in the driver's seat and took up the reins. With a warm smile that showed his white teeth, Kor aimed them for the North Gate.

 

[Anna]

​

Marlow didn’t fail to notice how large Kor’s hand was. She had noticed before when she shook his hand, but when his hand gently nudged at her lower back as a guide, it really gave her a better idea of the man’s size - you know, if it wasn’t enough that her head was level with his belly. And though she didn’t feel she needed him to guide her around potentially dangerous objects or to simply show her where certain sections were, she certainly appreciated it, as it showed a very courteous and delicate side of Kor that wasn’t apparent just by looking at the man. She was finding more and more that she very much liked Kor, and was grateful that she would be working with him on her very first assignment.

Before long, they had gone outside and were loading things into their cart. Or rather, Kor was doing a lot of the actual loading while she would hand him stuff, then she busied herself with showing the horse with some attention as he dealt with the tarp. She would have helped, but with that, she figured she’d be more in the way than anything else… still, she watched so that she could know how to do it in the future, petting the horse’s side until she moved to the doorway to wave goodbye to Val. Who had to go and blow her that kiss, as if he simply enjoyed making her flustered. Which she was beginning to realize that making girls blush was probably one of his favorite things to do, even if she had only known him a few short hours. She replied to the distant kiss with a simple, playful roll of her eyes, huffing a little as the familiar, embarrassed heat rushed to her face, but only briefly. She was quick to turn and head back out to avoid any further incident with the tiefling, though she did offer Val a sincere smile before she did so. She wasn’t sure when she’d see him next, but certainly hoped it wouldn’t be long.

Honestly, Marlow was surprised that Kor could fit in the wagon, but was glad. She had no prior experience with maneuvering carts like this, though she had ridden horses before. And Kor actually seemed to be pretty good at it, easing their way out onto the street before picking up a little bit of pace once they were back on the street. And, admittedly, it felt good to be able to sit back and relax a bit, kicking her slightly achy feet up on the footboard and excitedly looking out over the city and the sea of people as they made their way through town.

As she sat, she pondered more about the assignment. A missing envoy of diplomats, though their fate was incredibly unknown. Just that they were running very late, for whatever their reasons might be. Thornhold wasn’t incredibly far off, if she was recalling correctly what little she had learned, so what happened? Could be that their magic user was merely wounded, but even then, you’d think at least one of them would have been able to send word, or even come on their own to let everyone else know what had happened. That was why they were being sent out, and being that this was her first assignment, she didn’t feel that the Guildmaster herself thought anything too dangerous or sinister was at hand… but having heard Essimuth’s warning about how there were some ‘bad goings on’ outside the city, she couldn’t help but wonder if that would have something to do with the missing diplomats? Probably not. But if the man was friends with Val and Kor, then maybe he was onto something at least. Maybe.

Whatever the case, she knew they’d need to be on guard once they left the city, but while they were still here, she had no qualms with letting her mind wander a bit. The soft, cool breeze and the subtle sway of the cart made it all too easy to nearly even drift off! But, seeing as she knew Kor was also going to be more of less grading her performance based on what the Guildmaster had said, she knew better than to go that far and merely enjoyed the ride while she could.

Soon, things began to look familiar, and she noticed they were approaching the northern gate. A realization that had her sitting upright, a feeling of both excitement and anxiety suddenly coursing through her veins as she strained to see above the northern wall toward the trees. She had come in from the southern entrance, so this would officially mark the farthest North she had ever ventured! You know, as soon as they made it outside the city. Suddenly, though, the cart came to a stop, and Marlow quickly looked around to see that they were surprisingly outside where they had first stepped out onto the street! Curiously, she watched as Kor stepped off of the cart (his shift in weight causing it to sway only a little thanks to the reinforcement put in place) and headed into a place called ‘The Gentle Mermaid’. She became a little more nervous the few short minutes he was gone, looking around on alert to be sure no one tried to pull something fact with a covered cart that was full of goods. Goods that she understood were not technically their own.

Much to her relief, Kor wasn’t gone long… but she was surprised to see him coming back with a small barrel over one shoulder. She couldn’t help but laugh a little, knowing he could probably down the whole thing in one sitting and barely feel anything at all. Her, on the other hand? She was admittedly feeling slightly affected by the ale she had already consumed, and she had only drank a few gulps! Still, with how happy Kor seemed to be with himself, and with how sweetly he smiled, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling right back at him and patting the barrel once he had it all set up. “Good thinkin’!” She laughed, keeping a hand on the top of the barrel as if to steady it as he climbed back up onto the seat, despite it being plenty stable due to the wooden cradle he had brought.

She got the feeling that this wasn’t the first barrel of ale he had brought on an adventure with him.

“So! How far away is Thornhold, anyway? Is it pretty big? I came up here from Mooncrest, so I’m not really familiar with the land to the North.” She didn’t really consider that he’d have never heard of her home village, as it wasn’t even on any map that she knew of.

 

[Haruchai]

​

Smiling as she praised his 'good thinkin'', Kor thought a moment as he tried to add things up in his head. Ale was one thing, but math was something else and it took a moment for him to answer her, and by this time they were getting very close to the North Gate.

"Thorn'old is a bit over a day's ride. We c'ud ev'n make it in'a day if'n we didn' stop or eat or nuthin'. Mebee twelve t'forteen hours or so." he said, and looked over to gauge her reaction. He seemed to quite delight in the fact that he was the one able to inform her of something, or inform anyone of anything for that matter. "It's a hunnert miles or so. Sets jes' south o' th'mere o' dead men. Big battle was fot there. Pr'tty bad place. Now th'Thorn'old is 'eld by th'dwarfs. Made it a pop'lar stoppin' place f'r travl'rs an' such."

They had approached the Gate now, and they were waved through by one of the City Guard. Passing beneath the Gate one could look up and see that there were heavy portculli at both ends of a long worked stone tunnel, the ceiling peppered with holes along the entire length. Kor motioned all around them as they rode through the structure, which was really a fortification than a simple gate, despite the nae.

"Barbic'n." he said simply, as if that would explain everything. When he saw that she didn't understand he continued. "Fortify'd. Murd'r 'oles. Oil o' spears c'n be put thru those 'oles t'kill. Mag'c ev'n." he said, explaining the function of the holes, and now that he had mentioned it Marlow would be able to see guardsmen above, watching through them. By now they approached the opposite end and they could see people wanting into the city being questioned, while those leaving, like them, had not been.

Kor clucked and the horse picked up the pace a little, but not fast. The cart wouldn't stand it. They bounced along the road a little, but overall it was pretty smooth and fairly well maintained. By now the sun had slipped from its' zenith and was descending, though dusk was still a couple hours away.

"Val will let 'thenia kno' we lef'." he assured the girl and then he looked at her curiously. "Why'dya wanna be a Brac'r?" he asked, obviously wondering.

 

[Anna]

​

She was starting to understand Kor’s thick accent, if that was even what it could be considered, and found herself having to strain less to understand him the more he spoke. “A day or two ain’t so bad!” She chimed happily, having thought the trip might take a week for some reason, or even more! Well, it probably would, but she was assuming that was the time it would take to get to Thornhold one way. She was intrigued by the mention of some large battle that had been fought at Thornhold, but she didn’t want to sound too ignorant by asking too many questions, so she decided to save that little history lesson for later, perhaps for when they arrived. When he said something about a ‘barbic’n’, though, she was stumped… until she looked up to where he was gesturing and noticed what it was he was referring to.

“That’s kinda gruesome…” She murmured, hesitantly giving a little wave to the guard peeping down at them as they passed through the gate, finally out of the city. She had no qualms with the guards, but was oddly relieved when they were allowed to leave, no questions asked. She sighed, then, closing her eyes and enjoying the already noticeably fresher air of the trees and ocean and, well, nature! The city was nice, but she wasn’t sure she could actually live there. Too busy and loud and crowded!

She nodded when Kor let her know that Val would let Athenia know they left. She figured he would, since he mentioned she would ‘have his hide’ if he didn’t get them on the road sooner rather than later. Before she could get too excited about being back outside the city, though, Kor dropped a question on her that she wasn’t sure she had the ‘correct’ answer to.

Why did she want to be a Bracer? She blinked at the question, caught off guard by how out of the blue it seemed. “Um. Well…” She hummed, glancing up toward the sky as she thought about all the reasons she had come to Deepwater to begin with. “I wasn’t really completely sure why at first. I kinda thought that it would be a good way to learn about the city and figure out where I want to be in it,” She admitted, a little shamefully, as she didn’t know if that made it sound like she was simply using the guild or not. But she continued, her lips forming a bright smile as her hands balled into excited fists in her lap. “But then I heard Lana’s story, about how you and Val saved her and the other people that were taken from her village. I think that was real’ amazin' of you guys to do! You didn’t have to do it! But ya did, and you saved Lana’s life, and now she gets to continue living life and being happy. Because of you.” Her excitement calmed a little, but her smile remained sincere and warm, full of plentiful admiration.

“I’d like to be able to be brave and strong enough to help people like that, too, and I think being a member of the Bracers is the best way to achieve that. Everyone I met today because of you and Val seemed like their life was a little brighter because of you guys, in one way or another. I’d like to have that effect on someone, someday.” She nodded conclusively, that smile still warming her face. Of course, her smile became somewhat embarrassed when she realized she had likely given him more information then he really cared for...

“Uh, sorry, prolly yappin’ your ears off, huh?“

 

[Haruchai]

​

Only able to nod as Marlow commented about things being gruesome, Kor added to the lore. "Lotsa unde'd used t'be at th'place. Or so dey say. I been th're a coupla times an' th'dwarfs g't it und'r c'ntrol." he assured her. Then Marlow went on to explain why she wanted to be a Bracer. Kor was indeed curious, for his own sake, but it was part of the vetting process as well. Goliaths were notorious for being able to sniff out lies, and Athenia used that to her advantage when she could. Not that he thought Marlow had any sort of nefarious reasons, hell she didn't seem to have a duplicitous bone in her body.

Her words rang true as she spoke, and Kor was happy when she mentioned the fact that people seemed grateful to the Bracers and to him specifically.

"It's why I want'd t'be one too. Yer on th'right track." he assured her and reached over to pat her knee in an almost fatherly way. That deep rumbling chuckle bubbled up from his chest at her question and he shook his head. "Nah. It's good t'ave th'comp'ny." he said.

They passed many people on the High Road, and a few waved, though some seemed a bit frightened by the sight of the goliath and the small girl at his side. At least, that was how it looked to them. Next to Kor the slim Marlow hardly looked like a woman grown, despite her years. Kor would wave back to some, though all received a polite nod and a smile, even if they shied away. A the day wore on nobody seemed alarmed, so Kor discussed that with Marlow.

"We're n't far fr'm th'city jes' yet, but nob'dy seems t'be worried. Mebee we'll run across sumpthin'." he said, hoping they'd hear some sort of word as they traveled northward.

The day wore on and with the sun high in the sky Kor pulled off the road and closer to a copse of trees to get some shade. Hopping from the cart he grabbed a large mug and ran him some warm ale. It was better cold, but you worked with what you had. He tapped the small keg. "Yeh wan' sum?" he asked, a bit of froth in his mustache.

 

[Anna]

​

… lots of undead? She quirked a brow and peeked up at Kor, wondering if he was just trying to give her a spook or somethin’. She’d never heard of any undead anywhere, but she also just had never been told of the goings-on outside of Mooncrest. The elders were pretty tight-lipped about outside events, and anyone who had to venture out of their little hamlet never came back with much to say. “Sounds like the kind of story you use to make little kids listen,” She admitted, trying not to sound too skeptical… or too unnerved, either. She’d read in books about magic-users who had the capacity to do such things, but actually hearing it from Kor’s lips was different.

She didn’t focus too much on the ‘tales’ of the undead, and instead decided to allow herself to relax again, watching the open road and the horizon with a look of glee in her eyes. She didn’t mind the pace they were going - the horse was already pulling quite a load, after all, and it would only wear down if they made it go any faster. Plus, the slower pace allowed her to see more, watching the way the people on the road would shy away when Kor so much as looked at them, despite his friendly smile and wave. He probably looked very intimidating to them. “... Is it real’ uncommon to meet a goliath?” She asked curiously, wondering if his kind was rare. She couldn’t recall seeing any others in the city, and the reaction of the people they crossed wasn’t what you’d expect if his race was as common as the other races seemed to be.

She beamed happily when he admitted it was good to have company, his massive hand engulfing her entire thigh as he patted her leg in a reassuring kind of way. The touch wasn’t at all sensual or suggestive, merely innocent and comforting.

She didn’t really take notice of the fact that no one seemed to be alarmed or discussing anything major until Kor later pointed it out, causing her to arch a brow and offer the goliath a happy smile. “That’s good though, ain’t it? Means that maybe those scholars aren’t in any trouble, right? Just maybe they got sidetracked or somethin’!” She was hopeful at least. She was eager to show that she could be useful, but she also didn’t want anything bad to have happened to those scholars. If they were in trouble, well, she of course would do her best! But it would be ideal for them to just be held up, right? She assumed so.

After some hours, Marlow was grateful when they stopped beneath the shade of a tree. She was eager to hop down as well, leaving her cloak in her seat, as she was getting hot from sitting in the sun all this time. She stretched as she watched Kor pour himself a large mug full of ale. The ale from earlier had definitely worn off by now, so there was no harm in drinking more, so figured. It would be rude to turn it down, since Kor went out of his way to bring it in the first place! “Sure, I don’t see why not! Is it fine if I just take a drink from yours? I ain’t really thirsty enough for a full mug or nothin’,” And she doubted it would even dent his drink, even if she took a huge gulp. Which, if he allowed her to share his mug, wasn’t what she would even do. Just a few sips, doing her best to hide any look of distaste as she drank the warm ale.

“It’s… good!” She said through a slightly forced little smile, not wanting to hurt his feelings. She was starting to think she was more of a wine gal, though.

 

[Haruchai]

​

Kor nodded as Marlow commented on the story. "We do th't too." he agreed, and shook his head. Marlow could even eel a little shudder go through the goliath. Not out of fear - it didn't seem that Kor was afraid of anything. Not that she'd noticed so far anyway, but perhaps the thought of undead creeped him out a little.

The question about his ken made the large man pause a moment and think. "Nah, I dun think so. My peeple tend t'live in th'mount'ns. Mos' nev'r come down, and mos' peeple nev'r ev'n see us. Few peeple know us an' ev'n few'r c'n call us frien'." he said, looking at her with a decidedly warm and open expression, hoping that she would consider him a friend. It was almost blatantly childlike in his manner, and though he might try to hide it there was no mistaking the hope there. Kor had a few friends; Val, Lana, Teddy.... Athenia possibly. Yet Marlow got the distinct impression that the goliath was quiet enough, and also intimidating enough, that most simple left him alone. That in many ways, away from his people, who were reclusive and nomadic, he was very much alone.

He'd slowly withdrawn his hand from her person and as she asked about the diplomats and the lack of news, Kor pondered. He shrugged. "I s'ppose so. No news is good news?" he asked, almost unsure of himself. Kor had been on enough assignments that he knew Athenia would not send them out after nothing, but he'd also seen a few assignments also pan out to be just that - nothing.

After they stopped and grabbed a drink, Marlow seemingly quite happy with the short break, Kor allowed them both a short rest. He then said, "If'n we press th'pace we c'n g't there by nightf'll." he said. Yeh wanna try?" he asked, and if Marlow decided to have them press forward quickly, or slowly, they were soon back on the road. Kor had taken off his weapon baldric now, his upper torso bare, a thin sheen of sweat making his skin glisten a little. However, he'd placed the leather strap strategically, the Bracers insignia in plain sight of those who would pass them. Kor might have been slow, but he learned from experience.

Once more out on the road they would pass a few people and some stopped to speak, Kor always asking about Thornhold. Most had either passed by the fortress or had come from the east to the High Road to make travel easier. The Long Road passed through the small town of Amphail, which was separated from the High Road by some cliff-like peaks and dense forest. Rumor had it that Amphail was having some problems with night raids, and so most travelers avoided the village altogether, or only passed by during the day.

Kor had turned to Marlow. "Supp'sed t'go t'Thorn'old, but mebee we should ch'k out Amp... Amf... th't village?" he asked, obviously not used to making these decisions himself.