To unite the world (MessedupRP and Saber Arturia)

[Revelations]

Wolfpine. Not a town one thought of when thinking of a good place to rest up for the night… Or at all. Well off from the main roads, close enough to the forest that it may well have been within them, and small enough that most everyone knew everyone else – it could have been an idyllic town in better times. But, in these darker times and with danger looming on the frontier, this town was a forgotten one, where people lived quiet lives and those who were burdened with troubles sought a way to escape from their woes. This evening was like any other once the sun set. Pregnant clouds above blackened the sky, and the steady downpour of rain pattered incessantly against the thin rooftop of the nearly abandoned inn, the weather poor enough that not even the regular patrons left their hovels for the cheap mead and beer the place offered to the thirsty.

Yet, it was often the loneliest nights that held the most surprising of events. As the hours dwindled by and it truly became night, there was the sound of a tapping against the door, clearly distinct from the pitterpatter of rain. Moments later, the old and heavy door creaked inwards as it was opened from the outside, the wind blowing in and causing what few candles and torches that were alight in the inn to flicker and dance as the shadows twisted and shifted alongside their movements. Standing in the door way was a figure shrouded in a wet cloak, the long piece of fabric clinging partially to the silhouette as the person within it unclasped it and slowly moved to fix it on the nearby post. Closing the door quickly afterwards, the light from within shone upon the man. A tall figure, standing around six feet and some inches with skin of a darker tanned shade than most, and straight dark hair that matted along his neck and down his shoulders. Amber flecked eyes looked across the slightly cool inn as his arms crossed over his chest for warmth, and his breathing calmed for just a moment. ‘Ah… Hello?’ Unsure as to whether he was speaking merely to himself in an abandoned inn or not, his first few steps inside were cautious, and while he wore heavy traveler’s clothing beneath the cloak, it was clear to see he had a toned and athletic frame to his physique. “Is anyone here? I was hoping for a room and a drink or two… It’s been a long trip.” A hopeful tone, but a distinct one – clearly not a man from the of Wolfpine.

 

[CatScrezatio]

It was a shock that the Solid Harp still stood, especially as it weathered another bad rainstorm. The structure had been one of the first built in Wolfpine. A young man named Gedner saw an opportunity to host people traveling past into the wilderness and built a tavern there. People came and went, many didn't find what they hoped for beyond the reaches of civilization, and some came back and settled around the tavern. Eventually a huddle of small buildings became a village, but the tavern never got any better.

Gedner, in his old age, had taken to his own stock, and eventually died in the back room of the Harp, a cask of ale pouring out onto his corpse. The tavern never got better after he was gone. It passed hands and eventually the town completely forgot who owned it. There was always some working the counter and serving food and drink, but nobody actually knew who had succeeded the place.

The building itself was dying from the outside in. The wood was gray and weathered, rotting at the joints and the roof seemed in constant threat of crashing in on the building. There wasn't a single room that didnt have some kind of draft, and plenty of spots had become home to any manner of creature. There were originally six rooms in the inn, but three were barely habitable, and now served as storage. But despite all this, the building stood as solid as its namesake might suggest. It has weathered countless storms, and stood through decades of weather and calamity. Houses in Wolfpine might burn or crumble, but the Solid Harp stood firm.

Tonight could have been the night to change this. The tavern creaked and groaned as the window whipped against it. The plain, harp shaped wooden sign swung back and forth from a post outside of the tavern. The window howled through the cracks and holes in the building, creating a ghostly chorus of sound slipping into the main room.

The interior was drab and dingy. A few candles and torches lighting thr empty room. Old wooden tables and chairs strewn about and dirt coating the rotting floor. It was dark and dingy, but mostly dry. As the man hung his cloak from a peg nearby, he might smell the scent of mildew and mold building up within the wood of the tavern. For a few moments after he asked his question, there was no response. Then a door in the back opened and a young woman stepped out.

She had pale skin, like most of the people of Wolfpine, and long bright red hair, currently tied into a long braid. Her face was thin but pretty, deep blue eyes that peered at the newcomer with curiosity and suspicion. She was dressed simply, with a white wool shirt and bland trousers, a leather apron draped over her body and tied around her back. Despite this, she appeared lithe and athletic. There was a slight bulge at her waist, the untrained eye might not know it to be a dagger hidden under her apron.

The woman looked at her new patron for several seconds, calmly and quietly examining him from head-to-toe, and back up again. He gave a curt nod toward one of the decrepit tables, "I'll see what we have." Her voice was clear and protected well. Decidedly unladylike. With another curt nod, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the back room, returning a few moments later with a flagon of ale. She set the ale down in front of him, "How long are you staying?"