Dracol Arc

[Asrana]

The common room of the inn was gloomy, though it lacked the normal stuffiness and smell of greasey smoke that pervaded other inn and tavern common rooms.

Behind a bar to Wraith's right stood a lean and dark man, several scars criss-crossing his face. He wore totally black tunic and trousers, the tunic's sleeves cut in mid-upper arm.

His hands were gloved in black leather, each casually holding the opposite elbow.

The rest of the room was filled with sparsely occupated tables and chairs, each person keeping to themselves and shifting closer to the large blazing fire on the other side from Wraith.

[Bean Bandit]

Wraith approached the bar slowly, after taking a measured glance around the room to assure himself of his surroundings, idly wondering briefly at the difference in atmosphere, and making sure he hadn't stepped into a worse situation than the one he'd just left.

As he approached the bar, he decided to keep communication direct, and short.

"I'm looking for a room for the night," he told the barman quietly, though he phrased the statement as a question.

[Asrana]

The barman nodded, "Five pieces of gold, breakfast comes with the room." His voice was worn with years that did not show, but still gruff like many younger men in his position.

As he removed a key from beneath the counter, Wraith got a look at his eyes. They were golden and weary looking, though not completely unfriendly.

[Bean Bandit]

Wraith nodded, removing a small amount of gold, without bringing the package out into the open. The barman looked as though he was a decent as people got in this end of the city, so he wouldn't insult by asking anymore questions.

He laid the gold on the counter, relieved to note it was five pieces. Demonstrating he had more would be begging to get robbed.

He looked up at the barman, wondering briefly about his eye color.He decided it wasn't urgent, and simply waited for the key to be placed on the bar, and directions to his room...

[Asrana]

Dropping the key in front of Wraith, the barman gestured to a staircase on the far end of the room, straight ahead of Wraith.

"Up the stairs, on your left at the end of the hall." He nodded to Wraith  sightly, eyes flickering betweenthe rest of the front room and the newcomer.

[Bean Bandit]

Wraith thanked the man and followed his direction, heading to the room he was offered.

He entered the room, and locked the door behind him. He glanced around momentarily...and decided to be cautious. Instead of collapsing on the bed, he pulled the sword from his belt and crossed over to beneath the window.

Settling down into the nearest corner, Wraith lay the kodachi on the floor, and braced his back up against the shadowy corner. Then, prepared for unpleasant surprises, he slumped slightly, drifting off into a light slumber...

[Asrana]

The night passed uneventfully as nights often did.

Golden light lanced through the window as the next morning came, lighting the room only barely.

All was quiet.

[Bean Bandit]

Wraith awoke.

As was his habit, sleep dissolved instantly, replaced by alertness. He looked around briefly, frowning. He had a day to occupy himself before he had to be at the citadel.

He thought for a long moment, reviewing the previous night's 'interview'.

If he was going to fight, He'd best use the downpayment he'd been given to aquire appropriate tools.

That decided, he left his room and headed to the common room for breakfast...

[Carthrat]

In a different part of a town, a different tavern stood. Relatively clean, it still harboured the usual crop of 'undesirable' individuals, which the locals studiously avoided. A single, slightly broken sign hung out over the door, with "The Li--s Cr-st" written on it in what might have once been bold, colourful writing.

Inside the tavern, the lights were low. Only a few individuals were about during the early morning. A few broken tables and chairs attested to a barfight earlier that night, and one man was huddled against the wall, trying to remove a dagger from his shoulder.

The few individuals that were at the bar were completely unharmed, though, and didn't looked interested in the situation. One of them was clearly not a local...

Dressed in a pair of torn, black, baggy pants which were frayed at the edges, and with her forest-green vest in no better condition, she looked decidedly worse for the wear. Her slim body and pale complexion made her look anorexic, and out of place, considering her slanted eyes and pointed ears, marking her as an elf.

In contrast a massive, perfectly crafted longbow lay on the chair next to her. The bow itself seemed to be made of metal, and had runes inscribed all over it. Even the string seemed metallic..

A short, crudely made scimitar was tied to her waist, and a crossbow hung of a hip holster. A bandoleer of knives would be visible across her chest, if she was sitting upright.

Braided black hair hung behind her like a rope, frayed at the edges.

She raised her hand to the barkeep, who approached with another glass of liquor. Taking it, she began sipping it.

The barkeep was saying something about how she should stop drinking, but she didn't hear him. She was too busy trying to silently cry to listen.

But she had no tears left...

[Asrana]

Sefeya glanced around the tavern from her shadowed corner, the glint of her armor, weapons, and insignia halted by her spell. She wouldn't be revealed until she wanted to.

There, the one with the bow. She was alone again, and probably for a while longer too. It may not have been the best of times to approach the woman, but it would have to do.

Seemingly to flow out of the deep shadows, Sefeya dismissed her magic, tachi held vertical along her left arm, the hilt hidden beneath her cloak, still ready to draw. A Demonia carrying position.

Her soft boots made almost no sound as she glided across the tavern floor, silver trimmed black cloak staying around her, the deep cowl shadowing her face. Only the silver along her cloak hem and the ring on right ring finger glinting in the dim light.

Reaching out once she had reached the table, she drummed her black gloved fingers on the table once. "May we talk?"

[Carthrat]

A voice... swirling in from the haze around her.

Serilliyus, for that was her name, pulled away from the table, and looked up at the speaker. Her vision was spinning, it seemed...

Chiding herself for letting herself go, Serilliyus looked straight into Sefeya's eyes. They seemd hazy.. predatory.. or mabye it was just the fact that she was drunk..

"What do you want?" she replied in a low, hard tone.

[Asrana]

The common room was barely habitated when Wraith entered, only the inn keeper and three tenants there.

Each tenant wore dark clothes like Wraith, keeping to their own parts of the common room, silently eating.

The black clothed and goldne eyed inn keeper stood where he had the night before, seeming to have barely moved.

[Bean Bandit]

Wraith went up to the bar and eyed the man behind it briefly.

"Excuse me." he said quietly, to get the man's attention.

[Asrana]

Sefeya smiled grimly, "I, would like to request your services. Any reasonable reimbursement we can provide is available for your services."

[Carthrat]

Serilliyus nodded, slowly comprehending... after all, if this woman had been in the bar a few hours ago..

But for money? Well... right now, Serilliyus had none of that...

And while the barkeep had offered her free drinks for dealing with those thugs a while back, she doubted that would sustain her forever.

"...who do you want dead?"