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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 11, 2022 2:59:51 GMT -5
Astrid finds Veliky's opinions on people and emotions a bit odd, but she doesn't press any further. The woman seems done with the conversation, and that's okay. Everyone thinks about things differently. She wonders what Veliky's gone through to make her seem so guarded. Not that it's her business. With a chorus of splishes, the tiny adult pulls herself from the water, and Astrid peeks over the rim of the tub at her trying to gauge her. She's not so good at that, so she decides that yeah, the water is cold, and she gets herself out of the tub with less effort than it probably took Veliky.
Drying off is an interesting experience, as the towel is not soft against her skin. It's akin to a burlap sack, but at least it sops the water up more effectively than a burlap sack. In comparison, this is heavenly. New clothes and a bath in one day? Regardless of what Veliky wants to call it, be it generosity, compassion, or duty, she's still appreciative.
Though, her question shatters the silence and any further pondering Astrid may have continued doing. It doesn't offend Astrid one bit. Perhaps she doesn't think to be offended by it, so she answers earnestly and in a familiar friendly tone. "Aye, I figure I am. Me ma's definitely a dwarf, but I never met me da. I'm 'bout as tall as mosta the dwarves 'round here, so I figure I gotta be half-somethin'-taller-than-me." She taps on her horns. "Maybe tieflin'? Makes sense ta me." The half-dwarf finds her fresh clothes and starts getting dressed. The drafty room threatens to chill her to the bone while she considers Veliky's next question. "Far as if they tolerated me... I s'pose most folks avoided lookin' at me since mosta the beggars hound folks that make eye contact. Don't s'pose anyone likes someone diggin' through their trash either."
Finally dressed again, Astrid takes a deep refreshing breath and looks over at Veliky. "Is it okay if I ask 'bout the thing in yer chest? I've never seen somethin' like it."
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Dec 16, 2022 18:52:01 GMT -5
Cantio draws his focus back to his soak; he unties his crimson hair, and lets it fall over his shoulders while he listens idly to Zarius speak. It’s true that he doesn’t go bragging about gigs; and he likes to think he’s good in an upper class crowd… he supposes. Though, it does come as a surprise that Zarius heard even a fraction of his performance at the Meadowbloom Estate; enough so, that the younger tiefling offers him a glance beneath messy locks of bangs. He turns his head away as he runs his hand through his hair, moving it out of his face.
“Oh,” he remarks, a small hint of flattery leaking into his voice. “Thank you.” There’s something particularly nice about that compliment. He’s heard a thousand different types; but hearing his music described as genuine? It almost makes him feel like the work that he puts into it is being acknowledged in some way. He was never naturally talented, after all; but a small, sheepish smile quirks the edges of Cantio’s lips, regardless. He listens quietly, waiting until Zarius is done speaking, before he breathes a slow sigh and sinks down into the water. No pressure to agree, no blackmailing, and plenty of time before the event… they sound like good things in hindsight, but… is Zarius telling the truth? He only submerges himself for a minute, enough to get his hair wet, before re-emerging from the water with a slight huff of a breath. He pulls himself back into a sitting position, and starts ringing the sudsy water from his hair. “ Just, um…” he trails off, blinking water from his lashes. “ Feel free to reach out closer towards the date, then, and I’ll let you know if I have the time to stop by… Weddings are such memorable events. I’ve always liked playing at them, honestly… Everything is always soooo… Perfect. For just a few hours, anyways— but it's kind of nice.” Even if he’s not really a part in the celebration, there’s something nice about seeing the celebration unravel— being a part of someone’s memories, even if it’s not you they necessarily remember.
"I'm sure I could find some time to stop by."
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Dec 17, 2022 1:21:49 GMT -5
Zarius grins to himself. "Alright, I will make sure you get an invitation then."
He slides down in the bath and fully submerges himself for a moment before coming back up and shaking the water from his hair. The bathwater had cooled quite a bit so he finishes washing his face before getting up and wrapping a towel around his waist. He steps over to Cantio's bath and puts his hands on his hips.
Fully intending to make some snarky remark to the bard because it is entertaining to see him flustered, Zarius opens his mouth to speak but then pauses and reconsiders. He thinks back on what Veliky had said while they were in the shop and he frowns a bit before smiling again. It's a different smile than his usual toothy grin. It almost seems sincere.
"This should go without saying, but do not let anyone tell you that your efforts are wasted on things that make you happy."
He steps away and starts heading towards the changing rooms. The red tiefling probably wouldn't understand why Zarius was compelled to make that statement, it was likely completely unnecessary given that Cantio had little reason to respect the encouragement he offered.
Still, the words had bothered him. Cantio seemed like the kind to hold the opinions of his allies close to his heart. If he knew that Veliky had said such a thing, it probably would be a stomp on the bard's confidence and feelings even if Veliky was only being honest about her own pragmatic opinion. The bard hardly needed the criticism given how fragile he acted.
Pausing at the changing room door, he glances back over his shoulder.
"Music played by those without passion sounds hollow. There is no way to completely fake a genuine love for something."
With that said, he disappears into the changing room to get dressed.
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Post by Veliky on Dec 18, 2022 6:38:19 GMT -5
...
Hm. So they don't treat her poorly, at least. That's good.
...
Veliky's eyes become more distant, like she's staring off the edge of a cliff. Her hearing becomes muted, muffled by an intense ringing. She can't even hear Astrid's question. Lost in wandering thoughts, gripped by the tightness in her chest - she bargains with her beating heart, but it does not slow; she bargains with the invading conceptions, but they do not relent; she bargains with her life-sustaining breath, but it will not steady. There is no bargaining with such things - no bargaining with the murmurs, murmurs, 'Of course, it was just an excuse.'
She has to go.
Veliky abruptly stands and, perhaps the quickest that Astrid has even seen, dresses herself. It's a set of swift and somehow powerful movements; in seconds, she's tightening her gloves and facing the doorway. An emblem shimmers on her cap.
"I'll be in the taproom." It's a simple statement, yet spoken with such deathly seriousness that there's little space for rebuttal or even response.
And it's with this same severity that she marches out of the room. Despite the doorknob being higher than she can reach, she merely snaps her fingers and it opens[1] for her. Even the inanimate, it would seem, are subject to her commands. It's fortunate, too, that the door obeyed; she looked all-too ready to break it down.
1. Minor Trickery
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 20, 2022 0:22:21 GMT -5
With as swiftly as Veliky dresses and leaves, Astrid is left standing half dressed in the drafty room. Did she touch a nerve? She didn't mean to. Should she apologize? The moment threatens to remind her again of unpleasant home memories. Of asking too many questions of her mother and being ignored or walked out on. All she wants is Veliky to like her, not to avoid her like this.
Astrid looks at the new shirt in her hands with a despondent expression. No, there's something odd about that short lady. She argues with herself. She hides her true feelings behind a wall of uncaring. Maybe it's not the half-dwarf's place to try to break those walls down. After all, they've only just met. Still, Veliky's got a big company, some cool mechanical... things, and gives Astrid a goal to work toward: Impress Miss Veliky.
So, the girl takes a deep breath, gets herself dressed, fixes her hair into two low pigtails, and happily sets her goggles on top of her head, just in front of her horns. She looks at herself in the foggy, dirty mirror and stands proudly, admiring this odd outfit she's put together but absolutely loving. For the first time in a long time, she feels like herself. With a little twirl, her skirt flares out behind her, and she heads out to follow after Veliky.
The taproom is abuzz with locals after a long day. Of course, Astrid receives a few looks being a child in a bar, but she ignores them and looks for the small woman with a penchant for not caring about people or something like that. The scent of food and mead permeates the air, and as much as she'd love to stuff her gob, she won't ask for more. Besides, if she's going to do something new, she needs to figure out exactly how to do that. So since Veliky is hard to find, she instead looks for the job board posted near the door. How will she do them? No idea. That's a future her problem.
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Dec 24, 2022 16:36:02 GMT -5
As silence replaces idle chatter, Cantio works on finishing his bath; it wasn’t exactly needed all things considered, but it is appreciated. There’s something calming about soaking in the warm water, but of course, it never lasts: eventually, as Cantio is ringing the water from his hair— Zarius beats him to climbing out of the cooling water.
He hears his footsteps first. Pulling his towel off the side of his bath to hide some of his modesty, Cantio throws Zarius an embarrassed look as he hovers near his bath. He opens his mouth, about to ask him what he wants, when he speaks. The sharp words die on his tongue, leaving Cantio blinking up at Zarius with a puzzled expression. “Huh?” His eyes follow Zarius as he walks away and heads towards the changing room.
What… what brought that on?
Cantio’s tail flicks somewhat, brows furrowing as he turns away and pulls himself to his feet. He quietly wraps his bath towel around his waist, tying it off so that he doesn’t need to keep his hands on it, and steps out from the bath. Water pools around his feet, and he takes a moment to run his hand through his hair, when he hears Zarius speak again.
He doesn’t look up this time, instead looking quietly off towards the floor; but after a moment of consideration, a sheepish smile twitches at the edges of his lips before he heads after Zarius into the changing room.
Cantio takes a little longer to get ready, reapplying makeup and ensuring that he doesn’t look a mess when he slips his mask back over his face— and soon enough, the tiefling reconvenes in the taproom with the rest of the group. His hair still wet, Cantio readjusts his mask and belt as he trots out of the changing rooms, tail swaying contently. The taproom is a little crowded now that the evening is setting in, and Cantio moves his way through the crowd looking for a familiar face— oh! There’s the little one!
Cantio moves through the crowd towards the edge of the room, smiling warmly as he regards her, “ Astrid! You look nice and clean; are you finding anything interesting up there? Are you hungry? If we can find Zarius and Veliky, we could probably get a meal together.”
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Dec 26, 2022 11:33:17 GMT -5
Zarius doesn't take nearly as long getting ready as Cantio does. He doesn't have to bother with anything elaborate beyond drying his hair, tying some of it back, and throwing his clothes back on.
As he's adjusting his collar on his way to the taproom, one of the inn's attendants walks up to him in the hallway with a fresh folded towel.
"How was the bath, sir? Do you need another clean towel?" She asks as she holds it out to him, gently nudging the corner of a piece of paper out from the folds.
The tiefling notices the edge of the paper and slips it out from the folded towel and into his satchel as he takes the towel.
"Yes, thank you. The bath was a little lukewarm if I am to be honest."
The attendant nods. "I will let the owner know, my apologies."
"That is not necessary." He rummages in his coin pouch and offers her a few Solars. "Thank you for your service."
He walks past and instead of going to the taproom, he slips outside for a moment to review the letter he was handed. It wasn't great news, but it was at least something to follow up on. Something about a local miner maybe having more information. He just hoped they were around town and not off somewhere more remote. He'd have to ask around more to see if it was worth pursuing or if he should cut his losses.
For now he shouldn't raise any suspicions from Veliky by suddenly disappearing. He didn't need the quarterling sticking her nose into his business given her thinly veiled distaste for his work. He returns to the taproom and looks around for the others. Cantio was finally ready and seemed to have found Astrid, which was good since some folks definitely seemed confused by the unattended child. Veliky on the other hand was harder to pick out of the busy social hall.
He circles around a few times until he finally finds the quarterling and the table she had managed to fend others off from.
"Did you chase off some patrons from this table for us?" He asks with a joking tone.
Despite her size, Veliky certainly could be bossy and intimidating. He wouldn't be surprised at all if she had merely walked up, ordered others to leave, and they did so without a second thought.
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Post by Veliky on Dec 27, 2022 17:45:32 GMT -5
When searching for the aptest terms to describe the little tycoon that is Veliky, one can find them in the various states of a cup of tea. She can be scaldingly hot at some times, but unpleasantly cold at others. Indeed, she is just as fickle; and when her patience has truly thinned, her attitude can become as unpalatable as the bitterest dregs. But, at the best of times, she can be surprisingly cordial, although her affection remains a myth. For those that engage with the cloying, the zealous or the outright moronic, her uncompromising practicality can be pleasantly refreshing.
But not now. Now, not one of those statements describes her. And, as she raises her head to regard Zarius, her eyes are eerily devoid of any said qualities - of anything at all[1]. It would be a truly bizarre sight, but Zarius has seen it once before, during their troublesome night in Sol.
A stray strand of her dirty-blonde hair falls in front of her eye. At any other time, she would brush it aside, perhaps even let out a groan if it's a persistent lock. But now, for some inexplicable absence of will, she merely lets it hang.
"Didn't need to. Empty seat at the table; just sat and the rest got uncomfortable and left. Didn't think we'd be staying for long, anyways." Familiar as her emotionless face, her emotionless voice is an audible anomaly: a flat, swift and apathetic speech.
Her eyes, unchanging, dart about Zarius' body in an uncomfortably scrying fashion, noting every shred of body language. She does nothing to hide her tactless examination. It's as if she suddenly forgot all pretence of etiquette or, more likely, that she simply doesn't care.
"I can't stay much longer. Let's get Astrid some proper supplies, then-"
"Let go o' me, ye shoddy buckets! I'll rip out e'ry bolt in yer bodies 'n' eat 'em!"
The irate ranting, thick with dwarven accent, draws dozens of eyes - including Veliky's - to the front of the taproom, where there stands a sight that would be bizarre and alarming to most anyone but Veliky and Zarius. Two Blixtbots™ (one with a blade and the other with a crossbow) are dragging a dumpy, light-haired, green-eyed dwarven man by his arms and into the room.
"I'll melt yer arms and forge them inta backscratchers! I'll find whichever anvil you were shaped on and I'll bash it with me hammer, just so I can say that I banged your mother!" Similarly crude promises continue to spill from his rage-reddened face.
It's the sort of scene that anyone would seek to distance themselves from as quickly possible. Unfortunately, and rather incriminatingly, both of the red-eyed golems are staring directly at Veliky.
"Mistress Veliky," the crossbow-bot begins, "report: we have acquired a light-haired, green-eyed dwarven woman as you requested."
...In their defense, they *can* be difficult to tell apart.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Dec 28, 2022 20:26:57 GMT -5
Some of these postings on the job board are a bit hard to read from a low angle, but luckily there are a lot of dwarves in town, so there's many that are closer to Astrid's eye level. She looks through them studiously, one finger on her chin as she contemplates in a very faux-adult manner. Of course, she looks nothing like an adult, not even in dwarven terms, and this feigning does nothing to help her case.
Her eyes light up when Cantio's voice calls out from behind her, and she turns around to smile up at him brightly. With all the dirt polished off her skin, she practically glows. "Aye, I'm lookin' fer jobs!" she says. "Figure it'd be a bit rude ta accept all this kindness from alla ya without tryna do somethin' fer meself." That isn't to say she isn't hungry. The girl is always hungry, she's just grown accustomed to the feeling of an empty stomach. The meat skewers from earlier were her first meal in the last few days. Her next words come in a sheepish murmur. "S'pose I won't turn down an offer fer a meal though..." then her voice rises, and she pats her bicep playfully. "If I'm gonna find some work, I need me strength."
It's about this time that the door only a few feet away from the girl and the bard bursts open and two BlixtbotsTM march in dragging the shouting dwarf. At first, this startles Astrid, but then it quickly turns into excitement. To see these fancy metal men in action, what a dream! The dwarf must have done something dastardly to be accosted like this. His insults are pretty funny, though she wonders why he's so angry.
And then the bots report who they've brought, and Astrid's face falls a bit. It's not that she's disappointed, it's actually a little bit of dread. This man's been pulled away from whatever he was doing because Veliky's bots were trying to help her.
"Dwarven woman?!" the dwarf squawks, liquid spraying from his enraged lips. His limbs flail about, trying to strike out at the bots but failing against their iron grip. "I'd make a damn fine woman but ye'll be regrettin' that assumption the moment I get me hands free, ye godsdamned buckets 'o bolts!"
"Oh, oh no. Ah- um..! S-Sorry mister!" Astrid calls, rushing over. "Sorry, sorry, they were lookin' fer me ma."
The dwarf looks Astrid up and down, and a look of recognition crosses his face. His lip pulls back in a sneer. "Yer that damn devil spawn askin' after her mummy every damn day!" he growls. "Yer ma ain't comin' back! Quit yer waitin' 'round 'n' pick yerself up te do somethin' useful with yer life already, ye freeloadin' street rat!"
At first, Astrid is taken aback. There's a moment of silence while she takes in what's just happened. She was just trying to help and apologize for the man's situation. Nothing she did warrants his reaction, and having an insult flung carelessly in her face stings. But she's not alone today, and years of the bullying from people like him well up to the surface. Her face scrunches up, and she stomps her foot. "Aye, maybe I would if any of ya superstitious jerks would actually take me on as an apprentice! But noooooo, yer too scared I'm gonna curse yer families or some donkey dung like that! Maybe if ya knew how ta show a bit o' compassion, ya wouldn't be fearin' no hellions under yer beds!"
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Jan 3, 2023 0:10:12 GMT -5
Cantio laughs softly as Astrid turns to smile at him, her voice cheerful and bright. “ Jobs?” he repeats curiously; she looks like the bath’s done wonders for her— and he hopes she’s feeling a little more confident than she had seemed back at the tailor’s when she’d been mulling things over in the dressing room. “ Well, that’s awfully responsible of you.” He smiles at her, tail flicking back and forth while she agrees sheepishly to an offer for a meal. “ You sure will; gonna be harder to work on an empty stomach.” he agrees; he turns his head to look at the board, thinking he might help Astrid find something suitable, when the doors fly open nearby. Cantio practically jumps out of his coat, bouncing a good foot into the air, and scuttling a few steps away — coincidentally, behind Astrid — not that a child is really going to do much to protect him. “ Oh, goodness— those are Veliky’s bots, aren’t they? What’re they doing?” he remarks, curiously following the two bots as they head towards— oh, there’s Veliky! My, she looks a little out of it, herself… He blinks, mouth falling open slightly as the bots make their report. “ Oh.” Covering his mouth sheepishly with one hand, he realizes that they were looking for Astrid’s mother, and… that is very much not her. “ Oh dear.” He looks after Astrid as the child rushes off; shoulders lowering slightly, he takes a look around at the curious eyes of the crowd, before pacing quickly after the girl. He can hear her apologizing as he approaches— and he hears the growl from the dwarven man in return very clearlyl. His pace slows as he approaches Astrid, eyes widening over the poisonous remarks literally spat at the child; even he falls silent for a moment, staring back at the furious dwarven man. His heart breaks at the insinuation that Astrid has been… asking for her mother for this long, and… and no one’s helped her? Have they been ignoring her all this time!? Why!? “ Wh…” Cantio blinks, closing his mouth when Astrid’s voice cuts back— her voice signaling a pent up frustration along those same veins— insinuating that she really has been asking for help… How long has she been out here? How long have they just been letting her wander the streets without food, shelter, or a way to even get those things?
... And he has the nerve to call her a freeloader? For a moment, his dumbfounded expression disappears, and he takes a slow and calm breath. “ She has a name, and it’s Astrid.” He rests a hand gently on Astrid’s shoulder as he steps up beside her, “ And you— you have some nerve to call her such awful things.” he remarks. “ She came to you, and you couldn’t pull your nose out of your ill-kempt beard for long enough to give her more than a second glance? How dare you think that you have any right to insult her when you and the others here have been actively making things worse for her?” He points at the dwarf, tail flicking back and forth irritably despite the calm; there’s a viscous sputtering of disgust and fury from the dwarven man that he cuts into. He’s pretty sure he might bite him if tried to get any closer, and he has no plans to. " She’s been out here on her own, doing her best, without help for who knows how long! This little girl has more resolve and bravery than you have in your entire body— especially if you're so scared of her because she has— Solaria forbid— horns." He breaths a sardonic laugh when he speaks, and moves his hands to his hips. " You know, the quickest way to get a real demon on your case is to prove you've a cold heart and a tarrish soul; and it sure seems like you're on the right track if that's what you're going for. You should take a good, hard look at your priorities when you get home." He slips his fingers beneath his mask to pinch the bridge of his nose, and takes a deep breath, ignoring the sputtering curses. His voice is quieter as he turns to Astrid, trying to ease her away from the situation somewhat. “ Astrid...? I'm sorry. People like this aren’t even worth your time; you don't even need to give him the time of day. All he's doing is spewing filth anyways— let's just let Veliky's bots take out the trash, since that's all he wants to contribute." Cantio gently tries to usher the girl back towards the job board, " We can still find you a job on the board while they handle this."
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 3, 2023 16:19:52 GMT -5
Zarius is surprised to see Veliky's bots drag in an angry dwarf into the very crowded tavern, but he is more surprised by the verbal evisceration the dwarf suffers courtesy of one orphaned half-dwarf and one flamboyant bard with stage fright. Cantio von Lumen was full of exciting surprises and it was almost touching to see him leap to the young girl's defense.
He could understand why the bard was so angered by the revelation that Astrid had been noticed by the locals and yet no one ever reached out a hand to help her. The world was full of cruel places and people. Sky Peak was no different.
Kids without parents had it particularly rough. It was a shame Astrid had been left behind by her mother for such a seemingly petty reason.
The tiefling looks at Veliky. While he was more than willing to teach the dwarf a lesson he would pass down to his children and his children's children for generations, the tiefling knew that Veliky already wasn't a fan of the kind of tactics he was comfortable with exercising.
What's more is that Veliky's metallic minions had a firm hold on the dwarf and the quarterling had already told Zarius that day that the constructs wouldn't necessarily trust him at all. Last thing he wanted was to get stabbed today.
"Do you want to handle that, or shall I?" He asks.
While he hardly needs her permission, he does want to stay on Veliky's good side if only to avoid becoming the target of her divine light once more. At the very least, he would offer whatever support she thought was appropriate for the situation.
Though, if the dwarf started doing more than just spitting vitriol, he would be quick to jump to Astrid and Cantio's defense. Going right up and punching the dwarf now would more than likely result in the Cantio being horrified rather than grateful.
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Post by Veliky on Jan 7, 2023 17:25:58 GMT -5
At some point (and somewhat disrespectfully, given the context), the little, blank-faced Veliky produced and began to eat a viperfloss/cream cheese sandwich. By the time Zarius' question comes, her cheeks are stuffed. At first, it's difficult to tell if she even heard him. But, after a drawn-out time of chewing and swallowing, an answer does come, as neutral in tone as she is in face.
"I will."
She hops from her seat, but not before taking another bite of her sandwich, which she chews as she minces over to the dwarf whose face has only grown more red from Astrid and Cantio's (deserved) barrages. Like a snarling hound, he turns his grimace to her as she approaches.
"So YOU'RE the one that 'ad these metal nazima drag me from the pie-eating contest! Who tha skelg're you?!"
She says nothing. Whether this is because her mouth is yet full of sandwich or if she'd have any intent of speaking at all, it's impossible to tell. Either way, the dwarf doesn't wait long.
"Ah, keep yer secrets! I couldn't give a stjorant's knickers for tha name of a little skirthnuld that associates with devil-spawn!" He tugs and struggles against the grip of the Blixtbots™, clearly with violent intent, but they easily hold him in place. "Come 'ere! Ah'll bury you in the fockin floorboards! A've had ales bigger than ye! I've passed stones bigger th'n your entire fockin head! I'll-"
As casually as a sailor would step aboard her own ship, Veliky (still chewing) pokes the dwarf in the knee. Suddenly, inexplicably, he goes silent. All the anger fades from his face and, in time, the redness does as well[1]. The frothing rage of a violent drunk ebbs to the half-wake numbness of a sedated surgical patient.
Veliky, still holding a sandwich in her other hand, finally finishes her bite and speaks up. "Sorry for the inconvenience. You're free to leave."
Acting as extensions of her words, the bots yield their burrowing grip on each of his arms. He drops about a quarter of a foot, landing with both boots on the ground in a muffled thump.
"Weh?" He looks at the two constructs, then at her. He's surprised, but only in an odd, muted way - one best described as 'hollow.' "...Aye. Aye, ah should've."
And then he turns to the door. His movements sluggish, clumsy, yet they don't seem impeded in any way. Rather, he just seems to lack any care or motivation to maintain a semblance of grace, instead merely choosing a direction and wiggling toward it.
"Should go home... Me wife'll be pissed..."
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on Jan 15, 2023 19:48:58 GMT -5
It comes as a huge surprise to Astrid to be defended from someone spitting hatred in her direction. This is the first time someone else has stood up for her, let alone beside her. Cantio's hand on her shoulder sends a warm wave of calm through her, and she herself looks surprised by the turn of events. The bard, who's been quite kind and soft-spoken, delivers a string of admonishments and insults as if he'd practiced this before. But there's no way he could have. Despite the dwarf yelling his own obscenities in reply, Cantio continues to lay into him.
Looking past the dwarf, even Zarius looks like he's ready to make a move if necessary, and the calm with which Veliky puts an end to the situation shrouds the tavern in silence. All eyes are on them, and just like that, things deescalate. They're over. The dwarf leaves, and Astrid watches him wander past, seemingly not noticing her, just as before. A murmur falls about the tavern.
This feels weird.
It's a good weird, like a magnification of all the warm fuzzy feelings that have been building all day. Even as Cantio tries to usher her away, she's at a loss for words. These strangers appeared out of nowhere and showed her nothing but kindness and compassion. She's never met them; she's never done anything for them. Yet here they are, offering clothes and food and advice.
Finally, her hopes that maybe the world isn't such a cruel place feel validated.
Astrid suddenly turns and hugs Cantio around the waist, a silent, grateful "thank you." She's not sure what overcomes her to do this. Maybe he just seems like the only one of the three to accept this gesture. It's all she really has to offer. She has no money or skills really to do anything in return.
She wants to give back, if not to the three adults who swept in and saved her from the streets, then to pay it forward and help others in situations that make them feel helpless. She steps away from the red tiefling, having swallowed whatever emotions bubbled to the surface.
"Right, um, thanks," she says sheepishly. The girl looks toward the job board again. What of those jobs can she even really do?
“I think you’re brave enough to do whatever you set your mind to, miss Astrid.”
That's right, she can do anything. So she strides up to the board and plucks one of the postings off and looks it over. Missing miners. That should be something she can handle, right?
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Post by Cantio von Lumen on Jan 29, 2023 14:48:17 GMT -5
Cantio’s tail lashes, hands still resting on Astrid’s shoulders as he leers at the angry dwarf; Astrid isn’t really resisting being pulled away, but she’s not following along either, so he doesn’t force her. She seems to be lingering, watching Zarius and Veliky as they exchange about what to do with the dwarf, while the dwarf continues badmouthing them.
Cantio's so angry about what's been said, and what's being said, that he doesn’t even realize that Veliky seems to have materialized a sandwich out of thin air and is currency chewing a mouthful while the dwarf goes off, gnashing teeth and spittle at the small group of interlopers. He furrows his brows, about to bark back at the dwarf again for his furious sputtering, when Veliky pokes him in the forehead out of nowhere.
His frustration dies on his tongue, but remains in his tense posture, furrowed brows, and lashing tail; suddenly, the dwarf is just… fine. He calms without warning and Veliky— wait, when did she get a sandwich? Has she had that the whole time?
Cantio does a double-take at the quarterling, then snaps his attention back to the dwarf when he is released. He pulls Astrid back towards him protectively as the dwarf skirts past, practically tripping and stumbling over his own boots as he goes. Cantio glares after him, waiting until he’s completely left the building before he breathes an exasperated puff of air. He looks down at Astrid worriedly, “Astrid, are you— oh!”
He puffs a breath of air when she suddenly hugs onto him, and his tense posture melts away all at once. He blinks a few times, bewildered, before his golden gaze softens. He rests his hands behind Astrid’s shoulders and pats her back, tail coiling sheepishly around one of his legs when she steps back and speaks. “Of course,” he murmurs, interlacing his hands together, and looking after Astrid like a fretful mother hen while she strides back towards the job board.
His brows furrow slightly as he watches her tear off a poster from the board and start to look it over.
“... How could anyone be so cruel to her?”
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Post by Eameia (Zarius unavailable) on Jan 30, 2023 16:40:49 GMT -5
The tiefling sits back and watches as Veliky goes to handle the situation. The dwarf was drawing a lot of attention from the rest of the patrons in the tavern. Not that the group didn't already stand out enough as they do.
He shoots a few warning looks at some of the rubbernecking patrons after Veliky manages to diffuse the situation using her magic. He'd seen her use that magic before, though it was on herself. It was an effective if temporary solution, better than what he was considering in the back of his mind.
Getting up from his seat, Zarius walks over to the bard. He glances over at Astrid out of the corner of his eye as she looks at the postings at the board.
“... How could anyone be so cruel to her?”
The tip of the tiefling's tail twitches. He considers what to say in response to that. The way the dwarf treated Astrid was not so uncommon to either orphans or those with fiendish qualities. Had the bard really never experienced this kind of treatment himself, or at least seen such cruelties in his travels? If not, he must have some sort of guardian angel or extreme luck.
"Unfortunately some people are just like that." He looks at the young red tiefling. "Judging by how she reacted, it does not seem like this is the first time she has been spoken to that way."
"Miss Astrid," he calls over to the young girl. "If you are planning on going out into the wilderness, you will need some way to defend yourself. After we eat, we can go see about picking out an appropriate weapon."
Before Veliky or Cantio can argue, he herds them back to the table and whispers in their ears so Astrid cannot hear. "Unless one of you is planning on taking her under your wing, the least we can do is give her a fighting chance of surviving. You may not like the idea of arming a child, but if she has no one else around to protect her, she needs to have the means of protecting herself."
Zarius catches the attention of one of the servers and orders some food for the group, paying a handful of Solars for whatever the group wants. Once they have finished their meal and are ready to head out, Zarius gets some directions to a blacksmith so they can acquire proper adventuring equipment for Astrid.
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