With a heavy sigh, a young man of T'saya descent would push open the door the Winter's Howl. Heavy winds had blown past him, alongside several gusts of snow, both of which had threatened to put out the fire of the tavern. Several of the patrons of the inn had turned towards the young man to grumble about his actions but there wasn't really much that he could do. It wasn't as though he was controlling this hectic and hazardous weather. In an attempt to at least assuage the situation at the very least, the young man would push past the entrance and shut the heavy wooden door behind him. With that, each of the grumpy patrons would turn back towards whatever they had been doing before he had entered.

The door now shut behind him, Videl would make his way on over towards the bar counter and would request a cup of tea. The beverage would be handed to him a moment later, allowing him to imbibe it. It was as he had been doing so that he would come to find himself lost in his thoughts. For Videl, this was his second time coming this particular inn. Or any inn for that matter. The last time around was when he had discussed a job with that scientist from Moonglade. While that had only been a bit ago, it had already felt like a lifetime. He had come to learn of just how exhausting it was to deal with actual people in combat.. and it was something that had worn him down. Whether that be emotionally or physically, he still wasn't sure.

Videl's mind would soon find itself with a sense of clarity as the warmth from the tea had begun to overtake him. Not that he necessarily minded the weather, mind you. Once his mind had found purchase on the present once again, he would put the tea down and take in a few short breaths before releasing them. "So this is it, huh..? What it's like to be out on my own.." Normally this was the kind of thing that Videl had kept to himself. After his recent experiences though, his lips couldn't help but vocalize the thoughts.

"We are all on our own in the end, are we not?" A warm and comfortable voice is suddenly heard from Videl's right as a elven man with bright hair cascading like liquid sunlight sits down next to him. He has an almost ethereal radiance to him. He has blue eyes that are vibrant like twin sapphires that has a keen piercing quality to them, and when they look at him, its as if its the first time anyone's laid eyes on him. As if this elf can see into his very core. It is not a cold gaze however, but warm, like being looked upon by a lover, or loving parent. Earth shatteringly beautiful.

His attire, A rough red robe of good quality designed for the road but is well maintained, and a long dark cloak with pauldrons at the sides. The fabric is black, but smooth as silk. Two jewels decorated with rubies are attacked to each side with a golden chain connecting the two sides of the cloak together to allow for ease of wear. The inside of the cloak seem to be red silk instead of black. The cloak is neck high and with a hood that hangs down the back.

"Its the company you find along the way that makes the solitude worth it in the end." He chuckles, drawing the attention from the others around, some unable to move their eyes from the unnatural presence in the cold tavern.

"Tell me, I have been on the road for far too long and am in need of a good story. What is it that troubles you?"

As the man of T'saya descent had looked out over the patrons of the inn, a voice would come from his right. A response to what he had said earlier, which had admittedly caught Videl off guard. He hadn't even realized that he had spoken those words aloud. And if he hadn't.. Well that would be all the more troubling. Choosing to believe that he had simply spoken his inner thoughts, Videl would grimace and then turn his attention towards the source of the voice.

His gaze would ultimately fall upon an individual that had left him entirely speechless. Something similar had occurred before, with Sylvari, but the feeling behind this was different. This wasn't a moment of curiosity and excitement but one of confusion, loss, and somehow belonging. Those sapphire eyes had instilled him with a sense of love and anguish. The love that he yet to receive from even his own family and the anguish of never having truly experienced it. Rather than keep his gaze interlocked with the newcomers own, Videl would drop his vision downwards. In doing so, he would take in the outfit in which this individual had donned. Fine silks and jewelry forged of metals. Clearly one of the upper echelon. Perhaps one of those nobles that he had heard about?

"I.. suppose that your words ring true, stranger. Albeit I have yet to discover many of such company. Unless you wish to be the second of many?" As he had spoke, his words would be laced with a tinge of mischievousness. "They say that misery loves company after all. If even such a raw feeling can obtain others than I'm sure that I can." A soft laugh would proceed to escape from the mans lips as he had turned his body towards the elven man. "The name's Videl. Videl Vaddaria. And I suppose that one could say that I am relatively new to the world at large. And to such a simple kindness."

Taking a moment to rest his chin in the palm of his right hand, Videl would lean upon the bar counter. It was difficult for him to meet the gaze of the man that had sat before him so he would keep his vision focused solely on the mans neck and chest area. With his free hand, Videl would take another sip of his tea before placing it down once more. "As for what ails me? It would be simpler to say that I'm having trouble finding my own way in the world. It's not easy, being alone."

"I am your second now am I?" He laughs waving the idea away. "Trust me when I say that I not just some secondary encounter, no matter what circumstances you meet me under." He puts his finger to his lower lip and ponders for a moment. "And as I am not miserable, I have no intention of letting someone in my company be miserable either."

He makes a casual wave as he leans on the counter with his other arm. His eyes wander to the rest of the rooms as he continues to speak. "Pleasure to meet you Videl, you can address me as Aledüne." He does a slight theatrical bow as he remains seated.

"This dreary place would make anyone miserable however, so if this is where you come to hang out I can understand your issues easily. What we are going to need is some fun to lighten up the place." He looks to the bartender and waves him over. "Here, take this and buy everyone a round to drink. Start up some music and put more wood on the fire. The atmosphere here is bleak, and I refuse to stay here should it stay that way." He takes out a small piece of solid gold and places it in the bartenders palm. As he does, one of the men that had glared at Videl when he enters stands up and walks over to the two. The bartender spotting trouble hurries away to the backroom to get more firewood.

"Who do you think you are to come here and flaunting your wealth? If you have wealth to spend why not give it to me? I am thirsty and my stomach hasn't eaten anything solid since this morning. A traveling noble like you, I am sure you will be able to find some wealth somewhere else so lets not make this difficult." The man was clearly a common thug hoping he had spotted easy prey. Slightly drunk he stares at Aledüne with a glee, thinking he was just another well off noble having stumbled in. Aledüne however didn't flinch, smiling at the thug. Videl, down on his luck was however quite perceptive and Aledüne's smile would remind him of a snake about to strike. 

"Oh dear. What will little old me do now that you have come to shake me down for drinking money." It was clearly not a question however. As if he had given the gold to the bartender to incite this particular response from the drunk man, knowing he would show his greed.

Aledüne, huh? Such a fanciful name had certainly belonged to an individual as regal as the man that had sat before him. Truly, this was what one might consider a once in a lifetime encounter. Far from the secondary encounter than he made it seem like with his words before. "Well I appreciate the sentiment at the very least. It's not often that there are those that will attempt to lighten my load a bit."

There was one major thing that Aledüne had misunderstood but it wasn't something that Videl cared enough about to correct. This inn, tavern, thing was not his usual haunt. With this having been only his second time even venturing into the walls of the city, let alone this building, one could say that the T'saya had been overall new to the area. "I suppose that fun could be a far better feeling than exhausted and miserable." A soft laugh would follow his words, his gaze finally drifting a smidge back towards the mans own at this point. "So what do you have in mind, exactly?"

The answer to his question would come almost immediately as Aledüne had proceeded to purchase a round of drinks for everyone in the inn. For the most part, a resounding huzzah had overtaken the room, but not all could simply enjoy the revelries that Aledüne had been willing to provide. Trouble had been stirring and the tavern keeper had begun to slink away to a backroom. Words had been said by one of the locals that could only stir things up. The scenario had left a pit within the T'saya's chest.

'Second time in the city and we've already got trouble.. Where are the so called guard that are supposed to prevent these kinds of things from occurring?' Trouble brewing without a guard in sight and Videl's gaze would drift fully towards the face of the man beside him. Aledüne held a look of danger, as though he had set this up intentionally. Not exactly inspiring any sort of confidence in Videl, that is for sure.

In hopes of things not getting that far out of hand, Videl would attempt to speed things up a bit. While this brutish thug had been distracted with Aledüne, he would remove his right foot from the stool and allow for it to dip down onto the ground beside the drunkard. A bit of magic would then be applied, coating the surface of the ground below the man in a very thin layer of ice. Due to the fact that the man had been wearing boots, Videl was certain that the drunkard wouldn't feel the cold that had been emanating from the ground. In the off chance that this man either steps forward or back, it was rather likely that he would slip on the ice and bust his rear on the ground. That was the intention behind Videl's actions anyways. So as to shoo away the troubles.

---

Action Type
- Ice Over (Cast a Spell): You cause the surface of an object to ice over. This causes the surface of the object to grow a very thin layer of ice that covers the full object. This makes the surface slippery and cold to the touch. This spell can also freeze the surface of a body of water, allowing one to cross over it.

Active Items
- N/A

Active Passives
- Frozen Solid: A very unique gland that is frozen and iced over, installed in the body, causing the user to feel very cold to the touch. This graft will allow the user to not be bothered by non magical warmth or heat, and will constantly give off a small aura of cold around their body. This cold is not enough to deal damage, but can be uncomfortable if exposed to for an extended amount of time.

Recharge Tracking
- N/A

The thug glared at Aledüne, and Aledüne just smiled back. He motions in the direction of the owner who had already made his way out of potential trouble. "If you were looking to earn some gold I do have a suggestion. Since we are looking for some entertainment it would be good of you to to help us out a bit. You will want to serve us as our jester for the evening as an apology for this brutish behaviour." The words ring heavy in the air, a hint of something in his voice as he makes the claim.

The thug just stares at him for a quiet moment, as if in shock. But he quickly recovers and nods his head. "Of course master I..." His words are cut short as he takes a step back to do a court bow to the two and slips on the ice. With a crash he lands on the back of his neck, forcing some of his other friends to their feet.

"Bravo!" Aledüne claps, clearly entertained. 

"What did you do to my brother!!!?" One of the men starts shouting when the man who fell holds a hand up to stop the aggression and gets up from the floor. "A barmaiden is good for 71 things: Cooking, Catering, and 69." The joke was bad, but the absurd timing of it made several of the guest laugh. "Old people at weddings tap me on the shoulder and say your next. So I started doing the same at funerals." Now the everyone started joining in on the laughter as the mood had completely turned around.

Aledüne claps heartedly as he points to the brother who had stood up. "Play some music wont you? Your brother here is already in on the fun, so why not join in?" His words are light, but there is a hidden threat aimed towards the man, causing him to flinch, only daring to give a nod as it became clear that they had been outmatched, and he was worried about why his brother was acting so out of character. He moves towards a corner where a Lute for free use. Starting to play he is surprisingly good despite his appearance.

'A jester? Even with the way that things are playing out, this feels a bit demeaning.' These were the thoughts that had run through the mind of the T'saya as he had kept his eye on the two before him. What was stranger than even the words that Aledüne had spoken though were the words that would follow the drunkards. If he had heard correctly, this man had just referred to Aledüne as his master. Just what exactly was going on here?

Fully unsure as of how to react to the events that were now unfolding before him, Videl would find himself rubbing at his temples. In the eyes of Videl, due to his overwhelming inexperience in the outside world, this had all been set up beforehand. Either that or there was some kind of magic at play that he had simply misunderstood. Confusion overtaking the man, Videl would simply remain quiet and keep an eye on the three that were now involved.

"So this is the kind of thing that nobility does for fun, huh? Setting up these strange plays for us regular folk to indulge in. It's certainly not the kind of thing that I can say I'm all that used too." Videl might have found the now-jester's jokes to be funnier if he had understood them. Yet again, a lack of education would spoil things for him. "I suppose that I'm glad it's just this much though. If things had really gotten out of hand, and resulted in a fight, I'm not quite certain the guard would remain idle."

By this point, the ice that Videl had cast would come to melt due to the warmth of the hearth. Additionally, the barkeep would return to the scene, placing more firewood into the hearth. They had been a bit hesitant to do so at first but upon seeing things settle down, they had decided that it was best to keep up with their duties. Afterwards, they would begin to set out a few drinks for those that had been around the counter. "Thanks for this by the way," Videl would say to both the barkeep and Aledüne. "Another drink never hurts."

He nods, not commenting on his assumption as he didn't see much need in correcting him. "You are welcome. I can understand the plight of one who feels isolated. None of my business, and I don't have a habit of running around making people feel better about themselves. But... I was feeling bored and so I found that your need for entertainment aligned with my own, so don't feel the need to thank me. Though now that we are on the subject, why not tell me what has you so blue?"

The thug was struggling to find any other jokes as entertaining others wasn't his strong suit. Suddenly he laughs and point to Videl. "What fruit always feels depressed? A blue-berry." He continues as he is having fun on Videl's behalf. "How can you tell if a blueberry is a looser? He’ll talks like a snoozeberry!" Aledüne raises an eyebrow at him. "Bite your tongue." And as commanded the thug does, causing the tongue to fall the ground. "Sorry about that, the bore should stay silent now. My mistake in thinking he knew how to keep us entertained."

"I suppose that the world is just a lot more harsh than I was expecting." That was really all that he had to say on the matter. While he could feasibly sit here and go over his life story, there wasn't much reason for it when it came to this kind of man. Someone that had clearly looked down on others. While it would have been nice to feed into the mans energy and speak on his past, Videl had seen no reason to give the man everything that he had wanted.

Unfortunately things had continued to get out of hand. Once Aledüne had grown weary of the drunkards jokes, he would command him to bite off his tongue. And to Videl's surprise, the man would actually do so. Blood had pooled within the mans mouth and poured forth from his maw whilst his tongue had fell to the ground. The fact that Videl had misunderstood the situation was clear to him now. This wasn't some ploy that a noble was putting on to entertain the others. These were actions of a sadistic nature, likely done through magic. What other reason would one so willingly commit this degree of self harm for?

Finding himself now wary of the man that had sat beside him, Videl would once more turn his gaze away from the mans. No good would come out of interacting with Aledüne and yet there was no real chance of him getting out of here scot-free if he had attempted to flee. Stuck within an impossible situation, Videl would attempt to gulp down his fears before returning his gaze to the mans chest. "I-it's fine.. I suppose that I'm just not in the mood for entertainment of the sort." This was perhaps the nicest way that he could convey his feelings at the moment. 

Knowing that his best way out of this situation was to play into Aledüne's whims, Videl would speak a bit more on his story. "I've managed to make my way out into the world outside of my tribe for the first time ever and it's mostly been accompanied by violence. It's all of this violence that has caused me to grow worn down. It should really be spaced out in between but, well, the world just doesn't work that way I guess."

"Yes, and I am sure the violence that was displayed before you now shocked you much the same." He chuckles. "I apologise for having unnerved you, and you have nothing to fear from me. But my patience for those with no tact or respect for others is low, and I found myself particularly bothered tonight. It was unsightly of me to expose you to it without thought."

He turns and bows his head in an apology, lowering his head he makes sure to lock eyes with him, having noticed that he had been averting his eyes as he did earlier. Strangely enough, despite the mans actions his words are sincere, and the kindness he had seen when he first locked eyes with him was still there.

"Though I am afraid you will meet more conflict as you continue to travel in the outside world as you put it. Its a hard truth, and the sooner you learn to face it the better off you will be. You don't have to like it, but instead I suggest you learn how to deal with it. Then the next time you carry witness to someone forcing someone else to bite of their tongue you will be there to put a stop to it." He chuckles again, still showing a kind smile as the brother helps the bleeding man out of the inn, likely to see a doctor.

"Do not pity him however, that man is someone who has already done way worse to others. He is not deserving of your attention. And I imagine they would have faced death at the hands of the law sooner or later had I not just dissuaded them to seek a different vocation."

Finding himself further conflicted on how to feel about Aledüne, Videl would internally sigh. Whilst he had been expecting the world to be rather different from the life that he had known up to this point, he hadn't quite expecting the changes to be this drastic. Was this the kind of things that everyone outside of himself had to go through? His father, brother, and sisters as well? Perhaps they didn't have the same experiences as a whole but the similarities must have been there, surely.

Once his eyes had been met with Aledüne's, the T'saya would relent. There was no point in avoiding the gaze of someone that had so clearly been trying to seek out their own. If there was indeed any sort of magical trickery going on here than all he could hope was that he could overcome it. Not in the same manner in which Sylvari might but in his own way. Hopefully such a thing would never come to pass. In the off chance that it might though, it would be best for Videl to find ways to counteract such a method in the future.

"..I suppose that I can understand where it is that you are coming from. Not to the degree of forcing someone to bite off their own tongue, of course, but in regards to me being able to prevent such a thing from happening in the future. If this world is as chaotic as I now believe it to be, than I'll just have to prepare myself for such an inevitability." By this point, his gaze would remain fully locked onto Aledüne's own. There was a sense of determination that had now resided within his gaze. One that would likely settle there until he could protect what he chose. "How did you manage to do it by the way? Force him to.. perform such an action." A dangerous question to be certain. One that he probably shouldn't have asked.

"I would like to say that its all in the wrist, but the truth is that its something of a professional secret. I suggest if you would want to prevent such a thing from happening again you learn to recognize such a situation before it comes to pass and to prepare should it do. A tongue injury like that could be restored if you are a skilled enough cleric or healer, nothing to cry home over."

He moves and he picks up the lute that he one of the bandits had dropped before leaving. He starts to flick on the strings as he listens to the notes, and slowly he starts to play a quiet melody as he continues to talk.

"Do you fancy yourself a hero Videl? Someone who in all situations feel a need to save everyone and prevent suffering in any form? If you do, its fine, I think you could have the potential to become one. But I feel the need to point out that the world isn't as black and white as you might think. I would suggest you travel as I have and see the world before you decide what you truly think is right or wrong. And perhaps you will find me the greatest evil you have ever encountered. Or perhaps you will find that I speak the truth. Whatever you do find, I am sure you will do fine so please be a bit more confident, and don't ever loose the determination you are showing now. It suits you."

Whilst today might have been filled with several admittedly exhausting events, it had also been accompanied by a flurry of new information. Information and a sense of resolve that he would be sure to hold onto for the days to come. One could only hope that Videl could make the appropriate use out of all of this information. He would have to if he was going to survive. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Although I've never encountered a healer of any sorts outside of my home, I'm sure that I'll be able to find them somewhere out here. Unless they are even more rare than they are where I come from."

As Aledüne had moved to pick up the lute that had been left behind, Videl would finish off the rest of his first tea before getting started on his second. For this round of tea, the barkeep had decided to give him something a bit more refined. It was only when Aledüne had begun to question him that Videl would speak up once more, pulling himself from his tea and back to the conversation.

"I can't quite say that I'm any sort of hero, really. There are things that even I've done that I'm not proud of." His mind would turn back to the events of handling the monster hunters before settling back in the present. "And I am aware of the fact that things aren't all black and white. The way that I see it though, only I can determine what my sense of worth is. And for now.. Well preventing harm is something that I value. So while I doubt that you'll be the greatest evil that I'll come across, there is only one real way to find out."

At this, Videl would turn his gaze away from Aledüne and towards the door to the inn. "I aimed to set out and explore this world before you got to me anyways. There are things that I yearn to find out." The young T'saya's voice would take a darker turn for a moment but it wouldn't last much longer past his next couple of sentences. "Who knows? I may have to become an even greater evil than that which I've encountered today." Eyes resettled back on Aledüne at this point, Videl would laugh to himself. "Kidding of course. There's no real reason for me to turn my back on what I believe in." Even Videl couldn't tell whether or not that had been true. In this new world of his, anything was possible, and at some point he would be forced to make a choice.

He laughs, musing slightly at your words. He only seem to be doing so with the best of intention as he gives you a reassuring smile as he tweaks the cords of the instrument.

"Who knows..." he just says as he starts playing properly. The song is one Videl might have heard before, often played by as a cautionary tail by bards. A sad tune about a woman and a Paladin who were set to marry. And in their inability to live without each other the woman joined the Paladin in his journey only to get herself killed in a battle. Aledüne's voice was as ethereal as himself, drawing those listening to him into the tale as it played out before them.

(Verse 1)
In a land of honour, a tale unfolds,
A paladin with a heart of gold,
His love, a radiant guiding star,
Together they journeyed, near and far.

(Chorus)
But destiny's cruel hand did play,
Tearing their love apart one day,
A lover's sacrifice, a price they'd pay,
In their tragic love, they'd both decay.

(Verse 2)
She followed him on his noble quest,
With love that put her to the test,
But in the heat of battle's strife,
She stepped between him and a blade's cruel swipe.

(Chorus)
But destiny's cruel hand did play,
Tearing their love apart one day,
A lover's sacrifice, a price they'd pay,
In their tragic love, they'd both decay.

(Verse 3)
Her life was taken, a final breath,
As he held her close in the shadow of death,
His anguished cries pierced the night,
For his love was lost in the fading light.

(Chorus)
But destiny's cruel hand did play,
Tearing their love apart one day,
A lover's sacrifice, a price they'd pay,
In their tragic love, they'd both decay.

(Verse 4)
Consumed by grief, he could not cope,
He found no solace, no glimmer of hope,
In despair, he took his final stand,
Joining his love in the distant land.

(Chorus)
But destiny's cruel hand did play,
Tearing their love apart one day,
A lover's sacrifice, a price they'd pay,
In their tragic love, they'd both decay.

(Outro)
A paladin's love, so strong and true,
In the end, it left hearts broken in two,
Their story of love and sorrow, they share,
In the realm beyond, they find love's repair.

He stops playing and looks up as he again locks eyes with Videl. "Do you understand the meaning behind me playing this for you?"

Whilst he had initially saw Aledüne pick up the lute and strum it a bit for him, Videl could never have assumed that things would evolve into the man performing a ballad for him. While he couldn't say for certain what the message had been attempting to convey, he had his own thoughts on what the answer could be. Granted, lessons through songs were often dependent on the person that had been listening. One could interpret things much differently than another.

Taking a moment to dwell on the song that had been played out for him, Videl would rest his chin fully in the palm of his hand. It was evident that the cogs had been turning as he had hummed to himself in thought. After a few moments of internalized debate though, Videl would speak up with a thought in mind. "I assume that you are trying to convey to me that throughout my journey, my convictions will be tested. And that I can lose myself if I hold too deeply onto them. That maintaining such a righteous mentality might lead to my destruction. Or perhaps that its better to die for my convictions than to live without them?"

The T'saya people had long told their stories through song and poetry. This was the kind of thing that Videl should have excelled in understanding, if he were being honest with himself. Given how isolated he had been from his people though, due to the outright scorn that they had displayed towards him, Videl hadn't quite been experienced enough in such things to fully understand the stories. If he hadn't had to watch everything from afar than things might have been different.

"I expect there to be pieces of myself that die along the way, as I set out to find the answers that I am searching for. I am prepared to take on the role of the Paladin in this story, even if it means risking the loss of my metaphorical love." There had been a sense of resolve within the mans eyes as he had said this. And lying hidden beneath this look was one of icy emptiness. Until he had discovered the truth behind his queries, that emptiness would remain. "Only fate can determine what shall occur in the event that this happens."