Beneath the Shadows Chapter Two: Chasing Shades

[Parrhesia]

Malachi shook his head.

[Rothene]

Taking the lack of protest as a sign he was allowed to follow, Caslan kept pace with the duo as they searched Petra for the shop. After not too long spent searching, the trio happen across a shop with the sign 'Richard Weaselheart's Honest Dyes'

Deciding the word 'Honest' proved its trustworthiness, and the lack of other shops noted selling dyes, the trio entered to see a man of great height and equal girth standing near a corner pounding on some berries with great prejudice and a manic grin on his face. The human easily towered the three mercenaries, not short people themselves.

Seeing customers, Richard left the massive two handed mallet he used to pound berries for dye and wiped his hands on an apron, showing off his well toned biceps from years of hard work pounding away at objects. A few scars can be seen on the muscle where he had torn them on some of his over enthusiastic poundings back in his less sturdy days. Cracking his knuckles, Richard grin at the trio as he spoke in his shrill nasal voice, "Well, what can Richard offer you fine patrons?"

[Nanami Touko]

"Woooow, what a wonderful shop you have. How exactly does one make a dye for armor?" Linn asked, absently, as she began to wander around the shop. Far too distracted by everything there, she mumbled 'purple' in the direction of Caslan and Malachi and pointed at the armor. This is all so fascinating. One can actually make dye from the juices from berries? How ingenious! They would stain something and regular washing wouldn't take it out. I wonder who thought of it. I wonder if it was an accident...

[Parrhesia]

Malachi turned on the charm offensive. "Ah, sure, I was just lookin' across your fine wares. I only wish I had your skill or passion, but there's never time, see? Now, ah, might you have any purple that would hold t' leather and stick harder'n bloodstains? Yer lass here fancies the regal look, see, an', well..." He winked, unnecessarily. "Who'd I be to deny the fine young woman?"

[Rothene]

Deciding to let Malachi do the talking, as the archer was clearly the expert in the subject when compared to the elves, Caslan crossed his arms and sort of blended silently to the background.

"Oh purple now? Heck, I'm just in the middle of making some of that die myself! The stock doesn't last long you know. Seems your woman's not the only one who likes the regal look," scratching his beard Richard continued narrowing his eyes, "I do have a jar left but it's reserved for a patron of mine. Unless you're willing to triple the pay for it, I'd say you'll have to wait till tomorrow for a fresh set of purple dye. Willing to fork out sixty gold good sir?"

Sixty gold?! Caslan thought his hands reaching to his purse. Sure the purse held gold in double digits, but sixty was a tall order for any individual to pay. If split up, they just might not feel the pinch too hard but the elven mage was not sure if the other two would agree to that price.

[Xinnidy]

Eyes bugged out at the entire commotion that happened some tables away from him, a tall, muscular elven man stood still for a moment after things had calmed out. Finally seeming to process everything that had just happened, the man burst out in laughter, barely failing in containing himself as soon as he realized he was the one disturbing the peace now. Have I become drunk this fast? But I'm an elf! Just... just what was that all about? The man though to himself, putting his hand over his mouth in a failed attempt to hide his grin and chuckles.

Raising his hand and snapping his fingers, calling one of the lovely serving maidens, as he'd put it. "Pff... Another one for my tab, darling." He raised his cup of drink, drinking the last of it and gesturing over.

-----------

Seems all was going fine without the elder. Linn, Caslan and their other friend whose name Alfonso didn't quite recall had just left the inn as he got back from the stable. It was a shamefully slow day for the knight. Shrugging, he entered the inn and found a lone table, where he sat down and opened his book. Quill and ink ready as he indulged in more writing.

Edited October 26, 2013 by Xinnidy

[Bluedoom]

Returning from the armoury after buying a new set of equipment(he was even geared up about his new sword, which he'd need to practice with), Rimsky was shocked to see the influx of mercenaries trying to get recruited into Harrop's Harriers. He guessed this was to be expected- a mercenary company would want more people to make their future jobs a whole lot easier. Maybe even get fame out of it.

Scanning the inn, he found Alfonso sitting alone, writing something. Deciding that he had nothing better to do and he was interested to know what kind of a person Alfonso was, Rimsky made his way to the latter's table.

"Heya. We haven't talked much but I guess we get rid of that problem now. Name's Rimsky." he said, offering his hand for a shake. He was aware that the last time they spoke with each other there was a little bit of hostility. Now was time to make amends.

[Xinnidy]

"Hmm?" Alfonso muttered, snapping out of his attention. "Oh, hello! I remember you!" He put his quill down, arming himself a small smile. He didn't quite recall their previous encounter being sour, rather casting it as a misundertanding, as far as he cared. "Name's Alfonso, I've just got here. I've left my horse in the stables not long ago, but this inn seemed a lot more crowded when I was over there! Funny how things are." He replied, it's been an opportunity to speak that he didn't have much of lately, despite his disposition.

[Nanami Touko]

"Hmm, huh?" mumbled Linn, coming back into reality. "Sixty gold? Split it? Sure, here," she said, producing twenty gold from a small purse in her pocket. She quickly went back to whatever she was thinking about, not too worried about spending her money. If I stay alive and keep doing well in the mercenary group it won't be a problem.

[eclipse]

Raelyn sprinted into the village. She ran into the first store to catch her eye, and spotted several people she recognized. Much as she wanted to chat, she had other things to do. "Oh, hi. Uh, did any of you see a stall that sells clothes?"

Edited October 26, 2013 by eclipse

[Rothene]

With great care, Caslan counted out twenty gold and handed it to Richard who's grin would probably be wide enough to split his face if he received a final payment of twenty more gold.

Counting the gold in each instance before pocketing them, the dye maker grabbed onto the last purple dye on the shelf and offered his hand towards Malachi expectantly in high spirits. When Raelyn's question interrupted his thoughts, Richard waved the jar impatiently towards the left of his shop's entrance saying, "Two blocks that way, then turn right. The first house you see sells clothes, miss."

[eclipse]

"Thanks!" Raelyn shouted, before going to the place that the shopkeeper had indicated. The shopkeeper seemed unhappy with her sudden entrance, but she paid him no heed. She riffled through the merchant's wares, before finding a set of clothes that looked like it would fit Celine, then did her best not to scream when she heard the price. It's less than half the price at home! She dashed out of the shop, as quickly as she came, and hurried to the river. Not surprisingly, Celine was still there. The girl sat in the water, still fully dressed.

"Do you KNOW how to bathe yourself?" Raelyn snapped. Celine whimpered before nodding. "I brought you clothes, as promised. Clean up, change, and meet me back at the inn."

Celine watched Raelyn walk off, again. She was serious about the clothes. . . Bathing hadn't been something that was emphasized while she was growing up, and the thought of intentionally submerging one's self in water was something she wasn't fully accustomed to. She finished her bath, and changed. . .and sighed. The shirt ended well short of her waist, and it was tight around the chest. The pants, at least, were baggy. I. . .don't want to be seen like this. . .but this wouldn't be. . .the worst that was asked of me. . . Biting her lip, she slowly walked towards the inn.

[Parrhesia]

Malachi was no mathematician, but the concept of paying money for someone else's armour that he had already made for free did not appeal to him. Linn being in a fashionista's reverie, however, gave him the chance to regroup the Charm Offensive.

"Well, I'd say as to all your colours here bein' of the finest quality," he drawled. "I'm sure the lass here would just love a ... uh, slightly reddish blue. Instead. Or bluish red. Or... blue. And it'd be a pity to jump the queue over that other guy, anyway, never was a fan of buyin' my way through life, me, never struck me as right."

[Rothene]

"Aha, a man of principles!" Richard spoke loudly, although his expression has lost a measure of its mirth, "well, now, I do have extremely dark blue dyes to spare, and enough stock to charge at my usual fair prices too! But only if the lass is alright with the lack of purple on whatever it is she wishes to dye."

Turning to Linn, Richard asked pointing at a richly dark blue dye in a jar of a nearby shelf, "So, will you settle for that dark blue dye for twenty gold instead?"

[Shin]

Leaving Zeff to think, the priest stepped outside for some air again. A small patch of flowers caught his attention, swaying his mind back to the rather trivial mysteries than intrigued him so.

[Bluedoom]

"Well met, Alfonso. I just returned from the armoury. Bought mahself a neat sword and bow, I did. I've never had much experience with swordplay, but I guessed I'd need melee combat ta defend myself at times when a bow ain't a good idea. You're very skilled with a sword, I bet. Oh, and I see you were writin' somethin'. What do ya write about, usually?" Rimsky said, after scanning the table and noticing the quill.

"Place is pretty lively, ye're right. Guess we'll be meetin' fresh, new faces." he added, chuckling.

Edited October 26, 2013 by Bluedoom

[Nanami Touko]

"No, purple," was all Linn said, as she was almost done scanning the shelves. Finally finished, her attention was back on the conversation at hand. "You can't be that cheap, Malachi. Besides, you were already going to be out some gold to that...tiny man, if he wasn't so nice. So, come on. Please?" She gave him her saddest face, and played it up with some serious puppy dog eyes.

[Parrhesia]

"I made you something for free. That's fine. I'm happy t' let you go out and find a half-decent colour for it. That's fine. I'm not forking out two weeks' pay on taking some other guy's order so's it can be purple rather than blue. If you're payin', that's fine, but I'm not gettin' dragged into it."

[Nanami Touko]

"Uggggghhhhh, fine," she groaned, all attempts at coercing Malachi having failed (not that she tried very hard). "We'll take the blue, since I'd like to be able to eat tonight. How unfortunate."

[Xinnidy]

"Well met." The knight replied automatically to Rimsky's greeting, even if it might have been unnecessary at that point, already. "Seems sound, learning more combat styles help making a fighter more prepared to the situations around him. It's a simple concept, but not always that simple."

He grinned as Rimsky asked him of his own prowess with swords. "Yes, I've been using a lance since I met your group, but I received training in both, I'd say I'm equally skilled! Mostly on the use of broadswords, but I know a little bit about sabers as well. Mostly for mounted combat, mind." Alfonso responded. "Though you do ride a horse in combat too, don't you?"

The latter question, however, came to him a bit of a surprise, he'd never been asked about that in his travels. "Hmm, you could say it's a mixed bag of an agenda. I write about the things I remember from the day, and also all ideas that come up in my mind, concepts of short stories and the like. I've been meaning to write something more, but I've never found the moment right..." He paused for a minute, turning back at the dwarf. "For what it is, it's an exercise to keep my mind fresh, and that's fine enough."

-----------------

"Ah, thank you for the quick service. The drink is nice, but the work in this inn here's simply fabulous, dear." Said Erbert, as he gladly received the next drink and dismissed the serving lady. It was a fine day off, though he worried about when he'd get his next job at this point.

Edited October 26, 2013 by Xinnidy

[Rothene]

With the group coming to a conclusion of sorts, the dye shop keeper returned Caslan his twenty gold and handed the jar of blue dye to Linn. "Nice doing business with you lass!"

[Nanami Touko]

"Fantastic. Here you are, Malachi," she said, handing him the jar, "since I've no idea how exactly to get it to sink in properly. I'll watch, of course. Something new to learn. And you, Caslan, can buy me something to eat now that I've strapped myself some cash on this dye. If you don't mind, that is." Maybe we could even ditch Malachi back at the inn and make it a date. How wonderful!

[Snike]

Hale's studies were not to be, as a rather loud argument broke out, between a mercenary and a tavern customer. Soon a another customer and a second mercenary - the ice mage they picked up at the destroyed village, if he recalled correctly - joined in, which naturally escalated the situation. Then a loudmouth came through the door, followed by Adari confronting the first, and it was clear that this bickering wouldn't end any time soon. With a sigh, the half-elf put his things away. By the time he was done, the argument was over, which was just his luck. Instead of trying to resume his activities. he decided to approach the white-haired human, who seemed to be drinking quite a bit, from what little he had seen.

"Had enough, yet?" Hale asked, as he came over to the man's table.

[Vestige]

He had been so lost in thought, he hadn't even noticed Aeson getting up to leave. He was however, brought back to reality when a third person decided to speak to him. Looking up, he recognized the man to be the half-elf who had aided them in their last battle with the demons. "Hm? Oh, uh, yeah. Not much of a drinker, probably wont be having anymore. Stuff gets to you if you have too much, and I don't like the feeling...So, you would be?"

[Rothene]

With his twenty gold back in his purse, Caslan felt somewhat relieved. It still surprised him how willing he was to spend away two weeks of pay for someone else. The elf decided he had to be more careful about how he spent his gold.

Caslan nodded to Linn's suggestion but with a condition, "Well, I'm fine with spending honest pay on a friend and comrade. So long as it's not too expensive."