Quinton

---

Course, good men at heart but greed is their ambition. Quinton wasn't too fond of them and lets out a sigh to Jameson's second assumption. Getting a job here isn't that simple...and the fact he forgot two things still while assuming he got the job made it worse for him.

"You're still forgetting your application and interview parts Sir Jameson. I highly suggest you stop assuming things, otherwise your hopes for a job here won't be fulfilled. Madam Skylar, if a group does go for the assasin and you go too, I wish to come as well. Not only that but I wish for the use of equipment in the inn and to 'go all out' as people my age apparently call it. I'll be sure to protect you while swiftly capturing the assassin...as a matter of fact, I already have a plan for a quick and easy success. Oh and new sir, I highly suggest you don't treat Madam Skylar with disrepect...forewarning."

@ineffable@DriveEMOut@xChrome

Jack grinned, and limped over to the Butler-looking fellow. He was mad about all these people thinking they could control him and know what's best for him. "All right mate. Let me show you just how disrespectful I can get." His hands were clenched into fists, and his eyes were full of a dangerous light. "Whoever doesn't want to watch this snobby bloke get gutted, then close your eyes and plug your ears. This could get messy." He got into a fighting position. "I'll even let you have the first attack." Jack remembered the intense training he had endured for years. He wasn't going to let his family down. Not now, not ever. The eye wouldn't even slow him down much at all.
@cloudystar"

@DriveEMOut@ineffable@xChrome@cloudystar@Rune_Alchemist

Hieledran was lovely this time of year.

Nary a white cloud dotted the perfect blue sky on this quiet spring morning, the sun shining ever so brightly and casting its rays over the sprawling meadows and rolling hills of the lovely countryside. Though, on this particular day, the sun shined its brightest on the majestic walled city of Vaele.

Rising high towards the heavens, as if to defy the gods themselves, the illustrious stone towers stood tall and gallant over the entire city, banners and tapestries waving amidst a cool breeze displaying the heraldry of the kingdom, its seal, a black lion's head with two gilded swords crossing beneath it, set back against two broad stripes of gold and red. Today, the sound of a bell could be heard chiming on the wind, its soft and pleasant tone echoing alongside the gentle patter of cherry blossom petals that seemed to hang in the air, spiraling and slowly twirling as they made their descent to the ground below.

The tavern was quiet this time of day, no tankards clinking, songs singing, nothing but the subtle crackling of the hearth's flame.

Claudia stood behind the bar, softly humming to herself as she wiped down a few empty mugs and tankards and set them back. Not a soul around but her as her tired blue eyes looked around surveying the empty tables and chairs. At least at night it was festive as always, but alas, she didn't like that feeling, loneliness. When she was alone, she thought. When she thought, she remembered. And when she remembered, she...

Cut it out!

She gave herself a mental slap on the wrist, resuming her lovely singing to herself while she wiped down the counter and prepared for the day. A piping hot cauldron sat on the hearth, a simmering stew of leeks, potatoes, carrots, and delicious smoked meats. Above that on a rack, fresh loaves of honey wheat and sourdough bread baked golden brown. Claudia took in the delectable aroma with a pleasant sigh. But as dinner cooked and she swept the floors, she realized, "Ah, good heavens! I forgot the fish for tomorrow!"

She set her broom down and grabbed her shawl from the nearby coat rack, wasting no time rushing out the door to the town market.

The market was sprawling by the time Claudia made it there, such a buzz of people scurrying about, vendors and mongers shouting over the raucous of the crowd. While she waited for the line to clear, her mind drifted, caught by the the sweet scents of the city, such pleasing allurements, the pungent, smoky flavor of freshly cooked meats and fish upon a crackling fire of pine and spruce wood, the heart-warming aroma of baked breads and sweets and confectioneries, cinnamon buns drizzled with a yummy vanilla icing or fresh tarts made with the bounty of the Earth Mother, the sweetest of fruits like strawberries from the Faelands or pomegranates and apples.

Then suddenly....

"GANG WAY!!!"

"Huh?!" Rumbling and thundering towards Claudia was a loose horse carriage that seemed to have spawned from nowhere. Claudia panicked, unable to move as certain death rolled down the cobblestone streets towards her rapidly. She shut her eyes quickly then,

*BAM!!*

Screams of terror filled the air as the woman was knocked to the ground...and everything had gone dark...in an instant.

"Oww....by the gods, what happened to...?"

Claudia sat up groaning and rubbing the back of her head. Her vision was bleary at the moment, a collage of nothing but colors and abstract shapes molding together, but as slowly her eyes readjusted....she blinked them in utter surprise.

"What in the...but...where am I?" Flabbergasted she mumbled to herself. This wasn't Vaele, the great walled city. This was...

She stood with a gasp, her sapphire blue eyes sparkling amazed. Never before had Claudia laid eyes on such a city, such a kingdom. Towers made of pure crystal glass rose high towards the vast blue skies, shining in the warmth of a bright afternoon sun, and...the people, Claudia had never seen such fascinating people before. What was this place, she wondered.

"Ah, sorry. Pardon me." Nervously Claudia bumbled about the streets apologizing into those she bumped into, some of them...not really human or Fae she was accustomed to seeing in her tavern. She stepped through the door of a rather cozy looking place, a soothing aroma gracing her petite nostrils.

She looked around, not much to the place but a few odd people, one of whom she recognized, the armored brute of a woman with her arm wrapped around a very attractive young lady with horns and a tail. That woman would sleep with an Orc, which she probably has.

"Ah, excuse me. Could anyone possibly tell me where I am?" She called to no one in particular, hoping for a reply. It hadn't occurred to Claudia as of yet, but her dress was dingy and smeared with dirt, possibly from the carriage accident.

---

@DriveEMOut@cloudystar"Woah, calm it down!" Skylar drew a dagger instantly from her boot, slid in front of Quinton and leveraged it with Jack's neck.. She rarely broke out the whole dagger act (she was much more talented with the bow anyways) but she had to use it if anything got rough. She laid her other hand on his chest and pushed, she was sure he would barely move but it was worth a try. "No use for the violence, Jack. Settle things out."

Jack snarled. "Your posh little pet is acting up. I was showing him his real place." He pushed the dagger away, and started to limp away. "Now are you going to give me a quest where I kill something or what? If you won't let me quest, then you have to give me a room, I'm afraid. Or does your butler not like that? Would he rather play pretend bodyguard?" He said, glaring at Quinton. "Or is he too worried about his tea being a bit too hot?" He mimicked Quinton. "I'm afraid my tea has been a bit overcooked. I must rid of such insolence, and try again." He said, making his voice high and reedy. His quiver of arrows was slung over his shoulder, but he sat down and slurped up the broth of his stew. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Okay. What will it be this time? Do you have too many rats in the cellar, or are you going to give me something a bit more grown-up?"
@cloudystar@ineffable

---

@DriveEMOut@cloudystar"I told you, You can use the activity centre or go and hunt down Gus. I'm quite talented at the bow and arrow myself so if you would like a worthy competitor..." She was slightly annoyed at this boy's bravado but tries to keep her voice steady. Oh how she would love to beat this guy up into shreds. She turned to look at Quinton and gave him a smile as to say not to interfere and turns back to face Jack.

Quinton

---

Quinton nods his head getting the message and heads over to the newcomer. He wasn't afraid of some idiotic man pickingg a fight with his hosts, after all...there was a simple M11911 Handgun in the bar that he can grab quickly amd finish the man off with. Doing a deep bow to the new lady, he says calmly,

"I deeply apologize ma'am for the rudeness of that gentlman attempting to pic mj a fight. My name is Quinton, the Butler of this establishment. I, myself, am embarrassed to keep you waiting like such. This is the Adventurer's Quest Stop and Cafe. I wish to satisfy your needs but first..."

Quinton takes out a handkerchief to wipe the lady gently, making sure to go quickly but effectively as he does so to clean her body.

"Apoloies for that, you were quite dirty and I only mean good intentions. Again, I apologize."

@Rusalka@ineffable

@xChrome

---

This guy...had no idea how offensive his words just were. He also had no idea how right his perception of some of the demons from Zin were. There were definitely other Oni that were less than...amicable as she, but she was a rather special case considering she was raised by humans. She simply observed him silently for a moment, shaking her head and finishing off the last of the drink that was brought for her by Ishia's current partner.

"You're rather tactless, aren't you?" Miya replied. "I can assure you, on my honor I will not harm anyone here unless I must." That said...he was offering to go after some criminal or something from what he was offering...besides, a room might be a good idea. She wasn't entirely sure how long they were going to be here, after all. She was leaving without Ishia and Ishia seemed to be enjoying herself for now...so why not indulge a little?

"But if it is help with a criminal, I would lend you my blade. I have hunted bounties before for lords." Before that, though...it seemed one of the customers was acting with great disrespect towards both Skylar and Quinton. Now, that was just rude and to be honest, it made Miya somewhat angry. Boasting and bravado was never a sign of a honorable or humble warrior. She muttered quietly under her breath, but said nothing. If he tried to start trouble, she'd step in but for now she'd stay quiet.

~Ishia~

@Rusalka

Haha, well. If she was so bluntly offering, Ishia was not going to say no. Leaning closer to the other woman, the lizard gave Nariah a sultry smile. She was practically out of her seat now, her face mere inches from the other woman. She could smell the strong alcohol on her breath, and she was pretty sure Nariah would be able to smell her, but neither of them probably cared too much.

"Ara? Am I that transparent?" Ishia questioned teasingly. Ah, this certainly was a strong burly woman, wasn't she? Despite her teasing tone and somewhat languid expression, her wagging tail would likely indicate she was greatly enjoying this line of thought. "But you're right. I want strong, beautiful woman to do all sorts of things with." Before Nariah could say anything, Ishia leaned in closer and gave Nariah a quick kiss. "Ara, I want to have a but of fun here...but look at all these people...haa, maybe a room?"

It seemed as if she ignored jameson, if she had heard him.

[DISREGARD!]

*IGNORE THIS*

@DriveEMOut@ineffable@cloudystar@Rune_Alchemist

"Hehehe well then!" Nariah blushed at the teasing little kiss in her cheek, a tempting smirk upon her face. Her strong arm encircled the scaly beauty pulling her in closer. Nariah had the girl practically crawling in her lap, and yes...both of them were certainly drunk. She whispered hungrily in Ishia's ear with a hot breath, "I wouldn't mind taking ye to a room, sweetheart, where we can do all sorts of naughty things together hehehe."~

But...that would have to wait

"Alright lads, break it up before I have to break me mug over yer damn heads!" Nariah had enough of the squabbling, mostly because they were killing the mood. Her booming voice echoed as she stood with her armor clattering. "Now ye heard the wee lass, either simmer down or things are gonna get violent, and ye sure as Hell don't want me violent when I'm drunk!" Just to assure that she punched her fist into her other hand, a rowdy smirk on her face, evidently intoxicated.

From the corner of her eye however, Nariah noticed the lovely, and all too familiar dame standing timid in the doorway. "Miss Claudia?!" Nariah said mouth agape. "Ach! By Tha'agorn! What the hell are ye doin' here, woman?! *hic*"

Claudia sighed rather irritable shaking her head. Twas clear this notorious patron of the Hearthstone Inn was already drunk and looking for a fight. "...I should ask you the same, Miss Stormblade. Hopefully you're not breaking tables like you do at my tavern."

She whisked past Nariah's confused and drunken stare towards the young lady with the dagger, "Ah, pardon me Miss, but could you tell me where I am? I've seem to have gotten lost somehow. My name is Claudia, Claudia DeFeren."

As if on cue, there was a strsnge man wiping her down with a handkerchief, a kind gesture, but a tad mortifying. "Oh goodness me, honey!" She giggled blushing deeply. "No need for that, Sir Quinton, but thank you kindly. A cafe you say? Hmm, I had my assumptions, dear, but honestly, how in the blazes did I end up here?"

---

@DriveEMOut@RusalkaSkylar turns to see the beautiful woman standing next to her and gives off a friendly smile radiating warmth. "Hello there, Claudia. I'm Skylar and welcome to the Adventurer's Cafe and Quest Stop, we are located in the village of Rheoden and exist as another dimension completely which means you've been transported from your dimension to ours by one of our portals. We're configuring them now but it may take until tomorrow so by all means, get acquainted with all these people and check our Notice Board. Would you like anything to eat or drink in that matter?"Skylar, slides her dagger back into her boot before sending a less than friendly look at Jack before turning back and beaming at Claudia.

@ineffable @Rune_Alchemist

Then the lady answered, Claudia's brow furrowing. "A portal? But...I was run over by a carriage, Miss. How could I have even...?" All this was too much for her; she sighed, "I'll just have a glass of sweet berry wine, if you have any my dear."

Nariah, as sure as the commotion was over, sat back down with a shrug. "Sheesh, them lads are a surly bunch." She chuckled. Besides, she had more...important things to attend to. "Hehe, so where were we, me naughty lass?" Her tone was smooth and sultry as she returned to the little lizard, the tip of her armored finger tracing the contour of Ishia's bare thigh, stroking her gently.

---

@RusalkaSkylar decided that it would be better as to not answer the lady's question as it would probably confuse her more. "Of course."Skylar went behind the bar, examined some of the bottles, took one off of the shelf and poured the contents into a glass that she brought over to Claudia. "Here you go, Claudia'

Quinton

---

Quinton, noticing that the people were already attending to themselves, decudes to head off to the bar area to work on cleaing glasses. That and he could quickly grab the handgun if things get iffy. The butler continues the cleaning of many wine glasses and the like, tired a bit of dealing with problematic guests. That and he was considered a lad! A lad, is much more an insult in comparison to a gentleman. Then again, the lady is obviously drunk and wasn't in her right mind so he lets the insult of sorts slide.

"The only hunting quest is taking and capturing the assassin...if any of our valuabke customers need anything, I'll be attending to the bar here."

@ineffable@Rusalka@Rune_Alchemist

@ineffable

"Gratitude." Claudia humbly replied delicately taking the glass into her hand and sipping of it quietly. Ahh, nothing like a nice glass of wine, sweet but with the perfect hint of bitterness to alert the senses. "So a portal you say, hmm? That's indeed strange magick, Miss Skylar." She resumed taking another sip. "I've heard of such, rumors from those who visit my tavern about people disappearing out of thin air. Ah, but never did I suspect such a fate would befall me. You'll have to forgive me, darling."

She caught herself before she became too flustered again. "This is...all too bizarre for me to take in at the moment, plus, I'm a bit weary after my ordeal. If I may, darling, may I rent a room to rest for now. I've no gold on me, but if there is any work around here, I will gladly do it to compensate you." A warm, inviting smile Claudia gave to Skylar. Perhaps after she rested, she could begin to piece together the abstract puzzle of her predicament.

---

@Rusalka"No problem, Claudia, It is often that people are quite confused with all of...this"She gestures around the place."As for rooms, we only give keys out to people who have completed a quest as a benefit otherwise we can give you a room for tonight while we reconfigure the portals or else you'll have to find another place to rest if you're staying for longer...But we do have some jobs available and you can have your own room then for however long you do the job" Skylar offers apologetically. She goes over to the notice board, takes off the quests page and the staff page and shows them to Claudia.

@Cloudystar

---

Seeing things had more or less been settled for now, Miya sighed. Well, at least that was over and she had been given a juicy little tidbit about some possible work. Work was always good. Meant she wouldn't have to resort to any sort of...some less honorable methods of making a living. Being a bandit wasn't her favorite thing, but hey, had to make money and get food somehow when you were constantly traveling or on the move and couldn't stay in a place for very long.

Getting up from her seat, Miya walked over to Quinton's bar.

"Hmm...an assassin? I have hunted similar people before. I would definitely not mind helping you find them, Quinton." Although...'Capturing' was a bit much. She had never caught a bounty alive before. Back in Zin, such work meant killing the target and bringing back proof of said death. "Do you have any information to go on?" She hesitated for a moment before asking. "...and is bringing them back alive particularly necessary? And is there a sort of...time limit on this?"

She was asking for a few reasons. One, she wanted to get a better lay of this land. Two, she might go out and...sightsee a bit. Ishia would probably disapprove, but she was too busy flirting with that wench to particularly care much. Not to mention, at least someone would have to make sure the two of them had somewhere to stay. Of course, Ishia wouldn't mind taking a nap outside, but she preferred something a bit more...luxurious? Perhaps not overly so, but she wasn't going to sleep just anywhere if there were better options available.

~Ishia~

@Rusalka

---

"Hmm...I believe you were about to take me...and do every sort of naughty thing you can think of, heh." Ishia replied as Nariah sat back down. Her voice was definitely not the smoothest, but lust and obvious interest was clear. The older woman gave a sly smirk, and before Nariah could say anything the lizard moved on top of Nariah, sitting in her lap with her legs resting on either side of Nariahs. "So...hows about we go somewhere more private? Heh, or wherever you want. I'm not picky."

@Rune_Alchemist@ineffable

Claudia nodded in gratitude taking the pages and skimming over them, chewing her bottom lip while pressed in thought. "Hmmm..." Her brow furrowed slightly. "Well...I can tell you now, dear, I'm not much ofva fighter, so I don't believe I will be hunting any assassins anytime soon. The other job I might consider." That being recovering the old blueprints in the abandoned...skyscraper? "But I know not what a skyscraper is, nor do I know of what dangers lurk there. Perchance if I had someone to accompany me, a warrior of sorts, I may be able to complete the task for you."

Her eyes skimmed the bar looking for someone who fit that description.

Her? No...she was too busy trying to pull the dress off that libidinous beastkin in her lap.

No, her!

"Pardon me, madame." She approached the second warrior woman. A charming face she had, but what strange armored she adorned. Twas as though it were carved from the scales of a mighty beast. And if anyone could kill such a leviathan and forge armor from its flesh, they were certainly Claudia's woman. "If I may bother you for a moment, but I couldn't help but notice how strong you are, and dare I say, quite attractive."~ A charming smirk Claudia shown. "I'm in need of a strong woman of your caliber to protect me during a quest. Would you be so kindest to endeavor me?"

---

"Heheh...well I can always take ye right here in front of everyone, ye surly wench." Nariah growled lustfully grabbing the beastkin by her curvy hips and pulling her in roughly. "I bet that would get ye all hot and bothered, wouldn't it sweetheart?" Her lips were brushing against Ishia's cheek with all her hungry whispers, her hot breath cascading against her bare flesh as her lips trailed down to the girl's neck, Nariah becoming all the more enticed by the feel of her skin. "But...we should take this somewhere more eh...private. Why don't ye lead the way?"