Single Malt

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

@Single Malt Heckers, yeah! Totally NOT HOPING Maltar boi does night shift and comes to Pebble HAHA! 😉

@Pandolin

Lol, my lips are sealed. No promises ;)

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

Maltar

Spirit of the Beast

---

In Maltar's experience, life was always a little funny. Sure, he'd been through his tough times - hadn't everyone - and he had to contend with a beastly spirit that inhabited his body, but overall, he found a lot about life amusing. This current situation was no exception. He may have preferred to work and hunt alone, wasn't given to social conduct, but there was something about this odd group of strangers that set him at ease. After having a chat with his invisible friend, the monster hunter decided to just watch on at the conversation unfold.

It was the Orc that had first stuck a chord of amusement with Maltar, and he wasn't perturbed at all Budi's responses toward him. Northern Orc's, or what Maltar liked to refer to as Highland Orc's, were more uncommon than other orcs, but Maltar had met a few in his life. Highland Orc's, like all Orc's, had a reputation for hostility, primal nature and brute arrogance, but in Maltar's opinion they were relatively harmless unless they perceived you as an enemy or sexual rival. Orcs also tended to have a robust sense of humor, which was fitting, of course. The big, blue giant was having fun getting acquainted with the group in his own special way. Maltar had to contain a laugh when Budi took a good sniff of Faline's hair, and somewhat to Maltar's surprise, the half-Elvian beauty took it quite well. The hunter had to raise an impressed brow when he saw the woman react void of intimidation or fear. She seemed to understand that the monstrous man intended no harm, and even gave the orc a look to suggest that she understood more about Budi's nature than Maltar would have previously assumed her credit for.

Maltar had to admit, his first impression of Faline was leaning more toward the stuck-up variety, but her reaction to Budi had him realize there was more to this woman than just another pretty untouchable. The woman was certainly intelligent. She knew her stuff. She was passionate. Strong, both in will and mind. She had a lot of spunk that was quickly growing more apparent, and there was something about her fiery dedication to current events that stirred up a certain feeling of admiration in the hunter.

Behind his contained laugh for Budi and subsequent admiration for Faline, Maltar felt the spirit of the beast move within him. Maltar's Twighlight Eye sense was roused, and he picked up on a shift of energy in the room. It was only a subtle caprice, so mild that it couldn't be defined. It may have been no more than the energy of a passing combative thought, but the hunter's twilight intuition suggested an adverse internal reaction to Budi's behavior by someone in the room. By a pull not all his own, Maltar's eyes landed on the one Dorian referred as Sir Anviltank. It didn't seem to fit that Maltar's twilight sense detected said response from a person of Sir Anviltank's presentation. The man seemed still. Observant. Calm. Maybe the guy just needed sleep.

Amandine was a curiosity to Maltar, and the second to bring a grin to Maltar's face. He noticed an air of whimsy on her face as she roamed her dazzling orbs upon the characters in the room. Maltar had no idea what Amandine was thinking, but it certainly seemed like fun. Her quiet whimsical glow was something Maltar appreciated. He hadn't experienced it enough in people. It was a shame to see Amandine's amusement fade quickly at the hearing of the plans to raid the ruins of her ancestors. There was no denying her logic. Very rarely in life, especially in the kingdom of which they lived, were things done right. Righteousness and integrity were too hard for people. The easy way out was always preferred, and normally at the expense of others, in this case the sanctity of Amandine's heritage. He felt for the woman. And just like with Faline, he respected Amandine's passion for what was right. Maltar was no longer grinning when Amandine finished saying her piece. Though his stony appearance may have appeared to be one of... indifference - That was until Budi decided to step up and sniff Amadine's hair as well, which brought another smile to the monster hunter's face.

Yet, beneath his look of amusement, Maltar couldn't help but wonder about the idea of turning iron to gold. The prospect seemed familiar somehow. Had he previously heard about this stone Amandine spoke of? Or were his thoughts being affected by the memory of a game his narrator used to play?

Torsten was no exception to the ease Maltar was gaining from these people. The monster hunter valued the genuine graces and smarts of the robust man. Even Torsten's words of knowledge and understanding towards Faline had a particular quality that wrought a jovial dimension of feeling. The man was obviously an experienced woodsman, a hunter, too, which Maltar obviously identified with. It wasn't always easy to retain amiability in their chosen way of life.

There was really nothing more Maltar thought he could contribute to discussions regarding the quest the group was being sent on, at least nothing that wouldn't be recognized or established soon enough. It really didn't need to be said. Besides, the man was feeling hungry. The paunchy dwarven woman seemed to turn up right on cue to sate the appetites of the group, and her workshoe manner of speech added an enticement to the food she delivered. Maltar took a shining to her, as much as he had taken an instant shining to Gus, a young man with no shortage of fun to throw around. Maltar had been enjoying the wizard's playful energy. As Maltar made his way to acquire a meal for himself, he watched with keen observation as Gus interacted with the dwarven woman. Once Gus had taken his meal, Maltar gave him a nod, then smiled warmly for the dwarven woman, thanked her, and went to stand quietly by the fire to eat.

---

"I agree with you." Maltar had finished his meal, taken a swig from his burden flask, and had approached the table. Faline was reading through some notes. "There's more going on that just a disease," Maltar clarified, "I don't believe we would be here if that wasn't the case." He had focused on Faline's emerald gaze as he started responding to her comment, then glanced casually to the others at the table. "I don't mean to alarm anyone. But by chance I'm not here in the morning, just wanted to say I'll try and make it to our next destination the best I can. It was good to meet you all." The monster hunter then gave all present company a nod and walked away into the bed room.

Maltar took the top bunk above where Faline had placed her belongings on her bed. He had been resting for a while when Gus took the top bunk across from him and made the comment about his radiance keeping people awake. With a turn of his eyes, Maltar watched as the wizard's face glowed with sunlight.

"You know light is better shed from above, right?" Maltar winked with a slight, crooked grin, "Maybe it would be more caring of you take a bottom bunk." He turned his eyes back to the ceiling, released a small chuckle, then let his eyelids close.

Sleep was always a little unstable for Maltar. It's not that he didn't sleep soundly - though restless nights were common - but waking up miles from the place he would actually go to sleep was a thing he hadn't learned to predict. He hadn't experienced a Night Shift for a good week or more. It was well overdue. The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed it could happen this night. When Maltar had earlier arrived in the Lock and Key, his preference to work alone had him wondering if he really wanted to stay, and so he found the possibility of waking up far from these people in the morning a little amusing.

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

@jasbraq Good to see you back! And great post, enjoyed the read with my morning coffee :)

Single Malt Plots

Bump.

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

Maltar

Spirit of the Beast

---

Maltar gave Amandine a nod and a slight grin when she gestured with her sandwich to make note of his point about Mercenary work. Maltar had also observed Faline's lack of expression toward him and Amandine while they spoke their piece, which he deduced at first to be aloof. But it was only while the Half-Elvian woman began to express a considerable amount of knowledge on the Duskrot situation, that he figured she was probably just being patient with his lack of knowledge. Apparently, Maltar's mentors had been a little less forthcoming than Faline's were about their work involving the disease. Not that this surprised Maltar. While most of the knowledge he had acquired over the years had come from his mentors, he had of late spent much of his time away from home hunting the monsters that plagued the northern borders of Laelilon. It therefore stood to reason that Maltar may have known less about the current circumstances than some of the others in the room as well. He thought it best to bite his tongue for a while and listen.

Dorian's confirmation and consequential explanation was illuminating, to some degree, and the task the group was being asked to do in retrieving The Amulet of Selene from the woods did provide insight to Maltar's second enquiry about mercenary work. It was soon after Faline spoke of the Hiemaquas Dragonian tribe that the newest member of the group, a Dwelf decorated in heavy armor, made himself known and approached the table. Once the Dwelf positioned himself, Dorian answered Torsten's question for the second time, confirming that they were indeed being asked to head into the woods to retrieve The Amulet of Selene.

After Dorian had welcomed their newest member, Maltar turned his head down and to the left and observed the empty air beside him. He raised one eyebrow like he was listening to the empty space quietly speak to him. A moment later, Maltar nodded and turned his face back toward the group.

"Yeah... I agree." He then addressed a question to Dorian; "When do we leave to retrieve this amulet?"

Ban the User Above You

Banned for trying to coax someone into banning you for hypocrisy.

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

Maltar

Spirit of the Beast

---

Maltar nodded to Faline for her confirmation of his inquiry, and he considered eating some of the pheasant Amandine provided, but he wasn't really hungry having eaten a few hours earlier. The Elvian had some thoughts to consider while he listened to a discussion between the members of his company, a brief discussion at that, due to Dorian returning with the arrival of a young swindler by the name of Gus. Then, soon after, entered a Northern Orc. Not something you see every day.

For a moment, Maltar remained in his seat while the groups dynamic shifted to include the new arrivals. It was only when Dorian commenced his speech that he made his way to the table and stood back from the group with his arms folded. It was amusing to watch the Orc scrutinize their host as he talked, so Maltar couldn't help but grin while listening to what the Governer's son had to say.

As Torsten mentioned after Dorian finished speaking, it was good to be assured that Thoren and Marya were still alive, but a part of Maltar leaned in favor of Budi's less than eloquent request. Maltar's only real interest up to this point was finding his adoptive parents. Still, Sir Dorian's yet vague proposition gained his intrigue.

"Mercenary Guild...." The Elvian hunter added with a hike of his brow at Sir Dorian. "I know a little about what my parents invested some of their time in. By 'working to solve a mystery affecting the Ellezag Plains', would you be referring to the plague? If so, solving a mystery behind a disease doesn't sound like typical mercenary work."

Ban the User Above You

Banned for reasons I won't explain.

Word association Game!

Vegetable.

Ban the User Above You

Banned for drinking a love potion.