From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
Loren figured getting off on the wrong foot with the proprietor of the Hanged Man was probably bad for his long term prospects in Torchline (and for his budding alcoholism). So he set out to make things right if he could, heading for the bar right before sunset.
hirtless and shoeless, dressed only in a pair of shorts and sporting a slight tan, he looked more and more the part of a native though he wasn't actually one. Astra was in tow, since she hadn't gotten to see the place last time. Seeing as she was far better at winning over hearts than he was, he figured it was for the best.
Carrying a small package, he entered into the tavern. Like the last couple of times, the switch was immediate and immediately pleasant. His luxere bleated excitedly at the cool lighting and cooler breeze, trotting into the center of the room. Grinning at the sight, he glanced around at the empty interior. "Raza? We haven't officially met, but I wanted to apologize and make amends for the other night."
Mmmmm, yes, getting off on the wrong foot with me ain’t a great idea. There are other bars, of course (this is a city, after all), but mine is the hub for certain interesting activities and has the best location. Not that I’m biased at all.
It’s a slow start to the evening, which is unusual but I honestly don’t mind. Could use an easy night and it’s not like I have to pay rent for the place. Hoa is lounging above the booze, draped on a little shelf I built specifically for him, when he doesn’t want to be in the rafters or in the middle of shit at the bar. He’s the one who first gets the whiff of something new, perking his head up and rapidly flicking his tongue towards the door.
Curious, I look up as Loren enters, accompanied by a… little deer thing? I’ve obviously never seen anything like it before, so I come out from behind the bar and Hoa, equally intrigued, begins to make his way down. It’s not a food kind of feeling that I get from him, it’s a sense of investigation equal to my own. The man is another story, and I fix him with a mild look. “Taking a page out of Remi’s book, are you? Smart man.” The way to acceptance here is paved by bribes. And I am a willing participant in that system.
As Raza and a large snake emerged from behind the bar, Loren smiled. Although his eyes tightened at the mention of Remi, the healer's eyes tightened slightly. However, his voice was friendly enough. "How do you know he didn't take a page out of my book?" The smile turned into a smirk.
Finally, he moved from the doorway. Astra, of course, immediately bounded over to Raza and the python. The luxere was always happy to make new friends. "I brought you a glass to replace the one that broke." Holding out the package, he grinned a little. "Plus an extra to make up for the trouble."
Titling his head to one side, his eyes glittered with a dark amusement. "But I've heard goods aren't really the way to make proper amends in Torchline." The words came out a bit cheekily. "I'm Loren, by the way. That's Astra. She's the charming diplomatic one." Astra shot him an adoring look before returning her attention to the proprietor of the Hanged Man, practically begging for scritches.
“I met him first. Ergo -” trailing off, I begin to wonder why he felt he had to come out on top of Remi (and no, not like that). “You feel like you need to compete with him or something?” And if so, what are they competing for? Most drunk? Most fucked up? Most likely to start a bar fight - or most likely to be the last one standing? There’s a weird almost-defensive feeling that bubbles up in me about that statement and Remi, than this stranger.
Even if he has a cute mini-deer thing. I can feel Hoa asking for me to chill, in his own way, as he wraps himself around my ankle, still terribly curious about Astra but not wanting to scare her.
I nod and accept the gift while squatting down to offer the diplomat the requested scritches. “This is Hoa,” I gesture to my companion who has reprimanded me for almost squishing him. “He’s also the cool-headed one.” With my fingers trailing up and down Astra obligingly, I address the other question. “Favors are best. Disrupt shit like that again and I’ll expect more than a glass, yeah?” It’s not unkind, I’m just letting him know the way things are.
He’s welcome to come back. Just don’t be a stupid drunk.
And if he is a stupid drunk, he better make it worth my while.
Shaking his head, Loren smirked widened a bit. "Nope. Just making a joke." It came out easily enough.
Kneeling down, he held out a hand for Hoa to sniff. If the snake was receptive, the healer would lay a hand almost gently on Hoa's head. "It's nice to meet you Hoa." Indeed, there was a softness around the Launceleyn that he rarely had around people.
Astra, of course, adored the attention from Raza, letting out a happy bleat. Then the luxere wiggled down and shoved Loren away from Hoa. Astra wanted to meet this new friend, and the healer would just have to wait his turn.
Letting out a huff of laughter at her antics, he straightened up and turned his gaze on the proprietress. "Won't be a problem. And favors can definitely be arranged." He nodded in understanding.
Hoa is usually receptive until he isn’t, kinda the opposite of me, but let’s not get into that.
He moves forward and up, fitting his head into the cup of the man’s hand, having no grudges to hold and only scent and an animal’s instinct to go one. I chuckle at his mini-reindeer’s antics as she moves from me to Hoa and he adjusts, nose-to-nose with Astra, still save for his flickering tongue. I stand up, facing Loren again. With a decisive nod, I decide that I believe he will indeed pay up and our formalities are finished. “Good. Glad we understand each other.”
Thinking of the times I’ve seen him in here and the occasions I’ve been able to eavesdrop on, he will likely owe me favors soon, so we might as well get that observation out in the open. “Because by the sound of things every time you come in here, you’ll be owin’ me soon. I’m no therapist and I ain’t gonna play one, but dude - “ I shake my head and just leave it at that.
He’s got a problem with other men. Maybe women, too. Can’t tell on that one yet.
As Hoa’s tongue pressed againsr Loren’s palm he laughed a little at the sensation. When the snake placed his nose on Astra’s, her eyes widened. Then she licked the air as well, the motion comical, which caused the healer to snort. Glancing up at Raza, he nodded. ”Me too.” He flashed her a grin.
As she went on, though, he gave her a sheepish and guilty look and rubbed the back of his head. ”Yeah, sorry. I uh, recently cut back on the drinking.” Shrugging a bit awkwardly, he shifted his weight from one side to another.
”Owing you doesn’t sound so bad. Though I’m not sure how much use you have for a healer.” His fingers drummed a beat on his thigh, though his eyes had narrowed slightly.
His companion is amusing; I grin as her (I assume Astra is a lady name) tongue flickers out, mimicking Hoa. He too, finds it funny, knowing that furry animals’ tongues don’t work the same way. Giving a little gesture to indicate the deer-thing, I follow it up with what is meant to be an innocent question. “So… what is she? We don’t have anything like her here,” and my knowledge of the other parts of Caido is kind of shit, other than that Halo is cold and the Hallowed Ground was a bubble.
The next thing he says makes me chuckle dryly at the Outlander’s naivete. He’s clearly never owed a Torcher before. We aren’t afraid to call a debt in, the mental ability to calculate who owes whom at any given time cultivated from the time we begin to count. Owing me isn’t as bad as owing Jack or the Governor, but he doesn’t know that. “So you think.” The corners of my mouth grin slyly, but I’m content to just leave it at that.
“I try to stay out of trouble, but there are others who don’t. A favor for me may not end up being a favor for me.” Because that’s how Torchline works, newbie.
Narrowing his eyes, Loren glanced at Astra. "She's a luxere." Looking back at Raza, he tilted his head to one side. "Don't they show up during Deepfrost here?" It was clear from his tone and expression that he was surprised by her question.
"So I do." Still, he raised his eyebrows at her comment. Then he grinned weakly at her explanation. "Is that so?" He crossed his arms and gave her an apprasing look. "I wasn't aware favors could be traded."
Shrugging, he lowered his arms and reached out to give his companion an absentminded scritch. "Guess that's one of the many things I have to learn about Torchline, huh?" It was clear he was making fun of himself, and he let out a huff of laughter. "Care to teach me your ways?" This time, his tone was slightly suggestive, though not overwhelmingly so.
I shake my head and cross my arms. “Nope. But then we’re far from Halo and the Hollowed Ground. Do you have Hels or Sear Cats or Encantados?” Two can play the ‘what about’ game. I’m fairly sure he doesn’t mean anything by it, but the assumption still rankles me a bit.
I agree, he does have a lot to learn about Torchline. I don’t know much about where he’s from, either, but the people there are just… different. I could see it in Remi and Ronin. In him. In the others that come through the portal. I think it’s a philosophy, or an outlook? Like I said, I don’t actually know. “Anything can be traded.” But that’s not exactly how it works. “But with favors - if someone I owe asks me for something and I can’t deliver it, I call in one of my own. You learn to keep track. Use th small ones quickly, otherwise people forget.”
The big ones though, the big favors you don’t forget.
Shrugging at Raza's words, Loren reached out to give Astra an affectionate head rub. "Sorry, I was just surprised. There are luxere everywhere else I've been to, so I just assumed they'd be here too." He smiled faintly at the proprietress. "And you know what they say about assuming."
Brow furrowing as she mentioned quite a few creatures he'd never heard of, he tilted his head slightly to one side. "No I have not. What are they?" His tone was mildly curious, though he wasn't insistent.
Nodding in understanding, he ran a hand through his hair. "Got it." Slipping his hands into his pockets, he continued to smile faintly. "Good thing I don't owe you quite yet, then."
“Hels are magical birds, Sear Cats are magical cats, and Encatados are our pink magical dolphins.” Yes, there’s a lot of Magic in Torchline. Giving him a little shrug, I turn back to the bar and remember what it was I was doing - ‘prepping’ for the night. Someone comes in and takes a seat, which also brings me back to the present. I grab the offered glasses and put them under the counter with the rest of them. “Thanks again. You’re welcome to stay - both of you - but I’ve got to get back to work.” It’s just me here tonight, my second isn’t feeling well. Without waiting to see what Loren decides, I take my customer’s drink order and turn to fill it.
If he sits, I’m happy to serve him. If not, I imagine he’ll be back soon.
03-28-2020, 08:57 PM (This post was last modified: 03-28-2020, 08:57 PM by Loren.)
They say blood makes you related but
loyalty makes you family
As Raza explained what all those creatures were, Loren's brow furrowed in concentration. "Fascinating. Thanks for letting me know." Smiling faintly, he gave her a grateful nod.
Letting out a huff of laughter, he shook his head. "I'll get out of your way. Trying to cut back on the drinking, remember?" His tone was self-deprecating, though he waved goodbye cheerfully enough. "It was nice to meet you properly, Raza. And you Hoa." He smiled fondly at the snake, before glancing at the luxere. "Say goodbye Astra."
Bleating dutifully, the healer's companion trotted up to the proprietress and her companion and nuzzled against the woman's leg. Then both the Launceleyn and Astra took their leave of the Hanged Man.
