* Calanthar has been finding that he has been spending more and more of his time at the pub, as of late. He's not sure if this is a good thing or not, but it certainly gives him a chance to sit back, relax, and watch the younger folk scurry around. He has already taken up his usual spot by the hearth, mug of ale in hand, weapons on the ground beside him, and is enjoying the warm glow of the fire.
* Sadurean heads into the tavern, not in his Watch garb, but is wearing a nice outfit with a thick blue fur-lined cloak. He looks around the room and when he spots Calanthar he smiles and crosses over to the man's table. "Good evening, Captain." He says as he helps himself to a seat with the man.
<Calanthar> "Didn't I tell you to stop with the 'Captain' nonsense?" the old man asks, looking over at Sadurean. He's a bold one - a quality that Cal distinctly remembers from his own youth... But what does he want? He's got that same mischevious air about him. "Haven't seen you in a while, boy. Not since ya dropped your friend off at the infirmary and rushed past me. Shouldn't you be out on your rounds?"
<Sadurean> "No shift tonight.. " He responds with another smile. They seem a bit forced, and he has the quality about him that he's happy to see the man for more than just a happiness to see him again. He wants something. "Settling into Sinari well? I could introduce you to some people if you need connections."
* Calanthar raises an eyebrow. Connections? Connections usually means trouble. "I'm doing as well as an old man can manage, I suppose... What 'connections' would you be referring to? Nothing too far from your duties, I hope..." Cal hopes to himself that the boy isn't drifting into illegal matters; he certainly doesn't want the young man throwing his life away with things that could land him in trouble.
<Sadurean> "Oh.. I don't know. I just meant.. say, you wanted to meet someone in the Khova family, or maybe a high-standing member of a guild, I could arrange it. That's all." It's simple, he gives Calanthar something, then asks for something in return.
<Calanthar> "Ehh... I dunno. Haven't given it much thought. I suppose a talk with that Armand Seawind fellow over at the mercenary guild wouldn't be a bad thing. I'd like to give that stuffy military fellow a piece of my mind... Avinash or whoever, but that's not so much a burning need as I haven't even met the guy - only just heard about him. Why, pray tell, would you be so interested in helping me out? I've got no standing anymore boy, I can't pull you up
<Calanthar> standing anymore boy, I can't pull you up the ladder like I could for my men when I was still a soldier..."
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* Sadurean frowns when he mentions Ryn'an, an irritated expression crossing his features that passes quickly as the man keeps speaking. "Oh, I'm not looking for that. I was wondering if you could tell me more about Ama'til? I'm really interested in the battle.. I have a map I found at the library." He reaches under his cloak and pulls out a folded parchment.
* Calanthar grunts. More about the fighting. Everyone he's met wants to know about the fighting. With a sigh, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a somewhat crushed cigarette that he'd bummed earlier and lights it with a match. "I thought I told you everything about the fighting. Started here," he says, pointing to the east wall. "and ended at the docks, when the last ship had fled port. What more is there to tell? Half the city was burned, this map
<Calanthar> tell? Half the city was burned, this map probably ain't any good anymore."
<Sadurean> "Yeah? Can you tell me where the fires were? I want to write a ballad, but I need more details." He unfolds the map and smoothes it out, sliding his chair closer to the old soldier. "This is the gate where you fled? Here?" He points to the paper, which is a fresh copy of an older map that was on file.
* Calanthar takes a look at the map, pointing out the occasional shop, the armories, and large numbers of houses. Something was definitely odd here, who writes a song about fires, much less *where* they were? Ahhh, but paranoia was a side effect of old age, and the young are generally terrible liars, so if something *is* up, he'll let it slip. "As you can see, they wanted to keep barracks, inns, and the large trading companies unharmed. Bad for business a
<Calanthar> trading companies unharmed. Bad for business and bad for quartering soldiers. They also kept the large governor's manor - probably used by the military leaders now."
* Sadurean pulls out a pencil and starts making notes as the man identifies things. Debatably, he could just be writing a song, it's easier to come up with interesting lyrics when you have a lot of information to start with. Not that bards ever care much about truth when it comes to rhyming. "Where were you.. here? And the school is up here, right?" Maybe he's just looking to get the upper hand in the barracks by turning in the map
<Sadurean> by turning in the map to officers.
<Calanthar> "I was here." Calanthar replies, pointing to a street close to the center of town. "Went outside when I got that soldier's twitch - yeah, the school's there, it wasn't too badly touched. I remember seein' the first fire flare up, everyone thought it was just a house fire, given the location. Then the people came runnin from this district here, and next thing I know, I'm running after some damn kid swearing to avenge his father or some nonsense. Di
<Calanthar> avenge his father or some nonsense. Didn't last. They most likely had archers here, because the boy was filled with arrows before he got to swing that axe of his once. Probably still have 'em there, but I wouldn't know. Just seems tactically smart."
<Sadurean> "Really? Archers.. shooting people in the streets?" Somehow that detail seems scarier than the more generalized details of fires and battles. He lowers his hands to his lap and rubs them on his legs nervously. Maybe this is all a really bad idea. "You don't think they'd kill everyone, right? Just pepole looking for trouble.."
* Calanthar glances up as Sadurean stops writing suddenly and notices a hint of worry in his expression. "Well...I...I'm sure they stopped when they had no *armed* combatants left. But you know how men get - even scaly ones, in the heat of battle... Everyone's your enemy in a fray, unless they're wearin your colors. The Ourani can get that bloodlust sometimes. I imagine they're still somewhat on their toes with suspicious-looking folk, but I don't know ab
<Calanthar> suspicious-looking folk, but I don't know about outright *murder*. Not now that they're in control at least."
* Sadurean nods, dark blue eyes studying the map for a long time. "So, they're probably calmed down now, since things are under control. Makes sense." He says with another nod, to reassure himself more than anything. "Was it all Nimodo, or were there humans too? I've never talked to one.. but I've seen em, traveling with my father."
* Calanthar leans back, taking a drag on his cigarette and trying to recall. "Well, a good many of 'em were Nimodo - a lot of Ourani's population *is*, so it stands to reason. They weren't the ones I was worried about. Ferocious, but ferocity can be a weakness. No, it was the men, and there were men, that I was really worried about. Large number of the officers seemed to be men, but there were platoons of 'em, putting folk to the sword as calm as if they
<Calanthar> putting folk to the sword as calm as if they were cuttin' down trees. There's the terrifying thing there."
* Sadurean swallows, silent for a moment as he takes in what the man said. He never should have talked to him, he's starting to lose his nerve. "Just the people that were fighting though.." He counters, reaching to fold up the map, fiddling with the parchment.
<Calanthar> "No, they left the Nimodo to handle that after a while. They were more interested in burning houses to drive the inhabitants out. Rule by fear is an Ourani precept, and there's no better way than to show that you control your subjects' lives. They tended to leave the wealthier targets, and didn't go for the women as much but still...What can I say kid, war is hell. If you don't know what you're doin, there's a good chance you'll die."
<Calanthar> good chance you'll die."
<Sadurean> "I'm not a kid." He mutters, stuffing the map away again. Boy he can handle, but 'kid' grates on his nerves. "I'm sure if the people just stay out of their way they'll be left alone. It's stupid to fight when you're obviously outmatched and outnumbered." The decree of someone who doesn't know any better.
* Roz is now known as RozSleep
* Calanthar takes a final drag on his cigarette, crushes it out, and leans in close to Sadurean's face, and says, in a grave tone. "You try telling that to somebody who just saw everything they had *die*. It will drive you *mad*. You got family, boy? Loved ones? Think about seeing them get cut to pieces by four, five scaly monsters. What are you gonna do? You're gonna fight - you're gonna wade in there, regardless of how many times you've held a weapon, a
<Calanthar> of how many times you've held a weapon, and you're gonna try and take all that pain and rage out on those beasts. More often than not, you die. Sure, you can try stayin outta their way, but you act suspicious, or they push you too far, and you know what will happen..."
* McGig`out is now known as McGig
<Sadurean> The soldier presses in close and the bard looks honestly subdued by the intensity of the words, "I guess.." He folds his arms and leans forward onto the table, asking next, "Do you regret coming down here, then? Ama'til was your home, right?"
* Calanthar leans back. Perhaps he was too harsh... But then again, Sadurean should know these things, given the time they lived in. "No, I'm not from Ama'til. Was born in Shy'la - Ama'til had been my home for a few months when they came, but after a life of marching, I find it hard to get attached to a particular patch of dirt. I know that the folk Ama'til didn't think like I did though... Probably why a good many died like they did, with whatever makesh
<Calanthar> died like they did, with whatever makeshift weapon they could find in their hands. Most folk around here would probably do the same."
* Sadurean sits quietly, dropping his chin down to rest on his crossed arms. He was nervous before, and now he's feeling even worse. Still, all he has to do is sit around and watch, and it's not like anyone will have any reason to give him trouble. He's always had a fairly easy time tricking people before, after all. His internal thoughts cause a break in the conversation, the young guard silent now.
* Calanthar gets the distinct feeling from looking at him that Sadurean is *extremely* uncomfortable with all of this, and somewhat regrets voicing his thoughts. "Hey, you alright lad? Don't you have better things to do than sit around and listen to a half-mad old-timer like me rant? Bahhh, you should be out with a woman, having fun on your night off!"
<Sadurean> When he mentions him being out with a woman, his mind naturally shifts to thinking of Evi. The money is a large reason why he took D'Cint up on her crazy mission. That and to prove Ryn'an and his father wrong. It's enough to remind him of his resolve and he sits up again. "I'm okay.. and there's only one woman for me, my wife." He says with that mischievous grin again, always enjoying people's reactions when he says he's marri
<Sadurean> when he says he's married.
* Calanthar chokes on the ale he was sipping and nearly falls over from the coughing. "*hack* Married?? You're what, 17? Lord, boy, talk about love at first sight! Well if you're married to the girl, you should take her out somewhere, or at least be with her! You're young, enjoy your nights!" Good Lord. Married, at that young? This boy was either smitten, or had no sense.
* Sadurean laughs, nerves easing some as his mind is free of his worry for the moment. "I'm sixteen, and she's the one. We love each other, and that's the most important. Without love life has no meaning.." He says wistfully. Such a bard. And he is smitten, horribly so, but she agreed to marry him and that makes her just as foolish.
* Calanthar laughs and raises his glass. "Sure lad, I'll drink to that. You know, you'll make quite a living as a bard after your time in the Watch is up. Who knows, maybe I'll read one of your plays or poems someday before I pass. Just take care of the girl - and that means takin' care of yourself too."
<Sadurean> "Oh, I write music, and I sing. I don't write plays. I'll perform a song or two for you sometime after I get back." A slip there, and he realizes it immediately and continues talking to cover it up, "I used to sing here every night, until I had to serve in the Watch." He doesn't have a drink of his own, and just nods at the toast, "I write music for my wife a lot, she loves it."
* Calanthar nearly misses the comment about getting back, but it brings back a whole slew of worries. "Oh, I'll bet she does... I'm sure she'll miss your singing too... Be gone long?"
<Sadurean> "Gone? Oh.. no.. just a quick trip out of town." Curses. Usually he's very good about such things, but he's stressing and hasn't been sleeping well. "You know how it is, there's always a few people that insist on living outside of town, so they send us to go check on em." A flat-out lie there, but it sounds believable enough. He begins rising, thinking he better get out before the soldier can ask too many questions.
<Sadurean> questions.
<Calanthar> "Woah there. Sit *down* lad." Calanthar states flatly, drawing on those years as an officer and hoping that he can still manage that forcefullness. "I may be old, but I'm no fool. It's your night off, remember? What are you so desperate to hide that you'll lie to an old man about it? I hope you're not getting any damn fool thoughts about Ama'til in your head."
<Sadurean> He'll soon learn that Sadurean doesn't respond to orders very well the majority of the time. He doesn't sit again, but he lingers. "What? No.. I just want to write a song, like I told you. Making a little money on the side never hurt anything, though." In a way it's true, but he's trying to imply something else entirely.
* Calanthar frowns, wondering what's behind the smokescreen of words. "Well, I can't order you around like that D'Cint of yours. But I now *know* you've something to hide, and I have my worries about what it might be. You think long and hard about what I told you about Ama'til boy, you got that? And you think about that wife of yours before you run off and do something stupid. You don't wanna hear it from me, but I'm old, I'm entitled to lecture. I've see
<Calanthar> I'm old, I'm entitled to lecture. I've seen a lot - I know what those Ourani are capable of, and like it or not, you *don't*. Just...just be careful, Sadurean."
* Calanthar gets up and storms out of the pub
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* Sadurean swears under his breath, wondering if he just made the biggest blunder before even leaving. If the man talks D'Cint will skin him. He sucks in a breath and then hurries after the man to catch up. He'll need to convince him not to say anything.
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