[Red Diamond Tavern] Playing the Part (Open)

[Erik Larou]

4th Day of Summer, 511A.V. The midday sun provided a degree of warmth as Erik, and the happily swaying tail which extended from beneath his hat, approached the door of the Red Diamond Tavern. He couldn't help but laugh at the seemingly unpredictable weather which had been the source of much frustration the day before, now helped take the bite out of the cold summer day. 'Is it even called summer? it seems like it would be easier to just call every season winter here.' He mused silently, removing his hat as he entered, causing TJ to scurry down to the floor now that his hiding spot was gone. He was feeling well rested from the night before, glad to have a place to leave his belongings without fear of theft. He sat down at a vacant table and, two gold mizas and the night's special later, began quietly tuning his violin, not wanting to disrupt any of the conversations that were being help. The drastic change in temperature had done a number on it, but within a few chimes it was playing as good as new. He turned his hat upside down and set it on the table in front of him. TJ quickly curled up next to it and fell asleep. "As if you didn't get enough sleep last night. Lazy bum." Erik chuckled, tightening his bow strings and applying what little rosin he had left. He slowly drew the bow across the strings, forming the beginning of a cheerful, albeit slow, melody. He played in hushed tones, loud enough that you could hear it from across the room, but still soft enough for someone to ignore if they were so inclined. He transitioned (somewhat sloppily) between playing with the bow and playing pizzicato, but he still turned a few heads, hopefully in a good way. The tempo slowly increased, and, if you ignored the occasional off note or two, would actually be fairly easy to dance too. By the time the song ended, Erik's hands were flying across the strings, suddenly bringing the song to a close in an abrupt manner intended to leave the listener yearning for more. He paused to take a sip of his water before starting into the next song. Again the song started relatively slowly, this time carrying a more melancholy air with every note. Erik swayed slowly back and forth, lost in his own song. He let his emotions seep into the song, feeding off of his lack of true friends. Sure he had acquired an overwhelming number of acquaintances in his travels, but his only constant companion was the small orange creature cuddling up against the side of his hat. But such was the consequence of the life he had chosen. The song slowly trailed off into silence as he regained himself. Within moments the sorrow was covered up by a smile and the start of another cheerful tune.

[Atyvn]

The soft tones of a violin touched his ears some time ago, but he was slowly eating his small lunch to bother with checking where it was coming from. He had only just recently started coming to the popular tavern, though he had since it hundreds of times while walking around his home. It wasn't too bad. He should have been out hunting since the weather had finally warmed up and the animals would be a bit more active, but one more day couldn't hurt. Besides, it wasn't like anyone wanted to go with him hunting so it would, yet again, be him catching snow hares alone. He wasn't quite sure whether it was because he little friends or if people thought he was going to shoot them. The thought stung his mind and he shoved them away as quickly as they appeared. It had been almost five years ago, he had to get over it sometime. Two silver mizas exchanged hands and he pushed himself up from his table he had been peacefully sitting at to go out in search of the music that still played. It wasn't unusual for music to be heard around Avanthal because of the Snowsong hold, but it was something different to hear a violin's harmonic strings vibrating their notes through the air. Atyvn wasn't surprised when he found out that the source of the music wasn't a vantha, but that made him a little more curious on why the man was here anyway. Most who weren't vantha didn't like the cold and the fact that it was summer didn't mean it wasn't cold. It felt warm to him personally since he had spent all his life in Avanthal and he had to endure some rough situations. The vantha also noted the man's stature, guessing he had four inches in height over himself. The small orange ball of fluff brought a slight smile to his face for he loved animals because they listened to you and never gave negative remarks. Though, he was always surprised with animals and he wondered if this kitten was a kelvic. He slid one of the chairs out from under the table that was Erik's table and cocked his head slightly with a polite smile. "May I sit with you, friend?" he asked. He considered everyone a possible friend until it was proven otherwise.

[Erik Larou]

Erik watched as the man approached, nodding slightly to the newcomer's question as he began to bring the song to a close. Once the final note had trailed off he set the violin gingerly on the table. TJ stretched and yawned, one eye lazily watching as the vantha sat down. "It's always good to have someone to talk to that can actually respond in kind." He joked, reaching over to scratch the cat behind the ears for a bit before extending it in Atyvn's Direction. "Erik, Erik Larou. I'd like to apologize ahead of time if I say something wrong. My vani may have gotten rusty since the last time I was here". TJ, unsatisfied by the brief attention, slowly got up and after stretching yet again, moved over to the edge of the table by Atyvn. He flopped down, hoping that this new person would be more generous with his affection. "Don't mind him, TJ just likes new people." Erik explained, taking another sip of water before leaning back in his chair and continuing, "In the three or so years we've been traveling together, I've become convinced he isn't just a normal cat. I'm not saying he is a kelvic or anything, if he is I haven't seen him transform, but he certainly is unique."

[Atyvn]

Atyvn gave the man a firm shake and a warm smile in thanks for being accepted to the table. "Atyvn Skyglow." he said before looking to the cat and giving him a good scratch behind his ears and then working down his back. "It sounds good to me, friend." he said in his native tongue before he switched to Common for that's what he guessed was Erik's native tounge. "I am able to talk common, though it is a bit... a bit..." he trailed off and then decided he had to finish in Vani. "A bit rusty as well." He gave a laugh at his fading common tounge. He hadn't used it in some time and whenever he did, it was with a random buyer of his pelts or here at the tavern. He continued scratching the cat, letting it move his hand however it wanted. "He seems to be a fine companion." he said warmly, looking down at TJ, hoping to catch his eyes. He longed for an animal companion, kelvic or otherwise, but one had yet to walk into his life. "And you never know... the rascal could just be a kelvic." he added, never taking his calm blue gaze off TJ. "So... what brings you to Avanthal, friend?"

[Erik Larou]

Erik smiled down at his pleased companion. "When he's not climbing in my hat while it's still on my head, yeah, he certainly takes away some of the loneliness of the open roads." His gaze shifted back from the cat to Atyvn. The question of his presence here, while friendly in nature, still drew an audible groan from the musician. "The crazy weather out here. If it were up to me, I'd be heading towards Ravok still. Don't get me wrong, this is a wonderful city, but..." He paused for a moment to calm himself. "Forgive me, I'm just frustrated. I was traveling with a trade caravan traveling from Denval to Ravok. The wind picked up and brought a whole mess of snow along with it. I did my best to stay on course but I couldn't see a thing." He shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "By the time the storm passed, I was alone, the snow had covered what tracks may have been left behind. I thought I spotted a glint in the distance and, believing it to be the caravan, I followed it." He couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "It wasn't the caravan. Next thing I knew I was standing in front of the gates." He motioned to his violin. "Now I'm just killing time until I can hook up with another caravan and get back out on the road." The fiddler sat back up to take another sip of his drink. "So what about you? You look like you've had your fair share of adventures."

[Atyvn]

Atyvn decided to handle to weather subject tactfully, seeing that his new acquaintance was a bit on edge about it. He sat quietly until the mini rant from Erik was over and he held back a slight chuckle. Foreigners never did like the perpetual snow, especially when it inconvenienced them. Vanthas saw it as the good health of Morwen and gladly accepted the snow and cold that came with it, no matter the situation for Morwen blessed them with the strengths to endure it. He had a question about Erik's stranded state, but he let it go for now until he answered the newest question. "Just a hunter. Not a great one, I'll admit, but never-the-less a hunter." he gave in a somewhat playful tone. He continued to pet TJ absent mindedly and turned his gaze to Erik. "Forgive me for bringing it back up, but how long have you been here?" he asked calmly, attempting to not upset the man.

[Erik Larou]

"A hunter eh? Well, I can guarantee you are a better hunter than myself." Erik conceded, a smile once fighting it's way forward. "I just arrived yesterday evening. I barely had time to rent a cabin and unpack before it started getting dark." He shrugged again, leaning back in his chair once more. He let his gaze wander the room as a whole, the various people, the sole vacant table, the crackling fireplace, and the large horns set above it. "It's odd. I've only traveled through Taldera twice, both times just passing through, but both times I wound up here instead." He couldn't help but laugh. "Call me crazy, but I don't think that it is coincidence". His gaze drifted down to his instrument and he picked it up, not to play, merely to examine it. His expression shifted from a soft smile to one of contemplation as he slowly turned the violin over in his hands, running his fingers along the edges. For a moment it seemed as though he was in his own little world, trying to find some hidden answers engraved into the body of the instrument. A sudden crack from the fire brought him back into the real world. He shook his head and set the violin back down. "Sorry, I'm not the greatest when it comes to conversations. I'm used to just sitting on the back of a cart and playing songs." He looked back at Atyvn with an embarrassed smile. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

[Atyvn]

Atyvn blinked at hearing that the new arrival had just come in the day before. Maybe it was just that he was used to the storms and what not, but he didn't really notice anything different. Granted there was enough snow for a winter in the lower lands, but this was Avanthal, remember? He absently shook his head at himself, not intentionally to Erik but if questioned, he'd blow it off with a statement about how unlucky his new friend was. He eyed the man as he was inspecting the violin. The cold probably messes up his instrument... he thought and glanced back at the cat in front of him. He smiled once Erik finally spoke and dismissed him with the wave of his hand and laid it back down on TJ, the snowflake marking appearing on the back of his hand after a stroke down the feline's back. "Don't worry about it, neither am I sometimes." The thought of traveling to Alvadas crossed his mind and the chance was here, sort of. But this traveler already had a set course of Denval and Ravok and he knew Alvadas was over a thousand miles from Denval. He threw the thought away, not willing to impose a request as such on the man. Besides, his mom wanted him around another season or two, probably hoping to keep him at least until his twenty-first birthday. "No, friend, nothing at all. I only came to make good conversation is all." he answered truthfully.

[Erik Larou]

The marking on the hunter's hand caught Erik's eye. He had seen the same mark on some of the other natives as well, though he had simply assumed they were just some tattoo that symbolized completing a right of passage of sorts. There was something about it, some unseen power contained within it. "That mark on your hand, I've seen it before. Not the same shape, but I've seen tattoos like that on some of the other people here. I'm afraid what little I learned during my last little trip here has been long forgotten. There's something special about it, isn't there?" He questioned, his curiosity getting the best of him. Erik studies of Rhaus had taught him that if the god of music took special notice of someone, he would grant them a mark containing a fraction of his power as a symbol of his favor, it's shape usually having something to do with music. The musician had never considered the possibility that other gods and goddesses did this as well. "If I might steer the conversation in a new direction; Have you ever been to any of the other cities?" He asked, suddenly in a very inquisitive mood. It wasn't often that he had the chance to sit down and talk with someone like this. Of course there were the merchants in the caravans but it was rare for him to be doing anything either than playing or sleeping.

[Atyvn]

Atyvn was about to answer him in some clever way, but he took a bit longer and had to stop his thoughts at the new question asked. "I... I have only been outside Avanthal to go into the Reaches to hunt. Other than that, I've always seen snow." he said with attempted playfulness, but it was obvious from his eyes that he held emotions about that. He longed to travel, even if it was just western Taldera and Kalea, and see different places and people other than humans and the less than often kelvic. Sure, a few random species came and went, but few wanted to deal with the cold for long. Even if it was just to Alvadas and back, I would be happy... he thought. But who was to know Ionu would bless him with? He could only hope when he got there. Though in the meantime, he should do things that would please Ionu. He blinked and threw his thoughts back to the first question and he spotted Erik's water. He pointed to it. "May I?" he asked, poised to take the cup.