Closed Oh No You Didn't!

[Valkyrie]

Fall XX

The Red Diamond Tavern was crowded as usual. The tables were full and it was impossible to walk through the room without bumping into at least a dozen people. Coren sat on a stool at the bar as he usually did. He was here alone so it made no sense to use up a whole table and possibly have to sit with strangers. Better to go to the bar where he could have a drink in peace without anyone to bother him. There were always drunks about flinging around words, sometimes in order to start a fight and sometimes because they really were that thick and didn’t hardly realize what they were saying. Coren was so used to hearing the idiots around him say stupid things it took quite a while before he realized that the table behind him was making very intentional remarks about his person.

“Yeah I heard he had to go in for questioning at the Icewatch. I could’ve guessed he would be a suspect. Even as a kid I didn’t think he would turn out well.” the speaker chuckled a bit and then coughed violently having accidentally inhaled some of his drink. If Coren turned around to look at the speaker he would probably not be able to place the man very well but generally recognize him as a Snowsong. A man and a woman sat on either side of the speaker, looking from the man to Coren and back again while giggling. The woman placed her hand on the man’s shoulder as though to urge him to stop talking but it was clear she was only playing at it and enjoyed the gossip immensely.

“We all should’ve known that he would turn out to be a mage. But what can you expect with parents like that? I’d like to know when a decent singer came out of that family, voices like crows, all of them. Not even a skilled carver among them. I suppose he didn’t have much choice when his useless parents couldn’t even pass down any worthwhile skills.” The man chuckled again and drank deeply from the glass before him. The speaker’s companions got a little quiet at that and the man attempted a half hearted guffaw for the speaker’s benefit. Conflicts were inevitable and even the friendly, hospitable Vantha got into fights now and then but it was generally known that families ought to be kept out of it. Families were far too important to be dragging through the mud though the speaker’s words were especially acidic among the Vantha.

[Coren]

Coren was just steadily sipping on the light cider in front of him, occasionally trading some words with the bartender when the man wasn't busy with the rest of the patrons, he quite liked that man. He wasn't the smartest tool in the box to be honest and the man couldn't keep his mouth shut about anything to safe his life, which was why he probably talked to him when he wasn't doing his rounds or working, he was the only one who was alone and didn't mind hearing him prattle on about what was going on in avanthal. Sides at least there was anybody talking to him instead of acting he was a leper. He took another sip, waiting for the bartender to get done with his next round and come over for his next rapid fire round of gossip and news as he heard a sentence from coming from behind him that could only be about him, he gave a quick glance over his shoulder towards where he had heard the sentence come from, the way the people at the table behind him where gesturing towards him confirmed his suspicious. He just shook his head at their folly and took another sip from his pint. Feigning not to react to the numerous jabs aimed at his family, though even if coren didn't want to admit it to himself. He was slowly beginning to boil at the mans snide remarks and his companions laughter. But when the man supposed he turned to magic because he didn't have any useful skills he couldn't take it anymore and slammed his pint on the bar, drawing not only the attention of the people who where gossiping about him but also turning a few heads of other people towards them and coren turned around, fixing the group with a stare that would let their blood run cold. It was obvious that they didn't just make the mage angry, which would have been a bad idea to start with, but made him downright PISSED. “I might not be a very good singer, nor be a very competent carver.” Coren admitted in an icy tone. “But at least I didn't have every ounce of common sense beaten out of me at birth.” Coren snapped. The man opened his mouth to give coren an angry retort. “I'm not a foo-” but coren just cut him off, his voice slowly becoming louder as he spoke. “You are worse then a fool, you are a moron, somebody who is completely blind to the results of his action, somebody who is nothing more then bravado. Only people like that would try to anger a mage, especially if they don't have a clue which disciplines he practices!” Coren had stood up from his stool and stood up straight towering over the clearly disturbed people who had moments before been mocking him. The rest of the bar, barring a few tables in the far corners, where now looking at the incident with a mixture of excitement of what was obviously going to break out in a fight in their eyes or fear of what was going to happen. Though the one who had instigated the argument was slowly regaining his wits. Coren didn't mind him and slammed his hand on the table glaring at the other two. Coren had already seen their peculiar way of dress and easily categorized them also as members of the snowsong hold. “I'm sure you two have a better grasp of stories then that empty headed vagik. So why don't you tell me some of the things mages have been rumored to do?” He slowly shifted his gaze between them, noting how they leaned away from him. A few moments of silence reigned, the rest of the bar being to shocked to really do something to help either party of the conflict. Coren took this impasse as a chance to call upon his djed and carefully began expelling the djed and began wrapping it around his torso, arms and head smoothing it out with a practiced motion before tasking it to blunt force. He didn't want to take the chance of getting hurt if violence broke out. “I heard rumors of you being able to move things with your mind.” The woman manage to speak through the fear, breaking the silence. “And I have seen a mage of the icewatch throw spikes of ice at an escaped convict once.” Coren nodded, his masked face not expressing any emotion as he looked towards the other man who he had asked the question towards, ignoring the moron. “Nothing to add?” The man looked at him for a few scant moments. “Some mages can see into your soul and see your every secret and mages who can morph themselves into anything they chose. ” The man pitifully added. “Good, seems you two have a brain, congratulations.” coren deadpanned as he looked back towards the moron. Who was growing a bit pale as what has been said was sinking in. “Seems like you are slowly comprehending what exactly you are dealing with.” Coren said in an icy voice. “Now why don't you take back what you said about me, my family and my hold. Or do I need to give a first hand demonstration of what exactly I am capable of?” Coren waited for the mans answer. His friends had been cowed sufficiently that he doubted they still had any want for trouble, lets hope this moron was the same. “You can't do that! The icewatch would lock you up!” The man stammered out and stood up from his chair. Coren absentmindly noted that the man was a few inches taller then him. “Sides, mages are all insane psychopaths, if you could hurt me in those ways you wouldn't have been talking to me now, you would just have used those ungodly powers of you to mess me and my friends up anyway” The man was slowly gaining steam. Though coren couldn't comprehend where the man was getting that assumption from. Just because he was a mage didn't make him voilent for morwens sake. “So you are just bluffing you mage!” The man spat out reared back his fist and planted it right in coren's face. Or at least attempted to do it. A small spark was seen as the shield let the fist bounce of him without any harm. The man's eyes went wide and punched again and again. His punches becoming more and more frantic as the all proved to be completely useless, not even moving Coren's furred robe. “Seems like I wasn't just all talk wasn't I?” Coren spoke as the man had finally stopped wailing on him and stared at him with fear on his face A small smile made his way on his masked face. It felt a bit empowering to back him into the corner like a rat. Coren curled his hand into a fist, it would be so easy and satisfying to beat this man down without to much trouble. But he restrained himself, he wasn't some kind of mad dog that beat up people. He was above that kind of violence, so he would give the man a chance to walk away from this. “Now, why don't you take back your slander and give me an apology? I'll let you go if you recognize your own stupidity of your actions.” Coren said in his icy tone tone, ignoring the stares from the other patrons who where watching the spectacle. “Well?” The man swallowed and glanced at his friends with pleading eyes. Coren didn't take his eyes of the man in front of him, both of them where still rooted to their seats, so he would hear at least the scraping of their chairs over the wooden floor if they decided to but into this confrontation. Coren raised an eyebrow as the silence continued to stretch on. “Or would you rather have I used the suggestion of earlier and showed you what I can do to a helpless man like you?” At once the man's mouth shot into action, his words stumbled over each other in his hurry to take back what he said. “Good, coren said in a dull tone. Now just get out of my sight and remember.. Don't even try to do this to other mages, if I'll hear about anything you did against them I'll make sure to give you a visit.” Coren's tone lowered to an icy hiss as he said the last part of the sentence. In response the man just quickly nodded. Coren stook a step to the side and the man shot past him, his two friends following him quickly. Coren didn't know if he had made the right decision. But at least he had put a few morons in his place without any violence at the very least. Coren walked back to his stool and plopped down intent on enjoying the rest of his pint at least.

[Valkyrie]

Coren :

Experience
1 Observation
2 Rhetoric
2 Intimidation
1 Shielding

Lore
Standing Up For Oneself Against Another’s Insults
Not Backing Down to Stupidity
Using Words Instead of Violence Against an Aggressor

Other
N/A

Notes: After Coren’s last run in with loud mouths and the ensuing Icewatch issues I was really happy to see Coren use his words a dash of intimidation to deal with this situation. I think it went really well and showed a real growth in his maturity. He seems to be feeling a lot more comfortable with his life situation and isn’t letting things get him down. Go Coren!

You Will Be Collected if Worthy

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