The Drunken Rat Tavern..

Avery Silver · Post by **Avery Silver** » Mon May 01, 2006 7:58 pm

Avery came up with nothing on any of her other sights. But there was no amount of pretty shiny things could make her look at the strange man again with her violet eye. The mystery irritating her, she decided to do something about it.

Curiosity killed the cat, aye. She thought as she walked across the floor. But satisfaction brought it back. She sat down at their table without waiting for so much as a questioning stare.

"Pleasure to meet you." She said with a nod to both of them. Though her nod to the vampiress was a bit shorter. She was still weary of her kind. "You two from Marn? I'm from a place a bit like this." As she babbled on, she used her sights again. She would find out what kind of magic this man had.

Jenica Sabiny · Post by **Jenica Sabiny** » Tue May 02, 2006 3:29 pm

Jenica watched Myx's concentration waver between the "conversation" and elsewhere, but didn't turn to see. She didn't feel any threat from the patrons, so it was safe to assume that it was merely drunken revelry behind her.

Until the woman joined them.

Although the vampire made no outward move, hostility came naturally to her, and it was now directed toward this new guest to their table. She shuttered her eyes to dampen the ire, but her disdain pulsed around her, and the air thickened once again in response.

But attacking would only get her noticed, which may bring outside forces she didn't want anywhere nearby. So she sat, calmly gazing at the woman, while her instincts wailed for the woman's blood.

Jenica's attention sharpened for a moment, and she cocked her head as she realized the woman's blood was rushing at a normal rate. Which mean there was no alcohol thinning it in the veins - or at least not enough to make a difference. Which meant this woman had made a very conscious decision to join them.

The woman's fake greeting went ignored as the vampire turned to Myx again. Let the male deal with pleasantries; she would follow his lead for now on how to deal with this woman. Her own inclination was messy and violent. She assumed he wouldn't have the same urge to kill.

"Familiar with death? I am dead."

She actually smiled, and then looked at the woman to gouge the response. If she didn't act surprised, it meant she already knew Jen's nature - which wasn't necessarily a surprise, as Jen wasn't concerned with hiding her nature - but she hadn't yet broadcast it.

"It tasted like nothing. Nothing at all."

All the pretty poets spoke about food tasting like ash in a dead man's mouth. Now she knew none of them had been vampires. Ash, although unpleasant, at least was strong - metallic and gritty, sticking to one's teeth. But this liquid air...to know that death meant nothing would satisfy or bring joy, that food tasted like nothing at all but a large gasp of air...now that might actually terrify people.

Jen merely raised a hand to refuse the bread. She doubted the flaky stuff would at least help her throat.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed May 03, 2006 12:29 am

Several replies came to his head, questions and comments towards Jenica's flat and blunt statement, but Myx decided to deal with the new arrival first. He gave a speedy reply, while thinking about the situation at hand.

"Why yes, I do call this place home," he spoke casually to match her amiable tone. Social mannerisms came naturally to him, a part of his charisma. It had lain dormant for a long time, but something so innate did not ever fade away completely. It was somewhat of a pleasure actually--a thrill of a sort to see his intuition play out like this. Myx quickly decided on intinct to keep her close by. Chances were she had an agenda, and this would reveal to him somewhat the nature of her presence.

"And to whom do I have the pleasure of talking to?" he asked, then pulled his gaze to briefly meet Jenica's, silently asking her to keep an eye on the red-head. When he looked the newly sat woman in the eyes, he couldn't help but do a double-take and added before she could answer, "your eyes--they're remarkable. Is that a normal occurance?"

Avery Silver · Post by **Avery Silver** » Wed May 03, 2006 1:48 am

Avery kept one eye on a light blue and the other a light peach color as if she had no control over it. Different places had different views on magic. But judging by the announcements she had seen hanging around the town, Marn wasn't to accepting of it.

She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. "I was hit by a spell awhile back. Daft mages, eh? I would much appreciate it if that little fact didn't leave the table." She winked with no coordination. She hoped they chalked her ignoring the vamps words to her drunkenness. It wouldn't do to let them on that she knew more than she should.

"Oh, and I'm Avery, Avery Silver. Who might you fine folks be?" She was intent on the man's answer. Maybe she had heard of him before. The stars only knew how many tales she had heard in her time.

She took a deep swig of her mead. or that's what it looked like. She only let a small amount of liquid pass her lips. People were more open with drunks. And she wanted to keep that advantage.

She waited eagerly for the answer to her question.

Jenica Sabiny · Post by **Jenica Sabiny** » Wed May 03, 2006 3:03 am

Until Myx mentioned it, Jenica honestly had not noticed the woman's eyes. She was focused entirely on her blood pulsing normally through her veins, on her scent, which although human had the distinct sense of "other" to it as well. The vampire had actually not met any elves, only other fae creatures, and so she recognized the general idea but not the species.

Jenica watched the girl swig the ale and continue on, acting oddly. It took her a minute to realize the girl was faking drunkenness, and when she did, she found that her hostility became a roaring animal within that strained to be free, to tear and rip this girl apart, to lance her lying tongue from her mouth. Jenica had to further shutter her eyes as they deepened to a blood red, her nostrils flaring, taking in and memorizing this woman's scent. The vampire didn't take kindly to liars.

She glanced to Myx just as the man glanced to her, giving her a clear indication that he wanted her to be wary of this woman. Unexpectedly, the action pulled her back toward humanity, and she reigned the beast inside in, hard. It wouldn't do to kill someone in front of this one. It wouldn't do at all.

Instead, Jenica would try to call her out from her lying game. And Jen so loved this particular game. It was a simple trick, but depending on the level of drink in the observer, it always got a reaction, from a scream to downright falling over. If the woman didn't react the way a drunk should...well, then Myx would know. And if she did, Jenica would let her continue faking. Out of respect for a well-played role.

She moved, naturally. It was an effort, to move at a human speed. Vampiric muscles were built for speed, and a vampire's natural movements were two to three times faster than a human's. So the effort of slowing one's movements down enough for the humans nearby to register them at "normal" speed was an actual effort that Jenica chose to make ninety percent of the time. But sometimes, it was worth it to get the jolt from people, as she moved in what seemed like less than a second from one spot, or one position, to another.

Now, she merely sat up and placed her hands on the table before her, clasped into a large fist. A simple, slow, human movement made in 1/5 of the time it would take an actual human to make it. So the result was, one moment she was slouched in her chair, limp, and the next she was up and tense, that much closer to the woman's face. Her gaze fixed on the woman.

Now we shall see.

Avery Silver · Post by **Avery Silver** » Wed May 03, 2006 4:54 am

Avery had a hard time mastering the impulse to grab Snick, but she managed. Barely. Wouldn't do to start a fight with a vamp. They always finished 'em. Instead a look of feigned confusion passed over her face. She shook her head and looked into her cup. Shaking her head again she took another drink.

She didn't realized the vampire was testing her. She just chalked it up to a vampire being a vampire. She set the cup down, nearly emptied of his contents. Slight of hand was a love of hers. She brushed her hands over her hair to make sure the pointed tops of her ears were concealed.

"What were your names?"

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Wed May 03, 2006 5:15 am

Myx watched the interaction play out in front of him with a thought that he wasn't quite getting all of it. He blinked when Jenica pulled her trick, and watched in silence as Avery pulled the cup back and finished most of what was in the cup. Strange--there had to be a motive somewhere he thought to himself. Something in her actions seemed off. Her entrance set her in his mind as self-assured, even if foolishly so (though few who could not back up their behavior survived in the streets of Marn). Her sudden accident at the bar, her peculiar eyes; curioser and curioser.

"My name is Myx Otysis," he said, leaning closer to her face and peering at her eyes, "an unfortunate incident, but I might also add that they have their charm. And what brings you to Marn, Avery Silver?"

Jenica Sabiny · Post by **Jenica Sabiny** » Wed May 03, 2006 3:30 pm

The vampire actually managed a smile as the woman glanced at her cup, continuing the game. She raised her own half-empty wineglass in silent salute, then went back to her more comfortable sprawl and contented herself to observe them both. Myx clearly knew the woman was more than she pretended to be, so Jenica didn't worry that he'd been taken in by her game. Even if he believed her drunk, he was still cautious of the woman.

Ah, wait. The woman had asked a question. Jenica restrained a growl, but there was still not enough reason to physically attack. Human manners.

So. A veiled threat.

"I didn't give mine, Avery Silver." And I have no intention of doing so now. Idly, she wondered if that was even the girl's true name.

Avery Silver · Post by **Avery Silver** » Wed May 03, 2006 7:44 pm

Myx Otysis. Avery racked her brains. No, never heard of him. "My feet." She answered his question. With a shrug she continued. "I'm a wanderer by nature. I just go where ever the wind happens to blow me. And the wind was blowing through Marn."

Actually it had nothing to do with the wind when she decided she had overstayed her welcome in the town before. It was more because of the arresting. and the escaping. even the best thieves were caught sometimes, and Avery had some work to do before she could be classified as the best.

The vampire's voice shook her out of her memories. Avery mentally smirked. She guessed this was being sociable for a vamp. This one was nice. And by nice she meant she hadn't ripped her throat out yet. Something Avery appreciated. "No problem. I understand some folk are weary 'bout giving their name out to strangers."

But there was a problem. Avery still had no idea what kind of magic Myx Otysis was in possession of. And she new the question would nag at her until she found out. She was worse than a dog with a bone that way.

Belatucadrus · Post by **Belatucadrus** » Fri May 05, 2006 9:34 am

Bela's eyes looked up at the sky as he walked. He could already feel it coming; the warmth and the dry, burning light of the sun. More than most other vampires, he couldn't stand it. Light of any kind burned his eyes with such intensity that even a candle held too close could blind him. He had the lights in Marn dimmed not just because it was amusing, but because he needed it.

Had it gotten worse since his last outing? He wasn't sure. Spending months without leaving his manor made him forget just how much it hurt.

Someday... Someday he would find a solution. There had to be a way.

His walking took him to the front of Drunken Rat and he stopped before the entrance, scanning the doorway quietly. He could feel her clearly now. What little extra sensory perception he had was enough to tell him that.

Ah, there you are. He thought, watching a man stumble out the door on his way home. You've managed to find quite the hangout, Jenica.

The Drunken Rat was well known to Bela. Granted, he knew the whole city like the back of his hand. Little changed over the years in Thar Shaddin... But the Rat had always been an important hangout for the theives and organized underground of Marn. All the locals new it well, and it was one of the higher profile taverns despite its name. Its owner had even been sympathetic to the mages before their little ring got shut down.

After his death the place never fully recovered. It was much less impressive now.

The vampire stood silently watching the entrance, not moving, not even really thinking. She was in there and he had found her. If not for the coming day, he would stand in front of the door for hours, days, months... Time meant nothing.

Some of the people around - there were fewer now, as the night grew old - gave him looks. Most of them knew who he was, and tempered their surprise and confusion at actually seeing him in order to avoid any kind of confrontation.

Avery Silver · Post by **Avery Silver** » Sat May 06, 2006 8:00 am

An unholy chill raced up Avery's spine. She knew the feeling. Turning to the door, she saw a... well someone with money at the door. And a vampire. "A friend of yours?" She whispered. In fact the noise level had dropped dramatically. Almost everyone seemed to know who this newcomer was.

Aver reflected on her words and cloud have slapped herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had made such an idiotic mistake. She just as told the vamp she knew what she was. Unless...

She turned to Myx as if she had been talking to him the whole time. "I think someone is looking for you." She hoped that worked. It wasn't all that out there. Myx looked like the only one in the whole tavern that could warrant the moneybag blood sucker's attention.

Ahhh, she needed more ale.

Jenica Sabiny · Post by **Jenica Sabiny** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:01 am

The volume in the bar steadily decreased until it was a low rumble, as if suddenly no one wanted to draw attention to themselves. And for a room full of drunks to be worried about gaining attention...

Jenica turned her focus away from the woman to the others in the bar. Their fear seemed to radiate from the entryway, but there was nothing visible there. But those who came in had the distinct smell of terror to them, and with their wave of gossip and information had come the silence now within the bar.

Which meant whatever caused their fear was just outside that door.

Jenica's senses were acute and powerful, but she couldn't see things the way the half-elf could. Instead, she had to turn inward once again, do a quick scan...and found her instincts screaming.

The vampire's change was quick and drastic. The hostility radiating from her presence increased to the point that the air around her body visibly darkened as the shadows thickened in reply. But now all of that power was turned toward whatever was on the other side of that door. And Jenica didn't want to stay to see Him. The thing that held her in place sat directly across from her. A walking bundle of curiosity and intrigue that she didn't want to abandon. Not yet, anyway.

Avery's question turned those blood red killing eyes to the half-elf, and though Jenica wouldn't attack, the clear desire to lay waste to everything around her was written in the nearly invisible dark pupils. Not to mention the shadows in the place had now thickened to almost palpable, and the ones on the walls slithered ever so slightly, like tendrils of black blood. The animal within howled and raged for the slaughter, and Jenica only felt half a notion to hold it back. She was a fuse, and any moment she would detonate...and tear the entire building apart in her rage and fear.

Only to escape. From Him. But her vicious instincts justified the price without a second thought. Anything was worth it...just to escape from Him.

"My sire."

Those eyes turned to Myx, and through the bloodlust, a plea shone through. She said nothing.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Mon May 08, 2006 9:54 pm

Myx blinked his eyes at Avery when she mentioned there was a man looking for him. Knowing what Jenica was, he knew from a mixture of intuition and mental analysis that the man was probably looking for Jenica, who answered his unspoken question with 'my sire'. In that short phrase he realized something extraordinary had happened, more so than he thought. The man behind the door was none other than Belatucadres--affirmed by the hushed whispers and terrified acceptance of the figure behind the front door of the tavern. He had dismissed the rumours of the ancient vampire that lived in Shim and ruled over Thar as gross exagerrations of the truth born from the minds of ignorant townsfolk. But six years in Thar Shaddin had slowly whittled at his disbelief until tonight he was faced with the reality. And Jenica had claimed some form of relations with him--one of much hostility.

"I believe that we need to leave this place soon," Myx said, looking directly at Jenica. He glanced at Avery but couldn't read her motives--should they part ways now or should he keep her close-by? She was like a small puzzle he wanted to finish before going to sleep. Yet he thought he shouldn't get the woman involved, and decided to give her a choice when the moment came.

But where to go? There was a backdoor, but for all practical purposes Bela ruled this city, and the backdoor led away from his dwelling place in the Residential District. Myx sent his cat scurrying a few blocks away and stood up from the table.

"We can take the backdoor. It was a pleasure Avery," he trailed off, looking to see how she would react to the situation.

Avery Silver · Post by **Avery Silver** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:57 am

The appearance of the new vamp had her quite on edge. She had come across old vamps before, but there was something about this one. Something that made her instincts cry out for her to run.

A firm believer of safety in numbers, she stood. "If you'll allow it, I would like to tag along."Avery threw her act out the window and set it aflame. Her continued well being was a much higher priority than her idle curiosity.

Belatucadrus · Post by **Belatucadrus** » Tue May 09, 2006 2:30 am

Leave or stay? Leave or stay. He just watched without moving, as still and pale as a statue with glass eyes.

The door to the tavern slowly started to close but then stopped itself, hitting a pillow of nothing.

She was with others - two of them - one of whom looked like he was trying to get her to leave. A man, with the intentions all men had no doubt. If Bela failed to play his cards right, that would be trouble.

Go on then. Go and run. He smiled.