RP:A Trip to the Not-So-Scary Forbidden Library
Summary: Orikahn and Celaeno run into each other at the Frostmaw Tavern and begin discussing Celaeno's quest to find the Forbidden Library. Apparently, Kanna has already been there.
Celaeno came into the quickly familiar tavern from the cold outdoors, huffing as she runs her gauntlets, covered in a warm aura, over her arms under her robe sleeves. The young enchanter had dressed in a warmer robe for her search, with a wolf-fur cloak for good measure, but had still come up with nothing as far as libraries went and found refuge from the Frostmaw's usual weather in its tavern. She heads to the bar, putting in an order with the tender for her preferred beverage on cold days, black tea.
Orikahn shoulders his way into the bar with a grunt, sending the lights of the tavern aflicker before he can kick the door shut again against the snowy bluster outside. The massive feline has a good dusting of the stuff himself, and ice clings stubbornly to his muzzle wherever the fog of his breath has touched it. His three gleaming eyes sweep the tavern, looking for trouble. He finds Celaeno instead. Kahn's got a few more layers of furs and hides on today, but it's still quite unmistakably the giant sabercat she'd met down in Cenril. His wolf-fur leggings practically creak with cold as he stiffly saunters into the saloon. "Ale. Double," the cat growls hoarsely.
Celaeno would not forget the sabertooth so easily as she glances over at the newcomer, what with that third eye and the short list of felines she does know. "A blustery day to you, Mr. Kahn," she says, unaware by any other proper name she should call him. The half-elf sets her elbows on the bar counter, folding her fingers together a she waits. Even with the aura about her gauntlets, the sharp-eared hunter would have his senses assailed by their joints scraping together in the dry air, perhaps needing to be oiled up. "You seem especially well prepared for this tundra. Do you frequent Frostmaw often?"
Kanna has been recovering at the tavern from her most recent injuries. Thanks to Bastion's healing abilities, her voice has returned to her mostly, though her other wounds are still very much sore. It is while she drinks a hot glass of warm Winter Berry Juice that Celaeno comes in. When she stands to call out to the girl she'd met at the Kelay stream, that the sabertooth comes in. Her eyes immediately widen in adoration. "Aramoth's helper!" It is the only thing she knows him as from that brief meeting at Yule.
Orikahn shivers and grates his teeth, but it's not from the lingering chill of outdoors. The grating of the joints of her gauntlets, much of which is inaudible to the human ear, sets the fur standing on end straight down his spine, and she'll see his tail bush out double its size. "KZRNST," he manages in answer, but, luckily, the double-tall flagon of ale lands before him, a welcome comfort to soothe his prickled nerves. He hesitates, half reaches for his purse, remembers he has a "tab" now (handy things, those) and turns to face Celaeno. Dark beer in hand, the massive hunter leans one elbow on the bar and regards her with cool appraisal. "Clickety-clacks." The cat takes a measured gulp. "Haa. Yes, my home and office. What brings you to the adversarial north?" Orikahn jumps visibly at the sound of Kanna's voice, sloshing a thin line of beer over the edge of his mug. He doesn't turn to face her, yet, but stands listening, waiting for Kanna to approach and reveal herself.
Celaeno 's ears weren't as sensitive as the feline's by far, but she had enough extra ability from her elven half to distinguish the faint scritches from her gauntlets and she keeps her arms still. The scraping stops accordingly, though once her tea comes, it will mostly start up again. "Seeking a library, the last on my list. Not going so well, thus far, and I've abandoned trying for the day. I've reached my limit of this weather." Her attention shifts toward the other familiar voice in the place, only to find Kanna gasping and staring at the predator. "Miss Kanna?" She didn't recall all of the Yule Ball, having been somewhat intoxicated for most of it, so the reference flies right over her head as she cocks her head to one side toward the feline. "Are...you a priest of some sort?"
Kanna shuffles over, seeming to have no qualms about being out in the open with bruises covering her arms, or a lump on the side of her temple. "Better than a priest! He is a snow imp in disguise sent by Aramoth to determine who is worthy of receiving boons during the Yuletide!" Her expression is nearly starstruck when she says this. Having it been her first Yule, it seems no one had had the heart to tell her that the stories were not in fact based in truth.
Orikahn knows where Frostmaw's library is, and Celaeno might read as much in the feline's eyes. He doesn't say anything and only takes another deliberate sip as Kanna approaches. Behind Orikahn, the bartender keeps half an eye on the situation, but Drargon remains, as usual, mute for the time being. "Hm. Yes, well," Orikahn clears his throat, "having concluded my service to Aramoth, I now return to my everyday duties until, ahem," Orikahn scratches some of the ice off his face, "such a time as he may again require the imp's services." His office comes with certain duties, it seems. Kahn turns, back to the bar so he can rest both his elbows, and his cloak falls open some, revealing the long garland of humanoid sculls strung from his hip. "Why, are you looking for priests?" Celaeno receives a very dry, sideways glance and a smirk to match it. "I thought you were looking for libraries?"
Celaeno 's eyebrows go up at Kanna, then up at Kahn, having only met both of them once and unsure what to make of their exchange. Curiosity burns, certainly, but the inquisitive young woman would not want to risk being rude by prying much further if the feline somehow had secret duties that only came once a year. She only addresses it with a wrinkle of her nose and a polite nod of her head toward the awestruck bard. "Well, regardless, it's nice seeing you again, Miss Kanna." The feline's remark is met with the same neutral facade, perhaps even a small grin. "I look for a great many things, sir. Certainly a renaissance woman like you see to be. Boat-maker, snow-imp, I'm sure your duties are just as much as my queries."
Kanna looks at Celaeno. "You are looking for the library? I can take you back there, though, it's kind of scary if you don't leave at sunrise, otherwise you'll be walking at night." She takes a sip of the hot fruit juice after this, as if she's said something as simple as what she would like to eat.
Orikahn swishes his tail mischievously, a sense of adventure ripening as talk tiptoes closer to the topic of interest. "I find I'm an explorer by duty as well, and as it so happens-" Just then, Kanna beats him to the punch, and Orikahn is dazed with surprise. "Kind of scary!" He echoes after her, awestruck by the magnitude of her understatement. Never mind that the ruins are supposed to be off limits. In his mind's eye, Kahn paints tale after grisly tale of how he imagines Kanna's visits to the old city *might* have gone, but yet here the girl stands unharmed. His gaze flickers between the two women, and he wonders whether he'll be needed at all in a moment.
Celaeno 's eyebrows go up at Kanna's assessment, and it's just then she notices the various bruises blossoming all over her and her eyes widen. "You're not in a condition to be going out on a dangerous expidition after nightfall, are you? I daresay you look like you were robbed by some highwaymen." The statement came out more blunt than she meant it, but some concern did edge her voice. Kahn's exclaimation does draw her attention, though, the half-elf biting her lip. "I take it you have been there as well? And the obstacles between here and there are more than mere elitist scholars?"
Kanna gives a nervous laugh and fishes a medicinal herb from the pockets of her skirts. "I was not robbed, but I agree that I am not in any shape to be out in this condition." At Orikahn's remark, she looks up at him. "The ghouls are not as malevolent as they appear to be. They seemed to be calmed when I played music for them."
Orikahn finishes off the tall beer, drinking eagerly. By the time he sets the empty stein on the bar, a couple lines of foam have trickled down either side of his mouth and onto his wolfskin jerkin. He doesn't seem to mind and, instead, wipes his mouth on the inside of his arm. Privately, he recalls how close he'd come to being torn limb from limb by a throng of such ghouls, but if Kanna's music can do as she says... "Why don't we all take a trip out there, then." He doesn't wait for an objection before going on. "My home is on the way. We can stop for supplies and recoup from the cold. You would be my guests."
Celaeno had nearly been roped into such a scheme before, though she had quickly said no to such things last time, it wasn't in pursuit of a library or and didn't involve ghouls. "Ooh, the flesh eating kind? Consider me intrigued and grateful for the hospitality." She leaves the required coin on the table, despite the fact her tea had gone untouched and pulls her cloak tighter about her. She hesitates a moment, gaze flicking momentarily to his chest, in memory of those skulls, then to the actual ones if they were visible. There weren't too many females on there, if she remembered correctly... "Your home isn't too far, is it? Kanna, you will accompany us, won't you?"
Kanna chewed on the bitter herb, scrunching her nose slightly. "But it's cold, and I'm injured." She says quietly in protest before Orikahn has already decided they are off. At Celaeno's question, she sucked the rest of the leaf into her mouth and nodded. Grabbing the warm glass with her good hand, she throws her head back and finishes it off. It seems the sugar rush of the only one of two non-alcoholic drinks served puts her back in the spirit. "Wait for me!" She says before bounding up to the rooms and returning in an obscenely brightly colored hooded coat, along with her oversized rucksack.