RP:Branching And Business Talk

From HollowWiki

Summary: Lanara travels to Frostmaw to meet with Orikahn, the leader of the Ranger's Guild, as she's eager for his guild to ally with her own, the Adventurer's Guild. However, the feline sends his mate, Aira, in his wake, and grants her permission to make business dealings on his behalf, as she is the deputy of the Ranger's Guild. Over meats, cheeses, and warming ale, the two women discuss the climate, a touch of their pasts, a hint of the behavior of bestial males, and they seal the deal with a handshake as they come to appropriate terms for their guilds. A union is formed, in which the Ranger's Guild will supply archers and trackers on missions, and in turn, should they come across any fantastic beasts, the Adventurer's Guild will hand them over, to be used in the Redskull Trophy Ring.


Lanara sits at a table in the far corner of Frostmaw Tavern, a lone candle dimly lighting the table, as the witch watches the wax collect in a pool at the base of the holder. She had made the journey here in haste, and so she’s wearing an off-the-shoulder mint green shirt, tan leggings, leather ankle boots, and her hair is in a messy bun. The elf had come as soon as she had received the letter from Aira, the navigator of the Adventurer’s Guild, and she patiently awaits the arrival of the vixen and her feline lover. Orikahn was well-known in these parts, and Lana had known him for several years, though they had scarcely ran into one another. Aira had arranged this meeting, in hopes that the Ranger’s Guild would form an alliance with that of the guild that Lana led. It made sense, as the groups were so similar, and the more the merry. Plus, the witch liked having the guilds connected, so that they all could benefit from one another. Earlier this month, Lana had met with Emilia, and due to their meeting, the Healer’s Guild was now allied, and in turn, the adventurer’s would donate any rare herbs they find on their quests. Crossing her legs, Lana leans back in her chair, and every so often glances at the door, which unleashes a hellish gust of wind every time it’s opened to allow someone entrance. Drargon comes to the table, collects the coin, and settles three large mugs of warmed ale atop the table. All the witch needed was for the others to join her, so they could get down to business.


Orikahn had been absent for several days. Aira had sent the letter to Lanara under the assumption that he was simply out on a long hunt and would return shortly, only to find that he still wasn’t home. The vixen fluctuated in her emotions on this—percolating between anger at his leaving without so much as a word (or update) and worry that something might have happened to him. Aira had taken to searching for Kahn, using her tracking abilities to figure out where he was or at the very least, which way he went; however, she had come up empty handed. It seemed that the prime hunter would not be returning any time soon and it was up to the huntress to keep her word to those within her own guild and outside it. She was late for her meeting with Lanara, having been out looking for Orikahn, so when she opens the door to the tavern and slams it shut she is coated in a layer of snow, her hair windswept and cheeks rosy from the cold. Aira stomps the snow off her boots and begins the tedious task of removing layers. Cloak, leathers, furs, bow, quiver—all of it left on hooks near the door until at last the little vixen stands in leggings, a tunic, and her boots, the longer locks of her hair damp and sticking to her face and neck. She casts her metallic gaze around the room and immediately finds the witch, heading her way and throwing herself in the vacant chair opposite Lanara. “Kahn’s not coming,” she says in an apologetic tone.


Lanara is making small talk with a barmaid, sipping her warming ale, when the door is opened and that bitter gust of cold is swept into the tavern. Several flakes of freshly fallen snow litter the welcome mat as boots are stomped upon it, and the newcomer rids herself of all those extra layers. A shiver creeps up the spine of the witch, and she clutches the mug to her chest, her dark gaze peering over the shoulder of the barmaid and locking with familiar metallic hues. Aira had arrived! The vixen had entered with the storm it seemed, as the door is slammed, her weaponry is deposited on a rack, and her damp locks cling to her pretty face. She was a vision, even in such a horrid hail storm, and Lana is briefly taken aback to see that the woman is along, without her feline counterpart. The barmaid leaves the two women to their devices and promises to return with refills on the ale in a bit, and the witch kicks the chair across from her with the toe of her boot, beckoning for Aira to sit and warm up. “It’s good to see you. Thank you for meeting with me. I’ll never understand how you adjusted to live in this tundra! I lived here, briefly, with my sister, a couple of years ago. She had a cottage, just west of here, and even with the best of enchantments, we always felt the chill creeping into the walls and floorboards.” Just thinking about it causes Lana’s slender shoulders to inch up in a shuddering shrug, as her lips curve at the sides, in a petulant pout. “Is everything alright with Kahn? I was surprised that there was an event this past weekend in Craughmoyle…” Her voice trails off, as she references the trophy ring and the fierce combatants that took the stage and caused a betting frenzy. The witch had been a contender there, twice, in fact. Lana sips her ale and gives Aira a few moments to shake the cold from her bones, and reply, as business talk would soon follow. However, friendship always came first.


Aira gratefully accepts the mug of warm ale that Lanara had ordered on her behalf. pausing a moment to cup her fingers around the hot vessel and take a long sip of the steaming liquid. She sighs contently as her fingers cling to the mug, defrosting as it were, and she offers the witch a half grin when she comments on the weather. Aira shrugs halfheartedly and chuckles. “It was certainly an adjustment, especially coming from Rynvale. I mean talk about polar opposites. But again that was the point. At the time I was running away from my life there and this seemed as good a spot as any, at least temporarily. But then I met Kahn and…” Aira waves her had as if to say the story could finish itself. “I wasn’t aware you lived here. What made you two settle up this way?” Her question wasn’t mocking (surprisingly) but rather out of curiosity. When the conversation turns to Orikahn, Aira frowns and takes a moment to down some more ale before answering. “He goes off on his own from time to time,” the huntress explains. “I guess it’s in his nature. More times than not I’m privy to his little excursions but this time he went off on his own.” Aira absentmindedly drums her fingers along the table. Her copper gaze looked troubled; clearly she was worried about the feline. "Anyway," she says shaking her head and slipping on a nonchalant face again. "That means that I have to run the Rangers Guild while he's out gallivanting."


Lanara relaxes in her chair, now that her company has arrived, and she finds that she had been holding her breath since she asked about the feline’s whereabouts. The expression the blonde wore when she first entered was one of anxiety, and honestly, the witch had been expecting the worst. Lately she’d been on edge, as she wanted nothing but the best for her guild, though she knows that Aira is here to speak on behalf of Orikahn and the Ranger’s Guild, and as she’s deputy, she knows there’s nothing to worry about. The alliance would be smooth sailing, she’s certain, as Aira was a part of –both- guilds! The feline was a wild card, and though she’s pleased that he’s not injured nor has an aversion to an alliance, she’s happier that it’s the vixen sitting at her side to discuss things at length. Yes, she was an animal empath, but sometimes it was easier dealing with someone more… Human. Sipping her ale, she smiles as the barmaid returns and places some meats, cheeses, and freshly baked bread, atop their table, along with two more mugs of warming ale. Lana listens intently to Aira’s explanation about finding the complete opposite environment, in an effort to leave behind her past in Rynvale, and she nods in understanding. A teasing grin is offered when the vixen tries to mask her troubled expression about Kahn being out and about, without a parting word, and she replies with a wink. “Maybe he’s out getting some materials to build that bed, eh? I’m sure he’s fine… Kahn is resourceful and he’s a survivalist.” There’s a pause, as her expression softens, “Eirik used to run off without a word, too. He’d vanish for weeks at a time, sometimes months! I’d hear horrific stories about what he’d been up to… But he was always safe. I think that… It’s the animal in them, that they can only live a domesticated life for so long, and that they have to venture out and about from time to time, to sate their natural desires.” The mention of Talyara brings a warm smile to Lanara’s face, her cheeks slightly reddening, as she answers, “My sister has recently returned to the lands! She looks so healthy and happy. The best I’ve seen her in many years… And, when we first came here, we lived in Sage. However, the Drow planned an attack, cursed the forest, and we were forced to relocate. Taly was dating this man, Emrith, at the time, and as he was involved in the war and Frostmaw was deemed the safest place, we both took up residence here. They didn’t last, as he was always too busy for my sister and he –never- put her or their love first. She then dated Ayras, briefly, and she built a cottage for them, but they didn’t work out, either. So I purchased an albino child off the circus to keep her company, and Linn and I both moved in with Taly at the cottage. They also dated, for quite some time, and I thought he was the one, but then Emrith returned, and Taly realized she was settling with Linn. Eventually, my sister chose the single life, and she learned from her mistakes and mended her broken heart. And I, uh, was working on a spell, and accidentally blew up her cottage. The store ends there… Taly moved to Xalious for a little while, and I moved to Cenril, then Venturil, and now we both reside in Sage, again. The albino, Bachias, he’s wandering feral around the mountain range, Emrith is a vampire now, and Linn vanished with a bunch of mages a few years ago. We never heard from Ayras again.” Realizing she had gone off on a tangent, Lana lowers her mug to the table and spreads some brie cheese onto a piece of bread. All that talking had worked up an appetite, it seemed!


Aira is thankful that Lanara had the good sense to order some food prior to her arrival and the vixen doesn’t bother to excuse herself to the washroom in order to clean the dried blood on her hands and under her nails before digging in. She was content to partake in the strong tasting meats and cheeses—opting for a spiced sausage and a sharp cheddar. She sandwiches them together and rips into it with her slightly elongated and sharpened canines. “Thanks,” she says to her witchy companion, her mouth still full of the half-masticated protein sandwich. Once upon a time Aira knew manners. Not only knew them, but breathed them, had them burned into her muscles and bones and memory. She had been groomed to be the perfect lady, to make the perfect wife for some noble gentleman in Rynvale. But all her time with Orikahn up in Frostmaw had ungroomed those behaviors, instead replacing them with something more feral. She’s not rude though, at least not in this moment with Lanara. And while she’s unsure why the animal empath goes on a tangent about her sister’s dalliances, the vixen uses the time to partake in the small feast before them. She doesn’t bother to tell Lana that her asking for a bed from Kahn didn’t go over so well. She didn’t think the witch wanted to hear how Kahn had countered that she had a large, fluffy cat to lay on at night and therefore didn’t need one. “Linn?” She repeats, her vulpine ears flicking atop her head upon hearing the familiar name which sounded so foreign on her tongue. “I haven’t heard that name in…” Aira breathes out a heavy sigh. “Gods I don’t even remember the last time I heard that name or saw the guy.” After that, Aira returns to her eating until Lanara finishes her talking, that is until she mentions her own feral! “You…bought an albino child?” Aira asks with a grimace before shaking her head and waving her hand dismissively. “You know what, I don’t even want to know,” she says stuffing a piece of bread in her mouth. “Sounds like you got around,” the vixen utters once she had swallowed. It takes Aira a moment to realize her words and what they imply, before she amends them. “I mean like places to settle.” The huntress is just reaching for her mug of ale when Lana speaks about her time with Eirik and how he used to go off on his own as well. Her point about it being the animal within them that drives them away from domesticity is something to think about, and Aira actually leans back from the table and tips back in her chair contemplatively. She hadn’t thought of that herself, but it made perfect sense. “Thanks. That actually makes me feel better.” Aira treats Lanara to a rare, genuine smile, one that shows the more elven side of her despite those foxy features she possessed. She supposed that it was Lana’s turn to partake in the meats and cheeses once her little speech is done, so Aira opts to shift the topic of conversation to the actual reason for their meeting. “So, the Ranger’s Guild, admittedly, isn’t huge. For many years it was just Kahn and me. We’d pick up a few interested parties here and there but they never grew from their sponsorship and thusly were never initiated. We have duty and a sense of pride, though, so anything we can offer the Adventurer’s Guild, please let me know. We have been slowly building our numbers once more. I’m actually meeting two initiates in the near future.” Aira pauses to take a long pull from her ale before putting down the mug and wiping her lips with the back of her hand. “Kahn has a particular interest in…beasts.” Most likely for that underground fighting ring that he ran. She knew Lanara was privy to it, having run into her there on multiple occasions, but she didn’t like talking about it in the open. “So I figured any adventures that involve that sort of thing, my guild can offer you protection and perhaps take any beasts that we discover for our own…research,” she says evasively, her eyes shifting to look at the witch across from her. “Does that sound agreeable? Is there anything else you want or need from us?”


Lanara nearly chokes on a chunk of cheese as Aira claims that she ‘gets around’ which couldn’t be further from the truth. The witch often found it hard to place her trust in another, and though she had a slew of suitors, she wasn’t interested in any ordinary man. Lana also was entirely faithful to each person she gave the title of ‘lover’ to, and she loved them with all her heart, and did her best to keep them happy. The three that had managed to take a piece of her heart in the past were long gone, and she’d been single for months now. Aira’s words sting. Women often assumed because she was breathtakingly beautiful that she was bedding every man in the realm, which again, couldn’t be further from the truth. Pouting, she lifts her ale and takes a sip, unsure how to reply to such a blunt statement. And then the vixen is clarifying that she was referring to ‘location’ and she chuckles, instantly pushing her anxiety to the side. Aira was her friend, she wouldn’t judge. “Yeah… Every home that I ever had… Well, it was destroyed, by war, the drow, or, uh, magical mishaps.” Lana is all relieved that she had eased the high elf’s mind, regarding Kahn’s need for being outdoors and doing things that appealed to his bestial nature. Eirik and her had failed years ago, true, but AirKahn was a ship that she was sure would be sailing for many decades to come. They both had an independent type personality, and both of them had animalistic needs, though Aira’s was slightly less than Kahn’s, as he was a full blooded feline. The witch is all ears as she nibbles on a cheese sandwich, though she ignores the meat. Working at the sanctuary had somewhat soured her fondness of salted beef and turkey strips, and it was rare that she touched any sort of animal by-product. Nibbling on the cheddar and rye, she nods in agreement to the terms, though she waits until her meal is complete, before she replies, “I think those terms are mostly agreeable… However, if a beast is too domesticated, I ask that they be given to my animal sanctuary for treatment and adoption. If the beast is feral, larger than say a pony, it will be turned over to Kahn for his… Research. Does that sound agreeable?” Lana wouldn’t agree to let small farm animals, dogs, or cats, leave her care just to be tested on in a lab. If the animal was friendly, it would go with her, and if it was of a more bestial nature, beyond rehabilitation, it was all Orikahn’s problem. She waits for Aira to reply, before continuing, “The Guild can use all the Ranger’s you’re willing to lend to our cause, when we have a big adventure planned. You give the offer of protection, and you’re able to strike any foes we encounter, from a distance, with your unique archery skills and sniper experts. In return for your aide, we would be willing to give you a small percentage of gold or treasure from our quests, as well. That way you will be able to replenish any arrows or tools, and you aren’t stepping into danger just for the sake of obtaining a beast.” Lana pauses to take another sip of her ale, turning from being a hardcore adventure junkie, to a business woman. “Do you agree to those terms, Aira?”


Aira is completely oblivious to the inner dialogue Lanara is having with herself, and even the pout goes unnoticed to the huntress who tilts her head back to drain the remainder of the warming ale. She presses a fist to her mouth and belches as she pats her full stomach contentedly. Truth was, Lanara could sleep with every man from here to Rynvale and she couldn’t care less—unless it was a certain prime hunter. A grin spreads across her lips when Lana agrees to the terms the vixen had set out, and it does not falter as the witch counters with her own. It was to be expected and Aira had no problem relinquishing smaller and more domesticated animals to her. They wouldn’t be suitable for what Orikahn had planned and their meat was most likely not suitable for consuming anyway. Aira leans back her chair and idly picks at some debris in the fur of her tail as Lanara further explains the role of the rangers in the adventurer’s guild as well as what they would receive as payment. “That seems fair, so long as you understand that our protection and our skills are used on our terms. You might not always agree to our tactics but you have to remember that this is what we do and that needs to be trusted.” Aira allows the front legs of her chair to clamor back on the ground with a thud as she leans forward and extends her hand out towards the witch. “Deal?” The huntress asks with an arched eyebrow and a smirk painted on her lips.


The moment of being mildly offended by Aira’s accusations passes, as the terms are smoothed out. Lana would be given the more domesticated animals, and Orikahn and Aira would take the other beasts that were found on their travels… For whatever reason. She assumes it has something to do with the Redskull Trophy Ring, though her thoughts remain silent on the matter. The sanctuary would benefit from a few animals here and there, and her guild would have added protection and dozens of ranger’s at their disposal. All in all, it was more than a fair trade. Plus, the clock was ticking and she couldn’t push the terms all that much, for fear that the vixen and her mate would back out of the deal. Twister Island was bombarded with storms, sharks, and a menacing mage that was killing off the islanders one by one. Time was of the essence. Finishing up her final mouthful of food, the witch takes another sip of her ale, and gives a curt nod. The mug is lowered to the table, a dainty hand is pressed against the palm of the huntress, and the two women seal the deal with a firm handshake. “Deal. To hopefully many years of working side by side, and for successful adventures amongst our guilds.” Their alliance made sense, and Lana knew that this was a step in the right direction, for both of the guilds, as they would benefit from each other, while sharing in their triumphs and failures. Pulling her hand back, the witch beckons the barmaid, and after an exchange of coin, she locks eyes with Aira. “I really must be heading back to Sage Forest...” She neglects to mention the drug kingpin, the fact that she’d recently been enslaved, or that her permission slip was due to expire within the hour. And she knew that Aira was eager to return to her search for Orikahn and wouldn’t press the matter. Rising from the table, Lana tucks an errant strand of hair behind her tapered ear, and eyes the pegs near the door, eager to slip into her jacket and leave the frozen lands. “I bid you safe travels, Aira. And I hope that you find your feline, soon. I look forward to our next guild meeting and the pig roast! Also, don’t forget to work on your strength and endurance with your team.” This is said with a smirk, as she knew the vixen wasn’t overly fond of a certain dragon in their ranks. “Thank you for meeting with me, I’ll catch up with you soon!” Leaning in, she awkwardly gives the blonde’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, and exits the tavern.


Aira is struck by how soft Lanara’s hand is when they solidify their deal with a shake. The huntress’s hands were once that soft, back when she wore the finest dresses everyday and the most excitement she had was attending a stuffy dinner party. Now her hands were rough and cracked from the cold of Frostmaw and calloused from her hunting. She allows her hand to fall back into her lap and she smiles across the table at the witch as she pops another piece of meat in her mouth before reaching into her own pocket to contribute a few coins towards the meal, leaving them as a tip should Lana refuse. While she was worried about Orikahn’s wellbeing and her anxiety about running the Ranger’s Guild alone in his absence, it dissipated slightly with their alliance sealed. “To many adventures and prosperous hunts!” the vixen agrees emphatically. Her metallic gaze watches Lanara and flicks towards the pegs and she nods her head in understanding at the animal empath’s desire to head back to the more temperate climate of her home. Aira’s brows furrow slightly as Lana leans in and squeezes her shoulder in what she assumes is an affectionate gesture and the huntress responds by awkwardly patting her back. The smile soon slips from the vixen’s lips and the vulpine ears atop her head flatten as Lana mentions the training she was supposed to do with that insufferable dragon. She manages to hold her tongue but it doesn’t stop her from flipping a rude hand gesture the witch’s way once her back was turned. As Lana takes her leave, Aira lounges in her chair, kicking her feet up on Lanara’s chair as she lazily consumes the remainder of the food platter and downs the rest of her ale.