RP:Of Freedoms and Breweries

Synopsis: Orphyn finds herself propositioned for two different business ventures. First by a strange ghoul and then by a most familiar face.

Characters: Orphyn, Trajek, Anson

Location: Vailkrin

Date: May 26th, 2016

Hanging Corpse Tavern

Orphyn wasn't quite up to a whole lot, the entire day had been fairly quiet. At least she was paid well! After wiping up a few tables, the young woman made her way back toward the bar for another, cleaner rag. The windows were awfully dusty.

Trajek came into the Tavern like any other patron, though his first destination was not the bar or a table. He stood in the center of the room with his back to the bar and eyed each and every patron before him. There were those who looked to have purpose, the armed, armored, and scarred. There were those who looked as though they knew their own worth, the brightly colored, the richly dressed, the vampires and patrons alike. In every direction and at every table there was those who could buy and those who could not be bought, but then there was the young woman who wiped at the empty tables and then snaked her way back to the bar. The scale mailed creature followed her, though he stopped and sat on a stool. "Water." The word was breathed out of the edges of the iron latch on his throat more than it was spoken, but the slap of a gold coin on the bar was a very good interpreter.

Orphyn had to catch herself. Deep down, that less than spoken of part of her wanted to fill up a glass with the water she had been using to clean tables. 'Nooo. Best behaviour.' she quickly reminded herself. She was still learning the whole behind-the-counter thing, but quickly set to work after a quick, "Hello! Welcome to the Corpse!". It wouldn't take long before a nice, fresh, tall glass of water was set upon the counter before the new patron, topped with a fresh slice of lemon! That's right, she was taking initiative. "Is there anything else you would like?" she asked, now taking a moment to observe the other in whole.

Orphyn looked at Trajek.

Trajek watched Orphyn as she worked the way a predator watched its prey, the way mad prophets looked at their even madder congregations, and way marionettists looked at their most beloved puppets as they were being strung. "Pretenses," his one word response rumbled from the metallic latch. "Mask." He brought a cold, crooked finger to his temple, his gray lips, and his chest before pointing it at the waitress to affirm of whose features he was pointing out. His hand turned, his palm the physical representation of his choked word, "Opportunity."

Orphyn 's calculating gaze slowly followed along with the stranger's pointing, her brow knit thoughtfully as she tried to understand exactly what it was that attempted to be communicated. She had an idea, but played the role of the idiot for now. "Mask? There's a shop that sells those around here somewhere, I think. And Opportunity? There's plenty of opportunity all around! I guess it depends on whatcha lookin' for?" Painted lips, ebon shaded, shifted soon into a grin. Orphyn caught a sidelong glance from Steadmen, her shoulder lifted in response. It was mostly to keep the cranky old barkeep on her case. To Trajek she asked, "So... care to elaborate a little?" Her eyes caught that iron latch casing his throat, a newfound curiosity leading to a bit of daydreaming. What was the deal with that?

Trajek could see the intelligence in her eyes. It was like a slow churning tsunami, and the ignorance she layered atop it was just the receding waters from the beach. "Truth." He did not touch the water nor did he need to look at Steadmen, the patrons, or the others around. What the ever suppurating wound of his throat where his vocal cords were ripped out could not push out in words, his gray eyes could, and his gaze seemed to always cap his words with the certainty of the grave. "Never...again." His finger motioned to her smile, her clothing, and her demeanor. "Be."

Orphyn wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "Truth? Not something easily obtained, I'm afraid. Too much at stake for so many." she responded. It suddenly hit her as she further observed the stranger. She knew there was a bit of a smell- not that she would ever say anything. Those words. The way he pointed. She took a guess at best. "Oh? ...Never-- oh! Oh my. Not another one." She had this special fondness for the formerly living for some odd reason. She always felt bad that they were disturbed from rest. Most times at the hand of some obnoxious necromancer with some sort of rotten agenda. "So. Um. How come you are here? Did someone bring you here for a purpose? Are you cursed? Or just couldn't sleep?" That last one was definitely some sort of attempt at a joke. Could creatures of this nature get jokes? Regardless, she thought she may be on the same page, but it had been a long day. She might have totally been off the mark as well.

Trajek laughed something that sounded like a laugh, though it was mainly the rough, wet slaps of viscera against something hard. It was, of course, the remnants of his throat against the metal hatch. "Frostmaw. War." He tapped his throat armor and then his dead flesh. What he wanted to say required more words; he pulled the latch from his throat, and the exposed rotting flesh could be seen, smelled, and marveled at before he gripped his throat with his hand. "I bring purpose. I bring freedom from your chains. Never again will you be what you are not."

Orphyn stared at that gaping wound. She wanted so badly to just poke at it. The girl just wasn't right in the head. Yet she maintained that happy friendly facade she had grown so used to showcasing to the general public. "Yikes." she commented at what seemed to be an explanation. Suddenly her gaze would narrow, blue-grey eyes coming to meet those of Trajek. One hand slipped under the counter, fingers curling around the edge of one of those strange tainted daggers she normally carried upon her hip. Patchy wasn't comfortable with her carrying the things around patrons so he made her store them while working. Now cautious, she asked quietly. "What... sort of freedom? What purpose?" Her eyes shifted to the left, words aimed at no one in particular. "Wait. Let'm speak."

Trajek could see in the move of her arm and the tensing of her muscles she grasped something beneath the bar. A blind man could see that. But be it a knife, a dirk, a sword, or an axe, the ghoul knew it was meant for one thing. He spoke one offer before giving the other. "Freedom from civility. Freedom from what you despise being...Them." He nodded to bar keep, to the patrons to his left and right, and he pointed his hand at the door to the city and civilization he represented. "If your chains aren't too heavy..." Back to her the ghoul look, and his hand dropped from his throat. He offered it to her blade.

Orphyn had a pretty blatant look of confusion nestled upon her features. He was surely not implying ... No. Don't jump to conclusions, she scolded herself. Trajek's actions put her at ease, just a bit, allowing her hand to let go of the concealed weapon. "Freedom, hm? And what exactly are you getting at? What do you propose in exchange for this freedom, Dolly?" Already the nicknames start!

Trajek must grasp his throat again to talk, and so he did. "Listen when listening is needed. Speak when speaking is needed. Turning away when turning away is needed. Act when acting is needed. Kill if killing is needed. Those are the things I offer you, and I only ask for them in return."

Orphyn finally understood. She could be smart at times, but obviously today was not that day. "Oh. Good. I thought you wanted to turn me into another walking Dolly. No offense, I feel your plight, but I'm good all living and stuff." She resumed her big friendly smile and sighed a breath of relief. "Patchy, can you go make sure we have enough potatoes out back? Customer and all." she stated to the current manager. He of course would give her an eye roll before doing as she asked, seeing as she was attending to one of the patrons. When the old man vanished, Orphyn leaned over the counter. "I can do all of those things. But... I also like shiny and valuable stuff. Would any of this be in my future of freedom?" Her brow waggled in a comical fashion. "Or are you looking for a slave-type." He gaze once more narrows suspiciously.

Trajek lets out a snort of a laugh when she mentions being a slave. "Why would I have you shed one set of chains for another?" It was hard to sound rhetorical when it is hard to speak, but the ghoul did. "If shiny and valuable things are what you want, they will be what you get. If you want something else, you will get that as well." The water had been left unattended, but it was disturbed by the stack of gold coins his cold hand placed next to it. "For your time and the water." He pushed himself up from the stool and made the motions to leave.

Orphyn thought carefully and looked down upon the coin. Those made her eyes twinkle like stars in the sky. "Well then, I suggest you let me know what you have planned. Some night soon we can meet in private and have a ...discussion." She winked at the ghoul knowingly. "Anywhere, any time. Send word for Orphyn. Patchy will make sure it gets to me!"

Anson appears from the north.

Trajek raises a hand in a "got it" gesture before he departs.

Trajek exited to the north.

Anson boots thudded as he stepped over the doors threshold, a short pause was gave in his stride as his eyes scanned the room. A few people was gathered nothing more than a moment was left on anything as he began towards Patchy. A smirk slipped across his thin lips as the black slacks of the man hit the wood of the stool in front of the keep. "Fire water" he says knowing the man wouldn't need to really be reminded as his posture slouched in his button up. Taking a breath the man unrolled the deck of cards from his sleeve and laid them off to the side, while he other hand had pulled out a rolled smoke and plucked it between his lips. "Hey I need a light too!" he said as the keep sat the jar of shine next to the deck.

Orphyn waved off that ghoul as he exited the establishment, her gaze quickly coming to lay upon a more familiar face. With a bright grin, she pulled out a box of matches and struck one against the side, igniting it for the card wielding male. "Hiya Anson!" she chimed. Obviously she was in her more bubbly mindset this evening. "How have you been? Keeping busy?" When Patchy filled his order, Orphyn scooped the glass and handed to the man.

Anson turned when the match flicked in his peripheral vision, leaning towards it a smirk allowed the first puff to leave his lungs. "Smiley" he said ashing the cigarette into a empty ale mug. "You are just the lass I hoped would be working tonight" he said giving her a playful once over. "I have been well" his hand takes the glass being careful not to touch her hand. "And busy I have and that's why I need to know when your next break is.." the shine was brought to his lips as he looked at her over the rim. His eyes was not that of lust, more with a look of business.

Orphyn raised her slender brow. Twice in one night, what are the odds? She turned her gaze to Steadmen and offered him a few bats of her lashes. "Patchy. Going on break. K?" Hardly a grunt in response. He obviously knew that she was going to do what she wanted to do regardless of any protest. "Funny enough, I'm on break now!" she offered Anson with a big ol' grin. "Whatcha need?'

Anson gave the keep a once over and stood from the stool. His stride was lazy in hopes the woman would follow "I am wanting to start my own brewing" he says lifting the cigarette up for a deep pull. A moment or two paused as he held the smoke within his lungs. "But I need some help getting it heard of... Ta-Dah for me having a lovely barmaid Smiley"

Orphyn did follow behind Anson. She was pretty astute like that. Most times. "Oh! Nifty!" she exclaimed at the idea. Her thumbs fell into the tight pockets of her leather pants, nostrils filling with the familiar scent of smoke. She inhaled deeply, her more thoughtful response to follow soon after. "So...um.. like promotion hmm? I think I can do that! I mean, we have a pretty steady supplier, but I think more choices would be good for business. Do you have any sample kegs at all? Something the patrons can test?"

Anson said to you, "I don't because the brew isn't formulated yet, but out of your experience what does one like most in a high?"

Orphyn thought for a moment. That was definitely a tough question. "Um. I don't know... It really depends on the person, doesn't it? I think the euphoria is the greatest thing. The wave of calm." she shrugged. "But I mean... what is good for me, might not be good for others."

Anson had dropped his finger burning cigarette against the floor and stepped on it. "So euphoria, calm" he said as if he was locking her words into his own memory. "What about how you feel when you escape a near death experience?" he wonders with his own brow lifting at the woman.

Orphyn ran her fingers through her hair, pulling the pink bangs out for examination. Almost chopping time, apparently. It was a little long. "Um. Exhilaration? That kind where your heart beats so hard, but that wave of relief washes over you? Adrenaline. The rush." These were some strange questions, but she tried to not second guess the man. Maybe he had something brewing- pun intended.

Anson nods his head when the woman finally guesses the word he was looking for. "Yes the adrenaline that courses through the veins, pumped by a heart of the drinker..." his eyes went a bit dazzling when he thought of the armies that would want in on the goods, there soldiers would want the drink to keep on high alert. "There is money to be made" he says tossing the pink haired woman a wink. "And Smiley I want you to be the first on my team" he said patting her back lightly.

Orphyn chews on her lower lip, eyes once more twinkling with the thoughts of the amount fo money that could be made. "Really? Me? Why me?" She really shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Twice tonight she had been met with proposition. Twice the idea of business ventures came about. Regardless of the reasoning behind these offers, they had to beat waitressing in a tavern. The act of which had been mostly for cover to begin with. "I... sure! I would be happy to. That sounds like a good idea, Anson, really! I mean, the uses for such a drink. It's two sides of a very shiny coin!"

Anson stopped his pacing and drained the last bit of his shine from the jar. "Why you?" he asked with a chuckle "Well for many reasons I have thought! For one it is because you know how to stay concealed, for two I like you pretty good" he nods his head to reassure his words. "I think SiN would enjoy watching the side effects it would give one of her bad company" his grin turned a bit more sinister. "You know all the nooks and crannies of Cenril, I know of Rynvale between us we could have it to the mainland in a timely manner.."

Orphyn nearly cringed at the mention of SiN. That was one side of her that this current incarnation was not completely impressed with. A bit of a sniffle would precede he response, "Oh! Well! Yes! I can definitely help promote it to all the best corners of Cenril for sure! And I'm starting to make connections out here in deadsy-land, so I could try and see what else I can do here as well. Maybe Patchy might be interested in selling it." She glanced over the the one-eyed barkeep who was now refilling containers of varying sorts. "I would suggest getting samples ready, though. It'll be easier to get word out if you hand out a bottle here and there. Get the taste out on the street."

Anson smiled at the woman and tossed her the empty jar. "I will have them soon" he said before turning on his heel. "Later Smiley" with that he was out the door and into the forever night land.