RP:Of Wolf and Man

From HollowWiki

Summary: Sidd meets a lycanthrope looking for work.
Date: 2017-10-14
Note: Boredom solo Rp.


Broken Barrel Inn

The laws of the land do not apply to this establishment, yet somehow there is order among chaos. Aged, abused by the weather, the Broken Barren Inn stands defiantly against the stormy shores of Rynvale just off the dock, but it is a place far from welcoming. The split, oak carved sign hangs sideways on only one chain, irony not quite lost in the words tarnished by rain. Through that open door barely sitting on it’s hinges, the light of a blazing fire reflects across a dingy interior made to look more wealthy with trinkets. The walls are covered with artifacts and cheap glamour from other worldly locations and ports; rusted weapons and sea-monster fishing lure, ship wheels, a gold-braided rope, the mounted bones of an aquatic creature with seven limbs, tapestries and carvings of various culture, and instruments that no one could know how to play. Centering all of this is Redbeard’s Maiden, herself: a sultry, golden-haired mermaid bust with red painted lips and a beckoning smile, caught in a net draped to the rafters. Mounted to the wall not far behind, a fish-like tail adorned by flawlessly painted emerald scales stretches out behind her. For every first tankard bought in the Broken Barrel she is afforded a salute, a custom that Simon, the bar’s general, has not allowed to die over the years. Dominating the center of this room is an impressive four-sided bar, flanked by booths along all ways, each lit by a hanging candelabra of worked iron. Gatherings of shady sailors and outlaws collect in groups, keeping the atmosphere noisy with harmonica and bagpipe while others plot their next dastardly scheme. While invited to venture upstairs, wandering toward the cellar door might earn you a few dirty looks.



Sidd had been hanging out since Irenic left, sipping his whiskey and watching the crowd come and go through the Inn. He sat, still, with both feet up upon his table, idly balancing on the chair's hind legs. He looked fairly bored, yet was lost in deep thought. A fit of squeals and laughter would snag his attention briefly, those familiar pirates he met earier were on their way out with a fine selection of women in company. At least someone is having a good time! The rest of the inn seemed to be thinning out, signalling to the human that it might be getting late into the evening. Maybe it would be best if he called it a night? The legs of the chair snapped against the floor with a loud clunk, Sidd leaning forward to pour himself a bit of whiskey from one of the two present bottles. He had only made it halfway through the first, and was almost ready to call it quits. Quiet drinking just wasn't his thing tonight.


The door of the Broken Barrel pushed open with a forceful thud, a rather large and hulking shape stepping through with an air of unbridled confidence. He was massive, very muscular and seemed to be dripping wet; Indication that it had been raining outside at some point. For some reason or another, the guy did not wear a shirt. Instead his various black ink tribal tattoos were on display with pride. His legs were garbed with a black Celtic kilt and what appeared to be wrapping of some sort around his shins and feet. Across his chest a leather satchel was draped, the strap of which clutched in a fingerless-glove wearing hand. The other tousled his soaked, short chestnut hair, soon to issue a salute as soon as those icy blue eyes settled on Simon across the room. "Aye, y'old bastard! Long time!" Simon of course would afford the man a familiar and warm smile, soon returning to the order of a patron nearby. As the tattooed man started to venture toward the bar, he spotted the lone human sitting at his table with two bottles of booze, one of which looking quite untouched. He stops before Sidd and comments, "Aye, matey. Ye don't look like yer gon' finish that yerself. I'll give ye eighty percent o'what ye paid for that bottle. Ain't like Simon's gonna buy it back, yeah? Whattaya say?" He held onto a wide and confident grin, hand settled over the front of his satchel and ready to retrieve a bit of gold.


Sidd looked up upon the stranger with a bit of examination, one brow perked as he noted the lack of a shirt and the man-skirt. Different strokes and all. "I didn't even pay for it dude, so you know what? Take it. A buddy got a couple of them, but I'm sure as hell not gonna finish 'em both." He reaches to the table and grabs the box of matches, cigarette taken from his signature tin and lit immediately. Blowing the smoke to the side and leaning back again in his chair, Sidd scratched at the side of his swollen eye, curiosity soon getting the better of him. "So uh. Don't take offense and punch me in the head, but what's uh, with the choice of clothing? I mean, gotta be a little breezy out there isn't it?" He honestly wasn't judging the guy, but it was setting into the fall season and there was no way the strange guy could be that warm.


There was no hesitation as the topless man sat down and immediately tore into that bottle of whiskey, taking the offered bottle and conversation as an invite to join the human. "That's how us real men dress!" he jokingly replied. "In all honesty, the kilt is me heritage. The lack o' shirt is just because I hate how they feel. I got a bit more of a cold tolerance than most, so I ain't ever too worried 'bout freezing t'death. Especially when ye got a nice bottle o'whiskey to keep ya goin'!" He needed no glass as the bottle was tipped against his lips, throat undulating with a few solid gulps. When the back of his hand wiped away at his mouth, the inked man took his turn to question the other. "So if'n ye don't mind me proddin', but what's with th' hair? You get in a fight with yer barber? I can float ya a gold piece for'im to finish th' job." A big wily grin was flashed to show that he was teasing the kid. "Ye get in a fight?" he asked, motioning to the swollen eye, noting the discoloration setting in. "Oh, and thank ye fer the drink. I'm Aevo. Aevo O'Connail. Nice t'meetcha, pal." A gloved hand was offered; A firm and hearty shake to be given should Sidd accept.


Sidd cracked a smile, a short curt laughter breaking through when Aevo took a shot at his hair. "Oh ho! Damn, dude. Quick with the wit. I dig it!" With the eye in focus, he rolled his shoulder and took a drink from the glass set before him. "Ah hah, yeah. Sucker punch got me good. Got a free bottle of whiskey out of the deal, so it's cool." The gentle sound of conversation in the inn had died down substantially, only a few residents left at best. Those of which seemed to be mostly old timers that did not have much else place to go. This briefly caught the human's attention before he returned the usual formalities with a good strong shake. "Aevo? Nice to meet you too, dude. I'm Sidd. Two D's. One silent." Inquisitive nature took hold as he shifted the conversation back to his earliest question. "Heritage? That's rad. Is it like a style from around here, or what? Been around for a month or so, haven't seen you in here before. You local?"


Aevo shifted himself and finally removed that satchel from off of his shoulder, placing it neatly next to his chair. Both hands wrapped around his drink, as a toddler might grip a bottle, pearly whites flashed as he commented on the kid's name. "Sidd with two D's? Interestin'. My best mate's name is Sid. Well, Sidney he prefers. Though ye two are definitely night n' day." He let loose a deep chuckle. "Used t'be." he stated, addressing the questions posed. "Was pretty familiar around here on Rynvale n' on th' mainland, west o' here. But I been gone fer a few years with me matey Sidney. Takin' care of some nasty business with this old... acquaintance. Jes got back in town t'night. As fer th' kilt... ain't from around here. I come from a tribe o' lycanthropes known as th' Fianna. We're a proud n' frierce tribe, and there's nothin' we love more than drink, fight, n' music." A gloved fist taps against his inked chest, one particular piece standing out over his heart- A crescent moon with a drawn out 'S' slightly to the left that curls in on itself near the bottom of the symbol. "Sadly, I ain't met any other of the tribe out this way. The pack, I'm sure has long moved on from where I left'em long ago. Might start my own tribe some day." There was a deep reminiscence in Aevo's icy blue gaze, something he would linger on just long enough to get his dose of nostalgia. "Anyway, Sidd with two D's, one silent, what about yerself? No offense, but given yer appearance and questions, I take it you're an adventurer o' some sort?"


Sidd wasn't a walking dictionary, but he knew that word Aevo spoke. "Whoa whoa, wait. Lycanthropes? Are you saying.. you're a werewolf?!" The tattooed lycanthrope was looked upon very strangely. Sidd hadn't met someone of his kind before. "Wait. You're not gonna eat me or something right? Like, should I avoid you on a full moon or what?" He wasn't sure whether he should be afraid or not. Aevo seemed like a good guy. Friendly enough. He was probably overthinking it. When the discussion again shifted, the human took a drag of his dying smoke and outed it, exhaling through his nose as he answered. "Yeah, something like that. Sailing trip gone wrong. Woke up near a town called Larket. Wound up kind of stayin' out here once I found some work out at the old theater." The mohawked man began to yawn, using a fist to politely stifle it. The late night hour, or most likely the whiskey, was starting to hit him hard.


Aevo only uttered a simple "Woof, baby." to Sidd's first question, but soon dissolved into hysterics at the next. He was about to piss himself, because he was laughing so hard at the human's assumptions. "I like ye Sidd! Yer a riot!" he exclaimed, slapping his knee in between laughs. "Ain't never heard that in such a funny way! Yer a good lad. But nay, I ain't gonna eat ye. Don't work like that, I promise ye." The bottle he so cherished was lifted once more to his mouth and he took the drink down to the halfway mark, catching up to Sidd in a heartbeat. His chest rippled from the additional couple of inner giggles as he was still coming down from the human's mistaken notions about his kind. The word 'work' caught the lycan's attention, question highlighting that fact next. "Work at th' theater? What kinda work? Anythin' I can get in on? Gon' need some income here soon, so if ye can swing me a job, I'd be mighty appreciative."


Sidd was in the midst of corking his own bottle of whiskey when he looked to the drink thoughtfully, soon sliding it on over to Aevo. He was going to head to bed anyway, and thought the guy could use it more. "Yeah man, I'm headin' out to see my friend Brennia. She hired me, so I can ask her to hook you up if ya want. In fact, if you can swing it, you're welcome to come with me. I'll be headin' out to Shezerade in the morning. Sometime before noonish." Another yawn. "But for now, I'm going to crash, because it's been one helluva long ass day. It was nice to meet ya, dude. If you're in, I'll catch you in the morning." Sidd flashed the lycan two fingers in the shape of a V as he said, "Peace out, home-skillet." The human turned and headed for the staircase where he would lazily climb to find his room.


Aevo looked quite pleased with the offer and nodded at Sidd, raising his bottle. "Sounds like a good plan t'me! I guess I'll see ye in the morn'." The strange dialect at the end was given a confused look before the lycanthrope offered a salute and called out in tow, "Peace be with ye too, kiddo! Sleep well!" Aevo would continue drinking into the night before eventually turning in, himself.

-FIN