Free at last, on to adventure!

[Arysel]

(closed)

Aryesel'Kala gazed about the city of Donnalaich. Ok, so she'd seen it before, but never quite like this. Her wings fluttered in excitement, nearly knocking over a passerby. With an apologetic smile, the Fae simply moves on. No one to follow her every step, to be sure that she didn't try to run off like she had so many times to catch a peek at something that caught her fancy. Stuck behind those walls of the House was not her idea of having fun. And Ary did love to have fun. Whether it was playing games, hunting on the grounds, or with men and women, fun was always the theme.

The city seemed so much..well..bigger. Oh how exciting this was! Glancing over her shoulder though, Ary had to be sure she wasn't being followed. Dodging into a shop, she pretends to look around before a suspicious character went past. Her swirling opal eyes watched as the guard moved past, much too slowly for her liking, the flutter of her gossamer wings the only thing that gives away the irritation.

~I wonder..they wouldn't send anyone out now, it's too soon.~ Peering out the window, her eyes track the streets. It wasn't until someone managed to clear their throat behind her that she realized she wasn’t alone. Giving the shop keeper a most brilliant smile and a flip of her iridescent tresses, Ary sidles out of the shop and back onto the bustle of the street. Jostled by passersby the Fae simply flutters her gossamer wings, brushing them aside and out of her way.

With a sigh, Aryesel decides that as much fun as the city is, she does need to leave it. Pausing on the edge of the walk way, the opal pools search the streets for the livery of her house, the bow and brace of arrows slung over her back quiver with the breath she draws in shakily. No one, not a glimps yet. “Lovely. Well, I guess I’m walking.” These words are muttered lightly under her breath. A jaunty tune is whistled as she steps about, her boots clicking bouncily upon the walk, her even more flirtatious garb catching eyes and the glint of ‘stay the hell away’ in her eyes a smug warning, albeit fake and full of confidence. Each male she would pass is appraised with an eye towards, well, quite a bit more than appraisal.

As the elegant Fae strolled, trying to appear nonchalant, she thought back to her life up till now. A hundred and three, that was her true age, though one would be hard pressed to guess her as holder than perhaps 25 in human years. A hundred and three years behind walls, and doors. The youngest in her family, Aryesel was always more prone to find trouble, if there was trouble to be found. Thus, her parents had thought it best she never be let out, alone, to bring about that mischief that glitters often in her swirling orbs. Oh but now she had slipped her guards, drugging them so that they slept well and long. The adventure is on. Where it leads, well, that was yet to be seen.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

This was Lorenor’s kind of place. He’d been in Dheathain for several months now, simply taking in the sights of this strange land. Harsh weather seemed to appeal to the ghoul since it made things easier to travel in secrecy.

Rain pelted the streets of Donnalaich. Lorenor got used to the rain as he’d gotten used to the conditions of Salvar. Especially up towards Berevar where the Winters got extremely harsh and severe. Lorenor had his black vlince cloak pulled up around him. The weather in Dheathain was warm and muggy, quite humid considering that it always rained. Lorenor liked it, since it allowed him to dress comfortably. The Salvarn Lord stuck out like a sore thumb in these strange lands but had quickly gotten used to the way things worked in Dheathain. Donnalaich was not Radasanth. It was much more like Knife’s Edge. The city had a thriving black market and underworld mentality that the ghoul liked. Populated by Draconians and Fae, humans and their petty racisms were not as common as in the West.

Lorenor walked through the streets on an errand. He’d been gathering up personal intelligence on a rumored tribe that lived in the swamps. This tribe supposedly practiced an art that was most curious to the ghoul. An art that reminded Lorenor of the Necromancer Morian who supposedly lived in Antioch. Lorenor’s journey to Antioch lead him to Dheathain where he was gathering information on Morian. He’d managed to learn quite a bit of details from the files he’d found in the laboratory of
Argus Lightfeather. (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=6504) Documents now in his position revealed that Morian had a hand in creating much of the famed Necromancers of the modern world. Some of his teachings could be found in Dheathain. Tracking down Morian was a difficult task indeed!

Overhead, the clouds covered the sky in thick rolling blankets. He moved gracefully with every step. His posture was now straight and full of personal pride. Draconians minded their own business as they saw the Salvarn Lord passing through their streets. His black cloak was adorned with the markings of a Power Group calling itself the Gol’Bron. The mark was a red fist in a embedded in a circular engraving. His cloak flowed elegantly in the powerful breeze that seemed a constant addition to Dheathain’s bizarre weather patterns. Lorenor liked it. He liked the darkness, he liked the rain, and he liked the weather most of all. It was a positive change of pace from the harsh conditions of Concordia Forest, and the cold weather of Salvar.

Lorenor’s boots sploshed in thick puddles that were present upon ancient cobblestone. The ghoul kept his hollowed eyes on the road in front of him when someone bumped into him. Before he had a chance to say anything, a Fae girl stared at him with an air of danger about her person. The girl started to move on into the crowd before Lorenor had a chance to react in any sort of way. With his curiosity piqued, Lorenor memorized her mysterious scent and made his way to pursue her in the crowd. He needed companions for his venture into the swampland anyway. He’d posted up a job notice on the boards of every tavern and shop in town. Obtaining the necessary connection to penetrate this thick society, Lorenor was frustrated at one simple fact; he was at the bottom of the rat heap.

Every new place he ventured into, the ghoul had to start fresh. Each new chance was an opportunity to start over. That’s why Lorenor took to traveling. He was interested in owning property in various unique places. He’d heard that property was available in Donnalaich and Talmhaidh. It was these rumors that kept him interested in the mysterious land of Dheathain. He’d heard of a Synthesis Shop that would allow him to make more powerful equipment once he had the money for such an endeavor. In time he would visit. He kept walking forward keeping a few paces behind the Fae girl. Lorenor followed her, but wasn’t in any rush to make it known that he was following her. Her curves are what kept him interested. He would love to bed her. A grin touched his face as the hunt began.

[Arysel]

It hardly bothered Ary that it was raining. On the contrary, she loved the feel of the drops against her skin. Though the streets were filled with people from all different races, it troubled her that one, shadowed and hooded figure that has trailed her for the last three or four blocks. The large buildings, a hodgepodge of architecture, cast shadows and hide him briefly. She knew he was there. Of all the strangers, he was easiest to pick out, simply because every turn she made, he seemed to mimic. Not a very good stalker, she thought, if he couldn't even keep himself hidden.

Ducking into the next alley, Ary quickly unslings her bow from between her fluttering wings, the quickness of their beating lofts her a few feet from the ground. Notching an arrow, she simply waits for her follower to come into view, sighting down the length of the arrow's shaft. Silver pulsed anxiously through the veins of her wings as she waited. Luckily, Aryesel didn't have to wait long at all as the hooded figure edged around the entrance. She only hoped she was high enough he..or she..wouldn't notice the Fae right off.

"Who are you? I know you've been following me. Speak quickly lest my arrow find a home in you" Such bravado in her voice, she only hoped that this person didn't hear the slight tremble.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Indeed, Lorenor followed her into the alleyway. His gaze only intensified as he observed each of her actions, observing his environment carefully. Lorenor didn't bother glancing around, his senses were capable of recreating the image of his surroundings for him. He basked in the rain that flowed constantly and became amused once she drew her weapon. Even from his position, he could judge the quality of her weaponry, stepping within the four foot radius that made up Lorenor's world. Outside that radius, the world was filled with a fog like substance that suggested a severe case of autism.

Acutely sensing all of his surroundings about himself, the ghoul stole a quick glance upwards. The sky was harsh. Grays filled the vast expanse. Each pregnant cloud released its content upon the world below. Splashing down in sheets by now, Lorenor was thankful for his heavy cloak, it would ward off the cold water effectively. He looked back towards the girl he was pursuing. She was clearly a street girl judging by her decision making process. He was interested by her decision to slip into the alleyway to conduct the business at hand. A few minutes passed and the ghoul said nothing.

After the long silence, he finally raised up his right arm. A metal bracer was seemingly wrapped about his arm tightly. Or was it something more sinister than that? His hand was raised in a soft gesture that suggested the desire to negotiate. "Wait. I mean you no harm." Came the first few words of what might become a long lasting relationship. "Lower your guard. There is no need for violence."

Lorenor spoke calmly and in a non agitated sort of way. Letting his leadership qualities come into play, the silver tongued ghoul kept a sly grin upon his face. He approached the girl calmly but kept a few paces away from her immediate front side. His gaze watched her stature and reactions quite calmly. If a fight were to break out, the ghoul would be ready. He could use any of the weapons at his disposal. But Lorenor didn't want to finish this girl off. He'd never encountered a Fae before and he'd heard great stories about them. Besides, he was in a foreign land and he needed a guide for his next adventure.

"If you will listen, I have a business proposition for you. My name is Lorenor. I am a member of the Gol'Bron." Lorenor began hoping the grand introduction would be enough to calm the fast witted girl.

[Arysel]

"Talk fast, stranger. My arm is shaking and the arrow is eager taste flesh." Aryesel certainly wished her follower would at the very least show his face. Her wings flutter nervously as she waits to hear what he's said. Gal'Bron, a house she'd never heard of. Perhaps he was lying, and did intend to enslave, or worse, tear off her wings for the purpose of some magical conjuring. She'd heard of such being done in the past. Okay, so maybe not the recent past, but she'd heard in stories of Fae leaving to explore and coming back wingless. Or not at all.

Easing up on the pull of the bow-string, Ary hopes he hadn't noticed the display of slight weakness. "I have never heard of your house. Quite frankly, "Her nose twitches as though catching an off-scent. " I think you must be a stranger. You don't smell of this land." Alright, that was a bluff. She couldn't smell one way or the other if he was from Donnalaich or not, maybe he wouldn't know that.

Ary mentally kicked herself and cursed herself for a dozen kinds of fool. Why hadn't she gone straight to the surface, or maybe the forrests where she could live off the land and hide, stealing males as she felt the need.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Her weapon was lowered, which meant her guard was lowered. The ghoul slightly relaxed his grip on his sword's hilt keeping a casual gaze upon the girl before him. With her scent filling his sensory array, he was thinking all kinds of matters that weren't normally like him. He was beginning to feel rather hot under the collar, and adjusted himself for a moment. Shifting his physical stance for a moment, the movement made the ghoul feel slightly more at ease.

"Thank you. A moment of your time if you will. I've not been in Donnalaich long. I'm only starting to get a feel for the city. You seem like someone who knows her way around the place." Lorenor paused for a moment. He briefly remembered the rude, crazy girl he met back in Salvar. He'd offered her some significant money to accompany her in a particular mission that yielded great rewards for himself and a different companion. She'd turned his offer down and that had shaped his view on the rationale of most of the people on Althanas. Few these days were willing to take up mercenary work.

"Well then. On to the business at hand. I could use some companionship and a guide. You would be well paid for the work." Lorenor removed two hundred gold pieces from his personal fundings, and placed it in a spare pouch. He took the bundle and tossed it in Ary's general direction. The bundle landed at her feet. A small thud sound flowed from the impact of the object against the ground. Coins rattled inside of the pouch. Lorenor hoped that she would just accept his business proposition, lest his time in Dheathain be unproductive. Lorenor hated the idea of that.

She hadn't heard of the Gol'bron which meant that she wasn't very learned about current events. Lorenor would have to tell her the stories of what was going on in other parts of the world. He waited for her response patiently. He had great plans for his newly acquired guide if she would simply accept the first token of kindness.

[Arysel]

Ary watched the strange one warily. He could, after all, have been sent merely to bring her home, and set this whole meeting up as a trap. Mistrust ran rampant through her mind, and yet, there was something strangely intriguing about him as well. With the flow of silver through the thin veins that weave themselves about the gossamer wings slowing to a more normal pace, she'd tilt her head and watch as the glint of gold, something which at this point greatly interested her, was placed into a bag and tossed to her feet. Letting it sit where it landed, Aryesel places the arrow back into the quiver and unstrings the bow, replacing it upon her back after a moment.

"A guide I can be, but a companion? Well, we will certainly have to see if this..arrangement leads to that."

Crouching down, careful to keep him in view, Ary grasps the bag in the palm of her hand, judging the weight to be around a hundred and fifty, maybe two hundred gold. She'd not be sure until she was alone to count it. It was, after all rude to do so in front of one who offered the payment. It wouldn't do to show mistrust..yet.

"Tell me what you need a guide for? Where is it you wish to go?"

A smile, fleeting and alluring, flashes, leaving the impression of promised delights. Colors swirl softly on her endless gaze as she waits for the answers to her questions.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

"I''m heading to the swamplands." Lorenor said calmly. From the information that he'd gathered during his stay in Dheathain, he'd heard rumors that the swamps were a dangerous place. Relaxing his grip on his weapon considerably, the ghoul relaxed. She seemed like she would be excellent company. Turning his attention completely to her, Lorenor kept himself right to the point. There was far too much rain falling down and the ghoul was not a big fan of the rain. He wanted to be indoors where they could talk and partake of one another's company much easier.

"If you don't want to go to the swamps, I can understand that. I'll just seek out a different person to be a guide for me. I am looking for someone who knows the lay of the land very well. And you seem like such. Hopefully my end goals don't put you off the task." Lorenor said. He spoke in a refined sort of a way, a controlled kindness lurking in the tone of his voice. Lorenor glanced about the alleyway casually looking for any signs of danger. When he was satisfied that there were none, the Salvarn Lord returned his attention back to the girl in front of him.

He was curious what she would say and do next. She was an archer judging by her preferred choice of weapons. The Gol'bron could use a skilled archer like that. Most importantly, she seemed quick witted and thoughtful. The ghoul reminded himself that she was a native of Dheathain and not a native of Concordia Forest. Fae that lived in Concordia behaved in a much different fashion than the Fae of Dheathain. Lorenor knew that it was an organized society capable of surviving completely independently of outside interference.

He only had bits and pieces of information on the Fae in practical applications though. Lorenor cursed his lack of knowledge on the foreign land. All things considered, the ghoul was rising to the challenge and representing his Power Group, the Gol'bron, quite well. Moving in closer to the girl, Lorenor wondered how she would react to having him stand nearby to her. So close that he could taste her skin against his tongue. Standing a mere arm's length away from her now, Lorenor extended his hand for her to shake. "I'm from Salvar." The ghoul added to his earlier introduction. Not from Corone. Truly, I'd say I'm from Haidia, but I want no parts of the trouble that would bring. He thought to himself as he waited for her reaction.

[Arysel]

Keeping her expression schooled into a mask of blankness, her mind races. What could be in the swamp? Nothing but water, sink holes and bugs. If he wants to go, then I guess I could guide him. It wouldn't do to have someone killed after they asked for help. Maybe a hint of arrogance gleamed in her swirling eyes as she answered, "I'll help you. You're paying enough for a guide. As for your goal..I could care less. So long as I get out of this city."

Putting the arrow back into the quiver, the bow is slung over her shoulder as well, to lay diagonally across her back. The silver running through the gossamer wings slows, indicating calm in the Fae woman. Blinking, her eyes seem to change color once more when she looks back at the man. There was something a bit off about him, secretive and compelling, though it didn't bother the courtaesan overly much.

"Let's get out of this rain and discuss exactly what it is you wish to hire me for?"

[Mutant_Lorenor]

The sky overhead was colored a deep gray. Almost to the point where it was obsidian. From time to time, lightning bolts pierced across the clouds lighting the world in an brilliant glow. Sensitive to it all, the ghoul had a higher awareness of things. Rumbling overhead, pregnant clouds felt like they were giant armies rushing to the field of battle in some never ending war. Feeling small compared to the storm, the tiny speck of a ghoul conversed with the girl before him. Droplets of rain fell in thick rivulets that splashed with the force of a tossed brick.

Getting inside was a novel idea. Lorenor had been to many lands and still could not get used to the constant perpetual storm that was Dheathain's uncontrollable weather systems. The rains created a harsh environment, the darkness a breeding ground for monsters almost as terrifying as those in his native homeland, Haidia. In his short time spent within the city of Donnalaich, the ghoul chanced upon several such places that functioned as taverns and inns.

Thinking of the closest one, Lorenor examined the back alley they were in to be sure that they were both safe. Nobody to follow them. Nobody to defend against. Constantly living in a state of perpetual danger, the ghoul lived the life of a marked man. Hiring and outsourcing jobs for protection was necessary whilst he trained to obtain the skills necessary for his chosen professions.

"I know of a place nearby. It's called the Crow's Feet. Should be suitable for our needs. A warm meal, a good ale, and a place to talk."

Lorenor extended his hand towards her and smiled. "Come with me if you want to live." That wasn't an idle threat. Following the Thayne, N'Jal, Lorenor had acquired a great deal many enemies. He'd also acquired a great deal many friends. Using both to his advantage, the ghoul learned to survive despite his many short comings. He waited for her to take his hand so they could be on their way.

"Don't worry about the meal, bed, and ale. I'll pay for all." He grinned slyly as he said that last part.

[Arysel]

Aryesel stared at the offered hand, lofting a sharply arched brow and walked past him. Pay for a meal and a bed? Who did he think he was to offers such. Of course, she'd accept a meal, she hadn't eaten since she woke up. And already the day was waning. Her stomach was telling her it required nourishment. "Food first, the rest I will decide." Her voice held a hint of arrogance and maybe a touch of amusement at the assumption that she would even concent to his offer of a bed.

Pausing at the entrance to the ally, a wary look was given, looking for the tell-tale livery that announced the guard from her house. It was so much staying alive she was concerned with, but not being dragged back to an existance of pleasing others, of scraping and bowing to those who thought themselves superior. Maybe they were, but it was time for Aryesel to come into her own. Prove her worth even if she had to runaway to do it. Letting Lorenor take the lead seemed simpler. That way, if she did spy the search party, of which there was sure to be, she could simply turn in the other direction, or even hide behind him if necessary.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Meanwhile-

A slender gentleman sat on an ornate chair. Wearing a finely decorated outfit, the fabrics seemed to wrap themselves about the man like a living organism. Wearing dark colors, deep blues and purples, embroidered with gold. The man had long hair that flowed into a mane, and ended at the small of his back. His hair was intricately braided in the popular style of many of Althanas’ noble houses. His braids were intricately locked and interwoven with a strange leather pattern. Amulets decorated his neck, jewels pierced his earlobe, accessories like rings adorned his fingers. He wore an intricate bracer made out of prevalida. The metal deeply reflected the light in the well lit chamber. The bracer was worn on his right arm, and covered his hand. Symbols associated with ancient symbols known as elder runes were etched upon the bracer indicating some invocation or another. His eyes were a deep color of gray that almost matched the deep gray of a storm cloud. Pupils were nonexistent. A silver glow clung to the air of the gentleman, wrapping itself around him. Several individuals who had similar physiques to the gentleman were in the chamber with him. There was a group of approximately twenty heads all together with the gentleman as the leader of the group. The golden band worn atop his head clearly denoted his leadership position. He was the only one who wore a crown of such artistic flare.

At his feet was a series of pillows that were thrown together in a carefree pile. Several women, presumably slaves, were busy at the feet of the gentleman. Two of the girls had their arms wrapped around either leg of the individual. His hands were interlocked together and he rested his elbows at the arms of his throne, his chin resting atop his hands.

The girls were dressed in see-through fabrics. Probably some sort of linen cloth woven together for the purposes of easy access. The girls had the same sorts of elder tunes etched upon various parts of their bodies. These markings were meant to show the girl’s low ranking within the society of these wealthy men. Several women danced atop a table with many dishes of food and fruit served upon it. Drink was on the tap. The wealthier looking individuals of the group were mixed with both men and women. Each one having their say over the lives of the House of Kala.

These people represented the leadership body of the House of Kala, one of the lesser known Houses of the Fae.

All though not as well known as some of the larger Houses located within Dheathain’s regions, this small organization still wielded considerable influence. Currently, the members of the House were in an uproar over the vanishing of Arysel’Kala, one of the viable heirs for the gentleman on the throne.

He wore a calm expression on his face as he listened to his fellows deliberating. Despite the calm exterior, there was a fury in his eyes.

“Did the scouts report her last known whereabouts?” He suddenly asked, his voice traveling in the well decorated chamber quickly. He was somehow able to project his voice outward with very little difficulty. Everyone stopped their discussion as the man voiced his thoughts. All eyes turned to him and him alone. One of the men who sat at his right side, two heads down on the table cleared his throat and spoke. “She was spotted in Donnalaich. She’s been moving around a lot using an assumed identity. But we are certain it is your estranged daughter.”

“It’s been nearly a month since she escaped. And still we have not been able to locate her! What is keeping you from bringing back my heir to me?” Irritation resonated in the man’s voice.

“Sir, she’s moving around very quickly and covering lots of ground on her own. Our intelligence suggests that she recently joined forces with an outsider to these lands.”

“Great. That’s just what we need, an international incident. We are trying to avoid involvement in Raiaera’s war, as well as Corone’s war. We want no parts of it and have been able to exist isolated for generations. Now all that is threatened by one hot headed little girl. What is the current intelligence on the stranger traveling with her?”

“Well apparently he is a fellow named-“

***

Lorenor. The Salvarn Lord wondered why she was in such a hurry to get in doors. True the rain was getting to be obnoxious, but the ghoul was rapidly getting used to it. Constant dark clouds overhead allowed him to move around in the daylight hours without getting weakened by the sun. It was a land he could get used to without much of a problem. Giving the alleyway one last scrutinizing stare, the ghoul made sure that they weren’t being followed to the best of his current abilities. He let her take the lead for a moment whilst he secured the rear of their party.

The ghoul would never admit to himself his own weaknesses with his current capabilities. All though he was able to see to a fair degree, within four feet, he knew that he couldn’t see further than that. The rest of the world was a blur to him. An eternity trapped within a sensory grid he had no complete control over.

Turning on his heels, he turned to walk side by side with the courtesan. She had an air of confidence about her that Lorenor admired. Walking alongside the girl, the ghoul took a look at her and nodded. “I know a place near here that we can sit down and talk. We can get our necessary supplies for the trip into the swamplands as well.”

***

If Lorenor were stronger, he might’ve noticed the tail that was pursuing them roughly ten feet away from them. Keeping to the shadows, the stranger tagged the duo like a ghost.

[Arysel]

As they walked, Aryesel thought back to that night. A month or more she'd been gone, and though it seemed as though they weren't searching, she knew they had to be. Even a house without much power could move up with the right connections and marriages. Ary's mind drifted, coming back to that fateful night.

She stood just outside the door, a door they had thought had been closed and listened to her father and his advisor discussing her future.

"She's old enough to be married by now, if not a concubine I can use!" Her father's hand smashed down on to a table. "I want her given to the most powerful house we can get her into. She is beautiful, well trained, and obedient. You shouldn't have much trouble."

The rest was lost as Aryesel stared, her eyes swirling dark colors in her distress and anger. To be used in such a manner, even by her own father was outragous. She was a daughter of a minor house, yes, but her father had influence. She was not going to be some lecher's little slave, to spy for him. He could send one of her brothers, but no. It seemed he wanted someone to get closer than a mere soldier could. It wouldn't be her. And so began her plans. She secreted away boy clothes, plain, scratchy garments. She horded food that would travel well, filching them from the kitchen when everyone was asleep. It helped that she could easily charm the guards, letting off the pheramonal dust when they got close enough and giving them the suggestion that they wanted to help her, needed to in fact. They looked the other way too when she simply walked out in the middle of the night.

Finding that the tavern was directly in front of them, Ary turned to Lorenor, waiting for him to come along side, " This is it, yes? I hope it's at least got a fire going and hot drinks." Her wings, threaded with silvery veins, open and closed idly. The purse was a comforting weight in the pack that bumped her shapely hip with each step or subtle movement. Pushing the door open, Aryesel stepped into the warmth and laughter of a busy Tavern to find a table that offered a good view of the door.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

"This is the place, let's go."

Taking the lead of the duo, a waitress approached the well dressed Salvarn lord.

She was a plain old Althanian girl of average stature. Her hair was brown, and her eyes were a darker shade of brown matching her hair. She had slightly lighter skin. She wore a common dress that was quite simple and made of very average quality material. Lorenor noticed that the girl had no particularly discerning marks or quality about her. She was just a plane human living in Dheathain that was forced to live in a harsh weather environment. The girl had a smile on her face, and despite her height, she was taller than Lorenor after all, the ghoul managed to remain his usual demeanor.

He looked up at her, without intimidation what so ever, but the girl seemed unnerved by those deeply glowing eyes. "M-my lord? Do you require something?" This was Dheathain, there were lots of unusual species of humanoids about, but none quite like Lorenor. Lorenor looked at his companion, Arysel and then back to the girl before them. "My companion and I require a table. Preferably a booth." Lorenor said quietly. The girl nodded. "Right this way then. Booths are expensive. I hope you can pay."

"Money is no object." Following the girl to a booth, the ghoul slid quietly into the structure and sat down upon the bench. It was well padded with many comfortable pillows. He waited for Arysel to enter after him. Looking at the waitress he saw that the menu was there with him. "I'll just have some coffee thank you very much. Black. Rich Raiaera beans, if they are available." She nodded and looked at Arysel so the girl could place her order. "Will there be anything to eat for Mi'lord?" Lorenor thought about it. "[b]Just the coffee for now. Plus whatever my companion here wants."

He motioned to her and smiled softly, it was a ghastly sight.

[Arysel]

Aryesel managed to fold her gossamer wings flat against her back, the silver veins pulsing rhythmically. Calm as she was for the moment she shook her head at the waitress, dismissing her with a wave of her hand. Used to having orders followed, it was no surprise when the girl hurried off to get Lorenor his coffee. Hmm, money is no object to this man..

Aryesel returned the ghoul's smile with a slow one of her own. A hint of seductive promise shone in the Fae's swirling eyes as she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table-top, scarred as it was. "So, tell me, why do you want to go into the swamps. There are many things in that place that would just as soon kill you as not." As she spoke, her wings fluttered, settling a light dust around the table. The same dust that afforded her escape from the estate. Perhaps it would..entice Lorenor to reveal more than he wished, if that is, he were to breath it in.

[Mutant_Lorenor]

Feeling strangely light-headed around the girl, the mutant was quick to divulge information. Strange swirling energy flowed about the room at their location but the mutant shook it off as mere hallucination. Or perhaps it was something else? The room was abuzz with activity. Several individuals stared at the odd duo. Lorenor bore a cloak with the markings of something called the Red Hand, a complicated sigil that showed off his current standings within the group. It also had other markings, markings of Salvar which meant that the stranger was a long way from home.

Lorenor sat down in the booth for a moment and sat in silence as he observed the mysterious cloud of energy that seemed to radiate from the girl. He took her scent in, it tasted like honey. Lorenor had to concentrate to prevent his physical desires from taking over his logical senses though that was proving quite difficult. The mutant noticed the unusual heat in the room, it felt slightly oppressive so he unclasped his cloak and hood. He set it aside on the bench for the time being. Lorenor's grotesque features were revealed.

The alarming individual sat in the shadows of the booth. A single candle sat in the middle of the masterwork oak table. Lorenor made sure to take opposite seats from the girl. His face was the mutant's most hideous of features. Lorenor looked off to the side for a moment before returning his gaze towards the girl. "Doth not beeth alarmed." Lorenor spoke in fluent common-speak. He also knew trade-speak. His education with the Red Hand was complete.

Lorenor's face was a thing of horror stories. Terrible furnaces of pure energy burst out of his eye sockets in an eternal ambiance. The glow from his eyes played darkly on his face causing shadows to dance around. Lorenor's hair was a complicated mess of dirty dreadlocks, stylized in the Coronian styles once popular with its youth. A sign of restless rebelliousness. Most pertinent of all was a hideous scar that traveled the length of his face and went down to the top of his throat. His lower maxilla (Jaw) was super-deformed which indicated extra functions that were known only to the mutant.

His monstrous nature was played off by his polite nobleman's way. He was a beast playing as a Salvarn Lord. His clothing was elegant made out of a complex combination of advanced purified Vlince and Spider-Silk from the deadly and infamous Spider Magi. He wore all black embroidered clothing and kept his masterwork weapons sealed in their scabbards. They were constantly at his side. Lorenor shifted in his seat as the waitress returned with his order. Lorenor smelled the aroma of the rich coffe beans. He took a deep pull of the hot drink, feeling its warmth.

"The lady is correct that many dangers doth lurk in that place. But also many rewards. One particular prospect intrigues me the most. A tribe of Magi native to the swamplands. I seek their teachings. What I woudlst ask of thee is companionship and a guide around this forsaken land. Thou shalt be well paid." Lorenor put emphasis on that last part. He was hoping that he'd caught her interest.