Author: Mazerine, Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 9:16 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine's eyes opened to darkness - the candles had all gone out in the room, and the inky water outside the porthole offered no light.  For a moment, she struggled to determine where it was she found herself - though she shortly took notice of the steady rise and fall of Douken's chest which she was laying upon, and one of his arms draped around her.  Her eyes widened for a moment as she realized her situation and positioning, wondering just how she had ended up where she was - but her mind was still far too clouded from the ale to comprehend exactly what was going on.  With that, she nuzzled her head on his chest, coming to rest in the crook of his neck, his arm still around her, and she drifted back off to sleep.

-

Mazerine woke as Douken stirred beneath her, though she did not open her eyes immediately, perhaps giving off the illusion that she was still asleep.  The last memory that flickered in Mazerine's mind was of the boat lurching her forward into Douken's lap, and of her eyes locking with his own. The thought to kiss him had crossed her mind - after all, she did find him attractive and the ale only strengthened that fact, but her stability had wavered and made the choice for her, making her lean forward and press her lips against his in an awkward albeit rather intimate motion. After that, her mind went blank, as she had once again fallen asleep - or perhaps passed out would be a better terminology - though this time in a much more awkward position than the last.

She was not able to keep up the illusion for long, as her eyes opened slowly when Douken began to speak.  Her own head swelled with pain as well, and for a moment she fought the urge to once more snuggle back into him (he was rather warm, after all).  However, after a moment, she slipped herself out from under his arm and scrambled up into a standing position, immediately moving to reposition her tunic and lace the neck cording back up.  "I agree," she said rather quietly, her face a dark shade of red.  She busied herself with gathering her things and packing them back up, as it was clear that they were about to make port and disembark the ship.  She felt a strange twinge in her stomach as she moved to the table, scooping up her silver that they had used the night before and returning it to its satchel, a few more fleeting memories of the night before sneaking back into her mind.

She shook them off as best they could, and the pair packed up their belongings.  Just before they left the room, Mazerine locked eyes with Douken one more time, and for a brief second, she felt the same clouded intensity she had felt the night before.  Great, she thought to herself. Just another thing to make this task all the more complicated… She cleared her throat and turned to head out of the room, as the ship had docked and they were now going to be allowed to disembark.  Fortunately, her back was to Douken and it allowed her to hide the tiny smile that had crept onto her lips.

Once they had deboarded, it didn't take long to find an apothecary with the exact medicine they were desiring.  Mazerine dipped in and bought some, leaving her things with Douken.  She emerged and gave herself a few drops before offering it to Douken to do the same, and after she had stashed it away, she looked to him, finally speaking to him for the first time since they had exited the ship.  "Well, we need to get supplies before heading out… I've got a general idea," she said, an awkward tone to her voice.  It seemed as though she were avoiding making eye contact with him, and also avoiding the elephant in the room about what had taken place the night before.  She found herself wondering how much he remembered from the night before, and what his thoughts were on it… but this was not the time to bring that up, nor for her to worry about it.  "If there's anything specific you'll want for the journey, now's the time to make sure we get it," she said, and the two made their way towards the shops to gather whatever supplies they would need before heading out into the wilds in search of the ruins.

Author: Douken, Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 2:09 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

With the instability of the ship being announced, Douken nodded in a loose agreement, taking whatever bit remained in his mug and finished the last couple gulps he had left over. "Thaat… was fun…. hard… but fun…" Douken told her, face red from the powerful ale the pair had consumed. It was definitely the strongest drink the pair enjoyed together…. No, the strongest he ever had in general. At least the ship agreed with letting the two enjoy the ale in the same way, though she took it in good fun with his missed shot. Her silly smile said so she accused him of such an event.

After all the fun, it seemed she wanted to make some final prep work for the job in the morning, considering the ship should land come dawn. However, unstable legs and floor were never a good combination, and a sudden wave threw her forward and into Douken, laying in front of him. Her answer for more stability was to straddle him in his lap, their faces close enough to feel her drunk breath on his cheeks as she caught her breath. Then her emerald eyes caught his azures, the two staring each other as they fought for breath.

It was then she began to lean forward; her eyes flickering closed as she pushed closer. In a simple moment, their lips met, bodies pressed close to each other… and yet neither side fighting it. After all, the strong ale affected each other in different ways. To Douken, it was she who went for it, and he would not be in a proper mindset to really deny her for her own safety. As for Mazerine… well, he could soon feel her body slumping over a quick moment to break their kiss away… an accidental kiss. Instead of getting embarrassed or flirty with the moment, the ale had conquered her and caused her to pass out as she laid on him.

"Alright, alright," Douken muttered, Trying to work her into his arms as he fought to get up. "Time for bed." Douken was not as safe as she was when it came to the waves, as only a couple steps forward, a stumble back, and another strike from a wave, he found himself falling backwards, Mazerine landing on top of him. It was going to be exhausting to get them back up and into the bed in the room… but they had their own private space… and the rocking of the ship was already relaxing as it was… rocking the drunken Douken to sleep with Mazerine in his arms as she rested on him like a blanket…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The loud bellow of the ship was quite an alarm to the pair as it announced their arrival to the kingdom of Adeluna, causing Douken's head to scream in pain as he stirred awake. "Ugh…" he groaned as he looked up at Mazerine. "First stop before we head out: the medicine shop…" He muttered under his breath, holding his head as the crew above got ready to land.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 1:29 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

"Practice away! You're gonna need it," she said, giving Douken a bit of a grin as she issued her challenge. She watched him practice for a bit, but it was to no avail - it seemed he could hardly make it in the cup and she made it in almost every time - that is, until the ship rocked rather violently, causing her to miss. She took a large swig of the ale, feeling it warm her insides considerably within moments of swallowing. It seemed that they had hit a patch of turbulent waters, as her next few shots missed as well, and soon she found herself missing almost every shot and in quite a state of inebriation. She found herself giggling with each shot she missed and shouting out in excitement with each that she made.

When it came time for another of Douken's shots, she snorted in laughter as he slurred his words. The ship hit another wave, and he far misjudged his shot, the silver coin bouncing down the neck of Mazerine’s shirt rather than into the cup where he should have been aimed. She paused, taking a moment to process what had happened. She felt the cool metal as it grazed her skin, and jumped a little bit, a yelp laced with laughter bursting forth. ”Oh, you meant to do that, didn’t you!” she accused, pointing her finger at him. It was rather clear she was not upset in the slightest.

She undid the lacing from the neck of her tunic, pulling it down and exposing one shoulder so she could reach in and retrieve the coin. After she had, she bounced it off the table towards the cup in the middle, not bothering to lace her shirt back up. The coin knocked off the edge of the cup and she let out a shout of dismay. ”Well, what the hell,”, she said, and grabbed her mug, draining it rather than taking a drink. She clunked it rather noisily back onto the tabletop and made a bit of a face, scrunching her eyes closed. She laughed a bit when she opened them.

The ship rocked back and forth a bit more than it had been, and Mazerine, in her inebriated state, announced to Douken that it would make the game far too difficult to keep playing and that she was going to (with a few hiccups inserted here and there) get the map for them to look at. However, as she stood from the table to go and retrieve said map, the ship hit a very rough wave, and with her already uneasy footing, sent her toppling over into Douken once more. She landed rather unceremoniously in his lap, her face only a few inches from his.

She giggled quietly, trying to regain her footing, slipping slightly and forcing herself into an even more awkward situation. ”Sorry!” she said, her face turning an even deeper shade of red than her drunken state had already caused. Both of them in rather disheveled states, she reached up with one hand pushed a fringe of his hair away from his eyes. ”Your eyes are a really interesting color,” she said rather quietly, locking her gaze onto them for a moment, her hand lingering on the side of his face as she got lost in thought for a moment, her mind clouded both by her proximity to him and the liquor she had consumed.

Author: Douken, Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 5:35 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

He couldn't help but chuckle at the ideas of a couple decades being so comparable to a couple years. Than again, it was not like she had a special power that granted her such a gift. She was simply of elfin blood, which somehow multiplied their lifespan to nearly eight times than a typical human. He had no idea how, nor did he know why. Ultimately though, he did not care. After all, it was not like he would ever have the power to shift it, and even if he did, such a dramatic shift would be a massive shock to the species as a whole. Sure, such shames do come from that major difference, but many had comes in terms of accepting it when the two races wed.

While she was gone, Douken was sure to clean the table, not sure what exactly she was gathering, meaning when she walked in with a keg on her shoulder, he could not help but stare as she worked, settling their little game. Clearly, this was going to be a bit more complicated. And a different type of gamble. Instead of silver, though, they were gambling their drinks. Would not be so bad if the content she picked up was Dwarven ale! And to think we had their wine not so long ago he thought as she filed up the mugs. If they were getting tipsy with a wine, then that would mean they should be expecting quite the punch.

And even though this was a part of the demonstration, Douken took a swig of the contest ale, though was taken quite aback to that simple gulp. Sure it tasted like any other ale, but damn did it have a punch! A skill based game… with a strong penalty! If played right, one person would have a clear advantage! "Well, it would be a waste to not play after all this time you took to set up," he told her before pushing aside five of the coins. "Mind if I take a couple test rounds?" He was not sure if only five would be considered cocky, but he did not want to waste so much time on practice. At best, he wanted to get adjusted to the game itself really quickly, just as he let her with the Poker.

Luckily, she let him get adjusted before the game took off, and just as he got her a ton with poker, she showed her skill with the game itself. It had only been dumb luck with the waves of the ship moving the small glass did she drink until the ale itself affected her own accuracy. Luckily, though, that meant the two were becoming worse and worse at an even pace.

"Alright…" Douken said, picking up another coin as his face was plastered red. "Myyyii go…" With a hard toss, mixed in with the ship bouncing upwards from the wave, caused the coin to fly beyond the table and towards Mazerine upper chest instead…

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:58 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine got up from the comfortable positions she had found on the bed and walked over to the table at Douken's invitation, interested in learning the game that he brought up.  She had spent enough time in taverns where she had watched people (mostly men) playing the game, piles of silver, gems, and other valuable items being piled on the table.  She had always thought it looked interesting, but had never partaken - she was not exactly well educated on proper card-playing techniques or the like.  While they played open hands, she tried to figure out what was going on, laughing at herself when she would be horribly wrong.  Eventually, it came time to play a hidden hand, and she knew full well she would lose, but wanted to play on, perhaps in an attempt to try to impress Douken with her quick learning skills.

She failed miserably at her attempt to show that she was a quick learner, throwing her hand down with a victorious little giggle - showing a two of clubs, a six of spades, a seven of diamonds, a ten of hearts and a king of spades.  "Got one with a letter - that means I win, right?" she asked, learning awfully quickly that it would most certainly not be the case.  The two then played cards for some time, Mazerine losing horribly the entire time, but smiling and laughing all the while.  When the pair had played through several hands, Mazerine stretched her hands out over her head, tilting her neck to one side.  Glancing toward

When the pair had played through several hands, Mazerine stretched her hands out over her head, tilting her neck to one side.  Glancing toward the porthole, she could see nothing but the inky blackness of the sea.  The candles lit in their room had begun to burn down, and she got up and walked to each one, using her fingers to gently reform the soft wax.  One of the candles went out as she did this, and with a hardly audible whisper, a small flame shot forth from her fingertips and relit the wick.  She turned towards Douken and gave him a little smile.  "I find my magic works for practical things as well," she said, as though she felt a need to explain her actions.

"So, you taught me something… maybe I can teach you something!" she said, a bit of excitement to her voice at the prospect.  "Back where I'm from - Endapano - the younger lords, before they make it to the Elder Council - they play a game in the pubs.  Of course, I was to be raised as a lady, so there was no way I was going to learn it - except for the fact that my older brother did not exactly like to adhere to the rules and traditions of our kind," she said, smiling fondly as she thought back to her brother.  "After my father would be gone to the Elder Council meeting, Marzanial, my brother, would take me to the pub with him.  He's only a couple decades older than me, so I was lucky enough to be included.  They taught me this game - I guess you could say it's where I got my love of drink from," she said, quirking an eyebrow at him.

Before she came back to the table, she paused, making a bit of a face.  "I'll be back in a few minutes," she said, and without another word, she left through the door to the cabin.  It wasn't long before she returned, ten minutes at most.  She had a strange wooden barrel with a spigot and two wooden mugs with her, which she set in the center of the table.  "We just need one more thing," she said, as she sat down.  She whispered a couple of words in a foreign tongue and waved her hand, two very tiny wooden cups appearing next to the larger wooden mugs.  The openings of the smaller cups were not much wider than a silver coin that was used for currency throughout much of Revaliir.  Mazerine got back up and fished in one of her bags for a moment, coming back with a handful of silver coins and clanked them on the table.  

She took each of the mugs and filled them with the liquid that the barrel contained.  "You mentioned it earlier - Dwarven ale," she said, an impish glint to her eyes as she grinned at him.  "So," she said, setting a full mug in front of him and one in front of herself.  She pushed the two small cups between them, and a smallish pile of coins towards Douken.  "You take the coin, and hold it like this," she said, grabbing one of the silver coins and holding the edges between her pointer finger and thumb.  "And then you bounce it flat on the table, trying to make it in the small cup, like this," she said and proceeded to do exactly what she had described.  The coin landed perfectly with a clink in the small cup.  "If your opponent makes it in, you drink," she said, pointing at his cup.  "But, if your opponent misses, they drink," she said, grabbing another coin and bouncing it sloppily so it would miss the cup.  She grabbed her own mug and took a swig.  She made a face - it was most certainly the strongest ale she had ever tasted.

"It's a bit of a skill game, I suppose, but it certainly passes the time and makes for some fun conversation after a bit," she said.  "Question is - do you think you can keep up with me?  You might have bested me at cards, but I spent a fair amount of time with my brother honing my skills at this," she added, a glint of challenge in her smile.  

Author: Douken, Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 1:34 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine was not shy with her silver. That was very abundant. From the fees she paid for the drinks at the tavern, to the private bathhouse that have them a complimentary strong wine, and finally getting a private cabin for their shipment to Adeluna, she was hardly shy with spending what Douken would call "more than necessary" silver to ensure their security, safety, and entertainment. Then again, it was clear the two lived much more different life styles. Douken was more of a common man, enjoying what he had and finding what he could use as Mazerine, while she did enjoy a roguish lifestyle, still had a comfortable backing to be able to support herself in a more well-off fashion.

However, it seemed the sum she paid did not let them pick up the fanciest room on deck. However, for all they cared about, it was something they could call their own for the trip and a bed large enough for the two of them without being so pressed up with each other. A bed Mazerine took her time to enjoy for the moment before the ship took off, though was not one to stop herself from complaining about her aches, having Douken chuckle as she set his bag on a nearby chair. "Well, I don't think Drawrven wine was much help," he chuckled. "I mean, if they make a wine that strong, image how strong a Dwarven ale would be." He was sure sleep was also a reason for her aches, but he did not speak of it.

"I got a deck," he told her, agreeing that they had time to kill before arriving to Areluna and dug into his bag to pull it out. Slipping the cards out, he gave them a quick shuffle as he brought them to the table, inviting her to take the seat over. From there, he showed her a very basic game: poker. An easy game that many people played during their off-times. However, he did play open handed for the two to show her tips. "See, in my case, I got nothing matching, so my best bet is to toss the entire thing, or at the very least keep my highest card, this case being my Queen," he told her during the early process until she started getting accustomed to play.

However, when it came to her feeling good with playing with a hidden hand, Douken placed a couple silver pieces on the table. "While all this can be fun and simple, its addiction comes from the gamble put into play. After all, you are trying to get the better hand. Or maybe, you know you have the worst hand, and thus you try and bluff your way out. Once the cards are hidden and the coins are on the table, mind games can be added into the mix. Mental magic, however, is banned and is an easy way to get you banned from your playing area."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2017 8:06 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

As Douken stood to stretch, Mazerine dipped her head to one side, stifling a giggle as she caught a decent view of his form rather up close and personal.  She could not help but glance back through her peripheral for one more look, before standing up herself and moving about the room as Douken drained the water from the basin.  She wandered to one of the coal burners, checking her clothing - it had dried nicely and felt toasty warm.  She wandered to where he had laid his out as well, finding the same situation with his.  As she stepped back over to her own, she discarded the robe and dressed once more, relishing in the warmth of the fabric and leather.  She toweled off her hair, it now falling in loose waves around her face as it was still rather damp.

Glancing over to Douken, she saw that he had now wrapped a towel around his waist, and she wandered over to him, listening to his suggestion.  When the room fell silent again, she listened for any sign of the storm outside - they had been in the bathhouse for a rather substantial amount of time, but it seemed the late-day sun now began to shine through the windows.  "As comfortable as that bed looks, I don't know that I want to spend an entire night here," she said, glancing over at the fancy bedding and the canopied bed that sat in one corner of the room.  "Might not be night yet, but we may be safe to head back to the tavern.  We can have some food brought up - I don't know about you, but I am absolutely famished," she said.  It was not far from the truth - but she honestly wanted to eat something to stave off the strength of the wine they had been drinking (and also because she had full intentions of taking the remainder of the decanter with her).  "Probably not safe to sit in the common areas tonight - but if we head out at first light we should be able to catch a ship to the mainland, no problem… I've got plenty of silver for a cabin, as well," she said.  The journey to the mainland didn't take more than a few days, at most, but having a cabin would grant them a safety net if by any chance the men who she took the map back from happened to board the same ship.

She waited for Douken to dress again, at which time a glance out the window made her feel that it would be safe for them to head back.  She grabbed the decanter of wine on their way out, and as they exited the gnome at the counter gave them a knowing look, as if she expected something else had taken place in that room.   

As they walked outside, a small smattering of rain still fell, but it was nothing compared to the torrential downpours of the night and day before.  They made it back to the tavern without incident, making enough of a pit stop in the common area for Mazerine to secure food and drink to be brought up to them.  Within moments of them making it back to the room, a knock sounded at the door - two of the barmaids: one carrying a tray filled with different meats and cheeses and bread, as well as one carrying a tray with two cups and a wooden pitcher of water and decanter of wine (potentially much less potent than that which they had been drinking previously).  

Some time passed as the two ate and drank a bit, the sky outside the windows darkening as the sun set.  They made idle conversation as they relaxed, prepping for their journey the next day.  At one point, Mazerine took out the map and showed Douken a string of strange text written on the side, in a language she had yet been able to decipher.  She explained that it was whatever activated inside the ruins to keep the guardian from attacking whoever carried the map.  She then went over a bit of the layout of the map, and what her plan would be once they arrived.  After that discussion, she rolled it back up and tucked it away, suggesting that they worry about business once they were on the ship to the mainland.

With a clouded head from the wine as well as lack of sleep, Mazerine stood up from the table where the two had sat for quite some time.  She stretched, yawning loudly, and reached over, placing a hand on Douken's shoulder.  "I need some rest if we're to have an early start tomorrow," she said.  "Thanks for putting up with all of the… well… everything, since last night," she concluded, a smile of thanks on her face as she gently squeezed his shoulder.  Her hand lingered on his shoulder for a moment before she dropped her hand and walked over towards the same side of the bed, slipping beneath the covers and allowing him enough room as well.

Morning came, the sun just beginning to rise.  Mazerine woke first once again, having somewhat cozied up to Douken in the night as a chill had blown into the room.  She gently nudged Douken awake, and the pair gathered their belongings.  There were no patrons in the tavern, which made it rather easy for them to settle up with the barkeep (who informed Mazerine that she had paid more than enough the day before).  It did not take them long to make it to the port, where they easily found a ship with a private cabin (thanks to a hefty payment of silver).  Within an hour, they were onboard the ship and they had been lucky enough to find one that had been about to set sail, and they left the port shortly after.  

Their cabin, unfortunately, was below deck, which meant that they had no windows, but only a porthole that looked out into the dark sea they sailed through.  Finally feeling as though she were able to genuinely relax, Mazerine spread herself out on the bed in the cabin, a bed much larger than that which had been in the tavern.  She lay on her back, arms and legs both stretched out.  "You would think after spending hours in a bath yesterday my muscles would be overly relaxed, but they're not!" she said, making a loud groaning noise as she stretched, before propping herself upon her elbows so she was slightly sitting up.  She kicked off her boots and they fell to the floor with a thud.  

"You said you like playing cards… don't suppose you've got a deck on you?  Or maybe you can conjure one up with that fancy rune magic you've got?" she said, giving him a quirky little grin.  "I mean, we're gonna be on this boat for a day or two, so… why not kill some time?  I'm not very good at playing cards, but you said you like it… maybe you can give me a couple of pointers?"

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 8:21 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Douken watched her pull herself out of the bath before taking herself over to the offered towels and robes, her shadowy figure taking one and covering herself with one of them. As she did this, Douken used this moment to slip into the water fully, allowing his hair to get soaked instead of steamed before rising once more, his white mop now scattered upon his head. It was not a massive issue to really handle, outside of Mazerine's long hair, as all h really deeded to do was a slight brush at most to see once more.

When she returned back to his side, she only stepped into it to keep her feet wet as she rested near Douken, asking a bit more about him while her face glowed a bit of a red. Okay… Dwarven wine can make us drunk fast… he took mental note of before thinking more about the question. Time away from work or abilities, and more about him in a casual sense… Well, he enjoyed being outdoors and exploring, hence his work, but he doubted she would really take it as a bit of an answer. After all, when you are in a city, you are not looking for relics or hidden treasures.

"If I took the time to enjoy myself… I would say I would play a few hands of cards. A simple joy as you try to outplay your opponent, whether it be through a bluff or through luck. Outside of that… eating foreign food." After all, when you are out exploring the world, you may as well see what they have to offer. "I may not be that much of a cook, but its great seeing what they have to offer. Let's see… last time I was in Nisshoki, I found a meal of a rice meal pocketed inside of an egg omelet. Really simple, yet good."

Still, he could not help but agree to what she was saying about things getting too warm. Not only that, but his toes were staring to prune up as well. "I think its time to get things drained out," he thought out loud before standing up next to Mazerine, his naked body close to her as he stretched his waist a bit before heading to the taps and sealing the magic that let the water flow, filling the air quickly with near-silence outside of the stirring of water before Douken's steps through echoed through. Kneeling down, he turned a plate hidden within the water before the water levels quickly lowered, flowing out of the drainage, leaving mere remnants of what was in there before and the steam that came with it.

Stepping himself out, Douken headed over to the towel area and, instead of a robe, took a towel and wrapped it around his waist before heading back into visible view of Mazerine. Looking up through the window, he said, "If we give it another moment, we could be clear to leave without much of a punch… unless you think its too risky with them about."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:31 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine froze for a few moments after bracing herself by grabbing Douken's shoulder, as a result of his moving to steady her.  Her skin ran hot, only partially from the heat of the steam and water, mingled with the embarrassment of her mishap as well as the accidental contact with him.  She glanced up at him for a few brief moments, the short amount of time feeling like an eternity.  "I didn't mean… I wasn't…." It seemed as though she had some difficulty finding what words it was that she wished to speak, given the situation she had gotten herself into.  "What I meant is that I seem to be making a fool of myself left and right with you," she said quietly.  "I'd rather neither one of us was cursed if I am to be honest,"  she said, attempting to laugh and clearing her throat as she regained her footing and he let go of her.  She turned away from him briefly as he moved a bit away from her, silently cursing herself.

Need to be more careful, you're going to get yourself into a situation you won't be able to get out of, she thought to herself, splashing a bit of water on her face.  But admit it to yourself, Mazerine, his arms felt rather lovely wrapped around you when you slipped…  She shook her head unnoticeably, forcing herself to think otherwise.  She turned back around, giving Douken an incredibly awkward grin as she reached out to take her cup back from him after he refilled it with wine.  She sunk into the water a short distance from him, an awkward silence permeating the air between them.  She gulped down some of the wine and set the cup on the edge of the basin, dropping her arm back into the water.  She felt the strength of the wine as it coursed through her system.  It seemed that it was, indeed, rather strong as she was beginning to feel the effects already.

A glance toward one of the high windows gave way to the fact that the storm had not entirely let up, but Douken had not been wrong in his assumption that it was beginning to let up.  The sky was still a dark and ominous color, especially dark for the time of day (she assumed it was at least midday by now).  "I think you're right about the storm," she said, idly splashing some water around herself before reaching up and taking another drink, making a face as she gulped down a much larger amount than intended.  "For safety's sake, we should at least wait until dark - but I doubt there are many ships leaving the port in the dead of night," she said with a bit of a frown.  "Either way, my suggestion is early, early morning… sneak back into the tavern and get our things, then rush to the port and get on the first ship out," she suggested, shrugging her shoulders slightly.  She drained the last sip of wine out of her cup set it back down, leaning back against the edge of the basin for a few minutes in silence as she basked in the relaxation of the water.

It seemed that the heat of the water and the steam in the air sped up the process of the alcohol in her system because when she opened her eyes she found herself feeling a little loopy, and looking at Douken through the haze that lingered above the water between the two.  Her memory flashed back to the very recent occurrence of his steadying her when she slipped, and she felt a rush of heat to her head, making her feel just a tad bit dizzy.  She stood up rather slowly, the water dripping off of her form which was partially obscured by the steam rising from the water, which at surface level came just below her navel.  "Getting a bit warm," she explained, moving a bit closer to him to climb back out of the recessed basin.  

She padded barefoot across the stone floor to a large stack of fluffy towels and robes, grabbing one of the robes and wrapping its around her body without bothering to dry herself first.  She walked back over to the basin, the robe loosely tied around herself, and sat on the edge, dipping her feet in, her legs dangling close enough to Douken to bump into his arms. "So.  We talk about all this magic stuff, and family history and relics, etcetera, etcetera… do you have any hobbies?  Do you like to read?  Paint?  Drink?  Are women a hobby?" she asked, the wine making her rather chatty.  "I figure it might be nice to know something about the man I'm likely to travel with - considering we've already shared a bed," she said, nudging him slightly and giggling quietly.  "Tell me aaaaanything about yourself that might be interesting… I'll share a bit more of my history with you if you want!" she concluded, sliding the jug of wine towards herself and filling her cup, offering to top his off as well.  

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:51 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Douken chuckled to her comment about escaping their chasers before looking over where she was pointing at. It seemed this place was more towards exotic experiences than actually getting cleaned from a long day's work, considering how colorful the bedding area was… or the fact that a bathhouse had a bed in the first place in the same room as the tub! Maybe they had a more public area for cleaning, and these areas were made for such luxuries and pleasures.

"The thunder has been very quiet, so I am pretty sure the storm is at its tail end," he assured her, knowing how much she wanted to get going as quickly as possible. Instead, they got themselves chased, clinging to each other, and enjoying warm waters together naked. "If we can catch a ship without them, then I am sure we will be in the clear." After all, they may think they were still on that portion of Canelux.

As the pair relaxed, the steam from the hot water and the coals were slowly filling the room with steam, causing the region to be more difficult to see, though still enough for figures to still be notable. However, this did make the sound of her movement seem to stand out more thanks to the visual impairment, soon finding Mazarine come close, offering him a glass of wine that seemed to have been supplied by the facility. Maybe a bonus because of how much they paid? Still, he gave her a smile before raising his glass to her and taking a drink, eyes widening a bit to its strength. For a wine, it was really strong… Even stronger than the ale they were drinking in the bar! Was this, perchance a Drawrven Wine? After all, Dwarves had their own formulas in their drinks so they can feel a buzz. He honestly had no real idea on how it would hit a human and elf… well, it seemed they would find out son enough.

With her settling right next to him, leaning over to examine the key, he could not help but get a little red. After all, he could feel her skin as she examined the artifact around his neck. "Rune magic," he told her in terms of his ability as she worked around the artifact and getting in as much detail as she could about the item. "Often used to take notes about magic, but nearly a dead art in terms of actual casting. After all, chanting is much faster and different effects can occur if you draw them even slightly differently."

When she asked about its purposes, he smiled and told her, "Well, what are keys often used for?" expecting to get hit for such a quip. "However, it does not work on normal doors. Instead, it open doors I creEAA-" He was quickly interrupted by her slipping and using him as a brace. However, she was still a bit wobbly and more instinctively moved to grab hold of her to keep her stable until she found her footing, letting the apple hit the water and dissipate into the air.

"Now when would I have the time frame to place a curse on you?" he told her as a response to her accusation. "Between all the time we have been together, the only spell I casted summoned a fake piece of fruit that only I took a bite out of. If anything, I would be the cursed one." With her stable, he let her go before taking her glass, making some more room to once more sit down as he poured both of them more of the wine.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 11:38 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine glanced at Douken as he spoke to her while he undressed.  It was unintentional, but her gaze wandered his form momentarily before she realized such and tore it away, focusing on other aspects of the room.  "You'd be guessing right," she said, clearing her throat slightly as she answered his question about the map.  "There's some sort of… not warding, but some enchantment on the map that is needed.  There's a guardian present there," she said.  "That's really all I know - the map keeps the guardian from attacking whoever carries it with them," she added, shrugging slightly.  "I figure it will come into use further into the ruins, too, once we get past the door that I need to unward," she said.  It seemed that she thought there was something worth all the trouble the pair had been going through.  She dunked her head under the surface of the water again, smoothing her hair over her head as she emerged once more, just in time to see Douken using his fan to cast some sort of rune-driven spell, resulting in a bit of fruit.  It was magic unlike anything she was used to seeing, and she figured it would be useful during the coming journey ahead of them.

She had to agree with Douken's statement as he slipped into the water.  "Beats running from some awful thugs, doesn't it?" she said, a smile spreading across her face.  "I paid that gnome at the desk more than enough silver for us to have this room until tomorrow - it's no inn, but considering what normally happens in these establishments, there's a place to sleep if we're still here past nightfall," she said, gesturing with one head towards the back of the room, where a large canopied bed and a few sofas sat behind sheer screens.  "Hopefully the storm will have subsided by then, and we can head back to the tavern and gather our belongings and catch a ship to the mainland."  She closed her eyes for a moment, relishing in the relaxation the bath offered.  The chill that the rain had seeped into her skin had subsided, though she shivered slightly as a loud crack of thunder sounded outside, dulled by the stone walls around them.  "I can surely say I am glad to be out there no longer," she said, glancing over at Douken.

The water rippling beside her, Mazerine moved through the basin towards Douken, closing the short distance that remained between them, the steam swirling around her as she did so.  She shifted to one side slightly, reaching for a tray that had been waiting towards the edge of the basin.  A large carafe of wine and two metal cups sat there, and she poured a bit into each one, handing one over to Douken.  "Might not be the classiest of establishments but they do know how to treat those who want to spend their silver," she said, taking a large gulp of the sweeter liquid before setting the cup down.  She felt the warmth of the wine travel through her body as she moved back through the water, coming to rest against the edge of the basin beside Douken.  

"I've gotta say, your abilities are quite different than any I've come across," she explained. "And this," she said, reaching out to grasp the key-like relic that still hung from his neck.  "This is most certainly different than anything I've seen before."  She moved a bit closer to him to get a better look at it, hoping he would not be offended by her sudden and blatant curiosity.  It was once more clear that her years living in nobility had taken away any sense of personal space, as she was used to people fussing over her appearance on a regular basis. She turned it over in her fingers, the back of her hand skimming across the water and Douken's neck as she looked at its uniqueness and the chain it hung from.  She noticed a small bit missing near the clasp, and that it seemed to be crafted out of a metal she had never seen before.  After a moment, she dropped it, but did not move, her eyes still fixated on the relic as it went back to hanging from Douken's neck.  "So you've yet to figure out what it does then?  Or have you tried?" she asked, finally drawing her gaze away from the item.  She fixed her gaze on his face and stepped back into the water, opening her mouth to say something else - yet instead of words, her feet slipped backward underneath herself and she slipped forward, splashing in the water and, given their still rather close proximity, falling directly towards Douken, her movement slowed somewhat by the water's resistance.  She flailed her arms in an attempt to steady herself and managed to get a hand on his shoulder.  "Okay, I'm starting to think that you've put some sort of jinx on me to make me either an idiot or incredibly clumsy," she said, her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she straightened up slightly in the water, steadying herself with her hand still resting on his shoulder.  Her free hand pushed her hair out of her face as she waited for his reaction, half expecting him to give up right then and there and tell her she would be on her own for this mission, not wanting to deal with the shenanigans that had ensued since their meeting.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2017 7:50 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

The gnome behind the counter hated bad weather. It meant many people stayed inside and tried to keep themselves warm instead of braving the rain to come in and get cleaned up all before braving the rain back home or to the tavern. At the very least, it did allow her to try and study weather patterns to try and handle her shift as best as possible, making sure everything was prepared for less guests, getting cleaning staff in to take care of some of the bigger "messes…" Makes her glad she was not on cleaning duty.

Still, considering the condition of the storm, she did not expect any traffic to flow through at all, which sent her a bit of a shock when a human and elf pair found themselves coming in drenched from the storm, with the elf woman quick to place a large sum on the counter. She did not need to count it to tell it was above the usual rate. She wanted  a more… private… space for the two of them. "Very well," she told them, collecting the funds before guiding them to one of their higher leveled private bathrooms. "Feel free to enjoy yourselves," she said in a near chuckle. She should be sure to send a cleaning crew into that room after they were done…

"Talk about fancier on the inside," Douken muttered to himself as he looked around the room they were given. Sure, it was not as big as the open air bath he visited recently, but it seemed they made up for that with its decoration and coals for them to get their items dried up. Mazerine was sure to take advantage of the coals right away as she slowly stripped down, hanging each item above to try to remove any water she could. While she could have easily stripped behind a folding screen before wrapping herself up from his view with a towel, she boldly took them off in front, no worry about covering herself before slipping herself in the bath.

"Am I to guess the map is more like a piece to a puzzle than a simple guideline?" Douken chuckled as she pulled the shirt over his head, following suit with hanging it over the coals to try before working on his belt. He had a small code when handling such a situation. If his company was more open with it, he should be as well… Maybe more because of a pride thing, but it was something he never really thought of in hindsight. By the time she dunked her head in, Douken worked off his pants before hanging them up. Her small quip came up as he was pulling out the fan that rested upon the belt. "There are many kinds of characters out there," Douken chuckled, folding out the fan. "Not long ago, I met an orc that preferred the culinary arts over the martial."

And speaking of the culinary arts, there was still the fact that they could not have been able to enjoy much of the spread the pair was given to enjoy. So, with his index and middle fingers sparking with energy, he touched the fan, causing his mana to seemingly arc onto the item as he moved his hand about, drawing out a crest before pulling away. With a quick pulse, the rune lifted up before swirling into the form of an apple, which he rolled into his hand via tilting the fan before folding it back up and sheathing it. After taking a quick bite of the mana fruit, Douken joined Mazerine in the bath they were given. At the very least, he made sure to give her some distance… just in case.

Still, with a slip into the water, Douken could not stop himself from letting out a relieved sigh. "Warm baths like this are always a joy to have," he said, as if acknowledging the rarity it came in terms of enjoying.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 1:44 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine nearly laughed when Douken chastised her for speaking too loudly.  With as loud as the wind was roaring through the alley coupled with the rain hammering down on them, someone would have to be standing right next to them to be able to hear what she had shouted at him.  She understood his concern, however - Egjora held its civility in high esteem.  Anything that would jeopardize that reputation needed to be eradicated - thievery included.  

Pushing away a clump of soaking wet hair that had plastered itself to her face, she nodded enthusiastically at his suggestion of where they could head to get out of the storm.  "At this rate, I don't care," she said, loudly enough so he could still hear her over the raging storm.  "We're both going to catch a death of a cold if we're in this storm much longer," she said.  "I think there was one a few blocks towards the docks.  It's not too far," she said.  She gestured for him to follow her and took off down the alley in the direction of the docks - not quite running, but traveling at a faster pace than one would in kinder weather.

She had to admit to herself, a bathhouse was a rather scandalous place for a pair of near-strangers to share a conversation, no matter what the necessity.  Sure, they were both soaking wet, freezing cold, and the tavern would not be a safe place for them at the current moment, and the bathhouse would allow for them to warm themselves up while getting their clothing dried - but it was scandalous nevertheless.

Before long, the pair had ducked into a simple looking stone building, plain and boring on the outside with nothing more than a sign reading 'Egjora Baths.'  Once inside, however, one would see that the place was beautifully built and decorated.  Mazerine walked towards the main counter, dropping a hefty amount of silver (dripping wet from the rain) on the counter to secure a private bathing room for the pair - what they needed to discuss could most certainly not be discussed around the ears of strangers, as there was always a chance that those strangers would either know the men she stole the map from or would alert the authorities that there was a thief in their midst.  

The pair walked down a hallway as the woman at the front directed them, and Mazerine used the key the woman had given her to unlock a large wooden door at the end of it.  The door opened to give way to a large room with a sunken-in bath basin in the center, coaled heaters on the sides for drying towels and clothing.  After they had both entered, Mazerine shut the door and flipped the lock on it behind them, to be sure that they would not be interrupted by any unwanted guests.  Before doing anything else, she wandered over to the taps by the bath, conduits that the bathhouse proprietor had rigged with magic to pour out steaming hot water.  She twisted them to activate, and soon the basin was filling up with water, steam billowing over the surface.

Mazerine awkwardly peeled her boots off, the wet leather squelching as she tossed them to the side.  As she began unlacing the cording on the sides of her leggings to remove them, she began speaking to Douken simultaneously.  "Thanks for going along with that," she said, glancing up at him with a bit of a grin.  "I didn't steal the map just for fun, you know," she said, her words breaking slightly as she wrenched the wet leather off of her skin.  She tossed the soaked leggings to the side, soon followed by the belt cinched around her waist.  "They actually stole from me first," she began to explain.  "They sort of followed me here from Adeluna," she continued, tugging the tunic over her head and discarding it with the other already removed clothing.  Scooping the clothing up, she draped them over the racks hovering above one of the coal heaters.  She made no move to cover herself as she padded barefoot across the room, shivery slightly from the damp. Years of growing up in nobility with servants drawing her bath for her as well as bathing her had given her the lack of modesty.  Besides, she figured  "They stole it from me there, and they weren't horribly happy when I snatched it back from them on the ship… so I'm sort of on the run.  From them, at least.  I might be able to defend myself against beasts in the wild and the like… but I don't know about from three grown men who've each got at least a foot on me," she said.  "So I need to get to the ruins - with the map - before they get it back from me."  Of course, she wasn't too worried about the map - the chest it was stored in back in her room at the tavern was heavily warded so that no one would be able to open it without her present.

She gave a bit of a shrug, and maneuvered herself to sit on the edge of the basin, her bare legs dipping into the steaming water.  She let out a contented sigh, relishing in the feeling, before slipping her entire body in, dunking her head and all.  She emerged in the steam, looking up at Douken with a grin.  "Bet you thought you were just going to help out some poor little elf girl find her way through the jungle, huh?" she said, laughing slightly. "I don't exactly look the roguish type, do I?" she added with a grin, before realizing that she had just paraded about completely naked in front of what could be referred to as a stranger.  Her cheeks immediately blazed crimson, though the heat from the water and the steam could have been to blame.  She said nothing to him regarding such, though she did find herself fixing her gaze on him, as though waiting to see if he would act with as much boldness as she did, or if he would choose to change behind one of the screens and cover himself with a towel.  Such behavior choices would, of course, give way to a bit more of his personality, and she was beginning to find him rather interesting.  

Author: Douken, Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 9:43 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

It was sad they had to abandon the fresh plate of food, but at the very least he placed his trust with Mazerine. Sure, he knew nothing of the band of three that entered (to him, they were simply others seeking to escape the storm), but if she did not trust them, he expected a good reason. At the very least the silver was handed when they got the food, so they would not be called out for dine and dashing, even if they let out a massive platter of food. If anything, he would feel ashamed if they were called out for wasteful.

Still, he was sure to follow her movements that she hinted with, not being shy with his arm around her to help make things look a bit more authentic. However, when she was called out, the pair booked it into the rain, even if their clothes were not quite suited for the weather. Maybe they won't think of it as wasteful? he could not stop himself from thinking as the pair became quickly trenched.

When the elf chose to pull herself between him and a wall, Douken was sure to make sure their steps were more into the shadowy portion of the alleyway. Otherwise, a white-haired man in a simple shirt and shorts out on the rain would stand out way too much, especially if the caught sight of him before. With her arms going around him, he did the same, looking down as he flowed magic through his finger, his fingers ready to trace a simple rune just in case things turned bad. Luckily, it seemed all turned out well, and for a while nothing else was around them except for the echoes of rain striking the flood in rapid succession.

When things were safe and the pair took a step away from each other, she explained why exactly those men were after her. "Not words you should yell in this town," was his first reply. "At least, if you want to keep your hands and the rumors are true. Why don't we talk about this in a warmer spot?" However, the tavern would probably be the worst place to head straight back. After all, that would be the first place to seek them out. "I mean, it may be daring, and you are free to decline, but a bath house would be a location I doubt they would check…" He honestly expected the declaration, considering they were still strangers and he was offering a mixed bath. However, it would be really warm in there and a good hiding spot for the time being.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2017 1:48 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

"I don't know that I would have paid more to have a more comfortable bed - but perhaps another bed entirely," she said, though her pale cheeks turned rosy immediately after she spoke.  "I mean no offense, I am just generally a rather restless sleeper, I move about quite a bit - but I am stiff from staying in one position so as not to encroach on your comfort," she said, offering him a rather sheepish grin.  The two continued to chat about the room, making camp, and breakfast for a time, sipping on their tea.  Mazerine listened rather intently to his explanation of where he was from. 

She watched Douken's hands as he began to fiddle with the key-shaped thing hanging from his neck, her eyes widening slightly at the events that took place as he held it, and she tilted her head slightly when the energy faded away when he let it go.  "That's rather interesting," she said softly, slowly shifting her gaze back to his face from the necklace.  "It most certainly is not worthless… but hard to judge an item's worth when you don't know what it does," she said.  The tone of her voice made it clear that she found the item fascinating and wanted to know more about it, but was in no way, shape, or form concerned about its value.  She opened her mouth to continue on the subject but snapped it shut again as a burst of wind rushed through the tavern, the door having opened to allow more patrons in.

Just then, the barmaid approached them carrying a tray of assorted meats, steaming with heat from having just been cooked up, as well as various cheeses and fruits.  As she set it down, Mazerine handed her a fistful of silver.  "Thank you, this looks wonderful," said Mazerine, and the barmaid gave her a smile and a nod before walking away.  Mazerine slid one of the plates to sit in front of Douken, before setting the other down in front of herself.  She gave him a quick smile and began to dish up a bit of food.  She pushed the tray towards him and picked a strawberry off of her own plate.  Bringing the berry to her mouth, she wrapped her lips around it to take a bite but froze just as her teeth had punctured the fruit.  Her eyes were fixated on a group of three men - the three who had entered just recently, to be exact.  They sat at the bar counter, speaking to the barkeep.  

The half-bitten strawberry fell from Mazerine's mouth, and her eyes widened slightly as though she were terrified.  Slowly, she leaned across the table and placed her hand on Douken's forearm.  "Listen.  We need to leave.  We need to leave now," she said, her fingers pressing slightly into his arm to get her point across.  She darted her gaze to the men at the bar, before looking back to him, hoping that he would take the hint.  "I'll explain when it's safe.  When we leave, I need you to walk beside me - they can't see me," she said.  With that, she stood up, waiting for him to follow suit.  When he did, she positioned herself so that he was standing between her and the men.  With a few tugs at her hair, she covered the points of her ears.  Grabbing Douken's arm, she wrapped it around her waist slightly, so that the pair would look like nothing more than a couple exiting the tavern into the storm.  She then walked the pair towards the door, intent on exiting with no situation arising.

Just as she pulled the door open, a strong gust of wind blew her hair back, revealing the points of her ears once more.  The men at the counter turned towards the door with the commotion the gust of wind had caught, and it was clear that they recognized Mazerine on sight.  "Oy, it's the elf-bitch!" the largest of the men called, and the other two immediately stood from their stools, one of the wooden seats clamoring to the floor with a loud crash.  

"Go!" she yelled, and the pair hurried out the door.  She knew that a million questions would be running through Douken's mind, and she would answer them to the best of her ability as soon as it was safe.  The rain pelted the pair as they ran out into the storm, Mazerine's hair taking no time at all to be dripping wet and plastered to her face.  As though she had a plan of escape already routed in her mind, she immediately steered them down an alley not far from the tavern.  Unfortunately, the wind was blowing in a direction that turned the alley into a wind tunnel with painfully heavy rain.

"Here," she said and moved her back flat up against a stone wall in the alley.  She pulled Douken towards her and got him to lean on the wall slightly, pressing her face against his chest as though she were going to embrace him in a loving manner - she was really just doing all she could to hide her face, should the men choose to follow them in that direction.  She placed one hand around him and on his back as though holding him to her - fortunately for the pair, the tavern they were at was in a seedier part of Egjora, where that sort of sight would not be uncommon.  "Just… wait," she said, her voice muffled against him.  The rain continued to pelt them as the wind seemed to pick up speed.

Sure enough, the men came walking past the alley moments after that - they shot Douken one glance and saw nothing other than a man and woman locked in an embrace in an alley, and continued on.  After a few minutes passed and she could be sure that they had continued searching for the pair elsewhere, she removed her arm from around his back and pushed him slightly away, looking up at him.  "So… that map that I had…" she began, shivering from the cold wind and wet rain.  Her clothing was completely soaked, clinging to her form, her hair disheveled and dripping wet from the storm pummeling them.  "I sort of… stole it from those men," she said, yelling over the howling wind.  She looked at Douken with an apologetic gaze, chewing on her lower lip slightly.  She definitely hoped, at that point, that Douken would not decline her employ - but she could offer further explanation once the two were out of the storm again.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:14 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Douken was not one to really argue on where the pair settled themselves. After all, he had only arrived last night, so there was no real flow to his placement in terms of where to settle down, though he did question why set everything up right away. Wouldn't the food get in the way? Not only that, but he would like to not be distracted by a growling stomach. However, before she got started with it, she set things aside before making a quick quip on their living situation. He figured she slept there for a few days, but it did not stop him from chuckling. "True," he replied, "but would you have paid more silver just for a comfier bed? When you are used to making camp, any bed becomes a luxury."

The pot of tea was just the thing he could ask for. Simple, yet hot to warm you up and it helped with waking up. He also bet it would work well with the meal that was to come. "Hey, any food is better than conjured air," he told her, pouring himself a mug after her before taking in a quick drink… Okay, so maybe he was not too much of a fan of hot tea, with the water scorching his tongue. At the very least, t did taste good and warm himself up. It was all a simple matter of sipping slowly so he didn't burn all his taste buds off before they ate.

Of course, it would be time before they ate, and there was no desire to talk about work, which meant it was fare to learn about each other it seemed. "Not a problem," he answered, waving the notion of being a difficult topic. "I come from a fairly small town at the base of the Jackboot Range over in Parvpora. Nothing spectacular, really. Just me and a family of crazies all about finding a spectacular treasure. In fact, my grandfather settled there because he thought an answer lied with this there," he told her, pointing over at the key-like item that hung around his neck. "Dad thought his stories were nuts, but the old man certainly wasn't wrong about this item being worthless." Taking a hold of its base, Douken's fingers began to spark with a green energy, resonating with the key before it seemed to have erupted to life, blue glyphs floating in the air emphasizing its key shape. However, as soon as he let go, the energy died and the symbols faded away.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Oct 9, 2017 12:55 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Mazerine's gaze turned back to Douken as he awoke, or at least as she perceived him awakening, not knowing that he had in fact been awake for some time already.  She flashed him a smile, already starting to feel back to normal thanks to the medicinal concoction she had just downed.  "Morning," she said softly.  "Like a rock, but I'm sure that's no surprise considering the state I was in," she said, a bit of color coming to her cheeks.  She fiddled with her hair as he moved to the window, beginning to braid it in a long plait that fell over one of her shoulders.  "I really was hoping the storm was going to let up, but there was no chance… it looks downright terrible out there," she added, tying the end of her braid with a thin strip of leather.   

She stood up when he mentioned breakfast.   "Food sounds absolutely wonderful right now," she said, agreeing with him.  She grabbed a few things before they left the room - a couple pieces of parchment, a box containing an inkwell and a quill, and the map she had shown him previously.  "Two birds with one stone, we can plan out a few things and make some supply lists, like you said," she explained.  The two walked out the door and back down the stairs to the tavern that the inn sat above.  Fortunately for the pair, it was one of the taverns in Egjora known for the food it served as well, so they did not have to venture out into the storm just yet - that would happen when they needed to obtain supplies.  

Mazerine chose the same table she had been sitting at before Douken's arrival the night before, more out of habit than anything else as she had sat there several times before.  She set the things she carried down with her, spreading the map out on the table and glancing down at it for a minute.  Pushing everything to the side so it was not in her way nor was it in Douken's way, she sat back in her chair, stretching her arms up over her head and letting out a bit of a groan.  "Not the most comfortable bed I've slept in, but it tops sleeping on the ground," she said, attempting to make idle conversation.  Of course, she felt a bit awkward - after all, wasn't it always a bit strange to share your bed with someone you'd only just met?  

Just then, one of the barmaids stopped over with a hot kettle of tea and a couple of mugs, as well as a pitcher of water.  "Food for the both of you?" she asked, and Mazerine nodded.

"Yes, please and thank you," she said.  It was clear that her speech was much more eloquent when she was not inebriated.  She spoke with a propriety that indicated some sort of nobility, though the snobbish tone that many nobles carried was absent from her voice.  The barmaid gave her a quick smile and nod and went away, presumably to begin preparing their meal.  "I do hope you aren't overly picky about what you eat," she said, turning back to Douken.  "They've wonderful food here, though the selection is rather limited.  Breakfast is usually just an assortment of meats and fruits and cheese - sometimes eggs depending on if the owner's chickens have been in agreement with him," she added.  

Knowing that a bit of time would pass before their food would be served, she poured herself a mug of the steaming tea that they had been served, taking a sip of the still piping hot liquid.  She relished in the feeling as she swallowed it, warming her up considerably from the damp, cool air of the tavern.  "So, Douken.  If I recall from last night's conversation, you've a history of exploration.  Where do you hail from?" she asked, finding that she was curious about his history.  He seemed a proper man, of course, but she still chastised herself for putting herself into a situation where she could have been unsafe - fortunately for her, her misguided judgment had been correct.  "Unless, of course, that's a subject you'd rather not broach," she added, almost apologetically at the end.  She gave him a quick smile once more and took another sip of her tea, awaiting his response.

Author: Douken, Posted: Mon Oct 9, 2017 10:39 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

The thud echoed from Mazerine's fall off the bed echoed through the room, causing Douken to stir where he laid, but instead of getting up from it, he still laid still, as if giving herself time to compose herself and not feel guilty for waking him up. He gave her another minute or two before he was going to start to get up, but mixing in with the tattering of rain on the window was the clanging of small metal as it was fiddled with before shifting through something. He could only guess that she was getting herself changed, which meant he should give her another moment to herself.

He used the sound of footsteps and the lack of rustling as a sign of her finishing up before finally letting out a loud yawn before pushing himself up, rubbing his eyes before looking around, turning his heard towards Mazerine once he caught her in his peripheral. "Ah, good morning. Hope you slept well," he told her as he stepped out of bed, walking over to the window overlooking the city. "Talk about great way to an adventure, huh?" he joked, sarcasm flooded in his voice. "At the very least this lets us make sure we got plenty of rations and emergency care kits for whatever may occur," he stated, heading over to where he left his bag and pulling out a belt where a steel fan rested upon to rest at his back when worn.

Strapping it on, he turned to look over to her, stating, "Why don't we get some breakfast first?"

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Sun Oct 8, 2017 3:12 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

Three things happened when Mazerine awoke the next morning. First, she let out a soft groan, immediately closing her eyes after having had them open for only a split second, the slightly dim light from the still-stormy morning coming in from the window being just enough to cause her head to continue to throb. She attributed this in fact to the amount of ale and whiskey she had consumed the night before, although her head was still rather cloudy.  Next, she snapped her eyes back open as she realized that she was staring at the side of a man's face.  For a moment, she stared at him, blinking rapidly as she attempted to remember what had gotten her into that particular situation.  Her conversation with Douken, who was to be her partner in an upcoming expedition - the conversation that had taken place in the tavern and that which had taken place in the room - came flooding back to her, right down to when she had offered him the other half of the bed before she had fallen asleep herself.  Finally, she moved to roll onto her back and misjudged the distance she had remaining on her edge of the bed, rolling off the edge and landing with a soft thud on the wooden floor.

She winced slightly, unsure if her landing had been loud enough to wake Douken, and got up as quietly as she could.  A shiver ran down her spine as her bare feet touched the cold, unheated floor, making a bee-line straight to the table on which the tray of water and some sort of tincture or medicine sat.  She poured some water from the pitcher into the cup she had sipped from previously, taking a large gulp.  Grabbing the jar with the medicine, she took the dropper out and opened her mouth, dripping some in.  She shuddered at the taste as she replaced the dropper.

She moved to stretch, realizing she had slept in every layer of her clothing the night before, the buckles of the corset she wore over her tunic had been pressing against her skin.  She loosened them, allowing the tunic to fall loosely around her, twisting slightly and enjoying the comfort.  She had a leather satchel in the corner of the room filled with some of her belongings, and she walked over to it, fishing a few things out.  She draped what she grabbed over the back of a chair, and began the arduous process of changing while there was another person in the room. It was fairly simple, as the tunic she wore fell just a few inches above her knee, allowing her enough privacy to remove her skirt and change into the pair of black leather leggings she had pulled out.  Being sure her back as turned towards the bed, she removed the tunic as well, pulling a different one on that had been dyed a deep green color.  

With a bit of a struggle, she pulled her boots on and wrapped a thick leather belt around her waist, cinching it tightly and attaching a small dagger in a leather holster to its side - one of the few physical weapons she ever carried with her.  With that, she walked over towards the window and pulled the shabby drapes back slightly, looking out at the storm that was still raging on.  The hail had subsided, but from the window she was able to see that there was absolutely no way they were going to be able to get a ship back to the mainland that day - the waves at the docks were crashing several feet over the docks, and onto the decks of the ships that were anchored there.  She sighed heavily, knowing that this would push their departure back even further.  Pulling the drapes the rest of the way open, she walked back to the table and sat down, sipping at the water she had poured.  She then chanced a glance back at the bed to see if Douken had awoken during the slight ruckus she had been making in preparing for the day, trying to decide what the day would hold if they were unable to travel, as was fairly certain. At least, if nothing else, they would be able to plan a bit more using her map, and perhaps get to know one another a bit more, so they had a better idea of who they were traveling with.

Author: Douken, Posted: Fri Oct 6, 2017 8:30 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

The clearing of her throat amongst the clattering window was enough to draw Douken's attention back to the bed, seeing the half-elf back in the realm of consciousness (though from he saw, he doubted it would last too long). However, before he could greet her back to this world, the door knocked, another maid opening the room up to the pair. "I do hope I am not interrupting anything," she teased before handing over the tray, and in return, was given the wet gear and a bit of tip silver for the sudden call to duty this late at night.

"Don't worry, there is worse out there," he replied on her performance and presentation, "I have seen it, and they can be on a much more stable on being terrible. You got yourself an excuse." He ended the last bit a chuckle, hoping his poor example of a joke would relax her for a bit as he took a drink himself. As for the lack of rooms, while it was inconvenient, it was nothing of a surprise. After all, who would want to sleep under such conditions?

Though he watched her take up only half the bed, he did not question what she was doing until she spoke up. If she was not comfortable sleeping so close to a man she hardly knew, he would have simply asked for more sheets and a spare pillow. However, it seemed she was fine in this way at least. Probably the best way to handle the awkwardness through the night while the both stayed warm. Giving a nod to her offer (even if she couldn't see it), he got up from his seat and into the bed as well, preferring to sleep more on his back throughout the night, joined by the rain, hail, occasional thunder, and the rare conflict in the bar below. It was through sleep that time sped up, almost making morning seem like a mere moment away.

However, the rain did not let up over the night.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Thu Oct 5, 2017 8:50 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

As Douken gently got Mazerine situated on the bed, she let out a small inaudible noise, shifting slightly as if attempting to get more comfortable.  Her hair, which had once been set rather neatly, was now in a disheveled mess sprawled around her head, a result thanks in combination to the miserable weather outside and her inebriation. As the thunderous crash of lightning sounded outside the window, her eyes snapped open, the sound having startled her even in her drunken state.  

The room was mostly dark and she couldn't make out much at first, her vision already blurry.  She squinted, and things began to come a bit more into focus.  The slight pounding in her head gave way to the fact that she had certainly had far too much to drink while sitting down in the tavern, though her memories were still there (albeit a tad bit fuzzy).  She could see Douken through the shadows, the here and there flashes of lightning illuminating his form as he disrobed.  Propping herself up with her hands behind her, she sat up slightly, watching him with a slightly furrowed brow as she pieced together what had become of her evening.  She found herself slightly concerned that there was essentially a stranger disrobing in her room while she lay in bed, but it came back to her that she had offered her room to him and then passed out on the table in the tavern.  She concluded that he must have helped her up to the room and got her situated on the bed.  A glance down at herself revealed that none of her clothing - not even her boots - had been removed, and she found herself convinced that he must have been a proper gentleman, not taking advantage of her in the state she had been in.

She cleared her throat after he had somewhat reclothed himself and slung her legs over to the edge of the bed, moving to unlace her boots and remove them.  "Guessing you brought me up here… thanks for not just leaving me down there," she said, her words a bit slurred but nowhere near as bad as they had been previously.  She brought a hand to rest at her forehead, rubbing slightly.  Just then, a knock at the door caused her to wince - it was the maid to collect Douken's things.  She also dropped off a tray for them with a pitcher of water and two stone cups, as well as a small vial of a concoction meant to help with hangovers.  "Thanks!" Mazerine called out to her, just as she was shutting the door.

She got up, her bare feet padding across the wooden floor as she walked towards the table where the maid had left the water, and poured some into both cups, in case Douken wanted some.  She took a long drink and turned back to him.  "I must look like a fantastic person to have as your employer," she said with a laugh, clearly laughing at herself and her behavior.  "I don't normally drink this much.  I think it was a combination of frustration from lack of fruition on my posting, and the weather," she said.  "But if I didn't say it before, thanks for accepting the offer," she added.  She took another drink of the water and set the cup down, walking back over to the bed where she sat on the edge of it. 

"I'm sorry they didn't have another room available.  I know I promised you board for the night, but having to share is better than being stuck out in this storm," she said, gesturing towards the window where the raindrops had begun to splash against the glass panes even harder than they had before, little pinging sounds indicating that hail had come into the mix as well.  "I hope this lets up before morning… it may delay us some if it does not," she added. 

SIlence filled the room for a moment before she stretched out on the bed, staying towards the edge on her side, her back towards the unoccupied half of it.  "At least I don't take up a lot of room, you should have plenty," she said, gesturing over her shoulder as an indication that she would be comfortable with him using the other half of it.  If the two were going to venture out into the wilderness together to explore an ancient room, chances were it would not be the last time they would have to share a sleeping area - may as well get used to it now.  She reached down and drew the blanket up to about her waist, covering her bare feet which had become a bit cold from walking across the floor.  Her eyes closed fairly quickly, the alcohol she had consumed not long ago still mixed with her blood, and found herself hoping she would feel much better come morning as she once again drifted off to sleep.

Author: Douken, Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 8:41 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

After using the handshake to finalize their plan, he watched her struggle to head over to  the barkeep, most likely to work out details for his own room. After all, it was a part of her deal, so he made no question to it. All he hoped was that she was sober enough to get something set up. At the very least, with business end of things coming to an end, he folded up the map for her, setting it aside next to her seat before returned with two more mugs. It turned out like this: Good news was he had a room. Bad news was it was at the expense of her own. Better news was that she got them more ale to enjoy before the pair called it a night. Still, he could not question the two, considering how much it seemed she struggled holding it up.

However, it seemed that she was already near the tipping point, as she found herself laying on the table after hardly tackling half of her mug. With a bit of a sigh, he called the bar maid over to get the table cleaned for the next guest before pulling her arm over her shoulder, holding her waist to keep her balanced. "Also, may I get some laundry service done, and some medicine in the morning for her." With a nod from the maid, he offered his tanks to her before taking Mazerine to her… his… their room thanks to the guide of the barkeep himself.

Once the door was popped open, he moved the elf over to the bed before laying her down, making sure she was comfortable before slowly removing the leather gear from his body, leaving himself in simpler undergarments. A crack of lightning was only a simple distraction to him, looking over at the window and stating, "The storm is only getting worse," questioning how long it would really be before they can safety leave. Let's worry about that in the morning, was a simple thought was he threw over a loose, plain shirt over his body and some shorts as he waited for the maid to collect his soaked gear.

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Wed Oct 4, 2017 2:02 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

"Yes, that I have," she said, leaning slightly across the table at him when he mentioned that she must have already done some investigating at the site.  "I made it fairly far, but I could tell the next bit I had come across was going to take a fair amount of time to get through," she explained, taking another swig of her drink.  She listened rather intently to his next phrasing, furrowing her brow as she focused on his words, thanks in part to the amount of alcohol she had already consumed.  "You can't dislike your profession too much if you're still looking to pick up work," she said, giving him a bit of a crooked smile.  "And lucky for me!  You found my posting and are here to help me out!" 

She laughed softly as he wiped his hands before shaking hers, introducing himself.  "Nice to make your acquaintance as well," she said, shifting and leaning back in the seat. "So this is gonna' be something slightly out of your wheelhouse - same for me, I don't normally need help," she added.  She accepted his cheers, knocking her glass against his own before draining it.  "I'll be back," she said, and got up from the table, stumbling slightly as she made her way to the bar.

She seemed to be having a lively discussion with the barkeep, waving her arms around a bit and gesturing back towards Douken at the table.  The barkeep didn't seem nearly as amused as Mazerine did, but she did end up walking away with a refill for each of them.  When she made her way back to the table, she set the two cups down, Douken's in front of him and her own in front of herself, plopping back down into her chair.

"Well, bad news.  They're out of rooms.  But, a promise is a promise, so you'll use my room.  Don't argue!  I'll figure something else out," she said, and took a quick drink.  "But I figured that we could at least have another round before you head up there!  After all, you can celebrate finding a job for some more coin and I can celebrate finding someone to take that very job!" she added.  She went to grab her cup and bumped it slightly, sloshing some over the edges.  "Whoops," she said, scooping the cup up and taking a bit of a sip, moving to wipe the spillage with the sleeve of her dress.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Oct 3, 2017 8:32 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

He was not sure why she was being so protective of her own ability as she tried to explain her own personal skill. After all, if she wanted to jump into a room full of traps just to disarm them, then she clearly was sturdy enough to be able to handle herself in some regard. If anything, he would bet the extra hand would be to help get her out if something went wrong and she found herself trap atop of her other reasonings on why she was looking for another aid. After all, the worst fate anyone could suffer is dying, and he was pretty sure no one ever felt ready meeting the Queen of Death for any reason.

However, it was after she went off on her small tangent did Douken find himself chuckling at her whims before finding herself back  to normal on a bit of a darker note. "It sounds to me, at the very least, you have already taken the time to scout out what you could and got a decent grasp on what's inside," he complimented her. "Most of the time, I am often sent on mere rumor and told to seek an answer from that. Times like those where I question my profession," he chuckled before taking a bit of a chug from his drink. It felt so good warming up his body with it after having to cross that storm.

When it was time for introductions to be made, he made sure to at least do another over with the cloth on his arms and hands before accepting it, replaying with, "The name is Douken. A pleasure to be within your company," before dealing with the business talk of things. Which, in this case, was a difficult one. "Most jobs I am sent on are typically cases of  'seek this for me' with the aforementioned rumors, so its not often it gets mixed in with what people would normally call a bodyguard duty, meaning I don't exactly have a going rate for that. Still, I am willing to see how the dice roll with this little adventure and will gladly take that room and meal as an early pay." HOlding up his mug, he offered her a bit of a cheer. "Here's to a successful journey."

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Oct 2, 2017 8:33 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

"Yes, that's mine…" she responded, flapping her hand at him in a dismissive manner as though she was appalled at the fact that he had even asked her.  She tilted her head slightly at his next words, as though attempting to process them a bit before responding.  "Well, regardless of the reason behind it, if you've got the skills I've got the coin to pay you," she said, playing off of his comment regarding a light wallet. 

Mazerine watched him rather closely as he traced an area on the map with his finger, before taking another quick drink and setting her cup back down.  "It's not that I can't defend myself," she said, her words coming off as rather defensive themselves.  "The beasts, the elements, hell, even the other 'treasure hunters' out there… They don't scare me.  I can hold my own.  However, the company would be nice on the way there, and it would certainly make things easier - but the thing I'm most concerned with is having someone to watch my back while I'm disarming traps.  I'm left pretty vulnerable with some of them," she said, seeming as though she were going to get straight to the point.

"Oh, you should see the beautiful things they've got in there," she said, her voice drifting off slightly as she remembered exactly what it was that she had come across on her last trek there.  "I can't even begin to imagine what hides behind these wards and traps," she said.  "They're so incredibly intricate - they've got to be guarding something wholly wonderful… or terrible, I suppose," she said, shrugging slightly.

"I'm Mazerine, by the way," she said and extended her hand towards the person that she was now hoping would become her partner in this expedition.  "Tell you what - if you take this job, I'll put you up in the inn for the evening, pay for a hot breakfast in the morning and I can make sure you're well equipped before we head out - and I'll pay you.  You got a going rate?" she asked.  Money was clearly not an object to her, or at least not as important as finding out what was hiding in the ruins.

Author: Douken, Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 9:17 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

The pub was not all that crowded, meaning that, outside of the rain hammering against its walls with the occasional sound of thunder echoing through, the main room was a quiet area. Then again, the sun was only now getting ready to drop before the storm hit, meaning business would once again pick up… at least for those who rested in the tavern and who dared braved the storm to reach here safely. He doubted the latter, meaning he was willing to bet a slow business day. Then again, nothing wrong with a slow day if the ones before were more chaotic (not that he actually knew).

However, it was that quietness that made it easy to capture the quick echo of a dragging chair nearby before he found himself being confronted by a decently sized woman with sharp ears… elf maybe? In that case, that would place her on the shorter end of things, right? That thought did not really matter, considering her green eyes were staring him down before she asked about his familiarity with the ruins and the job posting. "This is yours then?" he asked to confirm before waving down the barmaid for a drink. "Some say pulling the job off the board before the winds took it away would be killing two birds with one stone. The faithful would more or less call it fate. Does not change the detail that my wallet has been getting light with my travels."

When presented with the map, Douken was quick to catch the circled area on where she wanted to go. As she explained the aspects of the job, Douken's finger went over to the circled area before tracing backwards, as if plotting a route for himself to take, pausing when he heard her say "I can't go alone." Not words he often heard.

"Yeah, that part of the ruins can be dangerous, and not just in terms of traps inside," he replied, the bar maid coming over to offer him his drink before returning a thanks and a tip before continuing, "You chose a place in a pretty dense portion of woodlands, meaning you got some natural threats to deal with before we can even see what items the Ancients have set up to protect their ancient legacy and treasure." What Douken was always interested were how such old traps were still able to function after so many centuries…

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 4:33 PM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

A gust of wind rustled Mazerine's hair as the tavern doors opened to let in a new patron, though she did not raise her eyes to examine the new entrant.  She had all but given up hope that anyone entering the tavern would be there in response to her advertisement for hiring someone, and the whiskey she had been consuming had helped to further that lack of optimism.  Once again, she drained her cup and set it down with an obviously loud clunk on the table top to draw the attention of the barmaid.

Fortunately for Mazerine, the barmaid had been paying close attention and was only moments away - after all, the elf had been tipping her rather well and she figured that keeping her happy was a good way to make sure her coin purse was full at the end of the evening.  "Thank you," Mazerine said to her as she set it down, and she immediately took another gulp.  As she tipped her head back, her eyes scanned the room, and she took in the soaking wet man that had entered not long ago.  She didn't look at him long, only long enough to have a pang of sympathy for him as the rain did not look very forgiving outside.

She turned her attention back to the cup on her table, until she heard the new patron speaking.  He was clearly reading the parchment that she had posted outside.  Rather ungracefully, when she had managed to put two and two together, she slid from her chair and wandered over to his table, sitting down in the chair opposite him rather awkwardly and setting her cup on the table.  "You familiar with ruins?" she asked, an unnecessary amount of brightness to her words.  "Please tell me that's why you took my posting down from out there… I mean, it would have blown away with the wind and rain anyway… but I'm really looking for a win here," she added, and took another drink of her whiskey.

Without waiting for him to answer, she threw the map onto the table in front of him.  There was a large circle scribbled across an area in the rear-center of the ruins.  "Traps there… never done 'em before.  Wanna' test some new spells, but I can't go alone."  She took pause again, and eyed him up and down in a scrutinizing manner, though one eye seemed to be closed a bit more than the other.  It was clear, that in normal circumstances, she was rather well to do.  Her attire spoke money, her hair well kept (though a few strands fell to the sides here and there thanks to the humidity from the rainstorm) - she looked as though she could have been of noble descent from Endapano (which she was). 

Author: Douken, Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 11:47 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

What a time for a storm to roll in. Its warning of winds were strong, but not enough to deter anyone into safety. However, the building downpour that followed was enough to work on clearing the roads into resting camps. For Douken, the walls of Egjora was enough reason for him to come running for the city. Not that it did anything to stop him from turning into a wet dog before getting through the walls.

"Where is the inn?" he muttered to himself as the rain kept picking up, thunder echoing in the clouds. The streets were nearly barren from the weather, as the noise f the bazaar had been all but drowned out by the rain. The only people out may as well been the guards, the homeless, and Douken himself. Lucky for him, though, they were kind enough to guide Douken to the nearest tavern to get him out of the weather. However, before heading straight inside, a flyer waved outside as the wind worked to remove it from its grasp. Taking it off the board, he figured he should bring it in to ensure it would not get lost.

The warmth of the tavern was very much welcoming when he stepped inside, hair drenched, skin soaked, and leather gear flooded. It was enough for one of the bar maids to welcome him in with a cloth to help dry himself off. "Thank you very much," he stated, accepting the offer and working it around his head and neck as he looked over the advertisement he collected. Silver was getting low, so maybe it was time to pick up another simple job.

Taking a seat at a nearby table to the one looking over a map, he looked over the job description, taking to himself as he read it over. "Ancense Ruins, eh? Lots of tales with the Ancients in there. Wonder what they are after?" Was it a new village spot there? Tales of an older deity? It was not going to be a Resource job, so he expected the employer being some type of scholar…

Author: Mazerine, Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:25 AM, Post Subject: Explorer Seeking Explorer, Apply Within! [P][R]

A heavy sigh slipped from Mazerine's lips as she set an empty stone cup down on the wooden tabletop in front of her.  She had just finished her third class of whiskey, a rosy flush in her normally pale cheeks giving way to its warming effects.  The keeper of the particular tavern she sat in had given her permission to post on the board outside of his establishment, seeking an adventurer to aid her.  She had found a blocked off section in the Ancense Ruins near Adeluna with some traps she had never seen the likes of before guarding the entrance.  She had tried to find someone in Adeluna who would be willing to assist her in undertaking the task of attempting to disarm them.  She found it to be good practice, but those in Adeluna did not seem up to the challenge.  

This made Mazerine decide to travel to Egjora, in hopes that she would come across a different group of adventurers, some willing or able to undertake the task that she presented them with.  So far, however, no one had shown save greenhorn explorers who she would not trust if her life depended upon it.  The tavern keep had informed her she could use his space for as long as she wished, so long as she continued renting one of the rooms above the tavern.  It seemed an okay deal for her, as she needed a place to stay anyway, so she had taken him up on it.

The weather outside had begun to take a turn for the worse, and she was sure that was going to deter people from responding to her posting if anyone had been planning on it in the first place.  She flagged down the barkeep, indicating that she would like a refill on her drink, and unfurled a map that had been stored in her side satchel.  The map was of the ruins, and she spread it out on the table in front of her, focusing her vision on the map, waiting a bit longer on the off chance that someone would answer her call for help.