Fate - First Reply A Copper For Her Time?

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Noemi

Noemi

The Fallen Ember
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Character Biography
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Shouts and curses rang through the docks, a telltale sign a captain realized he had been swindled. Noemi smirked as she heard him call to his crew, as she had already pulled up the hood on her mantle and slipped into the crowd. She adjusted her pack on her shoulder as she dipped and dived through the throng of merchants, tradesmen, and other fellow travelers.

She pulled her coin purse from a small pocket in her mantle and her brow furrowed at its weight. The one she lifted off that captain wasn't any heavier. She combined their contents in her hand and puffed in dismay and wondered if she would be able to stretch it far enough for a bed to lie in and a much needed bite to eat. A drink was easy enough to come by, and it wasn't a bad place to start. Her time on that boat had left her sore and a bit stiff, a good ale to loosen her up was definitely in order.

The elf made her way into the outer city, in search of a suitable tavern the quench her thirst. A sign caught her eye, 'Rosethorn Tavern'. She could hear the thrum of voices from inside, surely she could "acquire" a drink here. She quickly brushed her fingers through her hair to tame it, and used the little water left in her waterskin to wash her face before entering.

She pulled her hood down as she entered, taking her surroundings in. It was quite early, and still the tavern was alive with travelers and a few workers enjoying a day of rest. She thought, she could likely find a job here as well. With confident strides, she approached the bar and waved the barkeep over. A tired looking, older man, not the ideal target for a bargain... oh well, might as well try. "Excuse me, sir. Do you know where a lady can find a cheap drink around here?" She flashed him her charming smile and batted her eyelashes at him, to which he frowned. This bar was heavily traveled, he had seen this trick a million times and couldn't be fooled.

"Show me some coin, or try your schemes somewhere else," His tone was dripping with disapproval.

Noemi nodded, this was expected. Pickpocketing would only get her so far, it was time to find some real work. "Do you know of any jobs that need done around here?" She inquired hopefully as she began to scan the bar, looking for a suitable sucker to buy her a drink.
 
“Ale!” The shout pierced through the tavern like the boom of thunder. The bartender let out a deflated sigh before filling a large flagon and leaving Noemi. If she followed the walk of the bartender, or the booming voice, she would find a long-haired orc occupying the stage of the tavern. The orc held what was probably the the largest stringed instrument to grace the tavern’s halls. The bartender presented the flagon to the Orc, who first put it to the flagon on the ground. Next to the large greenskin was a small yellow scaled kobold who appeared to have a fiddle and bow with him. The creature went over to the flagon, took a sip, then backed and slapped the flagon as it brought fiddle and bow to stance. The orc raised the flagon and chugged it whole before dropping it and beginning to play.


Next to Noemi another patron would make a crude joke offering a means for of gathering coin. The lewness of such a comment may or may not have distracted her from the sight of a familiar patron coming through the main door. If Noemi was especially good of hearing she might pick out

“Alright Cap’n, we’re moving in.”

As her former victims had apparently found their way to Noemi’s door.
 
The elfs eyes drifted towards the sound of the piercing voice, and her brow arched at the sight of its source. An Orc was not a surprising sight, but an orcish bard traveling with a fiddling kobold was an odd vision for sure. She nodded in approval and a smile passed her lips as they began to play. Good music was more than welcoming after such a boring month of traveling.

Hearing the patron beside her, she regarded him with a look of disgust. Though she was no stranger to lewd remarks, they irked her nonetheless. Unaware of her approaching foes, she suggested a unique place the patron could shove his flagon as she stepped away from the bar.

As she turned, she found herself looking into the eyes of the captain she had lifted the coin purse off of. A wry smile graced her face, and she tossed her hands up. Noemi was quick, but not quick enough to take on a whole crew, and with no way out realized she was shit out of luck. "Hello boys," She greeted them nervously. "Care for an ale? On me of course," She giggled nervously as they closed in, clearly not interested in a friendly drink

Noemi scanned the room for an out and her gaze settled on the orcish bard. She sized him up, and reached into her coin purse. She had never known a bard to turn down some coin for a favor. She sidled herself in his direction, called out to get his attention, and regretfully tossed a couple coins his way. She jerked her head in the direction of the encroaching enemy. "Help a girl out, would you? Play us a nice song, maybe," Her hand went to the dagger sheathed on her hip though she hoped she wouldn't have to use it and prayed this orc would be her hero today.
 
The fiddle stopped first as the Kobold realized what was happening and put down his fiddle. The Orc continued to play perhaps half a verse before realizing his bandmate had stopped. The music ended, and Molgar caught first the eyes of the elf woman, then the coins she tossed his way. Other patrons began to discreetly move toward the edges of the tavern as Molgar put down his instrument and walked over to meet the elf and her company.

Noemi was joined by the captain, who himself was flanked by two other humans. A pair of similarly dressed men hung by the main door. Perhaps more were at the other entrances, but perhaps not.

“Ye be owing me a lot more than drinks by my count lass.” The Captain replied angrily.

“What’s the problem here?” Molgar’s voice entered the conversation.

“This is none of your concern greenskin.” The captain’s left hand man responded, putting a hand over his sheathed scimitar but not pulling it yet.

“I’ll decide what’s my business.” Molgar responded. He glanced over at Noemi, then the captain again expectantly, waiting for . . . something.
 
Noemi shot a disdainful look at the barkeep, who was watching them arms crossed and almost smug. She wondered how bored he must be of his job that he would willfully let a potentially deadly fight break out in his tavern. Her eyes then scanned over the circle that had formed around them along the walls.

"Cowards, all of you! A damsel is in distress" She shamed them theatrically "And you all just want to be bystanders. Your mothers would be disappointed!"

"Somebody shut that bitch up!" One of the men by the main entrance called out. "She talks too much!"

Noemi sighed in defeat. She could tell from the determination on the captains face that there would be no diplomatic solution here, and stalling was no use. The patrons, and for some reason the barkeep, wanted a show and so a show they would get. She let her pack fall from her shoulder onto the ground and dramatically flung off her mantle. Underneath she was clad head to toe in soft, well loved yet well maintained leather. This wasn't her first rodeo and it sure as hell wouldn't be her last.

Her would-be attackers looked thoroughly confused by her theatrics, so they were caught off guard when she quickly picked up the nearest mead bottle and smashed it over the head of the captains left hand man. This left him dazed but unfortunately still standing. She quickly brandished her dagger with her left hand, and kept a firm hold on the broken bottle neck in her right as she took a fighting stance.
 
To the dismay of Molgar, neither oarty was forthcoming in the origin of their conflict. The elf made an appeal, not knowing there was a very specific reason that no one else was joining the fight. The elf then dropped her outer garment, prompting more than one whistle from the tavern’s patrons. Molgar sighed, but spotted the acquisition and destruction of a bottle of a mead. Sticky alcohol covered one of the pirates.

While the conversation had floundered, the kobold fiddler had snuck behind the pirate captain with a simple cudgel. Once the mead was thrown he struck the captain behind his knees in a violent. He buckled forward and Molgar threw a meaty fist at his face, planting him firmly on the ground as the kobold scuffled out of the way before attacking with his cudgel. To the patrons and Noemi it would be an obvious experienced maneuver.

Molgar then moved his attention to the captain’s right hand man. He had motioned ti draw his sword, but didn’t guard his face. Molgar threw a left hook, then grabbed at his throat with his right. His hand easily enveloped the human neck, and Molgar lifted the brigand off the ground.

He aimed to simply choke the man out, but hadn’t disarmed him. Perhaps that would be a problem, perhaps not. Molgar was used to such gambling.
 
One of the men by the door, just a younger gentleman who'd likely never been in a fight, looked horrified. As his partner began closing in, he took the initiative to... sprint out the door. Nobody came in after him so it appeared that the captain, not expecting such a fight, had only brought a small handful of his men.

Noemi watched the captain fall to the floor and grinned widely, and the ferocity of the kobold earned a giggle out of her. She then swept the legs of her dazed, sticky sweet victim. He toppled with ease and lay on the floor moaning as the wind had been knocked out of him. Noemi stepped over him to meet the man approaching from the door, but a breathless gasp stopped her in her tracks. She turned on her heel, ready to deliver a swift kick to his gut to keep him down but she stopped when he raised his hand in surrender. The man by the door stopped his approach as well.

"We yield!" He groaned. "You can keep the coin. It's not worth all this trouble,"

There was a resounding groan of disappointment from the crowd. Noemi looked to the captain on the floor getting the snot beat out of him, then to the Orc and the man firmly in his grasp, and realized this was perhaps a little bit too much effort over a few coin. Perhaps it would have been best if she had just handed it over. But then, that was a silly thought. Noemi never made mistakes.
 
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Molgar tightened his squeeze as the man went for his sword, but the man took a quick look at his captain and cohorts and decided not to. The Orc released his grip and the man dropped a foot, letting out a gasp for air. The Kobold, seeing the surrender of the thugs took one last swipe at the captain, then spat just to the right of his head. He scuttled to Molgar’s side as only a creature his size could, and the pirates began to leave the tavern. The patrons booed and yelled variants of the same command, ‘git outta here’, and began to resume their normal drinking.

“I am Molgar.” The Orc said to the elf woman, before gesturing at his band member. “and this is Teeks.” The small yellow scaled draconian smiled, bearing his fangs with a mood that could be described as giddy.

“Come and sit.” His voice left no expectation of her refusal as he headed to an unoccupied table at the end of the bar.
 
Noemi dusted herself off as she watched the captain dragged out of the tavern by his beaten and battered crew. Perhaps overkill should be her second name, she thought, before the orc came to properly introduce himself.

"My name is Noemi," She nodded courteously. "A pleasure to meet you both," She stifled a giggle as she acknowledged Teeks. The image of his ferocity replayed in her mind as she gathered her pack and her mantle off the floor where she had discarded them.

The elf nodded and followed Molgar. She placed her belongings on the floor beneath the table and took a seat, making herself comfortable. "I suppose I owe you a debt," She pondered aloud. "A couple coppers are nowhere near enough to repay you for dragging you into such a... foolish, ah, disagreement," That's one way to describe it. A wry smile passed her lips. She planted her elbows on the table and rested her chin atop her interlocked fingers as she watched the bard carefully.
 
Teeks would growl in a friendly manner at the acknowledgement, then took a slight bow and headed back to the stage. As the other patrons began to return to the center of the tavern the Kobold would test his fiddle, playing slightly with the tuning before beginning to play.

Molgar would take a seat after the lady took hers, noting the comfort with she sat, the way she leaned forward into the conversation, the honeyed look of her lips. She had some experience of persuasion it seemed, altering odds a touch in her favor at the drop of a smile. It was unsurprising in truth, as despite the apparent softness of her skin she had likely seen five, perhaps ten times as many moons as the orc.

"Well, if it's debt your concerned with I've good news and bad." Molgar began. "The good news is that I've already been paid to settle such disagreements. I've been paid not just as a bard, but also security." He kept his eyes on her face, looking at the light in her eyes, the turn of her lips.

"The bad news is I'm also supposed to handle reclamation. And by my count you owe this establishment coin worth of one bottle of mead. So while you have no debt to me, I am afraid I do have to collect."
 
Noemis smile faded quickly and she muttered a few elvish curses under her breath. This excursion became more trouble than it was worth by the second. Her mind was swimming with ways that she could get out of the situation, but she steeled herself. Any attempt to get out of this debt would likely result in even more trouble.

"Ah you see, I'm just passing through," She started hesitantly, "I don't have much in the way of funds," She gestured broadly to herself. "I didn't even have enough to pay the fare to my friend you just met for ferrying me... and I had to liberate some money from him to afford food and board while I'm here trying to find some more honest work," She dumped the sad contents of her coin purse onto the table. A measly five coppers clattered onto the table, after the three she had tossed his way prior to the 'battle' they just endured.

She studied her new captors face, hoping for a hint of sympathy behind his eyes. He seemed a reasonable man, surely he would find it in his heart to show her compassion and let her go free, or even give her some other way to repay her debt. If he looked her over closely, he would see very clearly she had nothing to hide, especially not wealth. Though she had done her best to maintain her appearance she couldn't help that her clothes were obviously well worn. It had been a while since she had a proper bath, much to her dismay. She smelled of the salty sea and lightly of musk.
 
Molgar kept his eyes on the elf woman's face as she gestured, then emptied her coin purse. He counted the clacks as they hit the table. One, two, three, four, five. Was that truly it? Molgar knew that elves didn't have the appeal of Orc women, with far too dull teeth and undeveloped musculature, but he was under the impression several species were quite fond of such forms. Was she really so hard up? Molgar sighed and tapped his fingers on the table.

"Teeks will soon be calling me soft for not demanding the leathers off your skin." He said aloud. He guessed the armor, though well used, could fetch a price to cover the bottle, if not more. It was a shame he found such demands distasteful, for it would make his dealing far simpler. Though Molgar's eyes did not leave the elf, she would easily see that he was in thought.

"The dagger you carry." Molgar began. "How comfortable are you with it? Do you carry it for ropes, fruit, and show? Or have you experience with beast or man?"
 
Noemis eyes narrowed as he mentioned her dagger, briefly concerned he would demand it as payment. When his question became one of her personal skills, she relaxed a bit. She produced the ornate, gold gilded dagger and laid it on the table in front of herself. It was the only object of any value she was allowed to take with her when she was banished from her tribe those three short years ago. "I was the strongest blade user among my peers back home. I won this piece in a duel against my mentor. I'm not just a pretty face,"

Though she offered all this information willingly, something was off. Her tone was prideful but her face betrayed something else. Frustration, perhaps? Something about this subject was sore for her. It was as if she was eager to brag but it somehow pained her to do so.

"What have you in mind?" She seemed oddly eager to turn the topic off of herself.
 
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Molgar picked up the blade and examined it. It looked gilded with gold, and featured a heavily bespoke design. He placed a finger on the flat of the blade and held it aloft, checking it's balance. It held not the savagery Molgar preferred from a weapon, but it was well crafted. There were many buyer's it's taste could suite. He placed it back on the table.

"I've no idea where home is Noemi." He replied. "I care not if you were the strongest to pick up a knife in a village of twelve fisherman." The mention of a 'mentor' implied actual swordsmanship, yet there was nothing for Molgar to attach to. No authority for him to measure against.

"I've a job I need a few hands for. At least more hands than Teeks and myself." Molgar moved the conversation forward, not dwelling on her appeal. "The summer home of some noble has been confiscated by some opportunists. They are not especially tough rabble, but the place is quite defensible. I've been trying to arrange a proper crew, but I'm on a deadline. The job is less lucrative for every bottle of wine the rabble drink." His eyes kept on hers, looking for different signs. Fear of the job size. Excitement at a possible theft. Molgar was not a perfect judge of character, but aimed not to lose a moment to judge.
 
Noemi slid the blade back into its sheath and nodded as she listened to Molgar. The job sounded promising - driving a band of brigands out of a summer home couldn’t be too difficult. She had seen the orc’s strength and the kobold’s fury and knew they would be formidable allies. An opportunity like this could open doors for her, and besides, it wasn’t as if she had much of a choice. She had a debt to pay.

“My blade is yours, whatever you need,” she said with conviction. This would be simple work, and soon, perhaps she’d have a steady flow of income. Maybe she could finally leave behind her petty thievery and become a respected mercenary, if she played her cards right and could impress on this job.
 
Molgar's eyes never left the elf girl's face. He tried to judge the girl's mood and did not find the glinting eye of a thief finding a new purse, nor the soulless stare of a mercenary aiming to put her knife at her back. He saw resolution, and perhaps a glimmer of hope.

"Then we leave at dawn." Molgar responded with little hesitation. She seemed eager to help, but that did not mean Molgar trusted her. Drawing things out only left more potential for her to change her mind, or incur more debt as Molgar dealt with 'friends'. "You will sleep in a room upstairs with myself and Teeks. You must be careful with Teeks, as he sometimes bites." Molgar smiled, bearing small but definitely orcish tusks.

"I will inform the barkeep that you are under my charge. You may order food and wine to regain your strength for the morning. This will come from your share of course, but you should still net enough to cover your debt and more." Molgar stood, preparing to take his leave. "I am sworn to three more songs. I expect you to stay at this table as I do." Molgar dictated terms, and looked at the elf for another moment.

"Though if you sing, you are welcome to come to the stage." Molgar said finally, and headed to the barkeep. The barkeep would alternate glances between Molgar and Noemi before nodding, and Molgar would return to the stage.
 
Noemi nodded as she listened intently to Molgars terms. His advice about Teeks brought an amused smile to her face. It was well placed advice, she admitted to herself, the goofy little lizard was so cute she would have likely lost herself a finger otherwise.

She shook her head, as he offered her a place to sing. "Perhaps another night," She said to herself as she watched him walk away. A voice in the back of her mind told her to make a break for it, as she had in the past. But no, this time would be different. She was determined to turn over a new leaf. She stayed planted firmly in her seat.

She grabbed the attention of a woman delivering drinks as she passed and asked for some wine and a much needed bite to eat, as instructed. She was grateful that she would finally get a decent drink, rather than the swill she had aboard that pirates ship.

The woman returned quickly with the wine, to Noemis delight. She sipped on it, savoring its complex flavor. She then fixed her eyes on the stage, eager to hear her new companions play again.
 
Molgar made his way to the playing area and picked up his guitar. Teeks would shift his eyes to meet the orcs. Molgar knew the creature well enough to know it held a question. Namely ‘is it time’? Molgar gave the small draconian a nod and began to play.


The tavern wench would return shortly after with a simple plate of bread, butter, and the day’s catch. Proximity to Alliria typically meant that the cheapest meat came from the sea. It would be a filling, though not particularly exotic meal. The tavern’s crowd was somewhat of a mishmash of characters and sentiments. Some were ensconced in the music, others preferred the company of those adjacent. A table night be rowdy, while another reserved. Perhaps someone of interest would pay Noemi a visit, but perhaps not. After Molgar finished his last song the Orc and Kobold duo would pack of their instruments as a human band would begin to set up their own instruments and music. The pair then began to make their way over to their new associate.

“You sure know how to pick ‘em Molgar. I can smell the saltwater and cheap rum off her from the stage.” Teeks said to the orc in a growling dialect often called ‘draconic’.

“We all have our curses to bear Teeks.” Molgar replied as they walked over. He made no effort to hide his portion of the conversation.

“Well she ain’t taking my bunk. You know if I don’t get my sleep my scales start to get all slimy.” The kobold responded, again in draconic. Molgar sighed and rolled his eyes without responding. The miniature dragon could be so high maintenance at times. The pair made to Noemi’s table without further conversation between each other.

“Have you any other business before we retire?” Molgar asked.
 
Noemi enjoyed her food mostly in solitude, periodically interrupted by various drunkards that she would curtly address in a manner that made them retreat with their tails between their legs. She seemed otherwise unphased by these interactions. She would occasionally clap and hum along with the music, her foot never stopped tapping.

Her plate had long been cleared by the time Molgar and Teeks would finish their set and return to her. She watched them talking as they approached, her curiosity showing clearly on her face as her eyebrow raised and her head tilted slightly. With the pause in the music, the tavern had quieted enough that she could attempt to listen in on their conversation. She never could quite grasp the different growls and tones of draconic, it always seemed a barbaric language to her. Whatever the two had been talking about was completely lost on her.

She addressed Molgar with a nod, and quickly finished the last of her wine. "I wouldn't mind washing up," A bath would be nice, but she wouldn't get her hopes up that their room came equipped with a tub. "Is there a basin here that I might freshen up?" A trip to a bath house would be her first expense after her debt was paid here. A hot soak would be the perfect thing to wash away the fatigue of her long journey.
 
"There's something." Molgar replied, and motioned his head towards the stairs before beginning to walk. He would lead the way forward, but Teeks would wait until Noemi followed.

"Our room is the fourth on the right. There is a soaking room all the way down on the left. It's not what you'd get at a bath house up on the keep, but it should suite well enough."

"Molgar, do you really trust that bitch? She might have enough chops for the job, but what makes you think she's not going to skedaddle once she gets outta your sight? And you know the bath doesn't just come with the room." The kobold continued in Draconic, getting a little more lively in his speech as he wasn't called on it earlier.

"There is a fee, which Teeks has offered to pay." Noemi might notice a slight change in the Kobold's eyes, but Teeks didn't protest. "However, he would appreciate some leverage. Leverage that will sit in the fourth room on the right until you are done with you are 'fresh'. Your dagger perhaps?" Molgar didn't push, but continued to walk towards the room. Growing up in Bhathairk he knew well the smell of mud, animal, blood and sweat. He didn't particularly mind, but knew in places like Alliria it paid to keep oneself clean. He sympathized with Noemi and Teeks both, and hoped to be a decent mediator.
 
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