Open Chronicles Between the Embrace of Drawa.

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

It was far, far from the blightlands proper, where Drawa split the land into three.
And yet, the land was flat and barren just as much...But it was not quite dead as on first look.
Bushes, rare flowers and shrubs. Only bushes rare flowers and shrubs, an expansive heath in bloom as far as one could see. A delight for the wind to caress. Even carrying kestrels which hovered above the ground, looking for tiny prey.


A lone fishing village laid it's mark along the solemn coast. Quiet and serene. Yet an important destination for those traveling from Belgrath to Eretejva. The population? Eerily orcish but varied from all the passing travelers who laid an intimate imprint on this village.

Even the Inn where Faelin now stood was relatively quiet, the loudness only coming from the open windows where the crashing waves against the many boats and the shrieks of squabbling hulls were heard.

Outside on a signpost read:
'Looking for brave soldiers, ask for Raveth at the White Flank and Thread Inn.'

 

[Sapphire]

This village was the last place Sapphire should have been. Amongst a largely orcish population, the girl stood out like a sore thumb. What was more, this village seemed just the kind in which everyone knew one another, which further drained her ability to blend in. However, the girl needed to get to Eretjva, and she was sick of travelling. She needed to dig in her heels, just for a little heel.

Perhaps she was needlessly paranoid. What were the odds of anyone from her old home village winding up here at the same time as her. So, with a deep breath, the woman walked into the village’s inn, reluctantly pulling the hood from over her head.

Strangely, the inn brought a sort of calm over her. There was next to no one inside, the only sounds being the quiet mumbles of a couple of drinkers and the crash of waves, suppressed between the inn’s walls. Drawing a coin purse from her coat, Sapphire moved towards the innkeep, with the intention of acquiring a room for the night along with a warm meal, depending on the price. At her side stood an elf, shorter than her. She glanced his way for a moment, but quickly looked back to bar. She hadn’t seen many dark elves in while. The sight intrigued her.

Faelin K'Abveirin

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»Are you looking for Raveth, « The inkeeper asked as he processed her order.
Rooms were still free for not many traveled in and out in this season.
It was a tad too cold for most and ships arrived and left monthly, actually, only one ship at a time at this time of season.

The dark elf was quick to spot the gaze and kept his focused on Sapphire. Was this some kind of an invitation for a chat?

 

[Sapphire]

Sapphire looked to the innkeeper, a friendly man by the looks. She wondered if he feared magic, and reminded herself to make sure not to find out. "I'm just passing by. Looking for work. But I'll take a room and food, please." Her words crutched on the truth. She wasn't actively looking for work, and was acquiring coin by more... illegitimate means. Working and making a name for herself was risky, as the girl worried the people of her village were persistent hunters. No, she just needed safe passage to the tundra. It sounded miserable, but the secluded villages seemed like a decent place to dig in for a while. Until she got shit together.

She was thankful for the free room, even moreso for the promise that her ood would arrive shortly. Then, she noticed the elf was still looking her way. Edging away ever so slightly, Sapphire turned a fraction to look the stranger's way. "Its rude to stare".

Faelin K'Abveirin

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

The dark elf tilted his head.
»You looked at me, and it was not to talk to me? «

» You oulanders are odd. «

 

[Sapphire]

"Apologies, you..." Sapphire trailed off, turning to fully face the elf again. "I'm looking for someone, they were heading for the tundra. I suppose you look like him". The smell of what she guessed was stew drifted by. She was starving.
"You're from here, then?

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»Nooo, do I look like an orc to you? And why would you be looking for me. -tsk- Who are you? « Faelin shook his head, his voice seeming odly monotone with variation here and there.

 

[Sapphire]

A frown fell upon Sapphire, and the girl almost had to speak through gritted teeth to hide her irritation.
"I'm not looking for you, just someone like you". Stopping herself, she turned back to the countertop, resting her forearms on the wooden platform. "You don't need to know who I am, especially if it means you'll be getting out of my hair soon".

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

The eastern dark elf titled his head in surprise: »Who else looks like me, other than me.«
»And why would you even be searching for a dark elf on the overworld, they live underground.«

Faelin's tone seemed to suggest that he cared little.

 

[Sapphire]

"You're here, aren't you?", Sapphire replied. She was beginning to feel nervous. While this dark elf seemed totally uninterested in her, the fact that her alibi was full of holes worried her. She was going to have to get better at lying, in the case that she eventually could bump into someone who's questions might come with more harmful intent.
"I'm just saying, its odd to see dark elves above ground, but not totally unheard of."

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»And I come from very very far away.« The elf crossed his arms.

 

[Sapphire]

Sapphire let out a sigh, the dark elf reiterating his point. He wasn't from here. Most non-orcs were too, herself included. Taking the chance to direct attention from herself, and out of sheer boredom, she asked
"So what brought you here?"

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»I kicked a swallow and thus got kicked from home,« the elf spoke in such a tone that might be both true and false at the same time.
»Dark elf law is cruel, and what about you?«

 

[Sapphire]

Sapphire took a moment to respond. Perhaps she'd been quick in her judgement of the elf. Faelin's predicament didn't sound too different to her own. "I'm an exile too. It appears that my people are as unforgiving as your laws are cruel". The girl grimaced. Certainly, there wasn't a need for the elf to know her, but she was beginning to feel she might gain from this conversation.
"My name's Sapphire, but I assume that isn't worth a whole pile to you".

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

The elf tilted his head.
»Well I suppose if you don't mind me stealing your name and running amok in your homeland.«

His voice was as monotone, only sounding slightly more pleasant as he bowed and introduced himself.
»The name's Faelin K'Abveirin. «

 

[Sapphire]

Sapphire nodded, sounding out the name a couple of times in her head. It was foreign to her, and she wondered if she could fully pronounce it without messing a syllable out.
"So Faelin", she began, amply proud of her pronunciation. "I'll hazard a guess and assume you've been at this longer to me. Does it ever get easier? Fleeing?"

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»The world is big and nobody will find you even if you hide under a rock back at home.«
The elf waved his hat lightly.
»But you're running away from something bigger, eh? «

 

[Sapphire]

The elf's worldview brought a smile to Sapphire's lips. Perhaps her worries about the guards were unwarranted. The smile was quickly quenched at the thought of 'something bigger'. The runaway drummed her fingers lightly on the counter.
"Yes... I was putting my family in danger. Its better I run".

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»Have you though of going underground?. Or are you going...or comming from Eretejva.«
The elf tilted his head.

 

[Sapphire]

"I'm going to Eretjeva, yes. It seems like the sensible option". Going underground would likely drive her mad. She'd feel too hemmed in, removed from the natural world. "What about you? Have you got a destination, or are you just wandering?"

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»Bad decsision. Eretejva is a hellhole. And it's filled up with these nasty people...they smell so bad...Called. Nordvir?«
He scrached his chin as he mulled about.
»Well I just wander about.«

 

[Sapphire]

Sapphire hadn't heard of the Nordvir, but she wasn't deterred by Faelin's advice. Perhaps she'd be masked by the smell. "I've got reason to want to avoid... sociable people", she explained. Digging into her food, she asked. "You've been? To Eretjva, I mean"

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

»No but I heard they stink really bad, and to the south there's another island with bitter and mean warmongering elves. I would not go there either.«

 

[Arnor Skuldsson]

To most, Arnor was not a particularly large man, when sitting down. Angles, shadows, posture did a lot to conceal a person's size, conceal their build. So it was when he stood, that the patrons of the inn took notice, and took awareness to what exactly he was. It was unmistakable, the scent- the stature, the demeanor of his kind.

He had come due to the prospect of mercenary work, but now came over to the particular table that the dark elf and the human-looking girl were at. He rolled his massive shoulders and set his drink down on the table. He leaned over the table, staring at the dark elf.

"Mind saying that last bit again, aye?"

 

[Faelin K'Abveirin]

The elf dismissively gazed at the large man. »Nobody asked for your... - ow you smell just rancid! And I thought it was the local cooking. Peh« he spoke without even a stutter or falter in his tone. How was he able to keep such a monotone voice? Only his head tilted to the side at the end of his small comment.
As his body was fully relaxed, one of his hands loosely hung down to his boots, while the other gripped the table.