Private Tales Tales Of Distant Lands

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer

Eryn Pere

Barmaid
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The sun shone brightly on the town of Little Portshaw. A tiny secluded fishing village on the coast south of Belgrath. A light breeze blew in from the south-east, good fishing conditions for the life blood of Little Portshaw. The little village is not wealthy and has little coin to go around but for a single trader ship that goes by their little hamlet and buys their fish and in turn trades tools and other supplies. Travelers are fairly common though and make up some for the rest of the impoverished economy. Every family and person who lived there had to work to survive so everyone worked a trade.

The village has little in the way of accommodation besides its single Tavern and Inn, The Flying Ship Inn. It's the place most of the workers and fishermen go for their meals and booze after a hard days work and has many local regulars. Besides its small goods market most of the coin in the village flows through that Inn who in turn buys from the market for its supplies.

Sometimes on very happy occasion a voyaging trade ship ripe with goods will discover their village and that is a time of great economic activity. the villagers have the opportunity to present their trades and to potentially buy better equipment or supplies. It's also a time where the Inn gets the most activity, from sailors ready for a bed that's set on a solid floor, food not heavily salted for preservation, and booze that hasn't grown stale. Besides the employees nobody lived in the rooms so they always had space for a crew.

This is the little village that Eryn grew up in, and that Inn has long been her home. During the day business was slow with only a few regulars who either worked the meager farmlands or the few who worked in the market place or their trade from their homes. The evening is when the fishermen returned from work and that is when the good business began.
But it was around noon and there wasn't a soul at the Inn but Eryn and her manager, Daren. A grizzled veteran soldier and sailor.

He turned to Eryn as she swept the floor.
"Eryn. I'm making a trip to Big Portshaw on business tomorrow. I'll be back in a few days. You can handle the Inn till then, right?"

Eryn paused for a second and nodded. It was very rare that he left the Inn in her care and she saw every time as an opportunity to prove her competence to him.
"Yes sir. You can count on me!"

Smiling One
 
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Willis had never been to Little Portshaw.

It was a small, secluded fishing village hidden away in the forests of Elibon. Thankfully it Little Portshaw was far away from the Woodlands, but the village was still vulnerable to monsters such as Leshens. Willis had been traveling nonstop for about a week, he was tired, short on coin and supplies in other words: An ordinary day. Willis took a good look at Little Portshaw and saw the people going about their day, some went on well-worn fishing boats sailing on the riverbank casting their fishing rods on to the water.

Willis smiled, he loved fishing the thought of sitting against a tree casting the fishing line while observing the sunrise was relaxing. When he wasn't taking on high-risk contracts, Willis would find the nearest river and fish. He'd been fishing since he was a Pirate and hadn't looked back. Sadly the last Fishing Rod Willis had destroyed a month ago when he fought an Owlbear who ambushed the client he was protecting.

The client in question was a Gnome banker who needed an escort to Vel Amir. Willis remembered being skeptical of the Gnomes desire to go to the Human Fortress since its inhabitants tend to be distrustful to Non-humans at best and downright hostile at worst. Nonetheless, the Gnome paid well so Willis took the job hoping that the Gnome knew what he was doing. The trip went smoothly and the pair were rested near a river. Willis decided to catch some fish to cook for dinner. He was in the process of doing so until he heard the Gnome's bloodcurdling scream.

Willis quickly turned around to see the Gnome backing away from the Owlbear. Cursing himself for leaving his Cutlass at the camp, the monster slayer picked up his fishing rod and charged at the roaring beast jabbing it in the eye with the rod. The Owlbear recoiled in pain but countered by using its enormous beak and broke Willis' rod in half. It gave the young man ample time to grab his weapon. The Owlbear roared and appeared it was ready to charge but Willis took a rock and hit the beast in the head slowing down its momentum allowing Willis to rush in and slice his throat ending the beast's life.

Willis sighed while walked through the town, the job went smoothly but he couldn't get over the loss of his fishing rod. He made himself and took him months to find the right materials. Thinking about the rod depressed Willis and what better way to cure a man's depression than good old ale. The villagers gawked at Willis giving the: "Oh wow a traveler!" look while he headed towards the tavern ahead. "The Flying Ship Inn," he mumbled reading the sign. "Kinda a boring name, then again this is a simple village."

And that's not a bad thing, after running around in noisy and often violent cities it felt good to be in a quiet town away from civilization. Opening the doors Willis approached the table and took out his coin purse. "Innkeep," he said sounding wearing from travel. "Gimmie a glass of ale."
 
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She was behind the counter when she heard the door open and a man call for a drink. She brightened and stood up to see who it was.
He wasn't a local, that's for sure. Never seen him before. A new customer!
She smiled brightly, "Oh! Welcome to the Flying Ship, sir! I'll get that ale right out for ya!"

At a glance he was a rather dashing character, her favorite customers! As she fetched a mug and began pouring the brew for him.
She brought the mug over to the counter, "I'll trade ya an ale for a copper!" She gave him a friendly smile and set down the mug in front of him.
 
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Willis barely sat down until he heard a friendly voice greeting him. Turning around, Willis took a look at the woman she was a Tavern woman and a very pretty one as well. She had red hair and tan skin and wore a tavern dress that fit close to the body. Willis gave the woman a charming smile, one that he usually gives to the pretty ladies.

"Hello there," he said taking out a piece of silver and tossing placing it in the woman's hand. "I'm already feeling welcome around here thanks to you."

Willis winked while took the ale and began guzzling it down his throat the sweet taste of ale at long last! "You can keep the change beautiful," Willis said smiling. "Your radiant presence has made all my problems go away. I'm sure you're the reason why men fall in love with this quaint little town."
 
She smiled a little brighter and giggled. Flattery right off the bat, this man wasted no time!
She caught the silver and leaned on the table with a hand on her hip, "We have a parable here in Little Portshaw, 'When a siren meets the light of day its voice of death turn to a choir of angels'."

She flipped the silver between her fingers. With the way their economy was this covered the tip as well.
"Where are you from? You seem pretty used to the road. You got a name?"
 
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The woman’s giggle made Willis stomach churn a bit. If she was paid to be a charmer then she’s doing a very good job. Then again, Willis slept with any woman who was willing and admittedly he did have a weakness for very pretty women.

“Not a bad parable,” he said taking a sip of Ale leaning on the table. “And one that should taken with caution. I’ve sailed the seas before and I’ve seen poor souls be enthralled by the voice of a Siren only to ripped apart.”

Willis then smirked at the young woman. “Just like I’m in enthralled with you,” he said. “Though I’m sure there’s also an Iron will beneath that pretty face. The names Willis Reede a mercenary and a monster slayer and yeah I’ve been traveling the world it’s been my dream to do so. Enough about me What’s your name beautiful? What’s your story?”
 
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"I have a monster slayer and mercenary enthralled, and I haven't even begun to sing yet!" She let out a peel of mock evil laughter.

"My name is Eryn Pere. Waitress, story collector, and aspiring sailor."
She spun the coin on the tip of her finger before dropping it into her pocket.
"Are you planning on staying, or just passing through? For two silver more I can lend you room and board for a night."
 
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That got Willis attention.

The young mans eyes rose when Eryn Pere mentioned that she wanted to be an aspiring sailor. It wasn’t often he met a woman who shared the same interest like he did. “I don’t know,” Willis said playfully maintaining his cool. “By the sound of your voice it was though you were singing.”

Willis went back laughing. “Oh no what ever will I do,” he said mockingly. “The Siren has got me in her clutches!” Willis did know ways to dismember a Siren. It wasn’t easy and Willis had to go through a lot of mental exercises to resist a Sirens call.

“You have an interest in sailing?” Willis said taking a sip of his ale. “Yeah you should chase that dream. I loved sailing, the smell of the sea and the sense of adventure. I wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world.”

Willis missed the seas, as much as he enjoyed traveling on foot. He wanted to go back sailing the oceans. He’ll probably take a boring job as a merchant sailor if that meant going back.

“I was thinking of passing by,” he said taking out a gold coin. “But for you, I’ll stay for a couple of nights. It’s always good to meet someone who wants to sail the seas.”
 
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"I'm glad we share a dream. Seems that's all we're really good at in this town." She happily took the coin but paused. "Money like this could buy you a whole lot more than two nights room and board around here."

She straightened and dropped the coin in her pocket, it clicked with the silver. She looked him up and down. She supposed it made sense for a mercenary like him to carry around gold. Most people in the village have just had to pay the equivalent in silver since gold is so rare here.

"You good on that ale? I can get you some more. Or I can fix up some food if your hungry."
 
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Willis shrugged smiling "you can always try chasing your dream," he said while he saw Eryn examine the gold coin. "Again keep the change," Willis said. "Just curious what could it buy for me in this town?"

Willis could already guess her answer, but the young man was now curious about the waitress. In many ways, she was just as wide-eyed about the world like he was when he was a child. Though Willis did argue to himself that he was still curious about the world though it was doused with a heavy dose of cynicism.

"Yeah get me more ale please," he replied. "And get the best of your food as well and let's talk for a bit when you come back."
 
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She nodded, "Sounds good, Hon. Be right back!" and walked back behind the counter to the kitchen with a sweep of her skirt. She stoked up the fire in the oven and began fixing the Flying Ship specialty. Smoked Salmon chunks sitting on a bed of rice with the fish grease poured over it for the gravy, also served with a side of beef preserves/jerky.

She filled another mug with foaming ale and brought the mug and tray out to Willis. The gold definitely covered this. She traded his empty mug for the full one and placed the plate of food before him, "Here you go Mr. Reede. I'll be right back!"
She brought the used mug back to the kitchen and placed it in a bucket for the wash. Then she walked back, but barely containing her excitement about hearing stories of the sea or lands beyond her village or Big Portshaw.

She pulled out a chair across from him and sat down leaning forward on her elbows.
"Alright Willis. Let's talk!"
 
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It was a good thing that Willis and Eryn were alone. It was early in the morning where most people were going to their tasks for today so that meant he could spend all day talking to the young woman. Willis smelled the scent of smoked salmon making his lips water a bit. Not only did Willis enjoy fishing, but he also enjoyed cooking fish as well. Salmon was among his favorite delicacies to cook, judging from the smell Eryn was very good at cooking.

It seemed that Willis' assumption was proven correct when Eryn arrived with a full plate of food containing: Smoked Salmon chunks with rice and fish grease along with beef jerky. Willis took a bite and was immediately taken aback by the saucy and flavor of the fish. It was delicious. "Are you a mind reader?" Willis smiled eating the food with gusto. "This contains all of my favorite foods!"

Willis was partially joking though it did contain some of his favorites. The young man drank the fresh ale and looked at her smirking. "So I know you're curious of my sailing experience," he said. "Ask away."
 
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"Okay!" She locked her fingers together in front of her on the table excitedly, "So to start off with, where all have you been? I'm sure You've seen a lot of places!"

She watched him eat but she wasn't interested in the food. She was watching the man. Seeing how his face moved. Watching his eyes. She looked at his hands to see if they had all the callouses that a swordsman would have. She was truly fascinated by this stranger. And with her manager away she could talk to him without getting yelled at.
 
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Willis had to be careful not to divulge his pirate past with Eryn. The law has been tough on Pirates for the past year Willis heard that in a span of a month, 120 Pirates were hung in Allira. "Indeed I was," he said. "I've explored temples and fought strange creatures." Willis drank some Ale while locking eyes with the waitress. She examined him from head to toe curious about him, It felt a bit strange but Willis was enjoying it.

"So 2 years ago I had a contract," Willis said. "It was in Bhatharik: The Orcish Stronghold, a farmer was complaining about Hill Giants killing off his Goat Herd and I was paid to take them down." Willis took a sip of Ale reminiscing the experience "It took me a few days to track them down. Hill Giants exactly the sharpest quills, I found there two of them singing some sea shanty. When confronted them about their murdering the Orc's livestock, they defended themselves claiming that they were spooked by the Goat Demon: Ronald. Apparently, they saw the Goats as premonitions of some sorts and were defending themselves."

Willis leaned back staring at Eryn. "They begged me not to kill them because their wives just gave birth and they were singing to the heavens thinking that they killing the Goats got rid of the bad omens. It took me a while to decide, but I told them that I'll spare their lives only if they leave the lands Bhatharik and never come back again. I also said that I needed Troll heads so I can fake their deaths. They agreed luckily they killed some Stone Giants who were harassing them so I took them. To many, all giants look the same but to a trained Monster Slayer, there are noticeable differences between the species of Giants. So the Giants got to live happily and so did I when the farmer happily paid a hefty sum per head."

Willis smiled at the waitress. "That's one of many stories," he said.
 
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She listened to the story enthralled. She loved hearing about monsters and such, they were so strange and amazing at the same time. "Wow... I've seen giants before, but didn't know they were intelligent though or had a culture like that. What's Bhatharik like?"

She leaned forward further, at the edge of her seat. She leaned forward enough that one could see a little over the top of her already somewhat revealing blouse, revealing just enough of her generous curves. She ate up stories like his. Adventure and especially humor.
 
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Sometimes Willis thought that the Hill Giants were just lying through their teeth. Of all the books he read about Hill Giants, they didn't seem to have a particular religion. However, he quickly realized that the creatures weren't clever enough still Willis did wonder if it was the right thing in letting the Hill Giants go. They could be harassing some other farmers Goats out of fear of premonitions. Willis' heart fluttered a bit when Eryn's already revealing dress revealed more of her curves. She was good looking and very close right now. He loved it.

"It's less of a city and more of a Stronghold," Willis explained. " A trade city Bhatharik is a rich and populous place that is home to the Orcs. It has walls that are tall and thick made from the hardest and rarest of wood. I've heard it was further enhanced by magic. Despite what you may think about Orcs they are welcoming towards outsiders as opposed to say: Vel Amir."

Willis smirked. "Bhatharik is known for its always busy marketplaces. Every now and then an event called The Great Bazaar opens up. Buyers from all over the world are encouraged to look at the many items for sale, to taste the exotic foods that are being sold. Unique jewelry along with pottery and paintings can be seen from talented Orc artist, I've gotten lost a couple of times just exploring the place. The Great Bazaar I would say exemplifies Orc culture and does stamp out the negative stereotypes that are often spread throughout the land."
 
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She blinked in wonder, imagining a place where orcs built a city over a tribe. She had heard stories of Bhatharik but nothing concrete. She had seen many orcs before. Some of them as part of the crew on board ships or members of mercenary groups or guards in traveling caravans... And had honestly had the opportunity to be with a few intimately... She knew that they were more than savages.

"Bhatharik lies somewhere to the east, correct? At the end of the Spine? You must have been everywhere!"
She was totally fascinated by his tales and information. She wanted to learn about all of the lands in case she ever got the chance to visit them some day.
 
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Willis smirked. "Not everywhere," he said. Willis did desire to explore the world and go into uncharted territory. If he ever had the sense to save the coin, Willis will probably use it to buy a ship and sail to the lands afar.

"Though when you travel a lot the first thing you'll find out is that your preconceived notions will be challenged. I always thought that Orcs were brutish warriors. However, after going to Bhatharik I saw that Orcs were excellent traders and lovers of the arts. Their pieces of art were striking and dynamic."

Willis chuckled. "I'm no art critic," he said. "But their art was far than the simple works that were displayed by the storytellers."

He really needed to get back to the Orcish Stronghold. Not only did he had a good time, but there was also an abundance of work to be found and the pay was really good. Willis finished the last of his ale and returned to his food. "Being a monster hunter I had some unusual adventures," he said. "From banishing Djinns back to their bottles to even sleeping with a Succubus while being high off my ass."

Willis felt his ears redden, he really did not want to recall the time he nearly died having sex with a Succubus while being inebriated.
 
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She raised her eyebrows, "Wow... You fucked a Succubus and lived? I heard they steal your soul with just a kiss!"
She grabbed his mug and drank the dregs, "How do you like the food? You want some more ale? Or is there anything else I can get for you?"

This man had her thoroughly impressed. An adventurer that could fight demons and such was more than a mere mercenary. To her somebody with accomplishments like that made him a hero. Maybe he wasn't a hero in this town, but even as a man she wanted to keep him for as long as possible.
 
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Willis chuckled feeling a little skittish. Eryn just had to bring up the time he fucked a Succubus but of course, Willis had to blab it out like an idiot. The mercenary sighed, he might as well tell Eryn now that it piqued her interest. "Well yes and no," Willis said. "The only for a succubus to feed is through sex. They're not inherently evil creatures but they tend to be a little too excited when having sex especially if their partner has a well-oiled libido."

Willis coughed at that smiling at Eyrn nervously. "I love the food," he replied. "Maybe another Ale to calm the nerves you know? I mean what happened between me and that succubus sseeesssh It was an out of this world experience let me tell you."
 
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She smiled, "Sure thing hon. Coming right up!"
She stood up and took the empty mug. She sashayed over to the keg again and filled up two fresh mugs and brought them to the table. Placing it beside him and taking a closer seat at his elbow with her own mug.
She got the picture in her head when he mentioned his libido and couldn't quite shake it.

She took a gulp of ale and leaned in to listen some more. This time to the side since she was next to him.
"So you've negotiated with giants, fought Genies, fucked a succubus, and been nearly everywhere in Arethil. Where have you been all my life?"
 
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Usually, taverns tend to charge cheap for their food and drink. They want their customers to eat and drink as much as they can it's one of the major reasons why he loves to hang out in taverns so much. Eyrn handed Willis the jug of ale while she had her own. Willis shook his head when Eyrn mentioned she was in awe with his adventures. "Yeah, It seems that I've been to many adventures haven't I?" he said taking another sip of ale and putting down.

"As to where have I been?" Willis said. "probably sailing the seas and getting ambushed by a group of Tortles who somehow hijacked a ship." This actually happened last month which was something Willis remembered rather fondly.

"I took a job as a freelance merchant hand," Willis explained. "There wasn't much work for Neither Monster Slayers nor Mercenaries at that time and I wanted to go back to the sea again. A captain was offering a job in the Tavern of Elbion, a free trip to the islands in exchange for experienced hands. He also mentioned the pay was good so I signed on. When we went on that boat It felt good to feel the sea breeze and the splashing of water against the boat."

Willis paused then continued. "That is until we reached the halfway point. A ship appeared from a fog began ramming our bow, the crew panicked and thought it was Pirates. It turned out upon inspection, it was actually talking tortoises who walk on their legs also as Tortles for Monster Slayers were manning the helm. The Captain pissed himself in fear, but I've fought their kind before so I decided to talk to the Tortles. Apparently, these Tortles stole a boat and wanted to sail west to where their homeland lies."

Willis leaned back on his chair. "So these Tortles were kidnapped by poachers and sent to Alliria to be served as food. They mistook them for Tortoises it seems. The Tortles managed to escape and commandeered a boat where they learned by trial and error. The Tortles wanted to go home so the crew put it to a vote. Do we let them go? Or do we kill them all and send the boat back to Alliria? It was tied but I was the deciding factor. We let them sail west to their homeland."
 
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She cocked her head to the side, "I've never heard of Tortles before. Are they sentient? They must be if they could learn to crew a ship."

She took another gulp of ale. She knew she was a lightweight and had been drunk more than a few times. But even she was slightly surprised that on the second gulp her face was slightly flushed and her tongue became a bit looser.
"I'm sorry. I must be terribly boring for you. I've only heard lots of stories. But beyond all the people I've fucked I don't have a damn story of my own to tell."

She took another gulp of ale and set down her mug wiping her mouth on her sleeve.
"Honestly... You're sounding less like a monster slayer and more like a monster helper. It's kinda sweet, shows you got a heart."
 
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Willis nodded. "They are," he said. "They got their own language and culture, they also tend to be a pain in the ass for travelers who unknowingly walk in their lands," Willis remembered taking care of Tortles, they were really tough thanks to their shell defenses. The Tortle's fighting style was built around their shells.

Willis gave Eryn who was sitting next to him a sad smile. In many ways, she was like him as a child minus hopefully the abuse he received from his mother. Eryn was a dreamer and wanted to forge her own identity. "We all have stories to tell," Willis said taking a sip of ale. "You may not think that your story is interesting but in truth, it's just beginning. The stories we love to hear, the protagonist comes from humble origins. Don't feel discouraged but keep the dream, it's what helped me in the past."

Willis then smiled. "Eh, sometimes I prefer to do my damn job without the moral dilemmas." He said. "It makes things clearer."
 
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She smirked and toyed with the mug in her hand, "Well. I think that anyone who can beat a demon is a hero by default. You deserve more credit."
She took one more gulp that made her head spin, so she set the mug down with a slight grimace and a shake of her head to clear it. She leaned back and crossed her legs, her foot coming up against his calf under the table. She rubbed her eyes for a moment.

"Well... Anything you want to know about Little Portshaw? Things pretty much are the way they look. But I might be able to tell about some points of interest. Depending on your interests."
 
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