Open Chronicles The Journey Begins With Direction

[Jazat Mar]

How does a man know what he needs to do with his life?

Sometimes Jazat would look around at the people in the villages and towns, look at the people there and be struck by the simple fact that everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing. All of them seemed to have a solid idea as to what they were supposed to do with their lives.

The farmers farmed.

The smiths smithed.

The miners mined.

He wished he knew how it was that they knew what they were supposed to do. Sometimes he wondered if they had been born knowing, had grown into it or if they had naturally just found themselves in such a state of being and been happy to continue with it.

Some of them, he knew, were where they were today because their family demanded that they be there, in that precise position. Eating an apple while sitting on the edge of a fountain in the middle of the town square, Jazat watched the people go about their business.

They were all so sure, so certain of themselves... and here he was, rudderless and without a heading. He was a talented man in his profession but his profession didn't have any end goals and he was beginning to think he needed one.

But for now?

Apples were sweet and the sun was hot.

 

[Jack Allard]

Out of seemingly nowhere, Jack Allard would slide beside Jazat and sit next time him on the fountain. He attempted to slow his obviously rushed breathing and maintain a casual face. "Do me a favor and pretend we're friends, just chat with me, I'm trying to blend in." He said nervously. A few seconds later a small group of burly looking men would shove their way through the crowd, peaking their heads up and swiveling them around. Jack cursed under his breath as he turned and faced Jazat, watching the guards out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, come on, talk, what's your name? What are you doing here today? Anything, just make it look like we're involved in conversation. If I seem noticeable those brutes over there are going to beat the Gods out of me, it has to do with a small incident at a card game in a tavern last night. Apparently they were told I had been cheating and demanded I give back my winnings. Naturally I hoped out the window as they attempted to break the tavern room door down." Marius says with a smirk as he runs a hand through his hair. "I totally wasn't cheating by the way. Well, not cheating anymore than they were." Marius chuckles. "You know what they say, if you aren't cheating, you aren't trying."

 

[Jazat Mar]

Well Jazat had been open to whatever was going to be coming his way but for someone to literally slide right up beside him out of the blue? That was a little bit different as far as the dark elf was concerned. Amusing, for sure, but different still. He smirked a little bit at the other man as he asked him to do him a favour and act like they were friends.

This entire scenario amused Jazat enough that he had absolutely no issues with that as all.

"You know - that has got to be the most amusing way anyone has ever introduce themselves to me." he declared with a smirk, "And I've met a lot of colorful characters in my time."

Barking in laughter, he patted the man on the back in a friendly manner. It had been amusing but nowhere near that amusing - he was pretending that his new friend had told him something of an amusing joke to throw off suspicion. Still grinning, he patted him once more before removing his hand.

"Jazat Mar - I'm a mercenary. And you, apparently, forgot the number one rule of cheating... it's not cheating if no one catches you." he remarked before looking at the man again, "Alright, so do I get a name for the less-than-successful card shark?"

He was just ribbing him, naturally, but it was amusing.

Jack Allard

 

[Jack Allard]

Jack appreciated the exaggerated laugh and smiled, watching as the burly men wandered off, having lost site of their prey. " I'm more than happy to add another person to that list of colorful characters. A pleasure to meet you, I'm Jack Allard." He winks as he extends a hand. "And I'd consider myself a fairly successful card shark, I did win the pot after all."

Jack pulls out a small coin purse, pulling out a coin. "A little thanks for the favor." He says as he flips the coin in the air at the man. "A mercenary, eh? I am in a similar line of work, although not exactly as combative, more, uh, stealy." He says with a chuckle. "Don't worry though, I almost never steal from friends and we're friends, fake friends, but friends nonetheless." He smiles and sighs happily, leaning back on the fountain and stretching his legs. "I don't suppose you want to go get a drink or something? I'm quite bored."

 

[Jazat Mar]

Well the men that he was hiding from seemed to have made their way off so it looked like the danger had passed for this guy. Hopefully he would remember to cheat better at cards in the future so someone like Jazat didn't have to cover for him - not that it hadn't been fun in it's own way. He nodded his head.

"Alright that's fair enough, Jack."

You didn't argue with the money after all.

Snatching the coin out of the air, Jazat bit the metal to test it. It didn't taste like paint so that was a point in the favour of this Jack guy. Jumping to his feet, Jazat grinned.

"Thought you'd never ask." he declared boisterously, "Come on then man - let's get sauced and try not to get attacked for stealing the coins of the men and the hearts of the women!"

He smirked a little bit,

"You know anywhere for a good time around this place? I'm not exactly a local."

He was a local of nowhere after all.

 

[Jack Allard]

Jack nodded and stood, not offended at the man checking his coin. "Aye, I know a few good places, although getting into fights is half the fun of drinking." He said with a laugh as he began to walk. "The doorman is a bit of an arse, but just grease him up with some small talk and we'll have no problem getting in." Jack said as they walked.

A few moments later they arrived at a small tavern. A large orc guarded the door and he snarled at Jack "Oi, you bastard, think you can come back here after what you did last time? The boss won't be 'appy, not at all."

Jack extended his hands warmly and smiled to the orc. "Rocco, Rocco, don't be like that, I just came to the inn with the best doorman, Gods above you're good at guarding the door and keeping the calm inside. That's why I like you."

The orc smiled and seemed embarrassed. "You mean it Jack? Thank you." He seemed to think for a minute. "No trouble or I'll kick your head in." He said as he opened the tavern door and motioned for the to enter. Jack patted the orc as he entered the spacious, but crowded tavern, filled with drinkers, gamblers, prostitutes and a bard. "This is the life of the party man, I come here at least once a week." Jack says to Jazat as he looks around.

 

[Ogla Crocorith]

Ogla wasn't from the town. She rode horseback on a beautiful brown mare, the one they called Challope. She has nice but she wasn't hers. Ogla was just using her temporarily to deliver the messages she had for the week, then next week would be a new horse, a new message.

That was her job, a messenger. She was in this town and had to deliver a letter of inquirement to some fellow who was on his deathbed. He seemed to live somewhere near the east edge so that's where Ogla steered the horse.

After delivering it and receiving the response, which was short and to the point, Ogla decided that she should rest somewhere. A tavern was the obvious choice but where? Being so young a lot of taverns refused her and she ended up sleeping in a barn, the forest, or any other places rarely decent for a person. The only way she could attempt to pass for an older woman was with makeup and reveiling clothes, but the situation wasn't that serious.

Ogla sighed and rode around for a while as the sun set and dark began to envelope the scenery. She finally decided to try to get into the tavern guarded by an orc she'd seen. She'd seen in before but had decided until now that she wouldn't go in.

After tying the horse up, Ogla approached the entrance to the tavern with her hoodie on halfway, eyes downcast. Strangely the orc didn't stop her and she felt a sigh of relief as she rntered without trouble. Thinking maybe she'd passed for a woman, Ogla swelled up a little with pride and walked over to the counter and slapped enough coins down for a cool drink. "May I have..." She hesitated, unsure of what alcoholic beverage she should purchase, since she'd never had any before.

 

[Jazat Mar]

Lucky for Jazat, his future-drinking partner didn't seem to have any issues with him checking the coin. Wasn't like there was any other way he could realistically check if the coin was legit and he liked to make sure he was getting what he was apparently getting! He grinned a little bit.

"Well best places gotta be hard to get into." he declared with a bark of laughter, "If it ain't guarded - it ain't worth the time."

That was something he usually found in his line of work at least - it tended to be worth it if there were guards and defenses to overrun. If there weren't then that meant that what was there wasn't worth defending properly and he really didn't have time to be sweating over the small stuff like that. He grinned to the Orc, nodding his head in greeting as the two of them stepped into the tavern proper.

It was a proper tavern too.

"Ah this is the kind of tavern you don't see too often these days... a drink for every hand and a whore for every purse!" he joked before patting Jack on the back, "First round is on me."

Moving over to the bar, he sidled up to a young woman who looked little too young to really be here... and seemed to have no idea what she was doing. He put down a couple coins on the bartop.

"She'll have a cider." he ordered, and paid, for her, "And so will me and my friend here."

The bartender nodded and moved off to fetch the drinks. Jazat turned to the young woman.

"It's not very alcoholic - cold and refreshing too." he told her honestly, "And tastes like apples. It's good for... first time drinkers."

 

[Jack Allard]

Jack followed behind with a grin and smiled at the woman. As he waited for his cider he plucked an ale away from a man who was passed out in his bar stool. Jack sipped his ale and sighed, refreshed. "You look like a young lass unfamiliar with these kind of places, might I ask what someone of your age is doing here?" He said with concern in his voice. Jack had a younger sister and he was very protective of her, that natural protection transferred over to most young girls. "Some of the men here aren't that friendly, and I'd hate to see anything bad happen to you." He said as he sipped the stolen ale. The ciders finally came but Jack ignored his, sipping the half drunk ale again instead. "Perhaps there's a nicer place you could go? A nice little bakery or something." He said as he stared down a few men who were eyeing the young girl, they quickly turned their heads in shame. Jack smirked at them and looked at Jazat. "I'm right, aren't I?"

 

[Ogla Crocorith]

Ogla tensed up. She hesitated a minute before turning her head a bit to catch a glimpse of the men behind her. She hadn't noticed the looks, or cared, people tended to underestimate her strength and intelligence, but they'd be proven wrong once the tried anything. Still, the sight of seeing how men looked at women sometimes was something scary in it's own way.

The two men who greeted her semeed alright enough, but she had good reasons to be suspicious. They took notice of her youth quickly, unlike the person in the front of the tavern. She wondered why they were being so kind to her.

Frowning, Ogla accepted the cider. Normally she would've declined along with a rude insult but when she was doing something she wasn't familiar with she tried to keep an open mind; maybe this drink was a great start. Plus, who would turn down a free drink?

“Thanks..." she murmured, taking a sip. It did taste like apples, but it made her feel like a child. Glaring at the buyer with one eye, she asked, “And what makes you think I'm a first time—what?”

Ogla snapped took look at the other man, the one who dared to say something so...ignorant. He really just tried her patience. “First of all,” she seethed, eyes with a dark glint in them. She tried to keep her voice low but her tone was loud itself. “I'm here on my own business, as you are, but you see the difference here? I'm actually minding my business.”

She considered for a moment that maybe he was just being nice, but still. ”And if you truly think I'm some sort of bakery girl, you clearly haven't seen many...or maybe you have.” She looked him up and down. “The only thing I have in common is how cleanly I'd slice your tongue off like freshly baked bread.”

 

[Jack Allard]

Jack breaks out into laughter. He laughs for probably a minute before stopping to wipe the tears from his eyes. "I clearly misread you, girl. I like your nerve. Perhaps we can start again and become friends. I am Jack Allard, man of many talents." He says with a mock bow. "I was merely making conversation, please don't take offense when I ask a conversation starting question." He chuckles and finishes off the ale, gesturing the barkeep for a refill, which quickly comes. Jack sips the refill and smiles at the girl. "At first you reminded me of my sister but based on that outburst I can see you two are very opposite." He laughs and elbows her lightly in the ribs.