[IC] Nomadium - The Nomad's Respite

Cato frowned, placing his fingers on the bar and tapping impatiently. "You know who I'm talking about, it's always her every goddamn time." He said as he looked around again, everyone else seemed occupied. "I meant Amorra, as usual." he said, seemingly quite uncomfortable admitting it. He gestured to one of the empty mugs he was polishing, and continued. "Can you give me something to drink, too? You better not get coy on me. I want details. Has she been feeling well? Did she complain about any physical pain or stress? Has someone caught her interest? Has someone caught her in his interests? Has she found any news about her mentor? Did she at least miss me?" he asked, seemingly trying to hide how much he cared about the last question. He said all those questions with a straight face, like he's just asking job details like he was supposed to.
 
Swag Giraffe said:
"Oh, they had a Nomadic guildhouse there?" Alethea was surprised. She didn't realize Chenive had been very involved with the Nomads. "Chenive's a fair distance, isn't it? Are there..." Leaning toward the man slightly, she whispered, her eyes wide. "Really ghosts there?"
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Tyner nodded solemnly. "They did indeed. One of the best branches the Nomads had ever seen. Their leader, Moroina, was a legendary mistress of fire. Carmicell, Haggerty...they had some legendary soldiers among their ranks. Disappeared years ago, never to be heard from again. If anyone is haunting that place, it's them. If you want my advice though, lass," Tyner leaned forward, staring Alethea in the eye. "Everything has an explanation. Don't allow your fears to take hold of your logic."

"I meant Amorra, as usual." he said, seemingly quite uncomfortable admitting it. He gestured to one of the empty mugs he was polishing, and continued. "Can you give me something to drink, too? You better not get coy on me. I want details. Has she been feeling well? Did she complain about any physical pain or stress? Has someone caught her interest? Has someone caught her in his interests? Has she found any news about her mentor? Did she at least miss me?" he asked, seemingly trying to hide how much he cared about the last question. He said all those questions with a straight face, like he's just asking job details like he was supposed to.
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The Bartender smiled, as he fixed Cato a standard mug of mead. He liked the kid; full of gusto, like him as a boy. And to find a woman of such vigor in his fancy! He certainly wasn't doing himself any favors. Still, he wanted information, and information is what the Bartender knew best.

"Well, I wouldn't know for sure," he began. He always started his knowledge this way. "but the words of the non-mage folk seem to be damaging. Expected, given her appearance. Amorra is a tough gal, yes? Any pain she feels is not likely to stir her in her ambitions, nor cause her to speak out. As for a suitor, well," he flashed Cato a grin. "I don't think you need to worry about such things, dear boy."

"The hunt for Master Alexander continues, I'm afraid. Ever the persistent one, she is. As to whether or not she missed you...perhaps you're better off asking her. I will say this much, though: When you stormed into my bar once again, that's the loudest and most excited I've seen her in quit some time. For better of for worse." he winked.
 
Alethea drank in every word Tyner was saying wide eyes. So, there had been such a prominent branch of the Nomads, and she hadn't even known about it. She felt rather ignorant, but the names the man spoke burned in her memory. When he locked eyes with her, leaning forward, she raised her head from her hands, letting her arms fall into her lap. Giving the man a small nod, she filed his advice away for pondering on the journey. "Thank you, Tyner." She sat up straight, popping her knuckles. "I don't know when we'll head out, though. Tyvin's gonna give a kid some archery lessons." She smiled. "He seemed desperate."
 
The morning had gone in a blink of an eye, Marigold had slept in far too long for she had stayed up late studying and writing in her journal which she had written down all the new herbs and ways to use them with in, as well as a few doodles and notes of people she had met within the few months of her stumbling upon the Nomad's Guild after stumbling upon them during a job in the previous village she had lived in. It had been her home for these several months, a safe haven from her past and to forget the cruel memories of her "disease" and it's meaning to those she knew in the past. This was a chance for her to find herself and show her worth, that her abilities wasn't a sickness, and could be used help others, despite the lasting events such as the shortage of her life. That afternoon she grew quite hungry and decided to visit "The Nomad's Respite", a simple but grand building that seemed innocent from the outside, but surpisingly lively, even in the mornings. It was filled with adventurers and common patrons far and wide, far more than the small female could take notes on. As soon as Marigold entered the building, she noticed a few curious gazes come her way, some studying her for a moment, while others just gave her small nod in greeting before continuing on with whatever they were doing in the first place. Marigold placed her notebook in small satchel. The small bag carried surpisingly many things, such as her notebook and several pencils and pens, a few containers holding some small herbs she carried for emenergecy, as well as some bandages for any "accidents" that she may have. Luckily Marigold hadn't caused any problems, so there seemed to be no need of anything; yet. The small elf then decided to take a seat in a back table of the room, trying to find a quiet space away from everyone's loud chatter, and games. She came today to possibly find a odd job to do, maybe something to put her studies to good use. She pulled her notebook once away out of boredom, and began to doodle towards the back of it's blank pages, sketching out the picture of one of the flowers she studied in her book, a white lily.
 
"Well, I wouldn't know for sure..."

Cato huffed as he took his mead and drank. The Bartender always starts his responses this way, as if there is anything he wouldn't know for sure. Still, Cato's attention was glued towards him, hanging on to every movement of his lips, every vibration his voice makes in the air. He wanted to know.

"... but the words of the non-mage folk seem to be damaging. Expected, given her appearance. Amorra is a tough gal, yes? Any pain she feels is not likely to stir her in her ambitions, nor cause her to speak out. "

Cato sighed. Of course. He often found it unfair, how some mages like him can live a normal (or as normal as a mage could get) life outside their guilds, as most of the damge the cancer brought to their bodies remain within. However, Amora, as well as other mages like Tyvin, gets their bodies modified and making it impossible for them to pass a normal human. Cato had no problem in his travels usually, in fact most of the non-mage folk were quite friendly, sometimes offering him a drink, food, or even a place to stay. when they find out that he's a mage though, they close themselves suddenly, eager to get away.

"As for a suitor, well..." Cato tensed, "listening" intently. The Bartender continued. "I don't think you need to worry about such things, dear boy."

Cato didn't know whether to be relieved or pissed. He was relieved yes, all because he had always admired her from a distance, and even though he's still not sure whether it is a good idea to tell her, he wanted her to be his. At the same time, he was pissed that nobody would look at her, and see her for the amazing person she is. Sure, she's grumpy, stubborn and asocial, but in his eyes she will always be that wonderful girl he met at this guild when he was sixteen. His experience of getting touched by magic was painful, he knew as much. Amorra's must have been worse. Even now the weight of the scales must be tiring her. When he first met her she was unstable and fragile... but she was strong. He had only heard bits and pieces of what she had been through, and through it all she had stayed strong and continued on living as she is. Her current appearance, to him, was a testament to her bravery, which made her even more beautiful. It was cheesy to say it out loud, but its the truth.

"The hunt for Master Alexander continues, I'm afraid. Ever the persistent one, she is." Cato sighed. Where is Alexander, he wondered. He tried to look out for him in his travels as well. No luck. " As to whether or not she missed you...perhaps you're better off asking her. I will say this much, though: When you stormed into my bar once again, that's the loudest and most excited I've seen her in quite some time. For better or for worse."

Cato blinked. And then he looked away awkwardly, trying to hide the private smile that came up on his face. He couldn't help it. He cleared his throat, feeling satisfied. Now its back to business. "So, about this bounty..." he started off, putting the job listing in front of him. "Any information you got about this diadem?"
 
Elin grinned sheepishly at Tyvin. He had gone a little fast in his excitement. But she could take it. He resisted the urge to tug on her sleeve again. "Can we start now?" Tyvin's friend moved away, and Elin felt a little guilty that he had interrupted their conversation. He'd left Shiori on her own as well. But this was very important, after all. He was sure Shiori would rather have a few minutes to herself than be killed on their mission because Elin couldn't handle a bow. But still, he hadn't exactly been polite... "Only if you have the time, though. If you are going somewhere with your friend, don't worry about it." It pained him to say it, but he had to be polite. He'd been rude enough this morning. His mother would certainly tell him off for it if she ever found out. Not that she ever would. She seemed ok not to know anything about him anymore. He guessed that was alright. It hadn't been, for a while, but he understood. He was a hard thing to have in a family. The rest of the town didn't like people like him very much, and he obviously posed a danger to his family by staying there. He didn't have control of his powers, so he could have done something, or the town could have moved him on. It was obvious that their two kinds weren't meant to share the same space if the non-mages were so uncomfortable about having him there. Elin missed a few of them, but he knew it was only right for him to leave and save his family the hassle. Besides, Elin was a good boy and he did what he was told, even if what he was being told was to leave and never come back.

Shaking off the sense memory of the pain in his stomach as he walked away without anyone even saying goodbye, Elin looked up at Tyvin hopefully, ready to dart outside to find a practice space.
 
"Did you not hear me before? Or do you need to clean sand out of your ears?" Tyvin jabbed playfully at the boy as she gave the retreating form of Alethea a friendly 'thank you' nod, flicking the boy's ear. "I just made time for you. Besides, I don't think Tyner would enjoy me allowing you to go out on a mission without way to defend yourself simply because I wanted to rush things" The woman led the boy towards the entrance to the Respite, placing him beside the door before she signaled for him to wait there for a moment and in a flash the woman had rushed off up the stairs, making a noticeable racket on the creaky upstairs floor boards as she bounded through rooms looking for various items (Some not belonging to her).

Soon, she had reappeared in front of Elin as quickly as she had left with a satisfied smirk on her face and an assortment of bags as well as an extra bow on her shoulder. "Right, let's get a move on. We're heading to a small clearing just outside the town, shouldn't be but a 10 minute walk if we don't dilly dally"
 
Elin's new grin was far less sheepish. Instead, he felt the excitement oozing out of him. What a day. He'd made a new friend, met a real life hero, and was about to learn the bow! If he was honest, and he tried to always be honest, he was excited at the prospect of quality time with Tyvin as well. She'd always been nice enough to him, never sending him away if he came to chat, and if she found him annoying, she didn't say so. He took the flick on the ear, and followed her eagerly to the doorway, where Tyvin clattered off upstairs. She seemed almost as excited as he was.

While she was upstairs, Elin remembered that he had left Shiori sitting on her own. Eyes scanning to make sure she hadn't moved yet, he darted over with a burst of speed and stumbled to a stop in front of her. "Sorry I ran off like that-Tyvin's going to teach me how to use a bow! I probably won't be very good by the time we leave, but at least I'll know what to practice. Do you think Cato would mind if we waited a couple of days before going so I could have a few lessons?"
Glancing back at the stairs, Elin smiled at Shiori. "I've gotta go now, but I'll find you when I get back, ok?"

He darted back off to the stairs to catch Tyvin as she made it to the bottom. Surely Shiori would be fine on her own for the afternoon. She'd just met plenty of new people. Maybe the plant man could show her something about the flowers. Regardless, any guilt Elin might have felt vanished as soon as he stepped outside. He knew the town well from running errands and odd jobs for people, and he thought he knew the place Tyvin was talking about. He was tempted to put on a burst of speed and run there, but he'd have to give Tyvin some speed as well and that could be pretty tiring. He didn't want to risk it, not for his first lesson, so he kept to a normal speed and obediently followed Tyvin until they reached the clearing.

All he wanted was to get his hands on the bow. "How did you learn to use one, Tyvin?" he asked, curiosity winning over eagerness.
 
"My mother taught me" Tyvin shrugged as the two made their way through the thick crowd of the outside, her keeping her hand intertwined with Elin's to drag him along and keep him close in the crowd. "She was a hunter, the old man was a blacksmith. By the time I was twelve I had to know how to strangle a dear or so help her I'd be disowned" It was phrased as a humorous sentence, yet the red head seemed to concentrated on getting to their destination to laugh. "Scary woman, she was. But a god teacher... Well, she at least motivated you to learn or you'd starve. She believed that I needed to earn my food as a child by catching it to make up for my father not hunting"

Soon the two had moved outside the city, pushing on off road towards the outskirts of a forest where trees smiled down at them, a few minutes of tree pushing later and the two had arrived at the clearing. A stream flowed through one side of the clearing at the mouth of a great cliff, surrounding a raised assortment of rocks that formed a clean circle. "I can't remember who told me about this place, think it might of been the bartender, but I think it was a great find" She smiled at Elin, finally letting go of his hand before setting down her overly large bag and bending over rifling through it.
 
Elin listened to Tyvin's history in fascination, though he was quick to hope she didn't take after her mother in her teaching methods. Frankly that sounded terrifying, and he made a note to make sure Tyvin was never in charge of keeping him fed. His parents had never been outdoors types. His mother had ruled his house and the kitchen of the noble houses with a stern look and a wooden spoon, and his father had left the house each morning with his papers and returned with more and a tired expression. Even Elin's brothers had never really been much for hunting.

"There weren't any forests that close to my town unless you wanted to head down past the city. Not even my big brother Jilla knew how to hunt, though I think he pretended he did a couple of times when he had girls over." Aware he was babbling a little, Elin blushed and continued trying not to trip over his own feet as he was dragged in Tyvin's wake. He did give himself just a touch of speed to make his job easier. At his normal pace, her long legs far outstripped his own, after all. Speed was about the only thing Elin could manipulate in himself with any kind of subtlety, and that was probably because he'd practiced it a lot. Speed was one of the most practical things to give yourself when you spent a lot of time on the move.

When they finally reached the forest, he slowed himself down again to make sure he didn't trip over any roots or step on any critters, but he didn't have to worry about it long before they arrived at the clearing. A great cliff loomed on one side, and a stream babbled away happily by it. It was idyllic, and open. He could see what Tyvin meant about it being a good find. He didn't doubt it was the bartender who had told her. Even having only been there for a few months, Elin had decided that his knowledge was near-mythical. He poked his head over Tyvin's shoulder as closely as he could without appearing rude to see what she had in her bag, feeling excitement bubble in his chest.
 
The Bartender nodded. "I heard you had taken that job. Alas, I know little, save for this..."

"I've heard rumors. Rumors that the diadem is of magical property. Made of some sort of ancient beast's bone. What spells it contains, I don't know. And...I wouldn't know for sure, but I've heard that the bandits located there all share the same face."

He returned from this dark prophecy, smiles and all. "Of course, that's just a rumor to keep folks away. That's all I'll say, though."
 
"Sounds like a cosey family, do you miss 'em?" Tyvin leaned up from her bag scavenging, taking out a few items and leaving them on a piles beside her. She took a pair of gloves and knelt down in front of Elin attempting to pull them over his hands, holding her arm towards her face as she'd adjust them, if done with that she'd pull out a strange looking belt and wrap it around his body, from his shoulder down to his hips. "Keep your legs spread for a moment" With any luck she'd fasten the belt on him, before looking up from her position on the ground. "Does the belt feel right? Sometimes it gets a bit tight on the wearers thighs if adjusted wrong. It's for holding your arrows and stuff, gotta keep the important stuff within reach"
 
Cato's expression darkened. It was an expression he only wore when it's time to get serious, usually on missions like these. Now that he had that other thing that's bothering him taken care of, he could focus on the more professional stuff. "Oh?" he said with a smile, but it bears no humor. He played with the empty mug, tilting it to forty-fie degrees and letting it fall. "And why would the House Jarla want such kind of magical item in their hands? Do you have any idea? Getting past the bandits is no problem, honestly, but as much as I love the guild, I do not fancy seeing a brand new mage walking past these doors because of me." he replied. "Pray tell, Mister Bartender."
 
Elin let himself be dressed, watching Tyvin's magical mutation glinting, but trying not to stare. It wasn’t strange to him anymore, nor were any of the Nomad's strange physical manifestations of their power. They had been slightly surprising, then fascinating, and now he was merely curious, if he noticed them at all.

He shrugged. "I guess so. Jiller was always locking me in the other room so I couldn't see the start if the parades though so I guess I don't miss that." The truth was, he did miss his family. Every day. They hadn’t been the closest, or the cosiest, as Tyvin had said, but they were his family. He loved them. And while it did hurt that they didn’t want him around, he loved them enough to stay away. He missed them, and that masked the pain of them sending him away well enough that he never questioned the whys behind it all. It was enough that it hurt.

Soon, Tyvin had wrestled his hands into gloves and a belt over his chest, sitting snugly around his thighs. He reached down and tightened it ever so slightly, frowning at his scrawny chicken legs. He tried moving his legs experimentally and found it comfortable enough, if a bit strange.

The excitement in his chest bubbled up again, now that the memories of the past had gad time to fade. That was where his arrows would go. Tyvin wasn’t hust teaching him to pull a bowstring, she was kitting him out and teaching him all of it, not just enough to satisfy a boy's curious mind.
 
Revelree said:
Cato's expression darkened. It was an expression he only wore when it's time to get serious, usually on missions like these. Now that he had that other thing that's bothering him taken care of, he could focus on the more professional stuff. "Oh?" he said with a smile, but it bears no humor. He played with the empty mug, tilting it to forty-fie degrees and letting it fall. "And why would the House Jarla want such kind of magical item in their hands? Do you have any idea? Getting past the bandits is no problem, honestly, but as much as I love the guild, I do not fancy seeing a brand new mage walking past these doors because of me." he replied. "Pray tell, Mister Bartender."
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The Bartender shrugged. Either he didn't know, or could not say. "Your guess is as good as mine, sir. These nobles never know what they're acquiring....odds are, they just see it as some fancy trinket, to be mounted on a fireplace. Not our place to judge though, I suppose. Coin is coin, after all."
 
Cato grinned. It was a grin that didn't quite reach is eyes, but a grin nonetheless. "You're right." he said, relenting a little too easily. His eyes glinted, like he had something else in mind. "Coin is coin after all." he murmured under his breath.
 
"They locked you away? Guessing they didn't react well to your... Phase" When satisfied with the adjustments Tyvin reached over her shoulder to grasp the spare bow she brought, pulling it over her shoulder and holding it out for Elin. It was much smaller than her own, and definitely had the look of one that had been around for a good few years. "That was my training bow, my Mother gave it to me... It was the only thing she ever gave to me" On the bow's wooden exterior there were various marks froma child's attempt to carve words into it, a carving of Tyvin's name came out at 'Tucker' somehow. "Sorry, it looks a bit.. shitty. But it's functional. When you're fully trained you can probably get a better bow from the market place"
 
Elin shrugged as Tyvin checked his adjustments. "Only when I might scare people or embarrass them. I'm not very good at controlling myself, or they probably wouldn't have had to bother."
When Tyvin drew up straight, Elin already felt taller and more dangerous. When she handed him the bow, he felt positively heroic.

Eyes wide, he tried to take in every detail of the bow at once, his magic flowing into his eys to increase his focus and his sight. It was obviously old, and though it was small, it seemed just right. When i was placed in his hands, he could tell the wood had been worn smooth from years of use, despite the nicks chipped out of the old wood in places. There were words too, carved with a messy hand into the very heart of the weapon. Elin couldn’t quite make them out but he could feel the age of this bow, the importance of it. Being given this, even just to hold, was like being given a part of Tyvin's history. It amazed him that she trusted him with it, but he resolved to attend so well to her lessons that he was worthy of it. And she said it looked shitty. It looked loved, and important. It looked like Tyvin, though he would never, ever say that lest she thought he meant she looked shitty.

Instead he just shook his head. "It looks perfect." He smiled up at Tyvin. "Now ho do I kill a monster with it?"
 
"Well, you get an arrow and make sure that arrow makes it's way to their vital organs. Make an eye, heart, leg, lung, and maybe that dangly thing between their legs" Tyvin chuckled, getting to her feet and leading Elin to climb the circular stone platform of sorts, allowing them to stand looking over the clearing, and if tall enough just over some of the trees. "For now, we're using less lethal arrows, made so none of us end up taking off someone's balls or something on the way" She passed him a quiver holding arrows with strange looking red tips, they were a bit heavier than usual arrows, but they got the job done. "We're gonna have some target practise"

Without hesitation Tyvin began to remove the outer layer of her clothes, casting off her long sleeves and gloves so that she stood with her arms laid bare. The crystal arm in particular, which began to emit a slight hue, subtly getting lighter as she raised her arm. "You have your enhancements, but my power is much more... Uh, inconvenient." She looked at her arm and as soon as it began to move it left some of it's hue in the air, trailing after the arm like paint. In a few seconds she had drawn a complete circle with a symbol in the middle. "I use this spell often for practise, so it doesn't take me long to draw the glyph. It's a pretty weak and harmless spell to boot"

As the 'drawing' was complete her arm stopped glowing and her hand reached out to grab the glyph and slam it on the ground, the glow of the symbol dreading around the platform and painting the scenery around them. Soon what seemed like a wall of light hung in the air, before quickly disappointing and leaving behind a few glowing symbols that remained static. "Those will be your targets. Now, let's see how you hold the bow, I'll adjust your stance if you need to"
 
Shiori nodded shyly when Elin came over. She was fine waited a few days. Her checks blushed a bit as she watched him run off. She still didn't understand the fluttery feeling in her chest whenever he smiled at her.

She noticed a small girl enter, who then started drawing. Not wanting to be all by her own, she decided to tentatively try to introduce her self. She picked up her book and shyly moved over to her. She waved and smiled, waiting for a response.
 
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