Gavius
03-29-07, 02:21 PM
The ship lurched heavily upon finally stopping. Each board seemed to scream it's displeasure as the boat was tied and anchored in. All around the docked vessel, life gleamed in simplicity- it had not been burdened down by the harsh reality of politics. Men wore worn garments of cloth, their chests shimmering with sweat under the harsh sun. Women bartered with merchants and all things seemed to be in good fashion. The thick air seemed to hang with the scent of sea water. It seemed hard to even imagine that such a place could house a group of pirates. A majority of the dock was covered in crates or barrels, and the lanes of walking space that was available was usually occupied rather heavily by a group of citizens.
They had finally reached Alerar. How he had been lucky enough to earn passage to such a place, Gavius did not relish the thought of remembering. All that he knew was that his pockets were a good deal lighter, and his spirits a good deal damper. Of course, his sullen mood came not from the loss of good coin, but rather from his first time aboard a boat. It was as if some dark sorcerer himself had focused all his negative energy upon the tiny vessel, titled Drunken Soldier. The name seemed bitterly ironic, after it had been tossed about like a man who had already enjoyed his fair share of mead.
Knees quivering, Gavius stepped carefully onto the docks of Etheria Port, trying to appear as composed as possible amongst the guildmates of the Black Sails Armada. His stomach was finally beginning to settle, and now that it had he was more able to focus on the task at hand. He had not traveled through Hell simply to enjoy the fine scenery and comforts of the dark elf homeland. There was much graver business to attend to.
"First and foremost," he whispered to himself, "I must find the library...or perhaps a tavern would be more suited to what I hope to find." Taking a step forward, the entire world seemed to shift in a different direction. The healer shook his head and tried to exhale slowly, allowing his body to flush out the last bits of the ocean's presence.
***
It did not take him long to find a pub suitable for his needs. A bit dingy, the Golden Blade appeared to be a good recruitment hub. The door squealed begrudgingly as it was edged open, and inside a rowdy crowd of adventurers and sailors alike unwound from their daily chores. Deep bellowing laughs echoed of the aged stone walls of the establishment and the smell of stale beer pricked at Gavius' nose. He thought he caught the brief stench of vomit in the air, but tried his best to focus on the lesser of the two evils.
Stepping towards the bar, Gavius tapped on it gently while he awaited the bartender's attention. Finally, the gangly elder edged his way towards the healer and gently requested his order.
"I suppose I'll have wine...nothing strong, something light and maybe a bit of cheese. Also, I would like to request the service of some-" the bartender cut him off with a sharp-nailed finger.
"Eh boy, that be yer job, not mine," he said, grinning a bit as he walked off to fulfill Gavius' wishes.
The healer stood in a bit of disarray, slightly unsure of how exactly to handle the situation. Stepping away from the bar and towards an empty table, he gingerly stepped upon it and cleared his throat.
"Erm...ex...excuse me!" he exclaimed audibly. "Excuse me!" he said again, making sure that he had the attention of a majority of the bar. Some of the grungy faces had turned to face him, but most just ignored his plight. "I am seeking a couple of able-bodied adventurers to aid me in a quest to search for a rare artifact! If...um, if you think are are able to help and we are successful, there will be a reward in it for you! I will pay you what I can!" And with that, he stepped down rather quickly. Not much of a public speaker, Gavius simply wished to give his piece and be done with it. Shuffling nervously back over to the bar, the tavern keep grinned at him and nodded, placing the cheese and wine in front of him.
"Make it last, lad, make it last."
They had finally reached Alerar. How he had been lucky enough to earn passage to such a place, Gavius did not relish the thought of remembering. All that he knew was that his pockets were a good deal lighter, and his spirits a good deal damper. Of course, his sullen mood came not from the loss of good coin, but rather from his first time aboard a boat. It was as if some dark sorcerer himself had focused all his negative energy upon the tiny vessel, titled Drunken Soldier. The name seemed bitterly ironic, after it had been tossed about like a man who had already enjoyed his fair share of mead.
Knees quivering, Gavius stepped carefully onto the docks of Etheria Port, trying to appear as composed as possible amongst the guildmates of the Black Sails Armada. His stomach was finally beginning to settle, and now that it had he was more able to focus on the task at hand. He had not traveled through Hell simply to enjoy the fine scenery and comforts of the dark elf homeland. There was much graver business to attend to.
"First and foremost," he whispered to himself, "I must find the library...or perhaps a tavern would be more suited to what I hope to find." Taking a step forward, the entire world seemed to shift in a different direction. The healer shook his head and tried to exhale slowly, allowing his body to flush out the last bits of the ocean's presence.
***
It did not take him long to find a pub suitable for his needs. A bit dingy, the Golden Blade appeared to be a good recruitment hub. The door squealed begrudgingly as it was edged open, and inside a rowdy crowd of adventurers and sailors alike unwound from their daily chores. Deep bellowing laughs echoed of the aged stone walls of the establishment and the smell of stale beer pricked at Gavius' nose. He thought he caught the brief stench of vomit in the air, but tried his best to focus on the lesser of the two evils.
Stepping towards the bar, Gavius tapped on it gently while he awaited the bartender's attention. Finally, the gangly elder edged his way towards the healer and gently requested his order.
"I suppose I'll have wine...nothing strong, something light and maybe a bit of cheese. Also, I would like to request the service of some-" the bartender cut him off with a sharp-nailed finger.
"Eh boy, that be yer job, not mine," he said, grinning a bit as he walked off to fulfill Gavius' wishes.
The healer stood in a bit of disarray, slightly unsure of how exactly to handle the situation. Stepping away from the bar and towards an empty table, he gingerly stepped upon it and cleared his throat.
"Erm...ex...excuse me!" he exclaimed audibly. "Excuse me!" he said again, making sure that he had the attention of a majority of the bar. Some of the grungy faces had turned to face him, but most just ignored his plight. "I am seeking a couple of able-bodied adventurers to aid me in a quest to search for a rare artifact! If...um, if you think are are able to help and we are successful, there will be a reward in it for you! I will pay you what I can!" And with that, he stepped down rather quickly. Not much of a public speaker, Gavius simply wished to give his piece and be done with it. Shuffling nervously back over to the bar, the tavern keep grinned at him and nodded, placing the cheese and wine in front of him.
"Make it last, lad, make it last."