CH. 10: Queen of Harts

[BishGada]

"I concur, and at daylight you have better view of the goods." Baeros says regarding Jocelyn comment, "Besides, you would like to meet Saren, he saved Andar after all." Seeing no one is interested in his gambling methods he thinks to himself, 'Maybe it won't work after all...', and decides to put it aside for now.

[Breila]

"I think I would like to seek out ama's family now" Ouragana says. "Who knows if we have time tomorrow at all? anyone come with me?"

She heads out of the inn with the journal, towards the area of town where the receptionist indicated her.

[Nuke]

"Well, that works for me. I am hungry again. Let's eat." Val says

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn, Andar, Val and Baeros (Restaurant, Queen of Harts)
Andar, Val and Baeros descend the stairs to the first floor and head into the restaurant. After telling a server they are expected, they are led to Captain Saren's table.

The table in question is near the back of the restaurant, by a large open bay window that lets in a cool evening sea breeze. It's long and rectangular, with Saren and his crew on one side so that the party can take the other side.

Saren himself sits in the center and he nods and smiles warmly to the group as they approach. "Please, sit where you like," he says with a sweeping gesture alongside the table.

Immediately to Saren's right is a young human woman with short red hair and tanned skin; obviously from spending a great deal of time outdoors. She's wearing a loose red summer dress that leaves her shoulders and arms bare, revealing a small scar here or there. She lazily rests her head in one hand, elbow on the table, with her other hand playfully fingering her wine glass. She offers the party a friendly, laid-back smile.

To the redhead woman's right, at the end of the table, sits a blue-furred gnoll of all things. Gnolls, humanoids with the head of a hyena, are sometimes found among the islands, usually as pirates. This one has a rather intimidating look, with a large, nasty scar from between his eyes down to his snout. His eyes shift rapidly between the party members, and to anyone else who wanders by (including servers). He looks agitated, like a cat surrounded by dogs that is just waiting to be attacked. Every now and again, his right eye twitches slightly.

To Saren's left is an elven woman--the same one who waved her wand around Baeros and Andar. She's fairly attractive with long dark hair cascading over her shoulders, piercing blue eyes and pale white skin. Her expression, however, is completely neutral. She does not smile or show any emotion at all. Indeed, this passiveness was persistent when the party first met her, as well. She's wearing simple black and blue robes and does not acknowledge the party's arrival at all other than to look up at them briefly before returning her attention to her drink.

To the elf's left, at the end of the table, sits a gnome. She offers the party a big grin and even an enthusiastic wave as they approach. She has long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, blue eyes, and pale skin. She's wearing a pretty blue sun dress with a white floral pattern on it.

"I see your crew is as...colorful as my own," Saren notes with good humor.

(OOC: Take your pick who you want to sit across from; first come, first serve.)

Areilon and Ouragana (South Guild Jewelry Shop)
Meanwhile, Areilon joins Ouragana as they head to the jewelry shop that Ouragana received directions for from the receptionist. It's a cool evening out, and various street lamps begin to glow softly as the sun light fades. The lamps are not lit with flame, but some sort of magic, it seems.

"This place really is something, isn't it?" asks Areilon as they walk along the streets. "I've been here a few times, but I've never been able to stay long enough to enjoy it. We should return here and take a nice vacation after this whole pirate mess is cleaned up."

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn takes a seat in front of Saren. "We are missing two more," Jocelyn explains. "But they had an errand to run that couldn't wait apparently," she adds with a small shrug. "So, this is Andar, Val, and Baeros," she says, motioning to each in turn.

[BishGada]

Baeros with his "charming" personality can't hold himself but say to the gnoll, "Danger is lurking at every shadow, aye? Relax, we are nice people." and he takes a seat across to the gnoll.

[Breila]

"Actually, I'm considering staying here" Ouragana confesses to Areilon. "I might be of much more use maintaining the magic in this town than I am in adventures such as we have been having."

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn, Andar, Val and Baeros (Restaurant, Queen of Harts)

"So, this is Andar, Val, and Baeros," she says, motioning to each in turn.

"Charmed," Saren says. "Allow me to make introductions, as well. I am Friar Saren of Octhanus. This is Ozap Thahl," he says, gesturing to the gnoll, "my self-appointed bodyguard. This is Elisa Flores, my first mate and chief tactical officer," he says, nodding to the redhead next to him. "Tivrella, my second mate, navigator and ship's sorceress." He nods to the elf on his right. "And finally Zarva, our chief engineer." He gestures to the gnome.

"Danger is lurking at every shadow, aye? Relax, we are nice people."

The gnoll, Ozap, growls at Baeros like an angry dog.

"Easy," Saren cautions the gnoll. "We are in a public place. We're all perfectly safe here."

Ozap snorts, but backs down. However, he keeps his non-twitching eye on Baeros.

"Please forgive his lack of table etiquette," Sarean says. "Ozap is...a little overprotective of me, but he means well."

Areilon and Ouragana (South Guild Jewelry Shop)
"Hmm, that's not a bad idea," Areilon says. "With the gold we'll make taking down these pirates, we could both buy homes here. Of course, I could never give up my life at sea, but it would be nice to have a house to come home to every now and again. And this is a wonderful city."

The pair reach the shop which bears a sign reading, 'South Guild Jewelry Shop.' Stepping inside, they find a dwarf woman standing behind the counter. "Welcome to my shop," she says. "You looking to buy or sell?"

[Nuke]

Val takes a seat by the gnoll and the redhead. "Good Evening" she says.

[HorizonsDream]

"How did you come across such a crew?" Jocelyn asks curiously as she glances to the gnoll.

[BishGada]

"Hey Ozap, no harm done..." 'yet' Baeros adds in his mind. "Let's just enjoy the atmosphere." Baeros looks around "Nice to meet you all again."

[Breila]

"Neither buy nor sell, fot eh moment. We have come to give" Ouragana says somewhat enigmatically. "We have found something that belonged to the previous owner of this shop and are looking for her family to give it to them."

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn, Andar, Val and Baeros (Restaurant, Queen of Harts)
Jocelyn sits across from Saren, Val across from Elisa, and Baeros across from Ozap. This leaves Andar the last to sit, so he sits across from Tivrella.

Now that everyone has been seated, the server takes their orders. Ozap orders a slab of beef with an ale, Elisa orders honeyed ham and fruit with a wine, Tivrella orders a salad with a water, Zarva orders salted cod (with extra salt) with a mead and Saren orders herring and steamed vegetables with some tea. The server then turns to the party and asks them what they would like.

"How did you come across such a crew?"

"Elisa, Tivrella and myself all attended the navy academy in Immerfort together," Saren says. "We studied and trained together, and consequently, became good friends along the way."

"Those were the carefree days," Elisa recalls. "Well, for me, anyway. As I recall, you two would have spent the entire time locked in the library studying instead of having any fun, if I didn't drag you out now and again."

"And you would have flunked out of the academy from excessive drinking and staying out all night, had we not persuaded you to study now and again," Tivrella points out.

Saren chuckles. "I guess you could say, we help balance each other out. As for Zarva and Ozap, they joined up with us after I left the navy, became a friar, and acquired my own ship. We picked Zarva up in Sanctuary; she quickly proved her expertise in all things ship-related, and I invited her to join us. Ozap, well, perhaps he'd prefer to tell the story himself."

Ozap's ears rise and he tears his gaze from Baeros to look to Saren, realizing he had been addressed. He sniffs, wiping at his snout, then speaks. "I sailed with a group of pirates," he begins. He speaks slowly, as if each word is a strain to say. "We attacked the captain's ship. We lost. My crew left me behind. The captain healed me; showed me kindness. Now I serve the captain."

Zarva giggles. "You're an awful story teller, Ozap! Needs more drama, more excitement!"

"Ozap gets straight to the point, though; and that's why we love him," Elisa teases, scratching behind the gnoll's ear. He growls at her, but does nothing to stop her.

"And you?" asks Saren of the party. "How did your group come together?"

Areilon and Ouragana (South Guild Jewelry Shop)
The dwarf appears disappointed when Ouragana says they aren't buying or selling, but she perks up at the word 'give.' However, after hearing that the 'giving' will not be to herself, she looks disappointed again. "Previous owner?" She blinks, then thinks a moment. "You don't mean that crazy elf lady with the difficult to say name, do you?"

[HorizonsDream]

"Well, I met most of the people that I'm with in Narin," Jocelyn explains. "Except for Baeros, who we met not too long ago," she says. "I was there to be tested to see if I understood the teachings of Octhanus well enough. I'm not sure why the others were there, but we teamed up."

[BishGada]

Baeros tells the server, "I'd like mash potatoes, double course, vegetables salad, also double course, ahmm... and a small pile of all kind of nuts... hmm... I'm debating if to order some fish... what fish do you have today?"

As his name is mentioned Baeros looks at the Jocelyn, then the others smiling, but not sure what to say so he turns back to the server waiting his answer.