Snow Tracks

Snow Tracks
Date of Scene:	23 July 2014
Location:	Ivalice
Synopsis:	A right crazy bugger has been wandering the Felmarian Highlands night and day, asking after Dragons only to disappear as quick as he came! We thought t'was bad enough he was always wanderin' around outside the house aimlessly like a blind Chocobo huntin' fer seeds in the snow! But now, he's gone and wandered off somewhere else and we're afraid he might have been chasing fairies into the mines! It's a meager sum, but we'll pay ye to find 'em alive, okay?! That damnable place is full o' things far worse than Dragons <Location: Mining Town of Gollund, Free Mission.>
Cast of Characters:	Maya, 129, 236, 307, Riva Banari, 513
Tinyplot:	Of Stones and Sins

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Ultima (129) has posed:
Mining Town, Gollund, -

It's mid-day and the sun is high over this small town south of the Royal Capitol; a sprawling municipality that serves the profitable interests of the Royal Family - through the employment of its vast underground coal mines - and the interests of her people. Despite being a relatively small urban sprawl, this area is one of the most wealthy and opportunity ripe areas left in Ivalice.

It isn't the most comfortable of places to live, however, being that it seems particularly predisposed to extremely cold weather. In fact, the entire town is presently blanketed in nearly three feet of snow... with more being carried in on frigid, westward blowing, winds... and it doesn't look like it's about to stop coming in any time soon!

People seem to be coming and going rather busily, milling about the town square and its connecting streets, and tending to their daily chores or paid occupations at this time. There's wives hanging out clothes, often suspended above fires for the drying, kids playing in the snow, shopkeeps hawking their wares and... miners in ragged cloth and coveralls tending to the Colliery on the northern edge of town. Some of them with rather sizeable wheelbarrows full of coal...

<OOC Note: To recap, your mission was to find a missing man. There was concerns he may have disappeared into the Mines (Colliery). How you choose to handle this is up to you. If you need advice, ask, though I encourage exploration.>

Allyn (307) has posed:
Slinking through the snow, seeming to be quite at home in it, mostly because of his thick coat of fur in his current form, a snow leopard. Though the folks here in Ivalice never seem to know what he is, other than a 'coeurl' but that is alright, no one has really tried to injure him, maybe it is because he lacks those longer whiskers and the lightning that the actual creature has? Well, whichever.

He's decided that the town might be a good place to start anyway, so he slinks through the streets, glancing around, maybe he can hear someone talking about the missing miner, though he is feeling a bit mischevious, but actually in good spirits compared to last time he was in Invalice. He's still limping a little on a back leg from a battle, but his other wounds had been patched and tended to.
He stops when he gets close to a miner and sits, looking up at the person and purrs quietly, "Excuse me sir, do you know of a missing miner? Any rumors?" he swishes his tail across the ground.



-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "Anyone else investigating this mine?"

Riva Banari has posed:
Find a missing person. Seems simple enough. She's had to do this more than once in recent times.

Unfortunately, most of the time those people were found dead. Or worse.

Ever the optimist, however, the novice Templar hopes to accomplish a more satisfying ending this time, thanks to the environment not being /saturated with evil/.

She thinks while absently shifting in her jacket. She hasn't really checked yet. Thankfully, her uniform keeps the worst of the cold off, but she's still a little chilly... Nevertheless, Riva walks down the street of Gollund Mining Town in her Templar uniform, with a blade and a pair of machine pistols at her sides.

She checks her phone wtith the documentation of the missing persons report. "Wandering male, unknown name or description, suspected location mines. Check." She looks around, blinking, and thinks for a moment, her eyes straying to the men carting coal. Her eyes brighten. Coal comes from mines, right? She walks down the street, heading towards the mine, and the source of that coal...



-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "Oh! Um, hi! I'm Riva. Nice to meet you all! We're all working on this together, I suppose. Can anyone try to get us a description. Maya and I will begin looking for signs of the missing person at the mines, and you can follow as soon as you have any of the information you believe you'll need."

Auron (236) has posed:
Towns! Investigation! Also snow! Auron's bundled up warmly now, though with a scarf instead of that collar. He is wearing his shades, to dampen the glare from the sun off the snow. Since he usually wears a big heavy red coat anyway, he's fine for warmth.

Now, how's he going to figure this out? Talk to people! He begins with the merchants. If they're out on a regular basis, they'll have at least heard of the man. Maybe they know if any of the man's relatives or friends live near here? Anyone that the man might have been in contact with very recently.

He's trying to stay out of the way of others here, as he doesn't want to interfere with their efforts. Their differing methods of investigation might yield more information than his.



-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "I'm speaking to the merchants now. I hope one of them can point me to a friend of this man's."

Maya has posed:
Maya does not like the cold like this. She can handle cold but not winter, she doe snot like winter at all. She's wearing a cloak of some sort which covers her body, a hood pulled up over her head and even a thing of cloth over her lower face. The strange rifle she has however is across her back, though it's been wrapped in cloth to likely help protect it from the cold. She wondered where the missing man might be? Riva would find the cloaked woman coming behind her and taking a look at her. She's got the idea to check out the mines too.

"Hey, Riva right? I'm Maya, and humm checking out the mines is a good idea though given this place there could be things lurking in there. It's best to not go alone, right?"

The only bit of Mayas face that Riva could see at the moment would be bangs of dark metallic blue hair, green eyes and the upper part of her face, which does have what seems to be some tattoos on her cheeks but those continue down under her scarf.



-<RADIO: 7>- Maya says, "Seems Riva and I have the idea to do the same"
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "Ah, Maya good to hear you. Yeah, I am trying to ask a miner I found if he knows anything."
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "I'll see if I can get one of the merchants to describe him."
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron pause. "Oh yes. My name is Auron."
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "Sure.. I'm Allyn. Will see what I can find out.. and good to work with you again Auron."
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "You as well, Allyn."

Finna (513) has posed:
    Quite unusual for the area, one of nature's creatures has come into the city at an odd hour and... is currently occupied playing with some of the kids who don't know any better and are too excited to see the fluffy, playful Snow Fox. But mounds of snow are being thrown around, there's a lot of chasing going on... what rules are at play? Who's winning? Like Calvinball, it's hard to say, but there's lots of laughter going around.

    Until some nearby conversation about a missing miner reaches the creature's ears, after all. That sobers the playful creature - enough that it ends up TACKLESQUEEZED by a girl in thick furry clothing! Squeezed a little too tight.

    With a squawk the Snow Fox wriggles free, then darts through the snow, away for now...

Ultima (129) has posed:
The miner Allyn addresses, a short and stalky male wearing a tattered blue hat, turns slightly from inspecting the contents of a wheel barrow - a large pile of filthy, black, coal in fact - to look in the direction the voice came from. He looks confused, momentarily... his brows knitting themselves neatly together... before he looks down.

His face pales the color of the snow blanketing the ground... "C...C..."

"...C-Cat? A... talkin'... cat? ...You ain't a monster is you?" He leans in, slightly... one eye squinting as his face takes on an incredulous appearance. Apparently this one's been breathing sulfur a little too long... "...Nope. No missing miners 'round here..." He removes his cap, scratching his semi-balding head, "...That I know of."

Riva would get far toward going for the Colliery, seeing as most of the working hands are distracted at present, ... but the moment she gets a little -too- close to the Colliery, she'd hear a voice call out, "...'ey, girl!" And if she looked, directly to her right, she'd notice a man dressed head-to-toe in white cloth stained gray with dull gray steel worn beneath. A tall, green-eyed, blonde soldier with a scrutinizing stare, he points in her directions, "...Village is back that way. The coal mines aren't open to civilians." He casts a wary glance toward Maya also, "...You too."

The merchants, though, are a slight less rude... one of the men Auron approaches gives him a quizzical look and places a crate he was preparing to tote inside of his store back on top of another. "...Missing...?" He pauses for a while. "...No regular folks 'round here missing, I knows that much! ... Is this person a friend of yours? Know anything about him I might could recognize? Any details about how he might look... or behave? Anythin'? This place is so familiar to everybody, why... one of us'd notice immediately if something was missin'."

The abandoned child, confused at her new 'toy' running away, screams "...Kitty, come back!" and gives chase shortly right behind... running right toward Auron in the process...

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn lowers his ears a moment and shakes his head, "I promise you I'm not a monster. I'm a friend, its just being a cat makes travelling a bit easier, especially in this snow." he purrs to the miner, "Hmm, maybe I was mistaken, maybe he wasn't a miner, but have you heard of anyone that's gone missing in or near the mines? He may have been talking about dragons, or something like that? If not I guess I'll have to find others to ask."

Maya has posed:
Maya is making for the mine along with Riva, she looks ove the blonde soldier for a moment as sh takes a moment to size her up in turn.

"We're looking for a missing man and what information he may be at the mines. I'm no looking for trouble here Ser..."

She does hope she doesn't have to name drop Faruja to get past this guard.

She takes a flance over to Riva for a moment wonder what she's got to say on this.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva smiles to Maya as she joins her. "Glad to have your help, Maya. I hope everything works out..." And then things don't work out. Gee, as if miners would let random nosy people into their mine, right?

There is a moment where Riva sighs to herself, before she draws herself up and puts on her best smile as she waves to the soldier calling to them. "Hello sir!" Riva replies. "Sorry for interupting your work. We're in the process of investigating a missing man." She taps at her phone, calling up the information she gained from the job offer once more. "Apparently he was a strange man who was wandering the Highlands, asking about dragons? And then he subsequently vanished. There are concerns that something might have happened to him. My contact believes he might have run into the mines."

She looks back up at the man. "Would it be possible to allow our group to investigate to ensure that the man is safe? It would be very unfortunate if something to the man within the mines..." She pauses. "Especially on your watch, sir."

Auron (236) has posed:
"He supposedly has a reputation for being crazy," Auron replies to the merchant. "A man wandering the Felmarian Highlands, asking after dragons? Fairies were mentioned, but that may have been an exaggeration. The fear is that he'd gone into the mines. I've been asked to look into his disappearance."

He pauses then as he hears the girl's voice, and turns in that direction. He steps out of the girl's way, with a bit of a chuckle. He sees the girl is chasing... well, that's not a cat. But it's just a little girl, surely the creature can escape. She just wants to hug the 'kitty', right? He is probably not aware that 'kitty' is someone who's helping them.

Finna (513) has posed:
    After seeing that there's a child after her, the Fox spots a good hiding spot: Auron's coat!

    The warrior might feel a weird momentary draft and weight scamper up his coat and cling to a leg...



-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "hey Auron you still have that kitten with you?"
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron flat tone. "...What kitten?" Because that totally didn't happen.
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron ...! Yes, that's audible. Somehow.
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "Oh, hmm well maybe it was my imagination. I thought last time you had a kitten attached to you. I thought I heard someone yell cat"
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "A young girl mistook a fox for a kitten." Pause. "...A fox that I think just crawled into my coat."

Ultima (129) has posed:
"DRAGONS?!"

The old geezer shouts, toppling over into the snow, and draws stares from all around. "...L-Lords, no! We ain't got no Dragons here, and don't want any either!" He sounds positively terrified, suddenly, "..Your friend got missin' after givin' chase to a Dragon... well..."

He picks himself up, dusting the snow from his breeches before continuing, "...What did ye' expect?! Ain't nobody seen a Dragon and lived to tell about it!" ...They probably haven't seen one at all, actually... "You just give up on that guy, ya' hear?? Ain't NO good gonna come from chasin' one of them things!" ... He then promptly begins to push his coal cart off toward the Colliery again, making furtive glances back at Allyn every now and then as he goes...

The soldier glances over Maya, who is first to refute his expressed command, and he opens his mouth to repeat the order with a lowering of brows until... Riva steps in with 'those' details'. He takes on an incredulous air at the mention of Dragons, but doesn't flatly deny the possibility, "...Dragons...? Ha! 'Tis a joke, surely... perhaps the work of a Court Jester would be your better suit...?" And he's apparently very rude, too. "...I canst deny..." He gives a almost... derisive glance toward the coal miner who was addressing Allyn moments prior as he wheels by... "...some of the workers might think so... the fetid, stagnant, air of the caverns below are nay better for the mind than poison..." He shifts his weight, bringing his left hand to rest on his hip... very close to a sword pommel... "...But you'll find no Dragons here, ..." He doesn't seem particularly cowed by her insinuation his job were at risk, "...naught in the way of admittance either."

Somewhere behind him, the slightly crazy miner from earlier can be heard shouting in echoes, "...deeper still son', might be Dragons wanderin'!"

The merchant Auron is speaking to, presently, suddenly bursts out laughing! "...Dragons ye say! Oooh hohoho... nope! Ain't never seen one of them round here! ... But..." He stops to strokes his greying beard, eyes twinkling with a bit of youthful mischief. "...A crazy fella' ye say? Hmmm, oh aye... I suppose I did! Seen somethin' strange anyway..."

He kicks the wooden crate lightly, just more than a tap twice with the side of his boot before placing it back in the snow. "...Oh yes, I was deliverin' some of my brews down at the tavern... few nights past... saw a strangely dressed fella... looked like a Knight!" He stares off into the distance, as if imagining the scene again. "...Well dressed fella, wealthy... maybe a man of the Church... handsome, youthful, strapping young fella... yeah. I remember... he seemed to be arguing with that Barthalameu 'bout somethin'. He was probably a visitor, I reckon'... ain't seen him since." He casts a sidelong glance at Auron again, "Barthalameu... he's a bit of a cranky fella'... but he means well. Usually guardin' the mine entrance. Why not ask him about the man in 'Gold and Green'?"

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn watches the miner go and just blinks. he gets back up and the cat seems to shrug some. Well not too much luck there, but maybe it is a little something. He decides to wander and go see if he can find Auron or the others that are here to investigate. He makes his way through the areas until he coems across Auron and once he hears over the radio, he starts to sniff at Auron's coat, looking for the fox,
He blinks at the coat, "Is there a fox hiding in here somewhere? Come on out fox, no one will hurt you." he swishes his tail and peers up at Auron, "Animals really are attracted to you, hmmm? Don't worry, I'm not going to suddenly start clinging to you."

Maya has posed:
Maya is starting to take a liking to Riva, as the likely younger woman talks to the guard Maya hangs back a bit and makes no agressive moves. She nods in agree ment. "If it is a trouble we just wish to help make sure this man is safe and as my companion said? Less trouble for your self."

The Guard knows what he's doing he's not stupid and she doesn't want to pick a fight.

"Err...Riva? Did you hear that?"

Auron (236) has posed:
Auron nods. For the moment he leaves the fox be, and keeps his attention on the merchant. "The fellow asking about them was who I was looking for. I doubt there would be dragons here," he agrees. "This fool's yammering could scare away visitors and hurt business here, so I've been tasked to find him and set him straight." Surface submission for the win? "Thank you. I'll see if I can't find this fool."

Allyn appears then, and Auron gives a chuckle. "I seem to have a knack for attracting smaller predatory animals." Fact, if that fox is climbing up too far, it just might get a whiff of the dried meat that Auron's got in his coat. It's wrapped, of course, but the nose of a fox never lies!

He turns away from the merchant and radios, "A merchant mentioned a name, Barthalameu. A guard at the mine. Grumpy fellow. He said to ask about a man in green and gold.



-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "A merchant mentioned a name, Barthalameu. A guard at the mine. Grumpy fellow. He said to ask about a man in green and gold."
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "The miner I talked to.. Well he kind of seemed to know something and kind of didn't... He said that there aren't any dragons here, then said what did I expect if the guy went missing while chasing dragons and that no one has chased one and lived to tell about it...He said to give up because no good can come from chasing dragons"
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "That /is/ sound advice. Under normal circumstances."

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva nods faintly to Maya. She caught that. However, she raises her hands, trying to calm the man down. "Sir, I am not attempting to question whether dragons exist within the mine or not. I am seeking a man, not a dragon. There are people who are very concerned about the man's disappearance. Surely if nothing is amiss there is no harm in allowing us to seek him out. Why don't you come with us if you are concenred for our behavior? The man's life might be at stake." She pauses for a moment, raising a hand to her ear. "Perhaps you might know of him? A man in green and gold?"

Finna (513) has posed:
    The fox peeks its head out of Auron's coat and looks around... to see... a talking snow leapord. The white-furred creature makes a noise that sounds rather like "*Eyyyyyyak!*" And hops out - using Allyn's back as a landing spot before hopping into the snow. It's tail end is now towards the group but the fox is looking over its shoulder, as if waiting to see what the group will be doing...

Ultima (129) has posed:
Barthalameu seems mildly placated by Maya's reply, affording the girl a slightly less stern glance and a subtle nod. "...All is well, then, if you understand." He leans back a bit, crossing his arms... and shifts his hands away from his sword hilt. They come to rest at his cloth-covered biceps instead, tapping idly there. Thus, some of the situations prior tension is relieved. "...Well, if you will..."

...his scowl creeps in again, just a little, as Riva interrupts him once more to continue along the same lines. "...Have you no ears, girl? I -cannot- allow unauthorized persons to..."

...That last bit causes his brows to knit, in confusion. "...Green and gold, you say...?" He seems to pause, deliberating, and then casts a curious glance at where she touched her ear. ... Then at the Tavern in the background, a two-story building not far from Allyn and Auron... with a patio and a smoking chimney. There's people chatting at tables up there. "...Mayhap I have. If it's THAT lunatic you're looking for, you can give up. He's lost in more ways than one!" He lifts a finger, waggling it slightly, before lowering it again. "...I saw him near yonder Tavern less than half a fortnight past, yes. He came asking after a woman... but I could make neither heads nor tales of the rest. Someone by the name of... Dular. This... 'Cadmus' fellow, he had the look of a Church man but the mind of a fool. When I told him we'd seen no new women folk around these parts in quite sometime he was quick to ask me if, perhaps, I'd seen a large lizard..." He smirks. "...Your Dragon, mayhap? ... I told him if he were looking for lizards he might try the desert. He seemed rather offended with my helpful suggestion."

He shrugs.

"...Once more, I assure you... there have been NO Dragons here and if THAT fool had been through I'd have caught him. Mayhap you'd be better served asking at the Tavern?"

The merchant nods, agreeable, waving after Auron as he goes to address Allyn, "Alright, you take care now! Don't let any Dragons get ye'!" He laughs, slapping his left leg before going for that beaten up old wooden crate again, "...Ehehehe... youngins' got some imaginations these days! Sign o' the times I reckon'... ain't enough work to keep 'em occupied... if they really is chasin' a guy like that... well...poor boy..."

The little girl chasing Finna, from earlier, cautious walks up to Auron a few moments after the fox leaps away from him... and reaches out to tug at Auron's pant leg... "...Mister... you seen a kitty?" She bites her lower lip, not seeing the fox for the snow... apparently...

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn nods to Auron and then blinks as the fox jumps onto his back and then into the snow. He turns to watch the fox as it looks back at them and ponders for a few moments. The cat gives a sigh and he shifts forms, becoming a fox himself, since its hard to speak fox as a cat. <<Fox can you understand me?>> he doesn't know the fox's name.

He looks up at Auron, "Well, I guess it is a good thing I'm not usually a small predator." he then tilts his head at the little girl, "Well, I was jsut a cat, but I don't think I am the cat you were looking for?"

Auron (236) has posed:
Something squirming around in his coat is a weird sensation, and Auron emits a surprised sound. But he smirks a little when the fox lands on Allyn. If it crawled in his coat, it's probably not afraid of him. Which is odd for a normal animal. After taking a moment to make sure that Allyn's all right, he reaches in his coat for a piece of that dried meat. He crouches, then, offering the piece of dried meat to the fox. While he does, he listens to the radio. Information! "Let's check there," he suggests over the radio. But first... beef jerky offering to the fox!

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva takes some more notes and nods. "I see. The tavern... Very well, sir. I appreciate your assistance. I will stop taking up any of your valuable time." She bows slightly, and then gestures to Maya, as she indicates they should withdraw. "There's something fishy going on here." She comments to Maya quietly as they head towards the tavern. "And we're going to need to get to the bottom of this." She grumps slightly when she's out of eyeshot. "Ugh, why do people have to be so... hardheaded?" She asks Maya. "Do you have to deal with this a lot?"



-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "I've gotten a name. Cadmus. He's looking for a 'Dular'... However, he's staunchly refusing to allow admittance."
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "Where did he last see this 'Cadmus'?"
-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "A week ago at the tavern."
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "I am starting to wonder if there really is a dragon or not.. Some of these people mention there are no dragons, but then they say be careful when looking for dragons. I wonder if its something else? something they are hiding?"
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "/Where/ did he see Cadmus?"
-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "The tavern over yonder, he said. Is there more than one? And they do seem to be particularly touchy on dragons..."
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "Let's check there."
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "Alright, sounds like a good place to go."
-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "I'll join you. We're not getting past this... jerk."

Finna (513) has posed:
    The fox is just rearing up on its hind legs in a half-leap to go for the offered beef jerky, with one paw against Auron's leg. From that angle, it's easy enough to tell the creature's gender - unmistakably female. But then, just as its jaws close about the treat... here comes that girl again. And the snow leapord does an UNEXPECTED CHANGE.

    The Snow fox scarfs that bit of meat down in a hurry, leaps up even higher to lick Auron once on the cheek... then WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH.

    It goes bounding back into town, past a building. On the way, it casts a glance over its shoulder at Allyn, and a world of meaning's contained in that glance. Allyn won't have any explanation for it, but they get the distinct impression the Fox is telling them 'You came just in time! Have fun!'

    At the asme time, a strange magic catches the girl's attention. At first it focuses on Finna, but then it's settling on Allyn's tail. ALLYN'S TAIL SUDDENLY SEEMS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND ATTENTION-DRAWING.

Maya has posed:
Maya nods about the Tavern for a moment she does not say anyhting for a momernt until she Riva mentions about what's going on here.

"We do Riva, and yes I deal with this a lot. I had to deal with things like this, dungones ove a thousand years old loaded with ... switch puzzels."

She makes a face that can be seen even under her scarf before she moves to follow after Riva.



-<RADIO: 7>- Maya says, "This world ... does have dragon problems on occasion I think, nothing like Samug though thankfully."

Auron (236) has posed:
Facelicked by fox! Auron turns his head a little, but chuckles at the creature's antics nonetheless. He's unaware of any magic. He stands, and turns with the others to the tavern. He'll wait to regroup with the others first, though. He only hears the tail end of Maya's and Riva's conversation, though, and keeps quiet to hear it. He also looks to Allyn, to make sure he's accompanying them.

Ultima (129) has posed:
The little girl seems to wander closer to Auron, attempting to clutch at his leg if possible, whilst still looking for Finna. She seems markedly unstable, likely because of the snow... kids of under five aren't exactly the most stable people to begin with. "...Mr., you seen..."

The tail of Allyn, whom she had not taken notice of or responded to, catches her interest -just- as he cuts her off. His propensity for speech, while in animal form, as it turns out... would now be his undoing. "...!!!" The little girl's eyes light up, her mouth opens, and she comes barreling toward him like a tiny train fresh off its tracks and with no hope of stopping itself. Arms wide, tiny mouth, filled with gaps where teeth have definitely fallen out recently, held wide in a BIIIIIIG SMILE...!!! "...KITTY! KITTY KITTY!"

Barthalameu seems placated again as Riva gives in, her bow earning her a mild nod of approval and unfolding of the arms. "Yes, well... do be careful... it is best not to get caught up with that Cadmus fellow. I'm warning you for your own good!" He seems earnest in this, at least. "Insanity can be harmless, or it can be very dangerous... I'm not altogether clear on -which- that man is!" And then he offers both girls a parting bow, as though he were willing to forget the entire thing had happened and busy himself with... staring quietly into the mines... for the moment...

...Meanwhile, some old tavern folk outside on the patio seem to be sitting down to a game of cards and hard liquor...

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment as the little girl comes towards him, he doesn't have time tog et away. He kind of yelps a little and lets the girl play with him, swishing his bushy tail. "Hi." he tells the little girl, "We were just heading over to the tavern, to look for someone. Have you seen any strange men running around?" he looks towards Auron and nods a little, "Let me know what the plan is, looks like I might be distracted for a few moments."

Finna (513) has posed:
    When people DO get to the tavern, there is already someone there who's by themselves at a table. A brawny man with thick arms. It is as though somone took a mountain and carved it down to the heart, then the heart just decided to stroll off to the tavern. His skin is rough and callused, his scars have scars and his muscles have muscles. He's UTTERLY bare-chested (quite odd for this weather), but wears great honking ragged trousers hoisted by straps over his shoulders. He is, however, at least SOMEWHAT shaven - his faze has some gritty and coarse fuzz in no real pattern, but it's kept short. His skin is pale, however, and his hair blonde. There's no mistaking his strong, just jaw, or the gazonga of a greatsword strapped to his back and the great mug of mead he's drinking. Does the tavern even serve mead?

    ... doesn't matter, he's drinking it.

    Strange how nobody saw him come in, nobody served him, and stuff like that. He wasn't there a few moments ago, but nobody seems to be paying this any mind. In fact, they're staying away from him.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva nods back to Maya. "I see. I'll have to ask you for advice more often. I'm still... Kind of new at this." She admits with a small sigh of frustration. She smiles over at Auron as he draws near and nods. "Hello, Sir Auron. Looks like that's the tavern we're looking for..." She points at the building, where the people are drinking and playing games. "Let's get to work." She says, as she steps up into the patio. "Hello there gentlemen. Nice evening out here." She says. "Looks like it's pretty cold out too. I hear some good drinks can fix that." She smiles and walks into the tavern, putting down a stack of Gil. "A round for the gentlemen on the patio, if you please." She mentions.

Once that's filled, she turns and brings the drinks out, setting them down for them to enjoy. "My friends and I are new here in town and we're looking for a friend of ours." She begins. "Maybe you guys have seen him? Wears gold and green, name of Cadmus?"

Auron (236) has posed:
    "Hm?" This in response to the girl's half-finished statement. And then suddenly she zeroes in on Allyn, and Auron smirks. "We should probably ask for this fellow. When you can get free, follow us."

    Oh, but it seems like they'll be able to ask outside first. He'll be behind Riva and Maya as they approach, and will wait to see what they do. With Riva taking the lead, it seems, Auron hangs back and waits to see how this turns out. hopefully the mention of the name won't make this turn into a bar brawl.

    His eyes are drawn to the large man in the tavern, but even while he sizes the other man up, he doesn't draw attention. Should he catch the gaze of the man with the greatsword, he will nod in greeting.

Maya has posed:
Maya is keeping with Riva as the pair catch up with hte otehrs as theyu make for the tavern. She knows they re not getting past them. She eyes odd man for a moment wondering what sort of madness afflicts the man they are seeking. She has to wonder, but she'll find out sooner or later, off to the tavern they all go!

Ultima (129) has posed:
The child seems content to pet Allyn momentarily, blissfully ignorant of the fact that real cats probably -shouldn't- talk! She attempts to grab at his tail, almost immediately, whilst doing so... and give it a quick -pull-! But whether she manages or not, a female voice can be heard calling out in the distance... and the little girl's head snaps around!

Suddenly, she jumps up and goes waddling off at the speed of toddler again! "...Mommy... I found a kitty! Can I have it?!" ... Perhaps now might be a good time to run... or maybe not be a 'kitty' anymore!

Riva plopping down that stack of Gil elicits cheers and hollers, not just from the men at the table, but also a few others nearby inside the bar proper. The door seems to be open, right now.

Almost all of the men at this table are wearing ratty clothes covered in black filth and caked with dirt. Two older men, one younger. The fourth gentleman seems more 'well-to-do'... probably a merchant! An older man near her wearing a cap, with blue eyes, smiles a toothy smile, "...Well, thank ye kindly m'lady... what might we kin' do fer ye'?" He cranes his neck back, listening, before responding, "...Cadmus, eh? Can't say I did... nope."

There comes the sound of a glass hitting the table, and a gasp of air... from the merchant. He wipes a bit of alcohol from a corner of his mouth, spots Finna... and stares quietly for a moment or two... before adding his two cents, "Don't know anybody with that name, personally. But I did see a knightly fellow the other night. He was a... refined fellow, dressed in gold and evergreen like the trees in spring."

One of the others chuckles, "Yeah, that guy... strange one. He came asking after... his pet lizard or something..." Another pitches in. "...A woman, wasn't it?"

"Mayhap....", the merchant cuts the others off again, "...But he was an odd fellow, yes. He had apparently been wandering the Felmarian Highlands for days in search of -something-... he came around asking and when he didn't get the answers he sought, he started asking after the mines."

One of the others chuckles again. "Nobody gettin in there that ain't s'pposed to. Barthalameu is a vigilant one... not like one's gonna find a ... woman? in there anyway."

His eyes track-sideways, a smile forming on his lips... a smile that stops when he spots that mountain of a man... and his brows knit so hard the may as well be a rug! "...Have I seen you... before?"

Allyn (307) has posed:
When the little girl's head snaps up ands he becomes distracted after giving out a yelp when his tail is pulled, he gives the little girl a lick on the cheek. yeah he's nice to kids. He wriggles away ands campers off towards the tavern where Auron and the others are. He sighs a bit, maybe its not always safe to be palces as an animal, he shifts as he runs along, he doesn't like the form, but for now he returns to his true human form, might as well just blend in.

He mutters and little and heads over next to Auron again. "I think I will be safe in this form for a bit." though he looks a bit uncomfortable now, darn two-legged forms.

Finna (513) has posed:
    "'prolly not." The great man replies gruffly to his addressee. "Jes' came in today followin' th' same trail. The name's Erik Blackburn! You tellin' me this knightly man's wandered off to these mines... 'n'yer not worried one bi' over it?"

    Naturally, he nods to Auron, then takes a mighty swig from his mug!

    His eyes settle harshly on the miners a moment later.

Auron (236) has posed:
    Auron listens to the men as they tell what they know. He keeps quiet for the time being, and then looks to Allyn as the now-human joins them at the tavern. A smirk. "Children of that age are... grabby," he notes. True, he hadn't had to deal with Tidus any younger than seven, but Tidus hadn't been the only small child in Dream Zanarkand.

    He doesn't attract attention to the mountain of a man sitting and drinking. Something strikes him as off about the whole thing, but he either doesn't know or knows better than to remark about it. Instead he looks to the miners as well, raising the brow of his visible eye. After a few more moments, he speaks up from the back of the group. "...Do you know how to contact this man again?"

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva nods at the response. "That's him all right." She replies. "He's a dedicated one." He thinks. "He was asking about the mines, and yet you say the guard, Barthalameu, is very attentive, and he denied letting the man in. or even seeing him before half a fortnight ago."

She pauses, taking a drink of her own as she thinks. "Do you think she might have fallen into a hole or somesuch? Maybe some kind of crevasse or sinkhole? Maybe that might explain it. If there's some other way someone might have landed in the mines, that might be why he needs to get down there."

Maya has posed:
Maya is now moving along side Riva nad seems amused she pulls off her hod and the sarf revealing her face along with her stupidly long blue hair she shakes it out a little bit and starts to take in the entire pub , she seems in a decent of enough of a mood as she listens.

"So a man looking for a pet lizard?"

Did they mean dragon? She wasn't sure, but it was a very possible thing here. They seem to have hit some pay dirt.

"That is some very useful information, thank you."

Ultima (129) has posed:
That miner that looked at Finna earlier raises his brows, looking like a frightened dog for a moment, before he manages to muster the wherewithal to wave his hands in front of himself. "...Ah just said, ain't nobody gettin' past Barthalameu."

One of the others pitches in with, "Yeah... I wonder if he even sleeps sometimes."

"..Naw, he does... round early mornin' usually."

The miner beside Riva casts a glance back over his shoulder at Auron, "Can't say I do." He looks at the others, and listens to what Riva contributes, before taking a glass in hand and leaning back into his chair. The wooden chair complains just a bit, as he leans back into it, and he stares up at the ceiling before pulling at the brim of his hat. "...Holes, eh...?"

The merchant casts a glance toward Allyn, momentarily in the silence, "...Boy, you look like a good farmhand. Or a shop boy. ... You from around here, ser? Would you like a job?"

The conversation, at least amongst the miners, mostly seems to stay on track though. "...Holes... hey, wasn't there an old back entryway?"

"It fell in, long time ago. Nobody uses it anymore, it's too dangerous. Got that place boarded up good anyway."

"Yeah..." The miner wearing cap contributes again, after a drink, "...even if you could get in there, no guarantees you'll be getting out. Those lower levels are full of evil, I'm tellin' you."

The merchant asides, speaking to Auron again... and then the group, "...Wisdom ought to inform that this is a fool's errand. Surely, chasing after a madman - but especially when you've naught even an assurance of were he might be - will take you nowhere but your end. ... Even if he is a fried of yours, I apologize, but this one might be a lost cause for you."

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn chuckles at Auron and shakes his head a little, "I don't have much experience with kids, well unless you count a little sister, but I haven't seen her in years and probably never will again." he sighs a little and then raises an eyebrow at the merchant.

He shakes his head, "I am not from around here, no, but I do know my way around a farm. What kind of job do you need help with? I'd be interested. I've got a few things to do around here though, but when I'm done we can talk about that job?" he grins to the merchant.

Auron (236) has posed:
    Auron looks to the miners in turn, and then to the merchant. "You may be right, sir," he agrees. "It's sounding like that." He does sound like he agrees with the merchant, that it's a fool's errand. However, he sends a meaningful look to the others in the group, and then to a spot some distance away. Looking once more to the merchant, he nods. "Thank you for your help, sir." He bows politely.

    Once he can, he heads to that spot, and speaks into his radio. "We'll still need to find it," he says quietly. "I have doubts that they're going to tell us. If they didn't want us going in the safe front entrance, I doubt they're going to tell us where the dangerous back way in is. I can search for it at night."



-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "We'll probably have to come back later. Maybe some recon is called for. I can stay here and see when the guards change shifts."
-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "Bingo."
-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "This is a good plan. Is there anyone else who is good at moving around at night? I'm not very stealthy."
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "I can move around as a mouse, night is best for doing that"
-<RADIO: 7>- Riva Banari says, "Perfect. We can stay at the inn in the meantime. Contact us if anything comes up, and once we have the location, we can move.... Um... If that's okay with everyone?"
-<RADIO: 7>- Auron says, "That might be the best idea."
-<RADIO: 7>- Allyn says, "sounds good to me"

Finna (513) has posed:
    With a resounding thump - despite the lightness of the motion - the mountainous Erik sets down his mug, shoves back his chair, and stands, only to silently slap his hands on the table, bump the chair back under with a tap from the knee, and then checks his equipment and clothes. "Then I've hit a dead end... better g'send a report..."

    Was he looking for the guy all this time? ... FOR someone?

    With a wordless grouble he drops some gil on the table and trudges out.

    Naturally, tailing the group.

    Give it about a half-hour, or when someone actually tries to clean the mug or use the gil, they'll find it's one big rock and a handful of tiny rock chips.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva looks glum, and takes a long pull of her drink. "That bad, huh. Well, if things are as dangerous as you say, I'm afraid of the worst for him. I guess I'll just have to stay a day or two and see if he comes up. If not, maybe I'll just have to tell them that he's gone, I guess. Thanks, guys." She stands, and puts a few coins on the table. "Enjoy the rest of the night on me anyway." If nothing else, they'll remember a woman and a guy asking some questions. If they remember anything through the hangover. In the meantime, the radio becomes the point of contact for the group to move to Phase 2.

Ultima (129) has posed:
The merchant nods, lifting his mug, taking a drink. "Certainly! I could use more hired help, ..." He chuckles, gesturing vaguely, amused. "...as I am sure has already been made abundantly clear." He then gives a knowing nod to Auron, "...Yes, yes. 'Know when to hold them...', ..." He gestures vaguely again, in a way that suggest he may be having a little trouble with coherent thought now, " ... or so they say." He eyes the deck of cards still lying face down on the table, grabbing it... "...Ehh, speaking of -that-...!"

Maya has posed:
Maya looks to Riva for a moment and humms a she also grabs her own drink sipping at it for a moment. She watche as Riva gets up and then she moves finish her drink off and follow Riva out.