A Viper in the Lion's Den

[Kotoru]

☵ A Viper in A Lion's Den ☵

☵ 3rd of Searing, Year 120 ☵
"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"
"Sojin Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

---

The Journey was an interesting one, especially for the young viper. Koto had never truly traveled beyond Kalzasi, let alone the Free Cities of the North, so this was a true culture shock for him. He never heard of this "Atinaw" place they were headed to, but his parents expressed that he go and see the world while he was still young.

His parents were always cryptic with certain things and part of him felt as though they were trying to get rid of him for some reason. He didnt mind though, as to him, everyone gets what they wanted. His parent would know he was not causing harm or trouble as long as Sojin was with him, and he could finally do what he wanted without being restrained.....well to a degree. He was certain his overpaid babysitter would keep him on a tight leash.

As they neared their destination, Kotoru was like a kid in a candy shop, seeing the wild expanse of land before him. "A new playground" he thought to himself in awe of the sheer beauty before him. It could never match the beauty of Kalzasi, but it damn sure was nice to look at.

His eyes widened, seeing the capital city come into view, Sojin laughs a little at Koto finding the childlike wonder amusing. "Welcome to Alfsos Little Viper" Sojin alerted, the two riding toward the city. It was unlike anything Koto had experienced, seeing so many people, such diversity in their race, as he was used to humans & availae.

It was definitely a culture shock, but one that was very much needed for the young noble. As they trotted through the city, Sojin asked where the nearest inn was, and a kind elderly woman pointed them in the direction of one in particular. The Silver Lion Inn was their destination and Koto was not sure what to expect, but he would suck it up and embrace the experience of meeting new people.

Tying their horses up, the two crossed the inn's threshold, the smell of food he has never encountered before filling his nose and making his stomach yell for some. Both moved towards the bar, Koto looking around the building and craftsmanship of it all. He was highly astounded by it. Seeing the young viper in his own world of amazement, Sojin decided to get things rolling, the first thing being to find a room in the place.

"By chance, you would have a room available. I and my associate are new to the city and need a place to stay while we get our barrings." the bald bounty hunter asked the bartender

[Patrick]

A Viper in the Lion's Den

Searing 3rd, 120th AoS

Business had picked up at the inn a few hours ago, yet somehow the flow of booze hardly seemed to stop today. Searing's arrival had brought hotter weather and, therefore, more demand for drinks to bate the patron's breath. But of course what really was selling faster than the Inn could keep up, was none other than the chilled drinks that they had available. All their lager and even their bottled drinks were selling too fast, enough to the point that Albert himself needed to increase inventory shipments. From the looks of things the Inn would only continue to endure this high demand, hell even ice sounded like a good investment to start selling at this point.

Yet aside from their problems with increased demand in cold beverages, the Barnell clan worked at a steady pace considering the state of things. Elinora and Albert were discussing how they would handle this sudden rise in the office. While Rose and Dominik were carrying drinks towards customers sitting at tables, and Connor and Patrick worked the bar together for what would become the remainder of their evening. Besides Vincent liked to have the kitchen to himself at times, since he dealt with so many customers in one whole day; and it gave him and Connor both breaks from their usual routines.

Except while the two brothers were working the bar, new arrivals entered not moments after Rose finished placing her next order down. "Welcome sers." She greeted them plainly with a soft smile on her face, before heading back to the bar to collect her next order. The two men distinctively looked foreign, enough to draw attention from the general public in the lobby. Even Dominik, Connor, and Patrick were distracted by them for a moment, if only for that long before resuming the consistency of their workflow. That was when the two outlanders reached the bar, the bald one spoke to Connor with a distinctively foreign accent. Were these two from Kalzasi? They had so little travellers from elsewhere, so few and far that it was difficult to tell where they came from.


Both men looked to be relatively young for adventurers, their heritage noticeable with the angular features found in their eyes. One looked older than the other of course, probably due to the fact he shaved his own head bald. Nevertheless they were interesting characters to look at, and Connor wasn't afraid to chuckle when he addressed the both of them. "New huh? Definitely look the part." The youngest sibling remarked as he the mug he was cleaning down, that is until Patrick moved to grip his shoulder softly.

"Lemme take this one." Connor looked to his older brother and, for a second, almost pouted before moving aside to let Patrick take the reigns. For all he knew the younger sibling likely wanted to have first dibs on the newcomers, since normally Patrick or Dominik were the ones to rent the rooms out to newcomers. Regardless the second son moved towards the end of the bar, with a brief lean down made to grab the logbook; before placing it down on the bar to look within it's contents. These two men were looking to rent a room, so he needed to make sure they had the availability firsthand. "Let's see..." He took an index finger to brush it along the page, stopping at the header for Cuvindas when he reached it.

From there he checked the rooms themselves, noticing that they only had one room available at the moment. "Ah, crap..." He thought to himself as he glanced up at the two, a hint of consideration prevalent in his expression as he readied some ink and a writing utensil. "Looks like we've only got one available tonight I'm afraid. It's a simple decor with two single beds, will cost you ten dranari farthing a night." He explained before looking from the book up towards the two once more. "It's yours if you want, just need names and an idea on how long you're stayin'."

After he finished Patrick looked back down at the logbook, waiting to hear what the bald man might have to say.

"Wonder who these guys are..."

[Kotoru]

☵ A Viper in A Lion's Den ☵

☵ 3rd of Searing, Year 120 ☵

---

The glow of his amber eyes looked upon those staring at him and Sojin. It was something he was used to from where he was from, so this wasnt bothering him. He finally turned his attention onto the man at the bar. Pulling out a small bag he sat it on the counter.

"However long 500 farthings gets us. We intend to be here for the foreseeable future." he answered, a blunt and expressionless look on his face. Sojin could only laugh. taking the pouch and placing it in front of the bartender.

"My apologies for my friend, he isn't used to being around the common folk and is a bit uncouth at times. Seriously though we will be here for the foreseeable future and until we get a place of our own we need somewhere stable. So we'll take that room." Sojin added, slighting an eye at Koto who returned the look to him.

"Im not that uncouth Sojin" he spat back, leaning up onto the bar and looking at the bartender, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "So whats this place like? Do you guys have any raider trouble? Maybe bounties that need hunting? monster to slay?" he asked in rapid fire, his enthusiasm like that of a child.

The patrons around him gave a laugh though it was a serious question, and he was unsure of what he said was funny. His glowing amber eyes stared at the man in anticipation of his answer. He could only imagine what strong prey resided here, it almost made his mouth water.

Sojin could see it, and he was impressed by Koto's passion, then it cliqued, they never properly introduced themselves to the man. "The name is Sojin by the way, and this one here is Kotoru, we are traveling mercenaries from Kalzasi. We dabble in a little bit of everything, magic, bodyguarding, bounty hunting." he said standing from his stool and bowing. Koto followed suit and did the same as well.

"As a member of the House of Hattori, I am grateful for your hospitality." Both men took their seats once again, Koto feeling a little awkward but knowing manners and first impressions were important. "I hope my eagerness to know if there is anything fun to do didn't scare you. I'm known to have a pension to stab things, strong things." he said with a grin and laugh.

---

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"
"Sojin Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Leliana]

Leliana had been flitting around bussing tables as guests left, making way for the crowds as they came steadily through the doors. It was a busy spell and time was passing quickly. She found that she enjoyed the repetition of it. It let her simply turn off her mind and not focus on anything too terribly taxing. Stack plates and glasses on tray, wipe down tabletop, tote it all back to kitchen, rinse, repeat. Every so often she would help carry some drinks and food, but only after receiving strict instructions for where and to whom.

They were taking it slow breaking her in which she appreciated. Some of the patrons weren't quite so patient but she had to remind herself that they had been drinking and didn't have the best sense. She'd been around her fair share of drunks in life, though those circumstances she had no choice but to be courteous and keep her mouth firmly shut. Now she had much more wiggle room, and it was a liberating feeling.

"About time! We were dying of thirst over here!"

Right on cue, the next table were having a little too much fun. They were speaking the native language so she didn't actually understand what they said, but she knew the tone well enough. Leliana stooped down to set the tray on the table, heavy with five full tankards of foaming ale.

They waited hardly a breath before reaching over and taking all of their drinks, shoving them together in a clumsy salute. A few immediately started drinking, amber liquid dripping into their beards. One of them stopped with the rim at his lips, looking her up and down while she cleared a few empty plates from the table.

"Have'na seen ya 'round here before. Where ya from?" It was still in that unfamiliar local tongue, but she paused and lifted the full tray.

"Sorry," she replied in Common with a shrug. "I don't speak the language."

"That's rude, don'cha think? Comin' ta' our land an' not knowin' Kokalath?" He switched to Common fluidly but there was a somewhat heavy accent dragging his words.

"I think it's worse to assume someone who's never been to Atinaw to speak the language after being in Álfsós for all of four days. Maybe you should mind your own business."

He seemed shocked and turned red as a few of his friends pointed and laughed. They must have murmured a translation to the rest because soon the whole table was chuckling and poking him in the ribs. Leliana turned on her heel and returned to the kitchen to drop off the dishes without another glance their way. When her tray was empty she returned to the main room and wandered behind the bar. Patrick was there with a pair of men and the logbook she recognized from a few days prior--the same one he'd pulled out when she first arrived.

Curiosity getting the better of her she made her way closer, just in time to catch some of the conversation. Magic? Bounty hunting? Monster slaying? The half-breed eyed the strange pair openly, not even trying to hide the skeptical look on her face.

"You seem eager to share everything about yourselves to strangers," she commented bluntly from behind Patrick's shoulder. It didn't sound like a compliment, and it wasn't. They had a suspicious air about them. Admittedly Lily was an extremely suspicious person, but that was one of the reasons she was still alive today.

[Patrick]

A Viper in the Lion's Den

Searing 3rd, 120th AoS

While Patrick had been aware that their newest hire was working tonight, he had felt comfortable enough to let her loose every now and then. The past two days had been filled with showing her the ropes, as well as helping her get adjusted here within the city. But of course that didn't mean Pat didn't look out for her, since he was the one in charge of teaching her things after all. So naturally he paid a bit of mind when customers gave her a difficult time, and in hearing her response to a group of rowdy regulars; he almost couldn't help the smile he would've cracked in front of the two foreigners.

His father definitely would've approved, hell he's always told Rose she's too nice for her own good. Leliana however seemed to possess the right kind of temperament, unafraid to stand up for herself even when she remained dedicated to her work. The two outlanders were his main focus however, since the younger looking man bluntly stated the amount of farthings they had on hand. Five hundred?! Who the hell were these guys? A season ago Talon showed up swimming in his own lump sum of cash, and now here were two other men who came from Kalzasi; offering double the amount for a place to stay no less.

"Well, five hundred farthings will get you the room for fifty whole days." He explained to them with a notice at who was approaching now, as Lily exited the kitchens once more to join him from behind. The two outlanders seemed to briefly bicker with one another, suggesting to Patrick that the one called "Sojin" must have been his guardian of some kind. That was when the younger one began to rapidly throw questions out, heavily reminding Patrick of a habit he tended to have when curiosity got the best of him at times. It honestly amused him a little, yet the nature of these questions felt considerably odd as well.

And of course the other customers within the bar's vicinity could help but laugh, the vast majority of them being clansmen who more than likely have faced Atinaw's dangers. Patrick honestly couldn't really find a way to outright answer those questions, since he himself was aware of how wild and untamed the wilds outside could get. He hadn't experienced any incidents for himself just yet thankfully, but then again he never outright looked for trouble where it was obviously abundant. While Patrick wasn't sure what to say, the Sojin character took it as an opportunity to clear the air a little; introducing himself and the younger one with the name Koto.

They were apparently mercenaries, the kind to handle any type of work. They certainly looked the type now that he looked at them differently, a stark contrast to when he figured Lily to be in the same business they were. Then again there were many types of mercs out there, and these two were ones that hailed all the way from Kalzasi. Koto mentioned something about a House, with the name Hattori mentioned behind it. A charming fellow to be sure, for he definitely seemed quite eager to... stab things? Patrick honestly wasn't sure how he felt about them now, mainly due to how unpredictable this Koto Hattori character came off as.

Then Lily pointed out the fact they shared quite a bit indeed, far more than most strangers liked to share about their own personal lives. It was a curious situation for Patrick now, and when he glanced it was from her back to them. Interesting. Could these two really be mercs hellbent to experience hell itself? Or were they just putting up a front because this was new territory for them? Regardless this just became another lesson on life in the Silver Inn, and Patrick didn't waste the opportunity to teach Leliana about it. "Apologies Koto and Sojin-sama, we're not used to havin' such forward guests." He quickly remarked after her comment, another look directed to Lily as he nodded for her to come up to the bar.

"Now's probably a great time to learn how to sign new guests in don't you think?" He remarked with a raised eyebrow, hopeful she wouldn't shy away from his prompt as he focused on the two men. "There's always work for mercenaries in Atinaw, we ourselves don't have a board with odd jobs; but there oughta be some in a few other pubs and taverns. You could also visit the other Clans and see if they need any work done in their territory." He explained plainly with a warm smile presented to the both of them. "Rest assured Koto-sama; Atinaw is as wild as it is beautiful to look at, with all sorts of dangers out there waitin' for you. Hell you could probably ask some of the warriors in the lobby here, half of them have more than likely seen their share of horrors in the wilderness."

With that said he looked back to Lily once more, and focused more on the logbook so that they could finish the reservation. "Alright, Lily. You've seen everyone usin' this to fill out reservations," He pointed out as he pressed a finger onto the page, "Each page of the book lists all seven days of the week, and at the start of each day we update it reservations that are ongoing; as well as checking patrons out of their rooms when they're ready to leave." He explained as he moved his finger back down towards Cuvindas, with five entries listed but one of them incompletely filled. Room Two. "Now that we have our guests names, we'll write them down here next to the room number; as well as the amount of days they're stayin."

As he elaborated Patrick showed Lily for clarities sake, taking the quill from it's ink well so that he did precisely as mentioned. "And then after they provide the payment, we provide them with the room key." Well that was usually the case, unless there came instances where they needed to show the room off first. But that wasn't necessarily the case this time, since these two men already stated their stay was only temporary. From the sound of it they intended to find a place to live here, which meant they both only needed the room to rent for a while. "Before I forget, patrons who rent rooms here also have half off on drinks and meals; for the duration of their reservation at least."

With that added he reached up to pull the key for Room Two off the wooden beam, a patient smile given to the outlanders as he waited for them to come up with some kind of payment. He didn't expect the five hundred out right, as that was insane, but at least something to start off the rental ownership of the room for now.

"Wonder who these guys are..."

[Kotoru]

☵ A Viper in A Lion's Den ☵

☵ 3rd of Searing, Year 120 ☵

---

Koto was surprised by the number of days they would have for that much, but he had the coin to spare at the moment, and once he could find work and make a name for himself, he knew the money would be flowing in like a river. He watched the man intently as he showed the woman that spoke out earlier how to log entries in some book.

Her question, more so accusation towards them set a smirk on Koto's face, his hand resting so casually on the hilt of his sword. Sojin gave his shoulder a reprimanding squeeze, which caused the viper to hiss at him. It wasn't like Koto was actually going to attack her, but it would have been fun to see how quickly she reacted to him.

"Well, we like to be upfront, it's better to be honest in a new land than start things off with lies. It's not like we have anything to hide, I'm actually kinda proud of the vermin I've killed in my career, be it bounties or bandits on Kalzasi's borders, or brutes who beat on prostitutes." he replied, a gleeful smile on his face. His glowing golden and black eyes poured over the woman now that she was in full view of him. She looked like a capable fighter if he had to guess, she had this aura of combat about her.

If there was one thing Koto loved it was strong warriors, even more so he loved killing them if given the opportunity. Looking around the tavern now that he thought about it, most of the patrons here looked rather strong. Koto found himself salivating a bit at the thoughts brewing in his head, how exhilarating it would be to take down one of these hardy warriors.

To add to his excitement, hearing the barkeep explain that this place was full of exciting fights ahead truly sent Koto's enthusiasm into overdrive. He didn't know where to even begin. Go to the clans, or just trek into the wilderness and challenge the wild itself. "So tell me then, have you heard anything that would be fun to kill. I rather not allow my sword to go dull or my skills to get rusty. Though if you would like to spar with me at some point, that would be wonderful too! Sojin is a Reaver, so if things get intense he can step in, isn't that right Sojin?" he inquired and volunteered all in one.

Sojin gave him a look a parent would give their child for saying more than they should have. The young viper could only snicker as Sojin shook his head. "Please forgive him, he tends to be really passionate about fighting. He's always been that way from what I've been told by his parents." the bald warrior apologized.

One more thing popped into Kotoru's head as he didn't think of it till now, and figured there was no harm in asking. "Do you guys support magic btw, I was hoping to meet other wizards here, maybe pick up a new magic or two." he inquired, though Sojin only sighed. "You are only a little ways past a regular apprentice in your summoning, and are still learning Elementalism, pace yourself Little Viper." he scolded, which only made Koto frown and hiss a little at him.

Hearing the man ask for the payment, Koto slid the pouch of 500 farthings even closer to him. "If we are still by day fifty, I can extend our stay another hundred days with 1,000 farthings." he noted, reinforcing his claim by shaking a rather large bag, the clang of money

---

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"
"Sojin Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Leliana]

The halfling just couldn't help it. This Kotoro character--his mannerisms, his words--they left a very obvious leer plastered on her face. Her lips curled slightly and her eyes narrowed, teeth grinding with the effort to keep her mouth shut. He was a walking red flag if she'd ever seen one . Leliana could admit that she was overly suspicious and distrustful of people, and she doubted anyone could blame her for that, but even so these two were a strange lot. Sojin at least seemed a little more pleasant, not that that meant anything.

It was a force of will to tear her eyes off them and turn her attentions back to Patrick. She moved closer to his side, peering around his arm to the open logbook of guests. All of the writing was in what she assumed to be Kokalath. It was all foreign arrangements of letters except for what he explained were names next to the list of rooms--of which she very distinctly did not see hers anywhere. She gave him a sideways look but said nothing. That might have to be a conversation for later. Still she hummed along with his explanations politely, nodding that she understood--which she did--and absorbed the information dutifully.

"I'll remember--but I will probably ask for help the first time so I don't make a mistake."

The topic was momentarily forgetting when the newcomers opened their mouths again. Leliana immediately bristled. The half-breed looked closely first at Sojin, the apparent Reaver, then back to Kotoru. Mages, openly flaunting their skills. Her father would be up in arms over this. He had ingrained into her that she should never make a show of magic. It wasn't a casual thing like talking about the weather or breakfast. Most of them were very old arts, often misunderstood, sometimes feared.

This time the white haired half-breed snorted and scoffed. Many people knew of magic, saw it, even had some part in it, but openly announcing it to strangers seemed like a dangerous and honestly stupid thing to do.

"You must be very confident if you're willing to tell us everything about yourselves like this. Confident or careless. Do you tell everyone all the aspects of your being, or just strangers in bars? What if the wrong people hear you jabbering on about your business?" Her cheeks were rosy now and she'd squarely put her hands on her hips. She was really getting going now. "Hasn't anyone ever told you--" She was looking right at the Kotoru fellow now. "--about stranger danger? You might be able to swing a sword all well and good--and--whatever else it is you do, but giving yourself away to everyone doesn't seem very smart to me."

Why did she even care? Maybe it was because they made her feel like a liar. Leliana herself hadn't told any of the Barnells about her past. These strangers were being far and away more open than she had with the family whom had taken her in, given her shelter, a job, and kindness. She may have been projecting a lot of her own inner turmoils on these two, even if they were being incredibly careless. If they wanted to get themselves killed, it wasn't actually any of her business.

[Patrick]

A Viper in the Lion's Den

Searing 3rd, 120th AoS

Generally it was at points like this Patrick wished that Leliana was familiar with the Kokalath tongue, as that would've made talking about the two strangers a lot easier. Needless to say he did appreciate their strange sense of honesty, even if it was a little unmerited, for that made understanding who these men were easier. When patrons were wide open about their trivial pursuits, it generally made their job easier in the long run most of the time. "Well, I'm sure you'll find loads of interesting things to kill out here." He remarked heartily though Lily would likely detect that small hint of sarcasm Patrick always hid well.

Working with him for a few days now, it was likely she had started to pick up on all his little quirks. Not that he didn't mind of course, if she was going to be part of the crew here; then she'd need that ability to work well with the others. Vincent and Dominik were quite easy to get along with, while Rose and Elinora were typically more supportive ones, so it was really Albert and Connor she'd have her work cut out for. Albert especially given the fact he wasn't so easily impressed, although Lily's start at the inn certainly hasn't gone unnoticed by him. Connor of course... he was just the handful of the group, and while Patrick could've easily told Lily to ignore much of what he said... he had a feeling the new barmaid could figure it out herself pretty quickly.

It was then however that the Koto fellow seemed eager to ask what there was to kill, and even went so far as to suggest a chance for sparring sometime. While Patrick never really actively fought other warriors, being challenged wasn't something he took very lightly either. Then again he didn't really see Koto challenging him in that regard, rather just stating that they could give it a shot sometime. The suggestion itself provoked curiosity within him, as the bartender couldn't help but wonder about this man. Both of them actually. What was that he had heard about a Reaver? Likely something more to do with magic. Fascinating. By now it would be the most obvious mannerism to Lily, as Patrick's eyebrows slightly furrowed when he focused on the two outlanders.

If they were capable of magic and used it for their mercenary trade... then that meant they had to be quite an effective team together. Part of him wanted to understand this better, because he had only seen so little magic in person honestly. What was it about these two men that were different from Taelian? How could they use magic in a way that he could not? Now the gears in his brain were grinding, almost in a trailblazing speed now that he had begun to ask himself all these questions. "No offense really," Patrick responded in turn to Sojin's apology, "it's uncanny but fightin' is a way of understandin' your friend I think." Of that he felt sure of, as there were many a warrior who used to feel the same. All the Clansmen of old were hearty and hardy folk, willing to test one another in however way they chose; some were even crafty and clever about it also.

Regardless of how they handled a challenge, they ultimately did it to better understand one another; never to kill one another in the name of sport. Sure enough Patrick came to learn, through their conversation with one another, the types of magic Koto seemed able to use. Elementalism? Summoning? Those were ones Patrick knew about from Taelian after all, though the first he never demonstrated any power over. No. He remembered now; Taelian had told him his lover used Elementalism. Regardless the information he'd just learned intrigued Patrick, well enough to notice one unusual mannerism found within Koto.

"This motherfucker hisses like a damned cat or somethin..." He muttered strictly in Kokalath, refraining from burying his head in a hand with a sigh at best. Not only was this such an unusual thing for him, but now Patrick began to wonder who the hell this Koto person was exactly. It was a shame however that he'd not be able to find out indirectly, for the idea of conversing with a hissing man didn't maintain a jovial allure like some would think. Sure enough the received payment was hinted more possible payment, implying that they'd rent the room for far longer if necessary. Honestly the fact they could flaunt such money around amused Patrick, as he had never really met- actually nevermind... there were a few dingbats and adventuring wannabes who weren't afraid to share knowledge of their fortunes.

Although those bastards didn't typically make it too far when the left the inn to resume their journey...

Still the payment and the instruction he gave to Lily were both received, as Patrick nodded to her warmly with a smile on his face. He expected it would take a couple tries for her, before she'd feel ready to handle logging reservations by herself. Needless to say the tangent she went on with these two amused him further, and almost instinctively Patrick had to look towards the office door. Just as he suspected, Albert was watching the two of them even as they spoke. He had likely heard most of what Lily had been saying, for the owner looked expressively amused by her banter in his own way. "Nevermind, he already likes her." The bartender figured to himself as he looked back to the two men.

"Let's show you to your rooms then?" He offered in Common before reaching past Lily to grab the key, determined to lead the three of them upstairs lobby. While there was a common area for sitting and lounging within, Patrick didn't quite stop until they reached the door marked with the same number as the key. Room Two. Finally when the others were there with him, Patrick unlocked the door to open it wide for them; so that they might be able to enter and inspect the room. Two single beds with a footlocker at the end of each one, a woven rug stretched underneath both of the bed frames, a dresser and even a vanity were positioned in the corner of the room.

While it looked somewhat a little small, the room itself appeared well maintained; a condition that would hopefully remain during the duration of Koto and Sajin's stay. "Please remember," He started in Common once more, "there is no fighting, no yelling or revelry after sundown, and no unwanted behavior towards other patrons. As one of the proprietors here, we welcome you to the Silver Lion Inn; and thank you for your patronage." He recited as per the usual lingo with warning mercenaries and other thuggish warriors that ever stayed there, now that the whole professional business was out of the way though; Patrick felt they could visibly relax a little. Particularly if Lily wanted to stick around and converse with these two a bit more, since he certainly wasn't against the idea of getting to know them a bit better.

"Wonder who these guys are..."

[Kotoru]

☵ A Viper in A Lion's Den ☵

☵ 3rd of Searing, Year 120 ☵

---

Both men raised a brow as the barmaid berated them, both finding amusing. Sojin was no pushover and Koto had his archetypes and was capable, so neither could really see what she was so upset about. However, it truly did amuse Sojin, but only for a few moments. Whatever he was thinking Koto could see irritation written all over his face.

She didnt truly know them, so why did it matter whether they boasted a bit or not. Making a good impression on a new land was key, and this was the best way he knew how to do so, despite whatever she may have thought. Koto couldnt help but crack a smile, however, as her feisty attitude intrigued him a bit. He wasnt used to this, especially in women. Neither his mother nor sister were as firey in personality like this one, and he liked that.

Koto's intrigue turned into excitement as the barkeep confirmed that he would definitely find things to kill here, which made Kotoru eager to get out there and start sharpening his skills. "I like this one, though she is very quick to judge." he spoke in Synkrit, causing Sojin to laugh and nod in agreement.

When the barkeep offered to show them to the room, both Kalzasians nodded and followed behind him, the barmaid in trailing behind them as well. Koto figured she was in training or something and didn't mind her walking behind him. In the time it took them to reach the room, Koto was pooling a considerable amount of aether in his hands in preparation. Once at the room, he stopped in front of the doorway and extended a hand.

"Sah'viirdost" he whispered, his glowing amber eyes glaring a bit as the archetype sprang forth before him. "Check the room, make sure there is no trace of her here." he commanded, the skull glowing green in acknowledgement of the order. He watched intently as the spirit sifted over the room. Koto however found himself falling to his knees, as the price for calling the spirit was more than what he had expected and prepared. Sojin came to aid him back onto his feet, then looked to the Barkeep.

Coming to stand close to the barkeep, Sojin tapped him on the shoulder, calling him away from Koto and the girl. "He was almost killed back in Frost, and ever since then he's been somewhat paranoid when going to places. He has to make sure the room is safe before he can relax. Apparently a very powerful and dangerous sorceress tried to kill him and he is still shaken up about it. His pride as a warrior and a Hattori has been damaged. Another reason why he's so eager to get out there and kill your monsters." Sojin explained, hoping the display of magic would cause them to be thrown out.

When the phantom jellyfish returned to Koto, it gave off a green glow which was its way of say "All clear". Koto let out a sigh of relief and immediately went to the bed, tossing his bags to the side, removing his shirt, and flopping onto the softness of the bedding. "Oh how i missed the sweet comfort of a bed." he rejoiced, the Sah'viirdost floating above his head. His scales who glistening from the sun peeking through the windows and his own sweat.

"No worries here, your house your rules. DOnt worry about this little guy, the Nahl class are practically harmless." he assured, sitting up to pet his archetype. Sojin stood next to his own bed and place his bags onto the floor next to him. "I don't believe we caught your names by the way, I'd like to know what to call the ones who's roof I'm staying under." his gaze landing on the barkeep & barmaid, but more so on the male, as it seemed he was in charge of the in.

---

"Common Speech"
"Synskrit Speech"
"Sojin Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Leliana]

She didn't really like the way they looked at her, especially when they started speaking a language she didn't understand. It made her feel vulnerable. At the same time, she didn't think it was a good idea to leave Patrick alone with them, so she reluctantly followed them up the stairs under the pretense of being a dutiful employee. His family had gone out of their way to make her feel welcome, safe, given her a job, a room--she couldn't let him handle these suspicious men by himself. At least not in good conscience.

It was a good thing too. When they arrived to the room, which she was very much aware was just a few feet from her own, the individual names Kotoru made some sort of gesture with a quiet command or some kind and summoned a creature the likes of which Leliana had never seen before. She couldn't help the audible gasp that escaped her. Without thinking, the half-breed grabbed Patrick by the forearm and dug her blunt nails in. It was like a floating jellyfish, ethereal, green in hue, but inside it was a sort of humanoid looking skull.

"What... the... fuck... is that?"

It seemed to exhaust the mage considerably. He was either already on the brink before summoning the creature or it was a taxing task to do so. Perhaps both. She found that she couldn't quite look away from the whole ordeal. Her face had contorted with a mixture of shock, confusion, and considerable intrigue. When the gelatinous skull returned to its master there was some sort of silent exchange. It shimmied and brightened briefly, communicating in a way that she didn't understand but he clearly did.

Next thing she knew, he was half-naked in bed, fully at ease and relaxed. Her face was still a mask of disbelief--maybe even more so now.

"What is going on right now?" She realized she'd been squeezing Patrick's arm a little too tight for a little too long and quickly let go. "Sorry," she mumbled hurriedly, shaking her head as if to rein herself back in. "My name is... Leliana," the half-elf offered to the pair after a long hesitation. They didn't need a surname, but she couldn't see much harm in a first name. Another moment and a thought struck her. "Are these things going to be roaming around the halls?"

If she was going to be running into weird creatures on her way to the privy at night, they were going to have some problems. The look on her face now made it very clear that she did not approve.