Legend of Ransera

His face fell. He would have liked to help, but he understood secrecy better than most. Perhaps eventually he would know what the ladies were hiding, but the stakes weren't so terribly high—at least that he was aware of.

"I don't have pirates myself," he said with a humorous lilt, "but there are pirates on Lake Udori and in the skies, though Kalzasern airships and Avialae do patrol so the pirates tend to be careful around here." He shrugged. At one point, he had almost managed to interest an old friend in putting his piracy under the auspices of his keiretsu via a front so they could both profit, but alas, it hadn't come to fruition.

"And, well... the bartender can offer you a menu; there are a great many things available, though most are herbal, some enhanced alchemically. But I don't want to get on Ms. Ward's bad side, so I won't suggest any." He smirked, but seemed content to sip on his drink. There had been a period where his mental state had required such things in bulk as a coping mechanism, but he had learned to dance more carefully with those particular partners. He still occasionally felt the old self-destructive drive, but he had ways to keep it at bay now that he hadn't had before he came to Kalzasi.

"There's also a menu of flesh," he added, "if either of you is in the mood for pretty company tonight." Aurin hadn't been the sort of manager to sample the goods, though, over the years, he had sometimes slept with some of the courtesans, and even some of the whores. He could make some recommendations there based on experience or survey data. Clients were generally keen to talk and Aurin had always had a way to get them to open up. They trusted him with their kinks and shames for whatever reason, perhaps because they had seen him as the safe avenue to have them fulfilled and forgiven.

People were strange.

"I don't have pirates yet, Carina," he said, pointing at her with the hand holding his tumbler of alcoholic goodness. Apparently, enough time and alcohol had passed that he was using first names. He looked from Carina to Imogen and back, wondering if that meant Carina was intending to fuck Imogen later that night. The idea made him grin for a moment. "And, well, the show's in repertory at the moment, so there are plenty of days it's showing before you return to boring old Zaichaer. When do you want to go?"

After she had taken a pull of her smokable, he held out a hand. "May I?"

He wasn't going to get as smashed as them, but he would catch up a little to ride the communal highs.

"You know, you can come back and use the practice studios, Carina. Or we can all use a practice studio and spar..." He liked that idea, curious to see how the dancer and the Orkhan fought and hone his own skills. Just because he had a legitimate day job and his con artistry was sneaking through customs with a valid keiretsu didn't mean he could let himself get soft. There would always be danger in the world.

When he saw the longing look Imogen cast at the mulled wine, he caught the bartender's attention, pointed to the brew, and indicated he needed two. If it was alchemically enhanced mulled wine, well, it was tasty.

"For fun here...? Hm, even though I don't work here anymore, I tend to get my kicks people-watching. Kalzasi isn't a straight-laced sort of place compared to many other places I've seen, but it's still interesting to see what people will get up to when they think anything's allowed."

"I mean, I like to think I can have a conversation with just about anyone," he admitted. "I just try to find where our interests overlap and then lean into them. Sprinkle in some humor and the occasional flirtation and it seems to work out most of the time." People tended to assume he was much more sexually active than he was; that was to be expected when he was managing a place like this, though he didn't make a habit of shitting where he ate. Light, casual flirtation tended to make people feel good, though, so he wasn't opposed to it. The pleasure principle was helpful in building rapport.

"There was an Avialae whore who worked here a while back," he said in reference to what was or wasn't allowed in Kalzasi. "Wanted to be a courtesan, but Gods love him, he just wasn't smart enough for it. But plenty of people wanted to pay for him to be dolled up like a Great Lord or even the Shinsei and join them in a boudoir." He chuckled. People were funny, always wanting what they couldn't have or what they thought wasn't allowed. "Even the Kalzasern people find ways to make things taboo, and then break them."

He smirked at Imogen's reaction to the mulled wine.

"Indeed, intoxication tonight, sparring and pirate plays another time." He grinned and raised his glass. "Now tell us the rest of what sounded like it was going to be an embarrassing story..."

If he wasn't going to find out all their mysteries tonight, he would settle for a story. He took a sip of the wine and its spicy, heady bouquet crept into his senses. The night was going to get a bit blurry soon.

Lore:

Aurin:
Deception:
Deadpan
Double Entendre

Politics:
Hearing What Isn't Said
Become a Listening Ear

Imogen:
TBA

Carine:
TBA


Points: 10 each, not for magic

Injuries/Ailments: Hangovers, perhaps?

Loot: None

Notes: This is one of the kinds of threads I particularly enjoy, people living their lives and developing a story. Well done =)
If anyone wants lores/more lores just let me know.