The rest is still unwritten

[Hayzie]

Well, here it was. Avaren City.

"It's just somewhere new," the blonde girl told herself, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Never did she go to a place without chatting to travellers from there, and when she had heard there was a tavern without an owner not too far away in Avaren City, she'd leapt at the opportunity.

That was what led to Hayzie Roberts standing at the door of said tavern four months later. After all the paperwork had been completed, and a room put aside for her upstairs, she had packed her bag and left.

It was that easy to leave.

You left it behind, and moved on.

New people, new experiences... it was that sort of thing she thrived for. Unlike most girls her age, there was no way Hayzie was ready to settle down, have kids, get married and be a housewife. No way. She was good at what she did, and was more than happy to carry on that way.

Grinning up at the sign, simply reading "Tavern", the blonde girl, standing only at five feet, pushed open the door and walked in, savouring yet again the smell of a new tavern. The embers in the fire were just dying down from the previous night, the smell from the small cracks in the ale barrels was filling the air, and the stools most definitely weren't straight at the few tables around the room.

"I'm home," Hayzie whispered, giggling slightly to herself.

[Malachy]

A day Had passed since he had first come to the kingdom of Avaren. So far, he had kept his ear hidden from the vie of the public eye buy the use of the hood on his traveling cloak. After his treatment at in his home town he was cautious in revealing just, what he was, a half-elf.

As he entered the tavern He Discovered a new face. Well it wasn't like he was one to judge at the moment, he was new himself, but he hadn't seen her around the town at all, and he had a pretty good memory. He walked up to the woman a light smile crossing his lips.

"Good day ma'am, you knew around here as well?" He asked her curiously.

[Zagan Extollere]

Snore...

What loud and raspy sound permeated the air of the tavern while Zagan slept. Slumped on a stool and propped against the wall as if he had just fallen asleep midsentence. His clothes were unkempt and his hair even less kempt. Whatever kempt meant. Is kempt actually a word? Zagan dreamed fitfully of a world where it was not. It was a terrible world. Kempt was his favorite word now, he decided. He shall defend kempt. When he would create an adventuring guild he would call it The Kempt Defenders and they would fight for peace, justice, and literacy. He dreamed of that glorious team of superheroic adventurers, with himself as their noble hero, of course.

With a start, he awoke, losing that wondrous dream. He blinked a few times, unsure of his surroundings. He realized he was still in the tavern and no one had bothered to wake him. He also noticed his moeny pouch was gone. Maybe the word kempt wasn't enough to make this world good. Oh, well...there's always gold on the monsters that I can kill and sometimes a magical fire ring. What is a monster doing with a magical fire ring? We may never know...

He saw a girl standing in the door and was startled. Does she have a magical fire ring...?

[Hayzie]

Good day ma'am. You new around here aswell?

Lost in her daydream, Hayzie had dropped the bag onto one of the nearby stools and was looking around, only broken out her her reverie by the words being spoke, and slightly echoed, around the room.

Turning to face the source, a smile easily reached her eyes. "Guilty as charged. Only just walked through the door," she replied, nodding towards her bag. "It's nice to meet someone as soon as you arrive though, don't you think?"

Taking a few steps back, green eyes made their way around the ground floor once more, her smile only widening. A few Hayzie touches, and the place would be home again. Though, as she looked round, a figure caught her eyes that she hadn't seen when she walked in. "Ah! Two people! Even better," she continued, hardly allowing a word in edgeways. Most improper apparently.

"Hayzie Roberts, by the way. It's a pleasure."

[Malachy]

Hayzie Roberts, by the way. It's a pleasure.

"Malachy Thunderoak, and the pleasure is mine. I've only been here about a day. and the tavern, so far seems to have become my residents." He said happily as he found an empty seat and sat down. "So Hayzie, what bring you to this, so far, fair kingdom?" He asked again. He looked over ans saw the other gentleman, or so he thought. "Hello to you too."

This situation was a fine one indeed. but where was the barkeep?

[Hayzie]

At this point, the smile could grow no more. "What brings me here, you ask?" she said, biting her lip gently. So many people refused to believe her when she said this. There she stood, five foot tall, about to announce to the world what she was doing in the new place.

"Well, I'm here to run this place," she answered, her tone simple. "Nice to know I've got a regular thirty seconds after walking through the door! It's nice to get straight to work, you know?"

Yes, Hayzie was not like most girls of their early twenties. She wore clothes passed down to her from male friends, leaving her standing there in dirt stained pants, and shirts, as opposed to skirts and heels with refined blouses and ruffles. Oh no. That life was not for her.

Pausing to tie her hair back loosely with a piece of string from her pocket, green eyes looked around. "So, looks like we're open! What can I do you for?"

[Malachy]

Well, I'm here to run this place,

Malachy's first thought was in disbelief, she looked far to you, to be running a bar, she might make a fine barmaid but not a manager. However, the wilderness had taught him to never trust a book by it's cover, so to speak. He looked her up and down. "Well, at least you have a job." He said with a grin. He only had what was left of what he had when he started his journey really.

"How about a cider?" He asked. he didn't feel like putting the alcohol in his system. He would rather not become rude and obnoxious. Besides, he liked spiced apple cider more than ale. "you know I need to get a job before I run out of money. You want a bouncer?" He asked some what comically. He knew how to fight and he knew how to break up fights. He might as well earn his keep somewhere.

[Hayzie]

Hayzie raised a brow, rummaging under the counter for a glass. She really was going to have to do some work and get things where they should be. Pouring out the drink, the scent of apples making her even happier, the blonde rose a brow.

"Are you trying to tell me, Mister Thunderoak, that I am going to attract enough trouble here to require a doorman?" she smiled, keeping an eye on the drink being poured. When it was done, she placed it on top of the counter. "Let's just say, I'll see how things go. Will probably have a staff wanted list up before long, but I don't even know what staff are here yet," she explained, only telling it as she knew it.

[Malachy]

"You, will attract plenty of attention. Ms. Hayzie" He responded with a grin. There was an underlying compliment in that statement. He was in directly calling her attractive, and he wondered if she catch it. He didn't really mean anything by, though it was the truth.

"And not all attention attracted by yourself or the drink. are the greatest of nature." He added as he too the glass of Cider. He too a drink of the warm spice liquid, and suppressed a hum of satisfaction. "Just remember if you find you have an opening, I'll be glad to help." He finished.

[Hayzie]

The roll of her eyes said more than words ever could. It wasn't the first time anyone had said something like that to her, and she was almost positive it wouldn't be the last. "Allow me to assure you, good Sir, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

Trying to figure out exactly where things were, Hayzie glanced up. "However, if there is an opening, you, Mister Thunderoak, will be the first person I'll consider."

The blonde girl knew full well that some attentions were not brilliant in nature. Heck, being in the job she was in, you almost expected it after a while. Some things had happened that she didn't wish to remember, and would remain forgotten. Though others... others she held more fondly in memory.

Pulling another glass and pouring some water into it (after all, travelling was not easy work), green eyes looked back over to Malachy. "So... from the little you know, what's this place like?"

[Malachy]

The half elf nodded in appreciation. He had other people to ask as far as erning money went Maybe he become a mercenary. Though the prospect of Killing for money. or fighting some one elses war, did seem troubling to him.

He thought a moment on her question. He had spent the day getting his barrings, and restocking his rations. He hadn't seen to much of the town yet, and he was still unsure of whether or not he would even stay long. "So far it's been peaceful. Though that's probably because I haven't cared to explore the places poetics yet. The people seem pleasant enough to do business with. There's still pogues and the like, I'd say it's just another ordinary city, just bigger." he explained as he thought about it.

[Reily Leigh Arlen]

Reily was still trying to get the hang of navigating around a place as big as Avaren. She was so unused to big walls and stone houses. The streets were narrow and almost enclosed, and there were so many people it made her head spin. She was wondering if she had made a mistake in coming here. A small girl raised in a village which lay thirty-odd days to the south west did not belong in a city such as this. But no, she could not go back. She was here for a reason, and even if it took her years she would learn to endure this place. She had to.

Hitching her pack higher up on her shoulders, the red haired seventeen year old looked first one way, then another. She had no clue where she was or in which direction she was supposed to be heading, but there, to her left, she espied a welcome sight.

Every traveler learns to appreciate the local watering holes that are dotted along their paths. A welcome respite from isolation; food and warm drink and shelter for a night makes a nice change, after all, when you've been out in the elements for weeks on end. Reily headed for the doorway, her expression relieved but still wary. You never knew what was around the next corner. There might be mages in there, or drunken ogres like in the fairy tales. Feeling her knife at her belt to check it was loose in its sheath, she approached slowly.

Stood in the doorway, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. When they did, however, she saw that there were three occupants of the bar. One, a small woman - shorter than Reily herself, even - and two men. One was clearly a remnant of the previous night, and Reily decided almost immediately to give him a wide berth, and not merely because of his disheveled appearance. Instead, she walked over to the two talking to each other.

Reily was a slight figure of a girl, though at least five or six inches taller than the other female, with wavy red hair shorn, boy like, about her shoulders. Her eyes were steely grey, a solemn and thoughtful expression ever kindled behind them. She was clearly also a new arrival in Avaren - her clothes her heavy with wear and her cloak, which may have at one time been light blue in colour, was stained with grass and mud. Her skin, too, which should have been pale, was masked with dirt. Still, her gear - boots, leggings, tunic and leather jerkin - all looked comfortable and well-fitting despite its otherwise tattered appearance. The long knife at her side added to the atmosphere of competence, but she was obviously lost. She greeted the pair with a slight nod of her head and spoke softly.

"Is the bar open yet?" she inquired, not sure of which person to address her questions to. "And is there somewhere I can rest and get some food? Or maybe wash?"

[Hayzie]

"Well, that's good then," Hayzie answered, standing back up from behind the door. A peaceful place, plesent people, and ordinary? The barkeep could certainly deal with that. Oh yes.

Strolling back round to the front of the bar, green eyes looked up to someone else, looking as if she was new too. Maybe this is a very new city... she mused to herself, raising a brow at the question that was asked.

The girl who had walked into the bar looked not much younger than herself, and yet too young to be out on her own looking for a place to rest and feed. "Is the bar open yet?" the blonde repeated, biting her lip. There was nothing like getting stuck in, and she doubted any of the other staff would be around for a while for her to meet. Someone had to do it. Sure, it wasn't 2008, but customer care was still paramount.

"I guess it is!" Hayzie replied joyfully, her smile growing once more. Getting a board, she placed it in the window. Under New Management. That was what people outside would read, and the opening hours would go up again first thing the next morning. Occupants of the rooms above the bar area would be served breakfast between 7am and 9am, and the bar would be open for lunch and drinks from 11.30am onwards. Hot food would be served in the evening between 5pm and 8pm, before alcohol took over as sales until midnight.

That seemed fair enough, and had always worked before.

Pulling open a leatherbound book Hayzie had noticed as she was pouring Malachy's cider before, she blew some dust off the cover. Had no one stayed in the Inn for that long? "There's definitely a place to rest and wash," she replied, a concerned tone in her voice. Was this seriously how the place had been run? "And I'm sure we can rustle up something to eat! I'm starving myself," she smiled, looking around the bar.

"Anyone else for anything? May not be the best cook in the area, but I'm sure something half edible can be made."

[Kina]

Kina wandered into the bar. "Whiskey, here." he called, and sat down on a stool. The bartender brought him the drink. He took a deep swig, and asked for another one. And another, and another, and another, until he fell from his stool onto the floor with a loud crash. "Oof, heh heh heh...." he laughed and blanked out. The rest is really unwritten....as he woke up in an alley, with a cast on his arm.