World: Castle D'Image
Scene: The Twisted Fish, Southport. This was intended to be the beginning of a lovely grim plot in which the honest but bitter Jody would gradually be embroiled in sinister plots and probably eventually die. It never came off, however. Still, I like the log.
Players: Jody = Abby; Hosea = Diana; Rabbon = Rabbon's typist; Larkspur = Larkspur's typist
Jody is a smallish man, slight though sturdy, standing certainly no taller than the average, and possibly a bit less. His curling black hair is a trifle overlong, though not so long that he can tie it back out of his eyes. Dusky of complexion to begin with, he is sunburnt even darker; in this brown face his bright blue eyes are the more startling. He can't be over twenty-five, but his face has a closed, sullen look, and the eyes are almost always hard and opaque as clouded crystal. His undyed muslin shirt is a trifle too big for him, and worn in the elbows; the trousers are not much better, and his heavy boots are scuffed and battered from long wear. Occasionally, from under the dark curls, a copper earring glints.
[Hosea:] Skin bearing a tinge of olive is the accompaniment to black hair and brows, high sculptured cheeks accented with a triangular, precisely trimmed beard. The lines at the corners of his eyes betray that he is not young, but there is an ageless quality in his luminous, seafoam colored gaze. His nose is hooked over a carefully shaped moustache. Of medium height, thin and graceful, he studies everything carefully, thoughtfully, and deliberately. He wears understated clothes in grays and deep scarlet that nevertheless have the stamp of fine craftsmanship. A stone colored shirt with some richer embroidery at collar and cuffs tucks into pants the same shade. The deep red leather belt matches the embroidery and the gloves on his hands. His boots are a dark enough gray as to be almost black.
Looking around the room, Escargot asks "All right mates! Which of ye is going to be catching me up all the latest dirt?"
Rabbon tosses a look at Theo, mouth twisting, "You have to be so bloody exuberant all the time, you old bastard?"
Jody snorts at this.
Rabbon sniffs, and confides in the new arrival, "I'm going to get a rise out of that old bastard, if it's the last thing I do."
Jody snorts again, pushing his hands through his hair, and flags Escargot.
Hosea comes through the doorway and steps into the tavern's main room.
Theophile Escargot says, "Greetings mate! This be the Twisted Fish, and welcome you are! What can I get ye? Just take a look at our menu..."
Escargot warns, "I tell ye lads, stay well away from Howling Cat Alley. Ye'll come to no good there."
Hosea wanders into the bar, shaking off the cold. He nods around and studies everyone carefully.
Jody pokes his copper at Escargot, and subsides into silence again, sitting by himself at a table.
Hosea grabs a stool at the Bar.
Rabbon is lounging, as usual, at the bar. He turns a baleful glare on Theo, "What did I tell you about the docks, you ruddy pig? Don't bitch about the alleys, or the docks, or the customers..."
Hosea glances over at Rabbon with understated surprise and quietly orders a drink.
Escargot nods to him cheerfully. "Coming right up, friend!"
Jody snorts quietly at Rabbon's comment, but doesn't look around.
Escargot chuckles to himself. "The stories I could tell..."
Rabbon turns around in his stool. He grins happily, as his favourite hobby gets into swing, "You don't have any stories, you old goat. Except the ones you heard third hand from drunken sailors."
Hosea glances over at Jody, raking him with an intent gaze.
Jody doesn't appear to be paying attention to any of them, though he snorts yet again at this baiting of Theo.
Hosea essays a thoughtful sigh and slips from the bar to approach Jody's table. He speaks in low, cultured, precise tones. "Might I join you this eve?"
Jody looks up sharply, guarded, then shrugs. "'s a public place."
Hosea stands and leaves the Bar, and crosses to join Jody.
At the table, Jody falls silent again, plainly not making the connection that when people ask to join you they might actually want to converse.
At the table, Hosea holds his tea for a moment, sipping it and regarding you. After his consideration he asks, "You look less than pleased with this evening."
Escargot dries some glasses and carefully stacks them at the end of the bar.
At the table, Jody darts another glance upward. "What's to be pleased about?"
At the table, Hosea gives a graceful shrug. "What is there that you are displeased about?" He meets your glance with a querying look.
At the table, Jody eyes him. "'s cold. 's wet. They's debts t'pay. 'n' everybody wants something." He doesn't sound too involved in these woes; he lists them as though they're routine. Which, come to think of it, they probably are.
At the table, Hosea purses his lips and nods sublime agreement. "A good point. The weather is atrocious, and taxes and the like weigh heavy on a man's life."
At the table, Jody looks slightly thrown off by this word 'atrocious', but he concedes a curt nod.
Larkspur comes through the doorway and steps into the tavern's main room.
Theophile Escargot says, "Greetings lass! This be the Twisted Fish, and welcome you are! What can I get ye? Just take a look at our menu..."
At the table, Hosea leans back in his chair and sighs. "I have only recently arrived in D'Image, all set to do some trading, and I find that there are some awful laws about such here. Has it always been so here, with the crown... forgive me for saying this, but... crushing everyone beneath it?"
Larkspur steps inside quietly, closing the door behind her.
Jody glances back at the door, as greetings-lasses are somewhat less common than greetings-mates, and gives the girl a split-second's scrutiny before turning back to his conversation.
At the table, Jody eyes him warily, silent.
Escargot looks around, "Any of you know when the next ship is due in? Methinks the town has been quiet far too long."
Hosea does not glance up at the arrival, his thoughtful expression on Jody only.
Larkspur pulls back the hood of her fur-lined cloak, looking for a place to sit.
At the table, Hosea notes your wariness and frowns, apologetic. "Forgive me, I did not mean to say anything against the country of your home. Please, do not think it more than idle talk."
Rabbon slouches at the bar, still attempting to goad Theo into a reaction, sporadically.
At the table, Jody shrugs brusquely. "I don' care." He picks up his glass again.
At the table, Hosea watches you drink, a bit relieved. "I am glad to hear that. It is difficult. New country, new customs. The last land I was in, you could be beheaded just for saying you disagreed with the crown. Is it that way here?"
Jody leans back in his chair, regarding his tablemate with narrowed eyes.
Escargot mutters, "Something's been going on down by the warehouses, thats fer sure! I don't like it, not one wee bit!"
At the table, Jody says coolly, "Get that even if'n you don't, some times."
Larkspur finally takes a table by herself, more interested in shyly observing everyone than anything else.
At the table, Hosea regards you with some worry across his face. "Perhaps you will tell me what I should be cautious of in this land?" he inquires. "I have... little information."
Rabbon drops a look on the new arrival, then he shrugs to himself and returns his attention to Theo. "I've told you before, Theo. There's always something unsavoury going on near warehouses. It's their secondary function."
At the table, Jody gives him what might be a smile, if it were less hard. "You don' belong t'here, you got nothin' t'worry about. They's real nice to furriners."
Escargot rubs his forehead and looks tired.
Larkspur has disconnected.
At the table, Hosea reads your expression with some concern. "You do not suggest that I relocate here, though? What place is worse to its people than to travellers through?"
At the table, Jody shrugs, setting down his glass.
At the table, Hosea asks, "Perhaps you will let me buy you another drink?"
At the table, Jody eyes him. "Might. When I'm done with this one. If you got to."
At the table, Hosea replies, "You are kind enough to give me caution and not think ill of me for my questions. It is only fair."
At the table, Jody gives him a sidelong look. "Yeah."
Escargot dries some glasses and carefully stacks them at the end of the bar.
At the table, Hosea bows his head to you with a smile of gratitude. "You are a kind man, regardless of the bitter place you seem to be."
A short harsh laugh escapes Jody. He leans back in his chair, regarding Hosea in disbelief.
At the table, Jody says, "You say what, stranger?"
At the table, Hosea gives you a look of sudden discomfort. "Haven I spoken wrongly?" he asks, hesitant.
At the table, Jody shakes his head slowly. "Nobody called me kind in my ever-lovin' life, stranger."
At the table, Hosea looks worried more. "Is that the wrong word? I thought I knew this tongue better. I meant that you offer me advice and it is good of you to do so."
At the table, Jody shrugs ungraciously. "Don' want t'spoil your lov-e-ly stay in lov-e-ly D'Image."
At the table, Hosea eyes you and says, "Perhaps you need that drink I offered."
At the table, Jody favors him with another hard grin. "Y'awful eager, ain't you."
Escargot dries some glasses and carefully stacks them at the end of the bar.
Hosea calls over to the bartender, "Another drink for the gentleman here and I, if you please." He pulls some coin from his pocket.
At the table, Hosea gives you a mild look, much more piercing. "Perhaps," he replies.
Jody casts a look ceilingward.
At the table, Jody eyes him again, but says nothing.
At the table, Hosea says in a voice more serious, less apologetic, "I think that you and I may have some similar views on things, but neither of us are in a position to trust at the moment. Very well." He gives you a half-lidded, glittering look. "If you decide that you wish to do more than merely complaining, I will be in town for a few days."
At the table, Jody stiffens, sitting up a bit. "What's 'at supposed to mean?"
Escargot fetches his broom from behind the bar and quietly begins to sweep up.
At the table, Hosea regards you with a sharp smile. "I think that there is not much to mistake in my words. I hope that you get sick of being stomped down, and decide that you want something more than being the butt of the crown." He pushes back his chair. "Think on it, Master Lukas."
Jody stands abruptly. "Now wait just a damn minute."
Hosea rises and says in a soft voice to Jody, "If you wish to discuss it more, I am at the Lighthouse Inn. A pleasant place, that. Here, however, is not the place to speak."
Hosea stands and leaves the Oblong Table.
Rabbon tosses a look at the apparent commotion, then sighs. Nothing interesting, yet.
Jody catches at Hosea's sleeve. "I never told you my name."
Escargot looks rueful. "All the pretty women that pass through this port, and none of em with the time fer me..."
Hosea gives Jody a smooth smile. He mutters to Jody, "No, you didn't.... of... business... keep an..."
"No, you didn't. I make it part of my business to keep an... ear to the ground."
Jody's face goes harder still. "I bet you do, stranger." He lets go Hosea's sleeve roughly, and turns away.
Hosea smooths his sleeve after Jody releases it. "Of course, there are always other options. Ignorance and idleness is one. Good day." He turns to move towards the door, nodding to Rabbon in passing.
Jody says clearly, not turning, "Bastard."
Hosea leaves the taproom and steps back outside.
Rabbon lifts a hand in response to the nod lazily, with the gesture going, apparently, unnoticed.
Jody repeats bitterly, "Bastard." He picks up his glass - the one he paid for - and drains it, shaking slightly.
Rabbon nods sharply, "Probably. He looked illegitimate to me."
Rabbon taps his temple, "He had that look," he says, knowingly.
Jody snorts, setting the glass down with a bang. "Damned insulting f***ing crazy..."
Rabbon nods mildly, "Well, don't talk to him anymore," he advises, helpfully.
Jody snorts again, and stands there, staring at the floor.
Escargot mutters to himself. All you can hear is the word 'galatea'...."
Rabbon turns a glare on Theo, "Stop that! Or I won't drink here anymore. So help me, I won't!"
At length Jody tosses his hair back and makes for the door.