Orel - 19 02 2009 - Meeting Braxton

Halyard Tavern: Main Room

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Halyard Tavern ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Warmly lit by torches along the walls and lanterns set upon the many tables

scattered around the room, the main room of the Halyard Tavern is an often-

populated area. One corner of the tavern is taken up by a stage, about a

foot or two higher than the rest of the floor, where live entertainment

performs, while circular tables, both large and small, are set up in front

of the stage, spreading out into the center of the room. Meanwhile, around

the perimeter of the tavern, booths are set, and, of course, the obligatory

bar rests against the far wall, a bartender or barmaid always on duty.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The tavern is quiet at this time of day, there are not many patrons in but those that are, are doing their best to avoid a table in the corner. A less then pleasent looking rat is slumped in a chair, idly drawing patterns on the table with his claw, dipping it into his drink and idly sketching on the surface of the table. His eyes are partially vacant and staring into not very much as he idly doodles, fiddling with the stone hanging on a thong around his neck.

Braxton has just gotten to Halyard after long weeks of travel. Quietly the badger enters and looks around with a small smile before ordering...tea...the badger gets a mug of tea and sits down somewhere with a yawn. "Maybe I'll head to Salamanastron tonight..." the badger mutters quietly to himself.

Orel looks up suddenly and stares at the badger. His eyes go wide and he shies back.

"No.. " he scrabbles at a pouch dangling fronm his waste and casts a series of objects onto the table before him. "No no no... darkness follows y ou for all of us!" he breaks off with a cackle and shakes his head.

Braxton glances over his shoulder and hms. "No...what? Rat?" he hms.

Orel stares at Braxton, stroking the stone around his neck and giggles, the items on the table appear to be a collection of things, bones, small stones with strange symbols carved into them and a variety of things. "Darkness! You are darkness to vermin."

Braxton hms. The badger takes a drink of his tea then laughs. "Its about time some vermin actually realized that..." he laughs.

Orel slides of his chair and pads over towards the Badger, his head moves from side to side as he approaches. He's not the cleanest of beasts and there is a certain smell about him as he approaches. "You are darknes... I can see it... darkness." he strokes the rabbit's foot dangling from his belt. "Darkness and death and doom..."

Braxton hms. At first, he was flattered a bit. someone who wouldn't try to fight him. But now, its just annoying. "Heh...Yeah...okay I get the point" he replies, cringing a bit at the smell.

Orel sits down at Braxton's table and nods, "Good... you have to listen to the signs you see. You are going to the mountain? You are the new lord or just a visitor?"

Braxton laughs. "No. i'm not the new badger lord. I'm just Visiting the Mountain while I try to figure out where I go next" he chuckles some.

You say, "Oooh..." he lifts his stone and peers through the hole in it at the badger. "Mmmm east.. your path lies east! Seek the sword in the Marsh." he nods his head firmly and drops the stone and sighs. "You don't have a boat on you do you? One you don't want any more?""

Braxton uhs. "maybe...why do you say East?" The badger hms some. "And...a Boat?"

Orel nods, "Yes a boat! I miss the sea... can't go sailing.. boat sank... was first mate ya know! Good life... kept the luck with us... until we crossed the shadows at noon twixt the shore and the rocks of Ragna!" he peers at the Badger and grins, a foul, yellow toothed grin. "East in the marshes... is what i saw."

Braxton tilts his head. He's clearly interested now. "Marshes...Hmm..." the badger looks into his tea before taking another drink. "What else did you...see?" he doesn't quite believe it but the whole thing is really interesting him.

Orel closes his eyes and sways back and forth. "Mmm" he opens his pouch and casts those strange things on the table again, there are finger bones, claws, stones with sigils scrawled on them, chips of semi-precious stones. He pours over them, narrow muzzle twitching as he examines them. "There is a cave... and mud, marshland and a frog. A great bull king frog! It has a sword and a doom... a doom you bring with you!"

Orel chuckles, "No.. don't be silly." he pats the badger's arm, "This is life! Not a fairy tale! You will discover truths! There is a spear as well!"

What do you want to whisper?

Braxton laughs. "Sure...sure...and I bet there's also an Axe with a shiny blade" he smirks

Orel slumps, "Nonsense... is the spear of a badger who once lived here! long seasons ago. But gone now... all gone and left and far far away!" he sighs and moves his runes around, "You ever been toi sea?"

Braxton nods. "Eastern sea...Sailed for a season...why do you ask, rat?" he asks with a tilt of his head.

You exclaim, "Orel! Tis Orel I be!" he sits up, "Ye kill rats right? Gonna kill me?" he tilts his head the opposite way and smiles. "Sailing is good.. i miss sailing... was nice crew... shrews and a mouse for cap'n! We traded stuff... and sailed... all gone now.. all gone.""

Braxton mutters something under his breath. "Its not all thats gone..." he laughs loudly. "And if you annoy me, yes, I will kill you" he replies. "But I wont right now...Maybe later"

Orel nods, "K matey... no annoying you." he slumps and peers at his empty tankard then looks hopefully at the bar. "Mmmm the grog here is not so good... but it has a kick. I could read yer paw fer ya! Is good luck to have your paw read before a trip!"

Braxton eyes The rat for a few moments before finishing his tea. "I Dont know...how much would it cost me?" he asks.

You exclaim, "Copper!" he slurs, "One copper is all it costs! or a mug o grog! tis tha same price. Accurate too! promise. Jist dinnae... dinnae let yer shadow touch mine matey!""

Braxton hms some. "how about this..." he says. "You tell me something I want to know...I'll give you five gold instead..." he still doesn't believe the rat but he might as well try...

Orel stares at the Badger, small beady black eyes boggling out his head. "Gold.." he croaks... "Wot ya want to know mi'lord."

Braxton laughs. "I want to know...There's a beast I really like...I want to know if she likes me back?" He already knows the answer so this just a test of The Rat. "Tell me what she feels about me, and i'll give you the five gold"

Orel strokes his chin, playing idly with his greasey whiskers and sways from side to side. "Mmmm tricky." he peers through the stone at the badger and frowns. "No.. no she doesn't love you back! She thinks of you as a friend only" he nods. "I am sure.. she only thinks of you as a friend, but does not love you truly deeply as you wish."

Braxton Frowns and sighs. "Thats right...Thats very right..." he sighs, pulling out a pouch and throwing it over before sighing and laying his head in his paws.

Orel stares and laughs, he seizes the bag and peers inside, eyes going wide. He moves around to the bar, buys two large tankards of grog and staggers back. Plonking one of them down before Braxton and patting the badger on the shoulder. "Drink up me hearty. Tis tha way o wenches! Ya naer know she mayaps change er mind..." he sits down and stuffs his muzzle in his own tankard, slurping down the content

What do you want to whisper?

Braxton pushes the drink away. "I dont drink" he replies quietly yet forcefully, sighing loudly.

Orel lifts his head, whiskers covered in foam, he grins gleefully and pulls the tankard over to himnself. "K matey, I'll drink fer us both! Why don't ya tell ole'Orel all aboot er? Mayhaps ee ken see something on tha winds!

Braxton frowns and shakes his head. "No...I dont want to talk" he replies, laying his head on the table sighing again.

Orel nods his head, "So.. ya dinnae want tae get drunk wid me, ye dinnae ~hic~ he downs the last of the first tankard, "Nae wanna talk.. sorry... badger.. isn't fair. Yer young lass nae liking you."

Braxton Shrugs. "I'll find someone else....I hope" he replies before standing. "I'm going for a walk" he sighs

Orel perks up, "Ken aye com wid ya? Yer a noice strip-daaawwg, last one I met was a right lady! Bot those 'ares murdered er!" he hiccups again and lays his head on the table, both tankards now empty.

Braxton sighs. "If you want to come with me, go Ahead" he says as he heads for the door of the tavern

Orel bounds up and then staggers after the badger. "See.. wot.. wot ya need! Wot ya need be yer own rat! I be gud really!" hiccup and sways after the badger.

Braxton laughs. "My own rat?" he asks. "Haha...Maybe" the badger laughs. "If you stop getting drunk all the time" he then steps out the door.

Western Shore

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shore ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You seem to be truly in the middle of nowhere. The beach is like that you'd expect to see in a dream. Miles of saffron sand stretch to the north and south. The only sign of life is a very faint and distant wisp of smoke over the southern horizon. There is little sound, only the roar of the ivory crested waves as they crash onto the shoreline just to the west. This place looks almost as if a timeless, long forgotten stretch of beach. Though, even so, there seems to be a well-trodden path to the east...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Orel staggers along after Braxton, a silly grin on his face, "Stop... drinkin... nae drunk! Jist.. merry!" he hiccups and staggers after the badger. "Yer need ya own rat! See things.. fer ya!"

Braxton laughs somewhat as he reaches the shores. "You know Orel...You can be my rat on two conditions" he laughs as he walks along.

Orel blinks and shambles to catch up to the badger. that cloying scent of greasey rat isn't as strong out here. "Really? ya mean it? I'd be a Badger's rat? Me? Orel? nae soom other rat?"

Braxton laughs yet again, a loud booming laugh. "Ah...Yes...but...you need to stop drinking all the time, and find some beast who actually likes me" he laughs. heh...that last bit was a joke but there's no way Orel will know

Orel is sold! There was no mention of baths in that agreement. "Foine! ya gotcha self a rat!" he spits in his paw and holds it out to Braxton, standing still and swaying back and forth. "Nae grog... an find a girl badger fer ya!"

Braxton was sort of repulsed by that...but he does the same before shaking the paw. "There..." he says. "deal.." he laughs. "Oh this will be fun" he mutters.

Orel is going to have a hangover in the morning and probably have a seizure at having just agreed to serve a badger. but right now he is grinning madly. "Deal n done! Tha be me oath on it!"

Braxton nods. "Good...and if you break it...You'll find my Axe in your back and your head on a Pike..." he nods again, still walking along the beach.

Orel staggers along, "Wouldn't ave it any odder way matey! If ah break me word.. .wouldn't be mucha.. mucha... thing! ona seas with cutlass!"

Braxton hehs. "Oh boy...why am I going to laugh at a drunk rate..." he mutters quietly. "So...do you have a girl in your life? Hm?"

You exclaim, "Corsaaaair! Tha be the word! Ex-Corsaaaair!" he nods and picks a lump of wax out of one ear and flicks it away. "An mmm there is tha doe who runs tha tavern! She got a soft spot fer me! Ahhh lar-more! She does ya know! Had a rat lady friend once.." he coughs, "Not about no more she ain't...""

Braxton laughs. "Heh...right..." he nods slightly. "Well...heh...sorry to hear that" he hms a bit before yawning.

Orel sighs and scuffs at the sand, "Was ages back.. gave er a deceit burial at sea! Traitorous lass got wot she deserved.. but alack tha be life." He sniffs and pats at his sash and then at the pockets of his ragged trousers.

Braxton nods. "Aye. Well...still...heh.." he shrugs before looking up at the sky that's starting to darken. "I really should get to Salamanastron soon..." he says aloud.

Orel peers at the mountain,. "Mmm they won't led me in thar will dey?" he hiccups, sobering up a bit but still quite tipsy as it goes.

Braxton shakes his head. "Nope...but You can stay at Halyard" he says. "Heh...get drunk at night" he laughs. "When I'm not around I mean"

Orel pulls off his kerchief and srcubs at his head fur. "ya means it? Aye ken drink da grogs at night? Long as ya not about? Great!" He peers at the mountain, "Is bad luck... enterring tha shadow o tha place if'n yer vermin. They kill ye."

Braxton nods. "yeah, I mean it...for now, while I'm away, i want you to work on that Lady badger for me" he laughs.

Orel salutes, or tries to, "Roight.. lady badger.. tell me.. wotsa name oda... oda lady who turned ya doon? So aye knows... not tae thingy her."

Braxton Looks over and nods. "Astrid. dont...go near her...most likely try to kill you" he replies. he's going to crack up later.

Orel wobbles and then sits down in the sand. "Right! Gotcha Astrid... crazy beast, eat me..." he nods.

Braxton hms and stops as the rat sits down. he laughs and nods. "Right" he replies before going over to Orel. The badger then goes to pick up the rat with a sort of evil grin on his face.

Orel blinks as he is picked up. "Ey! Wots da idea! Man-handling ya rats is bad fer morale! We mutiny or somethin an ye wind up in tha bilges!" he hiccups, he's not a very pleasent creature to carry, his fur is either slick and greasy or bristly with dried in salt.

Braxton cringes some as he walks over to the water, going in until its about knee deep..then dropping the rat into the cold, cold water. "Heh...Thats the big Idea"

Orel frowns at the badger, he really is a big un... he then screams as he hits the water, knee deep for a badger is up to his neck. he sinks under the water and comes up spluttering and wide eye. He snarls and leaps at the badger clinging to his chest to keep out of the water. "Wots tha big idea Cap'n! No drowning me!" he splutters and coughs. "YA any idea how unlucky it be tae ave a bath!"

Braxton laughs and goes to pry off the rat into the water again. "Do you realize how unlucky it is to make a badger die of stink?"

Orel tries valiantly to cling on, but that badger is strong. with a yelp he falls back into the water, there is an oily slick on the surface where the rat went in. He's certainly a rather dull shade of brown under all the muck as he sits there, only his head poking out. "This be cruelty tae staff this be!"

Braxton goes to hold Orel down into the water, taking out a cloth from his pocket and starting to wash the rat. "You'll thank me for this one day"

Orel's purple sash has come un done as he squirms in the sea water. "Gerrof! Wotcha trying tae do! Cover me in bad luck!" he splutters and wriggles but the badger has a hold of him now.

"Trying To Save my life" The badger replies, still washing the rat down. He's so tempted to knock him out while he washes.

Orel isn't taking this easily! "Tha dirt be keepin me safe! Ya any idea wot ken appen tae ye if'n ye bathe! Ye get diseases! Is bad fer hygiene an luck being bathed!" he tugs something out of the water and holds the sodden white thing above his head and throws it at the beach, it's his lucky rabbits foot.

Braxton laughs. 'Its also bad luck to make a badger angry" he replies as he washes. Soon enough however, he does let go, getting too tired to continue. "Finish up" he hands the cloth down.

Orel glares at the badger and raises the cloth and then sighs, he's sober now and drawing the conclusion that he's just signed his life away in servitude to a badger! A Badger! grumbling and cursing under his breath he finishes cleaning himself up. He's a rather tatty looking brown sea rat.

Braxton nods and goes back to shore. "Good good" he mutters. He never in his life thought he'd have a slave...that sort of goes against everything he stands for. But it doesn't matter...he'll have his fun and let him go sooner or later.

Orel wads back to shore and picks up his lucky rabbits foot. "Lookit this! Ruined! Gonna ava tae dry it out an hope tha luck is still ok!" he rubs it against his fur and picks up the sodden lump of purple velvet that is his sash and wraps it back around himself. "Lookit me! Clean! clean!"

Braxton looks to Orel. "yes...clean...thank goodness...I dont know how much i could have stood of you being that dirty"

Orel wraps his kercheif back around his head, poking his ears throgh it. "Well.. sah.. looks like i'm yer rat! Anythin else fer me tae do besides ave unhealthy baths and search fer lady loves?"

Braxton Hms. "Nope. Just talk to me sometimes. I have very little to do now a days" he chuckles some.

Orel nods his head, "Yes'm... mmm not bad. This obeying badger lark... I figured you;d have me slaughtering vermin an such!" he peers through his stone with a hole in it again.

Braxton laughs. "No no, thats my Job" he smirks.

Orel sniffs the air and peers, "Mmmm well i take it yer servants don't get slaughtered right?"

Braxton laughs. "No...my servants don't get slaughtered" he laughs again.

Orel tosses the tail end of his head-kercheif over his shoulder and nods,. "Well that's something" he grins, "AND I got gold! Real honest tae goodness gold! No more begging for me fer a bit!"

Braxton hms a bit. "How are you with Coin and such? Begging? Before I got you the gold?"

Orel tilts his head, "I'm a rat Cap'n. I ken spend coin, not so good at keeping it. I'm also a superstitious beast, I know hows to read the fortunes an the stars and sands and patterns in the bones. Was how I got tae be first mate at sea! Knowing how tae read the weather. But ya.. I'm a rat... we ain't tae popular sah... but I don't kill... not fer money, not here... with tha right thar." he points at the mountain. "No pillaging, no murdering fer loot. I'm stranded ere so I obey tha rules."

Braxton hms. "How would you like a paying Job then?" he asks. "I might as well pay you for something, if your going to be around me a lot"

Orel perks up at tha, "Ya serious? ya mean you a Big hulking badger will pay a rat like me fer something?" he gets a sly look, "Who do I ave tae kill?"

Braxton laughs. "No one" he replies. "I'll just...find stuff for you to do..." he nods somewhat. the badger is, however, so tempted to try the life of a vermin...but he'd never be able to live with himself afterwards.

Orel tilts his head and rubs his paws together. "Well ok... mmm mmm yeah why not... yer tha Cap'n now. I'll do tha jobs ya find me. Mmmmm musta been fate! Tha bones said tha interesting things would coom may way if I ever saw gold again."

Braxton hehs. "Maybe" he replies. "Well...i'm sure I'll find something to do with you" he says.

Orel grins, showing off all his yellowed teeth. "Mmm this might be gud! Gud fer me and gud fer ya!" he swaggers over and claps the badger on the back, "Ya see! us rats.. we be a misunnnerstood lot. We be ard working beasts ya see!"

Braxton hehs and oofs a bit as his back is slapped. "heh...Maybe...I just think you all need somebeast to put you on the right path is all..."

What do you want to whisper?

Orel snorts a laugh, shaking his head. "Really? An yer gunna show ole Orel tha right path? Make a proper woodlander out a me? I'm a grog swilling filthy bilge rat who got lucky a few times... but.. I kinda want it tae work out!"

Braxton chuckles a bit. "Ah...you'll work it out. Dont worry" he smiles. "This is what I used to do as my job" The badger laughs

You ask, "Wot? Finding stray drunkards in taverns, alf killing em wid baths an showing em right frae wrong?""

Braxton laughs. "No...just show them right for wrong..and if they change I move on...if they dont, They Die"

You say, "Joy." mutters the rat. "So it's a choice between become a pansy woodlander or be food fer tha gulls? Well tha wasn't in tha bones today.. .so looks like I'm a woodlander.." he tilts his head, "I still get to kill vermin right? Wicked pirates and pillaging stoats and wot not?""

Braxton nods. "aye..." he replies. "I tend to do that when I can...I just dont go looking for a fight"

Orel thinks about that, "Oh... well tha's ok then.. spent most o ma life killing vermin who ad stuff aye wanted! I mean yer woodlanders are nice n everything but yer kinda poor."

Braxton hehs. "Unlike me...i'm not poor...far from it...I tend to save my money I earn...since I dont drink or smoke, it tends to keep my coins with me"

Orel sighs, "Ye need a vice or two laddy buck! I'll ave tae corrupt ya a bit it seems!" he grins, "An aye know jist ow tae do it tae!"

Braxton laughs a bit. "Good luck...the only bit of corruption i have in me, is sometimes, rarely, but sometimes, I'll kill any vermin i see just for being Vermin" he nods.

Orel sighs, "Well lets ope tha n'er involves me an tha pig-stickler o yourn Cap'n. Nothing against killing vermin meself ya see... they got stuff, i want it... is nice and simple."

Braxton nods and chuckles. "Well. Maybe I'll test you sometime" he replies.

Orel looks wary. "Test? I don't know no fancy ed'cation ya know.. wot sorta test?"

Braxton smirks. "Fighting Test"

Braxton laughs. "As long as you get the job done" he says

Orel smiles, "Mmm getting tha job done means I get tae stay alive Cap'n." he draws out his scimatr and licks along the edge, "On me blad aye swear it... aye'll serve ye Cap'n until tha day ye cut out me gizzards an send me ta dark forest." He looks at the badger and tilts his head, watching the gulls behind him in the sky, "Tha omens be gud uns."

Braxton chuckles a bit and nods before standing up. "Alright...lets go find some vermin to kill shall we? Just one...I dont want to be known as Brax, the Vermin Killer" he smirks.

Orel spins his sword and tucks it back into his purple sash. "Really? Right now? Me n you?" he shrugs, "Yer tha boss."

Braxton hms. "And Keep Your mouth shut about me to anyone at Halyard...okay?"

Orel blinks, "Right... so i'm, not tae talk about yer in Halyard? Any reason why?"

Braxton shrugs. "Not what I meant. I mean dont say We go around killing Vermin..."

What do you want to whisper?

You say, "Oooh... well duh... there be vermin living there! They;'d lynch me! I'm just tha filthy harmless beggar whose crazy and knows the mystic ways.""

Braxton laughs and nods. "right" he replies as he goes up the beech. "but your not filthy no more" he laughs

Orel sniffs at his arm and grumbles, "At tha moment... ye just wait... is unhygenic all this bathing."

Braxton hehs some and nods. "you know what we should do?" he asks after a few minutes of quiet

Orel is still trying to adjust to this image, he's walking down the beach, in sight of Salamandastron with a badger. And he's nt in 8 pieces. "No wot? yer cap'n."

Braxton gives Orel a nudge. "we should find you a lady friend" he laughs some.

Orel snorts, "Me? Wot lady would want a ornery rat like me! Really? I mean I'm a half mad seer, washed up oracle and down and out dead beat scum."

Braxton hehs. "Who said they had to want you hm?" he asks, now just making fun of the rat. "You see, when you want something, take it!"

Orel stares at the badger, his muzzle dropping open, "Tha's vermin talk badger!" he rubs his eyes and stares, "Tha's ow i've lived most o me life! Take wot ye want! Claim waht is yours by might!" he points, "If'n ye think aye'll believe tha a badger... a /badger/ be vermni inside.. aye won't believe it."

Braxton laughs. "Oh, there's a lot you dont know about me" he chuckles some. "But still...if you want one, you should take one"

Orel wriggles a finger in his ear and sighs, "I wud.. really aye wud. But if'n tha ares find out they'll come fer me and stick me with their javelins."

Braxton chuckles. "If you want a lady friend for yourself, have one. Nothing bad will happen to you...alright?" he says. Its too bad no one knows what was in that Tea of his >.>

Orel looks up at Braxton and scratches his ears. "ya mean it? Aye ken really really jist.. be a vermin? An ye'll protect me?"

Braxton nods. "But..you need to still do what I say...okay?"

Orel cringes, "Yes sah... i'm yer rat cap'n! Now.. about this test? Where do we find vermin tae kill?" Seems Orel is convinced all that talk was testing him, to see if he'd give the badger an excuse to stick him,

Braxton chuckles. "over there...they found us While we were talking" he chuckles as he points to a group of vermin coming up the beach...Two males and a female. "If your as good as you say you are, go and kill them...but if you want her, leave her alive...doesn't matter" he says. "if you need me, I'll be over here" he stops and sits down.

Orel stares at Braxton in shock and then looks at the vermin, he starts to move forwards as they approach, casually as he lopes towards them across the sand, one paw on his scimitar, just another rat walking on the beach.

- End Log