Thankfully, not cursed

Outside the sun is setting, the lovely end to a day's whos weather had been as lovely. In the pub things are booming as they say. There's not a seat in the joint except at the bar where patrons have left a conspicuous hole. The only one at the bar is a large half-ourch who is drinking like his life depends on him being well into his cups. He slams down what has to be his third ale of the moment (there's that many at his elbow yet to be taken away) and he hurriedly waves to the barkeep. "Three more my good man!" The barkeep gives him a doubtful look but starts pouring out the requested drinks.

The door opens suddenly, and outside there's a noisy squeak, before a Goblin in a red gi steps inside. She struggles a moment with the door before pulling it closed. "Hmmph!" She stares at the crowd inside the pub, and huffs again, wandering around until she spots the spaces at the bar. Choler pulls herself up at the bar beside Razen as he drinks down the next ale. The Gobbo eyes the three ales in front of her, as Razen takes the next. "Long day?", she wonders of the Oruch.

The half-ourch is already drinking down one of the three he's handed, pulling it down as quick as he can before even looking at the goblin. He nods gratefully to the barkeep who also takes away the ones that are empty. Which leaves Razen with just the two left in front of him that are full. Razen pushes the empty aside and wraps his hand around one that's still full. "Aye. You could say that." He eyes her a bit, not suspiciously, but just curiously. "What brings you in?"

The Gobbo takes up the remaining ale and starts to drink it down. "My feet.", she says between sips, giggling lightly. "Eeh, just looking for a warm spot to sleep, and some food in my belly. Ale's nice too."

Razen frowns at the goblin and then hurriedly waves to the barkeep holding up three more fingers. "That one was mine! If you wanted one you should have asked!" He's plainly grousing at her, not really upset but more irritable than he usually is. "Anyways, this is a good place for all that. I slept here last night myself, and will likely do the same... say. Have you seen Sandy about?"

Choler winces at his grousing, and quickly drains down the rest of the glass, as if he might attempt to take it away. "Shouldn't have put it in front of me, then.", she says with a certain amount of sass in her voice. The Gobbo squints at him. "Who?", she wonders, setting the empty ale glass on the bar. Razen's next three ales are lined up.. and she snags the last one in the line, sipping at it. "What does she look like?"

The half oruch is definitely giving her an unhappy look now, pulling his drinks closer to him so that she can't steal them. He makes no attempt to take the one she has though. He's clearly ready to defend the rest though. As a matter of fact... he downs one whole just to be on the safe side. Then he shifts his weight, pulling his bearskin off and laying it across the bar. "She is an elf about yay tall." He makes a motion with his hand briefly and snags it back to guard his drinks. "She has purple hair, and... she's a shaman."

The Gobbo finishes her second drink and eyes Razen's others. She makes a bit of a pouty face at him getting wise to her, and she plants an elbow on the bar and leans her chin on her hand. "How high is yay? Is that an official unit of measurement?" Choler huffs and shrugs. "I dunno, some of the Elves here have weird coloured hair. And Gnomes are worse, at times. So I have to say I have not. If I do see her, who'm I to say is looking for her?"

"It was that tall." Razen explains, starting to make that motion again but suspicious aborts the motion to keep his arm in the way of the goblin. He drinks down half of the next drink with a little gulp and sigh before looking disappointed that the description doesn't ring a bell. Gray-green eyes meet those of the goblin and he tips his head to her a bit to the side. "I am Razen. Razen Diharth. That is who you should say is looking for her. She knows me."

Choler is halfway to the the glass before he puts his arm in the way, and she leans hard at it, trying anyways. She huffs and pouts again at the Oruch. "Razen Diharth. So it's just Sandy, then? Or does she have a last name? Nice to meet you, Razen Diharth. I am Choler." She grins toothily and offers up a wee hand.

Before he answers Razen finishes his drink and pushes the empty aside. Just the one left for now and he marks his territory by putting his hand on top of the mug. "She goes by Sandy the Wide or so I have been told. I do not know how she got that name however." He looks piqued by this and finally offers her his hand as well. The one that's not guarding his drink that is. His handshake is firm but friendly. "I would say that it is nice to meet you, but you have taken two of my drinks with-out my offering. That is just poor... poor... not very friendly.”

The Gobbo shakes firmly and enthusiastically, but looks disappointed that he's guarding the last drink with his other hand. She sits back and crosses her arms. "But you wanted me to look for Sandy and tell her you were looking for her. Should I tell her you said she should get stuffed instead?"

"Why would you tell her that? Would you be offering her food?" Razen looks utterly confused with the question, and honestly it's not the drink that has him confused at it. "That would be very generous of you. But I would appreciate it if you were to feed her /and/ let her know I am looking for her if you do not mind."

Choler blinks a few times and stares at Razen for a bit. "I mean, telling her to screw off.", she says slowly. "I do not mean to feed her. Though, if you feed me, I'll be sure to tell her the right thing, so that she'll come looking for you. Instead of looking for you, so that she can turn you into a toad." The Gobbo also very conspicuously looks at the last ale glass.

"Why would you tell someone you do not know to do /that/?" Razen makes a little motion with his free hand that's very impolite in oruch culture. Or really any culture that knows what it means. He listens intently to the rest of Choler's words and then blanches. Horrified properly, and promptly reminded of his drink, Razen downs it and waves a hand to the barkeep. "Something stronger friend barkeep!" He looks at Choler and scrubs a hand over his head. "I do not think she will turn me into a toad as well. She has cursed me once, why would she do so again?"

Selia peeks up over the edge of the table, eyeing the goblin suspiciously. "Ya talkin Sandy?" Female who turns people into toads and likely needs to screw off? Reasonable assumption. "Usually she just punches peoples. Or banishes them ta sum other plane. Or just pouts a lot." The little lutch's words are deeply accented with Low Charn, and Undercommon, and a little bit of something much harder to place.

"She would because you've told her to screw off." The Gobbo's eyebrows raise up a little at his ordering of stronger drink. "Why not offer your new helper a bit of stronger drink and food?" The Lucht's words have her turning to peer at Selia. Finally, someone the Gobbo was taller than. Choler grins at Selia and nods. "Punches them between the legs, right?"

Razen frowns deeply and gratefully accepts his stronger brew. It vanishes in a gulp that leaves him gasping and making a pleased noise. "There we are. That should do it!" He seems pleased with himself, enough to grin at Seilia. "You! I know you from yesterday. Though I do not remember much. Have /you/ seen Sandy the Wide? She has cursed my weapon so that I must keep drinking! And you!" He waves a finger at Choler. "I would have shared with you if you had not been so rude! Perhaps Selia would like a drink though. Selia would you like a drink? I am ordering more!"

Choler huffs and crosses her arms, giving Razen the pouting of a lifetime. "You do realize that you are calling her Sandy the Wide, right? I am pretty sure that some people don't like being called wide, and that this might be why you're cursed to drink and drink and drink. so if you're saying you don't want help getting the curse lifted... you just go ahead and not feed me and give me drinks. I shall keep tally of how many times you've called her wide."

Selia shrugs to Choler's question. "Shoulder, usually, but reckon pretty much whereever manages to reach." She blinks at Razen, pondering the questions a moment before answering. "I na Sandy, but ain't seen 'er recent like. I ain't 'eard o' a curse like dat. Can't say wanna join in iffen da dirnkin be part o' da curse."

"I was /told/ to call her Sandy the Wide! It is her /name/. A name to be proud of! Who would not want to be known such?" Razen's voice has gotten a touch louder. "Tell her I call her thusly with pride. Yes!"

Razen grins at Selia. "Drinking is the /cure/ for this curse, a necessity to keep me from becoming a rabbit in all but fur! If I drink, then I survive; an ourch another day!" He waves another drink over and passes one to Selia, and sighs happily over the two he's left with. One for each hand.

The Gobbo holds out her hand for one of the drinks Razen is holding. "Your liver and kidneys probably disagree about it being a cure. Please, may I have one?" Her eyes widen as she puts on a cute expression. Choler looks to Selia a moment. "Shoulder? That's not really going to hurt all that much..." She glances back to Razen. "Trust me, she probably does not like being called wide. Did she say that... or did someone else?"

Selia eyes the drink, but makes no move to touch it, instead squinting at Razen. "....wot's wrong wit rabbits?" She turns to squint to the goblin. "You ain't never been punch by Sandy, 'ave ya?"

The half-oruch glances at his drinks and then with a sly grin slides one of them over to Choler. "I /knew/ you could ask!" He seems pleased that she's finally asked for a drink, and so far hasn't touched his new one just yet. He doesn't seem to need to either. One might notice the slight slur to his words. "Jormund - who should be called Jormund the Wise - told me how to lift the curse from my weapon so that I need not become a leaf-eating fool! And of Sandy the Wide's name so that she will listen when I ask her to lift it!"

Razen tilts forward slightly, leaning against the counter and staring at the wood intently. "What's wrong with rabbits she asks!" He lifts a hand and slams it on the bar, looking at Selia now with an incredulous expression. "How is one supposed to fight in glorious fights as a /RABBIT/?!?"

Selia disappears under the table for a few moments at the table-slam. 'Skittish' might be a word that comes to mind. 'Rabbit' might also be present.

Choler growls at Razen. "No fair in tricking me!" She does drink it down quickly though, so he can't take it back. And the Gobbo has eyes on his other drink. "Okay. So what proof do you have that you are cursed? I think you may have been..." At the slamming of his hand on the bar, her ears twitch. "Rabbits get into a-bun-dant fights all the time. I mean, you know how people talk about a lucky rabbit's foot? Well rabbits have four of them. How lucky is that?"

Selia peeks over the table edge, offering her own tidbit. "Dem rabbit feet got claws. Sharp ones."

"Aye!" Razen peers curiously at where Selia vanished and blinks twice. "Where she go?... Wait what? Proof?" He's distracted from his search for Selia by Choler's words and he hefts his heavy flail off his belt and thumps it onto the bar counter. It's a beautifully made weapon with a face emblazoned on the ball of it. Just from looking at it one can tell that a lot of love and attention to detail went into its making.

"Here is my proof! It makes me /feel/ things! /Things/!" Razen pulls his hand away from it with a little shake and takes a drink of his ale as if to ward off those feelings. Then Selia reappears and he startles backwards away from her. "Where! Are you a shaman too?!"

The Gobbo eyes the flail, and the emblazoned face. "What does it make you feel?", she wonders. "Did you buy this from her, then? Or find it? How do you come to think she cursed it?" Choler seems to ponder something for a moment, and slowly reaches out for the handle of the flail, her eyes on Razen. She briefly touches the handle. "Nope. Nothing."

Selia frowns mildly. "....feeling ain't no curse. Most blokes find it normal. Now, iffen a weapon make it 'appen, dat ain't quite normal, but reckon I 'eard 'o such 'fore."

It's a lot of questions, in fact it might be too many for Razen to respond to, but he makes his best effort. "I did not /buy/ it. My sister Parba made it from the bones of my grandfather and his father before him. She quenched its fires in her own blood and formed its shape with her own hands! She is the best weapons... weapons... maker! In all the bonesworn clan! Then Sandy... cursed it. I do not know /how/." He sounds mournful now after all his boasting, but not for long. "The flail does it, this I know. But I do not know how save what Jormund told me."

Choler grabs the flail handle again, and her eyes widen. "It's not cursed.", she mutters after a little bit. "It is saying to go forth into glorious combat. It wants to be wielded against worthy foes." The Gobbo lets go and settles back. "What do you think happens when someone uses the bones of their forefathers to create a weapon, and then bathes it in their own blood?" She gestures at the weapon. "You get that. I don't think it's cursed. I think Jormund was having fun at your expense, and that Sandy is going to swat your sorry behind for calling her Wide." The Gobbo slowly leans forward and snags Razen's last strong drink. Quickly gulping it down while staring him in the eyes.

Selia nods in agreement with the gobbo. "Weapon of yer ancestors. Deep magic. Iffen ya work at it, do more than just feel. Seen ones that talk, move on der own. 'ave der own magics fer battle or work. Powerful stuff. Sometimes. Some don't do much more dan be a nice weapon, which reckon ain't a bad thing fer a weapon ta be."

Razen pauses. Blinks at his drink-thief and Selia. "So... it is not cursed?" He looks stupefied and clearly disbelieving. "Parba... Parba made it to do this? To make me thirst for fighting even more than I usually do?" There are tears in his eyes and he suddenly grasps the weapon tightly in his fists. He knocks several glasses over in the process, but they're all empty now. "Parba! I do not care that it is magic! If she made it for me to be so, then I will wield it in her honor!"

He looks at the two women with gratitude in his eyes. "You do not lie to me? You tell me the truth in this? That my sister took the spirits of my ancestors and gave them to me?" Razen has hope again.

The Gobbo shrugs at him. "I do not think it is cursed. You are right in saying it makes you feel things. It just wants to fight." She rubs at her cheeks, all the drink starting to get to her. "If it is as you say, that she used your ancestors bones and used her blood to sanctify it, then as far as I can tell, yes, it contains something of the spirit of your ancestors. My master had such a weapon, a spear that passed down through his family, it guided him wisely in battle."

The weapon clanks quietly as Razen gathers it closely into his arms. He nods to each of the women and tilts his head to the side. It's clearly as though he's hearing the siren call of... something. Gray-green eyes go distant and he slides to his feet; weaving for a moment before his body finally agrees to hold him up begrudgingly. The weapon falls to his hand as natural as breathing and he lifts his free one to grasp the bearskin he usually wears and tosses it over one shoulder.

"I must then be off! I must find strong foes upon which to test this weapon and see if it truly carries the voices of my ancestors." Razen nods low to Choler and then to Selia. "My thanks to you both. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to find Jormund again so that I can show him the strength of it. Cursed!"

Choler blinks as he begins to stand and she stands as well, moving to his side. "Perhaps you should sleep first? All the strong foes know that sleep is important if they are going to be their fighting fittest. Perhaps you should be like them, and sleep until morning, THEN go and find them, yes?" She tugs at his arm. "They have nice rooms here."

Selia frowns a little. "Wellll... I did say sum o' 'em talk, right? Well... once dey start... can be tough ta git 'em ta shut up again. That's -sorta- a curse..."

"Talk!" Razen lets out a laugh and slides his weapon into its place at his side before patting it fondly. "Weapons can not /talk/. That is surely just a... a story." He nods once and then again. "Yes, a bed first I think, and then glorious combat in the morning!"

The Gobbo nods to Selia. "Yeah, sometimes you gotta do what they want before they shut up for a while. But his just sort of ... I dunno how to explain it. Luckily no one else can hear it." Choler chuckles and tugs on his arm a bit more. "Let me show you the best room to crash in."

-End