Just Another Night at the Quicksand (Open)

[Warren Castille]

Warren Castille was not happy. The man stood as he always had beside one of the central pillars in the Quicksand but his attention had strayed briefly from the crowds. It was actually a quieter night than he'd been expecting but it was still early, the sun just barely edging off under the horizon. His focus wasn't on the empty tables or quietly murmuring patrons but instead on the pillar itself.

 

How has no one caught the person doing this? It's in the center of the damned building.

 

There were a number of letters adorning the pillar, some written and some engraved - engraved! - into the stone there. Warren frowned and attempted to convince himself he couldn't possibly be the only WC in the world.

 

He folded his arms and scanned the crowd as he resumed his vigil. He could use a friendly face or two.

 

Kids, probably. It's always those silly kids.

[Raelas]

Yangh pushed off from her stool, a rhythmic tapping of her fingernail at the hilt  of her ornate Scimitar clacked and clicked through the room, bouncing off of surfaces. She was getting better at this whole blind business.

 

She navigated her way through the center, listening carefully as the clicks and clacks bounced from the surfaces of obstacles. 

 

Suddenly, her face crunched against something metallic, her left palm gripping the hilt of  her Scimitar on reflex, the engraved Aksharian text flaring a bright oranage for a moment. The gem's on the hilt sparked to life... then dulled along with the text.

 

"Samekh!" she cursed in Akshar. "Taynha aktar ma hea metayna! Menphina, Erhamny ya amena!" she said loudly, THAT wasn't there before! What had she bumped into... there was a pillar just next to it but... it can't have been THAT.

 

What was going on?! Did someone hit her?!

[Warren Castille]

Warren didn't realize what had transpired at first. The miqo'te woman had been tapping the hilt of her sword, the file noted and tucked away while the knight continued examining the room. The next thing he knew, she had careened right into him and begun cursing in a tongue he didn't recognize. Immediately he reached a hand out to her shoulder to steady her, the stream of apologies springing free of its banks.

 

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" He examined her, hoping the situation wasn't about to turn ugly. "I'm not used to being missed. My apologies, I hope you aren't hurt..."

 

That was a first.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Like any other evening without planned work, he was in the Quicksand. Mostly for people watching. There weren't many people that would normally walk up to him for conversation. A shame, really. While Franz wouldn't exactly go around telling people what he'd been up to as of late, he'd been making the effort to be a little more approachable, and a little less scary.

 

The metallic bump, and the little yelling quickly grabbed his attention. Oh, that was the Keeper he'd met a few nights ago. Franz sauntered over to see what had happened.

 

"Miss Yangh, are you alright?"

 

Looking at the paladin around his size. "Or rather, how'd she miss you?"

[Raelas]

As Yangh had begun to straighten up, she felt a hand palm her shoulder. She reacted long before she'd though rationally, whipping a hand up to try and bat the heavy hand away.

 

Too bad for her, she didn't even think to channel a little aether to protect her bones... and... *crunch*.

 

Yangh yelped loudly, cursing again in her native tongue... though not at anyone particular. "Howa aawiz id'darb bi'sittiin gazma!!" It wasn't aggressive... she knew she'd made an error here. The whole scene was quite comical, really.

 

She held her arm, refusing to fold over and look weak.

[Warren Castille]

Warren withdrew his hand, the sputtering and cursing woman before him reminding him of coeurl kits not liking how one another played. He turned to the man who'd approached and addressed her by a name, his expression remorseful and surprised.

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to -"

 

For fear of somehow mishandling the woman again, Warren kept his distance and stopped trying to help.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

As the man turned to him, Franz saw a look of pained confusion, and responded accordingly. 

"I uh...can't help you there. I've only met her a few suns ago. Can't say I know much about Keeper of the Moon customs, but I don't think she'd want our help."

 

He looked down a little, making sure to be as polite as possible to the woman. "Miss Yangh, if we can assist in some way..."

[Raelas]

Yangh hissed lightly, sucking air against her teeth as she steeled herself. She eventually settled, batting an ear to the familar voice of Franz. "Fuhrlanze! Is well?! Leave so suddendly few eves past!" she said, her demanour shifting from her bratty tone to her usual bright self.

 

She bowed int he direction she THOUGHT the pillar made of man was, but only very lightly. "Yangh apologise, not used to dulled sight... still learn to watch with ears." she said, her Aksharian, middle eastern-esc accent shining through.

[Warren Castille]

"No, it's my fault."

 

The paladin objected, because of course he did.

 

"Miss Yangh, was it? I'm Warren Castille, a free paladin who often looks over the Quicksand here." He thought that over for a moment before correcting himself. "That is to say, I try to. I confess lately I have not been present as often as I'd like, but I had some very important business to tend to that meant the world to me."

 

He gave Ferlanz a calm nod. "Thank you for helping to calm her. I didn't intend to startle her."

[Raelas]

Yangh scrunched her face, beginning her protest. "Yangh not startled! Yangh bl---" she cut herself off and spoke more quietly, clearly the subject bothered  her somewhat. 

 

 

"Yangh is blind... not used to watching with ears!" she said with a quiet hissy breath.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

"No, it's my fault."

 

The paladin objected, because of course he did.

 

"Miss Yangh, was it? I'm Warren Castille, a free paladin who often looks over the Quicksand here." He thought that over for a moment before correcting himself. "That is to say, I try to. I confess lately I have not been present as often as I'd like, but I had some very important business to tend to that meant the world to me."

 

He gave Ferlanz a calm nod. "Thank you for helping to calm her. I didn't intend to startle her."

 

He laughed softly. "I don't think she intended to run into you. It's just 'Franz', the way."

 

"Perhaps...we should make our way to a table? Miss Yangh, what was this about blindness?" It wasn't something he would have noticed during the previous meeting. There probably wasn't much he could do in terms of relief, but if she'd accept his help, he could at least get them to a table without bumping into anyone.

[Raelas]

Yangh clicked her tongue. "Yangh will follow... but Yangh will NOT be lead." she said firmly.

[Warren Castille]

What a strange sequence of events.

 

Warren extracted himself from the excitement in front of himself and took a step back, folding his arms again and leaning against the pillar.

 

There's lots of C names in Ul'dah. Could be any of them.

[Coatleque]

Coatleque quietly entered the Quicksand from the Pearl Lane entrance. She was tired and didn't bother scanning the room tonight. She quietly strode to the bar, which was quite uncharacteristic of herself. Taking a seat behind the central pillar to subconsciously shield herself from the main view, she slid a few gil over to Momodi and asked for both water and wine.

 

The sound of conversations behind her was a nice distraction as she leaned her arm on the bar, head in hand. It began to lull her off to sleep.

[Kage]

Kage watched the commotion in front of him, having wanted to get a quick chilled glass of sweet water before he headed home from his patrol and checking up on those Blades under him. He was making sure that they weren't up to shite he didn't like, the Captain was missing so it's not like he could be brought up for giving some harsh words to any of the Blades trying to work some bribes out of travelers by planting somnus.

 

He thought he vaguely recognized the female... back when he was a Lalafell but he wasn't sure. He did remember that the female was a friend of Roswyn's, or at least an acquaintance, but she seemed to be uneasy around him when he had been shorter. At least now she might not be so uneasy but... he couldn't understand her much now for some reason.

 

The Miqo'te walked closer to the pillar, seeing a familiar Paladin leaning against it, something on it catching his eyes. He lifted his turban in order to get a better look at it before whistling.

 

"I'm guessing you and Ser Crofte have fans, ser."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Yangh clicked her tongue. "Yangh will follow... but Yangh will NOT be lead." she said firmly.

 

Hearing her say it that way, he could only assume he had said something she found rude. "Pardon me, I didn't mean to be disrespectful, if it came off that way." 

 

He walked over to an open table, pulling out a seat for her. "At least let me do this?"

 

Upon sitting down, he saw another familiar miqo'te. A certain not-Seeker of the Sun, to which he called out to. "Oh, Kage, when did you get here?"

[Warren Castille]

Warren's attention had drifted back to the floor in general. His role was to observe, to mitigate any sort of malicious activity and provide a sense of security to those around him. He didn't like to think of it as eavesdropping, but he knew what he was doing. He was used to keeping his expression blank and guarded but that was strained when he saw his colleague slip inside and approach the bar. She quietly asked for something, her soft words murmured on the periphery of his hearing, and he fought the urge to investigate.

 

"I'm guessing you and Ser Crofte have fans, ser."

 

Warren turned his direction in the sound of the voice and tried to slip an amused expression on his face.

 

"People will talk, as always. If those rumors are of romance, well... I'd much rather hear those than the usual." He gave the miqo'te a knowing nod, tilting his head slightly as if to invite a counter-point he knew wouldn't come.

[Raelas]

Yangh clicked her tongue, then began tapping the hilt of her Scimitar once more as she made her way over to the table. She felt for a seat and promptly sat.

 

"Yangh not offended... Yangh simply make terms clear..." she smiled. "Yangh learn most not know of Keeper customs, must make exception for many."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

He nodded in agreement. "It can be hard to live in a place where the customs are quite different. Is there anything you would like? I can wave down one of the servers."

[Raelas]

Yangh thought a moment, she was fasting after all, no food until later on... and only fruits at that.

 

"Ah... Yangh take water only, laksha."

[Roen]

"Oh. Is that what these scratches are?" 

 

A voice rose from the other side of the pillar, with a lilting accent that was not distinct enough to be placed. A dark-haired Highlander rounded the thick wooden column, one hand nursing daintily a wine glass.

 

Her green eyes glanced from the armored paladin to the Miqo'te Blade. "I was 'fraid my 'Bo had wandered in to find a scratch post." She clucked her tongue. "Instead I find that these are... what. Scribbles of lovestruck puppies? Romantic hopefuls?"

 

She smirked as she leaned against the pillar, obviously not minding the proximity to both men. "I suppose that is why bards frequent taverns with our songs of ever lastin' love. They lap it all up so eagerly." She eyed the taller armored one. "Although how they get to makin' these carved pronouncements with ye standin' guard?"

[Warren Castille]

Warren met with woman with cool regard, her face not one from his memory bank.

 

"I've only recently returned to my post. Pressing matters kept me away, but they have since thankfully been resolved." He allowed himself a small smile while thinking of what those resolutions entailed, then mentally shook them off.

 

"It's touching in its own way, I suppose." He furrowed his brow, switching arms folded over his chest and tabard. "I just wish there was a way to do it without defacing property." The thought lingered a moment longer before he brought his eyes back to the woman and he smiled politely.

 

"A bard, then? Are you here to perform? Or are you merely part of the ambiance tonight?"

[Kage]

Kage blinked, looking to Ser Castille and then at the dark haired female highlander he'd not ever seen before before gazing at the pillar once more. Under his breath, almost inaudibly, Kage muttered, "And Natalie wonders why I hate bein' a Blade so much. Everyone thinks yer shite."

 

He motions to the pillar and says, "Don't think Ser Castille or Ser Crofte put that up but... they seem to stand watch next to it often. Possibly some patron thought they'd be cute together."

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Franz flagged down a server, asking for a water for Yangh and a house ale for himself. Might as well enjoy the evening. 

 

Kage seemed to be enjoying himself talking the Warren, the paladin. and some other woman had joined them. By the looks, a bard.

 

He turned his attention back to the person at the same table. "So, what brought you into the Quicksand this evening?"

[Roen]

She waved a hand into the air dismissively, her belled bracelets lightly jingling.

 

"Just part of the ambiance this eve. I sing for pleasure and occasionally for gil, but of late I not in short of the latter." She curls a pleased grin. "And never enough of the former, of course." 

 

She gave Kage a sidelong glance. "Ser Castille. Ser Crofte. So formal." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I prefer first names. I don't salute nor do I care for ... ranks. What do I call either of ye? In case I feel inspired to write a song or two later."