A Magnetic Personality

[Luminius]

Luminius had just made his way into the Lower Ward. He heard a lot of stories about Mal'ean influence, and decided it would be a good place to start in his search for his family. He had no idea who they were, where they lived, or anything about them. Father Dabel had trained him his whole life and cared for him as if he was his own.

Lumi's two swords hung at his side, one on the right and one on the left. The one on his right looked to be rather decent in craftsmanship, not great like a knight's sword or anything, but your basic sword wielded by a traveler. It was the sword on his left side that seemed to be the more curious of the two. It was a white sheath and handle, with a very odd insignia on it. Luminius had no idea what it meant, but Father Dabel told him it was Osai, and the story that went with it. The sword was a blessed blade, or so Dabel had told him, and that the spirits themselves blessed the blade so that it could only be wieldd by someone with a heart of noble intent. If anyone tried to use this sword in a malicious manner, the sword would become as heavy as their hearts, and be unusable.

He walked along the streets, hearing of a place called the "Horned Kirin." It was supposedly favored by the locals, and Luminius was a bit curious about where to start looking. He didn't like alcohol, because it made his body feel sluggish, and he was in tune with his body as he was with the sky. He didn't have to go far before he found the place and walked in. He looked around, not really used to the hustle and bustle of a city. Dabel had raised him in the woods, so the sights, sounds and smells of this busy city were completely foriegn to him. Dabel had taught him a lot of the world, and the dangers of it, and for that Luminius was thankful. He saw a empty spot at the bar and decided it looked quiet and peaceful enough for him, and sat down.

[Anicetus]

The tavern itself was decorated with an Osai's eye. Luminius was apt to find it to have some 'homey' aspect because of it. There were broad windows in the front but the back was relatively dark, better for private meetings or conversations.

Behind the bar was a fair-haired Osai. It was not a common look for their kind but was said to run in some families. What made him look especially strange was the prevalence of piercings in his ears suggesting that he'd probably really enjoyed the company of a Mea'lan metalworker or two in his many years. While certainly not quite as rough looking as some Osai, he wasn't a spring chicken either. The crinkled skin around his eyes and weathering on his hands said that he'd been around awhile.

He smiled companionably at the newcomer that was approaching the bar and actually stepped forward. "Good day stranger. We just got a new shipment of Gold Aris Rum." He lowered his voice to confidential level. "I've got a great deal with one of the bars in Waterview. We wouldn't normally get the stuff." His eyes glinted with good humor. It was true, the other Aganthis bars tended to get preferential treatment on certain things. The Horned Kirin didn't quite have the same clout so its loving owner had gone out of his way to strike a few underhanded deals. It wasn't technically smuggled but he had an excellent selection behind the bar and there was a certain niche of Aganthis's population that knew it.

"So what can I do for you friend? A stiff drink? A tall tale? Or maybe you're looking for a fair deal on lodging?" Most of his customers had usually found lodging elsewhere. He kept a few rooms available most times but they were quite a bit more expensive than what was available elsewhere in the lower ward. It wasn't getting up to the status of the Glass Vista, but he was a bit discerning when it came to lending out rooms otherwise they filled up too fast and they ended up with too much work keeping them straight.

[Luminius]

"Good day stranger. We just got a new shipment of Gold Aris Rum. I've got a great deal with one of the bars in Waterview. We wouldn't normally get the stuff."

Luminius just blinked, not knowing what this "shipment" was, nor much of anything about Waterview other than he passed through it on his way here, or why it wouldn't be a common drink to have here. The man seemed friendly enough though, so Luminius just gave him a smile.

"So what can I do for you friend? A stiff drink? A tall tale? Or maybe you're looking for a fair deal on lodging?"

Luminius just tilted his head a bit, confused as to why drinks would be stiff. He looked at the man, not wanting to refuse the man's hospitality or good nature. "Um, I suppose I'll have something to drink, but I would think a stiff drink would just sit in a glass and hardly be drinkable. Water, I suppose? Unless it's ice, I'm pretty sure I can drink that."

[Anicetus]

The Osai chuckled. "Just sit right in the glass? I'll have you know there are quite a few strapping men who come in here most assuredly of the opinion that the best drink is a stiff drink. They'll say the difference between a boy and a man is how stiff his drink is. It puts hair on your chest!"

"But, to each his own." He said. "And water is not always easy to come by in Aganthis so I'm afraid I'll have to charge you for it. Newcomers are always bothered by that but when you realize what the purifiers go through to get it drinkable, it's worthy of the price. I'm sure to donate to them regularly. And if you want ice you'll have to bother one of the Vpera who comes by here on occasion. It's too hard to keep a full chest of it when I'd rather have water on hand. Oh and if you want a bite to eat we've got the finest kitchen in the lower ward. Bruno can conjure any one of a variety of dishes. Most of them taste like chicken in the end but most people like chicken."

The innkeeper grinned personably. "Mind if I ask what brings you to Aganthis?"

[Luminius]

"Just sit right in the glass? I'll have you know there are quite a few strapping men who come in here most assuredly of the opinion that the best drink is a stiff drink. They'll say the difference between a boy and a man is how stiff his drink is. It puts hair on your chest! But, to each his own. And water is not always easy to come by in Aganthis so I'm afraid I'll have to charge you for it. Newcomers are always bothered by that but when you realize what the purifiers go through to get it drinkable, it's worthy of the price. I'm sure to donate to them regularly. And if you want ice you'll have to bother one of the Vpera who comes by here on occasion. It's too hard to keep a full chest of it when I'd rather have water on hand. Oh and if you want a bite to eat we've got the finest kitchen in the lower ward. Bruno can conjure any one of a variety of dishes. Most of them taste like chicken in the end but most people like chicken."


Luminius then realized by this comment that the "stiffness" of a drink meant it's alcohol content. He laughed a bit and rubbed the back of his head a bit in embarrasment, laughing at himself a bit as well. "Ah, I see. I have only been traveling for a short time, and never really been in a tavern, but a few people on the ship said it was a good place to stop, so I decided to follow their kind advice."

"Mind if I ask what brings you to Aganthis?"

Luminius smiled and leaned forward on his elbows a bit. He was glad the barkeeper was kindly. The Osai interior of the tavern reminded him a lot of Father Dabel. He spoke gently, as he admired the decor, "Curiosity. Nothing in particular interest, really. Just trying to find my real family. I don't know anything about them. I heard there was a fair amount of Mal'ean influence in this area, so I decided it would be a good place to start loooking." He just shrugged, as he had no real information to go off of. He had adopted the last name "Lightspirit" as a name given to him by the Temple he had been left at. He knew nothing of his real family, but he knew he was Mal'ean and Ethian, but that only seemed to broaden the possibilites than limit them. He looked at the man again, as if snapping out of a daze. "How much do I owe you for the water?"

[Anicetus]

"Two silver." The bartender said mildly. "This very city was built by the Mea'lan. You can see their influence everywhere you turn. A lot of it's been covered up since the old city was resettled but you can still find evidence of Mea'lan in the very fiber of the place. My wife was Mea'lan. She taught
me a great deal about where she came from, how she lived with her family. I can't say I had ever really lived or known how to live before I met her. I can see where it would be hard to find out about one's past like that since the Mea'lan travel so much. The caravans in particular are always on the move. People come and go from their settlements as fluidly as water demons in a lake."

He started taking up some dirty glasses from other customers before resuming what he had to say. "But here in Aganthis you'll find Mea'lan from all over. There are some from the caravans, some from the deserts--in my experience the city's tamed them quite a lot--but there is no one single family or tribe or Mea'lan here. They are largely a melting pot. The same could be said for many of the Ethians I've encountered. Aganthis seems to bring people from all over the place. If you've got anything at all to go on you're apt to find someone who knows someone who might know about what you want to know. But in all honesty my daughter would probably be better help to you than I am. She has more involvement with the Mea'lan community than I do. She certainly fits in with them better and is less likely to get rotten fruit tossed at her. She's a free spirit though so there's no saying when she'll be by here today. If you're asking just me I'd say you should head by the Fixer's Guild. They have a fair number of Mea'lan as members and if you pitched in to help with their latest excursion or experiment they would be even more obliged to help you out."

[Luminius]

Luminius reached in a pouch at his side and put two silver on the bar and slid them to him as Lumi listened to the man talking. He had heard there was different type of Mal'ean, but as the man spoke, Luminius realized how little he actually knew of his own culture. "Unfortunately, I have nothing to go off of. I was abandoned at the Temple of Balance when I was an infant, and lived there until I was 5 years old. Then a wandering Osai man by the name of Dabel Thil came and took me in his care. Father Dabel taught me how and when to fight, and if it wasn't for him, I probably never would have been inclined to look for my real family in the first place. That Fixer's Guild does sound like a good idea. Even if I don't find any information I'm looking for, it would be good for a bit of money to continue traveling on."

Luminius drank the water and took a deep relaxed sigh. It did taste clean, and though two silver seemed a bit steep, it was for a good cause. The information alone was worth it. He smiled at the bartender to show his satisfaction and brushed his bluish white hair back a bit. Something did strike him as odd though, and Luminius was needing to know as much as possible about the area. "I am a bit curious though. Why would people throw rotten fruit at your daughter? I would think if she was involved in such important work with the community, she would be a very respected. Is there some faction of people who which to be counterproductive to the rebuilding and fixing of this area?"

[Anicetus]

"I see, well then you have a difficult road ahead." The bartender said in response to Luminius's remarks on how very little he knew of his family. "Rather like looking for a needle in a haystack."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully as the other went on, wondering over why anyone would throw rotten fruit.

"No one would throw rotten fruit at her." He said tilting his head to one side slightly. "She's a strong, beautiful, young Mea'lan woman. Or well, that's how she looks. Most wouldn't notice that she's half Osai. However, those same good people who she mingles with regularly do not think so keenly of an oldster like me. I'm certain you're aware of the racial tensions between the Mea'lan and Osai, my friend. You would have witnessed it in your travels I'm sure. Our people war viciously in the deserts and then come out here and those memories stay even though the fighting does not. So her, they would not throw fruit at. Me, they would." He chuckled. "And they have on occasion. I am something of a performer some evenings. I play a bit of music with some of the locals. You are welcome to come by."

A little while later, the door to the tavern burst open and in stepped a small group of Mea'lan. There was a tall, rangy figure with curled horns upon his head, a stocky set of twins trying to keep up followed by a muscular young woman with light hair pulled back from her face in long braids. Her eyes were a jarring shade of blue and she wore a peculiar harness wrapped around her body which held her clothing to her and left little to the imagination as to her curves.

Behind her was an odd looking Vpera whose would have appeared almost entirely pale blue save for his clothing which were generally in dark colors and grays. His wings were folded back since they were going indoors. The band consisted mostly of young people and they rapidly took up one of the tavern's larger tables.

The young woman did not sit with the others and instead ran and vaulted over the bar. "I'll get it daddy. You stay put." She said and scurried in behind the bar to snag a pitcher.

The bartender raised his eyebrows, but little more.

[Luminius]

"No one would throw rotten fruit at her. She's a strong, beautiful, young Mea'lan woman. Or well, that's how she looks. Most wouldn't notice that she's half Osai. However, those same good people who she mingles with regularly do not think so keenly of an oldster like me. I'm certain you're aware of the racial tensions between the Mea'lan and Osai, my friend. You would have witnessed it in your travels I'm sure. Our people war viciously in the deserts and then come out here and those memories stay even though the fighting does not. So her, they would not throw fruit at. Me, they would. And they have on occasion. I am something of a performer some evenings. I play a bit of music with some of the locals. You are welcome to come by."

Luminius leaned forward in his chair and propped himself up a bit. "Terrible waste of food on good Osai culture, I'm sure. I've only really recently been out learning of social happenings. I suppose in a time-frame reference, it's like what little I do remember of the Temple was about as short as my time in this tavern. Father Dabel raised me and trained me out in the woods off the Long Road for most of my life. He taught me how to survive, how to wield a sword, and reasons why I should and shouldn't wield it. He was definately Osai, but he loved me like his own son. I guess it's made me a bit more open-minded in the acceptance of others. I have seen that people have been a bit discontent with one another, but I suppose there will always be conflict and prejudice so long as people continue to be close-minded."

Luminius turned to look at the band of mixed company entering the place and blinked at how nimble the young lady that jumped the counter was. He turned to the bartneder again and looked at him straight-faced, shaking his head a bit and said very plainly but with a sliver of obvious sarcasm, "No, the Osai part doesn't show a bit." The he grinned a bit, unable to hold his straight face anymore. " But I'm sure she makes her father very proud."

[Anicetus]

"Proud, I'd say she makes me a fretting misery." The bartender said in a confidential way. "Don't pay her too much mind or she will notice. She's as wild in the head as I was at her age. I used to try to keep her in more but her mom wasn't the least bit sedate and she certainly isn't either. I'd hate to kill her spark."

And then a few moments later the girl sprang back from the back with a large pitcher in hand. She set it down on the counter then began gathering up a sufficient number of cups for her crowd. She paused briefly to show off her attire to her father.

"Oh daddy look. Brendel let me borrow one of the harnesses they use to fly around the city so I could see what it felt like." She giggled and did a little spin. "Isn't it just great? Bren says I'll have to study a lot more if I want to actually lift off but I already feel light as air."

"Eh yeah." He responded. "But can't you wear something over it?"

"Oh don't be so old fashioned!" She exclaimed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing up the cups, balancing them precariously in one hand and the pitcher on the other as she did a balancing act over the bar and headed back to the table to a whoop of laughter and cheers from the others.

"Can't do anything with her." The bartender said with a chortle. "But she's mine."