04.01d - "meeting time"

Bismark jogged to catch up to Apostrofae and walked beside her for an awkward amount of time. "so... vant to talk about that? vhat was zat about? a mask? Vengeance i understand because of vat happened to your family, but a curse on you? darkness? corruption?"

Apostrofae stopped and looked at Bismarck for a very long uncomfortable period of time. Bismark stared back. "My village was where it was because that is where an artifact was found. I was never told what it was because I hadn't started my training. I just knew that it was very powerful and very dangerous. Well knew is not exactly right. I was told that.” She paused for a while longer staring at Bismarck who just nodded.

"A man came to our village. He made promises to me...and threats. Look! I did what I had to do. To save everyone. Now they are all dead and this is what I got."

Bismark walked alongside her quietly listening, until she stopped talking, then waiting long enough that it seemed like she was finished. "You told her you don't like what you are becoming. What did you mean by that?"

"Stop and look at me. Really look at me. Do I seem right to you? Apostrofae said, thrusting her hands into the air.

"I guess I assumed you and your tribe was just like that. Is it the curse, then?" Bismark asked.

As Bismark turned and looked at her she suddenly shapeshifted into a horrible twisted version of herself for a second, and then returned to her normal state.

Bismark flinched, and six passersby in the area went from various levels of startled to actual panic and  screamed.

Apostrofae tried to stop herself, but lausghed in spit of it. "It's going to get worse." Several people did double takes as people collected themselves and walked away, quickly, in confusion.

"Is zere anything ve can do to ... remove the curse?" Bismark asked.

"That is why I am chasing the necromancer…” Apostrofae said, continuing to walk. “The man that came to my village. He is responsible for this."

Bismark nodded. "You and Able seem to have a lot in common."

"At least I will have vengeance if you are to believe old women down alleys." Apostrofae said, as they arrived back at the silver dagger. As Apostrofae opened the door, Bismark stayed outside, taking up his spot on the ground. "Thanks for coming with me." she told him.

"Glad to." Bismark said, pulling out his bottle. "Glad you're with us, Apostrofae. We'll find him"

Inside the silver dagger, Able finished his drink and asked the bartender for directions to Black Antler.

Early evening now, Blak's performance had drawn a crowd so was steady business. The bar itself has 4 other people, involved in their own converastion and most of the tables in the common area were full with other patrons.

Apostrofae walked through the crowd up to Able. “I’m back.” She motioned to the bartender, “One for the ditch please.” He nodded slowly, and poured another couple fingers worth into a glass, sliding it over. She took it slowly, nodding equally as slowly and drinking it slowly.

The slow nods turns into an approving one from the bartender as he then heads over to help four men arguing about some bar bet.

Bismark gets up from his spot and walks inside the silver dagger to the bar. "Able... Apostrofae... " He looks around... "Where's Blak and the others? we need to be meeting up with Leosin soon."

“Why do you always drink outside?” Apostrofae asked him.

"It's been a vhile since I've been in a city of any size. It felt ... you know how sometimes you see something or hear something, and it reminds of you a memory? And just being there and seeing and hearing almost makes you feel like you are back there… It was like that, coming back to a city. That's all. I just wanted to reminisce, i guess."

Apostrofae nodded. “I haven’t been to many new places but I think I know what you mean.”

Bismark got a stupid grin on his face. “So, my friend that I am trying to find, that the cultists took? I knew her way back. She was the one that got me to go out and start adventuring. well, before i left on one that was going to take some extended time, she gave me a gift.” Bismark smirked. "Here, come upstairs with me a minute, i don't want to pull this out in this crowd" Bismark led her up in the hall outside his room and opens one of his belt pouches, pulling out a small white rabbit skull. "She gave me this."

Apostrofae looked closer. “Is it magic or something?

Bismark put his finger to his lips. "shh, shh!" As silence filled the room, the tiny skull vibrates slightly and a soft, but clearly feminine voice speaks in common, "Don't you need a permit to be that ugly?"

”it’s kind of mean” Apostrofae pointed out. “Why do you carry around a dead rabbit that insults people?”

Bismark laughed. We gave each other crap all the time when we were younger, picking on each other. So as a going away gift, she got this for me. Not sure how she paid for it... or if she did. He paused, his expression becoming more downcast. When I came back, though, she was gone, and I've been trying to track her down since then. So this,” Bismark says holding up the skull, "stupid little jackass... Reminds me of my friend that I've lost but hope to find." He tucked it back into his pouch.

“I will try to help you find her.” Apostrofae told him. “Then we can burn the hands and feet off the people that took her.”

"I appreciate that, Apostrofae. But anyway, to answer your original question, being back in a city brought back a lot of memories, and I just wanted to spend some time out in the city and be with them. Talis was a part of that, for sure." "Bismark collected his things from his room and locked the door. "Wasn't Blak around here too?"

“He’s in his room I think. He really can’t drink very well.” Apostrofae said, pointing in that direction.

"Oh Great. doesn't he know we need to be over at the Black Antlers soon?"

“Which room is his?” Bismark asked, as he walked toward the bar to request a bucket of water. While there, he asked Able where Blak’s room was, and returns, showing Apostrofae which room, then walked in and tried to shake the bard awake.

A’postrofae slid down the wall in the hallway and picked bugs out of her oddly filthy new dress.

Bismark shrugged and picked up the bucket of cold water throwing it in Blak's face. “Wake up, Blak! we need to get going soon!”

“He’s going to be mad. You got water in his stringy thing.”

Blak let out a very loud trill that is at least on key as soon as the cold water slashed over him. He pops up to his hands and knees, flips over to sitting on his rear, and backpeddled very quickly to the wall away from the epicenter.

Apostrofae smirked "You should drink more...or less. the amount you are drinking now is wrong. We have to go meet with that monk at the black anus"

The three of them walked to the bar to get Able and then out the door. "Hey Able I talked to your soothsayer." Apostrofae pointed out.

"How did that go? Any survivors?" Able asked with a grin.

Apostrofae faked an overly happy mood. "I am going to meet a tall handsome elf and we are going to have so many babies! and I am definitely not cursed and doomed to ever deepening corruption."

"Well then, I'm glad her fortunes have a theme. Makes for easier marketing.” Able said, slapping Apostrofae on the back. "Lets go find the Black Angle"

"Ooooh you are going to meet a tall handsome elf too?" Apostrofae mocked. "Let's go Blak and Bismark!"

Bismark stops while the others keep walkng. "wait, what?"

"Oh.  Angus.  I thought you said it was the Black Anu… Oof"  Blak bumped into the door jam. "Pardon me good sir, but my you are a firm one" Apostrofae held out a bottle of Theo's best to Blak. "A'postaphae?  Oh, why thank you."He took a swig.

Apostrofae took back her bottle. "I miss Theo..."

"Aye.  Too bad Gamble killed em” Blak said.

Apostrofae looked confused. "Gamble didn't kill Theo."

"Leofinas?" Blak asked.

"His god killed him." Apostrofae explained.

"You?" Blak kept asking. Apostrofae patted him on the head spilling a few bugs in his hair.

"Well who killed THeo then?" Blak asked, thoroughly confused.

"Theo is fine. He's back in Greenest." Apostrofae told him.

"Oh.  Maybe he can be my rodey then.  Keep the water off me at least. That inn had a really leaky roof" Blak said, wiping some water off of his face.”