Winter's Grasp [SC Only]

by **Drekhi** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 3:24 pm

Winter’s Grasp

Aurkhir Lodge, in Northern Drekhi, is a popular tourism spot for both tourists and hunters, who come to Drekhi in droves for the superb pristine habitats where Mammoth, Bears and even the occasional Dragon flourish in the subarctic climate. There are nearly a thousand people in the area during summer, but now the nights are drawing in, though some still come, for the nature, the stargazing, or even just the Lodge itself.

The Lodge is a sumptuous establishment, founded twenty years ago by Ranmir and Sorli Vollan. Constructed of dark basalt and pine logs, the three-storey lodge is almost a mansion, and the rear looks out onto the lake, which at this time of year is frozen over. The lake is small, and beyond it and around the area are craggy mountains, with thickly-forested lower slopes. In summer, there are mountain passes that connect the Lodge and the other huts and houses round the lake with the outside world, but currently these are snowed under, and to try them would be suicide. Instead, a train line leads through a tunnel through one of the mountains, stopping a mile or so from the Lodge so as to avoid ruining the view.

The winter is especially hard this year, but a few intrepid souls have made the journey here, out of sentimentality or for other reasons. You are one of these people.

Maps

by **Drekhi** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 5:33 pm

You leave the train station behind you, your boots crunching in the snow as you walk along the path towards the faint lights in the distance. The path is well-signposted, bordered on each side by stout oak posts coated in a waterproof preservative that stains them a mahogany brown. as you walk through the snow, you see the lake gradually reveal itself, a mirror of ice shining in the light of the waxing crescent of the moon hanging in the star-studded sky, one of the clearest skies in the entire world. The sweeping slopes of the mountains encircle the lake, white peaks like jagged teeth piercing the sky's dome. This is Seirkhi Kheiyri, one of the remotest spots in all of Drekhi.

You begin to draw near the Lodge where you will be staying. Light shines through it's windows, a cheerful yellow light. Lighting efficiency regulations are more relaxed in places such as this. A bit of warmth is necessary to keep everyone cheerful in the long dark nights. The Lodge rises up before you, the dark timber frame accentuated by the blocks of hexagonal basalt making up the walls. The roof's pitch is steep, but already covered by snow, and the windows and doors are small. This is a place built for the cold.

You push open the door, and find yourself in a reception area. Behind the desk facing you, a smiling woman looks up, grey-streaked dark hair contrasting with ice-blue eyes, which twinkle cheerfully at you. She has a weathered look, more tanned than most Drekhi, like she walks up mountains every day before breakfast.

"Hello, and welcome to Aurkir Lodge. I am Sorli Vollan. How may I be of assistance?"

by **The Teatascakela** » Thu Dec 22, 2016 6:44 pm

Some would call Asteri Kyeiri obsessed, maybe even insane. But Asteri liked to view herself as merely determined, perhaps possessing more than her fair share of stubbornness. It was that stubbornness that had driven her to make countless reckless decisions in her past- and live through them all. It was also what had driven her up to the snowy peaks of Seirkhi Kheiyri. She had a quest to find a dragon, and she brought her little sister along with her.
Madeleine Kyeiri, with her red-gold locks and slender, birdlike build, was about as different from tall, tanned Asteri as you could get. But they both shared their mother's piercing, tawny eyes. Unlike her older sister though, Madeleine was content to sit around the house everyday, singing, sketching, playing the flute, or some variation of all three. Asteri was the sporty one, never at home because she had some swim competition, or track meet, or volleyball game, with the occasional badminton tournament. So it was a wonder how she ever got her sweet, timid little sister to agree to come. But their parents were long dead, and Maddie was a year shy of eighteen, so by law, her sister was her legal guardian. Not that it lessened her well hidden irritation.
Asteri shoved open the heavy double doors with a flourish, sweeping her big chestnut curls over one shoulder. "We're finally here!" She declared with a devilish grin, adjusting the heavy rucksack swung across her back. "C'mon, Maddie. That wasn't so bad, now was it? The train did most of the work." Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Asteri nudged her sister's shoulder playfully. After a moment, Asteri frowned, taking in the sweat beading on her younger sister's pale, shivering skin and her gasping breaths clouding the air, clearly visible in the moonlight. "You really need to get out more, lil sis. That was barely a mile, and you look like you've just ran a marathon. Besides, I'm the one carrying the fifty pound pack here." No doubt her sister enjoyed none of the magnificent views this place had to offer.
"Let's just go in." Madeleine coughed out between gasps of freezing air. Shouldering aside her sister, she edged into the welcome warmth of the Lodge. After knocking almost all the snow off her fur-lines boots, Maddie padded through the door marked to lead to the bar with an unfocused expression. She sunk into a stool, hugging the table for warmth and staring at her own long, thin fingers that she swore had gained a blue pallor from the wintry nip. Asteri sighed, tromping over to the reception desk.
A grey-haired woman stood smiling behind it. Reaching out, Asteri placed handful of coins on the smooth wood. "I would like to book a room."

by **Asgareth** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:01 pm

Parolin Yeltsin smiled as the crisp cold air met his face as he prepared to disembark from the train carriage. Snow poured down fiercely and the bitter wind came as no surprise. He had finally arrived after a 27-hour journey in a humid compartment. The cold air was a welcome change, although Parolin imagined it would soon be more of a belligerent. Parolin stepped off the train and felt his boot sink into the snow. It was pitch black, other than for some lights in the distance. Not knowing where he was, he headed up towards the lights.

Parolin was an avid hunter from the Northern Territory of Asgareth. He specialised in hunting mammoths and was desperate for one final kill before the hunting season began in Asgareth. He hunted mammoths for their tusks, which he sold on the black market to rich aristocrats looking for unique items. One adult tusk would fetch Parolin 40,000 gold, and gold was all Parolin cared for. Parolin had won the Imperial Hunting Cup for three years in a row, making over 4 million gold in the process. He wished to compete one last time and then intended to retire to the country, where he would hunt bears to his heart’s desire.

As Parolin approached the lights he noticed the outline of a building. This must be the lodge, he thought to himself. Parolin felt the fierce wind on his beard, and tried to speed towards the lodge. The snow was deep, but Parolin was no novice when it came to extreme climates and he persevered onwards. Eventually, Parolin came within sight of the lodge, and a sudden desire for ale came upon him. The lodge looked welcoming and appeared to be comfortable. Parolin opened the heavy door rather easily, and stepped inside to the warm air. He approached the reception desk where he saw a dark-haired woman looking towards him.
“Good evening” he said gruffly as he handed over a pouch of coins. “I demand a room for the night. And the finest food you have.”
After he collected his room key and deposited his luggage in his room, he headed to the bar.
“Grub” he demanded as he sat down on the bar stool. “And your finest ale.”

by **Drekhi** » Fri Dec 23, 2016 3:36 pm

Sorli smiled at the two young women in front of her. "Certainly, my dear. I'll put you on the top floor. Up two flights of stairs, and first door on the right. I'll have Ranmir take up your things." She called over her shoulder, "Ranmir, would you be wonderful and take these ladies' bags up to the top floor?"

"Certainly, darling!" came a deep, earnest voice, as a giant of a man, muscular and imposing. His white hair and beard were slicked back from his strong-featured face, which sported a scar over one eye, through his eyebrow and onto his cheek. Despite his imposing appearance, he carried an air of enthusiasm, as though he were many years younger. He looked round until his good eye came to rest on the two girls, and he swept into a deep, if somewhat stiff, bow.

"Welcome to Aurkhir Lodge! We hope you enjoy your stay. Please, follow me!" He picked up the older girl's bag like others would scoop up a pebble, began climbing the stairs. Sorli slid a key across the desk. "Here's your key, do come down and eat once you've got settled in."

The door swung open again, and a bearded man with a rifle slung across his back stepped in. He rather gruffly demanded food and a room. Sorli handed over the key for the second room on the right on the first floor, noting the Imperial Stars handed over in return. An Asgarthian, then. She sent an order to Ardrai in the kitchen for some venison and showed the Asgarthian through to the bar, where, taking over from Khrysaldie, she poured him a glass of Khyrnigie Ale, and then wiped down the bar.

"Up here for the Mammoth, I'm guessing?"

by **Myraxia** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 8:02 am

In recognition of exemplary conduct in service to the Union, [Captain] [Kyron Sar Yonyr] is granted 1 (one) month of holiday leave, along with all relevant bookings for a vacation package at [Aurkhir Lodge, Drekhi], to be taken immediately.

Kyron Sar Yonyr watched the mountainous landscape blur past the train window. The train was quiet, far from packed - but then, he reflected, what would you expect this far into the middle of nowhere? Pulling his fur-collared coat around him tighter - in all honesty, it was a spare piece of cold weather gear that he'd never gotten around to sewing his insignia on to - he settled back into the worn fabric of the seat. "You know, this really is a beautiful country. " he remarked to no one in particular. A few of the other passengers threw him strange looks, but otherwise kept to themselves.

--

The snow swirled gently around him as he trudged his way through the drifts that had formed on the path to the Lodge - helpfully pointed out to him by one of the station staff - following at least one other set of footprints up the mountain. A few distant noises echoed off the slopes of the valley - bears, maybe? Some were definitely bigger than a bear. A several storey building, cut from basalt and timber, rose up from the snow ahead, a warm light glowing from within. This, he realised, must be the Lodge.

The door was heavy - pine, probably, he reckoned. He kicked the snow off his boots on the mat and let the door swing shut behind him, surveying the room before him. A door off to the left seemed to be the source of the warmth, and several voices could be heard beyond it - one gruff, with an accent; Asgaran? - and several younger female voices. No one seemed to be staffing the reception desk in front of him, but there was a small bell on the counter.

*ding*

by **The Teatascakela** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 10:46 am

~~~~~~~~
"One moment please." Asteri said to the huge man with a muttered curse under her breath, scanning the room. Her gaze settled on the door to the left, marked as the bar. That's probably where her sister had wandered off to. Striding through the door, she located her sister at the nearest table sitting on a still and staring absentmindedly at her own hand. "Madeleine, get it together. We're going to our room." Asteri growled, latching a hand to her younger sibling's shoulder.

"Hm? Oh, sure." Madeleine snapped out of her daze, meeting the citrine glare of her obviously disapproving sister. "I'm sorry. I'm not as used to these conditions as you are." She shivered, wrapping her fur coat around herself harder. Maddie would admit, her sister's fur parka probably offered more warmth. Following her sister back through the door, she barely had time to take in a man standing at the counter before a giant wall of grinning muscle loomed up in her vision. Startled, she froze and blinked. Once. Twice. "Maddie, meet... Ranmir is it?" Thankfully, Asteri cut in and pulled her out of her shyness. "Oh, thank you so much for taking our baggage." Madeleine smiled brightly, and her sister nodded. If she knew her sister, Astri probably hadn't bothered to thank the man yet. Or ever.

Once they climbed up two flights of stairs, the two sisters and Ranmir arrived at a spacious floor with four doors, including the one they had exited the stairwell with. There, Ranmir dropped her bag and Asteri unlocked her and Maddie's shared room. She dumped the bag in there, not taking the time to check the room out thoroughly. That would come later. First, food and probably more than a mug of ale. "Come on, Maddie. You hungry?" Asteri called towards her sister, who was on her feet at once. "Very," Madeleine grinned warmly at the prospect of a warm bowl of stew or a mug of cider. Making their way down the stairs, Asteri thought of tomorrow. Of planning and adventure, and a dragon at the end. Just seeing one would be enough of a payoff, but she wanted a scale. A single scale shed by a dragon. All sorts of myths and legends swirled about around dragons, but it was a single one she was interested in...

Maddie left her sister to her own thoughts, and instead examined the finely carved wooden railing underneath her hand. This entire cabin was obviously crafted with care, and probably filled with many good storied to tell. She didn't care about dragons, or exploring; those were her sister's forte. But stories were one thing both siblings shared interest in. The old woman at the front desk looked nice enough. Perhaps Maddie would approach her sometime, or maybe Ranmir. Asteri opened the door of the bar for her, and she smiled in return. Always looking out for her. Even on hare-brained quests like finding dragons.

by **Azalea Republic** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 12:11 pm

Diego let out a loud sneeze as he reached for his handkerchief. The scenery outside the train was beautiful, it was the weather he was having issues with. Coming from the tropical country of Azalea he had never experienced temperatures this freezing. Diego was 5'9" with an average build and curly brown hair. His hazel colored eyes were tearing up at the moment as put a hand to his face. He let out another loud sneeze and he felt as though all the stares on the train were piercing through his seat. He was coming down with a cold, most likely due to the sudden change in temperature. What a great way to start off the honeymoon he thought to himself as blew his nose. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the seat. Diego never liked the cold it was so bothersome, every time the temperature dropped even a little he got a runny nose and painful headaches. He had planned such a lovely honeymoon in the tropical Frezko Islands, they were going to go hand gliding and take surfing lessons but no Myrna had to louse it up. Myrna was his long time friend who had convinced them to take this trip to the Aurkhir lodge. The lake and forests were lovely and they had to make it extra special it was a honeymoon/graduation trip after all.

He felt a cool hand on his forehead and opened his eyes. His husband Yuji was feeling his temperature. "Well at least you don't have a fever, you should rest though we're still a ways from the lodge. Just sleep I'll wake you when we get there." He smiled and kissed his cheek before returning to his book. Yuji was so kindhearted and sweet, one of the many reasons Diego fell in love with him. Yuji was 5'11 with a slender build and shoulder length black hair. He kept his bangs out of his face with a bright ladybug hair clip that Diego had bought him on their first date. He wore thin glasses which, in Diego's opinion, extenuated his electric blue eyes. Yuji had just graduated from medical school and Diego had received his teaching credentials. After all that hard work they finally decided to tie the knot. Yuji He was so happy he thought to himself as he stared at Yuji reading his book. If it weren't for this damn cold this scene would be so perfect. "I love you baby" Diego said as he began to drift into sleep. Yuji smiled and said, "I love you too Diego, now sleep."

--

Diego felt like he was dying as they made their way up towards the lodge. He was carrying both his and Yuji's bags, Yuji told him not to but he insisted. The snow fell silently on the road, only the crunch of their boots in the snowy road made any noise. Yuji pulled his scarf over his mouth as a gust blew in. After what seemed like ages they finally arrived at the lodge entrance. Diego looked as though he was about to pass out. He put the bags on the floor pulled out his handkerchief. There was a man standing at the reception desk ringing a bell. Yuji had recognized him as one of the passengers on the train. He had gotten to the lodge much faster than they did. Diego let out another sneeze and blew his nose. "Diego why don't you go wait in the dining room its nice and warm in there. I'll handle the check in." Diego nodded and made his way into the room on the left. Yuji then stood behind the large man and waited for the receptionist.

by **Drekhi** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 4:03 pm

*ding*

Hurried footsteps were heard from the room to the left, and a pretty young woman with thick blonde hair drawn up in a messy ponytail came in from the bar.

"Hi, sorry about that! I'll sort you out with a room right away! Ah, you have a certain look about you, are you a Myraxian?" A brief nod confirmed this. "Well then, sir, you must be the man the Premium Room is reserved for! My name is Khrysaldie, and welcome to Aurkhir Lodge!" Her earnest blue eyes sparkled as she handed the man his key. "Your room is on the first floor at the end of the corridor, do join us in the bar whenever you feel like it!"

Ranmir came down the stairs at that moment. "Ah, a Myraxian! It's good to see some of our cousins from the north around here! Well, the further north, anyway." He continued to walk towards the bar, then paused and glanced back towards Khrysaldie. "Does Ardrai want me to take anything up?"

"No need." A gruff voice sounded from the doorway to the right as a plate of food walked in, or to be more precise a plate held aloft by a very short man. He stumped across the floor, then glanced around the room, his thick double-forked beard covering his expression. "Looks like you've got enough work already." He continued his walk, and as he turned towards the bar, his left arm was revealed to be robotic, holding the plate of venison eerily steady as he went.

Two men came in from the cold, the shorter of the two looking worse for wear. Khrysaldie's eyebrows immediately shot upwards in concern. "Oh, you poor thing! Follow me to the bar and I'll sort that out. Father, would you mind holding the desk for a moment?"

"No problem, my darling!" Ranmir squeezed himself behind the desk and took a look at the taller man with the glasses. "I take it you're with the other man? Ah, yes, I see the ring! This key is for the second room on the right on the second floor. I'd help you with the bags, but I have to man the desk. Do come and join us in the bar whenever you wish! And don't worry about your husband, my daughter is the local doctor. He's in good hands."

* * *

At the bar, Sorli poured some Khyrnigie Ale for the older girl, Asteri, her name was, and then some Visas Cider for the younger Madeleine, laying a finger aside her nose conspiratorially. "In Drekhi, the legal drinking age is eighteen, but round here, we're more relaxed about that sort of thing." She called over to the retreating back of Ardrai, who had delivered the venison to the Asgarthian, "Could we have two bowls of stew, if you wouldn't mind, Ardrai?"

"Not at all, they'll be coming up right away.", came the reply as he stumped off.

Khrysaldie came in with an ill-looking man, who she sat down in the corner. Pulling a few pieces of medical equipment out from cupboards, she began asking questions. "When did this come on? Are you from somewhere warm? What did you eat before you got on the train?" Her delivery was sweet and earnest, but at such a speed that it was almost interrogatory. Sorli smiled. That was Khrysaldie, all right.

She turned back to the pair of girls. "You two seem a little young to be off in the mountains by yourself. Tell me, what brings you here?" She smiled, kindly.

by **Asgareth** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:36 pm

Parolin watched as Sorli wiped the bar, whilst he took the first few sips of his ale.
“Indeed. I am hunting mammoths. What gave it away?” he chuckled nervously. He took a swig of the ale and twirled it around his mouth. He found it rich and warming and swiftly took a second swig.
“Good stuff… well, for Drekhi” he joked. “Not quite as empowering as Asgarthian Ale, but I will take what I can.”

Parolin was also rather surprised at the quality of the venison he was presented with. Sure, it was no wild boar, he thought to himself but it was seasoned nicely and cooked to perfection. He would be sure to pass his compliments on to the manager, but first he yearned for more ale.
“Bartender. Same again please.” Parolin called as he downed the last of his glass. He glanced behind him as he heard the door open and saw two young girls, who looked far too young to be alone, approach the bar. Typical, he thought to himself. His ale would take longer to come now.

During the wait, Parolin saw one of the lodge workers assist another man into the bar. Parolin watched closely as the worker tended to the man before leaving again. Parolin watched the man and wondered what he was doing here.

Eventually, his ale arrived and Parolin took a large gulp. He knew he had to be up early if he wanted to start hunting, and so promised himself he would cut himself off after one more glass. Parolin took a cigar out of his pocket and lit it. He exhaled slowly and continued to study his surroundings. Outside, he could hear the fierce winds and he was pleased he was indoors. Parolin downed the last of his ale and looked directly at the bartender.
“Another!” he yelled.

by **Myraxia** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:34 am

Accepting the key from the smiling woman with a nod of thanks, Kyron hefted his bag back onto his shoulder - waving away offers of help from the Lodge staff as he did so - and headed up the stairs to the first floor. The room - the Premium Room, the woman at the desk had called it - occupied the whole of one end of the building, a pair of double doors leading into a simple, yet well proportioned room. His bag hit the bed with a whumpf, followed by an identical sound from him. What now, he wondered? What was there to do in this remote mountain valley? He didn't really know anything about this place - he'd been in Myraxia yesterday when he received the letter informing him of his leave.

His ruminations were interrupted by a loud rumbling from his stomach. He could get answers from the staff downstairs, along with some food. And after the long journey he'd made today, something to drink as well. Locking the door behind him, he made his way back downstairs and through the door marked "Bar". He took a stool at the bar, and motioned to the woman behind it. "When you've got a moment, a mug of something strong and a plate of... whatever you do best round here. "

by **Azalea Republic** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:51 pm

Diego was in such a daze he did not realize he was being led by a young woman into the bar. It was nice and warm, he felt the heat enter his body and lift his spirit up. He sat down at the bar and felt the woman touch his forehead. She began to take out medical equipment from the cupboards and asking him questions.

"Uh...yes I'm Azalean I don't do cold weather..." he said and began to look around. There were other people at the bar he noticed. He was quite surprised, with this weather he wasn't expecting there to be many people at the lodge. "And I ate a peanut butter and oran berry jelly sandwich before we hoped on the train." He felt out of place here now that he actually payed attention to the people at the bar. They all looked like they were adventurers of some sort. The big man especially looked like he as here to hunt some sort of big game animal. He felt rather embarrassed and he felt as though there were far too many people looking at him.

"Excuse me Miss but did you happen to see where my husband went off to?" He always felt better when Yuji was with him, he had this air about him that just called him down no matter the situation. "May I also bother you for some tea please".

by **The Teatascakela** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 9:31 pm

Madeleine stiffened almost imperceptibly, but Asteri put on a conspirator's grin and gestured to her sister. "Don't worry, I'm legal and she's almost. My sister's older than she looks." Asteri looked her sibling up and down. With her long, silky strawberry-blonde hair down in big curls and her fresh, porcelain skin, Maddie looked to be around fifteen. But in truth, only a four year gap separated the two sisters. Asteri actually looked her age most of the time, the wilderness bleeding all docile, delicate youth out of her. One man was demanding another drink across the bar reminding her of the Khyrnigie Ale she held in her hand. Tossing back a large gulp, Asteri swallowed appreciatively. At Sorli's question, her grin spread to an almost Cheshire cat-like quality. Instead of answering, she asked a question of her own. "What legends do you know of dragons?"

"Thank you." Madeleine poured extra sweetness into the words, to make up for her sister's obvious lack of manners. Talking small sips of her cider, she listened to the conversation. The cider was really quality stuff, but, unlike her sister, Maddie unfortunately did not hold her alcohol well. She only indulged herself this once to take the edge off the anxiety and the worry. Her sister was truly going crazy, but it was for her. It was all for her, so she couldn't complain. Even though she was sure that the myth was just that, a myth. At the mention of legends, Maddie looked up from her cup.

by **Drekhi** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:05 pm

Khrysaldie smiled at the Azalean. "I think you may have picked something up from the sandwiches, so I'll get you a little something for that shortly. Of course you can have some tea, I'll add some honey for the cold. I'll take a look for your husband, he's probably just taking your bags upstairs. In the meantime, do, warm up by the fire, and I'll get some stew sent to you, being hungry won't help you being cold. You're not vegetarian, are you?"

* * *

Sorli poured the Asgarthian another ale. She was somewhat concerned, as he seemed to be downing them at a rather alarming rate. Perhaps he hadn't realised that despite the slight sweetness of Khyrnigie Ale, it was fortified.

"Careful, if you want to be hunting tomorrow I'd advise you to slow down a little. A rifle shots with a hangover aren't fun!" she chuckled, and glanced up at Khrysaldie, who was just heading back to the kitchen. "Khrysaldie, viggida meilaeg gysvar ikharas gavar Ardrai ligrei Esgarthi migvyg. Liri yi sirydri khissiddidar." Khrysaldie, get Ardrai to keep an eye on our Asgarthian guest. I don't want him to start trouble.

Then she turned back to the two girls. "Oh, no legends. Why do you think they're our national animal? There's not an absolute ton of them, they live long, slow lives, and lay eggs only rarely, but there's enough around that we have to be a little careful. Don't worry, they keep to the mountains most of the time, except when they're hungry, and most of them are too big to eat humans. Ten-year-old dragons are about fifty metres long, and they don't stop growing until they're about forty. At that age, they can be mistaken for hills, or even glaciers, if they go into hibernation."

She saw a motion to her side, glanced up, and spotted a Myraxian. The Myraxian. "Oh, my apologies for keeping you waiting, sir. Something strong, you say?" She pulled out a tumbler and poured a measure of ZMEY'S Akvavit into it. "I'll send for some venison." Tapping a small keypad under the counter, she spoke into the mouthpiece of an intercom. "Ardrai? Veidries adr. Adies, frid Veidries! Kheirideig alis Irdi, ivdisas si vidyg vyrim khilvreikhdag mikh lilig!" Ardrai? The Myraxian is here. Yes, that Myraxian! For the love of Irdi, make the best venison you can, this might be our lucky break!

She turned back to the Myraxian. "We'll have some venison over to you shortly, enjoy your stay, sir."

by **Asgareth** » Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:56 am

Parolin received his ale and rolled his eyes as Sorli patronised him. He was older than she was, and far more experienced in the hunt. Further, he knew how to handle his drink. Nevertheless, he realised he had to remain civil and so thanked her for the ale. As Sorli walked away, Parolin overheard her speak some strange dialect. All Parolin could understand was that she was speaking to Khrysaldie, one of the staff members. He also believed he heard a mention of Asgareth, or something similar, but he was not sure and so did not confront them.

He studied the bar once again and realised that another man was now ordering. He was well-built and clearly served in an advanced military. The accent seemed familiar. He couldn’t identify where exactly, but he knew it was from northern Rusinia. The two young girls were still sat at the bar. Parolin was sure that they should not be drinking but also remembered being their age. At 15, Parolin had snuck into his father’s whiskey stash and drunk four bottles straight. Needless to say, the aftermath was not pretty whatsoever, and his head severely hurt for three days straight. But for a few hours, Parolin had witnessed the joyful effects of alcohol.

Parolin continued to down his beer and eventually reached the bottom of his glass. He felt slightly drunk, and so decided to retire for the night. As he got up to leave, he accidentally knocked over his glass, causing it to smash onto the floor. He said sorry, to no one in particular, and continued to walk towards the door. He knocked into a table, causing a few stools to fall over, as he drew near. He exited the bar, back into the lobby.

by **Azalea Republic** » Thu Dec 29, 2016 10:57 pm

Yuji clicked end call and tossed his phone on the bed. He had just gotten off the phone with his mother to let her know they had arrived safely, and to let her know poor Diego was ill. His mother had scolded him for not treating him, but had to explain to her for the fourteenth time that he was an optometrist and could do nothing more than give him antibiotics. He did feel responsible though, Diego wanted to go to the Frezko Islands and yet he had convinced him to come to Drekhi instead. He looked out the window to see the snow silently swirling by. It was a beautiful view, the frozen lake dominated the landscape which was tucked neatly under a blanket of snow. Sure it snowed in the high altitude mountains of Azalea, but this was a true winter wonderland. Once Diego got better he would see the beauty of this place and would be glad they came.

Yuji turned around and exited the room. He made his way down into the lobby and was about to open the door when a man barged through the door. He was obviously drunk as he stumbled his way up towards the stairs. Yuji hoped he didn't puke on the way to his room. He heard the man grumble something as he climbed the stairs and disappear out of sight. Yuji entered the room and spotted Diego immediately. His poor baby he looked so sick. He walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Diego was startled a little obviously he wasn't all there are the moment. He looked around and noticed two young girls at the bar that looked much to young to be here and the man that had checked in before them, he was Myraxian from what he had heard.

"Hello ma'm could I please have a glass of wine, and a menu if you have one." He asked one of the women who was standing behind the counter. Diego mumbled something he couldn't hear and rested his head against his shoulder. "Diego you should go sleep upstairs, we need you to get better as soon as possible." Diego shook his head violently and sat up right. He let out a muted cough and said, "Excuse me miss forget the tea bring me an ale please!"

by **The Teatascakela** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 11:48 am

Asteri arched an eyebrow contemplatively. "So you still have dragons here." She murmured, more to herself than to Sorli. Madeleine had to tap her shoulder twice before she noticed the two bowls of venison stew that had arrived in front of them. Asteri gave an absentminded nod to acknowledge and dismiss Ardrai, still deep in thought. She lifted a spponful to her mouth, barely tasting it. If dragons grew that huge, perhaps approaching one would not be the best idea. Tomorrow, she would start scouting, and see if she could track a specific dragon. A dragon who's scales could grant the bearer extended life... Or so the myths had told her. But there were set circumstances that must be achieved. Indeed, this would take a lot of planning. But Asteri was determined to make it work.

Madeleine let out a hiss of air at her sister's lack of manners. "Thank you so much, Ardrai." She smiled brightly. She hoped that she had gotten the man's name right. Maddie glanced around the bar as she ate, noticing the glances her and her sister were garnering. Probably because of their youth. She, personally, planned to stay in the inn the entire duration of the trip. But Asteri would be out, tracking a mountain-sized, century-old beast. Madeleine shivered just thinking about it. All because Asteri heard a few sentences mentioned on the sly, about the powers of an ancient dragon's scale. It was a foolish hope, but at this point, the best option left. Maddie was not unaware that she got sick too often nowadays, or that she took longer to recover each time. Perhaps is was fate, but her iron-willed sister refused to accept it. Sighing, Madeleine pushed away her half-eaten stew and sucked back a long swallow of cider.

by **Drekhi** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 5:18 pm

Ranmir walked into the bar, stretching his muscular shoulders, cramped from his stint behind the desk. "All right, I believe that was the last arrival for tonight. Tomorrow, I shall act as a guide of the area for whoever wishes it, as our normal guide Ilena has to visit her girlfriend Amalia in Ledigstad. But tonight, let us eat, drink and be merry! You, sir!" He motioned the Myraxian at the bar. "You look like a man who can hold his drink. What do you say we play a little game, eh?" He gestured to the room. "Anyone else is welcome to join in, as well!"

Ardrai returned from the kitchen, bearing a plate of venison for the Myraxian. "With the complements of the house." Then he looked round, and up a considerable distance, to the look on Ranmir's face. "You've suggested one of your games, haven't you? Honestly, your brain is shot enough as it is."

Ranmir chuckled expansively. "Are you backing down, little man?"

From behind Ardrai's thick beard, a grin could just barely be discerned. "Not likely!"

Sorli came out from behind the bar with several tumblers and another bottle of ZMEY'S Akvavit. "You and your silly games! I'll give you fair warning, Ranmir, if you're too drunk, you're going to spend the night sleeping under the bar!" She went back behind the bar, and then returned with a glass of wine and a menu for the healthier-looking Azalean with the spectacles. "Here you go." She turned to the more sickly one. "Sir, I'll be happy to oblige, but first I think I'd better wait for my daughter's opinion. She's the doctor around here, and I think she'd taken a look at you before. I'll just get her." She stood up to fetch Khrysaldie, but her daughter had already come back into the room, carrying a bowl of stew and a small bottle of pills.

"Khrysaldie, khyrnigie dadas adr ad misi? Nidydar audsidas ilvirsig." Khrysaldie, is it safe for this man to have ale? He seems quite sick.

"Yes, it's fine to have some ale, but I'd suggest you stick to the weaker stuff until you've recovered, and take these, they should help break the fever. Keep warm, and you should be right as rain in no time." She went over to the bar, and poured a mug of Syrrei Ale for the man, then quickly spoke to Sorli. "Esgarthi auliid gagas. Vadi lil divvikhira arid agfra seila." The Asgarthian went upstairs. I don't think he'll be a problem until the morning.

"Good. Make sure you take the Azaleans' orders, I want to watch this game!"

by **Asgareth** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 4:47 pm

As Parolin stumbled across the lobby and up the stairs, he met another man. This man appeared to have a rather worried look on his face, and Parolin thought he may know the sick man in the bar. A brother perhaps.

Parolin continued to stumble up the stairs, and eventually made it to his room. He entered and switched on the light. Downstairs, he could hear a lot of noise in the bar. It sounded as if a drinking game had begun. Well, of course they would start it after he left, he thought to himself. The workers wouldn't want to be humiliated by him after all. Parolin had drunk a considerable amount in a short time and his head said it would be best to go to bed. He grabbed the glass on his sideboard and filled it with water from the sink. He drank four glasses and then finally collapsed into bed.

by **The Teatascakela** » Tue Jan 03, 2017 9:02 pm

Madeleine nearly spat out her cider at Ranmir's declaration of a drinking game. Oh no. She knew what was going to happen. Her impulsive sister was going to make yet another reckless decision to join the game, drink herself into oblivion, and wake up tomorrow barely able to walk. Sure enough, Asteri was looking up slowly from her stew, a wild grin alight on her face. "Oh God." Maddie groaned as her older sister slammed down her barely touched ale, the contents sloshing around and spilling over the sides.

"Free drinks? How could I refuse!" Asteri declared, her smirk so wide she could almost feel it splitting her face. Thankfully, she had barely taken two gulps of the ale, thanks to her churning thoughts. She did notice her younger sister's sigh, but chose to ignore it. She was dragon hunting tomorrow. Today, she would live however she wanted to. And if that meant getting head-over-heels drunk, so be it! Stripping off her grey parka and tossing it onto a stool, Asteri stood up and made her way over to where Ranmir and a thickly bearded man stood.

~~~~~~~~

by **Myraxia** » Fri Jan 06, 2017 10:52 am

Kyron looked up at the big man looking at him across the room, a slow smile forming on his face as he forked some venison into his mouth. Pausing for a second to swallow, the smile broadened into a grin. "Alright, big guy. You're on. You may be Rusinan, but can you drink like a Myraxian? Let's find out. "

A friendly competition like this would be just what he needed to get settled here, Kyron thought to himself. There would be plenty of time to get his bearings tomorrow, and it couldn't hurt to get to know the other guests and staff before spending any meaningful amount of time at the Lodge.

by **Azalea Republic** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 7:59 am

Yuji thanked Khrysaldie for the soup and pills and placed them in front of Diego. He then took his glass of wine and the ale and set them aside. Diego looked like he was going to protest but instead reached for his handkerchief and began to sneeze. He picked up his spoon and began to eat his soup. He mumbled something inaudible as he munched on the potatoes floating in the stew.

Yuji was glad Diego hadn't made a fuss and picked up his glass of wine. He noticed the rest of the bar was in the midst of starting a drinking game. It was a pitty Diego was sick he would have enjoyed a good drinking game. One of the staff members asked Yuji if he would like to participate, but he declined. " I'm sorry but I have to keep an eye on this one until he gets better. Perhaps next time." He gave everyone in the room a warm smile.

by **Drekhi** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 3:51 pm

Ranmir grinned at the bespectacled Azalean. "Very responsible of you! Maybe some other time you can join us, yes?" He turned to the rest of the room. "Now then, the rest of you are in! Mr Yonyr, Ardrai, and... Asteri, was it? My apologies, I wasn't certain. Now, I'm trying to think of a good game..." He paused, large fingers stroking his beard.

"Liar's Dice?" suggested Ardrai.

"Too full of chance, we need something that pits our wits against each other as they become more addled! Besides, I'm not sure we have enough dice for all of us. Hmmm... how about Lodvar?"

"It wouldn't be fair on people who don't already know the rules," answered Khrysaldie, "given that the only rule I can say from the game, is that that is the only rule I can say from the game. What about Buzz? That's simple enough to explain."

"Bah! Too much maths for me. It's just counting up in a circle." Ranmir scratched his head. There must be something that's both fair and a challenge."

"I have it! Never Have I Ever! It gives the old dogs like you and Ardrai who've seen more of the world a little bit of a handicap, but then again, you both have much more experience killing off brain cells than some of the people here." Sorli grinned.

"Very well, Never Have I Ever it is! For anyone who does not know, here are the rules of the game."

Never Have I Ever Rules

The players sit around a table, clockwise from youngest to oldest. The youngest player starts. Play continues clockwise around the circle.
The player whose turn it is makes a statement beginning with the phrase "Never have I ever..." and finishes the sentence with something they have never seen or done. Honesty is important. Anyone around the table who has seen or done what the first player has not must take a shot. Honesty is again important. If no one else around the table has to drink, then the player whose turn it is must drink. In this version, drinkers are not required to explain why they are drinking, but they may if they wish. The game ends by general consensus, or when someone passes out.

"Well, let's get started!" Ardrai, Ranmir and Sorli pulled up some more chairs around the largest table.

by **The Teatascakela** » Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:54 pm

Madeleine could only shake her head helplessly, gathering her sister's still-warm fur lined parka and hugging it against her own chest with a shiver. She envisioned multiple possible ending scenarios, many of them including her sister passing out, and almost all of them ending out with her carrying Asteri up the stairs and depositing her irresponsible sister on the bed. But it wasn't as if Maddie was never in this situation before... When you live with Asteri, one does not simple deal with her. One survives her.

Asteri let the hints of a ferocious grin show on her face as she nodded. "Yup, it's Asteri." She pulled out a chair and dropped into it, propping her elbows upon the worn wood. "Sounds good to me. I'll start, since I'm pretty sure I'm the youngest ya old geezers. No offense intended." She winked, a teasing lilt to her voice. Drinking games always made her reckless, and a little rash. She blamed the adrenaline surge and the alcohol. "Never have I ever... kissed someone." A wicked grin lit up upon her face. She knew that at least one, of not all of the participants have done that in their considerably more experienced lifetimes. Although, she wouldn't mind drinking... Wasn't that the point of the game?

by **Myraxia** » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:06 pm

Exhaling in exasperation at the traditional starting question - or at least, the traditional question as it had been the first time he'd played this game back in his teens at OCS - Kyron knocked back his shot glass, savoring the burn as the liquid coursed down the back of his throat.
"It's been a long time since I wouldn't have drunk to that, little lady. The innocence of youth, hey? " Placing his glass back on the table and reaching for the bottle to refill it, he asked the girl who had spoken: "And anyway, I'm surprised a young woman such as yourself can get away with such a claim. "

Winter's Grasp [SC Only]

Winter's Grasp [SC Only]

Arrival At The Lodge

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