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Tiziri	Evening, just after twilight, at a local teahouse right by the road. Right now, sitting in an obvious place is Ardent Vagabond. The young woman is well dressed if obviously not quite from the area, and the spear leaning against the table next to her shows at least some sort of martial bent to her. She seems to be looking over the crowds passing by with a curious gaze even as she sips at a bit of tea. A plate of dumplings on the table next to her so far half eaten.
Raullaur	A tall beastman walks--almost strides--along the roadway, the leonine features stronger in this one than the others who are about the city. And unlike those, who wear armor and bear weapons, he goes unarmed and unarmored. His clothes are simple: cream-colored linen and leather, but the quality is quite high. Golden, slitted eyes look around, and easily pick out the woman with the blue hair, and the spear next to her. This is enough to get his attention and he walks over towards the teahouse. "Evening," he rumbles, in a deep baritone, almost bass, almost purring, his Riverspeak somewhat strangely accented--probably from the Southeast.
Tiziri	Ardent Vagabond blinks for a moment when she first sees Raullaur, though after a moment the flash of recognition disappears, apparently a case of mistaken identity. Still, sipping her drink again as the lionman approaches she does seem to be just relaxed and curious again. Though once spoken to? It's as if the accent rings a bell. "Good evening." She responds with a friendly tone, her own accent not terribly different, definitely from the Southeast somewhere as well.
Raullaur	"Don't see many carrying an open weapon like that, if not a guard or soldier of some sort," His voice is sonorous, rich with the music and danger a predator commands. "Have you...wait. May I join you? Not nice to talk otherwise." Lips curl back, fangs shown...is he trying to grin?
Tiziri	For whatever reason, the rather tiny looking woman with the feathers in her hair doesn't seem to be terribly intimidated, continuing to sip her tea with a relaxed posture. "A little of both, I suppose. Though mostly I've been paying my way in my travels by helping guard caravans." A pause then, and Ardent Vagabond holds her right hand out in a gesture towards the chair across from her. "Feel free. That's been one of the joys of traveling, meeting so many new people."
Raullaur	"Better than raiding them," the lionman says before sitting down nt he indicated chair, tail flicking slightly behind him. He seems relaxed, but poised enough. "Started out myself raiding a slave caravan, but we ended up guarding--fighting for pay--and slowly drifted north to get here. And there are many many new people to meet." He extends his furred hand across the table. "Raullaur, Commander of the Lions' Pride."
Tiziri	There's a strange sort of wince from the girl at the talk of raids. "Yeah, definitely. Glad I didn't have to deal with too many, makes for easy money and good companionship on the road then. When the raids happen, well? That's always a little more melancholly for the rest of the trip." Ardent Vagabond admits with a nod. She holds her hand out then to accep the offerned on. "Tiziri, though I generally go by Ardent Vagabond." She responds in kind. "An honor. And I feel like I've heard of something like that when I was staying with the Crag Lions." A particularly nomadic group of Lionmen and humans from that area. "Quite impressive."
Raullaur	"A good day, then, Ardent Vagabond. And you were with the Crag Lions? I hope they are well. Our territories never quite met, but we got close enough." Ears flick, then and he relaxes. "What brings you to the City of Temples? What desires hope ye to fulfill?"
Tiziri	"It's a long story." Tiziri says. "Though yeah, I spent a couple months with them, exploring the desert and learning how to survive there." She puts her teacup down then, and uses a set of chopsticks to take eat a dumpling. When she's done with it she continues. "Honestly? I'm here because I haven't been here before. I've been hearing how amazing the city is even weeks out, so I figured I should probably come and see. It's absolutely everything I hard heard. So much to see! I've run into more people with an accent from the Dreaming Sea here than I think I've met until I got here, at least since I left the region, just for a start."
Raullaur	"Never made it to the Sea, myself. Heard I missed a good fight there, recently," Raullaur says with a rumbling chuckle of amusement. "Me? Trying to fight to get enough money to take a place over for the tribe near here where we...shouldn't be pillaged again by slavers."
Tiziri	"Not sure where the best place for that would be." Ardent Vagabond responds, looking thoughtful. "Guild is pretty powerful almost everywhere. You could consider trying to find somewhere out in the East that hasn't really been claimed yet, but that gets you closer to some other dangerous territory. The Queen of Fangs is supposed to be quite terrifying, I wouldn't want to get on her bad side by moving in too close. Though she might be happy to find new, seasoned warriors. I hear she's fine with beastfolk." A further pause and pensive look as she lifts another dumpling to her mouth. "Then again, other direction ends up being close to the Legion or Realm. Not terribly good either. I don't envy your hunt at all."
Raullaur	"Guild's also not monolithic. And I'd field my troops against anyone of equal size and expect to do well." Raul nods, "And we shall see. It has been interesting meeting with various Chosen here as well. As for the Queen of Fangs..." He shrugs. "Legion and Realm would both be unhappy, probably move against me--if I made myself a nuisance. Still, better to have a place to hold and hunt rather than be in the city all the time...I have been here months. Too long already."
Tiziri	"Exactly." Ardent Vagabond agrees about the Legion and Realm. "Far easier to nip at larger sorts when you're secure in your own." She regards the lion more carefully then. "You say you've met with Chosen, is that so? I have certainly gathered there might be a few in the area. Far more than just the Champions of the Dragons..." She seems to be making idle conversation here. "I'm definitely glad I never ran into any guarding caravans, someone like that attacking one seems like an end."
Raullaur	"I have seen several other than the Princes of Creation," he allows. "But they hide themselves from the Hunt as much as they can. A good policy, really. And one that the leaders here endorse. They know who the Chosen are, of course." He nods. "And if one of them attacked the caravan, well...hopefully she would get what she wanted and let the rest go. But the strong do what they will. Here as everywhere."
Tiziri	"It is the rule of Creation. Whether it be nations or animals, and everything in between. You're not wrong." Tiziri says, picking up her tea and sipping it again. Though now there is an odd purse to her brow, and her eyes widen a touch. "The Leaders here know who the Chosen are? Very interesting. Not that I should be surprised. A Wyld hunt has to be bad for keeping any sort of order, with all I've heard of how they are."
Raullaur	"If they do not work with the leaders, I would guess that they are quickly shown out of the city. In any event..." He looks at the smaller woman, yet unafraid, "If you find anything...interesting, or rumors of such...let me know? Always worth checking new things out. Even if it is simply a bar with new wines and beers."
Tiziri	"Can do." Tiziri says. "So far I cannot say I know of much. It's honestly pretty overwhelming yet. I've been here about a week now and barely even begun to get my bearings. A few interesting temples, visually speaking. I've yet to be disappointed by anywhere I've eaten. Met a lot of people including a giant of a man who seems to be a gladiator, a dancer, and a woman with strange eyes just to mention a few. It really has been quite a time."
Raullaur	Raullaur closes his eyes a moment. "The Mountain, a water-dragon named Amethyst, and so...Bright Journey the dancer?"
Raullaur	Raullaur says, "Guesses on my part, but if so...I have met all of them, and it would be interesting to meet again"
Tiziri	"Two correct, though one slightly off. the other? Well, I met Amethyst too." Tiziri answers. "The strange eyes was Bright Journey though, the dancer? I can't quite remember her name name, someone with dark hair though, and she... if I had to guess, managed to dance on air, and the others weren't at all fazed by it. Including the weird little water dragon."
Raullaur	"When her eyes are strange, they are....vastly unsettling. I worry for some reason, even though Bright Journey is a friend," Raul says. And he chuckles slightly, "I can't do anything as spectacular as that. I am very good at staying alive and keeping my troops alive. And perhaps that is enough for me."
Tiziri	"It is... probably not too much reason to worry." Tiziri says as though she seems to understand something. "There was another there." She says then, "Someone who spoke of a certain temple, Rishi. Are you familiar with her as well?" She inquires, studying the Lionman carefully.
Raullaur	"Ah, yes I know her. From farther in the South. I have ended up having dealings with her several times. And if you are meeting all of these, I begin to wonder more aabout you...but perhaps that will be for another night to find out?"
Tiziri	"I must say, at first I mistook you for someone else entirely." Ardent Vagabond says. "Another rather large, and potent lion. The namesake of that clan I mentioned. Though only for a moment. It did make me wonder if there was something similar though." A shrug follows and an enigmatic, if cheerful smile. "I will only say they were curious about me too, and as it turns out when I visited Rishi's temple, their suspicions were correct. A fortuitous meeting indeed. One that shall no doubt be followed up upon."
Raullaur	"I am as large as you see, and as for potent?" He grins. He looks...solid. Muscle, yet moving withgrace. Physically...it seems he could not be improved on. "My strength is in the day, not the night. I am...as you see me and no other." At home, solid in his identity and form, it seems. "And if you are a friend of Rishi's, then I hope you will be a friend of mine as well."
Tiziri	"In strange lands, friends are a welcome thing for one on their own." Tiziri says as she places a fist in open palm in a gesture of respect common amongst some travellers. "One can never know when things unexpected happen after all. Or interesting places might be found."
Raullaur	Raul repeats the gesture, a mirror image it seems. "And people more than places. Far more imporant." He pushes his chair back and rises. "I am sure we shall meeta gain, Tiziri. Until then, though, be well, and enjoy the city."
Tiziri	Tiziri stands up to offer another of those gestures, along with a slight bow. "Be well." She says. "I'm sure I'll be about for a while at least. This place is much too interesting to leave anytime soon." She grins widely.