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Seeker	Heavy air lofts about slowly in this dark corner of Great Forks. Worn wooded chairs and tables have divotted the old creaking floor. Light fights to make it through the thick haze of smokes wafting in the air. A combination of legal and less savory flavors mix in the air causing those of weak fortitude to be reminded of their last meal. Pipes of many types congregate on the tables along with unhealthy foods and watered down drinks. Lightly populated, those that are there tend to be burly or girly; the latter exploiting the former. Their looks enough to rouse the clientele of this echelon. The men self absorbed in their attempts to squander money for attention. A thin, lean man stands behind the counter. A long, full beard covers his face. By the door, a thick, toned woman with horns protruding from her head scans the room as she leans on the wall. Seeker, holding his lunch in somehow, sits at one of the tables. He pushes away one of the piss poor drinks the other man pushes his way. This man is missing an arm and eye, though he moves well with out them. On the same side, his head is scared and devoid of hair. He sucks down another drink with gusto and slams it down. "Don't go to that fucken cursed place ya cunt!" he bellows as the mug cracks and spills the rest of the drink on the table. Seeker, a bit taken aback, responds "What place? You can't even tell me where it is!" This loud outbreak jars other patrons out of their preferred fantasies. They all look pissed and annoyed. They try and get back into their characters to keep their false hopes alive.
Neza	A low born place, rough and rowdy. One that, a lifetime ago, was a familiar sight. Walking into this one brings back a flood of memories with a force strong enough to bring pause to the tall woman in the broad hat. Head low to keep her veil, and her high stiff collar, keeping her face from being seen, Neza nevertheless has to take a breath for herself as she slips past the bouncer. She takes in the scent of stale drink, bad food and broken hopes. A memory from elsewhere, but still present, flashes in Neza's mind. A whirling dance, the sounds of the hurdy-gurdy. Ashen hair whirling around an loose. The sounds of friends, the smell of the river. Ghosts of the past and nothing more now. Neza's eyes close, she opens them again to see the stare of the bouncer. She knows her hidden face draws suspicion, but she has coin from her employer and that is usually enough to silence critics. It's in the midst of her consideration she hears the shouting, and so she looks, but only for a moment. She heads to make good on a grog. She can eavesdrop with a drink in her belly.
Seeker	Keeping his annoyance in check, Seeker pushes the drink in front of him to the other at his table. He rests his head in his hands; elbows on the tables. He rubs his temples. This has not been as fruitful as he had hoped. He lifts his head and uses his hands like guides to try and focus the man's attention. "I've validated multiple rumors about you and finally found you. I need you to recall where you were 20 years ago." He pauses and looks to the man's side that is missing elements. "When you lost your arm and eye. I can't believe that something as life altering as that you can't remember!" His voice started to rise but he kept it from increasing too much. Gladly accepting the new drink, the man takes a gulp and swallows it hard. "I lost this arm long ago. We were merrily celebrating and I drank too much. There was no... sh... sh..." he tries but then changes the word he's going to use. "There was no place you are asking about. Not that I remember." Dropping his head back into his hands, Seeker lets out a long sigh. This isn't going anywhere. "Shadowland is the word you are looking for. Place of undead." He says it and waits, as if that would jog the old man's memory. The previous attempts didn't work and Seeker didn't think this one would either.
Neza	Louder and louder still. Neza's swift to plunk the coin out, swifter still to hunch over her drink. Long fingers and long claws lightly grip the glass while she listens in. She remembers the scholar, the man with his papers in the ruins that were old yet not old enough. The place of changing gods and forgotten times. Where he had angered the gladiator, Ignis. And now she sees how forward he is with an old man incapable of standing their ground as well as the swordsman could. Her claws make a slight squeak on the glass as she grips. She doesn't want to. She really doesn't, but she cannot. Her hand disappears back under her cloak and she leaves her drink behind, turning to leave eavesdropping to walk directly over toward the two. "Twenty years is a long time, scholar," she speaks firmly if quietly. "Why not let him enjoy his drink in peace?"
Seeker	Seeker's head shoots up and searches the room for the voice. Slightly familiar. Enough to bug you but not give you any information with it. He sees Neza and remembers meeting her at the decerped temple. Then he remembered Ignis, the angry one. His surprised face relaxes as he relents. "You're right," he sighs. He tosses a few coin onto the table to pay for the drinks and stands. "Wasn't getting anywhere with him anyway." Seeker saunters over to Neza. "Neza, correct?" Seeker inquires. Mainly to reinforce what he remembers hearing at the temple. "What brings you to this lovely local?"
Neza	Through the bead veil, a blue-green eye looks sharply at Seeker. Attention flits over to the one-armed man. And she thinks of the words already said. Back to the Seeker. "Correct," she answers him as he addresses her. "I'm here stopping people from harassing old men," she adds. A joke, but not one well told. The beads of the veil shake, the only sign of her gesture, "I am here because my employer, a scholar not unlike yourself, believes there is information to be had." She looks around herself, and again a shake of her head. "I'm wasting their money being here."
Seeker	"Looks like this scholar and myself have some aligned interests," Seeker comments. Glancing back at the old man he continues. "Nothing of note information wise. Though, I'm wondering if there is a spell or mind altering effect going on. The word 'shadowland' he can't say. Always 'forgets' it." Seeker ruses over this. "So, want to introduce me to your employer? I'd love to meet them," he says cheerfully.
Neza	"I didn't expect to find anything," Neza admits. "I guard rafts and merchants. Not lead into. . ." Word trail into nothingness as Neza looks away. "I'm humoring a scholar with more money than sense." Though Neza has not quite looked into just how the small stipend she gets is paid, life of a mercenary taught her well to no stare too deeply into the flow of currency. But there is what Seeker says that troubles Neza. "It could be he's just scared, or doesn't want to tell you," she offers. A trepidation in her tone, an uncertainty, she knows what she feels if someone is coerced, changed, but she also does not want to be drawn in.
Seeker	Stopping to ponder Neza's words, Seeker mumbles "Ya, he could be scared." Continuing his thoughts on it a bit clearer, "If I was attacked by undead, losing an arm and half a face, exaggerating of course, what would I do to hide that pain." Seeker thinks through a few possible scenarios, but remembering his last interaction with Neza, deep thought wasn't on the menu. "Now, Neza, you never mentioned what information your scholarly friend was interested in. I implied the same thing I was looking for." He grins, "Maybe I can be of assistance. Help pay the bills!" he says with a jolly good tone like he's actually helping.
Neza	"Their interests change with the winds," Neza says, though it's more she isn't entirely certain of what the scholar's intents are in their entirety. "First was to catalogue those ruins you saw me in. Now, they feel there may be something in the wilds. I am only the scout, nothing more." Her posture shifts under the cloak, the impression of her arms, crossed, are more clear on the fabric. "Would you not be a competitor?" she asks, more used to the world of merchants and brigands than scholarly pursuits.
Seeker	"If they are searching for knowledge, no competition. I'd be willing to help!" Seeker responds. "Though, they may just be looking for leads from what jobs they have been sending you on." Thinking on it, Seeker isn't sure what information would be in this deescalate place. Other than what brought him here of course. He starts looking around the room more. Tries to glean information from the few people in there. "Not sure what these people may know." Gesturing to the bouncer he comments, "Maybe she would know!" His excitement thick in his words as he starts moving to speak with her.
Neza	A shrug from Neza. "They have hired myself, and a trail guide. They could well need a traveled scholar." She doesn't have a clue, but it doesn't hurt to slightly humor the strange scholar. At the least he might just need a bit of encouragement to stop causing problems by giving him a focus. . . .and now he was approaching a bouncer. Neza rolls her eyes and remains staunchly where she is, watching, waiting, just in hopes she doesn't have to intercede on the scholar's behalf if he gets knocked around by a woman with horns. But while she watches, her hand closes tight and her breath hitches as she sees the horns. Her focus drawn to them. And how openly the bouncer keeps them.
Seeker	Approaching the bouncer without caution, Seeker begins asking questions about who comes in, what they do, on and on. With each question out of his mouth, you see the woman's face twist into a snarl bit by bit. Once she has had enough her arm jots out and grabs Seeker by the throat and lifts him into the air. "Enough out of you!" she bellows. In a single motion she opens the door, throws him out, and steps through. "Lets take this outside," she states as she starts to close the door behind her.
Neza	A slow, steady shake of her head. This man is going to get much more than he bargained for. But, that scholar was not the one paying her for protection. And there was something, Neza could not quite put her finger on it, unsympathetic about his forwardness. She makes one more look for the one-armed man, and a second to the bouncer and the Seeker. And with a wry little smile hidden by her collar, Neza turns back around to resume no knowing the man. After all, she had paid for a drink, and it would not do her well to waste her employer's money.