Tsol's Story

A teardrop of a shadow slinked it's way around the bar, down the floor and across, up the leg and onto the shoulder of Abe. There, like smoke, maybe mist, the shadow of a cat would appear. Two eyes blinked open -stark white, black pupils a slice down the center. As Abe uncorked the bottle, the shadow of a cat focused it's eyes on Awinita.

The face of the shadow of a cat cracked open into a glittering, toothy grin.

Awinita felt eyes on her, and beriefly the table and its seven chairs were empty, save for a slight flicker as Tsol watched and then smiled at the currently only person sitting at that table. Turning her gaze slightly the ghostly woman spotted the owner of the eyes watching her and smiled. "Tsol ? Did mother send you ?" It was actually partly fun being the Princess of... someplace not around anymore, but Abe recognised her as a Princess.

Unless that was his nickname for her ?

Awinita did not care. Tsol was there and that meant either one of her bodyguards were nearby, or something big was going down.

Wait, if Tsol was there, what day was it ?

As she tried to think on what day it was, and why it suddenly felt important she held out a hand, in it was Tsol's favorite treat. "Come here sweetie" Awinita said in a odd language. One that Tsol thankfully understood well enough.

As soon as Tsol joined her at table, Awinita set the shadowy kitten upon the table, Abe thankfully paid no heed. However the ghostly woman did ask "Abe, why is the Tavern so empty today ? Normally you have to fight to make time to serve me or anyone here, and yet you're falling asleep behind the bar ?"

Was Daemala planing something ?

Tsol faded, from tail to grin, until naught but the grin was hanging in the air. Even Tsol's eyes flickered out in a wink. The sparkling grin, hanging empty in the air, floated away from Abe. It descent towards the table, then disappeared in an instant.

The treat disappeared moments later.

A strong purr emanated from just beyond Awinita's bottle. Tsol's eyes blinked into existence, a whirl of shadow creating the rest of him. It was his favorite trick, disappearing, grabbing, reappearing. Such like the normal cats liked to slink and toil with their humans, Tsol liked to creep and mischeive with the lot of the Hollow.

"I'm not sure, but a strange energy has recently bespooked the Cursed Wood," Abe responded with a slight bow, choosing not to take note of Tsol's antics. Humoring the thing would only make it worse. Tsol aimed his sharp-toothed grin at Awinita once more.

"No... should she have?" Tsol remarked slyly, dipping his shadowy tail into her glass.

Absently Awinita petted Tsol as she spoke. "If she did send you, then there might be problems back home, everyone knows you like to do things your own way, even if its to protect me.... or put me in harms way in order to protect me, it always drove Mom nuts" But it was Abes words that had her suddenly nervous, today was an oddly important day, so if Daemala was not present, and something big was going down in the woods surrounding the Hollow....

"Abe, was there anything for you to deliver to me ?" Awinita then asked. Today was important yes. but where was everyone ? Tsol, for a ghostly cat, was a soft ghostly cat. She stroked the shadowy kitty's fur gently, her fingers leaving brief little trails in his fur before smoothing it on another stroke.

There was something about Awinita that made cats of all kinds feel drawn to her, and her to them. Sure she was not able to turn into one, but being a fghostly nurse, she cared for them quite a bit. And then Tsol started licking her fingers. She booped him playfully on the nose and gave him another treat

Tsol was not the only curious feline investigating the tavern that day. Yet another cat of a magical purrsuasion had just appeared in the ajar entrance, his head drawn down as he analyzed the location with his olfactory senses. His glistening little black nose twitched before he opened his mouth in a little Flehmans response, raising his head up to get a better view of the interior. A white collar with a gold pendant hung from his neck. On the front was inscribed the name 'Martin Edenhelm.' Detecting the scent of another cat, Martin's green eyes narrowed as he became wary of a fellow male's presence. Not having nerve to come inside entirely, he meowed loudly at the entrance in hope that some charitable human would bestow a meal upon him, or a treat at the very least.

"Actually," Abe cocked his head and disappeared behind the bar, rummaging beneath for the thing he was looking for. He did have something for Awinita, something very special indeed. It arrived in a shining silver box, wasn't too large, and had her name on it. He had wondered when people other than Daemala had begun to receive mail at the Tavern, but he couldn't question too much. Strange things always seemed to be happening around Verinotte Hollow, without explanation or most of the time cause for concern. It was one of the reasons he loved it here so much, in Verinotte Hollow.

Meanwhile, Tsol finished off a delicious treat from Awinita. It was true that Awinita was on his list of preferred company. She was pleasant. She had treats. She gave pets, and not once never stepped on his tail-as if you could. Tsol was just about to begin a steady roll of purrs when there was a loud meow at the door.

Like a wisp, Tsol was almost gone. A pair of eyes sliced down the middle hovered on the table, floating up, up, up, to hang in the air above Awinita. They watched the cat at the door.

Abe came from around the counter and with a bow presented the silver box to Awinita. He then crouched down to get more level with the tavern's newest guest. Always something different!

"Welcome to Tauvyr Tavern," Abe gestured for the cat to take a seat wherever it would like, not knowing whether or not the cat was a cat, or perhaps an enchanted cat, or a human in the form of a cat, or perhaps one of the Erutin-if they came so small.

Awinita was confused, there was something for her ? When Abe presented the silver box to her Awinita was unsure how to take it from him, given how the man was so respectable towards her, a gentlemans gentleman so to speak. Abe of course was incredibly kind as well towards others, be they mortal, immortal, undead or in the case of Awinita, a ghost. Maiar had for the most part become nothing more than spirits.

Gently setting the box on the table as she took it from Abe, Awinita was confused about the item, adn then came the meow. OK that was even more confusing, another kitty ?

And from sound of things, male too. And there went Tsol up to the ceiling to hang off a light directly above her, said light, now qwith Tsol's weight on the thing made Awinita appear more spirit like thanks to the angle of the nearly bare bulb. "Tsol, its alright, you know I like other cats too! Dont be greedy you cutie!" Awinita said.

Silver box briefly forgotten as her attention was drawn to the door, a shy black cat stood there, clearly unsure of entering the place or not, even with Abe being so welcoming and kind. the sound ofg the meow not only said the cat was male, but also.... hungry ? Awi smiled a impish smile and went to the door, gently opening it so the cat could come in as she produced another treat and held it out to the kitty and gently picked him up. holding the treat in hand for the new cat to chow down on.

At least he was not as skittish as Tsol was.

Taking the new cat back to her table, Awinita sat back down, there were two pillows then present upon the table, both made of white cloth. One for each kitty. that is, if Tsol would ever come back down as Martin meowed again.

With the new cat gently placed upon one of the two pillows, Awinita looked up at Tsol. "Will you calm down, Tsol ? its just another kitty.... another kitty who is a long way from home too" Awinita knew different means of travel. but if this cat, who as she viewed his collar, a beautiful collar at that, she spoke his name aloud., "Martin Edenhelm, huh, that is a nice name..... Tsol dont look at me like that"

Tsol, at that moment more or less a pair of bright white eyes with black slits in them smiled, the ball of shadows simply asking "Like what ?"

Oh brother. Awinita smiled and her attention was once more taken by the silver box, it had a silver ribbon which was oddly quite heavy to the touch, was this box made of silver ? untying the ribbon Awinita began to open the box.

Martin sniffed around a bit more and looked up in interest as Awinita approached. When the treat was presented, he let out a subtle trill. He hardly even noticed that he had been lifted off the floor as he hungrily devoured the small food item, using his soft paws to grab onto the hand holding it clawlessly. When Martin was placed upon a plush item on one of the tables, he sniffed it first in curiosity and then started kneading it. He meowed again and looked up at Tsol, purring subtly as he continued to knead his sitting place.

A dark figure appeared in the doorway. Standing 6’6”, the vampire Beau Louis-Armand was an intimidating presence. Having recently awoken from a years-long hibernation, he was looking thinner than usual. Not that anyone here would know what his usual build was. The being was clad in a dark suit that looked to be plucked directly out of the 19th century. He bore an ebony-black carved cane as well, which was more for style than any functional usage. “Greetings,” he announced, his eyes casually panning the establishment as he entered.

He placed the tip of his cane on the floor in front of him and rested both hands atop it. “I’ll have one of your finest bloods. Please, surprise me,” he said to the barkeep. As his eyes continued to pan the environment, they inevitably fell on the only other patron. What looked like a ghostly figure enjoying the company of cats. Beau almost snorted. “Felines, I see. I prefer more exotic companions myself. But to each their own,” he remarked, taking a seat at a different table. "Hm, this place has not changed much since last I saw it."

Martin initially laid his ears back at the vampire’s arrival, but then he relaxed when the being did not approach the table they were at. The little black cat rested his weight on his lower back on the pillow and extended one of his legs in the air as he went about licking his belly. He paused after a few licks and then looked up at Awinita.

The box and all the wrappings were indeed made of silver. Not just any silver, either. The silver was mined from a crater far far away. The mass that created the crater deposited the silver, and even though it was definitely silver, in certain lights rainbow fractals would appear. Inside of the box was a present for Awinita. Special for Awinita.

It was a bracelet, silver in the shadows of the box. When moved into the light it dazzled rainbows like a disco ball. A thin and solid band, when closely examined, the bracelet had on it an engraving of a cat. The cat was the only part of the bracelet that did not shine, sparkle, or cast rainbows about. Upon even closer imagination the cat moved about. The bracelet gave a little hum- the cat was purring!

Tsol drifted down from his spot onto the pillow. His grin spread wide, body manifesting shortly after. He followed Martin's uncomfortable gaze to the door where a vampire had appeared. Ah, another one. They were everywhere around here. This town, after all, was built and loosely governed by them.

"I don't suppose it has," Tsol remarked on the everlasting ambiance with an annoyed flick of the tale. Exotic? There was nothing more exotic than he. No.

Absently as she set the top of the silver box aside she stared at the bracelet. As she picked it up from the box Awinita felt the subtle purr of the cat symbol, it was, in a word; Gorgeus. Awinita hadnt see nanything that beautiful before. The ghostly woman slid it onto her left wrist with a happy chirp and a firm nod. Then once more started stroking Tsols shadowy fur as Martin started cleaning himself.

She caught sound however of the vampire, Another one ? Oh that was right, she had to remember that the Tavern was inside the Hollow, which then meant that Vampires wandered, but she hadnt encountered other types of ghosts. at least not just yet. She presented Martin, and also Tsol another treat each to calm both of them down

her emerald eyes took in Beau rather carefully, old vampire, but why did he make Martin nervous ? was it the fact that most cats had a connection to the dead ? Or was it that the vampire made the cat worry for someone he belonged to ? Gently stroking both Tosl and Martin's fur to calm both cats down Awinita was a happier girl that afternoon.

Awinita smiled and leaned towards the table, resting her chin in her hands and looking from Martin to Tsol. "Tsol, do you think we can help our new friend here get back to his proper home ? It is possible someone is looking for him" Awinita was in a good mood. Tsol was there, she had a gift from someone possibly him ? It didnt matter, he liked her as a friend and she liked him as a cat. But there were secrets they both had they never shared, for one Awinita was dead.

Maiar were dead, gone, extinct. And yet, there she was, nearly alive and well. and she wanted to help another cat get home ?

Her gaze briefly rested ont he vampire as Abe brought by a nice dark blood wine of some form. And also a fresh bottle of Rattlesnake Sake to Awinitas table along with some freshly nicely cooked meat for Martin to enjoy.

Martin immediately turned his attention away from the vampiric patron when his nose detected the scent of another tasty treat. He meow-nommed greedily as he devoured it. Then he sat down in a meatloaf position on the pillow, tucking his limbs and tail under his body, as Awinita stroked him. The little black cat started purring with eyes half-lidded. Martin, though he could not speak any human language, could easily understand the ones to which he had been regularly exposed. He meowed in protest when the ghost woman suggested helping him find his home. He could go back there anytime he wanted to with a magical twitch of his little black nose.

He demonstrated the concept by wriggling his snoot. His little black body started to evaporate into a sparkling black mist, which swirled upward and then disappeared momentarily. In an instant, he reappeared in the exact same spot and position that he had been in previously. He meowed again. Beau raised both brows in mild interest at the show. "Hm, enchanted felines," he mused. "I've encountered a few in my day, but even they are common in comparison to the company which I prefer." Just then, the vampire snapped his fingers and a rather grotesque creature appeared on his right shoulder. About the size of a mop head, the upper body appeared as the enlarged multi-eyed head of some kind of jumping spider. The rest extended downward into bizarre-looking brown tentacles with suction cups. Beau started to stroke the creature on the head. "I call him Mr. Bojangles. Isn't he delightful? You'll not find another one like him, not on this planet at least." The creature's beady little black eyes seemed to be staring at Awinita and her feline companions in a very intense manner, though it moved not a muscle. It did not even blink.

"Ah, many thanks, my good man," Beau said as Abe delivered him his order. He popped the loosened cork and emptied a small portion of the bottle into an elegant wine glass. The deep red liquid stained the sides of the glass as the vampire raised it to his face and took a whiff. "Mmyes, an excellent year." He took a sip with one hand as he stroked Mr. Bojangles' head with the other. The unblinking stare of the bizarre spider-squid creature continued.

Martin rose to his feet and meowed loudly at the smell of the meat. He kneaded his feet impatiently on the pillow until Abe arrived at their table. The little black cat rushed forward and started devouring the meat off the plate even before Abe had set it down on the table. He was very vocal as he ate, making a series of loud meow-nomming noises.

"You can, I suppose," Tsol remarked, blinking casually at Martin before tucking his face into his tail and taking a snooze. As Tsol fell asleep he felt the eyes of a strange creature on him. No matter. The feline faded away, leaving just a floating grin behind, before that too snapped from existence.

The bracelet, a present with mysterious powers, glimmered on Awinita's wrist. She wouldn't know it until she suddenly did but one thing the bracelet did was translate for her, specifically, communication with cats.

Slightly unnerved by the present of the strange critter on the vampires shoulder Awinita briefly went com,pletely spiritlike, a ghyost really was what she was. Before turning fully human. her long black hair was bradied into beautiful dreadlocks, There was so gold leaf in her hair as well.

When Martin briefly disappeared and reappeared Awinita was briefly surprised then smiled. The cat liked her, and Tsol.... "Tsol! Naughty boy where did you get off to again ?" He hadnt exactly left the tavern, and that was alright, no real problem there. But Awinita felt slightly nervous.

But her nervous feeling melted away as Martin ate so loudly, making meowing noises as he ate. Some of the Maiar pets and otherwise did similar but it was the first time Awinita had seen a mortal animal do it. Of course she soon found herself understanding the cat, sort of "Oh man this is good! thank you thank you thank you" martin seemed to be saying.

Try as Awinita might however she couldnt figure out how she could decern such a thing as the bracelket on her wrist glittered briefly and she felt the gentle purr of the metal. It actually felt... quite reassuring actually now that she really thought about it.

and briefly, ever so briefly, Awinita felt safe, Tsol was a bodyguard of sort, he couldnt exactly fight persei, but holy hell could he raise an alarm.

Kethyr Naethus sighed and went on his way, paying his tab and slinking into the night.

Stone and Boyle followed in shortly after. The pair of vampires sort of taking in the sights of a rather rich looking drinking hole. "Nice. Nice. Hey Stones! They got the nice chairs! Take a peep at them!" Boyles made his way over to a table. A chair with rich velvet cushions that he ran along his hand. "Look at that. Feel that. Good right?"

Stones followed in not even giving the chair a look.

"Ish fine." He said bluntly. He moved to the sight. Taking in a strong nostril fill of something. Hm.

"That one." he pointed to a bottle behind the counter. A cup? "No. That one." The whole bottle? Okay... He uncorked it and began to drink it very greedily.

Deliveries to the Tauvyr Tavern were more regular with the new ownership of Fantasma Vineyards. The bottles were stocked and varied though many of the labels familiar some a more threatening make. Labels with letters that squirm and images with unsettling angles. One such bottle festooned with the dual masks Sock and Buskin sported others etched into the glass. Though these of anguish and horror if one should peer closer. Perhaps a warning for its label 'Thousand-Faced Wine' that said little else of its make than bottled in Fantasma Vineyards. A cigarette alit behind the bar though the embers fell first out of memory than the light of one's eyes. A bit of red ash falling in life before the eyeless grin of Ebrabbos underneath her wide brim hat and thick cloak. Long hair pours from under her hat to float past her shoulders as locks snake around her shoulders as to threaten by rising there. Though the eyes obscured beneath her hat their ill-defined shape inviting one to stare too close as they stared back. The cigarette in her mouth flared but never burnt down as she unpacked a box of wine from behind the counter.

"Careful now, " the tone lost about some unclear sarcasm, "There are so very many faces of regret that deep in a bottle of wine."

Stone and Boyle were now separated. Boyle was now at the side of Ulrich beginning to get comfortable in this soft velvet chair. A wide grin as his shark like mouth slowly blended back into a row of normal teeth. "Blimey! This is delux ain't it!?" He asked the other vampire. Before he began to speak again. "Look. The two of us are on a hunt. But not to cause trouble. Stones can be a bit violent. He comes from a violent times you know?" He told the other. "We are looking for a criminal. Or someone close to that."

Stones was at the bar. He drank half of the bottle and was surprised that the alcohol actually had some affect on him. THe huge man now turned to the stranger. He looked to her fancy hat. He nodded. "Good fashion." He told her at first. "We both know this is not wine."

"I half think he's a bloody caveman sometimes. EH?" Boyle asked the other with a laugh.

Stones Acute hearing picked that up. And without even missing a beat CHUCKED a rather dull tankard right at his noggin. Knocking the other mercenary over the chair. "Ah! Sorry! Sorry Stones! Common! Just a bit of fun!" He uttered

Stone and Boyle regathered back at the table. Stones standing there while Boyle got back up. Stones stood there as he handed the etching back to Boyle. The other vampire had been better at talking. Most times. Unless they wanted to frighten people. Stones was much better at that he felt.

Boyle handed the other a etching. An etching of a man done in charcoal. The likeness was very well done. Man in his forties, very long slant nose. Dark hair. Short cut. Very fierce looking eyes. "That is who we are looking for. And trust me he is dangerous anywhere we gather." He told the other Vampire.

"This shit gets powers. What does he do? Immediately what most shits start to do. Start to think he's a bloody god."

The visage was of a vampire in circles called Feastus. A Vampire that had started a sanguine cult installing him as their living deity. "But most of these shitheads don't try to bother the established covens... So we got the call."

Ebbrabos curled her mouth as she took her cigarette in her hand for a deeper dark to focus on Stones, "Oh, some of it was wine when I started. I hate to waste product acquired after some fortunate... firings. Now, much of it is whine."

Cigarette to her lips never seemed to draw down but alit with an ember where keen ears found outcries for succor, "Thus Feastus destroying things to which he is not entitled? How interesting a pyre is ordered by the powers that be. Good thing hunters aren't the only ones who know how to burn."

An empty gaze deep enough to drown hope in looked very pointedly at Boyle as she took the cigarette out. A grey cloud breathed out with a sickly-sweet scent of meat and charcoal unmistakable to those that know it. Hat down toward the empty tankard.

Stone and Boyle felt like they were now starting to get somewhere. It was their job to exterminate this Feastus and the rest of his trouble making cohorts. The invitation of others to join their hunt was not unwelcome.

Boyle did more of the talking. Though Stones gave Ebbrabos a stoic look. Quietly studying the details of her face, her expression, the large man was more animal than vampire. Huge, feral, subdued but ready to pounce at a moment's notice. He tried to read her movements and motions. Trying to get an instinctive feel at what sort of person was joining their dangerous hunt.

"His name IS Feastus. His group of wannabes are called the Sanguine Feast. Typical bunch of psychotic mortals who think because they can murder to make their sad lives feel something that they are on our level." They were not. "We should expect heavy firepower, conventional firearms, automatics, shotguns. Nothing we can't handle."

"But..." Stones interjected.

"I was getting to that!" He snapped back. "BUT... Before Feastus left he had broke into the haven of a very respected and venerated scholar of our community. A scholar who had in their possession a LOT of powerful magic relics. We are not exactly sure what exactly... but we do know most of them date back to the 11th century."

"First and Second Crusades..." The large vampire added.

Ebbrabos shifted sideways a bit toward Stones a small bottle in her hand. Though she leaned in and lifted her gaze to his it left no indication of eyes there. As the eye followed the curve of her cheeks toward where eyes ought to be her pale skin faded away to bare hint at some structure within moving deep inside. A single awareness peering back out from the murk back at him. Her hole for eyes slithers and jolted in long movements of something indiscernible at strange angles above the playful tenting of her riding gloves.

"Careful looking into the abyss, Stones. We Can See You TooOOoo." Said her partly echoed voice in a off-pitch singsong.

She poured three shots of clear liquid though something for a burning clarity of mind than the alcoholic muddying, "Have something nice from my own supply! It won't do to have some tyrant causing problems in my backyard."

In a switch to rest her chin on the palm holding her cigarette, she answered Ulrich after some thought, "Hm. No, I haven't bought any supplies from that kind of vain creature. Nor made any promises to the vain. Though vain foresight does tend to strike an excellent bargain I'd be happy with."

The words were very particular. Vain things like something calling itself a god never saw the paths past their own meat. The cigarette in her mouth she took a long drag with the screechy whine that issues from it.

Causing trouble brought problems and she was feeling charitable, "I'll show him a good time when you're done with him. Just send him my way. Though I'm quite sure the pursuit of power has gained him a number of friends buying new presents for him. They so often surround themselves with those content to only serve, hmm?"

There were a number of cultists in the area who would not be lucky enough that they should go to hell if they died. Though they certainly might burn for not paying what's due.

Stones pushed the glass back to the stranger. A stranger he was starting to think was not entirely what she seemed. "This is not what I thirst for..." He said point blank. The bottle had been rather muddled with the bad attempt to mix the wine with the blood. Maybe a century or two back that would have pleased him. But now. The true hunger came when he opened his maw of rows of razor sharp teeth and clamped it into something living and terrified. Self control just ensured him that he didn't go on a rampage at every second.

Boyle liked the prospect of two allies in their new hunt. Sort of answering the questions to his best abilities. "All mortals besides Feastus. I think they are deluded into thinking they someday he will turn them into vampires. But the shit can never share with anyone else." He warranted. "The most loyal of his followers have been conditioned heavily to feel no pain and to have their minds dulled to fanaticism. He has the gift of Voice and [/b]Gaze[/b] where he can entrance and hypnotize and dominate the will of others. Powerful abilities too... Our initial plan was ripping out his tongue from his mouth at the start of the fight to ensure that wouldn't be too big a problem but even then that would require sneaking up on him."