Here, we have Nichneven's first appearance in the world of Nordock, arriving at a tavern just outside Benzor one night...
It began when it was raining.
The evening was a slow one at the Lazy Owl, with few folk willing to venture out in the heavy rainstorm to grab an ale at the old tavern. Only a few brave souls dotted the chairs around the large main room, hunkered over their ales as though to climb inside them.
Allidra wiped down the bar for the tenth time that hour, sighing and wondering how early she could get away with closing this time. Murrock was a stodgy old sod, who spent as little time as possible running his tavern and as much time as he could drunk in his office. He was likely already ripping snores behind the heavy door, dead to the world and six sheets to the wind. Again.
Thunder rattled the windows once more, jerking heads up from their drinks all across the room as reality banged its angry knuckles on the Owl's wooden bones. Lightning's actinic glare flooded white through the windows, highlighting the tired faces of the few patrons and the bored servers. The light faded, but the sound of the rain pelting the building kept its steady beat.
A rush of damp air swirled as the front door to the Owl opened, spilling a wet figure into the relative warmth of the tavern. Clad in a sodden cloak of uncertain colour, the slight figure stumbled as it entered, sagging against a wall in obvious exhaustion.
Flicking a fresh bar towel onto her shoulder, Allidra hurried from behind the bar as some of the patrons looked up in interest, sensing fresh entertainment. Giving them all a sour look, the barmaid quickly reached her new guest and put out a steadying hand to the wet cloaked stranger.
Closing the door, Allidra could see that it was a woman in the cloak, small in size like an elf. Though hooded, the chatter of the newcomer's teeth was quite loud in the quiet tavern air.
"Come friend, sit there in the corner by the fire and warm yourself, you must be soaked. I am Allidra, and welcome to the Lazy Owl." The barmaid smiled and put her arm around the shivering woman's shoulders, turning her towards a corner where several large chairs sat lazily in front of a cheerily blazing stone fireplace.
Not a word escaped the soaked stranger's lips, though her teeth clamped tight to stop them from chattering. Under her hood, her skin appeared to be flushed red, likely from the cold rain outside Allidra thought. The shoulders under the patched cloak were painfully thin as well, lending little substance under her gentle but firm hands that steered the newcomer towards the fire.
The barmaid settled the shivering woman by the blaze and then returned quickly with some hot mulled wine, which the girl eagerly reached for. The woman's wet and shaking hands caused Allidra to gasp, again turning a few heads towards the duo. They were crimson, bright as fresh blood.
The woman's hands glowed ruby in the flickering glow of the fireplace. Curling around the mug of warm wine, her nails resembled claws, clutching the mug. Yet they shook with weakness as the girl brought the wine to her lips, revealing the same bright red hue of her skin, half-hidden now under her hood. She took a long drought of the wine as though parched beyond measure. The stranger's eyes opened after that, a startling shade of golden yellow that bored into the still-frozen Allidra.
"Thank-you," she whispered in a tired voice. "I won't stay long, I know I'd not be welcome. I just want to warm myself by the fire here a spell and I will leave. I can pay you...." Her left hand opened to reveal a few mismatched coins that gleamed dully in the dim light. The girl's smile was sad and too knowing above.
Coming out of her shock, Allidra straightened up and frowned sternly at the girl in front of her, hands on her hips. Still a girl, she thought, despite her odd hue obviously unlike most who had passed through the Owl before. Yet still a child, and lost in the storm...
"I'll have none of that!" the barmaid said, causing the girl to jump and slop her wine. "You sit right here and warm yourself a moment while I go get some dry clothes, you'll catch your death if you sit here in those wet rags." The girl winced at the mention of her attire, and Allidra's tone quickly softened. "Now now, worry not... you keep your coin for now and get your strength back, you've obviously walked far in this storm and I will not turn anyone back out into that. Rest easy, child."
Nodding in relief, the strange girl settled back into the large chair, almost vanishing into its large shape and clutching the mug of wine like a drowning sailor to a floatboard. Allidra left the girl to go and rummage among her old clothes in a storeroom, returning with some warm selections under her arm.
Helping the girl to her feet, the barmaid was again startled by the girl's lack of substance; she seemed to weigh as little as a child and be almost as thin. Hustling her past the stares of the other patrons, Allidra got her into the women's bathroom to change and stood guard at the door. After only a few minutes, the girl emerged clad in a too-large robe of linen, with the hood raised to cover her ruby skin that still gleamed with dampness.
"There you are, mostly dry again. We'll get you settled by the fire with something warm to eat, then I will find a spot for you to rest. You look positively worn child!" Pausing, the barmaid looked at the slight figure and smiled. "I am Allidra, and I run this modest little tavern for the owner. I'd know your name too, for one so tired from the road."
The girl paused, leaning on the wall as she looked at the barmaid from beneath her hood. "Why?" was all she asked, imbuing the word with her exhaustion, and something more. She stood there waiting, holding onto the wall stock-still.
"Why?" said Allidra, turning to the girl and smiling. "A name is a small thing to exchange for kindness, child, and a tiny price to pay for a warm meal and a place to stay." Turning away, the barmaid said over her shoulder "Of course, if you do not want to stay...."
"Yes! I do! Please don't send me back out there!" The girl's frail fingers clutched Allidra's arm with shocking strength, though it was her tone that caused the barmaid to wince. Her desperation was obvious, as was her desire to remain.
"Of course, of course child, do not panic so. What is your name?" asked Allidra, smiling in reassurance as she patted the girl's hand on her arm, trying to loosen her grip subtly.
"I... my name is Nichneven." said the girl, straightening her shoulders and looking Allidra in the eye with her golden gaze. She seemed to wait then, for the barmaid's reaction with her back straight and gaze level.
"Nichneven - a lovely name. Now let's get you settled." Taking the surprised girl by the arm, Allidra led her back to the chair by the fire and left her there to dry, calling out to Tycor to prepare something hot with his usual skill in the kitchen. The other patrons had long since returned to their cups, finishing up their last drinks in preparation for the Owl's closing.
Soon enough, only Nichneven was left in her chair by the fire. Allidra returned to find the girl fast asleep, curled in the chair like a cat with the plates beside her cleaned to the last crumbs.
Smiling to herself, Allidra bade Tycor take the girl to the staff's sleeping quarters, where they tucked her under a blanket without Nichneven stirring a hair. The two left the girl sleeping the sleep of the utterly exhausted, closing the door and sharing a smile as they went to close up the Owl for the night.
The morning would come soon enough, Allidra thought as she cleaned. Old Murrock would wake grouchy in his foul mood as usual. Moreso given the poor take of the night before. Best not to tell him about the girl until later in the day, when he was more inclined to listen. As like the child would not waken until much later in any case, though she'd probably be hungry. But what was she, and how had she come to have wandered in the Owl's door this particular night, of all nights to be on the road with as little as she obviously had?
Shaking her head, Allidra went about her tasks, her thoughts filled with the desperate stare of golden eyes, and skin the colour of rubies. One more memorable night at the Lazy Owl, with mysteries to explore come the morning...
It began when it was raining.
The evening was a slow one at the Lazy Owl, with few folk willing to venture out in the heavy rainstorm to grab an ale at the old tavern. Only a few brave souls dotted the chairs around the large main room, hunkered over their ales as though to climb inside them.
Allidra wiped down the bar for the tenth time that hour, sighing and wondering how early she could get away with closing this time. Murrock was a stodgy old sod, who spent as little time as possible running his tavern and as much time as he could drunk in his office. He was likely already ripping snores behind the heavy door, dead to the world and six sheets to the wind. Again.
Thunder rattled the windows once more, jerking heads up from their drinks all across the room as reality banged its angry knuckles on the Owl's wooden bones. Lightning's actinic glare flooded white through the windows, highlighting the tired faces of the few patrons and the bored servers. The light faded, but the sound of the rain pelting the building kept its steady beat.
A rush of damp air swirled as the front door to the Owl opened, spilling a wet figure into the relative warmth of the tavern. Clad in a sodden cloak of uncertain colour, the slight figure stumbled as it entered, sagging against a wall in obvious exhaustion.
Flicking a fresh bar towel onto her shoulder, Allidra hurried from behind the bar as some of the patrons looked up in interest, sensing fresh entertainment. Giving them all a sour look, the barmaid quickly reached her new guest and put out a steadying hand to the wet cloaked stranger.
Closing the door, Allidra could see that it was a woman in the cloak, small in size like an elf. Though hooded, the chatter of the newcomer's teeth was quite loud in the quiet tavern air.
"Come friend, sit there in the corner by the fire and warm yourself, you must be soaked. I am Allidra, and welcome to the Lazy Owl." The barmaid smiled and put her arm around the shivering woman's shoulders, turning her towards a corner where several large chairs sat lazily in front of a cheerily blazing stone fireplace.
Not a word escaped the soaked stranger's lips, though her teeth clamped tight to stop them from chattering. Under her hood, her skin appeared to be flushed red, likely from the cold rain outside Allidra thought. The shoulders under the patched cloak were painfully thin as well, lending little substance under her gentle but firm hands that steered the newcomer towards the fire.
The barmaid settled the shivering woman by the blaze and then returned quickly with some hot mulled wine, which the girl eagerly reached for. The woman's wet and shaking hands caused Allidra to gasp, again turning a few heads towards the duo. They were crimson, bright as fresh blood.
The woman's hands glowed ruby in the flickering glow of the fireplace. Curling around the mug of warm wine, her nails resembled claws, clutching the mug. Yet they shook with weakness as the girl brought the wine to her lips, revealing the same bright red hue of her skin, half-hidden now under her hood. She took a long drought of the wine as though parched beyond measure. The stranger's eyes opened after that, a startling shade of golden yellow that bored into the still-frozen Allidra.
"Thank-you," she whispered in a tired voice. "I won't stay long, I know I'd not be welcome. I just want to warm myself by the fire here a spell and I will leave. I can pay you...." Her left hand opened to reveal a few mismatched coins that gleamed dully in the dim light. The girl's smile was sad and too knowing above.
Coming out of her shock, Allidra straightened up and frowned sternly at the girl in front of her, hands on her hips. Still a girl, she thought, despite her odd hue obviously unlike most who had passed through the Owl before. Yet still a child, and lost in the storm...
"I'll have none of that!" the barmaid said, causing the girl to jump and slop her wine. "You sit right here and warm yourself a moment while I go get some dry clothes, you'll catch your death if you sit here in those wet rags." The girl winced at the mention of her attire, and Allidra's tone quickly softened. "Now now, worry not... you keep your coin for now and get your strength back, you've obviously walked far in this storm and I will not turn anyone back out into that. Rest easy, child."
Nodding in relief, the strange girl settled back into the large chair, almost vanishing into its large shape and clutching the mug of wine like a drowning sailor to a floatboard. Allidra left the girl to go and rummage among her old clothes in a storeroom, returning with some warm selections under her arm.
Helping the girl to her feet, the barmaid was again startled by the girl's lack of substance; she seemed to weigh as little as a child and be almost as thin. Hustling her past the stares of the other patrons, Allidra got her into the women's bathroom to change and stood guard at the door. After only a few minutes, the girl emerged clad in a too-large robe of linen, with the hood raised to cover her ruby skin that still gleamed with dampness.
"There you are, mostly dry again. We'll get you settled by the fire with something warm to eat, then I will find a spot for you to rest. You look positively worn child!" Pausing, the barmaid looked at the slight figure and smiled. "I am Allidra, and I run this modest little tavern for the owner. I'd know your name too, for one so tired from the road."
The girl paused, leaning on the wall as she looked at the barmaid from beneath her hood. "Why?" was all she asked, imbuing the word with her exhaustion, and something more. She stood there waiting, holding onto the wall stock-still.
"Why?" said Allidra, turning to the girl and smiling. "A name is a small thing to exchange for kindness, child, and a tiny price to pay for a warm meal and a place to stay." Turning away, the barmaid said over her shoulder "Of course, if you do not want to stay...."
"Yes! I do! Please don't send me back out there!" The girl's frail fingers clutched Allidra's arm with shocking strength, though it was her tone that caused the barmaid to wince. Her desperation was obvious, as was her desire to remain.
"Of course, of course child, do not panic so. What is your name?" asked Allidra, smiling in reassurance as she patted the girl's hand on her arm, trying to loosen her grip subtly.
"I... my name is Nichneven." said the girl, straightening her shoulders and looking Allidra in the eye with her golden gaze. She seemed to wait then, for the barmaid's reaction with her back straight and gaze level.
"Nichneven - a lovely name. Now let's get you settled." Taking the surprised girl by the arm, Allidra led her back to the chair by the fire and left her there to dry, calling out to Tycor to prepare something hot with his usual skill in the kitchen. The other patrons had long since returned to their cups, finishing up their last drinks in preparation for the Owl's closing.
Soon enough, only Nichneven was left in her chair by the fire. Allidra returned to find the girl fast asleep, curled in the chair like a cat with the plates beside her cleaned to the last crumbs.
Smiling to herself, Allidra bade Tycor take the girl to the staff's sleeping quarters, where they tucked her under a blanket without Nichneven stirring a hair. The two left the girl sleeping the sleep of the utterly exhausted, closing the door and sharing a smile as they went to close up the Owl for the night.
The morning would come soon enough, Allidra thought as she cleaned. Old Murrock would wake grouchy in his foul mood as usual. Moreso given the poor take of the night before. Best not to tell him about the girl until later in the day, when he was more inclined to listen. As like the child would not waken until much later in any case, though she'd probably be hungry. But what was she, and how had she come to have wandered in the Owl's door this particular night, of all nights to be on the road with as little as she obviously had?
Shaking her head, Allidra went about her tasks, her thoughts filled with the desperate stare of golden eyes, and skin the colour of rubies. One more memorable night at the Lazy Owl, with mysteries to explore come the morning...