Residue of Sorrow

Arren lets out a small sigh at Miyako's flash of irritation, not happy that he has missed the hint, and resigned to the fact that this "vacation" is shaping up to feel remarkably similar to everyday work.

He looks at Bryn as he explains the mechanics of building a believable cover story and smiles faintly. "I'll bow to your knowledge of the matter, of course." Inwardly, he tells himself that he's entering an area where he lacks the needed expertise, and that he's going to have to do his best to keep up with these two.

Since he doesn't have any other questions for the Commandant-on-leave, he replies with a "No", and simply listens as they finish their conversation. Once she leaves, he turns to Bryn.

"Since we won't be able to carry as much as we could with the carriage, we should make sure we don't leave behind anything that might come in handy." He shrugs lightly. "I know we're not exactly heading into the desert, and we can always buy things in Pohja if we need to. But if we can avoid spending the coin, all the better."

(OOC: This is just to say that I've updated Arren's inventory to reflect what he’s carrying and what he's leaving at home, in case you want to check, @Volcano.)

Miyako had already risen from her stool, ready to walk away, but paused for a rather long moment before replying to Bryn's question. "I'm no longer a commanding officer, and you proposed I pose as your assistant. Think of something appropriate." She turns around, but pauses for a moment again. "But I am not old enough to be called 'Ma'am'." And finally, she leaves.

((You have the rest of the day to prepare or do anything else you can think of, but I'll push ahead a little.))

The following night is clear, but cold. Arren thinks it could snow if it happens to rain. Wouldn't be strange for the season either. For Bryn, who's used to Levicka's slightly warmer climate, it feels colder than he's used to at this time of the year. They do get snow in Levicka, but never so early into winter (OOC: It is sometime around what would be late November). But with the clear sky, there's no rain to freeze. Instead, a moderate wind blows outside, and anyone in some kind of shelter can be thankful for the walls that surround them. It would be quite unpleasant to sleep outside, but thankfully, there are no homeless people in Pyorre.

It is the kind of night where staying in your warm bed, under a thick and cosy blanket, is any man's dream. And yet, some unfortunate souls find themselves outside, wondering what other choices they could have made to change the course their life took just enough that, on this night, they'd sleep in a warm bed. Some of these are soldiers who drew the short end of the stick and got the night shift to patrol empty streets. Others are sailors preparing their ship for its final journey before winter. The work keeps them warm, but it is a rather cold comfort.

Some time before dawn, next to the ship but out of the porters' way, stand three figures who, whether expressing it in words or keeping the thoughts to themselves, wonder if the journey couldn't have begun a couple of hours later, when the sun would share some of its warmth with the land. The shortest of the three, a woman in a thick wool coat, was wondering to herself whether the choice to avoid the warmer fur coat was justified after all. Having already discussed their cover story idea ((fill in any additional details if you'd like)), they're mostly left with waiting to be called on board. 

"That damned D-Drow must be freezing in that f-fancy boat he got on," Miyako states after a few moments of silence. "If only he d-didn't like winter so much, I'd feel sorry for him. Six days or so, the captain said, until we reach our destination. Much shorter than his journey."

Once the loading of the ship is complete, the three are called to board. It is primarily a boat made for transporting goods, but every ship needs a crew, and with sufficient pay, Miyako secured three cots for Arren, Bryn and herself. There is only one room for them and all twelve sailors, however, and very little privacy on the ship. Since they're not trusted to perform well, nobody asks Bryn or Arren for any help. Formally, they're supposed to help defend the ship in case of an attack, but they notice there are no cannons, the sailors don't carry weapons with them, and in general, the threat isn't taken seriously, if at all. Either pirates are uncommon, or they migrated to warmer seas for the winter.

Food is served every morning, noon and evening. The meals consist of nutritious and preservable food, with taste clearly receiving little to no thought at all. Water and small rations of rum are served with each meal. The sailors seem to favour the alcohol, though it is not enough to interrupt their work. Miyako avoids the rum altogether, to the sailors' great disappointment. It seems they had some hopes from her, being the only woman on the ship, but they quickly learned to expect nothing.

With nothing to do during this time, Miyako spends most of the days above deck, looking into the sea. At first, the ship sails downriver, but once it reaches the open sea, it travels somewhat parallel to the coast. There's a significant distance to the shore, but land can be seen on occasion, just at the horizon. Miyako, however, looks to the other side. Besides that, even on vacation, it seems some of her usual habits didn't go away. Even with very little to do, she eats little - although more than she used to - and sleeps less than most other Humans on deck. Bryn, in his trance, would notice that she wakes up when sunlight enters the room, which might be later than dawn since the cots are inside the ship and there are no windows.  This causes her to rise later, but she goes to sleep later too, pacing on the top deck during the night, unable to sleep.

The sea isn't always calm, but thankfully, the ship is never caught in a serious storm. There's rain sometimes, and big waves on occasion, but the crew manages to handle the ship expertly.

Please describe, in detail or as briefly as you like, your activities on the ship. You may interact with anything/anyone you want, but we'll reach Pohja once you're ready to move on. Also, please make a Constitution saving throw. For a result below 10, you are seasick for 10-X days, where X is the result of your check (it won't have much of an effect, probably, but just for fun).

The night before departing, Arren is in his room preparing his backpack. As he won't be able to carry as many things as when they had the horses and carriage, he carefully checks what he is going to take with him and what he is going to leave behind. As such, he won't be bringing larger items such as his bow and arrows, but also some smaller ones, like his military promotion papers. He doesn't want to be identified as a Katton soldier in Pohja.

Arren does unroll the papers, though, just to look at them and reminisce for a while about all the years it took him to reach the position he now holds.

As he does, a folded paper that he barely remembered having slips onto his lap. When he opens it and sees what it is, he decides it is probably best if Samira keeps it. So he goes to find her, probably in the kitchen, perhaps enjoying a warm drink late at night.

"I found this," he says. "I must have mixed it in with my papers at some point."

He unfolds it, taking one last look before handing it to her. It is a carefully drawn picture of a three or four-year-old Arren standing in front of what he assumes was their home when they still lived in Etanna. The wandering artist who drew it must have been quite skilled, as both the building and the child are rendered in rich detail.

Arren, whose doesn't usually speak about their life before coming to Pyorre, smiles faintly this time.

"I don't remember much from that time. But I do remember liking the house. The tiles, in particular. The geometric patterns, the colors. They were beautiful." A pause. It seems he is about to add something else, but then he changes his mind and finishes, "You keep it, yes? I have to travel light, anyway."

In the docks the next morning, the Half-Elf tries his best to ignore the cold. But this only lasts for a while, after which he begins pacing, and even jumping a little or rubbing his hands to get his body temperature up. At times, he just stands watching the boat with interest. This is his first time traveling by boat, and though he imagines it will end up being a boring journey, he is also a bit excited about it. If he can, he wants to learn a bit about how ships are manned. Probably not by participating directly, but at least by observing how the crew works.

At one point, perhaps to forget about the cold or simply because he is trying to make this travel feel different from every other he's had, he hums quietly:

"Merry of soul, they sailed on a day over the sea to ... Pohja..."

He stops there as he realizes the last word that he changed from the original tune does not rhyme at all.

Later, to Miyako's remark, he comments, "That damned Drow must be all too happy that he doesn't have to get up this early never again to care about the cold." He smiles a little, wondering how Walnuts must faring right now.

Arren's idea of learning how a ship functions does not survive very long. The first few minutes aboard are spent looking around with genuine curiosity. He watches the sailors work, and studies the ropes and rigging, trying to figure out their use. But soon after the ship leaves the river and makes it to the sea, the deck seems to shift beneath his feet in a way that feels ... unnatural.

He stops. Waits. Decides he is fine. Takes three more steps, and discovers that he is, in fact, not fine at all.

The next four days (OOC: rolled a 1+5 = 6) prove that, while Arren may be able to stand his ground against cave bears, young women transformed into killing machines and crazed Bogie Elves, his body draws a firm line at boats sailing the seas. He would laugh at the irony that this might be fitting, given his Etanan origins, were it not for the fact that he is constantly tossing and turning in his cot, wishing for the nightmare to be over.

Once the worst of the seasickness passes, he's glad to join the others to finally eat a bit. And though he's tempted to try the rum, the fresh reminder of how his stomach felt the last days makes him reconsider. 

Other than that, he spends the rest of the days in quiet tranquility, rechecking their cover story with Bryn, observing the crew at work, occasionally strolling across the deck, and even trying to find a spot where he can stretch and exercise if possible. If he happens to notice one of those nights when Miyako seems unable to sleep, he will quietly ask, "Can't sleep?" if only to break the silence.

If he fully regains his appetite before reaching Pohja, he will attempt to improve the food somewhat, as he brought along the seasonings he bought in Ersta. He first tries them on his own food, and if he deems it an improvement, he will offer to do the same for his companions—and even for any of the crew sitting nearby.

(ooc: we did say DC 10 to improve the food's flavor, right? Without modifiers, since Arren doesn't have proficiency with Cook's Utensils. I have failed the roll - 9 - but it would succeed if Tactical Mind is allowed)

When Arren mentions travelling light, Bryn raises an eyebrow. "I am not sure I have enough stuff to travel heavy, and as I am unlikely to come back here, I kind of need to take everything anyway", he replies. "But you are right, there are decisions for the pair of you to make".

And when the Commandant mentions the intention for her to be an assistant, he frowns for a moment, and then nods.

As for the rest of that day, he will merely make sure he has the relevant items needed, such as paper, ink and scroll case. He likely has all but the scroll case already.

The following morning at the docks, as they wait to board the ship, he speaks a little more of his plan for their cover story.

"You mentioned yesterday the intention for you to be an assistant. That is not what I had in mind, actually. In fact you are a court-appointed custodian, selected by Katto officials to oversee the official transfer of assets and ensure absolute bureaucratic compliance, because if the ancestor named in the will cannot be found the assets default to the state", he explains smoothly, knowing that would play into her wheelhouse quite well. "That gives you the authority to hold the papers, matches your natural command, and ensures no low-ranking guard will question your presence. It also means you can be as quiet or vocal as you like, because at minimum you are a mere observer", he continues, searching her face for a reaction. "I have started on the documents, but will need your expertise to make them pass muster, but you will be Miss Clara Kent".

He looks across to Arren, who by now is pacing. "I am not certain anyone will care much as to who you are, so I don't think we need any kind of false identity or paper trail. Outside of Katto, Otis will suffice for me, just to save time".

Noticing how the pair of them seem to be affected by the cold, he holds up his hand and wiggles his fore and middle fingers a little. "May I", he asks. They will likely notice he is not suffering as much from the cold.

If they give their assent, he will as discreetly as possible touch each of their coats and warm them up a little.

Once on the ship, it takes him a couple of days to settle his stomach, joining Arren in finding the lurching motions entirely unsettling. But from the third day on he will spend time in calmer waters putting the finishing touches on the documents.

The estate in question will be that of the merchant Henrik Sulo, and involves a decent sized town house and profitable general store with accompanying warehouse. Nothing so vast as to be heard of in the trade hub of Pohja. The beneficiary they are looking for is Janni Sulo or any of his descendants who survive. Janni hasn't been seen since the war and is known to have fled to southern Pohja with his mother as a small child before the war ended. 

Again, he will take all the help he can get from Miyako, although he doubts anyone in Pohja will care too much.

Con Save: 6+2=8

Arren, by now quite used to Bryn's magic, accepts his help in warming up his coat with a thankful smile. He may even ask for it on particularly cold nights aboard the ship, joking that it is a pity he does not know a spell to help with seasickness as well.

As for the details Bryn has fabricated, he commits the names and facts to memory. The Elf is probably right that nobody will look twice at him, which leaves Arren in the comfortable position of not having to rehearse much of a role for their cover story.

(('Surely', I thought, '10 is a very low DC. They'll both roll much higher.'))

Samira looks at the drawing Arren handed to her. "Oh, you make your mother worry!" She exclaims, but after pulling Arren into a hug, she resumes in a softer tone. "But you also make me proud. Be safe, my boy."

After releasing Arren, she suggests, as an afterthought perhaps, "You could visit the house, couldn't you? You're finally on a vacation, after all." She doesn't really wait for an answer, though, returning to whatever kept her busy before.

Bryn can find a scroll case for the listed price. It's not cheap, but it'll keep anything inside safe from most hazards, water in particular. A wise choice in winter.

At the docks, Miyako accepts Bryn's story without complaints. "Clara," she muses, "that's a nice name." ((Does it come with glasses and a business suit, though?))

Accepting Bryn's offer to warm her coat does not come as naturally, but seeing the difference it makes on Arren is enough to convince her.

The sailors seem rather sympathetic to Bryn and Arren's adjustment to living on a ship. Miyako, on the other hand, seems to ignore them most of the time. But at least while she's in the same room, they may notice she's watching them from time to time.

Once Bryn is well enough to focus on forging documents, he'll find a place under the deck where he can write, mostly undisturbed. If he asks for Miss Clara's help, she joins him but ultimately does very little. She occasionally suggests a correction, mostly about Katton formalities, and may help if Bryn asks her to do some specific task, but most of the time, it feels like she's just observing, studying Bryn and his work.

"You have a very... particular set of skills," Clara comments at some point. "How did you learn it all? This, I mean, and everything else that you do."

Arren attempts to improve the food, but finds no combination of spices worth the trouble. He doesn't ruin it either, but... he'd better save what he has for other occasions. In any case, while the sailors don't exactly enjoy the food's taste, they seem accustomed to it, and so is Arren, as it is not too different from military rations.

Arren finds Miyako on the deck on what would be the last night, according to her claim about the length of the journey on board the ship. It is a chilly night, but, evidently, not too cold for Miyako, despite her usual sensitivity to the weather. There's hardly any wind, so the ship almost feels like it's standing in place. The sailors seem to favour this situation, as it means fewer men are needed on board, and at the moment, only three Elves are on deck with Miyako and Arren, although on another part of the boat. The night sky above is clear, and all the stars shining above are visible. 

Miyako has kept her appearance almost the same since she met Arren and Bryn in the tavern before embarking on this vacation. The only significant difference is the coat she wears above everything else to keep herself warm. Since she now wakes up a little later than usual and sleeps in the same room, Arren may have noticed that she chooses to sleep with her hair unbraided and braids it back every morning. Now, he sees that some of the long strands of hair have become undone; however, if she noticed, Miyako didn't bother collecting them. Their slight movement is the clearest sign that some wind, although very weak, does blow over the boat.

A few moments pass before Miyako answers. "No." She doesn't look at Arren while she speaks, her eyes fixed on the dark sea. "I can't just undo years of unhealthy habits. I've gotten accustomed to this schedule. But waking up late messed it all up, and with nothing to do all day, I feel restless all the time. Someone suggested I write a journal to keep myself busy, but there's so little to write about. Besides, it's a waste of paper and ink."

Under the deck, the gentle creaking of the ship's timbers rhythmically keeps time with the steady scratch of Bryn’s pen. Working in the cramped space requires a different kind of focus, timing his hand to the slow, predictable tilt of the vessel. Miss Kent sits nearby, her "assistance" mostly taking the form of quiet, calculating observation, broken only by the occasional sharp correction regarding a specific Katton legal formatting quirk.

When she asks her question about his particular set of skills and how he came to learn it all, he doesn't immediately look up from his ink. He carefully finishes the tail of a cursive letter, letting the silence hang just long enough to weigh his words before he speaks.

"Necessity is a demanding tutor, Miss Kent", he replies smoothly, his voice low enough to stay between the two of them. "My skills are varied, and accumulated in a number of ways for a number of purposes. I learned sleight of hand and to appear as someone else to put food on the table when other means failed".

He dips his pen into the inkwell, keeping his gaze fixed on the drying text of Henrik Sulo's forged deed.

"I started out learning the legitimate trade of a scribe in an effort to go straight, but the world has a lot of rigid rules designed to keep people exactly where they are born. And I did not anticipate the opportunity that scribing would bring to someone with a predisposition for bending the rules. As for the other skills, I am not certain where they originated, and believe me I have tried to find out".

He finally turns his gaze to her, offering a faint, guarded smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"The Academy in Levicka taught me the grand theories and the proper names for things, certainly. But it seems that the origin of these skills is a much debated mystery".

He cocks his head to the side. "Is it true there is no magic on Mey? I assume you have wondered why that is, or at least, your Meyen scholars have theories?".

(ooc: "Does it come with glasses and a business suit, though?"  ← I can't believe I had to read this to get the reference *facepalm*)

Arren can't say he has enjoyed the voyage. For someone whose health and stamina are usually so reliable, spending so many days seasick has been a humbling experience. Now that his body has finally come back to its senses, however, he has to admit there is something comforting about the quiet of the night, the gentle rocking of the ship and the sea stretching into the darkness.

"Hm..." he murmurs, resting lightly against the railing, "I wouldn't call it a waste if it helps keep those habits at bay." He pauses briefly, considering her remark that there is so little to write about. "Perhaps you could try writing about minor things that happen during the day. Anything that catches your eye. The sea, how its color changes depending on the time of day. The weather. The people around you."

He nods slightly toward the deck. "There is one crew member who, whenever he stops to rest, takes out a folded paper and just looks at it for a while. I wonder if it's a letter, or something else."

He shrugs faintly. "Small things like that. Just whatever happens to be there."

After a moment, Arren adds, "Writing a little for yourself, instead of work reports, might ease that restlessness—and help you sleep better in the long term."

"None at all. And even so many years after this land's discovery, most in Mey are ignorant of its existence in this land. I heard of it before coming, but even then, it was only from the tales of people who've come back from the war and witnessed it used as a weapon. Not to warm coats in winter." She pauses for a bit, collecting her thoughts. "I saw wounds heal in seconds, but also Emma, and whatever that thing was you fought in the mountains. You wouldn't see that in Mey, and I find that comforting in a sense. At least this madness is contained to just one place. If I leave, at least I'll know I won't be growing tails."

"You're very poetic, but I was never very good with poetry. I sure didn't appreciate it at the time." She turns quiet for a bit, but then speaks a few lines in Meyen. Since Arren doesn't understand the words, he can't be sure, but he can identify rhyming and some rhythm in it. A few seconds later, Miyako repeats, in the Ditten Common Humans' Tongue, although slowly, working carefully to translate. The rhymes, unfortunately, are lost in translation.

"Stand and fight the bear / bandits and monsters alike / can't handle the sea."

Miyako turns away and retires for the night before Arren can comment on the matter.

The city of Iriyam is a port city just a little south of the Katton-Pohjan border, and the destination of the boat on which Arren, along with Otis and Clara, have sailed. On the sixth day, in the early afternoon, the land and the city come into view. The land itself isn't very different from most of south-western Katto, which Arren has passed through many times before. Flat and fertile, good for the many fields that surround the city. The city itself is a large city. Almost every boat that travels from the south farther north or the other way around stops here, as well as every ship that sails along the wide river that acts as a natural border between Pohja and Katto. Winter or not, many ships line the docks.

In the centre of the bay is a large keep. Strong walls and tall towers, shrines that demonstrate great wealth and a pier lined with large, fancy boats. The wealth attracts attention, drawing it away from the surroundings: a small area of markets and workshops, surrounded by a wide ring of houses that get increasingly smaller and poorer as one looks away from the keep in the centre of the city.

The captain steers the boat towards a small dock near the northern edge of the market area. "Welcome to Iriyam!" He announces. "Our time together comes to an end. I hope it was enjoyable." Although the dock is almost full, the captain manages to steer the boat between two other. The moment the boat is secured in place, dockworkers board it and, after a short consultation with the captain, begin to unload the ship.

"Farewell, Missy," the captain escorts Clara off the boat. "Wish ye all the best. Keep your coin concealed, as well as anything else that might fetch a price. In here, if someone isn't robbing you, it only means someone else beat them to it!" He laughs heartily and leaves Arren, Bryn and Clara on the dock, returning to watch the men who unload his boat.

Arren watches in silence as Miyako leaves, still processing the words she has just recited and carefully translated. It is a pity he cannot speak Meyen, as it sounded like it had a proper rhythm and rhyme to it.

Then, a heartbeat later, he realizes she has teased him, and a short laugh escapes him.

Rubbing the back of his neck, the Half-Elf looks out over the dark sea, a smile slowly forming on his face.

The next day, before leaving the boat, Arren makes sure to pack his things properly. There's really not much he can do about the javelins poking out or his shield being noticeable. But a shield is just a shield, and unless he uses it, nobody really will to know there's anything particularly strange about Aegis.

He does, however, make sure to distribute his gold into smaller amounts and hide them in several different places. If there is a high chance he's going to get robbed, he hopes that at least they won't get a lot in one go.

He smiles inwardly at the idea of the captain calling Miyako "Missy." If only the captain knew. Arren wishes him and his crew safe travels, and steps onto the pier.

Even though they are in a different region, and in a large city he has never seen before, Arren tries to focus more on the people around them than on the city itself. Having just arrived by ship, it wouldn't be surprising if this were a good place to prey on newcomers. So he tries to stay aware of their surroundings as best as possible.

Then he'll ask his companions, "So, Master Otis, Miss Clara. Where to?"

"To find some lodgings", Arren assumes. But he refrains from suggesting that aloud, letting the role of hired muscle take over instead.

"What is Mey really like?" Bryn asks, his curiosity genuine. "There is obviously tension with Levicka, possibly more so than the rest of Dite, which likely colours everything we are told. Aggressors, invaders, that sort of thing. But what about art and culture? You mentioned wanting to see some of that in Pohja, is that a big part of life on Mey? Or is it truly the single-minded war machine we are told it is?", he asks.

With land now in sight, the transition from the rolling sea to the unyielding stone of the Iriyam piers brings an immediate, welcome relief to Bryn’s stomach. Despite gaining his sea legs after a couple of days, he couldn't wait to plant his feet on solid ground again.

The captain’s hearty warning about the local thieves brings a faint, knowing smirk to his face. He casually adjusts the straps of his pack, subtly checking his knots, and making sure the wrapped up shaft of Emil's bow is tied tightly to his pack. As he does, he pulls his traveler's coat a bit tighter, ensuring the metal studs of his armour and the hilts of his shortsword and daggers remain completely hidden on his back. His eyes are already scanning the docks, instinctively reading the crowd and tracking the hands of the loiterers. This is the sort of environment he is used to, although not usually from the perspective of the mark.

Turning to Arren, he easily slips back into the posture of "Master Otis" to keep up appearances in the open crowd.

"It is early afternoon, which gives us just enough time to get our bearings. Probably best to find a decent inn for the night, somewhere nearer to the market area than the docks", he suggests, looking around to see if they are going to be questioned by anyone or if they can simply leave the docks.

He glances toward Miyako, offering a respectful nod to "Miss Clara" as they step into the crowd. "Perhaps we can locate a reputable carriage house and arrange a coach ride south tomorrow morning. Shall we?".

(OOC: Not entirely sure on the exact plan for where in Pohja we are going and how quickly)

"The average person in every land is more or less the same. They care neither for wars nor for pretentious art. A nation needs to feed its people, and someone must grow that food. Someone must build the houses in which people live, and someone must sew the clothes they wear. All these people work day-to-day to keep their stomachs full and their backs warm. That's how it is in Mey, how it is in Katto, and how I'm certain it must be elsewhere, too. Those who busy themselves with anything else are, necessarily, a luxurious few. And among those, do all Levickan nobles study magic for the sole purpose of killing those they do not get along with?" 

Miyako goes silent for a few moments, then stands up, prepared to leave. "What I'm going to watch is of Meyen origin, performed by Meyen people in an attempt to share something between the Meyen and Ditten people beyond mistrust and sword clashes. If you join me, you'll see for yourself if we invaders can produce anything but pain."

Since the boat usually carries cargo that doesn't include people, it doesn't attract much attention from people around. The hardworking sailors are strong and don't earn enough to justify risking a beating for a coin or two. The same cannot be said of Miss Clara, Otis and Arren, but it seems most hungry eyes look for victims elsewhere. At least upon their immediate arrival, their purses might be safe. In Levicka, or Katto, it would be standard for someone to check the people who landed at the pier. Here, it doesn't look like anyone cares.

A good spot to ask for a Perception check, though.

Miss Clara nods silently to Otis' suggestion, but her eyes are on the people around. She tightens the strap of the backpack she carries. It is... a little small, or rather, not filled to even half its capacity. It is, and there's no mistaking that, brand new, however, purchased just before she left Pyorre. She then looks at Bryn and points towards the southeast for a moment, inland, away from the slums and towards the market.

Bryn and Arren would both know that Miyako hopes to reach a city farther east in Pohja. She wasn't very sure how long the journey would take, but she estimated it to be around five to six days by carriage, probably about the same going upstream on the river with a ferry or a barge, and much more by foot. When she spoke on the matter, while still on the boat, she wasn't sure which option she preferred, seemingly favouring travel on water, if it wasn't for Bryn and Arren's apparent sensitivity to the unsteady rocking of such vehicles. The last chance to watch the opera - a term Bryn and Arren aren't familiar with, but is explained to be a type of musical work, displayed in theatres - is eight days away.

"The average person doesn't dictate the path of a civilisation, though", Bryn says quietly, catching her eye before she can walk away. "They aren't the ones who ordered a fleet across the sea to take land by force. Was that truly done just to feed them? Was Mey running low on food, or raw materials, or was it driven by something else?".

He offers a small, entirely non-hostile shrug, his tone genuinely curious rather than accusatory. He doesn't want to fight, he wants to understand.

"I have an open mind. Meyens are no longer faceless strangers described only by propaganda to me", he adds with a slight smile. "I fully intend to join you for this performance. If art is the window to a people's true nature, I'm eager to see what lies behind the armour".

Perception: 11+5=16

(OOC: Will see the results before continuing) 

"Surely" Arren had said during the voyage, when the question of how to reach the city where the opera would take place came up, "travelling by river shouldn't be as much of a problem as sailing at sea."

He is certainly in favour of the quicker route.

But that was on the boat. Today, they are standing on Iriyam's pier, on their way to find a place to spend the night. He looks from Otis to Clara as they discuss—silently, in Clara's case—and glances in the direction she points.

"I'll be right behind you," Arren tells them.

Perception: 14+3 = 17

Miyako pauses only briefly before leaving the room. "I don't know; I wasn't there. But we're not all educated to conquer, if that's what you mean."

Bryn and Arren heed the captain's warning and remain alert. Either their alertness drives the thieves away, or these thieves are excellent at their craft. Despite the crowded streets where a stray hand can easily slip into another's pockets, the three will make it to a respectable-looking inn without losing any of their belongings.

Walking these streets, they'll notice the demographic changes between Pyorre and Iriyam. Humans and Wood Elves are the vast majority, but there are more High Elves than one would see in Pyorre. Drow and Gnomes are far less common, but even in this short walk from the pier to the inn, they'll have spotted at least one of each. Dwarves should be more common in Pohja, but mostly near the mountains to the southeast. It would seem unlikely that not even one lives in such a large city, but neither Bryn nor Arren saw any on the way.

When they get to the inn, the 'Sleeping Lion', which also serves as a tavern, Clara hands Bryn a few coins and holds up one finger, then points to a sign above the counter which specifies prices. She handed Bryn just enough for a single room. These rooms are typically meant for two people.

As the trio enter the Sleeping Lion, Arren takes a moment to look over the patrons entering and sitting inside the tavern. Now that they are no longer on the streets, he relaxes his grip on the backpack and simply scans the room. It looks like a decent inn—one where he hopes their belongings won't disappear the moment they step out to arrange transport for the following day. 

He watches with curiosity the silent communication between his two companions. He had expected Miyako would want a room for herself, and that he and Bryn would share another. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

Arren cocks his head slightly, waiting to see how the situation unfolds, and looks toward the attendant, watching their reaction.

The walk from the piers to the Sleeping Lion had kept Bryn’s senses on high alert. The captain’s warning about local cutpurses certainly hadn't been an exaggeration, but whether it was his own practiced vigilance keeping the marks away or just sheer luck, their belongings had all made it through the crowded streets intact. The shifting layout of the city's faces had caught his eye, though. It was good to see more High Elves around, making it easier to blend in.

Stepping into the inn's warmth, he subtly relaxes his posture, falling seamlessly back into his role.

He looks at the coins in his hand, then up at the sign, doing the quick math. Feeling that the three of them sharing a room would be a little suspicious for their cover, bearing in mind that they would likely have been given coin for expenses, he nods to 'Miss Clara' but adds enough of his own coin before sliding them across the counter.

"We'll take two rooms, preferably adjoining, but if not, at the least next to each other", he asks with a warm smile.

The attendant - a thin, tall Human man, bald under a knitted cap - looks with slight amusement on Clara's silent communication. "There's no need to be modest, we have plenty of rooms here." The rooms of this comfortable inn cost eight silver coins per night each.

Once Bryn hands over the coins, the attendant reaches for a box under the counter and hands Bryn two iron keys. An expert lockpicker, Bryn thinks their locks must not be too difficult to pick, but not trivial either, and require the proper set of tools. "Third floor, on the right. More stairs to climb, but you look young, and the view is slightly better." He then gestures towards a flight of stairs leading up. "We keep the kitchen open after dark, and the drinks are available for a little more. Check out before midday if you don't want to pay for another night."

Once the three have climbed to the third floor, they find themselves in a short hallway with four rooms, two on each side. The inn seems to have one more floor, and if it is like the other two, it means there are a total of twelve such rooms. "I appreciate the courtliness," Miyako says once they've found their rooms, keeping her voice low despite the apparent absence of other people in the vicinity, "but you really should save your coins when possible." Nevertheless, she seems pleased to have a bed for herself.

Each room has two beds placed side by side, which can be moved to either form one large bed or separated into two single-person beds. There's a small chest without a lock in one corner, and a window on the wall which, on this side of the inn, overlooks the city in the direction of the sea.

Bryn takes the two iron keys with a polite nod to the attendant, noting the weight and shape of them.

He leads the way up the stairs, keeping his senses aware of his surroundings in case anyone takes an unusual interest in them, although the inn appears largely deserted at the moment.

Once they reach the quiet safety of the third-floor hallway, he slides one of the keys into Miyako's hand. He offers her a quiet, knowing smile, keeping his voice at a faint murmur.

"It is as much for our cover as it is for courtliness, Miss Clara", he says softly. "Consider it an investment in our collective anonymity".

Leaving Miyako to settle into her room, he unlocks the second room and steps inside with Arren. He takes a quick, practical inventory of the space, noting the lack of a lock on the storage box.

He looks out the window, judging the position of the sun. There is still a good chunk of the afternoon left.

Turning back to Arren, he casually adjusts his traveler's coat, ensuring the hilts of his blades and the wrapped shaft of Emil's bow remain completely obscured beneath the fabric.

"It's early enough that the streets will still be busy, which works to our advantage", he suggests. "We should leave anything of little value here, and go and secure onward travel. What do you think?"

Arren follows 'Master Otis' into their room. As soon as he enters, he sets his backpack and weapons down beside the first bed he finds, relieved to be rid of the weight for a while. The backpack may be lighter than what it usually contains while on duty, but it is still a noticeable burden.

He stretches for a moment before replying, "Agreed. Plenty of time to do that, and I also want to get a better look at the city."

In the privacy of their room, with no one else around to overhear, he asks, out of curiosity, "Is this your first time in Pohja as well? Did you go straight from Levicka to Katto?"

He crouches beside his travel pack, transferring a couple of things into the backpack he uses for Aegis. When he stands again, Arren hands Bryn four silver coins. "My share of the room, by the way."

Regarding their belongings, he shrugs, "There's not much point in using a storage chest without a lock. I'll leave my backpack here, yes. If someone decides to rob it, they won't find much of interest, I think." A faint smile crosses his face.

"Let's go, then. We can ask 'Miss Clara' whether she wants to join us or stay here."