A Brand New Night (FNM S2)

[Argenti he/him]

4 minutes ago, Sherma Main said:

"I'm only checking it out... no one will be hurt."

"You said that last time." Khoi sighs, "I can not stop you, Kane, but you only hurt yourself when you lash out like this."

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

1 minute ago, Argenti said:

"You said that last time." Khoi sighs, "I can not stop you, Kane, but you only hurt yourself when you lash out like this."

"And other people. There's that too. I'm... are you sure that's bad?"

[Argenti he/him]

13 minutes ago, Sherma Main said:

"And other people. There's that too. I'm... are you sure that's bad?"

"You hurt yourself in ways a sword can not inflict, Kane." Khoi says, "You hurting others is bad as well. Though it's violence of a more conventianal sort." You hear his bird chips, and he murmurs in response, looking under his cloak.

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

4 minutes ago, Argenti said:

"You hurt yourself in ways a sword can not inflict, Kane." Khoi says, "You hurting others is bad as well. Though it's violence of a more conventianal sort." You hear his bird chips, and he murmurs in response, looking under his cloak.

 

"Fine. I'll hold back. I wanted to show you one of my new gadgets, by the way."

Quote

Yes, I know he's blind

 

[Argenti he/him]

Just now, Sherma Main said:

 

"Fine. I'll hold back. I wanted to show you one of my new gadgets, by the way."

 

"Is it one the silver dragon would approve of?" He asks, in a weary voice. You know the silver dragon is Khoi's god.

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

Just now, Argenti said:

"Is it one the silver dragon would approve of?" He asks, in a weary voice. You know the silver dragon is Khoi's god.

"Maybe. I don't know. It's good at keeping things in place!"

[echo74 she/her]

On 9/16/2025 at 11:38 PM, Mags said:

In the center of Teth's skyline rises The Green Opal, it's largest and only tavern. Two stories tall, and leaking yellow lantern light into the purple dusk, it's the most opulent building in town. Teth itself was a dull farmers town, quiet and muddy, but it sat on age old trading routes. The Green Opal was a major stop for travelers, merchants and anyone in-between.

That night was a loud one. The upheaval of the empire meant people were moving, their reasons their own. Travelers needed a place to stay, and The Green Opal's rooms never ran out.

The doors were wide open, despite the late hour, and greeters stood at the entrance, guiding the throng inside. Passing through the threshold was like entering a dream. One left behind the grim night of a falling empire and entered a light-soaked heaven of good drinks and silk beds.

--------------------

August nervously tapped on of his gloved fingers on the polished wooden table.

"Are you sure about this place June? I don't like how public it is ..."

"This is the best place I could think of," June said, annoyed. He'd explained it several times but the old man was unrelenting. August sat on one side of their claimed circular table, legs crossed. June had thrown his coat over a chair opposite him, but hadn't sat down yet. He didn't feel like sitting.

"I know you've been here before, but that doesn't mean it's trustworthy ... and we just found out it has a new owner since the last time you were here. Whoever they are, they might recognize us, which is the opposite of what we want."

They'd both attempted to adopt disguises, but lack of skill and resources meant it was only so effective. After being chased out of Marnie's inn, they'd raided August's old mansion in Jouken to retrieve a good portion of his money and some new clothes. They were hoping being dressed like lords would throw off any potential pursuers, who thought they were looking for homeless vagabonds. August had started growing a beard, something June had never seen him do before. He kept it neatly trimmed, but he looked strikingly older with it. Like an actual man in his thirties, instead of a man in his thirties with big eyes and a babyface.

June had decided to chop his hair, now it sat against his neck around chin length. He'd never had it this short. The Emperor had always said half a musician's success was a good image, and that had apparently meant long silky hair. June found he preferred it shorter, he felt lighter without it.

"I'm sure the new owner is just some old rich guy making a new business investment." June said, waving his hand. "We probably won't even meet him, we're only staying one night and this place is massive."

"An 'old rich guy' is the last sort of person I'd trust to run a safe inn." His companion said, clearly not convinced.

"Aren't you an old rich guy, August?" June grinned.

"One learns best by doing," August retorted, not returning the smile and instead taking a drink out of his wine glass.

June rolled his eyes, "I've been here several times in the past with diplomats Father wanted me to entertain, and we were always left to our business. It'll be fine. Plus, it'll be easy for your friends to find."

That was the point of all of this--August had a few old war friends he wanted to discuss the recent events with. They were going to decide what to do. A vague task, but it was just a place to start.

June was there because July had asked him to be ... though June deeply regretted not leaving the empire with his twin when he'd had the chance. Now he was stuck here with August of all people. Because he'd made promises and he was supposed to be working on actually keeping those.

"You said it was the only place you could think of," August said under his breath, as if consoling himself.

"Yes," June said finally swinging into his chair, "And you're old hidey hole got sacked, so this is the best we've got."

August took another drink of his wine, a sour look on his face. 

A moment of silence passed, laced with the comfortable tension that had sat between them for years now. 

August set his drink down and sighed, seeming to give up on any possibility of changing locations. "My friends will be here in the morning, so we just need to wait out the night."

"Fantastic!" June said with another grin because he knew it was annoying, "In the meantime, you can try the food. They have one of the best steaks in Worru."

--------------------

@Through The Living Glass @Bird Furious @Wierdo @THE DEMON @Spark of Hope @Argenti @echo74 @SpiritOfWrath @TwinStorm @IcedOutPenguin @Exotic Almond @DAVEY @Tinwatcher @BlueWildRye

Tree was standing in the corner, unconcerned with the affairs of these weak-minded humans. He stood tall and proud, like an evergreen in the great forest where he had grown up. How he longed to join his brothers there. However, his roots were weaker than those of his brethren and his bark was thin. Because of these deficiencies, he was forced to uproot himself and reside at the human inn. How tedious. His deficiencies also provided strength, however, that his comrades in the forest did not possess. For instance, he only possessed two branches, but the branches were useful tools he used to protect the forest. He was quite adept at taking weak-willed and pathetic humans in a fight. He'd only lost once, and how his branches had ached. He'd had to uproot himself for a time and leave the forest, while his brothers were chopped down and made into homes and firewood. Perhaps even the firewood in this facility. He had no other choice, though. As much as it sickened him, he would be far worse to the forest wilted. Sap had dripped from his upper hollows and down his trunk. A terrible creaking noise had emerged from him, so much so that he feared he would splinter apart, and that would be the end of Tree. It was not, but Tree realized how weak he was if he could be bested by a mere human. So Tree tried to strengthen the things he could. The things his forest family lacked. Adjustable branches and roots. He discovered that, in order to best humans, he must train like one. And so he did. He trained like a bush, quickly and furiously. And yet... it was still never enough. It was at this particular moment that Tree stood, disturbed with the thoughts of this cursed building and melancholy with the thought of his lost brethren. 

Quote

also by the way for context tree is a person he just thinks he's a tree

 

[BlueWildRye he/him]

A guard stepped over to Kane and Khoi's table, politely lifted everything off it, and flipped the table over. Then, seeing that there was nobody hiding under it, he flipped it upright again and carefully placed everything back. "Gotta make sure," he grumbled. @Argenti @Sherma Main

Meanwhile, Rye strained to climb up the fireplace. Gods, but his back was getting really, really hot. But, above him, he had almost reached the top. The cool night air just barely touched his face, taunting him to come up more, to escape the heat. Al...most... there... He sprung up, hands grasping for the edge of the chimney, but he missed and fell back down into the fire.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he shouted, rolling out of the fireplace and into the middle of the tavern. "STOP DROP AND ROLL, STOP DROP AND ROLL... ROLL! ROLL! ROLL!" He rolled right into the fat old merchant, who squealed and called for his guards to grab Rye. Rye jumped up, covered in soot, his hair and clothes still smoking. "Uh... good evening."

[Argenti he/him]

10 hours ago, Sherma Main said:

"Maybe. I don't know. It's good at keeping things in place!"

2 minutes ago, BlueWildRye said:

A guard stepped over to Kane and Khoi's table, politely lifted everything off it, and flipped the table over. Then, seeing that there was nobody hiding under it, he flipped it upright again and carefully placed everything back. "Gotta make sure," he grumbled. @Argenti @Sherma Main

Meanwhile, Rye strained to climb up the fireplace. Gods, but his back was getting really, really hot. But, above him, he had almost reached the top. The cool night air just barely touched his face, taunting him to come up more, to escape the heat. Al...most... there... He sprung up, hands grasping for the edge of the chimney, but he missed and fell back down into the fire.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he shouted, rolling out of the fireplace and into the middle of the tavern. "STOP DROP AND ROLL, STOP DROP AND ROLL... ROLL! ROLL! ROLL!" He rolled right into the fat old merchant, who squealed and called for his guards to grab Rye. Rye jumped up, covered in soot, his hair and clothes still smoking. "Uh... good evening."

"Perhaps you should capture him. For his own good." Khoi says dryly

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

3 minutes ago, BlueWildRye said:

A guard stepped over to Kane and Khoi's table, politely lifted everything off it, and flipped the table over. Then, seeing that there was nobody hiding under it, he flipped it upright again and carefully placed everything back. "Gotta make sure," he grumbled. @Argenti @Sherma Main

Meanwhile, Rye strained to climb up the fireplace. Gods, but his back was getting really, really hot. But, above him, he had almost reached the top. The cool night air just barely touched his face, taunting him to come up more, to escape the heat. Al...most... there... He sprung up, hands grasping for the edge of the chimney, but he missed and fell back down into the fire.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" he shouted, rolling out of the fireplace and into the middle of the tavern. "STOP DROP AND ROLL, STOP DROP AND ROLL... ROLL! ROLL! ROLL!" He rolled right into the fat old merchant, who squealed and called for his guards to grab Rye. Rye jumped up, covered in soot, his hair and clothes still smoking. "Uh... good evening."

Kane laughed. “Its alway fun to see someone be burnt.”

[Argenti he/him]

26 minutes ago, Sherma Main said:

Kane laughed. “Its alway fun to see someone be burnt.”

Khoi dips his finger in the water and splash some droplets towards Kane 

[BlueWildRye he/him]

The old merchant briefly regained his composure. "If it isn't Eyre... LIAR AND CON-ARTIST!" Eyre? Oh, yes, because Rye is supposed to be dead. He got blown up in a Shenai factory by one of his own inventions. How sad.

"Liar, huh?" Eyre retorted. "Says the man who sold my creations as his own! Where did you sell them to, anyway? The government? I really don't need my stuff getting bought by power-hungry tyrants again."

"The war," the merchant steamed. "I found a way to make a fortune. But it needed you! And you ruined it! Guards, seize him!" Eyre sighed, then started coughing soot. Suddenly, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

9 hours ago, BlueWildRye said:

The old merchant briefly regained his composure. "If it isn't Eyre... LIAR AND CON-ARTIST!" Eyre? Oh, yes, because Rye is supposed to be dead. He got blown up in a Shenai factory by one of his own inventions. How sad.

"Liar, huh?" Eyre retorted. "Says the man who sold my creations as his own! Where did you sell them to, anyway? The government? I really don't need my stuff getting bought by power-hungry tyrants again."

"The war," the merchant steamed. "I found a way to make a fortune. But it needed you! And you ruined it! Guards, seize him!" Eyre sighed, then started coughing soot. Suddenly, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kane grinned. "Some gadgets? Traps, smoke and fire?"

[BlueWildRye he/him]

1 hour ago, Sherma Main said:

Kane grinned. "Some gadgets? Traps, smoke and fire?"

"Shush! Don't expose me," he heard a voice behind him say. "It's magic. I'm a magician."

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

17 hours ago, BlueWildRye said:

"Shush! Don't expose me," he heard a voice behind him say. "It's magic. I'm a magician."

He rolled his eyes. “Okay.”

[BlueWildRye he/him]

2 hours ago, Sherma Main said:

He rolled his eyes. “Okay.”

"Thanks. No 'gadgets' or anything whatsoever. Definitely not."

[Through the Living Wrath he/him]

On 9/22/2025 at 6:50 PM, BlueWildRye said:

"Thanks. No 'gadgets' or anything whatsoever. Definitely not."

Kane nodded. “I completely agree,” he lied.

[BlueWildRye he/him]

Just now, Sherma Main said:

Kane nodded. “I completely agree,” he lied.

He didn't hear Rye's voice again after that.

[Mags she/they]

On 9/20/2025 at 2:41 PM, Spark of Hope said:

She looked a little upset hearing that, and reached for August’s hand under the table. 

August gently patted her hand, but seemed distracted. He was staring off into the distance, not really looking at anything but deep in thought.

On 9/20/2025 at 5:06 PM, BlueWildRye said:

Rye shot up with a start, looking side to side to make sure that they weren't here yet. He sighed in relief. "This is great! I finally woke up before they arrived!" he exclaimed. Pushing himself to his feet, he wavered drunkenly. Who was hunting him, anyway? He couldn't remember, but it didn't matter much.

He just barely managed to jump into the fireplace and scramble up the chimney a little when the door to the tavern slammed open, and a group of guards with colorful plumed helmets strolled in, followed by a fat old man with silk robes and an abundance of jewelry. Ah, yes, the merchant! He's angry because I stopped selling him watches and the ones I sold him stopped working. Yes, well, I got some good money off of him, until I learned he was selling them off as his own.

"WHERE IS HE!?" the fat old merchant screeched. "GUARDS, SEARCH THE PLACE!" He paused, then tried to calm down his anger. "Ahem. The owner of this inn is a business partner of mine and has given me permission." Of course he has permission. Rye held his breath, his feet against one side of the chimney, his back against the other, hands to the sides, trying to inch his way upwards, smoke singing the back of his tunic.

On 9/21/2025 at 9:49 AM, BlueWildRye said:

The old merchant briefly regained his composure. "If it isn't Eyre... LIAR AND CON-ARTIST!" Eyre? Oh, yes, because Rye is supposed to be dead. He got blown up in a Shenai factory by one of his own inventions. How sad.

"Liar, huh?" Eyre retorted. "Says the man who sold my creations as his own! Where did you sell them to, anyway? The government? I really don't need my stuff getting bought by power-hungry tyrants again."

"The war," the merchant steamed. "I found a way to make a fortune. But it needed you! And you ruined it! Guards, seize him!" Eyre sighed, then started coughing soot. Suddenly, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

At the sound of the commotion, a tall woman in black robes appeared from a side door and strode right up to the fat merchant. She had a stern face and her hair was greying at the temples.

"What on earth is the meaning of this?" She asked with the same tone a parent would scold a child. "I will not tolerate such behavior here, the mistress was very clear." This woman--the host probably--hadn't heard the merchant's comment about knowing the place's owner. She didn't seem to recognize him either, and stared down at him with mild disdain.

At the commotion June turned his head sharply, his anxiety spiking. If they searched the place and discovered more wanted individuals then they came to find ...

August stayed in his seat, glancing at the new group but not giving it much attention. "They're not looking for us. I've never seen that man before, so he won't recognize us." He said calmly. 

June settled back in his chair, trying to appear as calm as the older man. "Right, but if things escalate, we should move rooms."

August nodded.

[Through the Living Hope]

2 minutes ago, Mags said:

August gently patted her hand, but seemed distracted. He was staring off into the distance, not really looking at anything but deep in thought.

At the sound of the commotion, a tall woman in black robes appeared from a side door and strode right up to the fat merchant. She had a stern face and her hair was greying at the temples.

"What on earth is the meaning of this?" She asked with the same tone a parent would scold a child. "I will not tolerate such behavior here, the mistress was very clear." This woman--the host probably--hadn't heard the merchant's comment about knowing the place's owner. She didn't seem to recognize him either, and stared down at him with mild disdain.

At the commotion June turned his head sharply, his anxiety spiking. If they searched the place and discovered more wanted individuals then they came to find ...

August stayed in his seat, glancing at the new group but not giving it much attention. "They're not looking for us. I've never seen that man before, so he won't recognize us." He said calmly. 

June settled back in his chair, trying to appear as calm as the older man. "Right, but if things escalate, we should move rooms."

August nodded.

She stiffened and didn’t look at the woman. 

[Mags she/they]

4 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

She stiffened and didn’t look at the woman. 

"She looks vaguely familiar," August said after a moment of silence, meaning the host lady. "I can't remember where I've seen her before though ..."

June shook his head. "I haven't, I'm sure it'll be fine."

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

Johnny smiled a bit at the magic spectacle. It was always fun to see magicians, especially ones who could disappear, and he didn't like merchants much, especially ones like this. So the ridicule was fine. He didn't like the commotion that had been caused by it, though. He considered intervening when the women had come out and calmed things down.

He thought about trying to find the magician, or sitting and trying to make conversation, or maybe buying a drink. He discarded the ideas, eventually stepping out the door for some fresh air. 

[Through the Living Hope]

13 minutes ago, Mags said:

"She looks vaguely familiar," August said after a moment of silence, meaning the host lady. "I can't remember where I've seen her before though ..."

June shook his head. "I haven't, I'm sure it'll be fine."

Her breathing began to get quicker. “Is she from the palace..?!”

[Mags she/they]

10 minutes ago, Spark of Hope said:

Her breathing began to get quicker. “Is she from the palace..?!”

August shook his head. "No, if she'd been from the palace I would have recognized her immediately."

He turned to her and smiled, "Don't worry, I'm sure it's fine. You know how father would always send me on those diplomatic trips, I've seen a lot of people."

"Well I don't recognize her, and I met a ton of nobles," June added, trying to sound comforting as well. "She's probably not that important."

Edited September 30, 2025 by Mags

[Through the Living Hope]

Just now, Mags said:

August shook his head. "No, if she'd been from the palace I would have recognized her immediately."

He turned to her and smiled, "Don't worry, I'm sure it's fine. You know how father would always send me on those diplomatic trips, I've seen a lot of people."

She nodded and calmed her breathing down. With her life on the line if January found her.....