Legends of the Mist.
The misty wind of Askarta blew hard, as the storms of the spring gusted across the woodlands and small villages. The tavern door thumped hard against the frame and thunder clapped outside amidst the roaring torrent of water. Inside The Full Moon Inn, locals gathered to dance away the rainy evening to the fiddle and strings, while weary travelers drank the towns rich frothy lager and ate the fine connie stew. Many faces gleamed with grins as they span about the well lit dance floor, others lounged about by the hearth in the main hall. A few travelers among the rest stood out, her eyes peirced with a strange celestial radiance that seemed dampered by an odd hew, she sat far from the hearth in the cold stone room of the main hall, cloaked in mystery as she sat in the tall backed leather chair. A small animal accompanied her, and nibbled at bits of bread and vegetables. Her stair seemed intend upon the hearths flames and her silence stood out against the talkative locals demeanor. Another in the tavern appeared strange to the eye however, more so than the mysterous beauty who sat quietly.
Many armed men passed through the tavern, but were mostly town guards, or soldiers of the royal forces taking leave in the town, some were merchants or their hired swords, but definitely not as versed as this man. Looking upon his sineous frame, textured with trained muscle, gleaming with all number of blades, one could gather he was no foot soldier. His hair was black and long and kept well oiled as well as tied neatly into a braid that ran down his back and over his crimson jerken. A red silk ribbon was tied in two inch increments up the rope of hair like the tail of a kite, and his well manicured facial hair lay smooth against his chin and his upper lip. He stood against the wall laughing with a local tam player and drinking heavily, with four empty mugs lying defeated and empty on the nearby table.
A rowdy tune began to play, which riled a cheer from all the towns folk gathered there, the strange man too gave a whoop and holler and took the arm of a young maiden as the dance perked up. The tam beat thundered with a rapid harmony and the string harps and loots picked up to a 16th tempo, as people jumped about and kicked up their heels to the beat. The dance whirled round and round and ended abruptly with a loud three note beat upon the drums. More music ensued but the man who had been engaged in conversation, then in dance walked away from the bar after purchasing two glasses of brandy and walked a straight line into the main hall. His eyes affixed to the girl who sat, stroking a strange black and white rodent sitting upon her shoulder, and gave a sly grin, exposing a wicked set of white teeth with oddly pronounced canines, perfectly aligned and feril. "Good Evening" he said in a rather too friendly voice. "Im no savant but my gut tells you don't belong." He crooned as he sat a few steps away on a low stool.