He pict nods a thank you to the woman at the table. Taking a goblet and filling it to the brim Brude drinks deep then finally answers the Wolf man's question.

"I know Alembos by name only. I crew with Captain Ason of the ROsy FIngered Dawn. He has been contracted by this Alembos for a journey east. I can only guess that this is what this is about. I am pilot and navigator of said craft. Ason is a good man and a good captain."

He points to Thamyron and says, "Seems my good friend Thamyron here received on of those scrolls as well, Thamyron, pull up a chair and get in on this wine before the great Fernao drinks it all down in one mighty gulp!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:15, Wed 12 Feb 2014.

Fernao does indeed take a mighty gulp and follows it up with some cheese, "We are guests, Broood, so we need not be concerned about running out of wine! Also because I would not drink all even if so, until everyone has had some.", he says somewhat self consciously.

"Yes, I too have sailed with Captain Aaason upon the Rosee Feengered Don with Broood."

OOC: I'm playing Fernao as one who prefers veg to meat (he'll eat the latter if required or just really hungry) unless I get some official ruling about this.

The serving girl next brings out a large bowl of fruit and root vegetables. She sets them down in front of Fernao and smiles. She then grabs up the empty pitchers and brings them back refilled with chilled wine.

I would consider Taurans to be ruminants just the Asena would be carnivores or at least mainly carnivorous.Bulls seem to have no problem packing on muscle with a grain and grass diet, I don't don't a Tauran would either.

Nkruma spears some of the meat and a glass of the wine. He stares at the others, listening carefully. Between mouthfuls, he speaks.

"So, Alembos is paying for all of this. And, he's hired a ship to sail east." He fingers the small mirror (etched with waves) that hangs around his neck, and points at the Pict with his cutlery. "You are the pilot of said craft. I imagine that makes the Tauran a laborer. And perhaps skilled with a blade, hr?" He looks over at Thamyron and Sabetha. "Though I am favored by Olukun and may intercede with him on our behalf while we sail, in truth, I am more skilled with a blade or a bow." 

Watching and listening, she finishes off her salted ale and pours a cup of wine.

"I am mo ones employer, but my own," she replies after taking a drink.  She reaches for a piece of cheese and bites at it almost daintily.  "My weapon of choice?  My tongue."

She grins a moment at the implications before taking another bite.

Thamyron listens to the conversation as he sits and one hand snakes out to grab a goblet of wine. He brings it up to his mouth and takes a small sip, a considering look on his face. Apparently satisfied,  he smacks his lips and then up ends the goblet to drink quickly. He slams the empty goblet back on the table, a satisfied look on his face.

Brude winks at his old friend Thamyron then turns to the woman whose table they share,

"You are no ones employee? Is that what you are going to tell Alembos when he arrives? You never favored us with your name my lady. I am Brude, formerly of Pictland, now living abroad."

His eye travels tot he other Atlantean woman sitting alone in the tavern as he waits for the first to answer.

"You misheard. I am no ones employer," she says.  Her pitch colored lips lift into a smile, showing her very white teeth.  "Not at this moment, at least."

She finishes the morsel of cheese and washes it down with a drink of wine.

"I'm Sabetha of Tharshesh," she replies, slightly inclining her head to all who have joined her.

"Tharshesh," Nkruma nearly spits a mouthful of wine onto the table. "Hm. Yes. Tharshesh. I have not been to those famous shores, but many Tharshi traders used to stop over in the ports of Ophir when I was but a pup."

He takes a smaller sip of the wine. "So, Brude, what can you tell us about this ship, the Rosy Fingered Dawn? Is she a cargo vessel, a ship of war, a fast schooner? Does she ply the deep fastness of Olukun or the narrow confines of Oshun?" The Asena seems to be digging and gnawing at the issue of what this future employment might entail, worrying at the issue until he can find a way to the marrow of the matter.

Slowly swirling the dregs of wine in his cup, Thamyron adds to Nkruma's inquiry, asking in a low voice, "And do we have any idea where it's next journey is bound?"

When Thamyron slams down his cup, Fernao, having cut an apple in half and placed a large slice of cheese upon it, grabs a pitcher and fills the Atlantean's cup up. Biting into his be-cheezed apple he put the pitcher down and drains his own cup. Filling it again he also fills anyone else's who has had at least a sip of their own, puts another piece of cheese on the other half of the apple he just ate, and eats that.

As he does so he notes there is bread and taking a piece he dips it into his cup and with the other hand grabs a piece of cheese and eats them together. Smiling, he quaffs, calls for another pitcher and refills his cup and any others within reach with the pitcher he has now picked up. Pausing, he picks up a chunk of bread and bites into a carrot before taking another drink and refilling his own and any other cup that is not pulled away from his reach. (Given that he's 8' tall that puts pretty much everyone around the table within range.)

While he is partaking in the food and refreshment he listens and smiles, often in response to a comment made by one of the speakers, but, generally, one might assume that it is because the food is good and it is available. And the wine.

He empties another pitcher...

Brude dips his head slightly and says,
"Apologies, Sabaetha, paying attention have never been one of my strong points."

He replies to Nkruma,
"The Rosy Fingered Dawn is a two masted sailing ship, she is very old but well kept. She is hot a hugger of shores, Ason is far to bold to captain a ship that fears the open water. As for where we head next. I was told the Plains of Scythia was our destination but that was just rumor on board ship."

"Well, the Unknowable One's wet blessing be upon us," Nkruma lifts his cup and drinks. "Scythia, you say? Hm. I don't know much of it. Have any of you ever journeyed so far?"

"I have sailed all over the Mediterranean, including the shores of Scythia. In some way the Kurgan make my own people look civilized. I have never actually set foot on the land though."

As if on cue, Koryos the Kurgan enters the Alchemist's Den. Hellos around doing a quick headcount..."WE are missing only one...Alembos will be here shortly accompanied by Captain Ason. Drink, Eat...soon you will know why you are here."

The rough looking warrior strides over to the table and grabs up a goblet. Pouring himself some wine he looks the group over once again.

Koryos is tall, muscular and menacing looking. He wears studded leather armor and a broad bladed dagger is thrust through his belt. His head is shaved save for a small top knot bound with leather. He looks to be in his early 30's but has so many scars it is really hard to make out his age. He might be younger.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:40, Fri 14 Feb 2014.

"Not one missing, not now," says a voice, as a man with coal black hair and a mischievous twinkle in his eye follows Koryos into the room.

His eyes dance quickly around the room, and he quickly follows up his statement with, "let us hope they arrive soon, before that great Tauran over yonder has everyone too besotted to understand what they have to say!"

Fernao had just taken a bite of a pear, which is to say, thrown it into his mouth an chewed it up, albeit in a surprisingly dainty manner when the new human walked in. He was topping off his goblet when he was accused of getting everyone besotted. With a smile he pours wine into another glass and hands it to the fellow, "This one pours, but each one drinks as they will. I am Fernao the Flowered, what is the missing one's, now found's, name?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:11, Fri 14 Feb 2014.

Accepting the wine with one hand, and clapping the Tauran on the shoulder with the other, he responds with a laugh, "I can tell already that we will become great friends, Fernao the Flowered!  I am called Conall," and in a quieter voice adds, "and well, many other less pleasant names," he stops, swigs his wine, and reaches for the food.  "I gather we had best make merry while we can, as we are in for quite a journey!"

Who is in the room?

Brude the pict,
Conall
Fernao the Flowered
Nkruma
Sabatha
Thamyron

The Atlantean woman sitting alone drinking goat milk
A short wiry human in his twenties, sitting alone.
A large man, most likely a soldier also sitting alone
These three have not partaken of the food and wine.

Koryos the Kurgan.
The serving girl
The barkeep

As those in the tavern enjoy the food set out for them, or do not as the case may be, the door opens and three men walk through, an older Atlantean man, A broad shouldered Man in half armor and a large man in scale armor wearing a wolf pelt.

The man in the wold pelt shuts the door and stands next to it, spear in hand, shield on arm and gladius on his hip. The other two step into the middle of the room.

The older Atlantean bows deeply and says...I"I am Alembos, it is I who have gathered you here. I hope you are enjoying the hospitality of my modenst business enterprise here."

He points at the broad shouldered man and says..."This is Captain Ason, some of you already know him. I have contracted him and his crew for an important voyage. Att he door is Vranu, he is my personal bodyguard and you have already met Koryos. He will be most important as our guide where we intend to go."

The captain of the Rosy Fingered Dawn nods his head towards the room and says..."I look forward to having you all sail with me if you choose to come along."

The man introduced as Vranu stands near the door silently. He is clearly if a military background but has a wild look to him. The wolf pelt he wears comes uses the head of the wolf as a sort of hood.

Nkruma barks a short grunt. "And where is it that you intend for us to go, Master Alembos? Though I know you from times past in Ophir, I know not of your current pursuits. There has been some talk that Scythia might be our destination. That is a journey of some length, is it not? What is it you seek?" His eyes drift from Alembos to Vranu. More particularly, the wolf-pelt that adorns Vranu's back and head.

Alembos smiles at Nkruma..."Yes, we have met years ago, I was nto sure if it was the same Nkruma that Koryos had scouted for me, I suspected it but am pleasently surprised to see you here.

Yes we travel to far of Scythia, to the Village of Stars on the border of Vir and then deeper into the Scythian heartland. Koryos will be our guide there. We seek a particularly potent strain of the imarelle mushroom. As an alchemist by trade, I have come up with a better way to produce the imarelle potion known to the Kurgans. I need a good number of these mushrooms and as you can guess, this is not a trip into non0hostile territory for me. I will need much help to get the numbers I need and get back here in one piece."