Gathering Hall
The room seems to loom as you enter, though the warmth within easily overcomes that feeling. It's huge, easily taking up a good third of the hall, and offering room for most people to sit and chat. The heat of the great hearth on the far wall spreads throughout, the merry crackling adding a peaceful undertone to the usually occupied room, heard even above the murmer of voices. Tables are all but littered about, pulled into and out of place by friends at a regular basis. Several more permanent tables and benches are settled along the far edge, an ever-full klah pot and several trays of various and sundry snacks almost always set out for the hungry and bored. The walls are decorated, tapestries denoting every part of Pern society strung about. Along the wall above the kitchen, in particular, is the pride and joy of the weavers: a string of dragons flying Threadfall. The vibrant flames and metallic hues of the dragons seem to glow as the flickering firelight strikes them. Above everything runs a long overhang, people passing to and fro, passing overhead of the figures and gatherings below. A handful of glowbaskets light the upper ends, the rest of the mainroom light brightly with candles and decorative lighting.
Various scents assult your nose as you walk in here. The rich smell of foods from the kitchen. The fire's smoke and heat. The sweet odors of various pipeweeds from the gossipers surrounding the hearthside table. The aromatic baskets do little here, except add their own faint undertones.
Clinging to a high beam are BloodBrother, Silvire, Randle, Occopello, Topaz, Etherie, Athravan, Azurite, Bardic Belling, and Paradigm.
You see Fireworks Tapestry, Bonehead, Kipper, Red and white sweet stick cane, Sad gingerbreadman, and Olivia here.
Dennia, Evan, Bailyn, Bryon, and Jean are here.

Bailyn finds a seat as well, but stays a little farther away from the two 'love birds'. Grinning at her friend she calls, "Hey Jean! Come over here!"

Dennia watches the newcomer, sighing at all the new faces.

Jean walks in eyeing everybody up and gives a small nod to Evan and makes her way to Bailyn "Heya!"

Evan nods to the two newcomers, then scowls at his mug which has become empty of klah.

Bryon goes and gets a pair of glasses and a wineskin before coming over to the table beside Dennia, filling one glass, "Join me?" he asks quietly of her

Dennia waggles fingers at Jean. "hi" Dennia smiles at Bryon and nods "Sure, just a bit."

Bailyn grins at Jean and pats a chair by her. "How are things going?" She asks with a laugh on her tounge. Looking at Erakkin she adds, "Hello, want to join our chat?" Yes, she's friendly.

Jean waves to Dennia "Hi I'm Jean a Smith Applicant." she nods to Bailyn "Fine, a little tired but fine and you?"

Bryon pours a bit of wine into the other glass for Dennia as he reaches a hand out toward her

Dennia nods at Jean then turns her attention back to Bryon and his offered wine. She takes the glass and sips, then scootches in his direction. "Busy today?" she asks.

Erakkin heads over to fill a mug with klah, his eyes wandering from one to the other as he makes his way through tables and chairs. Making his way back, he takes a seat near the others, giving a nod to the one who spoke to him. It was him she'd spoken to, wasn't it? "'ello," he grumbles, taking a sip of klah.

Bryon wraps an arm around her waist and watches the others, "nope.. not busy.."

Bailyn sighs, "I'm the best I'll always be." Then turning to Erakkin she says, "I'm Bailyn."

Bailyn
With her thin figure, Bailyn looks taller than she really is. Her face is heart shaped, and long golden hair flows around. Almost reaching to her lower back, it's pulled up halfway with a piece of light blue ribbon. Her long bangs hang over the sides of her face with a slight curl. Showing past her lovely hair are two oval brown eyes, both rather large. Long thick black lashes come from each eye, brushing against her bangs. A small turned up nose and thin light red lips fill in the rest of her face. Her neck is small, leading to a large chest and thin torso. Both legs are short and muscular. Her skin is an olive color, making it simple to tan. At around 5'5, Bailyn doesn't look as if she works hard.
Bailyn is fitted in a long red slip dress. The sleeves go to the middle of her hands. Around the neck is a line of red and white stones, that the shine in the light. The dress goes down to her ancles,swishing about. Her feet are covered in brown sandles.
Bailyn's single twisted red and white shoulder loop shows that she is a Smith Apprentice.
Bailyn is 18 Turns, 4 months, and 19 days old.

Evan stands and walks to the klah pots to refill his mug, glancing briefly at the small group as he passes.

Dennia smiles up at Bryon as she leans on him and then offers Erakkin "I'm Dennia," before she sips from her glass.

Jean nods to Bailyn "Sure don't look nevous tonight."

Giving the girl with the golden hair a glance, he nods again, "Rakki," he says, a simple introduction, not saying much about him really. Setting the mug down on the table, he leans back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of him, fixing his eyes - in turn - on the others here. Waiting a while to reveal his purpose here.

Dennia lays a hand gently on Bryon's chest, obviously at ease as she rests her weight on him.

Bailyn shrugs, "I have given up on being 'normal'. " She nodds to Erakkin, "Glad to meet you, then."

Dennia
Set against her fair complexion, zetetic dark brown eyes look out at the world from beneath dark black lashes that match the long, thick, wavy hair falling down her back to her waist, accentuating the roundness at her hips and her slim waist. Dennia's long legs support her short stature and give her an air of grace as she walks. Her small hands seem strong and capable, though not too worn from harsh work.
Dennia wears a light cotton camisol and short, high cut pants, both dyed a light lavender Dennia seems to be wearing a ring. This ring is no ordinary ring, as it appears at first glance. It is a ring that is made up of two firelizards, one queen, a gold, and the other a silver firelizard. The two are holding each other with talon and tail. The eyes of the firelizards are made out of brilliant rubies for the queen, and sparkling blue diamonds for the silver.
Dennia is 25 Turns, 5 months, and 4 days old.

Evan returns to his seat, but chuckles at Bailyn's comment. "No one is ever normal."

Jean nods "Last night you were a /little/ nervous."

Dennia giggles at Evan's comment and says nothing.

Erakkin hrmfs, a sound coming from deep down his throat, as he fixes his eyes on Bailyn, his arms uncurling to pick up his mug again. Just... Watching the others here, trying to estimate who's who.

The apprentice knot on Dennia's arm, dirty and rumpled, seems out of place.

Bryon glances over at Dennia as he takes a sip of his wine, leaning over to whisper something in her ear

Jean takes a glance at Bryon and Dennia and then at Bailyn "I'm not going to ask."

Dennia's smile grows as she looks up at Bryon, eyes almost sparkling.

Bailyn grins and sighs. "Well, now you will never see that again. I have given up on being causal and not scaring people." She doesn't really want to explain, so she puts simply, "Like what I said yesterday." Another glance is to Erakkin, and then to Dennia and Bryon.

Bryon chuckles when he hears Jean's comment, taking a sip of his wine afterwards, "Why are you wearing that knot anyway?" he asks, finally noticin

Jean nods "Yes scaring people bad. Not scaring people good." he takes a glance at Bryon

Dennia hrm's at Bryon when she realizes he's talking to her. "Oh, that!" she says and giggles "Found it under one of the tables. I figured this is the easiest way to advertise I have it."

Bailyn laughs now, hardly helping it. "Well, I scared you, didn't I?" She smiles at Erakkin, "Gladly I didn't scare you."

Evan takes out a whetstone as he sits down and removes one of his longknives from his belt. He begins idly running the stone along the forearm-length blade.

Dennia catches snatches of the others' conversation and asks "Who was scared?" then scowls at Evan.

Evan
This man's blue eyes never rest long in one place as they flicker intently from one point to the next. Reflected light glitters wolf-like off of their surface from within a pair of eye sockets that appear deeper than they truely are thanks to the effect of wrinkles and the stern set of his face. Once black hair is mottled by the beginnings of gray hair which streak through his closely shorn locks. Despite these signs of encroaching age, or perhaps because of them, he retains an air of authority and strength that is carried in every motion, gesture, and stance. Clearly this is a man who expects to be obeyed. Nevertheless, he can usually be found at the edges of a room, staying well away from a crowd as if skulking silently by unnoticed. He might easily be mistaken for a hold guard thanks to the array of knives almost constantly at his belt, his gliding stride, and the way one hand hovers close to the knives, as if constantly on the threshold of drawing. At the very least, the contrast of his lithe, light movements and solid, well honed frame are the mark of a fighter.
Evan is dressed mostly in plain, unnoticable black. A pair of sturdy but worn black wherhide boots are mostly covered by a black pair of pants, although the gleam of a knife blade occationally appears from their inside edge. A black belt clasped with a buckle sporting a tongue made to look like a knife is crowded by several knives. Eight in all the knives are plain well made blades their hilts wrapped in black wherhide. The only mark of elegance is a well-cut gemstone at the pommel of each one, these knives are the trademark of this man. A dark red sissal shirt buttoned to the throat gleams metallicly. It is revealed by a black coat with silver buttons. Occasionally his right coat sleeve will fall back with the shirt to reveal a scar running from the man's wrist up his arm. Too clean and straight for a burn, it looks like a cut by a knife, intentionally judging by the length. The only mark of craft or rank about the man are two silver pins at the collar of his shirt, a knife on his left, and an anvil at the right. Evan wears a relitivly plain band on a finger, symbol of his marriage to Arakiel. Evan wears a pair of Golden Earrings. Although tiny hand work scrolls across them, it is all but invisible to any except the most trained eye. Perched on Evan's shoulder is Lazy.
Evan is 46 Turns, 5 months, and 14 days old.

Jean shrugs "Well when you looked at me like that I thought something was in my teeth..." she looks at Evan, the very Evan she meet last night... but we won't talk about that "and if you call that scaring then yes you did."

Dennia sips her wine, quite happy where she is, doing what she's doing.

Erakkin rests his eyes on Bailyn for a moment, giving her a slight shake of the head. Why would she scare 'im? He turns his head, as he hears the sound of steel against stone, watching the man sharpen his knives. Better stay clear of that one, he notes to himself mentally.

Bailyn grins at the thoughts Evan must have started. Glancing at him she smiles, not really bothered. "Thats all well, then." Finally answering Dennia she frowns, "I was trying not to be scary. By presuring the new people around here, with my.....jollyness?" A confused look appears, then leaves, and a smile stays. Yes, I think that's right.

Jean patpats Bailyn "Your not that scary."

Dennia laughs softly "Not at all."

Bailyn shrugs. "I don't really mind anymore."

Bryon holds Dennia close and chuckles a little, "Bailyn... scaring people? with Evan around to scare them.. yeah.. right.." he mutters

Dennia nudges Bryon, luckily having little of her wine to spill, and chuckles softly

Erakkin snorts as he lifts his mug for a long gulp of klah, then sets it down with a rather loud bang. Why would people be scary because they were jolly? Nope, jolly people didn't scare him. It was big people, like the one who was sharpening his knives that scared him. More or less...

Dennia watches the silent, mostly silent Erakkin and stretches to whisper to Bryon.

Arakiel with swishing of veils, steps in from the Balcony Landing.

Arakiel
Arakiel is a stunning, exotic, black-haired beauty. While well into her fourties, she still has the lithe, wiry body of a dancer, both strong and graceful. Her bronzed skin contrasts with her slightly slanted green eyes, which glitter with a a smile from the center of her oval face. Occationally her hair falls aside to reveal a small black tatoo in the shape of a raven on the back left side of her neck. Arakiel is wearing a ble knitted halter top and a wide belt around her waits, into which a variety of multi-colored diaphenous scarves are tucked, constantly swaying and floating as she moves. Hung from a chain around her neck, a knife and it's sheath are tucked into the top of her halter. Straped around Arakiel's waist is a belt with an attched knife and pouch. Arakiel is holding a knife. Perched on Arakiel's shoulder is Zorro.
Arakiel is 48 Turns, 8 months, and 7 days old.

Dennia almost cowers in Bryon's arms when Arakiel arrives.

Arakiel enters, stretching and yawning, "What time is it?" She yawns stretching.

Bryon shrugs a little and holds Dennia close since she seems to be trying to hide

Bailyn grins as she spots Arakiel. "Hello Arakiel." Eying Jean she nodds to Evan. Hoping she'll get the hint. Looking again at Erakkin, she decides to get some klah of her own, a nice warm mug of some. Getting up she asks, "Want any, Jean?"

Jean looks around, Even is still doing his own little thing and everybody else is talking. This does seem like a friendly place

Erakkin searches out the source of the new voice, then follows the movements of the resent arrival, imprinting the name of the woman in his mind, as it is provided by another.

Dennia almost squeeks out "Arakiel"

Jean looks at Arakiel then Evan and then Bailyn giving a small nod "Yes please."

Arakiel nods to all, raising an eyebrow at new faces. "hello. And who is this?" looking at Erakkin.

Bailyn shrugs and goes to get her own mug of klah, in mind thanking Erakkin for drinking infront of her. After getting a mug full almost to the brim, she walks back quickly, hardly letting the drink move from its place. Sitting back down she looks at Dennia, a worried look. Why would she be that scared?

Dennia ah's and smiles to herself as Arakiel is distracted by the stranger.

Erakkin looks from side to side, then realizes that he's the one being spoken to. "Erakkin," he mumbles, only loud enough for the woman to hear, "but ye can call me Rakki... Everyone else does." The last bit muttered under his breath to himself, and not meant for others to hear.

Jean looks up and gives a small wave and smile to Arakiel

Arakiel nods to Erakkin, "Erakkin." Seeing Jean, "Jean." Turning to Evan, "what time is it love?"

Bryon holds Dennia close as he takes a sip of wine with his other hand, "it's time for you to be awake?" he says to Arakiel with a grin

Dennia giggles and whispers to Bryon again.

Arakiel chuckles at Bryon, "hello Bryon." Sliding into herr chair by Evan, she pulls out a knife, "You're going to break that blade love."

No more klah in his mug, and his stomach starting to rumble, Rakki stands and makes it to the food and klah. Filling his mug he looks over the table, then decides on a handfull of meatrolls.

Jean goes home.

Bailyn sighs and takes a drink of her klah. Fumbling through her pocket hidden from her dagger she takes out a small hide and undoes it. Frowning she dumps whatever is left into her klah and rolls it into her hands. "Shards," She whispers, replacing the hide.

Dennia watches Bailyn, truly curious, but doesn't ask.

Arakiel raises an eyebrow, "Clean it up, Bailyn."

Bailyn looks at Arakiel and does a check of the floor. Nothing really there, but not to make her angry she finds a broom and starts to sweep up whatever is under her.

Erakkin pops half a 'roll into his mouth, chewing furiously as he watches Bailyn pick up a broom and start to sweep the floor. He attaches another mental note to the woman named Arakiel. 'To be respected'.

Dennia's eyes almost half close as she relaxes against Bryon, glass held laxly in her hand.

Arakiel takes her knife and with a causal flick of her wrist, sends it to the kitchen door.

Dennia jumps awake, making a squeeking noise, clutching to Bryon, disoriented.

Bailyn giggles slighty and finishes sweeping. One day, she will be able to do that..Maybe. A shake of the head is given and she's back in her seat, klah in hand. "So Erakkin, you liking the hall?"

Erakkin frowns, his eyes darting from the woman throwing a knife, then back at Bailyn as he's asked a question. "Haven't been here long enough to decide," he grumbles, then takes another bite of his roll. Saves him from talking, see?

Bailyn sighs, "Oh really? Yes, It took me awhile to like it as well." She nodds to Arakiel and the rest of them. "But you get used to all the...excitment."

Dennia has settled back onto her padded leaning pole and looks content enough.

A drudge peeks out of the kitchen, seeing the knife hilt, he closes the door, Ara scowls. getting ready to throw another knife when the door opens and the drudge reappears with fresh meatrolls, klah and the rest of supper.

Erakkin chews slowly, popping new pieces of roll into his mouth with equal intervals. He wasn't much for speaking with strangers, so his excuse would be to keep his mouth full for a while yet. Excitment. Yeah, if you could call knife throwing exciting..

Evan turns to Arakiel, "HOw have you been this evening love?"

Arakiel smiles at Evan, 'you're going to break that blade if you keep honing it, love."

Bailyn sighs, maybe she does scare people...Thinking in her own Pern she takes some more drinks. Finally laying her mug down she combs through her long hair, hardly paying attention to the other conversations in the room.

Evan snorts, "You should know very well yourself how unlikely that is dear. I hardly want to remake a sixty mark blade.

Arakiel chuckles at Evan, "yes love."

Dennia carefully slips her now empty glass of wine onto the table, and using Bryon for leverage, starts to stands as unobtrusively as she can, planning on heading to the kitchens.

Erakkin watches Arakiel and Evan between bites of meatroll and sips of klah, trying not to be too obvious about it. Interesting couple, he seems to be thinking as he washes down a piece of roll with a gulp of klah.

Dennia pads with soft, hurried steps to the kitchen door, opening it quietly before starting to pass through.

Bailyn takes another drink and coughs. Holding her mouth she holds her neck out and runs to the kitchen. Oh how graceful. Atleast she didn't get any on the floor.

Bailyn walks to the Kitchen.

Dennia walks to the Kitchen.

Evan frowns, "If you keep that up dear, then I'm going to have to have some fun later tonight."

Bryon goes home.

Arakiel chuckles softly, "you say that every night love."

Raising one eyebrow, Erakkin swallows a too large piece of meat, launching into a coughing fit as he doubles over in his chair. Eyes watering, he makes an effort to control himself, and takes a few deep breaths before righting himself in the chair to reach out for his klah, taking very small sips.

Evan Raises a brow, "And Do I ever neglect to have fun?"

Arakiel peers at Erakkin, "you ok?"

Erakkin nods, hearing the woman's question, "just got something in the wrong throat," he croaks, his voice not allowing him to sound alright.

Evan frwons, "Well be careful.. The healers don't like extra work I hear.

Arakiel frowns slightly, then turning back to Evan.

"I'll be alright.. Really," Erakkin says, gaining control of his voice again, then taking a large gulp of klah, not saying anything more. Not very talkative this boy, is he?

Evan shrugs and turns to Ara. "HOw are your ledgers coming dear?"

Bailyn walks in from the Kitchen.

Arakiel watching Erakkin for a moment, then back to Evan, and sighs. She's sure Evan isn't going to like this. "They're not."

Evan frwons, "THey're NOt? And what are you going to do when we don't have enough suplies? or marks?"

Bailyn goes home.

Arakiel looks worried, 'The figures and the stores aresn't addingup. The books say we ahve plenty but the stores are being depleted. And I can't figure out who's writing in the ledgers. It isn't mine or Dennia's handwriting."

Erakkin mumbles something about checking his stuff, and wanders off, taking a redfruit with him.