Justin
*Terrel walked about the outskirts of the Capitol, straying away from the center of activity amongst the land of beastkins. It wasn't typical for an Elf to show their face here, but with the pig mask he wore, one might suppose he found a loophole to that unspoken rule. Only recently had he left the lands of Mentia to make progress further west and only recently had the war amongst the lands left behind decided to broaden their efforts. Terrel cared little for it however, decidedly doing his own thing while Mentia decided to tear itself apart. He had other plans in mind. The Elf would tug his red cloak close to him, occasionally getting glances from the beastkins he didn't manage to avoid under the fading light of the sun, but he was used to it. Too used to it.*
Richard
*Sat on a fence just at the edge of town, Sivne was reading over a map and chomping on an apple. Her gear was placed at her feet as she alternated between trying to figure out her route from here and watching as people walked by. She spotted Terrel as he was walking by, quite obviously staring as she loudly ate her fruit.*
Justin
*The Elf would find himself turning his head towards the sound, noticing the Brayer staring over at him from where she sat upon the fence. Another Brayer. Though he never truly had a thing against beastkin, it would be a lie to say that he had the best history with Brayers. Mainly from hired work to kill one ending in near disaster amongst his group. Most others he's met didn't seem so bad though. He held her gaze for a while, a brief moment of silence passing between them before he'd finally ask:*"Are we having a stare off or something?"*There was a casualness to his low voice, hinting at his lack of seriousness in meeting someone new out here.*
Richard
*Sivne let out a short, chuckle as she sat upright, folding up her map and tossing the apple core out into the field.* "Bah. Mm. No. I was trying to figure out that mask. Why are you wearing that thing? Someone might try to kill you and roast you." *She found it quite amusing. She pocketed her map and stood up.*
Justin
*Terrel would open his mouth as if to deny that being true only for it to dawn on him that he was in fact in a nation full of beastmen and stereotypical carnivores. He'd close his mouth once more, deciding to rethink that before saying:*"It's just a look mainly, worked as a pretty nice disguise the last time I visited so I figured why not give it a try again?"*The answer was only half true, though one can only hope a person wouldn't be so desperate as to hunt down the masked wearer for the sake of him looking like a pig, albeit a very odd one knowing how most didn't stand on two legs.*"Is it working?"*He'd decide to ask her.*
Richard
"Is it working? Mmm. Sure, it got me hungry. So you need a disguise? What for?" *She stretched her arms behind her head and let out a grunt, she'd clearly been sat there for too long.* "Sivne, mercenary from the federation. So what are you, a pig man or a boar man?" *She picked her things up from the ground and reattached them to herself.*
Justin
"Not what I was going for, but I guess I can't argue with it being effective."*He'd say in response to her statement before deciding to answer her question.*"Something about elves and beastkin not always getting along."*Terrel would wave off the idea as if it hardly mattered to him and was simply an excuse.*"The reason for wearing it has little to do with that though. I wear this everywhere anyways just for the sake of it. Name's Terrel. Mercenary, but that's about how far that title goes. You can consider me either. I've already been called every word related to swine before."*He'd watch her gather her things for the moment, assuming she must have either been new to the place or planning on traveling with the map she had.*"A traveling Mercenary, I presume?"*He'd ask her.*
Richard
"Looking for work. Been looking for people in Mentia to talk to about signing on for some army or looking for a company needing new recruits." *She nodded a little and crossed her arms.* "You with a company yourself?" *She glanced around, being aware of her surroundings. She didn't exactly feel at home here.*
Justin
"Can't say I have."*He'd answer.*"Not that I care much for the war efforts. There's no amount they could pay me that I couldn't get myself from simply being a nuisance to them."*A light chuckle would escape him at the thought.*"I'd rather see what becomes of it after they're done destroying each other, but I wouldn't doubt there being others out for personal gain in Mentia. I've been told of some Mercenaries simply taking opportunity in raiding the countries. Who knows, maybe you can find someone for hire amongst those groups that don't mind picking a side. That is... If you even have a side in mind?"
Richard
"Whichever side pays the most, honestly. I don't really care what's going on there. It's just business. What are they fighting over anyway? Some stupid Macen customs and traditions or something probably, always is." *She itched the base of her horn, snorting.* "You don't look like a local here, what brought you in? Didn't think there'd be much mercenary work for your kind here."
Justin
"Power? Governmental issues? Who knows? Some people are just ambitious and come to learn that the one universal language is violence which seems to work well enough in some cases."*He'd decide to walk over to her, closing the awkward gap between the two for the sake of continuing the conversation. Terrel would lean back against the fence she was originally on, deciding to get comfortable while he'd idly make note of just how much daylight would be left before the sun would inevitably disappear over the horizon.*"I'm traveling west for, let's just say business purposes. Mercenary work around this area isn't a major concern of mine. I have reason to believe they'd be investing more funds into the war itself than the Mercenaries who decide to put their life on the line for a quick buck. Probably why some have resorted to just taking advantage of it and doing their own thing."
Richard
"West? Of here? What, heading into the federation? Nothing else west of here, not much much coin to be made either." *She trotted even closer to him before she leaned back against the fence.* "South east is where the money is. Mmh. From here at least." *Her eyes flicked over him, appraising him once more, trying to figure out just what he was really.*
Justin
"Sure."*He'd say, despite the answer not really being true. If anything he probably wasn't even going to go through the federation with where he was planning on heading, but the Brayer didn't need to know that.*"You're right. Southeast is where the money is."*He'd agree for different reason to her.*"Might even find Mercenaries not yet caught up in the war to help there as well. Maybe I'll consider searching there as well someday."
Richard
"Mmmkf. So, do i get to see what's under the mask?" *She said with a smirk, changing the subject.* "You're either deformed or handsome, no middle ground. Which is it?" *She seemed a bit more fidgety as she asked the question. She had her hands on the fence and was constantly moving closer to the fence and pushing herself away from it, as one does when bored or excited.*
Justin
*He'd eye her, raising an eyebrow quizzically at the sudden shift in topic accompanying her lack of being able to sit still.*"No, but I'll leave that up to your imagination."*He would say.*"I'm sure you've seen enough Silnaris to make a pretty accurate guess. Try not to break the fence in the process though."*Terrel would tilt his head down towards it as if forewarning of its stability not being enough for both of them.*"I've met some who are very protective over their fences."
Richard
*She just assumed he was cracking a joke, letting out a little chuckle, thumbing at the side of her nose.* "Bahhahah- You're funny. Break the fence.." *She snorted.* "Mmmmh. Come on, i want to know what's hiding under that mask. You got some third eye on your forhead? Bad tattoo? Has to be something." *She didn't fidget so much since he mentioned it.*
Justin
"There is quite literally nothing significant about a face hiding behind a mask."*He'd say in a matter of fact tone.*"In fact that would be the point of a mask anyways, but you seem to be a lot more creative. Not every mask has an entire tragic backstory behind it. At least not that often. It would be a bit cliche when you think about it."
Richard
"But you still won't show me. So there has to be some big mystery. Are you a prince of somewhere? Bah, of course not, you wouldn't be talking to me if you were... Or are you?" *It was a mixture of joking around and still trying to pry him out of that mask. She always seemed in good spirits throughout their chat though.*
Justin
*With Sivne's consistent attempts on trying to guess something that wasn't there, Terrel would decide to play along with it.*"Yes. I'm a prince of a country far away from here that no one knows of, but trust me it's real."*He'd say to her, his naturally monotone voice making it sound more sarcastic than he was trying to come off.*"To reveal my face would practically be a death sentence. There are assassins everywhere after all."
Richard
"Uh-huh? I guess you need a bodyguard? Mmmh. Buy me a castle and a husband and i'll keep you safe, little prince." *She chuckled and slapped his arm playfully. It certainly wasn't a girly slap though, she was well over 7ft tall and muscular afterall.* "You're funny."
Justin
"I don't think either of those pertain to the job of being a bodyguard."*He'd say back only to find himself getting slapped in the arm with more force than he was expecting from the brief moment he had to react.*"Ow."*He'd say. Terrel wasn't one who couldn't take a simple slap, after all he had fought a Brayer that seemed to be so good at boxing, the air itself would attack the Silnaria. Though it did hurt more in him not being ready for it. What is it with Brayers?*"I'm sure there are funnier things out there than a regally dressed pig needing a bodyguard from assassins."*He would think about what he just said for a moment.*"Never mind, that's pretty funny."*Terrel would say with a chuckle.*"You're better off trying to become a noble if a castle and husband is what you want though."
Richard
"Eh-eh-eh." *She let out a slow laugh at that notion, waving it off.* "Do i look like a noble to you? I suppose i could throw a warband together and conquer some part of mentia like they did here in Kadrush. I'd make a.. Mmf... Would i be bad.. Mmh. No, i would be. Kadrush is a stupid place that shouldn't exist anyway." *She said as she went off on a little rant, definately wasn't from here.*
Justin
*He'd look her up and down at the question, deciding she probably didn't want a literal answer.*"I wouldn't associate Kadrush with nobility, but I find the people here a lot more easier to bear with in comparison to other nations so, might not be such a bad idea to."*He'd say. The way she spoke about Kadrush as if she wasn't similar to those living around here reminded him much of himself with Silnaria. Funny how that worked out.*"Mentia is already making it easier for you by fighting itself. Just need enough hands on deck to take advantage of it. It'll take a lot more to hold onto that many countries in Mentia though. Seems like everyone is after that land for some reason. May the largest or strongest group win in that sense I guess."
Richard
*She shook her head.* "Our people are easy to get along with, sure. That doesn't justify this place though. Races are seperate for a reason, having our people rule over Macens isn't right. But hey, i'm just a mercenary." *She shrugged a little. She wasn't even slightly macenized, and her pro-segregation attitude confirmed the reason why.*
Justin
"Don't get too deep into the societal side of things."*He'd say to her.*"Makes people think too deeply about something that hardly matters by the end of the day when you travel from place to place. Like questioning the ways of Lathians and the whole thing they have going on. I've stopped questioning that ages ago. Still don't understand them, but I've lost the ability to care. Being a Mercenary is just a way to be involved with everything without caring of what's going on. Wouldn't you say?"
Richard
"I'd rather fight for money abroad than stay home and help out. That doesn't mean I don't spend time thinking about things. Mpf." *She grunted and scratched the base of her horns.* "You've seen it though. Our folk mix with the Macen, live with them, love them, then they start turning. They start looking more and more like them. It's just not natural for us and them to be in the same place like that. Bah." *She grumbled and looked around. It seemed like her opinions are mostly based on the fear of becoming different.*
Justin
*He'd scratch at the side of his face in thought of her explanation, trying to consider if he recalled such. Of course he's heard some cases of such and occasionally saw some Brayers that looked different from others, but he didn't have much experience in it.*"Can't say I've seen much of it, but I can't say I've seen many beastkin on my travels compared to others. I'm guessing you must hate the idea of beastkins looking more human-like?"*Terrel had more mixed feelings on it. Some part thinking it would be strange, the other thinking it would at least be cool in the moment.*"Worried the same will happen if you hang around Macens for too long?"
Richard
"It takes someone strong willed to resist it. I don't know how you can wake up every day and see yourself changing in the mirror like that. And for what? To fit in with them? You can't have children with them. We were made to stick to our own kind, not marry ourselves off to macen noblemen." *This definately seemed like a sore spot for her, but one that got her talking passionately at least.*