Evelyn
Lir meandered into Palladium Park, still in his leather armour with the scimitars at each hip. Tea had helped, just a bit, to wake his mind enough to continue the other chore he had today: picking up the package from the blacksmith's.

Gold, brown, and red leaves crunched under Lir's boots as he strode through the park and checked the water clock. The blacksmith opened in an hour. 

Lir sighed at the delay. However, the merchant district was peppered with vendors selling hot drinks to stave off the autumn chill. The town centre already smelt of winter spices. He certainly had time for another hot drink.

A bit more tea would keep him awake, so Lir approached a tea stall. The stall was run by a woman with deep wrinkles on her face, a bright kerchief on her head, and a tunic whose trim reminded Lir of his own Shijan clothing that he hadn't yet had the fortitude to wear publicly.

The stall had a sign painted above it. In age-flecked letters, the sign read...

The sign read...

Lir squinted his eye at the sign and willed the letters to spell out something sensible.



Juchin kept kettles and teapots warm on a small fire, and around her she had stacked dozens of tins of loose-leaf teas. The smell of tea permeated the air around the stall: blacks and greens and herbals. Outside the stall stood a board listing the teas Juchin was brewing for the day.

Lir stared at the board and frowned. If he asked what teas she served, the old woman would certainly direct him to the board and ask him whether or not he could read. The thought heated up the embarrassment he also felt about wearing the armour and the scimitars and the annoying nose-ring.

Lir hated how he looked right now, especially in daylight. 

Exhaustion from a sleepless night compounded the shame that Lir tried to push from his tired mind.

So, instead of admitting to a stranger that he read little better than a child, Lir forced his brain to start deciphering the letters on the board, his arms crossed as his thoughts lumbered through letters and words both familiar and not.
Joseph
Alberda had for once out of her armor after some surprisingly inexpensive travel from the previous location. She'd found herself a secure Inn and had left her armor and favored weapons, having discreetly tucked a dagger in a sheathe tied around the forearm of her off-hand opting for a somewhat simple dress hardly adverse to wearing a dress when she was off of a battlefield or traveling even liking the scarf in her hair apparently people wer far less nervous when she wasnlt clad in armor wielding weapons likely meant for a gaint.

So as she made her way through town and the various vendors and merchant stalls, she noticed someone seemingly confused by something for one reason or another, she certainly could sympathize, given her own recent moments of confusion. So, she Simply walked up with and in her usual neutral but pleasant timber asked "Excuse me? Do you need help? You seem confused buy something?" She may usually have seemed a bit out of place for one reason or another be it older cultural customs or somewhat out of date usage of words on occassion but, even then she wasnl't anti-social by any stretch.
Michael
*AC trudged along... She was grumpy. Why? Why was she up so early? Probably because ... It was* **Cold** *Out here! Well, that might not wake her up so early, actually ...*

*Her whip, Ecki, stirred from around her waist, where it was disguised as a sash.*

. O O ( it's because the ship docked, and they wouldn't let you sleep in, no matter how much you begged. ) 

**AC** . O O ( you hush! My thought was better. Why is it so cold, here? How can people live like this? ) 

**E** . O O ( go buy a heavier cloak, boss! ) 

**AC** . O O ( that's where I'm going! Oh look... ) 

*The sight of the tea shop brings AC to a halt, and she drifts closer.*

"Hot tea..." *She peruses the various kinds, and the menu, sidelong glancing at the two others here, studying them curiously. Poor AC huddles in her thin cloak, clearly not meant for this clime, edging as close as she can to the teapots.*

"Oh, hello. Please, please tell me you know where I can get some warmer clothes..."
Pansy
*While they would usually be far more inclined to stick to the shadows and avoid the gaze of passersby, on this particular morning, the shinobi of the Kage Clan felt it fine to mingle with the locals. After turning in a bounty a little further into town the day prior, the ring tailed shadow agents now had heavier pockets and some time to kill between assignments. Unsure of what to do in their offtime, five of the ebon clad ninja raccoons made their way through the stalls of Palladium Park, looking for something to spend their newly acquired coin on while various shoppers and merchants looked at them with a dubious or untrusting eye. Indeed, the sight of any masked creature clothed in black and carrying weapons would make anyone suspicious, but the attire being on raccoons seemed to only exacerbate the uneasy vibe surrounding them.

Eventually, the raccoons spot a nearby tea stand. Being from a land where tea is considered a delicacy, they decide to approach.*
Evelyn
The auburn-haired woman's question hauled Lir from his study of the tea-vendor's board.

"Confused? No, of course not, my dear! Simply... Trying to make a decision. They all look good, don't they?" Lir's words spilled from his mouth a bit too quickly.

All Lir had learned from the board was that there were at least two black teas, one green one, and one herbal one. He preferred black tea, but asking for a black would be too broad, so he concentrated on finding some word, any word, that distinguished the two black teas from each other. He already looked like an idiot; he didn't want to sound like one as well.

Lir knew he was failing. His stomach knotted in humiliation.

Miller Dale began to wake in the crisp autumn morning. More and more people filled the streets and crowded around the hot drink vendors.

A slight young woman approached them as well. Lir glanced at her when she asked for a tailor. The poor thing shivered in the cold, but he hadn't a cloak or coat to lend her; his leather armour kept him warm. He wished he had worn something warm to lend her.

Lir pointed to a road leading out of Palladium Park. "If you go down that street, I'm told there's an excellent tailor. I've not been able to visit them myself, mind, but it's been recommended. I believe it's called Gunnhild's Garments."
Francis
Mother Juchin, with a face twisted into a scowl, called to the slight young woman inching towards her fires.

"You'd do well with a cup of tea this morn," Juchin said to the slight young woman. However, Juchin didn't shoo the woman away from her fires. Instead, she asked, "What would you like?"
Evelyn
Ignoring Juchin for the moment, Lir hoped his comment to the auburn-haired woman might elicit a clue about the teas listed on the board. He was still reading the board when the creatures approached.

Lir stared at the raccoons as they too joined the group around the tea stall.

Raccoons.

Five of them,in black clothing and carrying tiny weapons.

Lir gestured to the raccoons with his mangled right hand. "Er... You see those, right?" He asked the two women beside him. "Raccoons. In black robes with... Little weapons?" Lir still had trouble comprehending the myriad creatures he had encountered since coming to Miller Dale.

"They are... They are *There*, right? You see them, too?" Lir watched the raccoons gather round the stall, as normally as you please, and look at the tea options.

"Is that... Is that *Normal*?" Lir found himself asking this question yet again to the two women with him. "I mean, they *Are* Charming little fellows, but..."
Francis
Mother Juchin busied herself with the customers who came to order from her, then looked at the now rather large group gathered around her menu.

"Need to make up your minds. Got a lovely Lanhail green, a black from the Golden Hills of Ostia, another black from the Lilac Forest, and an Hickitaw herbal, if you've no stomach for the jitters this morn. Hickitaw gives me excellent blacks as well; I'll have one in the pots tomorrow morning.

"Got it loose-leaf now, if you'd like a tin. Got practical everything in tins. Two coppers a cup for anything on the board. Four coppers a cup if you want something brewed special; and a minimum two cups' purchase of that. Six copper for any tin of my loose-leaf. Got a couple teapots for sale; ask me, if you need one."
Joseph
Alberda had her suspicions they were a bit more confused than they'd admit, but she had no intention of pressing the issue, preferring black tea given it had been about a century, she wasn't sure which one was the more delicate of the two as she looked to the old woman running the counter. "Which is more delicate of the black Teas?" 

Her attionton shifted to the new company that approached they were certianly a strange group as she answered in succession as subjects came up "I could think of a few tailors, and a few armorers depending what you need." She answered helpfully from experience her gaze as transfixed on the group of Racoons while she never would admit to her own nature to anyone even she found the sight unusual- " You're not the only one seeing it, but i imagine it's just as rude to stare, But yes which black tea is more delicate?" -she asked the old woman appreciatively-
Francis
"More delicate? That'll be the Lilac Forest black. Flowery, got notes of berries and roses. Lovely springtime tea; just as good in the fall and winter. Would you like a mug of that?"
Joseph
-She gave an appreciative not at the suggestion, searching through her coin purse as she waited for a price- "Yes please." She looked to the man next to her not unaware that she technically cut in line, as she gave an apologetic smile all be it briefly to him- "And i'll cover what he wants for accidentially skipping a head of him." 

She was ready to step aside when she recievide her tea and likely give some advice to the woman asking about warmer clothes if she was asked fuether.
Michael
*AC glanced up the other woman there,* "Hmmm, I don't really use armor, but the tailor would be great. Trousers or a heavier skirt, tunic, and definitely some sort of cloak. It's ungodly cold up here!" *She grumbles,* "I slipped on doing my research of this place. Didn't ask about the weather. I've spent te last while down in Tidehaven and the Canaries. Nice and warm... I don't think I could even swim in the sea up here any more, in this weather!"

*By the tone in her melodious voice, swimming in the sea is a huge concern to the petite young lady.*

*AC was about to place her tea order when ... The raccoons came. This was new and interesting! AC peers at the shinobi with keen interest, and apparently is the first to try ... Just speaking with them.*

"Hello, I'm AC! Did you come to try some tea, too? I was just about to ask the lady..."

*AC thus prompts herself to inquire of Juchin,* "What's the strongest tea you have? Which will per me up the most?"

*Then she turns her wide-eyed interest back to the ninja,* "Where did you come from? I'm not from around here, either! Do you think it's cold, too? I need a nice new cloak, I think. Nice and heavy and warm." *AC's getting chatty. Maybe she thinks the chattering will warm her up?*
Francis
Alberda had her suspicions they were a bit more confused than they'd admit, but she had no intention of pressing the issue, preferring black tea given it had been about a century, she wasn't sure which one was the more delicate of the two as she looked to the old woman running the counter. "Which is more delicate of the black Teas?" Her attionton shifted to the new company that approached they were certianly a strange group as she answered in succession as subjects came up "I could think of a few tailors, and a few armorers depending what you need." She answered helpfully from experience her gaze as transfixed on the group of Racoons while she never would admit to her own nature to anyone even she found the sight unusual- " You're not the only one seeing it, but i imagine it's just as rude to stare, But yes which black tea is more delicate?" -she asked the old woman appreciatively-

 Mother Juchin nodded to the auburn-haired woman. She turned, picked up a mug, and then poured the tea into it.

"Two coppers, please." Juchin slid the mug to the auburn-haired woman. "Lilac Forest black–always a good choice, no matter the season." She pointed to one of the tables set out in the park. 

"You can have it there, but bring the mug back, mind," Juchin said. "Though if you want to keep the mug, you can for another two copper. Buy the mug, and I'll refill it for one copper instead of two." 

Juchin glanced at Lir as the auburn-haired woman offered to pay for his drink. "If you like, but he's not queued properly yet. Just staring at the board. Looks like he's a bit lost."

Juchin then turned her attention to the slight young woman. "Perk you up? That'll be the Ostian black. Rich spice notes with that one. Strong builders' tea. Perfect for a fall day. Two coppers a mug, four coppers if you want to keep the mug. You buy the mug, I'll refill it for one copper instead of two. Don't want the mug, bring it back, mind."

Finally, Juchin leaned over to study the raccoons. "And what would you like, young masters? The green, perhaps? I've little cups instead of the big ones." She pulled out a set of smaller teacups. "If you want the smaller cups, and you all get teas on the board, I'll give you a discount. Four coppers for five teas. And one copper each to keep the cups."
Pansy
*The ninjas were somewhat surprised that the owner of the stall regarded them warmly instead of trying to shoo them away or calling the guards. So shocked were the raccoons about this kindness that they stood fairly gobsmacked for a few seconds before they placed their coins on the table, a feat that was accomplished by the five of them standing on one another's shoulders and handing the one at the top their coins. All in all, there were twenty-five coppers placed on the stall; it would seem that the shinobi were interested in the small cups of green tea and wanted to keep them.*
Joseph
Alberda nodded appreciatively, as she paid two coppers and adding two more as a gratuity handing the gentlemen 20 coppers for the potential inconvience she might have caused, heading for her seat "Thank you, I appreciate your patience." 

She stated stopping to talk further to the other young woman present, "Alberda, nice to meet you." She stated introducing herself before showing surprising knowledge of quality and cost- "It depends what your looking for, I'm partial to both depending on my travels personally." She pointed out a tailor on the corner nearby "They're really good at making dresses as well as trousers and tunics to fit your frame, you'de be surprised how rare that is." -she added helpfully-
Michael
*AC tears her studious gaze from the utterly-fascinating shinobi to glance back at Alberda, and she nods.* "Hi Alberda, I'm AC! Thanks for the recommendation — I'll make sure to check it out once I've gotten some tea, thank you! So, it'll be nice and fashionable, that's good! I came way up here — risking the cold and all, otherwise I'm used to much warmer weather — as I heard this place has a great entertainment district. I thought I'd study what they do up here, then take it back down to Tidehaven!" She mumbles then to herself, "Make even more gold off of all those merchants and pirates... Hehehe..." 

*She grins back at Al,* "I'm pretty good at singing, dancing, and some acrobatics, I bet I can get in on something, see what else I Can learn from them... Oh, the tea!" 

*She looks, finally, back to Juchin,* "Yes, the Ostia Black, please!" *She grins sunnily at Juchin, clearly showing ... Does she really need to get 'more' perky? But, it seems she's intent on just that!*

*Which brings Her Perkiness back to... The raccoons, as she sets the four coppers — two for the tea, two for a much — out for Juchin to collect,*

"So, what can I call you all? I'm AC, like I told her! I like your outfits, and hmmm... What kinds of weapons are those... So interesting! What do you all do? What brings you to this town? Are you interested in the entertainment district, too? What kinds of entertainment do you like? Like I told Alberda, I like singing, dancing, and acrobatics!" *This inspires her to want to demonstrate for the raccoons — and Al, Lir, and anyone else watching, too, of course. She digs in her sash, withdrawing and tossing up three beanbags, and starts juggling them in a simple pattern, but with one hand while she grins brightly at the raccoons.* "And this. Hehe."
Francis
Mother Juchin took the auburn-haired woman's coppers and put the two gratuity coins in a little teapot bearing a tag that read *Tips*. "Thank you much, dearie."

Mother Juchin was very old, and had travelled and seen many things. The raccoons hardly bothered her as they stood on each other's shoulders to pile money on her counter. "Perhaps I wasn't clear. That's far too much." Juchin counted out nine coppers—four for the batch purchase and five for the little cups. She handed the sixteen remaining coppers back to the top raccoon and began pouring little cups of the green tea and handing them to the raccoons. 

"Lanhail green... Lovely and fresh, like forest grass after a rain. Bit of elven magic in there, too, perhaps—who's to say. Good choice," Juchin said as she poured the teas for the raccoons. 

Juchin then poured the black for the shivering young woman. After collecting the coins and sliding the mug to the perky woman, she said, "If you want a nip of something extra to warm you, I might have it. I'd have to have a look, mind."

Then she glanced at Lir. "Anything for you, young man?"
Evelyn
Lir had looked up from the board, listening to the conversation bubbling around him. He furrowed his brows when the auburn-haired woman approached him with... Twenty coppers?

*I must look like a thief at best or a beggar at worst,* Lir thought as he shook his head and gave the woman her twenty coppers back.

"No worries at all... I was merely deciding," Lir told her as he stepped towards the tea stall. "The Ostian black for me as well, please. I should like to keep the mug, too." He slid his four coppers to Juchin and received his mug of tea in return.

"Would have recommended the herbal for you," Juchin said. "You look like you've not slept a wink in a week."

Lir shrugged; Juchin wasn't far off. "I've some other errands to run today." Before turning back to the two women and five raccoons, he dropped five coppers into Juchin's tip pot.

Lir hung a bit away from the group, again studying the little raccoons as the women talked about tailors. The perky woman's juggling demonstration piqued his interest.

"Ah. Rather well done! Used to be able to do that myself." Lir kept his right hand wrapped around the mug. He had enough dexterity in his left hand that he still might be able to juggle with that hand alone, though he hadn't juggled at all in a few years now.
Joseph
Alberda gave an appreciative smile at the observations and details picking up on the unintentional note she added, but that nagging sensation that occasionally would direct her to... Intervene in some instances hadn't been bothering her 

"I'm glad I could be of help, and, yes the cold can be... Frustrating." -she stated memories of an old abandoned acolytes housong turned into a prison of Religious charms and wards pinging at her mind. That and how long had it been since she truly "Felt" Cold she knew what it was, she knew being cold was bad for her but, some sense fo her were... Dulled.

Thankfully her attention was now finally drawn in further towards the Racoons, a smile crossing her face at the lighter subject drawing her minds attention much to her appreciation as she enjoyed her tea and simply watched the happening around her contently.
Pansy
*The raccoons were surprised that their calculations were so inaccurate. As sixteen coppers were pushed back to the top ninja, he wondered what could have made him think that he owed so much more. After the excess coppers were placed back into a pouch tucked into the same silky, sash-like belt that held his weaponry, in his case a pair of tonfa, the shinobi began slowly passing down the cups of tea and disassembling their tower.

Once they were all back on solid ground, the ebon-clad ring tails noticed that they had become somewhat of an impromptu novelty to most of the other patrons. Unsure of how they felt about the sudden attention, the five simply observed those who observed them, a couple of them giving small waves to try and initiate more intimate contact.*
Michael
*AC speculates on what fashions she might find here.*

"I wonder, though... Never tried to get nice-looking but warm and heavy clothes... I wonder what they'll have? And, will I be able to move well in them? I need to be able to move! After all, I'm a great performer! I need to be able to juggle, dance, tumble and jump around... Can you do that in heavy winter clothes? Or, is this something I'll have to discuss with the tailors?"

*By her wide eyes and worried expression, clearly this is a concern for our golden ... Bard? What does she do? She spoke of performing, though. Golden bard might be close enough.*

*But... She is soon distracted once more from her quandary over warmth and comfort versus fashion and free movement therein...*

"This is where I need my sister here... She knows fashion more than me... Then again, she'd not know wintry clothes either, I think... Hmmm..."

*... Other than that one further comment, anyway. Heh.*

*She then sets down her teacup, tosses her beanbags into her other hand, and resumes juggling, now with that hand. Then she resumes sipping tea!*

"I should set out my hat... Never pass up an opportunity for coin!"

*She resumes studying the raccoons, and grins as they wave greetings.*

"So, what do you do? I see the weapons. Are you mercenaries or bodyguards or something? Caravan guards? As, the obvious presumption would be that if you're carrying weapons, you know how to use them. Or, maybe you're just merchants who know it's good to know how to defend yourselves!" *Her curiosity is clearly piqued! She muses out loud, a fascinated, curious look on her face, but this doesn't slow down her juggling.*

*She does pause a moment, though, in the rambling — not the juggling! — to set back down her teacup,* "A refill please, ma'am?" *While she awaits the refill, she tosses a beanbag to the other hand, and now juggles in a relatively-simple fountain pattern while she waits.*
Evelyn
Juchin nodded to the young blonde woman and refilled the woman's mug.

To bring himself better into the raccoons' eyeline, Lir crouched as a couple of the raccoons waved, and he waved back at them. "Hello, little fellows. Out for a spot of tea as well?" He reached out his left hand to shake the raccoons' hands, if they let him. The little creatures looked much like normal raccoons but clearly were not. Lir studied them for a moment and stroked his beard.

"I say, chappies... Do sell your time? For a day, at least? Possibly longer?" Lir adjusted from a squat to simply sitting on the cobblestones in front of the raccoons. "Would be a bit different from what it seems you're used to."

Lir looked up at the women. "Well, you layer, though it's a bit of a pain. You tend to be warmer while you're moving. And you get used to heavier clothing eventually."

After eyeing the people around him, Lir looked back at the raccoons. "Do tell me if you might be interested? I'd mislike going into details publicly." He tried keeping these words soft so that only the raccoons might hear him.
Joseph
Alberda could see the logic behind the questions having changed between Battlefield attire and looking "Ladylike" Often as she let the would woman voice her concerns before answering along with Lir, all the while trying not to be too rude to the unusual troupe of what looked like rogues by staring too much but she did exchange a pleasant was even giving an ever so brief smile.

"It doe take some getting used to I can imagine, but If I can move in Gambeson and plate as stated with layering you should be able to move easily." -she added in agreement taking her time to savour her tea giving ana appreciaitive not to juchin.
Pansy
*The shinobi were once again surprised by the relatively warm reception that the others were giving them. From people inquiring about their profession to Lir now offering them a job, the interaction that the raccoons were receiving was not one that they were used to. While the way of the ninja told one never to take a proposition at face value, the quintet of shadow warriors nevertheless found the offer intriguing; besides, they had already been on their fair share of vaguely described assignments.

After a shake of the hand, the ninjas thought the matter over; while they were enjoying their time off, they knew that they weren't the type to spend much time away from the action (being magically created to serve creates that sort of personality in a creature). Eventually, the five shook their heads in near unison, eager to hear what it was that Lir would be hiring them for.*
Michael
*AC nods some to Alberda,* "Yeah, I'm sure I'll get used to it. I suppose I'd better, huh? Depending on how. Long I stick around this town."

*AC idly continues her juggling while awaiting her refill, and now finally eyes Lir. Maybe not with the same fascinated curiosity she'd offered the raccoons, but still. Curiosity.*

"What do you need done? I suppose I'm curious, too. And, other than they're armed, do we really know what they do?" 

*AC inadvertently rhymes, thinking out loud,* "Then again, this could be your li'l scheme to deduce just what they do? I'm curious, myself. What, do you need bodyguards? Or ..."

*She sliiides her gaze back to the raccoons, then back to Lir. She grins mischievously.*

"Ohhh... If that's the case, then I'm **Really** Curious..."

*She tosses her three beanbags even higher, then tugs her belt away from herself a bit. As each beanbag drops back down, she catches it with her free hand and tucks it into her belt in time to catch the next one, then the next one. She resumes eyeing Lir and the raccoons, back and forth, awaiting the next exciting development!*
Evelyn
With his request to the raccoons, Lir drew more attention than he desired. He squinted at the water clock; the blacksmith would not open for another forty-five minutes.

The raccoons' willingness to shake his hand pleased Lir. He took care not to hurt their little hands. He had plenty of nieces and nephews, after all, and knew not to squish tiny fingers.

Lir blinked as the five raccoons nodded at him. "I do have to say, I would probably need just two of you. Perhaps three at the most. Five might prove a touch overwhelming."

Lir nodded to the young blonde woman. "I mean, I suppose some light bodyguarding could come into play once in a very long while, but..." His voice trailed off. He studied the woman as she asked about his offer. She was short, with a bit of a darker complexion, pointed ears. 

Lir considered that. He also eyed the other woman, the auburn-haired one. A bit taller, a bit more fit. A bit too human.

Lir sat on the cobblestones in front of the raccoons for a moment, his exhausted brain trying to put the right words together for the raccoons without giving out too many potentially embarrassing details. He sipped his tea to jog his brain.

"What I'm looking for is... Someone to keep my employer company whilst I'm not around. He usually does all right on his own, but I'd feel better if he had someone with him." Lir nodded to the women. "He might, at some point, be all right with a woman, but he's currently a bit... Testy with most people. He is fond of animals, though, so these little fellows might be best for the moment."

Putting a hand to his back, Lir stood up. He saw a picnic table big enough to sit the eight of them and gestured to it. 

"Let's sit there. Sitting on the ground's rough on my back these days." Lir walked towards the table and sat. Grumbling, he turned away from the women and raccoons.

"Taking this accursed thing out," Lir muttered to himself as he removed his septum ring and slid it away in a pouch on his belt. That done, he smiled at the raccoons and the two women.

"I suppose introductions are in order?" Lir asked. "I'm Velir Silivasti. Call me Lir, please." He gestured to the others. "Ladies? Erm... Raccoons?" He had no idea if the raccoons were male or female.
Joseph
Alberda was already contemplating whether she might consider a temporary security job, then she remembered how she did need "Real nourishment" And generally how she got that was frowned upon in polite society. People tended to look at you with doscontentment when you sustained yourself by feeding on the life itself of the wicked who you'd driven into instinctual primal terror... So she thought the better of it for now although she suspted her general talents would get her by quite easily in due time. 

For now she simply enjoyed watching the scenario before her, having finished her tea with a content smile, her attention torning to Lir" "I'm currently handling my own personal tasks, but if we meet again I should be available for acting as a guard or Soldier for hire." -she stated with a brief confident grin." As she continued watching the odd group of Rogues infront of her trying to size them up given she'd had to hire infiltrators before in her past.
Michael
*AC meanders over to the suggested table, looking back to Lir with eyebrows aloft.*

"You can call me AC. Hmmm... A guy who gets in trouble with people to be there wit him, but gets ornery around people. But needs companionship. How old is this person? I can do bodyguarding, I guess, and I can do several other related tasks, including the kinds of tasks that'd require others to need guards. I also am very good at entertainment. But, I don't do housekeeping or other related tasks. So... I will need more details than this. Including a chance to meet your boss before I decide."

*AC's whip thinks into her head,* . O O ( oooh, boss, and, if the guy has the money to hire companions..."

*AC inwardly grins and thinks back,* . O O ( ohhh, I know! And if we get to meet the guy first, we're casin' the joint! ) 

*AC's outward expression if rather inscrutable, however, as she eyes Lir.*
Pansy
*After AC's introduction, the five ebon clad raccoons were able to climb onto the picnic table and look around at the others that formed their current merry band. When the time came for them to make their own introduction, one of the shinobi elects to give the information, though, perhaps to be expected, the ninja's chosen method of conveying the information was silent and somewhat unique.

The raccoon began forming signs with his hands; if anybody knew how decipher these signs, they would be able to translate the following:

<We are shinobi of the Kage Clan; defenders of the weak and vanquishers of evil. We have only recently made our ways in these lands and are strangers here. We have been making wages as guards and bountymen but work is beginning to thin. My name is Honda; the others are Mazda, Yamaha, Daihatsu, and Mitsubishi; we have been comrades since birth.>

A few seconds of inactivity occurred as Honda allowed what he signed to sink in for a moment before he seemed to remember something.

<Male.He quickly signed before he pointed to all of the shinobi in attendance.*
Evelyn
"AC? A pleasure." Lir forced a smile as, for him, the conversation grew more and more uncomfortable. 

Lir furrowed his brows at both AC and the other woman, whose name he hadn't yet gotten. "Erm, well..." He leaned back, crossing his arms.

"How old is he? Ah, fifty-four or fifty-five? Somewhere around there." Lir shook his head at the women. "I might... Ask about your services in the future. I'd rather not stress him too much more right now."

Lir rubbed the back of his neck. "It *Would* Be a good idea for a couple of you to meet him before you decide," Lir told the raccoons. "Sir Jathak can be... A handful. I don't get out much because of that, as you might imagine. As far as housekeeping, probably not much, unless you want to. I'm... Not sure about entertaining, really."

Hoping the questions might peter out, at least for now, Lir said, "I should mention he's convalescing at the moment." He crossed his ankles under the table. "He just needs some company now and again while I get out and get things done."

Lir watched the lead raccoon sign at them and tilted his head. "You... Don't talk? I'm not sure if that would be helpful or not. Did either of you ladies understand? I'm afraid I didn't, not those signs at least." He dropped his right hand under the table.
Joseph
Alberda grasped the basic concept of using signs to talk, she knew some basics piecing together the general idea as she waited to see if anyone else understood apparently not as she roughly translated for the Racoons, she got the important details, names, that they could use the work, that they came from a far off land and, were thoroughly trained.

Thankfully she at the least wasn't hiding her more lavish upbringing relative to most, given the implication of some thorough education and the way she carried her self, did she come off as looking down on others? No but she just gave that air of "Good breeding" On some level.
Pansy
*The ninjas seemed a bit deflated when Lir admitted to not knowing what they were trying to say. The quintet of stealth warriors needed the job and wanted to tell him that they were interested, so Honda elected to reach into the pouch tucked into his sash-like belt and retrieve a small piece of parchment and a crude pencil. When finished, the raccoon handed the parchment across the table to Lir; included were the more important parts of the shinobi's introduction, an acceptance of the job, and a brief apology for wasting the man's time with signing as opposed to just writing things down.*
Michael
*AC finally put away her beanbags and set to sipping her tea once more. She shrugged and shook her head at the sign language,* 

"Nope, not me... Oh, look!"

*AC'll lean around, craning her neck in her eager anticipation of what the shinobi would have written.*

"Hey, if you need help negotiating, I'd be happy to help you out!" *Really, she just seems absolutely fascinated by the diminuative figures. It wass almost enough to make her forget how shiveringly-cold she was. She hoped there would be time for her to go get some warmer clothes before Lir and the raccoons headed to ... Wherever they'd be going. For, she **Would** Be tagging along...*

*Really, she wondered what kind of guy this old ... Curmudgeonly-sounding guy was. Might it be better if she didn't get this gig? Maybe. On the other hand... Hmmm...*

*AC's whip / belt projected into her mind* . O O ( oooh, boss, what're you plotting now? ) 

*AC grinned happily,* . O O ( oh, you'll see! )
Evelyn
Lir listened to the auburn-haired woman translate Honda's sign language, then nodded to her. "Thank you, my dear; that's most helpful. I'm terribly sorry. I didn't get your name?" He asked the woman.

Lir raised a brow as AC leaned in to see the paper that Honda had handed him. Lir stared at the paper for long moments, mouthing each word he read. He stumbled over several of the words, especially the raccoons' foreign names.

"Er... Negotiating?" Lir asked AC. His left hand tensed around the paper.

Scratching his chin, Lir turned his attention back to the raccoons. "Perhaps this time next week, two of you could meet me here? We could go over some of the details, and I can walk you to the house. You can meet Sir Jathak and see if you'd like to take this on." He paused. "I'll pay you for your time that day, even if you decide against it." 

Lir drummed his fingers on the table, keeping his mangled right hand out of sight. He nodded to the two women with them. "No offense meant, dear ladies, but I'm looking for something that's... That's not terribly human-looking, at least at first."
Pansy
*The shinobi seemed a bit disappointed that all five of them wouldn't be able to take the job, but were nonetheless glad that they would be able to make some coin for the clan. Honda once again took a piece of paper from the pouch and began to write again.

{Mitsubishi and I will meet with you at the appointed time.} He wrote. {We look forward to working with you.}

Honda handed the note to Lir and awaited his response; the eyes of the ringtailed ninja seemed to light up at the offer... It would seem that they were lighter on coin than most.*
Michael
*AC muses, quietly now, on all this. So... A potentially lucrative opportunity has presented itself. She needs to buy a new cloak and warmer clothes, but she can't let Lir get away. She has to see where he goes. She also finds these raccoons extremely interesting. She wants to see where they go, too. What to do, what to do...*
*Hmmm...*
*Ultimately... She decides to go buy the cloak and warmer clothes first, then she can look for the raccoons. After all, they'll come back and meet the old guy. So, she can find him, then! 
Or...*
*She peers at Lir and the shinobi,* "Great! So, if that won't happen till next week... Who wants to come with me to go shopping? Then I need to go exercise somewhere. I'm already starting to feel restless!"
*There. This'll help her keep track of **Some**One... She smiles brightly, disarmingly. She couldn't be up to any mischief, of course not! Look at that bright and innocent face!*
Evelyn
Lir took the note from Honda and read it, then nodded. He forced a smile, his gaze flicking briefly to AC before focusing on the raccoons again.

"Thank you. We'll meet then," He said, sliding the paper back to the raccoons. 

Lir slid his empty teacup into a pouch at his side, then rose. "Well, thank you all for the company. I'm sorry, dear lady. I must decline. I've some errands to run." He rubbed his back, then gave the group a little bow before he left.

Sighing, Lir passed through the streets and over the cobblestones towards the blacksmith. His mind turned to this errand now, trying to erase the new worries now flooding his mind. He hoped he would be able to get the package home without too much trouble.

Lir stopped at the door to the blacksmith. It was still a touch early, and they hadn't opened yet. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, waiting patiently.
Grant
_Kiros walked up to the blacksmith's place. His eyes move across the building with a semi sad smile of familiarity. His back twitches as the hastily donned hitch halter scratches it, murmuring, "I need to get that adjusted before I leave..." He reaches back and rubs it as his green eyes land on the gentleman standing against the wall, "Oh... Greetings sir." He nods to him from his height of 6'8". His smile turns to content, "You here to pick up an order or to place one?" His gaze moves to see that the shop wasn't open just yet, "I'll check with the old man if he's ready for customers this morn."

As he spoke, he would reach back and pull a cord, releasing the hitch, and taps back with his left hind leg to hit a lever to release a stand for the cart. He looks back briefly to see that the cart is standing just fine and looks back to the man, waiting for his answer.

The man would see a centaur with his lower portion having a near solid coat of brown with black socks. Wearing a very light barding up to where the lower half of the human portion meets the horse portion. He is wearing a leather vest of simple quality. He wore a belt that held the barding covering his lower front end. His skin tone is darkly tanned and lightly scarred from light burns. He has a short cropped beard of dark black and his hair is of similar color to his horse coat._
Pansy
*After the deal had been struck, the quintet of ebon robed shadow warriors made their descent from the table, something that was easier said than done for creatures of their size. Still, being athletic and acrobatic had its benefits... Even if in this case, it was just the ability to properly reach the ground from a picnic bench. Once on the ground, the shinobi began to regroup, the lot of them signing to one another to plan their next move.

It was quickly decided that Mazda, Yamaha, and Daihatsu would make for their current base of operations while Honda and Mitsubishi would stick around the area to get a feel for their new acquaintances... If they could get some more information on the man they would be helping and if they could find out more about Lir and the spirited woman who joined them earlier, it could prove beneficial. Some might say that such methods were subversive or clandestine, and perhaps they were, but to a ninja, this sort of surveillance was almost required and, at least in this instance, done with no ill intent.

<Accompany the girl on her shopping excursion...Honda signed to Mitsubishi. <...I will try to keep tabs on the swashbuckler. When we have gleaned what information we can from them, we will meet back at this spot.>

Mitsubishi nodded and signed a quick <Good luckto his compatriot before he turned to follow AC. Honda began to tail Lir on his way to the blacksmith's store, quick to search for a way to get off of the streets and above the action. The ninja's highly attuned mind worked nearly immediately as he noticed a lodging house with a large banner draped from top-to-bottom of the wall facing him.

Honda scurried up the wall, careful not to grasp the banner too tightly as to tear it and send himself tumbling to the cobblestone below. Eventually, he made it to the rooftop and began to follow his mark across the city's meager skyline.*
Michael
*And so, as the party breaks up... AC decides she'll go shopping, indeed... And looks quite overjoyed that one of the raccons steps up to go with her!*

"Oh, good!" *She grins widely,* "Come on!"

*AC'll dart out the door. Is she just wound up from the caffeine? Needing to warm back up in this cold weather? Just naturally in a hurry? Eager for shopping? Hard to say! But, she every now and then subtly glances at her black-clad companion to see how he moves, how fast, how nimbly...*

*She'll follow the directions the woman had given her earlier, and finds the shops. As she pores over the latest fashions in attractive winter apparel, she peers down — and for the not-even-5' AC, looking **Down** At someone is quite the novelty! — and inquires of the raccoon,*

"I'm very curious! I really hope you don't think I'm rude or too nosy, but I really want to know more about you and your friends! Where did you come from? What do you do? Where are you going? ... And I hope this isn't ... Wait, will this be too hard for you to answer easily when you can write but not speak? Hmmm..."

*She thinks about this one while she tries on a few items, especially a fine woolen cloak of deep blue.*
Evelyn
A cold early winter wind frequently flew over the city, snapping banners in its wake. Thus, as Honda grasped the banner, he went unnoticed. Many banners, in fact, flapped in the wind, so he attracted no untoward attention.

The blacksmith began puffing out black stacks of smoke from its chimney. Although the chimney was hardly a good way to spy, a side window opening to a narrow alley would well allow for a silent shinobi to listen to the conversations happening out front and in the interior of the blacksmith.

As he leaned against the building, Lir dozed off, since he hadn't slept properly for two days at this point. So the centaur's greeting startled him awake.

"What?" Lir slurred. His eye widened at the tall centaur. "Oh. *Oh*," He said, straightening himself. "Uh...," He mumbled, "Pick... Picking up."

As Lir boggled at the centaur, the door to the blacksmith swung open. A middle-aged dwarven woman, her auburn hair and beard neatly beaded and braided out of the way, peered at them as she leaned over to flip the sign from Closed to Open.

"Good morning," She said to the centaur. "Kiros, right? I don't think we've met yet. I'm Bruwilyn Ironmaster. Master Ironmaster's in the back." She then looked at Lir.

"Ah, your order's ready, Master Silivasti," She said, letting the door hang open so that Kiros and Lir could enter. 

Lir followed Bruwilyn inside as she disappeared briefly into the back and returned with a large package.

"Sure you're not demon hunters?" She asked Lir.

"No," Lir replied. "My employer wanted them for protection."

"I see." Bruwilyn unwrapped the package to reveal a longsword and six daggers, all in leather sheaths, as well as a small leather pouch. She leaned over the counter and studied Lir's scimitars.

"Sword doesn't seem your style."

Lir glanced up from examining the weapons. "Oh, it's not for me," He told Bruwilyn.

"Your... Employer, was it? Would be best if he could come in and try it himself, so we could make any adjustments. Specially for a left-hander. Good to have something different to work on."

As Bruwilyn spoke, Lir drew the longsword out of its sheath. It was a sturdy iron weapon... Silvered. Just as the six daggers were. He stepped back and swung it about a bit in his left hand, feeling its heft and balance.

Satisfied, Lir slid the longsword back in its sheath. "I imagine that, if he finds too much difficulty, I can come back and have it altered. He's under the weather at the moment, and can't really leave the house, I'm afraid."

As Lir slid the sword back into its sheath, Bruwilyn studied his hands. "You might do well with a specialized sword for that hand." 

Lir swallowed and shoved his right hand behind his back as Bruwilyn turned her attention to Kiros.

"So, young fellow. A man's sword hand is missing the last two fingers. Makes wielding any normal sword difficult. You need every finger for balance and, more importantly, control. How would you solve this problem?" Bruwilyn asked Kiros. She tested her chin on her hand, studying the young centaur.
Grant
_Kiros slowly nodded, "Ok then.." He smiled slightly before turning slightly at the sound of the door opening. He nods to Bruwilyn, "Aye ma'am." He waits for Lir to move in and carefully walks in behind him.
He listens in as he moves to the back. He checks in with Master Ironmaster and sees that he's working on a project. He nods to him, "Do you need me for anything today? That town down the river needs some help with flooding damage. I am going to take my cart to help out there."
Master Ironmaster looks up from the project, the hammer falling silent as he thinks, "Nothing for now..." His gaze moves over to a small bucket and nods to it, "Those nails will help out." His voice comes out gruff. He takes to the hammer again and goes back to work.
Kiros nods and carefully moves about the smithy and bends down and grabs the bucket, his eyes slightly widening at the quantity before looking back to the old dwarf, "A heart behind that..." He murmurs and heads back to the front.
As he comes up to the front, he hears the conversation come to a close. He pauses as Bruwilyn puts him on the spot, his eyebrow raises slightly, "A basket pommel?" He blurts out. His voice comes out a tad questioning. He moves to head out, careful not to bump everything with his size. He would look between the two before, "I am still learning under your father. He has not gone much into that for bladesmithing..."
A voice comes out from behind them both, "That will be when you come back to town, Kiros." Master Ironmaster comes out from the workshop and smiles at his daughter, "He's still learning..."
Kiros nods and moves on out, heading to his cart to get the small bucket settled._
Pansy
*Mitsubishi was surprised at the speed AC displayed as she made for the shops; perhaps she was a bit more than a spirited lass. The ninja had been around enough magic to know its influence when he saw it and, while he was unsure whether or not the female he now bobbed, weaved, cartwheeled, hopped, and hand sprung to keep up with was a magical being or simply under its influence, he reckoned that she was in some way connected to the arcane. Despite needing to pull off quite a few feats of athleticism and acrobatics to avoid bumping into or being stepped on by the much larger inhabitants of Miller Dale, the shadow warrior didn't seem to be breaking much of a sweat. Mitsubishi's movements were executed professionally and the ambivalent expression in the raccoon's eyes seemed to communicate that this sort of thing, while necessary in order for him to safely traverse a crowd of humanoids, was not a feat that he found difficult.

When the two came to a halt inside of a clothing store, the shinobi looked up to his temporary companion and listened to what she had to say; as he pulled another parchment from the pack on his hip and began to think of how to best answer her myriad of questions, AC would be able to take notice of the weapons an accessories the ringtailed stealth agent wore: on his back lie a curved dao while on his left leg was sheathed a large dagger; two incendiary devices, both with purple plumes of smoke painted on them, sat on his lower back, just to the right of and about an inch above his tail while his pouch sat on his right hip.

<We come from lands far to the east of this place.He wrote. <We usually serve as spies and bodyguards for our master. However, in a battle against his rivals, my allies and myself were thrown into a large, glowing whirlpool and transported to these reaches; we know not where we are or why we were sent here, but we make our way selling our services to powerful people.

When finished, Mitsubishi held his note up for AC-*

*-to read.

Meanwhile, Honda took up a position directly beneath the open window; given its location, the ninja felt that he wouldn't be risking detection if he stood there. The raccoon's ears flattened back against his hood in fear as he heard his prospective employer and the blacksmith's assistant speak of demon hunting; even if the swashbuckler denied the possibility of such creatures being near his master, the Kage Clan's bloodiest and hardest fought battles were always against hellish forces and Honda himself had seen many ninjas enter eternity at the hands, hooves, or talons of some unclean entity. If such monsters would be involved in his job, he may be out of it before it even began.*
Michael
*AC would have grinned appreciatively as Mitsubishi keeps up, and doesn't even look like it was difficult.
At the shop she reached, while she picks out nice, stylish heavier clothes, she'll lean over to peruse Mitsubishi's note,*
"Oooh, a portal, huh? Similar to how I got here! Bodyguards, huh? That explains all the weaponry I saw on you. What were the thingies with the purple marks? ... One minute!"
*She'll ask, and follow the shop clerk to a folding barrier to change behind, and step back out whering a heavier dark blue tunic and black trousers tucked into the boots she already had on.*
"I like these, I'll pick out another just like both of these..."
*She'll proceed to do this, discussing the fabrics with the clerk, haggling over price, and also she'll pick out a heavier cloak than what she had, too, of a dark gray hue.*
*She'll look back to the shinobi,* "You mentioned a master you served. Did this master get thrown through the portal, too? Or just you and your companions? Are they all like yourself? Wish I could hire you, but I'm just a simple street performer who's also taken to helping on a coffee plantation to learn other business, too. ... Well, I could help you find work, I guess I meant help you by hiring you myself. Hehe."
*She'll also pick out two skirts — one dark green, the other dark blue, of longer and heavier fabrics, and a few pairs of thick stockings.*
"How are you and your companions enjoying the weather here? I wonder where I could swim... The river and sea are almost certainly too cold by now. Wonder ig they have hot springs here... I'll get so dry and itchy if I can't swim..." *She grumbles cheerily. It does seem she's pretty irrepressible despite clearly hating the cold.*
"Maybe we'll just have to race some more, or exercise in the park or something, you and me, or some of those friends of yours, too!"
Evelyn
Bruwilyn laughed at both Kiros and her father. "I'm not *Testing* Him, Papa. You know that." She leaned forward on the counter. "Basket pommel, eh? That could do."

Bruwilyn turned to Lir. "So, come back, and we'll see if we can make something for you." The dwarfess grinned at Lir.

Lir, meanwhile, had shrunk away from the conversation, not entirely happy to be spoken about as an experiment. He kept his right hand hidden as much as possible as he fumbled with his purse.

"I'll keep that in mind." Lir's voice came out softly. "I put down a deposit. How much do I owe you, my dear?"

As pain surged down his back, Lir clenched his teeth and watched Bruwilyn rewrap the silvered weapons into their package and handed him a receipt.

"Here's your receipt, with what you owe," Bruwilyn said. She stepped away, studying both her father and Kiros whilst Lir passed the remaining money to her, as well as a bit extra for a tip.

Bruwilyn smiled, taking the money. "Many thanks to you, Master Silivasti," She said as Lir picked up the package and nodded to her.

Before he walked out, though, Lir set the package down on a bench. He grimaced and rubbed his back. He hefted the package again and stepped out of the blacksmith, where the centaur was settling the bucket in his cart.

"I say, my dear fellow. If you've got a bit of time, would you mind helping me get this home?" Lir asked. "I can compensate you for the trouble, of course."
Grant
_Kiros turns his torso slightly to look better at the man, "Hmm? Oh... Sure." He turns his gaze to his cart, his eyes darting to the small barrel supporting it, to the missing wheel and then turns his gaze back to Lir, "Just don't expect a ride..." His voice comes out a bit clipped, annoyance there, but not directed. He moves away from the cart, and turns to fully face Lir, "Go ahead and tie it down on the harness. Where are we heading?" As he moved up to stand next to him._
Pansy
*It took Mitsubishi a while to process AC's line of questioning; if the ninja knew what a machine gun was, or if, indeed a machine gun actually existed in this realm of spirited sprites and clandestine procyons, he would be more than justified in comparing the fairy's benevolent interrogation to one. Nevertheless, shinobi of the Kage Clan were schooled in both perception and professional decorum, so Mitsubishi not only took note of all of AC's inquiries, but also worked to answer them straightaway. Again, there was the sound of scribbling as the raccoon attempted to answer his newfound acquaintance as best he could.

<Yes; a portal conjured up by magic most foul.The ninja's note began. <As for our master's whereabouts, or even if he is still among the living, my comrades and I, unfortunately have no idea.

The smallest of sighs escaped the shadow agent's masked snout and his ears flattened a bit against his hood as he finished the thought.

<The devices with purple clouds on them are smoke bombs; we use them to confuse or distract our enemies. When fighting those who use deception, it is critical to be well acquainted with it. It was said that men of our path were once able to appear in plumes of magical smoke, but we have not been able to find records of this ability yet. As for the weather, it is similar to the climate in some of the more remote regions of our master's kingdom; men of our path are taught to fight in many climates, though we hail from a warmer land.>

As for the sprites invitation to exercise, the shinobi had this to say:

<If you wish to exercise and know a place that we could do so, I would not be opposed; my companions take up positions all around the city, so I am sure that some will join in if they spot us.>*

*Meanwhile, Honda stayed for a short while longer into his hiding spot and watched the swashbuckler exit the blacksmith's shop. The recruitment of the centaur complicated his plans to follow the stranger, but it was hard to deter a shinobi from his task; the two were headed out of the city and into more remote areas, which presented more of a challenge, but a capable ninja could, and oftentimes did, make any environment their hideaway; all he would need to do is change his strategy...*
Michael
*AC nodded, pursing her lips, tapping them with a finger, deep in thought.
Being actually close to 5' tall, she seldom felt like the tall one, but she surely still towered over the diminuative shinobi!*
"A portal... Where was it? Far from here, or nearby? If it's still there, just closed, I **Might** Be able to help you... And you lost your master... Did this master not fall through the portal with you? Or did you get separated since then? ... Maybe your clan and I could help each other. I'm a traveling performer and businesswoman. Trade opportunities, then adventuring in between business. How big and important is your master? Could help you find him, and we can adventure and have fun in the meantime! 
"Especially if you're fun to exercise and train with! There's a big park in this city, come on! Keep up!"
*She dashes off, flipping and 'bouncing' / xpringing off of stalls, barrels, and once or twice a horse and wagon! By how she's glancing back at the shinobi, it might even be she's purposefully choosing a challenging path to test their abilities.
Eventually, they'll emerge into a nice, spacious park. She'll dash down a path — she's fast, but not supernaturally so — till they gain a pristine meadow full of flowers and a nice fountain.*
*She'll turn to face the shinobi, and setting a hand to her sash, ... It ripples and turns to a whip of an unusual greenish-brown leather — it's definitely not cow leather! — which slithers up to her arm, then down to settle in its loops in her left hand*
"So... How shall we exercise? Spar? More obstacles? How do your people usually do it?" *She dances from one foot to the other in eagerness!*
"Could do acrobatics or dancing, too!" *As if she didn't just do **Enough** Acrobatics!*
Evelyn
Lir smiled gratefully to the centaur. "Thank you so much, dear fellow." He shoved a fist into the small of his back, futilely trying to loosen the tightened muscles.

"Ah, I feel I at least ought to introduce myself before I do that," Lir smiled. "Velir Silivasti. Lir, please. And you?"

Lir secured the package to the centaur's harness, then pointed along the road. "About a quarter mile's walk that way, right on the coast."

Lir would indeed lead the centaur out of the main hub of Miller Dale and towards its outskirts, notably avoiding the boats which might have made the trip a bit faster. A few snowflakes began dancing groundward.
Grant
_Kiros smiles slightly, "Kiros..." He waited patiently as the man tied it to the harness, turns slightly to help settle it and then follows the man, "So who is this blade master again? Might be interesting to see how he does with a centaur charging him..." He smiles in a slight jest, "I've ran off some bandits... In time past with just a charge, a yell, and a swing with the war hammer... Skittish bandits..." He chuckles._