As Rhys enters the Cockatrice, Traven averts his gaze and makes a study of Rancid Crabtree, one of the Cockatrice's regulars approaching from half a block distant. Rhys enters through the doors, his random comment that "The bird knows something" causing the large yellow dog standing guard by the outer statue to look up and track Rhys with intelligent brown eyes as the human passes. When Rhys steps over the threshhold, the labrador lifts its head and watches as Rancid approaches.
Smiling at both Frane and Vaja, Rhys orders ale. Vaja breaks off her discussion with Lowel and grabs a glass tankard. Slipping the mug under a spigot and filling the cup past the brim, Vaja places the ale in front of Rhys with a smile of her own. Vaja opens her mouth to offer the day's greeting to Rhys but is cut off as Rowan, accompanied by his booming hobbit voice, enters and plunks himself down at the bar. Filling a smaller half-pint tankard with golden ale, Vaja deposits the drink in front of Rowan with nary a comment other than an arched blonde eyebrow. With her arms crossed in a hint of disapproval, Vaja silently watches Rowan and Wyleck toss back their drink.
Engrossed in serving Rhys and the two halflings at the bar, Vaja misses Baliss's nod of greeting, but Lowel sees and returns the half-orc's nod. Adjusting leather bracers that cover his forearm from wrist to elbow, Lowel strides over to Baliss's table after Luce, one of the Cockatrice's serving maids, fetches whiskey for Baliss. Pulling up a chair and sitting down uninvited, as is Lowel's custom, the human addresses Baliss in low tones. The lilt of Lowel's chin at the elf reading the billets suggests that what he says is about her. "Come in today, askin' ferr work. Vaja took one look at 'er an' pointed at the corkboard, sayin' there warn't work 'ere. Gave 'er name as Lynnya, said she knew the forest well an' sommat 'bout magic." Lowel scratches his head. "Whole conversation in elvish, too. What wit me short trainin' in the fey tongue, can't help but feel it were a miracle o' the Maiden that I understood what them two said." The human has a second appraising look at Lynnya. "Could be prettier, 'specially fer an elf."
Arden enters, her sound effects trailing behind her like a waft of perfume. Traven openly stares at the barkskinned gnome, then with a shake of his head turns to greet Rancid. Bird, however, beats Traven to it and calls out, "There's plenty of space at the bar. The courtyard is open today, too; just walk through those doors there. But stay clear of the birds." Bird punctuates his memorized speech with a raucus caw, then pecks at Phud's earlobe. Traven scowls at Bird and, his voice full of ire, addresses Phud. "Your pet would look good on a spit." Rubbing his stomach, the lanky human grins a smile of crooked teeth and continues obnoxiously, "I'm feeling hungry. Vaja, what's cook fixin' for supper? Roast crow?"
Rancid Crabtree follows Arden into the Cockatrice in short order. Overdressed, and impeccably neat, Rancid is slender with thin mustaches and long hair plaited into a lone braid that falls, corded, down his back. Looking around the room and avoiding Vaja's stare, Rancid seats himself next to Wyleck. With an uncertain smile, Rancid offers up, "'Evening to you, little one. The powers that be have seen fit to grant me the talent of curing wounds, but not the ability to win at the tables." Rancid's breath reeks of absinthe and Wyleck soon finds himself in a veritable fog of the anise smell. "If you're wounded or sick and have a few coins to spare, perhaps we can reach a mutually beneficial arrangement?"
Vaja mutters a quick, "Gods be!" to Wyleck, Rowan, and Rhys as she shoves away from the bar and walks over to where Rancid sits at the bar. With a curt, "Rancid, where's Frane's money? You owe us 8 gold and since ye been gone the last tenday, we're wanting payment right short."
Rancid looks up in horror at Vaja's approach, then clams up as she demands payment. Smiling unctuously at Wyleck, Rancid weakly offers, "So, you see, Wyleck. I'm in a bind. And Mistress here wants her gold crowns."
