He hated being new in town. In fact, he didn’t know what was worse, being new in town, or putting up with the abuse of a cruel master. All his life he had served him. Sure, he was sold at a young age to become an “apprentice”…but all he’d learned was to fight, and take a beating.
Yet, he hated being new in town.
There was something comfortable to him about the consistency of his servanthood. At least then he knew what was coming. But here, in Rhydin, the only thing that was consistent was the inconsistency.
“I escaped for a better life”…his gruff, deep, but strained voice would often say out loud, but to no one in particular. “So, why is it that I’m feeling the urge to return?”
He nearly wept as he thought to himself, “what I could use is a good beating. At least that would feel normal.” At the moment, as if the stars had aligned, he walked past the Outback, and opened the door…
New In Town
-
Mordecai
- Junior Adventurer
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 8:07 pm
- Location: Where ever you find me...
The Bad Taste of Badsider
It wouldn’t take long for his request to be granted. As he moved toward the bar, he overheard some mentioning a fight. He glanced their way, and spoke in his gruff, strained voice. “I just rolled into town. I could go for a beating.”
Almost immediately a stranger piped up, offering a duel which Mordecai gladly accepted. To the ring they went.
The duel starting slow as they circled each other, then both dropped for a sweep. Mordecai then gained a small advantage, pushing him away with a snap kick. That would be the end of Mordecai’s advantage. Morgan would go on to win the match 5-2. During the match, a well placed snap kick by Morgan to Mordecai’s chin split the skin. Believe it or not, Mordecai was secretly thankful for the slight injury.
He took the hand of his challenger as Morgan helped him up. A deep breath, there was something very satisfying to him about that. He stepped toward the bar, poured himself a Badsider brew, and sat down. His first taste of the brew did not go down well. He coughed and sputtered, attracting some attention from a woman leaning against the bar.
“New? Welcome to Rhydin.” Mordecai couldn’t help but notice that the woman was drinking water. Perhaps that was the safest bet.
“Yeah. I’m new. That’s a hell of a welcome though.” He coughed again, giving the drink a smirk.
“That drink is pretty emblematic of this town. It’s called Badsider. Jake Thrash, best brewer in town, makes it.”
“Good to know.” He chuckled slightly, “I guess that’s two beatings I took tonight. The name’s Mordecai.”
“Well met, Mordecai. I'm Jaycy.” She nodded slightly. “And more than Rhydin, welcome to the Outback. Home of one of the two best sports.”
He absently rubbed his chin from the wound in the fight. “The other would be?”
“The Duel of Swords. That takes place over the weekend, in the basement of the Red Dragon Inn. It's called the Arena - or the Annex, some nights.”
“Ahhh. I shall have to check it out. Taking a beating kind of reminds me of home.” His gaze faded a bit as he remembered a seemingly lost place in time.
Jaycy’s tone softened a bit, “Aye? Howso?” Her change in tone seemed to bring him back to the present moment.
He gave a smirk, “Let's just say I'm used to abuse.” He pointed out the various scars on his face, and his right ankle, which seemed to point out at an odd angle. Jaycy was polite in her glance, not ignoring them completely, but not giving them too much attention either.
“Well, I'm sorry to hear that.” She seemed sincere in her comment, and in her following question. “Is that what brings you here? Getting away from that?”
Mordecai studied her a bit before answering. For all he knew he was still being chased. Believe it or not, Rhydin had seemed a safe stopping point…or at least a place to get some rest. But how could he know all the people who might be looking for him? He decided his instinct to trust her was correct. “You could say that. But,” he paused briefly, the lost gaze returning for a moment, “it was still home.” Taking a sip, he winces again, but avoids the cough this time. His strained voice sounds a bit better after the intake.
Jaycy took a sip of water herself. “I can understand that. So, how long have you been travelling?”
“A few weeks, I think. Hard to remember. Have to move slow when in hiding.” Again, he fades for a moment. “What about you? You been here long?”
Jaycy seemed to focus on the rings for a moment, “A little while.” The words hovered there a moment before she turned back to Mordecai, “Aye, a little while.”
Mordecai nodded, feeling as though there was more to that statement than the words themselves. “That long huh?”
Jaycy laughed. “Something like that, but not so long.” She changed the subject. “Drink a little better now? Need some more, something else?”
Mordecai was sliding off his stool as she spoke. He could barely see over the bar once he was standing on the ground. He took another sip, with a grimace. “I suppose it’s an acquired taste. I’m fine, thanks. Probably need to call it a night.”
The two exchanged pleasantries, and Mordecai gave a casual goodbye to Morgan as well before leaving. ‘Rhydin was not so bad,’ he thought, ‘but…it’s just not home.’
Almost immediately a stranger piped up, offering a duel which Mordecai gladly accepted. To the ring they went.
The duel starting slow as they circled each other, then both dropped for a sweep. Mordecai then gained a small advantage, pushing him away with a snap kick. That would be the end of Mordecai’s advantage. Morgan would go on to win the match 5-2. During the match, a well placed snap kick by Morgan to Mordecai’s chin split the skin. Believe it or not, Mordecai was secretly thankful for the slight injury.
He took the hand of his challenger as Morgan helped him up. A deep breath, there was something very satisfying to him about that. He stepped toward the bar, poured himself a Badsider brew, and sat down. His first taste of the brew did not go down well. He coughed and sputtered, attracting some attention from a woman leaning against the bar.
“New? Welcome to Rhydin.” Mordecai couldn’t help but notice that the woman was drinking water. Perhaps that was the safest bet.
“Yeah. I’m new. That’s a hell of a welcome though.” He coughed again, giving the drink a smirk.
“That drink is pretty emblematic of this town. It’s called Badsider. Jake Thrash, best brewer in town, makes it.”
“Good to know.” He chuckled slightly, “I guess that’s two beatings I took tonight. The name’s Mordecai.”
“Well met, Mordecai. I'm Jaycy.” She nodded slightly. “And more than Rhydin, welcome to the Outback. Home of one of the two best sports.”
He absently rubbed his chin from the wound in the fight. “The other would be?”
“The Duel of Swords. That takes place over the weekend, in the basement of the Red Dragon Inn. It's called the Arena - or the Annex, some nights.”
“Ahhh. I shall have to check it out. Taking a beating kind of reminds me of home.” His gaze faded a bit as he remembered a seemingly lost place in time.
Jaycy’s tone softened a bit, “Aye? Howso?” Her change in tone seemed to bring him back to the present moment.
He gave a smirk, “Let's just say I'm used to abuse.” He pointed out the various scars on his face, and his right ankle, which seemed to point out at an odd angle. Jaycy was polite in her glance, not ignoring them completely, but not giving them too much attention either.
“Well, I'm sorry to hear that.” She seemed sincere in her comment, and in her following question. “Is that what brings you here? Getting away from that?”
Mordecai studied her a bit before answering. For all he knew he was still being chased. Believe it or not, Rhydin had seemed a safe stopping point…or at least a place to get some rest. But how could he know all the people who might be looking for him? He decided his instinct to trust her was correct. “You could say that. But,” he paused briefly, the lost gaze returning for a moment, “it was still home.” Taking a sip, he winces again, but avoids the cough this time. His strained voice sounds a bit better after the intake.
Jaycy took a sip of water herself. “I can understand that. So, how long have you been travelling?”
“A few weeks, I think. Hard to remember. Have to move slow when in hiding.” Again, he fades for a moment. “What about you? You been here long?”
Jaycy seemed to focus on the rings for a moment, “A little while.” The words hovered there a moment before she turned back to Mordecai, “Aye, a little while.”
Mordecai nodded, feeling as though there was more to that statement than the words themselves. “That long huh?”
Jaycy laughed. “Something like that, but not so long.” She changed the subject. “Drink a little better now? Need some more, something else?”
Mordecai was sliding off his stool as she spoke. He could barely see over the bar once he was standing on the ground. He took another sip, with a grimace. “I suppose it’s an acquired taste. I’m fine, thanks. Probably need to call it a night.”
The two exchanged pleasantries, and Mordecai gave a casual goodbye to Morgan as well before leaving. ‘Rhydin was not so bad,’ he thought, ‘but…it’s just not home.’
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