The Setting: The Singing Turtle, a bar in the Beast Quarter.
The Turtle is built in the area of the quarter that was never rebuilt after the Night of Small Fires twenty years ago. As such, the architecture here is overgrown with trees, shrubs and vines: very natural-looking. The streets are hard earth with a few large stepping stones to use when it rains heavily.
This is a bar only (no rooms). There are three tables and a private booth, which is not in use. Besides the bartable itself, there is little other furniture than a carved wooden turtle hanging from the ceiling. The turtle has many candles hanging from it which provide the bulk of the illumination. The walls are decorated with a nautical motif. Somebody with artistic talent has painted several murals. The subject matter would make a few humans uncomfortable, as they often depict female beasts in various states of undress. A wide variety of beasts can be found here. Besides the normal Tallon lot, there is a huge badger and a small party of weasels.
There are also two foxes here. One seems to be wandering about sizing up the clientele. He looks slender, either an older kit or a vixen. He or she has a hungry look about their face.
The second is dressed in typical fox fashion and appears to be scrutinizing the first with a disappointed look. He has just been hit by the door as a raccoon, covered with road dust(?) enters the room. The 'coon has a bag slung over his shoulder. He smells a bit musty.

[EDITED on Tue September 17, 2002 @9:21 AM (PDT)]

Faliol turns to the raccoon that has just hit his tail and says, "Sorry for blocking the door." He moves back to unblock the entrance.

He turns his attention back to the older fox and moves closer. "Excuse me for staring, I thought you were someone I knew..."

"Please be beggin' Ol' Riccoco's pardon will ya now?" The speaking raccoon bobs his head, one hand resting its baggage (a slim trident) against the wall before showing it palm up to the fox. He grins knowingly, showing a bit of pointed teeth and bobs his head again as the fox turns away.
The raccoon shrugs a little and moves to reclaim his trident as he looks about, his lips smacking thirstily. Muttering to himself, he moves towards the bar and presumably the 'tender, "What a night... Nothin' a drink or two won't... If only... ...Dreamleaf."

The bartender is an otter, hiz muzzle grey with late middle age. He wears a bandana and has a black eyepatch (sporting a diamond in the center) over his left eye. A barely visible scar shows under his fur on that side. He seems to be as friendly as he is fat, though, and walks up to you as you seat yourself.
"A pleasant evenin' to ye, Young Mister Raccoon. Ye're not a regular here and that's a truth. What can I get fer ye? I o'erheard ye as ye came in, and if it's Dreamleaf ye'r looking fer, I believe I can boil ye up a fine brew. Ain't got nae beds, though."
He seems pleasant enough.

[EDITED on Wed September 18, 2002 @7:38 AM (PDT)]

The raccoon, shakes his head irratably, though, the knowing, toothy grin on his features disseminates any hostiliy, "Ol' Riccoco don't be needing Dreamleaf." At this the raccoon swings a bag from off of his shoulder, "It be dreamleaf he already got and would be likin' to get rid of!"

Riccoco turns to look over the two foxes as they sit down at a table and begin speaking, and says to the otter, "Pour me up the house brew, I'll be over with the foxes, I 'magine."

Stepping over to the table, Riccoco ducks his head to the table's occupants, "Riccoco be biddin' you each a good eve. He didnae mean to ignore you, he just had a thirst to be quenched. Ol' Riccoco don' know any Jareek and Riccoco be the better off if no Jareek to be knowin' 'im too!"

"Greetings to you, Riccoco! Forgive me rudeness, but perhaps someone behind the Merchant Hall will give you a good price for your dreamleaf? If you don't mind going the long route via the Promethean Docks, we could show you the way." Faliol looks at Cas' face to detect any hint of irritation at his presumption. For all he knows, Cas may not wish the raccoon to join their search.

Faliol is slowly sounding less human and more beastlike with each passing minute...

Faliol had not expected a response, and has inadvertently been rude to the raccoon. "The fault is entirely mine." Looking closer, realization that he has never seen this raccoon dawns upon him. "You are new here, correct? Welcome to the Singing Turtle!"

This time he turns to keep both the raccoon and the fox in sight at the same time. "Faliol, caravan guide and scout, at your service." He bows low and swishes his tail in greeting. "Could I impose upon the two of you for a moment? Have either of you recently seen a fox named Jareek?" With a wave of a hand towards Cas, "From behind, I briefly mistook you for him. He has a little gray in the fur, stands a little shorter than I, and he has a scar upon his nose given him by a Rat slaver many years past."

While the two think about his question, Faliol rambles on nervously. "I wanted to find him before I left on the next caravan, providing they will hire me." Aware of the passage of time, Faliol nervously fidgets.

Cas shakes his head, "Alas, I have not heard of the one named Jareek. It does appear, however, we have come here for similiar reasons. I seek to sign on as a guard for a caravan, you seek to navigate. It seems that all we lack is the caravan itself."

You aren't quite sure what just happened there but if you had to take a wild guess, it would seem Cas is now working with you trying to find a job. "If you find someone who is looking for extra paws I'll get us hired."

Gesturing to a table, Faliol seats himself so that he can see the door easily. He waits for the other fox and the raccoon, to be seated (if they so desire).

"Sounds good. Let me tell you the plan I was following when I mistook you for Jareek. In my opinion, the most lucrative caravan, for us, would go to Adala via the Lizard Road. Such a caravan would leave via the Promethean Docks. My plan was to journey to the Docks first, just in case a caravan made an early departure. Then I would work my way back to the Merchant Hall via the route a caravan would most likely travel. Once at the Merchant Hall, we could check behind the building for caravaners. Sometimes they gather there. At that point, there is another building that I need to make sure does NOT contain Jareek. If we have failed to locate a caravan by this time, we can travel towards the Uzon Gate, the other likely departure point for caravans."

A curious expression crosses Faliol's face. To the other fox, "I just realized that I don't know your name. What shall I call you?"

Cas takes a seat with little hesitation. He pays full attention to Faliol as he talks and rarely lets his older eyes drift from the conversation. Only once Faliol has finished does he speak, "Ah yes, my name I go by is Cas. I also haven't seemed to catch either of your names."

Cas offers enough space in the conversation to allow the younger fox and raccoon a chance to introduce themselves. Otherwise he continues on.

"I think that your plan has great promise Faliol," he half nods his head as he says the name as if trying to see if he pronounced the name correctly. "I do have two, um, concerns with what you suggest. The first is this rather immediate concern of yours to avoid Jareek. The second concern goes back to my experiences from the past of working with a caravan. People who tend to skulk behind the buildings hunting down caravaners tended to be less than respectable fellows."

Feeling that he had given the wrong impression in his last speach, Cas suddenly corrects himself, "I do wish to get a job but I don't want to get us into a deeper fix if it can be helped."

Faliol (he pronounces it "Fa" as in father, "li" as in Lee, and "ol" as in roll) points to his chest and says, "Faliol be pleased to metcha both and he wishes to apologize to you good sirs about giving the wrong impression of his foster father. Jareek is not a fox I am avoiding, but one that I wish to see before I journey with the caravan. I want to make sure he is not in trouble or sick. I just want to be sure he is ok before I leave. He is not my sire, but he raised me like his own pup."

"Cas, the reason people gather behind the Merchant Hall is that the Merchant Hall charges stiff fees for the formality of introducing caravan masters to caravan workers. If we handle the introduction ourselves, it will not be exactly legal, but it is rather commonplace. We will keep more of our wages for ourselves, to boot."

Cas stops for a moment in "his" scan of the bar. Sizing up the fox who has just spoken to him. The face is unfamiliar other than sharing a good number of features of kin.

Cas shakes his head, "No, you are correct I do not believe we have ever met." He starts to turn away but stops himself, "Actually, I did just help Melia set up a jewelery shop not to long ago. If you have been there you might have seen me."

{Edited by the GM for visibility}

[EDITED on Wed September 18, 2002 @7:38 AM (PDT)]

The bartender is an otter, hiz muzzle grey with late middle age. He wears a bandana and has a black eyepatch (sporting a diamond in the center) over his left eye. A barely visible scar shows under his fur on that side. He seems to be as friendly as he is fat, though, and walks up to your table.

"Ah! Fine night for a drink, eh me furries? What'll it be? Sorry Mister Raccoon, but I don't be needin' any dreamleaf. I got a new bag cheap last Marketday.
"as for the rest o' ye, what's yer pleasure, eh?"

[EDITED on Thu September 19, 2002 @9:21 PM (PDT)]

OOC: Can we start a new thread perhaps? I'm getting a little confused about where I should be responding.

Riccoco takes a seat with the two foxes, one hand coming up to tug softly on his whiskers, "There be caravaners seeking work and help behind the Merchant House at this time 'a night? Ol' Riccoco thought it just be the right time for drinkin' and sleepin' about now." Occassionaly, the raccoon's gaze flicks towards the door of the fine establishment.

As the fat otter approaches the raccoon turns towards him, while digging into a small pouch at his side, "Whatever their pleasures, diamond Eye, Ol' Riccoco would like to pony up the price... and maybe a coin or two for you, iffin' you can help a country raccoon out with a bit of the word about Tallon."

Please go to At the Sign of the Singing Turtle, Part II"