Not welcome here!! }{ OPEN

[thanh]

The Imperial Guard got off the ship that brought him across the sea from his land. He was amazed by the sounds around him, but confused by it all. He walked toward the town but was stopped by a man who spoke in the strangest of languages. "Excuse me, sir...It's a six pence for payment into Valear. And please sign your name here..." He spoke in his native tongue of NanGa, "Excuse me? I don't understand." "What did you say?"

"Good, sir, may I pay his fee for him," said an educated voice, behind him. He turned to see a noble- Who looks to be a diplomate, returning from his home land. He handed the man a copper coin with a big 6 on it and said to Thanh in NanGa, "Better learn this language fast...here's a book..."

"From NanGa to Valear in 42 weeks..."...."So, I've got most of the year to learn this dumb language these people here speak? Great," Thanh told himself outloud, knowing people here don't understand NanGa, except for the noble man.

"Okay, now the payment's settled...please put your name here..." The man pointed to a piece of paper. The only word he understood was "Name." Which is similar to NanGa's way of pronouncing it. Thanh took the sheet and wrote- again in his country's writing system...Three characters, the two character's seperated by a hyphen. In Valear's writing style it'd be Thanh Quang-Phan.

[Ragnus]

Krauser VonDravenholm had not had a pleasant trip. The boat had been particularly unruly and he didn't enjoy the sea in the first place. Following him closely was his ever-veiled sister, Marguerite. She seemed unperturbed by the weather, or anything for that matter. Looking back at her sadly, Krauser sighed heavily. Walking further, Krauser spotted a strange individual, one whose dress he recognized from his various studies. A man actually from NanGa? How very strange...I've only heard legends and second hand accounts...

[thanh]

Thanh was glad not to be wearing his Imperial Armour. The agile body he was blessed by was kept down on the ground due to the weight the armour put on his entire body, although, getting use to the body made him more agile than he had been before. He still had, strung on his back a Dao sword from home. Wraped was long 9.8 foot rope with a metal ball, handing down, on the end. On the metal ball was a red cloth. Several of the citizens of this town, marked "Tamasha" on the board, gave him a cold look. Some whispered, saying, "A man from NanGa? What's he doing here?" The guard didn't understand these people anyway, so it was useless to start an arguement, not knowing what to say in the first place. He turned to see a mysterious man, who had got off the boat after him and pondered to who he was- he never saw that man on the boat before...oh well.

Thanh entered a small Inn, pulled the book out and look around for the rightt phrase to say... He found it and said, messily, not knowing how to pronounce what is there. "Mahy Ai pleAsEh hahveh A rOm?". "Pardon?" The in keeper replied..."Oh, right, pronounciation-" He muttered to himself- He turned the book and put it infront of the man's face and said in NanGa, "There...read". "Oh, may you please a room?". "Oh, so that's how they go about it...Yay, I learned something." He comgratulated himself, sarcastically. "Right this way, young sir..." The guard followed closely behind. The Inn Keeper opened a room marked with a symbol he recognized as...24... The Inn keeper gave Thanh the key after he opened the door. "The upkeep is 4 dollars a week, can you handle that?" Thanh knew not what the man said so he nodded. "Good," said the innkeeper.

As Thanh started to unpack his stuff, in his temporary living space, five men entered the room. two of them was big-muscled, one was a tall, skinny man, who looks like he's hadn't eaten anything for weeks. Another wore a neatly tucked shirt yet baggy pants which doesn't go together. The last one was a short, stubby fellow. He held out a broken beer bottle towards Thanh and said, "NanGa, huh? We don't like NanGa people. Get out of town before put you in your place." Thanh, again didn't know what they said, but from the tone of the midget's voice, it seemed like an insult. Thanh stood there, not saying anything. "Very well then, NanGa!" He said it as if NanGa was a swear word. One of the bigger men charged at Thanh

Out side the Inn... a large bulky man crashed the second floor window of the small inn and came crashing down on a food caravan. The Imperial Guard exit the building soon later, shaking his head. He turned his attention to that man he saw before and wondered. He then began to look around for that man in the dark robes.

[saerin]

Saerin smiled upon stepping off the ship and breathed in the rich urban air. Although he loved the sprawling plains he had known with the Cheza'rai nomads, he also enjoyed cities and towns like Tamasha. He'd never been to Valear before, but his father had, and had taught him the language. That would be useful, for he'd be staying here indefinitely to train and become stronger for when he returned to his homeland and avenge his brother.

Saerin quickly scanned the other people leaving the ship in order to make sure that none of the Coliseum-hired assassins had followed him here. He was sure they hadn't, because of the vast expanse of sea between here and his country, but he wanted to double check just in case.

"Better safe than dead..." he muttered in Valear, trying to get into the rhythm of using the language constantly. "Or is it sorry?" He heard right away that he had an accent different from the others talking in Valear and hoped that they'd be able to understand him well enough.

Saerin finally hoisted his rucksack over right shoulder and placed his left hand on the hilt of the sword that hung at his waist, heading into the town and completing all necessary immigration paperwork. His clothes were tattered and dusty, old gray cloth pants, a dirty old beige shirt, and some leather boots he'd bought before he had left. Needless to say, the people gave him strange looks and tried to avoid him. Saerin became slightly nervous with all these eyes on him until he saw another strangely dressed man. The man was dressed much differently than himself, but he could tell that he was an outsider to these people too. He hoped that his grasp of a few languages would help him out.

Upon grabbing his attention, Saerin made a universal gesture with his hand, asking his language.

[Ragnus]

Krauser turned towards the stranger. Seeing his gesture, he spoke up. "I speak several. To whom do I speak?" Krauser had many enemies, and was always very careful. His hand rested on the comforting binding of his book. Krauser's eyes were piercing, full of bitterness and sorrow, and he looked upon all with suspicion.

[thanh]

Thanh walked out of the Inn, calmly, muttering to himself in NanGa- "Damn, wasn't that a fantastic welcoming?" People behind him was fussing about the big guy with orange juice, bits of pine apple and watermelon over him. He looked up to see these two men, speaking foreign languages, which he guess is also Valear. He pulled out the book and turned to one of the pages..."Daw youw guays spehahk NanGa?" He sounded like he belonged in a mental patient. He then spoke in his own language hoping they'll understand it..." Do you speak and understand NanGa?" Thanh unstrung his meteor hammer, which happens to be one of his favourite weapons from the monks. He figured they to will give him another 'warm' welcome, like those at the Inn.

[saerin]

Saerin was a caught a little off guard at his demeanor, which appeared to be cold and unfriendly. He paid it little mind however and began to speak in Valear. "I am Saerin Nordrum, a traveler. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance." Upon these words leaving his mouth, he noticed another strangely dressed man and heard him speaking NanGa, a language his father had also taught him, and switched languages.

"Why yes, sir, I do. I'm not sure about our fellow here though," Saerin trailed off, waiting for the other man to reply to his indirect question.

[Ragnus]

Switching dialect flawlessly, Krauser began to reply. "Yes, I speak NanGa. Good to make your acquaintance Saerin. I am Krauser VonDravenholm, and this is my sister, Marguerite." Krauser gestured towards the veiled woman behind him. She was strangely silent, and did not seem to comprehend anything that went on around her. "I am a...scholar of sorts. Now, who are you, sir?" He gestured towards the newcomer.

[thanh]

"I do believer I didn't catch your name. unfortunately I was never taught the tongue of Valear," The Guard explained, "He turned to the man who self-proclaimed himself a scholar, "My name is Thanh. Now, if you two are gonna give me a warm welcome like those idiots back at the Inn, do so at your own risk," He looked to the young lady, Miss Marguerite, "Terribly sorry, miss, I didn't mean to be so rude," He said, formally, to her. He then looked over to the other two and apologized, "Sorry, I was attacked by a group of maniacs, please forgive me.

[Ragnus]

"Quite alright, Thanh. I know what it's like. Still, be assured that I have no intention of harming you. Tell me, what is an Imperial Guard doing here? Do you have an errand to run, or are you simply exploring?"

[thanh]

"I was banished, good sir," He explained, "which is why I don't have Imperial Armor on, and that's as far as i'm going to speak out to, it's a long story anyway and I might bore you." He then wrapped the meteor hammer around his waist. He looked up at the other one who spoke in Valear first then NanGa. "Can you please repeat what you said, only in my language? I unfortunately am not use to speaking NanGa." He pulled up the book, "Although I lack the knowledge of a second language does not make me stupid..."

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James's ears had perked up the second he had heard "banished." He had been watching the newcomers come off the boat and these two particular fellows seemed interesting enough. AN ex-Imperial and a NanGa, that is a pair he did not see everyday. HE continued to listen in on their conversation, before deciding to make himself known. He pulled back the hood from his cloak and secured it around the waist of his full body body armor, a stunning black among the crowd. He walked forward among them, deciding to grab the ex-Imperial's attention. "My my, now banishment seems serious? Now if this gentleman does not wish to ehar it, I believe I would be far more intrigued to learn of your...misfortune."

[thanh]

Thanh turned coldly at the other man who had came into there coversation. "My father was sent on a suicide mission the emporer knew was unbeatable. The emporer send 60 men- 60 men, many of them farmers and peasants and it lasted 3 minutes in a battle against thousands. They said that my father was the last of our soldiers to die in battle, that day. I took vengence upon the emporer, killing the guards in the forbidden city. I was then captured and prisoned. Thanks to the general a good friend of my father's the emporer had me banished instead of killed. Does that answer your question?" He spoke to the man in a unfriendly tone.

His nose soon picked up a strange scent from somewhere. he sniffed around for a second and the turned to the one, the scholar claimed as 'marguerite'. To hide this one fact he went over to a food vender and tried his best to ask for an apple.

[Ragnus]

Although he could not place the expression, he had seen Thanh give his sister a strange look. Experience had made Krauser careful, and he had no desire to be unwittingly discovered. Still, he was curious about the man in black. Perhaps a simple change in subject... "Well, if I may ask, who are you?"

[Elf Prince Tekkarro]

James laughed, red twinling in his eyes, quickly disappearing back to an icy blue. "Easy my friend, I did not mean to upset you. I was only curious of your exile. I apologize for my disrespect." he said, trying to be polite and as regal as possible. James watched the soldier walk over to the fruit stall and sighed. "Tempermental people here, huh?" a voice echoed through his head, but he quickly shook it away. He heard the other man or his "sister" speak. He turned and came back to the present. He bowed deeply. "James Tekkarro, at your service. I am also a foreigner, new to this land. From the Northern Elf Kingdom of Glerindrel, you may have also heard it as 'The Crystal City.'" he explained.