Welcome to Gaia! ::

Crow wandered through the gates of Taminvale, remembering the last he had been there, on his way to the Water Nation. Everything seemed bigger now, the carriages moving faster, the forge fire burning a little brighter, the stream a little louder. He breathed in the sights and smells of the city. He had taken a small shortcut after parting ways with the theatre troupe. He perused along the streets, looking in shop windows, flipping a single gold coin in between his fingers. As he was passing a dark alley a bald man jumped out and stuck out his knife. "Give me your money" Crow smiled, amused and looked up and down at the man. His knees were locked, and his arms were far too high to do any real damage. "What in the name of the Goddess do you think you're doing?" The man looked incredulous for an instant, since it was rather obvious. "I'm robbing you." Crow shook his head. "Not like that you're not. Here, let me show you." He slapped the man's shoulder, making him bend his knees. "Now you are free to move and manuver." He took the surprised man's arms and moved them lower and closer to his body. "Now you can get in several quick jabs, while at the same time defending your weak points. Now, try it again." The dazed man nodded, and went back into the stance Crow had just shown him. "Give me your money." Crow smiled. "Much better." He patted the man on the head and continued on his way. The man blinked, then turned and made a grab at Crow's coat. "I said, give me your money."Instantly, Crow swirled and leveled them man with a quick blow to the neck, rendering him unconscious. "No." He dragged the man back into the alley, covered him with a blanket and stepped from the aley whistling.

Crow wandered around from shop to shop, admiring the finery. He became a bit peckish and looked around for a pub. There were two.The Hammer and Anvil or The Fox's Den. He stood for a moment, then let Fate decide. He flipped his coin into the air, catching it deftly as it spiraled down. Tails. He made his way towards The Fox's Den, by passing the crowded Hammer and Anvil. He stepped in to find the pub smoky, with a lot of burly looking men looking none to kindly inhis direction. Even at his lean state, he was the skinniest person there. He went up to the bar. "What have you got? I'm looking for a bang." The barteneder prenteded not to notice him. Crow rolled the gold coin back and forth on the table until the barteneder laid down a bubbling mug with an evil grin. "Enjoy." he smiled. Crow shrugged, and felt the eyes of every man in the pub on him. He was a spectacle, a weak boy among men. He smiled to himself and took a long sip. Then another slurp. Then another. Soon the entire mug was empty. Crow raised his glass to the bartender. "Got anything stronger?" There were small chuckles from the audience, but they were soon silenced. "So, you think you're funny eh?" Crow shrugged. "No, I think I could use some liqour." More muffled laughs, again cut off by an angry look from the barteneder. " Borei! Get Out here and show this punk a lesson!" A large man with huge musclesand flowing brown hair stepped up from the back, sitting down across a table, indicating the other seat to Crow. Crow sat, while the barteneder shouted. "Gentlemen! Tonight we have a rare pleasure. Our man Borei, the man who has slain ore than a thousand with just a look, who is well known as the strongest man here in Taminvale, will take on this puny, insignificant punk from out of town. We know how the out of towners.." Crow whispered to Borei over the table. "Good to see you again my friend." Borei nodded. "Likewise."

Crow sat back juggling several sacks of coins, laughing to himself, as several men glared and stuffed their hands in their now empty pockets. Several empty mugs were strewn across the table. Borei had stormed out, after discreetly passing him an address where he was staying with his new wife. Crow turned to the very angry bartender. "Now then, do you have anything stronger?" The throbbing veins standing out in the man's forehead were only envied by those in his neck. "No? I wouldn't expect any anyway. Not a great establishment you have here anyway. Do you even have a liscene to sell liqour here?" The man reached underneath the counter and brought out a large club and charged at him, with several of the men who had lost their money joining him. Crow sighed, shook his head, and then ducked, grabbing his hat as it was left behind him in the air. The club went swinging over him, missing by a long shot. From his low position, he swiped at several of the men's legs, sending them down on top of each other. They all lay in a pile, several seeming to fall into a spooning position. "Isn't that sweet?" said Crow, deftly pulling his sketchpad out of his bag and drawing them, all the while dodgin more blows from the club. "Come on, now, you can do better than tha..." a ringing blow caught him on the side of the head ans sent him flying into a wall. Crow stood on his feet, not eve teetering, but now he was angry. He had let himself get cocky. Now it was serious. He ran straight at the bartender, only to end up behind him and land a crushing blow on his spine. The man made a gasping noise, coughed up blood, and collapsed, dead. Someone ran out to get the guard, but Crow was already gone, leaving a note as he jumped to the rooftops. "Nothing but a case of self-defense sirs. I'm sure you'll understand." The note read, in flowing script. "Also, make sure that when these men wake up, they see this picture. Tah." The note was not signed. On the back was attached the sketch of the men spooning in unconciousness. Crow headed out towards Borei's house, hopping in an open window. "Good evening Borei." "Evenin'" replied the gruff Borei. "Crow, this is Lorelei. Lorelei, Crow. He's a good friend." A pretty woman stepped forward, offering her hand. "How do you do?" Crow kissed the back of her hand. "I am well. Borei, can I talk to you in the other room for a moment?" Borei nodded, and when they got to the other room, Borei wrapped him in a spine-crushing hug. "You old rascal, it's so good to see you." Crow grinned. "Likewise big guy. Borei, I've got a question for you." Borei sat down on a nearby stool. "Anythin'. You name it. I owe you after you saved my tail back in that there well." Crow smiled, remembering how he had found Borei half-drownded, paddling, and tired in the bottom of a deep well. "You're still heavy. Anyway, what do know about a man named Hannan Shadowbane?" Borei's face immediately clouded. "I suggest you leave this place Crow." Crow nodded. "Bor, tell me or I'll pick your mind." Borei looked at him hard. "Then do it. You'll get nothin' outta me otherwise." Crow sighed. "What's the big deal here. He's just a man." Borei nodded and stood. "Aye, but a man with a past. You can sleep here Crow, but you had best be on your way, first thing in the mornin'. And if you're bent on going after Hannan, then may you find him. That's the worst I can wish upon you." Crow tilted his head back to look in the big man's eyes. "What about the man's sister Bor? What about the girl who has never known her family? What about the woman who's out there looking for her brother?" At this time he had floated up so that he was face to face with Borei. "What about Rennara Shadowbane?" The big man just glared at him. "May her soul find rest" With that he went back to his wife. Crow sank unhappily back to the floor, surrounded in shadow and confusion.

Crow looked up at Renna, surpirsed and sheepish. "Oh....hi Renna. I...wasn't expecting to find you here."

Crow shrugged. "I was actually looking for information on your brother." He smiled at her. "I figured the town near where I found your father would a good place to start." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "No one talks about him. It's like they're afraid of him." He raised his voice back to a normal pitch. "And you really do look like hell. What did you do, sleep in a barn?" His eyes showed that he already knew the answer.

Crow sighed. "I'm not telling you a lot of things." He sat down next to her and stared at the ceiling, his head against the wall. "First of all, when I met your brother he tried to kill me. He was trying so hard to see my guts splattered all over the ground. I'm not invincible you know. I have my weak points." He continued, his eyes never leaving the ceiling. "Secondly, I was headed this way anyway. Your father's grave is a few days journey away. I was going to visit it, and see what I could do to thank him. Thirdly," His voice seemed different, sadder. "When he tried to kill me, I told him you were alive. That you were my friend and my spy. He warned me to stay far away from you. Not only that, when I was traveling here, I drew this." He dug his sketchbook out of his bag and passed it to her. It showed Hannan, thrusting a knife ino Renna's chest. ((sorry, I had to steal it.)Crow smiled to himself. "I was worried about you Renna. Your brother is dangerous." He finally looked down from the ceiling and into her eyes. "But since he is the only family you really have left in the world, I'll help you find him. Remember, my drawings don't always come true." His inner voice taunted him. They do when they have that much detail. Remember our mother? He shot back. I can stop this one. The voice was silent.

Crow shook his head. "It's not that, it's just that you....." He shut his mouth, blushing for the barest instant. You encaptivate me, you make me happy, you make me laugh, you mean the world to me. He screamed in his head. "You're a very special woman. What did your mother become?"