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[xelada]

Kay steps out from behind the entourage, never one for being the centre of attention, she was still getting used to presenting herself without Baba Havran to guide her.
Well put Lady Vincenza, it would do us no good to rush ahead without thinking. When we have some time, and a better idea of what exactly we are dealing with, I shall look over any notes I still have in my possession, there surely must be something among them that can help us.
But first:
Kay steps over to the bar and takes a seat, rifling through her pockets, trying to remember which one contained the coins she was looking for.
The local speciality please. I enjoy learning about the people and places I visit, and what better way to learn than from drink?

[SeriousConcentrate]

First he answered Jahid.

"Yes, very closed off. / I can never return home. / I've yet to miss it."

Afterward, someone not of the group came forward. Though the woman spoke English, as they all were, Sasaki knew enough from his linguistic studies to hear a telltale sing-song tone to the way she pronounced her words.

"Those musical tones / You must hail from the mainland. / What is your name, miss?"

[Smoke Mirrors]

From his position at a back table of the tavern, Jonathan had been listening to the conversations occurring as he got his bearing as to where he seemed to be. This certainly seemed to be somewhere in the near east, from the smells and sounds, and by the accents he heard around him, despite the significant use of English, there wasn't another servant of The Queen around. Circumstances like this... they were familiar for all the wrong reasons.

And then there was the conversation itself.


_{"Monster hunters, of course they're monster hunters."} he spoke under his breath. The final piece of this familiar nightmare he thought he'd left behind years ago had apparently walked into the bar.

He needed... well, a lot of things. To wake up from this nightmare, a way back home, to know what was going on... but first, he needed a drink.


"Master Barry, a glass of your strongest spirits, if you ple-"

He paused, reaching into his pockets. It seemed that whatsoever force had changed his clothes had not seen fit to provide him with any funds.


"Dash it all!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the table, before calming down. "Apologies, ignore my order, unless you're willing to accept some other form of payment. It seems all my funds were left home."

[SeriousConcentrate]

Sasaki said nothing but placed a few more coins on the bar and made an 'after you' gesture to Harker, indicating he was fine with paying for his order.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

That poetry. Guifei raised an eyebrow.

Definitely from Nippon; their poetry style was unmistakeable. She swayed from left to right, hands behind her back.
"My, my, so hasty to ask. If you must know, my name is Guifei. And from how you speak, you must be from Nippon, no?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Indeed, I hail from / The land of the rising sun / As people call it.
My traveling name / Is Sasaki Chimazen. / Well met, miss Guifei.
To elaborate / I am here to ply my trade / Inside that castle.
The lord of that fort / Must be powerful indeed. / A worthy challenge."

He raised his cup in a sort of toast.

[Solymr]

Barry grabbed a couple more bottles from behind him.

: For the lass, a glass of Pazin biska should do well. As for ye, Englishman, nae worries, we're all accostumed to the castle's effects on people. How 'bout a glass of ma own made whiskey? The auld familiar taste of the highlands will ease yer troubles.

[ctsun]

"Let's assume you're the real deal. You're not the first I've heard from who tried to reach that accursed castle. The shroud of mist that surrounds it seems to keep intruders away by messing with their sense of direction. Can walk forward all you want and still end up going away from the castle. And even without it, there's rumors of all kinds of security measures before the gate. Corrupted spirits that could instantly turn people into demons. Countless skeleton arms buried under the earth ready to grasp, trip and strangle anyone within reach. A gatekeeper that is immortal and invincible. If that is what people have to deal with, I'd shudder at the mere thought of what may be within the castle walls... ... If you don't know how to overcome these things, you being a monster hunter is meaningless here."

Sigurd had been fairly quiet this evening, being fairly busy chugging away at his ale, a few empty mugs already scattering the floor around his seat, and keeping an ear on what rumours ran amuck about this 'Demon's Castle' that sounded as though it has sprung out of Hel itself.

Well, he managed to find a lot of christmen and other assorted strangers but not much on information. Well, that is until he heard this talk of dangers within.

"Sounds a challenge!", Sigurd simply laughed heartily, thumping his latest mug against the table. "A challenge deserving of worthy men!" Mayhaps even one worthy of the Allfather's halls. "If such talk was meant to frighten, then those which have come before have simply not been worthy men!"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Aiya, that castle seems so troublesome."
Guifei taps her chin.
"Sasaki...you're not that demon slayer they've been talking about, right?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"You could call me that. / I've slain a thousand oni / To protect others.
'Musei Higosha' / That is what we were known as / Back in my homeland."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Thank you kindly, Mister Sasaki, and Master Barry." Jonathan said, giving the bartender a respectful nod and the other man a bow of his head as he took the drink.

The first swallow of the whisky steadied his nerves a bit.


"A demon castle..." he muttered "Brings back bad memories."

Nursing the drink, Jon began to run through the conversation he had heard up to this point, before one piece of information stuck. Nippon... the land of the rising sun... that was Japan, yes? People had been obsessed with the country ever since it opened it's borders about 40 years ago, there'd even been a Gilbert and Sullivan Opera that he'd been taken to, but the Middle Eastern man had said that borders had closed only 60 years ago? That would mean...

Just as soon as his nerves were steadied, they were once more shaken. He desperately wished that he could tell himself the man was just wrong, but looking around again, everyone was dressed rather... oddly, and the last time he'd ignored a bad feeling and the words of those around him, when a demon castle was on the horizon...


"Forgive me," he did his best to keep his nerves from showing "but I believe I'm still on the... Julian calendar. Could someone tell me the year, month, and day? I think I might want to send a letter later."

[adzi]

"...If I didn't blunder up something on the way here, today would be 16th of April, 1696 Anno Domini..." - Jahid informed Jon.

[ctsun]

"Aye. I have heard tell that it be thirteen winters since a mighty clash at Vienna. Though, I cannot begin to ask why it is that you ask such a thing."

[Smoke Mirrors]

Without saying another word, or blinking, Jon downed the rest of his drink.

[Solymr]

: Must be an important letter.