[CENTER][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210130/334b2832d63f1ff04639597363eb00bd.png[/img][/CENTER]

[indent][indent][indent][color=gray][sub][right][color=#87c735][b]Location:[/b][/color] Wayfarer's Retreat -- The City of Thorinn, Aetheria[/right][/sub][/color]
[hr]Alex watched as more wayfarers made their way into the hall, each brimming with a level of vibrance he'd never seen in people back in the real world. One of his brother's friends had cynically said something about that once, about people using games to get away with being the worst version of themselves. Alex had disagreed then and he disagreed now. Singing, free food, banter, and all from a group of people who were mostly strangers. To him, this was what people could really be, outside of a society that forced them to fit into small boxes. He knew that better than anyone else. 

His enthusiasm leaked into his posture and grin, even as the man sitting closest to him tried to put a damper on things. 

[color=#87c735]"Of course I do blind runs, [i]dude[/i],"[/color] he affirmed quickly, cutting his bout of laughter short. It felt like he was being put on the spot. [color=#87c735]"I've been sticking around my brother's guild a lot. They're into this gaming stuff, so they've been teaching me the ropes for raids like this one."[/color] Though he could only faintly process it, he felt that hadn't been the most reassuring thing to tell a couple of players more experienced than him. At least, if any of his previous quibbles with anyone who took this thing seriously were any indication. 

The siblings continued their lighthearted quarreling, until they at last remembered he was there. [color=#87c735]"Hah, yeah, I sew a lot on here. I'm more of a woodworking guy, but robes and leather are what people pay for. End up with a nice amount of cash to buy gear with,"[/color] he replied to the sister of the duo. 

His eyes had been avoiding her, but the topic had basically made it impossible. Kalie Augustine, one of the bigger fish in the clothing world. He'd seen her wares at the markets, the jaw-dropping brocade and lace being put into them. It made his designs look like ornamental sacks of potatoes. He had a more utilitarian way of going about things, so their customers rarely overlapped. Still, he couldn't help but be mesmerized, as even the way she walked through the hall carried the same level of elegance as her work. Had he been a bit more entranced, he might not have even noticed her approaching them.

[color=#87c735]"...sounds good!"[/color] he sputtered out, snapped out of focus by the giant woman named Alja. Before he could ask her what she meant by a servant of evil, she had marched off, leaving him to awkwardly chuckle to himself. 

Kalie introduced herself after, keeping up her act. He always wondered what was going on inside the minds of these dedicated roelplaying types. Didn't it get tiring pretending to be someone else? That was his main reason for having joined Pariah at least, escaping from that chore. [color=#87c735]"My name's Alex. I'm not big on roleplaying, no... but that doesn't make me a newcomer!"[/color] he blurted, after fully processing what she had just said. 

 [/indent]

[/indent][/indent]