Shall We Play a Game?

(OOC – Happy New Year's Eve everyone!)

-Dalen Capital, Valade Estate. AfterNoon, 2 DSTR-

Smiling, Gulazrob offered a minute bow as Kalena introduced him before speaking, "I appreciate the praise, Miss Valade, but I don't think you can proclaim my talent when you have not yet bore full witness. Speaking of which, I would like to speak with you about the current progress of your commission. In private, if you don't mind."

"Of course," Kalena said, a frown creasing her delicate brow for a moment. She was curious what he specifically wished to discuss about it. Perhaps he required some funds in advance in order to purchase certain materials he needed that may be on the expensive side? Gularzob was all about the best and the best usually cost money.

The orc smiled slightly and lifted a hand as he spoke, "No worries, Miss Valade, it is nothing serious. I only wanted to show you a sample."

"Oh!" Kalena said, with a more positive tone of voice. "I will be delighted to see that, and most look forward to it. As you say, in private." She did not want Eliza gossiping about it and have the wrong people wondering why she would want or ever need an enchanted set of armour.

When the purple-haired beauty reached within a few feet of them, Kalena made gracious introductions. “Everyone, may I present Lady Eliza Lavender Telsana. Eliza, this is Baron Kline Lowson, Lafayette Le Renard, and Gularzob Nugbu.”

Eliza gave a curtsy to the group. "A pleasure to meet you all, and thank you Kalena." She closely studied the group. Her eyes fell on Lafayette, she then slid over to Kalena. "Who is the fox? He doesn't look like he is from around here."

Kalena whispered, “He's not. He hails from one of those Franco-Merovingian kingdoms where they all eat snails and frog legs.”

"I am not stepping over some boundaries am I?" Eliza asked, eyeing Lafayette like he were something on the dinner menu.

Kalena made a face. “Heavens no. He's all yours if you want him, Lize.” She turned and regarded him speculatively. “He claims to be a merchant representative of the Dubois Trading Company. They're a big player around where I come from. I plan to introduce him to Queen Thalia once I'm satisfied he's not really some clever assassin.” There was certainly an eccentric charm and genuineness to Lafayette that she appreciated, but some of the things about him had really set off her suspicions too.

Kalena looked around at her other oddball guests, pleased that they had come, even if they did not all seem to be comfortable. Eliza and Lafayette were the perfect party guests being they were a couple of Social Butterflies, but Kline and Gularzob rather unaccustomed to attending high society get-togethers were the proverbial Wallflowers, and for a moment she saw both men drift away to the white marble walls to study her velvet and gold woven tapestries, many of which that had belonged to the previous owner. She had kept what she liked and the hangings, statuary, paintings and other ornamentation that she did not, she had replaced with what suited her own particular tastes.

"So, Gularzob what kinds of unique metals are in this land? Anything of high demand?" Lafayette asked conversationally, the subject in keeping with a foreign trade representative.

Turning, Gularzob looked up at the vaulted ceilings for a second before speaking, "There are not extremely unique metals under Dalen control, but I do know of a few steels you can get if you are willing to pay the price. One of the best steels in the world is Praitine steel from the Timber Crag Kingdom. They keep the purest steel for themselves to arm their military, but they do sell a version that is still superior to any regional steels."

“Some of their purest and best steels must be available on the black market, surely?” Kalena said, wondering just what he was using to forge her armour. She did not want him to spare any expense. “In my own faraway homeland, Herculean steel is the most prized, which I know is stronger than Valyrian steel, but not as good as Mithril, which correct me if I'm wrong, Gular, is stronger than any steel and more valuable than any other metal on earth. How does Praitine compare to these other metals for use in armour and weapons?” The question was meant to put the blacksmith on comfortable ground and also stir Kline's martial interest.

She turned and caught Eliza yawning and smiled. “You know, it will be some time before dinner, and there are still some guests to arrive, including my dear friend Chiren. So let's adjourn for now to the game room, shall we?”

Kalena led them through a few bright, opulent, diamond chandeliered corridors that were lined with beautifully crafted vases filled with fresh flowers. Finally they reached a stylish, teak-panelled room lit with gold-chased lamps. Inside was a large carved ivory chess set, a green covered billiard table, a well-used knife throwing board with jewelled daggers sticking out of it, and a number of ornate, ivory and jade inlaid wooden tables with decks of cards, dice, and gold-coated knucklebones resting neatly on them, a mix of antique chairs and silk divans positioned around the tables.

“What's your game, gentlemen and lady? Tabula, Senet, Mehen, Lions and Jackals?” Kalena asked with charming archness. A slave girl who seemed to come from nowhere brought her a goblet of wine. More slaves appeared from behind tapestries and hidden doors carrying silver trays and crystal serving vessels. “And shall we play for money or keep this friendly and wager only bragging rights?”

Ignoring the slaves like they weren't there, Kalena looked to Kline, knowing that he had only just come into a lot of money from selling off his wine shipment. Eliza was hardly poor, and Gularzob had to be doing quite well for himself. She took a sip of her drink and smiled at Lafayette. “I would be happy to spot you a few hundred gold pieces,” she offered in jestful seriousness.

<Tag – Kline, Lafayette, Gularzob, Eliza, and optionally, Lars, Isai, and Chiren/Jack.>