Icebergian longhouses certainly lived up to their name. From the front they looked triangular in shape with steep roofs, but they extended backwards far more than the homes of other countries. Probably to make up for the lack of more than two floors, if Nadine had to guess. Other buildings used for businesses looked like they were topped by upsidedown boats of massive sizes. The people living here were just as simple and robust as the town’s architecture. A community of hunters, warriors, and basic tradesmen. Maybe that’s all you really needed though when you lived in the middle of ice cold nowhere.

As the demi-human wandered through the streets looking for a place to warm up and find food she didn’t bother trying to hide her crocodilian tail. While she had a jacket on she didn’t wrap up her tail with cloth; the casual side to side sways of the appendage was enough movement to keep blood flowing. A lot of buildings had outdoor racks for drying furs and leathers, but those didn’t bother her in the least. If some idiot wanted to try and skin her tail they were welcomed to try. The sun was beginning to set in the distance as she spotted something promising: a hanging wooden sign with the words ‘The Frosty Pint’ painted on it. A lot of loud voices sounded like they were enjoying themselves inside the building.

She opened the front door and stepped inside, feeling instant relief from the cold outside. A large fire was roaring in the middle of the pub venting smoke up to a chimney in the roof. Icebergians crowded the place singing and shouting and drinking, all in celebration of the end to another day. Ignoring the ruckus, Nadine made her way to the counter. The smell of food was beginning to make her stomach growl. Her presence didn’t go unnoticed, as visitors were rare in such an isolated community. She got halfway to the counter before someone grabbed her tail.

“Well lookit this, lads! Something crawled outta the Svartmire and fancies itself a drink!” The man was almost a head taller than Nadine, with a bushy blonde mustache and beard below his icy blue eyes. The furs of his clothes suggested he was either a hunter or a trapper, and atop his head was the head of a bear fashioned into a hat. “What’s the matter lass, the pond scum gettin a bit low?”

The man was drunk. His compatriots were drunk. Nadine could have forgiven the insults if she had the patience to. Her golden eyes almost glowed in the firelight as she glanced back silently with a calm but alert stare. She didn’t think the man was worth words, so her tail forcefully yanked itself out from the man’s grasp. Just as quickly her tail then whipped right back and  smashed into the back of the man’s hand, breaking bones with a chorus of crunches.

She ignored the oaf’s pained cries of confusion as her gaze shifted to the rest of the tavern’s patrons. The noise had died down as people stopped to look at the commotion. Many eyes were on her, but the only people moving were friends of the hunter shoving the man towards the door laughing at his misfortunes. Nadine rolled her eyes irritably with a shake of her head before heading to the counter again.

Simple country, simple people.

Through frigid nothingness Kannon trudged, trampled white left in his wake. Dressed in a cloak that fell to his knees, he roamed the savage country. Bound for Baska he found himself journeying across the arctic expanse of Iceberg. Empty and cold it was an unkind land to outsiders and frequently tested their mettle. The daemon’s steps eventually brought him to dual adventurers gathered around a fire. Sat opposite of each other was a burly man and a slender woman. Their garbs implied they were typical hunters, most likely natives to the area he presumed.  Kannon exchanged glances with the pair before either of them spoke. “Would you like to join us?” False sincerity escaped her lips, at least that’s what his instincts told him. Though the summoner wouldn’t allow either of them to know of his suspicions. Instead, he accepted her offer and took his place among them.  


Knees bent and fingers spread wide, he bathed in the fire’s glow. Warmth crept up dark skin saturating frozen limbs in cherished radiance. It felt like a millennium since the daemon last felt heat upon his body. Even in such a precarious situation he couldn’t help himself. Wandering oculars fell to the side where they observed a dagger by the woman’s side. After noticing his wandering eyes, she quickly slid the weapon back into her satchel. “So, what brings you through these lands?” Worried her “prey” would catch on the huntress changed the subject. “I am just traveling.” Kannon responded with a grin. Her intentions were clear, and the oaf’s menacing stares only made them more apparent. “Well, I have to get going.” Once bowed legs became erect again, and the shroud he wore re-assumed its position.


“That’s too bad.” Dripping with sarcasm her voice penetrated the night. “Oh? Why is that?” Faux curiosity spoke in his stead, but Kannon already knew the answer. “What?” She screamed, urging the daemon to turn around. From the dark a tendril coiled around her arm, forcing the woman to drop the dagger she held.  Her barbaric friend withdrew his sword ready to act. Unseen fingers danced in anticipation of the brute’s advance.  Another yell cut through the air leaving only silence behind. A man’s arm laid stiff betwixt a maw wet with saliva. Hunched over and hungry an otherworldly creature feasted on the brute. Meat slathered in scarlet slithered slothfully across exposed flesh, a dead woman’s body in its grip. Without a purpose to complete Kannon dismissed the beasts.

He smirked; the daemon enjoyed brutality as much as his “kin” so he was grateful for the distraction. Thankfully, they were in the middle of nowhere, so he didn’t have to worry about drawing attention to himself either. No longer menaced by the duo Kannon took the chance to sleep.  But first he donned a new robe he’d hidden with his knapsack. It would be hard to explain blood-splattered clothing to even the most openminded of people.

Eventually, he reached a town brimming with life. Simple people lived here, and it reflected in their garb and behavior. Born from humble beginnings himself he found a strange kinship with them. Even still they were, but cattle to predators such as he. Possessed by hunger, Kannon looked for the nearest tavern and with luck he’d found it quicker than expected. A man was being pushed out the door by a rowdy group of men. Their friend bemoaning his newly broken hand. Kannon wondered what could have happened, but in such a rowdy place who could tell?  Moving past the men he entered the bar, its innards filled with noisy people. It was then his eyes fell upon a woman with a crocodilian tail. She was a demihuman not unlike those common in Savannan.  She seemed out of place here much like he was, but Kannon couldn’t be sure.

With swift motions he took his place at the counter. The bartender was a big and gruff man comparable to the others that lined the tavern. He was unfamiliar with the land’s cuisine, so he ordered the meatiest dish they offered. Cooked fish intertwined with some undefinable slab of meat sat in front of him. Famished from the long trek even this humble meal looked fit for a king. “Hey, I will pay for whatever she orders.” He motioned to Nadine.“I could be wrong, but I take it you are also traveling through like me. Yeah?” He said, intrigued by the woman with the crocodile tail.

When she was finally able to take a seat at the counter the woman paused to take in a deep breath of the surrounding aromas. The stink of human sweat was strong, but there were appetizing smells lingering about. Cooked meats of all kinds, fresh bread, bubbling stews.

“Shouldn’ta done that,” commented the bartender with a smirk as he stared down at the demi-human. “Anyways, what’re ya having?”

“I’ll take wine to start with, and leave the bottle,” replied Nadine as she sent the same stare she had given the hunter earlier to this man as well. “You’re probably right, though; I should have just killed him. Maybe I’ll even get a chance to fix that mistake when he comes back.”

The two remained staring at each other for a few long seconds before the man finally relented with a nod. From under the counter he grabbed a short green bottle with a wide round body below the neck, and a simple goblet carved from wood before setting the items next to Nadine.

She poured herself a drink and sipped at the wine while taking her time deciding on a food. There were a lot of salted meats hanging up in the back of the kitchen that she started to eye. All the while she had been vaguely aware of someone taking an empty seat at the counter with her, but it wasn’t until a voice spoke up that she paid the person any attention. The man didn’t speak in an Icebergian accent, and as she turned her head to look at him she found he didn’t appear to be a local, either.

Her gaze lingered for a moment, as curious as it was thoughtful. The World aura had shown her a lot to digest in that brief instance. His peculiarities didn’t stop at his mismatched eye colors, or pale hair. Teeth for smiling, but many, many more for gnashing and chewing. Images of cursed beings. Power and passion intertwined in a drive for bloody domination. Nadine would be lying if she claimed to have met someone else like the man before her now.

She gave the man a grateful nod before ordering a roasted salmon. Not a salmon filet, the whole fish. She then asked for a second cup before pouring her mysterious benefactor a drink of wine and sliding it towards him.

“Traveling through is probably for the best. Isolated and fragile environments like this don’t cope well with invasive predators.” She didn’t elaborate on what she meant by that, even as she chuckled through an open smile revealing her sharpened teeth. Instead she raised her own cup in a small toast. “To Monsieur’s good fortunes and safe travels.” The woman then took a healthy sip from her cup before setting it back down.

“Thanks for the free meal. I’m Nadine Archambault. To whom do I owe the pleasure?”