• Closed • Win/e/de/a/d

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

51 Ashan 718

His search for the wine he came to Rharne for as well as his need to hide out until the excitement in the city died down led Nauta to Rosmerta. Rharne's famous wineyard almost immediately dug through the aukari's ear and reached into his brain the moment he stepped within the city's called. The fact the winery was not trumpeted by every paid crier in existence was a strong enough indicator of Rharne's pride in it. That was how Nauta knew he had to pay the place a visit if it was "Rharne's finest wine" he was after, the same wine an aukari could risk erupting for...

Eventually.

Half a trial was a lot longer than he would have liked but he reached the lodge at the end. Not that Nauta knew a lot of farms and wineyards to realize it, but he recognized the change in surroundings; the slack farmlands which eventually gave way to the fantastic operation. Those rows of grape wines. Were they the dusk grapes he heard was a specialty only available in this part of Idalos which the Rharnians were so fond about? And that was not even the best wine Rharne had as he heard with the best only being brought out for the most special of occasions. It was not an idea the aukari could comprehend.

Like everything else, whether for the F'mos Ate Most or for his own little hideaway from the city, only the best which he needed would do. Second best actually as he would learn. As even the brick path he walked along to reach lodge telling him even without the wine he wanted Rosmerta would give him rest, he went straight to the... straight to the... straight! To! Th- ah finally. Straight to the bar where he finally found someone.

Like everyone else, he was at Rosmerta to experience one thing. The wine. All of it. "Especially your Rharne specialties." Yes, the wine tasting will do just nicely so that would be something "I'll do in next trial." The other thing? "I need room for few nights. That one sounds... no. Got any others? Yeah that's better. Does it have view of yard?" Not that he cared for the view from those Azure Suites, but from what the aukari noticed on his trip from Rharne, most of the vineyard faced the city and he would rather have a good way to observe it any anyone else which may approach from it.

[Oracle]

The moment Nauta F’mos Geey walked into the lobby of the Rosmerta Winery he was met by the sight of one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She boasted gorgeous ruby locks and a shapely figure that was only made more stunning by her exquisite angular features and kohl lined green eyes. Strelza Rosmerta sauntered to the front of the bar at the back of the lobby and smiled widely at the Aukari.

“Well hello sugar.” She said with a flirtatious wink at the man.

A couple patrons were seated at the bar tasting an assortment of wines and cheeses. Many were older Rharnian men who turned only briefly to look at Nauta before quietly turning back to their drinks. The patrons were well dressed, garbed in rich velvets and silks which suggested an heaping amount of wealth. Surely these men had discerning tastes, and perhaps Nauta had come to the right place to taste the best wines in Rharne.

Strelza began wiping down a nearby wine glass until the vessel sparkled and shined in the candlelight. Her hips swayed seductively in the floor length emerald dress she wore. It was cinched tight as the waist by a corset to show off the curvature of her ample chest.

“So you’d like to try out some wine tasting?” She asked sweetly before reaching to pull out several glasses and set them in front of an empty seat for Nauta. “Starts at 25 gold nels to try the usuals, though we have a few special varieties we have been experimenting with if you are interested.”

The bartender waited for Nauta to take a seat before she would begin pouring the first wine for him. She pulled a glittering blue wine bottle from the shelf behind her. The liquid inside shined like quicksilver and glistened like the night sky. Grabbing a corkscrew she then poured the Aukari a small glass of Starlight Wine. The beverage was strangely reflective and had a deep indigo hue from the dusk grapes used in it’s making. The flavor would be a complex blend of grapes, plums and pears that made it taste like a delicately sweet dessert wine.

“Well what do you think?” she asked with a quirked brow.

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

At that time, Nauta was a little too anxious to secure a place to rest until things calmed down to be taken in by the alluring woman. It was all business for the aukari though courtesy had him return her greeting with a cordial "hi there." The older men around them were only afforded a nod of acknowledgement to ease them as Nauta was no thug there to rob them blind, although he felt anyone committed to an attempt with a proper plan would surely profit from the wealth he saw on them; then he went right back to his business. "Yes wine tasting" but not right at that moment as the aukari wanted to make sure to get the important things out of the way which as he brought up again, "and a room for a few nights."

However the woman was rather assertive and had that persuasive quality about her; since the glasses were already out and "special varieties you been experimenting on you say" was the magic word for any alchemist, Nauta saw no harm to indulge her and took a seat. He felt with her demeanor, ignoring her invitation may have her lose her any interest in him despite being a new visitor and he could not have that. Self serving maybe but that was what the aukari wanted even if he knew the experimental drinks definitely could not be the drink he was searching for; 'Rharne's best' was something already served to him after all and that was the taste he was fixated upon.

Despite his own admission "I don't drink much, just in Rharne to try," the chef would spend some time to appraise the glass in his hand like any other practiced barfly. Immediately he found it something different- deep as the indigo hue was, it was not the dark tint he recalled. Nonetheless the telltale scent of fruits within was quite appealing and as the aukari scanned the lobby, he could see the indigo liquid present in some of the other patrons' glasses. That was when he asked "and what drink is this?" although even if he was straight out told the name, it would take a little while for it to register to him that this first sample was one of Rharne's signature drinks difficult to recreate elsewhere in Idalos.

The fact that it "smells good" allowed Nauta to consider the drink as satisfactory for his purposes but he only had one prize which he prefaced with the comment the Starlight was "also sweet, but not so sweet to be only taste." He continued to slowly sip the wine whilst he made some other comments- too technical for someone at the winery for just a drink which might even hint at the aukari's true vocation even if the redhead did not look the part. Finally once he was done he said "I always had soft spot for sweet stuff" to lead to his goal with a wink; well his actual goal when he continued to ask "got anything else like it?" If nothing else the chef knew when it came to treats for consumption, the taste was always the most important thing to consider.

[Oracle]

Strelza quickly noted down the arrangements to set him up with an Azure Suite for the next few nights. The beautiful set of quarters would include a spacious bedroom, den, and a lovely marble accented bathroom. Once everything was settled the gorgeous Rosmerta sister winked at him and nodded at his red hair.

“You have red hair, just like me.” She quipped lightly with a warm smile. “I think I may have something special to match.” Strelza said with a secretive glance toward a shelf under the counter. Reaching down she pulled out an unlabeled wine bottle that was filled with a beautiful deep ruby red liquid. It glistened with what seemed to be an inner fire and suggested that this was one of the experimental varieties that the Winery had produced.

She pulled an empty glass forward and poured some of the crimson colored liquid into it. It wasn’t a full glass, but enough to give Nauta a good taste. “We can’t quite settle on a name. My sister want’s to call Vhalar’s Grace, but I think it should be something less snobbish.” Strelza cackled at the mention of her sister’s highbrow attitude and naming conventions.

Pushing the glass forward, Strelza waiting for him to have a taste. The red wine would have an instant pleasant flash of heat on his tongue and a clear touch of cinnamon, cloves and apples. It was likely made from Muscadine grapes, giving it a full hearty flavor. Vhalar’s Grace was like taking a sip of the autumn harvest, hinting at the scent of campfires and the sound of laughter. It was a wine that captured a feeling rather than just radiating refined flavors.

“Well sugar, what do you think?” Stelza asked with a flirty smile. She herself had poured her own glass before taking a sip. A few other patrons around the bar asked for a taste as well and made comments about the feeling the wine left them with, rather than just the taste.

Azure Suite Cost

10 GN a night, make deductions accordingly

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

The similarities between the two pointed out that way made the aukari uncomfortable even if he had a feeling the woman only did it to make him feel comfortable. At least it confirmed Rosmerta was in a way better compared to Rharne which he could only assume was because of its remoteness from the city. Nauta simply said "yes. Special. I like the special things" to match her own sly suggestion as well as mask any sign of his own uneasiness but perhaps he was doomed to fail. The sight of the deep red liquid in the bottle reminded him of the eruptive nature of his people, blazing red fire ever-present inside.

He would end up stalling for a longer than just another person appreciating their drink while he held, smelt and spun it 'round. "Vhalar's Grace..." he mused. An immortal definitely but which, he did not care- there were too many for any sane person to keep track of but because Vhalar was an immortal, Nauta would have to agree with the sister's assessment that his name made the drink sound snobbish. It may make sense if he learned Vhalar had something to do with the drink once he asked "what did Vhalar do with drink?" because as far as he knew when it came to boozing, it was Rharne's own Illaren who was always thought of when it came to drinks. Something she was more than proud of from what he knew.

Although Nauta was not going to suggest Illaren to be named after the drink; he assumed there would be more than enough drinks named after her already. Nauta, unable to give any alternatives for as long as he had yet to take his drink- something he had long been putting off took a whiff. The sweet bouquet of the fruits which made up Vhalar's Grace quickly got the aukari a little more eager for a sip compared to how he was a mere few thrills ago. The cook only meant to take just the one and slowly continue from there but before he knew it, most of the glass had already been emptied out.

"Oh?" he said once he realized he was asked a question. How was he going to explain it... "it's like when I went camping last time." Only a season ago and exactly the whole outdoor experience but it was pleasant nonetheless. Taking a cue from the other patrons after his own lengthy detail of the taste, the cook ended with a vague narration of hospitality and comfort being the sensations which had him wanting to linger at the counter longer; not only for the company but for more Vhalar's Grace- no not Vhalar's Grace. "If I call this something, I call it The Blossom. If you want another name maybe you think about this one, yeah?"

Maybe the barkeep was familiar with that moniker, maybe not but; Vhalar did not need more glorification and with the belief Illaren had more than enough named after her, Nauta reasoned an immortal which benefitted him and was first reminded of should be the one the drink was named after- if he could steer it's maker towards her. Yes there should be no other the drink should be named after other than Edasha because of its beautiful hue of red, like him, though when it came to the aukari it was only due to the immortal's favor towards him. He praise of The Blossom as persuasion, "everyone loves The Blossom" but made sure to take it slow. He did not want to be thought of as drunk already from some of the peculiarities he mentioned.

[Oracle]

“Oh I don’t know why she picked that name sugar” Strelza laughed cynically. It was clear that she wasn’t all that amused with her sibling’s aristocratic sense of taste in naming wines. “My sister is a snob, but I like Blossom, it’s nice and simple.”

Strelza smirked before stepped back to reach under the bar as she shuffled around for something in particular.

“You know I think we might just name it that, Blossom.” The red haired beauty said, her fingers lightly clinking against more bottles that were clearly hidden beneath the bar.

Finally the barkeeper returned with a small gleaming vial in her hands. It was in a lovely palm sized glass bottle and had an elegant glass stopper at the top and it was filled with a light purple liquid that seemed to crackle as if with a storm. Strelza smiled teasingly at Nauta.

“As a reward for coming up with such a good name, give this a try. My sister had it made for Ilaren herself and some of her Priestesses…she won’t stop bragging about it actually.” The woman snorted with derision before she continued to speak.

“This is all we have left of the test batch, but you can have it. I doubt the ole’ sis will miss it.”

Strelza handed the bottle over and it fit perfectly in the Aukari’s hand. He had come to the winery for something special…and here it was. The bottle seemed less like a beverage and more like something familiar to the alchemist; a potion. It tingled lightly in his palm like it was crackling with static electricity. Light seemed to shift within its muted violet surface, almost like lighnting within a storm cloud.

Strelza went back to tending to the other patrons and left Nauta to decide if he would take a sip of the solution.

If he removed the stopper the aukari would be assaulted with the scent of ozone, like the smell of air following a lighting strike. There was a hint of sweetness there as well, suggesting that this was indeed a wine but it was clearly steeped in some kind of energy. The aroma of dusk grapes was there but this was certainly no ordinary wine.
Strelza glanced over at him expectantly, arcing a single brow before smiling at him with that same teasing expression.

All that was left to decide was if he intended to take a taste…

Off Topic

Taking this back over, sorry for the delay buddy.

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

His host's comment of her own sister had Nauta appreciative of the fact it was not the other entertaining him. A random aukari from out of nowhere? A true snob would be happy of that with even if he could pay his own way- not that he could help his visit given the situation in Rharne. Whatmore If there was any truth to Strelza's words; her sister would definitely not accept a name as ordinary as Blossom for any creation of hers. It was amusing to think that he had somehow stolen whatever that hearty drink may have represented away from Vhalar in a sense to become the brand of another, if Strelza and her sister really did adopt the Blossom that is...

Though there was no mistaking he would be unable to attempt the same with the next, supposedly specially made for Illaren and her Priestesses. The Nauta could see why; the bottled storm was a lot like something of the thunder immortal's purview- Illaren and one other which promptly came to the aukari's mind. Unfortunately Illaren had too much influence in Rharne and the other was not the sort most mortals were fond of. Appraising the strange drink, his eyes were on the bottle until he asked "your... sister? You did not make this too?" That was of course based on the assumption Strelza had something to do with the previous drink. Both were quite different in character and if she affirmed Nauta's belief, he would simply speak of his idea of how the two sisters brought themselves out in their drinks.

Even the drunken patrons of Rosmerta would have better lines for Strelza but the aukari was never the best at flattery.

But then again, enthusiasm could always be used to fool those expecting flattery. The alchemist identifying the bottle in his hand as a potion of sorts expressed his appreciation with bright eyes as the barkeep went on her way. He could have taken the bottle back for study later, but he was still in the lobby full of customers which only bits ago were spectators. As one with his own dive back in Etzos as well, he was aware of the need to go along with the show; at least for a little bit. He removed the stopper, the scent overwhelming him enough that he needed bits to settle down without a panic like any aukari would have to anything which would remind them of an eruption. Deciding he should take it slow unlike Vhal- the Blossom he had earlier, he pointed towards the shot glasses for Strelza to hand one over or to help himself to.

And since it was the last of the test batch, one more was poured out for the lady herself although he was unsure if it was something she would allow herself to take while on the job. Still, "it is last batch isn't it?" he said trying to persuade her before he added "don't know what thing you put in this shocker, maybe it seasonal, so maybe your last chance for a while" just in case she had a little more hint to what he was going to put in himself. Regardless with some already poured out Nauta would end up drinking it, with or without company. Maybe one of the other patrons which sampled some of the Blossom earlier with him would be lucky enough to replace Strelza if need be although as Nauta was not too interested in how a drink made people feel, it would be one of those he noted as being a little more detailed in their description of the taste of it.

[Oracle]

“Aye, she worked on it with some Priestess from the city.” Strelza replied dismissively as she started to wipe the bar down in preparation for the end of the tasting.
Nauta had been right in his assumption that there was a marked different in tastes of Strelza and her older sister when it came to drinks. The red headed beauty cared about bringing warmth and comfort to a drinker while her sister clearly had other goals.

The Aukari man was wise enough to take this draught slow and decided to pour himself a shot of the stuff. The air tingled against his fingers as he poured it into the tiny glass. Thinking also of his host Nauta also poured Strelza her own shot that he pushed toward her. The bartender’s face twitched with a cocky smile as she lifted the glass up into the light to admire the flickering of purples and blues within the liquid.
“Well, why the hell not.” Strelza declared as she raised the glass to her lips.

Nauta himself was also indulging in the drink just a split trill before her, however the bartender was interrupted before she could take her first sip by a sharp female voice.
“By the Fates, What do you think you are doing!” A young woman with dark curly hair, wearing a modest robe looked at Strelza with rage boiling in her brown eyes.
“Are you drinking the last batch of Stormsense?!”

It was clear from her tone and the similarities of their faces that this was the eponymous sister that Strelza had been talking about.
Strelza snapped her hand down, that was holding the shot glass as if she had been caught red handed.

“Oh come on Merdia, we were just having a bit of fun.” The red headed woman countered. The two sisters then launched into a fierce argument just as Nauta began to feel the effects of the liquid pouring down his throat.

The drink itself was bright and bubbly on his tongue, with only a hint of sweetness to suggest that this was indeed some form of distilled or fortified wine. However within moments of swallowing, the world around the Aukari seemed to snap into perfect clarity. His vision was now able to pick up on a gnat flying across the room, and he could hear the pitter patter of a mouse beneath the floorboards. It was as if his senses had been augmented and their sensitivity increased exponentially.

The surface of his skin tingled like static electricity was crawling across it; it almost felt like insects were creeping all over him. The sensation was somewhat unnerving but he also would feel strangely more alive.
However from time to time bright flashes of light or loud sounds would begin to overwhelm the man, seeming to imply that his newly acquired razor sharp senses came with a drawback; he was now incredibly sensitive to sound and light.

Merdia, the dark haired sister turned toward Nauta who’s pupils had begun to dialate from drinking the shot of “Stormsense”.

“Did you let him drink it!?” she said while swearing under her breath.

“It takes three trials to wear off!.” Merdia hissed hotly before she went to fetch Nauta a glass of water.

“Are you alright sir?” the woman asked fretfully before offering him the water.

Strelza cackled a smile behind the bar as if this was all rather amusing to her.
“Oh he’ll be alright, won’t you sir?”

Off Topic

Wanna do a wrap up post and then I will grade?

[Nauta F'mos Geey]

A Priestess... brewing wine? That was a strange image although wine being attributed to Illaren and Illaren being the immortal worshipped in Rharne meant it was not so strange that a Priestesses would pick up the craft; now that the aukari thought about it, it made him think a little on the sort of trade a Black Guard might be into. That was something worth looking once he got back into Etzos to form a joint enterprise as a pretence to gain some connections the way Strelza's sister had. In order to do that though... As the aukari had no clue, he simply tried to fish out some direction; a query of whether the Priestess ever came to Rosmerta to brew followed by how Strelza's sister actually got to meet the like-minded individual; along with whichever question which would naturally follow through from the conversation to the conclusion he needed.

Although that trail of inquiry would be halted with the abrupt entry of Strelza's double. 'So its called Stormsense...' Nauta thought to himself as he absentmindedly downed the shot glass in his hand. He was meant to drink it after all. It was the only thought he could afford to have before he was overloaded with all sorts of information of his surroundings. Had it just been those few details he could focus on like the gnat and the mouse, he might have been able to weather through it. Of course that could not have been proven. No need to even mention the hustle and bustle of the other visitors in the lounge with at all the excitement, the sister's quarrel which was but one reason for the chatter did not help the aukari one bit as loud as it was. A hand rushed out, right on time to support the aukari from what could otherwise have been a terrible fall.

A stream of jumbled up words, making no sense even if one were to repeat the sentence over and over was hastily released by the aukari. A vain attempt to try and brace himself. Hearing 'alright' being repeated so often, Nauta finally yelled clearly "of course I'm alright!" although of course, she would not know it. The aukari could clearly see his host had not even tasted the shot he prepared. Obviously, she already knew what would have happened. He would have to admit, the drink may be a tad bit too strong as he was hearing and seeing double but at least he did could properly feel which of the visions were the real thing- the one which had the water out to him. That should have been enough for him to know at least if he actually did yield to his weakness, there might be someone to support him but...

The buzzed aukari accompanied by the winery abuzz with nothing but chatter of drinks; Rosmerta's famous Starlight wine, the drink he stole from Vhalar for the esteem of another and of course, the new wine which ails Nauta. Stormsense. The words he could pick up, the ones he could make sense of eventually made him aware of one thing which his mind latched on. The people! They needed their drinks! He immediately made a grab for the shot glass Strelza had discarded after she was caught by her sister and then sent it right for the woman meant to drink it- the one which looked like the one meant to drink it which had the water ready for him that is. "W-w-w-hryy u no drink?!"

Even if it did not enter Merdia's mouth, it would be a right mess if it spilled out; smell of ozone, aroma of dusk grapes, purple tint, tingly air and all. However it would not be Nauta to deal with that as he finally became debilitated by the drink which overwhelmed his senses, the floor becoming as good as any bed in the suite he hired. At the very least there would be one less drunken hazard Rharne would have to deal with for that trial.