#cavalry:the teller of tales

[flagonsandfortunes]

the teller of tales.

Hello hello! I’m Ky, I’m in PST, and I’m here with Esker, a rapscallion of many stories and more mysteries. You’re not getting a real bio, here - that’s kind of his deal. Esker’s managed to become known, and widely, without being known. And that’s by design. At this point, the stories precede him, even those he didn’t tell himself; even if he could, he wouldn’t try to stop them. Mystery’s convenient. But consider everything below to be "common knowledge,” as in something anyone might’ve heard.

If you’ve ever got questions, or want to plot or chat, just let me know! I’ve also got Discord, if you like! 

THE TELLER

Esker Vengel a name only known for what he’s made of it; Vengel isn’t a stand-out surname in any respect, with no association to any particular well-known figures or families.

tavernkeeper, fortune teller, blacksmith

he / 33

from the Aisle - he’s never been more specific than that.

+ charitable, charming, perceptive, driven, resourceful

- ruthless, deceitful, paranoid, self-serving, guarded

THE TALES

ONE. THE TAVERNKEEPER. He's the owner of the Dark Destrier, a sprawling inn and smithy known throughout the Aisle - and beyond - for its legendary host and service alike. It’s well-situated, and well-stocked, enough to provide for folk from all walks of life; just about anyone who’s passed through the Center Aisle in the last decade has likely stopped by, or been brought there by a local. 

Esker didn’t create the inn from the ground - he arrived in what was a fairly humble tavern about fifteen years ago, and from there, rose to owning the establishment, entirely. The regulars didn’t notice any disruption; by the time the deed changed hands, he’d been running the show, so to speak, for a while. After that, he transformed the Destrier into something genuinely grand, adding the smithy, expanding and improving the inn itself, and generally doing a splendid job of uplifting the business. He’s extremely choosy about his staff, and treats them very, very well. 

As for what he actually does around the place, Esker works behind the bar, pouring drinks and regularly regaling the crowd with all manner of stories - dramatic histories, legendary romances, entertaining fables, and so on. He’s also found in the smithy, working on everything from blades to spades.   TWO. THE FORTUNE TELLER. When he's not pouring drinks or spinning yarns, Esker tells fortunes. This is nearly religious for some regulars, but also billed as a tourist attraction. While he usually works with cards, he’s also known to read palms and tea leaves. 

He’ll do even more complex divinations, such as auguries (readings of bird behaviour), and haruspicy (examining the entrails of a specially killed animal), at personal request, and for a suitable price. These more striking methods are sometimes done as a bit of a show, in the inn’s courtyard, for special occasions - such as to take the auspices of a coming farming season or fishing run.  THREE. THE LEG.  Esker's rather recognizable by reputation alone - aren't many one-legged tavernkeepers around the kingdoms. His left leg is severed below the knee, and he gets about on a crutch, mostly, or a homesmithed prosthesis, on rare occasion. There are plenty of people who claim to know exactly what happened, there; none of them are right. 

FOUR. THE CROW. In the tavern and out and about, he’s often accompanied by Geban, a seemingly everyday crow. Seemingly. There’s nearly as many stories about the bird as there are about his master. 

FIVE. THE STORIES. Depending who you listen to, Esker is a retired pirate living off the spoils of a spectacular treasure, a notorious mercenary living in disguise to escape his enemies, a disgraced prince from foreign lands, a kingly bastard, the secretly cast-out son of some noble house, a witch of mesmerous power, or, you know, silver-tongued devilspawn of some variety. And so on, and so forth. 

[flagonsandfortunes]

Bed, Wed, Behead: Iryana, Josefin, Ezrai

“I suppose the only sensible thing to do is behead Iryana. Of the three, she’s the most thoroughly mysterious element, at least for the time-being - and I don’t much like those. Nothing personal.

If she’d have me, I’d wed her majesty. At the very least, I’d be sparing her the scandals of another hapless husband. I know just what to do with my dirty laundry, thank you. 

That leaves Ezrai to bed, it seems. The old man could use a bit of loosening up, certainly… an ambitious project, but. Nothing I couldn’t manage, I think. Would be a service, really, to his intended - the poor thing, she shouldn���t have to weather the breaking-in.”

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Yourself, your crow, yo momma

“Well, we all should know how to romance ourselves, shouldn’t we? Self-love’s a precious thing. So I’ll bed myself, and make a real evening of it.

When it comes to weddings, haven’t you heard? Geban’s got a ninth of my soul in those clever little claws of his already. Being as he is my unholy familiar, bound to me eternally through aberrant sorcery. And all that. A rather different sort of arrangement, but. Close enough.

As for my mother - I don’t see how she’s any business of yours. Do you? Right. Do go on and fuck yourself, then. And I say that in a very caring way. Really. Self-love. Highly recommend it. Save you an awful lot of trouble, in this world of ours.” 

[flagonsandfortunes]

What keeps your hair so shiny and lustrous? Do you bottle and sell it?

“Magic, obviously. And no. Shocking, I’m sure, but - there are, in fact, some things that simply can’t be bought.”

[flagonsandfortunes]

everything’s on the table.

consider this a two-step starter call.

like if you’d be interested in a thread based on Esker doing a reading for one of your characters! 

then, comment with...

 the number of cards you’d like in the spread, 

any particular theme (pick from success, guidance, or love, and add a question if you want!) you’d like him to be reading for,

whether you think your character is a regular or a first-timer. 

and if you have more than one character, tell me who! so your comment might look a bit like three, success, regular, Geban. 

feel free to message if you’d like to plot a bit more before I get writing! can’t wait!

[flagonsandfortunes]

Josslyn, Josefin, Elena

“Oh, come off it. Elena’s practically a baby sister. Let’s see... well, I do faintly recall an occasion, or two, at least, where I’ve had to drag her to her own damn bed after she’s drunk herself senseless. And made sure she had bread and water to sober herself on. Then left her to the headache. Even a brother can only do so much, after all. 

I do stand by what I said, in her majesty’s case. Not that she needs a king, but that’s the idea - I really can’t think of anything I’d rather do less than rule. So, there you are. A queen without some man and his ideas to bother about. She could do ever more wondrous things, free of all that nonsense. I think.

And the Lady de Claire… well, it would make quite the romantic episode, wouldn’t it, if her darling - the Eagle Knight, in shining armor, on his majestic if miserably ill-tempered steed - were to swoop in and save her from the axe. Sounds like quite the tale. I could tell that one for years to come.”

[flagonsandfortunes]

𝐵𝑒𝒹, 𝒲𝑒𝒹, 𝐵𝑒𝒽𝑒𝒶𝒹 — Dominic, Ezrai, Kirian

“Quite certain I’m not the boy king’s type, so. Off with his head. Quite the fashion to be killing kings these days, isn’t it?

Afraid I’ll be keeping Ezrai, so far as likely husbands go. That Solgard - he’s dashing, no mistake. But those waters run dark, and deep, and dangerous, and I'm not altogether certain I like the thought of sailing them for too terribly long. A night would be quite enough.” 

[flagonsandfortunes]

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Have you forgotten the face of your father?

“Wasn’t that memorable, honestly.” 

[flagonsandfortunes]

What sort of thing would you feel the need to apologize for doing?

“Apologies aren’t a needy thing, are they? Can’t eat or breathe them, certainly. That, I’d say, makes them a choice. An apology you need to make - an apology you can’t survive not making, that is, by implication - isn’t much of an apology at all. Is it? 

Anyhow. As you meant it, then. I’ll tell you when I find out. Might be a hell of a wait. Don’t stay up for it.” 

[flagonsandfortunes]

Do you have any habits that you don't like?

“Well, if I didn’t like something, I wouldn’t make a habit of it. Would I? People are so dreadfully quick to hold this or that against themselves, it seems. Can’t say that’s a trouble of mine. Have to pity anyone suffering such an affliction - looks to be an awful and entire waste of energy. Personally, I’ve much better things to do. Even when I’m in the mood to piss a bit of time away. Don’t you? Doesn’t everyone?”

[flagonsandfortunes]

[flagonsandfortunes]

I’ll sing myself to sleep, a song from the darkest hour Secrets I can't keep in sight of the day I swing from high to deep, extremes of sweet and sour I hope that God exists, I hope, I pray

Drawn by the undertow, my life is out of control I believe this wave will bear my weight, so let it flow

Oh, sit down, oh, sit down, oh, sit down Sit down next to me Sit down, down, down, down, down, in sympathy

Now I'm relieved to hear That you've been to some far out places It's hard to carry on, when you feel all alone 

 Now I've swung back down again, and it's worse than it was before If I hadn't seen such riches, I could live with being poor Oh, sit down, oh, sit down, oh, sit down Sit down next to me Sit down, down, down, down, down, in sympathy Those who feel the breath of sadness Sit down next to me Those who find they're touched by madness Sit down next to me Those who find themselves ridiculous Sit down next to me In love, in fear, in hate, in tears In love, in fear, in hate, in tears In love, in fear, in hate, in tears In love, in fear, in hate

Down, down

Oh, sit down, oh, sit down, oh, sit down Sit down next to me Sit down, down, down, down, down, in sympathy

[flagonsandfortunes]