Amid the raucous voices of Mandalorian boasting and cheering one man climbs atop a table set off along one of the perimeter walls. Around him the voices settle a bit as they focus in on the man placing himself high. Armor black as night with a wolf head emblem set atop three blood red claw scratches designed onto his chestplate. A fist clanging against it to settle some of the few voices still distracted by other concerns. Gathering all of the surrounding eyes on him, not the full hall as it was far too large for that, but a fairly well sized crowd had formed around him to hear his words.

Removing his helmet before the crowd he reveals a tousled brown head of hair but a worn face, showing the years of conflict. "I am Carid, proud member of the Salky Raiders. One who has voice among our lot and inspired some fair few others to join me here today," he gives a raised mug and indicates a few of the other raiders in the small crowd but not all were present here and scattered about the party. "We thank you- I thank you for the hospitality you have all shown us to this day and invite another toast to be raised in honor of the warriors made one today!" he raises his mug and the crowd cheers, all drinking deeply of their cups.

"It is an important reminder that each Mandalorian is a fighter worth more than any other but even still it is together where we are strongest-" another bout of cheering ensues, two beats against many chests in rhythmic unison. "Something the wise Mandalore the Rebuilder understands and has such invited us to join with you! Yet-" he holds up a hand- "I am not one to mislead. We raiders are not a group that follows any one leader and each of us will have to make a choice in the coming days, but I have promised to return this message to those who have not come here today following the guidance of another," he glances about the room, "one who does not yet believe the worth of Mandalore," there is a somewhat tense silence. "But I will do my best to convince as many as I can about the truth, about the worthiness of your Mandalore!"

"For now? K'oyacyi! [Cheers!]" and the crowd cheers once more as they drink deeply of their mugs. A few helping Carid step down from the table and clapping him on the shoulder. Each in his vicinity turning to give praise as he makes his way through the small crowd and out from the center as they return to the status quo of the feast. Out and free of the crowd he stands for a moment and glances around.

There always had to be some loudmouth at these events. Things had been so much quieter at events under Duchess Satine Kryze's rule, another thing left the wayside after her death. It was possible that these Salky Raiders were already active during that time, perhaps seeing her failures and even Tor Viszla's as unworthy of them.

And now they want to throw their lot in over a few drunks, hm?

Varina probably stuck out like a sore thumb without any armor of her own. Plus she was still rather small and reverting to her shabby self without the constant vigilance of her father. But the marks of a fighter were still on her: her fingers grazed her rapier's hilt from time to time out of reflex. After all, there was a saying that a Mandalorian wedding without at least three deaths was a dull affair. Mainly said by outsiders but disconcerting nonetheless.

Even if she did look down upon their faction as a whole, they could prove useful for her cause. Varina puffed up her chest and swung her shoulders as she approached Carid. "What animal is that?" she asked, pointing at his chest thing. It reminded her of a vornskr but it looked too fuzzy.

Coming out from the group a few more steps he looks distant when he gazes over in Varina's direction as she approaches. A small register in the eyes he tucks the helmet up firmly under his arm once more and takes his spot free of the crowd for her to approach. Giving a wave to someone nearby, another member of the raiders, they leave to fetch him a drink.

"It's a Raquor'daan skull. Founders faced one with nothing more than a few vibro-daggers on a job and supposedly they decided to stick together afterwards," he smirked, shaking his head. "That's the story at least. You though, got a story yourself I wager? Walkin' around without much armor- seen others not of the blood here without armor but you aren't like them either. You've got real Mando blood in your veins. So, what's your story?"

Varina watched the other raider go, uncertain if there was a possibility of an ambush. Some people had to use drinks as some sort of code word, didn't they?

"Knife-point diplomacy, huh? Did the first Raquor'daan," she said, the name coming off her tongue awkwardly, "have to die to convince the others to fall in line?" She shrugged, hoping that'd defuse her jab a bit. After all, she was supposed to be asking for information, not make enemies. "Impressive anyways. I would have built a spear myself, if possible."

Could I make a spear out of this rapier? But then I couldn't shoot people with my blaster...

The wanderer shook the fleeting thought out of her mind. "Is it how I carry myself then?" she asked regarding her blood. "I guess I like to stay light on my feet." Somewhat true, though she wasn't sure how she'd feel if she actually had a suit herself. A problem for future Varina, as it were. "How many armed non-Mandalorians could there be here anyways?"

Manny was enjoying himself, walking around, showing card tricks to Mandalorians. It was going really well. He was pretty sure that behind those blank masks were stares of amazement!

Moving to a new group, he grinned, giving them an enthusiastic thumbs-up! "Ayyy, Mandalorians! Pick a card!" He held the deck of cards out... to... wait, was that Varina?

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh..." He said, staring at her. He looked at the other Mandalorian. Wait, was this a fight? "Ahhhhhhhhhhh..." He said, staring at him.

"Just a bunch of idiots who got stuck in a cave," he laughed, the low rumbling tone of it reverberating a bit. Glancing over toward Manny as he made his way ever toward them. "Still, they were a few idiots who were loners one day and came together the next with this idea that even loners could fight together. Bigger prey," he flashed a wicked grin as Manny finally arrived.

"From my measure, your friend here is one of the few. But, yes. How you carry yourself gives a nice big sign," he smirked, shaking his head. "Stayin' light on your feet is how I got by before I took on the armor," he gives a few pats to his chest, the bracers of his suit are far thicker than most. "But we all adapt when and where we need, hmm?"

"I guess sometimes an animal needs stabbing," Varina said with a shrug. She'd hunted her fair share, though lately it'd been out of necessity. It was a lot cheaper than paying someone. That is, unless she got her butt kicked by the prey.

She raised a brow at Manny when he came along. I should have known he'd be here. In fact, she was surprised that she didn't notice him sooner. The guy really stood out with his... everything. "You think I would have missed Raven's wedding?" she asked, rolling her eyes. She reached over and took the top card from the deck, half-tempted to just pocket it and leave.

"I'm not sure if friend is the right word for him." Varina stuck her tongue out at him. "He's Manny 'No Girlfriend' and having even a girl friend would kind of get in the way of that, wouldn't it?"

Meiyokashi wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 29, 2021 6:10 pm

"Just a bunch of idiots who got stuck in a cave," he laughed, the low rumbling tone of it reverberating a bit. Glancing over toward Manny as he made his way ever toward them. "Still, they were a few idiots who were loners one day and came together the next with this idea that even loners could fight together. Bigger prey," he flashed a wicked grin as Manny finally arrived.

"Yeah!" Manny said cheerfully. There was a brief pause. "Wait, what?"

Varina Ordo wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:11 pm

She raised a brow at Manny when he came along. I should have known he'd be here. In fact, she was surprised that she didn't notice him sooner. The guy really stood out with his... everything. "You think I would have missed Raven's wedding?" she asked, rolling her eyes. She reached over and took the top card from the deck, half-tempted to just pocket it and leave.

"I'm not sure if friend is the right word for him." Varina stuck her tongue out at him. "He's Manny 'No Girlfriend' and having even a girl friend would kind of get in the way of that, wouldn't it?"

He knew Varina was lethal with her rapier. He didn't know how lethal she was with her tongue. Two sentences, and Manny was already dead.

"Oh man... Varina..." He groaned, grimacing dramatically. "Why you gotta do me dirty like that, right in front of them?" He jerked his head towards the Mandalorians. "Some of them might be hot girls!" He whispered, super loudly. It was true, they might have been, he couldn't tell.

"How this one wound up in company of the Mando'ade.." Carid pursed his lips tight a moment, turning that to a smirk. Joined again by one of the raiders he gave a signal to before with a mug in each hand. Handing one to Carid and keeping one of the mugs for themselves. "Making friends Carid?" the womans voice came out from under the mask.

"I like this one," she said with a nod toward Varina. Shifting the mug about in her hands as she undid her helmet. Out from the back long raven-colored hair fell straight along the back of her armor. With a flick of a toss she handed it over to Manny. "Hold onto that for me, will ya champ?" she said with a smirk, a pale-faced human with silver eyes.

Manny caught the helmet easily; he wasn't called "Both Hands" for nothing! Unfortunately, he also wasn't called "No Girlfriend" for nothing.

"Sure. No problem." Manny said. His voice was about half an octave lower than last time he spoke.

"Long story," Varina said with no intention on retelling what happened on Kamda. If anyone was going to tell it, it'd probably be the guy who loved putting on a show.

She scratched the back of her head at another addition to the conversation. It made things more complicated, not that she was ever good at words anyways. At least people seemed to like her for some reason. "I figured I'd know everyone around here." Not that she knew much of Praxton's side of the wedding even after spending time with the group.

"Carid and I don't bite," she said with a slightly predatory smile to her, but then in the brief time of their interaction all of her expressions seemed to have a slight predatory vibe to them. "Well-" she held up a hand, smiling- "there was that one time? Bastard had me pinned against a wall but left his neck wide open. Got him to break off from me so.." she said smirking, reminiscing.

"Anyway- with my ultra-violent companion here reliving her blood-lust maybe we'll shift back to other things. Names Carid," he put his hand up against his chest. "Figure you both heard the speech but maybe not. Either way, you've got my name now. Just looking for the same in return."

"I'm Manny!" Manny said brightly, smiling. "Manny the magician. How's it going?"

He cleared his throat. "So, yeah, I did hear your speech. And I didn't... totally... one-hundred percent... understand it? But it sounded really good."

He looked back and forth between the man and the woman. "So, uh, you two know each other?"

Varina narrowed her eyes in thought. Biting sounded like a good idea in desperation but wasn't particularly glamorous. Guess she couldn't expect too much from people who were part of a group of raiders.

Maybe Manny was a good way to catch them off guard though. That or he was messing with her instead. "Varina Ordo," she said, "daughter of Reibelle Ordo." That was one way for her to propel her line of inquiry forward.

"No, we don't, chum- champ," the woman looked to Manny with her similarly wicked grin. Shaking her head a little as she laughed lightly to herself. Taking the pause for a drink when Varina spoke up, her eyebrow raising at the thought and glancing to Carid.

Carid however had a stony expression, "'fraid the association doesn't ring any bells," he said, but seemed to be holding something back. It was impossible to tell from just reading him however what that something might be. "Still," he broke out into a muted smile, "Good to make your acquaintances, Varina and.. Manny."

"Yeah, you guys too!" Manny might not not have been the brightest bulb, but he could tell something was up. He looked back and forth between then again, frowning curiously.

Or, perhaps a better expression would have been that he wasn't playing with a full deck. As he shuffled the cards one-handed, Manny frowned. "Hey, Varina." He whispered, again super loudly. "Can I have that card back?"

Soleene was around and likely followed wherever the cheers or yelling was around. There was certainly a lot of Mandalorian kin around here but that didn't mean that they would never butt heads. Actually, there was probably a likelihood of that happening, arguably. She stood by the periphery to watch the drinking crowds with her arms crossed. Just as long as they were having fun, she was having fun.

That said, she wouldn't mind it if a fight broke out too, of course. She already had one of the best views for it to watch it happen. It was just cleaning up after the mess that was a pain sometimes.

Varina dug her hands in her pockets, watching the others. She'd love to press the issue more but she wasn't exactly a sleuth that knew how to push buttons. "That's a shame. She likes people knowing who she is and all that," she said anyways.

"What, this card?" She flicked it out and tried to weave it between her fingers. It wasn't the same shape as a knife, which made her practicing a bit of a moot point as the cardboard went slowly and awkwardly around her hand. "Weren't you doing some kind of show with me taking it?"

"No, you just took it. That wasn't part of it. You're supposed to wait until I go 'hey, pick a card' or something. If you do it to early, it won't work right!"

He held out his hand expectantly.

"Come on, you're a magician, aren't you? You should be able to do your thing regardless of when exactly I take it, right?" Despite her grandstanding, Varina held out the card. It was most certainly a taunt, though, coupled with a wink.