With a bit of time on her hands, the Lady Tsurugi, now Kin Ryuu, has a chance to venture out into the great flying city of Rephidim and look for some more familiar faces, as well as a bit of news from home. She's heard of a place to get these, in a corner of a Naga-influenced district in the Commoner's Quarter: Setzka's Heat Bar.

The squat, building nestles near some others, but its numerous chimneys reach high enough to vent their smoke past the others'. Its walls are thick clay, and the architecture has faint hints of classical imperial design in its vaguely pyramidal shape. The door is wide and open, but covered in heavy curtains.

Even though Kin has gone in hiding so to speak, part of her still falls into old habits. When she decided to head out to the Imperial section, the Kiriga spent some time on her appearance. She's not wearing any of the fine robes she brought, but she certainly isn't dressing badly in some basic black and purple robes. She even spent some time on her mane and has combed out all the tangles and neatly pinned it back. The only items which may be out of sorts is that she's still carrying her two swords neatly tied at her side.

"This place looks promising," the Kiriga notes as she looks at the architecture. Putting on a pleasant smile, the reptile goes and eases back the curtains, then slips into the Heat bar. Even with her duothermic metabolism, she does appreciate when she can simply absorb the surrounding heat.

There's actually a few layers of curtains to go through, and between them the air gets warmer. Once inside, a large, circular room spreads out with some hubs for private rooms. The center is dominated by a large dome-shaped oven in a deep pit with a large chimney snaking up from it to the ceiling, keeping smoke to a minimum. Servants with wheelbarrows move rocks down to someplace out of sight, and come back up with ones that nearly shake the air with their heat. The smooth stones are deposited in bowl-shaped indentations, and many of these are occupied by Naga either casually chatting or just enjoying the warmth in the dim light. The only smoke in the air is aromatic, coming from hookahs. The far walls are ringed with drink bars, but things move slowly enough in here that only one extremely long Naga staffs it: the python Setzka. She takes drink orders and makes a circuit around the room, finishing drinks and setting them on her back for her patrons to pick up when she passes again.

As Kin steps into the room, she arches back slightly. A noticeable shiver ripples through her body as the warmth rolls over and in to her. "Yes, this place is quite pleasant," she murmurs to herself. She spends a few minutes just walking the floor, her head tilting and swiveling so she can see the various patrons and if any of them pay her any attention as she moves. Figuring that the bartender would hear the most rumors, that is the Kiriga's ultimate destination, so she tries to pace her walk to catch up to the long Naga.

As Setzka finishes her circuit and finds herself back at the bar, she notices Kin. "Can I get you sssomething?" she asks cordially, while rippling her coils to carry the empty mugs and glasses up to where her arms can reach them.

"Oh, I am a stranger in these lands," Kin replies with a smile and small bow of her head. "I am unfamiliar with the drinks that are popular here. Could you recommend something? And I hope, would you allow me to talk with you a bit? It is … uplifting to spend some time with my own kind for a change."

"Of courssse," the barkeep replies, and goes about fetching a clean glass. "You are new to Rephidim then? I cannot place your accssssent. Tell me where you hail from, and I can fixxx you sssomething appropriate."

"I hail from the islands of Jadai," Kin replies with a smile, "I only recently arrived in these lands." She then slides herself into a chair.

Setzka's tongue flicks in surprise. "The Golden Isle? I do not recall ever meeting someone from Jadai," the barkeep admits, but nonetheless begins mixing a drink for Kin. "Few seem to travel from there. Are you expat?"

"Not many normally travel from the island, no. But the times are changing and we must be more in contact with the outside world," Kin says and folds her hands together. "My father, for example, is expanding trade with other places. And forgive me, but I have not heard the phrase expat before. What does it mean?"

The barkeep pours some liquid from a green bottle into the glass she's working on, and hisses, "Forgive me. It isss a foreign term: expatriate. One who has left their homeland and settled permanently in another, with little chance of returning even to visit. There are rumblingsss in sssome of the statess of the former Empire, and the first ssigns of trouble are usually people fleeing."

"Oh, no. I should only be here temporarily," Kin says with a short shake of her head. She leans in a bit to get a look at the unusual liquid, then says, "My father does not tell me much of what has been going on in the Imperial lands, and yet we have been left here while he heads to some of them. I suppose it must be because of the unrest you mention. Can you tell me what you have heard is occurring?"

The python slides the finished drink across the bar to Kin. It seems to be some kind of green tea liqueur involving rum and xocholatl for an extra buzz.

Kin takes the glass with both her hands and raises it up. She takes a sniff, then a small drink that she allows to linger on her tongue before swallowing.

"Sssome people coming from Viper's Hold," the barkeep hisses, taking up some of the empty glasses and cleaning them. "Expats. They sssense the way the wind is blowing, and bring everything with them while they ssstill have it. Like vermites fleeing an airship. Rich vermitessss, anyway."

Kin blinks a few times. After taking another drink, she asks, "What is happening in the Viper's Hold? Have some uncouth brigands overwhelmed it?"

"Ssssome local unressst," the python answers. "But it ssseems to be headed for full upheaval. And when the government falls, those with power or wealth fall with it."

"Hmm. But if the government falls, then surely there must be some driving force behind it? The unorganized cannot topple a government," Kin notes, tapping her claws lightly on her glass. "And why there of all places? I have never known that area as being particularly important or desirable. Most curious."

Leaning in closer, the barkeep whispers, "Corruption in the government. Brigands are out of control, and the confederation of local towns that make up the Hold can't hold together much longer."

"The governor is ssssuspected of being in the pocket of the brigandsss," the python adds.

Kin's head tilts slightly. "Who is the current governor, do you know? And has the Imperial center made any overatures of doing anything about it?" she asks.

"Governor Dess Vexing," Setzka says. "The Imperial court is growing impatient with him. After the breakup of the Old Empire, the Court recognized the independence of Viper'ss Hold. But with trade breaking down due to the brigandss and Imperial subjects coming under threat, there is fear of the Empire 'annexing' the territory. Should it fall further into chaos, there would be less outcry from other governments against such action. The situation must get worse before it gets better, eh?"

"Mmm. Now, if one was suspicious, one would think that perhaps some external force is trying to get the territory annexed? But such are the thoughts that breed ridiculous stories, no? One should not link to a conspiracy what can be just as easily linked to greed. Though, what could anyone possibly want in those lands. Unless, of course, something interesting has been found recently perhaps?" Kin asks and pauses to take another drink from her glass; the buzz from the alcohol and xocholatl light and pleasant.

Leaning in close again, Setzka relates, "The Empire is suppossssed to send a special 'military adviser' to 'consssult' with the Governor. Some think it is to genuinely help… but some fear it is intimidation or worse. Those that have fled speak of rumors and sightings of the Imperial Komodo Elite."

"Really? Who is the adviser they are sending?" Kin inquires.

"There is some archaeological interesst in the area, and of course it used to be Imperial property," the barkeep says. "As for the adviser, who knowsss? I suspect it is someone favoring reunification though. It is not something that can be discussed out loud within the Court, for fear of drawing the attention of Xenea, the Emirate or Rephidim – those powers are quite happy with a fractured Empire."

"Of course, of course," Kin says with a bow of her head. "There are even unsettling news from my home; it seems change is afoot in all of the Empire. Did hear the rumor that the Imperial Court will be calling in all outlying nobles soon to present?"

"I hear rumbles," Setzka admits. "Some think maybe it is overdue, and has been postponed until the Viper's Hold situation is sssettled. Then they can invite the new governor. The Noble Watchers would know more, I ssssuspect."

"Who are the Noble Watchers?" Kin inquires as she slides a claw tip along her glass. "I do not believe I have heard that term before."

Setzka has been making a slow circuit around the bar to keep up with drink orders, the glasses on her back clinking lightly. As she passes one of the heat bowls, a pair of fat Naga wrapped around a large boulder take turns from a hookah. "Hmm," says one, overhearing the talk of nobles. He nudges his companion with the hookah, and hisses, "Speaking of nobles, have you heard? There was going to be an auspicious highborn wedding in that resort place, Jadai. The bride vanished, though. Can you believe it?"

"There is one of them now," the python notes to Kin. She then checks to see if the men's hookah needs refilling or not.

"Really? I had not heard this. What have you heard about the wedding and the disappearance?" Kin asks the two, looking honestly interested. Inwardly, she's cringing a bit. Surely no one follows the activities of nobles that much.

The hookah seems to still be well enough stoked, but the Naga bob their heads at the much larger python, and offer her a few shekels in tips. The Naga who was prodded with the pipe takes it, and enjoys a deep drag. When he speaks, aromatic smoke issues out that lightens the head a bit. "Pff. Noble watching, such a waste of time. Who cares what they do? I say you're living vicariously through them." At Kin's question, the second Naga eyes the woman, and shrugs. "It was probably foul play. They're always murdering each other. I heard some think an outsider servant did it, some Jupani or gallee. Or was it human? Whatever. Say, you're a Kiriga, are you from there? Ah, if you were, you'd know. Never mind."

"I am, but I have been traveling with family for some time now. This is all news to me. So they suspect murder? That's terrible, but such happens I suppose," Kin says with a small shrug. "Who was to be married?"

The Naga snorts and waves his hand, wafting some ribbons of smoke away. "Oh, I don't know. Not many followed that sort of thing before the fracture, I'm not one of the obsessors myself."

Kin shrugs slightly. "It doesn't matter. Thank for for the interesting bit of gossip, though," she says with a smile. Her attention returns to the bartender as she finishes off her glass. "Are there any spas here? The weather of these lands is havoc upon my scales and I need to see about getting some of the grime polished away," she says.

"There is a groomer who comes around here every so often," Setzka says. "I usually use him, but there are more expensive spas available. Or the new gym, I hear they have a sauna and masseuse."

"Oh, I do not need expensive," Kin says with a smile. "When does your groomer usually come? And the gym of which you speak, is that Anisa's Gym? I believe I have seen it."

"Yes, the Gym started by the barmaid," the bartender says, nodding her head. "Sergei comes around once a week, usssually. He should be here again sometime tomorrow."

Kin dips her head. "Then I shall have to return tomorrow, thank you," the Kiriga says. "Since I may be here for awhile, what things are there to do for our kind here? I find the mammals most vexing and confusing. They are so … hyper."

There's a clunking noise from the center of the room as some burley taurid Rokuga descend into the pit. Moments later, they're helping hoist some heavy stones out, and with some effort they begin filling empty indentations in the floor with them. Once all the indentations are full, it's as though a sign passes through the bar… all the reptiles get up and move to the new stones, then resume chatting as if nothing had happened. The Rokuga helpers begin muscling the cooled rocks into their barrows and moving them to the oven.

Setzka pays no attention to the game of musical stones. "You should be wary of the Kavis in the Bazaar," she tells Kin. "They have been trying to trick Nagas of late. But otherwise, you can find almost anything in Rephidim. There are entertainers in the streetsss, and the library at the Collegia Naturalis. They have public lectures there as well. And the Opera House puts on something every ssso often. There are many casinos, and tales of even more exotic sights Underside."

"I was warned to stay away from the Underside; that it is disreputable and dangerous," Kin comments as she slides her empty glass on the counter. "But the lectures could provide a nice distraction. And what have the kavis been trying to trick the Naga into doing?"

"A mother will approach a large Naga, and tell a tale of woe ending with her inability to feed all of her children, who are suffering," the barkeep whispers. "She will bring up the solution of selling some of them to the Naga, for there are those deviants who find pleasure in devouring those with minds. If the Naga is open to the suggestion, the Kavi arranges a meeting. And then that Naga is never seen again. But I imagine the Kavi do not go hungry then."

Kin's eyes go wide at that! "That's horrible! Both for a Naga that would devour someone intelligent and that a kavi would do the same," she says with a rather marked tone of revulsion.

"Rikkian Cultists," Setzka hisses and flicks her tongue in distaste. "They thrive underground even here, but nobody pursues them so long as it is just cannibals preying on other cannibals."

Kin shudders. "Well, I should be safe as I have no interest in eating a kavi. I cannot begin to imagine that," she says with disgust. She then tries to smile and say, "And I believe I have taken too much of your time. What do I owe you for the drink and your kind hospitality?"

"Five shekels, if you will recommend this essstablishment to your traveling companions," the python offers.

"Of course," Kin says and searches in her side pouch for the money. She sets it lightly on the counter as she stands. Offering a small bow, she says, "I think I will partake of one of your warming stones for a bit before I go. Again, thank you. And if you should ever with to know anything of Jadai, I can try to answer. I certainly do not know everything, of course."

"Ah, perhaps I will take you up on that," Setzka says. "I cannot afford to vacation there, but first hand descriptions might suffice."

"Then allow me to dispel the first myth; it is not all a resort. There are farms, houses for great artists, and many varied trades there," Kin says.

"I doubt the touristsss get to see those," the python jests.

"Oh, no, they do not. In truth, I have seen little some places myself, as the nobles are very protective of their estates," Kin says as she looks for a vacant stone to occupy. "The most secretive is of an Artist known as Hakuu. Truth be told, I do not know what any of his art even looks like, though it is supposedly widely acclaimed."

"I have not heard of him, but that is of little surprise," the barkeep notes, as she begins to move on in her circuit. "I prefer Kame Ikata originals, when I can sssee them. Wonderful texturess… "

"I only know him by name," Kin admits. Eventually, she finds herself a large stone and slides her lithe form onto it. As her chin lowers to the warm surface, she lets out a contented sigh. "/At least there is a place of tranquility here. The tavern can be too busy at times … and too alien. I like the Snowshoes, but I do not understand them. Why does Royce lash out at us? Ah well, I suppose we are as alien to him as she is to us," she thinks. The remainder of her thoughts drift to the events she was told about, which only serve to fuel concerns that the Cinders /are/ trying to place people in positions of power.