In the middle of winter in Igen, sometimes people get bored. There's not terribly much to do outside, and many things slow down to a slow toil that run at full tilt in other seasons — so there are some less-than-familiar faces in this pit of iniquity and sin. Tiberius is among them, playing dragonpoker with his best bored face. It looks like this hand's about to falter, though, thanks to listless hands all the way around.

And who would trade sun and warmth for THIS? Va’os would. Because he’s bored (okay, might not be the whole truth there) and figured Igen would be a familiar enough place to undo that. Wrong choice; at least at first. Somehow, he got himself here. Somehow too, along the way, his knot did a vanishing act and his current clothing wouldn’t immediately peg him as a rider. At least when he ventures inside, he looks “comfortable” enough not to set off too much suspicion (or just NOPE himself out). Oh, look! Dragonpoker. Or maybe Tiberius looks… like the best option for crashing? “Chance another to join?” Not suspicious at all.

The last party folds, and a meager take is claimed by none other than Tiberius, who looks enthusiastic about his sucky win. IT'S STILL A WIN Y'ALL! "We're leaving," says one of the men for himself and another, and with a glance traded to Va'os and then Tiberius, the fourth absents himself without a comment. It's super seedy, what do you expect? Tiberius' guffaw is a dorky thing in the sudden absence of everyone else. "Take a seat, sure."

Any profit is a WIN, isn’t it? Va’os plunks himself down with little fanfare once the others leave in exodus from the table. Dorky, meet goofball! Though his grin isn’t quite to the ultimate effect, it’s broad and easy going enough. Stark contrast to some of the more soured faces here. “Want another go?” A nod to those cards. Two can play, right? That grin shifts to something more of a smirk as he takes a moment to dart a look about the seedy place. “Always this quiet, too?”

"Sure." This is gonna be a quick round. Or a reaaaaaaaaaaaal slow one depending. Tiberius goes through the motions of shuffling and sets the deck out ceremoniously for Va'os to cut. "Oh ho, you're not from around here?" His blueish eyes earnestly appraise the other man. "It gets rowdy, later. After everyone's done a round at Rosies." Literally.

Probably reaaaaallly slow if Va’os gets a’talking! Leaning forward, he’ll expertly cut the deck and gesture for Tiberius to carry on. Clearly, not his first time at this! “Nope!” Almost too cheerfully announced — there’s even a little pop to that last syllable. Someone just slap a target on his back! Another grin, lopsided this time. “Not yanking my chain? Cause I’d go for some entertainment right now. Rosie’s, huh?” Name probably speaks for itself.

Bottom stacked on top, Tiberius starts the process of dealing the hand. This would go A LOT FASTER if he wasn't making sure all the lines were plumb. Listen, it's a drafter thing, okay? "The girls there are okay, I guess. A little expensive." Tiberius pulls a face. Dude may be a little chubby, but he's fun enough to not typically need to buy it. Va'os? "If you have to buy it we're all screwed." When he realizes what he's said he laughs - a snorting bray - and revises, "Or maybe not, if you know what I mean."

Va’os’ laugh might be answer enough. Eyy, he’s liking this guy already! “Got it.” DID he? Shoulders lift in a lazy shrug, “Guess it’ll depend on how the evening rolls, eh?” He doesn’t seem to care either if Tiberius is taking his SWEET TIME with those cards. He’s a patient guy! “Since it’s kinda gone screwy,” Snort. “Already.”

"Nobody likes a braggart," Tiberius's extra squishy humor jokes around as he finishes lining up cards JUST SO. Don't judge. "Has it?" the man idly asks, gesturing around briefly with a card — luckily he doesn't go showing the actual card side. "I guess you are here."

“Aww. But that’s one of my better traits!” Va’os is just being an ass now with his flavour of humour. He’s not judging! No judgment! He may have forgot they were supposed to be playing. “Kind of the norm, for me.” Nothing ever quite goes smoothly from Point A to Point B for this guy. He’s made his peace with it. “Came up here chasing the trail of something and preeeettty sure I got the run around.”

Card game on pause, check. 'Cause Tiberius slowly lowers his cards back to the table in front of him and cocks his head doglike at Va'os. "Chasing the trail of something? What were you chasing?" 'cause listen Va'os, HAVE YOU HEARD OF MAPS?!

OH, MAPS IS IT? Va’os must really like Tiberius’ vibe or something (or he’s just really BAD at the whole trusting folk) because he’ll just nonchalantly reach into some inner pocket and procure — A MAP! Roughly (woe! sacrilege!) copied… probably from a copy of a copy. It’s sort of dangled there before he sets it on the table surface between them but still in his reach. “Let’s just say I’ve got interests in… odd items.” Illegal? Actually odd? Probably illegal. “For, ah, trade of sorts? And someone said there’d be something worth my while.” Tap tap goes a finger on that map. “Only I ended up here.”

"What the fuck is this bullshit?" A rapid change overtakes the slightly-socially-awkward easy-going man as he reaches out to take that scrap of copy-copied directional material. "Oh no. There's not even a legend! Who would do this? WHO WOULD DO THIS?!" Tiberius doesn't hear a single thing Va'os just heard, 'cause he's worried about this map being subpar. Welcome to the minercraft at Igen, V~

Va’os was NOT expecting that reaction! “The fuck you mean? It’s a map!” he exclaims, while the scrap of map is snatched up by Tiberius. THEMS fighting words! Did he just dis maps everywhere? Probably. “Wasn’t me! I was just given the damn thing! It’s not the worst scribbled map I’ve had.” And that’s saying something!

"This isn't a map. This is something someone with any sense wipes their ass with." Tiberius brandishes the scrap at Va'os like a THREAT. To wipe the other man's ass? Listen, he's a mapgeek, he doesn't actually have a social life and/or make any sense. He looks like he's about to go off again and then Va'os says it's not the worst and Tib's whole face just crumples like someone killed his dog.

Ah, SHIT. Va’os is doing it again! Somehow fucking up everyone’s night… only over MAPS. He can only stare at Tiberius in a seriously WTF perplexed way before laughing in that awkward-unsure manner. “Okay, okay!” Hands up, warding-like. HE GETS IT! “So it’s a terrible map. What’d you want me to do about it anyhow? Track down the original?” Is that gonna make poor wittle Tib’s feel better?

listen there ain't no shame in catchin' feels, va'os, maybe if you had a HEART you'd understand that omfg THAT ISN'T A DAMN MAP. <—- Tiberius' expression right now, wounded and forlorn like a little bearded bear cub left ronery and adrift in some little snoozy forest. "This isn't a map," he says, his voice sad as he looks down at the crumpled hide in his hand. "It's the dream of one." Then he shudders. "The nightmare of one."

“Ooookay,” Va’os though he’s seen it all! Or maybe he DOES have some heart in that jackassery shell of his. Because he’s holding out his hand with a little ‘gimme’ wiggle of his fingers. “Hand it over, then? I’ll take care of it.” SO MUCH REGRET right now! More for flaunting it… less for traumatizing Tib’s over there. “Maybe get some names so uh… shit like this ain’t circulating?” Offers still up! Going once. Going twice…

"No," Tiberius says, stuffing the scrap of hide down his shirt. HAVE FUN GOING AFTER THAT, VA'OS! "I'm going to go take care of this. RIGHT NOW." Listen, it's serious business. And with no other look than that uber-serious expression on his face right now, the miner man lifts up out of his chair and walks out. uh… bye?

Y’know? Va’os WOULD have fun going after it in different circumstances! Instead Tiberius is making off with HIS (would be) map! “The fuck YOU ARE! Hey! Get back here!” Now who’s the sad one? The bronzerider will eventually just cut his losses, probably cursing Tiberius’ name — oh wait, he doesn’t have it! FFFFfff… He’s definitely heading back to Southern now and speaking of this to NO ONE. Except Tsiroth, who already knows and is going to TAUNT him until he forgets about it!