The most attention-grabbing feature was what the new owners had mounted over the door; a fake bowsprit, the spar which normally fastened the ropes to stabilize a ship's mast. The entire tableau gave the impression of an owner who wanted visitors to imagine that the building was actually a spectacularly ill-proportioned and temporarily dry-docked ship. The bowsprit itself supported a painted, wooden figurehead; a rather skillful and imaginative representation of an alluring mermaid. While not out of place in a port city, the siren drew their attention thanks to the artist's attention to detail. She held a shattered beer mug in her left hand, a stiletto in her outstretched right hand, and had unmistakable red hair flowing from her head like a blazing fire. [Note: A rough description of the MC, featuring weapons from a bar fight in book 1]
"Oh for fuck's sake..." Eya muttered into her palm. Her profanity gambit fell flat; none of them noticed.
"Huh. Well, that's..." Kael offered, lost for words.
"Perky." Liriel generously came to his aid.
"And remarkably life-like!" Theron boisterously finished for them. Eya gasped.
"Muffin! It is not life-like."
"I think it's very...flattering?" Elara diplomatically added. Liriel spoke up again, clearly enjoying this far too much.
"I want to change my answer to 'tumescent'." She waved off Elara's shocked expression. "What? I read."