The Basin was just as rough as Mel expected. Only, she expected more alcohol. That would change soon. The new alcohol prohibition was declared only two days before.

Vienda, especially the Dives seemed suddenly sober but more secretive than normal. Like the town had suddenly changed, not for the better. It was odd; people weren't constantly drinking from alcohol flasks anymore. Not for long though, Mel thought to herself. It was only days before people would find ways to get alcohol. Brew it themselves as bathtub gin, go to the illegal pubs - speakeasys - that were bound to pop up sooner or later, drink from jars and smuggle bad vodka in boot-flasks. Mel thought she saw a couple of people sneaking drinks from jars even now, only a couple of days after the declaration. The desperate ones couldn't handle even a day without alcohol. Mel sadly shook her head a little.

Mel had only been to the Basin a few times before. She only ever went there if she was really desperate for coins. Right now, she was. Her stomach grumbled painfully as she walked through the crowds, her cup in her hand, offering it to people. Silent panhandling, Mel liked to call it. In a way, she was grateful for her lack of voice. It made people feel more pity than disdain when she extended her cup towards them. It also got her more coins. She smiled at herself, but all in all, she regretted what she was forced to become.

Mel wandered through the crowds, the sounds of fights interrupting her ears. She wasn't very tall, and most of the men (indeed, most of them were men) were a lot taller than her. It was an intimidating atmosphere She would have been scared for her safety if she wasn't so desperate. Desperate she was, and she wasn't leaving the Basin until she had enough coins in her pocket for a loaf of bread at the very least.

It was a frightening, hostile atmosphere, but at least the Seventen weren't here. It allowed for more fighting, more drinking of illegal bathtub gin, and more begging. Mel could ask people silently for coins without being disturbed. She appreciated this. In a way, the Basin wasn't a bad spot, but Mel felt frightened all the same.

The jeers and laughter, the yells, punches, screams and thuds as men fell to the ground, all disturbed Mel immensely. Mel was the only woman that she could see in the crowds. She didn't wander too close to the fights, only on the edges. She grimaced a little as she heard a man groan painfully on the ground. She saw his head amongst the feet, bloodied and bruised. Mel stomach grumbled painfully again as a man quickly dropped a fort in her cup.