Toben hands a key to Sildar and then one to Vottr and Leonan. 'Feel free to put your personal belongings in the rooms. There are wash basins and water in the rooms if you'd like to wash up before eating.' With that, Toben exits to what you presume is the kitchen.
A few moments later, a older man enters. He is medium height with close-cropped silver hair and beard, his jerkin is soiled and patch, as is his fur lined vest, and his leather hose are patched at both knees with a length of rope as a belt. 'Well met, good sirs' he says as he passes by you and takes a seat near the hearth.
As soon as he sits, the common room gets quieter and his voice, rich with tone and clarity, begins to speak.
[sblock=Grat's story]
'Before history began, there was nothing. No land, no sea, no air, no stars or moons. All was as empty as this table before me' A small titter ripples across the room. The matron quickly brings a mug, cup and a small plate of food to the table and quickly leaves.
'Then Bahamet and the other goodly Gods looked out over this blackness and commanded light! But no light appeared. The commanded the land, sea and air to form, but they did not. Bahamet himself rose his mighty fist and commanded the stars and moons to exist but, again, the inky blackness stared back at him, unmoved by His commands.
'Then, the dark gods came. Gruumsh, Lolth, Asmodeus and the rest, The dark maiden Tiamat at their front. She said unto them "What ever might the matter be, brothers?"
And they did reply "We wish for a place to have fish and fowl, birds and plants and Men also but it will not form."
'"Ah" said she in her guise as a beautiful maiden with a multi-hued gown, "I know the reason, though it will not please thee."
'The goodly gods did stare at each other in confusion. How could she, the face of wickedness, now something that they did not? They did ask "what is it you know, Queen of Darkness? why will the heavens not answer us?"
'Now, in truth this was because She and the other dark ones had broken the spells of the goodly gods. However, she said unto the Goodly Gods "Why, it is because you are trying to create perfection, of course. No bird nor beast nor man may survive in perfection. He would become lazy and do no thing that was not needed. For Men to survive, they need imperfection."
'The goodly gods looked at each other, this seemed to not make sense and They did say unto Her "Why is this so?"
'"Men," she did reply "cannot be perfect, though you may create them for, in perfection, they become as gossamer and cannot stand even the slightest imperfection. But, in imperfection, men can stand, work and strive. They can hope, dream and call unto You to fulfill them that one thing that would destroy them utterly. And so, in order to bring the stars, moons, lands, seas and men also into being, you require Imperfection. to put it plainly," She said with a grin all of sweetness and malice "You need Us" And she did sweep her arms out to bring her fellow dark gods into the circle with her.
'The goodly gods were sore pressed. They had striven to create and had been denied, seemingly by their own perfection. For a time they did confer and, in the end, did agree to work with Her and the others and, together, did they cause the stars and moons to be. With mere thought did they create the lands, seas, fish and fowl. And finally, did they create the intelligent races. Humans, Elves, Dwarves and all the rest and, in their hears they put the desire for perfection that the goodly gods did shine by example but also did the dark Gods put the capacity for cruelty and greed.
'Finally, when all was complete, the gods did look upon their creation and did bless it, and the world became whole, though a fully imperfect whole.'
[/sblock]
The crowd looked to each other and a small bit of applause was given as Grat empted the cup and sipped from the mug. Toben showed up from the back then and put a single copper into the cup, then grasped hands with the silver haired man who you presume is Grat.
Toben then shows you to a large table with platters of food on them.
As you begin to tuck in, you see another Dwarf and a tall, Gold Dragonborn enter the front door.