You had been asked to meet an operative named Torrent shortly before midnight in the pub of the Poison Apple Inn to discuss things, and to use the alley door. Supposedly, she has an important mission and needs the help of capable adventurers, and she plans to leave the city with them.
Normally, streets were filled with happy people on New Year's Eve. This was more true in Gate Pass than anywhere else, where New Year's, and its Festival of Dreams, was the favorite holiday.
But the streets were nearly deserted. Perhaps it was the cold wind, or the dirty snow. More likely it had to do with the approaching Ragesian army and the Ragesian Scourge already let into the city by the cowardly city council in a feeble attempt to placate them.
The pub was in a poorer district paved with slush-covered cobblestones and with snow-filled alleys. Few windows had lights.
The Poison Apple was a two-story building with a bridge connecting its roof to that of the neighboring house--this kind of "skybridge" was common in Gate Pass, where space was at a premium since it was inherently limited. In some places, it was possible to travel across and through public buildings to get around without setting foot on the ground; in this case, it was likely just to connect the owners' house to the inn.
There was a sign on the door:
There were boards nailed across the door, but snow had been cleared away from the alley, and a faint light peeked out beneath the side door.
Whenever one of the adventurers opened it, they were met with a human in defensive posture and bearing a battleaxe, with a symbol of Poseidon bound to her left wrist with a leather cord. Her axe and breastplate were both decorated with blue enamel, although they did bear the nicks and scratches indicative of actual use. She had unusual coloring for a human, with both medium-dark skin and pale blue eyes, and short white hair despite her youth.
She apparently recognized the adventurers by their descriptions, since each time she relaxed her guard with a nod. Most of the pub was closed up tight, with tables and chairs shoved against walls and windows shuttered and boarded up. There was one round table in the center of the room, with enough chairs for all present to sit. Torrent waved towards this table, which bore a disappointing array of cheeses and other cold food along with a less disappointing array of bottles and glasses.
"We have business," said Torrent, "and the situation is dire. But I hope we can celebrate the New Year as much as we can while we're here. Mrs. Finner left out her best bottles for us--though of course, if anybody asks we broke in since we knew it would be empty, and she has no idea we're here. She's very brave, but she has children and they've already lost one parent."
Normally, streets were filled with happy people on New Year's Eve. This was more true in Gate Pass than anywhere else, where New Year's, and its Festival of Dreams, was the favorite holiday.
But the streets were nearly deserted. Perhaps it was the cold wind, or the dirty snow. More likely it had to do with the approaching Ragesian army and the Ragesian Scourge already let into the city by the cowardly city council in a feeble attempt to placate them.
The pub was in a poorer district paved with slush-covered cobblestones and with snow-filled alleys. Few windows had lights.
The Poison Apple was a two-story building with a bridge connecting its roof to that of the neighboring house--this kind of "skybridge" was common in Gate Pass, where space was at a premium since it was inherently limited. In some places, it was possible to travel across and through public buildings to get around without setting foot on the ground; in this case, it was likely just to connect the owners' house to the inn.
There was a sign on the door:
Trehan Finner, owner of the Poison Apple Pub, has been taken into temporary custody under the protection of the city guard, until such time that he can be questioned by representatives of the Ragesian Empire, and found innocent of hostile collusion.
The Poison Apple Pub is hereby closed until further notice.
"Until he can be found innocent" was something of a joke, as the Ragesian Inquisitors had rather broad definitions of "guilty," which did seem to include knowing any magic while not being loyal to Ragesia--whether or not one was even Ragesian. A few non-magical citizens of Gate Pass did whisper that every spellcaster should simply surrender to spare the rest of themThe Poison Apple Pub is hereby closed until further notice.
There were boards nailed across the door, but snow had been cleared away from the alley, and a faint light peeked out beneath the side door.
Whenever one of the adventurers opened it, they were met with a human in defensive posture and bearing a battleaxe, with a symbol of Poseidon bound to her left wrist with a leather cord. Her axe and breastplate were both decorated with blue enamel, although they did bear the nicks and scratches indicative of actual use. She had unusual coloring for a human, with both medium-dark skin and pale blue eyes, and short white hair despite her youth.
She apparently recognized the adventurers by their descriptions, since each time she relaxed her guard with a nod. Most of the pub was closed up tight, with tables and chairs shoved against walls and windows shuttered and boarded up. There was one round table in the center of the room, with enough chairs for all present to sit. Torrent waved towards this table, which bore a disappointing array of cheeses and other cold food along with a less disappointing array of bottles and glasses.
"We have business," said Torrent, "and the situation is dire. But I hope we can celebrate the New Year as much as we can while we're here. Mrs. Finner left out her best bottles for us--though of course, if anybody asks we broke in since we knew it would be empty, and she has no idea we're here. She's very brave, but she has children and they've already lost one parent."
