(Tavern) City of Orussus, The Red Dragon Inn V

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The Red Dragon Inn
The Red Dragon Inn is home to a motley sort of people. Located near an incredibly life-like statue of a Great Red Wyrm, rumored to in fact be a petrified dragon. Surrounded by a complex of two taverns and a huge inn with hundreds of rooms of flexible cost, the Red Dragon only irks a small amount of it's costs from the ale and bedding. In fact, most of the profits accumulated at the Red Dragon come from individuals that may never have set foot inside at all.

The Red Dragon is the functioning base of operation of a huge number of adventuresome individuals. Oftentimes a wealthy employer will post an advertisement at the establishment, costing anywhere from nothing for those who need help the most, to hundreds of thousands of gold pieces from kindoms farther away than most people knew the world stretched.

Who sets these prices? The bartender, an infamous brewer by the name of Joe Smith. His reputation is in his bar, and the bar is in his heart. He makes the decision to let the poor and neady post warrants, jobs, and anything else for pennies, while charging absolutely abusive amounts of money for the wealthy to have a similar contract. People pay what he thinks they should pay, and all but those that shouldn't be posting here anyway make the concessions to do so.

This has allowed the bar to grow to it's incredible size. Many a new table was paid for by a simple advertisement. And, in exchange, the Red Dragon is open and often free to it's clients. Drinks of all sorts, wines, ale, milk, and foreign fruits all make their way to the Red Dragon, where anything is possible. The only people not permitted in the Red Dragon are those that offend the barkeep.

Many people tell the stories about the historical figures that have graced the Red Dragon. Many of these stories are told in the stories of bards and the wives tales of the oldest bar maids. The interior is ever changing, some tables being made of common woods, and others being purchased at extreme costs to accomodate the best of heroes and nobles. If someone doesn't like linen bedsheets, oftentimes silk will be imported within the hour to cover those that need it. Of course, this tends to be the path to offending old Joe, but he won't kick you out till your willing to leave on your own.

The dragon's eyes glow at night, acting as a beacon. The street lights on the paths outside allow for an excellent night-time environment. By the time everyone wakes up, they can find a bed of toasted breads, morning pastries, cheeses, eggs, and if they need something special, it only takes a few minutes to make. The Red Dragon is obviously a fine place to spend a night. Of course, the clientel that come her most often are also the same kind of folk that always find themselves on the road, and having a home away from home is a huge reason why they all return here eventually.

The first thing any visitor should do, upon entering the the Red Dragon, is shuffle up to Joe. The barmaids try to ensure that this happens promptly, because Joe can't stand anyone that doesn't say hi at the very least. The second thing Joe does to any visitor, is to get them to shout out their name and any important facts about themselves that others might need to know. Then, third, the entire bar greets the newcomer and gets back to their drinking. It's all just customery, but Joe sure does appreciate it.

[starting the establishing shot...]

"Doubletrouble" Sara sits at the bar, a young human woman dressed in a garish but well battered chain shirt. The two crossed short swords on her back have curled ribbons on the hilt which fly about with a dramatic flourish when she unsheaths them - which she does regularly, if for no other reason than to show how quickly and dramaticly she can do it. Sara has made something of a project of going through Joes entire drink list, in alphebetical order, and has a greater capacity than one might expect of a woman of her age. She is friendly and cheerful, seeing her time at the Red Dragon as almost a vacation from her real job in "the Pits" which she occassionaly mentions returning to eventally.

Joe makes some hand signals to call one of the other bartenders over. He then whispers with the other man for a few minutes, then walks over to one of the many bulletin boards in the Red Dragon.

The side bartender, a man named Curly starts to unfurl a scroll and read it alloud:

"Hear this, and let it be known that the City Council of Orussus has need of a few brave men who would be willing to risk life and limb for the city."

"Any upstanding young gentleperson is permitted to speak with the city council, so long as they come in a group no larger than eight and no smaller than four."

"Any willing party will be responsible for their well being, though a recompense of 1,000 gold Ennies will be offered as insurance upon your life, should you die in service to the city. After servitude is completed, the city will refund the deposit upon this insurance policy in the sum of 500 gold Ennies. Any party which is appropriated this insurance will be required to declare a next of kin."

"The undertaking for which the great and noble city council of Orussus has been tasked with hiring outside help for is not one of any sort of safety. An Ogre, one of massive strength and power, and his mercenary allies are to be brought to trial in the name of the law. Their crimes of cannibalism, theft, murder, harassment, and crimes against the city are to be met with as soon as can be. If death by the hands of recruited justiciars is met, the justiciars will be exempt from any punishment. These villains now hide away from the eyes of the city, in a dungeon once a crypt..."

"Come during the next sunrise, bring with you any equipment needed to perform this act of justice."

(Hello? I'm looking for players?)

Sara walks over, mug in hand and reads the message. Then she reads it again. She looks around to see if anyone else is reading it and says, "um, this IS common, right? Are they paying us 1000, 500, or just that to our family if we die, and is that each or per group... I mean, I get that there's an orge and some allies, and I'm up for that... what the blazes is a justicar anyway? If I'm one, noone told me..." She throws up her hands and goes back to the bar. "If anyone can translate that and guarantee me that I'm not going to pay them 500 ennies if I live, I'm in for the ride..."

Groggnir listens to Curly's announcement with growing excitement. "Who care about moneys?" he asks Sara. "That sound like fun!" He turns to Avlogg. "We should do this, brother. We can kill an ogre!"

Iggy

OOC: It looks like the Quest for Fallon's Key is restarting. Thus I think I'll excuse Iggy from this one. I'd love him to join, but it would be playing him twice, I suppose.

Avlogg grinned and nodded at his brother. "Ogres are big and stupid, he'll never even see us coming," he said. "Anyone coming with us? asked Avlogg, glancing at Sara.

The door opened. That alone was no small feat for the figure who stepped through. Luckily several handles were set into the door at different heights to accomodate people as ...vertically challenged as she was.
Wild hair, that looked as though the owner had at least made an attempt to brush it, was the first to appear. The small figures back came through first, pulling something in behind ..her. It had to be a her.

A rather large axe, edge radiating 'sharp' was picked up carefully and carried in before she kicked the door shut behind her, quite loudly.

Overbright blue eyes surveyed the room with curiosity. "Why d'the dragon's eyes glow?" she asked in general, clomping over towards a chair by the bar. It seemed awful empty in here.
A braver barmaid hesitated, then walked over and asked her to introduce herself. The figure fixed her with an unnerving stare.
"'Izat menna be tradishon?" she asked in a gruff voice. "Right." An amused grin spread over her face. "Mah names is Karith Avil Rey Celyn Erin Raulnor. Sofar every'un just calls me Karcer. Every'un I like anyways." Again the eyes looked around the room, paused on a few people now and then as though sizing them up. (Or down) and moving on.
"Rekons you lot is ok." She decided after a while, lovingly resting the axe against the bar while she hauled herself into a chair.
"Sum'un told me this place waz good fer resting at. Could get me a job too I hear. Whas' teh best drink?"

((Scuse my enthusiasm I know I should wait till she's been accepted...but...but...*twitch* Lew's first (And probably last) psycho!))

Glancing at the two goblins and Sara, Harwin reflects a bit.

The language is a bit obscure but I doubt that we have to pay anything, the deposit is likely to come to us if we do not die.

I for one would be glad to do this job, it would be an intersting group eould it not, a human, two goblins and a halfling!

Laughing to himself he walks over to the bar keep

So who do we see to secure this job?