Even Newer(er) Tavern Thread: The Hanged Man

[Dekana]

Lenard sips occasionally from his tea while listening to the conversation.

"It is a beautiful realm: expansive, prosperous, and secure. Except perhaps at the borders, there are few who need worry about invading monsters or criminal elements." His smile fades a bit as he looks to Dante. "If you'll forgive me for saying so, it is now as Ea was in its prime."

"I have heard something of the fighting that occurs in your land. May I ask, is that what led you to Daunton?"

OOC: The setting is fairly malleable. If something isn't written about your region already, feel free to add to it.

 

[rb780nm]

Sound of Stone, the thri-kreen warrior steps back into the tavern, only a few hours after he and the others left to find the missing scholar. His clothes are a little more worn and there are a few freshly healed cracks in his carapace. After entering, he looks around the tavern carefully, as though he is expecting to meet someone there.

With a sigh he slumps into a chair at an empty table.

 

[kristoaster]

"The fighting was... an irritant, yes," Dante replies. "I didn't like to involve myself in petty skirmishes, refused to take sides and... well, no one was impressed. I left rather quickly after that," the Githzerai finished with a wry chuckle. "They need to get their priorities right."

At the sound of the thri-kreen's entrance, Dante turns to look at him, eyes widening slightly at the sight of a four-limbed insectoid in Daunton. "What is that?" he whispers to Lenard and Owen.

 

[hafrogman]

Owen's eyes follow Sound of Stone in, but at Dante's comment, they snap back. He shrugs expressively.

"I don't know. Never seen anyone like it before."

He pauses for a moment.

"I once heard a story about these four beetles. They lived on a small island, and they could create this hypnotic buzzing noise that drove all of the island's youth crazy, creating an army of followers. This beetle-mania was terribly infectious, and after they had conquered their home island, they spread to other, more populous lands, in a beetlish invasion."

He pauses and takes another look at the Thri-kreen.

"Not saying it's related or anything, just thought it was an interesting story."

 

[kristoaster]

Dante looked from the thri-kreen to Owen and back again. "Sounds a little far fetched to me," the githzerai replies with a shake of his head, before motioning to a barmaid to bring him a drink. "Insect buzzing noises are on the way out."

 

[rb780nm]

"Insect buzzings are bigger than the son of Bahamut"

 

[hafrogman]

Owen winces internally, realizing how rude he'd been to be discussing the new visitor behind its back, as it were. But he transitions smoothly enough, turning to face the Thri-Kreen and he decides to get his information more directly, asking a slightly leading question.

"Oh? Are they popular . . . where you're from?"

 

[rb780nm]

"Yes, at night in the deserts around the granite peak, the clans would buzz their songs. Clans competing to drown out rivals for glory!" the thri-kreen responded.

"I am from a place far from here, but I do not know exactly where it is from here. Clutchmates and I came here through some strange magic, and then we were separated. I was hoping that some of them were here waiting for me, but they are not.

"You have never another like me?

 

[kristoaster]

"I can't say that I have," replies Dante, with a frown. "Where are your... your 'clutchmates?'

 

[CaBaNa]

"A messy business, both," the githzerai replies with a shake of his head, adding, "I am Dante. Well met."

He seems to muse for a short while, before saying in another low voice,"Now, you mentioned a job opportunity... do you know of one?" It is fairly clear from the tattered rags Dante is wearing that his purse does not exactly overflow at this moment in time.

Um... Did someone over here say my name. Sorry, I was terribly preoccupied with this construct-of-a-most-peculiar-nature. What did you need? Oh, and I go by "Gil" now...