As Kirio moves to open the alleyway door, he realizes that it is firmly locked from the inside. After a moment or two of jiggling the door to test said lock, you all hear a metal bolt slide back with a heavy thud and the door opens inward a crack.
Lantern light slashes out like an iridescent blade across the cobblestones and a human woman peers at you from within the pub. After assessing you, and making quick glances above and beyond you, as if scanning for unwanted followers, she steps back and opens the door fully.
“Thanks for coming. I'm Torrent.” she says. “Come in quickly, as I would like to avoid drawing further attention to this location."
After you all file into the pub, Torrent quickly but quietly shuts the door and applies the metal deadbolt once more. As you adjust your eyes to the light, you are able to properly take in your surroundings.
The darkened pub is mostly empty now, its many tables and chairs pushed to one wall and covered with sheets. A single table sits in the middle of the room, with enough chairs for all of you. A small oil lamp and a keg sit on top of it, along with several mugs. At the back corner of the common room beside the bar, a staircase leads upstairs. The windows and door facing
onto the street are closed, and you know they have been boarded up from the outside. On the wall behind the bar hangs a bronze bust of the former emperor of Ragesia, Drakus Coaltongue, a regal, aged half-orc with a scar cutting diagonally across his face. You and Torrent are the only people in the room.
Torrent, who you can also now clearly regard, is as tall and strong as the typical warrior. She is a distinctive looking woman with tanned skin and short white hair. Under a dark winter coat she wears a breastplate decorated with blue wave-like etchings, and a holy symbol to what you assume is a sea god is tied to her wrist with a leather cord.
She as a stands off to the side and thumbs her hand in the direction of the table. "Have a drink." She suggests with a smile. "Just because we’re about to go to war doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the new year. Oh, and I think some introductions on your part are in order."
