A Tale of Two Dragons

Rae ArdGaoth

Explorer
A small hamlet can be seen over this last hill in your long journey. You cannot tell why, but your soul cries out that this is the place, the home of the summoner, the powerful being who called you from across the continent. An old wooden sign has the word “Thamanton” burned in black, telling you the name of this tiny town. Curious as to what great power would choose to live in such poverty, you venture forward on the last leg of your journey, and on the first leg of a new one.

The village is unremarkable, a few houses scattered about, fairly close together, with a little market in the middle of it all. The most prominent building, though hardly magnificent by any standards, is a large tavern. “Old Sal’s” is carved into a sign above the door. Peering in, you can tell that many of the locals spend a fair amount of time in here. The position of the sun indicates that it is late afternoon, and you step in the tavern, eager to learn more of this seemingly innocuous place.

The regulars turn to look at you, surprised that a visitor has come to their little hamlet. You look just as surprised, if not more so, as more and more foreign visitors enter right after you. All told the congregation is quite the conglomerate of races, colors, complexions, and nations.

A handsome, golden-eyed elf with copper colored hair, a stout but mighty dwarf, dressed in black full plate armor, leaning on a dwarven waraxe, a tiny girl, no, a Halfling woman obscured by darkness whose own shadow seems to have a life of its own, a strange looking creature, elven in form but covered in scales and frost, emanating an aura of intense magical power, another scaled elven being, this one red, his massive arms swinging a humongous sword about with ease, a man whose skin seems to glow and glitter in the afternoon sun, and a tall, strong man with flowing blond hair who just dismounted from a mighty magical beast blessed with strength, nobility, and flight, a griffon.

From behind the counter in the tavern, an old woman glances up from wiping the bar at the newcomers. She smiles a toothy grin, her pearly whites literally sparkling up at the odd group.

“Hello, friends, and welcome to Old Sal’s.”


OOC Thread
IC Thread
Old OOC Thread
 
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Penthar Danadin, Aglarondan Griffonrider

Those with a view outside the tavern marvel as a red-plumed griffon alights in front of the tavern. Murmers abound as what appears to be a knight of some sort dismounts, gently stroking the head of the majestic griffon. He reaches into a bag strapped to the griffon's saddle, and after a moment of fishing around in the bag by hand, he pulls out a feed bag. As he straps the feed bag onto the griffon's beaked head, those who are eavesdropping on him might hear him soothe his mount. "Feed well, my friend, and thanks for the smooth ride. But keep your eyes alert."

A tall, strong man with flowing blond hair enters the tavern, garbed in full Aglarondan regalia. With an heir of magesty, he acknowledges the people of the tavern, and takes in the others about him.

For Rae:
[SBLOCK]By reflex whenever he enters new surroundings, Penthar's inner eye sweeps through the crowd of the tavern, detecting those of an evil nature.[/SBLOCK]

As he eyes the room, it is then that ne notices Faelar. "Faelar, old friend! So I see you too have arrived safely! And ahead of me, it seems! Sorry we had to part ways in Aglarond, but my layover in Thesk was needed, and I am sure that you have found a more comfortable travelling method than the back of old Regalclaw." As he says this, he gestures to the griffon feeding by the door of the tavern.

Eager to catch up with Faelar, he gestures to the woman behind the bar. "And greetings to you, madame! Might I get a pint of ale? My trip was a long one, and my throat a bit dry."
 

"Well! Aren't you just a fine you lad?" Old Sal grins slyly and gives Penthar a subtle wink. "Sit yeself down, m'boy, have a drink, you've traveled a long way. All the way from Aglarond, eh?" She grins as she grabs a mug off the shelf and fills it up. "This ain't on the 'ouse just becuz ye're pretty, young man." She winks again.

OOC to Harvey:[sblock]Your inner eye detects nothing from these simple common folk.[/sblock]
 

Penthar Danadin, Aglarondan Griffonrider

A slight blush spreads across Penthar's face. "Thank you, madame, for the kind words" he says with a bow. "And I would never dream what to presume I am assured is excellent ale is freely given." He reaches into his belt pouch as withdraws 3 silver pieces, placing them on the bar before him and pushing them over to her. "Please, my good lady, if you would be so kind as to start a tab for me and my friend here."

He turns to Faelar: "what say you, my elven friend. Would you like something to drink? And what is the story with these others? Do you think they too might have heard the call?"
 

Old Sal takes the three coins and goes to put it in a metal bucket placed behind the bar, but before she gets there, one of the regular patrons calls out to her, "Oi! Ol' Sal, do that thing ye do!" He tosses her a copper.

Grabbing the flying coin with one hand, she gives a sarcastic scowl to the man. Then she places all four pieces in her mouth. The men begin to cheer and the barmaid smiles and looks away, shaking her head. Old Sal spits one coin softly in an arc and then quickly spits two more to the left and right. One bounces of off the wall and the other collides with Penthar's own mug. Both ricochet directly into the path of the first coin and all three land neatly in the bucket.

The man who gave her the copper says, "Hey! That's only three, where's the other one?" Old Sal looks a bit confused and sticks her finger in her mouth, fishing about. Then, suddenly, she launches the copper out at the man's head. It knocks him off of his chair and then flies neatly back into grinning Sal's hand. The entire bar erupts in laughter and purses open as just about every one in the bar places a few coins on the table for their favorite entertainer.
 

A man dressed like a farmer walks into the tavern in the midst of the coin trick. He
smiles faintly, yet says nothing as he walks up to the bar. The observant among the
patrons notice the holy symbol of Kelemvor hanging from his neck.

His eyes widen slightly as they come to rest on what can only be an Aglarondan
knight. He turns to the woman behind the bar and says, "I'll take a
pint of your local ale, maam."
 

Brak muttered. He missed home already. Maybe he was getting old, but the life of a Defender had agreed with him. Brew wasn't hard to find, and you needn't have to put up with some of the other races, particularly halflings (always thieving) and elves (always dour).

"What do you have of dwarven vintage?" Brak asked. He didna like any of the human stuff. He wanted good, honest, strong alcohol. He wasn't too amused by the coin trick.
 

Old Sal looks to the old farmer. "Ah, g'day, fine sir. A mug o' ale, just for you, comin' righ' up, sah. Sit yeself down, sit down. Working hard on the... farm?" She grins knowingly at that last word, her old but shining eyes scanning him, taking him in, and making him feel as though she were looking right through him, right into his soul. Despite this awkward feeling, he didn't feel exposed or violated in any way. Quite the contrary, he felt... bathed, almost, like in a warm sun or a cool breeze or some other pleasant feeling that didn't have a physical comparison.

To the dwarf Sal frowns with a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh ho ho, grumpy ol' dwarfie wants some strong stuff, eh? Alrigh', can ye handle this?" She reaches underneath her bar, rummages around a bit, then pulls out a steel cylinder. Taking a dagger-like tool, she punches a hole through the top and pours the contents into a mug. The head overflows on to the bar and there seems to be smoke coming up from it. "There! I've been savin' that 'un fer a special occasion, like yerself, dwarfie. Drink it up fast, it's burnin' through my mug!" She bellows out in laughter. The regulars chuckle a little but have incredulous expressions on their faces. The liquid really is eating away at the mug.
 



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