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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Boddynock" data-source="post: 3873511" data-attributes="member: 21506">Allistra heads over to the bar and speaks with the man standing behind it. He listens, nodding, then says a few words. He disappears through a doorway, only to return a moment or two later, followed by a halfling who wipes his sweating face with the long off-white apron he’s wearing. Advancing, he disappears momentarily behind the bar, then reappears as he mounts what must be a set of steps and leans forward to listen attentively to Allistra.His face is a picture. At first clearly irritated by the interruption, he visibly schools himself to patience when he sees who it is, then listens with growing satisfaction to her words. At a certain point, however, his face lights up, and the party members hear him say, loudly, “Really? And fresh, you say? How fresh?”Allistra responds, and he replies, “Eight hours? Hmm, we’ll have to get it into cold storage as soon as we can. I don’t suppose you thought to cast Prestidigitation to keep it cool? Ah well, can’t have everything.”Hopping up onto the bar, he swings his legs over the front and jumps down. Striding through the room he calls out, “Janusz, over here!” Before he reaches the door, he’s joined by a seven-foot tall half-orc who’s been sitting to one side of the room, chair tipped back and leaning against the wall. They exit together.Allistra, leaning on the bar, turns and winks at the party. A few minutes later the halfling reappears. He’s holding a thick steak in either hand which he waves to the room at large.“Good news, friends! As of this moment, bear steak is on the menu - and tomorrow, I promise you Ursine Pie!”There’s a general chuckle around the room, and one or two cheers greet the announcement.Without delay, the chef ducks under the counter and enters the kitchen, shouting out as he does, “Evangeline, get the frypan on the fire - the big one. And break out the cardamom and the black pepper. What? No - of course I don’t want the rock salt. With fresh bear? Are you mad?”Moments later he’s at the bar again, this time wiping bloody hands on the apron. He and Allistra exchange a few short sentences, then he shakes her by the hand and puts onto the bartop a pile of pale coins. She nods her thanks and sweeps the coins into her purse.As she comes over to the party, Allistra is shaking her head and smiling. ”Oh, that Urs! He’s such a character!”If anyone asks, she explains. ”That’s the innkeeper - Balthasar Urs. He’s the finest chef in Allimon - and eccentric to boot. If he likes you, he’ll lavish on you the best food this side of Silverwood - but if he decides you’ve insulted him, you’ll have bellyaches for a week.””Now, here’s the 200 gold we agreed for the bear meat.”She opens her purse and pours out a handful of platinum. Counting out twenty coins, she puts them on the table in front of the party, sweeping the last few into her purse once more.</blockquote>

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