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

[Kahuna Burger]

"You say you seek knowledge, and to protect the weak," he says between mouthfuls. "And you have a background in religion, I take it. So is this tavern, this city, a place at which you can fulfill those goals? Or are you merely at a stopping point, a rest stop, along your way?"

"Well, not religion per se, but similar from the outside," Kirin says cheerfully. Touching the symbol around her neck she explains "I was fostered in a Mortalist hospice during my tweens after some upset in the family. As the name implies, we serve the needs of mortals, not dieties. But my meditations have granted me many of the same abilities as a priest's prayers do, so as I said from the outside I suppose its close enough to make no difference." She pauses and eats a bit before continuing. "As for this tavern, its traditional for folks to come here or send messages if they are in need of assistance. I gained one opertunity here to help a monestary beseiged by evil... and I don't use the word evil lightly. It raised many questions in fact, about both the beseigers and my work, so I returned to my hospice for a while to seek some personal and professional guidance. The only listing that has been placed here since I returned was more for an employment than help, and it wasn't one I felt was my calling, so I will wait a while longer."

He catches Cirus staring at him with wide, expectant eyes. Adamant chuckles and orders up another plate of sausage to replace the one licked entirely clean.

Kirin laughs. "You will have a free Rider if you keep that up... I'd better lock Cirus in tonight or he'll be sneaking into your bed."

 

[Krug]

A hulking, muscular half-orc female (or at least, one you presume as a female from her ample bust and braided hair) walks into the tavern. There is a squirrel perched on her shoulder darting around nervously. "I be Laitra, and I be looking for ad... adventure!" She smiles, revealing long yellowed incisors. A greataxe with a strange rune is dragged behind her. You think she's trying to smile.

She moves to the counter and asks, "Goat milk please?"

She looks around the room, and taps her feet causing the floorboad to shudder lightly. She casts a look at the squirrel. "And sum nutz?"

Laitra will be interested in Creamsteak's adventure if there's still space..

 

[Verbatim]

His stomach reminding him it for the fifth time since the sun rose that it was still quite empty, Merlis breathed a sigh of relief as he approached the Red Dragon Inn. He had been told that this was the place to visit in Orussus if he sought coin and jobs, and at the moment, he could use both.

Entering the bar, Merlis approached the bartender and held out his hand.

"I am Merlis Appleton at your service sir, gnomish scholar and traveller."

Before he could say more, his stomach chose to announce itself once more, and Merlis' face turned a bright shade of crimson.

"Ahem...could I perhaps order some ham steaks and a warm loaf of bread?"

 

[hbarsquared]

Adamant listens attentively with unfeigned interest. "Fascinating," he says, "Although I must respect the power of the gods, they are not whom I go to for advice. They seem to have enough quarrels among themselves."

Adamant nods to the two newcomers entering the inn, somewhat surprised to realize the make-up of those now at the bar: two gnomes, a halfling, and a towering half-orc. He simply shrugs.

"Evil surely exists, though, no? Sometimes, I admit, it may be difficult to discern, but it is against that evil that I seek to protect others against. I've spent most of my life attempting just that. Unfortunately, my people found me unworthy of the honor." Adamant sighs. "My hope is to one day return."

 

[Verbatim]

As his food is placed before him, Merlis digs in with a vengence and before he realizes it, his plate is empty and his stomach, for the moment is full.

Looking at those around him for the first time, Merlis saw two fellow stout folk talking, as well as a rather large and imposing orcish woman.

~Well, diversity is definately not what the bar is lacking in...~

Not wanting to be rude, Merlis stays away from the chatting pair, as they seem to be deep in their conversation.

~Maybe when the time is right I will offer to buy them a drink and see if they could perhaps point me in the right direction...~

 

[Kahuna Burger]

as the newcomers enter, Kirin smiles and nods a welcome from her seat. To the half orc she says politely, "There are no adventures currently advertised, but I'm sure if you wait a bit something will come up." then she turns her attention backto the dog theif across from her.

"Evil surely exists, though, no? Sometimes, I admit, it may be difficult to discern, but it is against that evil that I seek to protect others against. I've spent most of my life attempting just that. Unfortunately, my people found me unworthy of the honor." Adamant sighs. "My hope is to one day return."

"I'm sorry that you feel cut off from your people, and I hope you won't take it as dismissive that I think every mortal can pursue their chosen path by their own works, evn if they are not placed in it by the people of their birth." She smiles a little, "and I think fighting evil is as much a burden as an honor should you choose to persue it on your own terms. As for what evil is..." She fades off and then grins impishly. "I'm afraid this is where I get not merely talkative, but long winded. Feel free to interupt with a subtle comment like by all thats good shut up! if you get bored. Anyway, from my studies, I believe there are two kinds of evil - that which can be done by mortals through physical action, and that which relates to magical energies. The first can be determined only by judgements of we mortals, and while some things seem evil without any question, much has been labled and destroyed as evil that was merely different or strange. Meanwhile there are magical energies which are called evil by their very nature and which by some uses are without a doubt vile and wrong," She shudders for a moment at an unspoken memory, but continues her thought, "but by other uses could be seen as simply harmful - no more intrinicly evil than a sword blow, but still considered tainted by the kind of power that is harnessed. I guess you could say that while I believe in the existance of evil in theory, I am distrustful of even my own ability to accurately identify it in my fellow mortals... it makes life more difficult sometimes, but if I had wanted life to be easy I guess I could have left the hospice at majority and raised Riders with my uncle." She pauses a moment to eat a bit more of her breakfast. "Sometimes it is easier on an intellectual level to find what is good and do that than to decide what is evil and go out trying to stop it, I think. So I focus on what I can do to help people, and protect innocents from those who are acting with immediate evil before I worry about seeking out evil to prevent. Perhaps as I gain more expierience and wisdom I will be more comfortable judging rather than reacting."

 

[Kangaxx]

A short human, with dark hair and bright blue eyes walks into The Red Dragon, wearing a very travel-stained black cloak. He looks uncomfortable for a moment as his gaze wanders the room, then he takes a seat at a vacant table and listens to the hubbub of the inn.

 

[Krug]

Liatra pats Adamant's head. "Have milk. Help you."

She nods at Kirin's words and sighs. "Me hope adventure come soon. Last time adventure found Liatra, not good things happen. Not good."

 

[Verbatim]

Mustering up his courage, Merlis approached the halfling male and gnome female.

"Forgive me for intruding upon your conversation, but I have been travelling for many weeks now, and would enjoy sharing someone's company beside my own."

Hoping they do not send him packing, Merlis smiles and waits for either an invite or a dismissal.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Mustering up his courage, Merlis approached the halfling male and gnome female.

"Forgive me for intruding upon your conversation, but I have been travelling for many weeks now, and would enjoy sharing someone's company beside my own."

Hoping they do not send him packing, Merlis smiles and waits for either an invite or a dismissal.

kirin smiles and pats a chair. "I'm sure adamant would be greatful for someone to interupt my rambling." She gestures to a large horsecoated dog lounging at the foot of the table. "This is Cirus, once his new friend runs out of sausage he'll probably investigate you. If you don't like Riders, tell him clearly 'bad boy'... and then go out and curse your heritage." She can't get the last part out with a straight face and laughs, turing partly to Adamant again. "You know that while riding dogs are mostly associated with halflings they were actually first bred by gnomes. Longer lives you know, more generations of tinkering to pack into one enthusiast. I'm sorry, its another topic I like, courtesy of my uncle rather than my teachers for once. But anyway, please sit Merlis, we were discussing the nature and existance of evil and the red dragon's potential for adventure..."