Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Camelot" data-source="post: 4914388" data-attributes="member: 82617">Chapter One: You All Start in a Tavern... “Seriously?” said the man wearing chainmail sitting at the bar.  “Are you completely serious?” He was in the Dragon’s Den Inn and Tavern, clearly the most popular inn in the town of Fannen-Dar.  It was packed with dwarves, elves, humans, halflings, and an odd assortment of other beings that were kicked back and relaxing.  The only one not relaxed was Benn, the human warlord. “I mean, seriously?!  We start in a tavern?  That’s so cliché!  Couldn’t you think of anything better?” He sighed and went back to sipping his apple cider.  There was no point in arguing with the celestial bodies above.  They always got their way. A large dragonborn paladin, at least six and a half feet tall, approached Benn.  “What better place to start an adventure than where you can find beer and attractive women, my friend?” he said. “I was just hoping for a change of pace, a neat story or something,” Ben said.  “And haven’t you noticed that you’re the only dragonborn here?  There are no women that you’d find attractive.” “What?!” the dragonborn said, standing up.  “No women?  I thought this town was full of dragonborn!” “It is,” Benn said calmly.  “Just not in a bar.” The dragonborn sat back down, deflated.  “Oh, well...I’m Kriv, by the way.” “Benn.”  He took another gulp of his cider.  A table behind him erupted in roars of laughter as a player in a card game lost it all on a gamble.  The one that lost, a tiefling, got up, walked to the bar, and sat down next to Benn. “Tough luck, man,” Kriv said from the other side of Benn.  “That looked like quite a lot of gp.” “Yeah, it was,” the tiefling said, “but I’m not worried.” “Why’s that?” Benn asked. The tiefling showed them a pouch, and shook it so that the warlord and the paladin could hear the jingling coins inside.  “He got some of mine, but I took more of his, and he’s too drunk right now to notice.”  The tiefling pocketed his ‘winnings’ with a gleeful smile. “Ah, I see,” Benn said.  “You’re a rogue.  Well, I have nothing to worry about.”  He pointed to an empty loop on his belt pouch.  “I’ve got nothing for you to steal.” “Don’t worry, I don’t want to steal from you,” the tiefling said.  “That jerk was cheating, so he got what was coming to him.  My name’s Ekemon.  Nice to be of your acquaintance.”  He held out a red hands, with long fingers that looked like they could swipe the feathers off a sleeping owlbear.  Nonetheless, Benn shook it. “I’m Benn,” he said again. “And I’m Kriv,” the dragonborn piped up. Ekemon ordered a mug of apple cider, and when it arrived, took an enormous gulp.  He then asked, “What are two warriors like you doing hanging around a tavern?”  He quietly waited for an answer, but none came.  Benn and Kriv exchanged glances. “Uh...” Kriv finally said, “this is just where we started.  We don’t know why we’re here yet.” Ekemon blinked, shrugged, and took another gulp of his cider.  “Guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Suddenly, the door opened.  In walked an eladrin wearing flowing green robes.  Her eyes were bright purple and her hair lemon yellow.  Her robes were decorated with stars and moons.  A glint of crystal in her large pocket showed that she was a wizard. She approached the three adventurers.  “Excuse me, gentlemen, but where can I find a Ren Strithaw?” “You mean the innkeeper?” Benn asked.  “He’s right there, where he always is at this time of day.”  He pointed to the old man who was serving the drinks.  This was Ren Strithaw, the innkeeper and bartender at the Dragon’s Den Inn and Tavern. “Yes, that’s him,” the eladrin said.  She then started shouting and waving, “Excuse me!  Mr. Strithaw, sir!  Yoo-hoo!”  The old man turned around, looking at her like she had the head of a kobold, but came over to her. “What can I do fer ya, eh?” he asked.  His voice was wheezy and his accent thick, but he was still full of life and laughter. “We would like to know more about these rats I’ve been hearing about in your basement,” she said. Ren’s eyes grew to the size of astral diamonds, and he put a finger up to his mouth.  “Shh!  Don’t go yelling stuff like that about!  It’s bad fer business!” Ben wasn’t concerned about Ren’s business, but noticed something strange about what the eladrin said.  “What do you mean, we?” “She’s talking about me!” came a voice from down below.  Ekemon, Ben, and Kriv looked down to see a halfling girl glaring up at them.  She had a shortbow strapped to her back and a quiver full of arrows.  “The names Talia,” she said.  “Best marksman among halflings.  And this here is my friend, the wizard Althaea.”  Althaea waved vigorously at the others who were two feet in front of her.  Talia gave her a look that clearly said, “Why do I follow you around?” Ren whispered to the wizard, “Who’s going around blabbing about rats?” “Mutterings on the street,” she replied.  “Don’t worry; it’s not big and public or anything. I was wondering if I could help in any way.” Ren thought for a moment, and then said, “Well, it’s true, but they’re not just rats.  Somehow, some giant rats got down there.  It’s not a job for just one wizard and a halfling, unless you’ve been travelling before.” Althaea shrugged.  “Well...no, we haven’t.” “We can help.”  Everyone turned to look at Ben.  “I mean,” he continued, “I think we’ve all been looking for some adventure.  Why not start here?” “Adventuring doesn’t consist of basements,” Ekemon said.  “Adventuring is going off to faraway places and defeating great beasts.” “Have you ever seen a giant rat?” Ren said.  “There is no greater beast.  Besides, I’ll pay you each 8 gold if you do it.” “We’re in,” Ekemon and Kriv said together. “All right then,” Ren said smiling.  “The basement’s right this way.”  He began walking over to a door behind the bar.  Kriv, Ekemon, and Althaea followed him. Ben looked down at the halfling, Talia.  “Why do I get the feeling that we were destined to go into that basement?” Talia rolled her eyes.  “Sometimes, the powers above have a plan for us, and we have no choice but to follow it.” “Well,” Ben said, “let’s follow this, what should we call it, ‘railed road,’ and see what comes of it.”  With that, they followed the others to the basement.</blockquote>

Verification