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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 4160152" data-attributes="member: 16069">And so with the characters established let’s head on into the action.Castle Whiterock- Drunk in the DrakeTurn 5.Cillamar, The Inn of the Slumbering Drake.Lady Chauntessa, the owner of the Drake is wearing a red dress, it must have been very expensive, there’s very little of it and what there is qualifies as sheer.“Ronnie, Reggie. Good to see you, grab a drink at the bar, I’m sure we can find something for the orphans, can’t we folks?”The patrons of the bar grumble and look out their smallest coins, soon a steady stream of folk head for the bar to hand over coppers and the odd silver.Ronnie and Reggie stand close by sipping small ales and pocketing the change as it arrives.“Bless ya.” Reggie growls and grins.“Strength before Honour.” Ronnie scowls.More or less everyone has contributed, even those new to the area are chivvied into emptying out their pockets by the locals- while it can be entertaining, when the twins get fresh with non-payers, there’s always the chance the violence will spread.Nobody likes an angry Paladin or Priest of Kord, keen to demonstrate the strength of their arm.Ronnie once punched Cookie, the toothless Half-Ogre bouncer, when he failed to donate a portion of his Cream Scone- Cookie’s dentures, or lack of, a result of his love for all things cream-carrying or jam-laden. The Paladin received a broken jaw and nose for his endeavours but remained silent throughout the beating, he also got a slice of the scone, although it took him thirty minutes to eat it.“I’m not fecking givin’ you no muney.” It’s Arien the drunk, fairly predictable.“Leave it, here.” Lady Chauntessa tries to diffuse the situation quickly, slips a gold coin onto the bar, Arien’s contribution and more.“Fecka’s.” Arien sweeps the coin off the bar.Silence reigns.“I tried Arien, I tried.” Lady Chauntessa steps back out of harms way.Ronnie rounds on the drunk, “Money.”Arien tries to push the Paladin in the chest, Ronnie stands firm, the result being Arien instead pushes himself backwards into a gaggle of drinkers, glasses fall- confusion reigns for a moment.Cookie lurches out of his huge chair by the door to the Inn, moves towards the impending fracas.A young male Dwarf spins away from the bar, it has taken nearly an hour for Twiglet to pluck up the courage to order an ale, his first ever, and now most of his first pint has been spilt down his front.“You…” Twiglet stares cross-eyed at the fallen Arien.“Feckin’ stumpy.” Arien mumbles up at Twiglet.“What’s your problem?” A smiling Gnome, Gina, curls her arm around her mug and attempts to lever the drunk upright, offers a helping hand at least.Arien slaps the proffered hand aside.“None of you know.”The drunk totters to his feet.Cookie stops en route, glances at Lady Chauntessa who shakes her head, the Half-Ogre returns to his seat.The noise returns as Arien finds his way back to the bar.Everything returns to normal.For just a little while.“NONE OF YOU KNOW. NONE OF YOU. None of you… None.” Arien screams and smashes his tankard against the bar, it shatters.The drunk slumps forward and cries, ragged sobs.Gina is the first on the scene.“What is it? What’s wrong?”“Whiterock, bastards… Bastards.” Arien staggers, clutches at the bar, almost slips over but at the last moment is held upright by a blonde haired young man, well dressed, clean cut.Arien blinks in and out of consciousness, crying all the while.Gunner, the young man, nods at Gina, and then Twiglet- “Help me to get him to a booth.”The Gnome and the Dwarf do the best they can to drag Arien over to a seat in an empty booth. There the drunk is made comfortable.“None of you know- Whiterock, bastards…” Arien mumbles.“Gunner, Cillamar watch, off-duty” The clean cut young man offers his hand and smiles.“Gina. Who’s he?” Gina shakes Gunner’s hand.“Arien, he’s a drunk, don’t believe everything he tells you- bit of a story-teller, know what I mean.” Gina grins back.“Twiglet- nice to meet you. What’s he on about- Whiterock?” Twiglet shakes Gunner’s hand.“Oh. One of his stories.” Gunner replies.“He’s a drunk, a filthy coward, a waste of space.” Ronnie arrives on the scene. “Leave him be Ronnie.” Gunner reaches out to touch the Paladin, calm him, thinks better of it. The Paladin growls at the assembled crowd.“I ain’t no coward, no coward- slavers there, Whiterock.” Arien mumbles.“What did he say?” Gina asks.“Slavers, at Whiterock.” Twiglet states, “What’s Whiterock?”“A ruin.” Everyone turns to stare, unseen and unheard in his approach a huge Half-Orc stands behind the assembled crowd watching, and listening, to the proceedings, Grungarak ignores the stares, concentrates on Arien- who continues to mumble to himself.“I don’t know you?” Ronnie shifts his gaze.The Half-Orc grunts, doesn’t look away from Arien.“Have you contributed, the Church of Kord demands you make an offering?” The Paladin growls and holds out his hand.It has no effect.“I said…” The Paladin shoves his way to the Half-Orc.“I heard.” The unblinking Grungarak continues to stare at Arien.“SLAVERS- IRON MANACLE.” Who suffers some sort of seizure, ripping and tearing at his shirt.Gunner is the first to react, trying to calm the drunk, he’s too late- Arien’s shirt is ripped open and on his back… Scars- welts and tears, signs of the lash, used to excess.Covering a huge tattoo of a pair of tightly manacled hands, fists clenched.“Iron Manacle- Whiterock.” Arien half-cries, half-whispers and is back to sobbing and bawling, clearly lost in visions of pain, he thrashes and writhes trying to ward invisible blows.Gina, Gunner and Twiglet do the best they can to hold him down, prevent the drunk from hurting himself.The fit passes, and Arien is soon slumped over the table, snoring.“Well…” Gina begins.“I told you, don’t listen to him.” Gunner states.“What’s at Whiterock?” Twiglet asks again.“Monks.” Gunner quickly replies.“What?” Gina wonders.“Order of the Dawning, or Morning, Sun- something like that. Religious men, they’re looking for relics, there used to be a monastery there- or so they say. Nothing suspicious- keep themselves to themselves, pay their way. No trouble…” Gunner runs out of steam.“Perhaps we should take a look- see if there’s anything we can do for them?” Gina states.“Who’s this we?” Ronnie asks.“I will travel with you.” Twiglet squeaks.Gina nods and shakes the Dwarf’s hand.“Gina, Priestess of Garl Glittergold, Holy Father and Protector of the Gnomes.” Gina states and smiles.“Twiglet, er… Dwarven Warrior, in training.” Twiglet offers nervously.“I will lead you, I know the way.”The two demi-humans turn to stare at the Half-Orc, weigh up his words, Gina is unsure.“Thanks. I mean… thank you.” Whereas Twiglet needs all the help he can get.Grungarak turns to leave.“We start early when the sun rises, its six hours to Castle Whiterock, bring food for three days, all you need- there’s no going back.”“Okay.” Twiglet squeaks again.“You’re on a wild goose chase, there’s nothing there.” Gunner states plainly.“We’ll see.” Gina is unsure, about many things, including the Half-Orc.Ronnie suddenly remembers that the Half-Orc hasn’t contributed, he’s mid-turn when Twiglet grabs him, which gets his attention. The Paladin spins around, fist already clenched, ready to lash out- he hesitates, Twiglet smiles up at the ferocious Paladin.“Will you come with us?”“Please?” Gina adds her grin to the cause.Ronnie looks back to the bar, then at the back of the receding Half-Orc heading straight for the door of the Inn, and then over to his brother, Reggie, Priest of Kord.Reggie meets his gaze, grins- a cruel smile.“The Strength of Kord will lead the way.” Ronnie repeats, not turning, and strides towards the bar.“Thank you sir.” Twiglet calls after him.“What’s your name?” Gina asks.The Paladin turns, “I am Sir Ronald Bingo of Cillamar.” He looks stern, then suddenly softens.“You can call me Ronnie.”Twiglet and Gina smile, reassured.Gunner is not so sure, the threesome watch the Paladin head back to his brother, when he’s far enough away Gunner whispers, “Bingo twins.”“Who?” Gina turns to stare.“Bingo twins- Ronnie”, Gunner nods towards the Paladin, “and Reggie”, then nods at the Paladins drinking companion, “the Bingo twins- maniacs, fanatics. They’re mad, both of them- it’s been nice knowing you.” Gunner half-grimaces, half-smiles, nods once and then strides away.Twiglet grins at Gina.Gina doesn’t look so sure.“It’s exciting isn’t it?” Twiglet declares.“Mmm.” Gina reserves judgement.</blockquote>

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