Allansia Wildlands Campaign.

"I don't see the point of drink if a fine woman isn't involved," Hatch said. "Dulls the mind."

Quote from Vakanai >>

"I don't see the point of drink if a fine woman isn't involved," Hatch said. "Dulls the mind."

 The man looked slightly confused, " There is a woman there....."

He was beginning to look a little flustered.

Rufus shrugs, "Perhaps the inn first to check for Connar then?"

"If it is on the way, then makes sense to stop there first."  Brocc agrees. 

The man sags with relief as his dreams of free booze become reality.

He leads the trio a little ways out of their way but not much and you soon find yourself outside the Lion Inn....it must be said a far nicer establishment than the Fat Frog where you spent your first night.

The red faced man waves you through the door.

The Lion Inn is a stylish establishment and one of the first drinking houses established in Chalice and this is where you now find yourselves.

The tap room is an eclectic mix of old and new where you receive a warm cheer from the sparse crowd as you enter. The menu contains many Chalice classics (Goat Head Soup, Stuffed Catfish and Orc Weed Stew ) together with specials boards to give variety to returning customers.

Stylishly decorated mostly with antiques and salvaged furniture, The Lion is an eclectic mix. The bar is pure Salamonian theatre with black bar top, dispensing a good selection of real ales. This bar is the main feature of the tap room, dominating its entrance and it serves a number of  lagers, locally brewed ales and porters alongside a wine list.

The midday crowd is a collection of humans and gnomes mostly older.  There is a human woman in her early twenties bussing tables but the two figures that most draw your eye are a young half-elf woman with a somewhat fae bearing and, behind the bar, what looks to be to turtles what lizard folk are to lizards. A turtle-folk if you will.

" Found 'em! Wheres me drink?!', says the red faced man sauntering up to the bar.

"He did it, Banzo!" the half-elven girl (you can not really tell with elven blood but unlikely she was even twenty) with common for half-elves of the Forest of Yore light blond hair and green eyes, looked at "Heroes of Chalice" with open curiosity. She was addressing the turtle-man behind the bar, but did not take her eyes from the group. Unlike human barmaid, the girl was wearing light armour - hardly helpful in any kind of bar-work. "Banzo here promised a drink to someone able to fetch "Heroes of Chalice"," explained she probably the obvious. "Boonsri, can you show the man his table?" She picked up promised mug, and brought it to the "delivery boy" so he could enjoy it in peace.

She smiled to the group: "Welcome to the Lion Inn," repeated she after the turtle-man "Gilbert will return soon, Banzo and I are watching the bar while he is gone, and he would sure be happy to see you here! I am Lindale, please say you are staying?"

Hatch grunted and shook the turtle man's hand, as eloquent as always.

"Up to my companions, I don't drink much myself outside of any obvious attempts at flirting," he told the half elf. The red man was not one for delicacy in speech, nodding his horned head before settling somewhat out of the way on a stool.

Rufus the smallest of the companions looks upon the turtle-man barkeep in wonder. Rufus knows he makes quite an odd looking adventurer. His bared feet, weathered clothing, and meager personal belongings wrapped in a bedroll and slung across his back gives him an appearance of being a cast away or sailor just making port. His brown hair is tied in a multitude of small braids, some adorned with shells and beads are held back from his face by a warn piece of cloth. His deep set dark blue eyes stare out of a face weathered by wind and surf and are obscured by thick eyebrows.

Rufus flashes an appreciative smile at the half-elven maiden as she introduces herself and welcomes them. He turns to stare unabashedly in wonder at the turtle-man barkeep introduces himself as well.

Rufus climbs upon a stool standing to take the offered hand from Banzo in a firm handshake. As he does, Rufus says "Well met Banzo!" before turning to regard Lindale "Well met Lindale!" Rufus turns to Banzo once more and states in wonder, "I have sailed the ocean wide for almost 10 years now. I have never seen the likes of ye friend, Banzo. I have a wager for ye, a tale for a tale as it were. A tale of our venture within the soaring dungeon and how we came to rescue the city in exchange for a tale of your homeland." Rufus flashes his wide friendly grin as his entire countenance lights up with excitement.

Lindale laughed, waving hand at Rufus: "I know how you feel, Banzo already suffered from my impolite curiosity." She talked fast and it seemed every thought she had, every emotion she experienced reflected on her face right away. "He was amazingly patient. And the look is not that unusual after all," her eyes widen "have you been to a smithy here? It is run by a Cyclop!""Anyway, you get used to it pretty fast - and you have to see how he fights!"

Practically without a pause Lindale suddenly asked Banzo: "We do still have cider, right?" If Hatch's words about relations between drinks and flirting puzzled her, the conclusion was clear and she brought the mug of aromatic drink to his table: "Here - sweet compromise, not water, not a strong drink either and surprisingly good for the place." (The apple cider truly smells good and leaves a slight tingle on the tongue) Lindale sat at the "heroes" table and looked at each of them with the same exited curiosity: "Is it true you are going to the Moonstone Hills?"

Rufus smiles at the large terrapin being. He says, "No worries my friend. No worries at all. Home be where we lie in port like. I'm not sure on our berth for now; but I'm sure it's a fine establishment." 

Rufus moves to join Hatch and Brocc at the table where Lindale had brought out the apple cider. Rufus arrives at the tale end on the conversation. He replies to her inquiry on returning to the Moonstone Hills. He says, "Aye. We be in port long enough to reprovision for an extended stay, seek an errant comrade, and complete a business dealing with an enterprising young man."

Brocc takes a seat at the table and accepts a mug of ale.  He is a muscular rock gnome with chain mail and a spear.  A hand crossbow is at his side, but looks brand new and as if it has only barely been used.

"We cannot stay too long, as we need to get to the smithy to deliver some promised supplies there, then need to get to the Frog inn to check on our missing friend."  He nods to the barkeep and the elf maid as they introduce themselves.  "I am Brocc, and we did just return from the hills, but need to return to take care of a beast of some sort that is preying on children in the area."

Brocc looks a bit uncomfortable as patrons start to crowd the table.

"He was not where he was suppose to be waiting for us."  He answers in relation to their missing friend.  "We are hoping he just returned to town ahead of us."  He would accept some food though, but would not be the one to tell any tales.

Rufus notes the concern voiced by both Banzo and Lindale regarding promoting the presence of the group to the patrons. He smiles as he files this information away for later exploitation. He looks about at the faces of the attentive patrons.

He starts in a low voice, "We surely have time enough for one tale, friend Brocc."

Rufus begans to tell his tale, of adventure using judicial use of Prestidigitation to highlight different parts of the tale. He adds sensory illusions of cold, heat, the click and clack of the skeletons moving, the moan and odor of the putrified zombies, etc. until he has the inn enraptured in his tale.

Persuasion: 18

Rufus begins, "There we were at the small village market as the survivors from the ill fated scout party rode into the village square. There were but the leading wizardess and told brave guards of Chalice left in the group. Their mounts were lathered in sweat from a hard ride to outpace The Flying Dungeon of Death..." 

Rufus pauses to take a drink of apple cider as the crowd leans in closer hanging on every word. His thirst satisfied he continues, "What brave souls will join us in defeating this doomsday threat to fair Chalice?, asked the wizardess. 30 gold pieces to whoever will brave the undying guardians of this menacing tomb. Many villagers were ready to answer the call; but mention of the undead scared them away. No judgement intended mind ye. It be a task for hero's. Killing what already been killed be hard, dangerous work indeed. But there were 6 brave souls who stepped forth to brave the tomb to save the city or die in the attempt.

Hatch, the devoted knight of honor, despite his demon-like appearance.

Brocc, the bold explorer and healer, vital to the survival of our little group.

Thom, the elven scout, keen were his eyes and deadly was his aim.

Connar, the shifty rogue, eager was he to the best the undead defenders and plunder the tomb for its treasures of ages past.

Hambergler, the lizardine spellcaster, was equally eager to seize the ancient secrets sealed away in the tomb.

And I, Rufus Raindancer, answered the summons for the thrill of adventure. The joy of striving against the formidable undead guardians in the defense of fair Chalice.

Rufus pauses for another sip of cider. He is enjoying having the patrons hanging on every word. Refreshed he continues, "With the brave band of heroes gathered just in time, the Flying Dungeon of Death loomed against the horizon. An army of fell undead guardians shambled underneath the floating tomb. The wizardess and her brave companions led the charge to distract the guardians while our brave adventurers clambered up the ropes left by the intrepid explorers who succumbed to the tomb defenses. After we were safely aboard the Flying Dungeon of Death, the wizardess and her brave companions raced to make preparations in Chalice should our brave adventurers fail."

Rufus drains his mug of cider. "We must be away for now friends. I'll continue the tale another time. Aye to be sure." Rufus says as he catches Banzo's eye and nodding. He had shared a portion of their tale and surely sales would increase in the chance of guests being in when the tale was picked back up.

Hatch had sipped at his cider as the others had talked, and had finished it as Rufus told the intro to their tale.

"We should see the Cyclops about the truestone," he said.

Lindale was among the most appreciative crowd. "They did not say one of the Heroes was a travelling minstrel!" And before brave heroes stood up to leave for the new adventure, no doubt as impressive as the one Rufus just told about, added: "Do you happen to need some help there? Can I go with you? I might look all inexperienced, but Banzo and I already fought the monster. Well, more like hunting, but the monster was a really nasty thing and we managed. Would you want to come, Banzo?" That was probably a lot to ask (ok, it was a lot to ask) but by Sindla's grace - she was not about to miss her chance again. Not without asking at least.

Rufus flashes a devilish grin about the room at the adoration of the patrons thinking to himself, "Perhaps there is something to this hero stuff after all."

As Lindale inquires on joining their group, Rufus looks at Hatch and Brocc. The three of them were all that was left of those brave souls that braved the Flying Dungeon of Death. Hambergler had left as soon as they had departed the dungeon. Thom was enjoying the wiles of the wizardess and her potent herbal concoctions amongst the other wizards. And Connar was missing, it was doubtful he was at the inn; but they owed it to him to double check.

Rufus catches Brocc's and Hatch's eyes and nods his consent to take on new blood into their small group. Rufus knows he is more accepting of others then his companions. Life on the open ocean knowing that your fellow sailors are the last life line if you be swept overboard is cause to be accepting of all types. 

He smiles at Lindale and Banzo as he says, "Well I for one have no objection to either or both of you joining our little group. Brocc? Hatch? I'll leave the decision to you two."

There is a slight commotion at the door and a very happy looking gnome walks in with two small grayish primates, one sitting on either shoulder, he looks about with wide eyes, " I should get you two to mind the place more often! Has never been busier at this time of day."

He broke away and assisted Boonsri to serve a few of the tables from her full tray.

" Oh! Your the Heroes of Chalice! Very pleased to meet you!  I am Gilber, the owner of this fine establishment and this is Daisy and Lily.", he finished indicating his simian adornments.

The two small primates executed a small bow towards the heroes, the one called Daisy keeping eye contact with Lindale as they did so.

Lindale's eyes shined in gratitude to Rufus's permission, but she managed to keep silent waiting for the answer from Brocc and Hatch (though with such a hope written all over her face, the words were not needed).

Only that cute intrusion (not the gnome, the two Graunies, of course) made the girl to turn her gaze away from the heroes for a moment. Lindale extended her hand towards Lily (not touching the fur right away, but allowing the animal to decide how to react) and made a series of sounds, looking at Daisy.

Brocc looks over the turtle-man and the elf maid for a long moment.  He looks thoughtful as he sizes them up.

"We have lost a few companions already in our adventures."  He eventually says as he sets down his empty ale mug.  "None, but maybe the last, were lost in the fighting, the others having found the adventuring life was not for them."  He sighs and glances to his 2 companions.  After a moment he turns back to the two wishing to join them.  "If you are wishing to come along, I would not be the one to say nay.  Two more to aid us would be welcome to tell the truth."

Quote from BlueBayou >>

Lindale's eyes shined in gratitude to Rufus's permission, but she managed to keep silent waiting for the answer from Brocc and Hatch (though with such a hope written all over her face, the words were not needed).

Only that cute intrusion (not the gnome, the two Graunies, of course) made the girl to turn her gaze away from the heroes for a moment. Lindale extended her hand towards Lily (not touching the fur right away, but allowing the animal to decide how to react) and made a series of sounds, looking at Daisy.

Just introducing herself to the newcomer, asking if they are happy to be here, and would the company be enough for Daisy (and for Lily now to) to stay inside and not wandering into other people's houses?