Karin Ainsberg nods back at the tri-keen when she scoops up the coins and silently hands him the keys to his own room. Its labeled with the room number of 2. After hearing of Ka-Cha's species's prior taste for food, although she did not comment on it, she decided that even though he wasn't sure what he was paying for just to give him a room just in case.

"My dear! You are soaking! I bet those feathers must stick to you. Here, let me get you a towel." Karin hands Heiboros a spare towel that was hanging on the windowsill. It was one they used for the kitchen, but it was clean nonetheless. "Are you able to still fly out in the rain?" She asks, a bit curious.

Between Dabbert's distress at what Karin was saying and Heiboros' dampness from the rain he says, "Well, I know we'd talked about it. But shall we head off to the Skull and Sword for a drink? Always helps to get the mind on cheerier matters. Plus I'd say a drink always warms you up if chilly rain is an issue." He winks at that last bit.

"A good idea, I think," Juniper reached a tentative hand to Dabbert's shoulder, unsure if the soldier was willing to be- gently- ushered towards the promise of warmth and a drink. "And the night's fast approaching, with this storm. Better to be indoors and out of both, this close to the city, I imagine."

"Sounds like a solid plan to me," Hadrian says, standing up and stretching. "A drink at the Skull and Sword will do us all some good. Plus, I'm curious to see if we can pick up any useful information while we're there."

He glances at Dabbert, his expression softening a bit. "Come on, Dabbert. Let's get out of this rain and into a place with a warm fire and a decent drink. I'm sure you will feel better after a pint or two and we will figure something out."

Dabbert either doesn't hear, doesn't register, and flat out ignores other aspects of this conversation.  

"Karin..."  He says, his voice a panicked croak.  "Are you saying..."  

But he knew what she was saying.  He got paler...and paler...and paler as she spoke.  And it seemed so matter of fact, so easy for her, and she may as well have laid his heart on the f&ck!n table.  A trembling hand reached up and tried to rub the feeling back into his face but he felt like even his teeth were hurting.  

He didn't react when Juniper's hand touched his shoulder, same as when Karin touched him.  Physically, he was there.  Mentally he was...he was...well.  There was no euphemism.  He could have been in a whole other reality or non-existent for all it mattered.  

He doesn't acknowledge any of them.  He just stands, not trying to be rude, not upset or angry at anyone...just...hurt.  Devastated.  He stumbled away like an automaton, wandering out into the street and moving mechanically toward the Skull and Sword.  

The kids slowly put down their arepas for a second as they saw as one of the new strange guests got paler after their mom spewed basically a whole bunch of jibber jabber at them. Though it didn't take much longer before they scarfed them down anyways. They keep their eyes down before heading back into the tavern with their dad. They run in first, but as Karin is distracted with the soaked Heiboros, her husband flags one of you down before you walk on past. He stands there holding a tray of small tart-like deserts.

"...Hey. Um, look I know Karin she... can be a bit blunt by things. This town. People come and go and drop like flies. It's been... been a lot." He sighs, "But it's true though. Not gonna lie. We haven't heard from your 'Becca in a while. Really not since then, no.... I'm sorry man. But no one's truly dead ever."

"No one's really alive much here either." He says that mostly to himself and looks away. 

"If anything... I've heard. Find the Shrine and the elf who runs it." Holgar, the husband, eyes soften as he watches the second kid darts into the front of the tavern and disappears, "We nearly lost little Benny just a few months ago and I- I've just heard of it, but we didn't need it. He was okay. Just-"

"This town weighs awful a lot on all of us. You've all got good heads on your shoulders. Don't lose them. Hope is like the weeds between the stones. It grows despite you not knowing it." And with that he heads off. Karin did mention he does poetry.

Anyways you all head off towards the Skull and Sword, a delightful little place with the sights and smells and sounds of lights flickers, raucous laughter, armpit odor, and glass shattering on wooden floorboards. Oh what a joy! 

"WOO ah woo!" Somebody shouts and the others join in singing. The light drizzle begins to be more of a downpour as you walk on by. Going under the porch awning of this dingy saloon you can see some of the familiar faces you once saw earlier. The orc waitress looks displeased as she catches a helmet in midair. She holds it out stiffly in front of her like its going to bite or something. "To say that we aren't dead means that we are surviving!" Others sing along. Beer spills in the air as people cheer.

"But if you can't dance then you aren't thriving." "HEY HO!" Feet stomp on the floorboards as everyone's jiving. It is that blonde elven man who was flirting with Frida from earlier.

"Hearts may be wounded but they still keep on bleeding. If it wouldn't, then you known they'd stop beating." "OHHH. NOOO." The choir joins in in drunken slobber. "Frida, my dear, this one's for you!" "Oh no."  The elf, Christian, twirls her around while she still got the helmet in her hand.

"Chivalry and cordiality will only get you so far in this world. So don't lament what Lament won't do for you girrrrrllll." "Oh dear Flame no. Nah uh no way." Frida tries to roll hard out of his embrace. She ducks out and into the kitchen.

Christian tries to play if off cool as he switches gears to spin and go dance on a table. "The Wounded Hearts have- don't stop nothing short of zeal!" And nobody claps as he finishes his big deal. Strangely enough he still bows. "Hot shot!" He yells as he goes to randomly throw a dagger at a lone dartboard across the room straight by the front door. It doesn't hit you guys but it narrowly misses the first one who enters. The rest of the bar goes back to whatever dice and card games they were playing.

"So much for a nice duet." The elf mumbles as he goes back to sitting. He slumps over on a chair by that greasy-haired human man and red-haired halfling you guys saw from the first time you visited.

Just as they about to step inside Skull and Sword, a sudden whoosh cut through the air, the dagger narrowly missing them. Hadrian raises an eyebrow as he traces the trajectory of the weapon back to its source: the blonde elf dancing awkwardly on the table. He goes to yank the dagger out of the dartboard, twirling it in his hand as he approaches the table where the elf sits. "Hey mate," He calls. As Christian looks up, Hadrian brings the dagger down, stabbing into the table where the elf's hand lay, the blade sinking into the wood mere a hair’s breadth from the elf's fingers. The dagger standing up at the table, its hilt trembling slightly from the impact. "Looks like you've lost this."

Hadrian claims a seat beside Christian. "You should know you're not getting anywhere with her.” He remarks wryly. Then he nods at the scattered dice on the table, “So what's the game?" 

@Hadrian

Christian looks up at the sound of the voice. He sees the dagger in your hand and squints. You stick it into the table and so the other two look up. It causes some of their ale to spill their overflow.

"Thanks." He says with a low grumble through gritted teeth. His expression changes as you switch the topic. "I don't-" He starts to stand up.

"Man, make room for him." With a 'harrumph' he goes and swishes his flowing black cape off the back of the chair beside him. He leans back on his own with his arms up. The black noble’s clothing he wears with gold filigree glitters incessantly with the light.

"It's dice." His light blue eyes stare daggers at your own. "Yeah, he knows." The red-haired halfling huffs, throwing some dice down into a wooden cup. "Dudo. Means 'Doubt' from Elyria."

"You play by bidding. Shake your cup. Then bid." The human man informs you. He takes his own dice and throws it into a cup as well. "You can either raise the number of the face value or raise the amount ya think it is. Say Cuff-" He nods over to the halfling "Or someone here says 'Two 3s.' So you either bid 'Three 3s' or 'Two 5s.' This is for the whole table, by the way, and it goes on like this until-"

"If you don't think if- say you don't believe his bet- you the call 'dudo.' 'I doubt' what he did." He shakes his own cup, spills it onto the table. The dice fall out and clatter. "Then everyone goes and shows his cup. If you're wrong, you're wrong then you're eliminated. If he's wrong (the bidder), then he's wrong and he's out. Got that? Capeesh?"

"Oh. And Aces (Ones) are wild. Any number."

"Do you have your own dice or ya want to borrow some?" The halfling, Cuff, looks over to you. He looks into a little baggie to see if he got a set. "Ya need some five." They begin shaking their dice. Another tielfling is also at the table. Four players (with you included).

"Chris."

"Yeah?"

"Take your dice."

Five.

((It's basically Liar's Dice. If you wanna play roll 5 of the six sided die.))

Tendilius puts a shoulder on Ka-Cha Khan's carapace, "So what you folks like to drink back home?" he asks. Turning to any available bartender (assuming there's another besides Frida) he says, "A brandy if you will."

He eyes the dartboard Christian threw a dagger at and feels his own daggers. He takes one out and gives it a test on the dartboard.

Dagger
To-Hit: 4+5 = 9
Damage: 4+3 = 7

A strong throw but a bit off. "Curses." he mutters under his breath and tries to recover with a throw of the second.

Dagger
To-Hit: nat-20!
Damage: 2+1 + 3

He smiles delightedly. Not as strong of throw but nice and centered. As he goes to retrieve the daggers he takes a look around, wondering if there's a sign-up sheet for the singing or if it seems to be whoever comes up first.

"Mostly water", Ka-Cha replies toTendilius.  "Considering most of the distilled spirits are made from plant products.  I wonder?  Excuse me", He asks the waitress.

"Do you have any spirits made from animal based products?   Like blood or lymph?"

Hadrian eyes Christian's wilted expression with mild surprise. He'd thought the elf was just looking for a fun time, but it seems he'd genuinely fallen for Frida. "Look, mate, a little bit of advice," Hadrian says, "No dramatics. No big gestures. Just be genuine. Be yourself. Ask her out for a drink and see what happens. Keep it simple, see?"

Switching gears, Hadrian accepts the borrowed dice from Cuff with a nod. "Yeah, I gotcha. Where I come from, we call it Bluff 'n' Bones," He says with a grin, rolling his shoulders to loosen up. "Alright, let's see what luck has in store for me tonight." Look up, he waves a waiter over and asks for some ale. Shaking the wooden cup on the table, the dice rattling inside, Hadrian looks around the table. "I take it we're playing for keeps?"

Dice rolls: 

((I don't know if we're playing this out. Don't want to slow everyone down. Anyway after a game or two Hadrian starts asking questions.))

"Speaking of luck," Hadrian says with a half-smile, "Heard some folks around here have been getting into the delirium trade. Seems like risky business, but there's gotta be some gold in it, right? Anyone here know where a guy might get his hands on some?" 

Dabbert is the walking dead.  He proceeds past everyone else, ignoring darts and dice and this and that, and sits down at the bar.  

"A shot of the hardest thing you've got."  He says, waiting for it to be set in front of him.  As soon as its there, he turns it up, then motions for a refill.  

@Tendilius

"Gotcha." One of the bartenders (a human) working alongside Frida nods. With a flick of his head he points to the prices neatly written on a board above the top of the bar. Usually its not like that in bars but perhaps here maybe they were fond of advertising that they got cheap booze. Mead costs 5 cooper. Brandy, ale, rum, gin, and vodka are all 1 silver. (In other places mead was 2 sp). He goes around to make your brandy and sets it on the table once it's done.

No one really notices the first throw. But by the second-

"Good one." A voice calls out from the corner. It comes from a hooded figure who doesn't stay that much hooded much longer. It's a light blue sea elf who looks to be about the same age as you are. "Name's Fish." They take out their own dagger. "You wanna play?"

You don't see a sign-up sheet anyways. You guess it's mainly just improv on the spot.

"Take a shot and you will see. The day's delight across the sea~" They hum as they aim and take their first shot. It nails the bulleyes perfectly. "Your turn."

 @Ka-Cha 

As the human goes off to make Tendilius's drink Frida is the only one available. The waitress is started by the sudden sound of voices in her head. "Blo-? Um. Yeah there's that deer blood wine that's.. not popular but yeah that's about all the blood themed stuff we're got before. No one's really asked for that much. Other than that guy. We still have a bottle that's nearly full." Frida squints, not really sure if she should be tell all this to a large telepathic insect. She then shrugs it off and then goes to then make you your drink. 

The smooth red drink is placed on the counter in an ivory cup. Although herbal, it has a very strong metallic taste.

 @Hadrian

((Oh no it's okay to play it out. I'll narrow down the dice players to make it like sort of a game.))

The group nods at the 'playing for keeps'. There is a pile of about 16 gold pieces on the table.

The elf vigorously shakes his cup. With his hand he uncups it and then covers it back again. His eyes meet yours for a second then look away. He huffs. "Yeah right. As if I haven't tried that before." Christian then sort of slumps in his chair. "I've shown her my hear-"

"What you've shown her your lack of game, boy. You keep hashing and hashing it out the same girl. Same theatrics. Sing-songs. Blows. Ain't once seen her taking no nip at no theater." The table rocks a bit as Christian gets startled from a kick under the table. The human man laughs, "Gotta really broaden your horizons a bit, no? I've been saying why don't I take you down Buckledown. Saw some really pretty dregs on there on the loose. Missing eyes. Teeth. Tentacles and what not. Grinding out the goose and slobber down." He slaps the love-stricken man on the back, "Yeah, show her she ain't anything special."

Cuff swallows, puts his drink down on the table, and chortles. "Oh-ho-ho yeah Mel's right. You're on her like the lovesick leech you are. Been on her back since '23. You ain't never goin' anywhere with her." Christian seems to take this insult more deeply. 

"Really? Did she said anything-"

"BOY, DID I JUST-" The table rocks on with a fit of laughter. Fists go banging on it as Christian receives a fair share of noogies and spittle all across his face. "You know what I'm not-"

"New Guy, come on did you think he's got a fair shot?" Mel grabs Christian by the headlock. It looks like Christian is just defeated at this point. "Look at her! She ain't wanting to nothing with you. ****, she probably wanna kill you more."

Christian just sighs and heads back down to take his place at his seat.

They all shake their cups.

...

"Three 2s." It's just you, Mel, and that tiefling. Christian and Cuff are both standing up now, just leaning in to watch your next move. Then after. "David." "Umm. Five 2s." There's a various mixture of tones of agreement. The ale that the waiter had brought you is now on the table. Its dewdrop moisture drips to the table.  

"Hey Mel, you're not worried?" Cuff calls out, straightening himself up after a long posture. "Hrm?"

"You know the-" Mel looks disinterestedly up then down.

"No." 

"Oh. Alright then."

The game continues on.

"Say, you called it Bluff 'n' Bones. You from the seas, aren't ya? Could smell that salty slick on ya from a miles." Mel laughs after he listens to your question. "Why you trying to go into it too ah now who isn't?"

"That dwarven clan from them Glimmer Mountains has that rich field of 'em south of that crater." 

"Yeah, and ain't that just the problem." Mel bites his fingernail and spits it off. "Word of advice. Don't whack the things too hard or you might end up the Night of the Living Plant." He looks up to you with a bit of a wild smile.

"Five 6s."

((You can either bet or call doubt))

@Dabbert

You come in and you saunter off into the bar. The stool weighs down with a definitive squeak. The orc women, Frida, looks down at you. Then up and down. "Yeesh. The 80 percent?" She questions you with her arm propped up on the counter and her chin on her palm, but spins around anyways to go ahead and make you that vodka. "Ya know we make it real strong here. I real don't suggest you don't take more than two shots." There goes the refreshing sound of vodka pouring that goes twinkling down the glass. As soon as she puts it down on the counter it looks like you're about on already done.

Her mouth stays open for a second before she turns around again to make you another one. She returns with another one in hand and sets it down, but before that she takes a good look at you.

"Myyy boy don'tcha you looks deader than dead?" She furrows her brow. "You... you don't the sickness now do you. Sorry now but we can't have that here." She examines you further and realizes its something different. Frida lets go of the drink and puts her palms flat on the table and leans closer, "Are you alright?" 

Ka-Cha nurses his drink.  It's actually pretty good (to a Kreen).  

Dabbert takes the shot and immediately turns it up, getting it down and motioning for a refill.  

"Eighty percent is as strong as you've got?"  He says, disbelieving that he's in a bar where that's the strongest thing they have on hand.  He shrugs it off.  "Just uh...not my day."  

[[ deducted the 1sp from his purse ]]

Tendiilius looks over for a moment at Ka-Cha Khan's notable drink choice before turning back to Fish. "Sure, fellow." he says with a smile. He swaps over to Sidhe to see if the sea elf knows the language and sings a light tune, ♫ 'Twixt thumb and finger. Tossing hurling. Shiny dagger. Find your target. ♪

To-Hit: 17+5 = 22
Damage: 3+3 = 6 piercing

He draws his other dagger into his hand and waits for Fish to follow up. "The sea is a bit far from here." he says in Median once more, making conversation, "What brings you to Drakkenheim?"

@Ka-Cha

The bartender who served gives a sort of uneasy smile upon realizing you liked it. He takes up a tray which Frida handed him off and goes to serve some tables around the saloon. He opens the door back into the bar with a shove before he goes around and picks up another bottle. He pours it and slides it over to you. 

It is a dark swirling liquor that, when swished, makes for some insect legs and antenna to float to the top

"Fermented... flies." He doesn't take to looking at it for too long, "Someone uh said you'd like it." With a few clinks, he puts away two coins into the barrel register. 

You look around but you can't visibly tell who gave it to you. There's just a crowd of people and drinks and many smells. But no clear person is staring at you or even looking your way. (Surprisingly though since you are the first Tri-Keen to ever step foot in this joint).

@Dabbert

Frida jerks her head forward a bit and blinks. "Didn't think had it in ya." She claps, "Okay." She goes to turn around and now on her knees, bottles and cans begin to clink together as she rummages.  A few moments later, she jumps back up with a narrow necked sea-green glass bottle. It's dusty and she needs to blow on it first before pouring. It is comically marked with a black skull and scythe running through it. "94. How's about Death's Door?' She guffaws a little.

She pours you it and gently throws in an orange peel into your shot which seems to disintegrate as soon as it goes in.

@Tendilius

Fish takes a sip of the drink they were carrying. Their webbed fingers splayed out as they were doing so. "Mmh?" They wag their index finger in good sport. "I see. A singer?" They swallow their tequila. "You've got a lovely voice." They switch over to Sidhe. "You've been far like a fish out of water. But you're just following where the waves carried thee." The melody goes up and down slow and steady like the tides, splashing and hitting across the shore. Their voice is smooth and suave, but also jagged with a bit of a gravely undertone. It's as almost as if you can hear the rocks.

They take out their dagger and steady it, squinting. It misses. It hits the wood to the side of the board. "Ah. Oh well." Fish rolls their neck and straightens out their hood as they lean against an empty table.

"Oh. You know, just wanted to have some fresh air," They snort. They brush off the joke with their hand, "Why same as everyone else's I guess. Money. Fame. Fortune. Get rich quick." They go and close their eyes and throw another dagger. It hits it perfect center on the spot. "How about you?" They trace the wooden swirls on the table before looking at you.

Continuing in Sidhe, following in Fish's example, Tendilius says, "Similar I suppose." he throws another dagger

To-Hit: 19+5 = 24
Damage: 3+3 = 6
It lands in the center with a nice thunk.

"I'm a bit of a scholar and there's a lot to learn in Drakkenheim. Not to mention the way delerium works is quite fascinating." He throws his second dagger.

To-Hit: 4+5 = 9
Damage: 4

He winces with the second dagger not being as good as the first. A strong throw but not too accurate. "On the way here we actually met a group travelling out the city with a friend that got contaminated. Not the most pleasant sight to see him transform, but I'd never heard about transformed people keeping intelligence. And that Hendrix farm claims to have a way to prevent contamination not even the Amethyst Academy has."

He walks over to retrieve the daggers. "I haven't had a chance to go into the city yet. How about you?"

“Hadrian.” Hadrian offers, not wanting to be known as the ‘new guy’ anymore.

Hadrian fishes out two gold pieces from his pocket and tosses them onto the pile. “Well, if that's how it is,” He gives Christian a shrug, “You should just move on, mate. No point wasting your time on someone who isn't interested. There are plenty of other people out there. Maybe try someone who doesn’t dodge your songs like they’re arrows in a battlefield.”

“Besides, you keep singing those ballads, and you might end up with more people throwing tomatoes than flowers. But who knows? Maybe the next one will appreciate a good sea shanty and a well-thrown dagger. Just don’t aim at her, eh?”

Hadrian's eyes narrow as he watches the exchange between Cuff and Mel. Mel's dismissive response makes him feel like he’s trying to hide something. Keeping his expression casual, Hadrian keeps an eye on Mel’s body language to see if he can figure something out.

Insight: 18

The corner of Hadrian’s lips curls into a smile. “You've got a keen nose for it. Spent my fair share on the seas, chasing winds and storms. Now, it seems the winds of fortune blow towards those Glimmer Mountains."

"So, the trick is handling them delicately.” He says. "Thanks for the tip, Mel. Guess I'll have to keep my wits about me if I want to live to spend those gold.”

Hadrian raises an eyebrow as Mel calls out fives 6s. The guy does seem a bit mad. Still, Hadrian spends a moment to see if he’s just bluffing before calling his bet.

Insight: 15

@Tendilius

Fish's fingernails go tracing that wood spiral. They stick out two fingers on the table like a little finger person and make them go walking. Their eyes follow intently as if they are the one really in that spiral. "Mmm." 

The sea elf twirls a dagger in their other hand under the table. Their finger presses firmly against the blade. They smile warmly after the thunk. "Nice one." Pressing the top of their right index firmly above the point, "A scholar you say?" They put their chin down on their arm and they lean against a high enough table. "Do tell."

They stifle a laugh as the second dagger hits the very edge of the dartboard. "Very... on the money." Fish comments, nodding their head with their eyes closed. A smile is plastered all across their face. Then they open then as you continue explaining. They stand up straighter with full attention on you. "Ah. Yep so I've heard and so I've seen." They seem glad to be talking in Sidhe.

"You would think the smartest minds in all of Westmär would have figured it out by already." They nudge you a little bit as if sharing some sort of in-joke. "But when has studying by books get you anywhere but far. Far far and away." They crack their webbed fingers. "Faith gets you there stronger."

They give you no much more than that as sympathy for your friend comment. They just lightly pat you on the back. "I have and I will." Sauntering back over to their corner, they take a sip of their tequila. "Do you think if we re-transformed all the people there we killed they would sentence us for murder?"

 

@Hadrian

"Alrightttt!" They take the naming of you a bit too excitedly, meaning slaps on the back and unnecessary nudges. Even more so when you chip in a few pieces. You get some spilled beer on your shirt. 

Christian shuffles in his seat and mutters. He then takes a sharp inhale through gritted teeth. "Yeah, you know, I should. Yeah." He looks over at you with a smile. There is a twinkle in his eyes that wasn't there before. "No one's ever honest. I like that 'bout you." He lightly pushes you on the shoulder and continues playing. Within the group there is some snickering. Something about being too nice gets them a-laughing. Later on it is bad call on tiefling David's bet that gets him kicked out of the next round that you last three are playing now.

...

You try to sniff out what's going on behind that goofy-looking head of Mel's (It's oblong but also too narrow at the same time). You can tell that it is something bigger than the Glimmer Mountains. The way he taps his fingers incessantly on the table means that something is on his mind. Something about his job maybe (who has real jobs in this economy?). Or maybe it's something existential. This looming hanging over dread that everyone just shares here no matter how much you can party. You feel like he's got more on his mind than just this game. But that Glimmer Mountain comment just hit it.

...

"You're welcome-d." Despite the Glimmer Mountains comment, Mel looks just as calm and collected (or at least his version of it) as before. Mel tosses some beef jerky in the air and catches it on impact. "I'm like a bloodhound. I sniff these types of things out. That's why I'm so good at my job."

Trying to understand Mel's demeanor the second time is just as harrowing as the first. It's those wild eyes that throw you off. It's not like you haven't seen the likes of him on that ship of yours. Fast talkers and all out scoundrels. But this guy... it seems like he's playing chess not checkers.Or maybe checkers when chess. He seems egregiously overconfident. Like he's provoking you to say something dumb. For you to call him out on his bet.

But at the same time he's got that look that makes you think he thinks what you're going to do next so you'll second-guess yourself and not bet so that you bet higher until David has nothing to bet and then he can call out on David. 

Maybe he thinks that you think that and he just basks in it. An uneven smile splays across his face.

Or maybe he's just never looked down at his cup.

"Must've been the high life for sure. And now you're break-necking it out here with these folks?" He rips into that beef jerk like a dog gnawing on bone. "So you re-creating the thrill? You want some adventure-" 

Never leaving his eyes off you, he sips a bit more on his ale and tosses in two more coins to the pile. Murmurs.