"If I am in need of a sparring partner, I'll be sure to rouse you," Danvi said in reply to Riot, before turning to the innkeeper. "I'd like a room and a meal, myself."

 A room? Jethro thinks. Oh, of course. Somewhere to stay that is moderately safe for the meantime. I wonder what the cost would be.

Jethro nods. "Yes, renting some accommodation for the next few days seems like a beneficial action." He reaches into his pouch and pulls out about 5 gold pieces. "What is the cost of staying in this place? Also I wish to speak to you about the locale and what one might experience beyond the town's boundaries."

Was that too forward? He ponders after speaking. Perhaps I should be less upfront with my questioning. I should really evaluate a person before beginning an interrogation.

"I would like a room for the next 3 days and a meal please." Raviel requests at the bar and when told the cost he pays the 5 gold and 5 silver. He contemplates the upcoming mission in silence as he waits for his meal, and when it arrives he eats in silence too at a table in a corner, occasionally feeding a bit to Talon. He's aware that Talon, being a spirit not a real creature, does not require the food but Talon does enjoy the tastes and Raviel is happy at the appreciative reactions of the hawk.

I should probably be more social, he thinks to himself as he consumes his meal. But that is not my strong suit and any of us might die in a few days. I would rather lose an acquantaince than a friend. No, better to remain aloof and distant for a while until I know there is less risk of losing them and greater reason to trust them.

Gauthak accepts the money paid, and provides Jethro with 5 silver change.
"I take it given the 3 days accommodation of the others, you also intend to stay as long. It's 15 silver a night, so 4 gold and 5 silver will do you until then. As for the area, towns the nicest place within a week's travel, in my opinion. Excepting the ogres in the mountain, and the occasional stars that've started falling, its pretty safe, unless you try to piss off the animals. The mountain can get pretty chilly, so if you aren't a fan of the cold, you might want a warm coat."

At this point he leans in and whispers to Jethro.
"I take it you four got accepted for Nuras' request. Remember to keep it quiet, and if you want to discuss it among yourselves, there's a private drinking room by the bar, you can use that to chat, since its walls are thicker than the walls of the rooms meant for sleeping in. I can even pop in there if it isn't too busy out here."

Gauthak then stands back up and head off to get Raviel's meal and to serve other patrons.

Perhaps it was just the right amount of bluntness Jethro thinks as he nods to the goliath. He'll gesture to the others to follow him around the side of the bar to the private room.

Danvi nodded to the innkeeper before picking up his meal and following Jethro into the private room. Once inside, he asked the man in between bites, "Something you wanted to talk about?"

"The tavernkeeper has agreed to use this place for any initial planning and may speak to us here about the mission for Nuras." Jethro states. "He has advised we do not speak openly about such things for the time being. We should plan on what answers we want from this local, as his experiences may be useful to us."

Raviel watches Jethro and Danvi meet in the private room and sees Jethro gesture to him. There's nothing left to discuss, he thinks to himself as he quietly consumes his meal. The council told us everything they know and Gauthak isn't going to learn more - they have no reason to tell one successful applicant more information than the other. No applicant has met Nuras about this yet, the first meeting will be in three days' time. We've already confirmed to each other we do not know about the sky or the starbeasts so further discussion amongst ourselves is entirely pointless until we meet Nuras.

Raviel finishes his meal and goes to his room. He has no interest in joining Danvi or Jethro at this point in what he will view as a waste of time. Perhaps their discussion is more about getting to know each other and developing their relationship into something less than strangers but he has no interest in that either.

Danvi thought about it for a bit, continuing to eat. Swallowing, he said, "Do you think the innkeeper's met Nuras? I'd like to get an idea of who our employer is, at least. That said," Danvi paused, taking a swig of his ale, "I'm also curious about the rest of our merry band. Tell me about yourself, Jethro. You said you've got some arcane abilities, but that's rather vague." Danvi eyed Jethro somewhat warily as he continued to eat.

Riot pays the innkeeper the 4 gold and 5 silver and retires to a room. He sits down on the the bed and goes into his inactive mode. He can still hear and see while in this condition but seems unconscious to others.

"There is not much to tell." Jethro replies almost instinctively. He pauses for a second, then holds his hand up, necrotic energy running along it. "With one hand, I can take a life. With the other, I can save one." He holds his other hand up, radiant healing energies. His facial expression stays completely straight during this.

 He then lowers his hands. "You are of the feykin. What are your skills?"

"As I said, I practice a martial art called taernaa," Danvi replied as he finished his meal. "Other than that, there's not much to tell. Though I suppose I can do this." As he finished his sentence, the eladrin instantaneously teleported behind Jethro, leaving a few light green leaves in his wake. Walking back over to his seat, Danvi picked up one of the leaves and blew on it, causing it to crumble to dust. He faced the other man and shrugged. "I'm afraid it's not as interesting as your inherent duality, though." As he said this, the elf shifted the bundle on his back uncomfortably.

"Your skills are more refined." Jethro comments, not flinching at all from the eladrin's teleportation. "While I may have such arcane ability, I lack in the physical capabilities and carry all I own in there." He gestures to the chest he carries with him. "I would not bode well in melee combat, unlike yourself with your martial art style."

A few moments after this last exchange, Gauthak steps in, dipping his head under the doorframe as he enters, shutting the door behind himself.
"So was there anything you wanted to know right now? Also, what sort of skills might you two have? I'm just good with a rare type of hammer, called a lucerne hammer. Its more or less a halberd, but replace the axe head with a hammer head."

"I'm a martial artist of sorts," Danvi answered, finishing his meal. Looking at Gauthak, he pointed to the plate and said, "This is really good. Can I get another?"

"I have access to arcane arts." Jethro comments, his hand bristling with electricity. "What I want to know is if you know anything about Nuras and what his mission might entail, what opposition is likely to be against us should we set off from the town, and what your view on taking a life is."

He did ask, so I told him. Jethro thinks to himself. Perhaps I should ask a little less forward in the future. Someone who uses an exotic weapon, a wizard, a fey martial artist, and an artificial juggernaut so far. This group is quite different from what I am used to.

"Sure, I'll get another meal for you in a minute. I just realised we never properly introduced ourselves; I'm Gauthak, if you didn't know."

After Danvi and Jethro provide their names, Guathak continues.
"Those talents, I'd be surprised if they didn't become relevant. As for Nuras, I've never talked to him myself, but from what I can tell he's got this thing where the more important information is, the more careful he is about sharing it, hence the non-disclosure agreement we all signed. Everyone expects that we'll be headed towards the mountain just north of town. Normally there's just animals that'll leave you alone if you leave it alone, as well as a clan of some tough ogres, so we'll probably run into them. I expect there's probably something else though, but I dunno what it might be. As for taking a life, well, there's a reason I chose a hammer over an axe or sword - it's easier to hit them hard enough to knock them out, but soft enough to not kill them. If it was a matter of a friend's life or an enemy's though, the line between strength to knock out and strength to kill is one I'll be willing to cross."

After this conversation, the next days are uneventful, and dawn approaches on the day you are to meet Nuras. Coming downstairs with your equipment, you find Gauthak, dressed in chain mail, and cleaning the head of his weapon, a heavy looking hammer head, mounted on a long pole - a Lucerne Hammer. He gets up as you arrive, and leaves silently with you.

Entering the Council House, you find five other members of assorted races; drow, shifter, bugbear, dwarf, and kalashtar. They all look at the new arrivals entering the room, before returning to their activities (generally checking their equipment and supplies). It is evident that you have a couple of minutes to spare before you will be taken to Nuras.

"Greetings," Raviel addresses the others they encounter at the council house. "I assume you're here for the same reasons we are? Pleasure to meet you all. I am Raviel, may I please have your names?"

Jethro spectates from the back this time, letting Raviel break the ice while placing his chest down behind him and using it as a seat.

The bugbear is first to respond. His short (for a bugbear) reddish fur-covered body is covered with only a simple robe.
"My name is Gretu Hretu, and if you are dressed as you are then yes, we are here for the same reason. I may not look like much, but I pack quite the punch."

A copper-skinned dwarf, dressed in armour made of green-brown scales. His forehead bears a large scar across it.
"I'm Garadd. It is a pleasure to meet you, Raviel. Who are you other four?"

Gauthak offers a hand, which Garadd takes.
"My name is Gauthak. I usually run a local tavern, the Wandering Mountain."