Invaih's smile soon became a dark gloom as Artin broaches the subject of life stories. He leans forward on his sitting stone, peering deep into the fire. For a long while, he does nothing but stare at the embers as they lick the cauldron filled with the delicious smelling stew. Finally, he raises sorrow-filled silver eyes to Artin, staring at him eye-level, as far as he slouched.

"I beg you forgive me, my friend. I doubt mine is a tale that will please you to hear..."

Looking at his hands, as if they might hold a solution, he offers: "I mind not telling it, but I fear it will dampen the mood of this giddy celebration..."

Wine please. I believe I have already told you my story. Dari says, attempting to take a seat on the Halfling sized chairs.

Artin looks at Dari. "For you, I think perhaps something darker. I have a very nice Elven red, I got it from a traveling merchant who said Elves would truly appreciate it." Artin rummages through his cellar, and you can hear clanking of bottles. He comes back with a tall dusty bottle of spun glass. "Yes, yes here we go. Wait, what are you doing on these chairs? This must be very uncomfortable. Please sit on this". Artin goes out back and comes back with a long (for halflings) bench, which incidentally makes a perfectly sized stool for Dari. 

"Let's see, this wine comes from a place called... Koleenuts? Coolinwast? I'm not very good with Elven, I'm afraid." Artin pours Dari a glass. Dari's sharp eyes sees Elven writing etched in the glass, Qualinost. "The merchant said it was from a far away place. Never heard of it, to be honest. But I like it, goes very nicely with mushroom bread. Speaking of which..." Artin fishes out a loaf of soft bread with an earthy aroma, slathers it with butter, and gives a slice to Dari, Inva, and Zeg. "In any case, I may have heard your story, but not all of our friends have!".

He then turns to Inva with a sympathetic look. "You did mention a sad tale, but sadness and happiness are both part of life", he says pragmatically, pouring Inva a glass of the Elvish red. "And who knows, perhaps the telling of your tale can bring around a fortunate turn of events! After all, look at what we accomplished together, and we just met yesterday."

Artin serves everyone a heaping bowl of rabbit stew, which, with the mushroom bread, ale, and wine (both dandelion and Elven), makes for quite a filling meal. "I for one, want to hear more, Inva! And you too Zeg."

"Aye, I got a story. I was travelling up the Sword Coast by boat one Midsummer's Eve to relieve some soldiers camped in the woods when out of the woods pops some tavern wench, alone and afraid." She drinks from her mug with a smile. "Well, the boys were drawn to her like flies on honey, fawning over her and this and that." "As soon as I open my mouth, ta say...'What in the nine hells are ya doing?' It hisses at me like some sort of snake beasts and I fall asleep." A pause. "I wake up. Its dark and I see a campfire and the soldiers hacking down every tree in site and this woman standing commanding them...that she wants a huge throne!" "And there they are sweating up a storm, yes malady and all of this." 

"So I grab a dagger quiet like and sneak up wondering what is goin on. And there is one of the lads on all fours acting as a chair as this woman is sitting on his back! His back I say! And another pouring wine like a servant. I had never seen anything like. So then she gets up and say 'Worship me!' and they all get down on their knees and start worshipping this lady. I almost broke into tears, going was it something I drank?

"And then she changed, like her eyes went red and my blood went cold. The fire turned a cold blue and I could hear weird noises coming from the woods. So I said to hell with this and just charge her, dagger in hand. Luck of the Gate be with me I guess so she doesnt even move when im running at her. I stab her solid in the chest. And then my hand goes numb and I black out and hear this loud crack like thunder or something."

"I wake up and see the lads looking confused. Lost even, so sad or somethin'. And I say whats sa matter? And they go...lost me love of my life is what. One of them goes, 'I was going to build a house for her he says. " Zeg laughs. "Another says, 'She was my goddess..."

"My gods you have never seen soldiers so turned down, it took all my convincing just to get them back into the boat and go back to the Gate." "We all went back to the road and told the crew my story they couldnt believe it. Went back to the Gate. And my did the Captain strip em something.

Zeg drinks up. "Anyways, thats me story." 

Iradari gladly accepts the wine, which makes him think of... home. He then stops drinking it. When Zegria told her story, Dari remained silent, nodding. When she is done, he begins speaking, "Well, my friends, I believe you all want to hear my story too. I lived in the Feywild for about three centuries, in a large Eladrin city. But it was attacked my a mysterious monster. No one really saw it, but when they did, they were dead a few seconds afterwards. Only a few dozen of us survived the attack, who made a decision to travel to the material plane and find a new home there. Only--" Dari stops, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He knows it will be easier to handle this when others know as well, so he continues. "Only I survived the journey to the material plane. I spent the next few centuries researching this monster." Iradari surveys the group, and says, "Even though we only met a day ago, I trust you all with my life, and the one other secret I hold: the monster may return to the material plane, and it is virtually indestructible." Dari says with a grim expression, "But now, that is not important, but it may not come for at least another century, so Zeg and Boo may not live to see it come." Dari then picks up his wine glass and continues drinking.

Inviaih can't contain a chuckle at the halfling's optimism. He then listens intently as the other two recount their story, leaning forward with his chin rested in a palm.

"Well, I do suppose I owe it to you to tell you of my stories. And like all good... and like all tales, they must begin." Invaih straightens and his eyes seem to gloss over for a moment, as he reaches in the past of his memories.

"I hail from the overtly corrupt drow city of Menzoberranzan. The city's hierarchy is determined on one sole premise: the favor of Lolth, the Spider Queen, a demon god to my kind. Under Lolth, females only are able to become priestesses, and males are always regarded as inferior to them. The city has a couple hundred noble houses always competing for Lolth's favor, and that usually entails elaborate and "silent" wars between houses. If a lower ranking house defeats a higher ranking one, they are sure to have their house go up them.

I was a peasant, a nobody, before I were recruited to be a part of a noble house's guard, another kind of nobody. My house decided to wage war against a higher ranking one. There is but one rule in these wars: to not leave any witnesses to testify..." Invaih swallowed hard and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Not one member of the invaded house can be left to live, no matter how old... or young. If only one were to survive and testify, the attacking house would wind up facing the 'Judgement' of the Menzoberranzan council; the eight leading noble houses. House Baenre has been the First house since times immemorial and surely have the highest favor of Lolth. My house faced this Judgement, and the only reason I am alive to tell about it is that I was away on a scouting party on the outskirts of the drow city. The Underdark is wrought with dangers, and we must always be alert to them.

So my house faced this Judgement: the council unites to utterly and completely destroy the attacking house. Not one must be left to live as a member of that house. The most valuable members of the houses are typically recruited into another's secretively before the destruction. To the drow of Menzoberranzan, being in Lolth's favor is their most important value, personal gain being very close behind.

The Judgement is a horrific thing to witness. The leading council work conjointly to summon a large group of fiends from the Abyss. Sitting back, they and the other spectators -- and a lot of drow come to watch -- bear witness to the demons' playful destruction. Every last member of that house is killed, or tortured then killed. They did not forget me."

Invaih does not realize that at this point he is clenching his blades' hilts hard enough to make his knucles -- although black as soot -- blanch. "I came back to the city as our noble house was assaulted by the demons. That and that alone gave me the notice and time I needed to run very, very far away.

Other members of our scouting party, realizing that they could likely gain more of Lolth's favor for handing me in, tried to capture me. Their devout folly would not allow them to give up... and I had to... kill them to get away. Shortly after, the demons started to follow. I couldn't run the many days it would take to get to the surface, and in fact I only made it here by chance. I couldn't dare sleep soundly either, for the demons were always near, and the Underdark's predators ferocious.

After a few weeks of running (at least I think that long, I could not tell the time in the deep tunnels of the Underdark), I made it to the lower mines of Mithral Hall. I, ironically, avoided being beheaded by dwarven axes only by my lonesomeness. Drow are known to work in groups, and never alone. There I met friendly dwarves who regaled me with tales of Drizzt, a name that in Menzoberranzan is known only as a curse, and whom I thought a myth. They thought me about the surface world and warned me that I would face scorn from many places... And so I have. Unfortunately I was unable to meet the dwarven king, for I have been told King Bruenor was busy with affairs in Gauntlgrym."

He takes a few moments to draw breaths, rubbing away at his moist eyes; whether they be tears of sorrow or joy you can only guess.

"And so began my own tale. I have a few more, including the one regarding this scimitar..." He lifts Crescent a little, and drops her back. "...But they can wait for another time, another day," he conludes.

Artin listens, captivated, to each story. He laughs heartily at Zeg's tale. His eyes soften he quietly nods at Dari's recounting. And with Invah's story, he is so enthralled that he jumps with fright at the description of the demon. 
When the party's eyes turn to him, he smiles. "I have a tale too. But first, some jam". Artin takes everyone's bowl, and refills everyone's glasses and mugs. He brings out a earthenware bowl of berry jam for everyone.

"Years ago, when I did more adventuring, I found myself in front of an orc stronghold with a party of friends. Very capable folks, much like yourselves. One among us was a Gnomish Sorcerer, Bustumbibblebins Fustudundaldin. Tallfolk had a hard time with his name, so we called him Bibble. Bibble would get this excited gleam in his eye whenever we found ourselves in trouble, and he would start throwing these balls of fire from his hands, one after the other. He seemed to relish fighting, and always wanted to jump in and start throwing fireballs.

"We were all debating what the best way into this stronghold was, which bored Bibble to no end. While we were discussing a plan should things go wrong, he marched right up to us and said 'They're just Orcs, by the gods. Let's do this!'. He went straight in, hurling a ball of fire to mark his entrance.

"Well by then, we had no choice but to follow. He had begun the conflict, throwing all of our planning to the winds. We all rushed right in afterwards, and were met by a volley of arrows from Orcish longbows. The orcs had hunkered own, and were ready for us. The arrows missed Bibble, but gravely wounded Mooselips, our Druid companion. The orcs charged, surrounded us, and we quickly found ourselves injured, surrounded, and possibly facing death!"

Artin's earnest face in the firelight carries the emphasis of death.

"We had to flee. We had no choice. I turned my head as I ran, and saw Bibble, on the ground surrounded by eight Orcs. I saw his little hands come up in futile defense as the blades came crashing down. We barely escaped with our lives, and Mooselips would have died if not for a helpful merchant we found. 

"We mourned Bibble. We were nursing our wounds in the tavern, and remembering Bibble, telling tales to fondly remember him by. Mooselips remarked that Bibble had finally learned his lesson about planning, albeit too late. The doors to the tavern opened, and who walks in, but Bibble! We couldn't believe he was alive. How had he possibly survived this? 

"Bibble explained that the orcs had somehow, somehow all missed. He rolled on the ground under one of the Orc's legs, and cast a spell aptly named Expeditious Retreat. He ran out of there, stopping only to lob one last fireball at the horde. 

"Bibble then chided us. Yes, he had the gall to chide us for retreating, saying that he had the problem well in hand, and if we hadn't been such babies, the orcs would have been soundly defeated.

"We couldn't believe it. We thought Bibble might finally be humble for once, and tame his overconfidence, but instead, our near death experience only affirmed it."

Artin shakes his head ruefully. "I don't know if Bibble ever did learn his lesson. The last I heard of him, he's a very powerful sorcerer". 

"I'm sure you must be exhausted. I have a lean-to and spare bedrolls... my former companions would sometimes stop here to rest, and I left the lean-to here in case they would visit. If you are tired, I would be honored if you would be my guest here.

"I like to play a bit of music at night. If your ears will indulge me, I learned an Elven tune from the best bard I ever knew. I always thought it a beautiful melody".

Artin pulls out his pipes, and a small set of drums that he begins to beat with his feet. (he plays this music - http://tinyurl.com/y9p283q6)

"Well," Dari says, standing up, bonking his head on the ceiling, then ducking down, looking unaffected. "Shall we maybe get some sleep? I may not look like it, but I am tired. Where should we sleep?"

"To my thinking, outside... Oh but wait, today was overcast." Invaih seems to pout. "Can't sleep under the stars, but at least I'll feel the wind." He cheers up.
"I'll take first 'watch', Iradari you can take the second. I'll poke you out of your trance when the time comes, in around four hours. Sound good?"

(OOC: Artin said he has a lean-to outside with bedding for human sized beds. You don't have to sleep there, but that was offered in case you missed it in his text)

After playing his melody, Artin packs up for bed, leaving the fire for those who want to stay around it. "Good night friends!"

(Hold on - where is Boo? Is she here too, or is she back at the badger hole?)

Zeg stays up and sleeps by the fire. Before she conks out, "Now why is that I think there's something bigger in this town, bigger fish to fry.."

Quote from rootsdub >>

Zeg stays up and sleeps by the fire. Before she conks out, "Now why is that I think there's something bigger in this town, bigger fish to fry.."

This is something you have never heard of before.

Noticing that Invah had asked him a question, he stopped, and turned toward him, "I at first thought the same, but after my research, which took me a few hundred years of my life, I found only a few things. First of all, no one made it, but someone woke it. It is an ancient beast, slumbering for thousands of years. That is all I found. I am still trying to figure out a way to destroy it."

Quote from Mightylemur >>

Noticing that Invah had asked him a question, he stopped, and turned toward him, "I at first thought the same, but after my research, which took me a few hundred years of my life, I found only a few things. First of all, no one made it, but someone woke it. It is an ancient beast, slumbering for thousands of years. That is all I found. I am still trying to figure out a way to destroy it."

"Oh. I did not really understand at first, but I know what you mean now. Still, a small part of myself says that the goings on here and the monster may be connected. It may be coming sooner than I expected." He says grimly. Then, switching the subject, he says: "Well, I'll be outside, I think you know where to find me."

(Thor, if you're here, does Artin live in a village, or does he live alone?)

(I'm here but on mobile so can't do long posts. Artin is on the outskirts of a halfling village, about an hours walk.)

You return to Ambermoor, a lot has happened while you were gone, you're not surprised. 

• A new posting on the job board has caught your eye. It reads: Wanted: Gnolls (picture of a gnoll) The gnolls of the Ambermoor hinterlands have become more aggressive, talk to the mayor for more information. 
• The town is still restless today, you find out that one of Frogheart's cooks has been murdered last night, Elly blames Bardoth, owner of the Melting Dragon. The rivalry has escalated too far. You've heard that the two have been threatening each other, it all doesn't sound good.
• The Bestia's, the owners of Ambermoor Glass and Pots, have been robbed multiple times within the last ten-day, last night they lost a lot. They have been trying to find someone to investigate the robberies and possibly find the culprit.

Dari says to the others, "I need to speak to Ms. Frogheart" then walks off in the direction of the tavern.