[Story] Prologue: Funeral Procession

[Pilgrim]

Leaving the councilman's study, Ardanis makes his way through town to the Four Winds. Dinner, then bed. Must be up early tomorrow. Finding all the tables occupied, he picks an empty seat at the bar. While the tattooed half-orc he was seated next to looked vaguely unpleasant, he was certain the smell emanating from the patron further down would be a worse problem.

"Eb!" he called, using the name he had heard the older man yell. He wished he didn't have to bother the already harassed-looking young man. "What's on the menu tonight?" Wait... Eb? Tavern? Eben Winsome, the other one the councilman hired? Must find out if this is the same young man.

[Huhart]

Anikara grabs the contract and makes a beeline for the door. "These civil servants give me the creeps."

She is halfway down the street when she realizes she doesn't know where she is going. Looking around, Ani sees no sign of Ardanis or E'loi. "What was that fellow's name that we were supposed to talk to? She mind-speaks to Ned.

"Eben Winsome, an employee at a local tavern," responds the rat, who makes a habit of keeping track of details like this, unlike his master.

Anikara scans the crowd walking the streets for someone to ask. Many people seem to be avoiding her. "Elf hater...Wizard hater....Rat hater....Finally! She locals a half-drunken salt miner staggering down the way. "Excuse me, friend, but do you know where I can find a man names Eben Winsome? He works at a tavern nearby."

"Huh? Eb?...Yea, yea, he works over at the Four Winds," replies the drunk. He looks her over and like what he sees. Smiling, he adds, "Maybe, I could show you the place and we could share a drink."

"Ugh! If they don't run from me, they want to sleep with me. Damn humans!" Aloud she adds, "The Four Winds? I know where is it. Thanks for the offer though."

She walks away, leaving the drunk to admire her backside. Arriving at the Four Winds, she notices Ardanis has arrived ahead of her. "Thanks for waiting, pal!"

[shaderhedemon]

Belladoona arrived at town late in the afternoon, tired from her latest journey. 'maybe I should get a horse, might make my life easier,' she thinks to herself looking for a place to stay. After a minute or two she finds a tavern called "The four winds" and she enters. She looks around and finds that all the tables where full so she makes her way to the bar. "May I have a drink please," she asks whoever is behind the counter, "and how much is a room?"

[orangehatter]

E'loi coolly examines the contract, meticulous in his scrutiny of the binding article. He had been duped times before. It was never enjoyable. On the completion of his assessment he signed the writ and neatly folded his copy to tuck away inside his jacket's pocket. Wordlessly he got up and left the room, a nod his only gesture of "farewell".

Eben Winsome. He wracked his brain for anything he could recall of the name as he took a slow, lazy stroll toward the tavern. As a short-lived local, he knew where the Four Winds was located. But no rush, right? He'd wait till he could gather any thoughts on the young man.

[GLM]

Eben scoops up the mugs on the counter and turns to answer the question. He's busy, but he doesn't seem bothered at all. "Beef and barley stew with black bread, roast game hen with root vegetables. Take your pick, they're both good." Hoisting the three mugs, he set out for the closest table, and set them down before returning to the bar to continue the conversation. "The bread is really good, if you just want that. What'll you have?" He's clearly listening and ready for a response, but he seems to be soaking in everything around him at the same time, and he makes some gesture at the man behind the bar.

The burly man behind the bar starts pouring a fresh round of drinks, and winds up face to face with a customer of his own. He answers her without looking up from his mugs, in a way that leads you to believe he's said this a thousand times. "5 silver for the common room, 1 gold for a private room. Got 4 of 'em. A drink?" he opens his hands, gesturing at various casks of ale and lager, along with bottles of wine and stronger stuff. Echoing his son's words a split second later he asks the young lady "Got all kinds. What'll ya have?"

[Pilgrim]

"I'll take the stew, thanks. And a pint of ale." He glances over at the young redheaded woman who had just come in. [i]Not bad. A little too much leather and chain, but those eyes make up for it. "Put her drinks on my bill," he adds, indicating Belladonna. Too early a morning for anything more, but if she's in town for long I might as well build some goodwill.

When his food comes, Ardanis eats slowly, savoring each bite. The boy was right - it was quite good.

[shaderhedemon]

"I will take a private room and some strong ale will be good," she says placing a gold piece on the counter.

Once he comes with her drink she raises it to Ardanis, "Much thanks," she says before downing it.

"I think I'll have another, also I was wondering if you were in need of any entertainment," she asks the man behind the bar?

[GLM]

"Sure. Help yerself." The man answers, gesturing towards the fireplace. "Free drinks, and whatever the crowd'll give ya. If yer any good, that is." is all the man says before turning to grab a bottle of some sort.

The area in front of the fireplace is open, and there's room to perform there...

[shaderhedemon]

"Very well," she says smiling, usually she'd head to her room first and change but she didn't feel much like dressing up at this moment. She headed over to the fireplace and unclasped her cloak and set it and her backpack next to the fireplace. Then she drew her scimitars and began to move them around her in a circular pattern, and began her dance of blades, well notably not one of her best performances, it was most certainly not one of her worse.

[corporealself]

As E'loi walks, the thoughts come to him as he bid. Eben Winsome is a local boy with blond hair and blue eyes. Quite the charmer according to the gossip of some local girls, he works at his family's tavern named the Four Winds. His family isn't the bad sort, just quiet and they keep to themselves.

On the way Anikara is on the street being ogled by a drunk, clearly closer to the aforementioned establishment.

Inside, in the warm and cozy tavern, the mood of the night seems to lighten a little as Belladoona begins her dance. However, as most of the patrons are deep in their drinks, not too many seemed compelled to be generous with the young lady. At most she gets two coppers tossed her way. As they settle, a low chuckle rumbles from the far end of the bar and a huge man rises. He's well built, even a bit over muscled, dressed in simple cloth and leathers, but around him dances the charnel odor of a slaughter house.

"If you be looking for money miss," he smiles as another, equally large man rises behind him, "Me and my brother would be happy to cover your bill for a little privet show."

[shaderhedemon]

She smiles to them man as she comes out of a slow spin and points one of her scimitars at the man, "Sorry but I don't do private shows," she says turning the blade on it's side before sliding it into a sheath along with the other scimitar at the same time.

"Besides I am not in such a need for money, if I was I would not be here in armor," She says picking up the two copper and moving toward her cloak watching him as she does.

[GLM]

Returning from dropping off another pair of pints, Eben spots the potential trouble, and tries to defuse it. Looking at the ornery pair, he scolds them as if he's done it a few times before. "That's enough out of you two." Raising an eyebrow, he adds, "Besides, I think her sword's bigger than yours." he turns to the woman. ""Lovely show, miss. Another drink? On me."

[orangehatter]

E'loi recalled what little information he could on the young man, smiling with acceptance at his memory. Had I been well-educated, I could have gotten along much farther in life. The reminder put him in a somber mood as he ended his short walk at the doors of the tavern. After wiping his feet clean of something unseen, he easily strides through the door as though he frequented the place often. Which he didn't.

The strange smells of minerals and bloody meat always annoyed E'loi's falsely noble senses. He'd only come into the tavern as often as his 'work' demanded it. The beer, though, was unique. E'loi's palate was especially finnicky as of the last few years, and he could always take joy in the selection of drinks. He scouted out a place at the bar and took it. It wasn't until his elbows hit the counter that he noticed Ardanis to his left. I've got to be more careful in the future.

"Food good?" He was casual, not making eye contact as his eyes drifted over the bar. In a lower voice he added, "And have we found our other companion yet?"

[Huhart]

Anikara heads for the bar and orders a glass of wine. She watches the end of the redheaded blade dancer's performance. Ned enjoyed the show far more than she did. "Now, where is this Eben fellow?"

[Pilgrim]

"Eh? What?" Ardanis's hand had drifted to the handle of his sap when the two men had stood up, in case the situation turned ugly. Distracted, he glanced at E'loi. "Oh, yeah, I think so." Checking to make sure everyone was focused on the dancer and the two men, he whispered back, "I think the young man fetching drinks is our fourth teammate."

He forced himself to let go of the weapon - no sense asking for trouble before it started - and took another spoonful of stew. "Food's excellent," he said, louder.