The Blazing Star

[acererak]

Halen absentmindedly stroked the scar that ran down the left side of his neck as he looked around the inside of the Blazing Star. The inn was packed with travelers on what seemed to be a busier than normal weekday. Halen mused that perhaps the driving rain outside had sent more than a few travelers scrambling for the comfort of his establishment. Three hearth fires roared to keep the chill of a morning spring rain at bay. The spacious common room was filled with all sorts of folk, woodsmen from across the lake, a party of dwarves who sat close to the fire and kept to themselves, guardsmen and the odd merchant. Halen’s tall frame seemed to be everywhere at once, directing the serving wenches, pouring spiced mead and talking to the regulars. Occasionally Halen glanced longingly at the sword that hung behind the bar, his eyes twinkled for a moment, and then he shook his head with a smile.

[Distorted Humor]

Atticus enters the blazing star, Pole in hand, war hammer on his side, and from the looks of things, had been sleeping in many hedges and his clothing stained from travel. Getting the wet off him, He looks about the room, taking quick accounting of who is there, and walks to the Innkeep.

"What is the price for your least expensive room good sir?"

[Xaxyx]

"And then she says to me," Boldus bellows in his typically raucous demeanor, "the goat can stay, but the two halflings have got to go!" Laughing uproariously at his own joke, Boldus smacks the dwarf next to him on the shoulder. Ale sloshes out of the mug in his other hand and into the hearth, causing the fire to smoke and sizzle.

[edkradicalz]

A young man sits at the bar, nursing an ale, his robe hanging off of his small shoulders, a book held open by one ink-stained finger. He glances up as the door to the inn opens and a man enters, but then his gaze is drawn once more to the pages of his book and the spiced ale before him.

[Alethan]

Caby sits at a small table in a dark corner of the bar, practically unnoticed by all, which is, generally, what she prefers. Though it can be annoying when she has to make an extra effort to get the barkeep's attention, that is not a concern this evening.

Her small cup of red wine mostly untouched, she chews on the inside of her cheek while she uses her fork to poke at an untouched meal...

She retains clear childhood memories, all the way up to the point of shouldering her pack and leaving her tribe for a journey of self-understanding. But, after that? Only little snippets remain. A little boy with a funny accent asking for help. A cabin in the woods with grisly human remains. A cave... filled with goblins... and then as quiet as a tomb. Their tomb. Then, later, walking too close to the lightening rail and feeling the great blue flash, more than seeing it. Finally, waking up at the bottom of a grassy hill, no rail line in sight and scorch marks all around her, but weapons and gear intact... It didn't take long for her to figure out she was in a completely foreign place.

Taking in a slow, deep breath, she exhales quietly. "Maybe I'm dead," she mutters out loud, her tone somewhere between a question and a statement. She shrugs, "It's possible I'm in some afterlife..."

Hearing a boisterous howl from a group of dwarfs over by one of the fires, and the punch-line to a joke of which she could only guess the meaning, she rolls her eyes and snorts, "Dwarfs...", in a clear voice that startles those around her, "... well, at least I know I'm not in the heavens! And it's too damned cold to be the hells. Wherever I am, I might as well make the best of it."

Now resigned to her fate, she picks up her fork and begins eating her now-cold meal. Soon, the red wine is gone, as well.

[saalaria]

Brother Kytan too sits in a dark corner, with the hood of his cloak over his head. Used by now to the reaction he gets from the world at large to his disfiguring injury, he prefers not to call attention to himself unless strictly necessary.
He murmers a pray to his god for His bountiful mercy in providing this sheltered haven and food this evening. He resolves to continue on his quest for atonement in the morning...

[dmw71]

The doors to the inn burst open as Eugene hurries to get out of the driving rain. After spending what most would consider too long an amount time fussing with his hair, his instinctual behavior has him scoping out his new surroundings in an attempt to locate the most attractive serving wench. Once identified, he seats himself in the area she's responsible for, casting a well-practiced smile and nod in her direction once she notices him. "I clearly didn't get enough water outside." he says, again shaking his wet hair before repositioning it back into place. "Be a dear and fetch me a glass of something sparkling to drink."

[saalaria]

OOC - still chuckling to myself about Atticus entering "pole in hand". That must have caused quite a stir in the inn...or is that just my inappropriate sense of humour!?

[Distorted Humor]

OOC - still chuckling to myself about Atticus entering "pole in hand". That must have caused quite a stir in the inn...or is that just my inappropriate sense of humour!?

OCC -

bahahahahahahahhaaaaa

IC

Atticus feels a little drafty and adjusts. He takes a roasted Onion from a tray and bites down, enjoying the flavor.

[saalaria]

After finishing his meal, Kytan heads to the bar to seek a room for the night. Upon seeing the young man with the book he attempts to engage him in conversation.
"well met sir, you clearly are an educated man. Do you know much of the lie of the land or the history hereabouts?"

[acererak]

Atticus enters the blazing star, Pole in hand, war hammer on his side, and from the looks of things, had been sleeping in many hedges and his clothing stained from travel. Getting the wet off him, He looks about the room, taking quick accounting of who is there, and walks to the Innkeep.

"What is the price for your least expensive room good sir?"

Halen runs a quick eye over Atticus and replies in his characteristic whispering voice: Three silver gets you a bed and a chamberpot in the common room next door. Five silver gets you a bed and a chamberpot in your own room, plus I'll throw in a drink to warm your chilled bones.

[acererak]

As Eugene engages one of the barmaids in conversation, a raven haired beauty by the name of Telaria, Boldus' company of dwarves continues their laughing. One of the dwarves, whose long red beard is braided, looks towards Caby: No offense meant young mistress. Please honor me by letting me pay for your next glass and drink it in good health. He smiles and hands some coin to a passing barmaid. The red bearded dwarf now turns his attention to Boldus: Ah Boldus my boy, always a pleasure. Always a pleasure. You never run out of stories, if only half of them are true I'd still be impressed.

[Xaxyx]

"All good stories have some amount of truth to them," Boldus says with a wink. "The fun part is trying to figure out how much!" Still overly pleased with his own sense of humor, he grins broadly. Boldus then takes a deep swig from his ale mug, using the opportunity to give Caby an appreciative glance.

[Distorted Humor]

Atticus enters the blazing star, Pole in hand, war hammer on his side, and from the looks of things, had been sleeping in many hedges and his clothing stained from travel. Getting the wet off him, He looks about the room, taking quick accounting of who is there, and walks to the Innkeep.

"What is the price for your least expensive room good sir?"

Halen runs a quick eye over Atticus and replies in his characteristic whispering voice: Three silver gets you a bed and a chamberpot in the common room next door. Five silver gets you a bed and a chamberpot in your own room, plus I'll throw in a drink to warm your chilled bones.

Atticus puts down five pieces of silver, And takes a drink and warms his bones beside the fire.

[dmw71]

As Eugene engages one of the barmaids in conversation, a raven haired beauty by the name of Telaria, Boldus' company of dwarves continues their laughing. One of the dwarves, whose long red beard is braided, looks towards Caby: No offense meant young mistress. Please honor me by letting me pay for your next glass and drink it in good health. He smiles and hands some coin to a passing barmaid. The red bearded dwarf now turns his attention to Boldus: Ah Boldus my boy, always a pleasure. Always a pleasure. You never run out of stories, if only half of them are true I'd still be impressed.

Not phased in the slightest by the interruption of the waitress he was keyed in on, but still without beverage, Eugene saunters up to the table of dwarves. "Quite the boisterous lot we have here." He claps Boldus on his shoulder. "Very true, my good man, all stories, however far fetched they may seem, do have some basis in truth."

Eugene eyes everyone at the table and, if a seat presents itself, he occupies it.

He adds with a bold, confident smile: "The name's Eugene. Eugene Fitzherbert."

[Xaxyx]

"Hail, Eugene!" Boldus declares loudly, taking another drink from his ale cup, though more seems to end up on his beard than in his mouth. "I am Boldus! No doubt you've heard of me. Come, let me regale you with the tale of a six-legged horse I once tamed. A blur of motion, this creature was. So majestic, with fire blazing forth from his nostrils! And the muscles of its flanks reminded me of this fine wench I knew in a town just a few leagues from here. But that's a tale for another time, eh?" He laughs again, heartily, not seeming to notice or care if anyone else laughs with him.

[dmw71]

"Hail, Eugene!" Boldus declares loudly, taking another drink from his ale cup, though more seems to end up on his beard than in his mouth. "I am Boldus! No doubt you've heard of me. Come, let me regale you with the tale of a six-legged horse I once tamed. A blur of motion, this creature was. So majestic, with fire blazing forth from his nostrils! And the muscles of its flanks reminded me of this fine wench I knew in a town just a few leagues from here. But that's a tale for another time, eh?" He laughs again, heartily, not seeming to notice or care if anyone else laughs with him.

"The mighty Boldus?! Only a fool wouldn't know your name and regale upon your legendary ventures." Eugene leans closer to Boldus and attempts to share the next words in private, as if amongst close friends: "Never mind the six-legged horse, but any tale involving fine wenches must be shared, m'friend." he finished with a wink. "I'll remind you once you attain a level of sobriety" he finishes under his breath.

Returning to an upright seated position and addressing any that can hear: "So, friends, what brings you to this fine inn?"

[Alethan]

One of the dwarves, whose long red beard is braided, looks towards Caby: No offense meant young mistress. Please honor me by letting me pay for your next glass and drink it in good health. He smiles and hands some coin to a passing barmaid.

Caby pops back, "Oh, I am not offended, Master Dwarf. You have to have thicker skin than that if you want to last more than one winter in... in... in my village." She pauses, then looks down at the new mug of spiced wine on her table. "But I won't say no to your drink."

She stands, picks up the mug, and holds it up to him in salute.

"To your good health, sir," she says with a nod.

She then takes a long drink and returns to her seat to finish her meal.

[Distorted Humor]

Atticus, seeing the large group of Dwarves, sits next to them and listens, drinking is brew, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Not unfriendly, but waiting to see if anyone comes to speak to him.

[acererak]

.

Returning to an upright seated position and addressing any that can hear: "So, friends, what brings you to this fine inn?"

The dwarves with Boldus glance at one another and then defer to the red bearded dwarf. I am Varg Stonesplitter and these are my kinsmen. We are headed south to the mines. Boldus here is an old friend of ours. He traveled with us part of the way. There was a lightning storm last night and we sought shelter here.

At Varg's mentioning of the storm the inn seems to become more lively, there seems to be a lot of animated conversation about the storm going on all at once. Snippets of conversation can be overheard:Burned up Arik's barn it did....Smoke coming from the island....Split the tree by Miller's Creek...