The Tavern }{ Anyone for a drink?

[Admin]

"An' the amazin' part was he come outta it wi'out a scratch!"

The group oohed and aahed at the drunk's tale. They normally wouldn't have listened, but considering the amount of ale in their stomachs, they welcomed it.

"An' wha' o' the savage beasts tha' he was fightin'?" another man slurred.

"Wha'?" the storyteller managed before passing out.

Orik looked away from the group. At least he was coherent when drunk.

Tonight was different than usual. On any other evening, Orik and his band of dwarves would be exchanging tales, playing cards, and having a merry old time in this tavern. Now, however, Orik was alone and, oddly, didn't drink as much as he would. He was in a good mood already; he didn't need the influence of beer to calm himself of his jumping nerves.

Orik spun around in his bar stool, taking in the rest of the tavern's customers. There were many different races who enjoyed the relaxed calm of the tavern: Dwarves, humans, gnomes, and even a few elves were present. One man entered the tavern. He looked around the place, as if looking for someone. Orik waved over to him and motioned for him to join the dwarf--Orik felt he needed to talk to someone.

[Wanderer]

D'Artagnan had been traveling for many days. The weather had been good so sleeping under the stars was peaceful. He had only been in Tamasha for a few minutes, and already he made his was towards the tavern. He needed a drink.

He enetered the tavern, and to his surprise found a full house. He looked around to see if he recognized anyone, and when he saw he did'nt he began to look for an empty seat. He made eye contact with a dwarf, who proceeded to motion him over. He walked across the tavern and sat on a stool beside the dwarf.

"G'Day"said D'Artagnan to the stranger.

[jada]

"Can I offer you good men drinks?" Jada said. She hated the job but it brought a little money into their house. She tried to mostly stay shy and behind the counter, only speak when spoken to, but she was going to be fired unless she worked a little harder at serving the customers.

Jada smiled politely and waited for their orders. Her blue eyes gazing around lazily, and her long caramel hair flowed around her pointed ears, she was indeed one of the few elves in the place.

[Admin]

Orik was first to answer the woman's question. "I be havin' any light beer ye may have in store," he said as he slid a few golden coins across the bar to the woman. Orik turned back to the man now seated next to him.

"How are ye on this fine evenin'?" he asked the man. Orik casually opened his flask to see if there was any spare ale, but was dismayed to find that it was empty. Not to worry, the dwarf thought. He would be getting a fresh beer soon enough.

[jada]

"While your friend is pondering I'll get your order," Jada said relived to slip away. She went down and grabbed a cold freashly washed mug and filled it up until the light beer was running down the sides. Jada only wished she could be washing dishes instead of actually serving. The only difference was Jada made good tips, especially since she was young.

Jada also sometimes enjoyed some of the travelers stories, about far away places, and monsters. It gave Jada room to imagine she was there in the stories Vs. Serving in some tavern. Jada wanted to live her own adventure.

[Wanderer]

D'Artagnan nodded to the server as she announced she would be returning. He then looked to the Dwarf. "After a long journey, nothing is better then a cup of fine ale"he said with a smile. "My long travels turned dangerous on the road, many strange faces are about these days"he said gravely.

[HoudiniDerek]

Guang strode slowly through town, coming in from the opposite direction from where he lived. He had learned to travel steadily, but warily over the last few years...it was a habit that died hard even now...after all this time.

He came to one of the local taverns and preteneded to adjust his pack while guaging the surrounding area. It was dark tonight, so his vision was limited, but his ears separated the clink of glasses inside from the restless pawing of horses outside. He didn't sense anything, nor did he see it.

Cautiously, Guang stood and reached for the door handle. As he opened, light spread out through the trees in front of the door...illuminating nothing. Still on guard, but relieved, Guang stepped inside and let the door shut behind him.

The bar was plenty busy this night with all manner of minions coming to and fro to the bar or waiting on the pretty elf girl to serve them. As Guang pretended to adjust to the light, he saw a number of drunks surrounding a man who was drooling in the corner. Obviously the night's storyteller taking a rest.

Smiling, Guang pushed his way to the bar where the overpowering stench of liquor invaded his nose. Before it had mingled with the blood and sweat of the patrons, but now it was unabashed in all its glory. Sitting on one of the stools provided, Guang took out a coin and dropped it on the bar...hoping that it would attract the attention of the elf girl server.

[jada]

Jada took the full mug of light beer to the dwarfen man and looked at his companion, "Just call me when you know what you want."

Jada then proceeded back to the bar where she saw another man had placed a coin, " How may I help you sir?" She said with a sweet smile. Her boss instisted she be a little nicer to her customers instead of "Just serving them."

Jada ran her fingers through her long caramel hair waiting for the man's drink order, and her blue eyes showed her longing to leave the bar.

[HoudiniDerek]

Guang looked up as the elf girl approached and asked him what he wanted. Not being a drinker, Guang was unsure himself. Most gnomes didn't drink...and he was no exception. He could and did when necessary, but it was rare...in fact, tonight, it was downright unreal.

"I'll have a glass of rotgut," Guang said, his voice coming out more gravelly than he had anticipated...maybe he was more parched than he thought.

As the serving girl went to get a drink, he noticed that she was moving somewhat listlessly, almost as though she had nowhere she wanted to be...not even here. Guang nodded silently as he watched her work...he knew the feeling. Not only had he been chased from his homeland...he had never felt as though he belonged.

Maybe that wasn't her situation...and maybe he was just waxing philosophically as he was wont to do when in a bar, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were not as different as they might appear.

[jada]

jada turned to get his drink and thought about being far off in the woods. She imagined shapeshifting into her panther form and running about through the leaves and creeks. How she longed to be there now. That was the only time of the day Jada was happiest.

She walked his drink to him and as she was walking she notice him looking at her. "What is he thinking?" She thought looking back at him.

Jada set the glass down and picked up the coin he had laid down earlier and slipped it in her pocket.

[HoudiniDerek]

"Do you have a minute to relax?" Guang asked. "I rarely get to talk to anyone that I do not work with...and that is more business than conversation. Care to join me?"

Guang reached into his pocket and pulled out another coin. "I'll even ante up for the drink." He smiled and set the coin down on the counter by his glass.

"I know that you don't know me, but I think you are relatively safe with everyone that is here. I thought maybe you could tell me about yourself...and why you look so anxious to be gone. Surely you could find other work if THAT was the case." Guang smiled and leaned back, taking a long pull of his drink. He hadn't been this open and social in years...he hoped he was doing it right.

[jada]

"umm sure, I just can't take too long of a breack or the boss will fire me. I could care less besides the fact I am the only one earning money for my family and the tips help." Jada said with a smile.

Jada hoped over the counter and sat in the stool next to him. "So what do you do and what brings you here?" She said still smiling. To be honest she was happier then she had been in a long time, no one usually cared to notice her considering she was only the server girl.

[HoudiniDerek]

Guang nodded in agreement as she mentioned her family and what she was doing for them. He could understand. He had no family anymore...they had all been taken from him one way or another, but he still understood the basic nature of family and working to provide them with the necessities.

Guang watched her vault the bar and land on the stool next to him, impressed with her dexterity. Most women were not that limber...even the gnome ones who grew up learning the art of climbing trees. It was an impressive sight, especially from a young lady who had appeared so forlorn a few moments ago.

"My name is Guang. I don't really have a job. I just got done doing some...advising for some clients out by the Lonea Lake. I don't really drink, but I thought I would get one tonight on my way back...it's been a long trip." Guang smiled and raised the glass to his lips again. "I figure tomorrow is soon enough to worry about tomorrow." He grinned and set his glass down.

"Aren't you going to join me in a drink?" Guang asked, feeling somewhat roguish. "Regardless of whether you drink or not, why don't you tell me all about you and your life?" Guang edged against the bar, glass in hand, and waited to hear her tale.

[jada]

"Yes I don't drink, I have many reasons for not drinking," she laughed. "As for me and my life it's fairly uninteresting. My father died when I was really young, and my brother is always gone hunting. I have a mother though, but she is always in the house cleaning and cooking, you know how mothers are" Jada laughed again.

She left out all the interesting details though, like the fact that her and her father could shape shift, and that she suspects he is still alive. Jada wanted adventure too, sometimes you can just see it in her eyes, but she never told anyone she wanted to get out and see the world, leave her small home and roam the wild. She was an animal after all and she felt caged sometimes.

"What about your own family?" Jada stopped and wished she hadn't asked, she could tell by the expression on his face something awful had happened. "I'm sorry!" she said looking away feeling awful.

[HoudiniDerek]

Guang smiled as he watched the little elf girl look upset about her question. The pain probably showed in his face, but he was more than capable of discussing it. He silenced her apologies with a smile and slight wave of his hand.

"You did no wrong in asking, my dear. I have been gone from that life for some time now. My parents and my sister lived with me deep in the Selkia...where most of the gnomes are. During one of the massive Orc-Gnome wars, my parents were killed and I went to live with my best friend's grandmother as did my sister." Guang stopped and took another drink, thinking about the past and how good it HAD once been.

Setting the glass down, he continued. "I would grow up in that household and once the grandmother died, my sister and I lived together. I was in charge of helping with village fortifications...and my best friend helped train the elite Gnome guards of the Chief." He paused to take another sip of his drink.

"My friend and I were sent on a mission to one of the larger Gnome tribes to forge a deal of protection against an invading Orc threat. When we got back, I found that my sister had been killed...with one of my blades...and that I was suspected of it. I was tried for her murder and convicted."

Guang noted that the girl shifted a little in her chair during the last part of the narration, probably wondering if he made a habit out of killing girls...especially if they resemembled his sister. "You have nothing to fear. I will not hurt you...just as I did not hurt her."

Guang took another swig, which drained the glass and set it down. "I can see that you have more work...I should probably be going." A trifle stiff, Guang stood up and stretched, leaving the gold coin on the counter. Guang's eyes followed the girl. "Keep it," he said. "You need it more than me."

Guang smiled and pushed away from the bar. "Thank you for the conversation, my dear. If you would like that again sometime, I live over on the Truestren Way." He smiled and turned to face her before he left. "Try to think well of me when you think about my sister." His smile faded and he turned, preparing to leave.