The Golden Scales Tavern

[Stirling]

With a bit of 'deja vu' from the Golden Tooth to the Golden Scales ...

hassled ginger puss

Kicking the bar door open like some wild west saloon, she walks awkwardly in. Knee high spur-heeled boots chink as she navigates the tables, sharp sword point poking through a scabbard scrapes a line across the dusty floor. Draped across one shoulder, the vixen carries a dark branded leather saddle which she ditches with a loud thud against the foot of the bar. She removes a black felt Tri-corn hat and uses it to fan her face, wiping the sweat from her brow and runs pretty 'henna' decorated fingers slowly through the long wavy tassels of carrot-flamed hair, flicking the beaded strands across her flushed, sun-kissed freckled face. 

Sensing the quiet and stares, she turns and frowns, staring back at the onlookers before snapping, "what, you never seen a gal before?" Tocen follows meekly behind, he simply shrugs.

She drinks from a half empty ruby wine bottle, mature and full bodied unlike her despite the cleavage 'uplift'. "Fucking gelding. Ain't there any stallions in your stable a Lady can practice on? (Bremen can take the innuendo however he likes).

I have the ears of an elf. Your slur on my bad name Sir. Thundreds' dwarves covenanted their lives due to my heroism and my trooper died defending the peasant farms. None died at my hand. (A look to Bremen). I have been atested and judged in holy sacraments, there be no taint of 'infernal' upon me unlike some gathered here.

When danger calls they send a girl to do a mans' job while they shiver behind Gaulish walls.

Excuse me ... (suddenly reddening a feeling unwell she promptly vomits in her hat, passing it to Tocen), Hold that will you?

She begins to feel more uncomfortable, crossing her legs.

"Aw fuck! of all the lunar days ...." Foxy siddles up to Akaara admiring her dragonscale svelte suit and whispers in her ears a bit too loudly.

"Erhmm...do you think my bum looks big in this? And would you have any tissues, of the 'ladies sort' in your handbag?"

She exits stage left to the ladies, as she does she completes her unintended insults of the heroes having paid the bard to strike up a tavern tune regaling the loggers.

"Forgive me, I speak such unwarranted foolishness. As her grace Eruanna declares, 'Let the truth be known'.


https://youtu.be/FshU58nI0Ts

[Stirling]

Isaachar

sits in a quiet corner, picking his nails of grime with his scythe symbol. The priest of Gwanwen shaeks his head, "I was hoping for the privelege of spilling 'first blood' tonight but it seems the strumpet has beaten me to it."

[Spearmint]

Amistad

here to drink a beer and let off steam not testosterone, shrugs along with Foxy's aide and nods to Akaara to go help the poor girl out. "She seems to constantly wear her heart on her sleeve and her foot in her mouth."

Having heard the logging song in a multitude of taverns, he takes no offence and takes the dance floor with some jovial thigh slapping.

Rising next morning with his meditational ancestral prayers he preps for the melee bouts.

[Stirling]

Isaachar

"Ha, brother Amistad, there is a touch of Gwanwen about you. Is that jive a tribal rain dance?" says the priest. He approaches the loggers at the end of the evening, "I have some affinity with the orcbloods, indeed my knowledge of language extends to such. I will venture this season of winter northwards with you if you would take a priest of the Reaper Fellowship by your side?"

Isaachar has no horse to ride but can stock everything else needed for an expedition.

[Spearmint]

Amistad will welcome the cleric to the expedition group. Particularly as an orc speaker and an extra healer.

[Bluetongue]

Fairfax Socrates

Hoping his investment in the journey to the festival proves worthwhile (-5gp guard travel), the halfling books into the tavern to 'meet and greet' the locals and enjoy the fighting shows. He hopes to join in the festivities and recoup some of the expenses.

[Lobo89]

Tanor's eyes widen a bit as he watches Foxy's entrance and banter with the other patrons. He begins to rise to introduce himself, but is interrupted when she excuses herself. She seems busy at the moment he mutters to himself, dropping back in his chair.

When she returns, he gets up and makes his way over. Bowing awkwardly, he introduces himself. Pardon me, ma'am. The gentleman at the table indicated that you might be recruiting for an expedition?

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare, returns from the ladies, blouson buttoned and perfumed. She swigs the remaining wine and after casually rolling the empty bottle across the bar, orders another (finest red) to be uncorked. It is then, a slight cough behind and with a tap on her shoulder that Tanor introduces himself.

She might at first thought Bremen was continuing to take the 'piddle', sending a novice her way to tease her ambitions but she picks up the sincerity in Tanor and noticing his scholarly dress, invites him to a table.

Opening several folded notes, Foxy shows Tanor some maps of the western portion of Gaul. She traces across hexagonal spaces, coloured in pastel eyeliner to indicate fields, forest and hills. A red lipstick road runs from a skull and crossbones, arrayed in a Z for Zhint (no 16 on the latest map).

"This dead city, full of ghouls and worse. The blighted area further along the road centres on the Abyss this wolf-fiend comes from. The road passes in a gap south, below the giants causeway. Further along some ruins of a nefarious cult, possibly in this unchartered wilderness here.

See here, a gap lies between forest and blight, which I suspect grows to cover these hexes above as it radiates out like an evil ripple. I want to scout through there and gain an escarpment which overlooks the plains west.

The road is bogged with kobold trap works and undead roam freely. I travel light and fast, standing our ground if we have to, conflict is not in my nature." (Foxy ignores the heckles from listeners). "A dwarf Kingdom reclaims the mines here. It might be prudent to pass that way but I intend to push on further before winter sets in.

I speak common and foolishness as you can see. But if you have a stout heart and a vision for solving arcane mysteries then I'll count you in."

Foxy pauses for a moment as Tanor considers the map and suggestion. "Any questions? If not report to Tocen my Sgt-at-arms in my field tent as the festival closes. In the meantime your first task can be to recruit another. An artisan locksmith skilled in removing traps would be a great addition." She eyes him inquisitively and tosses a few gold in his direction. "You are not 'gelded' are you? Best find yourself a comely wench to warm your heart and cockles before we leave. It could be a long winter."

(-1gp wine, -5gp wench)

[Lobo89]

Tanor peers at the map with interest as he listens to Foxy.

I speak common, elvish and goblin. I'm trained in the arcane arts, so can provide some assistance there as well. Should we also consider a priest with all of the undead about? I am informed that they possess the power to drive them away.

At the mention of a comely wench, Tanor's eyes widen further and he stares at the gold on the table as if it were a serpent. After a long pause, he clears his throat and croaks I'm, uh, fine. I'll just be off to see about a locksmith. Oh, look, a halfling. Maybe he would be interested.

Tanor stands quickly, upsetting his chair in the process, and makes his way over to Fairfax Socrates.

Greetings, I am Tanor. Might I join you?

Assuming accedence, the mage drops into the chair and raises his hand to order two lagers.

-2 sp for lager

[Bluetongue]

Fairfax Socrates

Offers a chair to Tanor and takes the lager.

"So many heroes gathered here. I have been listening to the bard and the retelling of stories," he says in a hushed whispers. "That black man chopped two dragons with his axe and this lot in red scale hunted the beast they display in the halls. The ginger lady is a knight who jousted with it on the battlefield. I'm just a baker and maker of trinkets." He let's a clockwork mouse run across the table.

[Lobo89]

Tanor nods in understanding.

It is all just a bit overwhelming, isn't it. I'm newly arrived myself; just recently finished my apprenticeship as a Willworker and headed north.

He eyes the mouse with a smile I heard you escaped from a locked barrel on the festival grounds earlier. I assume you have a good working knowledge of locks and such?

[Bluetongue]

Fairfax Socrates

"The barrel .... Err yes...well not quite to plan. I swallowed the key to the handcuffs but couldn't bring them back up properly. I wriggling like a caught salmon, knocking the barrel over and rolling down the hill. A guard untied me from the sack and axed through the chains. Guess I'll have to wait for the key to come out the other way later ...", FFS holds out his wrists which still have the cuffs on.

Fairfax will share a little of his background, working from fayre to fayre and town markets.He has a pony, Griff and a cart which doubles as a stall for selling 'halfling street food' (hedgehog and quail eggs, fried frog legs, ox tongue jerky strips) and flogging trinkets.

"I have heard many ancient weapons, relics and tomes have been found nearby. What unexplored places are on that map you studied?"