The Sunless Citadel - Evil Grows Beneath the Earth

[Ser_Olmsted]

"All things roll here: horrors of midnights,
Campaigns of a lost year,
Dungeons disturbed, and groves of lights;
Echoing on these shores, still clear,
Dead ecstasies of questing knights—
Yet how the wind revives us here!"
—Arthur Rimbaud

You have arrived in the small town of Oakhurst in the dead cold of winter. As you reach the middle of town, a large winter storm that has been threatening to break all day touches down upon the town, forcing you indoors. You head into the Ol' Boar tavern, and see a few others huddling around the fire, also trying to take the edge off of the cold. The bar keep grunts a greeting, then goes back to wiping down the tables around the common room.

Everyone introduce yourselves, and we can begin...

[Schylerwalker]

Matthias stepped through the door, shivering and rubbing his arms. While a sturdy individual, he was not used to these frigid northern winters. How could these men stand this cold, wet, windy, cold, green, cold land? It had to be all the hair. Yes, that, must be it. The bulky warrior immediately sidled over to the fire to begin drying off and warming up.

"Barkeep," he send in his rumbling, bass tones. "I will have meat, wine, bread, and cheese. And are there any rooms for rent?" His voice was warm and earnest, but his teeth still chattered from the cold.

[Matthias orders a good meal]

[senrath]

Traig pulled his cloak tighter against himself as he entered the tavern, shaking snow from the brim of his hat. No matter how much time he spent in the north he would never get used to the weather. Give him warm and muggy over cold and snowy any day of the week. Without saying a word, the lumbering hulk of a man made his way over to the fire and settled in front of it.

[Sinfonian]

The door opens, accompanied by a gust of cold air blowing in. Rather than a huddled form lurching in, the new arrival looks as if he's having the time of his life. Holding his walking stick, he enters the Ol' Boar with a large smile and says to the room: "Rarely have I ever seen such a bitter cold day! It is something I'll not forget anytime soon. A good bracing wind and a storm really do help remind you that you're alive."

Having said this and ignoring any groans from the rest of the occupants of the room, he slowly walks away from the door toward the bar. Those who can see more of his face than his beard can see he's looking fairly blue. The fact that his hand is so stiff from cold that he can't easily handle his stick doesn't seem to dampen his chipper mood. He turns to the tavernkeeper and says more quietly: "A hot meal, if you please. I will be as near to the fire as possible when it is ready."

Still grinning widely, he takes a seat as near to the hearth as possible.

[Ser_Olmsted]

Matthias The bar keep looks over at a small mousy boy in the corner and says, "Go ahead, you heard the man. Get him his food." He then looks at you, "Yeah, I got rooms for the night. It'll be five silver for the night, and another five silver for the food. 'Course if you're feeling cheap, we always got cots..."

A few minutes later, the boy comes back from behind the counter with a large chunk of bread, some cheese, and a flagon of wine. After collecting your silver for the food he scurries back to whatever it was he was doing at his table in the corner.

Pardeux Indeed, nobody else seems quite so happy about the weather as you. The barkeep nods, and soon a small boy brings out a simmering bowl of soup with a small bit of bread to dip, as well as a flagon of wine. He stammers, "T-t-that'll be five silver m'lord." He collects the money and wanders off.

Looking about the room, in addition to one another you note the barkeep, a young serving boy, and a few people having drinks. The only group that truly stands out to you, however, consists of what appears to be an upper class lady conversing with two men who wear worn leather armor and carry weapons. You can't make out any words, but the conversation seems to be getting rather heated.

[Sir_Chivalry]

Regulus stumbles in, coughing and hacking, his health ill-affected by the weather. He gathers himself, and waltzes up to the nearest barmaid (or barman, barstool). He attempts to woo her (him, it).

"Hello, my name is Regulus Cale. Your's is not needed, I just thought you'd like to know what to scream."

He then begins coughin up a lung again.

bluff check to woo: [roll0]

[Schylerwalker]

Matthias looked up as three individuals he hadn't noticed in the snow-storm came tumbling into the Ol' Boar after him. Two seemed of a martial bent, like himself, though the second to come in was entirely too cheerful. And then a third sauntered in, looking like he was about to die, and started talking up the nearest thing that he could insert his...ahem...spear into. The line he spouted, however, set Matthias to roaring with laughter; he nearly spilled his wine.

"Oh, that's a good one," he muttered to himself, wiping a tear from his eye. "I haven't heard anything like that in a while." As he turned back towards the fire to resume his meal, he noticed the two armed and armored men engaged in heated discussion with some local woman. He harrumphed to himself and kept an eye on them as he ate.

[Ser_Olmsted]

After a short time the conversation goes from heated to yelling, the woman yells, "Cowards! Both of you! You were happy enough to take my gold, where are my results?" The men mutter something to one another and then one stands and says, "Madame... My associate and I are not men you speak to in such a manner. I suggest you re-phrase that and give us the rest of the gold we are owed." His hand drops to the hilt of his sword as he says this.

[senrath]

Grunting as he stood from his place by the fire, Thaig turned to look where the noise was coming from. Rolling his eyes at the nerve of some people, he lumbered over to the troublemakers, his gear clanking as he moved. Placing his right hand on the morning star hanging at his waist, he tapped the man who was threatening the woman on the shoulder. "'scuze me, gents, but you might'nt want to do tha'." He said, doing his best to be intimidating and imposing.

[roll0]

[Ser_Olmsted]

The man who stood looks at you now, he has long black hair, tied back in a pony tail, and a few days stubble on his face. He seems fairly in shape, but obviously thinks himself a bit tougher than he actually is. He responds, "Sir, I assure you there is no need for your involvement here. My friend and I are merely trying to collect what is owed us." At this, the woman pipes up, "What is owed you? You took the down payment I offered and then returned without my niece and nephew!"

[senrath]

"An' all I am sayin' is ya don' need ta get violent. I don' know who has the right of it, but I do know that there's no need for anyone ta get hurt." Traig said, his hand staying within easy reach of his morning star. He had a feeling he'd be using it in a second.

[Sinfonian]

Quickly putting aside his meal, Pardeux stands beside Traig silently. He attempts to adopt a non-threatening pose, leaning on his walking stick. His presence will hopefully serve to even the odds and prevent things from becoming violent.

[Schylerwalker]

Matthias leaned back on his stool, loosening his greatsword in its sheath and giving the two armsmen a hard stare. "Better listen to the man," he said, nodding towards Traig. "Seems to know what he's talking about. Wouldn't want to mess up this fine establishment over a petty little argument, now would we?"

(Intimidate Check)
[roll0]

[Ser_Olmsted]

Sir_Chivalry The young bar-maid you try to woo looks more embarrassed than anything else after your comment. She quickly finishes cleaning up the plates she was grabbing when you approached her and rushes off, not making any eye contact.


The men seem slightly put off by your sudden involvement, and the man's hand drops from his hilt for the moment. Believe me sirs, we want nothing more than to end this peaceably, but this woman owes us a considerable sum of gold. We were hired to discover the fate of an adventuring party, and discover it we did.

The woman quickly yells, Liars! You were hired to bring back my kin, and you've done nothing but tell me that no one could have survived that entered that god-forsaken rift! I want back my deposit so that I can hire someone more trustworthy in your stead.

[Sir_Chivalry]

Regulus ordered a drink, telling the bartender to surprise him, and once it arrived, began drawing circles on the bar after dipping his finger in the drink.

[Sinfonian]

Pardeux speaks up, turning to look at the two men confronting the woman.

"Let us assume you were contracted to find out what happened to a group of adventurers, as you say, rather than to bring them back. What proof do you bring of their outcome? How can this woman know that you did not simply go into the wild and return with any story you so chose? And even if this party ventured into some rift, how do you know that it means their end? Have you proof of that?"

[Ser_Olmsted]

The man is beginning to look a bit annoyed, he responds, "Sir, we went to the temple where the undoubtedly brave souls ventured off to, and as it happens, it's infested with traps, giant rats, undead and Gods know what else. We entered in as deep as we dared, and lost one of our companions within an hour. If there were anyone alive, we'd have found them before we gave up.

[Schylerwalker]

Matthias surged to his feet and planted his hands on his broad belt; his smile was bright in his dark face. "Hah! I do not fear rats or the dark or the restless dead. I will venture into this place of shadows if there are any other souls brave enough to follow me, to find your missing relatives, madam."

He looked around the tavern, giving that brilliant smile. "Well? Who's with me!?"

[Sir_Chivalry]

Matthias surged to his feet and planted his hands on his broad belt; his smile was bright in his dark face. "Hah! I do not fear rats or the dark or the restless dead. I will venture into this place of shadows if there are any other souls brave enough to follow me, to find your missing relatives, madam."

He looked around the tavern, giving that brilliant smile. "Well? Who's with me!?"

"AYE!!"

Regulus then falls down coughing and hacking, before struggling back unto his seat and drinking some more. He flashes a thumbs up at the barmaid, then a wink and hip thrust at Matthias.

[Sinfonian]

"Aye, I have never done such a thing before, but I shall do this with you."

[senrath]

"Well, it's not like I have tha' much better to do. Count me in as well."