You are all in Tully's, at your usual table(big enough to fit eight dwarves), when Magmar brings out a tankard of ale for each of you, and the promise of fresh baked bread and ham-roast reaches your noses. "Roast Pig with Rosemary and Thyme, and fresh Rye Bowls for you laddies tonight." Magmar says as he looks at each of you with his one good eye, an eye patch covering what was lost in a battle with the Deep Orcs almost four score years ago.
"Ahhh nothing beats a good herbed roast! Hey lads?" Feruin digs in, using some of the human ways of eating that he has picked up from them in his many years of travels. He had had a rather long day chasing down several tomes that he wished to study. And after a whole afternoon of that he was starved. One thing this dwarf loved as much as finding obscure dwarven magic and histories was food. He looks around the table of the inn at the other dwarves, wondering what types he had the pleasure of dining with tonight. "Another mug of ale here!" he says to Magmar.
Tyg swirled his ale twice at Feruin's exclamation, then inhaled the yeasty vapors at the head of the dark beer. He took a long pull and wiped the foam from his mustache with the back of his sleeve.
"Beer this good just might, but I'm willing to withhold judgment 'til I've tried a healthy measure of both!"
"Ouan sah aht a'han!" Legnar tries to say with a mouth full of roast.
He drinks it down with a chug of ale. "Ah~ Soooo, where'n does you bright fellas hail from? Any good eat'n stories? Ah hail from Rolgrimmdur mahself. Not too many merry stories o'bout old Rolgrimmdur, tha place was far too serious ta have much fun. MAGMAR MORE ROAST OVER HERE! Anywho, Funny story ah did have; ah was traveling a'bit an ah went ta this here town and it was be'n all harassed n'all by these cultists folk. Ah don't 'member tha details that much nomore, but Ah and a group ah Humans went ta deal with 'em. There was this icy hallway in their hiddin temple, and it had ah slant to it, awfully trencherous it was, but this one human, Was his name Ben... Glenn... Fred? Bah, all human names sound tha same ta me. Anyhow, this feller had a nice set o plate armor on, and he just went and slid right down the hall on purpose. An then he just up an stops all sudden like. So we mosey on up ta him, and ya'll never guess what! He slid right inta one o'those Jelloatinous Cubes! Ya'know, those square ones! GA HA HAR! ...AH, Ah don't know, but Ah rekon Ya'll had to be thar ta see it. GAH HA HA..."
"I'm from right here in Janderhoff."
Tyg shrugs in apology for not having a good story. Instead, he drains his tankard and signals for another one.
"Aw, Don'cha worry none about it, Padre. Ah'm sure afta a few more swigs o'Magmar's Finest ya will think o'somth'n. Ah've never met ah Dwarf who couldn't pull ah good tale or two outta his beard." HEY, MAGMAR, anotha stout for tha Padre ova 'ere!" Legnar yells, waving a mostly eaten leg of pork enthusiastically over his head.
Thorgrund bears a look of concern on his face. Even with the merriment surrounding him, he is clearly distracted. Sipping his ale absently, he is rattled out of his "funk" at Legnar's bellowing.
Smiling despite himself, Thorgrund looks at Legnar and says. "His name was Ted, Legnar."
"Teeed..." Legnar muses over the name as he savers a mouth full of ale. "Ah reckon tha does sound queer enough ta be ah human name, but it don' ring no bells..." Legnar ponders this for a moment. "Aw, Come now Hoss, ya warn't even there! GAH HAHA! Ya just try'n ta trip me up! Welp, jokes on you, Hoss. Dwarves don't get tripped. No way no how!"
From the corner of the table Boshak speaks up. He had previously been stuffing his face, no time to talk, as he had just arrived from his long journey from Kalsgard, and had run out of food about half way. However, at the request for a story, Boshak just could not help himself.
"I knew a dwarf who tripped once. He was standing on a barrel of ale, trying to reach the stock of mushrooms his brother had put on the top shelf. Little did he know his brother had done this as a prank, and right when he grabbed the mushrooms, his brother rushed out from the shadows and kicked the barrel under him. Somehow, instead of the barrel being knocked away, the lid on it broke open under the weight of the dwarf, and in fell dwarf and mushroom. Sputtering, the dwarf was about to yell at his brother, until he tasted the ale. That my friends, is how mushroom ale was born."
He raises his mug in toast, and takes a deep draught of it, some dribbling down his beard.
"Bahahahah! Mushroom ale!? A true story no doubt!" he says with much sarcasm."I'll beat that easily. When I was as a young one. Barely out of my mother's arms. Hiding from her one day in an empty barrel in the brewery. Before I knew it they had picked up the barrel without noticing me in it, poured the newest batch till the barrel was full and sealed the lid." He paused for a moment to let them picture it. "I survived by drinking the whole barrel. Had to thump around till it fell off the stack and smashed on the ground. They didn't believe I truly got stuck when they found me neither. I got stuck cleaning cellars for a year! Hahah!" He laughs heartily before taking another swig of his drink and diving back into his meal.
After dinner has been eaten, Magmar comes over to your table, his pegleg thumping on the stone floor as he strides over. "Well lads, I see you've enjoyed yourselves this evening. I have a question for ye's. I have a friend who owns a caravan and he is looking to hire some guards for the caravan, because there has been reports of increased goblin and bandit activity on the Dawn Shadow Path, to Korvosa. His caravan carry's a range of trade goods, and he works from Korvosa to Kaer Maga, but he is looking for a party of 5, who wouldn't mind leaving the Citadel for a fortnight." Magmar finishes, and looks at the five of you in turn with his single eye.
"Sounds good! Be better'n sittin' around here gettin' fat, listenin' ta Legnar's elfy tales. Besides, my axe is gettin' thirsty!
'Elfy' huh. Well one dwarf-ah git'n too big for his beard. I rekon it's high time ah show ya how 'Elfy' ah can be, Hoss. How 'bout ah wager. If'n we run inta trouble on this here expedition, the dwarf who takes out the least baddies has ta wear leaves in's beard for ah week." He wipes his greasy hand off on the bib concealed by his beard and then offers it to Thorgrund.
"How much tin we talking about here, Barkeep? Ah ain't about ta join no skin-flint's slave drive. Ah demand ah reasonable amount ah water'n during the trek as well. We ain't beat'n no road here, they'll git what they pay fer."
Suddenly a dwarf covered in leaves and dirt comes striding in with a big smile on his face. "HEY MAGMAR! I hope I am not too late, I was on my way when I noticed the sunset. Ahh it was beautiful and entranced me then the next thing I knew I was looking at the stars." He takes a place at the table without asking and will eat any scraps of food left on the table as he its he realizes the other dwarves are there.
"Hail all, my name be Horace." Then goes back to drinking eating the leftovers, and every other piece of meat he holds up next to his shoulder letting a badger from his backpack take them. "Oh this be Barls, my good friend."
'Elfy' huh. Well one dwarf-ah git'n too big for his beard. I rekon it's high time ah show ya how 'Elfy' ah can be, Hoss. How 'bout ah wager. If'n we run inta trouble on this here expedition, the dwarf who takes out the least baddies has ta wear leaves in's beard for ah week." He wipes his greasy hand off on the bib concealed by his beard and then offers it to Thorgrund.
Thorgrund grasps his hand firmly, and laughs heartily.
"Done, ya old fool! How'z about another round to wash it down, eh?" he says with a smirk.
He turns to see Horace burst in. Staring at him open-mouthed for a few moments, Thorgrund bursts into laughter, holding his sides.
"Well I hate to be leaving my books at the moment but I suppose I can do a little traveling. I haven't been on the road in several months." He slams his empty mug on the table. "Very well Magmar, I will join this caravan. My magic'll sure come in handy. As long as they don't mind having some magical help around? You know I can't help those that refuse what help I offer." He looks around at the rest of the dinner table, making sure no magic fearing pansies are around.
Tyg slams down his tankard with a nod.
"I'm in."
"I believe he usually pays his guards 5 gold at each city, and he handles food for the road. Water isn't a problem, the road travels near the river for part of it, and streams are never too far away in this region. And he will have casks for the oxen to drink. And of course there are the bounties, if ye come across any banditry. Both Korvosa and Jaggerhoff honor the bounties.
He should be here shortly, if ye wish to meet him, I'll bring him over when he arrives."
"GAH HAHAHA! Ya couldn'na timed it bettah Shaman!" Legnar says between breaths.
Legnar looks over to Feruin. "Ah ain't well versed with no magic, but if it'll help, yer welcome aboard Wizard."
When Tyg chimes in Legnar hollers,[/b]"Ye-HAW! Wit the Padre along, Ah can really cut loose!"[/b]
Legnar turns to Horace. "Well, Shaman, are you and yer varmit in?"
"5 gold ah city huh..." Legnar starts to count out the profit... Then with his fingers... after a long minute he turns to the others. "...Uh, how many citys atwixt here an Korvosa?"
"When do we leave then? I'll get my possessions together in the morning if need be. I don't own too much." Then he went back to his food and drink. Not intending on leaving before he had had his fill and then some.
I am in, of course, you know I am Magmar. Korvosa eh? Hmm... I'll assume we aren't going to be on horses, so we will be slow... I'd estimate a 5 day journey. If we don't run into anything of course. Boshak muses for a little bit, stroking his brown, braided beard, until he finds a bit of meat in it. That reminds him of food and he goes back to eating.
"5 gold ah city huh..." Legnar starts to count out the profit... Then with his fingers... after a long minute he turns to the others. "...Uh, how many citys atwixt here an Korvosa?"
"Don't matter, Leg. You'll have plenty a' gold when we're done."
Downing his tankard, Thorgrund scans over the group. "I think we'll do just fine. We should start at the crack a' dawn."
"Ain't there no villages atwixt them, pardner?" Legnar ask's Boshhak.
Legnar shrugs in response to Thorgrund. "All right Hoss, you've always been bettah at doing tha numbers than me, anyhow. We'll meet with yer man, Barkeep. Was wes leav'n ta'night, or in the morrow?" Legnar looks at the 5 stack high pile of empty plates in front of him. "Ah bettah take only one more plate, barkeep. Eat'n too much makes me sluggish."
"I will say my farewells then. I must tell the priest, and my father would like to know where I am going."
A deep voice booms from behind you."Be at the Gate at dawn. There is a wee town, called Harse, and Ye get nothing there. I only pay at Korvosa, here at Janderhoff, and also at Kaer Maga. I stay on the Dawn Shadow Path. 5gp at each of the three cities. Ten days from here to Korvosa, so you earn about five silvers a day for this leg of the trip."
As each of you turn to see the speaker, you see a dwarf with a brown beard, elaborately braided in the fashion of the merchants, wearing a red silk tunic, and nut brown pants.
Horace stops stuffing his face for a moment, and looks towards Legnar "5 gold per city count me in, I am at my last copper this will save me from scavenging for my next meal. What do you say Barls?" The badger squeaks out a response of approval. "There you have it fellas, were in as well." He'll take a few rounds more of food not as much ale. "Aww the gate is a prime spot to watch the dawn, you have good sense about you." He winks at the merchant. Then goes back to eating and makes an effort to try to listen.
"I'll be there!"
Tyg turns a corner and is gone.
"So yer tha big bug ah the caravan, eh? Ah Reckon that ale, food, and ale will be supplied regularly ta us then? Ah'm ah hard worker, an when it comes ta crush'n things, ah'm bettermost, but ah ain't no lick-spittle ya'hear?" Legnar wipes off his greasy hand on his bib and offers it to the dwarf. "If'n ya understand me, ah reckon we have ah deal. Tha name's Legnar. Mind tell'n me yers, or do ya purfer boss, or maybe tha big bug?"
"The Name is Gregor Jaggergun. I supply water, and trail rations. You want more, you can pack it yourself. If ye can't handle being sober for half a week at a time, then I has no need for ya." With that, He turns and walks out.
"I will join you on this expedition. At dawn at the gate it is!"
Feruin finished his meal then went back to his roo m to pack everything and be ready for tomorrow.
Legnar's eye twitches. "Trail Rations? Uhg. I'd rather eat tha leather of ma boots! Ah well. Ah guess Ah'll be hunt'n while we're on tha road." Legnar says as Gregor leaves the Inn. He then sits down to his dinner. "Barkeep! Another help'n! Ah don't right know when Ah's gonna get another good hot meal like this again!"
Legnar continues eating and once he has had his fill, he makes his way to bed early. Well before dawn He gets up, gets his few possessions together and makes his way to the gate to meet up with the caravan.
Horus's eyes widen a bit when he hears food will be provided, "OOOOHH! You will pay us and provide eats! You can count us in doubly!" Horus will eat until they take it away, and if nobody has any questions for him he will try to sneak any food that he can with him leaving a small wooden badger on the table for a tip. He then will proceed to the gate and find a corner to rest for the night.