The guard replies flatly "I think she's in the tavern, arrived just a short while ago."
i give a wave to the guard and walk past "Thanks, have a good night now" i walk up to the tavern and walk in, looking around for seifer, upon spotting her takes a seat close to her and lets her know he's here "hey seifer, im here, whats going on?"
"Ah, Keldenar, glad you could make it. Looks like we're all here Anette, let's talk business. Now about you not having a boyfriend..." I stand up and shout just enough for the bar to hear, but not be a nuisance to people's ears. "Who here wants to volunteer to take this pretty little lady here on a date!?" I gesture down at Anette. This should be fun
My head audibly lands on the table, steam nearly rising from my head. I stand, and approach Keldenar, and hand him a sack of 2000 sovereigns. "Glad you could make it. Welcome to our ranks. Took you long enough though," I scoff in a quick mumble. I turn to face the rest of the tavern, hand on my blade. "Alright, which of you lot feel lucky?"
I point one of the armed men out to Anette. "I bet he feels lucky, he seems to have won a few hands of cards earlier. Maybe you should 'test' him.". I lean back and hope she takes the goading.
The mercs over in the corner wave off the threats from and continue their card game, it seems they're slightly disgruntled by the noise even though they're making a good amount themselves.
i chuckle at seifer and her exclamation "welp, if this is all we were called for, good meeting team, we got a lot done" he said with a laugh as he sat back in his chair.
He pockets the gold his hands holding onto it for a long time. Something in him wanted him to keep this and maybe murder everyone in this room to take theirs too, but he resisted. If he started hoarding then he was no better than that from which he came.
There were people needing of this money just like he was at some point. The hungry and despot need food and lodging and feeling displaced was something he was all to accustomed too.
His eyes light up at the other portion of gold now in front of him. Gregory hadn't planned at attacking his aggressor only defend himself from further harm if need be. Money was a nice touch to keep him from keeping his word. "As I had said earlier if i get respect i give respect. though there is an addition. if i see any of you disrespecting the destitute then i will have a problem." He holds a hand out to the new addition. "Now we haven't even properly introduced ourselves. no one really has apart from Seifer. I'm gregory Sarax i'm a caretaker of sorts and i'm settled in murkwood."
"I do not respect dragons. I am Roland Marther, dragonslayer of the Golden City of the North. I despise your kind and I will not respect you. Asking me to respect a dragon is like asking a rabbit to not hate wolves for hunting and murdering hundreds of their kin. I'm only being this civil because Seifer has asked me to. If I was not being paid for this, one of us would be dead right now. If I am not needed here I am going to retire to my room. I get up briskly from the table and head to the second floor and take the closest available room, locking the door behind me.
"Well, I think that about wraps things up for today. We'll be up early tomorrow morning to head out towards the ruins. I'll be in my room as well." I approach the mercenaries on the other side of the room, then pat the one in particular Roland was referring to on the back. "No hard feelings, eh? Thanks for being good sports," I say to all four of them. I put 4 gold pieces on the counter in front of the bartender. "Give the men over there as many drinks as they want, keep the remainder as a tip." I then retire to my room, locking my door as well, but also pushing whatever object in the room I can in front of the door to bar it until the morn.
i tie off the pouch of gold to my waist and thank her for it and chuckle as she yells to the rest of the tavern. I look between gregory and roland and give a bit of a grin and thinks to himself "hmm, a group with a dragon slayer and a dragon, this will be very interesting to see where it goes." i flip through my notebook to review my studies.
He retracts his offer at a hand shake, and sinks back into his chair. He downs the rest of his current beer, and shakes the glass above his head. Hopefully that made enough sense to what he was meaning with it.
Well this sure is a friendly bunch.
i look over to the dragon and shrug and walk over to him and with a pat of his back i sit next to him "so tell me big guy, what sort of fortune braught you to know seifer and the rest of the rag tag group of mercs" he said as he ordered a beer of his, still pouring through the notebook.
"Anne! We should honestly make sure we strategize before just heading out, don't just push through headstrong... It never works that way and you know it. However, I do agree it's time for most to rest. It's been a... strange evening. Good night to those who are going to sleep." I say as I walk over to the card table. "Mind if I join boys?" Let's see if these guys are an easy hustle.
The bartender brings Gregory another beer.
He sits up straight, and looks at person speaking to him. "Misfortune I guess would be a good answer." He points to the arrow hole still in his arm. The bleeding had stopped, but it still hurt the same. "A lot of different people don't really like me at first glance, but being unwanted lets you get to know the others that are the same. I care for the homeless in my city. If they don't then who will. Some of them are just too weak or sick to work others just don't have it in them yet. I try my best to help the ones who can work to find it, and those that can't I provide what i can for. Enough about me though what's your name stranger.
scarfs down a gulp of his beer "my names keldenar, you can call me kel, i feel my names a bit lengthy, and yea, i can understand that i don't normally enjoy huge groups of people, i normally have one or two things i like to give my attention, like a current occupation i have" he said as he pointed to his notebook he closed and locked
He shrugs at the notebook. Everyone had their secrets and he didn't have any urge to pry. "well Kel it's nice to meet you, but i really do need to attend to my wound. we will talk more in the morning" He brings his beer with him to his room. He starts to check and take care of his wound once he's settled into an empty room.
"Anne! We should honestly make sure we strategize before just heading out, don't just push through headstrong... It never works that way and you know it. However, I do agree it's time for most to rest. It's been a... strange evening. Good night to those who are going to sleep." I say as I walk over to the card table. "Mind if I join boys?" Let's see if these guys are an easy hustle.
"bah, this is our game lass, what could you offer to spice it up?" says an older member of the group, there are four of them sitting at the table. They appear to be using a deck of cards with 6 suits 9 of each and playing a type of poker using those cards.
waves at the dragon goodbye "take it easy and don't bleed on everything now" he said with a bit of a chuckle
The next day arises
At the start of the morning as the sun is just barely peeking above the horizon, I get up, get dressed, get all my equipment ready and then walk up and down the halls knocking on each person's door to wake everyone up. I start with Roland.
*knock, knock, knock* "Rise and shine, Roland, we're meeting for breakfast to discuss specifics before we set out."
you can see from the balcony that the main room is still dark and quiet. You hear an occasional noise from downstairs in the direction of what must have been the kitchen portion of the Inn.
As soon as my door is knocked upon, I open it. Already fully geared and ready. "I've been awake for at least an hour. You should concern yourself with the others."
I push my way past and head down the stairs.
The room is dark as the fire is mostly ash at this point and any lanterns have been extinguished. The stairs creak loudly as you walk down them.
there is a momentary pause of the sound from the kitchen before the doors swing open showing the Barmaiden from yesterday "Oh, you're awake.. not that you're the first"
"That's okay, it's not a competition, being punctual is all that matters." I sit down at a table and wait quietly.
I work my way through the inn, waking, in order, Gregory, Keldenar, and Seifer.
Gregory opens up the door his gear packed but himself not geared up for the days adventure. he offers a tired small wave to the women "good morning."
"Good morning Gregory. Play nice downstairs." I head to Keldenar's room.
"I'm not the one wanting to kill the half dragon." He get's himself ready, putting his armor on, making sure he's as clean as he can without a bath nearby, and heads on downstairs. He takes the chair opposite Roland "Roland" He says flatly, and wonders to himself if there will be biscuits for breakfast. Those were always good if they were fresh.
Roland purposely does not acknowledge the half dragon sitting across from him.
Rolls over in bed at the sound of the knock.
At Keldenar's door I knock heavy three times, then say "It's Anette. We're meeting downstairs for breakfast and planning things out."
Then I turn to Seifer's room. I knock. After hearing the movement, I knock a little harder.
"WHAT!?!" I yell as I sit up abruptly. It's too early for this...
"Don't give me that sass! Get in gear. We're meeting downstairs for breakfast and to discuss group specifics before we head out." I lean up against the wall next to her door.
"Then discuss and wake me up later!"
"I'm not leaving until you go downstairs with me." I begin to rasp on her door and stomp my foot, playing her door like a drum.
Gregory rolls his eyes, and tries to flag down a someone to get himself a meal. He leans back in your chair sighing.
I sit in my chair silently and unmoving, arms crossed. The thought of plugging the dragon across from me full of arrows entertains me while I wait until everyone else gathers. "There would be hell to pay with Seifer specifically telling me not to, but with this low light I could probably get away with it and leave before she finds out."
Gregory rolls his eyes, and tries to flag down a someone to get himself a meal. He leans back in your chair sighing.
there's no one in the room, but you can hear some sound coming from the kitchen however.
"I'll be right back." He gets up from his chair, and walks over to the kitchen door. He opens up the door peeking through it hoping to find a helping hand.
"Unless you want to be my new card holster, let me sleep!"
As you open the door, you can see the barmaiden from last night, she appears to be getting everything prepared for another day. She looks up at you though as you open the door, "oh, do you need or want something?"
He wasn't expecting someone to be right there. He leans back a bit to give her space, and nods. "I was hoping for breakfast if possible, and if i'm allowed to make requests i would like some biscuits. i'd be willing to pay for the trouble if needed of course." Gregory gives the barmaiden a warm smile.
"hmm, It'll be a bit, especially if you want biscuits." She considers a bit looking around the kitchen perhaps taking note of what she has. "It'll probably be about 40 minutes for biscuits, though for 5 silver I can get right on it, have to make them in a batch is all."
"Seifer, you should know more than anyone else that threats don't dissuade me; Get up, or I'm dragging you downstairs in your intimates." I start picking the lock to her room.
you can repeatedly try to pick locks.
"Anette, let me sleep, we're not in any rush! Discuss without me and I'll be up in a few hours!"