Here's the gameplay thread, fellas!
A lean, easygoing appearing half-elf leans against the outer walls of the Rusty flagon. Light brown heir, a relaxed look on his slightly scarred face as he studies the passing crowds.
He's dressed in adventurers gear, a familiar sight to the people of Waterdeep. Looking ready to set off on the next risky venture, or to go tavern trawling for a promising lead.
A small caravan stops by at the end of the road. Many children, men and women seem to move around, as humble as they come; they look like travelling merchants, carrying bags of grains and organizing their carts. From one of the covered wagons towards the end, a plated armored Dwarf drops with difficulty, but a smile.
There 'ya go, mates. Safe travels, y'all, tell 'ya. - he says, heavy accent, tossing some coins to the Human that helped him come down.
Your blessings, father! - an old woman says at another wagon, speeding towards him with a wrapped piece of warm bread.
Eh, ya spoil me belly, ma'am. - he gracefully accepts, mutters a prayer to Ilmater to look over the commonfolk - I'm sure he sees 'ya generosity. Be free and be safe.
As the Dwarf completes, children still waving to him, his painted armor and shield become even more obvious. He turns around and walks towards the inn, pulling a small piece of the bread to chew.
Walking down the street slowly is a monk, a block of a man, in green boots, pants and a overcoat, well made and by the looks hardwearing of them . In his left hand is a small Arms bell, in his right hand a bowl. He takes a step and with a flick of his wrist, rings the bell, then another step and another ring of the Bell. Finally getting to the Inn
he stops, slipping the bell away into his clothing, emptying the bowl of a few coins, he slops it away as well. The monk eyes the half-elf adventure standing outside near the door to the Inn.
Then turns to watch as a Dwarven cleric, who walks up chewing on some bread.
"Fine gents, would this establishment be the The yearning portal inn?"
He asks in a deep clear and strong voice.
How many times have I walked past this place? Tihn wonders as she approaches the inn. Hundreds? Thousands?
Tihn is a somber young woman. If her delicate features and coloration weren't enough to indicate her Eastern heritage, then surely her stiff silken garments with their exotic patterns seal the impression.
The small woman weaves through the crowds until she gets a few yards from the main door of the Inn of the Yawning Portal. There she stops, as if trying to make a decision.
"Looks like we have a gathering." Ascoe thinks as a Dwarf. a walking mountain and a slender young woman all arrive at the inn at the same time. "A group this exotic can only mean adventure"
"If you're looking for the Yawning portal you've found it friend." He responds the the mountains question with a grin.
A closer look reveals that his armor and weapons are all hard to spot under sturdy green outer garments. There's a hint of silver armor under his shirt and he wears pouches packed with various tools.
Aannr nodded a thank you.
"Thank you friend, if you do not mind me asking, but by the look like your an adventure. I will buy you an Ale for an answer, but would you know of any Adventurer parties heading down to the undermountain, that may be looking for a helping hand."
His manner shows this monk has come nobility about him.
Aannr notices a small woman was coming up, He stepped to one side and out of her away, she gives her a small bow saying.
"Mam"
Shaken out of her thoughts by the polite monk, Tihn looks up at him. "Sorry, yes. Um, I was just going in." Then she pauses again. "Wait, did you say 'undermountain'?" Though she looks like she's from Kara-Tur or other lands east, her accent definitely hails from Calimshan.
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Ascoe smiles at the Monk. "Can't say I know of any parties heading below. Matter of fact I'm looking for one such to join m'self. How about we discuss it over that ale?"
When the small woman speaks up Ascoe looks at her. "That we did. You looking to head down below yourself Ma'am?"
He looks around at the crowded street. "Lets discuss this somewhere more comfortable shall we?"
He indicates the door to the Yawning portal.
When the small woman speaks up Ascoe looks at her. "That we did. You looking to head down below yourself Ma'am?"
"I do believe it has come to that. Yes."
She glances about. "I've heard about teams meeting inside the inn. I wasn't aware that it happened just outside, too."
She accepts his invitation to step inside, and looks for a suitable place to have a comforting meal.
She glances about. "I've heard about teams meeting inside the inn. I wasn't aware that it happened just outside, too."
She accepts his invitation to step inside, and looks for a suitable place to have a comforting meal.
Ascoe shrugs as he follows the others inside. "Just means we've got a head start on the team forming."
Looking at them as they take a free table and seat themselves. "Names Ascoe Tanner. I handle the traps and scouting side of things."
He seems relaxed and easygoing without being overly friendly.
The monk seems very please.
"This is most fortuitous, it seems the fates have a hand in our meeting. Yes I think that too, going inside and talking over some drinks would be a good idea. Shall we"
And he opens the Inn door for the others, once they are inside he waits for the others to pick a table. And sits down with them when they find one. He waves at one of the staff for them to come take their orders.
"Nice to meet you, My name is Prince Aannr Sal-Da-Qill, and I try to deal with dangers when they arise"
His manners are impeccable, and seems to come from the South, by the look of his skin somewhere hot and sunny.
Barad noticed the others playfully chatting, and just held his moment. Finally, as the prince spoke, he intervened.
Hye! Nice 'ta meet y'all. And blessings of Ilmater! - he said, touching his holy symbol with deference - Name's Barad, Barad Boulderplate, and a humble preacher of the Broken. Drinks and a hot meal inside, 'tis my language!
He briefly laughed, then stepped following the others.
Aannr seems well mannered when smiles and says with a glint in his eye.
"A Dwarf of faith, good, if we strangers seeking to form a party to travel below. We will have need of your skills Mater Boulderplate. And your Master Tanner, I have known many and elf with nimble skills, and you seek like you know a trap when you see one. And what of you Miss?"
He asks looking at Tihn Tremako.
"If you are looking for a group to venture with I doubt you will find such a find group as us."
Just then his food comes, it's simple, just bread, Blue cheese and Honey.
"I should also tell you all now, that I have taken a view of truth. I will keep quit if you ask something I do not wish to share. I am not being rude, I just will not knowingly lie."
He says putting some honey and Blue cheese onto a junk of bread, before taking a bite.
"O this is good you really good, you need to try it."
He slides his plate over so you can.
The maids come your way. "Welcome to the Yawning Portal Inn," one of them says. "May we take your order?"
"I'll have the pheasant with fennel sausage stuffing and gravy thank you." Ascoe says to the maids serving them, "And a golden sands orange to drink please."
He looks at the others "I'm a bit hungry and who knows when we'll next get a decent meal?"
Aannraa now with his food says.
"Pheasant, I myself do not eat meats or the flesh of fish, but I do like a nice Cheese, and that golden sands orange sounds wonderful, but I don't drink alcohol, so Miss, sorry miss, if you could, please may I get a glass of warm milk."
She gives him a smile, and he winks back.
Then he puts an earnest look on his face and asks you all,
"So my new fellows, what shall we call our little adventures band humm,
Something to chill the blood, or something light hearted?"
Barad sits with the others, looking over shoulders with interest on what's being asked and wondering how much of each he should order. *The thought of not having a decent meal for a while does make sense...*, he considered, already excusing himself to exaggerate, and already preparing something to say to the wife and kiddos when he travels back home with a larger belly.
"'Aye will start the night here with just a good mug'o'beer, 'me young man. House beer is as fine as it comes, but if 'ya have sum'thing dwarven distilled, even better."
To the waitress, Tihn says "Tea, please."
In reply to Aannraa, she says "I am practiced in the arts of wizardry. And I have studies in sage's lore as well."
"Splendid, we will have need of your skills."
he says in replay to Tihn
"Looks like we've got the basics of an adventuring party." Ascoe notes casually. "I've been down a few ruins, but never one as big and bad as Undermountain. Anyone have any experience with it?"
Despite his casual air while he's chatting with the group his eyes scan the room regularly.
The maids take your orders, and return to the kitchen. Avoiding the gaping hole in the center of the tavern.
The maids come your way. "Welcome to the Yawning Portal Inn," one of them says. "May we take your order?"
[ooc]I'm actually really bummed out that I don't see my intro post up on Tuesday after LAPYD's; had accepted the blessing of Ilmater and everything :( I'll have something up shortly ..."[/b]
"Anyone have any experience with it?"
"This will be my 1st time, thou I have delved many an old temple in the sands."
"Y'ah, we're always excavating here'n'there, aren't we?" - spoke Barad, referring to dwarves - "Yet, I haven't seem much of me'self in Undermountain, I'd say."
The maids return with your food. "Here we are," says one. She begins to distribute your meals.
"One pheasant with fennel sausage stuffing and gravy," says the maid to Ascoe as she gives him the plate.
"One cup of tea," as she gives Tihn her cup.
"One cup of stout," says the other maid as she delivers the frothy pint of beer.
"One block of Cheese and some warm milk," the other says as she delivers a wedge of cheese and milk to the monk.
The first maid said, "That will be 20 gold pieces, are you paying seperate?"
Aannraa Sal Da Qill takes 5 gold and hand them to the Maid, his share.
And takes his cheese, bread and milk,
Ascoe hands over his 5 gold and starts eating, politely but definitely showing his hunger.
Kendryn raises an eyebrow, and flips the girl a platinum with a wink.
"No need for another adventurer I see, maybe just an accountant!? For 10 gold, I'd have to believe that tea was teleported in from Dambrath. Tea & Stout for 10. City of Splendors indeed!"
"I'd order some water but it's probably imported from Estagund."
"I dose seem somewhat expensive, I wonder way. I know its been cold of late and a lot of local villagers are in here, keeping out of it perchance?"
He looks around seeing loclas. He only eats half the bread and cheese, the other half he raps in a cloth and slips into his overcoat.
Sitting back he takes a small whittling knife and some wood from his coat, He seems to whittling a figure of a knight.
Barad let his eyes widen with the price, then held his breath to avoid throwing a tantrum and - a lot more priestly - said a prayer to Ilmater, thanking the Broken God for having the means to be able to afford it and trying to sound as humble as possible.
He finished eating and drinking, tempted to save some extra rations in his bags, and then finally spoke.
"Well, mates, does any o'ya know more about where our journey will take us?" - he wiped his beard with some cloth - "'Aye heard from you lot the Undermountain thing, but just wondering me'self what else may be of interest. 'Aye just set me' foot in the town, you know."
"Oh look, more brave souls are going down into Undermountain!"
You hear laughter.
Tihn puts her five gold on the table and sips at the tea.
She looks to Ascoe as he digs into his food. "Since I undoubtedly subsidized the cost of your pheasant, could I trouble you for the end of a wing?"
As he paid for his meal himself Ascoe wonders what exactly Tihn is talking about? He shrugs and tears off a wing for her, placing it on a piece of bread to avoid any messes. "Here you go, it's good so if you want more let me know."
Between the pheasant, the stuffing and the vegetables it's a very full meal.
He notes the laughter but has heard that most of the regulars at the Yawning portal come to watch adventurers descend into Undermountain and treat it as entertainment, so it doesn't bother him.
As the laughter dies down the blocky monk says
"You laugh because you see us as new meat for the grinder. But a ask, you, if in the kindness of your souls, you could offer us some advice on what is down there. They may give us a change"
Tihn puts her five gold on the table and sips at the tea.
She looks to Ascoe as he digs into his food. "Since I undoubtedly subsidized the cost of your pheasant, could I trouble you for the end of a wing?"
"I had a feeling at least one person would get what I was driving at."
As the laughter dies down the blocky monk says
"You laugh because you see us as new meat for the grinder. But a ask, you, if in the kindness of your souls, you could offer us some advice on what is down there. They may give us a change"
"There's monsters down there that would make you loose your cookies!" says one.
"Purple worms."
"Angry orcs."
"Kobolds that work together!"
"'Tis sounding like you lot had been there and were able to come back ta' tell the story, right?" - said the Dwarf, a smile on his face - "Either that, or you're just spreading rumors!"
"I'm not gonna say we'll be fine, just tha' I'm a little less worried now." - he chuckled - "Just good ole' banter, mates. In a more serious tone, though, I'd love ta' hear more 'bout what we can actually encounter there."
He let his holy symbol be clearly visible as a religious man, but seemed opened to a informal dialog.
Ascoe listens but doesn't respond the the locals gossip, instead he speaks to everyone at the table, "That reminds me. Make sure you've got 2 gold on you. 1 to pay the trip down. 1 to pay for getting back up. It can get really expensive if you can't pay for the return trip!"
"Kobolds that work together... hummm most interesting, so not undead or ghosts, becouse the last lost temple I delivered had its far share of undead"
The Monk adds
"Well the lady took care of covering food she didn't order, I'll cover her fees."
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"That's very kind of you."
Tihn doesn't eat the wing. Instead, she carefully tucks it into the left sleeve of her silk coat. A small bulge in the sleeve starts moving; clearly some little critter is hiding in there.
Goes back to whittling his bit of wood into a small horse.
"Are you going to buy supplies before going down?"
.
"Seeing as the food was, well costily I suspect we may be all fine with what we have, that is unless you have a trustworthy and accurate map of all the known areas down there, then we would very much be interested."
He says
They are discounted for explorers of Undermountain. You get a 20% discount.