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Our tale begins, as stereotypically plain as it might sound, in a tavern.
The room is sparsely populated, with maybe half a dozen patrons scattered at a few tables. The sounds of waves and seagulls waft through the open window on salty, cool afternoon air.
A young woman in chainmail, a large maul resting beside her, sits in contemplation over a mug of room temperature ale. She has just arrived in Neverwinter a few weeks past, and has had little luck in finding work for a former sea-faring cleric of Thor.
“Raven!” exclaims a gruff dwarf entering the dim watering hole.
Gundren Rockseeker was a regular to the tavern, and had taken to sitting at the bar and regaling his tales to anyone who would listen. Raven had barely said more than her name to him in the past weeks, but company was better than warm beer, so she put up with his ramblings.
She half smiled and nodded to the stool next to her at the bar.
“I was hoping to see you here, lass! No luck on the job front, I take it?”
Before she could get a word out, he continued, “Well, I tell you, I have something grand lined up. I need supplies, and I need muscle, and if you’re up for it, I promise you great rewards for your assistance.”
He waves to the bartender, who pours a mug of ale for the dwarf.
“I’m going to need a few others for this task, though, so I have placed some notices in the city. I figured here was as good as any, so I hope that maybe a few hearty adventurers might join us here shortly.”
Raven’s curiosity was piqued, so she sat back and took in the dwarf a bit more seriously for a moment. She noticed a map case, tightly strapped to his back, which he continually touched nervously. His mannerisms were excited, even more than usual, and he seemed almost lost in thought, mumbling something in dwarvish while nursing the cheap ale.
After a few minutes, a strange pair strode into the room. A smiling young human woman, her hair filled with flowers, whispering to a blue-robed silver-scaled female dragonborn, who immediately looked to Gundren as they entered.
“Gundren, I take it?” said the dragonborn.
“Why, yes! Have you come regarding the job notice?”
“We have, yes. Guarding supplies to Phandalin, right?”
The pair had just met earlier that morning, while reading the job posting on a notice board in town. The job called for a group of four to five adventurers to transport a wagon of supplies. Thinking it would perhaps be beneficial to approach the potential employer as a duo, they came to the agreement to go to the meeting together.
Each had her own reason to head to the small town of Phandalin, though they kept this to themselves.
“Well, you know who I am. What be your names, then?” asked Gundren.
Gundren stepped down from the bar stool, looking up at the newcomers. “Are you sure you’re up to the task? You don’t look the adventuring type.”
“You may call me Lana. I assure you, I am quite capable. I have already traveled far on my journey, and have done well to protect myself along the way,” explained the dragonborn.
“I am Eva,” said the young woman, “and there is much more to me than what you see.” Her eyes glinting in the dim light as she smiled down at the dwarf reassuringly.
Gundren narrowed his eyes, weighing the women in turn. “Perhaps, though it would help to see what you can do. After all, the job is for 10 gold each, with promise of work once you reach town.”
With these last few words, the bar becomes silent, the two tables with patrons at them now quite interested in the conversation.
“10 gold, just to move a cart to Phandalin?” Two male half-orcs stand up and stroll to the group at the bar. “You’d need muscle for that, to scare off the goblins and bandits and such. These two ain’t gonna be much use to you then.”
“Let’s have a drink, and I’ll show you what I’ve got!” exclaimed Lana.
“What, a drinking contest?" exclaimed one, laughing. "Fine, but if we win, this dwarf here is going to give us the job, and he’s going to pay us up front!” said one of the half-orcs, glaring menacingly at the dwarf.
Gundren, shocked by this strange situation, looks to Raven, who just shrugs and shakes her head in equal surprise.
The half-orcs order up a round of four drinks; Lana and Eva join them, and each swigs down the bitter stuff. Two rounds later, in near silence, the four stare each other down while finishing their drinks. Lana, having never really imbibed prior to this, is suddenly hit with the realization that she is quite dizzy and can’t handle her alcohol like she had hoped. She sways, and belches lightly, sitting in a nearby stool.
“Ha! We win!” Says one half-orc.
“Pay up, little dwarf. We’ll see about if we want to do your job tomorrow,” said the other.
The two loomed over Gundren, one grabbing the handle of a knife at his belt, the other reaching for Gundren’s money pouch.
Lana, through a mixture of embarrassment and inebriated courage, tapped one on the shoulder. He turned, drawing his knife. Suddenly, the two half-orc thugs were blasted by a burst of freezing ice, tossed to the side by the slender dragonborn’s breath.
“*burp* Ahem, uh, sorry about that. Now, er, back to the job, Gundren?” Lana said, leaning heavily on the counter beside her.
https://orig00.deviantart.net/ca52/f/2017/252/a/a/drinking_contest_by_jgaldragonborn-dbmu77u.png
The bartender looks up from polishing a pewter mug with a dirty rag just long enough to peer at the two defeated ruffians on the floor, before going back to minding his own business.
A few minutes go by, the group composing themselves, when a tall, middle aged human male enters the bar. His dark hair just beginning to gray, he had an army captain sigil on his armor and a military sword strapped to his side.
“Sildar, I was wondering when you would join us!” proclaimed Gundren. “Come, let’s sit and discuss our journey. This is Sildar Hallwinter, a good friend who will be assisting me.”
“Should I be concerned about this?” asked Sildar, kicking lightly at the boot of a half-orc on the floor.
“No, no, just a small tussle. Besides, they’re still breathing,” said Gundren. He poked the half-orcs on the way to a table, ensuring they moved in response to his boot.
Raven, Eva, and Lana joined Sildar and Gundren around a small table. Before they could start talking, two patrons sitting at a corner table stood and approached the group, bemused by the spectacle.
“My name is Durial,” said a drow male, “and this,” gesturing to a very tall female human, “is my associate, who goes by Lemon. We’re looking for some work ourselves, provided we’re not stepping on any toes.” Durial glanced at Lana, calmly smiling at her. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it really couldn’t be helped. Either way, we would like to offer our services, if there is room in this party for two more.”
“Of course! Perfect, please, lad, lass, please come sit with us. I was hoping we’d have a few more hands for the job, actually.” Gundren gestured to the chairs at the next table, which Durial and Lemon pulled up to the now very crowded small table. “Five will do nicely, I believe.”
Raven furrowed her brow, looking toward Gundren and Sildar, “five?”
“Oh, yes, Sildar and I are going to travel ahead to Phandalin, where we will meet with my brothers, Nundro and Tharden. I am in need of supplies, which you will be bringing down to us in my cart, should you accept the job.”
Gundren rolled out a scroll of parchment, which describes the task, along with the payment of 10 gold each “to be made on delivery to Barthen’s Provisions in Phandalin.” It wasn’t a very long document, nor did it look very legally binding, considering what looked like hastily scrawled writing from what was surely the dwarf’s own hand. The table of strangers, some who had known each other for a few weeks at best, and all looking for something, nodded and signed, each putting their name in ink for their new employer. (Durial inscribed a false name, one of may he often uses)
“Wonderful! It’s settled, then. I hope to see you in the morning at the stables by the south gate tomorrow morning.”
That's a great beginning. I especially like the part about "a map case, tightly strapped to his back, which he continually touched nervously."
ReplyDeleteI wish I had stumbled upon this site before. I am about to start a LMoP adventure with new players. I like the way you started the adventure. Great Job!!
ReplyDelete