In here are the usual assortment of adventurers and mercenaries. Several groups of the latter sit at various tables, drinking beer and flirting with the barmaids and barmen.
A group of four people - adventurers you assume - sits at a table by the bar, eating. One is an elf in leathers, another is a small, muscular dwarf, while the last two are humans: one in breeches and a cloak, the other in leather armour.
In a corner by the fireplace sits a man in plain green leathers.
Across from him on the other side of the fireplace is the dwarf you saw on your first night here, casually watching the crowd. This time he is sipping his beer.
Shanaril gets up off his duff and wanders over to this group. "Greetings, friends. I have not seen you around recently. What brings you to our fine city? I must say, its good to see a dwarf here. I had thought this place misnamed. May I buy you a drink, sir? We wouldn't want the innkeep to loose heart and actually have a sober dwarf present."
The elf in leather waves to Athmyr and motions for him to come over, before replying to Shanaril.
> "Good evening. We have come from the north where we have been > adventuring. We came back to Sandas to get a little training during > the winter months when it is far too cold to be traipsing through the > countryside."
"Ah, I see. Myself, I just joined up with a group of people hired to clear out a house of vagrants. I must say though that I'm not at all sure about it, as they have not been very successful yet. Just a day or so ago one of them got blasted to bits in this very room."
With that he points to a section of the floor that has been newly painted a nice red.
"What makes me even more nervous is the fact that the fellow consorted with a devil, and some of my group want to go and rescue his soul. While I'd love the adventure, the idea of confronting creatures of the nether planes in person takes me somewhat aback."
Shanaril offers the elf a drink also. "Here you go. Always nice to meet a friendly face. I hope to see you again."
"Perhaps once I'm done with this job I'll venture north. In any case, if you ever have need of a master archer, please contact me. My name is Shanaril Eldaruin."
Meanwhile, Illyana looks at this group for a while, contemplating something. She seems to be lost in thought for a few minutes, ignoring all that is around her. She then sighs, gets up and walks over to the group.
She looks directly at the human in leather armor and says softly, "Hello Gunther, its been a while since I've last seen you. How have you been? I've.. been keeping myself busy since you left last winter."
"Uhhhhh, hello Illyana. How is your father?" replies the paladin.
Illyana shrugs. "My father left three months after you did, when winter thawed out and became spring. I haven't heard from him since. I got bored after a while and decided to come down here from Castle Yuri to see if anything interesting was going on. How did your trip go? You left so abruptly that I thought I might never see you again. Are you back here to stay or will you be leaving again? I missed you."
"I've been really busy killing things, Illyana," Gunther replies. "Evil is rampant everywhere. But I've learned a lot, and I'm a much better paladin than I was. Right now I'm down here for a few weeks with my friends Kadlian, Drandar, Loklatos," he motions to the elf, dwarf, and other man > respectively, "And Kailar, who has wandered off somewhere. We're going to > see Ray Jay tomorrow, and then they're going to train for awhile. So you've > left the Castle for good, or will you be going home when your father > returns?"
Illyana shrugs. "I don't really know. I will be there to meet him when he returns most likely, but the castle bores me to death and I don't want to stay there any more. I can handle myself now and I've been there almost all of my life so I think its time I moved on. I'll go back there from time to time, but I wouldn't be staying long unless I had a reason to.. What about you? Are you gone for good or do you plan to return there eventually? How will seeing Ray Jay help you to train? You don't seem to be the type who needs magical training, or perhaps someone else in your party?"
"I was at Castle Yuri just last week. We were teleported there by accident. Ray Jay sent us up north to clear an area of evil, so we are seeing him tomorrow to report on our progress."
Sasha comes over to join you after leaving the dwarf in the corner rather abruptly.
She is blushing...
Illyana looks at Sasha for a second then shrugs. "Sasha, I'd like you to meet Gunther, he is also from my castle. We grew up together."
Sasha smiles shyly, "Hello, I am pleased to meet you."
Sasha then turns to Illyana, "So, have we made our plans and all? Will we be going back to the house now that Flintheart is well?"
"What is the matter? He didn't take you for a barmaid did he?" asks Shanaril.
"Yes! He did! Can you believe it? Why does that always happen to me?" Sasha pauses to catch her breath, then asks, "Illyana - does this also happen to you all the time? Or does your sword scare them away?" she finishes with a grin.
Illyana shrugs. "I never dress like a barmaid. Not that I'm implying anything mind you. That and the fact that whenever I came to town in the past, my father was usually with me and he easily scared everyone off. Sometimes I didn't want him to, but I couldn't do anything about that."
Shanaril smiles, "So your father is rich and owns a castle, huh? Want to go out for a bite to eat, my treat later on? Tell me, is he a self made Lord or a member of the nobility?"
Turning to Gunther, the wood elf asks, "How big is her da's place, anyway?"
Gunther looks down his nose at the elf.
"It is not her fathers place. Her father is Captain of the Guard at the Keep of Yuri The Incredible, a great Paladin."
After a moment the archer smiles. "I'm just kidding. Not that I have anything against you, but I think I'll marry another of my kind, even if your father was prince of all this land."
"Good idea," Gunther replies.
Illyana says, "It was never in doubt that we would be returning to the house. I suggest we search it more thoroughly this time though, there has to be a reason why whoever hired us doesn't want to burn it down since that way would be a lot cheaper. Maybe they are expecting us not to find something?"
"Perhaps they don't want to risk a fire. It is an old house, and a fire might throw light objects into the neighborhood, and start a much bigger blaze."
Shanaril grins. "No one ever takes me for a cheap wench. Of course I don't have a female body like you do, although I've heard that powerful magics can alter such things."
The wood elf pretends to consider a few seconds before saying, "Naw, I like my body just fine the way it is."
Shanaril turns to the dwarf. "Hows is the beer I bought you? Are you a drunken dwarf yet?" The elf laughs at his own small joke. "And what do you think on the subject? Any chance of a sturdy dwarvish warrior wanting to experience how the fairer sex lives?"
> "Elf, for the beer I thank you. However, your tongue seems to want to > get you in trouble, 'else you have a death wish. It seems to me that I > could arrange to have you join the fairer sex with but a simple surgical > proceedure patented by a dwarven fighter many years ago."
"Egads, what did I say to produce such a response? It was a simple theoretical question, based on the ladies response when she approached yonder dwarf across the room. You are a might touchy on the subject. But, given the nature of this bar and its deadly history, I think I will change the subject, else I may have to introduce you to the elvish method that produces much the same effect, but uses a bow and arrow to perform the actual surgery. I must say, it has much more finesse."
Kadlian smiles laconically, "Well, you would have to know of some of our adventures to understand completely. Let us just say that Drandar did not find it to his liking. As for your veiled threat, it might be neater, but it would be much slower."
"But as I said, I will drop the subject. I do not mean to offend. I just pass the time till the morrow when I am to head off with my new companions in search of adventure."
"So, tell me, experienced adventurers that you obviously are. What strange sights have you seen in the wilds of the north. By chance have you come across the any all powerful dragons, or gastly undead or even the all too rare and mysterious Top Hatted Spider?"
Kadlian's smile disappears quickly. In a somewhat menacing tone he says, "And what would you know of a Top Hatted Spider?"
"Oh my. I seem to be saying all the wrong things. I don't know anything at all about it. Its just another fable from childhood. Surely you don't believe in it do you? You know its said that elves who chase the spider are doomed to marry ugly women. So if you ever do see it, don't go running off after it."
"Yes, you do keep putting your foot in your mouth. You might want to keep it there to prevent saying anything else that might get you in more trouble."
"As far as the spider goes, I hope I never run into it again. It was bad enough that it wore clothes. But, what bothered me the most was that it spoke to me." Kadlian shudders. "Truly unnerving experience."
"You have actually seen it? You poor soul! I had no idea!"
> "Well, considering some of the other things I have faced in the past > year, the spider seems rather mild."
Sasha grins, "Well, I am sure you have all seen some truly horrific creatures - I don't know how you stand it. Even the thought of those mongrel things, giant cockroaches, and seeing someone magic missiled to death makes me ill, even now...I can't imagine getting used to it. I wonder what else we will see at that house...speaking of which, are we going in the morning? If that is the case, I will retire now so that I am at my best."
Sasha takes a rather large gulp of her wine, and looks to the others seated at the table. "Shall we meet here at daybreak and set out for the house?"
Shanaril smiles, an idea bright in his face. "Drandar, isn't it? You have about the same liking for my jokes as another companion of mine. Here, let me introduce you."
With that Shanaril calls across the room. "J'Harast, come here. I have someone I'd like you to meet."
Turning back to the rest of you, Shanaril says in an aside, "Careful, his brother is the demon worshiper who I told you about, the one that got blown apart the other day. He's a might bit edgy still, but I guess he has a right to be."
Athmyr speaks to Kadlian...
"Hello Kad how goes it. Have you found a place that evil is at the worst.
"I may get to combat this evil on a very personal level here before long, on the planes of hells.
"I see some of us know each other (gee what a conicidence) who are the rest of your companions... I see you have not gotten any better when choosing companions, no other elves? It must take a lot of skill from yourself to keep them all alive."