Post Dinner Hubbub

Posted on Wed Oct 23rd, 2019 @ 2:10am by blank The Evil GM & Level 1 Magical Fairy & Level 1 Taral & Level 1 Branmar Ironfist & Level 1 Lia Naïlo & Level 1 Yurtidie Spunkbottom
Edited on on Wed Oct 23rd, 2019 @ 2:12am

Mission: Forming a Party
Location: Charming Dryad
Timeline: 06.15.2229 2000

The dinner crowd had packed the Charming Dryad. Lia had played her first set and she had just taken some time for a water and wine break when three human males burst into the Charming Dryad. They looked well travelled and a bit bedraggled. The central one demanded, "Where's the council?! I seek the council!"

Lia looked up from her glass of wine, hearing them asking for the council. "Why are you seeking the council," she asked, but didn't move from her seat.

"Melford...We're from Melford.... We've been under attack for a week. Every night..." he complained as he flopped onto the floor, injuries now becoming apparent.

Though she didn't want to get blood on herself, Taral was still moved by the injured men's efforts to get help for their village. While part of her felt above all of this, she knew that the role of someone who ruled fairly and justly was to keep the people safe. She pushed away from her plate of pheasant and rushed to the injured man's side. "What has been attacking you?" she asked. "Is anyone here a healer?" she called to the tavern.

"Attacking us?" he asked before answering. "We're not sure. Some of us have been calling them shadow goblins. We've never seen their like. They only attack at night and they're crafty as all get out."

Hearing Taral speak of a healer, she looked from under her head to the woman "I am a healer, or know some healing spells I believe" Shalendra spoke with a smile on her face as she stood up and walked to them to check the damage.

"I know some healing as well!" Yurtidie, who'd been oddly quiet this whole time, stood and went over to the men. She knelt beside one of them and began examining his wounds, poking and prodding gently to find and expose each wound.

"But we need to speak to the council! Where are they?" The leader of the men insisted, while the other two pushed their way into a table.

"Hush hush, why the hurry" Shalendra spoke as she already was tending to the wounds that the men had " These wounds don't go away magically...oh wait it might," She thought about it as she applied some moss onto the wound and gets some bandage onto it of old cloth.

"Would you not be in a hurry if your town was under constant attack?" he asked in retort. He watched as Shalendra applied the moss. "I appreciate your assistance in my healing. Who are you, so I may recall you if I am able to safely return?"

Yurtidie was quiet for once, other than muttering as she needed to for her cure wounds spell. Though her usual peppy nature was clearly evident as she went through the healing as quickly as she could.

The healing seemed to have a good effect, as he straightened up. "Well, whoever you are, you seem to know how to heal." Rising to his full six feet in height, he pat the gnome on the head affectionately.

Seeing the healing taking effect as she smiled at the person "Shalendra Sarynore is my name, what is yours?" delighted to meet all these wonderful new people.

"I'm Yurtidie Nibblyduck Spunkbottom!" the gnome said cheerily, though making a slightly grumpy face at being patted on the head. She looked up at the man and waited for his name.

"I am called Eran Sen," he replied simply. "Well met, Yurt," he told the gnome, purposely shortening her name.

"Yurtidie... not... oh... fine," Yurtidie started to talk, but noticed he was no longer paying attention to her because the lady elf began talking again. She shrugged and stood there, more out of curiosity than anything else.

"I am the Lady Taral of no last name, servant to none other than Queen Titania herself," Taral said to the human. "And my Queen would want someone to deal with these shadow goblins threatening the good people of Melford. And as such, any party to rout those villains from your town will have me as part of it."

The male looked at Taral questioningly but said nothing. "Whatever help we could obtain, we would take. I thank you for the offer."

"I'll help too!" The little Gnome said excitedly, hopping from one foot to the other. Acorn was on the floor beside her, doing much the same and chittering away as though he was offering his assistance too.

Lia felt out of her element with the ask for help with injuries. But she wasn't going to let whatever happened go unpunished. "I'll help as well."

"Who are you?" asked Eran of Lia.

Branmar had been watching the exchange from afar before finally involving himself, "If you'll have me I'll come along and lend a hand. Besides you're going to want a strong dwarf with heavy armor along anyway... Name is Branmar Ironfist by the way, though I cannot tell you more than that."

"I am Lia, I hear everything and tell stories of it. But I have not heard of this before."

"Then you have not been listening well, bard. However, after a night of rest, perhaps I could take all of you back to Melford tomorrow. We would welcome your assistance," Eran replied. "Bar wench! Food and drink for me on my comrades!" he bellowed.

"That's not a very polite way to request food," Yurtidie said shaking her head slightly at the man. "These people are working hard to meet your needs and you treat them with such little respect. That's something my mentors have been lecturing about a lot lately. Why are people who offer services to others treated so rudely? They assist you, take care of your needs, and you bark orders at them. It doesn't make sense!"

"I listen as best I can with what is said." Lia stated, slightly annoyed, "but this did not reach my ears, so it must be fairly new." She looked to the others, then back to the newcomers. "What do we need if we are going to travel to Melford tomorrow?"

Eran looked oddly at the female elf and asked, "How else do you call for beer from a tavern wench? Would it be better to call her something other than she is?" Turning back to Lia, he said, "You're going to need a strong stomach and a strong arm. I'm not sure what a mere minstrel could do to help our plight."

Overcome with annoyance at Eran and his party, Taral stared furious daggers at Eran. Eldritch energy swirled between her fingers, though she kept herself under control. "Show disrespect to the wait staff one more time," she said, "and we leave your town to the shadow goblins. You came here asking for help, and you dare be so uncouth? If your town is so ill mannered, perhaps the shadow goblins aren't the real monsters."

Lia clenched her fists. "You do NOT want to talk to me that way. I am not a simple minstrel!"

The normally jovial gnome practically growled at the man. "How uncouth! Rude! Just plain mean! You ask nicely!! And you don't insult the people you request help from! You come begging for aid and then when it's offered you throw insults, offend and take liberties with those who offered to go out of their way to save your town! I hope not everyone in Melford isn't as rude as you or I shall quite thoroughly regret offering aid!"

Eran glared at the group, not really knowing what to say and sat down. "I'll just eat now, shall I?"

"Yes, you do that," Taral said sarcastically. "Let the adventurers save your sorry hindquarters." She looked to those who had gathered. "Ms. Spunkbottom. Ms. Naïlo. Mr. Ironfist. We should ensure we have adequate supplies and weapons before resting for the night."

Branmar sat quietly listening to the exchange and saw immediately that they could hold their own without him adding to it. Then he heard his name, "We should do that, but I doubt the shops are open this late at night."

Still not sure what to make of the newcomers, Lia went back to her things on the stage and started packing them up, before going back over. "Supplies are mostly easy enough. I have things stored away that I can bring with me."

"I have things in my rooms, I shall go there, rest and return with my supplies in the morning. When shall we meet? At the rising of the sun? Before it rises? And shall we meet here? The cross roads? Where?" Yurtidie said, excitedly asking all the questions that came to mind at once.

The waitress moved to Eran and his companions. "What can I get you?"

He pinched the waitress' rear and replied, "We'll have some of your honey mead and whatever your meat for the day is."

The waitress acknowledged the order and told him that she would be right back with their drinks. The moment she turned, Eran gave her a slap on the rear and said, "We can hardly wait!"

Taral lost control of her fury. As Eran out his hand back on the table, the hand he used to pinch and slap the waitress, she withdrew a dagger and stabbed it into the offending hand, pinning it to the table. “What did we tell you about showing respect?!” she asked, her voice as strong as her rage.

Branmar nearly dropped his fresh mug of ale when Eran found himself pinned to the table with a dagger. "Isn't there some policy about not stabbing those who offer coin for services?"

“Oh, he’ll still pay us,” Taral replied. “I’ve given him a minor wound for being rude. Imagine what we’ll do if he doesn’t come through for us.”

Lia sighed, unfortunately, not the first time she'd seen a bar fight and likely not the last, "Guys, enough, really!"

The Charming Dryad's elven owner, Siveril Ehrendil, came out and strode up to Eran, his companions, and Taral. "You will all leave, now. We will not have this sort of behavior in my establishment. "Out. Now!"

"Siveril, this Taral didn't start it. It was the others and their attitude and how they were treating the staff." Lia eyed Siveril. Normally, she didn't dare talk to the owner this way, especially given this was her place of employment, but she also wouldn't stand for the wrong people being punished.

Yurtidie spluttered and nearly choked on her own saliva when Taral stabbed the man's hand. She had been angry enough about his treatment of the barmaid, a rare emotion for a Gnome, but this had thrown her off. "Yeah! Taral was protecting your barmaid!"

"Right now, she should consider herself lucky that I am not calling the town guard." He then gave Eran a withering look. "And you shall not handle my child like that. She can handle it but you've made a scene of yourself and I will not have you in here again."

“So to be clear,” Taral said, looking Silveril in the eye, “this man disrespects your daughter — your daughter! — and gets a stern talking to. I stand up for her, defend her honour on two separate occasions, and am lucky the town guard is not called?” She looked up to the sky. “My lord, I beseech you to show me how to deal with such uncouth people.” She hoped her patron would intervene with a sign.

No such intervention occurred that Taral could ascertain. Eran grunted and got out. "There's more than one tavern in this town. We can take our business elsewhere." He made sure to brush against Taral as he left. His companions left with him.

Siveril answered Taral, "What I know is that you've created a disturbance. Leave now. I will not tell you again without making a report for your attack."

Lia got between Silveril and Taral, "You throw them out, you've lost me. I saw the whole thing happen and it was not their fault!"

"Best ale in the town..." Branmar said with a shake of his head, "Hope you are proud of yourself Elf!" He dropped the empty mug down gently, wiped his face with his beard, and departed.

“Thank you for your support, Miss Naïlo, but don’t risk your employment over me,” Taral said. “I’ll see myself out. Not the first time I’ve been asked to leave such an establishment, and it won’t be my last.” She started toward the door, but turned back along the way. “Just...please keep your daughter inside tonight. I’m not convinced those men will leave her alone if she’s outside. Keep her safe. Please.” She turned back toward the door, following the Dwarf out.

"Wait! Where are we meeting in the morning? Are we still going to their town? Where are you going now? Shouldn't we be preparing?" Yurtidie called, following after Taral and Branmar, Acorn scrambling to chase after her.

"Out in front, tomorrow morning," Lia said as she looked to Taral and Yurtidie. She then looked to Silveril again. "You're going to have to find other entertainment after tonight."

The elf ignored Taral but nodded at Lia. "If that is what must be, then so it shall be. I will put up an advertisement on the town bulletin board in the morning. You have been enjoyable but all innkeeps know that bards rarely stay in one place."

Shaking her head, Lia went off to her room to pack some things and get one last night of sleep in the bed she was used to.