Who: Aurin Demarc, Imenry Barras, Alderic Thearre Where: A small village on the edges of the Wild. When:A year and a half ago. 9:43 Dragon Summary:Two Templars on a hunting trip look for one more swordarm to come along with their merry band. Rating:PG-13(It /is/ a bar)
The building was typical of its kind. A haze of smoke filled the common room, where it mixed with the smell of stale beer and stale bodies. For a tavern it was smaller than the usual of its ilk. Not surprising, considering just how far from the beaten trail this town sat. If one could call such a collection of farmers’ hovels perched on the edge of the Wild a town. Rife with travelers, tomb raiders, mercenaries and merchants, the population of transients in this squalid hole often exceeded it‘s more permanent residents. However, this happened to be the perfect place a person could come to hire a good sword. Especially, if that person happened to be hunting something.. or someone.. on the edge of the Wilds. Hunting in the Wild was not always the safest of past times and having another sword covering your back could ensure you’d hunt another day.
The tavern door swung open to reveal a figure. He wore a long cloak of dark cloth and furs draped over a set of plate and chain armor. His armor was battered and patched but well cared for, and the image of a black wolf’s head peeked out from one of the shoulder pieces. The man twisted his shoulder forwards slightly as he stepped through the door so the hilt of the great sword upon his back could pass freely through the wooden door frame . He was just one more warrior, one more mercenary added to the already full common room. In one corner caroused a group of four young men with armor too fine for run of the mill mercenaries. Being more than slightly drunk, their voices carried loudly through the room, earning them the glares of a group of hunters in the rear of the tavern. Here and there a single figure resided at a table all alone. Some farmers, some hunters, some travelers of various types. A few looked up at the entrance of the well armed and armored newcomer, but none were surprised at his appearance. Only a fool traveled with less protection this close to the Wild.
The newcomer swept his bright blue eyed gaze around the room as he shut the wood-panel door behind him. His jet black hair was damp from the slight drizzle falling outside the tavern. Not quite breaking out into a full storm, but the threat was there none the less. A smile crossed his face as he remembered that he had asked his companion to wait outside. He hoped it didn’t start raining, as that would put his companion in a much worse mood than this trip had already put him in. He didn’t need to see any more of that disapproving look his friend was so very good at. He shook the damp out of his hair as he turned his attention towards the bar. He strolled up to the bar, raising a hand in a lazy wave towards the tender there.
The man behind the bar was a buff old man, tall and broad shouldered with a huge bushy beard that jutted out as he glared in the direction of the dark-haired warrior. That glare suddenly turned into a deep, rolling laugh, however, as he noticed just who approached. “Aurin! The hell have you been?!” The older man rumbled out with a voice that resembled stones being ground together. “You haven’t been around here for months!”, he added with a thump of one massive fist onto bar and a slight smirk. “You want the usual? Whiskey?”, the old man asked as his hand disappeared behind the bar only to reappear a moment later with a bottle full of amber colored liquid.
“Kroth!” The warrior replied with a sudden burst of laughter as his swift steps carried him up to the bar. “Oh you know me so very well my friend!”, he added with a swift nod. Oh of course he /shouldn’t/ drink like this, especially with his friend outside waiting for him, but he couldn’t just let good whiskey go to waste. “I won’t even make a tab this time or break anything at your place,” he paused a moment before thinking to add, “or rather…well…I’ll try not too. Just here for a hired-sword. Who do you recommend of the crop that’s here?”
“You? Hiring? Ain’t that a change! Usually you’re just passin’ through or lookin’ ta get yer own arse hired.” The bartender replied as he pulled a mostly clean glass out from under the bar and poured a generous amount of the drink into it. As he pushed the glass towards Aurin, Kroth smirked at the mercenary. “Well though, if your looking ta hire. We got the loudmouths in the corner…”, his head jerked with a nod in the direction of the group of young men, “…that’s the biggest group. If you’re lookin’ for a single though, we have one or two or three that might fit the bill…”
“I’d rather have a single,” Aurin replied as he reached across the bar to collect the drink and swirled the amber liquor around in the glass. Turning to watch the rest of the room, he brought the glass to his lips and tasted the burning liquor. “…and that group? They look too…clean…for any good hunting work.” While taking another sip, his blue eyes slowly roved the room, searching for a warrior worth his time and coin.