A D&D based short story. Four adventurers together find a member of their party has perished. Grayson gives up his chance to go home to bring back the woman of his dreams, Edith. She in turn takes her opportunity to repay him.
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Our Story begins!
The party thought this was going to be an easy gig. Fight the bad ghouls, and Clementine pays us the much needed gold. Maybe we were cocky, maybe that is why we are staring into the terrified eyes of Edith, our cleric, as she is possessed by a ghost!
The night before...
"Gorth, catch!" Edith says as she throws one of the apples she just bought from the fruit stalls.
Gorth is a goliath; therefore, very tall, so he has to bend down to catch the flying fruit. However, catch it he does, in his mouth, and takes a huge bite with a goofy smile. We all laugh heartily.
It feels good to finally be out of the woods. We have been traveling for weeks trying to make it to this mountain. No mission in particular, as we worked our way north, we just heard they could use a few swords, and would pay for them.
We have been light of coin, and could use the influx of it. I know I'm excited to get paid to kill things, as opposed to fighting for our lives in the forest.
Kendle, a halfling fighter, is very eager to be off the menu, as most things in the woods saw a being of her size more of a meal, less of a threat. Despite the fact that as a fighter, she can take care of herself, and they should really fear her. I know that I do.
We hit up most of the stalls in this market, and find directions to the local tavern. We need to get rooms, but also we need to make contacts. Someone in this town needs help, and we are here to help them... for a price that is.
"Grayson!" Kendle calls me from the corner of the packed market. "I've got something!"
I walk towards her, and on the way I walk past Edith. On my way past her I gently swipe my hand down her arm. She is a true beauty. A tall half-elf with long red hair. She dyes it, and it is an interesting sight to see. She has pointed ears with lots of piercing, and has the warmest deep blue eyes. I have been in love with her since the day she rescued me.
The three of them have been a troop for longer than I think, even they remember. They were in a knoll cave trying to rescue the people from a village that the knolls had taken. I had also been in there doing that, but had lost my group in the caves.
That was over two years ago. I owe her my life, and currently my every happiness, but she only sees me as her human assassin friend.
As I pass she looks down at her arm, and looks up at me. "Grayson?"
"Kendle found something." I love the sound of my name on her lips. Please Goddess, say my name again. "Ummm... wanna go check it out?"
"Alright. Gorth? Coming?" She looks over at Gorth who has taken to playing a game of airship with some local children.
Most goliaths are stupid and scary, but not Gorth. He loves children, small animals, and most of all his partner Kendle. They are an odd couple, but they make it work.
Gorth stops spinning with the horizontal child in his arms, and nods to us. He puts the girl down, and promises them he will be back later.
We all meet up at the corner of the marketplace where Kendle is standing, and she smiles warmly at us.
"Gorth, babe, give me a boost!" Kendle requests of her large partner. He picks her up, and sets her on his left shoulder. She looks around quickly, and says to us. "The tavern is over there!" She points to the east. "We might find a job from it's owners too!"
In his very deep voice Gorth replies to her, "Great job! You are the best!"
He looks at her with so much love, and I am a little jealous of their love. I'm also jealous that they don't often purchase company; although, I have on occasion seen a few maids leave their room in the middle of the night.
As a group we head to the local tavern. It is easily one of the tallest buildings in the marketplace area of town, and for that reason hard to miss. The building is made of gray stone, and has deep crimson shutters. Above the old crimson door, there is a worn wooden sign sticking out, and swinging in the wind. The sign reads: 'The Bard's Elbow'.
We walk inside, and find a busy tavern, it looks as if this is the place to be when the sun starts to set. I gesture my group to an empty table, one of the few in this place, and head for the crowded bar.
Behind the bar are two older tieflings, both looking very comfortable moving around each other in the small space behind the bar. They have clearly been doing this together a long time, their movements as they serve customers, are almost like a choreographed dance.
Their tails taking payment, and serving drinks at both ends. I'm amazed, amused, and enthralled by the synchronicity of it all. The female tiefling comes over to me, and addresses me while clearing an empty mug with her talented tail.
"You're new here. How can I help ya?" She has a warm smile, and inquisitive eyes.
"Yes, ma'am. To start with my three friends, and I would like a round of mead." I smile warmly back at her.
"Can do. Will you be opening a tab, or pay as you go?" Her tail grabs four mugs to start filling them with a sweet smelling mead.
"We will start a tab. We'll also need a few rooms." I tell her.
"How long will you be needing them dear, and how many do you need?" She starts to pour the third cup.
"Three rooms, for at least four days, if not a week." I think that is safe. We want to bank some gold before moving on.
She leans back, and looks at a book behind her on another counter. "Looks like I have two available rooms for the next two days. I could get you a third after that if you need it." She stands again, and slides the cups in my direction. "I will need the rooms paid two days ahead, and a name to hold them."
"Name: Grayson Elderwind. How much for this round, and the rooms?" I grab the unassuming gray bag on my belt.
"For the first two days, two rooms, four drinks..." She pauses while she does the math in her head. "Call it five gold to start, and that will cover breakfasts too." I hand over the gold, and her tail swoops it up. "Welcome to the Bard's Elbow. My name's Clementine, and that's my husband Korbeck. Need anything we're here." Clementine walks away to serve others, and I manage to bring the mead to the table without a drop spilled.
