Gizelle, a woman who you could honestly say you knew almost nothing about. but recognized as the Guildmaster's private priestess of Loviatar spoke from a position at a nearby seat after swallowing down some wine.  "One of our riders carrying a payment to the Zhentarim for their military support was ambushed on the road."

The woman paused.  Her voice was dusky, and heavily seductive. "It was Gwen." Gwen on the otherhand you knew as the Guildmaster's woman.  Though you've never seen or met her before, you recall stories of her being a dark haired  elfmaiden.

...

The Guildmaster liked being able to just cross his arms and have other people speak for him.  You could tell.

Elyonna was tired.  She'd done her duty.  She wanted rest.  But summoned she was and so she must come.  She shivered slightly beneath her cloak, but enjoyed the weather nevertheless.  Finally she saw it in the distance.  She slowly made her way towards it, reluctant to work again so soon.  Elyonna had no choice, so she continued on.  She arrived at the door and opened it, getting in from the cold.  She stood there for a moment, loathe to proceed.

"Damn. My way, then... I'm told that burning alive is one of the most painful deaths there is." What angered mr Black angered Michaela. It was that simple. These people were her family, and she was rather loyal to say the least...

Elyonna continued her way on, getting past the...security...  She finally arrived inside and looked upon the rather upset countenance of the guildmaster.  Wondering who had done what wrong this time, she wisely stays silent, knowing she will hear of his anger soon enough.

    A large roar issued from the main room, the clamboring sounds of combat, and then the door into the lounge opened with a creak and groan. The huge half-orc's maul was covered in blood, his armor had stray splatters. He entered without a word, slung the large wooden shield he carried, a shield with the emblem of Tempus painted on it, over his back, leaned the maul in a corner, and used a piece of cloth to wipe blood off his face.
    "Little men in other room, weak. Kilgar didn't even need to use daggers." He clinked and clanked as he moved in his heavy half-plate armor. Subtly was obviously not the half-orcs strong point. He picked at one of the large teeth protruding from between his thick, fleshy, lips. "Why do the little ones always think they can kill Kilgar?"

"It's the way he talks." She grinned up at the other half-breed. "And the fact he moves slowly."

"Because I put them up to it, Kilgar." The Guildmaster had done something very few do, and that was put trust in the orc mongrel.  Many were unhappy with the guildmaster's choice of favorites, so it was decreed that in order to take Kilgar's face, you had to be able to kill him.

Obviously.  Nobody could kill him.

With the three of you hear, the Guildmaster turned away and poured a drink into a small silver cup.  It was decorated with engravings of swords and knives.  "I have an assignment.  Before I tell you the danger involved, and the object I require for completion, I will tell you the rewards for success." The Guildmaster gave the drink to the obviously cold elf.  He turned to pour another. "You will have earned my personal favor, and that of those under me.  Additionally, I will pay you, per normal contract."

The next goblet he handed to the other elf.  He stopped to pour a third. "1,500 gold a piece." Now that was something to think about.  It was the largest contract any of you had ever seen or had, by close to a thousand gold...

Michaela whistled at the amount, appreciatively.
"For that? I'll take a job that pays thrice normal." She grinned at him and toasted him with her cup. "You coming?" She glances at the other two with a smile.

Elyonna's normally impassive face remained so, even at the mention of such gold.  She sipped her drink slowly, studying her employer and the others in the room coldly.  After an inordinately long wait, she finally nodded her ascension to her employer, not speaking a word.

    "Gold is good. KIlgar like gold. Buy better things to hurt small men with." There was a nasty gleam in his yellow eyes as he hefted the huge maul and tapped it against his breastplate threateningly. He looked at the others in the room as the guildmaster spoke, and the expression he had said, "I dare you. Please, I'm begging you, do something stupid."
    Kilgar Axeface was a mongrel and a fan of simple pleasures, booze, loud music, and hurting stuff...though not in that order. Hurting stuff usually ranked first, though even the half-orc had to admit being drunk made hurting stuff more fun. He smiled a fangy smile.

The Guildmaster handed the last silver cup to the half-orc.  It was small in his big hands, but it would be really bad form to fuck up and drop it now.  "I knew you would all say that." The Guildmaster poured another cup for himself and took a sip before continuing. "The target is a Banite priest named Bruno.  Earlier this evening, the Banite launched a sneak ambush on a courrier of mine.  The courrier, Gwen, was killed." You could tell he was seething behind the black mask he wore.

"Don't worry about the gold.  If you find Gwen, return her, of course, but Bruno...bring him back.  Alive if possible." He shrugged apathetically. "Dead is just as good." Leaning back in his chair, the Guildmaster put a hand along the back of the chair next to him, gliding his fingers along the golden finishings. "Any questions?"

   Kilgar made a strange face, he was thinking. "Where we look first? Banite's not hide for long, but Kilgar hate chasing own tail." He looked at the cup and then the guildmaster, then back at cup. He took a sip, fumbled with the tiny cup and placed it on the table, a few drops of the liquid spilled onto his hands as he moved it around. He licked it off. "Next time, Kilgar bring his own cup. A cup for real hands!" He held up his huge hand with a little pride.

"Our hands are as good as we need them to be." She smirked up at the half-orc, then nodded seriously to Black. "We'll get him for you, don't worry. Just point us in the right direction. He got associates?"

Elyonna's perceptive gaze flittered over each of the room's occupants.  She remained silent, listening to the exchange with her everwatchful eyes.

   Kilgar looked down at the little female with confusion, then a slight smile. "You brave. Not many little people get smart with Kilgar. Kilgar like you, for now." He grinned. he then turned his attention to the matter at hand. "Give Kilgar a place, and Kilgar bring you your little man in a sack on the back of a donkey...Or in a few sacks on the back of a donkey, his choice!" He let a short gut laugh.

The Guildmaster cracked his knuckles,  then his thumbs.  Both hands simultaniously.  "About 6 miles northwest of here, through the forest.  Head west off of a deer trail when you get to the old clearing and the well.  You'll come to some hills."

You all knew that the Guildmaster wasn't going to be happy if he had to repeat these instructions, so committing them to memory was the easy part.  "Stay along the edge of the forest and go due north until you reach the stream.  Follow it until the ground turns into a swamp.  In the center of the swamp is a mansion.  That is your destination, but beware, rumors say there is a strange lizard man that makes the swamp his home.

    Kilgar nodded, committed the tactical information to memory and immediately began checking his gear. "Make sure all of you bring something to keep your gear dry. A rusty sword dulls quickly." Kilgar frowned. "Who all coming with Kilgar?" The half-orc looked around sternly, his yellow eyes gleaming in the light.

Elyonna's husky voice could finally be heard as she replied quite simply yet forcefully, "I am."

"Me too, of course. Hour northwest, then west to the hills. From there, north to the swamp. Find the mansion, torch the lizardman if he gets in the way, and grab the murderer. Nice and simple, just how I like it." She grinned, a slightly worrying light coming into her eyes... or maybe it was just the reflection of the fire.

  Kilgar nodded then looked at both the women curiously. "But, you're both little women." He seemed to pout. "Kilgar not want to carry small girls through dirty swamp." It was impossible to tell if he was joking as he finished checking his gear.

Elyonna smirked, tossing the man a challenging look and said, "Just keep up with us, big boy," as she turned with a flourish to leave the room.

    And with out another word Kilgar slung the Maul over his back along with the shield and headed out. He didn't need anymore instructions and he didn't need anymore advice. He was a tried and true warrior, he knew how to deal with the unexpected, and he was capable of dealing with nearly anything that would come up, and he hoped he knew how to spot what he couldnt deal with before it spotted him.
    He hurried, trying to keep up with the more nimble Elyonna. She hurried out so fast he thought about throwing a javelin at her, then he wondered what she would taste like fire roasted with a little salt and pepper, but shrugged, he might need her...

Okay kids.  Tavern scene is over for now.  You can now join your regular in game thread. :)


[Private to Kilgar Axeface: 175 exp for the tavern scene.]
[Private to Elyonna Shadowright: 125exp for the tavern scene]
[Private to Michaela Lehava: 150 exp for the tavern scene]

Michaela just shook her head with a grin, grabbing her backpack as she left the building and slinging her cloak over her shoulders.

Stoneskull stomped into the inn and loudly called to the bar for an ale to be delivered to his table. He found a table recently vacated (by a matter of seconds and a stern look from Gaius), and sat with his back against the wall.