Just south of Piergieron's Palace, two buildings east of Mother Tathlorn's House of Pleasure and Healing, stands an unassuming, two-story tavern.  The outside looks to be in need of some repair, but seems to have been that way for a very long time; the sign hanging above the door is badly faded, it's lettering in the common script reading "Yawning Portal".
   The interior fails to reflect on the façade, however, bearing finely-polished duskwood tables, upholstered benches and stools, and an impressively large (if lacking in variety) array of drinks.  The staff is cheerful, attentive, and seems to have heard it all before.
   The proprietor, Durnan, has owned this business for as long as anyone can remember.  Apparently approaching a hundred years of age, he spend most of his time watching the comings and goings from one of the tables near the bar, letting his sons and daughters handle the business while he shares the occasional tale of the myriad events that have centered around this establishment.
   What draws the most business isn't the fairly-priced rooms or the decent food.  The inn's secret is in the back room: the only publicly-accessible entrance to the Realms' most famous dungeon, Undermountain.  At least once a tenday, a group of treasure-hunters and glory-seekers enters the taproom laden in armor, exploring gear, and all manner of magics.  They are promptly intercepted by one of the staff, escorted to the back, and lowered by elevator into the dungeon.
   Some come out with an assortment of coin, trophies, and rarely-seen magics.  Some come out with tales of lost companions, horrific creatures, and deadly traps.  Quite a few never emerge.

Having made a long trip from the rift...well any trip is long when there is no war happening. Borin sights a tavern that just might be what he was looking for. He has heard rumors of great dangers...and that is for him.  The Yawning Portal, that sounds familiar he smiles as he walks in pushing the doors open. Not caring if the slam or not. He steps and says in a loud voice "Can a real warrior get some dwarven brew here?"

As people look up, they see Borin. He is a very stout, yet strong, looking dwarf. He is wearing a multi-piece full plate armor that has no rivets or seems visible. You’re not sure where you should look first, the very large dwarven waraxe hanging off his belt, with a well warn leather wrapped hilt. The huge shield with a spike in it. Or the dwarfs face...it is all scared up, as is all exposed skin. And he has a gold ring through the right nostril. His hair is cut into a partial Mohawk, with hair from his back split and braided into two braids. He also has a large flowing mustache and beard. And it is obvious by the sound he makes every time he moves.

If a patron indicates no spot, he will move to an open table. Noisily take of his shield and just prop it up against the table. It looks like he paid no attention to the placement, but to the trained eye it can be on his arm within a second. He then takes a seat and yells "Best bring me two dwarven ale to start. Hate to have you walk back again so quickly." he laughs.

The door opens making almost no sound. In steps a human figure in a cloak, he seems to be very protective of his features. After a quick look around, he decides the dwarf would be his best bet "Well meet, may I join you - I have a proposition that might be of interest to you?" he looks nervously around.

A young gnomish woman approaches the table, skillfully balancing a tray in one hand.  She deftly places two tankards topped with foam on the table, following them with a bowl full of salted nuts.  "Here ya go, two Goldminer Bitters, straight from the Rift."  She looks up at the new arrival.  "What'll you be havin', handsome?"

Zorian saw a familiar face slip in. Or should he say saw a familiar figure slip inside. It was a few months ago that he saw his friend last. The day he told him he had to clean his name of the name evil averyone called him. He had left his friend wearing nothing but some filthy ragged clothes. He would be surprized when he saw his friend in his current noble mage robes. Pulling the hood a bit further over his head to hide his face he walked into the inn he saw his friend go.

Closing the door behind him Zorian scans the room with his dark eyes untill he spots his friend talking to someone unknown to him. He takes a wand in his hand and changes his voice a little as he points with his wand at the secretive rogue and speaks with a booming voice although he had a bit oftrouble to keep the laughter out.

"Khidrat Aranarth surrender now or be forced to suffer the consequences."

Khi’drath smiles and winks to the dwarf in front of him, before replying in an unusual soft voice "I don’t want any trouble Mister" he raises his hands and puts them behind his head, in a swift move he tries to grab the wand from his friend, but ends up grabbing the air and almost tipping over on the chair "DAMN, I knew it was you, sadly I couldn’t follow through" he gets up and welcomes his friend with a firm shake and a couple of pads on the back. "Looks like Tymora have been with you? I was just asking this man if I could join him, I have a proposition that might be something you want in on too?"

He turns to the dwarf "By the way, this here is Zorian and I’m Khidrath".

"By the great anvil, Goldminer Bitters...Now that the way to have a brew or six." He says in his loud gruff voice. Borin looks up at the human and was about to reply when another interrupted them human that seemed to try and threaten the human near him with a twig. "If that be how you welcome friends, I not be wanting to see how you great an enemy." Borin replies as he places a large spiked shield back down. How he lifted it so fast is a question for another day.

"You may call me Borin, and if you are buying my drinks ye can join me." He calls out. Of course nothing about this dwarf his quiet. Not even the quaffing of one of the entire tankards of strong dwarven brew in one nosily swallow. "Ah, that'll make your whiskers grow straight." He says with a foamy grin which shows a couple of broken teeth.

Zorian laughs heartly and returns his friends greeting by a pat on his back in a semi hug. Nothing to to comfortable just two friends who havent seen each other for a while.

"Proposition? Anything worthwhile i hope?"

Zorian sits down at the table and turns to the witress.

"Please bring me a Cider and my friends here something to their liking."

Khidrath takes a seat with the others and offers to pay for Zorian’s beer ”You’ve all heard about Undermountain I take it? I’ve been looking for a way to get in for the last two months or so, which is how I came across this place. Now from what I understand this is the only public entrance to Undermountain, and every tenday or so they let someone enter. I’m still uncertain how much we would have to pay to enter, but I’ll bet I can find out. I propose we gather as much information as possible, and as many allies as we can and enter – there is bound to be great treasure for all” you notice a red glow within his eyes growing as he speaks.

The bright-eyed gnome quickly returns with a wooden mug, full of hot cider.  "Here ya go.  Lookin' to go down the well, huh?  You'll want to talk to the old man; he's in the back room, right now, probably nitpicking.  It's only a gold coin to go down -- he really doesn't care where it's from, you could give him Zhentish coin for all he's bothered -- but there's a lot of other stuff, and I think he's the only one who keeps it straight.
   "He's really getting too old for this.  But he's persistent, you gotta give him that!  You want anything else before you go?"

Thinking this was to good an opportunity to pass, Khidrath smiles friendly and continues the conversation in an attempt to get some information "If my friends here are up for the challenge? I’ll bet you seen all sorts of characters come and go – just what can one expect down there? Perhaps you could share a funny story – that is if you have time of course? Or perhaps you can point me in the direction of someone who knows all the stories?”

She rolls her eyes.  "All the stories?  That'd be Durnan.  I don't know how, but it seems he's never forgotten a single tale anyone's told him about Undermountain in, what, seventy years?  Longer than I've been around, at least.
   "Let's see.  What's the funniest tale I've heard?  Well, there's one that didn't happen all at once.  Took these guys a week to figure it all out, and then they laughed about it for a month.  Y'see, they was chasin' a vampire -- we keep 'em out of the city, so when one turns up there's always a ruckus -- and it ran down the well into Undermountain.
   "Anyway, these heroes go chasin' after it, barely stopping to pay Durnan the entry fee.  Didn't even bother with the rope, just jumped right down.  Guess they had magic or somethin' to keep 'em from goin' splat at the bottom.  They get down there, and this here vampire's nowhere to be seen.
   "So, they start lookin' around, and first room they get to, they see this big ol' rat runnin' away.  Everyone knows vampires can turn into rats, so they go tearin' off after it.  They get to the next room, and it ain't there, but an ettin was.
   "They beat up the ettin -- never said how -- and go prowlin' around, and see that rat again in one of the halls.  SO, off they go again, chasin' this thing at top speed.
   "Long story short, they were down in Undermountain for a week, killin' monsters, pickin' up loot, and runnin' pell-mell after this rat every time they saw it.  They finally managed to catch it after a tenday, and sure enough, it was a normal old rat.
   "So, they go pokin' around a little more, and find out that some other group had cornered the vampire.  Found its remains, and enough holy water and stakes to start your own shrine.  So they came up here and told everyone how they led this vampire to its doom, and brought the dead rat as proof."  She giggles.  "They was so busy laughing about the whole thing, they ended up tellin' the whole story to Oghma and everyone."

"They sound preatty dumb all right," Borin says through his foam landen mustache and beard, "If they can make it, I am sure we can."

Khidrath smiles at Borin's remark "I take it that means you are up for the challenge?" he turns to the girl again "now where can I find this Durnan?".

"Tell ya what, I'll go get him.  He's probably dozed off.  But don't tell him I said that."  The gnomish girl goes to the back end of the taproom, entering a heavily-reinforced door.  She comes out a moment later with an elderly human; he looks to be around seventy or eighty, though he must surely be a hundred to have explored Undermountain seventy years ago.

"So," the old man begins in a rough voice.  "Lookin' to explore the depths for the first time, eh?  Well, here's the rules.  Anyone goin' in pays one gold coin, and I lower you down the well; it's about a hundred-fifty feet down, but we've got good strong rope.  When you're ready to come back up, just bang on the shields down there, yell, whatever; once we hear ya, we'll lower the rope and haul ya back up.  Once you get up here, though, you gotta pay another gold piece or go back down.
   "We keep some supplies on hand, so if you think you forgot somethin', we can take care of ya.  We've also got storage lockers, paid up front -- ain't no one gonna mess with 'em here.  We also keep healing potions for sale, straight from the Tymorans, and odds are there's one here at any time.  If there ain't one here, we can send a messenger to 'em for ya free of charge.
   "That's about it.  All ya gotta do is say the word, hand over the coin, and you're in."

You notice that the conversations around the taproom have muted somewhat, and that a majority of the patrons are paying closer attention to your table.

Khidrath nods every now and then, it is clear he is paying attention "I was wondering if you had any useful information or advise that you would like to share as well? I'd be happy to buy you an ale for your time? We will be looking to bolster our number before we go down, but shouldn't take long. he raises the volume in the last sentence to make sure he is heard.

"Bolster our number...hmphh." Borin grumbles. "Well, iffin I gotta wait I'll be needing more brew." Though he doesnot say it, he likes the sound of healing poitions....maybe next time. You can never have too many.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Mon 28 Aug 2006.

Zorian listens to though stas out of his friends conversation. Going down would be a good thing indeed. Down there there would be a lot of evil to slay and thats just what Zorian needs.


"I think most important is that we bring enough torches water and food with us and maybe some chalk to mark the way? It certaily sounds intresting to go down there my friend."

Khidrath smiled, the others seemed like opportunists like him "I have chalk, ration trails for a tenday and a full waterskin. I also have some healing potions (5), an antitoxin plus some silk rope (100 feet). I could use a grabbling hook; perhaps you can help me Durnan?”

"A hook I have, but only 8 day rations. I shall buy some more then." Borin says loudly.

"But will tenday rations be enough? how long does one travel down there? i heard it is rather big."

The door thumped open again, and a man strode in.  Clearly, this one was here to use the back room as well.  He wore heavy banded mail, with the sunburst of Lathander at his throat.  A silvery mace hung at his belt, and a wavy black ponytail fell over the obviously burdened pack that rode on his back.  In fact, the pack itself looked like it might be too much for some men to haul with ease, nevermind the addition of the armor.

Seeing the trio gathered around Durnan, he made his way to the tavernkeeper as well.  With a nod to the older man, he spoke, addressing his words to the adventurers. "The Morninglord's light shine on you all.  Durnan had told me that if I kept coming in I'd soon find a group of heroes looking for whatever the depths hold.  I need hardy companions, for only a fool dares the deepest dungeon alone.  In my turn, I'm skilled as a healer, and you can see that the Morninglord smiles on me, which has its own benefits.  Will you let me join you?

Eagerly, intently, he looked from face to face.

"No you be talking," Borin says. "You just be the healer ye are and I'll clear da path of vermin. As long as they take care of da wizards and traps." He indicates the others. "You may call me Borin." He says to all in general.

Malik grinned. "And I forgot to give you my own name.  My parents gave me Malik, and that's mostly what I'm called.  Some at the temple have added the nickname Sundancer..."  With a wink he finished up, "I'm not quite sure why."

"I'll gladly do what I can to patch you up, Borin, or any of the rest that walk into the depths alongside us."

Glancing at the others, he continued, "And what would you gentlemen be called?"  He stopped suddenly and looked chagrinned, "Forgive me, I just burst in in the middle.  What was it you were talking about?"

Khidrath greets the newcomer "I’m Khidrath I will try to take care of the traps before they take care of us." he laughs, before he continues "No worries, we where just discussing what sort of equipment we have at our disposal and if there is things we are going to need?!" he recites his things again.

"Aye, here is  da gold for 8 days of rations. I better be safe den sorry. No rats fer me to feast on." Borin says with a loud laugh as he purchases the rations.

As Durnan sends one of the staff to acquire the additional supplies, the tenor in the taproom abruptly changes.  Where the patrons had been quietly listening in and taking note of the assemblage, the confirmation that this group is, indeed, going into the depths brings about a round of sudden applause and cheering.  Before anyone at the table can react, someone has shouted an order and the group finds themselves the recipients of a round of drinks.  People begin crowding around, cheering the incumbent delvers on and urging them to heroic exploits, and trying to garner promises of a retelling of any dramatic tales therein.
   In the background, people also begin placing wagers on whether or not the explorers will return, how long it will take, how many will come back, and in what condition.  It serves as a subtly grim undertone to the impromptu party.

[OOC: Any supplies you want out of the Player's Handbook will be available, either immediately on-hand or brought in from the nearby Aurora's Emporium, at the list price.  Don't worry about playing out said purchases; just let me know what you get, and edit your character sheets accordingly.  Once you're ready, just pay Durnan the obligatory 1 gp, and you'll begin.]

Zorian smiles and extends his hand to the two unfamiliar ones to shake their hand in the ritual of learning to know each other talking loud enough that those in the inn hear his name and his intentions.

"The name is Zorian Argerios Porquan and i am delighted to travel to he unknown depths to slaughter the evil down there with you.".

In a softer tone he talks to the servant that is getting supplies.

"could you get me 4 waterskins and 20 day rations? and is there a way for my mount to get inside of this Dungeon or is there a place i can stable it."

Malik nodded at the introductions, "Khidrath, Zorian, well met!  I'm sure there'll be stories told about us here in the future."

Spotting the loudest gambler of the 'nobody will return' camp, Malik called out, "And I'll wager five suns that all four of us make it back.  If the Morninglord frowns on me and I'm wrong, you can come down after me and get them!"

"I'll tell the great tales from below...as long as you provide me with this fine dwarven brew when I return," Borins deep rumbling voice projects over all as he raises his tankard and war axe far over head. He then drains the tankard, leaving a large foamy smile on his face.

He also pays for 12 more days rations and the gold piece for entrance. "Here be me coin fer going down...and I'll be back laden down wif stories and treasure when I return."

When he got a moment where he could speak to Durnan quietly, he paid his gold coin for going into the depths, and asked "Can you hold these five suns for me?  If I'm not back in a month, pay it to the gambler for me.  Even dead I'd not have it said I stood up a bet."

Durnan takes the first coin, but not the others, from Malik.  "Sorry, lad, but there's rules on that; you can't bet on your own fate.  You'll be doing enough of that down below, and the survivors tend to make more than enough profit.  Let them wager -- for every one that bets you won't return, there'll be three that think otherwise."

[Last chance for supplies.  Be sure and update your sheets with your last-minute purchases; I will not be doing it for you.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:37, Wed 30 Aug 2006.

Zorian smiles and gives the man his goldpiece.

"One moment then i wil lbe getting my gear and get some goot stabling for my loyal mount."

With that he walks outside only to return a few minutes later carrying a large backpackand a satisfied smile on his face.

Malik bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, sir.  I didn't know.  At your convenience then, I think we're ready to go."

OOC: No last minute purchase for me.  Ready when you are, chief! ;-)

Khidrath pays Durnan his gold piece, wondering if he somehow could have gained more information, that most likely could prove very useful below – ‘Ahh-well I guess we’ll have to improvise …’ he thinks to himself.

As Borin rises from his chair he hefts a heavy shield with spikes and says "I be ready to descend and start my adventures for these good folks here. Mind ye all...I'll be coming back thristy." He laughs as he looks around and waits to go down.

Trinity strolls past Mother Tathlorn's House with a disapproving frown on her way to the Yawning Portal.  Her instructions had been simple and no questions had been allowed.  You will know your task when your destination has been reached.  Simple indeed, yet it filled her with intense anticipation.  Arriving at the tavern, Trinity pushed through the entryway and glanced about the bar.  "I seek Durnan.  Where might I find him?"

Several of the patrons point toward the reinforced door in the back.  One of them, a heavily-scarred half-orc, says, "He's taking a group down the well right now.  If you're goin', time to get off the pot."  His comment is followed by several laughs.

Trinity nods to the man and rushes towards the backdoor.

One of Durnan's assistants is coiling up the heavy silk rope when Trinity barges in.  Everyone in the room tenses at the sudden entrance, but quickly relaxes.  The old man looks her over and says, "My guess is you're tryin' to catch up with the guys that just went down.  I don't remember you, so let me explain the rules.  I'll be brief.
   "You pay a gold piece -- I don't care where it's from -- to go down the well.  When you come back up, you pay another gold or go back down.  That's the main thing you need to remember."  He snaps his fingers at the helper who shrugs and begins uncoiling the rope.  "If you got any questions, speak up.  Otherwise, you might want to get moving -- the others seemed pretty eager to explore."

Trinity offers the man a softly dazzling smile and nods acceptance of his rules.  "No questions, good sir.  Just haste, if you mean to say that joining a group down there is possbile."  She places a gold piece firmly within Durnan's palm and  surprisingly gives his shoulder a gentle squeeze.  "A prayer for success would be most welcome."

Once upon a time in a land far, far, away...

Joachim the Nightlurker was destined to become a king, but the people never believed it would happen, and so it was deemed the aristocratic warrior would embark on a journey into Undermountain with the hopes of returning with the respect and admiration of the people he hopes to one day lead.

But such quests are not without their peril, and only time will tell if the young warrior is well prepared for his journey...



....

Joachim subconsciencely flinched.  His shoulders rolled forward and he let out a small sigh after saying a silent prayer to both Oghma and Tymora.  He never liked to assume, so instead he hoped.  He hoped a lot of things, but mostly, he just hoped he'd not be minced meat as soon as he stepped on the other side of the portal...


OOC - DM, I'd be about a day ahead of the party I think, but the first level sounds fine to me, don't want to overdo it right now.