LOCATION: DRIFTWOOD INN

The sprawling town of Neverwinter was one of the most popular cities in northwest Faern.  Known for its craftsfolk and gardeners, the city's multi-colored-glass lamps, precision water clocks, exquisite jewelry, and magnificent gardens ensured the warm winters were colorful and the summers were rich with fresh fruit.

On this autumn day, the stalls were alive with hawkers, selling their wares from fruit, vegetables and cheese, to fine cloth and jeweler. Even in the trade district, not the most wealthy of places, the atmosphere was still alive with a city built for trade and industry.

It was in one of the more quieter corners of the city that the Driftwood tavern stood, in the blacklake district. An inn and tavern that caters mainly to longtime locals, the Driftwood Tavern takes pride in having kept its doors open since before the Spellplague. When the cataclysm struck, Madame Rosene sheltered refugees within her walls. The Driftwood offered people a makeshift city hall and gathering place during the troubled years that followed.

The statue from a favorite fountain stands in a corner. A wineseller’s planter boxes, filled with flowers, brighten the walls. A knob and a knocker from a noble’s estate are attached to the privy door. Ornate doors pulled from the wreckage make fine tables, and unbroken panes of stained glass hang overhead as chandeliers, lit by hundreds of carefully placed candles. Though the decorations have been salvaged from all over the city, the tavern does not feel junky, and no one thinks Madame Rosene is taking advantage of Neverwinter’s fall. Quite the opposite — the Driftwood is considered a monument to old Neverwinter, like a dusty painting of a beautiful girl hanging above the deathbed of an aged noblewoman.

It is on this mild autumn night that you come to the inn, unusually there is a human figure standing outside, wetehr a guard, or just casually, you are yet to know. As you enter, you are greeted by the sounds of chatter, a half elf playing a lute, and a dignified woman in her late fifties to greet you at the door.

"Welcome to the Driftwood Tavern."

<OOC: Ok guys....first post is up.

The scheduled meeting is for this evening, so post your entrance, as well as a description.

Welcome everyone to Troubles in Phandelver.>

Yulin had been in Neverwinter for just under a month before she heard from her one time acquaintance and travelling companion Gundren. The short mountain creature amused her with its stories of mountains and mining and wealth. All such strange and quaint fascinations; why any creature would want to spend its life digging through the dirt for gold was beyond her understanding although she had to admit she appreciated it. How else was she to find such intricate, gleaming jewellery? The creature was kind to her and she took a liking to it, promising to meet again should it decide to venture once again into a mountain. Perhaps she could collect some of this gold for herself; with the pittance she was paid for performing at taverns she could certainly use it.

She had spent her time in Neverwinter performing at various taverns, entertaining the locals with tales of her races history and achievements. Most listened in apt attention, bewitched by the exotic locations and ruthless ambitions of her people. She enjoyed the attention and felt good about entertaining these boring creatures; she was a moment of beauty and grace in their otherwise dull and dreary lives. Their cute smiles and strange reactions amused her and she usually found herself smiling too by the end of the night as the more enthusiastic of them showered her in coins and gifts. There was a distinct lack of gold however, which always left a sour taste in her mouth.

Coin was earned, night by night and inn by inn. She returned to a few of the more opulent establishments where gold was occasionally gifted to her but there was never enough to sate her desires so she kept looking, seeking out new establishments to collect her gifts. Yulin didn't like Neverwinter and as much as she reviled the stench of larger human cities she pined for a return to Waterdeep. The nobles there gave very expensive gifts for foreign entertainment, the more alien the better and none was more exotic that the yuan-ti bard. Alas, some of these simple creatures just didn't know when to let go and she had to flee one of the more amorous young creatures.

She had not been to the Driftwood Tavern before this night, it never seemed the sort of place in which creatures of wealth gathered. It looked like a scrapyard, pulled together from whatever rubbish was lying in the street. Yulin sniffed with a grimace as she approached the building. Why the small mountain creature wanted to meet here she didn't know as she could have named a dozen more impressive inns to visit and reminisce.

Yulin ignored the creature at the door and walked into the Driftwood; she cast her eyes around and cringed at the sounds coming from the half breed as it trumpeted into the flute. She stood in the doorway and ignored all the eyes that turned towards her, she understood their curiosity as she had seen such looks hundreds upon hundreds of times before. Yulin wore her usual dress, sateen and linen sashes in greens and greys covered enough of her chest and hips to maintain only the bare minimum of modesty. Around her shoulders was a translucent gauze shroud which hung down to her waist, a green chiffon skirt split at the sides of her legs hung to her ankles. She wore golden colored chains and jewellery and had multiple piercings all adored with similar ornamentation. She looked around the common room with golden eyes which had odd vertical pupils; pale green scales were at her hairline and ran to the base of her neck and down the center of her back. She was barefoot, the same pale green scales covering her ankles and wrapping around her feet. She carried few possessions; a lyre was on one hip and a coin purse on the other.

Yulin made her way to a vacant table and sat down. Stretching her legs out before her and leaning back in her chair she raised her lyre and begun to strum soft chords. She was in no competition with the creature blasting the lute; she only wanted to drown out the incessant droning with her own music. So she sat, softly plucking away at strings, a soft melody which resounded of relaxation and fresh spring days. Her confidence grew and she played as she usually did in the evenings, the soft melody turned to a rapid legato of triumph and glory as she accompanied the music with a rousing song of victory, hope and potential. Perhaps it was her determination to drown out the poor creature with the lute or the excitement of a potential adventure but as she strummed the strings of her lyre and sang to the tune Yulin believed it was among her best performances… and totally wasted on an establishment like this.

12:09, Today: Yulin Scalesong rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  Performance.

Yana walked into the tavern, looking forward to taking a rest from her travels and getting a taste of civilization.   She had been impressed with the town so far.  A sprawling metropolis, filled with variety and trade and information, was her idea of paradise.
The Driftwood Inn was a fine addition to the town as well.  Growing up with limited resources, she could definitely appreciate making use of whatever was available to get the job done.
She nodded to the 'greeter' in the Inn, as well as the owner.

Yana Whitlock looked like someone who was serious about their business, though not someone who posed a threat to others.   It was a balance Yana worked hard at.
She dressed in a long cloak that mostly covered her leather armor, and mostly hid the crossbow at her side and the rapier on her hip.

She looked around for a table, then walked to the bar, nodding to the tender.
"What do you have in the way of an elven wine or a hard cider?"

It had been three days since that shooting star had startled the teenager into action. In the weeks she had drifted in Neverwinter, looking for the Rockseeker brothers, she had come once or twice at the Driftwood tavern, always getting the same answer as in the other taverns… they were nowhere to be seen. It was a kind of miracle that the letter addressed to her father had reached her, and she looked at it one last time, before settling herself to what could be a decisive moment in her young life. Carefully putting the letter away, she examined herself and frowned. Mud had been splashed on the hem of her light grey cloak and she quickly casted a simple spell, willing the dirt to release the fabric. There, that was better. Another invocation cleaned her boots, that looked new, but were actually over a year old, well formed to her feet. Finding a pane of glass, she looked at her reflection and combed her purple hairs with her fingers, trying, and failing, to give them some semblance of order. A small line of dirt on her cheek was wiped away with some saliva, and she smiled at herself. A last, very minor, adjustment of the holy symbol taken from her mother corpse to make absolutely sure it was centered over her small breasts, on the almost shining chain mail she was wearing and the teenager was as ready as she would ever be.

Breathing deeply to give herself courage, she approached the door of the Driftwood tavern, noting what she considered a bouncer by the door and giving him a quick flash of her smile. The eclectic collection of curiosities had not changed since her last visit, two weeks ago, and she smiled when she looked everywhere, but not in front of her.

Welcome to the Driftwood tavern!

Amalia gave a little gasp, startled, when the 50ish matronly woman spoke. Well that was new!

Good evening.

Giving a little bow, Amalia barely registered that the woman greeted another customer with the same semi-enthusiastic phrase. Looking around, she noted the half elf with the lute on the stage, and she decided to go sit at the bar, asking and paying with some of her last funds for a small glass of cheap wine that she intended to sip until she couldn’t hide the fact that she was almost broke anymore. Shrugging, she told herself that the farmer’s field was just perfect to spend the night, if nothing came out of this convocation by an unknown dwarf. Looking around for any members of the mountain dwelling race in the common room, her ears caught a competing melody to the bard’s lute. It had started faintly but in the excitement, the volume had raised and the cleric, intrigued, looked for the source.

There, sitting alone at a table, was a tall woman dressed in… what kind of a dress was that? Almost transparent fabrics barely covered the modesty of the jewelry adorned competing musician, as she was playing her lyre, in an enchanting melody that overpowered the poor bard on the stage. Transfixed, the small teenager could hardly set her eyes anywhere else, even as she forced herself to look for a dwarf, any dwarf. But she couldn’t help herself, the exotic woman attracting her attention.

Following in her sisters wake though giving her sister some space was a figure that could have been the preceding woman's twin if one were extremely generous with ones appraisal. For in the most general of terms they had a similar face and hair framing it. A similar build if one could tell what was under the blackened scale with its sharp points and edges promising injury to a brush with it. Like the other woman she too wore a cloak but it was swept back and did nothing to hide the lethal weapons that were carried by the woman. A crossbow yes, with it's bolts in a case within reach. Daggers on her scabbard. A flanged mace ready to be swung down from it's clasp near her shoulder. A Shield was partially protecting her other shoulder. Even the gauntlets had spikes and spines along them and fingers had sharp claw like points. As she walked her boots were not quiet or padded and announced her arrival with a click, clack, click.

It was more then the armor and weapons that bespoke of menace and a difference with the woman that was her sister. Allura's eyes shone and it was no mere bit of reflected candle light for they glowed a cerulean blue. The impressive horns that adorned her head were not part of some helm and added several inches to her height in comparison to her sister to again separate any illusion of similarity. Behind her swayed a tail that kept in motion not seductive or sweetly but as if to say this is my personal space come closer at your peril.

She remained standing like a shadow by her sister and for the moment did not speak to anyone.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:18, Fri 02 July 2021.

Yana's attention,  like that of most of the non-blind patrons, was drawn to the colorful bard at the table in the corner. She was something other than human, but Yana didn't stare long enough to be able to study her.  Not that she was one to judge.   Her 'twin' sister was easily one of the most exotic women she'd ever seen.
She nodded to Allura as she joined Yana at the bar.
"First round is on me, Allura.  What'll you have?"

"Something non alcoholic, I want to remain sharp. Juice if they have it." She spoke low and measured just to her sister not even to the barkeep.

Allura's nerves were slightly on edge from the competing bards and she two let her glowing orbs peer across the tavern to see who other then the half elve was playing an instrument.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:02, Fri 02 July 2021.

The half elf on the stage seems equally disturbed, annoyed and smitten by the woman at the table, and her playing, as are most people in the tavern. The melody rich and complex, and the natural acoustics of the room seem to lend a harmony to the sound. The half elf, with a pout, stops playing and takes a drink, while she plays. As this happens, the owner whispers to the barmaid.

Meanwhile, the elderly woman comes up to the sisters and whispers so both hear.

The woman looked haughty but cautious of the two as she moved on, pausing at Amalia with a narrowed look. "Would you be waiting for someone dear?"

Meanwhile the barmaid comes to the woman playing so beautifully, and drops a drink at the table.  A voice at your side leads you to the elderly woman. "On the house....as thanks for such a beautiful song my dear."

Her voice halted after a chorus and while her long, painted fingernails continued to pluck at the strings she watched the most recent arrivals enter the inn. A young human entered and strode to the bar with purpose, not an unfamiliar sight in Neverwinter and just another human going about its business. The menacing figure which shadowed the human was of greater interest to Yulin and she watched curiously as the well-armed and armored figure stalked after the human. Horns and tail and glowing eyes the creature was devilry down to stereotype. Almost immediately after another human entered, also armed and armored this one seemed barely out of the egg with the fresh face and innocent stares of youth. As Yulin caught the adolescent human’s eye she gave a wink and a smile, she did have a fondness for cute creatures and the purple haired hatchling was quite adorable.

Yulin had no sympathy for the half breed attempting its music, if it couldn't capture the attentions of the crowd then perhaps stepping down would be best. She didn't even flick a single gaze to the lute playing minstrel, her focus was entirely on her own music. It was unfortunate for the creature that Yulin was so well trained and talented in stringed instruments, its music was likely well suited to the Driftwood Inn but not used to competing with the musicians and composers from the circles Yulin was involved in. As the other musician took the opportunity to take a break Yulin looked up to the barmaid who approached her table.

She noted the drink with a nod of her head and a look of understanding to the barmaid, "My pleasure. Thanksss." Her eyes were on the other patrons, carefully watching as they nodded or swayed in attempted rhythm to her music while they caroused and admired her performance. She did not expect any gold from this place but was enjoying her own performance far too much and her ego would not let her finish until her desire for attention and flattery was sated.

Solgran rode through the gates of Neverwinter with the other guardsmen and the merchant they had been hired to protect. The merchant was peddling some odd tinker's contraptions that nobody in their right minds would pay for, and only someone bored out of their minds would even bother to steal. But ten pieces of gold for an escort was ten pieces of gold Solgran didn't otherwise have, and easy money was easy money.

Whatever the noisy little trinkets were, the merchant didn't trust guardsmen to unload, so they circled the wagon for a good five minutes or so looking threatening, then returned the reins of their horses back over to their merchant-owner, and collected their coin in payment. His scalemail clicked and popped as he dismounted. He'd gotten used to its weight and the way it changed how he had to move around, but the sounds were still something he was getting used to. It provided a good amount of protection though, and he was thankful for that. It might not help him much against a dragon, but it might help him survive long enough to test that theory out someday.

With the payment received, he gathered his pack from where it had been tied to the horse's saddle, and then went to retrieve his sword from the wagon since it was far too large for such a long trip on horseback. He pulled the javelin quiver off over his head, and took a moment to loop it through and tie it back to the side of his backpack where he could reach them during travel with it on his back.

Finding the escort job was pure luck. Solgran had just read the letter from Gundren, not ten minutes before the merchant came looking for hired hands. Gundren wanted to meet in three weeks time, and the merchant was going to be moving goods all around the Sword Coast for just shy of three weeks before ending the trip in Neverwinter. Three weeks of riding a horse was torture, but there was gold waiting at the end. Not only that, but ending right where Gundren needed him to be? That was a blessing from Ilmater if ever there was one.

With gold in hand, Solgran bid farewell to the other guards he'd come to know a bit over the last few weeks, and then made his way toward the Blacklake District in search of a place called Driftwood. Finding it was easier than he had expected it would be. Solgran eyed the man standing near the door, checking his eyes first, then a quick look for weapons, back to his eyes. If he seemed a guardsman in truth, Solgran would give the man a nod of mutual respect, but no more. Otherwise he ignored them, and then went inside.

As the elderly woman greeted him, Solgran gave her a slight bowing of his head and replied with a smile, "Good evening, madam. It looks rather lively tonight. I've come to meet some friends. A trio of dwarves?"

Yana took her cider, and the grape juice for her sister.  The menu, she had to admit, was impressive for a northern city.  So many juice and food combinations.  Apparently, the reputation of Neverwinter as a proverbial bread basket wasn't all nonsense after all.
The woman mentioned a back room, and Yana was torn between her desire for privacy and her desire to not get caught off guard.  Luckily, her delightfully violent sister would help even things out.    And the fact that she was given a choice of going back there or staying here boded well for how trustworthy her dwarven friend still was.
She looked at Allura, nodding.
"Alright, sister, it seems that my 'friend' is waiting for us.  Shall we go say hello?"
The way she said 'friend' wasn't so much ironic or dismissive, as it was perhaps hinting at a running in joke between the two sisters.

Yana and Allura went back towards the back room.

As the tavern door opened, a big burly human entered, making hi s way (Not too subtlety)towards the elderly lady. The woman looked at him like a peasant had wandered in, but at the mention of the meeting, she looked to the corner to see two women entering a door.

The figure moved quietly into the tavern without fanfare.  He paid little attention to the decor around him.  It was functional.  Asthetics and history meant little to him at this time.  His eyes scanned quickly, identifying exits and the various denizens of this establishment.

His large hooded cloak hid most of the visitors features.  He was short, that much was obvious, the tip of his head less than four feet from the floorboards.  His clothing showed a great deal of wear, suggesting one well travelled.  The only clues to his race was the tufts of hair showing from his boots and occasionally a golden sideburn flickered in the torchlight, suggesting one of the halfling folk.  A simple stick, longer than the halfling was gripped in one hand firmly.

The short one found his way to the bar and carefully raised himself onto one of the stools.  When the barkeep came to him he spoke quietly as he placed a silver piece on the bar.  "An ale, and a question.  Would you know of one called Isasah?"

Solgran followed the woman's view, "Thank you, madam." It seemed he was not the only one invited to this meeting. Unless it was the wrong meeting? Either way, he headed off to follow the women into the doorway in the back.

In reply to Ao (msg # 12):

Yana nodded to the halfling, still wary but satisfied, for now, by the use of Gundren's name.
She moved to a seat far from the door, and her sister followed, both sets of eyes, human and...not...subtly scanning the area for hints of trouble.
When seated, Yana and Allura set their drinks on the table
"That's very generous,  ma'am.   Some fish on a bed of rice sounds delightful,  and i suspect my sister would love some of the venison stew.  Is there anything you can tell us about what Master Gundren wants, or is he waiting for more people to arrive first?"

Yulin continued playing as the newcomers entered the Driftwood, she noted everyone that walked through the door and kept an eye on the goings on by the bar. She noted the interaction between the greeter and the wild looking human that entered the room. She had much the same reaction the greeter did as she watched yet another armored creature walked through the room, this one with a massive sword and a quiver of javelins over its back. She changed chords as the human moved on and turned her gaze back to the entrance. She almost missed the half-human that entered following, covered by its cloak and staff in hand it made its way directly to the bar and as it hopped up to onto one of the stools Yulin turned her gaze to the door to the back room.

The first human and her devilish shadow entered as she watched, followed shortly after by the wild human. It seemed that the Gundren mountain creature had engaged the services of many for whatever adventure and gold he had promised. Her music was subconsciously altered to reflect her mood, a sombre staccato, a tune of concern and loss. The gold promised was intended to be shared it seemed, at least between the three creatures who had entered the rear room. Yulin cast her eyes around the room, trying to pick out any other potential adventurers which would be stealing a share of her spoils. It was a fair guess that anyone armored could be involved, which meant the purple haired hatchling. The rest of the room was mostly nondescript.

She returned to focus on her music, back to the heroic sounds of victory she had started with when arriving. She would wait a few moments, see where things lay, before joining the rest of her apparent new fellowship.

Allura nodded about attending to her sisters 'friend'. striding with that click, clack, click towards the door.

Allura raised her finger in it's clawed gauntlet.
"I shall, have the same meal as my sister, the fish on rice sounds good." She spoke to the hafling.

She then looked to the chairs at the table, close to the fire, that looked like they could support her in her armor and turned one promptly sideways so it would not cause problems with her tail. After she took a seat she reached a hand out towards the fire a quick twist of her fingers and the fire in the hearth turned blue.

"I guess, Gundren, is expecting many 'friends'."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 11:49, Fri 02 July 2021.

The waitress looked at the halfling form and nodded. "A friend of a dwarf....set up a meeting not two days ago.  through there is where you'll find him." Pointing at the door to the back of the room. Even now, the big human made his way towards the room.

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As the girls made their order, the door opened, having an armored human walk through. The halfling male smiled. "Ahh...you must be master Solgran. Master Gundren described you to a tea,...you are a big one. Please, take a seat. Master Gundren will be here shortly.  Would you like some food or a drink master Solgran? Mistress Allura and Mistress Yana have just ordered the fish - quite popular here. Or perhaps you'd prefer a venison stew, served with crusty bread, baked this very afternoon."