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Tevin
2010-07-11, 09:28 PM
http://www.criminy.net/images/aow/main_square.jpg

Whether through word of mouth or seeing one of the many posters nailed around town you've come to The Vein at night and specifically the Feral Dog. Just like any other night The Vein is crowded with drunken miners and laborers stumbling around, cheering on nearby fist fights or just carousing about. The Feral Dog is the most notorious tavern in town and the most popular. One of the only establishments that does not charge a cover to enter it sees almost the entire working sector of Diamond Lake once the sun goes down.

Word is that a man by the name of Dirk Penderghast has been looking for a group of interested individuals to meet him at the Feral Dog this very night. Information past this is sketchy at best besides the promise of an abundance of gold. The notices all say to meet him at the table at the front left corner at 9 o' clock sharp. It is nearing nine now so you find yourself entering the Feral Dog, your senses overwhelmed with the scent of old sweat, cheap ale, and wet dog. The bar runs from the far left corner of the tap room to about the middle of the back wall, there are only a few unattended seats there as it has a great view of the action. In the front left corner of the room is a sunken pit, the sounds of snarling dogs can barely be made out over the cheers of drunken betters. The entire border of the pit is surrounded with people, shoulder to shoulder, almost climbing over one another to get a good look at the dog fight save for one spot. On the far end of the circle stands a group of well-known, and feared, thugs and the rest of the crowd gives them a wide birth. A large albino Half-Orc seems to be their leader, he is flanked by two muscular grizzled looking men who have clearly seen their share of combat and standing towards the Half-Orcs back is a bald robe wearing man with a glower spread across his face. All but the man in the robe seem to be enthralled by the brutal spectacle before them. The rest of the tavern is still busy but looks quite sparsely filled compared to the pit. A few scantily clad serving girls hand out drinks to the lewd patrons scattered across the rest of the tables as fast as the portly balding man behind the bar can pour them.

In the front right corner of the bar is a table a little more isolated than the rest and at it sits a fairly handsome, if dirty, young man. He seems to be watching the door and his eyes lock with yours as you enter the tap room. An intrigued look is painted across his sharp features as he sizes you up. You have a feeling that this is Dirk Penderghast, the man you have come to see.

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-11, 09:47 PM
Brutten


A smile cracked on Brutten's face as he entered the tavern. It seemed pretty lively and busy. "My kinda place....oh maybe not" he thought to himself as he spotted the pit.

His nose wrinkled in disgust but tried not to let the pit ruin his day. Always one to be direct, Brutten approached the right corner table and asked the man flat out, "Are you 'Dirk Penderghast'?"
He brushed some dirt out of his brown, unkempt beard and stood up straight trying to make a good impression. A large axe hung from his belt and clattered against his shiny chain shirt.

Tevin
2010-07-11, 09:53 PM
The young human looks the unkempt dwarf up and down, his eyes lingering on the axe at his belt.

"Well, that depends really... who are you? Ya here for the job?" He arches an eyebrow at you as he speaks and you notice his hand slip off the edge of the table and stop near his belt.

dariathalon
2010-07-11, 10:24 PM
Solana

A petite young human woman enters the bar. Her blonde hair hangs loose in large curls down to the middle of her back. Her skin is tanned to a golden bronze. Her large blue eyes scan the room. First, the land on the rough crowd around the dog pit, and it appears for a moment she will turn around to leave. She instead takes a few deep breaths and then steps away from that area a few feet more. She continues looking around, following along the bar and eventually landing on the man sitting at the man sitting at the table in the corner.

Solana approaches him, being buffetted around by the large rowdy crowd in the process, but she does not let this deter her at all. She seems to handle herself with strength belieing her small stature. When she finally reaches the man's table, she leans over placing one hand on the tabletop. "So," she asks "are you the man I've been looking for?"

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-11, 10:27 PM
Brutten

"You can call me Brutten. I am looking for work and I heard you'd was hiring." he says, assuming he has the right man.


Brutten flashes the man a smile though the shaggy beard blocks most of it. He pulls a chair up noisily and sits down. He hoped this put the man at ease.


"I'mma guess you expect more than one person for this job...." Brutten offers. He stifles the questions that keep coming up in his mind so that Dirk doesn't have to repeat himself four or five times as other potiential employees show up..

Ella
2010-07-11, 10:27 PM
Laida, pulls a the hood of her cloak off as she walks into the tavern, shaking her hair and hoping it would catch the light. This job sounded like a good opportunity for her to practise her skills, and whats more she had even higher hopes about the pay and that would allow her to afford all the snowshoes in the world.

She looks around the room, but fails to notice anyone in particular so she instead walks over to the barkeep. "Good evening sir" she begins "I was looking for a gentleman by the name of Dirk, I don't suppose you could point me in his direction."

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-11, 10:31 PM
Brutten

Brutten turns towards the petite young woman who made her way to the table. "Lass, I could be the DWARF, you've been looking for..."

A jolly laugh escapes his belly, though he hoped he didn't offend the stranger.

CockroachTeaParty
2010-07-12, 12:50 AM
Ixis

A tall, graceful, athletically built, completely bald, and heavily tattooed human man enters the Feral Dog next. He appears completely unarmed, and wears little more than a simple outfit of silk wrappings and loose trousers. His face is void of expression; he observes the entire scene without betraying a single emotion. His dark eyes seem to take in a great deal, however, and they land on the isolated table in the corner.
The man glides through the crowd with ease, slipping past stumbling drunks and ducking under wayward punches and flying bits of food with the grace of a dancer. He arrives at the table untouched by filth or food. Calmly, he seats himself at the table, his posture immaculate. Turning his head presumably to Dirk, he speaks, his voice almost too soft to be heard over the din of the tavern.
"I am Ixis Soryu. As might be inferred from the instructions on your many fliers, one would assume you are Dirk Penderghast. If so, I am here to learn more of your employment opportunity."
He states this matter-of-factly, looking directly in the eyes of Dirk without flinching or wavering.

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-12, 01:06 AM
Brutten


"Ixis?! why what a wonderful name. I am Brutten - warrior at arms" Brutten exclaims with excitement as he pokes his chest.

Brutten offers a dirty hand to the calm human as way of welcome.

CockroachTeaParty
2010-07-12, 01:12 AM
Ixis takes the dwarf's hand, his grip strong. He doesn't really smile, but he doesn't frown either; his expression remains decidedly neutral, although he does look the dwarf in the eye, as if to firmly acknowledge his presence.
"Well met, Brutten."
Although he appears unarmed, his mannerisms and well-chiseled body suggest that Ixis knows how to handle himself in a fight.

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-12, 01:28 AM
Brutten

Brutten almost asks the serious looking man where he kept his axe, but thought better of it.

dariathalon
2010-07-12, 01:46 AM
Solana

Solana gives the dwarf a smile and a wink as a touch of crimson spreads across her cheeks. "Sorry, haven't really been looking for a dwarf. Though if you keep with the flirting, I might just have to start." She chuckles a little to indicate she is only joking.

"The one I'm actually seeking is a man by the name of Dirk. Sounds like he's a very popular man tonight."

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-12, 02:00 AM
Brutten

Brutten smiled at the human woman.

"Great personality, if only she was 150 lbs heavier, 2 feet shorter, 50 years older and had a well-groomed beard..." Brutten thought to himself. He started to remember his clanhall prior to leaving for the plains. A small tinge of homesickness rippled across his big belly.

SlyJohnny
2010-07-12, 02:32 AM
A muscular dwarf with a thick, sandy-orange beard shoulders his way into the tavern. His huge moustache hangs down from his face like two trailing orange ropes, swinging slightly as he moves. Large brown eyes flicker to each person he comes close to, wary of trouble or purse snatchers. In his hands he carries his hat- a strange cross between a reinforced leather skullcap, and a wide brimmed trail stetson. He removed it from his head instinctively as he entered the tavern.

He shifts his weight around, unconciously tugging at his studded leather armor, as it seems a bit tight around his thick frame; underneath it are dusty travelling clothes of brown and grey. There's a jungle khukri sheathed on the front of his vest, and he has a small single-tined pick with a shovel-blade on one end, hanging at his belt. Those are the only visible weapons he's carrying, though honestly, the large, cumbersome bundle wrapped in rags slung over his back is shaped far too much like an axe to be anything else.

He stops at the bar, hesitating been approaching the party and the half-orc with the thugs, his eyes travelling between the two armed groups. Finally, he approaches you.

"Howdy. Sorry to bother you good folk, but... lookin' for a feller named Dirk Penderghast. Hear tell he might have some work for me?" he asks, in a thick, unplaceable accent.

Tevin
2010-07-12, 11:08 AM
The portly barkeep barely lifts his head to acknowledge Laida as she begins speaking pleasantly to him. "I don't see what's so good about it!" he says abruptly in a huff. "If yer lookin' fer that no-good Dirk you can tell him he still owes me three nights worth o' music fer all the ale he drank last week!" With that he turns his back and starts changing the ale keg. Laida feels a gentle tapping on her shoulder as behind her stands one of the serving wenches.

"That's Dirk over there..." she motions to the front right corner of the room, "If I was you I'd just go home sweety, he's not worth the cheap ale he stinks of. After tonight, you'll probably never see the dead beat again." With that she walks over to a table of grimy miners and starts unloading drinks off her tray.

Dirk eyes each person warily as they all seem to enter and approach his table within a few heartbeats of each other. He is a young man probably in his early to mid twenties. He has hazel eyes and dusty brown hair. He looks like he could be quite attractive if he bathed a little more. He was wearing a studded leather jerkin with what was possibly once a white linen shirt underneath and a pair of nondescript black leather pants. He has a mandolin resting against the edge of the table next to him.

"Yeah yeah, I'm Dirk but keep your voices down will you? Who knows who's listening in, aye?" He nervously scratches his chin as he takes a few glances around, making sure all the other tables were paying his no mind. "Well, since you've all come at the right time I'm going to assume your looking for me 'cause of my job offerings and not because I spent a drunken night with your sister in some barn recently..." he gives what he believes to be a charming smile before continuing, "well I've got some information on a nearby cairn around these parts. Supposedly it's ancient from some long forgotten civilization and supposedly it's secret enough and well... dangerous enough to have not been completely looted yet. What say you all, interested in a little excavation? Who knows the wonders we can find inside such a place? And who knows how much coin some fool will pay to have said wonders..." He seemingly waits for you to agree before continuing.

SlyJohnny
2010-07-12, 11:48 AM
"Dirk? Good to meet you, sir. Doxxalin Fardigger, at your service. M' friends call me Doxx." The orange-bearded dwarf extends his hand to shake Dirk's.

Doxx frowns skeptically as the man speaks, but waits until he's done talking before he interjects. "So no coin, 'cept whatever we find, split six ways?"

He turns, touching the nearest serving girl on the arm and asking for a mead, before looking back at Dirk. "Whaddaya know about this secret cairn? If it's so secret, where'd you get your information?"

Tevin
2010-07-12, 12:17 PM
Dirk shakes the Dwarfs hand politely.

"Well, Doxx I can't just be blabbing all that to anyone who comes into this joint can I? I'm gonna need some assurances that you lot are going to come with me to this cairn. If I tell you everything now what's to stop you from going yourselves and cutting Dirk out of the action completely?"

CockroachTeaParty
2010-07-12, 12:34 PM
Ixis steeples his fingers under his chin, contemplating for a moment.
"I shall go to this cairn with you. At the very least, it should prove to be an enriching learning experience."

dariathalon
2010-07-12, 09:57 PM
Solana

"You said dangerous. What kind of dangers are you expecting? I'm not exactly here for money, though I suppose if that's all the mission has to offer, I might still be persuaded. A bit of coin can do a lot of good in this world."

Ella
2010-07-13, 07:25 AM
Laida forces a smile at the idea of going home with the rough looking man she was pointed to, perhaps there were worse fates but that was not what she was looking for from the man, employment only, but it never hurts to play the fool.

She walks across to his table to catch his proposal, and gives him a nod to greet him without interupting. A share was more speculative than coin but she still had a little and would survive even should this expedition fail.

"I'm in, the name is Laida and it is a pleasure to meet you all."

SlyJohnny
2010-07-13, 11:54 AM
Doxx reaches over to shake Laida's hand firmly as she introduces herself. "Laida." he repeats, to commit the name to memory. "Glad to meetcha, ma'am."

Doxx eyes up the young humans around the table, raising an eyebrow as they all declare their interest. These kids are makin' me feel old. 'Sif they ain't never been bilked on a deal before. Aw, hell. Havn't had me a good strike anytime recently. Maybe there is somethin' left at this cairn. Won't hurt none to go take a look-see.

He nods to Dirk. "Reckon I'm in. You got a notion there's loot there, well, let's go get it. But if it's so secret that nobody else has up and cleaned it out yet, then how come you know about it?"

Ella
2010-07-13, 12:11 PM
"A pleasure to meet you, but you forgot to mention your own name." Laida smiles at the stranger.

SlyJohnny
2010-07-13, 12:27 PM
"Doxxalin of Clan Fardigger, at your service, ma'am." He says, making no mention of the fact it's already been said a couple of times, as the short human girl has only just walked over, and seems to be otherwise preoccupied and distracted just at the moment. "But since we're working together now, y'all go right on and call me Doxx." he adds, turning to address the whole table.

He glances around for the mead he ordered, removing it from the serving girls tray with a quick, deft movement and a "Thank-you-kindly-ma'am" as soon as it appears.

Ella
2010-07-13, 12:35 PM
"This Dirk, he seems a little bit, dangerous for one to get into business with. No pay upfront combined with danger, and the barkeep has even suggested he has debts. Do you trust him?"

Upfront, Laida had told herself, that was the way to conduct business. At least with tavern owners you could dance and sing for your board, food and the loose coins patrons could spare but this, this was a little more speculative than she was used to.

SlyJohnny
2010-07-13, 12:59 PM
Doxx blinks, staring at the woman for a moment. "Uhhh..." He turns and gives Dirk a small smile, wondering if the man heard, before turning back to Laida. He seems a little embarassed: clearly not as upfront or forward a person as her.

"Well... there's a whole bushel of cairns around these here hills. Most of them already been emptied, or ain't worth the hike out there. But he says-" Doxx gestures to Dirk to make it clear to Laida he's sitting right there, "-he says he knows somethin' we don't. The bones of it is, if his tip's good, then his tip's good. That's why I wanna know where he got the tip." Doxx says, carefully, not wanting to say too much in front of Dirk.

He drinks his mead. " 'sides, he must know better then to cross five armed people jes' lookin' for honest work. And whatever happens, I ain't gettin' involved in noones debts."

Ella
2010-07-13, 01:02 PM
"You look worried about him overhearing, I would rather suspect whatever happens tonight will be forgotten, he seems the type who will get too deep in cups given the chance." Laida smiles and turns to Dirk.

"I am after all, already signed up to go." She smiles. But no one seems to have shown up who has worked with him before, should I be worried?

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-13, 01:05 PM
Brutten

"I'm in! What could go wrong with two mighty dwarves leading the way?" Brutten asks cheerfully.


Deep down Brutten wasn't so sure about raiding a cairn for loot but pushed the thought away since he was a little desperate.

Ella
2010-07-13, 01:07 PM
Am I allowed to ask the dwarves if they have mining skill, or will that be being too familiar Laida wonders.

"Do you think the work will be very hard?" she asks.

SlyJohnny
2010-07-13, 01:15 PM
Doxx falls silent and peers at Laida over the rim of his tankard, somewhat impressed. ...She's fixin' him to grill, jes' to see what colour the fat is. Well, how about that. A mite sharper then she makes like she is.

Feeling a little safer knowing that the odd human girl is on Dirk's case, Doxx leans back into his chair, relaxing a little, and turns his attention to the other three at the table while he finishes his mead.

He barks with laughter when Brutten speaks, and leans over to slap him on the shoulder "I hear that, big feller! You look like you can handle yourself. Good to have you on board! Hey, what are you drinkin'?" He waves over the serving girl to buy them both another round.

CockroachTeaParty
2010-07-13, 03:52 PM
The bald human man listens to the others' conversation impassively. When Doxx mentions 'five armed people,' he speaks up, cracking a small smile, the first real expression you've seen on his face since he walked in.
"You mean four armed people."

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-13, 07:57 PM
Brutten

"Not everyone needs an axe to be armed." Brutten smiles at the strange man.

"Though, you really should find yourself a fine Dwarven made waraxe. It canna save yer life." Brutten advises.

"Why I'm drinking Ale, of course!" "Brutten roars in mock offense. "You won't catch me drinking that sweaty kobold piss the Elves call wine..." Brutten was completely oblivious to all the elves sitting in earshot.

Ella
2010-07-14, 06:13 AM
"You be careful drinking that much ale!" Laida gives her best stage whisper.

"Don't want to addle your mind too much when entering into a business arrangement do you." She turns her head to the side, in an attempt to cover up a smirk, while she was not one who partook of much drinking her best paying fans almost always were, and that could make it quite hard to condemn the stuff outright.

Ragnarok'n'Roll
2010-07-16, 03:38 AM
Brutten


"When do we leave?" Brutten asks the table.