Beginner 5E Game [IC]

[JNAProductions]

You meet in a tavern. From across the continent you have come here, and today, it all begins. Or at least... That's the hope.

You're currently in the quaint little village of Edinborough. It's been having trouble with goblins, mostly, and a few orcs here and there. While they haven't exactly ASKED for help (the people of Edinborough are a proud folk) you know they need it.

But, of course, you need two things before setting out. Information, which hopefully the bartender (a young gnomish woman behind the bar) and the patrons (of which there are currently four, three together playing cards at a table and one sitting in the corner, drinking alone) can help with; and liquid courage.

[Nova_Eclipse]

A young elvish woman enters the tavern, her clothes dusty from the road. Her blue eyes survey the room for a brief moment, before she makes her way to the bar and takes a seat. Her slight frame and long ears complement her dark hair in a folksy sort of way, and her dark blue pants are set off by her white shirt and blue vest. A common sort of outfit, out of place exactly nowhere. Yuri offers a bright smile to the bartender, before speaking gently in Common.

"I'll take a beer, please."

[JNAProductions]

"Sure thing!" the gnome behind the bar replies. She grabs a mug and fills it from a keg, then slides it over. "That'll be one silver, if you would."

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri fishes into her belt pouch and withdraws a single gold piece, placing it gently on the bar, before taking up the mug and taking a long pull from it. It's been awhile since she's had a good drink, and she intends to make the most of it. The rumor of goblin trouble in the area she heard in the next town over can wait a few moments, until she's managed to quench her thirst and enjoy the beer for a little bit. After a moment, she lowers the mug, her smile even brighter, practically beaming now.

"Ahhh, that hits the spot!"

[The Big Bear]

A dwarf barrels through the door of the establishment, bellowing:

”BWAHAHAH!! Now THIS looks like the kind o’ place a dwarf could get a quality ale!”

As he made his way to the bar Dain surveyed the scene, eyes eventually falling on the gnome woman behind the bar and the elven woman sitting there. The dwarf’s movement was announced by his clinking mail and the thud of his heavy boots. While he kept the top of his black hair cut to a sharp flat top as often as possible, his beard was a flowing tangle that made the way nearly to his belt line. The shield strapped to his back bore the symbol of his family, a tapped keg pouring into a mug. Dain certainly fit the description of the typical dwarf: loud and built like a barrel. The dwarf plopped down on the stool next to the elf, nodded and said curtly “Elf” and turned his attention to the barkeep.

“Could I trouble ye fer two of yer finest ales? Bwahaha!”

[JNAProductions]

The gnomish woman nods, and heads for the back, going through a small door (only about four feet high-the establishment is, presumably, designed in the back for smaller folk).

She comes back out with two mugs full of frothy ale, and sets them on the bar for the loud dwarf. "Two silver apiece, good sir!"

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri turns and watches the dwarf enter with interest in her eyes. She nods back at him and smiles again when he acknowledges her.

"Hello, sir dwarf. I think you'll be pleased; the beer here is quite good." She takes another swig from her own mug as the barkeep comes back. "Have you traveled far to get here?"

[The Big Bear]

The barkeep returned and placed the mugs in front of Dain, his face lit up and he bellowed “Bwahaha!! A pleasant sight for me eyes!” Dain reaches into his a pouch on his hip and produces a gold coin, slamming it onto the bar before gripping one of the mugs and proceeding to take several heavy swigs. “Thank ye, Madam Gnome fer the fine ale!”

Dain then turned his attention to the elf, raised his glass and took another swig.
“Sure, ye could say it’s been a long road fer me.” . After placing down his mug Dain offers a hand toward the elf and straightens up slightly on his stool. “Me name is Dain Darkbrew. It’s a pleasure to share an ale with ye!”

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri's practically beaming as she takes Dain's hand and shakes it firmly.

"It surely is a pleasure, Mister Darkbrew. I'm Yuri Mysolaes, please, call me Yuri." She takes up her mug once more. "What brought you on such a long journey? Fame, fortune, adventure, business?"

[Pheehelm]

Macil quietly slipped into the tavern, stood up against the wall near the door, and surveilled the customers. Didn't seem that anyone else from Widow-bury was around. He wasn't necessarily expecting anyone, but if he could make it here as fast as he had, so could some angry people back home.

Well, new place, new things to do. First order of business would be to make new, powerful friends. Next was to find out if anyone had some ill-gained or ill-spent money better exchanged for one of his Elvish Miracle Elixirs. He didn't know much about Edinborough, though it seemed a bit small for the sort of organized crime he was used to.

In any case, the best way to start would be to find the loudest, friendliest, and ideally drunkest people around. The card players were an unknown quantity; they may be close friends having a private game, or a more public group open to strangers. Quietly drinking alone in the corner didn't ring his bells, either.

An armed and armored dwarf at the bar already booming with laughter, on the other hand, seemed like something that rang every bell. Macil quietly slipped over to the bar, sat down by the dwarf, and mouthed "water" to the bartender. Proper drinking could come later. For now, he wanted his wits about him.

[The Big Bear]

His attention on the elf beside him, Dain chuckles “Bwahaha! Well met, Yuri, but Mister Darkbrew is me clan elder; please call me Dain.” while shaking her hand with a firm grip. He proceeds to take another series of swigs from his first ale, now nearly empty. As he pulls the mug away from his mouth a layer of frothy foam remains fixed on his mustache, some liquid dripping along the length of his beard.

“I suppose you could say I’m...in the business of adventuring for fame and fortune...Bwahaha!!” he replied, in an obvious attempt to seem clever. Dain raised the mug of ale to his lips and finished it off. As he slammed the now empty mug back to the bar top, Dain looked to the barkeep to gauge her demeanor; he didn’t want to cause too much of a ruckus in this establishment, after all.

His gaze now facing the bar, Dain noticed another person now sitting to his other side, on a barstool he swore was empty just a moment ago. “BWAH, where ye come from, elf?” He said, addressing the newcomer, before turning back to Yuri to ask “Friend o’ yers?” while pointing at the half-elf.

[ShadowMist]

Aidan enters tavern quietly, and without drawing too much attention he makes his way towards the bar. He takes a good look around, and orders four mugs of fine ale. Completely ignoring the elf and the dwarf, he leaves two gold pieces at the bar and makes his way towards one of the tables. "Mind if I join in on the game?" he asks, as he puts down the mugs.

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri chuckles along with Dain's laughter when he says he's in the adventuring business. Well, will wonders never cease, perhaps he's here for the same reason she is, then. She blinks a moment when Dain notes the half-elf who's managed to sneak up on Dain's other side. Her startled expression quickly gives way to a friendly smile, though.

"Not yet, but I wouldn't mind making another new one! Hello, sir, how're you doing today?"

[JNAProductions]

Macil quietly slipped into the tavern, stood up against the wall near the door, and surveilled the customers. Didn't seem that anyone else from Widow-bury was around. He wasn't necessarily expecting anyone, but if he could make it here as fast as he had, so could some angry people back home.

Well, new place, new things to do. First order of business would be to make new, powerful friends. Next was to find out if anyone had some ill-gained or ill-spent money better exchanged for one of his Elvish Miracle Elixirs. He didn't know much about Edinborough, though it seemed a bit small for the sort of organized crime he was used to.

In any case, the best way to start would be to find the loudest, friendliest, and ideally drunkest people around. The card players were an unknown quantity; they may be close friends having a private game, or a more public group open to strangers. Quietly drinking alone in the corner didn't ring his bells, either.

An armed and armored dwarf at the bar already booming with laughter, on the other hand, seemed like something that rang every bell. Macil quietly slipped over to the bar, sat down by the dwarf, and mouthed "water" to the bartender. Proper drinking could come later. For now, he wanted his wits about him.

The gnome nods and quickly fills a glass with water for him.

Aidan enters tavern quietly, and without drawing too much attention he makes his way towards the bar. He takes a good look around, and orders four mugs of fine ale. Completely ignoring the elf and the dwarf, he leaves two gold pieces at the bar and makes his way towards one of the tables. "Mind if I join in on the game?" he asks, as he puts down the mugs.

The gold sits atop the pile of copper and silver, gleaming bright. The men stop a moment, and then one says "Sure! So long as you're willing to lose that you just put down."

One of the others adds "You can take it back, stranger, if you want. We don't need that much coin-but if you're sure..."

[ShadowMist]

"I am always ready to lose my gold. That's what makes gambling fun." He answers with a confident smirk. "However, if you don't feel like parting with your money you can offer something else. Information, perhaps? That is something I can appreciate, being new in this parts."

[JNAProductions]

"I am always ready to lose my gold. That's what makes gambling fun." He answers with a confident smirk. "However, if you don't feel like parting with your money you can offer something else. Information, perhaps? That is something I can appreciate, being new in this parts."

The first man speaks again, saying "What kind of information?"

[ShadowMist]

"I heard that you have been having some nasty trouble. Of the goblinoid kind." Aidan answers. "Maybe you can tell me more about it, and in exchange I will not take your money once I win." He says with a chuckle. "Maybe I can even solve your problem for you, wouldn't that be nice? Now, which one of you boys is going to deal me in?"

[JNAProductions]

The silent man gathers the cards from the table and quickly shuffles them. He deals out to the now four people at the table. "I assume you know how to play," the first man to talk says.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Not gonna bother making up a game. Roll me an Intelligence or Charisma (Playing Cards) check.

Spoiler: Their Rolls (DM Only)

Show

(1d20+3)[11] First
(1d20+2)[12] Second
(1d20+4)[10] Silent

[Pheehelm]

“BWAH, where ye come from, elf?”

Macil smirked through his inclination to frown. Dwarves had a history of calling him "elf," usually because they had trouble telling the difference; this one could be corrected later. It didn't seem to matter anyways -- given his enthusiasm for the apparently full-blooded elf on the other side, he seemed not to be hostile to them as a race.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" he asked with exaggerated innocence. "I've been here."

"Not yet, but I wouldn't mind making another new one! Hello, sir, how're you doing today?"

"Oh, I am just fantastic. How are you?" he replied, reaching for his glass. As he raised the glass to his lips, he heard conversation from the card table. A fourth person had joined the game, and not the loner in the corner. He noticed the topic had turned to information about local problems. Perhaps a little eavesdropping was in order.

[ShadowMist]

"Of course. We are talking about standard rules, right?" Aidan says, as he picks up his cards.

Spoiler: Charisma Roll

Show

That would be a +4, since I am proficient in Playing Cards.
(1d20+4)[6]

[JNAProductions]

The game goes on for a few hands. The gentlemen seem to be reasonably well-versed in the game, and while normally Aidan would feel their match, at the very least, he plays rather poorly.

Counting out the spoils afterward, Aidan is left with three copper, while the second man who spoke (who's name, as it came out in the game, is Andrew) gets an entire gold piece, as well as a small handful of other coins. The first man who spoke (Callum) gets another gold and a few copper, while the remainder ends with Goerge (the quiet one).

Andrew laughs loudly, saying "Ha-ha, yes! Hope that wasn't too much for you, stranger. But, I think we're all feeling a little generous. Get our man here a drink, Adelaide!" he calls to the gnome behind the bar.

"And," Callum says, "we'd be happy to tell you about the troubles we've had, if you're willing to help."

[Nova_Eclipse]

"I'm doing quite well, thank you," Yuri says, beaming, before she takes another pull from her mug. "Though, I've heard the town's been having some troubles with some unsavory creatures. I came to see if I might lend a hand. How about you, sir? What brought you here?"

[ShadowMist]

"Every coin has two signs. Your victory is fair, I have no hard feelings. Besides, losing can be the best way to make friends." He answers with a chuckle. His face soon changes to a rather serious expression. "Any information you can provide would be helpful. I don't want to run in blind and get myself killed."

[Pheehelm]

"What brought you here?"

Macil considered his answer carefully. He wasn't sure about the elf, but he knew dwarves (aside from the gangsters in Widow-bury, who were a bunch of characters all their own) placed great importance on unity, integrity, and home. He, meanwhile, was on the run from people back home he'd infuriated, and for all he knew, the dwarf would lose any sympathy for him upon learning this. The priority for now was to ingratiate himself.

"Well, I wouldn't say anything for fame, but fortune appeals to me just as much." His voice became quieter as he spoke. The card players were getting to the interesting part.

[JNAProductions]

"Edinborough itself has been safe," Callum says, "but we've had merchants from elsewhere get attacked. They come in, half their goods gone, destroyed or stolen, and leave as soon as they can. It's all been to the northwestern road-to the south has been safe for now. Reports from the merchants say they've never seen more than a dozen goblins at a time, but they shoot the horses with a poison arrow or something. Doesn't kill them-usually-but it knocks them right the hell out. Once they're stopped, the goblins attack."

Andrew adds a little, saying "We've only heard of the little goblins-no hobs, no bugbears. But the issue is, there are other roads merchants can take. If this keeps up, we won't have the trade we need to get by. Sure, we can live off the farms and animals, but we'll just kinda fade from memory of the bigger cities, and then no one will be around to protect us from any bigger threats."

[ShadowMist]

"So, the goblins are organized? That is... troubling." Aidan scratches his chin before continuing. "Someone more intelligent must be behind this. So, the merchants aren't the real targets? Someone is trying to cut you off?"

[Nova_Eclipse]

Yuri nods, apparently oblivious to the conversation at the card table.

"I see. Well, I didn't come to get famous, I came to help, but fortune favors the bold, after all." She finishes her drink and looks to the bartender. Might as well get on with what she came to do. Dain might be willing to help, and if she can convince the newcomer there's money in it....

"Excuse me, miss, but could I have another beer please? And...perhaps you've heard something about these goblins that have been rumored to be causing trouble?" She offers the bartender a winning smile as she draws two more gold from her belt pouch, and places them on the bar. She doesn't say she'll make it worth the bartender's while, but the implication is certainly there....

[JNAProductions]

"Sure, if you'd like. Andrew, Callum, and George over there, though, know a little more," Adelaide replies, filling her mug again.

[Nova_Eclipse]

"Thanks," Yuri says, as she takes a pull from the new mug, leaving the gold on the bar, "I might ask them in a bit, but what have you heard?"

[JNAProductions]

"Grandpa says they're causing a lot of trouble," she answers. "Can't get any supplies for his alchemy anymore. He's got some left, but they're running low. Now," she continues, dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "grandpa says that there's someone behind it. That they have a plan-not just random raiding. But," she raises her voice back to normal again, "I think he's just getting old."