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* Drach quietly steps from a dark corner and pulls a stool around behind the bar. One of the mugs peers out quietly from the kitchen, and inches its way towards the bar. * Drach snaps his fingers, and the door unlocks with a quiet click. "Hall's open." * Drach cracks his knuckles, and twirls around on his stool, filling himself a glass. * Drach takes a quick sip, and looks at the mug inching its way towards the counter. "Come over, little fellow. You're welcome." * Philister wanders into the Hall and makes his way to the bar. After hoisting himself onto a stool, he looks at the taps for a moment. "A mug of meade, Drach, please." * Zoya comes through the front/side door, more subdued than usual, though as she pushes her hood back, she seems as cheerful as usual. Her blue faerie-dragon is coiled around her neck, and the white streak in her purple hair (is it wider than last week?) seems a match for his silver stripes. <Drach> Sure thing. Drach reaches out, snagging a mug, and promptly fills it. This should suffice. He pushes the mug across to Philister. * Zoya perches on a barstool and smiles warmly at Drach. <Zoya> Thanks to you, friend, the end of my journey is in sight. <Philister> takes the mug and takes a healthy gulp Thanks. What with the weather being this warm lately, this is quite welcome. drinks some more * Drach cocks an eyebrow at Zoya. "Glad to hear it, I think." He glances down at the mug which, having clambered up on the bar, is tugging on his sleeve. <Zoya> laugh You wouldn't have taken me as far as you did if you thought it was a bad thing. * Zoya 's faerie dragon chitters impatiently. * Drach shrugs. "Maybe, maybe not." He makes a sort of "later" motion to the mug. <Zoya> Oh, all right, you greedy thing. Drach? My friend would like a barley beer, please. If you haven't barley beer, he'll suffer through a wheat. * Drach narrows his eyes, thinking. "I'll see what I can manage." He hops off the stool (practically disappearing behind the bar), rummages around, and fills a saucer with a darkish brown liquid. * Jelarthna saunters in, a spritely bounce to his step. * Drach hops back up on the stool (after placing the saucer on the counter), and pushes it towards Zoya. "This may suit. I dunno. It's not wheat." <Jelarthna> Good evening everyone! * Jelarthna walks over to the bar. <Jelarthna> How are you this evening, Drach? Thanks again for helping me out a couple of weeks ago. I'm sleeping ever so much better now! * Drach nods, shrugging. "Glad to help. What can I get you this evening?" <Philister> chuckles quietly <Jelarthna> Hmmm. How about some Arabellan Red? * Zoya 's faerie dragon leans down toward the saucer (maintaining an extremely precarious perch on her shoulder, tail wrapped tightly around her neck for balance) and sniffs delicately at the saucer. Then, with a delighted-sounding chirp, he begins somewhat noisily to slurp up the beer. <Jelarthna> Good evening, Zoya, Phillister. How are the two of you doing? * Drach quickly decants a glass and pushes it across to Jel. "Here you are." <Philister> waves his hand a little I'm all right. Working on a little of this, a little of that. <Zoya> Good evening Jelarthna! <Zoya> Quite well, indeed, thank you. And yourself? Zoya disentangles her dragon from around her neck and re-wraps him around an arm. The faerie-dragon, intent on his beer, doesn't even notice <Jelarthna> nods to Drach Thank you, my friend. <Jelarthna> looks at Phillister And somehow I suspect you don't wish to talk about most of it, eh? smiles That's okay. <Jelarthna> bows to Zoya I'm feeling quite fine indeed. <Jelarthna> I did have some trouble several days ago, however. <Zoya> What trouble was that? <Jelarthna> Well, I was out for a peaceful ride not far outside town when something spooked my horse. shakes his head The poor creature threw me and ran so wildly into a copse of trees that it broke it's leg. <Zoya> The faerie dragon lifts its head from the now-empty saucer and motions toward Drach for another. With her free hand, Zoya motions to Drach to water the next saucer down a bit <Zoya> Oh, dear, that's terrible. Did you have to put it down? <Jelarthna> a bit sadly I'm afraid so. I was quite a ways out, and she was suffering terribly. * Drach hops off the stool, and fills the saucer (very quetly thinning it a little), and returns the saucer to the faerie dragon before perching back on his stool. <Zoya> That's too bad. <Jelarthna> And whatever spooked her was still at work, because she continued to try and run, even on her broken leg. * Zoya looks somewhat horrified. <Zoya> Did you discover what it was? <Jelarthna> I searched the area quite thoroughly after that disturbing incident. I even used magical detection. *Something* was in the area, but it defied my abilities to find it. <Zoya> The faerie dragon leans back down and starts drinking again. After a few slurps, he lifts his head and stares accusingly at Zoya for a few moments, who doesn't seem to notice. He sighs audibly and goes back to drinking <Philister> leans slightly towards Jelarthna, to better hear his story <Zoya> That's quite upsetting. How close were you to town? <Jelarthna> It was about three to five miles out of town... Now that I think on it, I seem to recall the treeline changing slightly at some point. * Jelarthna scratches his head. <Zoya> Hmm. I wonder if that's close enough to convince the Dragons do go out and have a look. Well, they've been out in the swamps, haven't they? * Drach takes a sip and scratches at his beard. He motions the mug, dismissed earlier, into a quiet conference. <Jelarthna> I wouldn't know, I'm afraid. I can tell you that whatever was there that day was not there two days ago. I went back out to do a more intensive search, and whatever presence was there was long gone. <Zoya> Hmm. Quite peculiar. Might you be able to recognize it if you encountered it again? <Jelarthna> nods firmly It defied description, but the strange sensations are not something I would easily forget. * Zoya frowns, muttering to herself and apparently trying to solve the mystery. <Jelarthna> I could show you the area if you like. I'm quite puzzled about the whole thing, myself. * Jelarthna sips his wine and smiles slightly. <Zoya> I wouldn't mind taking a look. I might have run across whatever-it-is in one of my travels. <Jelarthna> Wonderful. Just let me know when you have some free time for the foray. <Zoya> Oh, aside from a bit of research tomorrow morning, I'm free any time. The lovely thing about being your own employer is that you get to decide for yourself what is and isn't important. smile <Jelarthna> grins back Yes, being a full time adventurer is like that, too. <Zoya> Precisely. Let's see... Five miles or so out of town, with some cross-tracking... I'll be able to travel light. <Philister> grins at the two ne'er-do-wells I'd join you, but being retired, I think I have a nap scheduled for tomorrow, and I just don't think I could cancel it at this late date. grins, and has some more meade <Jelarthna> chuckles Well, there are some very nice nap spots out there, Philister. <Zoya> perks up as a sudden thought enters her head Are you *sure* you're retired, Philister? <Philister> Indeed, there are. I may drown a worm or two while I'm at it. <Jelarthna> There's an image I didn't need... <Philister> I'm fairly sure I am. No one's been paying me for anything lately, so either I'm retired or unabashedly unemployed. Retirement is more dignified. drinks some more meade <Zoya> Would you be *interested* in getting paid? * Jelarthna snorts <Philister> looks Zoya straight in the eye Not to go where I *think* you're going to go. I *like* being all in one piece, with gnomish arms and legs. shudders slightly * Zoya looks like she's going to try another tack, then shrugs and gives up. The faerie dragon burps softly, then hiccups loudly, face resting in the bottom of his empty beer saucer, eyes half-closed * Jelarthna nudges the faerie dragon slightly. * Drach looks up at Zoya, no trace of humor on his face. He speaks somewhat gruffly. "Want me to wake him up?" <Zoya> back to Jelarthna Anyway... The faerie dragon responds to Jelarthna's nudging by crawling off Zoya's arm and curling up entirely in the saucer. Shortly, quiet snores emmanate from under one delicate blue-and-silver wing. <Zoya> Nah, let him sleep a bit. I had him working very hard today. I'll wake him up before I leave. * Jelarthna grins the sleepy-drunk dragon. <Zoya> grinning I don't usually let him have beer, but he was so good today - hardly any complaints - I just couldn't refuse. <Jelarthna> I suppose he deserves a break, then. Is he your familiar, or just a friend? <Zoya> smiling and stroking the faerie-dragon's nose gently A bit of both. He's bound to me as familiar, but we've been together so long, sometimes it's hard to remember. <Jelarthna> That's good. I've seen too many wizards that treated their familars as servants rather than friends. <Jelarthna> I suppose that's why I've never had one, myself. I can't help but be afraid that I'd take it for granted. <Zoya> Yes, well... It's a lot easier to order around an animal - even a very intelligent one - than a creature that might possibly be more intelligent than oneself... Binding something that advanced is much more difficult - but definately worth the extra effort. <Drach> As long as it's not from the nether planes. Drach's eye fairly burns at the thought <Jelarthna> I suppose it probably is. But I'm usually not settled down in one place long enough to try. Although there have been plenty of times when I could have used the company. <Jelarthna> Ack! No thank you! <Zoya> glances at Drach Good heavens, no! Don't they have faerie dragons around here? They're... Well, not *common*, but not exactly *rare* on my world. They're quite good. A bit mischevious fairly often, and occasionally lazy... But hardly evil. * Drach blinks slightly. "No, they're not phenomenally rare." he coughs "I was meerely making an observation." <Philister> grins into his mug at Drach's commentary and finishes off the meade Drach, another? * Jelarthna sips his wine to hide a grin. * Drach reaches precariously from his stool to fill the mug, and then returns it to Philister. "Here you go." <Philister> nods and drinks some more <Jelarthna> So, milady, where and when would you like to meet tomorrow? <Zoya> Hmm. Would the Mage's Guild be convenient? <Jelarthna> That's fine. Would you like me to bring a horse for you? <Zoya> No, I'll have one, thank you. Though given the performance of your horse today, perhaps we should leave our mounts at the gate and do our searching on foot? <Jelarthna> looks thoughtful It would take a lot longer that way, but probably more humane. I'll bring along some food for the day. <Zoya> I'll bring some, too. In fact, I might prepare for a night out, just in case. <Zoya> I wouldn't want to get on its trail and then have to turn back because of the time. <Jelarthna> That would be wise. Is there anything you'd like me to pick up while you're working on your experiment? <Zoya> considers Some holy water might be useful, and I used the last of mine months ago. <Philister> fumbles around in his pocket, brings out a dried strip of meat, and starts chewing on it thoughtfully, while drinking his meade <Jelarthna> That shouldn't be too difficult. I learned where all of the temples and holy places are in town a couple of weeks ago... <Jelarthna> glances at Phil Does that go well with the meade? <Philister> his mouth full, he grunts an affirmative at Jelarthna * Drach winds down his quiet conference with the mug and shoos it back to the kitchen. * Jelarthna grins and takes another sip of wine. <Philister> chew chew chew <Jelarthna> And it's amazing how long it lasts, isn't it? * Drach pushes a small vial across to Zoya. "This suffice?" <Philister> nod chew nod chew nod chew gulp Uh-huh. * Zoya takes the vial from Drach, opens the stopper, and sniffs at it cautiously. <Zoya> Very well, Drach. Thank you. She smiles warmly * Drach shrugs, and takes a sip from his glass. * Jelarthna sips the last of his wine and shakes his head at the vagueries of fate. <Philister> chew chew chew, has finished off most of the current strip of jerky, as well as his mug of meade * Zoya slowly starts gathering the sleeping faerie-dragon up from his saucer. <Jelarthna> Have you ever tried soaking the jerky in the meade for a couple of hours? <Philister> raises an eyebrow at Jelarthna I hadn't. And I really don't think I will... * Drach drains his glass, and deposits it behind the counter. <Jelarthna> It softens it up a lot. I once took a hard hit to the jaw and I could barely chew for a couple of weeks. And all I had on my was hard bread, jerky, water, and meade. <Philister> Huh. Maybe I'll try it. Maybe. <Zoya> wrapping the snoring dragon around her neck That sounds awful. <Jel> I'm not saying it was *good*! But it was interesting... * Jel sets his empty glass on the counter. <Zoya> The faerie dragon lifts his head and mutters sleepily to Zoya No, you can rest. I'm sure I can make it back to our rooms without your expert guidance. Besides, we've got an adventure planned for the morning. The dragon moans softly and hides his head under Zoya's hair * Jelarthna snickers slightly. <Jelarthna> Is there anything he likes particularly that I can bring along? <Philister> laughs and nudges his mug towards the kitchen I had best be going. I have a full day ahead of me tomorrow. <Jelarthna> grins Maybe some jerky soaked in meade? <Zoya> laughs at Jel's suggestion Sugar lumps, if you've got them. He's got an amazing sweet tooth. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. <Jelarthna> Okay then. If you're going to work him again, he ought to get something for it. <Zoya> Oh, once he gets over his hangover, he'll be eager to go. He's been getting bored with Marsember - he's a real adventure-hound. <Jelarthna> I can certainly understand that! * Jel jumps up and bows to everyone. <Zoya> I'd better get going and tuck him in, though. Heaven knows he's going to be grumpy enough with his hangover even if he gets to sleep in his bed. If he has to spend much more time over my shoulders, he'll be worse. <Jelarthna> Well, I had better get going and start getting ready for tomorrow. * Drach hops off his stool and bows to Jelarthna (who misses it entirely, since he's shorter than the counter). <Zoya> Good night, all! See you tomorrow, mid-morning, at the Mage's Guild, Jelarthna! <Jelarthna> Goodnight Zoya. Sleep well. <Jelarthna> looks around for Drach <Jelarthna> shrugs Goodnight, Philister. * Drach 's hand waves goodnight over the bar <Philister> scrounges around in his pocketses and puts several gold pieces on the bar:: Evening, everyone. ::wanders out to the door:: <Jelarthna> Ah! There you are! Goodnight, Drach. * Drach scuttles around, clearing those glasses which choose to not clear themselves. "Good night, sir." * Jelarthna leaves a small purse on the counter and saunters out the door. * Drach deposits the payments in the till, does a quick sweep, and exits the Hall, locking the door behind him. |
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