Longbeard Tavern
A large, cozy space opens up before you, a natural hollow in the rock turned
into a tavern. Two openings lead out, cloak racks of cherry and brass attached
to the walls beside them. A long bar of mahogany wood lies along one side of
the room, assorted cups, mugs and flagons neatly lining the wall behind it.
Upon the other wall is built a recessed fireplace, a shaft drawing
most of the smoke up and out of the way. Across the space are set tables,
simple and sturdy, meant to be used daily. The smokey atmoshere is comfortable
and pleasant. Warm light fills the chamber from the fireplace and torches in
iron sconces upon the smooth walls. The place gives an impression of simple
comfort. Leaning against the wall in one corner near the bar is a younger
dwarf who looks sociable.
Runi
The Dwarf before you stands approximately four and a half feet tall and is
dressed in a plain white shirt, brown pants, and black boots. Over it all, he
wears a black hooded cloak that reaches down almost to his knees and is clasped
over his right shoulder with the only truly decorative item visible on him, a
golden broach inlaid with a single red garnet. His black beard comes down just
past his ribs and his black, slightly longer than shoulder length hair lays
splayed out upon the hood of his cloak.
Toran
Standing four foot 4 inches tall, this dwarf is wearing his common clothes,
which are kept in impeccable condition. A dark blue shirt is covering his
torso, with the sleeves coming to the ends of his wrists. A silver button is
fastening the top of his shirt,which a tuff of hair is seen,and on each of the
ruffled cuff. His shirt is tucked in a pair of black pants fastened by a copper
button. A pair of finely crafted leather boots, which come up to the midcalf,
adorn his feet. A deep purple hood and cloak are draped across his head and
down his back which ends just before the ground. A brooch made of high quality
white gold with a plantinum trim is attached to his upper left brest side. His
facial hair is well trimmed and his brown beard is braided down both sides of
his face tied by gold-colored string.His brown hair is covered by his hood but
his brown hair is seen poking out from under it. His brown eyes burn with an
intensity to his foes, but appear more relaxed when in the presence of his
fellow dwarves and friends.
Ordin
At range of your eyes, you see dwarf. He seems a slight bit shorter
than the rest of the dwarves these days, but his solid and bulky purportions
make up for this. He's a well matured dwarf, with long grey hair, parted at the
very top, and dangling past his shoulders. His beard is just as grey, with
hints of brown and black, stumbling down past his large belly, braided and
drably decorated with strands of hemp and grey silk which blends with his beard
nicely. His blue eyes are set deep under his wrinkled face and bushy and wild
eyebrows. But of all the features on his face besides his beard, his nose
stands out the most; standing large and red from the icy and frostbitten
climates it's weathered.
He wears an old drab grey burlap cloak, worn and torn enough to hint
that it has obviously lived out many a storm and battle. At the top of the
cloak, are two draw strings for the hood. They are decorated with cobalt and
amythest beads, and are briaded much like his beard. Underneath this cloak, he
wears a thick black tabard, unmarked by any crest or by any banner, but by rips
and tears, which have been stiched up as best they can. And underneath this
tabard, slight hints of worn leather and chain links. This tabard is held snug
to the armor by an old brown belt with a bronze buckle. To the right side of
this belt sits a large leather pouch, carrying many of his traveling
belongings. To the other side of this pouch is his weapon, with many inhumane
yet just deeds lingering at it's blade.
***** Erebor Time + Weather Service ******************************************
** Real time is: Mon Aug 09 12:36:44 1999, GMT -8 **
Elendor time is: Midnight (about Time for a Midnight snack ) on Highday, 6
February 3018. In the Winter sky, The first quarter moon drifts through the sky
fair unto a gleaming ship.
****************************************** Erebor Time + Weather Service *****
As the night grows late and midnight comes and goes, patrons start leaving and
the place grows quiet. The fire burns low and the glowing embers cast dancing
shadows on the wall. At the round table, an old dwarf is dozing behind deveral
large mugs of dwarven ale. The table is a mess, but his drinking partners have
left. As a late arrival slamms the door, Gumbart jumps and looks around again.
As he doesn't see anybody he knows he starts drinking again. You hear him
mutter, "And I'll pay them back, I will! I'll gather the riches of the world
and then I'll buy their homes, their wives, their children, their business,
their clothes, everything!"
Runi, who had been sitting quietly and a table, occasionally mouthing words to
himself, looks up suddenly at the old Dwarf's outburst. He raises an eyebrow as
he notices the large number of beer mugs before Gumbart. He then smiles and,
picking up his own mug, walks over to Gumbart and says, "Do you mind if I sit
down here?"
With bloodshot eyes sunk deep within his wrinkled face, the old dwarf raises
his mug and says, "Aye, do take a seat, young one." He stares as Runi takes a
seat and keeps nodding his head. Suddenly he grips his mug and rises for about
an inch before falling back onto the bench. "Gumbart, at your services," he
manages.
Ordin has arrived.
Khulain cheerily says, "Ho there, and welcome to the Longbeard Tavern!"
"Runi, at yours and your family's," says Runi, bowing low. Runi takes a seat
beside Gumbart and asks, "I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be
rather... agitated about something. Do you mind if I ask what it is?"
Toran stumbles in the Longbeard from the Great Hall. Quickly scanning the room,
Toran barely makes his way to the bar and lays his head down on the counter. He
motions for Khulain to lean down and he whispers something to him as Khulain
goes back to work. Closing his eyes, Toran almost looks like he's sleeping.
Gumbart leans towards Runi and says knowingly, "Do do it all the time! Them
greedy bloodsuckers in Dale, the cheating skinny people in Laketown." and
spits, only barely missing the table. He turns his gaze back to Runi, and
continues, envelopping Runi in the smell of old ale, "See, I'll get my money
back, however. I've travelled a lot in my younger days, and I know how to get
there, you see. And I will find it."
Ordin staggers in with snow on his cloak and beard and his frozen red hands
firmly attached to his belt. He sniffs as he walks, and upon occasion dares to
wipe his nose with the back of his hand. Just like maggots to a corpse, Ordin
finds his way to a bar stool and slowly sets himself down, breathing sighs of
relief the whole way down, and shaking snow off in all directions, scattering
patrons to further locations. As the barkeep sees Ordin situated enough, he
comes over to check on the old beardling. "Somethin' strong," Ordin mutters as
he secures his hammer to his belt and searches for his pouch of coins. Khulain
scurries off to fix the old one a drink. Ordin scans the room for a moment and
finally spots a familiar figure, slumped over at the bar a ways away from him.
As soon as he recieves his ale, he gets up and proceeds to Toran and takes a
seat. With a slight spell of hesitation, Ordin begins in a low and friendly
voice, "Troubles, master?"
Toran 's ears perk up at the sound of a familiar voice. He manages to turn his
head around and manages a smile at his warder friend. He closes his eyes again
as he says, "These reports are going to be the death of me. Every time I
finish, I have another stack from the next patrol group. I can't wait until
Lord Loigin can take his duties fully again."
Gumbart shoots a mistrustfull glance at the new arrivals. "Ah, they live the
good life," he mutters to none in particular. "But I'll show them, yet. I'll
find it. And I'll collect all the wealth of the world in my hands. I will." he
continues to mutter in slurred drunken stupor. "Aye, if there only was a strong
arm left in Erebor, a brave soul," he moans and finishes his last ale. By now
his hands are shaking wildly and he seems ready to fall from the bench anytime
now.
Gumbart looks at Runi again, his eyes barely focussing. He silently opens and
closes his mouth a few times. The drunkard's stench wafts through the tavern's
air in filthy clouds. Suddenly, just as you thought that he might speak, he
cries, "Ah, can't trust anybody now!" and tries to jump up. He fails to get a
grip on the table and stumbles backwards, turning and flailing his arms. He
trips and falls headlong onto the grimy tavern floor. He moans, "Aaaaaah... It
is still there... I can see it." and passes out.
Ordin looks off far into the rack of tankards that lay in his direct line of
sight, as he throws back his head, knocking yet more snow off of his beard,
downing half the tankard of ale. The old dwarf briskly shakes his head this way
and that and lets out a cough. He looks back at Gumbart, and grows a bit of a
smile to his face as he looks down his tankard once more before looking back to
Toran, "aye... aye, indeed, master..." Ordin says, bobing his head slightly as
he scans for the barkeep for future reference. Quickly he jerks his head back
to his old friend, "Just be lucky ye not the one guiding a bunch of misfits on
patrols all the damned day long out in the freezing cold... That," he begins to
shake his finger at Toran, "That, mefriend is somethin' ye haven't felt in some
time, I recokon..." The old dwarf, startled, looks back at Grumbart as he falls
and emits a long roar of laughter
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