(M) Age of the Dragon Lords, CH 1: The Door of Night IC.

[SikstaSlathalin]

The Constable of the Grey listened to his companions words and nodded slowly. It has been a long journey and more than half of his team still looked rather green. Time is always of the essence during a Blight, but sometimes tactical logic overrules the urgency of a mission. This was one of those times, they weren't fighting fit, they knew nothing of the land, the people, or the new Darkspawn. He wished
Laurenas had been able to brief them a little bit more. But she and her crew were focused almost solely on learning all the knowledge of the Wardens.

The Champion learned only the names of the major settlements of Endor and the whereabouts of the bulk of the Darkspawn. They were coming from and centered around the cursed area known as Mordor in the southeast. That is likely where they would find the Archdemon, but to get there would require more than just his Wardens and the Legion of the Dead. He hoped the people of Endor were ready for what would need to be done. Finally the leader came to a decision nodding back towards where he assumed the Defenders had come from. "A day or so of rest and reconnaissance will do us good, then we'll head for this...Gondor and meet your King."

Jagmar nodded and smartly turned on his heel and led the group back to the Prancing Pony. Everyone was able to secure their own room. And as night fell the group, including the three Dwarves Arawn sent out we gathered in the tavern enjoying some good food, drink, and intelligence gathering.

[Dnafein]

Griffin’s table was loaded with a variety of plates and cups. Each loaded with a different morsel; The only food free space around the qunari was filled by his book. As he sampled the different plates he made notes about each. The notes could be about the texture, taste or appearance. Anything that caught the warden's attention.

The horned man appeared intimidating to the locals, however his easy smile and willingness to share his feast quickly set most minds to ease. Conversation seemed to flow around the ox-man, and even though he repeatedly made notes about the food, Grif listened to the information being discussed around him.

Arawn sat with the other legionnaires. They quietly discussed what the scouts had discovered in their brief excursion. They talked about the similarity they saw and the layout of the surrounding area. Arawn paid some attention to the discussion but for the most part he drank his beer and watched the locals.

They appeared tired and nervous even in this fairly safe location. Is this what a blight is like for the surface dwelling races? A taste of what life is like in Orzammar, constantly worried about the darkspawn threat? When it is a feature of everyday life you don't notice how wearing it can be; When you see someone else living the same way the tragedy becomes apparent. It saddened the dwarf, yet hardened his resolve. He would do whatever it took to aid the wardens in ending this threat permanently.

[bluemoon]

Banai sat at her typical table in the back, watching the newcomers with curiosity. She had a full bowl of a thick stew before her, a thin layer of fat having formed over the top surface as it cooled. Next to it sat a half loaf of bread, also untouched, and a pint of mead. It was her third cup, and she sipped from it almost continuously, but with caution, so as not to become too intoxicated such as the night previous. Even if she had been hungry, watching the horned man consume so much food would have turned her stomach. There was little room for anything else on his table and with so many others sampling the wares...well, she couldn't stomach that either. Everyone seemed to have something to discuss, which wasn't surprising considering their long journey, but she couldn't find it in herself to mingle and she had little intel to share. Besides, it just wasn't her way...she usually allowed others to come to her. Finally having had her fill of company, she took up her cup and chugged the remainder then gathered up her sword and shield and made her way through the door.

A cool breeze greeted the dwarf and she pulled her hood up and tightened her cape about her short, but stout, frame. The darkness was interrupted with a heavy layer of stars, like jewels scattered upon an ebony blanket. Although visibility was poor, it wasn't long before her eyes adjusted and Banai felt a calmness settle over her as she made her way over to the barn. She leaned up against the rough-sawn wood and took out a few of her gems, turning them in her fingers as their brilliance twinkled against the starlight. She squeezed them in her palm, their presence alone making her feel content. In another time, she could have made a killing on all the things she could take from the new fighters. She had already started to catalog their treasures in her mind to pass the time. But of course, it was just a game. ...and her standing outside alone would only make them question her...and her intentions. It would make her seem brutish...like a dwarf...which she was...but that didn't mean she had to act like one. With a stubborn determination, she turned back to the tavern and pushed the door open. She stared at all the faces, then turned to the bar, asking for three cups. Without pause, she dropped a stone on the surface and covered it with one of the cups, then began shuffling them.

"If you can tell me which cup has the stone under it, I'll buy you a drink. If you are wrong, you buy me one." She lifted her eyebrow in challenge, wondering if the patron would take the bait.