Chapter 1 - Out On The Town

[SteveRogers]

Sighing Bigsby turned to the orc warrior and said in the orc language, "I'm assuming these grunts don' speak a wird of yer tongue, so le's have a 'bi of fun with 'em, eh?"

Then Bigsby turned to the sailors and said, adopting the voice and mannerisms of a noble, "You see my fine gentlemen, my colleague and I are on a break during our mission to escort a high profile dignitary through hostile territiroy, and it seems you've managed to offend both our sensibilities as we simply try to relax.  You see, it's been nigh on a fortnight since we skinned a dragon together and split it's stomach from throat to tail.  And I seem to recall skeletons about your size oozing out of the beast's innards.  Would you really like to do this right now?  And make such a fine mess of this lovely establishment.  Especially with the back-up we just called?"

Bigsby began pacing to the side and clucked with his tongue.  And then lunged suddenly forward with his rapier in both hands with a roar much too large for his small body.

Spoiler: ShowHide

Bluff Roll: 1d20+6 : 8 + 6, total 14
Attack Roll: 1d20+2 : 7 + 2, total 9
Damage: 1d4+1 : 1 + 1, total 2

[Lotofsnow]

Yiki charges across the room, attempting to put his shoulder into the armed sailor and send him flying.

Bull Rush 1d20+6 : 10 + 6, total 16

[TheTick]

The drunken sailor shoves Yiki back where he started from (Bull Rush 16 versus 17, miss) and rakes him with his knife to boot (AOO hit, -2hp).  Must be all that time on the pitching deck of a ship.  Athelun reverses the grip on his knife and brings it back around, scratching Yiki again (Hit, -2hp).  The big sailor's friend sees an opportunity, and jumps on Athelun's back, trying to pin his arms to his sides (Grapple, success), and yells in his ear "You idiot, that guard captain told you he'd lash you to the rocks at low tide if you did this again!  We have to get out of here!"

Spoiler: ShowHide

Bigsby, then Yiki are up again.

[SteveRogers]

Noting the sailor's attempt to draw his friend out of combat, Bigsby quickly readied a spell in the back of his head just in case and made another overture of peace, "Come now, gentlemen.  Why ruin our chances of being able to return to this fine tavern?  The ale is very much above average," Bigsby winked, "And so be the barmaids."

Bigsby returned his rapier to its position at his side.  "Let us not fight when there is ale to drink and songs to sing, my friends."

Diplomacy roll 1d20+6 : 16 + 6, total 22

[Lotofsnow]

Yiki holds back crushing the sailor's skull to see if the gnome or the sailor's companion's wise words have any effect. The half-orc is not quite ready to be kicked out of the bar since he has not even had a drink yet.

[TheTick]

Athelun stops struggling against his friend's grip for just a second.  Even through the haze of drink, he knows he's on his last chance with the law.  He tries to pull them both towards the door when the bartender appears back in the doorway.  "What the hell is this?  Athelun you bastard, get out of here and sober up before Kern finds you!"

The sailor stares down Bigsby as he half-stumbles out of the tavern, but his buddy manages to keep him moving out the door.  The barkeep rushes over with a rag to wipe up the blood and stand up the chairs.  "I'm truly sorry if that lout got out of hand - he came here a couple of weeks ago to find work on one of the ships that come down the coast, but none have come.  Idle hands, and all that."

[SteveRogers]

Bigsby watched as the two sailors trudged out of the tavern, winking as they went.

Then he turned to the orc and said, "My friend.  I owe you my thanks.  Let me buy you a drink.  Or seven by the looks of you."

Turning to the bartender, Bigsby asked, "My fine sir, whatever my good friend here wants.  I believe I have a tab?"

Turning again to the orc and bowing low, "My name these days is Bigsby Babblesforth, but you can call me Bigsby.  At your service."

[Sputnik314]

Taggart's new idea is the Tavern. First he decides to check the kegs. He asks the bartender,
Sir, I have very important buisness that might regard the kegs of wine. May I inspect them?

[pooka]

Imfei approaches the tavern but is stopped at the door because of the quantity of fish on her stringer.  She takes them to the market and exchanges them for some bags of seasonings. 

[TheTick]

Taggart's new idea is the Tavern. First he decides to check the kegs. He asks the bartender,
Sir, I have very important buisness that might regard the kegs of wine. May I inspect them?

The bartender snorts.  "'Inspect??'  If you want to 'inspect' the wine, you give me money and I give you some of it."

[Lotofsnow]

Yiki shrugs at the gnome's thanks and offer of service.

I am Yiki Half-Moon of the Half-Moon tribe. The orc speaks as it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Crumpling a rag from the bar, he dips it in the glass of spirits. Then, he carefully dabs it on the scrapes from the sailor's dagger. Content with his first aid, chugs the remaining, cloudy spirits before turning to the gallon of beer.

[SteveRogers]

Bigsby taps the bar in a signal of a request for a strong ale.

"Tell me, Yiki.  What brings you to these woods?  I don't see many of your people in these areas lately it seems.  Aside from the fellow who seems to be requesting discourse with the barkeep," Bigsby motions to the new addition to the bar's guests, "A friend of yours?"

[Lotofsnow]

The half-orc shifts his gaze to Taggart, his eyes squinting under a furrowed brow as if attempt to place his companion.

Without turning back to Bigsby, he says:

"We do travel together for some time. He is quite singular in his pursuit of his destiny, while I am quite singular in my flight from my own."

Swigging from the gallon once again, Yiki looks at the bard.

"How about you, little trickster? I suppose you go where the wind carries you, one step ahead of your last alias."

[SteveRogers]

Smiling, Bigsby says, "Aye, that be the rub of it.  We all have destinies we're either trying to pursue or escape.  And mine be the latter."

Nodding to Yiki's companion, "I envy the youthful exuberance with which some pursue their paths.  Mine was once very different from the one I am upon now.  These days I'm remembered only as the silly little bard who travels up and down the road in these parts.  But once. . ." Bigsby's voice fades as his eyes seem to drift to some long forgotten memory.

Snapping back to the present, he nods and smiles warmly, "Let me just say the lute and rapier have not always been my weapon of choice.  And the money of any looking for entertainment my goal."

[Sputnik314]

If you think I came here to drink mr. Bartender, you must be mistaken. I'm here for something the fate of the planet depends on. I have reason to believe there is a yellow pearl with a black scratch is in a keg. I'm just asking to look at the contents of the beer and give it back.