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Having said their farewells, the group enter the inn, leaving Lucretia to pass through an arched gateway to the stables at the rear. The inside of the inn is warm and friendly, and the smell of ale, pipe smoke and cooking food fills the air. The decor is perhaps a little tired, but the atmosphere seems friendly. There is a long bar at the back, two fire places at each end of the room, a wooden stairway leading upwards and a corridor leads off at the north corners.

There are several small groups of people in the inn already and all look like locals from the absence of armour, weapons or packs at their sides. The inn keeper steps out from behind the long bar and strides across the tap room to greet the party as the quiet buzz of conversation pauses for a few moments before continuing.

"Welcome, Welcome!" exclaims the portly innkeeper, twirling his moustache with his fingers. A jolly looking man with a friendly face, he beams at the party, his smile widening further as each of the large group enter the inn. Once all are inside, he addresses them again. "Welcome to the Inn of the Wayward Sages!" He pauses, nodding his head, counting the group. "It is good to see travellers in Silverymoon!" he continues. "I have to be honest and say that since the Wizard Weather has kept the Everlund Pass closed, business hasn't been as good as it used to be... though I am sure that it will change soon!"

As Lucretia enters from the rear corridor, having stabled his horse, he goes on to outline the inn's facilities. "If you are looking to stay, we have several rooms spare at the moment - four single, 2 double, 3 twin and a bunk room that will sleep six." He grins, taking in the party's blood and mud stained clothes. "We also have unlimited hot water, four baths, a laundry service and damn good food, even though I say so myself!" He glances at Lucretia. "We also have stabling space, and can throw in the cost of horse feed in the price of a room!" he adds.

Spotting Cleo's dog, a frown passes fleetingly across the innkeeper's face. "We also have a few kennels out the back for keeping dogs. Er... pets are not allowed inside the inn I'm afraid... unless they are a wizard's familiar!" He laughs at his own poor joke.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "I am Lucretia Trollcleaver?by what name do they
> call you my friend?" <He hands the man one of the
> Silver moons given to him..in payment.>

"Anarck Dramond at your service sir", replies the innkeeper, taking the eclipsed moon coin and returning two electrum moons in change.

Ceely steps forward and books one of the double rooms for herself and Milo.

OOC: Haven't heard from Milo, but Ceely did state that she and Milo would share a room - I'll assume he accepts unless I hear otherwise.

Cleo starts to ask the innkeeper for a single room, but Serena interrupts and asks if she can share with Cleo (OOC: Decision from Dan please). Lucretia looks slightly disappointed but then brightens, making a lewd joke about sharing with the two of them as well (OOC: Hope I'm keeping within the character what Joe would get Lucretia to do :-) Blondung asks for one of the single rooms. Larz shrugs and says he doesn't mind sharing with anyone.

After determining that the group are intending to eat at the inn as well, the innkeeper issues various instructions to his cook, so that the additional diners can be accommodated.

Once everyone has booked their rooms, the innkeeper arranges for a serving wench to show everyone where their rooms are so they can dump their belongings. The wench also shows the group where the bath room is. The bath room has four metal baths in it, with curtain screens hanging between them. A large pump handle pumps water direct from a well into a large central cast iron drum, which is steaming slightly. Underneath the drum is a single log, held in a iron cradle. The log is on fire, the flames heating the drum above. "Log of everburning!" says the servant proudly. The baths are filled by the simple method of using a bucket from the hot water drum.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> <Lucretia will take the time to check out the girl?
> if she is somewhat attractive.>

She is a homely lass, attractive, but not with the classical beauty of one like Lady Tessarin for example.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "If you wouldn't mind lass could you give a guy a
> hand with washing his back?"

She laughs, sweeping away from Lucretia on her way back to the kitchens. "Unlikely!" she says over her shoulder.

It is about an hour later, when a somewhat refreshed party slowly regroup in the man tap room of the inn. Serving wenches bring out the food, which is hot and filling, and surprisingly good. As the group start to unwind, and relax, a bard enters the inn, and starts to play a mandolin, singing a moving song about a beautiful woman who fell in love with a death knight and eventually redeemed his soul. The story/song goes down well with the locals, though it is apparent that one or two have heard it before.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> <Lucretia paces over to the Bard, swings his Lute
> into his hand and picks along with him.> "Well met
> Master Bard, I am Lucretia Trollkiller and while I
> am no match to your talents I would hope you might
> want to pick a few tunes together, we could swap
> some stories and have a few ales." <Lucretia stops
> playing for a second and grabs another moon coin
> and passes it to the man.>

The bard accepts the coin. "Many thanks Lucretia Trollkiller!" He pauses for a moment, his eyes narrowed in thought. "From Neverwinter if I don't miss my mark!" I'd be happy for you to join in, I'm sure you'll know some of the tunes already..."

In between songs, Lucretia and the bard chat a little. His name is Floriel Fleetfoot - apparently named from his ability to outrun an ogre. He listens carefully as Lucretia tells him a cut down story of their journey from Neverwinter, and in return, whilst talking about the blizzards still cutting off the Everlund pass, goes on to tell a tale of a group of adventurers who once took a journey onto the Great Glacier beyond the Spine of the World. "Cold - you don't know the meaning of the word... A numbing chill that seeps up through the boot with every step, making it hard to just walk! And the snow can hide anything, from crevasses to slick ice, to caltrop like ice shards! Trust me, you don't want to go walking around that area of the world without the right equipment and preparation!!!"

His tale includes an incredible sounding fight with frost giants, who buried half the party alive with an avalanche before hurling boulders at the survivors. The battle was eventually won, mostly using magic, but also with the heroic efforts of a brave halfling, who managed to kill the lead giant by leaping onto his back and back stabbing him. He also tells of strange giant ice worms, that melt their slippery tunnels through the ice. The strange creatures he named as Remorhaz, up to 40 foot long creatures with giant mouths that could swallow people whole! Apparently their backs radiate such heat when enraged that it could melt metal! The group had been searching for the lair of these unlikely sounding creatures to try and steal some eggs - when hatched in captivity, the creatures could be trained as guards, and to the right person, the eggs were worth a lot of money!

As it happened, they found a lair, the plume of steam rising from holes in the ice giving away it's location, but they let the eggs get too cold, and they never hatched, so the whole trip ended up being in vain.

<Lucretia aka Joe wrote>:
> "Well maybe that blasted licker of Cyric's balls
> Von Fedel...he wouldn't mind finding his bones in
> some Remorhaz shit."

The bard stumbles over some notes at the terrible swearing. "By the gods!" he mutters, "I guess you don't like this Von Fedel person much!"

"Yes a real SOB" replies Lucretia.

Later, the conversation turns to more local gossip - apparently the Bright Lady (Lady Alustriel) has put her support and some money toward the building of the Rauvin Road to link Nesme and Silverymoon along a trail immediately north of the River Rauvin. While she still deliberates in trade talks with Nesme and the Harpell clan of Longsaddle, she sees this trail as a good trade move, despite the difficulties of protecting travellers on the road. Many say that she worries over possible problems with the High Forest's expansion interfering with trade on Evermoor Way, though at the moment, the Wizard weather seems more of a problem. It is rumoured that the wizard weather is being generated by worshippers of the Frost Maiden (Auril). Of course, the building of such a road is slow going, and as yet, has not reached far at all.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> <Lucretia tells him of the surviving Gond priest
> and how he believes that if properly armed a boat
> travelling this route would not only be fast must
> much safer.>

Floriel nods. "That would be good - though if there are any more of those waterlimgooers then it would have to be a very well armoured boat!"

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "Do you know why these Frost Maiden worshippers
> want the pass closed?"

"Only the gods know!" he replies.

<Lucretia aka Joe continued>:
> "Floriel, my friend who is the biggest threat to
> Siliveymoon ad her newly established country...
> surely not these Frost maiden worshippers?"

Through discussion, it becomes apparent that the main enemies of Silverymoon can be broadly categorised into two fractions. Barbarian hordes - if several of the different tribes joined together they could be a problem - and orc hordes - again, if ever they became well enough organised or led, then they could be a problem. Otherwise, there are no specific enemies which threaten the city as a whole. The Wizard Weather and it's disruption of trade via the Everlund pass is causing some problems - some areas are feeling the pinch - but the city is not at risk from it, and it is probably only a matter of time before the matter is resolved.

Herod rises shortly afterwards, and heads out to the stables, to perform the Song of the Sword in semi-private. The bard continues to perform, playing an up-tempo melody that makes several feet start tapping and several of the locals sing along. The inn slowly fills, until the place is relatively busy and the evening begins to look promising. Herod returns after a short while, and rejoins the group.

During a quiet period, whilst the Bard is taking a break. Larz finally reveals what his intentions are for the following day.

"I'm going to find my cousin" he states. "Get my armour mended, buy a few provisions, then in a few days, head back to you-know-where." He looks round the party. "Assuming you'll come with me, I'd appreciate your help!"

Lucretia nods. "I'm with you of course!" he replies. "And I guess the break will give me a chance to get my armour mended as well!" He rubs his chin for a moment. "Though I think I'll visit some of those knights, and see if I can't muscle in on one of their training sessions..."

The evening passes pleasantly, and soon the group make their separate ways to bed. The joys of sleeping on a real bed, with real sheets is bliss in comparison to the hardships of the road, and everyone falls into sleep pretty quickly...