Tales of the Moon and Sword Inn

[Luis Antonio]

Tales of great deeds. I have plenty of them.

Long before those folks at Nashkel kicked me out of that flea-infested pub because of Volothamp Geddarm - I'll still get him back - I was searching from a decent place to stop my adventure. I never been a searching for adventure type, but I always seem to be near the disaster. I always seem to be a bait for adventure, and my choices are not optimal.

And when searching for such a place, I stumbled, after getting lost in the sword coast and almost dying of hunger in the deserts betwenn that uncivilized Baldur's Gate and Amn, I stumbled into a cave, wich was almost a salvation, I couldnt sleep without a coverage. When I entered, I saw there were other persons there, all talking about a Moon and Sword Inn, and about it being closed, or something, because of a dragon problem.

I was recognized by a fellow adventurer, Fas the Haffer, who invited me to try to see if that was only legend or true. Fas, a well succeded adventurer from Beregost, and served as squire for the Knights of Helm, but I was too bardic to be a squire, and I left the service after kissing the daughter of the knight, who hunts me to this day, but this is better left to tha sages. Well, not quite an succeded adventurer, but in the end we meet again in the road.

We dont know how how we got to find our way into the mountains, nor how we survived the starvation, but finally, after three days of journey we stumbled upon our salvation (well, kinda). She helped us and showed us our directions, and joined us later, but she saved us. I'll talk about her later though.

[CM]

Dabbing some Haftershave which he had bought while those damn Dark Flames had been around, Fas sees how much food he has left. Damn those women he thought pouting, leaving me all alone with a new bunch of people at the inn. They didn't even think of taking me on their little adventure. I could have helped, little people can do great things. BS is so big but he does such little things. The though of BS messing up brought a glimmer to his eyes and sweetened his smile viciously.

Now he was stuck with this bard and some woman. That is why he had used the haftershave. Now to dump some in her soup and wink. She would be all his soon...well if not tiddles could have her. The cat was perched on his head like a hat and purring loudly.

[Brynn]

Collapsed on a seat, tired from the long journey. She was longing for a soft, warm bed, could hardly think of anything else at the moment. Even the food in front of her wasn't attractive enough to keep her beside the table. Looked around wearily, her eyes heavy, body tired and soul empty... Dead empty.

She cast a goodbye-smile at the two, nodded her head and took the creeping stairs up to her room.

Who the hell are these? she was wondering. During the past three days she spent with them they didn't speak much. They definitely looked like adventurers, but were in a very bad state whe she found them near that monastery. Lucky she'd found them, before the monks did, she thought... Two half-dead adventurers against those twisted folks... Who knows what would've happened if they were taken into that cursed place!

Why did I have to take them with me? These are complete strangers...

Anyway, she gave them the little food she had and some drink, that was enough to give them strength for the three-days journey to the inn.

She untied her long, shiny black hair, put out the flickering light of the small oil lamp, changed into her night gown and laid down on the bed.

They could've died of starving...

After all, it was a good deed, she thought. Another cross upon the chart.
Saved their lives, took them here, and tomorrow everyone will be on his way. The tutors of the Tower will be pleased, she thought. I couldn't care less she added sarcastically.

I don't even know their names...

[Luis Antonio]

And, all of a sudden, he wakes up and start to think about where he is. He only may figure out he has been brought to this place being carried, or on the limit of his body.
Also, he may hear Fas the Hafner sleeping soundly, and he notices that the girl - What was her name? Jinn? Brynn? - he couldnt remember now - has helped them with water and food, and guided them in a part of the path.
After getting up from bed, as a good Bard must do, he try to make his clothes look not so dirty by beating the remaining dust of it, without making much noise.
"Damn-he thought- Why have I to fall for adventure every time I hit the road? I promess this time I'll keep my ass at home. Of course, when I find a new home. I'll never risk going back to Neverwinter after the plague."

He looks at the corner, behind a table, there is a sign there. Old, dusty, filled with rust from the fungus that have been feeding on that piece of wood for perhaps decades. He put himself on his knees before the plaque, and with a soft touch of his hand, start retrieving the dust. He may now read :
The Moon and Sword Inn. The sign seems to be magic, due to the changing color of the name,wich cicled from the golden yellow color of the sun to the silver shine of the full moon. Wow,Iridur- he thinks - You always wanted to have your own place. - Very happy with himself, he remembered his past days - No more angry bartenders telling me wich joke should I play.

In a quick move, that startled his companions, he said, loud, proudly and clearly:

_Gentleman, I guess we found our treasure in the end of the road, after all.

And he showed them the sign, and even though they were not awaken yet, their slumber faces showed some signs of comprehension. The sun was shining brighter that day, and for the first day in a year, that bard was happy. And he smiled, thinking about their future. The puzzled face of his companions, though, could hold more than just excitement.

[Brynn]

She opened her eyes so suddenly that those few rays of sunshine that managed to get into the room through the gaps of the heavy curtain almost hurt her eyes.

How come I haven't thought about this yet? These folks are adventueres! Haha, I can imagine the expression on Elara's face when she realizes that little Brynny is gone...

She had enough of this so-called education very early. Translating and reciting ancient texts from heavy books was something that she could do on her own just as well, she thought. She was looking for knowledge, a thing that she considered more valuable than anything else on the world - except friendship, perhaps, but her friends were long gone. Actually, without them there was nothing to keep her here...

OK, let's find out if they're capable enough to be my companions. Where do we go from here, I have no idea, but we can figure that out later.

She got dressed, happy about her sudden idea. Packed her belongings into her bag and left to the hall only to find the others staring excitedly at an old dusty peice of wood.

Good morning, gentlemen – she smiled.
If you’re done admiring that old bit of wood, maybe introduction is in order? This is ... - she held out a hand towards the bard, but drew it back immediately when she figured that he must have been cleaning that thing with his bare hands.

What are you staring at?

[CM]

He groaned and then he groaned some more. Damn these people they talk more then those wretched Dark Flames. Curse those women and that dreadful excuse for a human Bloodstalker. Thinking of various curses that Bloodstalker deserved, a huge grin formed on Fas's face. They all should suffer...well not all...Yshania had been nice to him always. Scayde hugged him too much but she always kept Bloodstalker away from him. All of them had been nice in some way. Its a shame they weren't haffers like Fas here or he would have told them the exact way in which to conduct themselves and how life should be led.

Groaning again, he thought to himself these two just don't shut up do they? Always yapping walks talking. He had heard them talk on and on for three days straight. It was amazing someone could talk so much.

Turning over and opening his eyes Fas said aloud "Can you two please be quiet or get out of my room? Or else Mr. Tiddles will attack you!"

Having said that, Fas' rolled over again and attempted to sleep.

[Luis Antonio]

Iridur looks at the partner, and at Bynn, who came from her room. He looks like a drunkard - but he never drink anything but tea. She behaves like a saint, but these good samaritans are always kind of troubling. This is the moment to leave them, he thought. His decision wont come in this instant, though. He will wait to see what happens, but he will act now.

Now, in front of the pub, you can once again see the plaque, with the color changing name. The Moon and Sword Inn..

He entered, and noticed that Brynn, the girl, was, at least, thinking about cleaning the place. He went downstairs to see what he could find - and AHA! he found some suplies, wich included a few wine bottles, some berduskian ale, two barrels of Draanor, rotten cheese (I wondered where do this smell came from, yesterday). At the corner, he saw something he would have avoided if he could - The former bartender (judging from the rags) and two waiters had been permanently stuck at the wall by arrows. Well, at least whats left of them was hanging out. He opened a locker by their side, and found two brooms.

After picking them up and searching a bit, he went upstairs, where he saw the girl, still with a sleepy face. She asked him:
_Might I look what is down there, mister?
_I'm sorry my lady, but you wont like to go downstairs.
_Why not?
_The former proprietors of the Inn are there. In the wall. Now, if you would help me, I'll start making this a serviceable Inn once again.
_Do you think I fear the dead? - she asked, with a smile on her face.
_Not the dead, but the undead. They are pretending to be completely dead, waiting for someone to try to release them.
_How could you know?
_You want to check it out? I want to clean this mess before. And to kick the Hafner's ass if he dont get up soon and start treating me like a normal person. I'm gonna keep the inn as soon as I discover what caused the death of the former owners. What do you think?

[CM]

Sleeping soundly Fas does not feel or notice the spectre move around the room and inspect the items of the three individuals. However Mr. Tiddles does and decides that Fas's shirt and pants are the best place to hide. Getting the shock of his life Fas screams like a little girl and jumps out of what he called his bed. Dumping Mr. Tiddles on the floor Fas starts to scold him only to see Mr. Tiddles run towards the door where stands a spectre.

Screaming for a second time as a little girl, Fas proceeds to faint in a manly fashion and wetting his pants.

[Brynn]

You wanna stay HERE? - she asked taken aback.

Oh heck, my plan seems to fail... This is really not what I'd expected... I thought they were adventurers with great plans on their minds, and now he wants to settle down in this tumble-down cottage... I'm leaving, anyway - she told herself determined. Alone or not, I'm leaving! And the sooner the better, Elara will soon notice my abscence, if she hasn't already...

Suddenly a harsh scream cut off the conversation.

What...?! Did you hear that, Mr... er... , it's your friend screaming!

She started to run into the direction where the noise came from. There was the other guy, lying on the floor unconscious... She looked around hastily, ran to the windows to see if there was anybody running away from the house, but couldn't see anything.

Went back to the halfling, knelt down beside him and tried to whip him into shape by gently slapping his face.

What are you waiting for?! - she barked at the man a little bit harsher then she meant to.
Get some water, quickly!

What the heck scared him SO much...? And all of a sudden, she noticed the cat staring stock-still in one direction - and then following something with its eyes, very slowly...

She turned around quickly, and saw immediately what made the halfling faint. She gasped and stopped dead, suddenly heard nothing but her own heart pounding and the distant footsteps of the man coming back with the water. At least she wished it'd been him...

[Brynn]

After a couple of seconds she pulled herself together, and started to think fast what to do.

OK, relax, this is not the first time I see something like this. But should I...? She looked around quickly to check if the man was back or she had a little time to cast a spell. The apparition didn't made any attempt to get closer to her.

No, I've got a better idea, let's see how he deals with the situation, he's been boasting about being so experienced with undead just a sec ago anyway... Now this is the time to test if he's telling the truth or not! Even in this tight squeeze she couldn't help smiling gloatingly.

[Luis Antonio]

Well, I want to stay here, lady. You've been so kind helping us, and I'm inviting you to stay with us. Then there was a scream, and a bump, like a body falling on the ground.

"Get water" she says... I'm not her stables boy... and he goes to the outter side, to pick up some water at the well.

Iridur was returning quickly with the bucket of water, and saw a cat running to the other side of the inn. After a sudden gasp from the lady, he enters the bigger room and sees the mess. An skeleton, still with an arrow planted in his rib cage, a seemingly defenseless lady with a very confiant face (that was not a good sign for the skeleton) and a dismayed halfing by the corner. When his eyes reached the lady eyes, he saw that thing that women do when they want something from men, in an angry way. In his brain, he connected the sparks in her eyes as saying "DO SOMETHING".

He stopped to think for a second. And then he did. The bucket of water flied directly to the skeleton head, unleashing the cold water on his bone and slices of rotten meat, and making his body fall. But undead beings are not easy to defeat, specially by a bucket of water, and he prepared a spell he always memorized - ice lance. The cold gust of energy and wind rushed through the room, making the long hairs of the lady fly, and freezing the water that surrounded the skeleton, slowing him a lot, and making his bones crack in several places.

Still continuing his move, he reached a chair by his side, and invoking the powers of the bardic lore started a dance of destruction, singing and bashing the skeleton, while the pieces of bone would fly in all directions on the room. When he was overand all left of the standing skeleton were his feets, still frozen and attached to the ground. He looked at the still grinning skull, and said:

Dont you dare messing with my inn. and then he looked at the lady, her long black hair, shiny as an onyx, swinging in the wind as the leaves of the oak, dancing, hipnotizing the people when she gets through... but her face was still the same, and in her eyes all he could see was a blank screen. *sigh*. He placed the chair on the ground, and noticed that all that was still remaining of the chair was the place he was holding. The rush of adrenaline was gone - he was now a simple bard, waiting to sing his song. I'll be picking up some more water, if you dont mind and he left the room, with his eyes on the ground.

[Brynn]

Impressive - she thought.
Maybe there's more to this guy than meets the eye... I shouldn't be so hard with him...

She decided to be a little bit more cooperating, and turned her attention towards the halfling. He got some water in the face from the flying bucket but he was still laying there, motionless.

Wake up! Wake UP! - she started to slap his face gently again.

[CM]

Hmmm....this feels nice. All warm and fuzzy. Ouch! What hit me...there it is again. Fas opens his eyes only to see a woman slapping him. Shocked Fas screams again fearing the worst. His mind is ablaze. What would happen to him? With his manly charm and super wit, he could easily be sold in to the sex trade. Or worse she could use him herself. Wait...ghosts don't get involved in the sex trade and this girl seems familiar. Also no ghost can slap. She is not a ghost.

"Oie stop hitting me. Darn female. Look at this you made my pants all wet. Next time if i want a shower i will do it myself."

[Aegis]

Ambrose felt his light travelling bag bounce loosely over his shoulder, the contents of which, at one time, weighed significantly more than they did now. He offered a small sigh as he remembered the weight it once contained. All manner of tools and items he would use in service of his god. With his free hand, he brushed back the strands of brown hair that danced in front of his eyes. A petty annoyance at times, but the hair seemed to work well, for what he used it for, he thought to himself, bringing a small semblence of a smile back to his features.

His clothing was hardly those normal for a traveller. His once pristine, ivory white robes were dulled with the dust of the road, and the crimson red trim and embroidary seemed to be turning a deeper hue, from a lack of maintainence. That would change, though, as soon as he could find a place to stop. A place with a warm hearth, good drink, and a good serving woman. That thought tugged on the corners of his lips even more, turning the slight smile, in a toothy grin.

With his spirits lifted slightly, and the thought of his travelling pack being slightly less heavy moving further behind him, Ambrose' pace picked up, an extra little jump to his step. He soon found himself whistling a catchy little tune to himself. He would have blissfully continued, but as he rounded a small bend on the path, something ahead of him took his attention away. Just up the road, a slender figured woman was sitting. Bright, honey blonde hair streamed over her shoulders, and her clothing was ragged, and torn in places, just barely covering the full-figured form.

"Must've done something good in the past couple days... She gave me a present..."

Ambrose smiled, and cleared the distance between him and the woman in no time. Standing behind her, he knelt down. The distance did no justice to the woman, he thought, as his eyes longingly worked over the woman's body. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"My dear. What exactly could put a woman of such unearthly appearance in such a sad state of affairs?" Ambrose felt the woman shift slightly, and give, what to him, sounded like a quiet sniffle. He put on his best smile, one that showed off as many of his teeth as possible, and waited for the woman to respond.

After a moment, the woman shifted, and turned to face Ambrose, her honey blonde hair swaying loosely with the movement.He looked at the woman's face. The strong jaw bone, rigid facial features, deep inset brown eyes. Day's worth of facial hair lining the chin. "Facial hair?" thought Ambrose, scratching his own chin with his free hand. "Women don't grow facial hair... Well, dwarf ones do, but...". Ambrose's smile turned into a look of fear as fast as it had become the smile. Like a bolt of lightning, Ambrose was back on his feet, and stumbling backwards. The woman stood up, and reached into one of the tears covering her chest, and pulled out what looked like a large orange, and took a bite of it, skin and all.

"You... You're... You're a man!" A shudder shot through Ambrose' body at the realization.

"Right-o mate!" He grinned a toothy grin of his own, gaps appearing where many teeth should've been. "And looks to me like I'm about to become a man that's a tad richer..." He eyed the travelling pack of Ambrose greedily.

Ambrose got the idea, and looked at his pack in the corner of his eye. "L-look. There isn't anything in there you'd want... Trust me!" He was snivvelling, begging, whining even. Ambrose knew it. He wasn't a fighter, he just wanted to serve his god with as much ferver as possible.

"Oh? And what making you think that?" The 'woman' edged closer, drawing a thin blade from the folds of the torn dress.

Ambrose' mind swam, looking for some idea to save himself. In his tremoring, jerky movements, his free hand dropped, and starting patting down the trim of his robes. When his hand moved over something hard and lumpy, a sudden smile found it's way onto his face. "Be-because my money pouch is right here!" He said with sudden triumph, and tore the small wallet from his robes, and tossed it to the 'woman'.

As the 'woman' bent over to pick up the wallet, Ambrose took his chance to action: Running in the opposite direction! His mugger turned the wallet over, and a couple silver coins fell into his hand. His eye twitched.

*****

How long had he run? Ten minutes? Twenty? He couldn't remember. All that was on Ambrose' mind was getting away from that woman... Or was it a man? Or... both? He shook his head fiercely, forcing the image out of his head. He felt his legs getting heavy, and his lungs beginning to gasp for air. He slowly came to a stop, breathing heavily. He hadn't excerted himself since he met those twins in Amn. He smiled again.

He was left with a problem, now, though. He was in the middle of nowhere, no money, and days from the nearest city. Not only that, but night was falling, and unless he wanted to sleep on the ground (which couldn't help his duties to his god), he didn't know what to do. He slowly began walking, thinking. As he walked, quite aimlessly, he turned another bend in the road. He would have continued to walk in such a way, if something hadn't stopped him. Something large... And wooden... Ambrose had walked face first into a building!

"Oww... Damnit... Who put this here?" He looked up, and to the sign swinging over the entrance. "Hmm. The Moon and Sword, eh... Well, maybe someone here could help me out..."

[Aegis]

As Ambrose looked, almost blankly, at the sign to the inn, his attention was torn back into reality by the sudden noise of commotion from inside. He edged closer to the door, and pressing his ear against, he listened closely. It sounded as though someone had just thrown something, followed by the sound of water splashing all over the place. He blinked for a second, and considered barging in to save the day.

"Never know," he thought to himself. "might be a gorgeous woman waiting for her knight in shining armour..." He grinned to himself, and pressed his ear back against the door.

For a moment, he didn't hear anything, but it was quickly replaced by the sound of some heavy footfalls, and low mutter. Ambrose quirked his brow. "Sounds like it's getting closer..." He leant in more closely to the door.

The source of the new sounds became pain-stakingly apparent to Ambrose, as the door was suddenly thrust open by a dust covered man with a bucket. Ambrose was knocked back, landing hard on his rump, and messing his hair in the process. "What the..." groaned Ambrose, rubbing his, now red, forehead. The man coming from the Inn didn't seem to notice Ambrose sitting on the ground, and wandered off with the bucket. Something about the sight of him reminded him of a kobold he once saw. Same gangly walk, and funny looking appearance. At least, he thought it was a Kobold that he saw. Ambrose could never really tell, himself, but then, he thought, his skills lay elsewhere.

He pushed himself back to his feet, and round the now open door. What he saw in the common room of the inn stunned him. Not the sort of stunned one might get from terror, or some magical effect, but one of confusion and utmost bewilderment.

Before him was a frozen over puddle, with the centre being occupied by a pair of shoes. Most oddly enough, the shoes appeared to be smoking. Bizarre, considering whatever had happened, was obviously through the work of a freezing enchantment. He ran a hand through his hair, and continued to look around. Bits of... Something, scattered the floor, and what appeared to be a broken chair. Continuing to look, his eyes finally leveled on a sight just as out of place as the smoking shoes: A woman mounted over a halfling, appearing to slap him.

After a moment of the silent watching, he heard the first words spoken from the inn since he had arrived. "Oie stop hitting me. Darn female. Look at this you made my pants all wet. Next time if i want a shower i will do it myself."

Ambrose blinked again. That was definatly some kinky little halfling, he thought to himself.

With a moments thought, he finally braved himself enough to approach the Black-Haired woman mounting the Halfing. "So... Is there a line for this, or do I just jump in?" He grinned broadly at, what he considered, a humourful comment.