Page 5 - Making new friends and under the influence with people

Over in one corner stood a man in a brown cloak with a scar on his face and a jaundiced eye. As I approached him he made some flippant comment about ladies gossiping to which I replied that I had come here to drink… he didn’t appreciate my quick wit and seemed in a foul mood so once again I moved on coming at last to a table occupied by three of the town guards.

 

I of course struck up conversation with the three of them complimenting them on their skills as warriors and trainers of men and saying how surprised I was to find such valuable soldiers still here in town and that they must be invaluable to the local captain as instructors for his new recruits. I think though there must have been some confusion as Istella, a lovely Half Elven lady, seemed to think I may have insulted them unintentionally. I assured her over a second round of drinks that I had done nothing of the sort and I am sure that she had just been attempting to lighten the mood which was, I have to say, somewhat sombre within the common room of the Inn.

We whiled away an hour or so in reasonably good company talking about the guards, the town and of course the malefactor that has caused such trouble for the good townsfolk. Pendrin said that at the Corris attack had been different than the others as the goats had their throats slit instead of being savaged by an animal! Curiouser and curiouser I said to the three of them. Istella then mentioned that she thought it was as a result of a Rhenee curse as some of them were hung from the Oak outside of town twenty years ago after poisoning some locals with their medicines. Three locals died apparently and another was blinded by the medicine... Surely only a fool would sell poisons to a town and then hang around to be caught?? As Istella finished speaking Pendrin and Flent abruptly stopped their conversation with one another after a pointed look, drained their mugs and left leaving me in her sole company.

 

We spoke of my home, the verdant forest, the farms, my parents own Inn that was large enough to cater for tall folk and of course the people and all the happy times we all shared there... Istella said with a sad smile about how nice it must be to come from such a place... maybe I should invite her to come for a visit? She looks the sort who would enjoy herself there and I am sure I detected a mischievous sparkle in her eyes throughout the evening.

As the evening drew to a close Anders rang his bell for last orders and Brother James returned from the temple asking me to go back there with him and to bring the map that we had discovered on the Orcs that had attempted to raid Gaeren’s place. I bid Istella a good evening and as we left Anders told us not to tarry too long as we had to be sure to obey the town curfew.