Prelude: They Met In A Tavern

[Solomoriah]

After a short wait, during which the locals did quite a bit of snickering and pointing, the serving wench returned with Shybolt's stew and ale. Turning to Dorne, she said, "What about you? Stew and ale, a silver for each. You want some?"

Before Dorne could answer, an elf walked into the tavern. As he shook the rain from his cloak, one of the locals called out, "Hey, boys, have you heard this one? An elf, a dwarf, and a halfling walked into a bar, but only the elf hit his head on it!"

"Ah, Jack, that's not funny," said the serving girl, though the other locals seemed to think it was. "Y'shouldn't pick on a classy fellow like this one. Stranger," she continued, turning to Timorel and batting her overly made-up eyes at him, "I guess you'll have to share with one of these here, unless you'd like to sit at the bar."

[Hywaywolf]

Outwardly, Shybolt laughed along with the joke, but inwardly he picked out the perfect spot on Jack's back that he might stick a dagger should he lay his hands on one. Shybolt raised his mug of ale and saluted Jack then drank down a gulp. Then he dug into his stew while he watched the actions in the room.

[Sir Bedivere]

"That's alright, miss," Timorel says just loud enough for everyone to hear, addressing the girl with a wink. "They're just having a bit of fun." Then, a bit louder, "Jack, is it? Lads," and he turns to Jack's comrades with a slight grin. "Have you heard about the time Jack walked out of a tavern?" He pauses for a just moment, then, without really giving anyone a chance to answer, says, "What!? It could happen!"

Then he turns to the individual at the closer of the two open tables and says, "Would you mind if I joined you, my good fellow?"

[Maliki]

Dorne laughs loudly at Jack's jest, then offers the elf one of the open chairs at his table.

"A right friendly group are they not? I am Dorne Fellhammer, servant of the Gods of Earth and Stone." Then for only the elf to hear I find myself without coin tonight, if you would spare me but two silvers for some stew and ale, I swear to repay you tenfold when my fortune improves.

[Hywaywolf]

Shybolt watches the Elf saunter nonchalantly over to this goodnatured dwarf and wonders if this is just chance that they both arrived at the same time right after he did. When the dwarf leans over to whisper to the elf the hair on his feet stands straight up. Mother of Dell, are they following me? Shybolt quickly runs over the last few weeks trying to determine if he's seen either of them before. He had been so sure he'd made a clean break with his old life, but now he wasn't so certain.

[Solomoriah]

"So," says the woman, looking suddenly irritable, "what are you two having?"

[Sir Bedivere]

Hm, no reaction to my joke, and I've alienated the waitress. Nice start, Timorel thinks.

"Thank you, is it, Friar Fellhammer?" He sets his bow in the corner and asks the waitress, "What do you have that's warm?" Then he slips his two-hander off his back and lays it along the corner behind his chair, out of everyone's way.

He hasn't sat down just yet as he's still unsure if Jack and co. are going to respond.

[Solomoriah]

Sorry, missed a beat there. This should have preceded the waitress' comment.

Jack frowned at the elf's joke, even as his friends laughed uproariously; but then Jack smiled. "Clever fellow," he said. "Very clever."

[Maliki]

With a smile, Dorne replies"Dorne will do, compared to the churches of humans, our's is not a faith that has many titles."

[Sir Bedivere]

"Good to meet you, Dorne. I'm Timorel," and he reaches out to shakes Dorne's hand, then sits.