Cedric's Inn

[Tsukasa]

"No thank you. You have been more then helpful. It is nice to know that someone around here knows what a great tasting drink sake it. Thank you once agian."

Tsukasa finished his drink and then walked over to the bar to see if anyone else could help him out.

[Tsukasa]

On his way to the bar, Tsukasa decided that things where to busy at the bar and decided to go back and sit down. Tsukasa sat back down at the table. Tsukasa pulled out a scroll and some ink and start to jot some stuff down.

[Suihaden]

A cheery whistle sounded up the lane as a figure clothed in black homespun pushed a cart full of wood and charcoal up to the inn. Avoiding the now happy and somewhat dangerous Oof at the doorway, Sui pushed the cart around back and began to unload his cart.

After dropping of the supply of fuel Cedric's Inn would need to stay cheery and warm, Sui looked inside and hesitated. It had been a long time since he had socialized, being busy working in the woods and studying. Shrugging his shoulders, the human pushed his way inside and up to the counter.

"Halloa there Zig! Got any dinner for a tired woodcutter?"

[ziglerrobertson]

"Certainly Suihaden," replies Zigler from the bar,"not only food, but drink as well!"

Zigler tells Carneth to get a bowl of soup and a hunk of bread as he pours Sui's drink himself. Walking the man over to a recently vacated table, the former occupant had been dragged out by his friends, Zigler is forced to hear Sui's constant turning down of the 'drink.' Finally as they both sit down and Carneth delivers the food, Zigler blares out, "It's just water Sui! No worries laddie."

The Inn Keeper goes on to say, "Unfortunately you came near the end of the night, most o' the folks have already gone home and I'll be closing up here in a little while." Zigler looks around the room. More of the tables are free as those who can still walk drag those who can't off to their homes. A few stragglers remain here and there. A couple of folks at the bar, the one in Shogunatish clothes, Dorian at the tables and of course Oof outside.

Zigler looks back at Suihaden, "Thanks fer bringing by the wood. These here last two nights ha' been full o' work fer me, Aki, and Carneth." Taking a sip from his beer the half dwarf waits to here from his old acquaintance, Suihaden.

[Suihaden]

Digging deeply into the good food, Suihaden related the story of the last couple weeks of his life. His wounds had taken a while to heal, so he had passed the time in study and work, providing wood for the surrounding villages and the city itself.

"Looks like you have been doing well, I must say the establishment is packed out in the evenings. I really appreciate your making allowance for my unusual drinking habits. I apologise if I offended you, I don't condemn anyone for drinking, its just I cannot."

Pushing the empty plate of food aside, Sui leaned forward in his seat.
"I also wanted to speak to you about a concern of mine. The conflicts that have ravaged our lands have shown that too many of the surrounding villages are isolated and exposed. Easy prey for the first comer with any force, villages are getting wiped out and dissapearing by the score and I don't think the Jovians are responsible for all of them. I'm thinking about taking up my sword again and patroling the surrounding area that the shogunate fails to cover, checking up on the villages and notifying the authorities. I'll need permission from the council though, and the new king when we get one. Do you think it is a good idea Zigler?"

[ziglerrobertson]

"Aye," replies Zigler, "Unwise is the man who's right hand knows not what the left may do. Taking a tour of these villages may be a wise decision, but methinks that it would be wise to also visit the towns already destroyed and see what can be learned." The Bard sits back in his chair thinking. "It would be nice to go fer a few long walks, now an' then."

"As fer the council and King to be....I agree that they should be well informed about this little venture o' yours. However, ye should prolly wait fer the King to be chosen, then address yer concerns and plans to 'em." With that the Inn Keeper stands up, "In the meantime I h've ta be pushing some o' these folks outta here. Closing time be now and then I h've ta git ready fer tomorra night."

With that Zigler takes a tour around the room, informing the remaining patrons that its time to head home. Carneth takes out a broom and begins sweeping as Aki gathers up used dishware and mugs to clean. Zigler himself goes back behind the bar and begins wiping it down.

[Suihaden]

"Season's shine on ye Zigler."

Carrying the dishes back to the kitchen, Sui walked back into the alley and grabbed the handles of his cart.

Pushing his cart back through the city gates, Sui thought of the new weapons he was gathering. It was high time that someone brought justice back to these lands. He would begin bright and early the next morning, make a circuit of the surrounding country and compile a list of villages. Then he would petition the council to give him leave and authority to patrol the lands.

[ziglerrobertson]

“Night Unnca Ziggy.”

“Night Aki,” replies Zigler as he watches the young samurai heading up to his room. Zigler then turns and heads through the kitchen. Grabbing the empty stew pot he hauls it down into the basement. Setting the pot at the bottom of the stairs Zigler gropes for the oil lantern, finding and lighting it the room is quickly filled the flickering light.

“Please…………”

The voice comes from a mass of stew and meat ingredients chained and lying on a table. What’s left of the Jovian is nothing more than a limbless torso that’s been cut in half. How Cathan manages to keep them alive so long Zigler does not know. But this one is quickly running out of meat.

“Please………”

Sighing Zigler heads over to the far wall and begins carting barrels of Tillman and Forester’s Brew to the bottom of the steps. These barrels will replace the empty one underneath the bar; he also moves some barrels of salted pork and venison meat closer to the stairs in preparation for restocking the kitchen. Each time he brings forward another barrel or keg, he passes the table.

“Please………”

Zigler snorts,” Please what? Please kill you.” The Bard laughs, “You’ll be dead soon enough, in the meantime there’s still some of you to use.” With that Zigler dons a bloody apron, “When I lost my love and was exiled from my home, I lost my friends; I thought I would die a lonely old man. That’s still a possibility. But I killed that motherless son of a horse’s ass Dugald too quickly when I let the wine out of his fat gut. I felt unfulfilled. Now you and yours threaten my new home, my new friends. I did what little I could during your occupation and it still wasn’t enough.”

Zigler takes down a large meat cleaver from the wall. “What’s left of you will be returned to Jove, and all its citizens will know of your death….though perhaps not too quickly.” He begins cutting off hunks of meat and dicing them on the table, right next to the Jovian’s head. The man’s screams fill the basement.

[Suihaden]

(OOC) Thanks Zig, now I feel like I'm about to hurl. Nice surprise though

[Cathán Neamhnaofa]

(OOC) zig and i both came up with it. we thought you guys would like that little twist.

(IC) Cathán appeared at the back door of the Inn with the unconscious Jovian still over his shoulder. He hears muffled screams coming from inside. Between the screams Cathán enters the Inn and heads down stairs. Once he got to the bottom step Zigler just did the cut that finally killed the Jovian that was chained to the wall.

" I see your enjoying yourself very much with what I'm giving you." Cathán says with a smirk on his face. "I have another one for you." Zigler walks over to the wall and attaches chains to the Jovian that Cathán set down. Zigler, being done with the meat for the night, takes off his bloody apron and sets down his cleaver.

"So tell me what news do you have that i can spread around this time?" Zigler asks.

"First be aware of food and water that comes from Jove. It is going to have 'stuff' in it that's going to have the jovians dropping everywhere." Cathán says as he follows Zigler up the stairs back into the kitchen. "The other thing is much more important and needs to be kept quite." Cathán waits for Zigler to acknowledge ok. "There is a new danger besides the Jovians. Telemachus has grown more powerful than any could imagine. I saw it with my own eyes tonight and I fear that things are going to be happening that the Jovians know little to nothing about. Just beware of what rummers come through those doors. Some might be truer than you think." As Cathán says this, he hears his name being called, yet it is just him and Zigler in the Inn. "I must go. There is much to do and very little time to do it. I don't know when i'll be back but you'll know." Without waiting for a reply Cathán vanishes right in front of Zigler.

[ziglerrobertson]

Another day has dawned over the city of Mittelmarch. Zigler and Aki had been out around the city running errands to replace mugs, tankards, and other needed supplies. After Cathan had left Zigler continued to restock the bar, then went to bed. The new Jovian remained unconscious the entire time. Carneth arrived an hour before Zigler would start preparing for the heavier crowd. All throughout the day lone drinkers and couples had inhabited the Inn. And now as the night draws near more and more of the regular crowd stream in through the door. Soon the Inn is a hive of activity. Zigler looks around the room from the bar as he quietly says, "I feel good."

[Cathán Neamhnaofa]

Cathán appears in the kitchen with a crate in his hand and a note on top of it. He sets it down so Zigler can find it.

He walks down stairs and picks up the remains of the Jovian guard that Zigler had chopped up for the stew and disappears once again.

[ziglerrobertson]

It's been a couple weeks since Cathan left the note about poisoning the foods and waters of Jove. As a direct result, food prices at Cedric's have gone up despite the continued delivery of bloodless deer and bore carcasses and the grumbling of some of the regulars. They were placated somewhat though by the fact that drink prices were still the lowest in Mittelmarch.

It was still early in the night, not many people inhabiting the Inn when a tall, cloaked figure stepped through the door and up to the bar. Throwing back the hood of the cloak while sitting down, a handsome woman's face is revealed along with a mane of bright blond hair and green eyes. She orders a beer then proceeds to ignore Zigler, who is behind the bar.

[Giggles "Adguin"]

Giggles arose just outside of Mittlemarch. He proceed to Cedric's Inn as it had the lowest drink prices. And even Giggles knew that would attract those who have the knowledge he seeks. He sniffs the air and grins, loving the aroma.
Oh man! I don't how much it costs but make me three servings of what ever has that meat in it!
He sat down and looked around for any who knew about what books might lie in the library. He prayed there was a section devoted to knowledge in the dark magics.

[Stubbie]

After many a hard week working on repairing the wall, Stubbie decided it was time to go converse with others of the city; instead of merely subsisting with in his tent by the wall. He'd heard many of those working near him about an Inn...Cedric's they said. After much wandering, he found the place.

Knowing no one, he sidled up to the other dwarves, drinking together at a side table.

"Bah' Keep! A-notha round ova here if ya please! 'Tis on me!" Stubbie boasted, waving a small hematite stone in the air as proof of his words.

Turning back to his dwarven comrades, now being subjected to their congratulatory and appreciative slaps on the back, he struck up an old mining song; luckily common to all dwarf-kind.

[ziglerrobertson]

Zigler grins as he walks back into the kitchen to fill Giggles' order while Aki and Carneth take care of his fellow dwarves. Zigler listened to their drunken ramblings, and even joined in on a few, matching the strange dark dwarf in a red cap drink for drink. As the dwarves run out of old mining songs Zigler grabs out his book and begins singing excerpts from it. As Zigler looks up from his book, he notices Lucienda motioning to him from the back entrance.

Zigler drunkenly looks over at Jherdar, "Hey Jed. Wanna have some fun?"

The Bloody Cap dwarf eye's the Bard suspiciously, "Just what kinda 'fun' did ye have in mind?"

Zigler stands and pulls his fellow dwarf up by the arm. "Comeon, we'll show ya." He turns and shouts towards the back door," Hey! Lucienda! Wait up!" Turning towards the Inn at large he bellows, "AKI! Watch the place will ye!" With that he, Jed, and the blond Lucienda exit out the back of the Inn.

With the two dwarves hanging onto her belt Lucienda guides the duo to a small two story building not far from Cedric's Inn.

"Where we goin'," mutters Jherdar.

Zigler just grins as he looks up a Lucienda, who is also grinning wide as she opens the door to 'her' place. Light, warmth, and familiar smells engulf the three as they enter.

[Stubbie]

The bloody-cap was throughly enjoying himself. Not often was he social, but tonight, it really felt right. The free drinks, quickly, making him friends. He sang, badly, and then attracted the attention of the proprietor.

Following the tall, for a dwarf, fellow and his greater of stature blond friend, Jherdar found himself soon lost in a twisting and turning maze of alleys and by-ways.

Upon reaching their apparent destination, Jed stares fuzzily through the doorway at the bright lights and multitude of "friendly" faces.

Looking over at his new found friend, who appeared much more at ease

"Wha.... Where are we?"

Spying a pert brunette lass and wrapping one arm about her waist; "Neva mind...excuse me lass; but allow me to introduce meself...."

[ziglerrobertson]

Zigler looks over to Jherdar as a couple of pale arms encircle his chest from behind. Soon a shock of red hair blocks his view and is quickly followed by the upside down face of an angel.

"Well hello darlin'" drawls Zigler to the tall, buxom yet slim woman bending over him.

She giggles then looks over at Jherdar and the slim brunette he's ensnared. Answering his broken question in a melodious voice she says, "A home away from home, wit' a warm bed an' some 'willin' friends."

Across the room Zigler spies Lucienda talking with another one of the girls. The petite and slim raven haired beauty soon walks over to Zigler and the red head, a few whispered words and giggles between the two cause the trio to head up the stairs located at the back of the room, leaving Jed to his own devices.

[Giggles "Adguin"]

As Giggles finishes his second plate, he looked at the dwarfs. For some reason their songs and dancing soothed him. He returned to start his third helping, and didn't notice that a crimson tear feel down his cheek into the plate. He gazed on as the dwarfs left the Inn.

[ziglerrobertson]

Zigler awoke to the rhythmic rise and fall of someone else's breathing. His head was resting on the red heads slender belly as the raven haired one had cuddled up to his significantly larger stomach. Both were still asleep and had peaceful expressions on their faces. It’s small wonder really, unlike their other clients Zigler doesn’t ‘get in, get out’ and in fact will let them sleep however so long they wish and pay up with the Madame later on.

“Ahh, the perks of the Pub and Inn business,” wonders Zigler as the two ladies of the night continue to sleep peacefully, Zigler reflects on the events that first brought him to Madame Lucinda’s. It had been late at night, well after the Jovian curfew during the first few months of the occupation. Cut off from Cedric’s by several Jovian patrols, Zigler ducked into the first unlocked building he found, just before one of the patrols rounded a corner and found him.

Inside, the place was lit up like a house on fire, and for all the body heat and the miasma of sweat it could have been one of the dojo thingies back in the Kyuden. Save for one respect, the mixed genders and the fact that not all the women were clothed. Over time Zigler came to know the ‘ladies’ and finally Madame Lucinda herself. By about this time the Jovians had left Mittelmarch and Zigler was just beginning to open Cedric’s when Lucinda approached him with an offer.

“Zigler, you like my girls,” states Lucinda, dressed in a fetching green and yellow outfit that left very little to the imagination, and in fact had a deeply plunging neck line.

“Aye, I’ve become rather fond o’ them,” replies the newly minted Inn Keeper.

“How would you like to strike a deal, food for me and my girls in exchange for ‘services’ and having giving you sanctuary on that night just a few months ago.”

“Alright, that be an agreement I can work w’th,” replies Zigler. Lucinda had then proposed they seal the deal by having a couple of drinks from her ‘private stash’………

Zigler’s memories are interrupted by a quiet knock at the door. It opens a crack and Madam Lucinda sticks her head in.

[Giggles "Adguin"]

Giggles wiped away his tear and paid his bill. He already knew a spell that would sell one of these 'whores' souls to keep her living, and every man she would sleep with would be cursed unknowingly and would later become his undead servant at his word! Oh he should have thought about this before!
He looked around and found the place he was looking for. He paid his way in and went into the main room. There he saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She wore a beautiful dress of glittering red and black, and a black rose belt flap. Oh he would enjoy selling her soul to a demon!
He talked to her, moving her closer and closer to the front door.
All of a sudden she asked why he cried a single red tear and before he knew it, he grabbed her and made his way for the front door.

[Cathán Neamhnaofa]

Cathán appeared behind as usual with another delivery of supplies, but without a Jovian this time. He doesnt see or hear Zigler when he drops them off in the kitchen, so he decides to go check the second spot that Cathán has found him before. Cathán picks up the remains of yet another Jove that Zigler is through with and heads for the Brothel.

Cathán was almost to the door of the Brothel when the door swung open and one of the Gals is getting dragged out by a man, who by Cathán's keen nose, smells like rotting flesh. Cathán notices the black rose belt flap on the woman and anger flairs in him. He drops the carcass and before being notices charges the man. By the time the man realized Cathán, it was to late. He tackled the man just barely missing the woman at the same time. The man slams to the ground with the Demon on top of him. Cathán starts beating on him with his bare hands throwing one punch after another.

After Cathán is satisfied with his beating, he gets up and picks up the now bloody bodied man. The woman was still standing there watching the entire time without a sound.

"You are ok, right?" Cathán asks her.

"But, of course dear. You should know I like it when guys are rough with me." The woman says with a nice smile.

"You should head back inside and find Zigler. Tell him that he'll have a surprise when he gets back to the Inn later and it's not a Jovian."says Cathán.

The woman walks up to Cathán gives him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you." is all she says and walks back through the still open door. Cathán heads back to the Inn, picking up the Jovian carcass on the way, to tie up this man who thought he could take one of his followers of lust.

[Giggles "Adguin"]

Giggles wasn't sure how a mere mortal could affect him so. He thought punches wouldn't harm him but he felt pain with each and every blow.
Before he knew it he was unconscious.
He didn't know how much time had passed but when he awoke in a strange place he knew he was in trouble.

[ziglerrobertson]

Lucinda's eyes are unreadable as she tells Zigler, "There's a message for you from Cathan, Black Rose Olivia is waiting for you downstairs." With that she begins to close the door, but Zigler quickly slides out from underneath the women. Being careful to not wake them, Zigler leaves the room dressed in short briefs with the rest of his cloths bundled under one arm.

Once in the main room Zigler saw all the girls gathered around Olivia. After a brief explanation from the unstartled and unconcerned woman, Zigler quickly puts on his clothes and then heads for the Inn at top speed, intending to make sure everything was shipwright in case Storm should awaken early.

Opening the door to the basement awakens both the remaining Jovian and the undead known as Giggles. The Jovian’s cries for help fill the room as Zigler closes the door and walks down the stairs, all the while Giggles watches him, a slow smile spreading across what little of his face that is revealed by the broken mask.

As Zigler reaches the bottom of the stairs the Jovian’s pleas turn into heavy sobs mixed with short, feared breaths. Ignoring the pathetic creature the Inn Keeper walks over to the being shackled to his wall. Taking a few whiffs of the air a look of disgust spreads across his face. “So…ye be not Jovian, but something even worse.” Says Zigler as he removes the undead’s broken mask. “Ye be lookin' like a normal human, but this nose knows you are of a different sort.” The face underneath continues to smile, as if to say “I am all powerful, there is nothing you can do to harm or hurt me.”

Zigler reaches into his belt pouch and extracts a green crystal, placing it in the center of his left hand the Bard speaks to it, as if it were a person and not a mere object. “Können Sie sich Ihre pain.May weinen und bluten, bis Sie weg sind.” Suddenly the crystal starts to glow a dull red. Placing it on a shelf above Giggles’ head, the creatures disguise slowly unravels. Flesh falls from him as water and drops onto the floor where it slowly evaporates away. Giggles face is contorted in silent pain as if each piece were an actual part of him.

Zigler chuckles and says, “We’re gonna have some fun you and I.” With that, the Psychotic Bard and Inn Keeper proceeds to have a 'pleasant' morning.....

[Stubbie]

Jherdar awakes, alone, in a well furnished room; upon a plush and high standing bed. Rolling to his feet with all the grace of a dropped boulder. Collecting his things and dressing, Stubbie leaves a small amber stone on the empty drink tray as he heads out the door.

Following the short hall to a stair-case, he observes the inn-keep disengage from a strikingly beautiful woman then hurries through the front door. Slowly taking the stairs, trying not to disturb the meeting obviously going on; he none-the-less draws interest upon his approach of the landing.

Flashing a sheepish grin "G'mornin to ye lassies. Ta'care." Blushing slightly when the brunette from the night before blew him a kiss , Stubbie hurried through the same front door.

Once out, he noticed just how late in the morning it was. Almost mid-day. The over-seer wasn't going to like that. As he made due haste to the 37th section of the wall, Stubbie reflected...maybe he would have to come into town more often.