As the night drew near, already the Broken Goblet was getting filled of its regular patrons. His bar assistant was there inspiring games and play. Another common night as always, carousing drunk patrons, even sneaky people who seemed to enjoy making patrons see doors appear as they open and close themselves. Drinking games filled the start of the night. It looked fun in the bartenders eyes but he could not involve himself. He still had customers at the bar to serve and he was in conversations with them. For the others, he merely allowed them to indulge in the games they play.
As much as he would like to try and service or please all, he could not. But he tried his best. Patrons would know that about him. They would more or less say, he did his best to tend to everyone.
However deep in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder about the coming days, and what treacherous places he would need to venture to. There was a good chance he may die, but this was beyond him already. He made a mental note to ensure he visits a shine to give offerings. Why is he getting involved he wondered. Tis had been better to simply not care like he normally did and drink his life away, yet since becoming a bartender, he barely had a chance to drink. Being sober sucked he thought as he looked beyond to the carousing patrons engaged in a game. Who knows perhaps one of those men will get lucky enough to go home with a woman there. At least someone would wakeup in a state of bliss, for the bartender still had work to do, filling goblets. As the night progressed, patrons came and went. It wasn't until much later during a trip to the Gate in much need of stretching his legs, that he came upon the woman he called a wolf. He smirked to himself suddenly thinking about a woman who had a thing about bears. Ah yes, indeed he's met many interesting travelers of all sorts. Soldiers, sailors, pirates, thieves, barbarians and other types. The "Miss" would be pleased in the earnings that come in. It wasn't long the wolf and her friend accompanied him back to the Goblet, or was it the other way around. These two seem to have an interest for the tavern. Later it was the usual, filling goblets and meeting more patrons and indulging in casual conversations. The only thing out of place was, two of the three wanted water. "One of those" he thought. Very well, water they want water they will get but in a goblet.
Even after the along day of carousing patrons, brawls and fights and even the removal of bodies, new patrons still continue to keep arriving. What ever their reasons, what ever the games they played, he did not care, he simply kept the goblets filled.
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
Passerby's might have seen a female tiefling hauling two dead bodies down to the death wagon, and a argument between the blind eerie man known as "Puetus" and the bartender of the Broken Goblet might be heard.
"Yeah yeah I know Puetus! Look I aint meanin to make you work hard. You know how dem boys get sometimes when they heads get all filled with bubbles and what not. And shite, it don't make things better with the lasses. Alcohol and jealousy don't mix well. Hey at least its been a while right? Give me that at the least and stop bustin my chops. At least its not an every day affair."
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
"It's not a question of faith."
"Faith implies belief without proof."
"The gods exist."
"Would you worship me if I claimed I was a walking god?" "Tempting but you would have to prove such a statement. Else your just another woman.." "Precisely."
"Ah, so you still holding your beliefs" "Many. Gods are real I assure you and known that since before all this started."
"Thing is Sel, I have always lived in fear of what they do." "Or cant.."
"...punched some man in the face outside the city gates."
"The man he punched was ravving about rounding up mages and forcing them in the city." "I have little stomach for injustice, and it is all they seem to perpetuate, the illusion of 'rule of law' along with the blatant corruption."
"For what reports to be the 'heart of civilization in the region', they are horribly uncivilized." "Five..Bags? Bloody thievery.."
"...stealing glances at ya." "Borrowing is fine. Just clean them before returning. Keeping them might get your pitched tent in a bit of trouble... good trouble or bad.. I can't say." "Borrowing without returning is the way of this port city, I hear!" "If I take something and there's no resistance... Then I wouldn't be stealing.."
"Funny that's usually what's going through my mind when I try out ah new bartender too" "And from your observation so far?" "..I think ye got what it takes ta satisfy.... just a matter of showing it in duration."
The common conversations continue, some rather not so common. The talks of faith, the talks of gods still come forth from the many mouths laced from a toxic beverage. Faiths are questioned, some hold firm, some seems to have forgotten. Hatred seems to grow within the hearts of some, declaring crimes upon the weak. The bartender shakes his head. A world without Gods surely shows how the world can not even govern it self. He thought to himself at least he choose the right time to find honest work. He gets to hear about all of it, and seeing the reactions of others while not even having to go anywhere. Aye the Goblet is such a place where rumors can get passed from north to south. He looked up and eyed the two patrons who are here more often then naught. Strange how even love can find it's way into a Goblet. He cared not for their business, so long as they don't break the furniture.
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
Air Genasi - Most air genasi are descended from djinn or air genies, though other origins exist, and the touch of the elemental power of wind and air shapes the genasi physique. Like all genasi, the exact appearance of an air genasi varies from individual to individual. Compared with other genasi, air genasi are often slightly quicker, but also somewhat physically weaker.
Thigh Scabbard - is a piece of equipment that keeps knives secure when they are not in use. They are designed to be placed on the thigh so that they can be easily reached when needed...Like drinks, some mixes makes thing far more potent.
Performances, oh how one of the new bartenders in the Broken Goblet likes those very much. A drinking contest, a brawl in the pit, a try at a woman's heart a good ol arm wrestle. Today was much different. He seen a woman throw knives down in the pit in various fashion and various ways and hit every target without much of an effort. She threw one, then two, then three and before he knew it, she was jumping in the air and twirling and twisting aligning her body to each target, as the bar assistant tossed bottles of water in the air.
The Goblet was filled once again, patrons upon patrons arrived from several places. Some enter with a sense of comfort to a seedy tavern. Others enter with a hesitant step. Shockingly some faces not even the bartender would think he would see within the Goblet. But for one reason or another they came. One somewhat familiar to him was surprisingly well versed in the performance art's. A song played, a song sung, a song felt. Patrons may speak of the day a elven woman hair of gold, and eyes of emerald, came within the Goblet and sang a song, that even the bartender leaped over the bar to give cheer.
"I will go down with..."
"this ship."
"And i won't..."
"Put my hands up,"
"and surrender."
"There wil be no..."
"white flags..."
"above my,"
"mast."
The lyrics had more than one meaning to the ears of the bartender. He even said it in the crowd "Aye, a good Capt'an is one that goes down with their ship!" There was one other thing the bartender saw, something he thought he'd never seen before. A crying elf. Oh he knew a good plenty of elves and from his experience, most of them are quite uptight and grumpy. Guess after all, regardless of their long life span and their strict culture, their just the same. He did note how she didn't overly stay very long, couldn't have been the drink, after all it was Elverquisst in a goblet that he gave her. He suddenly chuckled and thought "Nah, it had to be the crowd."
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
"Their only salvation is to be refilled." "This is concerning, please. What else can you tell me of these mage hunters." "they hunt mages. Kill em... torture em... " "...along tha Trade way.." "Magic is the cause and the solution to a lot of things." " Do you all still have faith in your gods?" "The gods caused this..." She glances over to Sel. And she said, with an air of mixed feelings and shame frustration; "No..." "Gods? Hells..If I spent my life waiting on gods I would hardly have done all I did with or without them." "ain't the type ta wait fer gods to sort out the mess. " "This is not a matter mortals can solve."
"Do you hear them? Do you not.... hear them?! In the beginning of it all, aye they shed tears for you, but don't you think their all out of tears by now? Will you still not show yourself or give them a sign of hope? How much longer will you continue to remain silent? Will you remain hidden a coward like another? Are you sniveling in the corner simply awaiting for you to get your position of godhood back? I'm a mere mortal, a human and I can see what's happening. With your inability to even handle things shows them that your nothing without your throne in your makeshift heaven. Look at them, the majority are simply continuing with their normal lives. Fear and uncertainty blinds the remainder of them and now they begin to act against their own humanity.
Look at that! Their faiths dwindle each passing day! Don't you get it now? Have you naught yet seen the real effects of all this?! Some of us do see it, I see it, however I just don't know the way. You cant even give me a simple sign. But nor will I sit on my arse and loathe in pity. Perhaps when this is all done and over with, you will learn humbleness for the ones that didn't cast you aside. Because it is their blood that spills in your name. Without us, your nothing.."
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
To have faith is to defy logic. It takes faith to think positively. It takes faith to believe that there is a God who cares about our pain. To believe in life, the universe, or yourself after numerous failures is to have courage. Faith is an act of courage. It is choosing to get up in the morning and face our fears and believe that God will help us.
"It is perhaps time to have some replacements fill the void."
"For my God,
for the troops I had under my command,
for the woman I love,
for the Hold that I lived in." "then I'll just rely on myself..
Better than wishing for some gods to save me,
when they're too busy squabbling about their insane family drama,
and some damned tablets."
"..Bartender, have thing for you, I do"
"belong here not in pack."
"God? I follow true god of war Garagos"
"Tempos laughs at your Gods."
"Tempos kicked the dog Gorgagoth's ass. Always will."
Hmm, yes to have faith is to defy logic. Others choose to use logic to defy faith, a soldier by all reasons remained devoted to each of those reasons shrugging any ridicule the world would throw at him, the woman who would rather rely on her own means, yet no matter the light or darkness, she continues to love blindly, the Bloodsister who would bring a tome favored by the Bitch Queen, a god not of her own, and yet still bring it to its rightful place. The barbarian who more or less think with his warmace then his own head, would never hesitate to hold pride in his God above all others. Faith is choosing to believe that even though we may have failed one hundred times before that we can succeed the next time...some would call that insanity...
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
The Broken Goblet was having a more quiet day with regular patrons of pirates, thieves and smugglers. Captain Pike had the bar. His assistant said he had to step out for the short while to take care of some private business and shouldn't be long. It might be said that Pike was fuming pissed by the end of the night, for his assistant was gone the entire day....
Else Where...
"TEEEEEMPPPPPPOOOOOOOOSSSS!!!!!!!!"
A Half Orc of a barbarian led the charge of a acid breathing black dragon deep within the bowls of the Ziggurat. A dark knighted figure with a green sword and quick movement circled around to take flank while casting magic of his own. A spell caster stayed behind the lines raining spells on the dragon hoping every spell didn't sizzle away due to the disruption of the weave. Keen hatchet's blinked in and out cutting dragon hides in flurries. More blades slashing high and cutting low in a merciless fury! The group made short work of the dragon keeping it confused by with whom was the greater threat. For each individual it attempted to focus on, only brought pain from elsewhere. After the Dragon was slain, the blood was pumping within the group, the Dragon was simply the warmup. After their plundering, they left for the Grey peaks.
Every fire giant.. Every beholder..
wasn't enough to deter the group. And specially after picking up a known dwarf. The King of the Fire Giants barely had a chance. There was no fear in the eye's of the group, only motivation. "Now the real fun begins" the bartender said before leaving the cave. When you travel with a Half Orc barbarian and a Dwarf fighter, what would you get? The bartender of the Broken Goblet would tell you...the first thing was,he had to dodge!
*Gasps*
"Graaaahaaaa!!! "FOR GORM GULTHTYN"
"BACK TO THE HELLS!!!"
"TEEEEEEMMMMPPPOOOOSSSS!!!!"
No one coward, for they didn't have time too..
Later that night in the Broken Goblet...
"Yer bloody stink'n sor'y arse apron wear'n cobble walk'er! No wonder'n yer ain't a pirate! Yer can't ev'n tell ther differ'nce betwee'n a candlelight or a tenday! How many dar'n free goblet's yer sor'y arse gave out? Der's a bloody difference between the mornin and damn evenin'! Git back to work or I have yer scrubbin the header with a paint brush!"
((Dedicated to Volstagg/Alcreed, Happy B Day from the Goblet!))
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
"Toss a coin to your Heroes,...
Oh, Valley of Plenty - Oh valley of Plenty - oh-ho-ho!..
Toss a coin to your Heroes, Oh Valley of Plenty - ee - ee!..
At the edge of the world they fight the mighty dragons, that bashes and breaks you...
...And brings you to mourn!
They thrust every orc far back with great torque,..
high up on the mountain...
From whence it came!..
They wiped out your pest, got kicked in their chest,..
they're friends of humanity..."
"Even though we don't admit it, every single one of us aspires to be like somebody, whether they live in the world today, within the bard's lyrics, or on the pages in the Library"
"I am Bard, and by my hand was the dragon slain and your treasure delivered"
"The wind went mute and the trees in the forest stood still. It was time for the last tale."
"We are what ballads are written of, what bards sing of. We are epic, you and I."
"The bards sing of love, they celebrate slaughter, they extol kings and flatter queens, but were I a poet I would write in praise of friendship."
When a carousing drunk sudden becomes still and quiet to hear a song, you know the words and melody reached deep within the soul. The sudden silence, the shroud of comfort. The bartender always said, everyone has a tale. And no one can get it out quite like a bard. From shanty's to grand adventures, from glorious deeds to epic failures, a story within a song can be just as good as it can be written in books. The bartender in the Broken Goblet had always admire his chosen minstrels. They had their own specific expertise in their talents. Sometimes he wonders if a bard can calm a raging dragon. For he's bared witness to seeing the calm in a cold heart. Many people are truly never what they appear to be. Books and Songs are key elements that could be their very demise.
"My mother told me...
Some day I would buy:
A galley with good oars;
Sail to distant shores.
Stand up on the prow...
Noble barque I steer...
steady course to the heaven..."
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
Tieflings - were human-based planetouched, native outsiders that were infused with the touch of the fiendish planes, most often through descent from fiends—demons, Yugoloths, devils, evil deities, and others who had bred with humans. Tieflings were known for their cunning and personal allure, which made them excellent deceivers as well as inspiring leaders when prejudices were laid aside.
Today oddly the Goblet had more than enough tieflings the bartender could manage. Troublesome, playful, and down right filled with mischief. Most tieflings tend to be quite mischievous in truth, others with more guile and some very witty. Often they can be roguish or some take to being sailors or even pirates. The bartender will tell you, even tieflings have a sensitive side to them regardless of the fiendish blood that runs in their veins. As much as one can act playful, even they can feel lonely and drink themselves drunk. However the bartender in the Goblet would also say a trio of Tieflings can bring in plenty of customers, after all what goes well in a seedy tavern filled with drunk carousing pirates, sailors, thieves , smugglers and even run a'ways? A mischievous playful tiefer....
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
The bartender woke up late since his lengthy adventure the previous night. He walked with his packhorse to work and soon preps for the day. I was always nice to walk in and see patrons already enjoying a drink or or even three.
The afternoon started with songs and rumors like always. Word spreads of the heighten security of Baldurs with identity and property checks. Such rumors brings grumbles and disapproving glares. But the only comfort the bartender could give was a filled goblet. Ale, a type of beer with a bitter flavor and higher alcoholic content. Often cheap but does the job proper. Different regions has their own sort of brew. Most patrons that come in the Goblet is not accustom to it being served in a such the fine glass. Regardless, it always does what its intended to do. The Broken Goblet continues with a normal afternoon, listening to the songs of a minstrel and hearing the Coasts rumors or listening to tall tales.
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
Memories -something remembered from the past a recollection.
"You!"
"I remember your face mainlander."
"Me?" "Huh?" "What ever it was I aint do it?" "Ah ha!" "I remember you!" "Aye , the other Northerners..."
*The woman flicks a coin in the air and nimbly catches it, then places it on the bardesk and tilts her head, a mischievious smile forming on her lips*
It was at that very moment the bartender eye'd the coin. The coin looked as if it was motionless in the air, feint memories started to appear in his mind. It was high above the Serpent Hills, he had once ventured to plunder what ever loot he could find when a group of Northerners happened to be in the same temple of serpents...
Sometime in Eleint 1356 DR
"You little man, your coming with us." "If he dies I get his belongings first." "If he dies I wont be the one to carry his frail corpes." "Maybe we can use him as a distraction for the snakes to play with.."
The bartender was dwarfed by the sheer bravery of the wolf pack war band known as the "The Fangs of the Black Worg". Barbaric in nature with fortitude as thick as Mount Speartop, they rendered anything in their way, intentionally or even unintended. Civilized folks were often left in disbelief by their culture. Even their women were often with the strength of bears. Some were even rumored to be undefeated in a hundred battles. This wasn't the only time he'd find himself amongst their pack.
Somewhere deep within the Stone Fortress the warband accompanied by him, battled giant stone Golems in a temple filled with tricks and stones. They came out bloodied but that was nothing more to them then a pleasurable mark of a good battle, victorious they were with a horde of treasure and a new found respect.
"The little man has proven himself useful, he will have my respect." "As do I" "He's a slippery little bastard"
One such a woman whom he remembered entered the Broken Goblet with blonde hair like a crown of gold. Her eye's pierced with coldness beyond its Ice blue color. Dressed in white fur with golden bracelets upon her wrists, was enough to show her status as the Wolf Queen. She wouldn't even drink unless it was the mead from her own people, spitting in the goblet and setting it on top of the bar like not caring of the spilling content. The bartender held himself sternly as much as he could portray. He used conversations to distract her glancing eyes away from the other patrons, for he knew this woman would bring forth a ferocity before a flipping coin would land on a table. He thought "Not the Furniture". He manage to hold the conversation until she was mused and satisfied enough to make her leave. Talks of the past and current gave overwhelming and mixed emotions. After she walked out the door, a sigh of relief was shown on his face, as well as a feint frown, for the wolf pack always brought him a smile by merely watching them. They are missed.
But the Wolf Queen has returned..
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
It's been over two months that the bartender of the Broken Goblet was hired. Diligently he did his work, dedicatedly he remained behind the bar. At this point he wondered to what end? Nearly each day he see's the regular patrons and sometimes a new face. Of those new faces, some return, others don't. However the regular frequent patrons grow in numbers slowly one patron at a time, one day at a time. What makes them return often and speak words of home?
The bartender already knew that it's the patrons that make a tavern for what it is. However his only real battle is keeping the setting of the moods to what it was intended for. However this day he had to step out of the tavern to visit someone. But before he could, a new face from the previous day arrived. In his clothes fit for travel, he decided to tend to the patron. After all, what sort of a bartender walks away from an interesting customer. Not even a candlelight later, more and more patrons started to fill the Goblet, just as much as he fills a goblet cup with a delectable throat soother. Even the minstrel this day offer songs without tips. She merely wanted to enjoy the play of songs and gather in conversations and roasting. Applauding songs, cheerful cheers and informative conversations fill the tables. Even couples danced and caroused enjoying the effects of a drink from a goblet.
Soon as the bartender realized how much time had passed, he turned the bar over to Captain Pike and made for his trip to visit a person. His trip was short for he had missed the window of opportunity to meet with whom he needed to meet. Upon return a small gathering was soon taking place outside the Goblet. Fresh air? A moment to think? Or to simply enjoy the howling winds? What ever the reason, the gathering grew just as much as it did within the tavern earlier. Laughs, and tease as well as deeper conversations filled the nights air. Talks of the current silence of rumors from the roads brought a nervousness to the bartender. After all, most sailors would say, you know when a heavy storm is forthcoming by the long silence before it.
Wars, mage hunters, the time of troubles, treasure where the talks while watching the passing travelers going north to south or vice versa. He saw a glimpse of what appeared to be a green hair gnome leaving the Goblet. In normal cases, a person would be dumbfound to see such a person. However not this bartender, for since the past two months, he has manage to see strangeness come in many forms and often. At the least, he didn't have to tip the minstrel today.
"Sel are you wearing earrings!?" "What else am I to do with two pearls hmm?"
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
Druids - A primal spellcasters of considerable power and versatility, who gained their power through being at one with nature or through a connection to a powerful deity or nature spirit. Guardians of the wilderness, druids saw themselves less as masters of the natural order and more as an extension of its will.
The Broken Goblet, a tavern located within Roaringshore was regularly filled with lawless pirates, thieves and smugglers who come to carouse and drink themselves under the tables. The bartender has seen many sort of folks from the north and south come in for drinks and sometimes talks. This night however just when he thought he seen them all, a green haired druid entered. And he sang for free!
"Gather 'round ye lads and lasses, set ye for a while...
An' harken to me mournful tale, about the Moonshae Isles...
Let's all raise our glasses high to friends and fam'ly gone..
And lift our voices in another Moonshae drinkin' song..."
"WELL DONE!!, Finally found a fella that plays proper!, Not like that other git we had to grate."
The bartender of the broken goblet remembered his first and only druid friend he's ever had, and Eleanor was her name. He scoffed from the memories. She was the lover of a ranger name Raymond. Friends they were, friends long lost. Eleanor was pregnant with Raymond's child, she was often stubborn and would never listen to complaints of her going about training and venturing in her pregnant state. She had a habit to shifting into a bear and would even eat her pray. "Disgusting" he use to tell her. He chuckled to himself, great times indeed it was.
Kythorn 1349 DR
"Disgusting." "It is not disgusting, it is what it is..this was my 'basic' as your blades are to you." "Value what you have, for not everyone is lucky or blessed as you. And Raymond is a fool for letting you go about in such the state. You should remain in your grove until you've given birth." "I will not simply sit on my arse all day doing nothing." "Stubborn woman."
As visions of old memories pass, the druid before him was completing his second song. Wonderous he thought, for the druid played the lute as skillful as seasoned swordsman with a blade. The bartender appreciated the mans willingness to play songs of the Moonshae Isle's. He will have to remember to bring him a drink from the Moonshaes, and he will find it but it will ....still... come in a goblet.
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
