The DragonSlayer Inn

[Cerek the Barbaric]

WELCOME TO THE DRAGONSLAYER INN

The DragonSlayer Inn is an inn unlike any other in all of the known Realms. It has been built in the very center of the Miramar and fills an entire city block. The walls were made of huge blocks of white marble, polished so smoothly that they shimmer in the sunlight and fitted so perfectly that the seams are practically invisible. The walls are topped with merlins shaped like the bony plates of a dragons spine. It took a clan of dwarven smiths more than a year to complete the building and was, by far, the best work they had ever done outside of their homeland. The entrance is shaped like the mouth of a huge red dragon, with timbers as thick as trees, and the walls are painted with fiery red scales by the city’s most accomplished artists to complete the look. Every effort has been taken to make the DragonSlayer Inn as large and majestic as it’s name implied. It serves as a place of rest and entertainment but if need be could also serve as an easily defended fort. It is large enough to accommodate most of Miramar’s residents in a crisis.

Inside, the inn is even more impressive. The common room is octagonal and contains the usual tables and bar. A stage is set against one wall for performers to entertain the guests. Tapestries made by elven weavers decorate the hallways and many walls. However, the one thing that sets this room apart from all other common rooms is its permanent resident – the remains of the inn’s namesake – an ancient red dragon. It's enormous scaly head is so large that few men in the room could spread their arms wide enough to touch both the bony cheek plates, except at the narrowest part by the nose. Those bony appendages flared out as they went back, to protect the beast's neck while still allowing room for it to turn its head. These are so wide they covered the entire wall. The open mouth is tall enough for a dwarf to stand upright with room to spare. Each black eye is the size of a dinner plate. The scales on the nose and forehead range in size from a man's palm to a small shield, and are as thick as a gloved finger. Where other hunters mount their trophy heads above the fireplace, this tropy is so large that the beasts' mouth IS the fireplace. The flames from the wood stacked behind the tongue rise up in the throat as though the beast were about to breathe its magical flame once again, searing everyone in the room, just as it is doing to the pig slowly turning on the spit mounted across the massive teeth.
Below the head, on either side of the fireplace, is a front leg larger than the logs in the fire. Both legs are tipped with four claws – each the length of a short sword and just as sharp - reaching out into the room. The huge, leather wings stretched along the walls angling away from the fireplace. Each wing was so large that it reached from floor to ceiling and ran the length of two walls. Since the walls are angled around the common room, the overall effect creates the illusion that the dragon is swooping down into the common room rather than decorating it. Rarely does a patron enter the common room of the DragonSlayer Inn for the first time and not take a couple of steps back towards the door.

The DragonSlayer Inn is specifically designed for adventurers. Besides the extremely unusual “common” room, there are many other features that set the DragonSlayer apart. A large, open-air courtyard in the center of the inn is large enough for fighters to use for sparring. There are wooden and straw targets in various locations to practice one’s archery. An inner wall has been built to isolate one area of the courtyard from the rest. Here, mages and clerics can practice their less-explosive spells. The walls of the courtyard itself are made of various materials, for those who care to hone their climbing skills and, at the top of the walls, two ropes stretch across the courtyard.

On the inside, guards patrol the three floors containing guestrooms constantly. All exits on these floors have an Alarm ward placed on them and, for a fee, guests can have the door to their room protected by a minor glyph that will be dispelled at dawn. The reputation of the Dragonslayer Inn and Octagon has quickly spread, bringing adventurers from all parts of the land.

OOC>> This thread is primarily designated for the players that have a character competing in the Octagon thread. This thread is designed to give them an opportunity to roleplay and expand their characters a bit more. They will also be going on a series of adventures outside of the battles in the Octagon.

But, this IS an Inn, and other adventurers ARE welcome to visit. I can't promise you will find any adventures for your characters within the fair city of Miramar, but it IS growing in prosperity and reputation.

One other note - the Octagon and DragonSlayer Inn are located in the gameworld of Arkon....one conceived and designed by VulcanRider and myself. It is an island continent (very much like Australia). On the Eastern coast stand the Apex Mountains. These mountains contain a series of caverns called the Crossroad Caverns, because they connect to all other "official" AD&D gameworlds (Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, Kara-Tur, and even Krynn (but not Planescape)). The gameworld is run based on 1st Edition rules.

[ 09-15-2002, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: Cerek the Barbaric ]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Cerek sits in the back room patiently waiting for the Octagonions (as some have come to call them) to show up. Mugs of ale and goblets of wine sit accompany plates of bread, cheeses, and meat on the table in front of him. To his right sits a man wearing a tunic and breeches with an odd design. Various sized stripes of blue, grey, and black run horizontally across both. The stripes mingle and merge to form a deceptive pattern that allows for easy concealment outdoors. A long sword is strapped to the man's side and a great bow is strung across his back. A smaller sword is attached to his other side and a large knapsack (in the same striped pattern as his clothes) rests on a small table beside him. The most striking physical feature is the man's hair. Pulled back and tied in a "mares-tail" that hangs down his back, it is shockingly white. This doesn't seem to be it's "natural" color....rather, it is more a complete lack of color...as if all the color had been drained from the very hairs themselves. In fact, that was exactly what had happened.

This man was a ranger and had traveled with Cerek from the beginning of their adventuring days. He had been with Cerek (along with some other companions) when they had set out to slay the dragon that now decorated the Inn. The ranger, named Balinor, had acted as the scout and snuck into the dragons lair ahead of the party. Although he was certain that the shadows concealed him, the dragon had been aware of his presence immediately and looked straight towards him. Their eyes had met and Balinor had been frozen to the spot from the DragonFear. Unable to warn his companions, the dragon had struck first, nearly killing one of the mages in the party. Balinor had finally recovered from the Fear enough to aid in the battle, but he had never forgiven himself for his failure.

Cerek noticed an immediate change in his longtime friend (aside from the hair, which had been jet black when he entered the cave). He had become very withdrawn and surly. Offers to "talk it over" were met with derision or silence. Then one morning, his friend had simply left without a word. Cerek had followed his trail for a ways, but realized his friend was being very thorough in covering his tracks. It was obvious he needed some time to himself. A year had passed before Cerek saw him again, but Balinor seemed to have regained some of his old confidence and fire. But now, he had come seeking help in a matter that he was not able to tend to himself.

Cerek had decided it was time to let these young warriors that had been fighting in the Octagon get a taste of some real adventuring.

He and Balinor discuss old times as they wait, knowing that the others would be here soon."

[ 09-16-2002, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: Cerek the Barbaric ]

[K T Ong]

As Cerek and Balinor were engaged in their conversation, they became aware of a growing stench that was most unpleasant. Turning to look around to see what might be the source of the frightful scent, they saw a very tall and powerfully built orc barbarian just a few paces away. He was real ugly and dirty, and wore but a horned helmet, a leather armor vest, a loin cloth and strap boots. An enormous sword was attached to his side, probably too heavy for most normal humans. There was a slightly stupid look about his expression , but somehow Cerek and Balinor could tell that he wasn't hostile.

The orc scratched his left armpit. Instantly Cerek and his friend could pick up another wave of the pungent smell. "Hello, humans," said the orc in a really low voice. "Mah name's Zangief. D'ya 'now where ah may get a drink?"

[ 09-16-2002, 02:04 AM: Message edited by: K T Ong ]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Cerek and Balinor were both taken by surprise. How did this half-orc end up back here instead of in the common room?

Cerek responded somewhat gruffly "Sorry friend, but this is a private meeting. Just follow the hallway to your right and that will lead you back to the common room. You should be able to find plenty to drink there."

Cerek also thought about telling him where the nearest bath house (or river) was located, but decided against it. He thought he had gotten use to "smelly" characters after being around that dwarf, Knuckles Akirason, but this half-orc was every bit as bad. Thank goodness it was still early in the evening, that smell will certainly kill a lot of the business tonight.

[K T Ong]

"All right, thank yuuuu," said the orc as he turned and left. Cerek and his friend breathed a sigh of relief.

[ 09-16-2002, 05:50 AM: Message edited by: K T Ong ]

[Morgeruat]

As Knuckles was walking towards the private meeting room he passed another adventurer, one that made even his nose wrinkle, several of the flies attending to the dwarf died, and several more began flitting around the orc, ye gods, thought the dwarf, I must know his secret...

He walked into the room with Cerek and Balinor moments later. "Ye said yeh have an adventure fer us, does it involve whitey here?" casting a suspicious glance at the ranger

[ 09-16-2002, 08:16 AM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

***OOC. sounds fun, I want in [img]tongue.gif[/img] hehe, nice name.. how do I join etc?

[K T Ong]

Originally posted by Calaethis Dragonsbane: how do I join etc?

I believe you simply just join. But Cerek will have to be the one to tell you.

[ 09-16-2002, 08:46 AM: Message edited by: K T Ong ]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Well, it's not quite that simple, K.T.

Any character can come visit the DragonSlayer Inn, but if you want to do more than sit in the common room drinking ale, you will need to work the details out with me through PM's.

As I mentioned before, the "quest" in this thread (and some of the sub-plots) are solely designated for the members of the Octagon. Still, I will need to see how many of them actually show up. If the crowd is small enough, I may introduce other characters as the quest goes along. But I make no promises in that respect.

Miramar is a growing seaport town and there is an "untamed" expanse of country just to the north filled with bandits and other "unsavory" types. There is also a well established guild within Miramar for those who work the "night shift". I will try to work up some ideas as other people join, but I don't want to end up trying to run 5 different adventures for different characters. This thread was created as a direct response to some requests made by the players there, so members of the Octagon and their campaign will take first priority.

[VulcanRider]

Bacardi entered the inn, ducking his head as he stepped thru the door. Approaching the bar, he gave a long, appreciative look at the dragon's head fireplace. Though he's seen it daily since moving into the inn, it never ceased to draw his attention. "Someday..." he thought to himself.

Ben watched his approach, and hid a smile when Bacardi's eyes stole a look at the beast. He knew exactly what was running thru the big man's mind -- he used to have the same dreams of glory himself.

As the half-ogre stepped up to the bar, Ben aimed a thumb at a door in the back of the room and said "Cerek said t' tell ya he's waitin' back there." Bacardi nodded & walked on.

As he entered the room, he knew without seeing the dwarf that Knuckles had already arrived. [OOC - brings back memories, huh Cerek? private joke] After sizing up the stranger, he asked Cerek "You have problem? Need help?" Cerek waved a hand at the food & drink and replied "Help yourself -- I'll explain when the rest arrive."

Bacardi filled a plate, grabbed two mugs of ale, and sat as far from Knuckles as he could...