The atmosphere inside the tavern could easily be summed up by some as warm and friendly, with a few exceptions of some rather shady-looking individuals off in the corners. The fireplace was roaring and filling the room with warmth, the tables were full of people in varying states of merriment and sobriety, and in general it seemed like quite the happy place. The girl tending the bar was a slight blonde, appearing to be no older then around seventeen, having only recently taken over for an older man to work her shift.
One particular patron, however, disapproved of just about everything around her. Tanya Palayan, her armor currently stored elsewhere, sat with her arms folded tightly across her chest. So many drunks. Certainly, her religion did not have anything against the consumption of alcohol, but Tanya definitely did. The taste, the state it left people in, she had nothing but disapproval for those around her. She did in fact radiate a strong field of irritation as she sat upon. Currently, the small paladin was not wearing her armor, instead only carrying her bastard sword, Repharion. The sizable blade was sheathed on her hip, or rather slightly higher in order to ensure it wouldn’t drag upon the ground.
In normal circumstances, Tanya would never be found in a place like this. It was too loud, too full of alcohol. To put it simply, she absolutely hated being in taverns and quite truthfully wished she was almost anywhere else. But the Paladin of Reon had an assignment, and it was an important one at that. And one of the … recommendations from the priestesses was that she seek further assistance in this task. As confident in her abilities as Tanya was, she eventually begrudgingly agreed that it would be for the best to have allies for this mission. With many of Reon’s loyal paladins aboard, Tanya had been instructed to seek those who may be willing to help her closer to her destination.
That is what lead the purple-haired girl here. The town of Balendale was not far from the ruin she intended to reach. It was a simple place, defended by a simple wooden wall surrounding it. She had heard many adventurers stopped at the place, for whatever reason.
Tanya had little excuse to put it off any longer. She had drained her mug of milk completely dry at this point.
Signing to herself, she got to her feet and climbed onto the bench, as to make herself more noticeable. Well, at least this would get potential applicants’ attention more quickly.
“I am a paladin of Reon, seeking to reach the deepest level of the Prison-Castle!” she declared. Indeed, there were few who did not know of what some people called King Haldric’s tomb. Indeed, the allure of the treasure that was rumored to litter it was something she was counting on. “If any wish to join me in this quest, speak now!”
Tanya paused. Now there were so many people looking at her… Grumbling under her breath, she looked away.
“… Or something.”
With that, she sat back down, arms folded firmly across her chest.
It was a few hours later that they arrived at the crumbling ruin that was all that remained of what was once the castle of the land's former ruler. They had been introduced to one another as needed on they way, and Tanya had contributed a bit of backstory on the ruin they would be visiting, at least what she knew beyond mere legend. The tale of the Prison-Castle of the Mad King Haldric was an unpleasant one, filled with paranoia and insanity. The former ruler of the lands surrounding the Castle, King Grigori Fel Haldric, was driven mad by the paranoid belief that there was something plotting to end his life. He commissioned an underground castle, filled it with traps, and slowly drove away or executed all those who remained with him. Eventually even his family had fled. Rumor had it they escaped to the neighboring country of Ithillin. To be frank, Tanya's chief knowledge of Ithillin was in the excellence of their pastries. Regardless, it was not long after this that Telrun, the country Haldric had once ruled, was absorbed into Velt due to their lack of leadership.
Regardless, that was not the important matter at hand. The Prison-Castle was filled with undead, and other unpleasant creatures such as Great Rats and goblins. The undead, worse then merely being reanimated corpses, were often former guards with some shred of intelligence remaining that lead them to be able to fight more competently than most would expect. Worse still, the castle was filled with many still-working traps. However, Tanya was unconcerned with this. She had a strong faith in her own ability to reach the bottom floor unscathed and slay the evil that was dwelling at the bottom of the castle.
The others she was not so sure of.
The gate was crumbled into nothingness, the gatehouse little more than mossy bricks scattered across the ground. However, the tower remained. At least in part, the top floor was a shattered remnant of what once was. The door remained, the paint long since flaked away, but it still stood, tall and imposing. Even if Tanya had not known of the trap laid in it...
Certainly, the skeletal remains with a hole punched cleanly through the skull would have informed her.
"... You'd have to be an idiot to try the front door," began the purple-haired paladin, turning to the rest of her party. "It's trapped, the lock and the floor behind it. There has to be another entrance, the tower's barely standing."
One particular patron, however, disapproved of just about everything around her. Tanya Palayan, her armor currently stored elsewhere, sat with her arms folded tightly across her chest. So many drunks. Certainly, her religion did not have anything against the consumption of alcohol, but Tanya definitely did. The taste, the state it left people in, she had nothing but disapproval for those around her. She did in fact radiate a strong field of irritation as she sat upon. Currently, the small paladin was not wearing her armor, instead only carrying her bastard sword, Repharion. The sizable blade was sheathed on her hip, or rather slightly higher in order to ensure it wouldn’t drag upon the ground.
In normal circumstances, Tanya would never be found in a place like this. It was too loud, too full of alcohol. To put it simply, she absolutely hated being in taverns and quite truthfully wished she was almost anywhere else. But the Paladin of Reon had an assignment, and it was an important one at that. And one of the … recommendations from the priestesses was that she seek further assistance in this task. As confident in her abilities as Tanya was, she eventually begrudgingly agreed that it would be for the best to have allies for this mission. With many of Reon’s loyal paladins aboard, Tanya had been instructed to seek those who may be willing to help her closer to her destination.
That is what lead the purple-haired girl here. The town of Balendale was not far from the ruin she intended to reach. It was a simple place, defended by a simple wooden wall surrounding it. She had heard many adventurers stopped at the place, for whatever reason.
Tanya had little excuse to put it off any longer. She had drained her mug of milk completely dry at this point.
Signing to herself, she got to her feet and climbed onto the bench, as to make herself more noticeable. Well, at least this would get potential applicants’ attention more quickly.
“I am a paladin of Reon, seeking to reach the deepest level of the Prison-Castle!” she declared. Indeed, there were few who did not know of what some people called King Haldric’s tomb. Indeed, the allure of the treasure that was rumored to litter it was something she was counting on. “If any wish to join me in this quest, speak now!”
Tanya paused. Now there were so many people looking at her… Grumbling under her breath, she looked away.
“… Or something.”
With that, she sat back down, arms folded firmly across her chest.
It was a few hours later that they arrived at the crumbling ruin that was all that remained of what was once the castle of the land's former ruler. They had been introduced to one another as needed on they way, and Tanya had contributed a bit of backstory on the ruin they would be visiting, at least what she knew beyond mere legend. The tale of the Prison-Castle of the Mad King Haldric was an unpleasant one, filled with paranoia and insanity. The former ruler of the lands surrounding the Castle, King Grigori Fel Haldric, was driven mad by the paranoid belief that there was something plotting to end his life. He commissioned an underground castle, filled it with traps, and slowly drove away or executed all those who remained with him. Eventually even his family had fled. Rumor had it they escaped to the neighboring country of Ithillin. To be frank, Tanya's chief knowledge of Ithillin was in the excellence of their pastries. Regardless, it was not long after this that Telrun, the country Haldric had once ruled, was absorbed into Velt due to their lack of leadership.
Regardless, that was not the important matter at hand. The Prison-Castle was filled with undead, and other unpleasant creatures such as Great Rats and goblins. The undead, worse then merely being reanimated corpses, were often former guards with some shred of intelligence remaining that lead them to be able to fight more competently than most would expect. Worse still, the castle was filled with many still-working traps. However, Tanya was unconcerned with this. She had a strong faith in her own ability to reach the bottom floor unscathed and slay the evil that was dwelling at the bottom of the castle.
The others she was not so sure of.
The gate was crumbled into nothingness, the gatehouse little more than mossy bricks scattered across the ground. However, the tower remained. At least in part, the top floor was a shattered remnant of what once was. The door remained, the paint long since flaked away, but it still stood, tall and imposing. Even if Tanya had not known of the trap laid in it...
Certainly, the skeletal remains with a hole punched cleanly through the skull would have informed her.
"... You'd have to be an idiot to try the front door," began the purple-haired paladin, turning to the rest of her party. "It's trapped, the lock and the floor behind it. There has to be another entrance, the tower's barely standing."
