Member
Choking on Mud
BunniesOfDoom
mickilennialThe recent influx of visitors to the town did not bother to the large smith in the slightest. Some residents grumbled about the visitors drinking up all the finest ales, while others whined about them occupying all the rooms at the inns. But, as far as he was concerned, more people around town meant more opportunities for him to earn some coin!
Taxian had been roaming the streets with his more common, portable smithing tools. whetstones for sharpening, a selection of pins, rods, and fasteners that could be used to repair handles and the like and of course his hand tools. All in all, it had been a rather productive day for him. He had even managed to catch the eyes of a few older women, wealthy women, all the while, trying to avoid the disdainful stares of the husbands of those older, wealthy women.
He passed through the doors of Balenof’s Tavern, the aged metal hinges protesting with a groan as he moved through the doors. Pausing for a moment, he rummaged through one of his satchels producing a small jar with something resembling salve, and a scrap of cloth which he used to apply some of the lubricant to the hinges. Nodding with satisfaction after working the doors back and forth a few times until the hinges fell silent, he moved through the crowded tavern towards the bar with a deftness that seemed to belie his size and smiled at the old barkeep as he approached.
“Ahh fair morning to you Balenof!” Sweeping his calloused hands across the room before setting his tools down on a nearby stool with a grin “Seems well and full in here today, I hope there's enough food for everyone! I’ll take a tankard of ale if you have any left, and perhaps a chunk of smoked sausage.” He set a stack of coins down on the bar top and slid them across to the barkeep with a nod.
The old barkeep returned the greeting with a smile of his own, as tired and crooked as it was. But Taxian suspected the elder man was just too busy to rest at the moment and appreciated the
effort none the less!
“Yeah Business been good past little while! what with all the guild recruitment drives!” Balenof said gruffly while flicking his head in the direction of the old man and the noble “Even that old man has a recruitment drive going. ‘The Helping Hand’ he’s registered the guild name under.”
“Hmm interesting” He replied, recognition flashing across his face as he looked towards the old man and his 'Helping Hand' signage.
“No smoked sausage yet Taxian. Still on the pit cooking...Sorry. But the ale’s fresh, just tapped from my reserves this morning!” Balenof sighed as he poured.
“You should get some rest! No good to any of us if you faint from exhaustion, especially since you'd have no one else to run the tavern.”
“You want it? The tavern? She's my pride and joy you know!” he winked.
“And that my salty old friend, is exactly why you should keep it!” He smiled adding a few more coins to stack then continued, “you should get yourself a barmaid or something!”
“Aye! Maybe I will! If one fails at their quest of becoming a monster hunter.”
“One could only hope!” The smith chuckled, then took up his ale, and tools and moved towards the Helping Hand’s ever-growing crew, raising his tankard in a mock toast as he drew closer to them.
“Greetings old timer!” It was an informal greeting, but respectful all the same. “It’s been a while since I’ve been summoned to your home so I’m assuming that all my previous wares you had commissioned are still in good repair?” He dipped his head respectfully to the old man and the others around him before resting his tools down on the floor with a resonating thump.
He gently passed by the others and picked up the sign before reading aloud “The Helping Hand hmm?” Setting the sign back down in its place on their table with a grin, he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.“Catchy name! Tell me about it!”
Taxian had been roaming the streets with his more common, portable smithing tools. whetstones for sharpening, a selection of pins, rods, and fasteners that could be used to repair handles and the like and of course his hand tools. All in all, it had been a rather productive day for him. He had even managed to catch the eyes of a few older women, wealthy women, all the while, trying to avoid the disdainful stares of the husbands of those older, wealthy women.
He passed through the doors of Balenof’s Tavern, the aged metal hinges protesting with a groan as he moved through the doors. Pausing for a moment, he rummaged through one of his satchels producing a small jar with something resembling salve, and a scrap of cloth which he used to apply some of the lubricant to the hinges. Nodding with satisfaction after working the doors back and forth a few times until the hinges fell silent, he moved through the crowded tavern towards the bar with a deftness that seemed to belie his size and smiled at the old barkeep as he approached.
“Ahh fair morning to you Balenof!” Sweeping his calloused hands across the room before setting his tools down on a nearby stool with a grin “Seems well and full in here today, I hope there's enough food for everyone! I’ll take a tankard of ale if you have any left, and perhaps a chunk of smoked sausage.” He set a stack of coins down on the bar top and slid them across to the barkeep with a nod.
The old barkeep returned the greeting with a smile of his own, as tired and crooked as it was. But Taxian suspected the elder man was just too busy to rest at the moment and appreciated the
effort none the less!
“Yeah Business been good past little while! what with all the guild recruitment drives!” Balenof said gruffly while flicking his head in the direction of the old man and the noble “Even that old man has a recruitment drive going. ‘The Helping Hand’ he’s registered the guild name under.”
“Hmm interesting” He replied, recognition flashing across his face as he looked towards the old man and his 'Helping Hand' signage.
“No smoked sausage yet Taxian. Still on the pit cooking...Sorry. But the ale’s fresh, just tapped from my reserves this morning!” Balenof sighed as he poured.
“You should get some rest! No good to any of us if you faint from exhaustion, especially since you'd have no one else to run the tavern.”
“You want it? The tavern? She's my pride and joy you know!” he winked.
“And that my salty old friend, is exactly why you should keep it!” He smiled adding a few more coins to stack then continued, “you should get yourself a barmaid or something!”
“Aye! Maybe I will! If one fails at their quest of becoming a monster hunter.”
“One could only hope!” The smith chuckled, then took up his ale, and tools and moved towards the Helping Hand’s ever-growing crew, raising his tankard in a mock toast as he drew closer to them.
“Greetings old timer!” It was an informal greeting, but respectful all the same. “It’s been a while since I’ve been summoned to your home so I’m assuming that all my previous wares you had commissioned are still in good repair?” He dipped his head respectfully to the old man and the others around him before resting his tools down on the floor with a resonating thump.
He gently passed by the others and picked up the sign before reading aloud “The Helping Hand hmm?” Setting the sign back down in its place on their table with a grin, he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.“Catchy name! Tell me about it!”
