The Sunless Citadel - (Chapter One)

[Athos Blackwind]

Athos obviously doesn't cry, but he is truly enraptured by the song nonetheless.  When everyone stands to give applause, he takes the social cue and joins them.  It was easily one of the best performances he had seen since leaving his homeland. 

Athos sat back down as the applause died down and gave Kriv a smile, "Well that was definitely worth the trek into this foul smelling city. That along with this roast, it's almost as delicious as the Portal's house ale." 

Takes a long swig of his ale and follows it up with a few bites of meat.  He then turns to other two he did not know, "My name's Athos..." He washes down some roast with another generous swallow of ale. "Pleasure to meet you." 

After that he paused having assumed that this was the odd social cue for them to likewise introduce themselves.  He had buggered that up a few times, but he had gotten his head around it for the most part now.  Oddly enough this approach at introductions worked most of the time, though he still had some people remain silent from time to time. He guessed they rather wanted to keep their privacy with strangers. He could appreciate that, but why come to such a place if you didn't want good food and company. When he wanted to be left alone he stayed in his forests. Still, he had discovered that people were as varied as the types of plants in the world.  One never really knew what one was like until a decent amount of conversation.

[Leloth]

Random: 1d100 54

[Kriv Turnuroth]

Kriv nodded at the barmaid, He says in a deep cultured but obviously not Waterdeep accent "Yes if you wouldn't mind, and extra of the roast if you would."

Kriv turned to the new arrival and nodded.  "Good to see you again Athos." He replied in his deep voice.  The dragonborn was not one to normally enjoy the music this far north and west it was different to his ears than the music of his homeland and as such he both appreciated it typically for its strangeness and usually ignored it. But the bard on stage now was fascinating and while he wanted to pay attention to his new companions he found himself drawn to the watch the tiefling woman perform.

[Arius Dezlentyr]

Arius stood and loudly applauded Leloth's deeply moving song, though it did not make him weep with its sorrow, it did move him nearly so.

As he sat down he nodded at Athos

"I am Arius Dezlentyr, of the Zazesspur Dezlentyrs. Come to Waterdeep to see if it is everything my grandmother claimed. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

[DM Spiral]

---Leloth---

Leloth finishes her song and gives a wave to the applauding crowd as she leaves the stage. She picks up the little collection basket and a few errant coins that were tossed but missed. Between the coppers and the random silvers, there was about sixteen silver when all counted out.  Not bad for a single performance. 

The random coin she got from her performances was keeping her in drinking money at the very least.  Her room and board and single meal was free, but everything else she had to cover. So far she was in the positive and luckily not drinking away all her profits. Which she noted as a fairly decent improvement upon previous gigs.


---Kriv, Arius, and Nightingale---




She nods with a little apprehension at Nightingale then gives Arius a nod and a smile, "Coming right up my lord." Then the same to acknowledge Kriv as he gave his order after the song as well. "Master Kriv"

She returns to the kitchen to fetch the food for the others just as the bard starts her song. 

As the bard collects her coin and exits the stage, the barmaid returns with a second round of drinks and the food.  She puts a heaping plate of roast down in front of Nightingale, then Arius and another double portion in front of Kriv.  Then she sets a wheel of Waterdavian cheese in the center.  "There you go gentlemen and ... lady.  Let me know if you need anything else?"

[Athos Blackwind]

Before the barmaid leaves, Athos gives her a quick wave, "My lady? Could you get us a few loaves of that fresh bread from the kitchen. I know I would love a bit more and I think my new friends here may like to have a few chunks to dab their roast." Athos adds as she departs, "The bread here is delicious. I have only tasted slightly better in a few halfling villages I've visited over the years and if you've ever tasted halfling cooking, that's saying something." 

Athos gave Arius an friendly nod, "Thank you for the cheese. It is something my people do not eat, but I love new experiences and shall definitely give some a try. Is one meant too ... eat it a certain way? Or does one just... cut a slice of it?" 
 

[Leloth]

After collecting her earnings and bowing to the crowd for their unused pocket change, Leloth starts toward the table now almost full table. Waving hello to the Elf, and giving a questioning glance to the Dragon-born, she greets them. "Hello everyone, my name is Leloth Lorekeeper and I'm a bard who performs in The Yawning Portal. If I may ask, who are all of you? What are you doing here? Sorry if I'm being impolite but you look as if you were waiting for something." She then proceeds to sit down and start on her now cold "breakfast" {A large steak with mushroom and a semi-alcoholic fruit juice}.

[Arius Dezlentyr]

Arius nods at Athos as he speaks.

"It is a local cheese I have newly discovered since coming to the North myself. Cutting out a wedge, then slices of that seems to go the best if you are eating it with bread, which it is delicious with. Otherwise just cutting small wedges out of the wheel to eat alongside your roast.  There isn't really a social rule that I have seen aside from typical polite behaviour. You know, share it."  He grins. "No sane person would eat an entire wheel in one sitting alone. That much cheese would twist your guts for a ten-day."

With that he pulls out a small knife, cuts out the first wedge for himself, then leaves the knife on the platter beside the cheese.

As Leloth takes her seat he stands as befits a lady of station and nods at her, then takes his seat.

"That was a wonderful performance, not at all what the patrons of this establishment were expecting tonight I imagine. I think many might be used to more boisterous entertainment. The kind that gets the blood fuelled for a trip down the pit."

[Athos Blackwind]

Athos nods his understanding to Arius before slicing off a bit of the cheese.  He tries a bit, nods in satisfaction and sets it on his plate to try with the bread when it arrives. "Last weekend a group of three went down.  Quite strapping group of young adventurers from the looks of them, unfortunately from what I heard, that was the last anyone saw of them." 

[Kriv Turnuroth]

Kriv nods to the bard, and says in his deep rumbling voice "I am Kriv of Clan Turnuroth it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You performance was very interesting, and well done. I enjoy watching the people, as I have not from these parts."