5. Awkward

The Broken Head
It’s around half past six in the evening when you finally make it back to The Broken Head after an exhausting and eventful day. You shake off your damp cloaks and pass beneath the colossal stone head of Arden, into the inn’s smoky common room.

As your eyes adjust to the dim interior light, you are immediately aware of movement and the sounds of chairs being pushed back over to your left, towards the large fireplace. Turning to face the commotion, you see five familiar figures - Jason, the stocky, bearded warrior - Helga, the blond Wiskin rogue - Heliagabulus, the skinny wizard with the large nose - Isidor, the plump halfling in the outrageous hat - and Yvette, the hunchbacked holy woman. In other words, The Darlings minus Dalton.

Suffice to say, they seem none too pleased to see you as they stand there glaring, weapons drawn.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Can we put this off until we bump into each other outside? I'm sure no one's in the mood for a barfight right now, least of all the innkeep here. Plus you'll have damages to pay." Jacky rubs his cheek. "Incidentally, whose Darlings are you now?"

We don’ want aneh tr-rrouble. N’ neither do yeh. So let’s jus’ keep to our tables, plenty o’ bar fer everyone!

Thrudmarr looks at the Daltonless Darlings with confusion. "What, no want ale?" he gestures vaguely towards the bar. "This drinking place, no fighting place! Come, I buy!"

See?! My fightery friend is willin fer ta buy de firs’ r-round! How ‘bout we jus’ go our sep’rate ways, den?
Grim gives ol’ Thrud a friendly dwarven nod. :)

This outcome had been expected, even foretold from the moment Dalton slapped Jacky, and her comrades chose to respond to violence with more — extraordinarily well-executed — violence. She was the child of a long-lived species, used to thinking about life in terms of centuries, and yet ever since her path had joined those of her fellow-travellers, the horizon of time had just kept contracting. It was now a matter of hours, when things switched violently and not always for weal.
All these thoughts crossed her mind as she observed the Darlings in silence. Her mind thought of fifteen ways of feathering the mage before he could utter a single rune.

The Broken Head
"OI!" shouts Kettle-Belly from behind the bar, mainly directed at the Darlings. "They’ll be NO trouble in here," he yells definitively. "If you’ve got any beef, you take it outside. If any of you raises so much as a fist within the Broken Head, you’re out and at the mercy of Craas. Do I make myself clear?"

With faces of thunder, the Darlings sit down. It’s clear they have no intention of taking Thrud up on his offer of a conciliatory pint.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Zacharias wearily makes his way to the bar. Checking his pouch, he is gladdened to see that he has funds for a drink even before the loot is divided. With a sigh that sounds like it comes from his boot-soles, Zach says "Ho, Cauldron-Gut, how much for a shot of your strongest, wickedest, most evil rotgut spirit? I feel the need to remind myself that there is something worse than running into that passel of ne'er-do-wells yet again!"

When the Darlings don't take Thrud's peace offering, he shrugs and approaches the bar, joining Zach. He slaps a handful of coins in front of Kettle-Belly. "Drink time! Thrud thirsty!"

Jacky nods at the innkeeper, then looks around for Crisarius. After all, the man had said he's willing to buy what they dug up from inside the halls.