Role Play: Blood on the Vine Tavern

The bard begins playing his song...

Ah, you flatter me, dear vistani. Who, pray tell, is it that would have my sword slash on their behalf?

Takes another swig of his drink.

By the way, my sweet, the man in which you inquire about is INDEED a charming fellow pointing his gaze towards Veraun and he just happens to love the company of ladies lovely as yourself.

Steadying the drunken male so he doesn't become a decoration of the floor. Then pulling the woman's face close to his.

Tell me of this person seeking warriors to fight under his banner, I'm curious.

The bard's staff shrunk in on itself, becoming a mandolin, which the bard spun dexterously once before beginning to play and sing.

It's a dangerous thing, to go out one's door
To set foot upon the road and start walking
For of its end one can never be sure

Through endless seas of shifting sand
Upon foamy waves of water
And countryside green and grand
I have come to your wine-dark land

The very trees whisper secrets here
And mingle with the stones' low tones in the air
In search of stories I have come to hear
What tales this land has to share.

Kalleth glared as the bartender resumed his cleaning, now clearly amused by the bard. I have one more question, Sasha. Do you know of any part of the neighboring woods or wilderness considered more wild or dangerous than the rest?

"Nothing especially leaps to mind. The only forest of significant size around here is the Svalich Woods just east of town. You can't miss them."

Meanwhile.....

The female vistani notices Veraun rise from his seat and storm upstairs with his imp in tow. She smiles devilishly and slithers off after him as her brother talks with Lucca.

"We serve the Green God, my friend. We follow his creed of strength, loyalty, and courage and, in turn, he grants us His favor and a measure of His power. A temple dedicated to Him has been made, in secret, high up in the hills in the northern regions of the valley. The priestess who resides there is an aged woman twisted by a horrible curse of Strahd, but still of great power. Seek us out, if you wish, in six days time. Come at night, lest Strahd's spies follow you-even now we plan to overthrow the undead wretch and usher in a new age of glory for Barovia, with the Green God as our guide."

He hands Lucca a medallion of faintly greenish metal bearing the image of a great crack or fissure in what you assume is the sky.

Meanwhile....

"By the Laughing God that was good," shouts Ilsine from his table, his applause all the more aggravating for its singularity. "Do another, young fellow!"

Kalleth places a hand on the archivist's shoulder and steadies his slightly swaying form. "Perhaps, Father, you have a few too many spirits. Maybe you've had enough."

"I'll tell you when I've had enough, ya petchulent whipper-snapper. Encore! Angkor! Ankheg! Ank ank ank!"

Meanwhile...

Not knowing what sort of honorifics were used among dark elves, the Vistani merely rapped faintly at Veraun's door.

"Dark elf, are you in there? Perhaps you would prefer a bit of company?"

Kalleth sighed. Whipper-snapper, huh? He strolled to the bar and asked the bartender in dwarven, A whole, full, unopened bottle of your finest whiskey! He placed enough coin on the counter for the whiskey and a generous tip. Turning back to the swaying old man, he laughed to himself. And an empty glass, if you please, he added to the bartender. He pours from the bottle and into the glass, setting it down in front of the Father. Drink up, Father! It'll make the bard's squeaky voice sound even better to those old ears, I'm sure. Noticing the woman head upstairs after, Kalleth laughs. The drow might be having some fun tonight, he thought to himself before using the contents of the bottle to refill his flask and taking a long, deep swig. He shook off the burn of the liquor before returning to Sasha, offering the flask to her. Would you like to join us? He nodded to the other table where Ilsine continued to sway.

Sasha smiles and pats her goblet. "Most generous, but no."

She quaffs the rest of her drink and rises, sauntering over to the door. "I'll actually be taking my leave now. See you around, boys." With a wink of her sapphire eye she steps outside and vanishes.