Atasatch walks into the Tavern and draws his hood back while setting his sword down on the table beside him. He raises his hand to the bar maid for an ale. "Well I guess it's time to meet my new friends." Atasatch looks out the window into the vast wilderness beyond the limits of Jastry
Hearing Atasatch mention the shard again, Wreynn looks up from his potion making supplies and shakes his head disapprovingly. He stands up and slowly walks across the tavern to Atasatch and places a hand on his shoulder.
"I know you mean to do right by your people, but invoking the power of Gorepaw's Fang is a road you can't return from unharmed. It fears the warlock, rejected the late Kirill, and sang a lovely song of power and ambition to me that was difficult to refuse. It promises power, and brings only madness. Stay away from it, this is the last time I'll warn you of the danger."
Pausing momentarily, realizing his words seem to be falling on deaf ears, he continues. "But, if you truly want to track it down, Leo was the last to have the fang, but its a tricky little object. He hasn't been seen in a few mestrun, so it wouldn't surprise me to learn that he too was rejected by Gorepaw, and left to die bleeding in the wilderness somewhere. Or if he fell prey to the power, and slaughtered his traveling partner. They were last seen heading out of Jastrey, following the sun, chasing after a clan of Uordeq slavers. The trail may be long cold by now, but its the last time anyone saw the fang that I know of."
Walking back to his table, Wreynn opens a small pouch of potent smelling dried herbs, and begins to grind them into a smooth paste. "Poor boy, blinded by ambition, doesn't have a clue how deep that hole really is. I'm going to need a special mix to end his suffering once Gorepaw claims his mind as well."
Ras sits and watches Wreynn go, then turns to atasatch, "He may be right and he may be wrong, i have no idea but i will still wish you luck and will stand by your side if you still look. But may i also say that if you turn and go crazy i will be the one to slide the blade between your ribs, you are my friend and i won't have your reputation tarnished." Ras flourishes one of his blades and showes it off then gives ata a hug and goes back to his ale.
"Wreynn" Atasatch calls out. "I am aware of what might happen to me should I be rejected by Gorepaw. But I have to try and if it shall reject me then so be it. I have nothing else to live for any longer. The Red Meadow was every thing and if fate shall truley deal me a hand as dark and cursed as to be taken by the power of a demon then so be it." Atasatch then turns back to his ale nad sits quietly pondering the words that Wreynn has spoken. He then whispers to himself. "Fate is a cruel maid, but all I can do is hope that I am the savior of the Red Meadow.
Taklinn walks in mid-hug and says "Well I was told that fairies be livin' in the tavern, but I was thinking they were talking more o' the ones with wings! Well met to all and allow me to buy the honeymooners both a drink!" He slaps them both on the back and lets out a great belly laugh before the quaffs his mug in one large gulp. "I'm tellin' ye that the holy water still needs some meat on its bones, I canno' believe that I pay me hard earned loot for such watered down stuff. Tis no matter though, jus' means ye get more o' me loot I suppose. Been awhile since i seen ye lads, an I trust ye've been gettin on well. No sign o' that tooth ye been lookin for, but iffin' I run across it I'll be sure to let ye know elf. Don't let it consume ye though, ye cant be off runnin around like a durned human who only has a few decades to get all his livin done. Trust me in this elf, I've learned that lesson well. Fools gold is more prevalent in this world than the real stuff; ye can dig it up and spend all yer days gatherin' it, or ye can keep lookin' for the real thing. Sometimes you gotta take the hard right instead of the easy left lad. Many a mine has been buried cuz the fools kept diggin instead of puttin in supports. Dont lose sight of the present is all im sayin lad." With that, the dwarf walks over to Wreynn's table, sits down, and begins asking if Wreynn has information about the mines near Jastrey.
Wreynn chuckles a bit overhearing Atasatch's last remark, and without looking up from his growing stack of potions and concoctions replies, "That is probably true. Have you asked the warlock what he thinks about it yet? Then again, his definition of "completely evil" is a bit... different."
Steeping a small pouch of herbs in a small cup of hot water until it turns in inky black, Wreynn inhales deeply and lets out a long drawn breath. "I don't know how the rest of you can function drinking as much of that swill as you do. Perhaps you should consider a more herbal alternative, and calm your nerves a little."
Taking a small sip from the cup, Wreynn winces a little, and continues, "At least you seem to have a small bit of sense left in you. Fear is a good thing, its the one thing out here that will keep you alive. Frankly, I'm more afraid of Stiers than I am the fang, but that's only because he associates with the likes of Rizzik, and that man seems like he would enjoy sitting on a small rock in the middle of the void." Wreynn shudders a bit, "Creepy, just creepy."
Atasatch peers into the empty flagon of ale and thinks back to the herbal teas that the Red Meadow used to brew, the foods that used to be passed at the family tables, the trees, the rivers and streams. Everything here was so different, so much murky and duskier. "Wreynn, can you please fix me an Elberberry and honey comb tea, with roasted walnut shavings. It was my favorite back in the Meadow. And in regards to your last comment, I have plenty of fear, but my determination for saving the Meadow overcomes it, believe me the fears of what that fang will do to me if all doesn't go as planned haunt my dreams."
"Thats a tall request, Elf. I can offer you some Spiderbite, Vineroot Medley, Death Adler Black, or whatever this horrific local blend of herbs is. Far too sweet for me, a good tea should be strong, and bitter, with enough of a kick to it to know that you're alive. All of that honeycomb and roasted almonds talk is nonsense. For as attuned to nature as you elves claim to be, you fail to respect the value and purity of the plant."
Picking through pouches and pockets, Wreynn recalls an old memory of escaping from an Elven city, chased by guards while darting between the few shadows. "I've tried this Elberberry tea of yours in the past, but I haven't been able to come across it in some time. It sits naturally on the tongue, with a slight bite and no real aftertaste. Its a clean plant, very soothing. I couldn't imagine ruining that flavor with sugars and nuts. May as well suck on a piece of candy instead. But, discussions of fine taste aside, have a seat over here, and I'll share what I do have. Perhaps I can add one of these cinnamon starbursts to the vineroot to make it a hair more lively for your tongue, and perhaps offer you a better nights sleep than the ale. I've seen what enough of it does to the dwarves - and a small piece of advice to you. If you see a dwarf pass out from drinking, I wouldn't recommend sleeping in the same room." Wreynn visibly shivers at the thought.
"Haha it's an event tea my friend. We don't usally have it much, only on special occasions. Celebratory, marriages returns from battle and such. However when I was young my mother would sneak some extra herbs home and give me a cup to help me sleep, the sweetness of the honey is almost nulled by the walnut. However, I know it woun't be the same, she always used to put a special ingredient that would soothe my mind she never did tell me what it was."
Atasatch then begins to recollect yet more memories of The Red Meadow and his family. He takes out a cup from his pouch, and entricet cup detailed with egravings of vines, and woodland animals, the most prominent was a howling wolf on the outer side farthest away from the handle, which was made our of finished redwood.
Rasiri appears on the bench next to atasatch. "Hey friend how have you been? I have been sitting in this boring tavern for a long time. May i sit and have a drink with you?"