012 - Sleet, drunken haze over Dun Lannach

Fan of action RPGs may not like this kind of encounter, but I do. The setup was again an old school tavern deal, in the middle of a xenophobic hinterlands. The characters were tired, some under the effect of exhaustion I, and without a good catch, this could have turned bad.

In the town of Dun Lannach

Oct 10th, FA 15

The company arrived in Dun Lannach amids the sleet and general horrible weather. The trip had been hard on Galdor and Kasper, who were under one level of exhaustion for a day or two at this point. Dun Lannach turned out to be more than they had expected: with a seemingly organized system of roads, and even one or two multi-stories buildings. From the southern outskirts, they could see the pallisaded fort atop a hill in the town center, and even an amphitheater where people seemed to be congregated despite the horrible weather.

The company headed for what looked like an Inn, off the main road and not far from a brook. The accomodation was not luxurious by any stretch, but it was bound to beat sleeping in a pavilion tent under sheets of freeing rain. They checked in and entered the premises. The ale wasn't bad. Obviously, the inclement weather had driven a lot of the locals indoors for a day of lingering and consumption. Many were playing dice on a number of table. Sir Galdor, a real gambling shark, joined one of the table and quickly got a grasp of the game "Dun Lannach rules". Within a few hours, he had picked cleaned most of the locals (he got a critical, they failed by 4, for a quick contest differential of 16!). The situation was going nowhere good.

To rescue the afternoon, Galdor deposed all of his proceeds on the bar and announced that the drinks were on him while supply lasted. Finbert, not missing a beat, began to stir the kitchen party atmosphere the best that a hobbit can (got a good carousing roll), and all seemed to be pleased with the turn of events. After all, the money that they had lost playing dice was really earmarked for drinking anyway.

By the end of the day, many of the company had acquired a Dunlending nickname. Many of the locals could now ask for a beer in the common tongue. If anything, the old myth of the wildmen had taken a beating around a pint of ale. Arnadil also suffered another fainting spell, but soon recovered again. The company went to bed relatively early on that day.

On the following day, the sleet had not relented and the company decided to remain in town and do nothing for a day. Kasper and Galdor shook off their level of exhaustion. All ate warm food, and spent the day quietly in contemplative silence.