Glowborn Scavenger Eliah confidently pushed through the swinging doors of the Scavenger’s Rest on Gateway. The bartender looked up at her, and then returned to cleaning her mugs without a word.
The bar was sparsely populated. At the bar, a drakin sat alone observing the scene. At the far end of the bar, two corporate types argued. On the far side of the room three rat-like wildlings chittered to each other over their mugs. At a nearby table, two scholarly humans debated over their books. In the center of the room, three rough characters, also human, sat drinking with boisterous laughter.
To the right of the door, three other glowborn sat at a table by themselves. The other patrons seemed to be giving them a wide berth. To the left, some pirates sat drinking and carousing. In the back of the room, at a small table in the corner, an short elf and a brawny dwarf sat together.
Eliah stepped up to the bar near the drakin. “Do you have cider?” she asked the bartender , and worn-looking older human. The woman glared at her. “What have you got?” Eliah said in concession. The woman filled a mug from a tap and placed the foamy amber brew on the counter. Eliah placed a cog on the counter. The bartender took it and wandered off.
A moment later, the dwarf appeared at the bar between them. “Another round, please, my good woman,” he said with a smile.
In the mean time, the three pirates walked up to the elf.
“We don’t like your kind here,” one of them said.
“No, we don’t like snooty elves at all,” said another.
“I understand,” the elf replied indifferently and nursed his drink.
“I think we should show you want we think of your kind,” the first man said.
The elf presumed that the three were about to attack him and murmured a few words. Instantly, a tangle of vines and leaves erupted from the wooden table and engulfed the elf and two of the three ruffians.
“I better take care of this,” the dwarf sighed, and sauntered over to the fracas. A moment later Eliah followed. When she caught up with him, the dwarf said, “I’ll take care of this, friend.” Then he turned to the man who was not hidden by the foliage.
“Listen here,” he said, “I was hired to guard that elf’s body, which means his body is mine. Your body is not under my protection. So what’s it going to be?”
In the meantime, the drakin approached the glowborn trio to wager on the outcome. The glowborn responded by attacking her.
In spite of the dense growth all around him, the pirate leader attempted to stab the elf. A moment later his colleague cried out in pain. Enraged, he stabbed again. “I’ve killed him,” he cried.
“You’ve killed me,” gurgled the other entangled pirate.
The dwarf stepped up to accost the third pirate. When Eliah followed to lend support, the the ruffians approached her.
“This ain’t your fight,” one of them said, cracking his knuckles in the palm of his other hand.
The third pirate, alone outside the concealment of the elf’s obscuring plantlife, regarded the dwarf, wet himself, and fled from the tavern.
Seeing the she was outnumbered and that the three ruffians were serious, Eliah fled toward the door she had entered by.
One of the glowborn took a swing but hit his friend and knocked him out. The chosen evaded her attackers and landed a blow with her brass knuckles that floored one of the glowborn. But was herself knocked down. When she rose, there was another glowborn behind her, but she lashed out at the one who had hit her and knocked him down. The newcomer then knocked down the third attacker.
Suddenly the spontaneous growth of foliage disintegrated, leaving the pirate captain exposed. He turned and lashed out at the dwarf with his cutlass. The dwarf evaded several blows before drawing his short sword and slaying the pirate.
Looking around, the dwarf saw no sign of the elf, but saw a glowborn and drakin being bullied by some other glowborn. He stepped up and offered to assist. Eliah accepted. Seeing that the dwarf had joined the fight, the bullies backed off and retreated to a far table.
To pay for the dwarf’s services, the drakin bought a round for her two new friends. They introduced themselves to each other.
The drakin, who was a Chosen and a sorcerer, introduced herself as Raziel, had recently left Dragon’s Spine to see the universe.
The dwarf introduced himself as Weaponsmaster Tarek Ambervaile. He had been hired by Nerian, the puny elf Priest of the Wild, to protect him.
Eliah was a professional Salvager. The glowborn was currently looking for work and responded to an posted bill advertising an opportunity to be discussed that afternoon at the Scavenger’s Rest.
Hearing of Eliah’s job opportunty, Raziel decided to find out more about the job. Tarek was also intrigued, and went to retrieve Nerian, who had probably retreated to their room in the back of the tavern.