The Laugh-a-minute

[Nethos Harwain]

Not a very prepossessing sight, this inn stands just off the main thoroughfare of Elysium. It is battered and shabby on the outside. It's sign is old and worn, but appears (as far as can be told) to show two clowns hitting each other with sticks. Or perhaps a Punch and Judy show. It's difficult to tell now.

Inside the door the accommodations are surprisingly comfortable. Old furniture well-kept, brass rubbings, a warm fire in the colder months, good beer and appetising food.

The prices are not exorbitant, but they do charge enough to scare revelers from their door. The people who come here appreciate well-cooked food, and quiet.

[Nethos Harwain]

*Salius is sitting in the common room, still pained and sore from the beating he had received last night. He felt a little ashamed that they had left Delios out, but his job could not be interrupted.*

*Delios burst in at that point, a big grin on his face. He came over and sat down, nodding and patting his notebook.* Where are the others?

Out celebrating.

Look, we've decided to pay the inn bill for all of us out of yesterday's winnings. You're not going to be out of pocket over it, OK?

*Delios frowns* Why on earth didn't you wait? I could have joined tonight - and you nearly died.

*Salius winces at the memory.* Don't remind me. I'm still sore.

We won't be able to leave until at least the day after tomorrow, anyway. So tomorrow you and I can try deciphering the inscription, and then we'll be on our way.

*Delius nods eagerly. he goes over to the bar, buys two glasses of wine and brings them over to the table. They sit and drink their wine, waiting for the others.*

[Nethos Harwain]

The days had passed.

Bellyn still grumbled about a hangover, but as Argis observed, the biggest hangover in the vicinity was the one above Bellyn's belt. Bellyn glared at Argis, his red-rimmed eyes promising that the dwarf would regret that later.

The five of them shouldered their gear and set off for the portals, and riches?

[Nethos Harwain]

Nethos arrives at the Laugh-a-Minute. The barman greets him worriedly.

Sir, do you know anything about raging monsters in the streets? Are we all going to die?

Nethos shakes his head. No we are not going to die. And taht calls for a drink. A hefty one. I need to rest for a long while to get over all the excitement.

The barman pulls a pint. Of course sir. We are really safe then?

Nethos grins. Yes... no madman is going to exterminate anyone, and the monsters that were summoned have been slain. Bothing left to worry about but getting drunk. The beers will be on me for the night.

Nethoos puts five platinum pieces on the bar. When that runs out add it to my tab.

He takes the pint and quaffs it, then settles in for a long nights drinking.

[Nethos Harwain]

By the middle of the evening it is almost impossible to get anywhere in the Inn for people wanting free drinks. People seem interested in drinking tonight - the crowd is almost entirely human, and seem to think they have something to celebrate.

The barman presses three r four of his regulas into service as barmen for the night (at inflated wages) and, as the evening goes on, has to find several burly customers to act as crowd-control to keep the building from collapsing. Two on the door, and four posted at various points around the room.

Nethos himself aids crowd control by making people who cause too much troublwe candidates or healing visits to the Church. This does not happen often - certainly not after he is surrounded by five angry men infuriated with him for stopping a fight, aqnd he puts them all down on the floor before they can do more than land one blow on him.

The Inn has to close finally when the bar runs out of stock. All the drinkable alcoholic beverages - even the liqueurs - have been drunk up,

The baman finally gets the last of the customers out, pays off his temporary bartenders and security force 2 gold pieces each, and sits down to tally up his income. He soon gives up and goes to bed.

Nethos staggers upsstairs and falls into the bed in his room. His drunken snores soon make themselves known.