The Tavern

Zen walked in and placed himself on the nearest chair.

"Bloody hooligans. Might aswell get myself a drink."

He got up again and walked to the bar.

"Place is a bloody mess."

He placed his hands on the *desk like thing forgot what it was* and looked for the bartender.

"Oi, bartender get over here."

Mandrake walked with a certain confidence in his step as he neared the counter. It was made of polished wood painted black to match the Kykai logo. But enough of that, he had a customer who looked normal enough, compared to what Mandrake had had to endure. Those absurd creatures--elves, fairies, animals even.

The bartender nodded slightly to Zen's remark about the place being a "bloody mess". It was true, destipe the irony of it all almost everybody who came here was looking for a bit more than a drink. "What would you need?" A cough. "Most of the travellers want something exotic, so I'm not going to ask and just do what I'm supposed to do, eh?" He chuckled.

He passed him a booklet, not very thick but as small as to fit in your pocket. In there were written all the drinks the Tavern had to offer, and the list continued...

"Hmmmm my good man, hand me a Zargs Wine, seems strong enough."

Zen looked around, and thought 'God this place really is a mess, does everything here come out of a creatures hole?'

Zen was curious about the man, he'd noticed this place so many times, but never enterd, he'd saw the same guy over and over again for over 100 years, didnt he age either? Was there someone like him? Or was this man just plain immortal?

"Excuse me, but how old are you?"

Mandrake laughed. "About 540, 550 years. You lose count after 400."

Zen laughed aswell.

"Just found something in common with you, im 586 years old, living in the desert for 500 years doesnt help the memory."

Then he thought about his Zargs Wine.

"Hey hurry up with that wine."

The bartender picked two drinks from the barstool behind him. First, he picked the relatively small bottle of Zargs wine, and poured it in a mixing dish. Afterwards he stopped.

"Served with a specific flower's nectar, or just plain?" He took a shiny glass out, the type that looks like it could contain a lot of alcohol.

He saw the glass, and he fell in love instantly, how could someone make something that could hold so much alchohol? Well, back to the question.

"Ummm Devils Petal? If you have it, if not. . . . .The one that makes it even more stronger then it is right now."

Mandrake chuckled like an old man and put the bottle which wasn't labelled back into the rack. Instead he pulled out a small bottle with a somehow gelatinous black substance it in. He poured about 1/4 of the shiny glass' containment, and then he directly put the Zargs wine, which mixed with it, creating a somehow reddish-black coloured drink.

"There ye' go." He flipped the glass and gave it a push to slide to the other side of the counter.

He took a big sniff, he had never smelt something so good before, it may have been his strange sense of smell, but it was still good.

"To never aging" He raised his glass and took a big gulp.

"More?" He threw down 16 coppers, enough for two.

His expression was that of surprise, but he did as he was told. In another minute a drink much like the one before was in the glass, and the bartender had 16 copper in his pocket. The reason why the wine was so cheap was because you could find Zargs anywhere if you looked closely enough. Actually the little green plant grew under any large tree. Making the wine itself almost worthless.

But there was still the nectar. Also not very rare, but still harder to find.

"You're not from around here, aren't ya'?" Mandrake asked. "I've seen many people, I have, but none quite like you."

"Black Deserts, ya know? The one with the Wild Men? The one where at winter the desert turns mostly black? Well, we like a good drink, a very good, strong drink, some that are made of pure alchohol, and this is the strongest thing."

He rememberd the Black Desert War, a civil war of many tribes just massacaring eachother. . . . .Good times never last forever, eh? During this War was the creation of his wepon some kind of sword/whip, highly effective.

"So you gonna keep 'em comming or what? Gimme some Angel Root nectar this time then, eh?"

-Entering of Ascarus-

A shadowed man walks in through the creaky Tavern doors, he wears thick black robes.

He takes a quick glance around, most people notice his flashing red eyes as he glances. He takes a quick seat, "hey Bartender..Dreamer's Claw...ill pay double..."

2 men walk into the bar seemingly searching for something, the first man asks, "Any of yall see a Black Coated Devil walk by ere'?"
the 2nd one takes a quick glance around the room then walks to the Counter table.

Ascarus ducking his head slightly holds out his hand below his chest out of sight of everyone but Zen and the Bartender, Claws stretch out of his nails they are 4inches long, 5 claws per hand.

Zen looked at the little 'Devil'. Should he rat him out? Should he keep him alive?

"He went out the window, no discussion, leave now gents and i wont ask you again." He pointed too the door.

"Good luck gents." He chuckled, he was laways in favour of messing with the guard.

((Uh, Gran, I believe you should go through the doorway before coming in here.))

Mandrake chuckled and gave Zen his order. He looked up at the guards and down to Ascarus. "Hunted, aren't ya'? You're lucky this is a crime syndicate tavern, or else I would've thrown you in those guards."

He started making Ascarus' drink, Dreamer's Claw. He called a young boy over, who was ordered to find a jar in the kitchen labelled 'Drink #4'. Then, after the boy was gone, he extended his hand as gestured for money. "Those 100 gold pieces, buddy?"

"You owe me 200 gold, or i can just bind you and call those guards in." Zen chuckled, he felt evil, but then he felt guilt, and then he felt happy at being evil.

"Come on, chop chop, aint got all day."

"Uh,Yeah thanks..." He hands over the 200 gold peices and thanks Zen for not ratting him out.

"Oh and yes im being hunted...but not for Murdering...just for a lil bit of 'Stealing' you should call it"

"and here you go Keepa" handing him the 100 gold peices

Mandrake chuckled dryly as he took the gold in. "So yer a thief, eh? Not the first time I've seen people like you, in fact, quite often I do."

At the same time, the witch Akylia came in, the rain pouring behind her. the two cats of hers followed behind her, hissing when somebody too imprudent came near Akylia. She sat down in silence at the bar.

"Feel for a drink, missy?"

She shook her head and sighed. "Not tonight, Mandrake. I have something urgent to do. For now, reserve me a room and I want a steak and some tea up there at exactly 6 o' clock. Now take what you want and what you need"--she left a bag of bronze pieces on the counter--"but I want at least half of that back."

And with those words the mysterious woman umped over the counter and proceeded to walking in the kitchen.

"Ah, women these days..."

"Well Mandrake if that is your Real name is i presume, When's my Dreamer's Claw coming?".

"And Im not totally a thief i Don't Age it takes 1000 years for me to be 1 year in human life, So yes i have Fought in many Wars i have the scars to prove it"
He takes a quick glance around and sees a Dark Shadow in a corner in the back, Another Hooded Figure staring at him.

Ascarus Walks up to the man and asks, "You have a Problem?"

The Figure Didn't Repond in Words he Spoke a unknown language that no one would understand but ascarus"

Shit! Not another one of these freaks. . . . Zen had met one before, he managed to killl it but with many wounds. He put his hand on his wepon, it looked like a dagger.

"Well Mandrake, perpare me a room, most costly one possible, ill be in it at around. . . . lets say 6:30 after ive had my drinks. And that talking to the demon, how long has he been here?

Mandrake gave Ascarus his order. "There ye' go, buddy. So you're pretty much an immortal like all of us. Know that I'm not really an immortal if I go outside of the tavern, but the time-warp keeps time inside the tavern still. That's the reason why I was raised here and I only go outside to close and open the bar."

He could hear a few plates breaking and cats hissing loudly coming from the kitchen. "You're going to pay for that, right?" he asked, adressing Akylia in a somewhat disrespectful tone.

"Yeah!"

"Whats going in there then Mandrake?"

He glanced at the Demons.

"I'll handel them if needed."

After the hooded figure and Ascarus were done talking Ascarus went back to the counter and gulped his drink.
The hooded figure left immediatly after seeing Ascarus' claws stretch out while drinking.

"Mandrake what room can i get for 500 Gold coins..? Hopefully with some defense.

"Um, the biggest room is on the third floor, room 309," said Mandrake to Zen. "That'll be 150 gold. And for 500 gold, you can get whatever you want." Seriously, Mandrake thought, that 500 gold pieces could get you anywhere! He wondered how Ascarus had gotten all that money. Did he steal it? Create it? Turn stone into gold? That remained mysterious. "On floor three there's room 311 which has a foliot at the door, letting only you and your guests in. There's also other defences that you'll see soon enough." He chuckled. He knew that if he told Ascarus all the defences of his room, other imprudent ears might hear him.

Akylia came back in the tavern room, jumped over the counter as she did a few moments ago and sat down. "Well, Mandrake." She smiled. "My pouch of money? Oh, and take 40 copper for the china set. I'll have to go again, soon; the 'demon' you had in your basement was a simple foliot that I believe you would've easy killed if you had the time. Now I have another customer with a more suitable demon for me, so ciao."

"Sure yes ill take the room, Heres 300 gold coins for it.. i don't have time to figure out the real price i just need to go somewhere"
He then asks him for another Dreamers Claw just add a new Spice. Hotter... "And also i was wondering Can you Keep any People in Black Robes..Usually don't show their face.. if you get them out im willing to pay 600.."