Chapter 1: Introduction

"Your escort is pretty intoxicated by now, probably beyond the point of being able to discuss such matters and like I said, will not be charged for lodging, food or drinks. I can not force you to pay, but what I must do if you don't, is file a complaint with the clerks of the Palace. In essence, I shall request the higher powers to assist us in resolving the issue." You are still not sure if all this bureaucratic talk is because that's the way people think here or because your host is exploiting the situation to present you with a veiled threat. No matter which is true, your case is supposedly still pending until Yen-Wang-Yeh returns and you're pretty sure such a written complaint won't weigh in your favor, though to what degree can't be told.

"I can't tell you what's in the cellar, but I can certainly tell you what's not there." Of course. Nothing seems to be simple lately. "There's items missing, according to our inventory log there have already been three occasions where the stored foodstuff was less than it should be. I can also tell you it's not rats. The place is clean and the walls are solid. Bit of a mystery, really. Which is why I brought it up in the first place. Should you somehow manage to discover what's going on and stop it, I think you could receive the equivalent of the missing items in store credit as a reward."

"Of course. I'll be in the kitchen, but you'll find the landlord behind the bar for anything you might need. I'll inform him of our discussion". With that, you are left alone as the door shuts.

You are slowly becoming a little more familiar with the strangeness of this place, so as you head downstairs your mind is able to register more information without overloading itself. Most patrons are humans, their clothing similar to that of the servant that came to your room. They either hail from the same world and culture as her or this is what people consider fashionable round these parts. A couple of tables host groups of creatures that resemble hairier, wilder and taloned versions of what you'd call orcs in your home world. They are loud and probably half-drunk already. Actually, upon closer inspection, they look like smaller versions of your escort, Bokorumon, who's drinking alone at a table nearby. Few empty mugs are scattered in front of him, but unlike the others he seems more sad than rowdy. Maybe it's because he's drinking alone and hasn't got any company to get loud with. Finally, a group of humanoid beings is having a low-voiced discussion around a table. There's something peaceful about them that stands out in stark comparison to the orc-like beings around.

The barman looks more like a bouncer; extremely muscular, he's standing halfway tall between human and dwarf. Every inch of his exposed skin is covered in a mix of scars and primitive tattoos, including his head that's completely devoid of hair. His body language is calm, but you somehow feel he's not only watching everything going on but he's also got the nerve to react in an instant, as if his muscles are itching for a fight under his calm demeanor.

Xana simply struts by and walks around the bar towars two arched doors next to each other. One is made of wood and open, leading to the kitchen. All kinds of strange yet delightful smells of unidentifiable food cooking hit her nose. The other door is made of stone and has a few stone steps leading down, clearly to the cellar. Xana grabs the handle, but the door won't budge. "Need th'key f'that, berk" a voice behind the bar tells her.Before she can come up with something smart to say, the gnome notices there's no keyhole under the handle, but what's more surprising is there's no hinges either. No space between the door and doorframe either, which would suggest that the door slides into the wall. It looks more like a solid wall built to look like a door.

Bokorumon looks up at Tarandar and gives him the slightest of facial expressions to suggest something along the lines of "don't mind if you do"

The orc-like creatures are too rowdy to hold any sensible conversation for long. It's more like an exchange of drunken grumbling and burping as they indulge themselves in some carousing. Xana can't really overhear any interesting conversation from the groups of humans, but she's pretty certain they're not travelling merchants. Whether they're locals or visitors she can't tell, neither can she overhear anything about their business here. As for the humanoids with that certain peaceful aura, she feels a little strange as she comes closer. As if something inside tells her the figures are probably aware of her intention.

Meanwhile, Bokorumon takes a big sip of his drink before saying only "Yeah, I'm fine". Tarandar is reminded of verses trying to describe off-duty city guards as poetically as possible and then it suddenly dawns on him. For a moment, his mind discards the weirdness of this place and Bokorumon's monstrous looks to see him for what he is after all: a palace guard, charged with watching over a bunch of clueless newcomers for an unknown length of time.

"Like I said, his divine grace, Yen-Wang-Yeh is off to deliver his reports. Nobody knows how long that's gonna take, but he better come back soon before things fall apart in his absence. Last time there was this wizard under the name of Golden Morning Radience who grew bored and frustrated waiting to be assigned her fate, so she simply left. Picture that, a lost soul roaming free. Makes us look bad. Hate it when things don't work like they're supposed to."

The barkeep listens to Chailin's little speech, before picking up the ring for a closer inspection. "You must be the brains of the group" he says with a crooked smile and a side glance towards Xana mingling with the crowd nearby. "Straight to the point. I like that" he adds, before pocketing the ring. "Make yourselves comfortable, I'll make the arrangements for your food and drink. Any time you're ready, go down those stairs and try to think of the worst food you've ever tasted."