Most the time, I sit at my end of the bar, and watch things. And you know, sometimes you see somebody and think what's about to happen. I got a pretty good track record of being right. Last night was not one of those times, though. I could not have expected all the things that did happen. And it warn't just one thing; it was a bunch of 'em.
So to start with, the special adventurers were back, several of 'em. But they didn't come in alone, this time. Two of 'em came in with some of the locals - one of 'em the rock gnome that always seems to end up in that group. Now, these locals, I thought had finished their drinking for the night and gone home, but here they come back in, bookending an adventurer, and settling down with him for some more drinks. I guess they'd met outside and b'come friends that quick, because the adventurer was doing the buying for each trio. Of course, by the end of the evening, almost all of those locals had lost some change to some kind of pickpocket, so that makes me suspicious about just how friendly they'd all got.
At one point, one of those adventurers was hittin on Pip - started by tipping him well, and then proceeded to ask him for some dang song none of us had ever heard. I'd swear Pip was making it up as he went, but it was a great song, something called "Smells Like Teen Spirit". I'd say it's destined to be a house favorite, before long. That's usually a great start to an evening of... satisfying performances. But even after all that, Pip went to bed alone that night.
Next thing that happens, that rock gnome was outside pestering Peter, trying to talk him into giving them a horse they didn't come in on. Peter did like he does when somebody's a problem outside, and Message'd in to us to keep an eye on them. So there's Hussie and Doxie getting that one settled at a table where they can watch him. And another adventurer keeping Pip's attention. Lookin' back, I'm thinking the flirting with Pip, and the new drinking buddies, and the pickpocketing, too, might all have been an attempt for making a distraction.
So during all that, this elf gets behind the bar somehow and takes down Willie's shield and axe. And tries to walk out the door with the shield. Of course, quick as a blink, Fluzie tosses two daggers into him. He gets grabbed pretty quick and tossed into the closet for safekeeping. Next thing you know, the locals have all found the sudden need to head home, and we're left with some adventurers and a couple of travelers. Garnetta, the two DTF mercenaries, and some cleric are over there yelling at each other, something about a 'den of thieves', while most the staff is over by the closet talking deciding what to do about the would-be actual thief.
In the end, we leave the would-be thief in the closet overnight, and in the morning ask the two special adventurers - who may have started the whole thing anyway - to haul him out of the area, at least out past the fork in the woods. The cleric had already taken off afore then, and everything settled back to normal pretty quickly.
Now, earlier today, just this afternoon, I was outside clearing me pipes when I saw the cleric and the rock gnome, trotting down the road past the tavern on a donkey. I don't know what happened to the other two, but they gave the whole area a side-eye like you couldn't pay 'em to stay here again.
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