Meanwhile Kingir declines Yulya's offer of help; he states that he will get a tab at Stonehill Inn if necessary and walks Alice to the Inn. Upon entering said establishment, there are new dwarven faces about. Kingir sets the stiffening Alice near the hearth and greets said compatriots.
Ahh, thanks man, this is much better! So much better than the cold ouside or dark damp mines!
Alice remembers the fun and busy atmosphere of the Inn a she first entered.
I missed this place!
His voice rings out as he tells tales of triumph and conquering, leaving out a few minor details, such as his death, and makes it out that he, and by extension, all dwarves somehow come out ahead against impossible odds as usual. Of course Kingir didn't say much to you about what happened before he was killed, so there's no way to prove or disprove such tales other than he knew about the dead bandits and claimed their deaths by his own actions and axe, which was sadly lost. Before Alice can process it all from her eavesdropping position, Kingir is already rallying a group to return to the mine to secure it and supply it as well as search it and prepare it for operations in the Rockseekers' name. They're celebratory in their acceptance of his triumph, and he's downed two pints of ale before Alice even warms up.
Alice smirks but leaves Kingir his faux fame, staying at the fireplace and observing the spectacle from a distance.From dead stinky meat to the hero eh? Dwarves remind me of children. Always naive, optimistic and full of themselves. Well, if you like to draw the bandits attention to you, that's fine by me!
Rotating before the fireplace like a spit roast pig until she has sufficiently warmed, Alice melts from her pudgy slightly more cold resistant low surface area form to a more sophisticated appearance and gradually removes her extra layers of clothes while listening to the dwarves and looking for suspicious people (other than herself) eavesdropping on their conversation.
Alice overhears them discussing the Rockseekers while enjoying their ale; apparently they are still MIA but they say under good authority that the siege on the castle is going well, and though they haven't yet given the all clear, a scout has returned with hopeful news that they may be returning soon.
Considering the truthfulness of Kingir's report, and the generally amateurish combat skills of all Dwarves she encountered, Alice assumes the Rockseekers must either have been captured or be dead by now. She shrugs.Not my problem. Going there alone without us was as foolish as Sildar scouting ahead... Oh right, Sildar!
Alice looks around for other familiar faces, including Sildar. If she finds nobody she looks for Toblen and an affordable warm drink.Haa, that brand sure was nice! But I can't waste more of our gp...
