Meeting at the Inn of the Last Home

[Raistlin Majere]

OOC:: Ok everyone, we're finally beginning! If you are not a Hero of the Lance, do not reply to this thread unless you have special permission from me.

IC::

Autumn had just begun. The leaves of Solace's great vallenwoods had finally began their descend. They fell at a rapid pace, leaving many of the trees already bare. But it wasn't just the beginning of Autumn. It was also the very day that the companions had vowed to return to Solace. Five years ago they had made their promise that no matter where they were or what they were doing in this world, they would return to The Inn of the Last Home on this very day.

It was inside the inn that many of the season's travelers had stopped to rest. Or perhaps the travelers had come only because they had heard word of how wonderful Otik's spiced potatoes were claimed to be. Whatever the reason, the inn was packed this day. A small fire warmed in the inn, casting a fiery glow upon the guests. It was by this very fire that the companions had made their vows to return.

Caramon and Raistlin Majere sat at a table next to the fire; Caramon hungrily devouring his food and Raistlin mindlessly staring into the fire. Of course, the handsome Caramon was eagerly awaiting the return of his friends. Raistlin was not. This was one of his bad days.

"Will you stop feeding your face for just a mere second?" Raistlin asked impatiently of his brother. "You've begun to give me a headache."

[Caramon Majere]

"Sorry, Raist," Caramon said, laying a grimy chicken leg down upon his plate. "You should eat too. It's really good. Otik really does make the best chicken legs!" He quietly began to munch on a bit of spiced potatoes. "Mmmhmm ..." The big man impatiently waved over a barmaid and ordered a bottle of ale and a glass of water for his brother, knowing that he wouldn't drink anything else. "You do want water don't you Raist?" Caramon asked harmlessly.

OOC:: I hope this will be fun! If it isn't you shall all perish in a pile of stuffed bunnies!

[Goldmoon]

Golmoon and Riverwind entered the Inn of the Last Home and quickly made their way to a table situated away from most of the other patrons. They sat at their table and discussed their predicament in low voices, so as not to be overheard by anyone.

They were in a strange and unfamiliar land and were in possession of a strange and powerful artifact. They had been outcast and were unable to return to Que-Shu, their homeland, and had to decide what to do from here.

"Shall we seek the aid of the High Seekers in Haven?" Goldmoon asked her companion as the barmaid approached their table.

[Tasslehoff Burrfoot]

Tasslehoff Burrfoot was once more in town. Whistling a merry kender tune, Tas made his way down Solace's main road, stopping by any passerby to "borrow" several items. Of course, he had the intention of returning them after he was finished meeting up with his friends. Flint and Tanis and Caramon and all the others would be waiting for him, and Tasslehoff definately didn't want to be late.

But his trip through Solace didn't go completely as planned . . . After stealing a very wonderful money pouch from a young lady, Tas was rudely chased down and captured by a city guard. Tas wasted 10 whole minutes extracting himself and running away from the guard, who was no doubt going to take him away to some evil jail, even though the jail in Solace was rather nice.

Upon entering the inn, Tas quickly located Caramon, who was fairly easy to spot due to his big bulk sitting beside the fire. Seeing a kender in the inn, several travelers shouted and demanded that he be escorted out the inn, but Otik simply waved off their complaints and smiled at Tas. Tas smiled right back and made his way toward Caramon. "Hullo, Caramon!" he cried, jumping on the big man's back. "It's me, Tasslehoff! Aren't you glad to see me? Yes, I thought you would be! Is anyone else here yet? Say, where's Raistlin?" The kender couldn't spot his other friend, who was sitting on the other side of Caramon's great body. "Wow, the inn sure is different from last time I saw it."

[Caramon Majere]

Caramon was startled to hear a squeaky voice and felt a small body attack him. Or at least Caramon thought someone was trying to attack him. He was relieved to realize it was just Tasslehoff. "Oh, sure I'm glad to see you ... or hear you. Raistlin is right in front of me." He said, laughing slightly. He sat Tas in his lap and said, "That better?", hoping he could now see Raistlin as well.

[Tasslehoff Burrfoot]

"Hullo Raistlin!" Tasslehoff said, waving his tiny hand in greeting. At the same time, Tas "accidentally" removed Caramon's money pouch from his belt. "Woah, you really do look different from the last time I saw you, Raistlin. What happened to you?" Tas turned his head to Caramon and whispered, "I bet he was captured by a mad wizard, wasn't he, Caramon? And they changed him." Realizing that Raistlin probably heard this, Tas added, "Oh sorry Raistlin. I didn't really mean that the way it sounded. You look just fine. So, is anyone else here? Flint, Tanis, or Sturm? Have you seen any of them? Maybe Kitiara's here . . ."

[Tanis Half-Elven]

Having finally made it to Solace, Tanis Half-Elven paused for a moment to take in his surroundings. It didn't appear that too much had changed in the five years that he had been gone.
Looking to his left Tanis spotted the large vallenwood that cradled the Inn of the Last Home. Some of his friends were more than likely already there.
Once he reached the top of the stairs to the Inn, Tanis absently scratched at his beard. A thought then occurred to him: would his friends recognize him?
Pushing the heavy wooden door open, Tanis stepped inside the Inn. He was greeted by all manner of sights, sounds, and smells.
One sound inparticular caught his attention. It was the high pitched voice of a kender. Tanis looked to where the voice had come from, and sure enough it came from Tasslehoff Burrfoot. The sight of the kender sitting a huge man's lap (unmistakably that was Caramon) brought a smile to the Half-elf's face. If Caramon was here that meant that Raistlin wasn't too far off. Tanis looked, though he didn't immeadiately spot the young mage.
"Caramon, Tas, it's good to see you!", Tanis declared as he came to stand beside the two.
Not wanting to lose it, Tanis placed his hand on his money pouch, knowing that Tas would "accidentally find" it.
"Is Raistlin with you?", Tanis asked Caramon, his eyebrows risen in question.

[Sturm Brightblade]

Sturm was in a solemn mood as he entered Solace. He had been glad to finally come back, but that changed as soon as he realized how much had changed over the years. The town seemed gloomier than before. As he glanced around at the people and saw the expression on their faces he couldn't help but wonder if rumours of the gathering armies had reached all the way here. And all these guards posted everywhere... He would have ask the others about that.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he beheld the Inn of the Last Home. The Inn seemed to be as lively as ever, and soon he would meet his friends. That is if they were all still alive...

But the welcome from the customers wasn't what he had expected from people he had lived with for so long. Though he could tell what they were thinking he could feel their eyes on him as he made his way through the crowd, hoping to see a friendly face.

"Caramon!" he uttered, having spotted the large figure. "Tasslehoff, Tanis." No words could describe his feelings at seeing them all again. At Tanis' question he gave a brief glance around the room. If Caramon was there so would Raistlin be, and surely, if something had happened to Raistlin Caramon wouldn't be this cheerful.

[Raistlin Majere]

Raistlin wasn't the least bit happy to see Tasslehoff again, especially upon seeing the kender "burrow" one of Caramon's money pouches. When Tanis and Sturm entered the inn, almost at the same time, Raistlin's impatience with his brother grew. "Move your great bulk, Caramon!" he ordered. Raistlin couldn't even see his friends. Seeing that Caramon would have a hard time moving out the way, Raistlin spoke up. "I am here, friends." He was not in the least bit overjoyed to see his old friends. Not compared to Caramon. The big man's grin was enough to give away all of his thoughts.

Ignoring Tasslehoff, who was yammering away at just how wonderful everything was, Raistin stared down at the table and sighed.

[Goldmoon]

Goldmoon glanced up from her table at the interactions between the strangers sitting near the fire, then drew her hood down lower over her face and continued to discuss their options with Riverwind.

[Tanis Half-Elven]

As soon as Tanis had finished his sentance, he heard the door open again. Looking towards it he was happy to see Sturm Brightblade making his way towards the group.
"Sturm."
He placed a hand on his friend's armored shoulder, and nodded his head in greeting.
Tanis then looked over towards a shadowed alcove when he heard a whispery voice snarl irritatibly at Caramon.
He squinted agaisnt the glare of the fire, and sure enough there was Raistlin. Upon seeing the young mage Tanis had to quickly hide his shock at Raistlin's appearance. Though he had always been sickly, Raistlin's skin was now an unnatural golden color. But that wasn't what had disturbed Tanis the most. The mage's eyes were now golden and the pupils were shaped like hourglasses.

[Raistlin Majere]

Although Tanis tried to hide it, Raistlin noticed the shock upon the half-elf's face. "Does my appearance startle you so, Half-Elf?" he snarled, shoving aside the plate of food that Caramon had tried to persuade him to eat, and the water that Caramon had recently ordered for him. "I assure you, I am just as startled by your appearance as you are by mine. I never knew you would attempt to grow a beard." The young mage studied Sturm for a moment, noticing a change in him as well. He now wore a Solamnic plate of armor; ancient, by the looks of it.

[Caramon Majere]

"Tanis! Sturm!" Caramon said, standing up and giving them each a big bear hug! "Tanis? What's with the beard?" He asked with a smile. Caramon noticed Tasslehoff holding his money pouch. "Same old Tas." Caramon said. He extended his hand for Tas to give him back his money pouch.

[Tasslehoff Burrfoot]

Tasslehoff was nearly overwhelmed when he saw all of his good friends once more. "Tanis!" he cried, jumping up before Caramon. "Sturm!" Running up to them, he gave them each a hug after Caramon, trying without much sucess to unbuckle Sturm's sword in the process. "I'm so glad to see you! You'll never guess what happened to me in Kendermore! Wow, what a beard. I like it, Tanis. And Sturm, great armor. Have you thought of getting a new sword, though? This one seems a little . . . ancient." Shrugging, Tas sat back down, Tanis's dagger in hand, and began to hungrily devour the food that Caramon had obviously forgotten.

[Tanis Half-Elven]

"Raistlin, what-?", Tanis stopped short of asking his question at a sharp glance from the mage.

"Tanis? What's with the beard?"

With all the attention on his beard, Tanis self consciously lowered his eyes and ran his hand through it.
"A "gift" from my human father. The lands though which I traveled were not friendly towards my elven herritage."
Whatever Tanis was going to say next was cut off by Caramon picking him bodily up and giving him a bear hug.
Tanis grunted as the big man squeazed the breath out of his body. Once Caramon put him down and he caught his breath again, Tanis patted Tas on the shoulder as the kender came to greet him as well.
"Tas...", Tanis said sternly holding out his hand when he noticed the kender had acquired his dagger.
"Any word on the others yet?", Tanis said looking to Caramon and then scanning the room again.