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From: hebert@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [Welcome] Tupker: 1st Meeting
Message-ID: <1993Aug8.144752.4232@ucbeh.san.uc.edu>
Date: 8 Aug 93 14:47:51 EDT
Distribution: world
Lines: 53

    The crowd in the Inn was bristling with unique and diverse personalities,
as always.  Faces leered from within dark corners and stared from behind full
mugs.  Among these mainly breath-takingly beautiful and roughly good-looking
individuals sat two ordinary travelers.  It seemed that, if they ever had a
chance to stand out to anyone, it would be here; and then, only because of
their relatively nondescript presence in an otherwise colorful setting.

    One wore a long, baggy broadcloth coat, and a wide-brimmed hat sat on the
table next to him.  His companion was a slight fellow in worn traveling
clothes, whose eyes were at half mast as he sat beside his mate, his back to
the table, his elbows holding him up.  No fine capes or cloaks covered them,
and no jeweled or finely wrought weapons hung by their sides.  The dirt on
their hands appeared to have been there some time, and that on their faces was
streaked with sweat.  Their hair was cut short in the manner of prisoners, and
it too showed signs of lack of care.  Though they were unable to acquire one
of the many dark corners with their backs to the wall, they still did not have
to share their table with any others.  The odor of their combined essences
seemed to give them sufficient privacy.

    As they drank their ales in silence, appearing quite relaxed in the
obviously bustling tavern, their dull attention did finally light upon
something.  An exotic-looking young man in a cape of awesome blackness [who
had the peculiar distinction of having a child strapped to his chest] called
out an offer above the general clamor of the Inn: a glass of wine for a story.

The two men stirred for the first time that evening.

    "Don't be stupid.  He's looking for something.  Prob'ly a bounty man."

    The fellow in the long brown coat shook his head.  "I don't think you
fully appreciate how far we are from Guard Falls.  Look around.  Is this
anything like the Way?  Here's a chance to get some help; maybe get the hell
out of here."

    His slim companion sucked at his teeth.  "Look, this is a kooky place. 
You seen what it was like here during that storm.  Then those things around on
Founder's Day.  That kid with the unicorn and her house...."  He stared into
the bottom of his mug.  "We're gonna get hurt here, buddy.  I tell you that
much."

    They sat in silence for a moment while each considered the other's
position.  "I see what you're saying, kid.  But I'm sick of living like this. 
We're not as safe as you think."  He pushed himself away from the table. 
"Time for us to get out of the stables, my friend."

    The slim young man turned his head away in disgust as his companion rose
from the table with his mug in his hand.  The long coat dragged on the floor
as he walked over to a post near the strangers' table.  He leaned up against
it and listened to the story that was already being told.  He nodded once to
the black-caped fellow when their eyes met, and raised his mug in salute.

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