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From: cip0686@cipserv.ikm.uni-mannheim.de (Heinrich Goetz)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: The arrival of Ciaran Falon
Date: 6 Dec 1994 11:13:23 GMT
Organization: Rechenzentrum Uni-Mannheim (RUM)
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The door slowly creaked open, and a breeze of icy wind blew into the Dragon's
Inn. Several faces turned towards the newcomer, slightly annoyed by his ap-
pearance. In the door, a small man stood, cloaked in a light-blue robe, a
wanderer's staff in his hand. In the shadows of his cloak, his face remained
unseen, but the guests could feel his eyes wandering through the pub. Final-
ly, he entered the warm room, quietly closing the door behind him. "'twas about
time", an old dwarven fighter grumbled, but the newcomer never cared.

He slowly strode through the crowd, curiously peering to his left and right as
he approached the bar. Several faces looked back at him, but none in approval,
none in recognition. The man leaned himself comfortably against the old, dark
wood and snapped his fingers to the barmaid. "A mug o' mead, dearie", he or-
dered with a broad accent. "Damn wind outside made this old throat too dry."
The maid gave him a short nod and hurried into the cellar.

Standing silently at the bar, the small man glanced at the crowd, and some
glanced back at him. In the light of the candles, his face was now well visi-
ble, a face which featured a quite large, beak-like nose, strong lines and,
most unusual, a large scar crossing his right eye. Although he did not seem
too old, his face showed a lot of experience. Well, one more traveller in the
lands out there. Maybe one more story to be told.

The barmaid returned, carrying a big mug of fresh mead the man gladly accepted.
"Thank you, lass", he smiled at her and handed her several coins of gold. The
befuddled look on the young maid's face showed that the money included a large
tip, and she quickly stored the coins in her purse. "You seem to have traveled
a far way", she shyly whispered, and the man smiled at her and took a small sip
from his mug. "Is it that obvious?" he asked, and when the barmaid nodded, he
smiled even broader.

"Indeed", he continued after a short while, "I have traveled far, and I have
seen many things, lass. Would you like to hear about my journey?" The girl
nodded, this time more confident and settled more comfortably at the bar.
The man sipped once more at his mug and started to explain:

"My name is Ciaran Falon of Flotsam. I have just finished a long quest which
has kept me travelling all of my lifetime. I have tried to map the whole world,
and now I have returned to where I one started, my maps completed, my quest
finished. Lots of things have I seen, lots of people have I met, lots of dan-
gers I have passed. My story is a long one, and it's a sad one. I hope you do
not mind listening to a sad tale?"

The barmaid smiled and shook her head. She had already heard a lot of sad tales
standing behind the bar, and she knew she could stand them. Ciaran Falon nod-
ded gently. "Well, then I will begin. Let me tell you about the encounter I
once had in the suburbs of Palanthas..."

...to be continued