Post by Castiel on Aug 20, 2021 20:27:23 GMT
Hidden in the shadows of the alley, a small, scaled figure watches the front of the Hog’s Rest tavern. It had spent the last hour watching the comings and goings of the patrons, examining how they approached the tavern, peeking through the windows to see how they interacted and traded within. It takes a deep breath - it’s time. With a last, cautious look about the street it breaks free from the shadows and scuttles quickly across the street, pushing the door open. The noise in the tavern drops as the patrons’ examine the newcomer.
Standing in the threshold anxiously scanning the bar is Arak, a small kobold with scales the deep green of a spruce forest in winter, broken by bright scarlet reticulations down the spine. He wears tattered leather armour with leather studs with a rusted shortsword at his side and a pair of mismatched daggers strapped across his chest. The noise in the bar swells back to a crescendo as most of the patrons lose interest, a kobold is strange in this town, but strange sights are common in Waterdeep. He scurries across to the bar where a single empty stool stands vacant. He climbs onto the stool, and reaches into a pouch, carefully pulling out his treasure, the gold piece he found in the gutter earlier in the day. Standing on the stool he leans precariously over the bar, waving his prize and trying to catch the attention of the barkeep.
Suddenly he senses a presence behind him, and whirls quickly. Losing his balance on the stool he topples to the ground, the gold piece bouncing from his grasp. He scuttles after it on all fours, trying to capture it, when a booted foot comes down over it, nearly crushing his fingers. He recoils back and looks up, as a hulking, scarred human reaches down and picks up the coin. Looking over his shoulder to his comrade - a whip-thin high elf, the human grins “Look what we have here, a sewer-gecko crawled into the pub” he leered “How do you reckon he came by this pretty penny, Barnoel? Probably picked some poor folks pockets!”
“Give-give that back!” Arak screechs, reaching for the coin “It’s all I have-own!”
“Back off, scaly.” snarls the elf, kicking Arak in the chest and stumbling him back against the bar. “This is ours now. Thanks for buying our next round!”
Arak snarls and launches himself forwards, burying his teeth into the shin of the human. The lumbering human cries out in pain, dropping the coin, which Arak quickly grabs and stuffs into one of his pouches. “Now you’ve done it, you little shit.” growls the human grabbing Arak by the neck, picking him up and pinning him against the bar, pulling back a fist to strike Arak. Arak squeals in fright, and suddenly a rune on the neck piece of his armour flares to life. The human’s face lights up with shock, and suddenly Arak’s form starts to swell and grow at an incredible rate, breaking his grasp. Shouts of alarm ring out from around the bar, as the diminutive form of the kobold suddenly grows to 15 feet tall, his head scraping the ceiling as his agitated, thrashing tail sweeps steins and tankards off the bar, bowling over the nearest patrons. The now giant kobold reaches down and grasps the front of the human’s shirt, lifting him off his feet and hurling him across the bar, where he impacts on the mantlepiece above the fireplace, sliding down and landing on the mat by the fire unconscious. The elf turns to run, but the collar of his shirt is hooked by the kobold’s claw, dragging him back into the grasp of the small dragon. “N-no, please!” the elf screams, before the enraged Arak hoists him out the front door of the tavern into the street.
Pausing and breathing deeply the enlarged kobold, looks around the now empty bar, and realising he is no longer in danger slowly shrinks back to his regular size. Climbing back onto the bar stool, he pulls the coin back out his pocket and solemnly holds it out to the cowering barkeep. “One, please-thank you” he chirps solemnly. With shaking hands the barkeep slides a tankard of ale towards him, before dashing to the safety of the kitchen.
Standing in the threshold anxiously scanning the bar is Arak, a small kobold with scales the deep green of a spruce forest in winter, broken by bright scarlet reticulations down the spine. He wears tattered leather armour with leather studs with a rusted shortsword at his side and a pair of mismatched daggers strapped across his chest. The noise in the bar swells back to a crescendo as most of the patrons lose interest, a kobold is strange in this town, but strange sights are common in Waterdeep. He scurries across to the bar where a single empty stool stands vacant. He climbs onto the stool, and reaches into a pouch, carefully pulling out his treasure, the gold piece he found in the gutter earlier in the day. Standing on the stool he leans precariously over the bar, waving his prize and trying to catch the attention of the barkeep.
Suddenly he senses a presence behind him, and whirls quickly. Losing his balance on the stool he topples to the ground, the gold piece bouncing from his grasp. He scuttles after it on all fours, trying to capture it, when a booted foot comes down over it, nearly crushing his fingers. He recoils back and looks up, as a hulking, scarred human reaches down and picks up the coin. Looking over his shoulder to his comrade - a whip-thin high elf, the human grins “Look what we have here, a sewer-gecko crawled into the pub” he leered “How do you reckon he came by this pretty penny, Barnoel? Probably picked some poor folks pockets!”
“Give-give that back!” Arak screechs, reaching for the coin “It’s all I have-own!”
“Back off, scaly.” snarls the elf, kicking Arak in the chest and stumbling him back against the bar. “This is ours now. Thanks for buying our next round!”
Arak snarls and launches himself forwards, burying his teeth into the shin of the human. The lumbering human cries out in pain, dropping the coin, which Arak quickly grabs and stuffs into one of his pouches. “Now you’ve done it, you little shit.” growls the human grabbing Arak by the neck, picking him up and pinning him against the bar, pulling back a fist to strike Arak. Arak squeals in fright, and suddenly a rune on the neck piece of his armour flares to life. The human’s face lights up with shock, and suddenly Arak’s form starts to swell and grow at an incredible rate, breaking his grasp. Shouts of alarm ring out from around the bar, as the diminutive form of the kobold suddenly grows to 15 feet tall, his head scraping the ceiling as his agitated, thrashing tail sweeps steins and tankards off the bar, bowling over the nearest patrons. The now giant kobold reaches down and grasps the front of the human’s shirt, lifting him off his feet and hurling him across the bar, where he impacts on the mantlepiece above the fireplace, sliding down and landing on the mat by the fire unconscious. The elf turns to run, but the collar of his shirt is hooked by the kobold’s claw, dragging him back into the grasp of the small dragon. “N-no, please!” the elf screams, before the enraged Arak hoists him out the front door of the tavern into the street.
Pausing and breathing deeply the enlarged kobold, looks around the now empty bar, and realising he is no longer in danger slowly shrinks back to his regular size. Climbing back onto the bar stool, he pulls the coin back out his pocket and solemnly holds it out to the cowering barkeep. “One, please-thank you” he chirps solemnly. With shaking hands the barkeep slides a tankard of ale towards him, before dashing to the safety of the kitchen.