The only inn in the rustic mountain village was habitable at best. Ikarus was rather glad to not need chancing the bedding and linens of the place though. Still the innkeeper charging 6 copper for a chair by the fire place and two meals seemed a tad expensive giving the less than clean quality of the place. Ikarus made sure to use a cleanse cantrip on the chair and table before he sat down.

Mendus and Fayren were not long in joining him at the hearthside, Fayren bearing a steaming bowl of some stew looking concoction and Mendus with three glasses and a ceramic jug. The gnome priest Calm surprised Ikarus by settling down on the hearth. The dark elf wizard had been certain the gnome would request a room and disappear to rest his noticeably swollen feet.

“Calm…?” Ikarus trailed off, uncertain how to address the humble priest.

“Just resting a moment good Ikarus, before making my way down to the temple here. One can’t get to a temple any too often to make the proper observations when traveling through such inhospitable wilderness.” The wizened gnome smiled weakly and leaned his back against the warm hearth bricks, his feet dangling well away from any firm surfaces.

“Ah…” Ikarus looked over to his tablemates in mild confusion.

“Don’t worry Ikarus, I won’t be long and am well aware of the uselessness of trying to convince you three of the dangers of gaming and drinking. At least there’s no danger of wenching being done here. I won’t be long at all, and then you can safely proceed with your debauchery.” Calm stated serenely, eyes closed and hands folded over his abdomen. The gnome looked in danger of falling asleep where he sat, but Ikarus shrugged and claimed a glass from Mendus.

“Gentlemen… to debauchery.” The dark elf wizard saluted the other two elves and poured himself a healthy mug of honey mead. Ikarus smiled at the soft snort of disapproval issued by the resting priest.

“What do you mean three silver for a private bath or one silver for the public bath?!” Constantina’s voice cut shrilly through the general din of the common room. It sounded like the innkeeper had managed to get on the demon slayer’s bad side in record time. “You have no public bath, and if you think you’re funny for implying that I’d bath in the common room for the amusement of your grime encrusted patrons then you had best make peace with your gods.”

Men were moving hurriedly away from the bar and all conversation had died at this point. The party by the fire place had a clear view of Constantina looming over the now cowering innkeeper, one hand clasped tightly around the hilt of her sword. The innkeeper appeared to be trying to appease the tall human woman, but his incoherent babbling was making it a futile effort.

“Tina… I think perhaps I would rather like to take you up on that offer of an escort.” Calm’s soft voice carried easily across the hushed room. The gnome priest got wearily to his feet and hobbled toward the woman who was still glaring murderously at the innkeeper, hand firmly on her sword. “One can never be sure what calamities might befall a peaceful pilgrim on an evening such as this.”

Constantina stepped back from the innkeeper finally, her jaw locked and tense as she made a respectful bow to the priest, “It would be my honor to see you safely to your temple of the evening good priest.”

Calm turned and made a gesture of leave taking toward the trio seated by the fire place. “Be well my friends, until we meet on the ‘morrow.” With that the gnome man hobbled toward the door, Constantina easily stepping past the priest to open the door for him. Conversation began to pick up slowly along the bar as the door closed behind the human warrioress and the gnome priest.

“You know, I rather consider it a small miracle that we’re not wanted for murder by association because of that girl’s temper.” Fayren commented as he scooped stew into his mouth with a wooden spoon.

A slight disturbance began at one end of the bar, and then moved through the common room in a random but definite path. Ikarus pulled his hood up and adjusted his cloak, feigning a chill despite being seated practically in the fireplace. Men began dumping their mugs out into the rushes covering the floor and shouting at the now frantic inn keeper.

Ikarus smiled at the now familiar sensation of a small creature climbing into his hood. “Minnows or soap this time?” He asked quietly, eyes never leaving his mug of mead.

“Soap in the grog mugs, minnows in the ale, and …” The small piping voice of Shar was cut off as a feminine shriek pierced the din. “… a mouse for the bar wench’s hair piece.” Bell like laughter tickled against Ikarus’ ear.

“’Zat’ all thish time Shar?” Fayren asked around a mouthful of stew and bread.

“Well… I’d recommend staying away from the stew.” Came the some what reluctant reply.

Fayren dropped his spoon and looked up, eyes widening as an appalled expression crossed his face. “What did you do to the stew?!”

“Nothing!” Shar replied much too quickly.

“Nothing my father’s teeth. What did you do? What have you done?” Fayren began spitting stew onto the rushed and wiping at his mouth, “Ugh…”

The elf rose quickly from his seat and made hastily for the door closest to the privy, still spitting and wiping his mouth. Mendus was hugging his ribs and trying hard not laugh. Ikarus picked up the spoon and poked curiously at the now abandoned bowl.

“What did you do to it Shar?” Ikarus could spot nothing moving, foaming or remotely resembling an eyeball in the stew.

“Iiii did nothing.” The pixie replied in a sing song voice. “But remember those rat traps out in the stables? I saw the cook collecting the rats out of them… Guess what the stew of the night is?!” The pixie giggled as she wrapped several locks of Ikarus’ hair around herself and settled in snuggly against his neck.

“Oh, is that all? Well, even so, I doubt our gentle Fayren would appreciate being feed rat stew.” One of the mangy hounds that seemed to shadow every resident of the villiage wandered over toward the fireplace and Ikarus set the bowl down for it to finish.

“Ah, I suppose we’ll have to save a significant amount of mead for our forest cousin this night.” Mendus said as he poured himself a half mug.

“I wouldn’t worry overly much about it Mendus, two glasses and he usually starts looking for a bed, or a pile of leaves.” Ikarus shrugged and tapped his mug against Mendus’. “Now what was this game you were telling me about? Chess?”

The blonde elf smiled broadly as he pulled a long narrow box out of his bag. “Chess indeed my clever friend. A game of strategy I’m sure you’ll be able to appreciate.” Mendus unfolded the box exposing a tiled game board and several scattered figurines carved from what appeared to be ivory an onyx.

“I do trust you won’t beat me too badly the first few games.” Ikarus adjusted his hood, securing it at the shoulder to make sure Shar wouldn’t tumble out once she’d dozed off.

“I would say of course not, but I’ve seen how you pick up on strategy games. I think the first game is the only chance I have of beating you by a significant margin.” Mendus began setting up the pieces on the tiled playing board.

“Oh? Well then, why not fudge the rules in your own favor?” Ikarus was still puzzled by the openness that prevailed among these surface elves.

“Well that’s hardly a challenge. I’ll trounce you good once, but I prefer it only be once. An easy victory is hardly worth winning after all.” Mendus began demonstrating the moves each of the pieces. Ikarus shrugged, having no clever answer the elven fighter would respect. To the dark elf wizard a victory was a victory. An easy victory meant that much less risk of personal harm.

Fayren came back in, looking more green than tan and resumed his seat while pouring himself a mug of mead. “Did she tell you what she did to the stew Ikarus? How badly am I poxed?”

“Not poxed at all Fay. In fact you might want to thank her when she wakes up. Apparently our good inn keeper is serving rat stew this evening.” Ikarus hadn’t though it possible for anyone other than an orc to achieve the shade of green Fayren turned next. Once again the elven woodsman went stumbling from the table toward the privy.

“Such a delicate soul, our Fayren” Ikarus said lightly, Mendus smirked and turned the board so the onyx pieces where on Ikarus’ side of the field. Ikarus picked up the piece denoted as the king. “Fitting.”

“I didn’t think you’d want to play light elves.” Mendus smirked.

“Ah, shall we reenact the grand battles then my pale cousin?” Ikarus grinned as he set his king back on the game board.

“We shall do more then that good Ikarus, we shall craft newer, greater battles.” Mendus moved a pawn forward beginning the night’s combat.