It seems that Auberon was dedicated to creating an atmosphere to make adventurers feel at home. The paintings on the wall depict the far-ranging journeys that Auberon Greatstag undertook in his younger days. Nearby, a memorial shrine for fallen adventurers has been erected, complete with a donation box for those feeling charitable.
The half-orc barbarian, Thogg, is staring hard at one of the paintings.
With its aura of gentle solemnity, this space seems to have escaped the tavern’s atmosphere of rising tensions. The simple wooden altar is strewn with small bundles of flowers, softly flickering candles, and other tokens of remembrance. At the center of the altar is a small donation box with the words, “For the Fallen” etched onto the front. It’s locked with a peculiar looking mechanism, and surreptitiously shaking it reveals the jingle of donated coinage. Small trinkets and icons are scattered around the box, a testament to the love and honor that the adventurers and patrons of the inn have for their fallen comrades. This shrine serves as a reminder of the dangers of adventuring and the need to honor those who have given everything for the sake of quests. You make a mental note to leave something for Auberon once all this is resolved.
You approach the large half-orc, making extra sure to pronounce your steps so as not to catch him off guard and risk the ire of his reflexes. Thogg is focused on the “Feywild” painting, which depicts Auberon and some others trudging down a creek in the colorful plane of the faerie-folk. He takes note of you with a heavy sigh.
“Thogg no like picture. Picture boring, color all look same. Auberon good at fighting, maybe taste for pictures not so good. Why Auberon so stupid? Fall to dagger like weak human. Thogg mad at Auberon now!”
Thogg looks at you with bloodshot eyes and you can feel the anger emanating off of his imposing muscles.
“You hunter? Use hunting eyes! Have to find who kill Auberon! Have to hurt them too! Thogg will bend their bones! Thogg will pull off their arms! Who kill Auberon? Thogg think shiny tooth man very suspicious. Always lie. Always smile. Say he go on adventure, not go on adventure. Say he save town from dragon, no dragon. Say he right hand man of Auberon, Thogg know he use left hand for many things, same as Thogg. Very suspicious. Maybe team with stupid singing elf. Singing elf also suspicious. Thogg hear elf say strange words, use strange speak Thogg never hear before. Why he need secret words? Thogg want to snap singing elf’s dumb music stick over singing elf’s dumb music head!”
