Adrian: Baldur's Gate

After that embarrasment, Adrian decided that they should take the rest of the day off, and the rest of the party readily agreed.

Returning to the Elfsong, Kagain tripped on the doorframe and fell flat on his face. Raucous laughter greeted this entrance--until Adrian helped him up and bristle-faced mercenary glared around the room. They dropped off into silence.

"I think I'll take a walk," said the Dwarf, and hoofed it out the door.

Adrian sighed. It was being a bad day for all of them. Tiax and Viconia were still suffering from the wounds they'd gotten in Ramazith's tower, and so they went up to their rooms to rest.

Edwin sneered around the inn. "No appreciation of magic here."

Adrian raised an eyebrow at him. "What brought that on?"

"Nothing." The Red Wizard wrapped his robes around himself and headed upstairs. "I should do some research."

Puzzled, Adrian watched him go. He shrugged and supposed that everyone was on edge after the events of the day.

"That's a good idea, actually," said Xzar. "I've been carrying the blood of that fool Noober since Nashkel, and now I have some bones. Time for some necromantic experiments."

"Why don't you say that a little louder, idiot," Adrian said dissmissively.

Xzar sniffed, nose in the air, and walked upstairs.

Alone, Adrian approached the bar. He himself would like to take a walking tour of the city, but wanted a moment or two to just relax. And a beer sounded good right now.

"Ale," he said, sitting down at the bar.

Wordlessly, the barman clunked a mug in front of him, and Adrian slugged it down. It was a bitter brew, but he didn't complain. He didn't ask for anything better.

Next to him, two merchants were beginning to argue. At first, Adrian ignored it. When they came to blows, he moved away slightly. Now was not the time, in the middle of a bar, with many witnesses, to indulge his Bhaal essence.

But then one of the merchants drew back a fist to throw a punch, and his elbow knocked Adrian in the head.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to remain calm. He would just break up the fight, for his own peace of mind. Yes, that's what he would do.

He started to get up, and began to speak. "Calm your--"

His foot slipped on the floor where one of the merchants had spilled wine, and his head bonked on the bar. His eyes glazed over and he saw stars. He gave up, and let himself slump down on the floor. With luck, the brawlers wouldn't step on him.

In his room, Tiax was smoking his pipe. It always relaxed him. It was the one part of his life he retained before kneeling to Cyric.

Only this time, he got the powder mixture wrong, and almost choked on it.

Edwin's magical experiment was going poorly. He frowned. He had bought two potions at Sorcerous Sundries, and they were refusing to mix properly. What was he doing wrong?

BANG!!

He sat up on the floor, dazed, his face blackened, his robes singed. He spat a long string of Thayvian curses.

In his head, he heard his teacher's voice telling him to assess the proportions of each potion correctly, not too much of one or the other.

"I want to go home," he whispered to no one in particular.