Tavern Brawls S06WK09

Drinks were going out as fast as Kevin and the bar staff could pour them.  The glasses dripped with condensation as the wait staff grabbed them from the bar.  Kevin’s delivery cart system continued to circle the tavern as well, though even it seemed to want to take a break, the steam coming out of its miniature engine going up in slow puffs.

The late summer heat wave had coincided with the last few rounds of the Brawl to make for a clientele thirsty for anything to pour down their throats.  The Two Brothers had not been this packed since the first few days of the Brawl and it was only getting busier.

The heat combined with the event was starting to elevate tempers from some of the more excitable patrons.  Although Fletcher, Cantrip, and Selena had wanted to head straight out to Vala’s farm to track down the professor, they instead found themselves breaking up fights, defending the wait staff, and even stopping some troublemakers from destroying parts of the bar.

The heat had also impacted some of the patrons in a more personal way, erasing some of their inhibitions.  Iris had kicked several amorous couples out of the broom closet, the storage room, and even out of an otherwise unoccupied arena with the viewing portal still focused on it.  After throwing a bucket of dirty mop water on the ogre/smallfolk couple, she came back upstairs to where Fletcher and Chris were surveilling the tavern.  “We need help,” she stated simply.

Fletcher nodded, then ducked as a glass came from the far end of the room towards his head.  As it shattered against the wall behind him, Iris whipped her head around and shouted at the offending hurler, who was being ridiculed by his tablemates.  “What’s wrong with you?” she spat.  “I’m not giving out badges for throwing glasses.  Get over here and help me clean this up!”  She marched over to the table to continue her dressing down of the inebriated man.

Chris leaned over to Fletcher as Iris walked away.  “Okay,” he began, “even I’ve noticed she’s gotten more surly since Kevin and Vala announced their engagement.  But, she’s not wrong either.  I know you want to find the Doc and talk to him, but I can’t afford to have you leave without more help around here.  I mean, you can see what would happen, right?”

Fletcher nodded reluctantly.  He needed more help.  Perhaps he could recruit a few of the team rangers to help him.  That might not work for a couple more rounds though when the playoffs began.  In the meantime, he was short on ideas.

“LOOK OUT!!”

Everyone in the tavern turned to look as a large furry animal came running through the door.  It did not slow as it entered, but started weaving in and out of the tables as the crowd ducked, dove, and stumbled out of the way.  On top of the animal, sat a man with a satchel, hanging on for dear life.

The animal spotted one of the doorways heading down into the fighting arenas and, seeing the light reflected in the passage beyond, charged to the opening.  Mike Murchadha, seeing a way off the crazed animal, grabbed the framing around the door as the animal passed through, pulling himself off as the animal continued.

As Mike picked himself up off the ground, the animal began showing up on various viewing portals.  The first combatants it encountered merely jumped out of the way.  However, as it neared the center of the fighting area and was visible through the floor, the Brawl participants had begun corralling it.  Blades gleamed and staffs shone as they enclosed the frightened creature.

“Don’t kill the llama!”, shouted Mike.  “It belongs to a friend of mine!”

Trying to reach the stairs himself, Fletcher caught a glimpse of the ranger Vorlak in one of the view screens.  He was dipping an arrow into a vial being held by Gork Smashgrab.  The half-demon took quick aim and fired a shot into the back leg of the animal.  It let out a bellow, then stumbled to the ground twitching.  Fletcher hurried down the stairs to the fallen creature and saw it breathing deeply, knocked out by the concoction provided by the ogre thief.

Iris arrived moments later, ordering the Brawlers to help her drag the cause of the commotion back up the stairs and outside.  Going back up the stairs, Fletcher arrived to see Cantrip and Selena already interrogating Mike.

“Where did you find that thing?” Cantrip demanded.

Mike looked fairly calm for a man who had just been riding a strange wild animal just a few moments ago.  “The llama?  That’s from the traveling circus nearby.  They have all sorts of really cool animals.  They have big cats and snakes.  There’s a horse that can count to 10!  Plus they have an entire petting zoo of llamas.”

Fletcher looked at Mike, then gestured around at the tavern.

“You don’t talk much, do you?” he remarked.  “Well, I was over there petting one of the llamas when one of the handlers next to me went to light his pipe and the ember got on one of the ropes they were using to enclose the llamas.  It must have been old rope because it burned up like nothing and all of the llamas got out.  I jumped on one to bring it back, but it turns out it is REALLY hard to steer a llama.  We just ended up here.”

Chris came over to where they were talking.  “Well, that thing will be alright.  Gork says it should be out for a few hours, so the group is loading it onto a wagon so we can take it back wherever it belongs.”

Mike shook the proprietor’s hand.  “Thank you for your help!  I’ll get it back to the circus.  I’m really sorry for the mess!”

He stood up and put his satchel over his shoulder, but Selena pushed him none too gently back into his chair.  “Hold on,” she pressed.  “We’re going to need a lot more than that before we let you go.  How do we know you didn’t bring that in here deliberately?  How do we know you didn’t cause that incident with the blinding light?  How do we know you’re not trying to destroy this entire event?”

The man reached up and removed Selena’s hand from his shoulder and stood up again.  “I swear to you that I did not bring that llama here on purpose.  I’m also not trying to destroy the event.”

He sighed deeply.  “The incident with the light was my fault, but it was an accident.  That’s why I helped you,” he gestured at Cantrip.  “I never intend for them to happen, but when the accidents occur, I do my best to help.  Now, if I promise to come back and explain everything, will you let me return the llama before it wakes up?”

Fletcher looked at his teammates, trying to find answers in their eyes.  Mike had not done anything to threaten them and appeared to be trying to help.  He couldn’t lock him up just because of his surname.

Grimacing slightly, he walked behind the bar and grabbed his traveling cloak.  It was still warm outside, but the night was coming soon and a chill would be in the air.  Patrons had begun returning to the confines of the tavern.  He pointed at Cantrip and Selena, then at the surrounding room.  Then, looking at Mike, he made a sweeping motion to the door.  Burden of proof aside, he was not letting this Murchadha out of his sight.