[center][color=fff79a]Catarina La'Spada[/color][/center]

[color=fff79a]"Don't mind if I do!"[/color] Catarina eagerly took the pipe and took a long drag from it. Perhaps it was a bit greedy, but it's been years since she had any good pipeweed. Everything else had either been second hand or low-quality contraband. Literally poison. While this pipeweed tasted different than the one she was used too, it was genuine. She was tempted to keep it but handed the pipe back to Elleonora. [color=fff79a]"That's good stuff. Been too long since I've had something like this. In my earlier years, pipeweed kept me sane after a battle. All the gore and bodies... You get used to the killing after a while, but the smell..."[/color] Catarina's body shook. Even now it unnerved her a bit. Even for a harden mercenary she can be shocked at an after-battle scene. It wasn't as if it was new to her or anything. And after being without pipeweed for so long, but still being a mercenary, she was actually quite use to taking in the smell of dead bodies. But if she had the choice, she'd prefer the scent of burning herbs.

Parum joined them followed by Vivian. Seemed like their elf friend was having a hard time sleeping, and needed a drink. Catarina certainly wouldn't mind a cold one. Fortunately for her, they had some generous friends come through: A gnome and a dwarf. Dwarves were fairly common back at Sapphire, but not one like this. She dressed almost like Elleonora with her heavy plate and mail armor, and carried an axe as broad as her body. The gnome was definitely a foreigner: Catarina would remember a hairstyle like hers. The dwarf, Shayle as the gnome called her, came over and ordered everyone an ale. The dwarf was definitely new here too: the ale here wasn't all that great. Pretty good all things considered, but their ale was too fruity. Lacked the punch of truth alcohol. Still Catarina appreciated the gesture and accepted an ale from the dwarf.

[color=fff79a]"Don't know if you're after my gold or my heart, but you're taking a step in the right direction. Name's Catarina La'Spada, perhaps you've heard of me."[/color] Things were going pretty well so far. Sure things got a bit dramatic on the way here, but that was part of the adventuring life. Vivian turns out to be a drow and there's assassins or something after her. Gnolls are active around this area and the mercenary suspects she'll be seeing a lot more of them. But they had alcohol, Veridis was playing a tune, and all things considered this was good company. Catarina didn't have any complaints. 

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[center][color=brown]Parum[/color][/center]

[color=brown]"Yup yup! I'll admit I keep a personal stock of pipeweed that I could smoke every night, but if I did that it wouldn't be nearly as savoring. But I think I'll make tonight and exception."[/color] Joining the others around the table Parum took a few puffs from her pipe as she listened to Catarina be nostalgic. Pipeweed was often used by soldiers during war to mask the smell and grime of war. Parum's done business at many war camps and has looted from a battlefield before. As a youth she couldn't stomach it, but now she'd have no problems stealing the valuables off a warm body if there was no one to stop her. Parum wished she could say she was only doing it to survive, but at that point in her life she was already quite well established in the merchant's guild and could have turn to an honest life at any time. But the allure of filthy lucre was too great for this halfling.

As Parum settled down Vivian arrived. Seemed like today's events weighed heavily on her mind. As more guests showed up Parum went over to Vivian at the bar counter. Parum's mercantile eye noted that Vivian was drinking a very elven wine. It was vaguely familiar and Parum was certain she had traded some before, but she's traded a lot of things in the past. She wasn't sure of the make of this vintage, but Vivian obviously recognized it. Putting a few silver pieces on the counter Parum joined Vivian for a drink. [color=brown]"Make that for two. So Vivian, what's your thoughts on all of this? The job, the pay, the stakes. Part of me still thinks this is too good to be true."[/color] 

Ten thousand gold was nearly a king's ransom. If not a king, at least a prince or an something. She's seen noble clans fight for that much. Truthfully if she didn't already have an idea of what sort of artifact they would be getting their hands on, Parum would have been more than willing to accept the job for the pay alone. Hence why she felt this all seemed too good to be true. Part of her did wonder if this job was actually sponsored by the drow who are after Vivian. But what were the chances of that? [color=brown]"Makes ya wonder what's really at stake, eh?"[/color]