Akono smiled widely, clapping the smaller man on the shoulder in what was meant to be a friendly gesture, but was perhaps a bit too forceful. "The best melee... I like this title! Perhaps I should introduce myself this way, no?" He shook his head, chuckling to himself, making more out of the comment than in really deserved.

"I'll be honest with you, Necromancer. I wasn't sure about you when I saw you approaching. I don't think much of meddling with the dead. But then, you seem a decent sort of fellow. Perhaps it is a snap judgement, but I believe we will get on just fine. I'm a good deal less sure about the Elf-Man. He seems far, far too confident by my measure. Anyone as sure of himself as that man is either a fool, or dangerous. Or, in this case, perhaps both." The dark giant mused idly, his intent less to speak his mind about the de facto group leader, and more to gauge the Necromancer's opinion of the man, and to test how willing the slim magicworker was to speak openly and confide in a near-stranger.

"Here. Let me pay for a drink for you. Then, with ale in our stomachs, good cheer will come easily, I think. The pretentious Elf-Man may be more willing to put up with our presence if he believes we are getting on well." He waved for a mug of the tavern's home brew, then shook his head with a long-suffering look as he sent the buxom serving girl back to fetch a larger mug. She returned with an enormous flagon, better-suited to serving a table than one man. Akono smiled widely, a fearsome, yet cheery sight, and pushed a thick coin down the bar to her, adding "That should cover it, and whatever my [i]friend[/i] here wants." He placed particular emphasis on the word "friend", punctuating it with another good-natured, if painful clap on the shoulder.