[color=silver][center][h2][color=#ce8396]𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝕯𝖊𝖜𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖕[/color][/h2][/center]
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Leanna shifted in her seat nervously.

She was no stranger to taverns. On the contrary, she had been a regular patron at the Azure Mare, the largest tavern in her hometown. It had been a wonderful place for stories and conversations, whether they were shared willingly or overheard from a table over. Yes, there had been the occasional brawl, and every now and again someone had drank too much or said a few words too many. But overall, the atmosphere had been cozy, even quaint.

The Yawning Portal was a tavern of a different sort.

She was used to noise, but not quite this kind. It wasn't simply loud; the tavern overwhelmed every single one of her senses. It was chaos made manifest, unashamed, unapologetic, unrelenting. There was no respite to be found, even in the most quiet corner. She would know; she'd tried to find it. Yet even where she sat, close to the walls and away from the bustle of the counter, she found herself surrounded. The scents lingered. The noise blared. Everywhere around her, perturbing scenes fought for her attention.  

To her right, an old hag was swindling young men from money. At least she assumed the victims were young men; she had never seen their kind before. To her left, two patrons lay intertwined on a table, only separating their lips long enough to draw breath. Thank the gods they were too drunk to find their way out of their clothes. 

Somewhere unseen, an amateur lutist filled the gaps between clatter and gossip with off-key tunes. Leanna did not know who or where the bard was. That was, perhaps, for the best. Then there was the inevitable brawl, escalating a few tables over. Leanna had done her best to ignore it, unwilling to make eye contact with any of the participants so as to not get roped into their trouble. But the louder the belligerents got, the harder it was.

[color=#ce8396]"Is the Yawning Portal always quite this..."[/color] Leanna hesitated, fiddling with the handle of her mug as if hoping the right words would spill right over its brim. They did not, so she chose the first word that came to her, [color=#ce8396]"hm, rowdy?"[/color]

She turned her gaze to the man across the table. Meloon Wardragon, she believed his name was. 'War Dragon' - such a mighty name for a man that seemed anything but. He was a human man like any other, and by no means in the prime of his youth. Compared to the many formidable patrons around her, he seemed almost diminutive.

But looks could be deceiving. She had been told he was a famous adventurer, so treat him like one she would.

[color=#ce8396]"Never mind that. My apologies, I've yet to grow accustomed to the city," [/color]Leanna hurried to say, hoping Wardragon had not taken offense. She had not come here to complain. She was to start a new life, and this was the man who ought to tell her how. She had sought him out for a reason. [color=#ce8396]"A mutual friend ushered me to find you." [/color]

The man in question was not a friend of hers in truth. She did not even know his name. He was but a member of a group of adventurers who took notice of her wanderlust. But that was quite a bit more mouthful than simply 'friend', and a little pitiful besides.

Lanna glanced down at her ale, which Wardragon had kindly treated her to. She had yet to drink alcohol in her life, but she knew they called it liquid courage. It made every boy a warrior, and every old man a casanova - at least in their own minds. She took a sip. The foreign taste burned on her tongue, yet she felt no more courageous than she had before. A pity. She could not keep the man waiting any longer with good conscience. 

[color=#ce8396]"Sir Wardragon,"[/color] she set down her ale and rested her hands upon the table, one folded atop the other. The ladies back home did so quite often. Perhaps they feared their hands would run off otherwise.

Leanna understood. Part of her wanted to run, too. 

[color=#ce8396]"How would one go about becoming an adventurer?"[/color]

Before the man could offer her an answer, a bellow silenced him - and many others besides. Leanna craned her neck to find its source, but there was already a crowd gathering around the ever-escalating brawl. All she saw from her seat were backs and raised fists.

She took another nervous sip of her ale.
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