Setting

Atmosphere (Comfortable) - Due to improved trade, food and ale is in good supply and of fine quality. Prices are fair, the lasses and lads fairer, and customers are happy.
Current Special - Grouse with gooseberry jam Ӎ2, House Wine Ӎ2.
Topics of Conversation
• The opening of an exotic beast shop.
• A ship recently activated the defense systems of the port and had to be put in stasis as it came in too fast. Since then it has been removed from stasis, and docked.
Random Events
• People cringe as someone runs a knife too hard over a plate, causing it to screech.
• An oil lamp flickers out. After a brief pause, the lamp flutters back to life. Someone at the table asks another person if they felt a chill too.
Things of note
• Being so close to The Grand Gate has forced this tavern to become somewhat of an emergency stronghold for Proxi guards in the past. It is a well known fact that the tavern also holds a fortified keep with its own armory deep within the tavern walls.
• The mosaic windows, firelight, and candles are rarely the same colors. They slowly shift and glimmer into different hues throughout the day, often suiting the mood and weather. When asked, the current barkeep 'Vasaren Stormbird' always responds that it was a long lost enchantment that caused the charming effect.
Current Menu
Meals
•Braised beef and pears with ginger ...Ӎ4
•Grouse with gooseberry jam ...Ӎ3
•Oyster Soup ...Ӎ4
•Oxtail Soup ...Ӎ4
•Grilled Sausages and mashed potatoes ...Ӎ5
•Rissoles of game with truffles ...Ӎ5
•Trout and fried potatoes ...Ӎ5
•Stewed Pigeons ...Ӎ1
Drinks
•Fire Mead ...Ӎ2 (Current Special)
•Soda of choice ...Ӎ1
•Tea (Sweet or Unsweet) ...Ӎ1
•Hot Tea ...Ӎ2
•Hot Coffee ...Ӎ2
•Ale ...Ӎ2
•Mead ...Ӎ2
•House Wine ...Ӎ3
•Royal Reserve ...Ӎ4
•Kingsman's Vineyard ...Ӎ5
Desserts
•Slice of today's pie ...Ӎ1
•Slice of apple cake ...Ӎ1
•Cup Lady Minerva's Pudding with Lady Fingers ...Ӎ3
•Slice of cheesecake ...Ӎ2
•Bowl of ice cream, vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate ...Ӎ1
He hiccuped, and then glared at the sparrow that appeared on the counter. "Oh go away." He had merely sent the rubber ducks to the chaos realm. Let them deal with it. The mage didn't have the presence of mind to deconstruct them right now. "Some times I want to do things that are bad for me, Catherine. Did that occur to you?"
He hiccuped again and resumed his seat, hunched over at the bar, looking for all the world like an old drunk rather than a powerful mage. "It's not like I have a damn thing to live for. The occasional drunkenness and the release of fairly harmless magic...where's the harm?" There was none.
"You're such a drama queen for a human Rahal." Catherine said, forgetting momentarily to self censor. "But I'm sure your well aware of the consequences with your magic." Weren't they all?
"Given we're bother covered in glitter, I don't think I can deny it." This was going to be a bitch to get out of his hair. Not even a shower would work. "...How exactly does one get rid of this much glitter?" Magic never got all of it, regardless of any attempts. The mage frowned as he looked himself over, sober now. "...Well. I'm not going back to court tonight." It would be centuries before they forgot the glitter he was covered in, he was pretty sure.
Sighing audibly, she knew she was going to have to go back to the office covered in the stuff. That would probably give them a good laugh at her expense.
He always braided his hair before sleep. It meant a hell of a lot less brushing that he'd otherwise have to put up with. The mage sighed and glanced at her. "So. How much more do you dislike me than you did before?"
Looking at Rahal in confusion, Catherine considered her answer carefully. "I never said I disliked or hated you."
He noticed her trouble with the lenses and snorted, tapping the frames of her glasses. The glitter promptly fell off them, along with any other smudges or dirt. It wasn't the first time he had performed the spell and it wasn't like there was a single clean cloth in this entire establishment.
"Things are.. better now. Not great, but better."
He may be the man's foster child, but he was ruthless, and would kill him all the same for disappointing him too much. It would be much worse than any remedial training if his father was pissed at him. Much, much worse. His political skills and the maneuvering he did in Court were all forced onto him by his father's second in command. The very invaluable skills, of course, but difficult to obtain.
However, in both worlds politics were serious business. If you expected to survive, you were expected to be ruthless and heartless if you had to be.