Pub Crawling Problems

While he sat down at his usual spot at the Pearl, nursing an ale, Gareth was contemplating to himself. The story he heard from his cousin Macha was incomplete and he found out she wasn't the one who ended Arl Howe's life but someone else. Most likely the Warden Commander. He sighed and stood up, but suddenly a noise was heard nearby. There was a one-armed dwarf close enough to ask. "Did you hear that?" he asked, slightly miffed.

Gunnar had been there for so long that he didn't care anymore. The ale was as horrible as the day before, and the day before that one. Surely it would be worse tomorrow. He wondered what the hell was going up at the castle and why...

The veteran Warden rose his head and listened carefully. He heard something unusual, coming from the basement, beneath them. He stared at the floor, blinking and trying to focus, rubbing absently his chestplate, and the Warden crest on it while thinking. Should he ask, or should he go back to his drink?

"Did you hear that?"

''Aye, kid. It came from down there'' He stomped his foot on the floor, still thinking.

Gareth scratched his chin, regarding the dwarf but shrugged his shoulders, his white steel armor clanked a bit. One problem at a time. "It may just be someone being overzelous with one of the ladies here..." he mused, scratching his bearded chin. But what if it wasn't? It came from below after all. He looked over at the proprietor of the Pearl and sighed. "Look, I think I'm going to check out what that noise was. Do you have a basement?"

Sanga looked up at the man, "Yes, we have a basement which is used for the more ... adventurous but I never hear that kind of noise. I rented the whole basement to this man and it's been rather quiet down there until now."

Another thump was heard, a smash and a yell came from the basement.

Gunnar stood up once he heard the yelling, and grabbed his enormous axe after placing a shield on his stump.

''I'm going down there, lass, to see what's happening. All that yelling makes me nervous and it doesn't sound like someone's getting pleasure at all''

He nodded to Sanga and went to the stairs that went down to the basement, whistling merrily

As Gareth listened to Sanga, he heard a crash and a scream, and instantly his sword was drawn from his sheath. He rushed through the mazey halls of the Pearl to find the cellar door and headed down to investigate the yell. The cellar was dimly lit, almost dungeon like. It sent a chill up Gareth's spine as this meant that he could be ambushed due to the lack of bright light and thus, his shield came out, bearing the Cousland family crest in remembrance of his uncle and aunt, and cousins who died in Highever two or three years ago. The young Arl was cautious, keeping quiet as he headed towards the source of the noise.

Six men were standing back from a cell while five others watched the rear. All were armed but did not seem intent on getting any closer to the cell.

"Just calm down and we won't hurt you." One grizzled Qunari guard said as he shook his head at the humans. What pitiful fools. Two other Qunari mercs stood near the cage as well.

A dwarven woman in nothing but a night dress that came down to just above her knees growled at them, her blue eyes flashing danger as she pulled the foot board from the end of a fancy bed and slammed it into the bars with force a few times until she had a nice, sharp wooden weapon. It looked like she had used a chair and only splintered it in the same fashion but now she had a weapon.

"Calm down my dwarven ass!" She yelled at the Qunari merc, "Try to bring yer face near me and I'll rip it to shreds you bastards. That mage comes back to try to put me out again and I'll have him in ribbons. I have enough splinters here to do him in! Just try to keep me locked up now!"

Her foot smashed into the cell door, rattling it on the hinges showing that sooner or later she was going to get out.

((11 human mercs and 3 qunari mercs))

Gunnar checked the situation quickly, all his drunk attitude gone for good. 14 mercs, three of them qunari. He could also smelle and hear two dogs panting in the shadows, War Mabaris for sure. Not good.

A pretty and well formed dwarven lass in her nightie snarling at them. That was good, actually. Veeeery good

''Gentlemen'' He called, fixing better the shield to his stump and drawing his enormous axe ''It seems the lady wants to get out of here. I suggest you to let her go and deal with a Grey Warden instead''

Well wasn't that something? A Dwarf in her nightie. Gareth had to push his jaw closed and clear his head of his usual thought patterns. She needed help. Clearly outnumbered by a mess of Mercenaries and Qunari of all people. He cleared his throat, but was interrupted by the one-armed dwarf from the main floor, stealing his thunder. Fuming, Gareth sighed. "What he said." he muttered begrudgingly and then pointed his longsword at the nearest merc, a big Qunari that Gareth really didn't want to tangle with but he knew he had to anyway.

A grey warden and a grumpy human? Wasn't that the humour of the stone to bring in two defenders and not a squadron? It was much better than nothing and might work into her favour. One, two ...

Her shoulder slammed into the cell door again and once again, finally making the lock pop. Apparently it wasn't made to be that tough. This was a wimpy dungeon to put one of her stature in. She'd have to make sure and beat the crud out of that ass for more now. What an insult to think something this flimsy could keep her in!

The first thing she did when she got out was charge a human merc but in the middle of her attack she swirled, ramming the large slab of wood into a qunari's belly who had been attacking from her side, just as she had expected. As the wood splintered inside his body she twisted it, ripping it down and breaking it in his body while kicking the human merc she'd already attacked, unphased by the fact she had no panties on.

"I hope you two are worth your salt cause this'll get ugly!" She yelled at Gunnar and Gareth.

Sodding Ancestors.

''There are some things you'll have to explain afterwards, gorgeous!'' Gunnar roared while charging against the two nearest humans he had. It felt sodding nice to hit someone again, and when he heard a skull smarshed under his axe he grinned and turning swiftly to hit the other one with the sharp edge of the shield, sending him backwards with blood flooding out of his throat.

Then, the dwarven Warden turned and faced the other Qunari with a big grin under his moustache. ''Hey, mountain, wanna dance?''

Gareth sighed. His thunder kept being stolen by this one armed dwarf. He decided to charge ahead towards the Qunari, utilizing his training and experience in battle, he found the weak spot in the lack of armor around the armpit and stabbed his sword straight through the mail, Causing the Qunari to howl in pain before Gareth pivoted and lopped his head off. He ducked under a merc's sword swing and brought his shield up hard, breaking the man's sword arm. While the merc dropped his blade, Gareth kicked it over to the Dwarf woman in the nightie.

Pendra rolled, grabbed the weapon the human had sent her way and winked at him just before slashing up through the human merc's crotch and up to his diaphragm. Tearing it out of the man's body she ducked another attack, and went down under the man's reach, slamming into his gut and flung him over her back towards Gareth.

"Thanks for the sword, honey buns!" She swirled with a laugh towards the next opponent, very much enjoying the fight, her eyes glowing with excitement. Pendra was a warrior through and through and this was much more fun than work, "I'm quite sure the wardens would be happy to hear the wonderful news from the king's royal weaponsmaster!"

Gareth swiftly finished off the man who's arm he broke and turned his attention to the next one. The female dwarf was the royal weaponmaster? Fascinating! Her skill certainly showed in her fighting. Still, no time to admire how the nightie hugged every curve of her body... And pain shot through Gareth's cheek. He had been punched with a gauntleted hand while he was distracted, staring at the dwarf. Cursing himself, he drove his sword through the middle of the offending fist's owner and broke the neck of another man by slamming the bottom of his shield into his esophagus.

''This Warden certainly is!'' Gunnar roared, finishing another of the human guards, and looking around for more, but one of the Mabari jumped on him and both of them fell to the floor.

The dwarf grunted and rolled, trying to get it off like it was a nasty bug, but the warhound was trying hard to bite him through his shield. Not for the first time Gunnar cursed his stump, and his little overweight, but that was something that he certainly wouldn't admit ever. Sodding hell if he did.

He punched the hound right in the eye and when it whined cut his throat with the pointed staff of the axe. Then he stood up, growling a bit for the effort. It looked like he was still a bit sore

The second mabari was in action, taking advantage of the new hole between bodies that Pendra herself had created and rushed at the woman with a loud bark. She snarled back at the dog as booted one of the other human mercs in the way of the animal just as it jumped and went for the throat. Dancing to the side she swung her sword down onto the animal's neck as it ripped out the human's throat.

"Remember, you can use any weapon if it is not being directed properly by it's owner." Pendra sniggered out loud, enjoying her own little joke about a training spiel she had used and heard of from other weapons trainers.

Both mabari were now out of the picture, all three qunari were down with relative ease and only four humans remained. The crazy dwarven maiden turned, wiping blood across her face as she glared down another merc, this one looking suddenly terrified by the evil glint in her sky blue eyes, blood dripping from her due to the slaughter, "Four left, men. Wanna bet who can finish off the last one first?"

The young man she glared at screamed like a little girl and ran for the door.

Well Gareth certainly found the fight amusing. He had not been in a fight since the end of the Blight and this was a nice refresher. Gareth was amazed at the skill of the Dwarf woman. She really did seem like a weapon master. The bearded dwarf was also no slouch and they made the young noble seem weak in comparison (then again, one was a Warden the other a weapon master). He saw one of the last four run off screaming, and smirked.

Turning to one of the remaining three mercs, Gareth charged forward, ducked downward and slammed his shield upward into the man's stomach, flipping him over Gareth's head. As he went down, Gareth delivered a quick stab to the back, killing him. He let the other two handle the remaining two mercs.

''I'm already tired of this, and I want to go upside to drink again'' Gunnar was feeling sore, and his lost arm was aching painfully.

He embraced his shield and ran towards another of the humans, at the same time as Gareth did with his own. The human tried to stab him, but the shield hit his stomach and dropped his sword to the floor. That was the moment Gunnar needed to stab him right where his shield had been and moved so the human could fall, dying.

The dwarf panted a bit, rubbing his stump with his free hand, and then recovered his axe

One escaped for now and one left and the little bastard was running. Pendra sighed as she leaned over, grabbed a lopped off head, aimed and threw it hitting the mercenary in the back of the noggin. As he fell she walked over to him, the sword swinging until she got over to him and booted him onto his back.

"Ah. It be you, sick puppy that ye are lad." She snorted while sneering, "Don't be thinking I don remember what ye did while I was drugged up. Ye started all that up, sick beast. Well ..."

"No no please! I will give anything!" The merc screamed as she glared down at him.

Pendra did not even give him the satisfaction of even considering his plea, as the sword tip came down and into his face. She turned from the body, leaving the sword standing upright and walked about the other dead, calmly looking at them until she found what she needed.

The woman knelt, pulled the leather pants from one of the men, chopped off the ends with a sword from the ground then put them on herself, not even taking note of whether anyone could see any of her skin or not. She tied the laces and looked at the pants before removing the man's leather jerkin, tossed the night dress and dawning the jerkin as well.

She stretched then walked over to Gunnar, put an arm around his shoulders and gave him a big, passionate kiss. Pendra smiled, turned, grabbed Gareth by the jerkin, pulled him down and did the same for him, "Thank ye, sweethearts, fer coming to me aid. I'd'a only been able to kill a few of them alone before they drugged me up again."

With the rather humorous dispatching of the last merc, Gareth could only nod his agreement with the one armed dwarf. But, he did get an eyeful of the female dwarf undressing and fashioning some clothes to make her look decent. First she kissed the other dwarf while embracing him and then did the same for Gareth. Her lips delivering a wet one on him that made him grin. "Thank ye, sweethearts, fer coming to me aid. I'd'a only been able to kill a few of them alone before they drugged me up again. she said and Gareth could only nod in return. His gray eyes glinted dashingly in the dim light of the cellar. "Now, normally I'm all for a good time with a lady, but apparently those guys were too desperate to get one legitimately in a brothel... which is just sad. The use of drugs and unconsentual rape is where I draw the line. If the lady's up for a group toss, that's her thing. But drugging them and raping them makes my blood boil." He said and then forgot he didn't introduce himself.

"I am Gareth Feres. Arl of Umoja." He offered her his winning grin beneath his beard. "Pleased to meet- and fight with- you."

Gunnar took a couple of seconds to react, just in time to kiss her back and laughed. ''Well now, that was unexpected but great. It was my pleasure, gorgeous, I'm glad you're alright''

When she started to undress and dress again, Gunnar turned his back politely. He was a gentleman after all, or that he wanted to think. Even if she was really pretty and gorgeous and hot, sodding Ancestors, but the lass had had enough with those morons.

When she was done, he turned again and offered her his cloak with his only hand. ''I am Gunnar Karanir, Grey Warden blacksmith. Nice to meet you''

Pendra rubbed a bite mark on her shoulder as it was itchy then looked to the two men. Certainly they would have noticed all the scars on her body but never said a word even about the newer wounds like the bite marks that were not made by dogs. That was a good sign as some did not like a woman who was marked up. Even warriors tended to be vain about a woman's skin. Any man who could handle scars on a woman was a bonus to the races, as far as she was concerned. There were rather annoying things about people and one was not wanting to have anything, friendship or otherwise, with females who did not have pristine skin.

"These men knew of me before they even did their capturing. Let's just say I had not expected one of their numbers to be a treasonous bastard. I'm not a dear wallflower but as you pointed out, rape is different." She grinned at Gunnar, "Unexpected is sometimes just what one needs, as long as it's in one's interest.

The woman gave both men a bow of the head, It is a pleasure, Gareth Feres and Gunnar Karanir. I am Pendra Dragoncoal, weaponsmaster and training commander for the Royal Guard and soldiers of the realm. That was until these bird tattoo'd fools decided to try to take over."

With a poke of a sword she turned one man's head to show a bird tattoo by the ears then tossed the sword to the ground and took Gunnar's cloak with a pleased smile, "You are such a gentleman. I need to get to the palace and deal with situations which must have continued since I was dragged off. Where are we?" She started off towards the exit.

Gareth was pleased to finally have a name for the beautiful dwarf. Pendra. That name did sound familiar. There was talk among some of the soldiers back in Umoja who aspired to training under her. But the distance between Umoja and Redcliffe was two weeks at best. On the bright side, Gareth had made a new ally and she was drop-dead gorgeous, scars and all.

"Charmed, I'm sure." he smiled to Pendra and bowed gallantly.

For some reason the hairs stood up on the back of his neck when he saw the bird tattoos on the corpses.

"Antivan Crows? No... they're far too sloppy to be Crows." He mused to himself. "We're in the cellar of the Pearl. Allow me to buy you an ale or three to dull the memory of this ordeal a bit, hm?"

''An ale or three, or ten sounds good, boy'' Gunnar nodded, smiling under his beard and stroking it with his good hand, the shield now placed on his back as well as his axe.

''Then, later maybe I could go to the palace and yell at that moronic King. I've been here waiting for his word and still nothing about the Warden's arrival''

"You gentlemen need not worry about buying drinks. As it is I must get back to the palace to inform the king of these issues. That should give you the chance, Gunnar, to kick the king in the rump a few dozen times. After that we can get down to the business of celebrating my escape. Does that sound reasonable?"

Pendra continued up the corridor to the stairs and when she got into the tap room she poured three ales and made sure each man had one. Sanga opened her mouth until Pendra turned to her and glared, "You rented your basement to Fereldan criminals and unintentionally allowed them the ability to abuse a military employee to the crown. Do not even think of telling me no. There are thirteen dead mercenaries and two dead mabari below. They likely have goods you can keep for yourself. As for repayment for the ills your discreet ignorance has brought, I expect kegs of ale to be sent to the palace in Pendra Dragoncoal's name. Lots and lots of ale, m'lady."

Sanga looked aghast, "I would never let ... it was not to my knowledge that you were a hostage!"

"Of course not. They did say I'd had too much booze. Let me alleviate that by the three of us taking some." She took her mug of ale and walked out into the sunshine. Her empty hand shielded her eyes from the glare and she smiled, "Ah. The day is hot and unsuspecting of the ass kicking it shall receive." With that she drank down her mug of ale then snarled as she saw a mage across the street.

"The little bastard." She growled before throwing the mug at the man but the mage was already on the move having seen her exit from the Pearl.