@Vermillion The small Fallial town of Roseway had only one inn, though the crux of the town was an important crossroads between Fallial, Tirial and Jadenshine. It was a muggy, cloistered summer evening in the town, and the Upturned Tankard was spacious and cool.
Kailash finished his meal and pushed the empty plate aside, settling his hands contentedly on the table. It had been a while since he'd been to Serendipity, but this visit was off to a good start: no evil sorcery, no raging beasts, no room for dessert. Boring. He'd almost forgotten how nice the right dose of boring could be.
No sooner had this thought occurred to him than three children burst into the Upturned Tankard, the last one dragging an adult by the hand. All four began talking at once, with the result that no one could understand any of them in the tangle of words
"We were attacked!"
"Hideous-"
"- Great big claws-"
"- The screaming! The awful
squawking!" "DRAGON THINGS!"
They were pale with fear and panted for breath like they had run for their lives, and the man who'd come in last was clutching an obviously broken arm to his chest.
Kailash stood. "Calmly," he said, holding one hand up flat. He took a deep breath and, without noticing, the man and the kids followed suit. "Where did you get attacked?"
"On a sidepath off the south road," said the man. "I'll lead you there." With his good arm, he let go of the little girl's hand and began rummaging in his pack. "They were the size of carthorses and had scales and fangs, and bird feet and peacock tails. They hypnotized my in-laws and tried to eat the children first-"
"Tell me on the way," said Kailash. "There may not be time."
"No offense," one little boy blurted out, "but we were hoping for more than one guy."
Kailash looked around the room. There were a number of tough types hunkered around tables here nursing their drinks, but they all seemed disinterested. Kid was probably out of luck.
"Anyone?" asked the other young boy. There was a long pause. "No?"
Kailash crouched until he was eye level with the child. "I'll do my best," he said, getting ready to leave.
"If those things come into town, we're all mincemeat," a woman in her fifties said as she stood. "I'm the Landholder of Roseway, and the villagers' lives are my responsibility. Thirty standard goldrops from my family's coffers to anyone who fights these beasts."
The man with the injured arm was still looking for something.
"Stop that, Daddy, I'll get it." With an imperious
huff sound, the little girl reached into the her father's pack and found a tightly full bag of coins. "
Triple that gold if the rest of our family lives," she said.