Jayr's stomach was beginning to regret missing an afternoon meal more so due to the large amount of mana he expended attempting to heal Von and the bits he put into Mustard and the doves. Mustard carried him back to tavern he had mentioned on the way there, the Pig and Pie. The sign, as mentioned by Mustard, had an enormous pig with a pie dangling from its mouth. Dismounting near the stone and wood stable on the side, Jayr noted the smell of mustard in the air and raised his eyebrow at Mustard. Making contact again, he thought, We came here because I'm hungry, eh horse?
Unblinking, the horse looked at Jayr with his left eye. We can satisfy both of our hungers at once.
Fine horse, but if you get gas, you will sleep outside tonight. You know what those seeds do to you. With this, Jayr gave three copper nobs to the stable hand stating "feed him please."
Jayr walked to the entrance of the tavern knowing he had time before Godfrey would be retiring for the evening. As he stepped into the bustling atmosphere of the Pig and Pie, the animated buzz of conversation filled the air. The tavern was fairly well packed despite the prices on the menu board. The scent of roasted meats and the comforting warmth of the hearth surrounded him. Looking around for an empty seat, Jayr's attention was drawn to a corner table where two patrons were engaging in an intense discussion.
Seated on worn wooden chairs, a grizzled man with a scarred face having a visible C-rank badge of the beast hunter's guild leaned in toward a younger clean-shaven man showing a glimpse of a F-ranked badge, his voice low and hushed, as he exchanged words with his smaller, wide-eyed companion. The older hunter gestured with a mug in hand, emphasizing the urgency of his tale. The flickering candlelight cast shadows on their faces, adding an air of secrecy to their conversation. Jayr's enhanced hearing focused in as he began to approach.
Easily catching fragments of their discussion. The grizzled adventurer spoke of demons on the loose, in the nearby Fury's Den Cavern, not quite as strong as those emerging from the Fell Rift. He described the dark energies spilling into the world, causing chaos and fear among the nearby villages. The younger companion listened intently, eyes widening with a mixture of awe and trepidation. Taking a seat nearby facing the pair in order to hear more, Jayr ordered the house special from a large bear-like serving woman. She returned shortly thereafter bringing his meal with a smile. Seeing the crown on his healer's guild robes, she returned bending over a little more as she placed a goblet of robust red wine on his table. "No charge," she smiled again.
The meal before him was a succulent roasted joint of meat, its golden-brown exterior glistening with savory juices. The chef's expertise was evident in the perfectly crisped skin delivering a satisfying crunch with every bite. Complementing the main course was a bowl of colorful vegetables blended with aromatic herbs, the broth thick and flavorful, providing a warmth to his both body and soul. A crusty loaf of freshly baked bread sat beside it and Jayr appreciated the aroma wafting to his nose as he tore off a piece and enjoying every morsel of his meal.
While savoring this culinary delight, he took further note of the hunter's armor. It was mostly leather as was common since most beasts had hides which could be easily made into leather until you got above the lord level. Beyond the lord level, the heard were large and strong enough to be forged into plate armor.
The cuirass was a blackened leather, which appeared to have incorporated a lord tier beast core based on the power exuding from it. From the aura, it was probably from a bear born close to a rift and living in the area so long it absorbed enough power to become a serious threat to the nearby towns. His amber colored greaves were much less powerful, probably something like a fox or perhaps a rabbit, most likely, the effect added stealth and speed. His gear was incredibly mismatched, and most of it, including the weapons were created using beast cores in the construction. Beast cores were powerful gems formed from the chaos of the rifts or from living near other corrupted beasts. Using them in armor and weapons gave them properties based on the beasts they were harvested from. Sipping his wine, he carefully listened to the hunter's tale.
The storyteller recounted harrowing encounters with monstrous creatures, detailing their malevolent intent and the ominous whispers that accompanied their presence. He spoke of the growing concern among the locals, who feared the demonic incursion is escalating again into a threat which has begun to extend beyond the immediate vicinity of Fury's Den. These foul creatures have already slaughtered several villagers despite having recently being pushed back by the duke's marshal Lady Zupan. He spoke to the younger man about fighting one of the sinuous beasts and how their thick obsidian scales deflected his blades while the four razor-sharp claws reminiscent of a lobster sliced through the air in retaliation caused heavy wounds to his chest before boasting of his eventual destruction one of its wings causing it to falter long enough to remove its draconic head from the rest of the body. "Those precious scales and its core are being turned into new vambraces as we speak. With those, I should be able to move up the hunter ranks swiftly in the days ahead. Those hunters with demon items tend to be at least B if not A-ranked."
The other patrons in the tavern continued their revelry, seemingly oblivious to the weight of the conversation at the corner table. However, Jayr took note of a subtle tension lingering in the air as the two hunters exchange wary glances, mindful of the shadows that may be lurking in the wake of the demonic disturbance. Typically, a tavern was a haven for merriment and respite, this one now held an undercurrent of unease as the those nearby overheard the tale of demons and continued to weave this news through the tavern's lively ambiance.
Finally, the older hunter finished his tale, and the tab was paid by the younger. Two gold regals exchanged hands between the serving woman and the younger man. The younger man winked at her looking hopeful as he eyed the large woman, but she seemed to ignore his thoughts and he dejectedly followed the older man out the front door. After the two exited, Jayr thought about the number of demons who had been reported and the number of beast cores pouring into the market. They do seem to be increasing lately. It was getting so bad, common demon cores were only worth as much as rare beast cores. I know he's aware, but I should report this again to his majesty. If hunters are getting beasts close enough to Gozd that the locals are becoming jointers, this could be serious. There were no known rifts in Iztok, let alone near Gozd. It would be in our best interests to send a team to examine this Fury's Den.
Leaving shortly thereafter, he walked around the stable, his stomach stretched to its comfortable limit. The waitress gave him a wink as he was leaving, "perhaps milord would like to spend the evening here? I am done working soon, and a famous bard from the capital will be performing tonight. I would be happy to spend the night in dance and merriment with milord."
Not wanting to disappoint her entirely, he bowed in respect, "I'm sorry, good lady. I have duties to attend to before the tournaments and trials in the morning. I shall be here for two weeks, and it is not unconceivable we may run into each other again." Despite his appearance, she was many times his youth. If he had had children, she could have been his great grandchild, or would she be his great-great grandchild, he mused. Either way, leaving hope always brightened one's spirit, so he left her with this.
Walking around the side of the building, a young stable hand around twelve ran to him. "My apologies, good healer, it seems Raster, the other boy, must've forgot to bolt the latch on the stalls. Your stallion may be a little worn down as once he'd eaten his oats and seed, he escaped into the stall down the way and serviced the heated mare on the end. We tried to throw water on him, but he kicked the door into Raster causing him to fall and knock his head. Your horse just recently finished servicing her a third time, and I dare say, he's a brute. Even grasping his bridle, he was able to swing me like a ragbag. With Raster out cold, I didn't have the strength to control the beast to bring him to his own stall."
Feeling refreshed after the fine meal, and barely surprised at his steed's antics, Jayr placed his hand on the boy's shoulder and channeled his mana into him. The bruises on his body quickly disappeared. Jayr also noted he had other illnesses, so he took a moment to remove the infection from his ear and other minor things the boy wasn't likely to have noticed yet. Finishing this, he walked into the stable and placed his hand on the unconscious boy on the cot. Within a few moments the boy started to stir and sat up. He still had a small bruise on his head, but the knot was gone and there would be no lingering damage.
Stretching and feeling his side and head, Raster looked a bit sheepish. "Thank you, m'lord. Your animal is quite strong 'n willful. I didn't expect him to be so stubborn. I should've double-checked the doors 'fore I walked away, but we never had problems before. I apologize, sir. I don't 'spect he'll be up to heavy riding this night. If'n your in town for the festival, I can lend you another while he recovers if'n ya need. It shouldn't be more an' a day." the boy said.
"He'll be fine. Having to run after he caused all this trouble will be his penance." Putting his hand on Mustard, he thought, I had in mind to tell what a good choice you made of taverns, until I walked into this. Now, I've had to heal both boys from damages you caused.
They shouldn't have put such easy to open latches on the stalls. A normal horse with half a head sporting a lame leg and no teeth could've done the same thing. The food was good though. I could hear your stomach working before you walked in, came Mustang's unapologetic reply as the horse released the bar holding the door on his stable closed.
Seeing the boys notice this, Jayr quickly said, "You lads might want to let someone know these latches are a bit too easy for the horses to open." Looking at Mustard showing off. "A metal one with a lock should prevent the beasts from escaping again." Take that.
Horses here will hate me for years. I just taught them how to release themselves and you had to go and ruin it. You're a cruel master, pouted the horse.
He ignored the steed as he was preoccupied thinking back an incident a few hundred years ago when a young healer enhanced a pair of horses who later mated. The foal offspring was able to understand over a dozen languages, perform math, and draw maps with her hooves. I wonder what would have happened to her line if those ignorant villagers hadn't killed her thinking she was an infected beast. Oh well, I should have learned the first time, or the second or....