It wasn't unusual for Jezirea to find herself ina tavern at the end of the day.
Don't get the wrong idea; she was very good at what she did, but the chances of finding anything of real value were very slim. The trick to not get discouraged was just keep looking, no matter what dead end you might find yourself at.
So instead of getting discouraged, Jezirea was going to go out, have a few drinks and get a little tipsy, and laugh at the expense of the other bar patrons.
She stood and gathered up her things, a simple sack containing not much more than flint, a length of rope, a leather water pouch and what little money she had left.
She made her way outside, and began to look for a tavern immediately, ignoring the fact that it was a little too early in the day to be drinking. It's not like she really had anything better to do, with no leads on any treasure locations.
She entered the first tavern she found. It was dark, and smokey, just the way she liked it. She felt as if she fit in, even though she knew the other patrons were usually staring at her like she had grown a second head. She was a stranger, and a female entering a bar without a male escort. It was due to draw a few looks.
She sat at the bar, and then inclined her head towards the barkeep. When she knew she had his attention she made her order.
"I'd like a small mead."
The barkeep nodded and set about pouring her drink.
"We don't get much call for small mead," he said, placing her drink down infront of her.
Jezirea simply smiled and began to nurse her drink.
It was called small mead, not due to its size, but due to its alcohol content. It was light, and very mild. Jezirea simply liked the light honey flavouring.
It was also best to keep your wits about yourself when you were a strange girl in an unfamiliar town.
Finally, she turned and surveyed the other patrons of the bar. Mostly old men, who had long since been unfit to work. There were one or two younger men, who looked to be drowning their sorrows.
Jezirea usually avoided those type. They were just no fun to be around, and usually didn't want to talk anyway, unless the woman wanted to talk about more 'adult matters.'
Jezirea moved on to a table of old men. They were laughing amiacably and appeared to be all very nicely sauced up.
Jezirea laughed as she greeted them, "Good day to you, gentlemen." She raised her drink to them, and they all cheered, raising their drinks as well, before breaking down in to drunken laughter.
They had greeted her warmly enough, so Jezirea pulled a chair up to the table and sat among them. She let them chat, interjecting comments here or there, egging them on to continue to their tales or jokes, trying to make them more comfortable with her presence. It was when one of the men at the table passed out, that Jezirea decided it was time to look for information. She placed her drink down on the table, and then looked to the men.
"Gentlemen?" She asked, "Would you happen to know of any interesting sites to see in the surrounding area?"
They all took a moment to think, though some of them appeared to be beyond the point of stringing together coherent thought.
They turned to look at each man on their side, and then once again went back to seperate thought.
Finally, one of them spoke up, slurring his words. "There's a dragon in the woods."
"No there aint," the man on his left said, elbowing him in the ribs. The other men laughed.
"Is too," he complained, "I hear it at night."
"No you don't. Stop lying to the poor girl."
The first man began to sulk as the other burst in to raucous laughter.
"That other guy believed me."
That caught Jezirea's attention. "What other guy?"
"A man came through here recently... what was it... Not more than a week ago I think." The man paused, trying to collect the thoughts together within his hazy mind. "Was a strange fellow. Very quiet... Creeped me out a bit, he did."
The man stopped talking, seemingly staring off in to space. Jezirea though that he had forgotten what they were even talking about when he suddenly spoke up again.
"He was looking for dragons. He asked me directly about it, and I told him what I hear at night. He seemed quite pleased."
One of the other men interjected, "You're just sore because nobody believes the tale about the dragon."
The all laughed, and the first man went back to sulking.
Finally, they quieted down, and then one of them spoke again.
"There's the burrows."
"Oh, yeah... yeah, the burrows," they all began to nod in agreement.
Jezirea was slightly intrigued.
"They're not exactly burrows-"
He was cut off by another man. "They're right odd is what they are."
They all nodded and then the first continued again.
"We don't know what they are, but they been her since before we were born."
"And where can I find them," Jezirea asked curiously.
"Just about anywhere," another man said, "I once went down one as a lad. Figured myself a bloody explorer. Got lost for almost two days, and when I found my way out I was clean on the other side of town."
"Right. They probably weave around and under the entire town," another man agreed.
"Can't tell you an exact location though. I haven't been down one in over a decade, and it's been a few years since I've had to go out in the woods myself. But trust me; they're all around."
The men agreed, and Jezirea thanked them. She hadn't seen any mention of these burrows in the town records. They must have been here before the town was even built.
It was probably time to go.
She was actually quite a light weight, and even a small mead could make her tipsy, which was exactly what she was feeling now. The best thing to do would be to go to sleep, and then head out in the morning.
Which story sounded interesting?