Interlude at the Four Groats
by Dave

After escaping from Book World and Savrishti's mansion, the party collapses for a brief time at the Four Groats for some needed rest and healing. It is the evening of Anagvti 12, 997.

William the Farrier's Guide to Cheap Eats in Kesh-Nicht

The Four Groats

Food    Service    Cost    Handicapped Accessible
 **        *         *

When Hiraethog of Wundt discovered that his hoecakes and ale were selling at a far better rate than he could supply from his street stall, he sold his stall and with the aid of some friends bought into the Four Groats. After a few years of work and more work, he and his wife Idola have become owners. The Inn sits on Dog Street, just down from the Lesser Sister. They specialize in Wundt dishes such as Leek and Bacon soup (in season) Turnip hoecakes and usually a sturdy dark ale or two. This inn is an excellent place to catch up on any events in Wundt, as if you needed to, and occasionally you can find a decent baked pasty if you are nice to Idola.

As dusk grows into the night, this is the refuge that you have found. You are damp with canal water, some of you smell like smoke, and not everyone is well. The place is not crowded, but it is peopled with river laborers drinking a small beer, a few small boys awaiting a pail of ale so as to carry it off to their masters, and a party of stone cutters, grey with the dust of their trade. There are a few men standing about munching upon hoecakes and snarfing bits of cheese as a stout, red faced woman makes the rounds with a tray of cheese and leeks. This is Idola. Apparently the menu is what she brings you. When Sir Alain entered, a few folk made way for him, and one nonplussed cobbler got up from where he sat alone at a corner table. The table looks out over the street through a shuttered window. As the cobbler got up and moved there were a few muttered guffaws from the back near the fireplace. Maybe he isn't well liked. In any case, after Alain raked the crowd with his eyes, there were remarkably few people interested in what was happening. Idola merely brought out a few bread trenchers, a largish bowl of creamed leeks, a small pewter tankard (in front of Alain) of beer, and a pale rounded globe of bitter onion cheese, accompanied by a dab of jellied fruit. After watching Alain look at the food some, a further tray of freshly grilled river eels also appear.

The food isn't great, the beer is warm, the eels a bit greasy, and the soup may be overcooked, but is then that you realize how very hungry you are.

As you talk and look over each others hurts, a small harp and balron drum can be heard over near the fire. A boy's clear high voice can be heard there.

The days was so bright, the fields were all green
A newly made knight, a dark southern queen
Yet a dog on a leash, who ran to his doom,
If you serve against light, your end will be gloom

The light from the sword shines all ways now
The burden is light, your vow is your trow
The light from the sword cuts all ways now
The burden is light, your vow is your trow

The young king was bold, no horse was faster,
Yet gainst his father, he was not the master.
He held back his strokes, his faith it did quiver,
The young king did strike, but his sword did shiver.

The light from the sword cuts all way now
The burden is light, your vow is your trow
The light from the sword cuts all way now
The burden is light, your vow is your trow

The Great King could not hold back his hand
The light flickered there and son's blood on sand
For he slew his son, who rode with the dark
Our great Lord his sword never once missed its mark

The light from the sword cuts all way now
The burden is light, your vow is your trow
The light from the sword cuts all way now
The burden is light, your vow is your trow

So listen my children from near and from far
You cannot find mercy in dread Albidar
So say all your prayers and honor be true
Cause even his own blood would not save you.

The boy continues to sing, mixing in the following new songs with old favorites:

"What will you do" I think lies are the theft of truth I think they are too much on my mind I think they have got a lot to do with why we bleed But what will you do? Like a cold rain, beating down on me Like an old rhyme, which won't let go of my tongue Like Olidar's name, it freezes my heart Blame it on a Traitor I think haters will make us all widows And liars make me feel lost I think plunderers will eventually kill us But what can you do? I said what can you do? Like a cold rain, beating down on me Like an old rhyme, which won't let go of my tongue Like Savrishti's name, it freezes my heart Blame it on an Evil I think evil counsels are going to ruin us Their tongues make me feel sad I think weakness will eventually take us But what can you do? I said what can you do? Like the south wind, burning down on me Like fate's smile, cruel and cold Like Python's name, it freezes my heart Blame it on an Evil But what will you do? I said what will you do? "When" Fools, tithes, war When, Lord, When? Gallowglasses, Defilers When, Lord, When? What did they do to deserve their entombment? Surrounded on all sides with the Hell of Defilers Like homeless paupers, trapped and alone Why, Mithras, Why? Liars, schemers, plunderers When, Lord, When? Defilers, plunderers, thugs When, Lord, When? What did they do to deserve a cold prison? Surrounded on all sides with the Hell of Defilers In an unloved church, broken and alone Why, Mithras, Why? What did they do to deserve starvation? Surrounded on all sides with the rock walls Like nameless criminals, twenty three alone Why, Mithras, Why? When, Lord, When? When, Lord, When? When, Lord, When? When, Lord, will there be justice?

"Ash has been slain" I feel so alone Lies have made me ill I feel so alone Villains have torn my heart I feel so alone A serpent drags at me I want to cry Is it because of the liar that I feel this way? With the merchant of woe spinning a tale? Or am I lost in a tale of Corellion, adrift far from home My friend is dead, Oh Mithras My friend is dead. Ash has been slain Ash has been slain Oh Lord of Light, Ash has been slain Wrap him in a shroud Ash has been slain I feel so alone Killers, hollow flesh on their bones I feel so alone Traitors forget Light's purpose I feel so alone Betrayers looming I want to cry Is it because of the dark spinner that I feel this way? With the last rays of light fading? Am I lost in a tale of Corellion, adrift far from home? My friend is dead, Oh Mithras My friend is dead. Ash has been slain Ash has been slain Oh Lord of Light, Ash has been slain Trust not the weaver Ash has been slain It is because of him that I feel this way Those he has murdered are sent out to slay Not in some tale of Corellion, right here in our home My friend is dead, Oh Mithras My friend is dead I feel so alone Murderer lives there still I feel so alone Fire couldn't burn him I feel so alone Where will he stop? I want to cry It is because of him that we fear the night An adder lives in our breast Not lost in a tale of Corellion, but here in our home He should be dead, Oh Mithras hear me