Spymasters and Inquisition

The group arrived at the doors of the next town just as the sky had started to rumble. "Can't wait to tuck myself into a nice tavern and drink a beer", Horknath sighed as the guards had them pass the doors.
Guards that didn't even question him a bit. Unusual. But well, let's not complain!

Valdyr did notice, though, because Valdyr was suspicious of generally anything. But, since he was suspicious of litterally anything, he thought that maybe for once, he could just let it go and not worry about it. "Tavern's there," he said as he spotted it. "I'll get us a room for three. In case you'd want to collapse somewhere after you're done drinking," he said as he glanced over to the half-orc.

"Hey, I can take my alcohol very well", Horknath answered, faking an offended expression. "And c'mon, let me at least buy a round for the three of us. Since you're always paying for the room!" As always when approaching a tavern, he was in a festive mood.

Valdyr sighed. "Alright, I'll take one beer. But you'll be the one to watch over Mr. Local Alcoholic over there," he said as he gestured to Yvan.
Yvan who was about to protest, then resigned. "Nah, everyone knows I have a drinking problem, there's no use to argue."

Horknath rolled his eyes. He actually tried to put up a small protest too. "I wanted to have a bit of fun, and instead I'll have to be a guard dog. ... well, fair enough I guess", he sighed. As soon as he got in the tavern, he went straight to the bar.

"Hey, I'll be plenty of fun!" Yvan protested, as he followed him.
Valdyr just sighed and, as the responsible dwarf he was, ordered a room for three.

Horknath, while waiting for Valdyr to be back, ordered three beers to the barmaid, who served him and Yvan eyeing them carefully, if a bit suspiciously. "You see that look she gave us? Well, that is why I almost never get laid", he whispered to the other man.

"... Do you only travel with dudes ?" Yvan asked him back, just as suspicious as the barmaid herself.

Horknath frowned. "What do you mean? Usually people that hire me are merchants, so mostly men. Some are women. It's not like I care, as long as they pay me. Why you ask?" What did that have to do with the fact he seldom got laid?

"...Dude, I think she thinks you're gay", Yvan whispered back, then grinned. "Or maybe you don't have my skills ~"

"... no, I... actually think the issue is, you know. The fangs, the... fact I could crush her skull with one hand and- never mind", Horknath groaned, passing one hand on his face. "Do your skills include breathing fire on their face?", he asked jokingly.

"... Almost. Watch this." Yvan grinned as he took a deep breath, then breathed a perfect fire circle wich soon vanished in the air, grabbing the attention of people around them. "Wait, I'm getting warmed up."
"The FUCK are you two doing," Valdyr grunted as he sat by their side.

"Me, I am drinking. Him, he is being an exhibitionist", Horknath answered as he started to drink a bit. "He says he picks up chicks or whatever like that. I'll have to see to believe", he added.

Yvan held out and index, and cleared his throat for quite a while, before he whistled, then breathed out a flame that took the form of a tiny dragon, which he then made fly in little circles above their table before it disappeared. Then he winked at the barmaid, all proud of himself.
Valdyr sat in shock for two more seconds then started gulping down his beer. "I still can't decide whether that guy is a complete idiot or a moron", he muttered.

And actually the barmaid threw him an admired smile before getting away to serve a couple more patrons. Horknath couldn't believe his eye. "...that's it. If that's what women like, I'm never gonna get laid", he grumbled, drinking down more beer. He whispered an agreement to Valdyr, though.
A hand landed softly on Yvan's shoulder. "Nice show you gave there", a known, petulant voice said. "Does that mean you're open to offer a drink to a lady, Yvan?"

Valdyr equally grunted something about never getting laid as soon as fire-spitting art was the standars, burried deep in his glass.
Yvan felt his shoulders drop, and he raised his gaze to meet the elf lady's. "You again? Last time I offered you a drink I ended up with my drunk ass on the floor, babbling about voices in my head."

Horknath emptied his glass of beer, asking for another immediately after. He didn't immediately see the elf lady, when he did, he frowned. Hadn't they met her already? What was she doing there?
She laughed and sat down next to Yvan, crossing her legs. "Aww, c'mon, how could I know you were a light weight, hm?" Her eyes twinkled as she studied her nails.

"I don't recall how many glasses I drank but I had to go to the bathroom four times in the evening, if that's saying something," Yvan sighed heavily.
"...You folowed us," Valdyr suddenly said as he frowned, recognizing the elf lady himself.

The elf lady shrugged lightly, then making a small salute gesture to Valdyr. "Either that, or I arrived here before you did. Your pick", she said, not sounding really concerned about having been recognized. "Whatever it is, I am here to offer you an invitation."

"Declined, get lost," Valdyr grunted as he drank again from his beer.
"...What kind of invitation," asked Yvan, trying to sound more polite to make up for the dwarf's rudeness.

"... rude", the elf laughed at that. "Well, I don't know if you folks ever heard about the Inquisitor?"
Horknath tensed, as he always did when someone named a political figure. "... what about them", he asked bluntly. The elf's smile only grew larger. "They'd have pleasure to meet you guys, tonight."

"Again," Valdyr replied dryly, as he laid his glass on the table. "Get lost. I've hired this orc to bring me to the edge of the dwarf mountains, and I can take no more detours." It seemed clear though that he was reacting to the Inquisitor's name in a bad way.
"Why would they want to meet us?" Yvan asked with a slight frown, intrigued.

Horknath mumbled a weak "Half-orc", without really trying to say anything else. He wasn't that easger to meet up with the Inquisitor either.
The elf didn't mind Valdyr's grumbling - if anything, she seemed to find it funny. "They have an offer for you", she said, criptically. "An offer you'll find difficult to refuse. For each of you three, actually", she specified. "That's why you should come with me. Even if you do refuse in the end - you should at least listen."

Valdyr smiled coldly at the elf. "Make me." He was just a dwarf with a simple goal in mind. Take his stuff back to the mountain, then disappear forever from any land dealing with the dwarf kingdom. Why did people keep popping up with way to delay his arrival? It felt like he was getting cursed.

The elf's smile got venomous. "If that's what you want", she whispered. "I hope you enjoyed your drinks. They're on me", she added, crossing her arms as if waiting for something. Horknath widened his eyes and looked alarmed at his glass, then at Valdyr.