Stop in at the bar while you're there

The Full Tankard is open for business now. Light pours out of the windows, along with some lighthearted music and lively chatter. As you stand in the market considering whether or not to go to the inn yet, the mirthful atmosphere of the tavern is calling to you. You decide to slip the directions back into your pocket and head inside the building for the second time.

There are quite a few more people in here than earlier: the tables are full of people of all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life. You see buff cat- and bunnymen sitting around one table, who you gather are a group of lumberjacks drinking together after a long day. There is a group you assume to be an adventuring party sitting at another table, consisting of a human man in leather armor, a halfling girl with several knives hanging from her belt, and a catman with what looks to you like a magic staff with a green orb at one end. Many other tables are filled with the random faces of people you passed on the streets today. Behind the bar stands the same elven bartender from earlier, as well as a busty human woman with fiery red hair and large, hazel eyes.

You walk up and sit at the bar. As much as you’d like to be served by the sexy redhead, a part of why you came in here was to apologize to the elf, so you make sure to get his attention right away. He scowls when he sees you, but his professionalism brings him right over.

“I heard the music,” you say.

He rolls his eyes. First a scowl, now this? You begin to wonder where his poker face from earlier went, but then you start to think that he only had it on back then because he was hiding the cloaked person.

“What can I get for you, sir? I would remind you we sell food and drinks here, not information.” he says.

“Hey, man, I’m sorry for bothering you earlier. I actually came in here to apologize and to give you my business as a way of making up for it. I’ll have what he’s having.” You point to a hulking mass of a man sitting three stools down from you eating a plate of steak and potatoes.

The elf quickly retrieves your meal from the kitchen and works out the change for the gold coin you hand him. Then, he moves on to other customers and you eat your meal while listening to bits and pieces of conversations happening around you. Some of the things you learn are that this town is indeed Evris, home of the main branch of the Adventurer’s Guild in the Ithwenine Empire; that magic is likely possible for anyone but it’s so difficult that most people don’t even bother with it, and that monsters have been especially active in the forest to the north as of late. You don’t hear any mention of a new Demon Lord in the world, but you can’t imagine Ithwen won’t make good on her promise to sick the hounds on you as soon as she can. You’ll have to be careful. It’s possible that her archangel has already made their declaration, and the news just hasn’t spread to this town yet.

You’re pulled from your thoughts by the busty redhead bartender, who clears your plate and asks you if you want anything else. While you wouldn’t mind having a taste of her, you decide that it’s time for you to finally make your way to the Wayside Inn for the night. You thank her for the hospitality and exit the tavern. It’s now full dark outside, but the magic street lamps keep a main street like this one well-lit. There are still plenty of people out and about, though the square isn’t nearly as crowded now that all of the stalls have closed for the night. You pull out the directions to the Wayside. It looks like it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get there.