Trinsic:State of the Union

We begin our long, grueling exercise in frustration here, in the underground cantina in the Minoll Mines. Like most of the rest of the complex, the living quarters and recreational areas of the DrillGood Mining Company are located entirely underground, dug out as a series of tunnels and caverns connected to the mining tunnels proper.

The cantina is a rowdy affair; rather appropriate, as most of the miners here are dwarves looking to let off steam after a long night's work. (It's morning, by the way). A wooden bar is set up at one end of the cavern, shelves stocked with all kinds of rotgut. Tables and chairs litter most of the rest of the room, except for a low wooden stage off to one side. A thin metal pole sits vertically in the center of the stage, a small purple crystal mounted on the top. A nearby sign proclaims - "WEDNESDAY IS OPEN CRYSTAL NIGHT".

Currently, a rather scruffy-looking bard (but then, aren't they all scruffy-looking?) is up on stage, holding what appears to be a small doll. Several dwarves are seated around the stage, watching intently. At the moment, the bard is drinking water from a glass; meanwhile the dummy is flinging some rather unflattering insults at the crowd. The dwarves, for their part, seem to find this hilarious.

A somewhat unhappy-looking cleric is seated at the bar, cradling a drink. Within several feet of her, an elf in a long coat and a rather haggard-looking fighter are seated next to each other at a table, apparently waiting on someone to show up.

"What do you think, Mallory? Is he gonna get pelted with rocks like the last ventriloquist?" The elf pushes his hat back on his head, then brushes the long hair back away from his forehead with a slight scowl.

Mallory swirls around her mug of ale dourly. "It'd be funnier than his jokes are. If I wanted to get insulted, I'd go get hired by someone and get paid for listening to it. Oh well, least we have a case."