Fights are something that don't occur much in any respectable inn, and most especially
not one with a reputation like the Gold Dragon Inn. Unfortunatly, when they do occur, these fights
tend to be the most unusual ones that are heard about. For all of you guests that have
come here, you will now learn why one wizard suddenly decided to chose to ignore my rules
and started a brawl that left the majority of the Gold Dragon Inn ashes.
It was nearing sundown when my friend Maizella, from Maizella's Enchanted Kingdom, decided to pay me a visit. Maizella is a respectable wizardress, whom I met a few years ago when I was out adventuring and seeing the world. Though I'm still young, circumstances forced me to leave the adventuring life for a while. Anyway, on with my story.
Maizella and I were treating ourselves to some of the finest wine the Inn has to offer. We were discussing recent events when a high-pitched voice chirped, "Hi Maizella. Hi Raya." (My apologies for not naming myself earlier. My full name is Rayadragon, but I'm commonly called Raya.) Across from me, Maizella surpressed a groan as Songbird Thistlethorn pulled up a chair and took a cup out of one of her numerous pouches.
Songbird is a Kender. Even though Kender are native to Krynn in the Dragonlance Realm, due to their utter fearlessness, childlike curiosity, and total lack of common sense, they have a tendency to wander into various dimensional gates and find magical devices that work to that effect. Songbird decided to join the group of people Maizella and I were traveling with (none of knowing how annoying Kender can be at times). She's been following us ever since.
As she started slurping her wine, she continued talking in her childlike voice. "What do you think of my pretty yellow shirt and hair ribbons? They used to be a dress for a pretty lady who was married to a cleric who become evil and lived in this creepy house and he died and needed this silver heart to cast some spell to make him immortal and his ghost kept bugging us but my adventuring group before I found that teleporter that brought me here stopped him." At this point Songbird stopped, slurped some more of her wine, and decided to continue. "My hoopack used to talk too but I guess the magic spell on it stopped when I stepped through the portal. It's really interesting how my hoopack started to talk. It all started when..."
"Maybe you would be kind enough to tell us that story later," Maizella interrupted with a bit of exasperation. I quickly brought my wine glass up to hide my smile. I love all sorts of stories, and even though Songbird's stories can be a bit far fetched, she does tell a good tale. Even so, her stories are often too long, and Maizella did have a point. Sometimes it's better to stop Songbird before she gets too carried away and starts telling us about one of the many deaths of her Uncle Trapspringer.
With a bit of a frown, Song bird replied, "I guess I'll tell you that one later." She then slurped some more wine. then, talking more to herself than either Maizella or I, Songbird said, "I wonder how they're all doing... Bob, Emerald, Fligion the Pigeon..."
"Probably living a nice, peaceful life without having to bail her out of jail every other day," Maizella answered to me in a light whisper.
"I don't know why they throw me in jail so much," Songbird said. Her sharp ears had, as usual, heard even our whispers. "A lot of peple say I steal their things but they just misplace them and somehow wind up in one of my pouches." Songbird would have continued denying all the things that people say about her, but the sudden slam of the opening door against the wall silenced her.
In the dorway stood a tall man. He was wearing all black except for a dark crimson cape that brushed the floor. He had black hair and a black beard, and a piece of metal that I assumed was supposted to be a crown circled his head. In a deep voice he boomed, "Where is the wizardress Maizella?"
"Here," Maizella answered simply, still sitting at the table.
"So you are Maizella," the man sneered. He then threw his head back and laughed so loud that ripples started to form in my wine. "I was expecting a challange!" he shouted.
Not worried in the least, Maizella took a sip of her wine and asked, "Who might you be?"
A look of shock spread over the visitor's face. "I," he started. "I am Gemnor, the all powerful King of Vidinian!" At this point, Gemnor launched into a lengthy speech. It was probably something about how many people he had conquered and the like. Instead of listening to him ramble, I decided to use this opportunity to talk to Maizella about this (with Songbird listening in).
"Have you heard anything about this man before, Maizella?" I asked.
"A little," was the reply. "Vidinian is a country that's so small, it's barely larger than a city and it's not included on any maps. Gemnor is a hot-headed upstart who thinks that because he wears a red cape and talks in a loud, deep voice he makes a good king. He's nothing more that a nuisance, but he is a wizard of some talent so we should be cautious, Rayadragon."
Gemnor's voice grew louder so we started listening to him again. "And so, Maizella," Gemnor said sarcastically, "I challange you to a Wizard's Duel. What do you say to that!" He concluded, flashing a confident smile toward us.
Songbird stood up on her chair and said, loudly, "She thinks that Vidinian is a country that's so small, it's barely larger than a city. She thinks that you're a hot-head upstart that thinks that because he wears a red cape and talks in a deep and loud voice that you make a good king and she also thinks that you're nothing more than a nuisance, so what do you think of that Mister Big Shot!"
All of this occured before Maizella and I had a chance to realize that Songbird had even stood up. Unfortunatly, the damage had been done.
The kender had spoken.
Gemnor turned many different shades of red and blue. "Maybe you should breathe," Songbird added helpfully.
"I'll show you what a nuisance I am!" Gemnor shouted. He then chanted something rapidly and beams of light struck out toward Maizella.
Maizella threw up a magical shield just in time to block the attack. While songbird looked at the beams with interest, I shouted, "If you must fight, take it outside!" Gemnor ignored me, though, and started to cast another spell.
As I ordered everyone out of the Inn, a fireball burst into being. Maizella was unhurt, but Songbird had wandered a bit to close to the blast while trying to get a good look. Her hair was slightly singed, but other than that she was fine.
Because of the fireball, several parts of the Inn were now on fire. Before Gemnor could cast another spell, I snuck up behind him. Even though I had been of the road a while, I still knew how to throw a great right hook. I was lucky enough to knock Gemnor unconscious with the first punch. I shouted, "Hurry up, we have to go!" To Maizella and Songbird. I then dragged Gemnor out of my now rapidly burning inn, and Maizella dragged Songbird out (who was insisting that she had a magical "Kender Fork of Fire Ending" hidden in one of her pouches).
Everyone made it outside safely (exept for Songbird's slightly burnt hair). It was a good thing too because the inn was soon completely engulfed in flames. Later I was told that the smoke could be seen for five miles.
"I will, of course, help you rebuild, Raya," Maizella said after the flames started to die down.
"I know you will," I said softly. "What I'm worried about," I continued, "is if this high and mighty jerk will help as well!" I finished loudly, kicking the still unconscious Gemnor.
With a loud "Oof," Gemnor groaned and got up to a kneeling position. He looked out and saw the smoldering remains of the inn. He sneered and said, "See what you've done Maizella, if you had just admitted I was superior..."
I didn't let him finish. "If you hadn't come into the Gold Dragon Inn looking for a fight you couldn't have won this wouldn't have happened!" I shouted. "Now you are going to help me rebuild my inn and you'll do it for free and I don't care if you are some King for a country the size of a flea!"
"Your inn?" Gemnor asked, worried.
"That's right," Songbird chirped, happily going through one of the small bags Gemnor had tied to his belt.
Gemnor groaned. "That would make you Rayadragon, wouldn't it."
I nodded my yes.
Groaning again, Gemnor said, sadly, "I guess I don't really have a choice in the matter, do I."
"Not a one," I replied.
And so now you know the story of the destruction of the Gold Dragon Inn. Thanks to the willing help of Maizella, the help of the former King of Vidinian (now a prosperous city in Maizella's Enchanted Kingdom), and an unhelpful, but enthusiastic Songbird, the Gold Dragon Inn is almost compleatly rebuilt. Next step--EXPANSIONS!