<span class="bbc_u"><strong>Lansite, Cordovia<br/>Two weeks after the spring equinox</strong></span><br/><br/>The blood red orb of the setting sun dipped towards the western horizon, casting its eerie glow over the bustling metropolis of Lansite. Many industries were shutting down with the closing of the day, but others were just getting started for the night, lit by firelight and the bright green orb of Dorios, full and low in the east.<br/><br/>One of those industries was the Wellspring, a tavern as old as Lansite itself, situated on a natural spring not far from the palace. Lansite had plenty of fresh water from the rivers that fed into the harbour, but the spring had been vital in Lansite's early days just after the Great Forgetting, and had since grown into an inn, tavern and literal watering hole for all walks of life in Lansite, one that attracted travellers from all over Cordovia and beyond. In a way, it was six taverns in one, boasting six separate common rooms, each with its own flavour and typical clientele.<br/><br/>Tonight, the Western Pump - the common room for the commons, as they said - was as crowded as ever. Beer, ale and cheap wine were flowing freely, and there was a steady stream of bardic talent taking its turn on the open stage. Earlier in the day, an elven troubadour had captivated early drinkers with a heartbreaking melody about his forest home, and just a few minutes ago, a trio of orc ladies had nearly caused a riot with a bawdy number about the variety of cocks to be found among Miren's many races. For the moment, the stage was empty, but that would surely not last long.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/0/03/RosaCandlemass.jpg)</div>Mother Rosa Candlemass arrived at one of the six sets of huge doors allowing entry to the Wellspring, and turned to her companion. "Well, Thea, we've arrived. Have you been to the Wellspring before? 'Tavern' barely begins to describe it, but it's as safe a place as any to spend the night, and with any luck, find some companions for the next leg of our journey."<br/><br/>Rosa was a Sarenite priestess, who often visited Amalthea's orphanage to deliver church funding and education to its needy children. She and Thea had made the journey to Lansite alongside a convenient merchant caravan and its guards, but their ultimate destination was Shadowbane Plateau, a mesa off to the southeast, where a sisterhood of Sarenite nuns tended a holy site. The plateau was away from the well-travelled trade routes of Cordovia, so it would be prudent to hire some mercenaries or adventurers to keep them safe on their journey.<br/><br/>"I'll book us a room for the night, if there is one to be had, and I'll ask the bartender to pass the word that we're looking for an escort. You can arrange a meal for us, and, well... I know you can spot a mercenary across a tap room at a hundred paces. If you catch sight of anyone who seems trustworthy, you know what to do."<br/><br/>With that, she took a deep breath, pushed open the doors and strode inside, bracing herself against the wall of sound that spilled from the common room.