At a single crack of the demon's flaming whip, an entire section of the wooden palisade that protected Piketown was rent asunder and flaming pieces of the shattered wood rained down on the town, catching fire in some places.  With an earth shattering roar, the demon gave its challenge, but men scattered and fled in terror.  Those few who were foolish enough to try and charge the demon burst into flame even before they could come within reach, and a single scything swipe of fiend's unholy blade sent those who made it flying along with debris of the house that the rending slice destroyed in the same sweep.<br/><br/>The demon was a Balor, a fiend almost more terrible than any other, and now a small band of unlikely heroes stood before it, with no chance of escape and no hope of survival.  With another roar, the towering fiend charged forward, the earth shaking under every impact of its taloned feet.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://cdn.obsidianportal.com/assets/166922/Fantasy-Tavern-low900.jpg)</div>"You're lying!" laughed the large swordsman as he raised a foaming mug to his mouth, and his fellows followed suit.<br/><br/>"It's true I say!" screeched crazy Anders.  The night at the Emperor's Flagon was in full swing, with shouts of mirth to the wild tales spun by the crazy old white-bearded man.  Pilk Anders might have been a man of influence once, but over-exposure to wealth, or perhaps the toxic abysium, one of seven metals that had made him famous in his earlier years when he had been an adventurer out to discover Sydria, has now garnered him the appropriate title of crazy Anders.  Most pay him little attention, as his tales are too fantastical and disjointed to believe.<br/><br/>As night set in, the fireplaces within the tavern were ablaze with fire to keep the chill out, and provide a warm place for those to sleep who couldn't afford beds.  Seating was all but occupied as people, adventurers, prospectors, and townsfolk filed in for a much deserved rest after a long day.  The smell of ale and wine and cooked pike was in the air as the patrons discussed forays and misgivings, telling truth and lies about their adventures.  In shadowy corners, strange objects were exchanged in private, and there were whispers of old ruins in the deep jungles that had never known the tread of a humanoid foot.<br/><br/>Presiding over the shabby majesty of the Emperor's Flagon was the Emperor himself, or rather the innkeeper, a hearty dwarf named Rogi.  Retired from adventuring for many years after making his fortune, he had opened the Emperor's Flagon almost at the founding of Piketown and had been here for all of its seventeen years that it had stood.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Feel free to introduce your characters at this point.  I'm thinking everyone should at least be acquainted with each other at this point, and can be having general chatter for 2 or so posts, before they get the fated invite.<br/><br/>Again, just to note, everyone shouldn't have anything more than the clothes they're wearing, except for Yira.  Not to worry, though, they'll be acquiring the rest of their stuff soon.<br/><ul class="bbc_list"><li>Ye'me can start with his hemp rope</li><li>Andrea can start with one of his holy symbols</li><li>Zae'el can start with his flute</li><li>Milaelen can start with his broken rapier</li><li>Lhii can start with her trophy</li><li>Tictic can start with her trinket and mystery medallion</li></ul></div></div>