A lonely night . . .

Do good, Enjoy life, Have a drink now and again, Stand up for what you believe in

Garradin had waited late into the night before slipping downstairs to the Rusty Dragon's tavern room.  Finally clear of the usual customers Garradin quietly sat down at a corner table and poured himself a drink from his favorite flask.  Here in the quiet solitude of the tavern Garradin felt Cayden's uplifting spirit and began to finally relax.

Today's adventures into the ruins below Sandpoint had been hard on Garradin's nerves.  Between the past few days events of goblin attacks, family infighting, which ultimately led to murder, political maneuvering, and keeping the three other members of his party alive Garradin was surprised that his most irritating moment had been with Aras earlier today.  Garradin grimaced and poured himself a little more of his favorite ale.

Garradin was troubled over the events with Aras to be sure.  He had always thought that once Aras saw he was no longer under the Guild's thumb he would change.  He would begin to trust his new companions and maybe someday be able to call them friends.  Now Garradin was not so sure about his previous thoughts.

Garradin glanced down at his flask and read the engraving he found there aloud into the night.

"Do good, Enjoy life, Have a drink now and again, Stand up for what you believe in."  Such an easy oath to follow Garradin thought.

This was the simplified teachings of Cayden's Placard of Wisdom.  The Drunken Lord was not so high and mighty to judge people on religion, past dealings, rumors, and upbringing.  If a person worshiped Asmodeus and did good then judge him by his actions not his god.

Aras, Skender, and even Craylin were examples of Garradin following this simple teaching.  Skender and Craylin had both proved themselves to be men of both trust and respect.  Aras had Garradin's respect but not his trust and with today's actions - he might never earn it.

Garradin refilled his tankard once more before putting the flask back in his pocket.  Garradin drank the dwarven ale from Magnimar and allowed himself to miss his old home at the church for just a moment.  The fiery liquid burned away his mental fatigue as he sat in the tavern's silence.

The Drunken Lord only had one real rule . . .  "A follower of Cayden is forbidden to deal in human misery."   Most followers of Cyaden believed this to mean outright slavery but Garradin believed it might expand past just slavery.  Garradin thought perhaps any aid given knowing it would bring about human misery would be unacceptable.  And so underhanded and overly threatening extortion tactics sat very wrongly with him.  To Garradin it was another way to capitalize on human misery.  Knowing full well a town of innocent and unprepared villagers stood to be overrun and obliterated from the map.  To threaten that you would abandon such a town if not paid more than a fair share . . .  such tactics were so distasteful to Garradin that they were a mere copper better then slavery itself.

Tactics which Aras has tried to use earlier today on the town mayor.  Perhaps Aras ties to his past were too strong to overcome.  Garradin hoped that they were not.  He prayed that they were not.  For if they were then Garradin did not see a future in which Aras and he could continue to work together.  However the companions had negotiated a small residence / business in the town of Sandpoint.  Perhaps with ties to the community and a reason beyond favors and gold Aras would eventually drop his old habits.

Garradin sat long into the night alone with his empty cup and troubling thoughts.