Dungeons & Disappointment

Chapter 27: Blue Collar Blues

"So you communed with a god?"

"I mean, yeah. He came to me."

BahnBarr looked around at the other people in the tavern, trying to reconnoiter the surrounding patrons, and she leaned in again as we all waited for our food.

"I thought only clerics and some special others can commune with gods?" I asked.

"Well, not really. It's kind of like how only magical folks can channel magic, but anyone can use a magical potion. Or wield most magical weapons. A cleric can channel a god's divinity, as well as their powers and charms. But anyone can talk with a god if the god chooses to favor them. And I guess Tempus chose to favor you."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Well, for you, a fighter, I guess not. But he'd never be my patron god." BahnBarr replied. "He's way too chaotic. He lives for the battle, rather than for the people fighting the battle. Not my kind of god."

Right as she said that, there was the faint smell of smoke and blood that wafted through the tavern, and all three of us seemed to smell it.

"Yeah, I'm talking about you," BahnBarr said to the wind, which caused the smell to get stronger. "Anyway, he's not an evil god, by any stretch of the imagination. He just lives for the battle. How much do you fight?"

"Not too much, but I guess he's been paying attention to when I do fight," I replied.

"Yeah, that's probably why he decided to commune with you. Gods always love people with potential."

"And what if you have no potential?"

"Then they leave you right in the dust."

I nodded, and one of the tavern maids came over to us, sporting a rather revealing barmaid uniform, but she slapped down a small piece of paper and readied a pencil.

"Alright, what are you having tonight?"

"Fried chicken and bread," I said. "And get me a pint of mead to wash it down."

"Same here," Finana added.

"Uhhh, I'll have the lamb and a side of baked potato," BahnBarr said.

"Alright, we'll have it right out. Ten silver."

I dropped the coins on the table, and she scooped them up before heading back into the kitchen.

"Alright, so what's the next move?"

BahnBarr and FInana both shrugged.

"I think we just find more work. Something interesting."

"Alright, well, in the morning, we'll hit the WorkBoard."

"Is that how y'all do it?"

"It's the best way to do it, honestly," Finana said. "Other than that, we can walk around asking for work."

"I mean, yeah that's kinda viable. Maybe some of the shops around here have got some work, huh?"

"They could, yeah," Finana said.

"Well, how about this. You guys get some rest, I'll look around and see what I can find in the way of work." BahnBarr suggested. "I'll get some sleep on the way."

"Alright, that works for me."

I looked around at the rest of the patrons in the tavern, but most of them were either laughing with their friends, talking loudly, or stuffing their faces with food and alcohol. No one seemed to be paying us any mind, which was nice. Finally, after a little while of waiting, the barmaid came back, holding a tray of our food, and she set the wooden plates down on the table, and boy, all of the food smelled great. I started digging into the fried chicken, which tasted just as delicious in this world as it did in mine, and I ripped into the flaky bread, tearing the meal apart. My belly was rapidly filling, and I washed down the food with the mead. We all devoured our food, and finally, I put the plate in front of me and let out a huge belch.