Fantasy pub (english translation)

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Ojr could claim to be a goblin who had seen many things in his life, but he rarely gotten to see an elf: Jothul weather could hardly be called rigid, but could take a toll on light creatures like elves, that preferred to never wander off from the South Islands.

So, meeting an elf in the Gargoyle's Inn wasn't an everyday thing: the innkeeper was rightfully surprised seeing one walking through the door of his building, and so were the regulars; all the faces in the room fixated on the foreigner who, past the initial dismay, sat on the counter and said sheepishly: "An half pint of hydromel."

Ojr took a meticulous look of him: he wasn't different from few other elves he had crossed his path with: milky skin, short hair white as snow and an icy face, cold and sharp. His red eyes were eased by the lens of his bone-framed glasses that almost disappeared against the elf's pale complexion.

"One gold". Ojr turned around to fill the glass, while the elf was rummaging in his satchel, putting on the counter a notebook, a quill, some ink, various pencils, compasses and set squares, finally retrieving a leather bag, which contained the money.

"You got something else in that bag lad?" said the innkeeper putting the half pint on the counter. The elf hurried to put everything back in to make room for the glass, answering dismissively: "you're right, I'm sorry sir, I shouldn't have made such a mess, I'll..."

"Chill, I was just kidding. The name's Ojr." The goblin extended his arm over the counter.

The elf, seemingly frightened, shook his hand hesitantly: "Handir." The handshake was really hasty, and Handir freed himself quickly, taking a sip of his glass, only for putting it back down with a frown.

"This hydromel is really strong..."

Ojr smiled amused, taking another glass and starting scrubbing it with a rag. "So, Handir, what brings you up North? You don't seem so happy to be here."

"I have an official duty: I work at Invarel Library, and they needed a cartographer, since the Jothul's maps in the archive are outdated. I was chosen and now I'm here."

Handir sighed and started passing his index on the rim of the tankard. "I've not even accomplished a third of the work yet, and I don't know when I'll be able to come back home."

The goblin was nodding, used to the blabbering of his costumers. Taking a better look of the elf, it was plain to see that he was very young; probably, this was his first time away from home.

"You need to book a room?"

"Hm? Oh no, thank you, I'm waiting for the archivist of the region: the Library has contacts in all of the Five Realms. He'll house me."

The silence fell between the two, and was filled by the chatter of the inn. Handir kept sipping cautiously on his hydromel, while Ojr went to another costumer; when he came back in front of the elf, the innkeeper opened his mouth to ask him some other questions, but a dwarf sat beside him and, hammering his glass on the wooden surface, shouted: "Ojr! I need more beer!"

Handir flinched, while Ojr answered without missing a beat: "Coming right up Malru!"

He took a tankard and, while he filled it, the goblin started talking again: "Watch out though. It's the fourth pint tonight." He gave back the now full glass to the dwarf. "Don't wanna end up like Alog."

At that, everyone in the inn started howling in laughter. Handir looked around confused, and then turned his attention back to Ojr, looking at him questioningly.

"What's so funny? Who's Alog?"

Ojr stopped laughing and looked at him amused: "It's a long story but, if you want, I could tell you."

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