by Janice Jackson
(In Collaboration with Daniel Olarnick)
*
Karl Strange stood stoically before his new guests, observing
each one, wondering what had brought them to Talos Valley.
Some, no doubt, would turn out to be seekers of fortunes,
treasure hunters and adventurers, searchers of legendary
lost talismans, such as The Relic, buried fortunes and ancient
quests; some came fleeing their past, others looking for
their future destinies. Of course, there were those who
were merely passing through, seeking their fame and fortune
on their way to other towns and villages, outside of the
environs of Talos, where the living was not so dangerous
nor so rewarding.
Karl gave each person a warm smile and an acknowledging
nod, then signaled to his head housekeeper and master cook,
Dora, to bring forth refreshments for the assembled throng.
Dora stepped forward and directed five of her assistant
kitchen maidens to bring forth to each guest a draft of
hot spiced cider, to help take the chill from their bones
on this cold autumn day. Each mug had been laced with a
dram of smooth whiskey which had been distilled at the Black
Dragon Inn's own brewery.
When the guests had finished their quaff, the kitchen maidens
discreetly removed the mugs and disappeared into the further
reaches of the inn.
Karl's authoritative harrumph, and raised hand of attention
silenced the assemblage of guests who seemed anxious to
get settled in the inn. "Welcome to the Talos Valley,
my friends." Karl's deep voice and manly figure caused
several of the women to blush and shiver in delight. When
Karl saw that he had gotten the attention that he desired
from his new guests, he continued on with his well-planned
greeting of welcome: "Here, in Talos Valley, you may
discover your hearts desires, if you have courage and wit.
We have many people who have settled here permanently, farmers,
ranchers, craftsmen," he paused, looking directly at
five of the women who were fanning themselves flirtatiously,
and continued on, "many of our settlers remain eligible
for marriage. Some of these men and women were once my comrades-in-arms
during the warlock-goblin wars that tore these lands apart.
Here in Talos, we try to live in peace. We do not always
succeed," he sighed, "but we try. All are welcome
to abide and thrive here. Now allow my staff to show you
to your rooms. I look froward to seeing each of you in the
dining hall." Karl gave a special charming smile to
each of the females gathered before him, causing most of
them to blush with secret desires.
"I see that you are exhausted from your long journey
and seek rest and refreshment. The large clock at the entry
of the Great hall will chime at the seventh hour, when it
shall be time to dine. Until then you are free to enjoy
the hospitality of the Black Dragon Inn. I look forward
to seeing each of you when you join me for dinner."
Karl shook the hand of each of his guests, as they passed
before him, assigning a young maid to each individual. Karl
smiled warmly at each of the blushing females, and was rewarded
with faint sighs as they passed before him. The women were
hoping for Karl's personal attention during their stay.
Karl's reputation as an innkeeper was well known throughout
the lands, along with the fact that he was unmarried, wealthy,
and known to associate with most of the wealthy families
in the Talos Valley.
The women curtsied, careful to put forth their best manners,
as they followed their personal maids upstairs to their
rooms. One woman, who coyly fanned herself, reached up to
touch Karl's sleeve, in an obvious invitation for him to
join her upstairs.
"May you have sunshine during your days, laughter
and pleasure during your nights," Karl intonated in
the custom of the land, as the woman blushed deeply and
sparkled her eyes at him. Karl bowed toward his guests and
exited the hall.
Karl chuckled appreciatively aloud to himself at the obvious
flirtatiousness of the women, as he closed the heavy oaken
door of his office, and sat down to finish his bookkeeping
work. Even as the sole owner of the Black Dragon Inn, there
were duties he could not entrust to others, such as "this
damn bookkeeping," he muttered, sighing aloud, knowing
that the King's taxmen would be making their seasonal rounds.
*
Karl hummed an ancient tune, as he tallied the tribute
owed to the King, Karl's sovereign, who had granted Karl
the lands upon which the Black Dragon Inn stood. "For
your loyal service to the crown," his majesty had said.
However, with the land came the duties of a baron, although
Karl did not consider himself to be the baron of Talos Valley,
the King, nevertheless, looked to Karl for his royal tribute.
Karl prided himself on being honest with all who he served,
and expected the same from those who served his establishment.
The tune he hummed was known throughout the lands, and was
barely remembered as true, in fact, by most, it was considered
a legend, but Karl Strange had lived longer than his appearance
indicated and knew the tale in the song to be based on more
fact than legend.
Song of The Dragon Lords, a fragmented verse from the legends
of creation. The verse Karl was humming now was in keeping
with the season, "Smahane, the Lord of the Dead."
It served to remind him that the end of the month marked
the date celebrated countrywide; the holiday was no longer
regarded by those as a dark and evil event, but a time enjoyed
by children with the passing out of treats, and dressing
up in costumes. After the children were put to bed, the
festivities for the adults would commence. It was a prosperous
time for the Inn and for Talos Valley, in general. Strange,
he thought, how dark and evil the actual event had been.
During the Dark Times the children were taken out onto
a hilltop and staked out for Smahane to devour. The hills
often ran red with innocent blood in those days. It was
an ugly time. Karl shuddered at the thought of the tales
he had read, as a child, until the people revolted from
the old gods, and fought a war with the worshipers of evil
A knock on his door interrupted his dark memories. "Master
Karl, it's I, Dora."
"Come in, Dora my darling," Karl called out,
beckoning in his old friend.
"Now, what have you planned for this holiday's evening's
feast?" asked Karl. "What special surprises have
you in store for the children?"
Dora smiled at her employer and friend, but did not answer
him directly, "Now if I had my way the Lord Smahane
would sweep up those foolish women and give them a real
scare before he ate them," she said.
Karl shook his head in mocked exasperation at the scolding
his chief housekeeper continued to berate him with. "Now,
Master Karl, I saw you flirt with those doxies. And don't
you dare deny it! You had those fools ready to fight each
other for the right for your bed and body!" Dora pulled
her mouth into a fake frown of displeasure. "Although,
I guess, you really need to loosen up a bit and have some
fun."
"Dora, darling, I have no desire to waste my affections
on just any doxy that comes about. I have my standards,
you know." Karl laughed out loud at the new frown on
Dora's face. "What would you think of me if I became
a male doxy?"
"I would probably smack your behind if I thought you
were setting yourself up with such low standards. So I will
not argue with you about the games you play. At least you
do not hurt women with lies and foolish promises that are
never kept. Now if only I could get my girls to behave with
such discretion.
I have two more of my girls pregnant by guests that promised
to marry them if they would give them a night of fun. Silly
chits." Dora sighed.
"Do not worry about their care, Dora. They will not
lose their places here at the Inn. I shall even try to find
husbands for them if they desire one." Karl put a comforting
arm about the shoulders of his friend.
"Oh, Master Karl! I did not fear that you would give
them a toss, like so many other employers. I fear that their
young hearts are broken and that they shall feel shame at
their betrayal. It's hard to suffer so when you are young."
Dora said. Then she brightened her smile and said, "Oh
well, now that I have gotten that bit of darkness off my
mind, what shall we do tonight?"
"Oh, yes, the annual dinner for the Feast of the Beast."
Karl laughed at his bit of doggerel. "We shall have
a feast to brighten even the gloom of the future mothers.
All the farm families shall come and plan on spending the
night, the new guests, of course, and gifts for the staff.
The food and treats I leave in your capable hands, the invites
I shall send Pytre out and about with my personal invitation.
I shall have the brewer and vintner prepare the drinks for
the night. It should be a party all shall remember!"
Karl laughed heartily and began closing his books. It was
time for a party after all, he thought "Come, Dora,
we must prepare a feast and party for the Dragon Lord of
the Dead, Smahane. The old boy likes a good party after
all! The children love a scary story and a basket full of
goodies." Karl and Dora laughed together, and then
went about to their separate tasks.
Karl stepped outside and called to his son, Pytre. "Pytre,
come lad, I have a mission for you, to complete before the
day is over." Karl explained everything to his strapping
son, then hurried to find the brewer and vintner.
Karl knew that everyone expected a lot of good libation
for the party. There would be many headaches the next morning
but Dora had the cure for a hangover.
*
Behind the Inn, several groundkeepers had erected a twelve-foot
dragon effigy to represent Smahane, The Dragon Lord of the
Dead. The effigy was made of twigs and branches, sheaves
of wheat, and ropes made from hemp that had been created
for just this purpose. Inside the effigy they had placed
baskets of fruit and nuts from the harvest, a few jars of
preserves donated by the women of the farms and the Inn
itself. A bolt of cloth had been contributed from the weavers;
dolls made for the children, all for the blessing of good
fortune in the coming year. Karl's brewers and vintner had
added their own tributes to the effigy. Karl himself had
added a black ivory statue he had carved last winter for
this very purpose.
"I do believe we shall have quite a celebration this
year." Karl spoke to the men, as he inspected the effigy
in his final walk-around. "Yes, Smahane, himself, would
bow to your efforts. I am proud of you all." Karl patted
each man on the back and slipped a small gold coin into
each of his hands. Karl never believed in charity, but he
made certain his staff never went without. Oftentimes food
would be found on doorsteps the next morning if the breadwinner
had been too ill to work or was injured. His people were
loyal and hard working and he tried to make certain they
lived lives filled with dignity and self-respect.
"Master Karl, you always say that every year. No need
to pay us for that, sir." One of the men told Karl.
"Now I did not pay for your work in creating the effigy,
lads. I just added my blessings for the coming year. What
would happen to me if I did not share with all of you, according
to our custom?" Karl said to the men in a conspiring
tone.
"Aw, come now, Master Karl. That's good for the children,
not for grown men," one of the groundsmen said.
"Really? Hmm. Now I am a landowner, but and I would
never assume that my fortunes would ever last if I did not
keep the rituals faithful and true. Would you men dare to
disregard the rituals? If so, you are braver than I am."
The men listened intently, watched Karl's actions, and
then each looked at the other and shuddered. "No, sir,
Master Karl, we would never forget the old way or the old
ones. Them dragons took many a victim in the old days. We
prefer not to rile those creatures up again." All the
men nodded at that statement and hurried away to add more
personal donations into the effigy.
"No sense in taking chances." They muttered to
each other.
"I do believe that the atmosphere this evening will
be perfectly spooky and fun tonight!" Karl smiled to
himself and went off to see that everything would be ready
when the guests arrived.
He saw that Dora had outdone herself, having prepared
a roast leg of lamb, a saddle of beef, and a brace of pheasants
for the feast. There were fifty tiny game hens for the children.
Potatoes, prepared and beaten, sliced, or baked whole were
steaming on the platters and in bowls. Vegetables of every
sort and color had been added to the food to give it a festive
look. The silverware and glasses shown like jewels, as they
glistened under the candlelights. Eight platters of breads
decorated the huge tables set up in the dining hall, bowls
of fresh churned butter were placed where the guests would
easily get to them. In huge barrels, red and white wines
awaited the guests, while kegs held in barrels of ice waited
to be tapped and drawn into the pewter tankards. Dora had
enormous punch bowls filled to the brim with frothy fruit
punches, and juices for the children and those who did not
drink alcoholic beverages. It took another table to hold
all the sweets Dora and her staff had been preparing for
better than a week. Cakes as tall as a five-year-old child,
each covered in jewel-like creams, awaited the guests. Baskets
of cookies, plates of candies and tins of chocolates added
to the intense scents of the dining room.
Karl had the staff make up special baskets of small gifts
for the children, each containing a doll or carved toy for
boys and girls. A new piece of clothing had been added,
per Dora's instructions, for she knew what everyone needed.
The clock struck 7 and Karl nodded his approval toward
Dora and his staff as he opened the double doors to the
dining room. He then motioned for the people outside in
the hallway to come inside. "Welcome to the Festival
of the Dragon Lords, the Night of Smahane."
The ooh and aahs of the on-rushing children, who pushed
the adults aside, as they rushed into the dining room, filled
the room with their amazement and temporally drowned out
any comments the adults would have made about the setting
before them.
Karl smiled, whistfully, not truly caring what the adults
thought about the extensive decorations and lavish spreads
within the room. He truly enjoyed the delight in watching
the children dancing around the tables, their eyes glistening
with joy, their faces all wearing broad smiles, as the sounds
of their laughter rang out throughout the room.
For a moment, a look of sadness crossed his deeply tanned
and ruggedly handsome face, as he silently wondered what
his own daughter would have thought of the festivities and
decorations that filled the inn that night. Then he put
that sad thought away in the deep recesses of his mind,
spread his arms open and said, "Welcome children, welcome
all. Let me tell you a tale about the Feast of the Beast."
***
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