(Archive) A brawl!!!

[Elphir(#23270)] The Golden Kraken Inn, favorite hangout for those who spend more time at sea than at court, is generally quite the rowdy place. Loud drunken singing, the occasional argument, and the rare bar fight have all been known to occur here - some more frequently than others. Tonight the entire tavern seems to be on edge, and the bartender glances about furtively - there are more sailors here tonight than on average. Not an exceptional night by any means, but more rowdy even than average.

The sound of footsteps startles several people before a tall form becomes recognizeable in the doorway. A long cloak has been drawn over his shoulders and only after he enters does the hood get thrown back revealing the face of Lord Earedail, a face known to many of the sailors in the Golden Kraken Inn. Earedail looks about and then walks towards one table where a lot of sailors have gathered, all wearing white shirts with the grey Gull and Ivy crest of House Earendor upon the left breast. He speaks softly to the men there and a seat immediately appears for him so he can sit.

[Elphir(#23270)] A hush falls over the crowd as a Lord of a Belfalan house enters the tavern. Just about all eyes are on Earedail now for at least a moment before the men turn back to their drinks. A few muttered comments in the corner still continue, however - a quiet exchange of insults can be heard to those with an excellent ear. In this lighting, and with this crowd, however, it\'s impossible to see from the doorway just who it is.

Earedail looks up for a moment frowning slightly as he notices the insults being exchanged quietly, he turns back to the crew of his fathers ship and seems to be passing on some information. He stops occasionally to listen to replies and then nods, a sudden quiet in the tavern carrying his words, \"Yes, we sail on the morning tides. Gather togethor the rest of the crew and get ready. We leave with or without you and your men. So make sure they are there and at least capable of crewing the ship.\" He looks at each of them pointedly and then prepares to stand.

[Elphir(#23270)] \"Bold words, man!\" one of the men in the corner shouts, and rises to his feet. It is one of the men wh oserves on the Aznarak. His fists are balled up, and he looks down his nose at a man who is still sitting... but not for long. He too rises to his feet, but slower. \"You wish to strike at me?\" It is the first man who again speaks - the second is still silent. \"Then do so!\" No movement from the second. \"What holds you back?? Coward!\"

[Elphir(#23270)] And all the crowd slowly turns to watch ... even the man to whom Earedail is speaking spares a glance out the corner of his eye.

Earedail stops speaking and moment and holds a hand to the officer he was speaking to he turns towards the loud words spoken in anger and frowns slightly. He finishes the turn towards the scene and begins walking towards the corner table still trying to figure out who this other man is that has provoked one of House Earendor\'s sailors. Admittedly not a difficult process but still one troubling to Earedail. He quietly approachs the table, motioning for his officers to accompany him should trouble erupt Earedail knows he\'ll need help for though a noble he is no stranger to the rough and tumble world of his crew. He watches a little longer to see what happens before deciding what to do from here.

[Elphir(#23270)] Still no movement by the second man. None save a small smirk that grows across his face. \"Why, whatever do you mean?\" He replies to the aggressor entirely too sweetly. Face flushing with anger, the first man suddenly throws the table over, spilling beer across three other tables full of sailors!

Earedail frowns and quickly starts moving towards the two men and the overturned table, as he moves his pushes his cloak back from over his shoulders so as not to restrict his movement as much. At this point he\'s postive a fight is about to break out, \"Sailor! What\'s the meaning of this?\" he calls out though in the hopes of damping things down a bit.

[Elphir(#23270)] Too late. Throwing the table over was the spark, and these drunken sailors were the powder keg. Beer has flown everywhere now, as the pent up aggression has found an outlet. And any more, it doesn\'t matter who. Fists fly, men are thrown onto tables and chairs, and utter chaos ensues!

Earedail swears profusely and ducks a chair thrown in the general direction of the Earendor Sea Guard reinforcements that his group represents. All thought of calming the situation flee as Earedail searchs for some calm in the storm and just works to make his way to the doorway. Around him his officers struggle with other sailors and one sailor drunkenly lurches into Earedail and throws a wild punch which Earedail blocks. Thrown off balance though the Lord doesn\'t retaliate, instead just pushing past the man as he tries to plow through to the doorway.

[Elphir(#23270)] Few fists are thrown at the Belfalan Lord, but a few is more than none. Some just do not recognize him, or perhaps do not care -who- it is. But most shy away from him, leery of fighting a Lord, but not so impressed as to stop fighting. But a few, sailors aboard his ship who respect him greatly, begin only to defend themselves, and one even apologizes. It is the one who started the whole thing. Amongst the chaos, he shouts, \"My apologies, m\'lord!\" And is promptly struck in the back of the head by a flying mug, and knocked cold.

Earedail winces as his man is struck down by a flying mug and turns to grab the man and pull him out of the chaos. He doesn\'t notice the chair coming down from above him though and staggers from the impact as it breaks over his back. Luckily this sword, hidden partially by the cloak, takes a great deal of the blow and he manages to stumble away from several other blows and into a clear space near the doorway where he stops to take a breath.

[Elphir(#23270)] The door to the tavern is thrown open by a flying body, and few people notice his exit... or the entrance of a tall, regal figure with two lordly men at his sides. But those that do suddenly cease their fighting, and stand at rigid attention. One of the first ones is then struck on the side of the head by a thrown chair, and knocked to the ground. This draws a bit more attention toward the front of the bar, and the three silent, stern figures who stand there. A circlet on the brow of one - the one in the middle - marks him as being of the Line of Imrazor, and only a great fool would not know his face in Dol Amroth. And so the silence spreads, from person to person across the room, as the firstborn son of Imrahil stands silent in the doorway.

Earedail glances up hearing as much as sensing the entrance of Elphir, Imrahil\'s son. His eyes seem almost to laugh for a moment and he speaks seemingly softly, though his words carry to Elphir quite easily, \"It is good to see you my Lord. It would seem your presence has a great deal more calming effect on these men than my own.\" Earedail\'s second sentence seems to hover in the air and without any seeming change in volume it slices through the noise of the barfight. At once every sailor of the House Earendor turns towards his voice and stop fighting seeing the Lord Elphir standing there. Several get hit from behind or struck with chairs but the sudden motion of so many combatants causes a ripple in the fighting and within a short moment the entire room is quiet as all of those, still able to see, recognize Lord Elphir, all but one man, so drunk that he can\'t even understand his friends whispered words. One friend finally clubs the man with a broken chair leg to silence him and two others grab him by the shoulders to carry him. But beyond that little commotion nothing else is said in the room, only the groans of the injured can be heard anymore.

[Elphir(#23270)] And so the fight ends, with a few men shamefully dropping their improvisational weapons, unable to look at either the Prince\'s heir or the Lord Earendor. Elphir turns his attention to Earedail, and speaks, his voice slicing the near-silence almost painfully. \"Who claims responsibility for this brawl?\" The question is directed at the entire crowd, but the grey eyes of Elphir burn into the Lord\'s.

Earedail looks over at his men and turns back to Elphir, if anything he seems to stand a bit straighter, \"I believe the fault is mine m\'lord. The fight was started by some of my crew and as such the responsibility falls to me. I certainly should have steppe din earlier m\'lord Elphir. If you wish to bring this to your father m\'lord I will understand. I only ask that we can bring this to a close quickly m\'lord for my father has need of his officers to sail on the mornings tide.\" Earedail looks at Elphir and says, \"But whatever punishment you should feel appropriate the house Earendor, and I myself, will fulfill to the fullest.\"

[Elphir(#23270)] \"The Prince will learn of this, Earedail.\" Elphir states, and now his eyes search the crowd, \"But I shall deliver the reprimand here and now. The proprietor of the Golden Kraken Inn shall be awarded from your House the amount due for repairs, and no more. With this, your responsibility shall end. But now a punishment of three days\' service in the cleaning of the streets of Dol Amroth shall be required of the entire crew, beginning on the morrow. Each and every one of you here shall join them. Thus it is decreed.\" Galdacil pages: it\'s anywhere behind the cones is where you can\'t park. So, as long as you\'re in front of them, you\'re fine. I haven\'t gotten a ticket yet.

Earedail nods and says, \"Your ruling is fair m\'lord. I promise you it will be carried out as you have decreed. Please give your father my apologies. I will go and settle with the owned of the Golden Kraken right now m\'lord for no house should leave it\'s obligations unfulfilled if it has the means to fulfill them.\" Earedail bows a moment and motions for his crew to return to the ship. He speaks briefly with one of his officers and then walks over to the bartender and begins speaking with him while he waits for the officer to return with a bag of gold for the owner of the Golden Kraken.