Benson & Hector #1 - Mushroom Soup

*This entry takes place after 'Legends of K'Darl - #2'*

The inn was abuzz with its usual trade. Travellers from all across K'Darl passed through the capital, and those without much in the way of sense, or good luck, ended up here, in The Wooden Horse. Infamous amongst the seedier population of the capital, it attracted thieves and swindlers, sell swords with questionable morals and gamblers. If you wanted to keep a low profile, this was the inn to stay at.

In a secluded corner of the room sat two tieflings, empty tankards littering the table, a large purse spilling over with gold coins in the centre. The first one speaks to the second "How...how, how much we got left then Hector?" He slurs his words, the effects of the ale obvious. He was slight, scrawny even for a tiefling, with straggly brown hair atop his bony head. The second, Hector, looked at his companion for a moment, then picked the purse up, shaking it gently next to his ear. "Still more than enough Benson, no need to worry." He smiled as he said this, thinking of all the gold they had acquired over the last couple of days. "I think, and I'm sure you'll agree Benson, that this scheme was quite possibly one of our best ever. With this much gold, we can invest in something bigger, maybe even go legit!" With this final word, the pair look at each other, eyes glazed over slightly, as though thinking deeply. Then the pair explode into raucous laughter, knocking their tankards against each other and drinking deeply.

Benson, who was noticeably rounder than his friend, with no hair left to speak of, set his tankard down. "As if we would ever survive going legit Hector. You don't half come up with some crazy notions." He smiled again, leaning back on his stool. "I tell you what though Hector, I'd hate to bump into any of the poor saps that bought that slop from us! I caught a whiff of it in the barrel, I'd hate to think what it does to your insides!" At this thought, he laughs again, draining the last of his ale.

Hector nods his head in agreement, " I'm not sure what those chunks were floating in it, but I think it's safe to say it wasn't just mushroom! Still, at ten gold pieces for 20 barrels, it would have been a shame to waste such a good business opportunity. I mean, you saw 'em Benson, they couldn't get enough of the stuff! These travellers, they'll try anything in the capital. Especially when we sell it to them at the special offer price of one gold piece for a bowl. I mean, that's an absolute steal." He laughed again, evidently proud of his genius cunning.

Benson joins in, then stops to ask "Seriously though, when are we skipping town? I wasn't joking when I said I'd hate to bump into any of those people what bought it." He suddenly looks around the room, as though expecting to be greeted by an angry customer. Looking back to Hector, he sees his friend smiling, peaceful as anything. "Fear not my friend, fear not! We've our rooms here for the night and then, after a modest breakfast, we shall move on to pastures new!" He raised his tankard as he said this, waiting for his friend to do the same. Benson raises his own tankard, and they both drain them of their remaining ale. 

Hector sets his now empty tankard down. "Don't worry my friend. Any unsatisfied customers will more than likely be otherwise engaged at present anyway, unable to come seeking out a couple of honest traders. Tonight, we drink."

And drink they did, long into the night, until eventually they both slumped unconscious over the table between them. Night turned to day, the sun streaming through the open windows of the inn. The pair stirred, groaning and complaining of thick heads. As they peeled their faces off the table and strained their weary eyes against the harsh morning sun, they looked around. The inn was empty, except for them. Smiling, they looked across the table to each other. It was only when they both realised that, where their large purse of gold had been sat the night before, there was now a noticeable lack of the aforementioned purse of gold. Slowly looking back to each other, neither knew what to say.

After a few seconds, Benson manages to sum up his entire thought train into one elegant sentence. 

"Oh fuck."