Before he entered the Green Gryphon, Althalos changed his appearance, now he looked like a tall man with blue eyes and long silver hair.

He walked towards the bartender, asked for a glass of water and sat on one of the booths. After a few months training on the forest it was nice to rest in the town.

Wampus walked into the tavern for the second time today -- he previously had his own share of ale and such. This time it showed though as he was obviously drunk.

He walked up to the bartender, almost running square into a tall man nearby. You made me drunk! Wampus argued to the bartender, as if accusing him of something very horrible and a lot less obvious. To other people around, it probably looked like Wampus was trying to make a scene.

Althalos was calmly drinking when he saw the halfling shout at the bartender. He raised an eyebrow. "What happened, my friend? Why are you arguing with the bartender?" He was trying to calm the man down, he didn't like bar fights, someone always get hurt.

Wampus turned around to face the new man who he almost ran into. He then looked back at the bartender who was trying to creep away. This man sir! he said to the man, pointing at the bartender. This man made me drunk! Then, when I get home -hic- I can't magic on my focus training!

The whole situation seemed insane honestly. Here was Wampus, blaming the fact he drank too much on the barkeeper only because Wampus couldn't say no to the barkeep when asked if he wanted another cup. Of course he always wanted another cup, but he didn't really need one -- but he also felt it a waste to not drink the ale put in front of him if the barkeep put it before him on the table.

Wampus reached over the bar to try and grab the barkeep, but only failed and slipped over the table and landed with a crash on the otherside, bringing down a couple of glasses with him.

"You're ok?" Althalos got up and tried to help the halfling. "Anyway...there's no need to fight with him...why didn't you just drink a glass of water like I did? If you came to this bar to drink, you'll probably get drunk. And you said that you can't focus on your magic training, right? Maybe you could train then come here to drink."

Other than a slight bruise, Wampus was fine, fortunately. Wampus got up with the help of the man. Standing up, Wampus was still a little on the wobbly side. He looked around and the barkeep was not anywhere to be seen at this point, not the other one that is. There was a new one that had come to take his place, much bigger than the previous one and Wampus took heed to say anything else to the barkeeps at this bar.

Wampus took a seek at advice of the man and got a glass of water. The new barkeep seemed a little hesitant at first, but Wampus shot him a look that changed his mind rather quickly. Wampus took the cup and took some gulps from it, wiping his mouth after -- he dribbled a little bit.

You have some sense to you sir, what shall I call you? Then, before letting the man answer, he added, My name is Wampus.

"I am Althalos, nice to meet you Wampus." Althalos let out a sigh of relief when he saw the halfling follow his advice. "What kind of magic you cast?" Althalos asked trying to distract Wampus and avoid a bar fight.

Wampus picked up his glass once more, drinking the rest of it all in one swig. He put the glass down on the table and the barkeep quickly refilled it.

He looked around the bar to try and gather his thoughts. It was early in the afternoon, most of the lunch crowd had already left, a couple of people still sitting in the very back of the tavern deep in conversation about the workings of the day mostly just so they would not have to return to the monotony of the day. Wampus had come to the bar that morning after studying a little, just planned on getting a quick drink of ale to give himself a buzz, it allowed his mind to wander just enough while studying to understand the abstract processes which magic often required a studious wizard to master.

I cast magic that warms the soul and fuels progress and production! Wampus showed a deep joy in what he said, he was very proud of his work. I manipulate fire to my will.

Wampus knew of the connotations that fire wizards normally held. Countless times Wampus was first judged to be a destructive fire wielder with no respect to life and nature, but that was not what Wampus was or what he planned to be. Fire is as productive as it is destructive.

"Fire? That's a useful power, especially when you have to survive in cold places...I know that it can be very destructive, but only in the case of dark beings and evil aligned dragons. In my case I like to use light magic...it's a requirement when fighting against the forces of evil." Althalos was now interested in the conversation, finally he could talk with someone without having to spar or fight.

Aye, that's very true, Wampus replied to Althalos while gathering his thoughts. Of course Wampus would always be quick to argue that his realm of the magical arts was better than all the others, and this instance was no different.

What happens when you run in to someone who is good by nature, but are having just a really bad day? Your magic won't be as effective on them before they are naturally good, right? Wampus half gleamed a smile for thinking so cleaver, Yet fire could be used on either such target because, when it comes down to it, fire cares not of the target being cast on, just the abilities of the caster performing the magic!

Althalos drinked a glass of water then replied to the man. "Well, if the person is good by nature you can always try to argue and calm the person down, without having to use magic. Fire is more effective indeed, but we don't have to burn a person just because he or she is in a bad mood. In my case, if a fight is inevitable, I have to trust in my sword skills, which in most cases is enough to defeat the person, and I don't lethally wound with my sword, but it often happens when fire magic is used as a weapon, unless the magician is very skilled."

Wampus thought about tossing a bunch of 'what-ifs' at Althalos just to see how he would reply. What if the person in ill temper was a grand mage! It was Wampus's firm belief that no swordsman could stand much ground against someone who had truly understood and mastered the arts of magic, no matter which realm it was -- though especially if they had mastered many different realms.

But he did not want to sit there and argue, his head was starting to hurt really bad as the ale was leaving his system.

A good swordsman, ey? Wampus inquired. I never was good with a blade, though it doesn't help that most are too long for me anyway. Heck he said with a chuckle, A shortsword might as well be a bastard sword for me!

Althalos laughed a bit with Wampus comment. "Indeed...I'd like to keep talking but now I have to find a good place to rest, my wounds are starting to hurt." He paid his glass of water and everything that the halfling drank then left. "Hope that our paths cross again someday."

Then he noticed that the tavern was a inn as well. He laughed because he didn't notice that before. He paid a room to rest for one night, after that he would probably look for a new adventure, the training routine was getting really boring.

He entered his room and sat on the bed. It was too early to sleep, maybe he should go to the town later.