Moonless Night

A corner of the tavern. A shy female swordswoman hides in the shadows, polishing her beloved greatsword. An aloof elven mage's fingertips dance with flickering arcs of lightning. A half-deer, half-human wood nymph with raven hair plays the forest's melody. A fiery undead mage sways her hips, twirling with her summoned skeletons to the music. A halfling sprawled across the table, lazily stacking silver coins like building blocks. Yet his sharp little eyes scanned every purse at the waist. A burly dwarf planted one foot on the table, raising his mug of ale and bellowing an incomprehensible dwarf ballad. Beneath the moonless night's gaze, the darkness lay still and serene. This was where it all began. This was the tale of swords and sorcery.