I took a breath of the fresh air outside and stepped through the doorway. The main room was grand and tall. The walls swept up above me forming a cavernous dome, which was filled with the cirrus-like clouds of smoke. Directly in front of me were three short steps downward, as the floor was lower than the door.



In front of the wall on the far side of the room was a long bar that went from one end of the room to the other. Behind it was a wall-shelf equally as long and at least 6 feet tall.



A great, albeit short, ring-like table sat in the middle of the great hall. It was lined with all sorts of chairs and stools, most of which were beautifully engraved with a type of knotwork i hadn't seen before. I would guess it to be only about two cubits wide. Most of the chairs were already taken by other patrons, who seemed to consist mostly of big, burly men with long, often forked beards.



As I descended the steps, I’d thought no one had noticed me enter. Most of the men were too busy drinking their mead, singing, telling tales, or smoking pipe-weed to notice even a man of my stature.





_________________

'Ash nazg durbatulûk,

ash nazg gimbatul,

ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul!' -Fellowship of the Ring



-Willet-