"Ra'shazen?", the grizzled man took a long drink of his ale, half of it ending up in his white mustache. "Yeah I remember that place. Big. Dark. Always gave me the spooks." He glanced beyond the two strangers sitting across from him, the tavern was decently busy for this time of day. Much to Corvus's dismay. He wanted to drink and forget his troubles, not be pestered by adventuring folk who found out he used to be a soldier stationed in some old castle.
"What's the layout?", Books questioned. She leaned forward across the dirty table, a difficult feat for the halfling, and pressed him for more. "The landscape? Towers? Gates? Secret pas—"
"Hell if I know! It’s a big old fuckin' castle. Four walls. Big keep. Old." Corvus was getting annoyed now.
The dwarf women turned and put a hand on Book’s shoulder to stop her from questioning the man more. Then, turning back to face the old man, she finally spoke, "What my friend is trying to ask is: if someone wanted get inside, how would they do that?"
"They don't" Corvus replied flatly. Books made a move to question him more but he continued without need of her protest. "No one wants to get in there" he stated.
"We do." Helvi responded, her eyes burning with ferocity while the hand on Book's shoulder tightened its grip.
Corvus laughed at that, "Well the gate won't keep you out. Bein' how it got ripped right out its frame".
Books leapt back into the conversation "And the walls? Still up? How tall?"
"They’re Dragonborn made." Corvus responded, as if that answered everything. He took another large drink of ale. Books could see thick scars peeking out from the edge of his sleeve as he lifted his mug.
"I guess we’ll be going in through the front door then" Helvi chuckled as she released her grip on Book's shoulder.
Books continued her assault "What about the keep? I heard it was damaged."
Corvus grunted, "Eh, the elves built that. Older than the walls. Wasn't in too good o' shape when we took over. Most of it was still there when we escaped". He rubbed his arm unconsciously.
"How big is the courtyard?" she continued to press the old man.
Corvus looked into Book’s eyes with bitterness. "Big enough for the dragon to land in."