Wine was a fine thing, immensely helpful for fostering friendship and easing the atmosphere.
Provided one did not drink too much.
The older dwarf possessed a very convenient magical item: a wine flask. It was a silver hip flask, extraordinarily delicate and lavish in appearance, covered in intricate lines utterly at odds with dwarven aesthetics. On closer inspection, one could discover that they had not been painted on, but were instead inlaid with countless tiny gemstones. Anyone with even a little discernment could tell it was a beautiful work of art; those more knowledgeable about art could recognize its distinct elven style; and experts who studied elven culture could determine, after careful examination, that it was not the style of contemporary elves, but that of the Ancient Elven Kingdom.
In truth, it was no ordinary wine flask, but an extraordinary treasure.
Its name was the "Endless Wine Flask."
The name explained enough. By consuming an amount of magic power equivalent to casting a low-level spell, it could produce wine. If it was fine wine, it could make roughly one jin; ordinary sweet wine or spirits, around three jin; while foaming ale or common cheap liquor could reach five jin.
Mages familiar with enchantment spells and the crafting of magical items might know of a magical item called the "Endless Water Flask." The Endless Wine Flask was something similar, but its efficiency in producing wine was far lower than that of producing water. After all, the intricacy of the two substances could not be compared at all.
The older dwarf was not a particularly powerful spellcaster, but with his magical power, he could pour enough spirits from the flask—at the very least... enough for everyone in the entire exploration team to drink.
In fact, more than enough.
If not for Hops