"Not that much more we can do until the real lawmen come back. We're all going to meet that Foxglove fellow tonight, right?"
Larken listens quietly while wild speculation after wild speculation is raised.
"Three suspected leaders then, " he says, "The daughter, the lover, or the Chopper. That's discounting the thought that a holy man's remains might have power of thier own, and thus be of value to anyone. It also discounts somewhat the possibility that a goblin is behind all of this. Or... a player we haven't been given a clue about... yet. And really... who is behind the raid is of little current value. We've told the sherrif that we'd stay put until he got back. I'm not making any plans that go beyond heading over to the Hagfish for dinner. There are too many variables in play at this moment for us to know where to jump."
He orders an ale and settles back into his seat.
Maybe arskin' aboot de town is the anser, we can be findin' oot a bit more on all de tings we be wantin' ta know like aboot da girlie and the chump what was stickin' it to 'er and aboot dis "Chopper" feller.
Well, let's go eat the Hagfish then. I'd like to go piss around at where that Chopper's hut was, though.
Elisile speaks up again. “As Alwyn Agnarrson and Larken of the Varisian have eluded to, our current task is to defend the town from further attack. To that end, perhaps one of our number should station themselves in the area of the north gates, as I do not trust the watchfulness of the town militia. It would also perhaps be wise to find a high vantage point to keep watch; perhaps the old light house would be suitable for such a purpose? The watchers at both points – in rotating shifts – should be equipped with some means of raising the alarm in the event of danger; horn, gong or drum.” The usually laconic elf seems more verbose when it comes to military matters.
“The sun climbs high, but we still have some hours of daylight to investigate the tower for suitability before this dinner invitation is to be fulfilled – we should also have time to visit the isle of the Chopper too.”
Vethran sighs at the popular notion of exploring Chopper's island.
"Very well, if you all feel the need to chase ghosts, I suppose I shall go with you."
The group troops out to the Old Light. A stub of a much taller tower, 50' high, it sits at the north west extremity of the town. It's stonework is obviously ancient, but beyond that there is little clue as to what the Old Light may have been for - possibly a lighthouse, maybe something else.
Chopper's Island is just north of the Old Light, maybe 400' long and half that in width. It is now cut off from the rest of the town, the bridge having been collapsed after Chopper's discovery and death. Only by flying or a tricky climb can it be accessed. From town, all that can be seen is a flat top covered in tough grass and brambles, surrounded by cliffs and the pounding surf.
Vethran coolly assesses the ancient structure, casually investigating, but saying nothing.
Larken points out a few markings on the tower.
"These look Thassilonian," he comments, "Tower could be from the old empire. Looks like someone's been digging here... a lot." He gestures toward the various excavations.
Alwyn gestures vaguely over to Chopper's Island. "'Twould be hard work getting over there. From here, it does not seem like anyone's been there in a while. Can't vouch for quick visits, but nobody's lived there for quite a bit of time."
The mage quirked an amused brow at Larken, smirking as he turned to regard him.
"You know your architecture well. Where did you say you were from again?"
Elisile carefully and quietly studies the remains of the tower, and the approach to Chopper’s Island. The Unshining Light indeed she muses silently to herself. This was indeed a place of ghosts, but perhaps not of the vengeful spirit sort.
The tower was much more ruined than she had thought from the town, and despite it’s height would probably not make a good lookout point after all. She attempts to assess it for climbability, given an untrained climber.
“It is old,” she comments after a while. “But some of the digging is recent. What was being searched for I wonder? Are there tales of treasure perhaps?”
"I am troubled by a concealing and isolated island so close to town, with obvious excavation going on here."
"It will take a goodly amount of team work to get across to the island, but seeing this," a hand motion indicates the fresh digs, "I think it is a must."
"I can probably climb that thing. Uh...does anybody have any rope? I could pull the rest of you guys up."
"I agree that we should check out Chopper's Island. We might want to get some climbing gear first, though. Myself, I'm puzzled by these excavations. These digs seem a bit too methodical for some random treasure-seekers. Perhaps someone was looking for some secret way in? Does anyone know what was the original purpose of this tower was? It might have secret passageways or vaults - and sally ports, perhaps?" Alwyn walks over to the cliffside overlooking the ocean and peers down. "Is there anything down on this way?"
"Yeah you're right. No telling what's there, and if you guys need gear to climb I'll be fighting it all alone. You can watch my dismemberment from across the way.
I have no idea what any of these old buildings are. I thought ancient devil-kings made them to mark their trap-infested tombs. Or tell them which star was in the right place to sacrifice stuff on special nights.
I heard of one old rock with a hole in it, that women crawl through to make themselves fertile. And there's another that if you sleep on it will cure arthritis."
Larken chuckles at Vethran's question. "Here and there," he answers.
He examines Chopper's Island with a practiced eye.
"Why anyone would live on such a gods-forsaken rock, I can't say, but I think I can climb it," he says with confidence, then he looks at Hudak and says, "If you can haul the rest of them up, I'll keep whatever comes at us off of you."
Elisile gives Hudak a sceptical look, then shakes her head. “You are right, we should procure proper climbing equipment before we attempt such a thing. But I am unsure what the excavations here, at the base of this ‘light-house’ would have to do with yon island?”
She turns to Lo’j. “Lo’j Jhae Deverin, you are a resident of this town are you not? Have you heard of people excavating at this point, and the reasons for such?”
Illes eyes the towering cliff face skeptically, "You want to climb this!? That, my friend, is crazy."
Dis rock dinnae seem ta be of Dwarven make but it seems ta be fairly sturdy.
I be thinkin' we may be to wantin' ta decide not ta be tryin' da cliffs today. Thar be a bit o' time involved in dis mission an we gots us a dinna' date wit Mr. Deaddog.
Maybe we shoul' be ta arskin' aboot town ta be findin' oot more o' whats on aboot the purple-eyed chick an' da farmboy what was givin' it to her.
We can be ta climbin' on de morrow wit a full-day's light.
Vethran scratches his chin as the other converse, eyeing the digs and examining the foundation of the crumbled tower.
"Hmmm," he says after a pause. "These are definitely archaelogical digs. The pattern isn't as random as they might first appear. Notice this first set of digs near the base and then another set about 10 paces out? It almost seems like they were looking for a tunnel or something. It's hard to tell, though."
The mage pondered a bit more and smirked. "From what I understand, there's a local by the name of Brodert Quink who's taken an interest in Thassilonian history. I've heard that he pokes around up here from time to time."
"As for your question about erecting a tower in a place that obstructs the majority of it's view, given the size and scope of this foundation and the depth of the stonework, I'd guess this thing used to be several hundred feet tall."
The party wanders about town for an hour or so, "patrolling". Eventually, it comes time to head off to the Hagfish for dinner with Aldern Foxglove.
The Hagfish is famed for its seafood, but the place gets its name from the gigantic and hideously ugly fish that floats malevolently in a tank in the main bar. The party are met by the proprietor, Jargie Quinn, who ushers them past the gaming tables and the fisherfolk who drink and chat after a day trying to harvest the nearby seas.
Foxglove has hired a private room. It is set up as a dining room, with a linen-covered table, napkins and cutlery (which confuses the Shoanti somewhat). A man servant serves the food from the Hagfish's kitchens.
The conversation is stilted. Foxglove seems tense and distracted. Eventually, he fixes Larken with an odd look. "That was quite an impressive move, leaping over me and that barrel. Things were looking desperate until you arrived. Why did you intervene? You didn't know me."
Dravite butts into the conversation--
Bah! Dey be stinkin' gobbos! Right der be all de reason ye be needin' as fer why we be takin' der lives and pertectin' yours! Jus' be's a shame as we were a wee late fer to save yer dog. Lookt ta be ofa fine pedigree wit more 'eart den most o' de rest in town here! He be fightin' strong til the gobbos got 'im. Poor pooch.
Vethran arches a brow at the sudden, inexplicable question Aldern poses to Larken. He says nothing, though, and continues eating in silence.
Illes flashes Aldern a curious smile and shrugs, "Part of growing up in a caravan. Can't have the little toads running wild through your home taking what they will, killing what they don't. Gotta circle the wagons stand and defend what's yours. Didn't really occur to me that people who call this place home would see things different till we were in the midst of it all."
...I think I'll let the smart guys do the talking here....
Illes flashes Aldern a curious smile and shrugs, "Part of growing up in a caravan. Can't have the little toads running wild through your home taking what they will, killing what they don't. Gotta circle the wagons stand and defend what's yours. Didn't really occur to me that people who call this place home would see things different till we were in the midst of it all."
Foxglove smiles politely and slightly distractedly. "Yes, indeed." He turns his attention back to Larken. "Those acrobatic skills. Where did you learn them?"
Bah! Dey be stinkin' gobbos! Right der be all de reason ye be needin' as fer why we be takin' der lives and pertectin' yours! Jus' be's a shame as we were a wee late fer to save yer dog. Lookt ta be ofa fine pedigree wit more 'eart den most o' de rest in town here! He be fightin' strong til the gobbos got 'im. Poor pooch.
"Er, um, yes. Doras was a fine hound."
"Glorious battle is its own reward, Lord Foxglove. Life is nought but fighting, after all, and battle is its purest expression. In a way, it is we who should be thanking you!"
Vethran nearly chokes at Alwyn's statement, looking up from his plate incredulously, glancing wide-eyed to his cousin while indicating the Shoanti casually, shaking his head, and returning to his meal.
Elisile eats slowly and quietly, savouring the unusual flavours of the food. She is unsure of the etiquette of human dinner parties, and although the conversation seems somewhat strained and awkward to her, she has little idea what would be expected. She stays quiet, presuming that Foxglove will come to his point eventually. She notices that most of her companions seem similarly subdued.
Made Sense motive for second one.
In dwarven: Damned humans! Can't even understand simple common-speak! Just gonna nod his freakin' head with that stupid vapid look on his face!
In "common": Barmaid! I be needin' me a Tankard o' yer finest brew!
Larken tries to hide his discomfort at being the center of attention, and is obviously relieved when other members of the party keep stepping into the conversation before he has a chance to reply. When it becomes clear that Lord Foxglove isn't going to be sidetracked, Larken replies, "I grew up with a travelling circus. My parents were both performers, so it seemed natural that I would stay with the show. I'm too small to tame lions, and not funny enough to be a clown, so it was acrobat or elephant wrangler. One of the wrangler's jobs requires a large shovel. I love being an acrobat."
He then returns his attention to his fish, hoping that Dravite will step in with something inappropriate.
..... hoping that Dravite will step in with something inappropriate.
So dat dere dead pup o' yers, did ye 'ave it long? Was da beastie trained to do 'is duty outside? Sure were a big'un, bet dat elephant shovel woulda come in a bit 'andy if'n it weren't! Hee-heh!
Hee-heh!
(lol)
I bet so, at that.
Elisile listens intently to Dravite’s words. He appears to be liberally mixing in Dwarven phrases and words with his speech, but by the way some of the others keep nodding and agreeing, perhaps they too speak Dwarven. Whatever he is saying, it does not appear to be standard dinner conversation. So finally, the elf makes her own attempt.
“Aldern Foxglove,” she speaks up finally, bluntly. “We have been asked by the mayor and the sheriff to protect this town from any further goblin raids. That means that we protect everyone within these walls, those with wealth and those without. The best method of protection would be to discover the reason behind the raid and deal with that.”
She pauses, and looks around the room for a few moments, then returns her attention to Foxglove. “What can you tell us of the priest Tobyn, and the foundling Nualia?”
So dat dere dead pup o' yers, did ye 'ave it long? Was da beastie trained to do 'is duty outside? Sure were a big'un, bet dat elephant shovel woulda come in a bit 'andy if'n it weren't! Hee-heh!
Somewhat befuddled. "Er, yes, ha!"
A tad coldly. "About Tobyn and Nualia? Nothing - I was living in Magnimar when all of that happened."
"A travelling circus, you say? You must have visited some interesting places. Please tell me about it."
Vethran muttered under his breath at Aldern's continued adoration, shaking his head.
"Binan-di, kruetha mal-dani."*
Illes purses his lips and his eyes shift from Larken to Aldern with some amusement. Quite sure that Foxglove is fully occupied he leans back in his chair as if looking for the waitress and uses the move comment under his breath to Vethran in Varisian, "If this is supposed to be a date, why invite all of us?"