Anglin thinks to a bit and scratches his chin.
"Dragon you say? Darn, should have taken my friend's words to heart and closed the shop early to go see. But let's see if we can't find something to soothe that pain, right?"
he dips behind the counter and after sliding some boxes around, rattling the contents of some jars, and smacking his head on the bottom side of the countertop, he emerges with a small box full of red hued blocks of what appear to have the consistency of clay. They also have a pleasantly sweet smell.
"We call that blood paste, though mind you there's no actual blood in there. Herbal remedy only, alchemist's honor."
Anglin does some weird gesture with the fingers of his hand over his heart. He explains that you apply them before you rest and then natural properties help you recover more than usual.
"Normally, I'd sell them 40 gp. But.....for a friend of Alana, I'd be willing to go down to 30 gp a pop, sound fair?"
Kali lets out a squeak at being prodded by Otho and gives him an annoyed glare.
---
Hearing the price, the young swordswoman looks a little crestfallen.
"How many wounds can you treat with one," she asks, thinking that she wasn't going to like the answer.
Owl peruses the goods but does not buy. He wasn't hurt after the fight.
"For 30 gold pieces?!" Laetitia scoffs, her dark eyes narrowing at the lanky boy behind the counter. Either he thinks we're sheep for the fleecing or I've wasted too many years in the wrong profession. On a good week, I'd be lucky to pull in fifteen gold pieces... Not that she would be admitting that anytime soon. When Otho agrees to the price, Laetitia pointedly extricates herself from beneath his arm, letting him stand on his own. "Do you have 30 gold pieces, or were you just planning on helping yourself to the lion's share of the reward? Speaking of," Laetitia, seeing that it garnered such a positive reaction the first time, prods Kali in the back. "Have you counted out how much the man gave us yet?"
Kali lets out another squeak at the unexpected prod from Laetitia and level a glare at her as well, her eyes growing brighter for a moment.
"I haven't had a chance to sit down and count it, no," she says coldly. "I'll pay for the salve, so you need not worry your pretty head over losing your share."
"Well, There's enough paste for one person per block. I guess if you could split it up if you're using it on small animals, but that's how I cut it at least." Anglin explains.
Laetitia has spent years reading her targets, and knows pretty well when someone is trying to get one over her. Yet, something about how tired she is or perhaps the boy's slyness prevents her for getting much of a read on the lad. But for some reason she can't seem to read her mark this time.
Owl looks around the shop. There's mostly simple herbal rememdies: for a bad cough, the sniffles, stomach ache, the usual gambit. There are a couple of interest thought. There's a strange orange flower with a sign the simply reads "For Night Hunting" and what looks to be a wet clump of weeds that reads "For Emergencies."
[Transaction is made, please mark how much you spent from your personal/party fund and mark how many Blood paste blocks you bought.]
Kalisuel pulls out a leather coin purse and counts out thirty gold from the coins. After handing the block over to Otho, she looks to Anglin again and asks if he has any bandages she could buy.
"If that's all then let's get going. We have a time table to keep to," Owl says shooing people out the door. He wanted to be out of the town before whatever he heard from those thugs came to pass.
Owl, roll an intelligence check
Anglin nods and digs out some fresh bandages from behind the counter.
"No charge," he says as he hands enough over to probably work for three of you. "Just make sure you apply that blood paste before you go to sleep. I don't think anyone would be allergic to the ingredients, but it could happen. Come see me if you do."
==============================================
You all awake at the Bent Fork Inn, which the young man who attended to Kari and Lia earlier will tell you is for their cuisine which people can't get enough of (though during breakfast you hear grumblings its more for their beef which is as tough as stump).
[5sp total for all 6 rooms, you can decide who pays what and who bunks with who. Honor system.]
You're all making steady progress through your breakfast when a carnival worker enters the common area and approaches you all.
"Mistress Delisen requests that you all come to the carnival at your earliest conveniance."
The man speaks in a way that seems to hint that he's trying to remember the particular vernacular that Delisen originally used, but he's struggling.
"She wouldn't tell me why, but its important, I think."
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Otho actually felt pretty good. He wasn't at his best, but at least he'd applied the paste before passing out. To celebrate all their good fortune he was currently wolfing down everything in front of him. His eye even traveled towards the leftovers on the plates of his companions. He felt so good, in fact, that the arrival of the worker didn't bother him at all.
"Who was Delisen again?"
Owl merely points at Otho. He too would like to know who that is and wracks his brain trying to remember he heard that name before.
Kali thanks Anglin for his help before following the others to the inn.
Once in her room, she bandages the wicked gash the beast had left on her leg and tries to ignore the pain from walking on it. That done she does her best to wash and mend her pants before falling onto the bed and to sleep.
Kali looks up from her breakfast and looks confused for a moment.
"Is her given name Alma," Kali asks after swallowing the eggs she had been chewing.
It occurs to Owl that when he was looking for Thomias's mother last night, he heard mention that the carnival workers couldn't spare the time to help or "Delisen" would have their heads. From this, you can extrapolate that Delisen is probably in charge somehow.
The young man who manned the desk the night previous comes to replenish the fruit bowl, take away any dirty platterware, and also leaves a healthy slice of fresh bread with melted cheese covering it in front of Kari before fleeing back to the kitchen in embarrassment.
Kari catches Lia's eye, and gives a smirk and a wink.
"Almara," the messenger corrects before taking his leave. "Just ask for her when you get there, but she would prefer sooner rather than later if possible."
"Is this about the whole soup cart thing," she asks as she finally begins to wake up fully.
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"Could be. Dunno."
Otho gave up on the other plates, rose, and stretched before looking over the others.
"Figure we've all got some choices to make. I'm going to stick around for a bit. Make sure our lordship don't amble in and make a mess of the kid's reunion. Might as well see what Almara wants while I'm at it. What about the rest of you?"
"It's probably about the Dragon," Owl says putting emphasis on the thing Otho wrestled to the ground. "Delisen is in charge of the carnival, either directly or indirectly. I'd prefer it if we just left. Missions over. Mother and son have been reunited. Delisen runs a carnival. Desoran runs much more. The choice is obvious. But Scoot is yours so..." He wanted to leave but another opportunity might be knocking.
"Owl, it can't hurt to see. It may just be something that only takes a minute," Kali says softly, "we can always just say no if it's going to take too long, can't we?"
"It isn't as though any of us will be able to show our face in Riddleport anytime soon," Laetitia muses, making a face as she picks at the food in front of her with a fork. Never thought I'd miss Kali's cooking... "Whatever it is this person wants, I'm in no position to turn down a paying job. This small town isn't exactly brimming with opportunities suited to my typical line of work. So, I guess I'll go," Tish says candidly, pushing away her plate and getting to her feet. On her way toward the door, she swipes the cheesy bread from right under Kari and takes a bite. "No one likes a smug pretty girl, dear."
"Owl, it can't hurt to see. It may just be something that only takes a minute," Kali says softly, "we can always just say no if it's going to take too long, can't we?"
"That's just adorable," Owl says, placing a hand on Kali's. He holds tightly enough she can't immediately get out of his grasp. "You keep thinking that." Then he lets go.
"Whatever it is this person wants, I'm in no position to turn down a paying job. This small town isn't exactly brimming with opportunities suited to my typical line of work."
"Poorly thought out business cons?" he asks with fake sincerity. "Riddleport had plenty of those. And if you follow my advice I gave you previously, you can improve your odds," he says, referencing their first meeting.
Kali's eyes narrow at Owl's comment, and makes no move to get her hand free.
"Ever think that you might get further if you didn't communicate in sarcasm all the time? It's rather off putting," she mutters coldly.
After hearing Laetitia of all people comment on being smug and pretty, it takes all she has to keep her eyes from rolling. She instead closes them and sighs before quickly finishing her breakfast and looking up.
"So, Master Owl of the Bladed Tongue, how do plan on stopping her," she asks, jerking a thumb back at Laetitia as she munches on her stolen morsel.
"I'm sorry dear. Can't hear you. Next time, try to open your mouth a little wider when you speak," he says, getting up from his seat. He follows Laetitia and wonders if he'll get to see the lovely madam masque again before they leave.
With a sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh, Kali gets up and follows Owl and Latita. In her haste, she starts to limp a little as the ache in her leg gets worse from the strain of catching up.
"Oh Owl, I'm just so madly in love with you that I can't speak any louder when I'm around you," she says sarcastically as she catches up, seeing if he was really ignoring her or just giving her a hard time.
"You don't say?" The playful tone in his voice i all the warning Kali gets but it is not enough. As they walk, he times the swing of his arm with hers. In a single fluid motion, he grabs her hand, swings her arm around her and sticks a foot out to trip her. She begins to fall backwards but his embrace keeps her from hitting the ground. She finds herself held in a compromising position, her face mere inches from his. He stares deep into her eyes as he gets closer and closer. His stare is like a snake. She is too stunned and confused to fight back. "This tongue can do much more than cut," he says in a sultry baritone. "Care to find out My love?"
Kali's head had barely begun to turn when Owl literally sweeps her off her feet. Her pale face reddens as her eyes grow wide in surprise.
"When did you eat a mint," she blurts out as her brain gives up on trying to sort out what was going on.
Owl just smiles at her nonsensical comment. "I am always prepared. You seem to find it...hard," he pulls her even closer, "to pull away. To say," he puts his mouth right next to her ear, "no." He then rises swiftly and spins her into another close embrace. "Naivete is adorable. Like a kitten. So weak and vulnerable." They spin again into another compromising pose. "So easy to manipulate. Sometimes its hard to say no my dear. The best make it so you can't." He gives her one final spin but let's go this time, letting her twirl alone and off center. "And I am off putting precisely because it puts you off."
By the last spin, she's clutching at the wound in her thigh and grimacing in pain. Her leg buckles and she falls to the ground with a small cry of pain.
"That hurt's," she hisses softy as she tries to get back to her feet. Her limp more pronounced now, and she gives Owl a punch in the arm when she catches back up.
"You owe me lunch," she mutters as they continue on their way.
You all arrive at the carnival, almost unrecognizable without the amazed crowds and fascinating sights. The salty and sweet smell hangs in the air though, and a great deal of work is being done as repairs are made and acts are getting prepped for tonight. But in the daylight like this, the majesty of the performance is dropped for the comfort of normalcy.
A few words to a worker points you in the right direction, and you find yourselves in front of a large private wagon with an adjoining canopy. There are several chairs of differing make set around the fire pit nearby, and while not uniform in style, closer inspection reveals the excellent quality of each one.
Then Almara arrives. She strides in confidently, her long hair moving in wisps of motion as its capped down by a bandana on her head. She is dressed in a gypsy fashion, somehow blending work clothing with vibrant attractive colors.
"I appreciate your efforts yesterday in the regrettable incident with our dragon.
She bows her head in thanks and apprecaiation to each of you in turn. as she lifts her head to look at all of you she smiles, but her expression grows dark.
"However. I fear I could also use your help with another matter. You may have heard there was a murder in town last night.
She pauses, taking a moment to confirm there was indeed a murder last night and even worse, the body was found on the Umbra Carnival Grounds.
"The circumstances, I am told, implicate people from my circus—something I find very hard to accept. I’d like to contract you to represent the Umbra Carnival to determine who is really responsible and preserve our reputation."
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Owl was an ass. Otho had been trying to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he had some point he was making or just being flashy again, that snide overconfidence that rubbed him the wrong way? No. As Kali fell to the ground and Otho's hackles raised, the big man knew the answer. Owl was an ass.
He quietly offered Kali a helping hand. Whether or not she took it, Otho kept his distance, more afraid of getting himself run out of town than of Owl himself. The news of the murder only soured the mood of the morning even further. A real shame since it had started out so good.
"I'll take up the contract," Otho spoke more for his own conscience than anybody else, "But I've got to make sure, honest to the gods, did you people do the deed? And who's being accused anyway?"
Laetitia's shoots Otho a look at his rather blunt inquiry, and the smirk on her lips says it's a look of approval. Turning her focus back to Almara, she offers the woman a blithe shrug. "It's a fair question. Preserving your reputation is all well and good, but if you're paying us, then you needn't trouble yourself with our opinions of your carnival. So if there's something you know, it's best to speak plainly about it and trust us to handle the rest." Once she's made it clear that she's willing to lie, cheat and steal if that's what the job requires, Laetitia asks the most pressing question.
"How much are you offering for our services, anyway?"
Kali gladly accepts the help Otho offers and mutters a thank you to him.
"Do you know when the body was discovered," Kali asks.
"We are also a fair bit less than ideal strength after the 'dragon' debacle," Owl adds, noting Otho and Kali's wounds. "I imagine cuts, bits, fractures and sprains go hand in hand with a carnival dealing with high flying acrobats and tamers of dangerous creatures. Would you happen to have a healer on hand?"
Almara shakes her head no with certainty to Otho's question.
"My people make their living on the road, and while a few are eccentric, all trust each other as family. I cannot speak for some as they have come to do business while our carnival is performing, but my fellow travelers I can vouch for."
To Laetitia's probe of an offer, she responds:
"I'll be frank, we normally operate within our means which means we do not have much capital to liquidate. However, I have kept some keepsakes from my previous adventures in such times as this. Sentimental and magical. I can promise you they will fetch a decent price, but for a rough value, I am not sure."
To Kalisuel and Owl,
"The body was discovered this morning, by worker's setting up for tonight. As for a healer, we have our remedies of course, but most work overnight after a day's rest from labor. I do have some emergency supplies of course, but I haven't touched them thankfully in years, just in case someone's life was on the line."
She looks around, as if offering to answer more questions if you had them.
"Did he have any wounds on him," Kali asks after a moment of thought.
Laetitia purses her lips when Almara mentions the carnival's finances, but perks right up again at the mention of magical trinkets. Although she has a mind to ask the woman to see these keepsakes now before anything is agreed to - Tish is not in the habit of blindly trusting to the promises of anyone, gypsy or otherwise - she is willing to table that topic for the meantime. "These circumstances," Laetitia wonders aloud as she settles like a queen in one of Almara's plush chairs. "Other than the body being found on carnival grounds, what else seems to suggest that someone in your employ committed the murder?"
Well that was all the pertinent questions. Owl waits for the answer.
Almara's face turns hard.
"If you think I knew, I'd be hiring you all? Don't think I didn't notice you all last night. Feats of strength, diplomacy, perception, etc." she gestures to you (you know who you are) in turn as she lists off these qualities.
"I don't know who could want to murder the victim (a townsfolk person), but its clear they're trying to set the Umbra Carnival up. I assume you've seen the posters for our biggest attraction."
To help explain, she gestures to a colorful piece of parchment depicting a well-drawn sphinx who sits wisely surrounded by people.
"Jherizhana, our sphinx, is our biggest attraction and she couldn't have possibly murdered the townperson. But whoever did this fabricated claw-like wounds so the meek and assuming are quick to point fingers."
"I belive Sheriff Feldane can assist you information that on the townside. If I remember correctly, she told me she'd be at the town jail should I have more evidence I'd wish to provide."
You all see Almara have an angry look cross her face, as the implication of such a thing is an insult.
"W-w-we'll just go," Kali stutters before turning to leave.
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"Right," Otho took the hard face in stride and explained himself, "I'm asking all this cause you'd know your people better than anyone. You being mad is better than us getting something wrong cause we didn't ask."
"We'll head on down to the Sheriff and might come back to check in with Jherizhana. Getting her cleared first is important so some townie doesn't get liquored up to play vigilante."
Almara calms herself from her outburst and regains composure.
"Apologies. I appreciate you for taking the task. Sherrif Feldane would have the official report, and for the time being I trust her judgment.
==============================================
After the walk back town, it doesn't take long for you to find out the Feldane is currenlty at the town jail. She meets you warm enough for an offical of the law, and upon providing your papers from Almara, she agrees to let you investigate the crime scenes.
"I don't think they did it either," she confides with you all"if justice was as easy as pointing to the bloke you think is suspicious, then there'd be no need for me. No, I'd rather get al lthe facts straight so you're welcome to help. Though I will warn you lot, you're representing the Umbra Carnival now, so if you cause trouble they'll be the ones who deal with the consequences."
She starts to catch you up on the current information of the case. The victim was Archivin Walder, the town moneylender and sometimes pawnbroker who owns a local business called the Locked Box. Walder was found mauled while walking to his home after the circus last night. Walder’s wife, who went looking for her husband when he never came home, discovered the body. Agnes Walder begged her husband’s guards who lived at the Locked Box for help. Three of them left their post to search, and one guard stayed behind to secure the office. Thieves, presumably in league with the creature that killed Walder, burst into the Locked Box, killed the remaining guard, and stole many easily carried valuables (such as gems and jewelry). The robbery was interrupted when the guards brought Walder’s body to the office instead of his home, and they glimpsed two humanoid figures fleeing in the night. Upon finding the guard dead and the building burglarized, the three remaining guards secured the building until the sheriff could be notified.
"The mood in town is sour. There are stories all over the place about a great four-legged beast flying over town last night after the circus closed down, silhouetted across the moon. Of course, I can't find a single eyewitness who actually saw the sphinx. Now poor Walder is left dead in some bushes. It’d be one thing if these deaths were accidental, but the robbery angle has people thinkin’ of a Sczarni heist. I’m not proud to say it, but this stirs a lot of unworthy opinions about Varisians."