Azeban continues munching his mango as the others in the inn get to know each other. While it seems like he's mostly content to eat and even play with his food, flying away for a few seconds before pouncing it, a trained eye notices that he's paying close attention to what everyone around him is saying. As Alis leaves to do her shopping, he lingers for a time. "I DO like new fruit." He responds telepathically to Alis. "Our new friends seem interesting. Perhaps more so, however, there is a farmer here who has suggested there is a goblin nearby, with some sort of plan. He has neglected to go into specifics, but it's something to be mindful of at least."
"Our new friends seem interesting. Perhaps more so, however, there is a farmer here who has suggested there is a goblin nearby, with some sort of plan. He has neglected to go into specifics, but it's something to be mindful of at least."
Oh, strange. The woman at the shop was telling me that some of the children have been claiming that little green men tried to kidnap them. I wasn't sure then, but now I am. Goblin problem for sure. Let's try to convince our guests to help us investigate, shall we?
Bethella nods to Brennus. "Indeed," she whispers back. "And if we're going to make this our new home, we'd want to investigate this in any event."
Alis's home looks like this.
People who live in town know that it used to be an old wizarding school, but it had been abandoned and falling apart for decades before Alis came to town and talked the village council into letting her fix it up. It's much larger than she needs, but she magically mended most of the stuff that was already there, and has been slowly replacing other things and sprucing the place up. There is a large window on the other side, facing the woods, and the room that she invites you into has that view, a huge fireplace and several tables and comfortable chairs. It may have been the old dining hall for the school. Most of the tables have different projects that seem to be half done on them, but another is completely clear except for four large pies and some fruit and ham and bread and other light meal items in case anyone wants more lunch than just pie.
The floor seems to be the original wood as well, in an interesting star and circle design that may have had some meaning to the wizards who used to live here, but which just seems decorative now.
"And besides, there's free food involved!" Brennus crows.
If Smaxx was able to garner any money in his travels he looks for a small trinket along the way to buy as a "house-warmer." When he arrives, he makes sure to wipe his feet on the mat upon entering.
"Have you noticed anything amiss...large strings of mishaps...sickness?"
"Hmmm. As I said, the animals and birds in the forest have made themselves unusually scarce for the season. Beyond that... I don't chat with the villagers that much. Well, Markel's cow was sick, but I don't know if that means anything. Cows do get sick. Oh, and speaking of Markel, I think I'll give Alis a dozen of the eggs I got from him, so you needn't worry about a gift." Busara smiles. "And this way she has more supplies to make pie."
As they approach the house, Bethella says, "That's a really nice looking house! I like the shape of it. Looks sturdy, too."
As they enter the house, she looks around. "It looks very comfortable!" However, she can't repress her curiosity, and is quickly drawn to the tables with the incomplete projects, trying to see if she can figure out what they all are.
There is cloth cut in squares on one table, and glass and dye on another, and canvas and paint on another, and wood and some tools on another. The last one has several piles of books about different things. There are holes in the large bookshelves at one end of the room, so you think the books on the table might be from there.
"Good call! Can't wait to try Alis' pie!"
Brennus looks about with intense curiosity. The books in particular draw his attention, hungry as he is for arcane lore.
"It is very nice, yes, though it needs more good perches," he caws, humor glinting in his eyes. "Do you mind if I peruse your shelves, Alis?"
Feel free, Brennus Alis says, hoping that magical birds could control where they leave their droppings, unlike normal birds.
Brennus flies over to the books and starts examining the titles, looking for ones that might discuss aspects of magic he doesn't already know well. He uses mage hand to pull interesting volumes out to read if they're light enough, asking for help if they're too heavy.
"I told you we could use more perches." Azeban smugly transmits to Alis's mind, as he watches the others explore their home.
"I told you we could use more perches." Azeban smugly transmits to Alis's mind, as he watches the others explore their home.
Yes, you did. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you.
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Before he enters, Smaxx is sure to wipe all of his paws on the "Welcome Mat." Having grown up in the wild with Busara, and further disciplined in a monastery, Smaxx prefers more simple and outdoorsy living arrangements. As simple courtesies keep him connected with "who" he is, "roughing it" keeps him from going soft, and connected to "what" he is. He takes a look around at the converted school of wizardry. Though not the sharpest arrow in the quiver, he does recognize renovations made to make the place more homey, and the value it holds to those who make the effort.
While he traveled in with the caravan, Smaxx made an effort to learn new words to use in social situations to try and make himself seem more intellectual than he really is. As he thinks it fits,
" My compliments on what you have done with this place...it's quite esoteric."
Busara glances with surprise at Smaxx. It would appear that her old companion had acquired quite the worldly polish since she had last seen him. She hadn't suspected him of knowing words like 'esoteric', but there it was. Truth be told, she barely knew the meaning of the word herself, but it does sound like a very smart word. She is distracted from further linguistic musings by the smell of the freshly baked pies and she follows her nose to the table where they are laid out.
"Ahhhh, Alis, this is quite the feast! Here, I brought you some eggs to replenish your pie-making supplies."
Busara winks as she hands Alis the dozen hen products carefully wrapped in hay and placed in a small wooden box.
Alis smiles at Smaxx's vocabulary. I was more going for welcoming and inclusive, but perhaps it *is* esoteric to... she almost says "animals," but stops herself in time, and instead says people who prefer cake? She looks around to see what seems mysterious, and says
Hmm. Well, perhaps I should have cleaned up more. These are just home projects... a stained glass window, a quilt, a painting for the front room (if it comes out okay), and I was working on some of those little wooden puzzles that the children like for the holidays. I have all of these old memories, which give me cool ideas, but I tend to start too many things at once.
Ahhhh, Alis, this is quite the feast! Here, I brought you some eggs to replenish your pie-making supplies.
Thank you so much, Busara. Perhaps we can get together and have more pie next time you are in town... which reminds me though...
She begins cutting pies and passing pieces to everyone while talking.
I am concerned. When I was talking to the grocer earlier, he told me that a number of chickens have gone missing lately, and (more concerning) several children told their parents about little green men trying to take them away. One of the children had a minor burn on one hand. The grocer thought the children were telling tall tales, and I didn't correct him because I didn't want to cause any panic, but I was thinking Goblins. Then, Azeban told me you had someone come in and tell you of an overheard conversation with a goblin. I think we should probably investigate, don't you?
Brennus, having found an interesting volume, is now perched in front of it with the pages open. Every now and again he waves his head and the page turns.
He seems completely oblivious to the food and conversation in the room.
" The problem may not be so much the goblins, as what is driving them. The farmer mentioned some sort of flying creature talking to the goblin in his barn. You think it may be fey in nature?"
"Smaxx is right, the goblins haven't troubled the town in a long time, so something must have changed. And fey are... troublesome creatures, if they are indeed involved."
Busara finishes her slice of pie, licking the crumbs off her fingers. She glances longingly at the still-uneaten slices, but then shakes her head and resolutely returns to the matter at hand.
"I have to look into it. Protecting these people is my duty. Smaxx, I know that I can count on your help. And you are welcome to help, if you are so inclined." She gestures at the others in the room to include everyone in her offer of volunteering them to investigate the matter of poultry disappearances.
Oh, I'm definitely in. The only question is whether we are saving the stories you owe me until after the investigation, or telling them now.
She cuts another piece for Busara and places it on her plate.
Also, Busara, you can stay here for a few nights instead of heading back home if you want to... at least for the investigation. You too, Bethella, if you need a place... I don't know where you are staying, but there is plenty of room upstairs.
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"I a in as well," Bethella says. "Goblins are nasty little creatures, and their tricks fall more towards the crude and damaging than the creative and surprising. If they're stealing chickens we want to stop them before they start stealing children."
She takes two pieces of pie, and calls out to her familiar "Brennus! Pie!"
After a pause.
"Brennnnnnuuuussss!!!"
She stands up, goes over to Brennus, carefully takes the book away from him, and puts down some pie where the book had been. (She then takes a quick look at what he was reading....)
"Methinks she would not be so fond of Brennus Pie...I don't think he would be too excited about the idea either!"
Brennus, deep in the grip of his reading, barely even registers his name being called. He was just starting to think that maybe he should see what Bethella wanted when she rudely took his book away and replaced it with some pie. He looks longingly after the book for a moment, but knew that she wouldn't let him read until he'd eaten something, so he considers the small piece of pie again.
"What were you talking about?" he asks before pecking at the crust.
Hmmm... not bad...
He takes another bite... and then another. Before long he'd finished the whole slice, which, while small, was rather large for a raven, even one of his stature. He whistles contentedly and licks cherry stains off his beak, patting his stuffed belly with one wing.
"There you go!" Bethella says, perusing the book. She puts it back down in front of Brennus. "Make sure you don't walk on it if you still have bits of pie in your feet."
"I didn't step in the pie," Brennus replies, as haughtily as a still cherry-spotted raven can manage.
He looks longingly at the book, but decides to pay attention for just a *little* while to what the conversation was.
"Nice of you to join us Brennus! Well, the immediate conversation was about Brennus P...uhh...your opinion on how Alis' pie tastes. Other than that, we were voicing our concerns on the recent happenings involving goblins and what is driving them to act so mean lately. Some of us believe they are being pushed by something Fey in nature!"
She turns to Alis, "But speaking of your tasty pie-if Brennus agrees, I believe I owe you a story!"
He addresses all in present company, "Has anyone heard of the barbarian girl from the Kuir Drirfen tribe in Golstad Tundra...the one they call The Banshee of the North?"
Brennus bobs his head in acknowledgement of Smaxx's explanation, but as soon as it turns to a story he dives right back into his book.
I see that we aren't ready to make decisions yet, then. I guess we'll compromise with very *short* stories.
Tell us about the Banshee of the North, Smaxx.
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Azeban's head perks up as Smaxx begins speaking. He does so love stories.
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"Ladies and companions, I give you the first chronicle of The Executioner's Daughter: How the Banshee Found Her Voice."
Not having the manual tools his anthropomorphic counterparts do, Smaxx laps up some water from his bowl to wet his whistle.
"First a bit of background...
Many a bearded one has been wary of traveling to the edge of "civilized" areas of the northwesternmost part of the Golstad Tundra, for one very simple misunderstanding. As I have been told, "Kuir", yes, translates perfectly "to kill" in the older barbarian ways of speaking. But, as close as it is and sounds, "Drirfen" does not translate to "Dwarf." It was a name given to the orcs of the area. The warmer months were livable enough in the area. But when the "Drir"-the coldest stretch of the winter days-came, it was believed that a gateway to Cania, the frozen wasteland of the Eighth Hell, would open. With that, Mephistopheles, himself would release the Drirfens, or "Drir Fiends."
The orcs indir...idiz...endij..." Smaxx stammers a bit.
"Come on Smaxx, you can never remember how to say that word, no matter how many times you practice. Swallow your pride and just make it easy on yourself."
Smaxx gives his chest a couple of good, solid fist pounds, takes a couple more quick gulps of water, and clears his throat.
"The orcs that had been living there for many more years, to where it was more in their nature to be able to function in the harshest conditions, would make use of their advantage in that time to raid and attack. You see, Kuir Drirfen was made as an outpost to be the first line of defense of the barbarian people against orcish invaders, further into the wastes than tribes would normally settle.
At first, a hearty bunch of vet'rens were sent with the more unruly and, in cause, more expendable soldiers. Not really expected to do much more than die-maybe, best case scenario soften up and stall the seasonal attacks-the greater number of them did just that. However, as time went on, the barbarians seemed to adapt themselves rather quickly-most likely out of the need to more than anything. After awhile, when it was learned that they were surviving in greater numbers, women were sent. Once again, at first those seen as unfit-gone on unwed, whether due to fate or seen as unsuitable for many a reason. It was first guessed that these would die quickly and be replaced, but it soon seemed that the women adapted much more quickly than the men originally sent. Yes, I am sure a desent part of it was because of what was already made there, but, I believe, that what was happening was that, the barbarians were actually discovering the mettle of what they thought they understood as the weaker gender.
In no time at all, a full tribe was thriving, and holding their own. Named, again, Kuir Drirfen, not only for what their first use was for, but for what they did now...and what it seemed, a good part of time, what they did very well."
"Ha ha!" Bethella says. "Yes, don't let out our secret, but we all try to bamboozle our men into thinking that we are less capable than we are. It allows us to surprise them when the time is right...."
She glances over at Brennus and chuckles again. She was all about ancient lore and arcane secrets herself, but she also enjoyed good company. She'd never known a bookworm more focused on learning than her familiar!
A young woman bursts into the room. "Please, help me, they took my little brother!"
Brennus caws in surprise, shocked from his reading. "What? What?" he asks hoarsely, processing the words that shouted words. "Who took your brother where?"
Got to be the goblins. Let's go.
She pushes all the leftover foodstuffs into the icebox while the girl tells the rest of her story, and puts the book that Brennus was reading back on the shelf.
"Story time is over for now...duty calls!"
"Little green men came and grabbed my little brother. They dragged him off into the woods!"
Show us, quickly.
She takes the time to lock the door as they leave, but otherwise rushes to save the boy.
The girl takes you to a farm near the edge of the forest. She points into the forest, where you can see a pathway disappear into the darkness.
Alis stops to break out her Ioun torch, and then starts moving down the path.
Busara grabs her spear from behind the door, leaving her shopping behind as she follows the others at a fast jog. As they reach the forest edge, she signals the others to give her some space as she goes on one knee to examine the ground, looking for tracks.
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Brennus rides on Bethella's shoulder as they set out. He looks back and forth as the little group travels, wary for any signs of mischief. Or worse.
Busara easily follows the trail. The little green monsters don't seem to be trying to hide where they went.
Azeban stares at the path from atop Alis's shoulders, thinking for a moment before speaking aloud for the first time. "They are either supremely confident, or it is a trap. Please excuse me for a moment." He gives a short nod to the others before taking off from Alis's shoulders and flying up into the air, trying to get a better view of how far away the goblins are, and if there's anything suspicious lying in wait.