Pavel approaches the youth from just out of his peripheral vision, planting a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Let's step inside and have a friendly word between the five of us, eh?", he says in low, menacing Skald.
Intimidate:
Raith follows Pavel keeping the boy between them.
"Who? Who suh... sent you? Where are you sup'puh'posed to meet 'em?", Pavel says, jabbing the kid in the shoulder to emphasize the point.
"A note eh? Pavel, the kid's supposed to leave a note. What do you think of that? I say maybe we pick where the note says we are."
Pavel nods, jerking his chin toward the inn.
"Tell 'em we're stuh'stayin' here. What's this guy luh'look like? And let me remind you- I suh'see you again, we won't be nearly so nice."
Raith looks to the others, "What do you make of that?"
"Suh'Somethin' to do with us, wouldn't doubt. Best we get scuh'scarce as we can, I'd reckon..."
Pavel looks for a proper hiding place where he can eavesdrop on the conversation downstairs.
Stealth:
Perception:
As the gentleman steps within, he looks around calmly as if it's just another day at the office, an air of confidence about him. "Good day, sir." He nods to the owner. "I am here to inquire about several patrons that are currently staying here. I am unclear as to exactly how many but they have been mentioned as, 'strangers staying at the Wayward Shelter'. Would you happen to know of such a group?"
"Oh no, I'm not here looking for dishonest folk, my good man. The information I received was from a note that was possessed by a small Tien boy. And considering the... situation, I gathered it to be rather important. Maybe they knew the boy or possibly was related to him in some way. There was nothing on the note that implicated anyone of anything that I'm aware of." He stops and thinks about it for a moment. Coming up with nothing, "Are you sure there have been none as I described that have taken up residence within your Shelter?" He asks one more time just for good measure. "Just need to double check; it's all part of the process, you see. If you haven't, I shall not disturb you any longer." He nods, smiling.
"How odd. We either have a patron, or ... or honestly I have no idea." Sorin whispers to Raith as they listen to the conversation from the window above the inn's door.
"Interesting that he is describing a process..."
Raith says while keeping an eye on Vankor, "She's supposed to be at the hotel with the others." Raith goes to meet Vankor. "I'll bring him to us."
Bluff:
"Do you think something happened?" Sorin whispers back.
Pavel shrugs, clearly growing impatient.
"I'll just go duh'down there and send 'im off, suh'see what all this is about."
The burly Varisian descends the stairs to where the guardsman is questioning their host.
"Whuh'what's all this about, eh? Who ye wuh'workin' for, buddy? Luh'Longthews? Them bird-guys, the Whuh'What's-Their-Names?"
Noticing a pair of scoundrels out of the corner of his eye, "Excuse me, proprietor," he starts to move in their direction before being approached by a rugged looking fellow. As he concentrates hard in an attempt to understand the man, he just kinda stares at him awkwardly a moment and then smiles, gives him a pat on the shoulder and responds, "Probably, my good man." He nods as he continues toward the two men, his smile instantly reverting back to a more serious look, as if the business at hand has gotten more dire.
"Have I seen you two gentlemen before?" He peers at them both through narrowed eyes. "I fear you two may have to come with me down to the garrison and speak to my captain." He stares at them with a look of the utmost seriousness as if whatever crime they committed is unforgivable. After holding his pose for a moment, "Okay, don't tell the captain, but did you fellas think that was pretty intimidating? Should I have been a bit more firm in my approach; a tad more serious looking? You know, I'm thinking at some point in my life, I could go into acting. I mean, c'mon! Look at me! I'd be perfect for the stage!" He tells them, smiling. Noticing the odd looks, he sighs. "Okay, never mind. Seriously though, you fellas wouldn't happen to know anything about a boy of Tien descent. C'mon now, I actually did see you two the other day and both of you looked like you were uncomfortable about something... or something. Now I'm not here to take anybody in just for looking uncomfortable, but, it sure would be quite helpful if either of you fellas could tell me anything about a group of people that's supposedly staying here that might have anything to do with this poor boy."
"I'm not much for talking about my own business with strangers." Raith takes the measure of the man.
Raith waits for Pavel to close behind the stranger, "Maybe you should tell us about this Tien boy you're looking for. Might be you have something we would be interested to hear."
A confused look crosses the watchman's face before he mentally shrugs it off and responds. "Fair enough. But I'm not actually looking for a Tien boy. The Tien boy I found, and with him a message upon his person that mentioned, and I quote, 'strangers staying at the Wayward Shelter', end quote." His eyes then narrow slightly as he looks from one to the other. "There wouldn't happen to be any chance you two gentlemen would happen to be those, 'strangers', would you? I have to ask, you understand. Standard procedure and all that business, you know." He states, making it sound as if it's tedious for him.
"What did you do with the boy? You take his letter?"
Pavel turns red at Theoden's patronizing brush-off and follows him outside. As the discussion gets going between Raith and the (presumed) watchman, he looks furtively about on the street.
He clears his throat.
"Let's all fuh'four of us take this buh'back inside. Unless that's against yer stuh'standard procedure."
"I think that Pavel is bringing them back inside Garand." Sorin says, listening intently.
"Wuh'we'll let ye know. Vankor, luh'let's get upstairs."
"Izumi's been taken. Someone attacked he and Keldra. This guy here might be trying to set us up."
Pavel turns red at Theoden's patronizing brush-off and follows him outside. As the discussion gets going between Raith and the (presumed) watchman, he looks furtively about on the street.
He clears his throat.
"Let's all fuh'four of us take this buh'back inside. Unless that's against yer stuh'standard procedure."
As the burly man comes back, Theoden, who rarely if ever gets nervous, gets nervous as he has to concentrate hard in hopes of understanding him. Grinning widely, "A-ha! I got that! Sure, my good man, it's no problem."
The innkeep looks at Theoden: "Are these the ones you were looking for then? Should I bring some to drink and eat for you folks?"
"I hope so! That would sure be real handy. And no thanks on the food and drink. I'm good."
"Well." Sorin says as he turns to Garand, "I guess we should join them and see what this is all about." he says as he heads for the door and crosses the street to the Wayward Shelter.
"Pavel, Raith, figure out what this fellow is about yet?" Sorin asks eyeing the stranger.
Raith keeps a wary eye upon the stranger and responds to Sorin, "Someone that likes to talk a whole lot, but not say too much."
Pavel shakes his head.
"Duh'duh'doesn't matter! Gruh'grab yer gear, they guh'got Izumi and Kelda could be hurt! Wuh'wuh'wuh'we gotta get back to the wagons!"
He jerks his chin at Theoden.
"We cuh'caught the kid followin' us, wuh'we sent the note. Anyone what kuh'killed 'im probably kidnapped our fruh'friend. That enough?"
Raising an eyebrow, Theoden turns over what the burly man just said in his mind in an attempt to decipher it. Finally able to get the gist of it, "Ohhhhh, okay. I think I got it. You're a true challenge, my friend. That's good, though! I love a challenge," he smiles, winking. "Now, I'm just here to find out the connection this poor child had with you or anyone for that matter. Any idea why he was following you? And what was the purpose behind the note that was given him?"
In an attempt to put the men at ease, "If it makes you feel any better, all I'm trying to do is put two and two together so we can find out who it was that killed the poor boy. Whoever it was needs to pay for his crime. And I was hoping maybe you all might have any information on anyone who could possibly have a motive for killing a child. Any light you could possibly shed on the matter would be quite helpful."
|
"The boy is dead?" Garand says, having seen no signs of other onlookers and approached with Sorin.
He notes that Pavel is leaving, and while he may not have arrived in time to know of the attack on Izumi and Kelda, he will follow with all haste, continuing to peer around as they move for eyes tracking their movement.