Karen will also enter the tavern.
Anastasia follows. "I need to find out what happened in Magnimar anyway, and Absalom is as good a place as any to find out."
As you exit the stables, you see a small public square, with a fountain in the form of what is clearly a noble-looking adventurer. A young man and woman are washing the statue, though they're also keeping a close eye on passerby.
Rounding the corner, you see the entrance, a wide porch adorned with several wooden chairs. A swinging sign bears a crude painting of a foaming mug with a halo above it. You see a smiling Tian man, with dark hair pulled back into a ponytail, leaning against the open double doors.
He greets you warmly "Welcome to the Blessed Cup my friends! Come on in for a warm meal and drink or two!" He says pleasantly.
Anastasia opens her mouth to speak, but her stomach suddenly growls with the force of someone who hasn't actually consumed food in just shy of a century. "Uh... yes. Food sounds good."
"Greetings," Lian meets with a smile, "We graciously accept your food and drink! Are you Penchi, if I may inquire?"
Mugmuff grins at the man, his smile looking a bit threatening, with his full mouth of sharp teeth, but that's the nature of goblins... it is a smile nonetheless... "Me thirsty.. no... me MUGMUFF! yes!" He waits a moment for an answer to Lian's question, to find out if this man is Penchi or not.
Penshi smile widen when Lian asks his identity "Indeed I am!! I take it my wayward stable hand informed you of my name? No matter, I would have told you straightaway regardless!" His gaze sweeps over each of you, though it lingers just a bit on Loc. The necromancer feels his soul laid bare, as if under Penshi's eye, no secrets could be kept. However, he nods in satisfaction, clearly happy with what he found.
Mugmuff circles Penshi, taking his time.. Hmmm... boy lie. No golden stick He makes his way back around to the front, then heads to the door since they were invited. He pokes his head in and looks around. Longshanks aren't always welcoming to goblins.
"Thank you for your hospitality." says Karen, as she follows the man into the taproom.
Matsuoka bows deeply to Penchi and follows the others inside. Perhaps they'll have some answers soon.
Mugmuff heads in as well, emboldened by the others entering, though he tries to keep a low profile, staying behind Matsuoka.
"He did indeed," Lian replies to Penshi.
"And since I have you at a disadvantage, I am Lian Brook, this is, Karen, Mugmuff Darktalon, Matsuoka Ken'ichi, Loc, and Anastasia, a Knight of Sarenrae," she introduces the group.
"I am pleased to have your hospitality, I must admit to being a bit of a loss to our situation and how we arrived here."
The Blessed Cup's taproom is an extensive, comfortable room crowded with tables and chairs, with a large fireplace providing a pleasant warmth. Windows with cloudy glass provide a bright, natural light and the overall room is quite tidy.
There's six other patrons scattered throughout the common room, and a lovely barmaid, whom Penshi introduces as Almina, is presently serving them.
"Feel free to take a seat anywhere, Almina will be with you shortly to take your order."
He'll pull up a chair near whatever table you choose "Now, what seems to be your trouble?" He asks gently.
Anastasia takes the seat with the best view of the door. "Well, we've been brought back from the dead. Which, you know, all things considered isn't the worst thing in the world and it's nothing too unusual for the adventuring sort but considering where I was and what I was before my untimely demise I'd like to know who brought us back, what's happening in Magnimar right now, and do you serve potstickers? The last one's not that important, I just haven't had potstickers in nearly a century."
Lian clears her throat, "Brought back from the dead and some of us, myself especially, altered some from our previous states. Also I don't believe any of us were in this city before our temporary demises."
"Me not near city when me got hit in head." Mugmuff shrugs. "Don't remember everything, but no city near."
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"I would also like a bit of information on the state of Ustalav and how the Tyrant has changed it. Also I think I am now homeless. Odds are mother and father are still at the estate but it may have been over taken by the Whispering Way's forces. In the mean time if you could direct us to a place we could get a roof over our head I would appreciate that as well."
Mugmuff looks up at the ceiling of the taphouse and frowns. "No roof here?"
"It's a human figure of speech," Lian says to Mugmuff. "Pay it no mind."
Penshi listens to you all, and flashes a grin to Mug "That saying always confused me a bit too. You may all stay here until you get your bearings, and are back on your feet. Don't worry about paying me, as long as you don't cause any trouble, and assist around the tavern as needed, you can stay as long as you like."
Almina comes over then. "Afternoon my friends, and welcome to the Blessed Cup! Can I get you anything to drink?" She says with a warm smile.
"She gotz pretty markings." Mugmuff says as an aside to his new companions, though he makes no effort not to be overheard.
A woman sits at a corner table giving her a view of the street and the inn. She idly flips harrow cards over on the table as she observes the party.
The woman is the first to catch your eye after the host and the staff. The rest of the patrons barely react to your entrance. Some look up, but none spare you more than a passing glance. Not even for the goblin.
Mugmuff recalls his last experience with a Harrower and smiles toothily. He walks over to the woman... "Hi! Me Mugmuff. You do readingz? Me wants one." He climbs up onto a chair and plops himself down.
Lian asks one last question of Penshi, "Being the proprietor, you'd know a good way to get caught up on current events, wouldn't you?"
Karen orders whatever the special of the day is and then gets up and walks around, not really approaching anyone but looking around at everything.
Having travelled with Karen before, you know that she was raised in a tavern and so hates having people work around her while she is served. Another member of our group suggested this over trying to force her help on a tavernkeeper.
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"Oh Karen you need to learn to leave all the grunt work to the zombies. Just need to put your feet up and relax. After all if we do go back to finish what we started I think we will be on a short supply of rest." He would get up now to whisper something in her ear. "While your up can you ask where the local graveyard is? I'm a little short on materials and I think I should help the community be recycling a bit."
Loc immediately gets several hard looks. There is one man in the corner in particular who is focusing a glare on him that could put any of your zombies back in the grave of their own accord. The serving girl slides up and whispers, Best not talk about that. Sensitive subject.
Peshi nods to Lian. He keeps the angry man in check with a glance. Indeed. But recounting current events can be salt to some very fresh wounds. Meet me this evening. I'll bring you all up to speed then. For now go ahead and relax.
The last words carry the power of a spell. The man in the corner, who was slowly rising from his seat, blinks. He drops back into his seat looking grumpy, but not outright murderous.
Mugmuff recalls his last experience with a Harrower and smiles toothily. He walks over to the woman... "Hi! Me Mugmuff. You do readingz? Me wants one." He climbs up onto a chair and plops himself down.
Lian nods at Pershi, "This evening then."
Patience, young one. The lady gathers the cards and begins a shuffle, sit, five silver for a reading.
She waits for Lain to sit and pay.
Mugmuff will pull out 5sp and slide them over to her with an eager grin. "Me wants to know ... ev'rthing!"
Anastasia, too, gives Loc a dirty look. "Kindly don't discuss the enslavement of corpses around me. It offends me on a number of different levels."
Lian keeps a close ear on the Loc conversation but does not, as yet, step in. It's easier to mediate later if one is a neutral party now...
For the meanwhile, she orders herself a drink and a meal to test whether her change in form comes with a change in pallet!
"Loc, you know I can't relax while other people are working normally. Now it's exacerbated by the fact that I have no idea what has happened or why I'm here, plus the fact that I'm pretty sure I met Irori."
Karen stops moving and sits back down before quietly saying "I'm not even sure I could find my center now if I wanted to. It's too much to take in."
Matsuoka sits by, somewhat hopeless and confused. He sticks with the party as best he can--while he was glad to meet another Tien, the man seems busy, and chat will have to wait for later. So for now, the samurai waits, his eyes watchful as he looks around the room at all the strange faces.
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Loc will look around the room before mumbling to himself. "I have to start using my indoor voice."
Sitting back down with her he would pull out a deck of cards. "Then lets take our minds off things with a little game. At least you met Irori. I don't quite remember who was present while my soul waited but I remember two being arguing. Oh, and a feeling of dread and horror no matter who got my soul. One of the reason's I plan on avoiding death this time."
He will begin to pass out cards to any of the group willing to play as he speaks.
"Anastasia you can't enslave a object. Now if I stuck a soul back in it and took it over then yes, you would be correct. For it's more stealing. But I digress, I will refrain from pilfering for the time being. In the mean time as I said, drinks are on me. Would you by chance enjoy some red wine?"
The lady in red starts to deal out the cards face down on the table between her and the goblin. With each card laid down the air seems to grow heavy, thick. Like a thick fog that has closed in on you in the early hours dampening everything around. Loc's cards seem to rest heavily on his table across the room. Lian finds that the bite of food in his mouth seems, bland, weighty, like he couldn't get another bite down though it is only his third.
It feels like a low thrumming is beating against the chest of everyone in the inn as more cards are laid out. You expect that the glasses on the tables should be rattling but they seem just fine.
The last card is laid down with a final inaudible thump. The five silver coins bounce and fall, all five landing to show tails.
A bead of sweat trickles down from the lady's forehead as she looks at the face down cards before her. She looks the goblin in the eye. Are you sure? Once I turn over a card, it begins. you can still take your money back. It isn't too late.
Almina smiles at Mug complimenting her tattoos, then takes every one's orders. She comes back right as Chelsy beings her Harrowing, and seems to stumble slightly under the weight of her tray, but recovers so quickly you aren't sure you even saw the stutter step.
The grizzled, older patron, who looked like he was going to murder Loc, slumps further in his chair, and soon falls asleep. It would appear that power of the Penshi's spell earlier, and whatever magic was being worked by the Harrower was enough to knock him out.
Right before Mugmuff answer's Chelsy, there is an ominous, loud crack of lightning. The flames in the fire, as well as those dancing on the candles, flicker briefly. Penshi, who seems to be the only one unaffected by the heavy arcane aura permeating the room, goes over and pulls the doors of the inn shut. "Third bad storm this week." He says to the room.
Lian leans over in the direction of the harrow reading and eggs on the goblin, "Do it! I want to know your future too!"
Mugmuff looks a bit uncomfortable for a moment... This be very diffrunt from last card lady..
He swallows hard, and grinz at the Harrower. All-seeum lady, isn't future always in motion?" he asks curiously. He looks worriedly from the reader to the cards and back again. Reading people was never his forte but she seemed to be saying her reading would lock in his future somehow... he was a little confused. "Yes!" he finally says.. "Me Ready." He stands up on the chair and leans forward over the table to see better.
The table in front of Mugmuff has three arrays of cards in various orders, some sideways, some on top of each other, all face down.
Select a reading, the cards have given you a choice. Just point, don't touch.
Mugmuff frowns in deep thought... it's not his forte... and finally makes his choice... he nibbles a fingernail, then, in true goblin fashion, he chooses randomly... and picks . He points to it with determination, his hand not trembling... once his choice is made, he seems quite sure of it.
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Mugmuff moves his hand towards the middle array of six cards. As his hand clears the tables edge the other two piles flash into ash and an unfelt breeze swirls the ashes into the air where they seem to hover over the table.
The harrower closes her eyes and mumbles quietly to herself for a moment. Her hand reaches forward and flips the first card over.
The Survivor, inverted thuds to the table with a rumble.
him? or another? She opens her eyes and stares at Mugmuff, the fabric of your life has a great loss woven into it. Whether the past or the future, I can not see. You are frayed, either from its aftermath or its coming.
Staring into Mugmuff's eyes her fingers lift and flop over the next card that shows a vacant throne. With her eyes locked on Mugmuff's the harrower declares, this represents the lesson you were given. Did you heed it?
As her hand moves to the next card, it flips itself, landing crossed next to the Empty Throne. This time her vision shifts to stare at the Idiot. You will be driven by your desires. Do not let them rule you.
As she stops speaking the fourth card rises on the corners and crawls across the table to flop down below the Empty Throne both crossed and inverted. It rolls over onto its back to an image of an owl, one wing spread wide, the other curled in. Its eyes seem to track your every move. A blood tear rolls down the harrower's cheek as she sees the card. You are fated to live by destruction, or to die for life unseen.
The harrower pauses staring at the last two cards. Teh air grows heavy with pressure as her hand, now trembling, reaches for the fifth card when the dust that had been circling the table spirals down into a small tornado and flips the card over displaying the Cyclone. With bloody tears now falling to the table, the harrower managers to whisper, it can not be stopped. We are doomed.
No longer looking like a woman in her 30's the prime of her life, the harrower seems to have aged a generation as her age-spotted hand shakes with tremors as she reaches for the last card. She lifts the card to her face to as if to see it with dim eyes. She sighs and seems to sink into herself as she whispers Your destiny is done. Fate has no hold on you. Her lifeless fingers release the card. The Juggler is seen as the card swirls towards the table.
Just as one edge of the card touches the table, all of the cards blacken, curl, and are whisked up by the tornado that grows to reach the ceiling, but is felt only by Mugmuff. Teh tornado blows apart and the room returns to normal.
except for the corpse of an old woman curled into the chair in front of Mugmuff.