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15th day of Rova
The flyer read: Once a season the people of Phaendar transforms its town into the greatest celebration of trade and community in Golarion! Come meet hundreds of other Nirmathi for music, food, and trade! Join us all for a week of fun and community, and stock up for the coming season. So here you are...
Phaendar’s Market Festival draws a crowd from all over Nirmathas, many solely to hear Aubrin the Green—the retired Chernasardo Ranger-turned-Caydenite cleric—recount bawdy tales of adventure from her youth. Outside, the celebration continues, as raucous shouts carry on the night air. Warmed by the firelight of the TapRoot inn after a long day, any levity comes as a welcome reward to the rough, earthy souls of this riverside trade town. “So there I am, thinking, when will I ever be able to talk to a bear again? So before the grizzly can stand back up, I turn to it and say, ‘All I need is the honey. You can keep the bees!’” The room erupts into laughter as Aubrin finishes her winding story and takes another draught from her tankard. “But it’s fine now. All’s good. She named a cub after me. Someday I’m going to have to check in on little Ow Oh Gods That’s Too Many Bees.”
The tiny halfling sat at a table toward the back, her cool mug of ale in front of her. She loved to sit back and look around the tavern during the festival, mostly doing people watching. People from all over the surrounding areas made the journey, and all the interesting stories they told and hear they brought with them always tickled her fancy.
Wren was lucky to have asked off for the Festival. It meant lesss silver in her pocket, for sure, but it gave her a chance to enjoy herself for a few days. Jett has groused like usual, but had assented to allowing her to take the days. She was captivated listening to Aubrin, a real life celebrity in the town. She’d had an embarrassing (to her) run in with him once in the past, when he had to heal a sprained ankle she suffered trying to get his attention. He had powerful healing magic and was a former Ranger, so she suspected he might be a Druid, just like her.
Marius never missed the market festival when he was in the area. Human lives were so short, but they lived vibrantly and loudly, even in something so simple as a festival to celebrate trade and success in business. It was a crackling, burning fire shining against the dark.
Marius sits at a table in the front, having taken a seat the moment he got into the tavern and ordered a few pints of ale. While certainly not sloshed (as it takes more than this to get a dwarf drunk), he was certainly enjoying the atmosphere and the buzz he was getting from the drink. He gets a plate of roast meats and potatoes and digs in, chuckling as Aubrin goes through her story.
She didn't embellish it much this year. he thinks to himself. But its just as amusing.
Razira pushes through the doors of the TapRoot Inn, her bulky six foot tall body and bald appearance startling and scaring the other patrons. She had grown accustomed to these reactions her entire life. She was not what you would call - pleasing to the eye. Yet, the chain dangling around her neck ordained with the multicolored songbird, an ode to Shelyn, Goddess of art, love, music, and beauty - was an irony that made her smile every day of her life. Why was such a foul creature, to use a phrase the humans said often, chosen to serve the Eternal Maiden? She reminded herself of the teachings at the Temple regarding exterior and inner beauty: ephemeral and eternal. Those were her mantras.
If her appearance caused any apprehension in the inn, her corded muscles, her chain mail armor, and the glaive in her hand made sure she would not be bothered today. She made her way to one of the rows of tables and sat, sliding the glaive underneath, always within reach. Then she ordered some water and the cheapest meal on the menu. She was down to her last gold piece and she mad to make it last. Working on the front lines of the war did not pay well, but saving lives mattered, however few those were. The conflict with Molthune had cost many people their lives. Razira hoped she would soon meet her aunt, perhaps in the next day or so, to ask her for a loan of funds. It had been frustrating walking through the market and not be able to afford the simplest of trinkets. Despite her lack of funds, Razira enjoyed the merriment inside the inn, the laughter of the patrons, the telling of stories, the joy...it was what she most missed as a healer during times of conflict. She needed to be reminded of this connection to life before she eventually returned to the fields of war, where only death and decay awaited her. She could still remember the smell of the corpses....
Still, that was for a later time. For now, she would enjoy herself. She could not control her laughter as Aubrin told the story of her encounter with the bear and the bees. She laughed alongside the other patrons, perhaps a bit too loudly. The other patrons stared but she did not mind. It had been a long time since she laughed. When Aubrin finished, she stood up and clapped with the rest. She then sat back down and closed her eyes, thanking her Goddess in prayer for re-energizing her faith and spirit. A smile came over her lips as she watched the others.
Wren smiles as she continues to look around the establishment. She saw a dwarf she might have seen at the Festival before, but she couldn’t be sure. Her eyes were drawn to the half orc, however. She hadn’t seen many female members of the race, to be honest. And this one definitely would create a lasting image. She couldn’t help but laugh at the comparison between the orc’s large pole arm and the tiny dagger that she herself wielded. She’s obviously not been blessed by the Lady of the Green, I’d wager.
She kept scanning the inn, feeling sorry for Jet and the other staff as the crowd was starting to grow even thicker. Just like a fine ficus tree, she thought.
General appearance, Marius Greathammer
Marius looks up from his plate of food as the half-orc enters into the room. The merriment in his eyes dwindles a little but he decides to gives her a chance to show her intentions.
He picks up his plate and tankard, walking over to her table and plunking the food and drink down. "Marius Greathammer." he says to the woman. "I haven't seen you around here."
"What's your name? You`re a priest of Shelyn... Thats good." Marius says, taking a bite of his food. "Here, let me buy you something more filling than that cheap plate."
Ein listens to Aubrin's tales with an embarrassed grin from the back of the Taproot, unknowingly sitting at a table next to the Halfling, Wren. He has heard all of the tales many times before, but they never failed to cause the heat to rise in his cheeks, a fact that Aubrin well knew. Teasing her ward seemed to have become something of an honoured pastime. The entrance of a female Half-Orc draws the attention of Ein's vivid green eyes. As a half-human himself he tends to feel empathy for others in a similar predicament. He knew that Half-Orcs had it far worse than the Half-Elves like himself. At least he had had a mother that loved him, once. Likely the child of an orc and a human hadn't. Working up the courage to approach the newcomer costs him her possible attention as he sees Marius Greathammer start up a conversation instead. He brushes his golden brown locks out of his eyes with long, graceful fingers and gives a small sigh, I probably would have offended her anyway. He sips from his tankard of too-warm mead and grimaces at the taste.
General appearance, Marius Greathammer
Marius looks up from his plate of food as the half-orc enters into the room. The merriment in his eyes dwindles a little but he decides to gives her a chance to show her intentions.
He picks up his plate and tankard, walking over to her table and plunking the food and drink down. "Marius Greathammer." he says to the woman. "I haven't seen you around here."
[dice=K:Religion]1d20+5
"What's your name? You`re a priest of Shelyn... Thats good." Marius says, taking a bite of his food. "Here, let me buy you something more filling than that cheap plate."
Razira eyes the dwarf who just interrupted her moment of reverie. He looks strong, hardy, and serious...what's up with the dwarves and their braided beards anyway? They take their facial hair so seriously! And he sure is forward. She stands to show the dwarf that she does not back down from anyone. "A bit rough, Marius, but you're pretty brave coming here. I'm Razira Moonglade, healer and warrior of the Eternal Maiden. Thank you for your offer, I am a bit low on funds at the moment. Please sit, so people do not stare at us." Directing her look at the serving girl, she motions with her finger that she will have another what the dwarf is eating. Razira tries to hide her saliva at seeing the dwarf's savory meal. As she sits and waits for her meal, she can't help but tease him. "So, Marius, you often make it a point to be so forward? You must be a hit with the ladies...I mean lady dwarves." She does not try to hide her smile.
Razira's response is exactly what he had hoped it would be. He gives a short, gruff smile and sits down not across from her, but not right next to her either. "Nothing brave about it." he says. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't here to cause trouble."
He shrugs, "But since you are here for the food and drink, then there's no reason to treat you poorly. I'm a forward person; I find that being direct gets to the point, and that's important in my duties. As for women-" he shrugs. "I am not interested in them."
Razira looks a little disappointed. "Ah...I see you judge others by their appearance, like all the rest. No, I'm not here to cause trouble so you can rest your worries aside, protector of the meek. So no ladies, huh? You took a vow or something? You must be repenting something to do something so drastic. And what duties are you referring to?"
Wren wrinkles her nose, watching the dwarf and orc interacting with each other. She calls out to the half elf beside her. ”You ever see anything like that? I bet those two are drunk out of their mind. Never seen their types being all buddy buddy before. It has to be the alcohol...nature works in strange ways, I always say,” she giggles.
For a moment Ein doesn't realize the Halfling is speaking to him. He offers her a small smile as it finally dawns on him. He contemplates her words as though they were more than just a simple joke to a stranger in a tavern. "Marius can be... zealous. I hope he isn't scaring her away. She doesn't seem dangerous to me. If the alcohol somehow makes friends out of them then I say, thank you!"
Razira looks a little disappointed. "Ah...I see you judge others by their appearance, like all the rest. No, I'm not here to cause trouble so you can rest your worries aside, protector of the meek. So no ladies, huh? You took a vow or something? You must be repenting something to do something so drastic. And what duties are you referring to?"
Marius scowls at her over his plate.
"Your appearance only had as much to do with it as your gear, Razira. Your looks didn't matter, but when any stranger walks into town wearing and carrying as much steel as you are, it beggars caution." he takes a drink and surveys the crowd and chuckles. "You're not being singled out."
He finished his mug and sets it aside. "I am a protector of the meek, as you say." he replies, lifting the holy symbol of Torag and showing it to her. "It is my duty as a paladin of my lord Torag."
He takes a bite of potatoes and shakes his head. "And... no vow, just not something I think much about." he answers.
Razira chuckles at Marius' scowl. "Really...wearing as much steel?! I am wearing armor and wield one weapon? You have as much as I and wield a shield to boot. I don't see anyone stopping and checking you out in the interest of caution."
Razira takes a swig of her ale and a big bite of her food, if they have been served. "Oh, don't worry about me. I'm just busting your balls, Marius. I'm used to it. Bald half-orc woman with a weapon...it just screams: Run and hide the children!" Razira laughs boisterously. "A paladin? The ultimate devotion, I must say. I don't know much about Torag, other than he's one of the good guys, so that makes you ok in my book. Except that part about not thinking about women...that's just weird." Razira seems to be enjoying herself poking and prodding the dwarf.
Razira chuckles at Marius' scowl. "Really...wearing as much steel?! I am wearing armor and wield one weapon? You have as much as I and wield a shield to boot. I don't see anyone stopping and checking you out in the interest of caution."
"I was the first time I came here." he replies simply. "Checked out. But that was about a decade ago. I'm familiar now." he shrugs. "But if you want to make an argument out of your situation I can ask the watch to toss you in their jail for the night if that's what you seem to be expecting to happen. Might save you the cost of a room."
"And my sexual preferences aren't anyone's business but mine." he adds.
Looking away from her he gestures to get the attention of the serving person. He hands them a few coins. "Give her as much food and drink as she can eat." he says.
Wren stands up. ”I can’t hear what they are talking about. They seem like they might be the most interesting folk in this place. Let’s go eavesdrop, unless you’d rather sit over here by yourself,” she tells the half elf. ”And I’m Wren, by the way.”
Wren moves to a much closer seat to the orc and dwarf’s table and sits back down.
Ein agrees readily enough, to eavesdrop feels a bit... creepy, but perhaps I will get a chance to talk to the Half-Orc this way. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Ein." He follows Wren to the closer table.
Razira chuckles at Marius' scowl. "Really...wearing as much steel?! I am wearing armor and wield one weapon? You have as much as I and wield a shield to boot. I don't see anyone stopping and checking you out in the interest of caution."
"I was the first time I came here." he replies simply. "Checked out. But that was about a decade ago. I'm familiar now." he shrugs. "But if you want to make an argument out of your situation I can ask the watch to toss you in their jail for the night if that's what you seem to be expecting to happen. Might save you the cost of a room."
"Bah, they wouldn't lock me up. I'm a local. Besides, my aunt is one of the rangers of Chernasardo, so she'd get me out of jail quickly. Not that I would do anything that would land me in jail, ya know. I am a follower of Shelyn, I am all about beauty, love, and art." Razira exaggeratedly holds her hand to her heart. She then smiles and digs into her food, "By the way, bless your generosity, Marius. I always pay my debts."
The food and drink has been served, per Marius' orders, and everyone in the inn appears to be enjoying themselves telling jokes and stories and engaging in drinking contests. Aubrin has been near the entrance of the inn for the last 15 minutes, unable to leave, as revelers in the inn detain her to speak to her or thank her for the great stories she told. The place is packed, but Wren and Ein find a place close to Razira and Marius, who are given a wide berth for obvious reasons.
"Bah, they wouldn't lock me up. I'm a local. Besides, my aunt is one of the rangers of Chernasardo, so she'd get me out of jail quickly. Not that I would do anything that would land me in jail, ya know. I am a follower of Shelyn, I am all about beauty, love, and art." Razira exaggeratedly holds her hand to her heart. She then smiles and digs into her food, "By the way, bless your generosity, Marius. I always pay my debts."Razira chuckles at Marius' scowl. "Really...wearing as much steel?! I am wearing armor and wield one weapon? You have as much as I and wield a shield to boot. I don't see anyone stopping and checking you out in the interest of caution."
"I was the first time I came here." he replies simply. "Checked out. But that was about a decade ago. I'm familiar now." he shrugs. "But if you want to make an argument out of your situation I can ask the watch to toss you in their jail for the night if that's what you seem to be expecting to happen. Might save you the cost of a room."
"No need for thanks." Marius says, finishing another plate of food. "I found it is small, everyday deeds that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness... and love." he says, tipping his head towards the halfling and half elf. "It's the closest anyone here will get to a grand crusade for good and light, but even so, it's a battle won in small kindnesses and charity. I try to provide an example, nothing more."
He looks Razira in the eyes, holding her gaze for several seconds. "I think someone of your faith should understand that more than most." he says at last, finishing off his mug.
Looking down at it, he sighs. "Should have asked her to keep mine coming too." he grumbles.
As you look around the inn, a massive fireplace and the horns of two dozen elk make up most of the bar’s decor. The serving girls enter and leave the kitchen, carrying trays of food and ale for the patrons. You see stairs near the entrance leading up to the rooms on the second floor. It is quite a homey place owned by Jet, recent transplant to Phaendar of mixed Shoanti and Varisian descent with twin black braids, black eyes, and an iconic teal scarf worn around her waist. Oddly, you have not seen much of her today, as she tends to stay busy supervising the staff in the kitchen during business hours.
"Well, you're a fine example, Marius, of kindness. I can vouch for that after tonight. I hope we can continue to enjoy this peace and mirth for a long while, before the war and violence on the borders rushes back in and ruins it, as it eventually does in the end." Razira tips her mug at the dwarf, as she finishes the delicious meal.
Wren knew to just leave Jet alone while the place was slammed. They were close, but Jet got quite intense and work, and there was no need to aggravate her. Wren could refill her own mug when it came time, that was for sure.
The halfling was a little disappointed as she finally got close enough to hear what was happening at the next table, and their animated discussion had reverted to basically a whisper. Maybe today is going to just be boring, after all, she thought.
Almost on cue, after Wren's last thought, the front door to the inn explodes into splinters of wood, which which shoot out and hit the crowd of bystanders near the entrance! Cries of agony followed by silence pierce the chaos, as several patrons lay dead on the floor, shards of wood embedded in their necks and faces. Aubrin lies on the floor, gasping and clutching at the blood gushing from a wound in her chest! A ballista bolt still quivers in the wall behind her, the source of the exploding door. Two muscular gray-skinned creatures (hobgoblins) in military dress stand beyond the shattered door, blades drawn. Behind them, lit by the glow of burning homes, dozens—perhaps hundreds—of hobgoblin soldiers march the street. Phaendar burns, shouts of celebration now replaced by the panicked screams of the frightened and dying! Behind them, above the flames and humble rooftops, rises a tower of black stone.
Round 1:
The hobgoblins, garbed in studded leather armor, wield longswords and shields. They wade into the inn, stepping over the dead bodies of the patrons and the wounded Aubrin, and upon seeing Marius, quickly make their way to the dwarf! They swing their weapons at him, but he is well shielded by his armor and shield, and though he feels the force of the blows, Marius remains unharmed!
The remaining patrons in the inn scream and scramble for safety, some rushing into the kitchen and others up the stairs!
Wren casts 'Nature's Trance' Daze at the closest hobgoblin as she takes an assessment of the situation. "Help the dwarf," she cries out. She ducks behind a table after trying to use her green magic on the hobgoblin.
The hobgoblins take a militaristic pose, shields in front, expecting the dwarf's counterattack. One of them clearly does not expect the floating leaves to appear in mid-air, fascinating him and disrupting his desire to attack.
When the ballista bolt shatters the door (and coincidentally, his good mood) Marius bolts to his feet and hefts his shield, expecting more to come. To his advantage, the hobgoblins come to him.
"Hobgoblins! How dare you attack this place!" he bellows, swinging at one of the hobgoblins. "Somebody aid Aubrin!"
Razira is caught off guard by the exploding door and looks in horror at the patrons lying dead on the floor. Sure, she had seen scenes worse than this on the battlefield, but those were soldiers...these were mere villagers, who one second were laughing and now were dead. The anger inside her builds, as she grabs her glaive and strikes at the hobgoblin to the north from the other side of the table! But the effects of the alcohol were apparent, as she clearly mistimed her pathetic strike!
Ein is on his feet before he realizes it. His chair clatters to the floor behind him as the Hobgoblins burst in and begin their attack, wounding his surrogate mother, not again! Evil cannot take another home from me! He narrows his eyes at the left Hobgoblin which stands over Aubrin, watching its movements. This one is mine.
"Clear me a path and I will heal her!"
"Grakk, looks like there are hearty warriors in here...time to eat their hearts...Grakk....Grakk....what the hell you doing?" The southern hobgoblin looks perplexed at Grakk's indecision but he decides to continue the battle. He steadies his sword and swoops in for another attack on Marius, but the paladin easily sidesteps it!
Wren casts 'Nature's Trance' Daze at the other hobgoblin, giving the rest of the crew in the inn a chance to overcome the two. She continues to use the table for as much cover as she could. "Green Mother, please save us!"
Grakk finally recovers, as the pretty floating leaves in his mind disappear and he shakes his head in frustration. Unfortunately, Horg now sees them!
"Ah, Grakk, is it? You're back. Let me welcome you back, murderer!" Razira thrusts her glaive into the northern hobgoblin!
Razira's weapon pierces through the hobgoblin's studded leather like butter, breaking skin, bone, and nearly killing the sturdy hobgoblin in one blow! Grakk screams in pain and hold his stomach in one hand to both stem the bleeding and prevent his intestines from falling on the floor! He is gravely wounded...
Ein, seeing that Horg is distracted by some magical working by Wren, rushes forward to Aubrin's side. He presses a hand to her wound and whispers a word of healing.
Marius chops at yellow, shouting his anger at their assault.
Marius' weapon is deflected by the hobgoblin's shield. Ein cures some of Aubrin's damage. She pleas with Ein, "Help the others.."
Round 2:
One the hobgoblins is still dazed.
The other one, afraid to run for its life, attacks Marius back, but its blow is pathetic!
Marius tucks in and brings his axe in hard, powering through his opponent's shield with his own and driving his dwarven battleaxe at the hobgoblin (yellow).
"If you're wounded get behind me!" Marius shouts, turning his attention to the next foe (if the other one has fallen).
As it appeared the others had the lone remaining hobgoblin well in hand, Wren looks out the window and takes an appraisal of the situation. As she see the militant race
Storming all over the town, she realized this wasn’t isolated to the inn. They were all over the town and she would have to fight her way out.
She casts The Green’s Absorbing Foilage Mage Armor on herself, gearing up for the fight. ”Finish that one quickly! They are everywhere!”
Ein nods to Aubrin, hopefully the danger has passed and I can leave her for the moment. He turns and sees Marius take down the closer of the two Hobgoblins. Ein advances on the other Hobgoblin and makes a quick and silent swipe with his curved blade. Unfortunately the attack fails to find purchase.
Razira thrusts her glaive at the hobgoblin not cut in pieces by Marius' axe and misses poorly!
The fresh hobgoblin smiles at Wren's comment, "Yeah, we're everywhere any my friends will soon come in and kill you all as well!"
Round 3:
Emboldened by the number of comrades he has close by, the fresh hobgoblin strikes at Marius but his overconfidence betrays his poor swing!
"Damn, you're right, halfling woman."
Razira nods at Wren, whom she just met, and strikes again, hoping for more favor this time.
Wren uses her mental energy, against using a gift from The Green Lady, as she finds an empty beer stein and flings it at the remaining invader.
Ranged Attack into melee
Damage