"Well Wesh, I suppose there is some local cult that thinks it has discovered a prophecy that will come true. It's most unlikely, but it could be dangerous if the general populous believes it to be true. Really dangerous. Perhaps we should ask the good Captain what information they did find out from this man. It may help us in our dealings with these brigands." Mathieu glances around the fort. "Did anyone see where the Captain went?"
"He just headed back into the barracks. He sounded busy. Well, I have some more scribbling to do. Maybe we can just catch him at dinner or talk to the soldiers. You might ask for Cord, he seemed a helpful chap."
"Until then one of you might figure out where we can sell this lot of gear. I hate to leave it out in the open here. Hey Walter, why don't you see if you can track down the armory and see if they'll buy this junk from the bandits."
"Oh, and since we're talking loot, here's a priest's scroll for you Mathieu. It reveals the unseen. You might find it useful someday."
Quillin hands him the scroll of Invisibility Purge and then heads back to the Mess to finish up his spellbook.
Walter comes out and says [b]"We could probably sell this loot in gralton but we have to escort emet there still. Walter then looks at the sky and then goes to find the armory."
"Aye, forgot about Emet. It sounds like we're furloughed in Gralton anyway. Can't say I'm all that interested in the politics there, but if we can't sell this gear here we should be able to dump it there and resupply."
Quillin spends the afternoon adding the scrolls to his spell book.
Yergie spends some time gathering leads to help with the various missions that the group may undertake. Hopefully she'll turn up some rumors or information that could give the company an edge.
She is also in the market for a halberd.
"Not sure what you're gonna find out at an outpost Yergie, but I'll help you look for information." Mathieu follows along with Yergie and tries to add a question or two to what she has already asked, hoping to gather a little more information.
Rumors:
The secret societies have started killing one another; they must be hiding the bodies too, because some prominent rich citizens have vanished.
Lord General Tarne is very close to launching an attack on Galt, could be any week.
Avoid the Dancing Lamb in Shaver, there was a rat floating in the beer last month.
If you need some guidance, see Lady Evengold in Gralton City, she reads palms…and she is my aunt.
Tarnhold is a soldier’s bar in the City. Avoid it unless you want to get knifed.
Aljabar isn’t from any foreign place, he is from Northhall. If he didn’t make the best weapons in the City, he would get laughed at all the time. He even works with wizards every so often to magic up weapons.
Northhall is mainly a lumber town. They do bring a lot of grain from the surrounding area and store it there before shipping it down to the city for sale though.
I heard that there were dragons seen coming out of the forests near Heibarr…as if Heibarr wasn’t bad enough as is, what with all the spirits and death curse.
There are 5 rangers that work for the Governor. The only one I know and have met is Lieonar, he has stopped by the fort before to talk to the Festung-Captain.
The armorer would love to take the weapons off your hands...if you donate them. He doesn't have any money available to purchase anything right now, he just purchased a large stock of sword blanks that he needs the smiths to start putting edges on.
The Black Gardens are a good place to visit if you are looking for local sights. The vegetables that Baraclor, the druid who owns the Gardens, sells are the best in the city.
It is late afternoon and most of the inhabitants of the fort are in the exercise yard at drill: practicing small formation squadwork, throwing spears and shooting bows.
Vastalos and Dantellion have just completed a set of their own exercises off to the side. You cannot say who would be the victor if they ever met on the field of battle. Vastalos fought with a serpent's grace, his spear an extension of his body. He had moved with speed and violence that only centuries of battle could instill. Dantellion fought with sword, shield, and an unmatchable vigor. He took chances as he fought that were shockingly cavalier and he nearly lost an eye in the process. Somehow he emerged unscathed from the confrontation.
The two leaders had just finished when a familiar wagon squeaked its way into the fort. A few bound bales of wool stick up over the sideboards. The rest of the wagon bed is mostly empty, the tubers have all vanished. Emet, looking worn, sits on the wagon bench. He sees Seamus and Walter sitting by the pile of loot and gives a wry grin.
"You didn't think I was going to abandon you now did you? You can rest assured, that when I make a deal, I stick to it. Now, how about we get you loaded up and head to Shaver for the night? The Four Orcs Lodge has a mighty fine rye that they just opened and we wouldn't want it to sit there all lonely like..."
Quillin finishes his writing and considers more mundane interests as his stomache growls. He stretches, stows all in his travel chect, and prestos the ink off his fingers. He gives Smudge a stern look as he sees that the bored bird has been gnawing on the end of a scroll tube.
Upon hearing the creak of the wagon, he hauls his chest outside to the stash and nods to Emet. "How far is it to Shaver? I'm feeling a bit peckish already. Maybe the cook will give me a little bread for the journey."
Noticing Vastalos and Dantellion nearby he ambles over to say his good-byes. "Well, it appears our conveyance has arrived. We are on our way to Gralton. So should we check back here before we make our way to the frontier or do we have contacts in Gralton?"
Dantellion, a sweaty mess, grins at your question. "That is a deeply loaded question. How are you going to answer this one, Captain?" Vastalos frowns at Dantellion's apparent jocularity. Dantellion sees the look on Vastalos' face and continues. "Fine. The Lord General has much on his mind these days...well most days actually, and would be...upset if you bothered him with any reports...or your presence. The Governor or the Council may be a good place to contact if there are issues close to the city, but will be ineffectual for any matters outside of the city, and nearly all inside as well. Your best bet is to report here, either in person or by correspondence. If you wish to drop off any recovered monies, the best place to accomplish that is the Council Treasury or here. I of course will always be happy to part you from your gains."
"Enough Dantellion." Vastalos turns to Quillin, "A word of advice: avoid politics. You will live longer and fuller lives. Good luck Quillin. I hope that you are successful."
Walter smiles at the mention of rye and then starts helping quillin load all of the loot. Loading the armor first.
As the others load the wagon, Quillin sneaks into the kitchen to 'borrow' another loaf of bread and maybe a little butter before the group heads out.
Stealth
Stolen bread assuredly tastes the best, Quillin thinks to himself as he munches on the loaf. Smudge peers with great interest at the crumbly wheat bread, his head darting out every so often to snatch a morsel from Quillin’s butter smeared fingers.
Walter and Seamus doze quietly on the wool bales, lulled to sleep by the movement of the wagon. Yergenflorn has taken a seat next to Emet, keeping a careful watch. Mathieu and Quillin are sitting in the very rear of the wagon, Quillin with his boots propped up on the chest, Mathieu sits cross-legged, his eyes closed in prayer.
The fields and pastures around Shaver get closer together as the wagon squeaks along the dusty road from Westfort in the slowly failing afternoon sun. It is obvious that this is a prosperous area. The fences are mended, the stone walls are complete and moss free, sheep contentedly graze in paddocks, every so often baaing at one another. The closer you get to the town, the more paddocks that you see, filled with sheep ready for shearing and slaughter.
The village itself meets the expectations raised by the countryside. The dirt roads are clean, orderly and wide enough to drive two wagons abreast, or a herd of sheep. Buildings are wooden, single storied, plastered and painted in various shades of blue and yellow. The commons, near the center of town, though not large, have a fuzz of green grass, making the space cheerful and inviting. Along the periphery of the commons there is an obvious general store, a small market area that is in the process of closing for the evening, and two drinking establishments: the Dancing Lamb (A painted lamb on its hind legs holding a harp) and The Four Orcs (Four carved orc faces over the lintel).
The shadows have stretched across the street and out onto the grass of the commons as Emet brings the wagon to a halt. The sun should go down soon.
Qullin sighs, "This doesn't look like much of an improvement over the fort. I wonder if the taverns have rooms for the night. Any recommendations, Emet? The dancing lamb at least sounds more pleasant."
I prefer my lamb roasted and served with a mug of ale, but a proper place to sleep would be at the top of my list.
Walter asks Qullin with a striaght face " So gnomes like rats in their beer?" then breaks out laughing and says "you forgot about that rumor from yesterday. I say four orcs because they just got some rye."
Quillin grimaces, "No, I didn't hear that one. What do you say to a drunken rat appetizer, Smudge? I've often found that businesses tend to be the opposite of what their name claims. So a drunken rat might be the opposite of a dancing lamb and four orcs might be what? a couple elves? In that case maybe we go with the elves. Hmmm, come to think of it, I might have a spell to create a rat in a beer. That might save us a little money actually." Quillin grins as he plots.
"Drunken Rat!" Smudge emphasizes.
Emet hops off the bench seat of the carriage and shoos the lot of you out of the bed of the carriage. He stands there looking at the pile of equipment that you have for a moment, then proceeds to build a pile of wool bales around your loot, camouflaging it. He breaks out a tarp and throws it over the stacks of wool, then secures the tarp to the wagon.
"Well it ain't likely to get messed with now. Heh. The one thing that Shaver has plenty of this time of year is wool!" He claps his hands together and jumps down from the wagon, trailing smoke from his pipe. "Now seeing as how we are of like minds and all...let's get to the serious business." He proceeds to push open the door, spilling the warm light out onto the street.
The "Four Orcs" belies its name. Unlike anything to do with orcs, the inside of the building is clean and spotless. The floor is wooden plank, worn to a sheen by generations of feet. The main room is small, only 5 small round tables, each looking like they can sit about 4 or so at a time. There is a well used dartboard on the right wall, and a fireplace on the wall to the left of the door. There are narrow stairs leading up in the back of the room, and a large open archway obviously leads into the kitchen, and strong smells of mutton, beer and onions fill the air. The room is lit both by the fireplace and a single brightly glowing stone enclosed in lantern suspended in the center of the room. It is quite apparent that this is not a tavern, but an inn with a small dining room instead, and a relatively prosperous one at that.
A table is occupied by two male human merchants talking about prices of wheat, last year's crop, the cost of transporting wool and other technicalities. A second table has a human female, a human male and a dwarf male discussing some object (that you cannot make out) nestled in a wad of cloth.
A brown haired, dark eyed human comes out of the kitchen as you enter, a smudge of flour on his face and slapping his hands together to get flour off of them.
"Emet! And more customers! Fantastic," he says with a pleasant smile. "Dinner is carrots, mutton pie, harpberry preserve and rye bread. 3 silvers. Drink is well water, stout for 5 coppers a mug or the rye which we just opened for 3 coppers for a smallish cup. If you need rooms, I have three small rooms available, 5 silvers the night, bathhouse is in the back, 2 coppers for hot water. And I am Akin. Now, what can I get you?"
"I can't argue with mutton pie and a mug of stout and I will need a room tonight as well. I'll just wash my hands out back." Quillin flips Akin a gold coin and ambles to the back making sure to slowly wander past the second table to make out what they are doing.
Perception
Yergie grabs a table, orders food, and subtly scans the room with detect evil.
Walter orders food and one cup of the rye and then sits at the table with Yergie and asks for a cup of water as well.
Mathieu joins Yergie and Walter at the table, "Well met Akin, I'll have the dinner and a glass of water, thank you." Mathieu glances around the room taking in the scene. Mathieu says a prayer to Pharasma casting Detect Magic and scans the room.
As Mathieu begins his prayer a hand comes down on his shoulder, interrupting his concentration. "I will have to ask you to stop", says Akin, his face serious. "The simple fact is that I cannot have everyone just walking in here casting spells. First, I have no way of knowing what you are really doing, or who you really worship. And it makes the rest of the customers nervous. So if you were doing something to help me out, thank you, but please wait until all the customers have left for the evening." He pats Mathieu on the shoulder and heads back to the kitchen. "Now let me see about dinner and drinks for you."
As Quillin walks past the table where the three people are talking, Smudge lets out a loud squawk and flies out the front door. Everyone at the small table looks up at the noise, but are looking the wrong way to catch Quillin as he leans over to see the object on the table. He then proceeds out through the kitchen where Akin, a girl and a young woman are all busily preparing food. Quillin nods at Akin and walks out the back door into a very small courtyard, cast into shadows by the failing daylight. A very smug parrot is sitting on the edge of the well, preening his feathers.
Walter takes a seat at the table tapping his foot anxiouly awiating the meal. Walters says "We did see a general store I wonder what time they open in the morning? Maybe Emet knows".
Qullin ruffles the feathers behind Smudge's head.
Qullin quickly washes his hands and before reentering the building slyly casts detect magic concentrating as he walks non-chalantly back through the kitchen and taking his time to detect auras as he makes his way back past the mysterious object on the table.
Stealth again?
Qullin ruffles the feathers behind Smudge's head.
** spoiler omitted **Qullin quickly washes his hands and before reentering the building slyly casts detect magic concentrating as he walks non-chalantly back through the kitchen and taking his time to detect auras as he makes his way back past the mysterious object on the table.
Stealth again? 1d20+6
As Quillin enters the kitchen walking slowly with a glazed look on his face as he tries to maintain his concentration, Akin clears his throat loudly and Quillin drops the spell with a sheepish smile.
"Well, there are some shady adventurer types out there with a magical object. Who knows what kind of threat these n'er-do-wells have brought to your inn. I was just going to see how dangerous it might be. Do you know who the dwarf and his companions are?"
Walter begins tapping his foot waiting for the food and an answer to his question. Then walter sighs and says "I am hungry right now at least I get to eat soon." Walter getting a little bored stares at the dartboard and says "At home I ahd a rule when playing darts no one else uses that if the dart bounced off the dartboard and you caught it you could throw it again that was a long time ago."
My friends, there's something amiss about the lady at the other table, and whatever bauble they were discussing.
"Should one of us go over and offer to help, Yergie?"
Akin finishes up measuring out portions of food onto plates and loads up his arms before nodding at Quillin then looking pointedly at three plates full of food still sitting on the counter.
"You know, my momma was a wise woman. She always said that as long as people aren't causing a ruckus, they have a right to eat, just like any others. I am not about to throw paying customers out hungry. Grab those plates if you don't mind. They go to the table with the three travellers sitting at it." , Akin winks then walks out of the kitchen into the main room.
Akin makes his way to the table that the party is sitting at, balancing plates along his arms with the ease of long practice. Like a hawk he stoops on the table and plates are quickly distributed to everyone present. The pies are baked into clay bowls topped with a brown and flaky crust. A small pile of cooked carrots and berry preserves flank the bowl.
"I will be back with drinks in a moment. Tuck in folks!"
Taking that for consent, Quillin waits for Akin to leave the kitchen and then quickly casts his detect magic and peers out the door at the three strangers for a few moments.
Spellcraft
As soon as Akin returns he hurriedly grabs the plates, telling Smudge to stay in the kitchen and out of trouble, and unobtrusively serves the strangers keeping a good eye and ear out for any information on who they are and what they are doing.
Perception
Quillin suddenly comes out of the kitchen carrying plates balanced on his arms and makes a beeline for the table with the three travellers. The object on the table gets wrapped up and the male dwarf pockets itself on his person. They eye Quillin warily in silence as he places the plates on the table.
Walter lets out a sigh of relief and looks hungrily at the food Quilin is serving to the three travelers. WAlter's stomatch then growls. Walter then tries to listen in on what the travelers are saying to see if it is good or not.
Quillin blinks in amazement at what he has just experienced. now what the hells was that?!
Gathering the plates he heads out to the table disappointed to see the dwarf has pocketed the marvellous object.
"Greetings, my friends. I hope you enjoy today's special. Is this your first visit to the Four Orcs? What brings you to town?"
The dwarf smiles at Quillin. It is a warm smile that touches his glittering eyes. "The first time at the Four Orcs? Lad, the last time I came through here there wasn't a road, nor a town." The dwarf turns away from Quillin and looks into the distance, seemingly lost in the past for a moment.
"Lad, I may not be the smartest, but I am old and experienced. I saw your familiar...honestly you don't see parrots this far north...and I am guessing that you are a spell-thrower of some sort. I don't know what you saw, or thought you saw, but you should forget that you ever laid eyes on us. I mean you and yours no harm." He releases Quillin, looks at his companions and continues, "We need to leave." He stands, drops a few gold coins on the table, and strides out of inn's front door. There is a momentary pause as the other two stare at one another, then they too move to the door, the man shoving a handful of the cooked carrots into his mouth as he dashes out.
A woman's voice drifts back through the open door in snatches, "Groetus' teeth, I hate trail rations...better be close...weak?"
Quillin hurries to the door to watch the strangers leave. Finally he turns back to his party, "Most curious. I hope they paid Akin before they left. Did you get anything on them, Yergenflorn and Mathieu? I sneaked a detect magic and they lit up like the sky at the Sunwrought Festival. They had some little crystal that was like nothing I'd ever seen before...maybe an artifact or some Azlanti object..." Quillin trails off in wonder.
"Ah well, they're gone now. Maybe we'll see them again some time. Sounds like the dwarf has been around these parts for years. Best dig in while we've got our food and p'haps seconds as they left in such a hurry," he hurries over to the other table and dumps the untouched leftovers on his and Walter's plates.
[B] I like my strangers the same way I like my beer, cool but transparent.[b]
Mathieu looks over at Quillin, "I couldn't tell you what they were talking about or what it was they were holding. Best I can tell, they were at least being honest with one another."
Walter excalims"Seems like they are afraid of gnomes!" Then goes to tapping his left foot waiting for the food.
"Possibly with good reason although we don't tend to be jinxes like certain halflings," Quillin jokes. "Where is Seamus anyway?"
"What are you waiting for, Walter? That food in front of you isn't getting any warmer. I do love carrots!" Quillin starts shovelling in the pie and carrots.
Akin ambles over to the table, hands filled with carafes and mugs, which he deposits before the group. "Well at least the food won't go to waste, and they did pay," he says, eyeing Quillin and rubbing the two gold coins he had taken off the table together for a moment, before dropping them in his moneypurse. "The pitchers are beer and water, the small carafe is the rye," he says, pointing at each vessel in turn. He heads back to the kitchen, allowing you time to eat at your leisure.
Thanks to Quillin, there is an overabundance of food, which Walter, Seamus and Emet tuck into with a vengance. Seamus demonstrates the prodigious capacity that halflings are known for. Even so, halfway through the meal he leans back and loosens his belt with a happy groan. The pie is delicious as the lamb tastes fresh, and the onions, peppers and beans still have the crispness of summer.
Emet finishes his pie first, but does not take more food. He appears to be simply content to lean back from the table and sip the rye.
Mathieu partakes of the meal, careful to not overeat. He pours water into a mug and drinks, but does not sip from the mead or rye.
"Good meal, I suppose we should go over plans for the near future, and possibly the long haul? I believe our first priority is to sell the goods we have been so lucky to have gathered. After that we should figure out our first steps into the bandit territory to find out what the driving force is behind the attacks."
Walter thinks for a moment and replies " Mathieu that is a wise plan. We do not want to be the delivers of a lot of loot to the bandits if we fail that would make things worse."
Quillin eats his fill and leans back in his chair with a burp. He slips some cooked carrots to Smudge as he observes, "If you wanted to sell off the gear tonight then we'd best make haste to the general store. The markets were closing when we arrived."
"As for bandits, well I don't know where to start. We've still got to make our way to Gralton. Maybe we can get word about bandit activity there."