"Come now Galacia...your going to hurt my feelings. Cant a man wander about looking for a flower?"
"Leggies" that's an interesting name for a bar.
I walk up to the door and have a listen
"Flowers huh? That's strange...I don't see any flowers. Guess that means you're either a horrible liar or a horrible flower picker."
"Oh but Galacia the flowers were meant for you and your sunny dispostion. But alas no mere flower could capture the beauty that is your smile!" Smiles charmingly as he bows with a flourish.
"You know, its an inn," Carth said, as he walked up to the door, "It's probably open."
In order to prove his point, he opens the door,
"After you."
Galacia shakes her head at Archaouss and flashes a brief smile. "Cute. Very cliche...but cute."
Grins in victory sweeping yet another bow.
The door swings open. The bar is dark and sparsely lit through the dirty windows. There is no one in the bar but the barman. He is clearing the bar area as you enter and turns to face who ever opened the door.
"Welcome, come on in folks." Says the guy Archaouss recognizes as Paul. "It is a little earlier than I expect to have customers but come in and make yourselves comfortable."
Krallek gives a little start at the sight of Paul. Thats one ugly dude he mutters to no one in particular.
"What can I get you folks? More wine Archaouss?"Paul says, either ignoring or not hearing Krallek's words.
Galacia walks over to the bar and sits down in front of Paul. "My apologies but we're not here as customers. We're actually working for Graves to solve this whole stolen orb business and we were hoping to ask you a few questions."
"Ask away miss. anything to distract from the cleaning. I got a pot of oats on if people need a hearty breakfast. Nasty this orb business, people are getting hurt I hear."
"Speak for yourself." Archaouss chuckles and greets Paul warmly. "Ah but Paul you know me so well. Yes and have you something to eat as well?"
Though them oats smells good, I've just et so I should be fine thanks. Krallek replies and then listens intently to the questioning.
"Wow such jokes this early in the morning. Well what do you want to know that the wonderful Mr Graves couldn't tell you?" he asks going to get a a few plates of porridge and sitting down to eat his breakfast with anyone that will have some when he returns.
Assuming Paul brought him the wine, Archaouss sits down and tucks in with Paul pouring a generous glass of wine as well. He listens acutely though to the questions being asked.
When Archaouss agrees to the wine, Galacia pauses for a second and looks over at the elf. "It's a bit early don't you think?" She shakes her head and focuses her attention back to Paul. "Anyway, I'm sure you've at least heard about what happened at the mill yesterday. And you're right about someone getting hurt; there was a young girl left for dead in the mill which means someone else was there. You wouldn't know anything about any strange activity around the mill or people visiting it would you?"
Sense Motive (to see if he's overly nervous or tense):
"I know the mill was on fire, is the young girl ok? Thankfully you all seem to be."
Galacia waves her hand dismissively. "Yes yes...everyone is fine. And if we're going to keep it that way we need some leads. Judging by how much this town gossips when they're sober, there's no telling what you hear around here. Especially in a place like this." She pauses abruptly after the last sentence and gives Paul a nervous smile. "No offense."
Carth takes a seat nearby, but doesn't say anything yet, content to sit quietly and listen to the conversation.
"Well I try not to pay any attention to gossip but if I can help you I will. What is you need to know young miss? I am glad the girl is ok though. This is a small town and even one death is a big thing here."
"Has anyone said anything about the mill? People coming and going? Or maybe strange occurrences nearby?"
"The mill is on fire, is the most recent thing hun. Other than that no one goes there. It is supposed to be bad luck or something."
Galacia gives a defeated sigh. "Ok well what can you tell me about Toby, the mill's previous owner?"
Archaouss leans back in his chair now doen with his porridge sips his wine leisurely. It wasnt the best but still least it wasnt ale as he was sometimes made to drink.
Krallek stays out of as he is well aware that his skills at diplomacy are not so great. Unless the it is diplomacy with a fist of course ...
A man makes his own luck, surely that is how it has always been, and always has been. I have a couple of questions though. Firstly, of the many people in the town, who would you suspect of having set the fire on the mill? We have evidence that it was deliberately done you see. No doubt the mayor will have a suitable punishment for whoever did it. Secondly, do you believe that a man can be more than he appears to be on the outside?
Elon has been quiet, trying to get the measure of the man that he is facing, and wondering what was the meaning of the claw marks and so on in the mill. His mind was working fast, and indeed this very scene in some ways reminded him of home.
"Of course a man is more than he seams. Do you show every side of yourself to every person you meet? I know I don't. As for who would set fire to the mill, well there are a few people in town the want it gone. the Mayor is one of them. Hmm... Who would actually do it, well they would have to brave enough to go up to the mill in the first place and that narrows it down. Who do you think did it then my fried?'
'Excuse me a mo, Just need to change a barrel."
He leaves through a door behind the bar/
Archaouss visibly brightens at Paul's last few words and drains his glass of wine and gets up. "Well then we should split up and find out who would want the mill burned down. Ill start with the mayor. Anyone else want to tag along? No? What a shame. Oh well meet you all back here say two hours? He says in a stream of words and worms his way to the door a few coins of silver on the table near the wine glass.
Galacia takes a look at the door that Paul just left through and then glances over to Archaouss as he leaves. "Wait. I'm coming with you." She then gets up from her seat at the bar and hurries to catch up with the elf.
None of us know who it was that committed the arson, although we have been asked to investigate it all.
Another question. Does anyone in the town possess an overly large dog or cat of some kind? I don't mean a house cat. Just we found some odd track up at the mill.
Archaouss almost seems to flinch at the sound of the Galacia's voice but turns to smile nonetheless. "Well of course miss will anyone else be joining us?" He says with only a slight edge creeping in before turning away to start walking. He really didnt need to ask for where the mayors house was. General rule of village politics. Look for the biggest house and thats the mayor.
If it seems he is walking a tad fast then maybe its just because a chill is in there or something.
Paul returns a short time later with friends. Who join you at the table.
"Guys this is Barry and Kevin. They know more about the mill, they used to work there. hope they can help while I am busy sorting the bar for tonight."
He goes back into the door behind the bar.
The other two gentlemen offer their hands to shake to you all as they introduce themselves.
Carth looks at Elon for a moment, frowning, before turning towards Barry and Kevin, introducing himself and accepting the handshake.
Galacia picks up her pace to keep up with Archaouss and his swift exit from the bar. "What's the rush Archie? Are the drinks that bad?"
"Oh no not that. Just you know the usual rich mayor all that." He smiles at Galacia. "Just your normal run of the mill thief stuff."
"So what do you think of those visions we saw?" He asks suddenly changing the subject.
As the gentlemen sit down and listen to you introductions the one called Barry speaks. "So Paul says you lot want to know about the mill. Watcha after then?"
"I'm not sure what to think about it to be honest. Part of me feels like the whole thing was staged for our benefit. The other part of me just hopes its not real...I don't want to think about what it means if a random assortment of strangers are the only ones working to prevent the end of the world." Galacia's eyes focus on the ground for a moment as she takes a few seconds to think to herself.
After a brief pause, she looks back up at Archaouss and smiles. "We might need to stop by the market...I left my rich mayor looting sack at the temple."
Archaouss chuckles as they make their way through the market, "Well then let me know if you spot something you like so we can stop. Can't make away with all the mayors goods with any plain old sack."He then waves to any of the merchants he might have chatted with this morning.
some people wave back politely and take a few moments to remember you face.
Just after the same old things that we are all after in an investigation like this. We want to find the person that did it.
Elon thinks for a moment. The questions that he had asked Paul he was a little annoyed that he hadn't been given an answer too, and yet there was a possible good reason to. He wasn't sure how often barrels needed turning and so on.
Gentlemen, can you tell me who would want the mill burnt down? We heard that Toby possibly have motive, but we are at a loss really as to why
"Toby!, no that was his place, he loved it. He wouldn't want it burned down. Though as for who would, well there are a lot of people here who do not like the place. It is a waist and cursed and all that."
They shift in their seats as questions are asked.
Waste of space, cursed old mill. Sounds like the kind of place that is better off in the ground now huh. Also, why are you suddenly uncomfortable in your seats, surely you are in no way implicated in this crime? Therefore what do you have to fear? Unless there is something you aren't telling us.
"Sat on our own in a pub with strangers who outnumber us. Bound to make any one uncomfortable. What about you son, you got something to hide? we all have secrets..." Kevin who had been quiet until now replied quickly and on the edge of polite but sharp. Barry interrupts. "hmm you make a good point Kevin, strangers don't share easily. what you say we all become friends over a nice game of dice?" He sounds much friendlier and you can tell he is trying to keep the tone light. "rules are simple, 5 dice best roll wins. stakes are easy, one of you lot win you get to ask any question you want, me and Kev will answer as best we can. one of us win,we get to ask you a question. Sound fair?"
I will happily accept this wager of yours, however with a single condition. Where I come from there is a tradition that a man uses his own dice. We had a belief in entities called the dice gods, that would rule the luck that a man might have in any wager. With your agreement therefore, I would use my own dice.
Do what you got to do friend.
The man rolls his dice.
"Looks like I win. I get to ask you a question. We will start simple. What is the worst thing you have done?"
"It looks like you've got this covered," Carth said towards Elon, "I've got something to do."
With that Carth leaves outside the front door, and begins to head around the side of the inn, looking for another entrance, remaining as stealthy as possible.
Stealth: (to remain hidden from anyone)
Perception: (to see anything special)
Interesting question. I was a troublesome kid. Used to break into places. Got caught in the end though. Nothing all that bad really all things considered.
Elon smiles, the past was the past. There was an investigation to run.
Another tickle of the dice?