...
After the group receives their items and Greep hands them out they decide to return to the Silver Rose for a bit to check up on things before heading to their meeting with Wightscale the albino kobold.
Copper Court is just a few minute's walk away, and they soon arrive. Karrin sees her cat Blacky padding up to her, her fur matted and filthy. She looks at Karrin and mews pitifully.
Ffethpaar sees a strange sight. Laralie the planar courier is walking down Copper Court. She spots him and advances towards him.
"Hey cutter, I have a reply and yer portal key"
She hands him a note and the flower ring
"The world you came from is on some weird time dialation. I spent two days there and I came back in only two hours. Quite a time saver."
Ffethpaar's note:
My dearest brother Ffethpaar,
I was happy to receive your note. I wish I had better tidings to convey. Our Arrlgo tribe has suffered many setbacks since you set out. There have been incursions into our lands and members of our tribe have been taken away to slavery. Please, brother, you are needed at home. Forgo your quest for now and help me defend our homeland.
May your fears be unfounded, may your burdens be lifted.
Sseltiir
Lizardfolk do not have very expressive faces. They are just not made that way, but somehow, after reading the short note, Ffethpaar's face manages to convey shock, shame, fear and resolution more-or-less all at the same time.
Ffethpaar first turns to Laralie. "My thanks. You have done me good service. Here are the 30 Gold I promised you on your return. Please tell Lu that her recommendation was excellent."
He next turns to Renkar and hands him a further 10 Gold pieces. "Renkar, there is a mug that I commissioned from Clarion Copperman which I will be unable to collect for a while. Please can you pay the remaining cost and keep it for me here should I be able to return for it. This will mean much to me."
Then he turns to the others. "I am afraid the thing which I feared most, that which brought me here in the first place, has happened and I must return home to help my people. Please know that there is a place in my heart for each of you (and a very special place for Mercutio). Can you convey my regrets to my friends her and explain why I have to leave."
He places the note he recieved on the table.
"May your fears be unfounded, may your burdens be lifted. (would that it were so for me)"
And with that, goes up to his room to collect his belongings before leaving.
Renkar fetches an oddly-shaped mug from inside the office
"Clarion had dropped this off for you while you were out, Ffethpaar. You can keep your gold for your journey. I wish you a safe passage."
He hands the mug to Ffethpaar
Copper Court is just a few minute's walk away, and they soon arrive. Karrin sees her cat Blacky padding up to her, her fur matted and filthy. She looks at Karrin and mews pitifully.
"Blacky! Where have you been?" Karrin asks as she picks up her soiled kitty cat. Then Karrin catches a whiff of the poor grubby thing. "Pee-u! What have you been into? Oh gods you stink. Guys I think Blacky got into the sewer or something. I better give you a good wash. No way you're going to track that through the inn."
Karrin immediately dashes into the inn to find something to clean her pet with.
He hands the mug to Ffethpaar
"My prayers will be with you my scaly friend."
Merle Intro:
Taking up residence in the Forest District in Sigil's Guildhall Ward, the two began to make inquiries. While exploring this huge chaotic city, Merle befriended a handsome catfolk ranger by the name of Skrint. He and his animal companion Swiftfang were pleasant companions, especially when the alieness of the Cage wore on Merle's soul. She began to feel a bit proprietary to Skrint, but she never really let him know her feelings.
This morning, Merle had descended from the inn she was staying at, the Red Stag to find Swiftfang, Skrint's feline animal companion curled on the hearth, no Skrint in sight. The innkeeper Damian is behind the bar frying up some fish. Although cat emotions are hard to read, even by other felines, Swiftfang looks about as sad as a cat can.
"Blacky! Where have you been?" Karrin asks as she picks up her soiled kitty cat. Then Karrin catches a whiff of the poor grubby thing. "Pee-u! What have you been into? Oh gods you stink. Guys I think Blacky got into the sewer or something. I better give you a good wash. No way you're going to track that through the inn."
Karrin immediately dashes into the inn to find something to clean her pet with.
Blacky gives an upset mew and nuzzles against Karrin's hand, doing her best to look as pitiful as possible as she really wants a good clean and doesn't feel like doing it herself.
Karrin hustles Blacky to the Copper Cauldron's scullery back door at the rear of the inn. Darroth is washing dishes there, he looks up and smiles when Karrin comes in.
"Good Peak to yeh Miss Karrin, can I does summat for yeh?"
Blacky looks dubiously at the sink and then back up at Karrin, her expression distinctly disapproving. A small irritated string of murring sounds escapes her.
Feline:
Karrin hustles Blacky to the Copper Cauldron's scullery back door at the rear of the inn. Darroth is washing dishes there, he looks up and smiles when Karrin comes in.
"Good Peak to yeh Miss Karrin, can I does summat for yeh?"
"My cat was chased into the gutter by something," Karrin says, "I need some water and a tub or sink to wash her in."
"...and a tub or sink to wash her in."
Blacky tensed and dug her claws into Karrin a little at this, she wasn't as morbidly afeared of baths as most cats but at the same time she hated feeling drowned and having her fur messed up by being scrubbed at too much. She was a good cat, she needed stroking with a light soft washcloth.
Darroth gestures to a metal tub sitting on the scullery floor.
"Yeh can fill that tub there from the well in the court. There's plenty of lye soap." Darroth points to a large lumpen cake of greyish soap.
"Ouch," Karrin says looking down at her cat, "you're getting a bath Blacky, there's no two ways about it. You smell horrible and look more like a 'brownie' then a 'Blacky' right now!"
Karrin puts the cat carefully in the tub and grabs the soap so it's near.
"Could I get a little warm water as well?" Karrin asks Darroth, "hard enough keeping a cat in a bath, but it'll be harder to keep her in a cold bath. And I could use a towel or two for drying her and me off."
Darroth smiles, elbow-deep in sudsy water.
"Sure thing Miss Karrin! I got an oven what's always warming water over there." He jerks his head to a large wood stove. The stove has several large kettles on top of it.
" There a pot of water on the boil now, yeh can have it if yeh replace it with some fresh water. The yoke's over there if yeh want to go get some fountain water over in Copper Court." He jerks his head over to where a well-polished piece of wood threaded with two large wooden buckets sits.
"There's plenty of cloth rags fer washing, take what yeh need." Darroth points a soapy finger to a small pile of cut-up clothing and various other linen scraps.
"If yeh don't feel like the yoke there's always the rain barrel." Darroth looks over at a large round stone barrel 5' tall with a wooden cover sitting under an ornately-carved dwarven head just outside the scullery's back door. The wooden cover has a hole in it. A drop of water falls out of the dwarf's mouth and into the hole.
Karrin quickly adds the rain water to the tub then carefully adds hot water. Karrin is careful to keep the water warm but not hot, knowing that most living things couldn't stand the same sort of heat she can, and Karrin keeps a close eye on her cat for signs of distress.
Karrin quickly washes Blacky, drowning out the wet cat's yowls with her own singing, and poor Darroth might be left to wonder which sound is worse.
Merle feels a tremor of concern about seeing Swiftfang lying there by himself. She hadent known Skint long but she was pretty sure that he wouldent leave Swiftfang alone by himself for any great length of time. That combined with Swiftfang's expresion begins to worry her.
Walking over to the animal companion Merle began to pat him on the head.
Feline
Whats wrong swift and where is Skint? Did you and him have a falling out about something?
Swiftfang looks up from the hearth and meeps miserably
Feline:
Karrin quickly adds the rain water to the tub then carefully adds hot water. Karrin is careful to keep the water warm but not hot, knowing that most living things couldn't stand the same sort of heat she can, and Karrin keeps a close eye on her cat for signs of distress.
Karrin quickly washes Blacky, drowning out the wet cat's yowls with her own singing, and poor Darroth might be left to wonder which sound is worse.
Yowl! Splash! Claw & Scratch!
Karrin scrubs Blacky, ignoring her howls as best she can by singing "Mordenkainen was a Travelling Man-O" off key. Darroth chuckles as he gets the last of the lunch dishes washed and dried up.
Finally Blacky is relatively clean again.
...Glares...
"Hiss!"
"Alright you," Karrin says drying off her cat, "no more getting into sewers. You're better off climbing. If someone is giving you a hard time come see moma Karrin, I'll put that bully in it's place."
Karrin turns to Darroth, "I don't suppose there's any cream is there? I think someone could use a treat for being a relativity good kitty."
"Murr?" Blacky purrs out at the mention of cream, tilting her head, her tail swishes from side to side, suddenly a very wellbehaved young cat.
Merle seems to freeze up for a few minutes as her mind trys to wrap itself round what Swiftfang had told her. Why would Skint be arrested? It must have been that girls doing. How dare that swift take advantage of poor innocent Skint and use him as a scapegoat.
Coming back to reality Merle looks at swiftfang with a very serious angry look.
Feline
Whats happend Swiftfang is that Girl Skint was with has probably broken some law and ran off and abandoned Skint in order for him to take the blame. Do you know where the red armoured men took Skint or where that........Girl swift Lives?
Seph yawned from his perch on Merle's shoulder as he was slowly woken up by feelings of anger radiating off Merle. He may only be a cat now but he still knew when Merle was jealous when he saw it. Watching Merle begin to go on a rant seph rolled his eyes. Today was going to be a long day.
Swiftfang rowls miserably
Feline:
...
Karrin turns to Darroth, "I don't suppose there's any cream is there? I think someone could use a treat for being a relativity good kitty."
Darroth smiles and nods to Karrin while drying his hands.
"Check in the buttery, third door down that hall. Ma should have got a few pints there."
When Karrin goes off to wash her cat and Ffethpaar makes his hasty exit, Renkar holds up a piece of parchment for the others to read.
"Unfortunately Ffethpaar is not the only member of our group who has decided to go their own way."
Feline
Lets be honest Swiftfang how well do you know this girl and you said yourself you dont know enough about monkey ways.......but I guess I can go see her first and get her side of the story. She at least has something to do with whats happend.
With these words Merle headed for the door turning to give swiftfang a reasuring smile
Feline
You coming? Dont worry ill get your master out of this mess one way or another.
Swiftfang looks up at Merle
Feline:
Swiftfang gets up and joins Merle and Seph
Merle, Seph and Swiftfang head out from the Red Stag towards Copper Court. They travel towards the Market Ward, and the carnival chaos of Peaktime at the Great Bazaar hits them like a wave of pure frenzy. Vendors cry from every direction:
"Gem, jewels and trinkets from around the Wheel!"
"Deep-fried Baatorian Rock Octopus calamari! Sweet and tangy!"
"Steakberry pie! Hot steakberry pie!"
"Olympian wool! Straight from the herds of Hermes! No softer wool exists in all the multiverse!"
The trio make their way through the myriad sights and sounds, arriving at the busy avenue of Copperman Way.
Copperman Way is thronged with bashers, Clueless and merchants from every corner of the Great Wheel. Merle sees a herd of centaurs in plate barding arguing with a clutch of Thri-Kreen mantismen. A gaggle of Doomguard run through the crowd tripping unwary pedestrians. A wizened old human in a yellow robe serenely floats crosslegged down the avenue, six feet above the surface of the road.
The three turn the corner of Copper Court in the early part of Afterpeak. A tall lizardman with a satchel full of gear passes the trio as they enter the small cul de sac. There is little activity on this street at the moment, but Merle can see a small gathering at the far end of the court. It seems to be several people clustered around reading something.
After getting Blacky dry and fetching her a small saucer of cream from the buttery, Karrin emerges back onto Copper Court. She sees the rest of her group clustered around Renkar talking and pointing to a piece of parchment. She also notices an odd being, like a cat-human hybrid, walking down Copper Court with a regular cat on her shoulder and a large black panther-looking cat stalking by her side.
"Wazzup?" Karrin says walking over to Renkar and company, one can't help but notice Karrin is carrying a yoke with a pair of buckets attached, "I'm going to fetch some water, I needed to wash Blacky and Darroth said I could use water out of the kettle if I fetched some water from the fountain. I think he's just shirking on his duties, I mean hot water should be supplied to any of the inn's guests, but I don't mind cuz I like fetching water. That's how I got so big and strong. When I was just fourteen I was fetching water for nearly twenty grown men! Looking after the stables on top of that!
"Hmmmm," Karrin says blinking, "I forgot what I was going to say . . . oh wait! I remember! I was going to ask what you guys were reading."
Merle looks over the small gathering of people then turns to swiftfang
Feline
So do you recognise any of them?
Turning to Seph
I want you to have a quick look around and see what you can find
With that she walks over to a nearbye ally and lets Seph off her shoulder to look around.
Renkar looks gravely over at Karrin
"I just received this letter via courier before you all returned. The incident with Ffethpaar kind of drove it out of my mind for a bit. Please, take a look."
Renkar hands over the letter to Karrin
"This puts us in a bit of a bind with two folks departing our Company. I would hate to send you all in to a situation without enough backup."
Renkar looks up and spots the cat woman and her large feline friend down the road by the fountain.
"Hello, what's this? Is anyone expecting a cat to call?"
Swiftfang growls a bit
Feline
Seph jumps off Merle's shoulder and begins to prowl. A female cat was nearby quite recently, and there seems to have been some sewage attached to her. An unpleasant smell to Seph's delicate nostrils. It seems to lead over towards the inn, specifically the backyard.
Seph will follow his nose and head into the backyard
Merle meanwhile will take the more direct approach to things. Approaching the group she does a small polite bow before asking her question
"Excuse me but im looking for someone called swift do any of you happen to know her?"
Renkar looks gravely over at Karrin"I just received this letter via courier before you all returned. The incident with Ffethpaar kind of drove it out of my mind for a bit. Please, take a look."
"Wait . . . what's going on with Ffethpaar?"
"Excuse me but im looking for someone called swift do any of you happen to know her?"
"Swift sure do! She's around here somewhere I think"
Seph will follow his nose and head into the backyard
The small cat follows the pungent scent to a door in back of the inn. A young boy putters around with dishes, and there is a small black cat, recently washed lapping at a bowl of cream.
Renkar looks sad
"Ffethpaar received word from home that his clan was under attack by someone. He decided to return home to help them."
Renkar pulls Ffethpaar's letter from his robe and hands that to Karrin as well.
Renkar looks at the new arrival
"Swift works for me, but we haven't seen her since yesterday. She was going to go visit a few friends, but she never returned."
Merle is about to answer when she gets a strange flood of emotions over her empathic link with Seph leaving her to wonder what in the hells was going on
Seph trys to say hello to the beuiful feline but all he manages is a stammerd squeal and he begins wishing he could talk to females better.