Pirknok tilts his head at Eli, ignoring the alchemist's words in favor of staring at him impassively. "Ik kamurakah makiv muk."
Ventus parcels up the coins for everyone and offers shares of 40 platinum around without an ounce of shame on his face. The various legal documents end up slipped into his breastplate for now.
"If the Brotherhood was oblivious to our presence before, they won't be for long. We should heal up and hit this mill as soon as possible."
The younger of the two tattooed dwarves nods. "Ah'm mostly okay. Jess, ar you alright?"
"I've made it a study, after having met you. I wanted to understand your... situation better." Eli says.
Pirknok frowns, not quite sure what to make of Eli's explanation.
Jessamy pokes gingerly at her reddened and blistering flesh, hissing in pain.
"I ... No. I think I could use some healing," she says, voice clearly pained.
Ventus passes the wand off to the resident healers and waits his turn. Once everyone looks a little more ready to brave the trails ahead, he prompts Jess.
"Which way to this mill?"
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Joella's is little more than a shack built on the water's edge but a line nearing one hundred spills out from it nearly hiding it from view.
When the party finally reaches the front of the line, it's clear why. The pies are perfect (or nearly). The crust is flaky and light, the beef and lamb is tender, the vegetables fresh, and the gravy is savory and rich without being greasy. Those that partake finish the meal contented.
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Ventus is momentarily overcome with pie-based rapture.
Pirknok munches the pie thoughtfully, comparing its texture and flavor to Mrs. Vinder's. *nom nom nom*
Kaplan eats the pie in small thoughtful bites, appreciative for something besides roast rabbit for a change.
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Eli takes the wand and slips it into his belt. "I'll be sure to use this when necessary." he says.
The meat pie proves better than he expected.
In the time the party is waiting in line and enjoying their pies, it becomes clear that a lot of people come and go from the adjacent mill - far more than you’d expect from such a small building. Also notable is the fact that those leaving the mill are largely absent any sort of sawdust.
Biting into one of the pies, Jessamy sighs in contentment.
"Whash going on over there?" she asks someone nearby, her mouth full of pastry, looking toward the mill.
Pirknok looks around as he munches contentedly, and nods at Jess' question. "Looks like uh party or sumthin."
None of the other pie-goers seems to know much about the mill beyond the fact that it’s always busy.
Licking her fingers, Jessamy shrugs. "Well, might as well see what's going on, right? Unless we want to try to stop one of the other people going in and ask them what's up."
Pirknok frowns. "Wull," he begins, "tuhday's Oathday... didint that note say sumthin uhbout duliveries on Oathday?"
"Deliveries of what?" Eli asks. "Sounded like it was money. Something more than cutting up wood is going on here - that much is obvious. This brotherhood has its hands in some pretty sticky pies."
He watches the mill for a moment before saying. "Maybe we should wait until there are no more... deliveries going on? Before we go a-knocking."
"Better to catch shenanigans while they're in progress," Kaplan says, wiping a few crumbs from his beard. "That way we don't look bad when it comes to light."
"O'course, the inevitable fight will be harder if we bust in there now with blades drawn and looks of grim determination on our faces."
"We dinnae need to pick a fight nor look like we're heading for one, but we should probably get on with our investigating."
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"What if we go after one of the people leaving, find out what's going on and then try to go in as if we were delivering something?"
"Five uv us?" asks Pirknok a bit dubiously.
"We could act like we all just happened to arrive at the same time? But if you don't think it'd work, we don't have to," Jessamy replies, her voice a bit hurt.
"I'm not a very good liar," Ventus said into his second or third meatpie. It was hard to keep track, with the way he ate.
Pirknok nods. "Lyin' izint fer warryers."
"Talking isn't one of my strong points," Kaplan admits nervously. "I'm sure my lying will be even worse."
Built over the mouth of the Yondabakari River, this wood building sits on massive wooden pilings driven into the riverbed below. A wooden boardwalk wraps around the northern rim of the building, and a flight of stairs leads down to a door on the east side just above the water level. The churning of four large waterwheels under the mill fills the air with sound and mist.
There are no workers standing outside.
"Might as well try something," Ventus offered, "C'mon." Tossing a couple of coins onto the table, he brushes the remaining crumbs from his goatee and starts for the mill.
Pirknok walks up to the door and knocks.
The entirety of the first floor consists of a loading area. An opening in the ceiling into the floor above is filled with a tangle of ropes and slings for lowering timber. Nearby, stairs ascend to the next floor. Two sturdy wagons sit to the south, next to a bank of machinery accessed by four low doors; the grinding and creaking of the machinery fills the room.
Three workers in dingy orange coveralls look up when Pirknok opens the door. They look to be in the middle of wiping down a pile of freshly cut planks. An expression of surprise passes between them.
Pirknok frowns as his hand moves slightly toward his sword-hilt. In a quiet voice he says. "Hullo. Kin you tell us where we might find yer boss?"
One of the workers looks to the others, "Uh, get lost."
Relying on his senses, Kaplan keeps his hand near his scimitar and the words of a spell on his lips. Hopefully, it would not come to a fight. Perhaps his new companions might be blessed with a silver tongue.
"We're looking for work. We've been told this is the place to find it," Kaplan says, trying to keep his voice steady.
The younger dwarf frowns, and tries to give his voice a calming tone. "We ain't lookin' fer trubble... just want ta talk."