Fezzik nods and starts to smile at Bat's introduction. "Yes, need better armor. You make plate?" he asks. The look of anticipation to Otis' answer vanishes when he is startled by Zinnath's voice in his head. Instinctively, he looks around for the apprentice when it is mentioned he is a spy. When he doesn't see him, Fezzik nods knowingly, placing his index finger to his lips. At the suggestion that he needs a bath, he lifts his arm to smell his armpit, then shrugs his shoulders as it smells as it usually does. He then returns his attention to Otis for his answer.
Kyrie: "I will save that last bit for an appropriate time!"
Otis says, "Yes, I can make plate armor. I'll need to take your measurements and it will take a little time for someone of your size, but I can do the job."
He says to Bat, "For your spell, I can get all the things you need right here - good steel, binding leather, high-quality brass rivets, all of it."
To Kyrie he says, "I do some decorative work. I'm not a whitesmith so I'm not as skilled with soft metals like silver, but I can aid you in adding some iron, brass, bronze, and similar flair."
Upon hearing that Otis can get her what's needed for her spell, Bataleigha tells the others that she's planning on upgrading her mace and asks if anyone else needs her to make a masterwork weapon or armor for them as well. When she gets her answer(s), she puts in an order with Otis.
[Mentally to Zinnath]: I'll upgrade your thieves' tools first thing tomorrow.
Bat: "Thank you Bat! Can we just call them "tools" in the future?"
"I have a few things I would love to upgrade, namely my rapier and some...professional equipment, but sadly I lack the funds."
After making plans with Otis and depositing various requests so that you can sell the phylactery and use the proceeds to fund further gear, you head back up the main road to the local traveler's rest stop, the Waterside Hostel. It is the only building of substantial structure in Nulb, with a field stone foundation and sawn timber walls, but the painted walls are spattered with stains from vomit, urine, and shattered bottles of booze, plus the occasional spatter of dried blood. The doors are of heavy wood and there are only a couple of laborers present in the downstairs area when you arrive.
The hostler is a burly fellow with a scarred, pockmarked visage, one eye covered by a patch. The barkeep is lanky and of greasy appearance, but quite tall. Two slovenly wenches and two manservants of surly mein hover about the place.
The barman, the hostler, and the wenches all watch your entry with some curiosity, though none of them move to ask you what you want, to offer to carry your gear, or to describe what's on tap.
Avendryl says under his breath, "I miss the Welcome Wench already." before moving on to chat up the bartender and the others in the Waterside Hostel.
Fezzik stands guard at the inn protecting Kyrie as she makes some items.
Zinnath rides proudly on Kyrie’s shoulder, resuming his act as her familiar. Additionally, he has used chameleon scales to change the color of his scales from white to something that goes quite well with whatever Kyrie is wearing. As needed, he will recast the spell, as it is a cantrip. It should be good for 30 minutes per casting however.
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That morning Kyrie emerged from now wearing her new corset, and most of her idle talk is spent on theorizing on how to weave threads of mana into common objects.
(Zinnath will need to turn a mixture of shiny bronze and forest green to blend in, if it pleases him.)
She idly strokes the dragon's scales as she works on a small, alabaster sphere. "Do you think the divisseram infrus would be best here? Or maybe we should weave in a aestima physax thread? Ooo! I know, we'll go with a twist of quala santificerrimus to the proximal primarum!
Nice!"
Bataleigha grimaces a bit when Domeric gives his real name...and then it dawns on her that she never took the time to think up an alias for herself! She glances about the common room, taking in the wenches, the bouncers, the stools, the chairs, the bar....
"I'm...Bar...-la. Barla. Like Carla or Darla, but with a 'B'."
Shrugging, she adds, "My parents were illiterate...only knew 2/3s of their A-B-Cs."
Silently cursing her name choice, she mentally contacts Zinnath.
Well, I suppose that could have gone worse: I could have told them my mother's name was Marla and my father's was Parla....
Touch of Glory (Sp): You can cause your hand to shimmer with divine radiance, allowing you to touch a creature as a standard action and give it a bonus equal to your cleric level on a single Charisma-based skill check or Charisma ability check. This ability lasts for 1 hour or until the creature touched elects to apply the bonus to a roll. You can use this ability to grant the bonus a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
The wenches pull themselves off the bar and move in on either side, one sidling up to Avendryl and the other to Domeric. "Just visiting, or staying a while?" says the one near Avendryl. The one next to Domeric says, "Are you with the ladies? We could share."
The barman says, "Ale, right up." He turns away and bends down to work the tap.
The hostler finally says, "Gonna need a room, strangers?" He eyes Kyrie up and down and watches Zinnath with some curiosity.
Not sure how everyone will react to him in the bar, Fezzik waits outside while the others get rooms.
"Not sure yet." Avendryl says to the question asked of him.
When hostler finally speaks up, Avendryl responds, "Yes, three rooms actually."
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Kyrie's head is dancing with signs the wriggle and sigils that writhe. Her hand is ever-moving upon the dragon's soft tail and sometimes she mutters syllables or formulae that are incomprehensible to most listeners.
She sits where the handsome paladin indicated, but otherwise gives no sound or sign that she heard any of the words said or actions taken.
The hostler's hungry eyes may as well be watching her from the moon, for all that she notices.
”Thank you Kyrie!”
Bataleigha decides that the owner/proprietor would be the most likely person present to instigate shenanigans, so she watches him closely to try to get a hunch about his interest in the party.
Your gut instinct - everyone's - is that these are seedy characters and not to be trusted.
The hostler says to Avendryl, "I can accommodate you. Four silver pieces for a room, linens are included with fresh matting." He nods at the wench next to Avendryl and says, "Services, you negotiate separately with the provider."
The tall, lanky bartender fetches a mug of ale for Domeric. It's a large clay tankard, a pint or more, and the ale is frothy, warm, and has a sour smell - not a great vintage, but better than vinegar or muddy water. "That'll be a silver piece," he says with a gravelly voice.
"That's seems to be a reasonable price." Avendryl comments. "You do have three rooms available, yes?" the bard asks, doing his best to politely ignore the poorly kempt wenches.
"Aye, got a whole set o' rooms available. Riverfolk comin' through like to have rooms for their fun an' games when they're in port," says the hostler as he fetches a large keyring. "I'll show you up and unlock the rooms for ya."
His keyring has several large iron keys on it; you get the impression that he won't be giving you the key, just unlocking the door. (All the more reason to bar it from the inside in this seedy place.)
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Kyries' eyes manage to see the keyring, and the data gets through to her head, coursing past arcane sigils and plans for the future. "Why thank you, kind sir," she says in her most respectful tone. He seems like a nice man. "We shall henceforth endeavor to maintain the stellar reputation of thy noble inn," she replies, not really having seen the man at all, her vision swimming as it is, and she's mostly just waiting to get behind a door and get to work.
The hostler takes you to the rooms in back and unlocks three of the barred doors. "Let me know if you need anything," he says. The accommodations are bare, but at least reasonably clean - no dirt, vomit, or effluvia on the floor or walls. "Eh, I hope you don't mind being up late. The river folks are rowdy and you can sometimes hear 'em through the walls when they really get a head of steam up."
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Kyrie strokes the dragon's tail one last time before spreading out a clean woolen cloth upon which she deposits various powders and reagents. "What say you, Zinnath? Shall we begin with the refrigicus barbaram before moving on to the tepes commotisseram? Or should I prepare the ageram santificat along the House of Galus? Can't be too careful about that."
That she was just told that she'll be sleeping through the partying equivalent of a war zone has not yet phased her.
Kyrie: ”I think the opus instrumenta should be the first order of business, but I think Bat was going to handle that.”
Kyrie: ”I think the opus instrumenta should be the first order of business, but I think Bat was going to handle that.”
"Thank you." Avendryl says to the hostler after they have been shown to the rooms. Just as the man is about to leave, Avendryl asks, "Any music or other entertainment available? If not, would you mind terribly much if I plied my trade? I've been known to play a bit of music or tell a story or two."
The hostler snorts and one of the wenches says, "You're looking at the entertainment, sweetheart."
The hostler then says, "You're welcome to try your hand at playing for tips, but you're just as likely to get yourself a black eye. The evening crowd gets pretty rowdy."
"Fair enough." Avendryl says, taking the warning at face value. "If my skills are met with derision, I will simply stop.
Fezzik inspects the rooms, making sure that the windows are barred. He pauses for a moment when Kyrie and Zinnath start talking, but quickly realizes he has no idea what they are saying. He grabs a chair and sits in the doorway of the room at the end of the hall with a view down the hallway. He props his javelins against the wall and sits sharpening his sword.
"Can someone bring me some food and an ale? I need to keep watch. I think they too busy to pay attention," he says motioning to the casters.
"Sure, no problem. Did you have anything in particular in mind? Not that I suspect there is much of a selection."
"Apples would be nice! And maybe some walnuts? Hey! Do you think they could toast the walnuts lightly? Maybe whisk together a dressing of yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, lemon zest, and a dollop of honey? Hmmm, celery and raisins should be cut up into it as well. And served on a bed of lettuce please? That would be great!"
"Zinnath, did you look at this place at all when we came in here? Avendryl asks incredulously.
Bat issues a chuckle when Avendryl speaks up. "Yeah--he saw a trollop named Honey when we came in and that apparently triggered a serious flight of fancy in his imagination. I'll come with you to help carry back the food."
Fezzik is about to speak when Zinnath starts in on his order. "Sound like meal for squirrel. Unless there meat in it, it not a meal," he says handing Avendryl a gold piece to cover the cost.
"You are right, it is unlikely they would have a good yogurt. Perhaps if they doubled up on the mayonnaise?"
Avendryl just shakes his head at the commentary from the dragon.
"Thanks, Bataleigha."
Glancing back at Fezzik he says, while heading toward the bar to see what sort of food may be available "I think it might take both of us to carry back his meal."
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Zinnath's food-based tired finally cracks through Kyrie's constant babble and she blanches. "Ugh. Double mayo to make up for yogurt? Are you sick or pregnant? How about we just get a plate of hot meat with turnips and potatoes? At least the odds of us actually getting what we asked for increase dramatically."
"Turnips and potatoes sound good, but your lack of specificity as to the type of meat concerns me!"
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"Only because I doubt that we'd have much of a choice. This seems like the kind of place that specializes in chicken-fried horse and horse-fried wolf.
Aren't dragons supposed to be omnivorous? Why are you acting like a herbivore? I had seriously considered getting you a small rat to snack on. So...that's out?"
"Well, Burne sets an excellent table, and I have grown accustomed to eating some of the finer things. I am certainly not a vegetarian, it was only your vagueness as to the type of meat that concerned me."
You're finally able to get some rest. For the first two nights, Fezzik snoozes in a chair in the hallway and some sketchy-looking folks veer away before coming down to your end of the inn. One night you hear rattling at the window shutters, but since you've barred and secured them, whoever it was eventually gives up.
Over the next few days you become acquainted with the cuisine (terrible and mostly fish), the locals (rowdy and prone to thievery), and the entertainment (none).
Kyrie spends her time ensconced in the room with various powders, tools, retorts, alembics, tomes, and the like, working her magic and creating new wonders for the team.
Bat finds that Elmo (who keeps up his drunk charade while about town) and Otis give her advice about places to avoid in town and mention that they have been to Verbobonc before, and they are glad to see that a follower of the Old Faith is here to show people how to be upright citizens.
Avendryl talks with some of the river pirates and learns that the local news is that the remains of the old temple from the War of Emridy Meadows is along a trace road southeast of here that passes through some swampy forest, not very far from Nulb - maybe less than a day, if the local tales are accurate. He also learns that some of the river pirates (mostly those who are on the outs with the local pirate captains) decided to become bandits instead and have taken up residence in some of the old ruins of the temple.
Zinnath is mostly bored.
Zinnath awakes on yet another day that he suspects will be as tedious as most of the last week has been.
”If it is fish cakes for breakfast again, I think I would rather starve.”