"But which god is that I wonder." Ragnvald says half to himself as he glances at the ruined temple to Desna.
Ignoring Ragnvald: Well, let us enjoy the festivities so that we may fill our stomachs with your fine food. Then we will continue our search.
Sense Motive:
Diplomacy(gather info):
Sense motive
The mayor seems a bit stressed under his jovial facade, but regarding the fact that a band of wild mercenaries has just arrived that seems not very surprising.
The mayor seems to be telling the truth.
"Wells it wouldn't be right if I took a free feed in such a small village as I know I can eat a horse. Did it once when I was with the militia at a celebration in a tavern..." he looks off into the middle distance again, slightly wistfull but filled with regret "They were upset with the bill afterwards...suppose it wasn't their only disappointment with me."
"Well as I said, I can Smith and craft iron, perhaps some horses need shoes? Some ironwork needs fixing? Where's a forge, and I'll go get a list of jobs fer the day eh?"
Ragnvald grunts uncommitally and looks about the village.
Perception to see if we're being watched.
Sensemotive to see that if we are being watched what is their intent?
Andretti smiles friendly and pats Mobo on the shoulder
Yes, stay and enjoy the festival...it will be a breathtaking event...
Viorec nods and adds
It starts tomorrow at Midafternoon, two families, the Podels and the Loraks will set up everything, but helpful hands are always needed!
Turning to Attalas he says
The forge is next to the trading post, I can show it to you.
Well, looks like we are here for the day. Anyone want to see what the local watering hole has to offer? Or the trading post, always good for info, or rumors.
Diplomacy(gather info):
T´While a sign proclaims that the building in front of you is the trading post, the lack of activity and business certainly sets expectations of a poorly stocked store at best...two old men, both bald and wearing long grey beards, stand in front of the wooden house and furrow their brows as you approach
Uh...?
"Nice shop, need any metalwork done? I'm a blacksmith and doing some odd work to help the town, payment for joining the feast. Attalas, and I'm pleased to meet the both of you greybeards"
He wanders over to the forge to have a look at its general condition.
The surprised villagers follow you into the small workshop next to the trading post. The anvil looks very used like all other tools that lie around here unsorted.
Are you also a weaponsmith? one asks curiously
The smithy is not in a very good condition, out last blacksmith moved away years ago.
"Armourer and general smithing, didn't get around to learning weapons really. Reckon the smithy might be good enough for making up some basics then, and you might be needing them if he moved away... so whats your name, whats your order, and why do you want a weapon?"
Attalas asks his questions while sorting the place into some kind of order. Happy to be back doing something he knows.
I'm Harican Podel, I'm a swamp pig breeder and I need some kind of fork to make the pigs do what I want!
the man says with an astonishing amount of pride in his voice.
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"Well I am Attalas, travelling Smithy and once-upon-a-time Guardsman. I think my Smithing is better than my guarding though. Anyhow I never learned mush about pigs other than they make so many tasty bits in meals, but thinking you want a gentle fork so you dont bruise the dinner right? So maybe something like a pitchfork, but with not very sharp stabbity bits... hmmm..."
"There was a pig farmer named Podel
who needed a brand new model
of stabbity fork
to manage his pork
So I better cut out this twaddle"
Attalas starts firing up the forge and scratching out a design in the dirt...
"So did you ever meet this tax fellow? Oh and so whats the feast for?" the Ogre trails off, allowing the man time to speak.
Mr. podel comes closer to the forge inspecting your maneuvers, he seems impressed by the quickness of your brawny fingers and nods approvingly
The red-haired tman from Magnimar? I'd say he was a bit paranoid, was always stressed and never relaxed - but I guess that's normal when you are from such a big city. He left with the money after the Festival and I guess he should already be back in Magnimar, eh? Why do you ask? Oh, and the festival? It's in honor of our founders, the first families who arrived at this wonderful place and founded Ravenmoor - what a great idea they had!
I can help with the feast too if you like. Shall I find some game for us? Nymeria offers, trying to be helpful. If they agree, she heads off into the swamp with her bow.
Survival:
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"Oh I was looking for the tax man is all, anyhow, reckon that pig poker is coming along nice. Village here seems nice too, offering to share the food and stuff. He was here for a festival too eh? You must have a lot of festivals, what festival did he join?"
Nymeria does not get very far, after looking out over the swamp she thinks she has found a safe path but after the first few steps is already stuck in the mud up to her knees...she decides that hunting is a thing better postponed for now...
At the smithy Harican Podel continues to speak with Attalas
He was here when we celebrated Founder's Festival...oh, heh, we celebrate Founder's Festival every full moon - great, eh?
Ragnvald found himself drawn to the ruined church of Desna. It was something about the stone foundation and ruined hulk that seemed so out of place. Here where stone and dry wood was rare they allowed it to simply sit here. Worse they did not even appear to ahve tried to rebuild it. What kind of village would allow a burned church to sit in the middle of there town for an extended period? He lingered around the ruins not entirely sure of why. PErhaps it was the Ulfen man who left here. They say they gave him the money. But would a town this size even have that aforementioned money? He poked around the ruins for a bit not entirely sure if staying here was the wisest of plans.
Perception investigating the ruins.
Jez watches as the elf wanders into the swamp and gets lost, the Ulfen goes to see whether he can further destroy the shrine to Desna, and the ogre and goblin seek to do something productive. She also wonders what ever happened to the dwarf that had been following them, then suddenly recalls that he volunteered to sacrifice himself to provide dinner to Mobo's friends the goblins.
With this cheerful though, Jez looks for the local pub and orders an ale while inquiring what is the be expected at the festival. She will also make subtle inquiries about the taxman.
Diplomacy(gather info):
Distracted by his own musings Ragnvald does not find any clue, but he does not stay alone for long - after about five minutes several children and their pet stirges are watching him from the central village square.
Knowledge(local):
--> Is it normal to have bloodsucking stirges as pets? Have I ever heard of this practice? I did grow up in the Worldwound, so if there is a weird abyssal practice, I am sure I would have heard of it.
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No, this is no practice you have ever heard - BUT - this is the most remote and hillbilly place in all of Varisia, so who knows!
While in the pub, I will as how long this practice of having stirges as pets has been going on. I am also interested in where the stirges come from and whether any other animals are used as pets (cats, dogs, goblins) or if it is just the stirges around here.
Pub? You mean the trading post, right? No one ever mentioned a pub :)
Er - ok, trading post. You are telling me in Hicksville, Varisia there is no drinking establishment? Wow.
Er - ok, trading post. You are telling me in Hicksville, Varisia there is no drinking establishment? Wow.
Er - ok, trading post. You are telling me in Hicksville, Varisia there is no drinking establishment? Wow.
Nymeria goes back to the village square and pours the muddy water out of her boots.
Some of the children laugh as they spot Nymeria, but as soon as Ragnvald's gaze falls on them they quickly shout their mouths.
The friendly Harican Podel gives jez a large tankard full with a muddy brown brew he calls "Muddy Mud Beer" and says
The only pets 'roun' here are stirges!
After a time Ragnvald joins Jez and her enjoyment of the swamp brew. "I do not like this place. It's sticky and every boy has a blood sucking parasite for a pet. What do you think they feed them?"
After casting Purefy Food and Drink on the brew. Jez takes a big drink.
Turning to Ragnvald: My first guess would be Ulfens. Although I hear that bloodsuckers and taxmen are frequently seen arm in arm.
"Heh." RAngvald says. "The church is what bothers me the most. What happened to the priest?"
Probably got eaten by the stirges.
Ye like it?
Harican asks, pointing at the drink.
I ahve te go soon, it's my family's turn to set-up the festival ground.
Yes, it is very good. What is in it?
I have a question for you, why do all the children have these stirges as pets? I cannot say that I have every visited a town with such unique pets.
Diplomcy:
Harican seems really to concentrate before he comes up with a very simple answer
Because they are abundant.
The he looks at the tankard and shrugs
No one knows...
"When I was a child I had a fat black spotted wooly pig as a pet." Ragnvald says testing the drink.
Jez looks at her drink and mumbles: When I was young we were taught to kill anything that moved. Having a pet would have resulted in you being the next to die.
Sometimes I would sing with the birds near my village... Nymeria says, staring off into the distance.