Heh heh...........
"The ring indicates that way" Leik says as he points southeasterly
When Edwin rejoins them, Larissa will ask if he knows what might lie to the southeast of the inn. "We should get Castiel to a healer, but I suspect he's in Iomedae's care and there's little difference in our moving swiftly or not."
Southeast of the inn is a whole lotta city.
"I am sorry. While I appreciate all your help, Master Bu... Leik, I simply must have a bath before any further adventures. And I really was rather looking forward to a cup of tea. Perhaps we can continue our investigations on the morrow?"
If it has been most of a day, Leik will assent to rest (unless the younglings are close)
Best approximation........Very close; it's inside the city, but not on the same block as the inn.
It's been a very long day for everybody.
"Well, I likely wont make it without these new companions, probably best to rest and then resume early in the morning," Leik thinks
Right on.
What now, brave derring-doers?
Rholf looks exhausted, but says "I can go to Iomedae's temple and bring someone back here."
"I will help you if you want, unless you think my appearance would disturb someone."
"Rest, I will go with Rholf. I owe the lady some thanksgiving after today."
Rholf grins. "Yes, Leik, the offer is much appreciated, but you'd best stay here. Miss Brightfoot and I will only be gone a short time, then it's rest for all in preparation for the day to come." Standing, he looks to Larissa "Shall we be off?"
"Yes, let's."
"I will rest and drink tea and have a bath! Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to twist my mind around more than a mere cantrip. Stay safe out in the bu ... big city. In the BIG city." Alinya blushes slightly and goes in search of someone who can ready her a bath and bring her a cup of tea. In it, if possible.
Rholf looks exhausted, but says "I can go to Iomedae's temple and bring someone back here."
They come.
"He's......elsewhere. Comatose. This happens sometimes; it's inexplicable.
We'll take him back to the temple and care for him.
He may awaken......"
The next morning comes, without further event.
The Ulfen awakens before most of the others and the party finds him downstairs telling tales of the group's battle with the great worg to a small crowd of bleary-eyed villagers.
"Worgs? This near Lepidstadt? SOMETHING MUST BE DONE! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!"
that proclamation gets many "ayes" and an "ere, ere" or three...
Larissa sleeps in, as is her wont, unless her roommate awakens her with intent. If Lady Alinya wakes her up on accident, she will just groan and roll back over to go back to sleep.
"Cockadoodle doo!!!"
says the rooster.
Rholf awakens and proceeds through his morning ritual before leaving his room. If none of the others are in the hall, Rholf knocks (courteously but insistently) on their doors as he heads down the hall and to the common room.
"Something was done." He says to the crowd gathered around Ragnvaldr. "They were dispatched. Only one of the pack lived to run away, and it was wounded. It's always good to be vigilant, but in all likelihood, the worg pandemic is extinguished."
Cheerfully, he orders some breakfast and coffee, then sits at a free table to enjoy.
"Something MORE needs to be done,......what am I payin taxes for!!!"
"ere, ere...."
"aye."
"they tik err jerbs!"
Rholf merely shrugs at the verbal onslaught... "You'd have to take that up with the government, gents."
Leik will cover himself up in cloak and will wrap a bit of cloth around his face, and put on his gloves and boots for a change. Normally he wouldn't wear them in this weather, but the heat of extra clothes didn't bother him. He just didn't want to be any trouble. He will head down and look for a seat next to one of the other party members who isn't the center of attention at the moment.
if it might help, not trying to look all shifty hiding, just move about without gathering lots of attention.
At the persistent knocking, "Oh, sister, just let me sleep a little longer; I worked in the ward late last night."
Leik will cover himself up in cloak and will wrap a bit of cloth around his face, and put on his gloves and boots for a change. Normally he wouldn't wear them in this weather, but the heat of extra clothes didn't bother him. He just didn't want to be any trouble. He will head down and look for a seat next to one of the other party members who isn't the center of attention at the moment.
** spoiler omitted **
Nobody seems to pay the oddly overdressed....gnome....any heed.
Huzzah!
Edwin waves off any complements with a shrug.
"Most folk hear and see what they wish to see and hear. The trick is in convincing them to see and hear what YOU wish them too." He explains, not too smugly.
After Castiel is taken care of and carried off by the priests, he turns to the others. "Well then, I have arranged rooms for both of our new friends. I suggest that we rest, and clean up after our adventures. We still have a lot of ground to cover!"
Edwin's voice makes it seem likely that he will get little rest tonight,...
In the morning, Edwin rejoins the others, grabs a plate, sits down, and begins shoveling food into his mouth without paying attention to what it is. He seems alert this morning, if not particularly well-rested, and eager to continue,...
It's all good....
As soon as is convenient, Ragnvaldr joins the other party members gathered in the common room of the inn.
"So, friends, your companion is safely in the hands of the clergy and I suspect you have not come to Lepidstadt to hunt worgs. Leik is seeking the children lost to his clan, which is a goal worthy enough of pursuit, but when we came across you you were clearly in the middle of something else entirely. Tell me of your quest that we might better be able to aid one another."
The Ulfen acquires a massive flagon of ale and listens intently to the tales of his traveling partners.
"Let me explain..." Rholf starts. "No, there is too much. Let me sum up..." "We're on quite a time-sensitive endeavor, actually. We're in the employ of one of the local barristers, and we're investigating the allegations levied against a flesh golem who we believe has a soul. He's accused of being 'The Beast of Lepidstadt'."
Rholf pauses to take a bite of food, allowing Edwin the perfect opportunity to take up the story, as he'd seen him chomping at the bit out of the corner of his eye.
"Indeed! It is a tale most fair and foul, as we understand such things. It is the tale of a creature, but with a mind and, aye, perhaps a soul of it's own. It is accused of crimes most fell, and if true is certainly deserving of death. However, as with all tales, it appears that this one is more than it first seems,..." Edwin begins, and falling into the rhythm of a professional story teller, unfolds for both the barbarian and the insectoid what they have discovered so far.
The last thing on Alinya's mind in the morning is hastening Larissa out of bed. The young noblewoman sleeps late, and only rises when the noisy crowd below breaks through her slumber.
Rather than head downstairs immediately, she orders breakfast in the room, and starts poring over a thin book bound in dark blue leather.
Larissa finally stirs to the smell of a wonderful breakfast. When she sits up, her hair seems to intentionally cover her eyes, making for a vaguely disturbing but mostly amusing sight for the young noblewoman if she bothers to look up from her small tome.
After she has finally wrestled her coiffure into some semblance of order - or as close as she ever gets it - and dressed, she leaves Alinya to her studies and hurries to the main room in hopes that the kitchen has not yet closed. She finds the detective relating their adventures of the last day or two and finds a vantage point to listen from as she eats.
After the tale, Ragnvaldr raises a flagon to the tale-teller and grins heartily. "Well said, friend. Very well then, it would appear our mission is now two-fold and both equally pressed for time. The children of Leik's clan must be a priority, as there is no question to the innocence of youth and they are many while the beast is but one. When the children are safe, we will turn our attention towards acquitting the beast of whatever charges have been levied against him... or validating the prosecution's claims."
With that, the Ulfen hasily guzzles the rest of his ale and sets the mug down as he stands. "We should begin at once."
Edwin Smiles at the others.
"I like him. He has good taste, and an eagerness I find appealing."
Leik nods and stands up (now shorter than when he was sitting on the chair) and heads towards the door to wait for the others.
Larissa grins and wolfs down her food in a most unladylike way. "Don't forget Alinya!" comes out past a mouthful of breakfast cake.
Right on.
Need to check th ole grimoire, then I'll get something together that's post worthy.
The antenna ring draws the tiny bugman southeast, through the lonely cobbled streets of Lepidstadt. Nobody's out and about yet with much frequency. The party is not harangued by a city that seems to be sleeping off a hangover, same one that Ragnvaldr just hair of the dogged.
The antenna ring leads to a small square brick factory. A chimney allready belches noxious yellow smoke.
Large grime covered leaded windows appear at a dozen places on its walls, and a gate opens into a small courtyard under a metal sign that proudly proclaims this to be
"Vorkstag and Grine, ChymicWerks."
"This appears to be the place, the younglings must be inside"
The antennaring pulls like a 10 pound pike on the line.....
Leik will proceed forward sneakily
Leik looks in through a metal gate on a small courtyard. Theres a big wagon in there, and the wall is twenty feet tall.
There's a door on the north of the courtyard, a door on the east, and a door on the east a floor up; big doors to a loading bay.
A bell hangs next to the gate.
Larissa will hang back, unsure of her ability to be stealthy, and try to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. More suspicious than us, anyway.
Right on....I put her around the corner from the gate if that's allright.
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There should be some chimbly sweep Lollypop guild street urchin kids playing mumbly pegs, drinking cough syrrip and pitching pennies in the alley; soooooo tempted.