KN Local
Graverattler shifted in her seat. She very much doubted Lord Foxglove's -Aldern's- idea of hunting had any resemblance to hers.
This could, however, be a good opportunity to exercise my skills while further assessing these others.
"I will attend." she didn't see much point in elaborating.
"How exciting! Are the rumors of it true then? I had chalked it up to urban legend and hearsay. So you really think there's some sort of dragon up in the Nettlewood? Well, I can hardly say no to such a venture. Besides, I think it'll be good for me to head out of town to clear my mind. So much drama in hardly a days worth of time!"
I’ve about ‘ad it with these hoity-toities explainin’ things t’ me like I ain’t knowin’ ‘em already – I’m disagreeable, not stupid, ye bloody wanker. Jim gives Aldern a surly audience, though he perks up upon mention of payment.
”Some sorta dragon, eh?” Jim rubs his hand across his chin thoughtfully. ”Always wanted t’ try me hand at a dragon. I’m in, if’n the coin is fair.”
Aldern smiles at the paladin's blunt question. "Those two things need not be mutually exclusive, young Justinius." He seems to be completely truthful when he explains, "every year the creature claims a few travelers and each year it's territory expands towards the Sandpoint Hinterlands. If the promise of excitement and renown is sufficient to motivate me to go after the beast then it seems, to me, as though that's good for everyone."
He smiles broadly at Graverattler's quick acceptance and at Avaria's enthusiasm. When she and Rimy Jim begin talking about dragons he says, "Well, in the interest of honesty, I'm not certain it's actually a real dragon; the most reliable reports I've heard make it sound more like a giant serpent... Perhaps a linnorm, I'm not sure. As for the fairness of the coin, I will cover our travel expenses, including provisions, and split whatever we recover from the beast's liar equally among myself and as many of you as accept. If we fail to find the creature I'll pay you each a 10g per day stipend for your time, or if its lair was somehow already emptied I'll pay you each the stipend plus 1,000g for defeating the monster."
"I appreciate your fair terms and your candor." Justinius says. "I am sure, with Iomedae's blessing, we will be quite a shock for this beast, whatever it is. What is our timetable, Lord Aldern?"
"And you only sweeten the deal further," Avaria adds with a smile. It wouldn't hurt to pad her pockets now that she going to have to get a divorce. With any luck she'll take Ludo for all he's worth, she's heard of women doing as such before. But, she should be ready if that doesn't pan out. She's got a lifestyle to uphold, after all!
With a shake of her head, she shoves those thoughts to the side.
"But I must echo Justinius. When do you propose to go on such an undertaking?"
Graverattler takes a bite, just to keep her mouth full as an excuse not to interrupt.
Aldern waits for an awkwardly long time, hoping that Victoria will say something, before answering. Eventually he gives up and replies, "I don't know what business any of you have here in Sandpoint, but now that the festival is over I'd like to set out soon... perhaps tomorrow, or the following day, if that would work for all of you?"
"I think that will work for me" Justinius says eagerly. The few jobs I have at home can certainly survive a few weeks with out me.
”Linnorm? Close ‘nuff fer me. I’m game whenever y’are, Foxglove.”
"Tomorrow would be fine by me. I have little planned for the next few days in any case. It will give me an opportunity today to craft a replacement wand for the one I used up yesterday. Just in case this Sandpoint Lizard is as dangerous as the locals believe." Graverattler shows the slightest hint of a smile, burrying quickly it with another forkful of food.
"So it's settled then? We leave tomorrow if everyone is prepared?"
A broad grin spreads across Aldern's face. "Well, it appears that most of us, at least, are of an accord..." he says tentatively, noting that Victoria has been painfully mute. "ah, and just in time- you all really must try this." A new platter arrives at the table stacked with hunks of flame-grilled boar meat coated in a thick sweet and salty sauce, with a pile of sour and spicy pickled cabbage. The nobleman wastes no time in downing several pieces.
As the tray is passed around the table, the door to the inn swings roughly open. An elderly Tian man walks in shouting, ""
The girl behind the bar tries futile to calm him. "父は、落ち着いてください。私たちは、ゲストを持っています。"
"Oh... this lot..." the old man grumbles, "you know there's enough folk looking for work and causing trouble in Sandpoint as it is; the last thing we need is foreigners and vagrants attracting monsters and trying to do the city watch's job!"
Aldern's jaw drops at the old man's comments but he seems not to notice, or not to care, and goes right back to yelling, ""
Drats, I knew I should have picked up that 'calm emotions' scroll.
"I say good sir! Please calm down and tell us whatever is the matter. Perhaps we may be of some assistance."
"Tangata ke? Ahakoa, ki te kahore Tien i koe, e waiho e koe te tangata iwi ke i runga i Shoanti oneone. Kino nui i matou ki te whakaoti i tō mahi ka taka koutou ki te whakaatu. Na purangatia e koe taunu ki runga ki te raruraru. Ko matou manuhiri i roto i te whare tira o tou tamahine. He pono e kore e pera ke rite ki te taa i te mea iino koutou hakari koe." Graverattler says to the man as she stands, stepping in his direction as she speaks. "Mind your manners." She concludes as she towers over him.
"What's the matter is that 'e disagrees with our behavior." Jim shoots Graverattler an approving look as he forks a load of food into his mouth.
"So ye'd rather that we'd sat on'r backsides 'n' minded our own business last night, eh?" Jim addresses the man through a helping of pickled slaw. "O'course, that's easy t' say, not havin' been there yerself - convenient, that."
"Just go and get my daughter, missy!" the old man barks at the girl behind the counter.
He takes a wide berth around Graverattler and continues, "I had the good sense to stay out of the city watch's way if that's what you're asking, yes. And I don't just sit on my backside, I pay the blasted city watch to keep myself and these other folks safe."
Avaria's caught with a far too large bite of the pork in her mouth, a bit of sauce dribbling from the corner of her mouth when the whole scene starts. She chews furiously, never one to miss a chance to get a word in, before swallowing with a large gulp that sounded like she might have actually choked part way through.
"Sir, I can hardly stand by and watch when the guard was overwhelmed. I'm afraid your financing would need to be doubled if you expected the guard to manage that all on your own. Perhaps tripled so they could actually be properly trained. Now, I'm sure tempers and tensions are running high and words come sharp and easy, but that's no reason to look a gift horse in the mouth!" Avaria starts, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
"Why don't you take a bit of a walk to cool down a bit, maybe take some deep breaths and come back in a few hours. I'm afraid our little afternoon get together has got Ameiko run off her feet! I'm sure you know the value of hard work and keeping customers, judging from your high station in life."
Graverattler smirks as the man shrinks away. Staying where she is she comments "Mahalo ki te koura ko e founga koe te tiaki ia koe, kia kua homai e koe etahi ki te roroa kia noho haumaru tō pa."
The old man is suddenly stunned into silence by the sweetness of Avaria's honeyed words. He looks at her, actually at her for the first time, and says fairly calmly, "Aren't you a Scarnetti by marriage? You of all people should know that laboring at all is beneath her station, and especially at some place like this..."
The longer he speaks the more he returns to his agitated state. "It's shameful! The daughter one of the city's most respected nobles stuffing meat pies and cleaning filth off the floors like a common scullery maid! And speaking of shameful, what pray tell are you doing in here eating with savages and Chelish spies? Where is your husband?!? Surely he must expect more from you! And, Where Is My Daughter!?! AMEIKO!!!"
"My husband is off cavorting with a red headed hussy," Avaria said pointedly, her tone sour enough to make a lemon cringe. She rises from her seat and approaches the man, extending out her hand as if to shake it. "I'm actually here on the invitations of Aldern Foxglove, an old friend and of a solid family lineage, as well as your daughter. Well, I could hardly turn down an invite from a woman of such high birth, can I? I had actually been hoping to introduce myself to you at the ceremonies last night, I've been making it a point to make some respectable connections while I'm in town. Since you were otherwise unavailable, when Ameiko invited me to stay within her own, and very successful I might add, establishment, I couldn't turn it down."
The man seemed attached to his nobility, maybe she could appeal to that side of him to at least get him to stop shouting. Sure, really, this was none of her business, but she was nosy. Very nosy. Avaria, as a general rule, loved to get involved with everything, regardless of how close, or in this case far, she was from the problem.
"So now, why don't you and I have a seat over here so I can get a proper introduction over drinks? You know, the Scarnetti's have some reputation, of the respectable type of course, in Magnimar if that's where you're thinking of relocating to..." she continues, gesturing at an empty table away from her current eating companions. Her first attempt at getting him to leave had been unsuccessful, but maybe at least sitting down was still an option. Maybe get him talking about the who is who in Magnimar.
"Sir, I can assure you that your daughter has established a fine reputation in this town, even beyond its borders. As for her not being exectly what you wanted her to be, perhaps you should speak to any number of other fathers. It would be wise to center your expectations in reality."
Justinius' casual attitude with nobility is not disdain or disrespect, he is simply young and new to formalities. The concept of 'highborn' and 'savage' having expectatoins that come with them is something he will have to learn (or just keep stepping on toes).
Graverattler lets out a low chuckle when Avaria describes her husband's recent activities. The man better be taking advantage of his headstart, I think.
Jim shrugs and resumes eating as most of the others attempt to placate the angry old man.
Skipped the festival, 'n' now skippin' town - mighty suspicious. Playin' nice ain't gonna get the truth out o' that ol' man. Not so's ye could believe 'im, leastways.
The older gentleman scrutinizes Avaria for a moment as if, perhaps, considering her offer. When the conversation turns back to his daughter's reputation his face twists into almost a snarl and his cheeks quickly redden. When the Hellknight offers to speak on his daughter's behalf his hands curl up into fists so tight they grow pale. "How dare you..." he utters through grit teeth.
"" a woman hollers as the door to the kitchen flies open. Ameiko steps out, clearly aggravated. Her hair is pulled back and her face and clothes are smattered with bits of flour and food. In her right hand she still holds a soupy ladle as she places her left hand on the bar and vaults over it. The two begin arguing angrily in a language none of you understand.
They go back and forth for about a minute before Ameiko grows overwhelmed and shouts, "To hell with your will! If you think you I'm going to kowtow to you because of some fracking inheritance you are sorely mistaken!"
The outburst in the common tongue seems to be too much for the old man and in a fit of rage he attempts to grab her by her hair. She is too quick for him and easily ducks out of the way; as she moves, almost as if a reflex, she brings up the ladle and strikes him sharply on the side of the head with it. Broth splatters on his face and clothes and hunks of potato and carrot lodge in his hair. He takes a step back stammering, "I... I... you... you are as dead to me as your mother."
He storms out without any word. Ameiko's anger turns to hurt and a single tear rolls down her left cheek. Taking a deep breath she composes her self and begins to pick bits of hair off her ladle. "I suppose I'll need a clean ladle, jackass stew isn't on our menu." Several people laugh and cheer at her remarks and that seems to lift her spirits some.
Turning her attention to the heroes she says, "I apologize for that. That's certainly not the kind of introduction I would have preferred to make. If you'll excuse me I have food to attend to and I need to get cleaned up, but I will make time to speak with you all later."
Jim watches the row as if it were dinner theater, squinting as he fruitlessly bends his ear to their Minkaian exchange and chortling through his food when Ameiko strikes her father with the ladle.
'N 'ere I thought this place might be too tame t' enjoy!
Her father storms out and Ameiko makes her apologies, ending with her promise to find time to speak with him and the others later. Jim inquisitively cocks an eyebrow at the woman.
"Why?" he inquires.
"Ha!" Ameiko chortles turning back toward the table. "Well... because I said last night when we closed up that I would, I suppose... and because it's the courteous thing for the hostess of honored guests to do." Still chuckling she returns to the kitchen.
"That was rather more eventful than I expected lunch to be," Aldern says with a smirk once Ameiko is safely out of earshot.
Graverattler returns to her seat, regarding the re-helmed Hellknight as she walks back. "I think the danger is over, Paralictor Whitesmith. Perhaps if Victoria is still inside that mask, she can rejoin us." She tries to smile warmly, not completely successfully expunging the snark from her soul. "And perhaps we can finish this meal without further events." she says in Aldern's direction.
"I think if this town sees much more excitement, it may not survive!" Justinius says, smiling, as he returns to his meal.
"Aldern, you seem to have done the needed research, is there something more we should know to properly prepare for tomorrow?"
Sensing that the heroes (or most of them at least) are not interested in sinking their teeth into this juicy morsel of gossip, Aldern lets it pass.
"Preparations, yes, of course" he answers after swallowing another mouthful of the delectable boar meat, "I wouldn't presume to tell such seasoned heroes how to prepare but the journey will likely take several days there and several days back. I'll bring provisions but most of my tents are being used to house the wounded Crimson Foxes... I can bring two with me, but that will require some sharing of us all. For yourselves, bring whatever you will need to battle a giant wyrm; rumor has it that it lives in a great cave, so perhaps some means to see in the dark if you can't naturally do that."
He makes a show of closing his eyes and grunting in delight as he works his way through another bite. "I hate to eat and run, especially when there's a little of this boar left, but I need to go and make arrangements with my captains for my absence. If there are no more questions then I'll take my leave and meet you all back here tomorrow shortly after sunrise?"
Avaria sighed and rolled her eyes as the situation was painfully un-defusable. She hated that. She much preferred when her interference resulted in happy smiling faces and another dinner invite.
Once the old man left, she slumped back into her chair and started picking at her food again, looking more than a touch sulky like a pouting school girl.
"That is acceptable." the Shoanti woman says to Aldern. She waits for the noble to take his leave before turning to the pouting Avaria, offering a gentle smile and asking "Tell me, Lady Avaria, do you desire any assistance in tracking your quarries?"
"I believe the Lady intends to track down one wayward husband. If your course is to avoid the business of others, that task may prove more uncomfortable than this meal." Justinius says with a laugh.
"I think it is time for me to also take my leave" He says, standing.
"The breaking of sacred vows is hardly a laughing matter, I think." Graverattler responds to Justinius' quip. She faces Avaria "Which is why I make my offer, though I understand if you'd prefer to keep the matter between your husband and yourself."
"Bah! 'Sacred vows.' Vows 's only as sacred as the ones makin' 'em." Jim grabs a boar limb to chew on and leans back in his chair, putting his boots up on the table amidst the plates of food and giant's loot. "Me, I intend t' be sure 'n' get me rest b'fore the big snake hunt. No time fer disputes of a domestic nature."
"I can assure you that I consider the breaking of any vows to be a most serious matter. What was comical was Victorias interest in hunting leading her into a domestic dispute, something she appears to be most disinterested in."
Avaria groans and seems to slouch further down her chair. She probably should go find Ludo and the tramp, but at the same time that just sounded awful. She gave Graverattler a weak smile in return. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask where he might be. I really haven't seen him since he fled the Giants. I suppose I ought to at least find out if he's alright. I'd not say no to company. I heard some Vinder girl might be the woman. And I imagine that Ludo's cousin might have seen him since. Perhaps I'll simply send a message to him for Ludo along with the divorce papers... I don't suppose any of you know any lawyers?"
As the women discuss the legal ramifications and options for Avaria's present situation, Justinius can be overheard asking the barmaid about where to purchase scrolls. "I don't have much use for things like that but the Feathered Serpent is where most folks head if they're looking for magical trinkets."
"Thank you kindly my dear" Justinius says before leaving to see if he can track down a useful scroll or two.