A Human(Ulfen) looking woman of about 6 foot 3 enters the Drunken Dog.
She has a muscular yet curvy human build with comely features and pale skin.
Her face looks attractive for a human. She has Emerald Green and Sapphire blue eyes and lose Golden Blonde Hair that ends at her mid back.
She is wearing a Green pants, a brown short sleeved shirt and a Green bodice that assists with her figure.
she walks to the bar, and says to the bartender
"I'll have a drink, Dragon's Ale if you got it?"
Though his features favor his human heritage, Linflass' ears clearly indicate that he is a half-elf. Of average height, he has brown hair cut short and openly meets the faces of those who look at or talk to him.
He is wearing studded leather, colored a mix of grey and brown. A pair of hilts jut from their scabbards on each side of his waist and a bow rests against the wall nearby.
Linflass watches the blonde woman enter and go to the bar. That's a tall one. He turns his attention back to his table mates.
Without haste or menace, he plucks a silvered dagger from his side and firmly but smoothly pins the edge of his letter to the table in front of him with it.
So, we all received this same letter. Someone wants us here, together.
His eyes scan the room, looking for anything amiss.
My name is Linflass and I have never heard of Jeminda Anikee. Have you?
"Nope can't say that I have"
The speaker is a relativly young halfling standing at 2'10 with a somewhat slight build with Chest length brown hair done up in a pony tail and Brown eyes. For clothing she is wearing a white short sleeved white shirt with a sleeveless tan leather coat, brown gloves, tan trousers, Sturdy brown boots that come up just below the knee and a pair of Goggles on her head. She also currently has a crossbow tied to her back.
"Anyway I'm Norn Jural pleased to meet you"
as she walks around, she spots the letter Linflass had pinned to the table and takes a seat at the table.
"I am guessing your also all looking for Jeminda Anikee as well?"
she pulls out her letter and then puts it back.
"I guess I should introduce myself.
I'm Eve Abia, or as some call me Eva."
She chugs some of her Dragon's Ale and sets the stiener down on the table.
as she listens for a response.
A tall lean man with an athletic build; wearing dark green almost black studded leather walks up to the table. The man has short black hair and a neatly trimmed beard covering his face. His icy blue eye distracts from his large hooked nose His dull black boots come up to the top of his calf; sticking out of the top of his right boot of is the handle of a dagger. The black wide belt around his waist has a scabbard longsword attached to it, along with a couple of pouches and across his back is a quiver full of arrows and backpack. In his left hand is a finely crafted longbow, which he leans against the table and shrugs off the backpack dropping it to the floor as he sits at the table.
He glances around the table and nods to everyone and says in a low deep voice,"Name is Tomas Reynolds; I received a letter as well from this Jeminda Anikee and have no idea who she is. I was close to not caring and returning to the forest, but I see that I am not the only one who received the letter I might as well stay and have a drink."
For a while he seems to be staring at the table stroking his goatee, the hood of his cloak covering his head.
He raises his head up, looks around, smiles a little, and pulls back his hood.
"It's nice to be the company of strangers, when I'm meeting a stranger."
His expression is serious, but his brown eyes are warm. His light brown hair is shoulder length with streaks of gray throughout. His dark grey cloak has symmetrical designs around the edges. He's is of a medium stature.
"I am Eldwin."
He pulls a flask from inside his cloak, smells the contents, and takes a drink.
Linflass eyes Eldwin. So, mage, you did not answer my question. Was that intentional?
Gently pulling the dagger free, he returns it to its sheath. The movements reveal more knives about his person.
He continues to glance about the room. So. Who brought us here? Maybe one of you. His gaze returned to his companions.
"I don't have a clue why I got this letter. And we don't look like we have a lot in common."
Giving each a frank expression, "Any ideas?"
Eva replies
"I don't really know either."
"Well...." Norn begins while opening her letter "Assuming we all got the same note something to do with taxes, robbery and/or murder."
Norn looks the woman over for a second or two not really sure what to make of them "Yes we are." she finally replies "I take it you are Jeminda Anikee?"
Eldwin looks into the young woman's eyes as if searching for something.
He casually reaches around his side, a moment later his hand is wrapped around a wooden handle of a weapon.
LInflass notices Eldwin's surreptitious movement and rests his right hand on the hilt of one of his daggers at his belt.
He stares at the newcomer for a few moments then looks about at his table mates. Are one of you in league with her? Is this a trap?
After studying each one, he returns his gaze to the nervous woman but says nothing.
Tomas looks up at the young lady and nods in agreement with Norn. "So, why have you summoned us here and are you expecting trouble or something?" he says as he glances are trying to figure out what is making the young woman nervous.
"I would like to know that as well."
Eldwin sighs in agreement and says "Yes, please state your business with us"
"I would be more than happy to help."
"I will also assist. I have done this kind of thing before"
"I'll take the job."
"Two hundred gold pieces, that is a lot of gold. I'm not a sellsword but I could use the gold so I will accept your offer. I'm assuming we get paid on completion of the mission." says Tomas. He looks around at the rest of the group and then back at Jeminda and asks, "Why do you look so nervous? A missing friend would make someone worry not nervous. Is there something you are not telling us?"
Linflass puts his hands on the table and grins. "I'll take your gold to look around Ravenmoor. I know the place a little."
He watches her face. "You said that this is the SECOND time that there has been difficulty collecting. Do you have any idea what the problem is?"
Linflass would have taken ship from Ravenmoor to Galduria. How long would that take, normally? Thanks.
Looking around the table, then back to Jeminda.
"So, how did you come to select us to aid you? 'The reason in you letter seemed a little...thin"
Linflass stares steadily into Jeminda's eyes. "There has been no talk of a missing tax collector that I have heard of. As far as I know, he collected his assessment and left. What is his name?"
Eldwin watches the conversation unfold before him. He says nothing.
Eve listens to the conversation, and thinks on the information she does get.
Tomas sits back and scratches at his beard as he listens to the conversion waiting for a plan of action.
"Is it possible he did a runner with the money?" Norn asks looking a little uncomfortable asking the question
"The answer to that question will be answered in time, and after we all investigate it."
Linflass had been silent, searching his memory after being told the collector's name. When the conversation quiets down, he speaks.
I am fairly certain there was a visitor to Ravenmoor named Elias. As I recall, nothing of note happened regarding him and I assumed he left.
He looks at his new companions.
I know of some people we can talk to when we get there. I take it all of you are committed to this venture?
"I'm in,
as it'll be a good break from Bandit hunting,
guiding some pompus no name nobles on a hunt,
and a few other jobs."
"I'm in as well. I've never been to Ravenmoor perhaps there is some good hunting nearby." Tomas says as he stands up from the table. He bends over and picks up his pack slinging it over on shoulder and grabs his bow with the other. "Lady Anikee, you have my would that I will do everything in my power to get to the bottom of this missing man." he says and bows slightly to her. He looks to the others and says, "I'll be outside when you are all ready to leave." He turns and walks out of the Drunken Dog without a backward glance.
He watches Tomas go. He really does not like to be indoors. The woodsman type.
Linflass shakes his head and looks at the others.
Well, we have two choices. We can take the overland route to Sandpoint, from there to Galduria, then by boat up to Ravenmoor.
Or, we can follow the river from here to Wartle and head north. That's a water route all the way. By boat takes a bit longer but is much easier. There isn't much of anything except lots of time for conversation between Sandpoint and Galduria.
What say you?
"I would vote for the land based route."
"I'd prefer land as well."
"Things have been slow as of late. Let us find out what happened and restore law and order to this place"
Eldwin looks at Linflass.
"The route taken does not matter to me. Lead the way elf."
Anger flashes across Linflass' features at Eldwin's words, but vanishes quickly.
My mother is a human.
Composed once more, he turns to Jeminda.
What does this Elias look like? What type of clothing does he usually wear? What about these addictions you mentioned? What else can you tell us? One cannot make bricks without clay.
He looks around the table. What other things would you ask?
Eva looks at Linflass and asks
"Is there anything we should know about Ravenmoor, before we arrive?"
"Well that's good to know. A little disgusting, but good to know."
She takes a good chug from her steiner
"Hmmm. I've run into a few of these creatures. I didn't know they could be trained to be pets."