Quintus' distractability hasn't really improved, but he pulls himself back to the conversation long enough to offer, "I d-don't think that's a p-problem, Rauno. Allustan s-seems like the s-sort to get odd v-visitors, and w-we prob-bably look like t-treasure hunters. Allustan, c-could I have some t-tea?"
Allustan nods and claps then a moment later a cup of tea comes floating out to Quintus's hand
Unseen Servant is what delivers the tea
Allustan responds to where to stay, "The best choice for you would be the Able Carter Coaching Inn. It is the typical place for outsiders to stay. It is one gold piece per day for a room. You want to go back to the square and take The Vein east and you will see it on your right."
"Wow, that is expensive for lodging. I will be happy with my bedroll on the floor, with anyone else who wants to share a room."
Rowena unconsciously feels her coin purse for a moment. "But it's probably safer than wherever the drifters sleep. I'll share a room with you."
Trevor turns to Rowena and whispers: "Why can't we just stay here? I don't mind sleeping on the floor..."
"Trevor, you and I can share a room. Allustan seems kind enough, but I don't think we need to be imposing on his hostility already." says Kelkzar gesturing to the young paladin. "Allustan, anything else about the Cairn before we turn in for the night?"
Rowena leans over to whisper to Trevor, suppressing giggles. "I'm pretty sure he meant Allustan's hospitality, but either way, he has a point. Besides, if there is something to find in this Cairn, then there will probably be something to sell. My purse is about empty as well."
Quintus accepts the tea gratefully, holding it in both hands and sipping it. "Thank you, sir. This helps."
"I'm also low on coin, but if worst comes to worst I can do some healing. I c-can already tell this is the sort of place where a lot of bones get broken."
Kelkzar laughs at the slip of his tongue, "Aye, that I did Rowena. I too hope we find something in the Cairn...something we are sent by Ragathiel to locate. Perhaps our business here can be concluded by tomorrow night."
"I am sure that with discovery will come the funds you will need. I would not suggest The Able Carter Inn if I did not think it was best for you. Cheaper places there are for sure, but you could lose far more than money at those places. Good luck to you and I am anxious at what you find."
"Thank you Allustan. We'll make our way there on the morrow. Can you provide directions? Then we shall make our way to the inn you recommend."
Once directions have been provided, Kelkzar will join the rest to go to The Able Carter Inn.
Rowena is fine with heading to the inn. She's pretty tired and ready for some sleep. She starts to shell out five silvers for her half of the room, but finds herself five coppers short. She looks at Lessien, completely mortified as she realizes she doesn't have enough.
Rowena's mortified expression penetrates Quintus' distraction, and he produces enough coin to cover her bill. "Here, you can owe me. I think you're good for it." Besides, best if I don't have the temptation to spend it elsewhere.
Rowena smiles gratefully at Quintus. "Thank you. I- I hope you get better soon."
"Actually, I spent every coin I had preparing for this journey, and was intending to do some work wherever we ended up to make it back."
"Or, we could skip the inn altogether, head out for the Cairn now, and avoid Amy unusual interest from the locals in our activities, just camp in the wilderness somewhere out of town."
Trevor thinks a bit on that last suggestion. He doesn't like it one bit, but for all the wrong reasons. Finally, he decides to keep his mouth shut. For now.
Allustan hears the discussion and says,"Here let me loan you two gold. I think a good night sleep before going there would be a smart move."
He claps again and you see three pieces of gold float over, one to Kalkzar, one to Rauno, and one to Rowena.
"You will find the rooms should be spacious enough to share. I am sure you will be good for it"
Lessien bows towards their host. "Thank you. I will pay you back as soon as I am able."
Trevor is the first to the door. His feet are killing him and his back hurts from all the gear he carries around. Furthermore, his armour needs adjusting, for it is loose a bit and has started to chafe his armpits...
Kelkzar nods his head, "Thank you Allustan. It will be a good investment," he replies with a wide toothy smile. He gets up and follows Trevor to the door.
Quintus makes an initial sort of twitch towards one of the gold pieces, hand shaking, then stops himself, shaking his head. "I have enough; you all need it more than I do."
You head out from Allustan's place and go back the the square. It is now past dark and there is a greater amount of people moving about than when you were passing through earlier.
You follow directions to the Able Carter Inn. Out front is a carriage and a sign listing prices to locations nearby. Inside the place is nice and open with a large common room currently filled by a number of halflings sitting together talking and another man that looks like a miner sitting by himself.
The innkeeper indicates that there are plenty of rooms available as the halflings have one wing of five rooms and he only has two other guests.
Lessien looks around, taking in the other guests.
"We'd like a couple of rooms for the night, please."
Trevor crashes with clanking noises into a chair. He waits for the rooms to be sorted out amongst them to finally get rid of his armour and gear. He slips a hand beneath his tunic and scratches madly at the chafed area, his face curled in pain. "I can't wait to get my feet up!"
How many are you going to get for the night, and who is sharing rooms, if anyone is.
"Let's see. Trevor and me, Lessien and Rowena, Rauno and Quintus, correct? I'm fine with all four of us men together as Lessien suggests if you would prefer." Kelkzar looks around counting to see if he has forgotten anyone.
Assuming nothing else transpires while getting rooms. Kelkzar makes his way to the room and prepares for sleep. "Trevor, when you put your armor back on tomorrow, we're going to go over it and make sure you know how to do it correctly. It don't think anyone has ever taught you to wear it properly. It will still be heavy. But not as uncomfortable."
Three would be tight, four might be a little uncomfortable. Two would be fine
Before everyone heads to their rooms, Lessien tells her companions, "If anyone would like any potions, I can take the time to brew one before I go to bed. I can provide potions of curing or potions of reduce person for 25 gold, which is my own cost. Do let me know if you want any."
"Not tonight I fear Lessien. I'm pretty much out of cash except for what Allustan provided. Maybe if we find something tomorrow." After hearing from the innkeeper about the size of the rooms, he replies, "Let's go with two and two and two tonight, courtesy of our benefactor. Good night."
Lessien pulls Rauno aside, out of earshot.
Trevor whispers to Kelkzar with a sly smile: [smaller]"Looks like Rauno and Lessien have a thing..."
He gives a slap on the shoulder to Rauno and a knowing smile as he passes him.
Rowena makes her way into their room, unrolls her bedroll on the floor and makes herself comfortable. "After living in the monastery for so long, I find those soft, fluffy beds make my back ache. You take it, Lessien."
Kelkzar whispers back, "Perhaps, but I think something else is going on with Quintus. I'm not sure what, but he's been acting odd."
Once matters are completed with the innkeeper, Kelkzar heads to the room with Trevor, "With all of the trouble you're having with that armor, you'd better take the bed. I'm used to sleeping on the ground while campaigning. This floor will feel like a mattress."
Quintus avoids the common room as well. "Floor or bed, Rauno? I have a b-bedroll, and thanks to you it's c-cleaner than it's been for a while. I j-just need the thundermug handy, for though I didn't eat much it's not sitting well." He makes sure to have a lot of water available as well.
Lessien shrugs, "You'll hear no complaints from me."
She settles in for the night.
The night goes by without any problems. Morning arrives and the inn serves a simple yet fulling breakfast. The halflings for as small as they are seem eat far more than their size would indicate. There are two humans eating at the table though not sitting together, one the miner you saw last night, and the other who looks like some sort of woodsman.
The innkeeper tells you to sit and soon brings out a more food than you think you can eat.
Just a couple of things before rolling out: Quintus will put in a request for a room facing east. Unfortunately for Rauno, Quintus is not a very good roommate. He sweats a lot and gets occasional leg twitches, as well as some other less palatable issues, let us say. He finally gets up shortly before sunrise and (if the room faces east) pulls back the curtains so he can meditate and pray as the sun rises; if not, he'll find someplace in the area that he can see the sunrise from.
He has a bit more of an appetite at breakfast than for the previous night's dinner, and seems to be in somewhat better spirits.
Kelkzar wolfs down his breakfast and takes a look around the room, "Hey Quintus. Good to see you seem to be eating again. The night must have done you well." He lowers his voice in a conspiratorial tone, "Well, I'm ready to head out, but do you think we should try to learn a little more about the outskirts of town? I'd be happy to talk to the woodsman if someone else wants to talk to the miner."
Kelkzar pushes his plate back, stretches and stands. He makes his way over to stand near the woodsman. Keeping his voice down, he asks, "Excuse me sir. We're travelers, new to town, and are curious to learn a little more about the surrounding lands. Could you tell us if there are hazards we need to be cautious of?"
Rowena probably awoke Lessien as she gathered here things at first light. If pressed, she makes some noises about her morning workout and routine before slipping out the door, allowing the scholar a few more minutes of blissful sleep. She herself heads out to the stable yard for new stretches ands exercises, asking the stable hands for a bale of straw on which to practice throws and tosses (unless one of them volunteers - usually a girl asking some stable hands if they want her to throw them around in the hay leads to all sorts of misunderstandings). She'll head back inside when she's finished and give shelf a quick wash before arriving for breakfast.
As Kelkzar stands to approach the woodsman, Rowena partially opens her mouth to protest the wisdom before her natural insecurities cause her to shut it again with a clack, the protest unspoken.
In the morning, Lessien gets up just after Rowena leaves, and spends an hour brewing a mutagen. She then quickly prepares an extract of shield, and heads out to breakfast.
Lessien quickly eats a plate of food, and then heads to the general store, to try to drum up a source of modest income while she is in town.
To the store manager: "I'm sure you have some market here for potions and alchemical substances. I am an alchemist by trade, as well as skilled in brewing potions. If you normally order such from Magnimar, we might be able to come to a profitable arrangement for you, as I can provide some of what you sell without you having to pay to transport it from the city."
Trevor wakes before dawn, and kneels in front of his window, praying as the morning light flushes on around him. He tries to calm his fear, asking Iomedae for guidance and resolve. His last thoughts go to his dead friend. Rafan...
He then gets up and exercises, keeping his body strong and flexible.
Downstairs, he wolfs his breakfast and starts putting on his armor, looking to Kelkzar for advice.
"Ok, I'm ready!"
Trevor wakes before dawn, and kneels in front of his window, praying as the morning light flushes on around him. He tries to calm his fear, asking Iomedae for guidance and resolve. His last thoughts go to his dead friend. Rafan...
He then gets up and exercises, keeping his body strong and flexible.
Downstairs, he wolfs his breakfast and starts putting on his armor, looking to Kelkzar for advice.
"Ok, I'm ready!"
He's welcome to practice with Rowena. Throwing around a paladin in a tin can would be much more fun than tossing bales of hay.
The man smiles and says "You come to the right place for that question, Fester Trollump at your service. I'm out there every day checking my traps for badgers for their pelts. Occasionally I get something better like a griffon or a manticore! Now something exotic like that catches me a fair price in Magnimar. Other than that I have heard rumors of undead but I have not seen any. People around here get some strange notions in there head sometimes.
So where are you headed out to? Are you treasure hunters like the group of Pathfinders over at Lazare's?"
You head over to the General Store and are greeted inside by Taggin. Taggin is just shy of middle aged and good looking. He is dressed stylishly. He has a handlbar mustached and a full but receding hairline.
Inside the store you see barrel, ropes, gloves, lanterns, wagon wheels and such that the town merchants would need. You also see most of the common adventuring gear that you can think of.
As you walk in Taggin greats you politely. After you ask about an arrangement, Taggin pales a little and says, [b]"I would love that kind of arrangement, but Banazel the Alchemist already takes care of the town's needs. While I could most certainly purchase any potions you wish to sell, I cannot make any agreement with you, I'm sorry." Taggin does seem genuinely sorry.
You practice out there and a few people stop to look, but you are not bothered in any way.
You indeed were able to get the wing that faces the east.