"There are leftovers from the last meal and some bread in the kitchen." Kendra tells shortly looking up from the book.
Spugnoir helps the others organize the papers
After about 10 minutes of organizing papers Grergof looks up and says to everyone.
These Records are a mess. We will be at this for a while.
Then he settles in to help Stam and Spugnoir with the organization.
After an hour or two studying the book Kendra starts to copy a spell with the golden ink into her own spellbook. After two more hours she is finally done.
After this time she feels hungry herself and moves to the kitchen and makes a batch of sandwitches. As she comes back with the tray she asks "Someone else hungry?"
A sandwich please.. Spugnoir says as he pours through the sheets.
Splatterman
Father Charlton
Mosswater Marauder
The Piper
The Lopper
Kendra puts the tray on the table. "Help yourself."
These are some sick puppies.
Well they were slated for death. So that is not too surprising. Did you find the Pipers Name?
As everyone is busy with papers Father Grimburrow says "I'll get back to my own work then. Hopefully the strange days in Ravengro are over. Have a nice day. I guess we'll meet again this week." He then leaves.
Kendra accompanies the Father to the door bides him farewell and returns to the spellbook.
I am afraid not, this is what I found of the Mosswater Marauder. Spugnoir shows the paper.
As all sit busy over the papers of one kind or the other there is a knock at the door. As Kendra opens she is greeted by the Sheriff. "Good afternoon. I'd like to pay Mrs. Fallenbridge a visit. I've heard she is with you."
"Please come in." Kendra replies and leads him in. As the visit isn't for her anyway she sits down again over the spellbook.
"Hello." the Sheriff greets all - a bit surprised to find such a large round here - and takes off his hat. "I just wanted to check on you how you are recovering." he tells Jominda fiddling around with his hat and avoiding her gaze. "I'm glad you're well again - I mean as good as can be expected under the circumstances."
"I'm sorry this happened to you. I got you this" the Sheriff says holding out a bottle of red wine. "Shall help with anaemia."
Jominda accepts the bottle. "Thanks." she replies surprised looking at the bottle. "I'll check how it works for that. But for sure it helps getting me to sleep if I take a larger dose." she jokes.
"Well, then I'll go back to my job I guess." he states and let's himself out.
"Strange." Jominda exclaims looking at the closed door. "Anyone with anaemia here? I offer some household remedy." She walks to the cupboard to fetch some glasses.
The Splatterman
The Lopper
Father Charlton
The Piper
Why would you think it is strange that the sheriff is concerned about you? You just had a major trauma that he feels bad about and was looking for any way he can help and check you are OK.
Seems perfectly normal to me. Is this unusual for him or something?
As he waits for an answer Grergof points to a number of papers with information about the prisoners that he wants to make sure the others didn't miss:
Darius nudges Jominda with his elbow then nods towards the doorway with a smile. "My old eyes see that someone has a bit of a soft spot."
"What is not strange about that. Usually he is all patronizing and annoying. I'd have expected a 'told you so' and 'be more careful' and now he's behaving as if it was his fault I got hurt. And what do you mean by soft spot." Jominda asks.
Quite the bunch of crooks
"not really knowing the Sheriff or Jominda, I am in agreement with Darius. I think he feels the way he does because he couldn't protect you."
Stam then turns to Spugnoir, "You are right, not that this really tells us more about them. Maybe we need a bigger library like the one in Lepidstadt."
Grergof chuckles:
Oh. No wonder you reacted like you did at the town hall...
Stam is partially right. I don't know how else to tell you this but to come straight out and say this: the sheriff likes you, but is way too intimidated by you to come out and say anything.
My guess is the only way he can think of showing you this is to be the protector of this town and to catch your eye that way.
Particularly after what you said to him at the town hall, he's trying to show you he's good at his job by keeping everyone safe from things way beyond what he signed up for. So he feels terrible about what happened to you.
He was almost in tears when he told us of your attack, and only because he was so good a man is Gibbs still alive to face trial. With the amount of emotions he had pent up, I think anyone would have had a hard time not losing it in that fight.
"Are you serious? The Sheriff?" Jominda asks baffled.
Completely. My guess is that the "patronizing" and "annoying" interactions you have had with him have all been him stopping by for odd reasons like just now.
He wants to talk to you but can not figure out how.
"Oh good gods in heaven." Jominda replies aghast and falls back on her chair. "What should I do now?"
That Miss Fallenbridge depends completely on what you want.
If you like how things are, do nothing but be nice to him.
If however you want to get to know him better, figure out a way to spend some time together. Exactly what I'm not sure... maybe Miss Lorrimor can suggest something.
My only thought is the town has had a rough go of it the last few weeks, maybe the two of you can work together to plan something fun for the next town festival. If you do it right it might raise everyone's spirits and make everyone forget the recent unpleasantness.
"I don't like how things are. He is annoying." Jominda replies. "I know I could do a lot worse than the Sheriff in Ravengro. But he's a grumpy old man! I mean, you have had to deal with him too, didn't you?"
"And on the other side he doesn't have the balls to tell me 'Hey, I like you, how about I invite you for dinner and we find out if you like me too.' It's not technomancy*." she adds frustrated.
"Some women marry some guy and then nag all day until he does what they want. But I never wanted to become one of those old hags. I always imagined... well to be honest, I have no idea what I want in the first place."
"Welcome to the Ravengro matrimonial market, where the number of young, handsome, sophisticated men sums up to zero." Kendra comments. "Prepare yourself to marry down if you want to stay here. You can consider yourself lucky that there is someone willing to take you at all even though you're an intelligent and independent woman."
Spugnoir wonders if has stumbled into one of those 'Soap Stories' where people have extreme angst over relationships and unknown siblings and children appear regularly.
"Thank you very much. If you continue with such advice I'll keep to that bottle of wine to cheer me up." Jominda frowns.
But then her face brightens up. "You know this one son of Councilman Muricar? The one with the rumors about his wife being infidel - the one who turned out good looking despite his father? He was sent away or whatever some years ago, but I heard from their maid that he was actually studying in Lepidstadt and will come back in a few month. He might meet your standards."
"And most of the council members children meet at least some of your criteria."
"I'm sorry if I came over as negative. And I'm not searching so please stop sugesting." Kendra replies.
"But if that Muricar son is really the result of a sidestep of his mother you'd want to make sure you don't end up with your cousin or half-brother."
Spugnoir thinks he catches a glimpse of the spotted Drama Llama.
"You think your father? ..." Jominda asks aghast.
Kendra laughs out loud. "I don't think so. Otherwise the relationship with Councilman Muricar wouldn't be that good. He was one of the few to come to my fathers burial."
"But besides that. Even though it would be some 30 years ago. I can't imagine my father as the ladies' man."
"But we're talking about the same man - this charming, sophisticated and well off guy named Professor Petros Lorrimor, yes? Maybe a little too bookish and with his foible for the undead... but at age thirty and not married yet? I'd really like to know what your mother had to say about that." Jominda teases Kendra.
The thought makes Kendra blush. "Don't you dare... I didn't say that the ladies were not interested in him. But he would never have committed adultery." she protests.
"Ehm, where did we start to end up discussing your father's love life?" Jominda asks a bit embarrassed.
"Your love life!" Kendra replies.
"Ah yes. My personal not so charming stalker." Jominda sighs. "Darius, how about you do some interview with him and find out if he's any good behind this grumpy old man facade. Like he has to meet my father. Only that my father wouldn't dare to do that thoroughly with the sheriff."
"And if he's worth the hassle teach him some manners." She looks at Darius in anticipation.
Darius looks at Kendra and Jominda and sighs.
"Oh all right. I was getting for too sores sitting here while everyone loads over books. I must say if the next 30 days are going to be spent like this then I might just go on ahead with Stam to run his errand. But nevertheless, I do have a weakness for lovely ladies and I aim to please." he says with a slight bow to Jominda and Kendra.
"Besides I need the walk. This sitting so much doesn't do me any good."
He turns to Jominda, "I'm going to need food after this and I do owe you for help you've provided us and of course to apologize for putting you in danger. Can this weary old warrior treat you to dinner Miss Fallenbridge?"
"Sure. Shall we go to the Outward Inn again? By the way, you invited me last time too. Did you pay, because I for sure didn't." Jominda replies. "We might have forgotten that in the aftermath of the exploding cards."
Stam waits till the ladies have settled a bit, a sly smile comes to his face.
"I know some bachelors in Cheliax, although you would have to probably sign an infernal contract or two."
With that he gets up quickly and follows Darius out the door.