The guard calls back to Rataji. "Most fire have been put out. Those that we could not or were not worth the time or effort are currently safely burning out. Some people might loose a cart or a couple of barrels. Nothing we cant replace."
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Meanwhile, Vy places Princess in an empty stall, on a small heap of straw, and commandeers a horse blanket to cover her, lower body while leaving her head free so she can look around. Before he walks out again, he arranges with a stable hand to leave the stall empty.
When he's outside again, he gives Taj this look, that's his typical face of being clever, and stealthy at the same time, which always makes her laugh and groan, at the same time as well.
"Aldern, I've put Priness where she'll be save, but I think she needs somebody that she knows and trusts. You would be save there as well, as we mop up whatever is left"
"কি একটি চালাক ভাই আমার!"
"I agree that Princess has served bravely, and will need someone to keep her safe. Will you be willing to do that?" Rataji looks up at Aldern with her big, wide innocent looking eyes.
Aldern sighs and looks hurt at Rataji and Snowlake for a moment. "Yes. Of course. I understand. You are quite a capable group. I will go with the guards. Princess will be all right. No goblin will want to enter the stables. I think the dead one we found entered by mistake and got squashed before it could flee."
He pulls his coat right, and nocks an arrow.
"Well. Thank you all very much for rescuing me. I'll go with the militia. See if we can flush out some leftover goblin. If you all go straight to the garrison, the sheriff could probably use the help of a specialized band like yourself. I wish you all the best of luck."
"Ouch. I think even Eldira could tell that we hurt that guy's feelings" Vy mutters quietly to Rodrak
"Yep. Still, we pulled his arse out of the fire, so I guess we're good..." Rodrak says quietly to Snowflake.
He then turns to Justin and the others.
"Sounds good, let us move."
As relieved as she is to see him go, Taj cannot bring herself to let him leave disappointed and hurt. "Aldern, wait. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but... I didn't know what to make of a married admirer. If a guy flirts with me, I don't want it to be happening behind the back of his wife." She bites her lip. "Maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Once this is done, maybe you could join a group of us for drinks or something with no flirting, just hanging out as friends. Does that seem reasonable?"
Then she runs back to the others. "Ready!"
Aldern blushes. Prettyly. "Oh, gee. I didnt mean it that way. But yeah. Drinks would be nice. I'm staying at the Rusty Dragon. So. Uhm. Bye?"
Taj waves at Aldern and then turns back to Justin. "Look, if you're going to be a dominant species, having an interest in reproduction is probably a plus. Or do ratfolk just bud?" She grins. "Eh, you're right. We've got work to do. Oskar, you're our native guide. So which way do we go? Lead on!"
"Oskar, you're our native guide. So which way do we go? Lead on!"
"Me, huh? Well, assuming the gobs aren't gonna want to hit the bars, the dice games or the fights, where would the little buggers go...?" Oskar pauses a moment to see if any bright ideas come to him.
Oskar thinks for a moment. There isnt really anything of interest for the goblins in Sandpoint.
They are more the mayhem and burn things kind of creatures. A lot of buildings are made of wood, but there doesnt appear to be a large fire raging.
Also, goblins are very cowardly. With the element of surprise gone, you wonder how long they will hold before fleeing.
You are however, next to the rusty dragon. The inns would serve as a place to gather wounded or refugees during an attack. They might need your aid.
Oskar thinks for a moment. “Honestly, nothing in town really screams, 'Goblin target’. But we're right by the Rusty Dragon,” he says, gesturing at the wall next to him. “Miss K's the kind of lady to make her place into a rally point during stuff like this. Might be a good place to check in, y'know?” Oskar involuntary licks his lips and asks Eldira, “You know if Miss K was makin’ that baccala salad of hers for today?”
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"It can be two things, Justin!"
"Ears fluttering?" Rataji bursts out laughing. "You're right, my ears don't flutter over Aldern. Come to think of it, I'm not sure my ears have fluttered over anyone." She turns to Vy. "Have my ears ever fluttered, Vy?"
Then she nods to Oskar. "Let's go with your plan. Either we'll be needed, or we'll get some Baccala. And if things die down, let's find Luca. The poor kid must be worried sick about you. I know that I'd be."
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"There has always been a lot of fluttering, Taj, of butterflies in several bellies, but no, not your ears", Vy sighs in mock romantic theatrics, but quickly reverts back to his more serious tone.
"Let's indeed go to the Rusty Dragon. We could do with some refreshments to clear our heads, and find out where we can help. The militia can handle the big things, but maybe the people have their own personal problems"
The entrance to the rusty dragon is just round the corner. The militia and Aldern go in one direction, while you approach the entrance.
Several armed townspeople guard the doors, but they let you inside without a question.
Inside, the common room has most of its tables shoved against the wall. The free floorspace has been taken up with blankets.
The makeshift beds are however not occupied. There are several wounded in the room, but no one is in such a bad state that they need to lie down.
At the back of the room are also other people, who are obviously staying here for shelter.
Once trough the door, Ameiko rushes up to your group. "Eldira! Snowflake! So good to see you! And of course everyone else as well. I saw you all engage the goblins at the square. Do any of you require assistance or healing?"
"We're okay. We were hoping to help you out, actually. Though Oskar was hoping for your Baccala as well..." Taj smiles winningly.
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"Though Oskar was hoping for your Baccala as well..."
Oskar makes the you're-killing-me-here face to Rataji. "Just, y'know, if there's any leftovers from earlier. Left... um, over. Not if it's a big thing."
Ameiko laughs. "Always hungry arent you Oskar. Well, if you help out here, I am sure I can find some tjimg for you to eat."
She gestures at the doors. "The militia is currently guarding the inn. If you could take over,they would be free to take up patrol again. Most of the people here are just taking cover and the wounded have already been given aid."
Taj hesitates. On the one hand, they've already done a lot of fighting. A break would be great. On the other hand, she hates sitting on her ass when other people are doing work. "Some food would be great. Perhaps we can trade off patrolling duties? We guard for an hour or two, and then the guard comes back and we patrol again? It'll keep everyone fresher."
She looks around the inn, and then turns to Ameiko. "Miss Kajitsu, have you got any word on our father, Pateba Diras? He's a mwangi bard, very dark skinned with a rich baritone voice and an infectious grin. I know he was going to be performing in a number of inns today, but we'd had plans to meet up in the Rusty Dragon. He was fond of curry. I'd hoped he made his way here. Also, does anyone know where the kids were taken? I'm worried about a little boy named Luca who we met earlier."
Back at the dragon, Eldira takes a moment to check her surroundings. Since her usual booth is likely covered by refugees, Eldira is looking to find something to eat and drink, not because she is all that hungry, but opportune refreshment is nothing to waste.
|
"you have 50 some odd people that can shoot better than me. My usefulness to you will vastly increase and a few hours of sleep" he takes a bit of bread, rips the middle out of it, adds some soup, gets a flaggon of ale and heads into a small crawl space under the stairs. "tap three times if you need me to wake up."
Ameiko shakes her head. "No, sorry. I did not hear anything about your father, altough, the militia stationed here can ask at the garrison if he's evacuated to one of the other refugee points."
Ameiko motions the group to a table. She shrugs at Justin moving under the stairs. Ratfolk arent common here, but the Ratfolk that leave the warrens and travel in caravans have a kindred spirit in the Varisian people.
After everyone is seated, Ameiko brings out a simple stew and bread, and drinks. "Rest up for a bit. After you've had a bite to eat, you can relieve the militia on duty. They can check the state of the town, and if there is news, either about Rataji's father or the state of the attack, they can bring that back to us, relieving you of guard duty if it is needed."
The food and drink are more then welcome. Now that you have a moment to wind down, you finally feel the days events in every square inch of your body. Aches, bruises, scrapes... Even though the magical healing knit your wounds, it does nothing for the weariness in your bones, or in your soul...
Having had the chance to rest for a bit, you relieve the militia of their guard duty. They thank you, eager to be on their way back to the garrison, to see if they can help, and to hear news of their own loved ones.
A hour and a half passes, uneventful. Several other patrols pass, still checking the town, keeping their patterns fairly random, to surprise any goblins sneaking about.
Then the all clear is given. No more goblins have been found in the town, and people are free to return to their homes. The militia will continue to patrol all trough the night.
People trickle out of the inn, some waiting a bit, feeling safer in the company of others.
Eventually the Rusty Dragon empties out, leaving only a handfull of people there, most of them guests.
Pateba Diras finds his way to the Dragon. Having been evacuated with the orphans, he decided to stay a bit longer, to distract them with music and song. He lets you know Luc is fine.
Seeing how weary you are, Ameiko offers you all a bed in the inn, even tough some of you already have a place or home to stay at.
She waves Oskars protests away, saying its better to be with friends after such events.
The evening is subdued. Most people turn to bed early, exhausted from the days event. Most of you follow suit, equally tired.
Any of you who stay up late, either because sleep eludes you after all the bloodshed, or because there is still some restlessness in your bones, see Aldern come in, Princess bandaged up. There are a lot less arrows in his quiver, and a lot more bloodspatters on his coat. He too looks exhausted. Too tired to notice you, he disappears upstairs.
"Daddy!" Taj flings herself into Pateba's arms, trying to reassure herself that the old bard is still okay. "We're so glad you're okay! Daddy, Snow and I met the best group of people. This is Rodrak, he who kills goblins with flung grocery carts! And that lady is Eldira, she's awesome with a bow, and... really rational. I think you'd find talking with her a revelation. The snoring rat under the stairs is Justin. We'll have to introduce you in the morning because he's both a Thassilonian scholar and a smartass, which means that you and he will have a ton in common and..." She pulls away, suddenly self-conscious. There are sparks flying in her hair. It's been an emotional day. "I'm babbling, aren't I?"
Still, she takes Pateba's hand and introduces him to one more person. "This is Oskar. He's a local and he works at the local alchemist's shop, Bottled Solutions. His boss is kind of eccentric, but Oskar's great, Solid and funny and..." She breaks off. "Everyone, this is our dad, Pateba!"
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Looking at the family reunion is thoroughly confusing to Eldira. The flame-haired warrior woman who hours ago was killing goblins with the best of them has transformed into an eager girl in the presence of her birth giver.
Parents, what a weird concept of course so are babies, in general, being brought into a hostile environment and completely dependent on others. . .. I might miss something here.
After a couple seconds of self-reflection... or as Eldira would call it "buffering", she stands up to greet this important person. Taking a little bit too long before saying "Interesting to meet the creator of Rataji, the obvious physical differences and similarities between you two are quite interesting. I had to opportune chance, to see your daughter "perform" in combat, and while the goblin creatures proved to be elusive, most did not learn in time that attacking her created inopportune openings in their defenses, which resulted in subsequent puncture wounds.
Can we expect a similar performance from you or should I categorize you differently, in case or further combat events ? "
Social encounter initiated, waiting for reply.
While introductions are being made, Vy hugs his stepfather, and in a quiet and serious voice asks him if they can talk privately sometime today.
Rodrak seems to be uncomfortable around the family reunion, and after making sure his companions have also had their share of the food moves upstairs to sleep.
"Twas a good days work on a bad days feast, folks. Thanks... see you on the morrow."
The night is uneventful. Those of you plagued by fitful sleep, can see the militia pass during the night, carrying torches.
The following morning, there are already some people in the common room, getting breakfast.
Ameiko greets you, inquiring if you had a good nights rest.
For breakfast, there is either bread, or porridge.
Serving you your breakfast, Ameiko lets you know that she recieved word early in the morning that the cathedral will be consecrated today, in a simple ceremony inside the cathedral itself. You are all invited. There is also a note from Sheriff Hemlock for you.
I dont know all your names, but some of you are distinct enough.
Your actions yesterday have been noticed by the people of sandpoint, and by me.
I would like to thank you for what you did for the people of sandpoint.
After the ceremony in the cathedral, I'd like to meet with you.
I hope to discuss several matters with you, and would like your assistance in some matter.
Please meet me in front of the cathedral.
Regards,
Sheriff Hemlock.
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"This is Oskar.”
Oskar had just sat down with a bowl of stew when Rataji comes over with a man in tow. Aww, what is it now… oh geez, get up you dolt! He gets up and takes the man’s hand. “Hello sir, it’s an honor. You’ve got a pair of fine kids here, jumped to folks’ defense without a moment’s hesitation.” As he’s talking, Oskar starts noticing that he’s got something caught in his teeth; it feels like a leek. Ignoring it is proving downright impossible, but he does his best to soldier on. “I’m not quite…” (pause as he tries unsuccessfully to pop whatever it is loose with his tongue) “...not quite a local, though, Rataji. I’m from… a town up north o’ here…” Gods, it’s like it’s glued to my teeth! “S’called Averaka. I been here... about a year...” “Couldyoutwo‘scusemeaminutepardonme.” Oskar grabs a knife off the table and retreats somewhere out of view to get the food out from his teeth.
Taj covers her mouth, trying hard not to smile at her friend's predicament. She waits patiently for him to come back, and after he's had a chance to talk to her dad, she nods at everyone and gets up again.
"It's been a very long day. I think I'll retire early." Taking a cue from her brother's body language, she decides to leave her father and brother alone for a moment. "Good night, all!" She waves at everyone, and then heads upstairs to her room. It's small, with one neat bed, a lantern, and a little gray tabby cat that had somehow found its way onto her bed, curled up sleeping right smack in the middle of her quilt. Amused, Taj lifts up the protesting feline. "Although you do have prior claim, cat, I get this bed too." She sets the cat down, and the cat wanders off in a huff only to hop back onto the bed again a few minutes later. Taj puts up with the feline kneading her hip until it finally settles down. "You know, you'd probably prefer sleeping with my brother. He's big, warm and furry. He likes animals." But the cat, whatever its name is, is still asleep.
Taj decides to follow its lead. In the morning, the cat is gone, with just bits of gray shed fur on the quilt to show that it had ever been there. Taj stretches, collects her stuff, and then tucks into the porridge, thanking Ameiko for her hospitality. "The bed, the food... it's all been great. Thank you! I even appreciated the cat that you didn't know you had lent me. By the way, what's the cat called? She was a good roommate, as such things go."
Looking over the note with surprise, she shows it to the others. "It appears we've made an impression. So let's find out what the Sheriff wants after the Cathedral ceremony."
Ameiko puts some more porridge on the table. "Ah, you met Haiiro. Yes, she always like to sleeps on guest beds. Not too much of a hassle. If she bothers you, just put her outside. She'll feel offended and will look for someone else to sleep with."
Gathering up some of the used bowls, Ameiko stacks them with ease. "And the pleasure is all mine. I saw how you were all very kind to Luc, and you helped out with defending the town. Least I could do. Besides, I can always claim the new Sandpoint Heros slept in my inn." Ameiko winks at you, before walking away with the bowls.
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Rodrak appears downstairs in his full armor and weaponry, polished back to a gleam after yesterday's events.
"Thank you, inkeep. I am grateful for the hospitality."
He grabs the bread and starts wolfing it down, talking in between swallowing whole chunks.
"Sounds like the good Sheriff might want to offer us a more formal position then 'Sandpoint Heroes'. I'd be up for it. I'd also be in the market for some kind of crossbow... as mellons are a little impractical to carry around all the time."
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"No kidding, Rod. After the first couple of days I have to think it would get a little funky," Oskar says as he enters the main room. He helps himself to a bowl of porridge. "Thanks, Miss K," he says appreciativley as he settles down and digs in.*
As he eats, Oskar gets himself filled in on the situation. "Yeah, I'd be happy to go. Just wanna swing by my place, check in and make sure... ow!" Oskar winces for a moment as if he bit something unpleasant. "...and make sure nothin's missing or busted up. Up to and includin' Nisk. Ugh. He's gonna get all pissy about my missin' work to meet the Sherrif, I bet. Could be worse. I suppose. Possibly."
"Melons are impractical, though your attack with the cart was impressive, Rodrak! "
"Oskar, do you need someone to go with you when you talk to Nisk?" Taj asks. "I could try to help, though I'm not sure it will do any good."
She gets up and walks softly over the crawl space under the stairs where the snoring ratfolk lay, still curled up. She taps softly, three times. Justin continues to snore.
"He did say to tap softly three times to wake him up, didn't he? Should I let him sleep, or should we drag him out?"
"Oskar, do you need someone to go with you when you talk to Nisk? I could try to help, though I'm not sure it will do any good."
Oskar ponders this a moment. "That's a nice offer, thanks. Uh, you could come with, that'd be nice of ya, and probably help him see I'm not just tryin' to sneak a day off. But I'll do the talkin'. Or as is usually the case with Nisk, the shoutin'." Oskar grins at his joke, and as he does so, folks catch a glimpse of a nasty cut on the inside of his mouth down by his gums.
Vy walks into the inn, but from outside, not from upstairs. He has that solemn stern look on his face which means he has reached a decision. He kisses Taj on the head, hustles Ameiko for some raisins in his porridge; and sits down to eat.
After reading the message he asks Taj
"I wouldn't mind helping But how long can we stay committed? When is Father planning to leave?"
"I don't know." Taj sighs. "Vy, I think I want to stay a bit. Do you think we could convince him to stay? Maybe do something at the new theater they have in town?" Then she blinks. "You were up early this morning. Did you just want to go for a walk around town? Revisit old memories?"
Pateba enters the inn, a little bit behind Snowflake. Grabbing his own bowl of porridge, he joins the group at the table.
"Good morning everyone. I hope everyone had a good nights sleep."
Turning towards Rataji, Pateba grins and pats his belly. "Vy and I went for a brisk morning walk. Good for the appetite. And the bowel movement you know."
He gives Rataji a big, fat wink, before starting on his porridge. It seems he used his charms to get an ample amount of raisins from Ameiko.
"I managed to catch the last of your question. With everything happening, my plans got shaken up a bit. The performance was delayed. But there are still several people at the theater I want to talk too. If I cant perform, at least I can make some interesting connections. And I found out yesterday that that lovely lade Ameiko is schooled in the use of the samisen. Its a very intersting instrument. It comes from the continent of Tian Xia. At the very least I want to hear her perform, and try it for a bit myself. So dont worry little ember. You can hang out with your new friends."
Smiling, he tousles Rataji's hair in a playfull manner.
As Pateba is distracting Rataji, Vy takes the oppertunity to scoop up the dishes, and hauls them off to clean them, and help Ameiko out. In the kitchen, he can be heard asking Ameiko about the current where-abouts of a man named Sir Korvaski.
Taj wrinkles her nose at Pateba in mock annoyance. "Do you know how long it takes me to do my hair each morning?" But she can't help smiling at her handsome dark father. She kisses him on the forehead. "Maybe we'll see you at the Cathedral?"
Then she looks at the others. "I'm going to help Oskar face Nisk, and then head to the Cathedral. Anyone want to join us?"
Pateba gives Rataji a hug. "Sorry little ember. I know you spend *hours* each morning getting it just right. I'll join you at noon in the cahtedral. Have fun with your friends."