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Zakhar bustles about, keeping an ear out for idle conversation.
Tired of hearing complaints about mustard on sandwiches, a missing side of gravy, and no less than three 'actually I ordered soup's, he summons a false cheer and starts informing everyone, "Ho! Today is Mystery Meal Moonday! You get what you get. It may be what you wanted, or maybe something even better!"
Between songs, he brings a drink to Lord Braggett. "Well sung." he nods.
The room is so sparse that it does not take long for the team on the second floor to search. The closet only has a couple changes of clothes within, and other than these treasured drawings, Morvinarr had very little that he called his own.
Kragak hears the old people talk a bit about the apprentices. “One of them, Noemi, makes the nicest cakes. She makes the prettiest flowers out of frosting. A real baking artist, she is.”
Zakhar hears lots of snatches of conversation.
“—nope, not my dog it was—“
“—dark, that’s when we move the—“
“—and there they were, big as a house cat, waving their ant-parts—“
“Mustard, again?!”
“—treats that boy like a son, but that’s gnomes for—“
“—next time, you sleep on the couch, you big—“
“Too salty.”
The crowd starts to settle down to the idea of Mystery Meal Monday, and many of them start eating what was brought in front of them. Eventually, the crowd starts thinning out. Alcie starts getting in a better mood as more and more customers pay and leave. “So what will you and your friends have? You’ve surely earned a good meal today.”
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Wetbeard gives the Aasimar a nod in agreement. "Aye, I think you're right. Don't feel right bein' in they room anyhow. It's violating." Wetbeard joins Castiel, moving downstairs to find the rest of his allies.
When he approaches the counter he leans over to Alcie with a smile. "Tell me then miss Alcie, you 'eard much word about these big ol' bugs? Try'na make a good name in town and solving yer little beastie problem seems a fine way to start."
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Oak Sprout follows the others back downstairs. Before they reach the common area, she comments to Wetbeard, "Did you decide not to take anyone's socks because the paladin was watching?" To Castiel, she says, "All paladins say stealing is bad, right? Don't worry--Kragrak doesn't steal. I think he's too worried about getting in trouble sometimes, to be honest."
As the place empties out of the lunch crowd, Alcie brings everyone some smoky lentil soup and really good hearty toasted bread. “So, what brings you here? I saw questions in your eyes when you came in.”
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In response to the elder's question about people giving him trouble for his appearance, Kragrak says, "Sometimes. I'd'n't look much like my family."
He eagerly listens to the elder's tales about the younger generation, not sharing anything else about himself unless they ask directly.
As Lord Braggett begins his first song, Kragrak joins in with the stomping of feet, and erupts into a loud cheer as the song reaches its conclusion, joining the crowd in requesting an encore.
After Braggett finishes his second performance, Kragrak excuses himself from the table. He is reluctant to bother the kitchen staff when they are so busy, but it is getting increasingly difficult to ignore his grumbling stomach. Besides, the smells of the tavern's fare are so much more appetizing than the idea of eating rations while traveling around town.
He approaches Alcie and says, "'Scuse me. I'd like a mystery meal and some ale. Strong ale, please. Dwarven is best."
“Yeah, we have casks of the Dwarven ale. I’ll get you some. Does anyone else want a mug?” Alcie asks, almost affable now.
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Whispering to Sprout… “Taking things that aren’t yours is wrong but it sometimes is necessary especially if it means finding the kids.” Smiling at Sprout “I haven’t had much of a chance to chat with your friend but I think we need to leave here and look for clues around the town. Maybe the group has found time to talk with the Proprietress while we were gone..”
Pappy… getting a asdos feeling about the safety of the kids… i think we are wasting ashok here…
"Ms Alcie... I'll pass for now but thank you for the offer. We may need all of our senses soon if what we are hearing is true about large vermin in town and missing children."
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"Aye!!" Wetbeard's voice bellows out as he waves at Alcie. "A good burnin' in the belly can be good for an adventurer." When the drink is offered he takes long gulps, chugging the beverage down.
He slams the tankard down with a satisfied sigh, leaning back in his seat. "Ya ale tastes different in these parts, goes down smooth and bites ya in the gut." He grins and passes her the empty mug. "I like it."
He moves quickly to his food, tearing into it like he hasn't eaten in days. He occasionally slips some into his tentacles to Wanda, or passes a piece to Sprout. When Fizzlebotham isn't watching he flicks a few pieces of food at Kibbles, chuckling when the bread bounces off the pup's nose.
After all his food and drink is finished, he passes his dishes to Alcie, giving a nod of thanks. "Miss Alcie, to get down to business, 'ave ya heard anything 'bout missing apprentices? They say a tavern is the 'eart of any town, and if there's information it must be here, eh?" He reaches into the pockets of his stained coat, retrieving the letter from Mayor Trinelli. "Ol' Sandra has assigned us to 'elping out some o' those poor lads, and I intend to see it through. She's offerin' rewards to anyone that'll pitch in." He passes the letter to Alcie, letting her look over it. "Any information, or advice on what folks be having information, is what we need."
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Lord Braggett tucks into his soup with zeal, having worked up an appetite with all the singing. However he passes on the drink, as he is still enjoying the one Zakhar brought him, with that and the compliment on his singing, Braggett no holds the plain looking gentleman in the highest esteem I shall have to give him some fashion tips later, by way of thanks. He could certainly use a little bit of colour in his dress!
Braggett nods along to the questions of his fellow Pathfinders "Yes, thank you Ms Alcie for the food and your time. May I assume that you are missing an apprentice yourself, and that it was the catalyst for Mystery Meal Moonday? You have my word that we will do everything in our power to bring them home safely." He takes a loud slurp of his soup, displaying his excellent manners "However, yours is not the only missing child in town and we are currently looking for connections... Have you heard of the preacher's daughter, Nolaria? And does your apprentice regularly... How do the kids put it these days?" He frowns and has another loud slurp of soup, trying to find the right words "'Hang out' with her, and perchance a lad by the name of Gelly?"
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Kibble attempts to catch the food that Wetbeard flicks in his direction, but misses every time. Unperturbed, the shaggy wolf twists and contorts into awkward positions to snaffle up the food wherever it bounces, trying his utmost not to get up. Occasionally a large paw gets stretched out to drag back any food that gets away, and his long tongue is employed to finish the job.
Alcie pulls up a chair and enjoys soup with you. “Yes, Morvinarr is one of those that went missing, but he was the last to disappear. Just a few days ago he failed to show for work, and ‘fore that he was frantic with worry bout the others. I could tell.” Alcie sighs. “He weren’t my lad, he was a foundling that Father Ildris found. Orphaned by the Goblin Blood War, he was. When I got him at age 11, he was the scrawniest thing you ever saw, but I never begrudge growning boys food, and soon he was a better bouncer than I was. Real talent for cooking too.” She smiles deprecatingly. “I can cook just fine, but Morvinarr’s an artist at it. Can take the weirdest stuff and make a fantastic meal.”
“Morvinarr was a strapping lad, and as the biggest and strongest of his friends, saw himself as their protector. Where they went, he went, always making sure to keep them out of harm's way. Most often it was Nolaria who led them on wild adventures outside of town; they’d often return to the tavern to boast about their exploits, and I’d feed the lot of them.” Alcie smiles a bit at the memory. “That Nolaria sure knew her herbs and wild foods. They’d bring back morels, ramps and wild nuts that made Morrie’s meals the talk of the town. Recently, however, they seem to have been avoiding this place, and Morvinarr started taking more and more time off.” She looks at you, uncertainly. “Will you keep something to yourselves if I tell you, and not go blathering it to every nitwit and gossip in town?”
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Lord Braggett places down his spoon, sits up straight, and proudly says "Ms Alcie, on the day I first mounted Sir Kibble and charged into glorious battle, I swore an oath to uphold the knightly virtues." He hooks his thumbs beneath his breastplate and puffs out his chest "The keeping a lady's secrets is one of the core tenants of my chivalric code. As such, if you prefer to keep this information quiet, I will not utter a word of it to a single nitwit or gossip, you have my word." He nods slightly and smiles reassuringly Yes, that's probably in the code somewhere...
She leans forward, worriedly. “I think they started getting involved in something they thought I wouldn’t approve of. Magic. Can’t be sure, and the last thing I want to see is Morrie or the others burned at the stake. But sometimes I’d hear bits and pieces of conversation... and then they’d suddenly all go silent when I approached. Keep it to yourselves, but keep an eye out, you hear?”
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Kragrak enjoys his mug of dwarven ale, sipping it at first to savor the taste before slamming the rest back in giant gulps. He agrees heartily with Wetbeard's pronouncement, adding, " M'dad always said. If it doesn't burn, it's not dwarven. Not dwarven, not worth drinking. Basically water."
He listens carefully to the conversation about Morvinarr and the other apprentices, nodding and grunting, but mostly keeping quiet--that is, until Alcie's whispered comment. His face twists in horror, and he whispers back, "D'people really get burned at the stake? Just fer magic? That's horrible."
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Oak Sprout beams at Wetbeard, "Thanks! She sticks the solid food in her mouth for a while before discreetly spitting it out into a small satchel, out of Alcie's view. The once-appetizing food is now a damp mash peppered with bits of dead leaves. She confides in Wetbeard, "Kragrak doesn't usually order me food at taverns. He says that its a waste because I can't 'draw nourishment' from it and people might be offended when I spit out their food. Bah. Still feels interesting in my mouth. And no one tells him he can't enjoy going out in the sun just because he can't 'draw nourishment' from it." Noticing Kibble's awkward but eager feeding, she offers her bag of food to him. "Maybe Kibble would still like it."
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Kibble puts his entire head in the satchel, almost knocking the small leshy over as he sniffs and wiggles it around happily snaffling up the exotic food. Once finished, Kibble removes his head from the bag, stands up on all fours, and gives Oak Sprout's face a good sniff, his wet nose touching her cheek. He sneezes, then gives her a big lick with his leaf covered sandpaper tongue.
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That's what you take exception to? What about the poor nobles? Lord Braggett thinks to himself when Kragrak objects to the towns history with dark magic, but with their business (and lunch) mostly concluded he decides to keep it to himself. "Thank you, my Lady, for your cooperation, and for the soup!" He says as he gets up from his seat "May I ask one more boon of you before we go? We are working our way through a list of establishments and directions would be appreciated. Which is closest, the Haberdasher, the Baker, or the Cobbl-" He notices Sir Kibble acting in a most unferocious way "Sir Kibble! What are you doing? Be careful, Sprout, you never know when he is about to strike... He'll have your head clean off!" Kibble responds by sitting down on his haunches and letting his tongue flop out from the side of his mouth.
Petrello’s Haberdashery has a neat little sign, but it’s the only neat thing about the place. As you step in, the first sight you see is fabric spread all over the floor. It’s not a single bolt putlled out for cutting, either. There must be fifty different fabrics pulled out here, along with buttons, laces and other items. A man sits in the middle of it, head in hands, and crying. He pauses as you come in and wipes his face. “Sorry. Not much ready for business now. Maybe you can try me again next week.”
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Zakhar nods gravely at Alcie's words. "T'would be a shame for these youths to fall into the foul arts. Thank you for your help."
He stands and retrieves his gear, then gestures to the door.
Zakhar unfolds the list of names from his pocket. "Mr. Pindlion? We're from the mayor's office. We're here to help find Betrona."
“It’s that apothecary boy’s fault. He’s a bad one, he is.” Petrello looks up at you, bleary-eyed. “Sure you can’t come back next week? This place never looked like this when Betrona was here.”
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Lord Braggett is taken aback by the scene All that fabric! 'Twould be a shame if it got ruined because of one less pair of hands in the shop... A lesser man may have found himself unable to concentrate, caught up in imagining all the glorious outfits that could be made from the colourful swatches, but not Braggett. He can multitask! "The apothecary boy... That would be Gelly? I take it you did not approve of Betrona's relationship with the lad then?" He looks around at the mess Oooh, you could make a dashing ruffled shirt out of that! and does his best to approach Petrello without soiling his fabric "What is it you believe him to have done? Whatever it is, rest assured that we will find your child, and bring her back to you." He awkwardly pats the crying man on the shoulder in an attempt to comfort him "You have my word! But first we must know what Betrona and her friends were up to before they disappeared, can you help us with that?"
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While Lord Braggett tries to get Petrello to collect his whit’s and settle down… Castiel leans over to Wetbeard and whispers… “Any chance your “flesh creature” can pick up any clues from this place? In this state, he’s probably not going to know much either!”
With the growing concern for the kids and the likelihood they are missing because of some foul dead... Castiel casts detect evil on the area behind Petrelloto to determine if evil is present.
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Wetbeard whispers back to Castiel. "Aye, but I'll need something to work with. Best to settle the man down first."
Wetbeard enters the room, eyeing up the sobbing man. With a sigh he approaches, beginning to pick up some of the fabric and move it to the counter. "Ye must be Petrello." Wetbeard continues cleaning the shop as he speaks, organizing the fabric and buttons into neat little piles. "And that means ye be the one who Betrona needs to come home to. Now listen lad." Wetbeard pauses his routine to kneel in front of the man, looking him at eye level. The poor fellow looks ready to die from grief. "Ye must know why we're here. We're here to get the lads and lasses back, and that means any help ye can offer, be help to Betrona." Wetbeard stands and offers his hand down to the man. "Come on now, up and at 'em. What say we make a difference, eh?"
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Oak Sprout giggles with glee at Sir Kibble's reaction. Lord Braggett's warning gives her pause, but just for a moment. "I appreciate the concern, Braggett, but look at him!" Sir Kibbles is too fluffy and adorable to resist, so she approaches him slowly and scratches him behind the ears. "Ooooh, you're such a good boy! Yes you are!"
When Braggett and Kibbles get up to go to haberdashery, she follows suit. Her heart goes out to the poor, sobbing man in the corner. She runs over to Kragrak and pulls out a small scrap of cloth from his pack.
She charges with the piece of cloth over to the sobbing man, "Here, so you don't get any of your good fabrics wet. Kragrak washed it since the last time he used it to blow his nose, I'm almost positive."
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Noticing Oak Sprout getting up in Sir Kibble's face, Kragrak cautions, "Sprout. Lord Braggett knows his companion. He said be careful. Be careful." Oak Sprout pointedly turns her back to Kragrak and unconvincingly pretends not to hear his warning. The oread sighs, "Sorry, Braggett. Looks like she's not listening. To either of us. Doesn't look like Kibble's biting though. Maybe if you sang the warning? Y've got a good voice."
Kragrak follows the rest of the group to the haberdashery, ignorant of the fact that Oak Sprout is a bit annoyed with him.
When he reaches Petrello's, he marvels at all of the fine pieces on display. Getting clothes fixed to go over the cacti without catching is a pain, he thinks. Whoever is in charge of a place this nice might be able to help. The sound of Petrello's sobbing quickly catches his attention, however, and he decides to do his best to comfort the man. He crouches down on the ground nearby to get closer to Petrello's eye level.
"Mr. Petrello. I'used to be a desert guide. I'm good at keeping people from getting lost. And finding people who got lost on their own. We'll do everything we can to find Betrona. When Betrona's back here and safe, 'd'like to order a new coat. See what you two can do together with all this nice fabric."
“Thanks.” Petrello blows his nose in the cloth that Sprout proffers to him. “You’re right. I should buck up. It’s just that... Betrona’s been the one constant that’s been keeping me together ever since my wife kicked me out. My daughter chose to stay with me... Helped me sort through things, kept me organized.” He looks out over the mess of his shop and sighs.
“Those other kids, Nolaria and Gellion, led her astray. They kept her out all hours, and took her outside the walls! The walls!” He gives you a terrified look. “I know that parents just can’t be too strict with their children, so I FORBADE her to talk to any of them. And she went off to see them anyway. Like I was nothing! Then one day, she was gone. My little girl. And then my son disappeared too. My wife is so permissive, I am pretty sure she encouraged them to stray!”
Castiel detects no evil here.
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"Quite right! Forbidding your little girl to talk to them was the only sensible thing to do if you felt the other children were a bad influence... I have no idea how it failed to work!" Lord Braggett says sincerely "Did Betrona ever say what she and the other children did on their excursions beyond the walls?" He asks as something the man had said earlier twigs "Wait a minute... Your son is missing too? And this happened after your daughter? I don't think he is on the list of missing persons we have..." He looks around at his fellow Pathfinders for confirmation "Hmm, it seems that the children all disappeared separately, is that right? Have you any idea as to the order?"
Petrello looks at the list. “Oh no, Pavolus is listed right here. He and Betrona are twins, though he took my wife’s last name when we separated.”
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"Ah! I see... They should have double-barrelled their names, we could have avoided this confusion and it would lend them a certain air of nob-" Lord Braggett clears his throat "No matter! I just have one more question for you, Sir. When your daughter deliberately disobeyed you, did she usually meet with the other children in the same place? Or perhaps they always left via the north gate, for example, for their excursion 'beyond the walls'? As the good captain said, any information you can give us may bring her that much closer to home."
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In response to Braggett's surprise, Kragrak comments, "Kids get old enough, they forget they're kids. Don't think about consequences. It's a natural stage of life. No matter how good the parents. I was a fool then. M'sure young Braggett was sometimes too. " Kragrak muses to himself, Of course, if I hadn't been a fool, I'd of never been a Pathfinder. Now's a terrible time to talk about the potential benefits of running away from home in search of adventure, though. Returning to the topic at hand, he realizes that Braggett has already covered pretty much every question he would think to ask. He adds, “H’long’s it been since Betrona left? And since Pavolus left?”
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Realizing that she can't actually remember the last time Kragrak washed that scrap of fabric, Oak Sprout decides to exit the conversation. This fabric's so pretty, she thinks, I wonder if it's as soft as it looks? And these buttons look delightful to play with! The leshy walks over to Wetbeard and joins him in straightening the fabric and tidying the buttons. Wetbeard. mind if I give you a hand? This man's got enough to worry about." That's true, she justifies to herself, "Even if it wasn't the first thing I thought about.
Petrello frowns. “I’m not sure which gate they left out of... For all I know, it was the main one, though they could have taken the Nobles’ Folly path. But I do know that they spent time in both the graveyard and the old apple orchards because Betrona would bring back wild fruit and flowers from both places. She always wanted to make sure I was eating, and she thought the flowers would cheer me up. As for what they did outside the wall, supposedly they were herb gathering or some other thing like that. Though Betrona always did bring back greens for me to eat. She fusses over me, because I lost a lot of weight and...”
At that point, you hear a loud voice from across the street. “PETRELLO! Stop wasting their time!” A neat-looking sturdy woman is standing outside DEPENDABLE DRUMMADY’S, looking impatiently at her watch. “If those are the strangers that Sandra sent to investigate — and from what I hear, they are — they’re going to want to talk to more than just your sorry ass. Stop wallowing, tell them what they want to know, and send them over here!”
Petrello looks up at you, mournfully. “Yes, that’s my Ex... I’ll never be rid of her, for all that she kicked me out... Er, do you have any more questions? Or should I send you over to her?”
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Castiel leans over Sprout… Thank you Petrello for your time. I think it’s time for us to make our leave and possibly chat with “her” across the street before we head to the graveyard and orchard.
As everyone is leaving the shop, Castiel turns to Zakhar and whispers… It looks to me like we need to get to the graveyard as soon as possible. We don’t know how much time it’s been since the Kids started to disappear and I have a feeling there something terribly wrong… What do you think?
Dependable Drummady’s is a very neat and orderly shop, with beautiful footwear displayed in the glass windows. The footwear ranges from fancy-dress shoes to sturdy workboots and sandals, but even the sturdy footwear is made with a care seldom seen elsewhere. There are tasteful decorations and leather embossing on every pair, and the materials are fine quality. She’s one of the best human crafters that Braggett has seen; her wares would delight a gnome, and that is saying something.
Drummady is wearing a well-made leather apron, and is eyeing you professionally. “Well, you’re a diverse lot, no question. What’s your track record in missing persons cases?” She pauses. “Also, did Petrello seem peaky to you? I’m not sure if he’s going to remember to eat with Betrona not there. My girl is smart and organized, but she’s way too coddling of him! It was like she was the parent, not him!”
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Kragrak is somewhat taken aback by the interruption, but he agrees with Drummmady's general point. Before he leaves Petrello's shop, he says, "No more questions. Thanks. And sorry we have to get going. I'll tell Petrona she owes you some greens when we find her."
He walks over to collect Sprout before realizing that the leshy has already made her way over to Drummady's.
Kragrak chooses his words quite poorly, seemingly not realizing their implications, at least at first, "Y're being rude. There's nothing wrong with 'im worrying about his children. Thought *you'd* worry 'bout them too."
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Oak Sprout follows closely on Castiel's heels. Unable to make out the conversation, she whispers to them "Hey, you guys, what are you whispering about? Perhaps I could provide some sage advice on the matter, whatever it is."
She is so engrossed in her curiosity about their conversation that she remains entirely oblivious to the nature of the conversation inside Dependable Drummady's. "Shoes are far less interesting than buttons and clothes anyway. Now, if only there was someone who sold hats... No,focus," she chides herself. "Too much time thinking about clothes and shiny buttons, not enough time proving your knowledge to these Pathfinders."
She decides to see if she can remember anything about local plant life, particularly any dangerous species.
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"Hello Ms. Drummady, no need to repress your worries, I'd be worried too if I lost my tadpoles. Calm down, and, as my mother used to say: 'Just get a Grippli on yourself!'. It is best not to hide muck below still pond waters, just let the anxieties flow... you will verify our credentials when we return the children. And we can bring some nice insect meat back too, to feed Petrello at the same time. Best make the odds of success better by telling us what you know, what can help us? Oh, and do you have any slippers for small peeople with three long toes, maybe with bells on the end?"
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Wetbeard gives the old man a reassuring pat on the back, asking him a final Al question after the rest of the group has headed across the street. "I don't think it 'ave much to do with the missing lads, but 'ave ye heard any rumblings 'bout insects 'round town? Anyone come in needin' new clothes after any incidents? Ye might be surprised, the smallest clue can 'elp." After the man answers, Wetbeard joins his companions across the way.
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Wetbeard joins in on the tail end of Drummady's speech, catching immediately to her distress. "Aye miss, take a wee breath. I understan' ye be worried sick. I know what it be like to fear for someone ye love." Wetbeard pauses a moment, admiring the shoes. "Ye do beautiful work here. I been to some o' the finest ports around the world, and ne'er seen craftsmanship like this." Wetbeard's voice is cool and calm, and it's clear he's making an effort to calm the woman down, giving her a comfortable space to breathe.
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On his way over to Dependable Drummady's, Lord Braggett can't help but notice the fine display of footwear in the window. He presses his face up to the glass and ogles at a particularly nice pair of blue dress shoes that have long curling toes and embossed stars. He turns around with a tear in his eye and bows low "My Lady, the captain is right, your work is truly beautiful! The embossing on that one pair alone is enough to make a lesser man forget his duties, and propose to you on the spot." Distracted by the quality of her goods, Braggett completely misses any sign that Drummady is worried until his comrades bring it up "But fear not, my Lady! As I am a respectable knight, I will resist the urge to sweep you off your feet, and I will perform my duties to the excellent standard that is to be expected of one such as myself." He smiles reassuringly and puff out his chest proudly "As for our record, I can assure you that before now, I have found every child I was tasked to find!"
He scratches his beard for a moment, contemplating the line of enquiry "Now, is there is anything you can tell us about Nolaria, your children, or the places they like to frequent? With your help, our chances of success will increase well beyond 100%." Maths never was his strong suit.
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While the group ask questions and make comments to Ex Mrs. Petrello, Zakhar and Castiel are in a side conversation about next steps. It is agreed that the graveyard is the best place to go if nothing new is revealed during the conversation. “And what of these bugs… How do they play into this riddle? So far there’s been no sign of them”? Neither are able to understand the connection…
As the conversation with the “Ex” continues, Castiels turns from Zakhar and looks for signs of anything out of the ordinary then taps Sprout on the shoulder… Zakhar and I are in agreement that we should make haste to the graveyard. We’ve heard more than once that the kids like to go there. Have you noticed anything “different” about this place… ? Also, stick close to me and Kragrak… There is something foul about this place…