With Naomi's encouragement, Liam, Wulf, Boggel, and Helgrim amble south down Brookman's Road towards the Low Market and climb the short steps leading to the door of Jak-a'-Napes.
The first feature that catches your attention are the many old work boots dangling from the rafters by their knotted laces. Almost all show signs of incredible wear and age, and some are still encrusted with seemingly ancient dried mud.
"Welcome! Welcome to the first heroes our town's had in ages!" bellows the ruddy-faced owner, Jak Crimmy, a single wisp of still-bright red hair clinging to his otherwise bald head.
He rises from his chair beside the kitchen door and ushers you all to a large table at the center of the main hall.
"Good ol' Brickasnurd was by earlier, and he was telling me about your stare down with Boss Pay Day. He huffed something about having to reorganize the stuffed nixies back at his shop next door, but he said I could expect your company, Miss Naomi - and I'm pleased as a slip in a pie shop that you've brought company."
Wulf looks at the man tipping his hat before he speaks."Pleasure to meet you Jak, been awhile." He says before he smiles.
"As for Payday, eh he is mostly bluster." Wulf says stomping his feet and his staff to get off the sawdust while still at the entryway
Liam nods noncommittally. Mostly bluster so far. How long that remains the case... He looks around. "Nice place you've got here." he says, hoping that he isn't betraying his lack of familiarity with this sort of establishment. Inns were basically unheard of in the wilderness where he'd grown up; travelers would merely barter for space to sleep in a local's house, or build a shelter in the woods.
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”So Jax, this guy Liam is from beyond the cut line of the lumber company. I’m hoping he can point me in the right direction to some dwarven sites that are swallowed up by the forest now.”
”And this little guy here is Boggel. He is a Grippli who has his pad down on the river. Apparently some of the town kids already know him and he’s a friend of Lariel. He’s never had pancakes before and would like to try some with the different toppings you have.”
”We had a young human fella with us earlier named Tim. I am thinking he will arrive here sooner or later. I hadn’t seen him before today, but I am guessing you know of him. Lives in town, so I’ve heard.”
”And you know everyone else here I think, so there is one last introduction to be made”
Helgrim taps the bar with a silver.
”Mr. Ale meet my lips.”
"I've run a bit low on cinnamon, so I've been saving it for a special occasion - but I think this year's First Cut certainly fits the bill. A round of my famed cinnamon-crusted flapjacks coming right up!"
Jak shuffles back towards his kitchen, humming loudly all the way.
"I hope you all won't mind terribly if I hold off on my legendary juggling skills, though." he calls from the kitchen. "I threw out my back last time and dented one of my frying pans. I save that one for something I now call the 'Gavel's Special.' Hah!"
He is also known for having no fear of Gavel Thuldrin Kreed, who never sets foot inside the inn.
The same rumors also suggest that some fey curse protects Jak from Kreed, and that's why the Gavel never enters Jak-a'-Napes.
However, there are also whispers that Jak was formerly a member of the Talons, one of the most notorious bands of adventurers in Darkmoon Vale.
If true, that would make him a very dangerous man.
Looking above, you notice that the boots suspended from the rafters each bear a name cut into the leather on the sole.
Helgrim looks up and shrugs.
”I’ve been in bars where women’s undergarments are hung from the rafters by enthusiastic inebrites seeking some house drink or trinket. I’ve been in another where the place is lit from the helmets of fallen miners and yet another one where people leave small tokens of themselves.”
”Oh like, a message on a bit of parchment or a lock of hair or something of sentimental value to the patron.”
Helgrim speculates for a bit more before taking another thoughtful swig of his drink.
”Obviously a local custom of some kind. I wonder if it is a last send off for retirement, or a celebration of some kind . . . Kinda morbid to think it’s a memorial to fallen loggers, but loggin can be a dangerous business.”
Boggel climbs up on the stool as indicated and listens to Naomi's tales about the cook. "It is good to live without fear. Although, I do worry about Laurel. I do not want her to be targeted by this Kreed man." He has a sip of the drink in front of him as he watches Jak's food preparation. "This is pleasant. Thank you for inviting me." He smiles, unaware of his mustache of froth.
"Eh anyone against the Consortium, is a Target." Wulf says as he slaps down a gold piece and smiles."Whiskey neat"
"But the more credible concern is whether Kreed will rally and try to send Pay Day and his men after us, or Laurel."Wulf said as he looks up at the boots and begins to look at the names.
Liam looks up for a long time, studying the various pairs of boots hanging from the ceiling.
Wulf and Liam, as locals who frequent the town, recognize the names as belonging to loggers and other woodsmen who've died or gone missing over the years.
Whether crushed by falling trees, maimed by axes and saws, mauled by wild beasts, or supposedly stolen away by the fey, the regulars at the inn commemorate their lost fellows by hanging their boots in memorial.
Although he was tragically knifed by a former "friend," a remnant of his bad old days spent wasting away at the Rouge Lady, Jak insisted that your brother deserved to have his boots hung up, owing to how he lost his arm to the mill.
Lotte, the serving girl, brings your drinks in short order, and it is not long before she is joined by Jak as they ferry out plates piled high with pancakes and small clay pitchers brimming with honey and syrup.
After a quick gaze up at the boots he calls out."Two more drinks" He says avoiding the answer to the question.
"Those boots are reminders of who and what we have lost"He says a bit grimly as he brings his drink to his lips and drinks it down, not stopping." After these two I am gonna leave. I need to check on my farm and my family" He says with a weight he had really not spoken with.
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Boggel takes a tentative bite of the pancake. He adds some syrup and takes another. He looks at the syrup thoughtfully for a moment before adding some to his ale. He stirs it about with his fork and takes another sip. "Hmm, this improves the flavor of many things." He drops some honey on to his pancake and takes another bite. Satisfied with the flavor, he finishes the pancake and uses the plate to create a mixture of syrup and honey. He uses another pancake to clean the mixture off his plate. [b]"Thank you for introducing me to these,"]/b] he says sincerely.
Looking at Naomi Wulf nods."Yes, I have family here. I, in fact, grew up here. My parents used to have a small farm right down the road before they sold it, instead of being forced out." He drank a bit more.
"As for family, I had four siblings. Two have passed, one of which was my brother"points to a set of boots."another my sister. My sister Nareka lives with me as well as my Niece and Nephew Sindi and Kane." Wulf chuckles as he looks at Boggel and nods.
"You know the syrup comes from trees right? You could get some out in the wilderness if you know where to look" He coiled his hand around his staff and the laughed.
"As for protecting the town, Its like war you pick your battles. Today I decided to keep the people healthy. Much like I did to provide them fresh clean water. Pay Day knows me, and doesn't like me. Tried to talk me out of providing water for free. Thankfully My staff here sent him and his cronies running. Thank the Gods that I did my duty and served under the Andoran banner."Wulf said taking another big drink.
A newcomer approaches the table. For a fleeting moment, you suspect it is Mr. Lawrence, but instead you discover a brawny man with sandy hair and a wispy beard walking up with a battered hat clutched in his hands.
"Pardon me, I hope you don't mind me joining you for a moment. My name is Ergin, and I need a bit of help. I heard about how you helped Miss Laurel, and I thought you might be the right folks for the job."
The transfer was considered very suspicious, as Ferret's departure was sudden and unexpected, explained by a letter claiming he was returning to adventuring. Furthermore, many locals believed the signature on the transferred deed was forged - especially after Gavel Kreed and Magistrate Harg stepped in to certify it as genuine.
Helgrim was busy with several thoughts. The Dwarf noted that there were many more pairs of boots representing more casualties than one would expect for a logging operation.
He was really very curious about the Grippli, but didn't want to sound like an a&@*##~ asking stupid questions like, Does your kind use fire to cook? Does your skin have to be kept moist? Do you live on giant lily pads?
Helgrim comes back into the conversation hearing the Wulf had served in the military.
"Wulf, if you served in the military you could help us train and organize some of the townsfolk if needed. Also if you saw them off by yourself with that staff you must know how to use it."
Helgrim shifts on his chair uncomfortably.
"Look, I'm going to be honest. I am almost flat broke. I wan planning on trying to work for the company here to support myself while I prepared for an expedition into the interior."
"If one of you guys has a place for me to stay that would be great. Wulf, if you put a roof over my head, I'll defend all those who are under it. It does seem like Wulf's place is the first they would hit if they wanted to send a message."
"Long story short, I want to look into some of the Dwarf ruins around here. Its risky, but we might find gold to ease some of the misery around here. Get the kids some shoes and what not you know?"
"Liam, feel like guiding me in?"
Helgrim looks at the newcomer and lets the others do the talking. The dwarf tries to get a feel for the man's mood and character.
Liam looks thoughtful. "The key is to strike at the Consortium without inviting retaliation against innocents. That will be difficult, especially since Kreed knows now who it is that is willing to oppose him. We should be careful to disguise our appearances, or simply avoid being seen, fading away into the woods." Or leave no survivors. he thinks. I wouldn't mind leaving a few of these lumberjacks' corpses out to feed the scavengers, but I don't know that these are ready for such tactics, necessary though they may be.
Liam scratches his head. "I'm not sure, my people avoided dwarven ruins. I might be able to point you to some general ares, but nothing specific."
Liam remains quiet when the newcomer arrives, waiting to see how the locals react to him. You never know who might follow Kreed.
Ergin seems very nervous about whatever proposition he has to offer.
Ergin takes the proffered chair, hanging his hat on one of the pegs rising from the back.
"Well, you see, I own the Sitting Duck - it's a bar on the edge of town - and a lot of my regulars have been falling prey to some terrible beasts in the forest," he says. He looks around the inn before leaning closer and continuing in a more hushed tone.
"It's a Tatzlwyrm," he hisses in fearful awe. "Around the cutyards, men always talk - anytime a logger'd go missing, it were the wyrms, but no one ever real believed it. I sure didn't. But then we lost four men in one week near a stand of Darkwood trees they found. And they weren't the last ones."
Ergin runs a calloused hand across his facial hair, and his eyes take on a haunted look.
"Ben Fulgore came back two days ago, half dead and with his leg ripped off. He was delirious, like with a fever or some such, but he confirmed it - it were a wyrm! An honest-to-the-Gray-Lady tatzlwyrm. We can't keep the loggers from going after that Darkwood - it's too valuable - but we also don't want to lose any more of our boys. I know it's a longshot, but do you think you folks might be strong enough to slay the wyrm? Me and my regulars could pool together some coins to provide a bounty, honest."
Ergin finishes by turning to each of you with hopeful eyes, although he avoids actually making eye contact - especially with Wulf and Liam.
Boggel listens to the pleas of this newcomer in-between bites of food. "I am unfamiliar with tatzylwyrms. Do any of you have any experience with them?" He'd heard of them before, but knew nothing about them in real life. However, Boggel was sure it would be quite the hunt and a hunt that would help the townspeople.
"I did my duty to the Country, wore the blue learned to fight with sword and whatnot. However, my specialty was and is the Quarterstaff. My Da taught me well, as did the journey south when all I had was a dagger and well this ol' staff" he says tapping his staff on the ground. He took a drink and shook his head."I am no instructor.Besides, the people are both reliant on Kreed and the Consortium as well as the afraid of what he would if they retaliate. I don't blame them, but then again I have lost too much because of them. What little I have left if taken, would show them what I learned."
"As for coin I have some squirreled away that may help your expedition. It might open up another avenue for the good people of Falcons' Hallow to do aside from the logging company. If others don't have a claim to the potential mines. Then maybe Kreed and Pay Day will have to listen to us common folk more often."
"Eh I do have a nice house, but you'd have to bunk with me as Naomi has her own room as do the kids. You'll have to work for your food and lodging in the morning though." Wulf shook his head hearing Liam.
"It's better to try to talk first or covertly defeat your enemy than doing a full-on battle. Too much bloodshed and collateral damage. These are simple folk with much to loose." he pauses and smiles.
"Unless we prepare our battlefields beforehand. Using the terrian to our advantage as well as traps. All to control the battlefield in our favor. Numbers wouldn't matter much."he drinks."It would be wisest course if it came down too it. Which I would hate to see. This town could use a little less gloom and doom."
"A disguise would be a good plan. Don't care for it much, but it wouldn't be the first time."
"Ergin, care to share with the rest of the class?" He says sarcastically as he notices he was being ignored. Which he didn't
While they do not possess the deadly breath of their larger cousins, they are known for exhaling a poisonous vapor to weaken prey in their clutches.
Although many frontier communities are rife with stories about the wilderness being crawling with such creatures, Tatzlwyrms are actually quite rare and typically only lair in very old, secluded parts of the wilds.
"Come with you?" he asks nervously.
It is clear to Naomi and Boggel that he is surprised and even dismayed by this request. However, Naomi's cajoling seems to spur him.
"Soft? Hah, I'm as strong as I ever was. Sure...I'll round up some men and we'll go with you. We gotta make sure you actually kill the wyrm and not just lie about it for the money and fame."
He laughs halfheartedly before the talk about the wounded man turns his face serious again.
"As for Ben, you can talk to him...assuming he's in any state to talk at all. They've got him at the cutyard on the forest's edge, resting in the bunkhouse. Some of the loggers visiting my bar were complaining about his moaning keeping them up. The Gavel wouldn't send no one to treat him. Said it was his own fault for stumbling into the wyrm's lair and not being ready for a fight. Bah! How could he be ready to fight something like that on his own?"
You can see in his eyes that, despite his bravado, he truly does not want to accompany you.
"Perhaps I can help the wounded man. At least, ease his suffering a bit. If I may accom... accomp... join you, Naomi."
"عظيم الآن أحصل على محاربة التنين"Wulf utters in celestial before he finishes the glass in his hand and sits it down.
"Yes I'll help I'd hate for more people to get injured or worse. Heck, some of the local children and elderly go into the woods to forage or hunt small game.I'd hate to see anyone in my family fall to one. Quick question are these creatures intelligent by any means? Can we reason with them?"
Liam thinks for a minute, then nods. "Tatzylwyrm, yes. There are a lot of rumors about them, to hear some tell it there's one hiding under every rock. But they're actually pretty rare, usually you only find 'em in old, secluded woods. I'm surprised logging's occurring anywhere one would lair. They're a bit like primitive, weak dragons. No fire breath or any of that, but they can spray poisonous gas. We can probably handle one together, but they are bigger and smarter than any normal reptile. Frankly, I'm surprised one lone logger managed to escape with his life." he says, speaking somewhat quieter than before. The last thing these city-slickers need is panic over tatzylwyrms spreading around town. Probably not another one around for dozens of miles.
”Yeah, let’s go heal the guy. It’s bullocks that Kreed refuses to heal him. However there is something more that needs to be shared here. Ergin, you need to tell them the part your holdin back.”
Helgrim leans in looking the man in his eyes.
”Go on. Tell it.”
Finding Helgrim staring him down, Ergin steels himself.
"There's nothing more to tell," he says bluntly. "There's a wyrm eating loggers. If you don't want to help, then don't."
”Well . . . If you don’t want to tell the truth, then fine.”
"True the Loggers who mostly are okay folk are being attacked, and Kreed does care. He can get more loggers" WUlf says looking to Ergin.
"However if this is some sort of ruse or a trap I will personally see too it that those hands of yours will never pour a drink the same ever again!"
Naomi easily gauges that Ergin is pushed to the edge of his resolve by Helgrim's questioning, and he is close to breaking his silence on some secret.
It is Wulf's threat that finally breaks Ergin, and the tavern owner lurches back in his chair.
"Okay, okay!" he blurts. "Kreed sent me with this job for you. He has the lot of you pegged as troublemakers, just like the wyrm, and he was hoping one problem would take care of the other - whether you killed the wyrm or it killed you."
Boggel sighs and shakes his head. "Either way, I do not feel comfortable knowing that this creature could kill more villagers. But, it is good to know the truth of the situation." He turns to Wulf. "Do not judge him too harshly. It sounds like Kreed has him scared." He asks Liam, "Will we be enough to defeat the wyrm?"
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"I understand Master Boggel he is afraid. Kreed has power and the means to put pressure on a man. I too have skills in which I will use to ensure my safety. Ergin is a decent man, he does not wish to cross Kreed." He says looking at the grippli softly before looking back at Ergin his eyes going back to the intensity he had before.
"Besides Ergin will be a good man and inform Kreed he did exactly as asked no more no less." Wulf held the man's gaze. Unlike many here he had seen a few things in his small span as a Soldier. Combat was never pretty, but Wulf was more comfortable striking at an enemy he can see than dancing about the town waiting for the cloaked dagger to leap forth and stab him in the night!
Ergin rises from his chair. He warily glances around the inn before leaning closer one more time.
"I worked for Kreed for years. I know his favorite tactics," Ergin cautions. "If you still plan to go after the wyrm, Kreed'll probably send men to secretly follow you. Their job will be to ensure that you never make it back to town."
He nods his head curtly before turning on his heel and running from the inn.
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Helgrim’s mood lightens.
”Well then.”
He says as he picks up his mig.
”Thank you Ergin. I can appreciate the spot your in. I’m glad you put words to what we already knew. I don’t want anymore enemies, but I can’t stand someone lyin to my face. Now I’ll help you and your men out..”
The dwarf nods and raises his mug in a salute.
”Keep us appraised and we’ll keep your name out of it.”
He takes a sip.
”One last thing though. Don’t let him talk you into doing anything that hurts any of the townsfolk, especially the kids.”
Boggel shakes his head after Ergin leaves. "Forewarned is forearmed. I'm liking this Kreed fellow less and less."
Liam nods. "Indeed." after a pause, he remembers what they had been talking about. "Like I said, Tatzylwyrms are related to dragons. Much smarter than most reptiles. I'm not sure about speak, though. If they can talk, maybe they speak the tongue of dragons?" he says, then glances at Boggel. "It'd be no easy task, but I think we can probably take it. Besides, if we don't, who will?"
Ergin nods his head quickly to Helgrim's admonitions before departing.
Our newly minted group of fellows plans both a visit to the cutyard on the morrow and perhaps a hunt for a primeval beast.
But what has Timothy been up to in the meantime?
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At the late night, about as late as one possibly can and still be considered work hours, Timothy comes to the Goose and Gander, looking for "supplies,".
He'll peruse the store for a while, before moving to the man at the front.
He walks to the counter. "I'm sorry, sir, I'm looking for a pen and some paper, maybe a notebook, if available. Think I could trouble you for some, if you have any?" he asks politely.