Sorin bursts into the tavern and cries loudly, "Works done, festivals back on! Someone get me, these fine gentlemen," he spots Ariza, "And the little one a drink!"
"Nice to meet you and thank you for the kind offer. We will take you up on it." Denche says impressed with her handshake and gratuity.
"First, can you restring my bow? I don't have any spare bowstrings, so I'd like to buy some on top of that."
"Secondly, please show us your craftsmanship. I'm sure you have made items we will be interested in."
The half-orc then turns to Rak and says "I think we can get rid of everything (sans the potion). The armor could perhaps fit Ariza, but she doesn't seem to like wearing armor in the first place."
"It seems everyone has their own business to take care of...Perhaps I'll distract myself with music and a stranger's company."
The barmaid eventually joins Sorin at the table and smiling at him. "Sorry for the wait...its a mad house in here tonight. Mind if I sit for a moment?" if she's allowed to sit the two of you talk for hours and eventually she asks if you will take her upstairs for the night.[/b]
After Ameiko leaves, Ariza settles into a contented nap (long enough to regenerate her spells, after which she'll join the party downstairs if the timing makes sense.
Rak turns to Denche, "These are good prices; we should let Sorin and Ariza know that today's the day to do any business if they need to." He continues, addressing the proprietor. "Is it Savah? We have some friends that we're about to meet at the Rusty Dragon; they helped us with the goblins, and may want to buy some weapons too. How late will you be here today?" He waits for her response and continues. "What do you think of the goblin attack today, pretty unusual?"
Sorin is happy for some conversation. He imagined a night chatting with friends, but with no one showing up anytime soon he was happy for the company.
"A bit of company on a cold night would do us both good I think." he responds to Faunra's question.
"Thanks, I'll take some more strings just in case." Hopefully it's just the butterflies. Thinking out loud, Denche continues:
My broken bow left me with only my skinning dagger. I need something bigger. And yes, we should let the others know."
He buys a falchion (37.5 gp) and a short bow just in case (15 gp).
Then he just waits to see how either will respond to Rak's question.
Not seeing any known faces at the inn's tables or bar, Denche makes his way toward the barmaid and politely asks if she saw a tiny gnome with a monkey or a high thirsty human earlier today (but not long ago). The ones she served us together yesterday.
Rak blushes a bit when Sav tousles his beard. "Thanks, Sav. We're at the Rusty Dragon; come by and help me praise The Accidental God if you get bored."
Since neither Sorin nor Ariza appear to be in the bar, Rak looks for a table. "Denche, Sheriff, it looks like we've been left to our own devices tonight. Shall we get a drink and try to figure out this goblin nonsense?"
"You're reading my mind." the half-orc waves to the barmaid and grabs a chair besides an empty table. He swings it around and sits down, sighing.
"I'd like to both forget about it and find the truth, it's too tempting."
What do we know? "It was simple for them to come in unnoticed; probably the best day to try. But why??" he glances expectantly at the sheriff.
"The captured one said they were a diversion, but that doesn't make much sense either. The guards were caught completely off guard anyway. For a diversion to make sense, someone must be looking!"
"Right! This isn't normal. Didn't that goblin mention a 'she?'" Rak pauses briefly then continues just a bit softer. "A 'she' that would kill us, I might add, for killing her little nutcracker pet or whatever."
The only indication of the activities taking place within Sorin's room (did he get his own room?) is the gentle rattling of the loose doorknob.
Rak ponders this a bit. "Well, that's a bit troubling, as that could mean that the diversion worked. I don't imagine you've heard of anything missing yet, have you, Sheriff?" He takes a strong pull from his ale, and continues. "I don't know Sandpoint real well; what might someone want to take that would need a distraction of that sort? I doubt we're talking about some noble's costume jewelry here."
Denche leans in closer, visibly interested. "Please do continue. What is your suspicion?"
After the tea ceremony, Ariza wanders down the stairs and finds her companions in the tavern with some strangers.
"Hey guys. I am going to bed," she says, "but that pesky noble invited us all to go on his monthly boar hunt tomorrow. He said to meet him at the stables at 10am and he would provide all the horses, gear, etc. You guys decide if you want to go. I'll be down here at first light for breakfast and I'll do whatever y'all want."
That said, she wonders back up to her room to get some much needed sleep.
Rak welcomes Ariza when she comes downstairs and invites her to share a drink, but recognizes that she seems more interested in bed and doesn't push the issue. "Hmmm, not sure about that boar hunt; it could be fun, but this goblin issue could be more pressing. Let's talk about it over breakfast." He then turns back to Balor to add to Denche's question. "Was there any pattern you could notice to the thefts or damage? A certain kind of item that was being stolen or destroyed?"
"So the complaints started before the actual attacks?"
I thought it was odd when he was so surprised that we'd caught a goblin alive. Now it's starting to make sense....
"It's a good thing you're buying my beer, Sheriff. Tomorrow morning, you need to open up your office and collect everybody's story. And pay attention this time! Note down what's missing and what's damaged. If these goblins were a diversion, then this mysterious 'she' probably got what she was looking for. We need to try to find out what it was!" Rak finishes his beer, then looks around in frustration. Not seeing anyone available to immediately refill it, he does so himself.
"Who else could we talk to, Balor? Can you put us in touch with the mayor in the morning?"
Denche sips his ale with small, quick lifts of his tankard, like when drinking hot soup in a hurry. In his head various fantasy scenarios are being created and dismissed, imagining how the man in front of him could have become the town's guardian. After a while, he snaps out of it and says: "I think the mayor can wait for a day. Everyone needs to calm down and sober up to be useful. I don't know how he plans to hunt boar without a dog, but the odd fella's proposition sounds nice to me."
Turning to face Rak, the ranger adds: "Unless you think it can't wait or are not interested, in which case I'm happy to go alone." The woods always struck the right cords with Denche.
Rak thanks the Sheriff for dinner, and doesn't hold him up. He orders his dinner and answers Denche. "No, I suppose it can wait a day. Sheriff needs to interview folks anyway. How's the hunting in these parts?"
The half-orc nods and holds up two fingers to the waitress.
"I wouldn't know, since I passed quickly through this area to make it in time for the festival. However, the terrain and liveliness did look favourable. " if we can keep quiet
Rak, while likely not the first to come down the stairs, arrives relatively on-time and feeling refreshed. He finds the group's table and orders his breakfast.
Ariza has been sitting at the table since the crack of dawn, rested and refreshed, drinking tea and waiting for the others to arrive. She smiles and waves as Rak grabs a seat across from her.
"How'd ya sleep, Master Dwarf?"
Sorin extricates himself from Faunra, and places the blanket back over her sleeping form. He gently brushes her hair from her face, and gets off the bed.
He dresses, and washes his face with the pail of freshwater supplied in the morning.
On to breakfast then.
He gives Faunra a quick kiss on the forehead, careful not to stir her. He wonder's down to breakfast, wondering what Faunra might like to eat when she awakens.
"Morning all," he greets as he comes down to the eating room. He calls for a quick order of some bread, salted meats, and perhaps some fresh fruit before sitting down to join them as he waits for his order."Everyone had a good night?"
"Well, Miss Gnome. I slept well. Errr, Missus Gnome? Mistress Gnome? I never get that right. 'Ariza' seems best. How was your night?"
"You can call me Missus, Miss, or hmmm ... sure -- Mistress Gnome sounds best, I think!" She smiles at Rak and winks playfully. "Slept like a baby. Morning Sorin," Ariza says looking up and seeing him sit down. "How are things this morning? Anyone have any adventures last night? Anyone needing any food warmed up?"
"Just ordered something, but some toasted bread might be nice for sandwiches."
Sorin does another morning stretch.
"Things are great, but I'm excited for what the festival holds today. Hopefully no more goblin attacks, but I'm not sure if their are any events going on."