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Sunday, 20 Avril, 814 AYF (After the Year of Founding)
You find yourself approaching the land side gate to the port city of Reme, about halfway up a large hill , that covers a vast swath of land, leading right up to the ocean. From your vantage point, you can see at least a dozen ships, both tied up along the ports, and anchored just off land. The city is bustling, with merchants moving about like schools of fish, each school stopping just long enough to sell their wares before moving on.
It is mid-morning, and although it is considered the Lords' Restday, there seems to be little rest along the boulevards of the place. Children scream and play, heedless of the adults wordlessly making daily prayers to the various gods, such as Muir, Thyr, Freda (especially her, as she is the Goddess of the hearth), and others. Even though it is considered a port town, you do not see many of the shifty characters one would expect in such a city. Perhaps it is because it's the Lords' day, perhaps not; you are not concerned, so long as your purses and sacks are left alone.
Not that the now almost depleted sacks are of much worry to be stolen. You have come from other lands , and your passage here was not cheap. Your first task, you feel, is to find a (cheap) place to stay, and some work. You have never been above work, so long as the pay was good, and so long as you wouldn't have to dig weeds from a farmer's land (although you have done it; at least the vegetables were ripe).
Shi'Vatha stretches, and his upper arms reach around to grasp his neck and twist it sharply, sending out a resounding 'crack' sound as relieves the crick in his neck. "You know, I bet you're glad I don't eat, considering how empty your pack is." The soft but high pitched voice carries to Vedic's pointed ears, the words spoken in Celestial. "I suggest we stop at the Temple of Muir, I should check in. I'm sure they will put us up, and will likely have jobs for me. I'll try to get you a job as well, but you'll need to behave yourself." The eidelon gives a lopsided grin, it's long blue tongue hanging out to one side in amusement. "I can tell them you're my new squire..."
The trip since the two had met in the hinterlands had been long, but the eidelon had taken many months, and had involved dodging individuals intent on killing one or the other, or just stealing their meager belongings.
"Do not need to eat, true. Does not mean you don't want to. Saw you looking at my lunch yesterday." Vedic said in his usual fast paced clip. He had a habit of leaving out words he felt were 'unnecessary.' He found it efficient. Others often found it confusing.
"Temple of Muir much better than ground. Also nearly out of money. Job will be good."
Limping slowly down the rode towards Reme, Felicity stops to gather her singed and torn robes more closely about her as observes the passing crowd.
I need to find someplace quiet, someplace I can repair. After, after I have repaired perhaps I will know where here is and what my function is in this place.
Continuing her painful journey, she carefully watches for a place of rest.
Shi'Vatha shrugs as the pair walk toward the gate with the rest of the crowd. It's a decidedly odd gesture on the small 'taurs part. The gesture includes both it's shoulders where it's arms branch out, but also the shoulders where it's torso bends and it's front legs start. The gesture makes it's entire torso ripple. "Never said I didn't enjoy the taste of olives. If you don't want me to eye your food, don't eat a jar of pickled olives and not offer to share any." The small eidelon responds, still in Celestial, with a decidedly reproving tone to it's voice.
Selene walked into the town eyes wide at all the activity. Even the cry of a child bawling in pain after skinning his knee draws her attention. Even here it is nothing like my homeland. Pain is neither an accepted nor a desired piece of one's life. What is right? My small nation, or the rest of the world? Her eyes continue to take in the surroundings as she searches for a place to stay or even some task she can apply her talents to in order to experience a life others not of her ilk may consider 'normal'.
ATM, we're just missing Glornug. I'm sure he'll be along shortly.
Glornug approached the town, feeling slightly disoriented by the hustle and bustle after spending so much time alone, on the hunt. Still, he knew it was the right decision. He heard huntmaster Vrogtuk's words in his mind, "Stronger game is best taken on with help." and cities were always full of people looking for help. With a shrug, he fell into the crowd and made his way past the gate, hoping to find a place to sleep and maybe someone in need of a hunter.
Able-bodied wizard seeks no more than 5 other able-bodies to fulfill a quest of escort to a location in Fairhill. Said wizard offers just compensation for normal duties rendered. The time of duties, not likely to exceed a fortnight. Will negotiate for terms.
Ask for Corian Smither at the Wyld Stallion Inn after sunset of the Lords’ Restday.
You also see a human, female from the looks of it, standing in front of the opening to the inn, as if in indecision.
The Wyld Stallion, adequate for my self-repair cycle.
Limping into the Inn, Felicity approaches the bar, dropping a small, oddly designed golden triangle on the counter.
I required lodging, will this be sufficient payment?
Glornug walks into the Wyld Stallion's common room. He scans the area, then tries to find the inkeeper to ask about a room.
Shi'vatha looks at the small temple. "Somehow, I had assumed it would be bigger. They may not be able to put us up, but they may have space elsewhere. We should stop and ask, and say some devotions as well." Shi'vatha enters the temple, looking for a priest or priestess. Once he's found someone, he shows his medallion, indicating he is a servitor of the church. "Greetings, I am new come to Reme, and I am seeking a place to do devotions, as well as a place to stay and work."
The Wyld Stallion, adequate for my self-repair cycle.
Limping into the Inn, Felicity approaches the bar, dropping a small, oddly designed golden triangle on the counter.
I required lodging, will this be sufficient payment?
You hobble in and see a human male, wearing a patch over his right eye. He takes the proffered coin and looks at it strangely for a moment, before taking a bite into it! He looks at you (again, in a slightly strange manner) and says, "M'lady, this will be enough for both a cot by the hearth and two meals, since it is only the lunch hour. Sup's at sundown, and I goes to be bed around 8. Anything else will be extra. What says you?"
Glornug walks into the Wyld Stallion's common room. He scans the area, then tries to find the inkeeper to ask about a room.
You follow the woman into the inn, and you see a male standing behind a bar, an eyepatch over his right eye. You allow him to speak to the woman first (noticing as she came in that she is walking with a bit of a limp), then you step up. Asking for a room, he says to you, "It'll be a gold piece for a cot by the hearth, 2 gold if you want a room, and 4 gold if you want a room to yourself. That price includes lunch and sup. What'll it be?"
Shi'vatha looks at the small temple. "Somehow, I had assumed it would be bigger. They may not be able to put us up, but they may have space elsewhere. We should stop and ask, and say some devotions as well." Shi'vatha enters the temple, looking for a priest or priestess. Once he's found someone, he shows his medallion, indicating he is a servitor of the church. "Greetings, I am new come to Reme, and I am seeking a place to do devotions, as well as a place to stay and work."
You see a priest walking towards you, wearing the vestments of an acolyte. He hears you speak and seems perplexed that the animal is speaking to him, although not as badly as one might expect. He responds to you in slightly accented Common; "You may certainly complete your devotions here, fellow clergy. However, as you can see, we do not have room for additional followers. I do, however, have a solution to your other query. There is an inn nearby, the Wyld Stallion, that allows our guests to stay there. The first night, the temple can pay for; however, we cannot afford to pay beyond that mark. I can create a writ that you can present to the innkeeper, his name is Niles, just Niles, to let you stay."
The acolyte wanders off before you can say another word, likely back to his chambers. Within a few moments he is back. He does not interrupt your prayers. When you are done, he hands over a scroll and says, "Here you are, that will take care of both of you. I also happen to know that there is a wizard there who is looking for people to escort him over to Fairhill, about a week's walk from here. He is also currently at the inn, if you wish to inquire."
Shi'vatha bows to the Acolyte, finding it nice to not be immediately recognized for a change. Sometimes the junior members of the clergy had been rather slavishly obsequious to Lady Casarina, and by extension, her otherworldly cohort. He'd always found it annoying, where as Casarina had found it amusing. He'd always thought it was a minor sin on her part to encourage it.
Bowing from the waist down, the eidelon takes the scroll. "My thanks, Acolyte, and the blessings of Muir on you and your church." He makes a sign of blessing toward the Acolyte, and then turns to leave with Vedic. Once outside, he hands the scroll to Vedic. "Perhaps you should do the talking with the innkeeper? I doubt he'll be interested in talking to me." The eidelon intones with amusement in Celestial.
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Glornug thinks it over for a moment, produces a gold piece, and says, "A cot by the hearth will suffice, thank you."
He then turns towards the lady with the limp, bows and says, with a gesture towards her leg, "If I can be of any assistance, don't hesitate to ask."
The cot will suffice. I require a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates, 25 grams of dietary fiber, 53 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat.
Glornug gives the lady a strange look, croaks softly, and says, "That's... rather specific." At that, he sits down crosslegged on the floor near the hearth and begins to maintain his equipment.
The cot will suffice. I require a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates, 25 grams of dietary fiber, 53 grams of protein and 20 grams of fat.
The innkeeper cocks his head to look at you in wonderment, almost as if you have something on your head. "Um...we have rabbit stew for lunch. I'm not sure...um maybe the priests carry stuff like that?"
Taking a seat at the nearest table, Felicity regards the innkeeper for a few moments before responding, I apologize Niles. rabbit stew will more than meet my requirements.
Selene continues to wander along the street, looking at the people going about their day, forgetting herself. Bringing herself back to the present she looks around again for a place of lodging. If I cannot find an inn soon, then perhaps I'll need to ask one of these... townsfolk.
Selene continues to wander along the street, looking at the people going about their day, forgetting herself. Bringing herself back to the present she looks around again for a place of lodging. If I cannot find an inn soon, then perhaps I'll need to ask one of these... townsfolk.
After a few moments, you do find an inn, called the Wyld Stallion. It looks safe enough, a two-story, thatch roofed building, with round windows on the ground floor. You happen to glance over and see a flyer, flapping in the light breeze. In Common, it says the following:
Able-bodied wizard seeks no more than 5 other able-bodies to fulfill a quest of escort to a location in Fairhill. Said wizard offers just compensation for normal duties rendered. The time of duties, not likely to exceed a fortnight. Will negotiate for terms.
Ask for Corian Smither at the Wyld Stallion Inn after sunset of the Lords’ Restday.
Vedic didn't know the church well, so he kept his mouth shut and followed his odd companion. Once at the inn he took over.
The bald elf approached the inn keep and asked simply. "Do you have a room?"
Vedic didn't know the church well, so he kept his mouth shut and followed his odd companion. Once at the inn he took over.
The bald elf approached the inn keep and asked simply. "Do you have a room?"
The innkeeper looks at you as you step up. You ask your question, and he responds, "I do. Are you planning to keep your animal in the stable?"
"No." Vedic says sliding the writ across the counter. "If you wish to ask him sleep there, you'll need to discuss it with him." Vedic said matter of factly.
Shi'vatha tilts his head at the innkeeper, tongue lolling out to the side in amusement. "Actually, unlike my companion, I don't really sleep. If you don't mind, I'll just sit down here by the fire and read. Are there any book stores nearby that I might find still open this late in the day?"
'First weird people, now talking animals...'
"Um, if that's the case, it will be 3 gold pieces total for the night. As to your questions, only the temples have things to read, that I know of."
Shi'Vatha tilts his head at the man. "I thought that you'd agreed the scroll from the church covered the room for my companion?" The eidelon clarifies.
Selene blinks at the sight of the different peoples with the inn. After a slight pause, she moves up to the bar. "Pardon me, good sir, can you tell me of any interesting ways to pass the time in this town? It seems I must wait until sunset to meet a Corian Smither for some escort job I saw on a flyer on my way in, so I have a few hours to kill. Perhaps some lunch to start."
Glornug looks up for a moment upon hearing this new arrival mention the wizard. He says, "Hello, my name is Glornug. I am a hunter, and I am also waiting for the wizard."
Selene blinks at the sight of the different peoples with the inn. After a slight pause, she moves up to the bar. "Pardon me, good sir, can you tell me of any interesting ways to pass the time in this town? It seems I must wait until sunset to meet a Corian Smither for some escort job I saw on a flyer on my way in, so I have a few hours to kill. Perhaps some lunch to start."
A smile appears on the innkeeper's face as he sees you approach. Hearing your request, he says, "It'll be three silver for the lunch, ma'am. Today's going to be rabbit stew, and some fresh bread my girl...um, I mean, my assistant baked this morning. Go ahead and belly up to the bar, and I'll go and fetch you some." He practically runs into the back, where you suppose that the kitchen is. Within a couple of moments, he comes back out, carrying a big bowl, heaped with what you guess is rabbit (you hope, more like), and a clay mug. Setting it down, you see some kind of cream in it.
"We just happen to have some fresh goat's milk handy, so I got you a glass, on the house. Also, if you're looking for Corian, he just stepped into the inn, behind you." You turn to look , and see a gentleman walk in. He is clearly a magic using type of person, judging from the purple and blue robes that he wears. He seems middle-aged, with streaks of grey in his hair and beard being quite prominent. However, the spring in his step belies that notion, as he is definitely young in energy. He nods briskly to the innkeeper and steps back to a table at the far end of the room, far away from the hearth fire.
Turning back, the innkeeper gives you an interested look, and says, almost in a stage whisper, "Might I say that, compared to the other oddities who have come in here, you look positively normal." He takes a step back, shaking his head, as if wishing he had not said that. He then starts stuttering out some kind of apology, interspersed with curses for saying something stupid.
Felicity looks up from her meal at the mention of the wizard. The guarding of a wizard during travel is .... right. I will join you in this.
Glornug stows his equipment, stands, and makes his way towards the wizard. He says, "Greetings. I am Glornug, and I have come as a result of your sign requesting help. I am a hunter."
Glornug stows his equipment, stands, and makes his way towards the wizard. He says, "Greetings. I am Glornug, and I have come as a result of your sign requesting help. I am a hunter."
The person looks up in surprise from the book he is reading. It takes a moment for him to adjust to someone in front of him before he speaks.
Shi'Vatha tilts one long ear back toward the conversation between the grippli and the wizard, while the other ear stays focus'd on the innkeeper. "Excuse me sir, I realize you are busy, but you did not answer my question." He taps the bar with a heavy thick fingernail to get the innkeeper's attention.
"I don't actually know her, but she said she was here to see you as well." Glornug takes a seat at the table. "If I may ask, what is the problem you seek assistance with?"
[dice=Perception]1d20+12
Shi'Vatha tilts one long ear back toward the conversation between the grippli and the wizard, while the other ear stays focus'd on the innkeeper. "Excuse me sir, I realize you are busy, but you did not answer my question." He taps the bar with a heavy thick fingernail to get the innkeeper's attention.
The innkeeper looks at you, trying (and failing) to look like he was not staring at the woman at the bar. He hears you repeat your question and then says, "Oh well, my apologies. Your friend didn't mention anything about compensation from the church." Looking at the proffered scroll, he looks back at you and Vedic and says "This here scroll is to cover the both of you for one night, in the same room. If you plan to stay by the hearth, I can stretch your stay out to 2 nights, but your friend will have to pay for his own room after tonight. Makes sense to you?"
Shi'Vatha nods, tongue lolling out in amusement. "Yes, that is acceptable. I do not sleep, so there is no reason to bother with a private room. My companion will need a good night's sleep however. My thanks." The odd feline taur gives a bow from the upper waist.
He leaves Vedic to deal with getting a key and a room, and instead moves over toward the fire, admiring the crackling wood.
One ear swivels as he moves, to keep the conversation of the wizard in the cone of his ear's reception.
Felicity pauses, choosing her words carefully, This unit's ... my ... primary function is escort and protection. I will ensure your safety. Secondary functions include minimization of collateral damage, defense of non-combatants and social companionship.
Vedic thanked the inn keep and picked up the key, then went to join his companion.
Selene raises an eyebrow at the inkeeper's comment Normal? So these others are not considered normal here? Interesting. She turns to reply to the frog-creature but he had moved off to greet the wizard. After a shrug, she instead hands the inkeeper the silver for the meal. "My thanks for the meal and the milk. I shall endeavor to finish it before all the positions the wizard is looking for have been filled." With that she begins to eat her meal, occasionally glancing over at Corian and those assembling.
"I don't actually know her, but she said she was here to see you as well." Glornug takes a seat at the table. "If I may ask, what is the problem you seek assistance with?"
He looks around and realizes that...
...it appears that there are several people who at least seem likely candidates for what he has in mind. He looks over to the frog and the masked lady, and says, "Excuse me for one moment. It looks like there might be others who want to join in."
With that, he stands up, then climbs on the table. He looks around the room, see the few people who are in here, and shouts,
Shi'Vatha clamps his ears down on his head with a pained expression. "This one would request that that one not scream in an enclosed area. This one would like to point out to that one that some beings have large well formed ears that hear with fine acuity, which is ruined when people scream in said ears." The eidelon reproves the wizard with a mildly annoyed tone. "If that one wants to hire beings to protect it, it is suggested that carrying one's self in a professional manner works better." The eidelon tilts it's head until it's neck rotates nearly 180 degrees and it's almost looking at the wizard upside down. "Details are often useful as well, as very few beings take a job without knowing such things as pay, danger, duration, and other pertinent information."
"Would you get your ass down off the table, Corian? You're scaring away my customers."
Selene pauses from her meal, dabbing at her mouth with a cloth, before turning to look at the man on the table. "Is this in reference to the flyer posted outside with regards to a sunset meeting?" she asked. "If so, I shall join you once I have finished my meal. If you are looking for some kind of pleasure slave, I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere." She then turns back to her bowl and continues to work her way through her stew.