"Thank you for inviting us," Bevelek says, grabbing a mug of ale. He's a heavyset man with large hands and strong arms. He sports a neatly trimmed beard and wears heavy earrings. "We don't get a lot of invitations from non-Varisians." He downs the drink in a single long swallow.
Corinna stands silent in confusion at Malan's falsehood, comfortable neither with lying to the sheriff nor with the bad light a strenuous denial would throw on her. She is happy to escape at Sheriff Hemlock's dismissal.
The Rusty Dragon is quite busy this evening, but you're able to find a table for yourselves. Once again, Ameiko offers you food, drink, and lodging on the house in return for your services to Sandpoint. "You realize that if you keep helping Sandpoint out like this, you're going to drive me bankrupt, don't you?" she says with a wink.
"Nonsense," Corinna bristles, pulling out her coinpouch to pay her own way. She can only imagine her uncle's reaction to the news that a Valdemar was accepting charity in Sandpoint, and she is a little unwilling herself to be in the debt of someone she has so long seen as a rival.
Sandru joins you as promised along with the two other men from his caravan. "This is Bevelek and Vankor," he says, introducing the two men.
She blushes a bit and fails to meet Sandru's eyes as he approaches the table, trying to make sure she is as far away from Melon as possible.
Gilfroy punches Rajah in the gut, although given the height differential, it's closer to his groin.
"What is wrong with you? Sabotaging another teammate's play?"
Instinctively attempting to block the gnome's punch, Rajah can only be puzzled by his statement. "Another teammate's play? You mean to tell me that Malan...was joking? Malan? THAT Malan?!" He emphasizes wanting to be sure Gilfroy is truly speaking of the same one he keeps referring. Finding that hard to believe, Rajah decides to give the gnome the benefit of the doubt. "Okay, Gilfroy. If you say so."
"Glad you could make it, Sandru." Turning in response to Bevelek, "Not a problem, good sir! As Aago just said; the more the merrier! I'm called Rajah. A pleasure to meet you both." He nods in greeting at the two crewman.
"Nonsense," Corinna bristles, pulling out her coinpouch to pay her own way. She can only imagine her uncle's reaction to the news that a Valdemar was accepting charity in Sandpoint, and she is a little unwilling herself to be in the debt of someone she has so long seen as a rival.
"If you insist," Ameiko says with a shrug. She makes no argument about accepting Corinna's money.
Having just handed over all her change to Gilfroy to replace his blanket, Corinna is left with only gold pieces in her pouch. She quails inwardly, knowing that if she is going to set up housekeeping in Magnimar she will have to make what she has stretch to meet her first paycheck, but having made a big deal about paying her own way, she is not about to quibble over silver with Ameiko. "There you go," she says, with as cavalier an attitude as she can muster, as she puts the gold coin in Ameiko's palm. "I trust that will fill my glass a few times."
Ameiko nods. "More than a few times," she says. "I'll put any excess towards Sandru's tab. His men can drink a lot."
Sandru raises a mug to Corinna. "Thank you," he says. "These two can certainly drive the tab up almost as well as they drive the wagons!" He and the two men laugh. "Bevelek here can drink enough for two men, and Vankor may look small, but he can drink even more."
Melon grins as she suddenly appears next to Corinna after her 4th drink, "Hear hear" she adds companionably to Corinna's recollection of the day's events, and on the quiet helps her cup stay filled up. "I'm surprised, Ameiko, that you can stand all this excitement happening just hours away from the Rusty Dragon. You'd have loved it! Did you see the strange fan we found? I'm sure its a bit like those of your family. Very Tian!"
Malan is very active in the festivities, smiling and laughing, telling stories and anecdotes, he even produces a flute and plays badly.
If anyone were to pay attention, Malan doesn't have much to drink, sipping on honey wine and eating vegetables, he just seems to really be enjoying himself.
Aago studies Malan warily from a distance, wondering what might be wrong with the elf. He'd never seemed inclined to smile, much less laugh, before. He decided it must be a ploy of some kind, though to what end, he couldn't know.
After the story of their adventure in the swampmire had been told, he looks across the table to Bevelek. "I imagine you have your share of stories to tell. Lots of adventure on the road, right? Any news of what's going on in the world these days?"
"Adventures on the road?" Bevelek laughs. "Oh we can certainly tell you some stories. Mind you, we usually leave the dangerous stuff to the mercenaries Sandru hires. Allows us more time to concentrate on the finer things in life. Drink, music, dance, and women! Now, if you want to talk dangerous women..." He laughs and downs another mug of ale.
"I bet life on the open road is exciting. Never knowing what you'll encounter."
He smirks. "The dangerous women are probably exciting, too!"
Aago grins and swallows some more ale as well. "Dangerous women always make for a good tale!"
Corinna sits quietly as Sandru's men join the table, feeling uncomfortable but a smile pasted on her face as the conversation flies around her. Averting her eyes from Aago's atrocious table manners -- but really, what can one expect from a family with giant blood in it? -- she sips nervously from her wineglass almost constantly, mostly to have something to do with her mouth other than speak in case anyone looks her way. Melon's sudden reappearance at her elbow is jarring, although she is happy that the woman's attention is quickly turned to Ameiko, but as the conversation turns to the joys of wenching, she finds the subject hitting a little too close to home. She stands up with a suddenness that startles even herself and finds her head swimming with the change of altitude. "I'm sorry," she announces to no one in particular. "It's been delightful, but I do need to get home. Thank you all for, um, the lovely funeral."
Licking grease from his fingers, Aago looks over to Corinna and then frowns at Melon. "What'd you say to her this time?"
He sets down the piece of bread he'd been holding in his other hands and studies Corinna a little more closely.
"Don't go so soon, La -- Corinna. I haven't had a chance to talk to you yet! Tell us about your schooling! I'm sure you've got some good stories from the city."
"I hardly think," she blushes, "that anyone here is interested in hearing about schoolgirl pranks, not when they're used to ... fighting goblins and...." She waves one hand to indicate all the other vague but interesting things she imagines more adventuresome people must take as a matter of course. "And I'm sure the gentlemen of the caravan must know many far more fascinating stories of Korvosa than I, traveling in more .... exotic circles."
Rajah sits a table away, watching the festivities, eating just a bite of food with his glass of water. I wonder if Malan is okay? All that smiling he's doing and the joking earlier. That is a strange thing to witness of him, if I do say so myself. Seeing Melon approach Corinna again, Blast that girl! Why can't she just leave well enough alone! He just about stands up to say something until Melon turns her attention to Ameiko and away from Corinna.
As Corinna stands to leave, Rajah notices she seems uncomfortable about something. Unsure what, he makes a mental note to inquire about it later.
Malan stands excuses himself from the table and walks Corina home. He doesn't speak to her if she doesn't speak to him.
He'll stop at the gate to her house and doesn't leave until she is safely inside.
Once that is done, he'll return to the Rustry Dragon.
Corinna nods to the elf a bit hesitantly as he silently offers to escort her home.
Melon's lips are pursed in a sly grin that mixes equal parts mock feminine innocence and a sense of come hither. "You hurt my feelings, Aago. How can you say dangerous women make for good tales and then complain when tales are being woven?" She expertly nurses her mug of mead, "Or are you unhappy not to have a staring role in the tale?" She winks at him.
Melon's lips are pursed in a sly grin that mixes equal parts mock feminine innocence and a sense of come hither. "You hurt my feelings, Aago. How can you say dangerous women make for good tales and then complain when tales are being woven?" She expertly nurses her mug of mead, "Or are you unhappy not to have a staring role in the tale?" She winks at him.
"I don't know. I think Aago would make a very dangerous woman!"
Melon's lips are pursed in a sly grin that mixes equal parts mock feminine innocence and a sense of come hither. "You hurt my feelings, Aago. How can you say dangerous women make for good tales and then complain when tales are being woven?" She expertly nurses her mug of mead, "Or are you unhappy not to have a staring role in the tale?" She winks at him.
"I don't know. I think Aago would make a very dangerous woman!"
Melon's lips are pursed in a sly grin that mixes equal parts mock feminine innocence and a sense of come hither. "You hurt my feelings, Aago. How can you say dangerous women make for good tales and then complain when tales are being woven?" She expertly nurses her mug of mead, "Or are you unhappy not to have a staring role in the tale?" She winks at him.
"I don't know. I think Aago would make a very dangerous woman!"
Corinna hears a faint step at the edge of her hearing, and imagines the familiar squeeze around her waist. Not again! Corinna thinks in alarm; but when she catches her thoughts again, she realizes it was just in her head. Dammi- I'm internalizing her, that can't be good, she thinks, a little worried.
1d20 + 2
Melon grins as she suddenly appears next to Corinna after her 4th drink, "Hear hear" she adds companionably to Corinna's recollection of the day's events, and on the quiet helps her cup stay filled up. "I'm surprised, Ameiko, that you can stand all this excitement happening just hours away from the Rusty Dragon. You'd have loved it! Did you see the strange fan we found? I'm sure its a bit like those of your family. Very Tian!"
Ameiko seems a bit surprised by the mention of the fan seeming Tian. She pauses in her moving about and looks back at Melon. "No, I haven't seen this fan. Tian, you say? That's unusual in these parts, though not unheard of. I wonder if it belonged to my family and was taken in some earlier goblin raid."
"You hurt my feelings, Aago. How can you say dangerous women make for good tales and then complain when tales are being woven?" She expertly nurses her mug of mead, "Or are you unhappy not to have a staring role in the tale?" She winks at him.
Aago shrugs. "I just can't help but notice that Corinna always gets a bit jumpy when you're in the immediate vicinity of her, Melon. And the poor girl is already jumpy enough! I'd hoped she'd have an opportunity to relax and enjoy good company for a change. Instead, she seems just as tightly wound as she was before." He frowns briefly. "Malan better treat her kindly."
"I don't know. I think Aago would make a very dangerous woman!"
At Gilfroy's jest, Aago bursts out laughing. "It sounds like you might have met some of my sisters, Gilfroy!"
"No, thank you, Mrs. Hasmel," she replies quietly, her head already starting to pound from wine and anxiety. "I ate in town. Not near as good as one of your meals, of course, but ... different company." She forces a nervous smile. "Perhaps ... if it wouldn't be too much trouble ... you could send a tray up in the morning instead of expecting me at the breakfast table? I have some correspondence I have to take care of." She hopes to put off facing her Uncle and Alil as long as possible.
At the Rusty Dragon, the festivities carry on for quite some time as Corinna's money goes far. Bevelek eventually passes out and has to be carried back to Sandru's caravan by Vankor, who is a much smaller man. Sandru has already retired by that point.
Whenever the rest of you are ready, Ameiko shows you to your rooms (not necessarily all at the same time) and wishes you good night.
It's a bright, sunny morning. To a few of you possibly suffering hangovers, it may even be a little too bright and sunny. Ameiko welcomes you as you emerge for breakfast.
Aago shades his eyes with his hands. "Why does it have to be so bright outside," he complains, and drops himself into a chair. "Gods above, that Bevelek can drink. Not as much as I can, of course, but still."
He looks with bleary eyes at Ameiko. "Do you have that thing that helps with the head?"
"Where is that fan now anyway?" Melon inquires, a little tipsy. "We've done so much today, but we cannot even show our host the fruits of our labor? But, no, if I understood the little guy. Whatsisname. The Fez. He talked with this godawful stinking gnome hag. She said they stole it from a bunch skeletons. Along with other Tian goods, come to think of it. Like the fireworks. Did you ever hear, Ameiko, about some far away caravan or something from Tian that came all the way to here? ...mmm. Good mead. Other than yourself of course."
Ameiko shrugs. "Well, my family came out here. That's all I know of for certain, but I do know there's a trade route between Tian Xia and Avistan via the Crown of the World. I'm sure others have come over." She pauses for a moment and then looks Melon straight in the eye. "Did this goblin really say they found Tian goods or are you just adding to the story to make it sound better? I find it hard to believe a goblin would know what Tian goods look like or would have even heard of Tian Xia."
Rajah enjoying the bright sunshine, has it interrupted by Melon's ridiculous rambling. Rolling his eyes at her nonsense, "Making stuff up, more like it." He responds to Ameiko. Then turning his attention to Melon, "What are you even talking about, Melon? You do realize if you had any semblance of making any kind of sense, maybe we could actually comprehend what you are saying." Sighing, he turns back to Ameiko. "A bit too much to drink, I gather. Should wear off in a bit." Of course, we probably will never be able to tell. He smiles at Ameiko and returns to his seat next to the window.
Gilfroy steps right up to Melon and attempts to appear intimidating.
Intimidate: (size difference)
"And I must object strongly to the description of that wretched goblin as a 'gnome hag'. Perhaps you need a closer look to better identify a gnome when you see one."
"That was a little inappropriate, Melon," Ameiko says. "They may be similar in size, but goblins and gnomes are very different."
She places a bowl of oatmeal in front of Gilfroy and then for each of the others. She holds back the last bowl and says to Melon, "You get yours after you apologize."
The carousing group did not seem to notice Malan when he came back from walking Corrina home last night. He quietly retired for the evening. This morning he comes out of his room cautiously, wary for any excited gnomes. "Blue skies and rainbows, everyone." Malan's stiff demeanor stands in contrast to the pleasant greeting as he sits for breakfast.
"Rainbows? Aago whispers under his breath, rolling his eyes.
"Did Corinna get home safely?" He asked after taking a bite of oatmeal.
"Yes. She did." He then sits and looks at Aago as if waiting for him to say more.
"Yes. She did." He then sits and looks at Aago as if waiting for him to say more.
"Good then. I was worried she might have had too much to drink, wee slip of a girl that she is."
Aago winces at a throb of his head and hurriedly swallows another spoonful of porridge. "As soon as my head is ready, I'm thinking of heading back into the swamp in search of those skeletons. The sheriff doesn't seem that interested but I'd rather do it now than later. Anyone else want to come?"
"That was the plan was it not? How long until your head is ready? Should I just plan on leaving tomorrow morning or just later this evening?"
"You know," Ameiko says with a conspiratorial smirk, "I know a very good concoction for hangovers. I could whip one up for you, but I warn you, some people consider it a situation where the cure is worse than the illness. What do you say?" She waits for Aago's reply.
"You know," Ameiko says with a conspiratorial smirk, "I know a very good concoction for hangovers. I could whip one up for you, but I warn you, some people consider it a situation where the cure is worse than the illness. What do you say?" She waits for Aago's reply.
Aago brightens. "See, that's the thing I was asking for when I first came down this morning. Bring it on! Let it not be said that Aago Belwas fears any concoction!"