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"This should be an adequate place to rest for the night master Tanariel. I beg of you though, let us leave the goods on-board for the time being. The barge is not going anywhere and my cousin wouldn't go and sail away without us." says Iago obsequiously before turning to the strange man who has arrived. "You, knave, take our luggage to the inn and have a bath run for Master Tanariel. If he has cause for complaint I'll take it out on your hide!"
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The profusion of flowers planted around this lovely courtyard fills the air with an enchanting fragrance. An oaken door to the north is the obvious entrance to the inn, while south are the broad doors of a stable. Wooden gates allow egress to west and east, and a roofed well lies at the east end of the main court.
You head into the inn, and the seemingly mute lad moves back toward the stables.
Dark oaken tables, chairs and benches fill this comfortable, L-shaped common room, and the faint odors of tobacco and ale permeate the air. Narrow windows with panes of smoked glass along the north and south walls allow some light into this welcoming space.
An old matronly woman clad in peasant clothing and an apron comes to meet you. Her voluminous white hair is piled atop her head and secured in a conservative bun. She wears a red scarf about her neck and a wry smile on her face.
"Come in, come in!" she smiles through a semi toothless mouth.
"Welcome to the Grey Revelation Inn. I am Addas Grymble, your host. What brings you to Razmiran?"
Merisiel smiles sunnily at the woman.
"Oh, we are on a fact-finding mission. We represent a trading consortium that is exploring new, alternative trade routes."
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After a pause, Addas seems to accept your story. "Please, have a look around. I am sure you will find the Grey Revelation to be just what you were looking for. Business is a little slow today as the shepherds and farmers who normally flock here." she cackles to her self at the pun "are off in Xer for a major market day."
She turns to the kitchen and calls out "Come Eugena and Tarsi, we have guests!"
Two more old ladies hobble out from the kitchen area. Eugena wears a yellow scarf around her neck. Tarsi cackles almost as much as Addas. "You are all too thin. ". Peering hard at Iago Tanariel she nods "Especially you."
She heads back into the kitchen and returns with a plate of pasteries and jam. "Eat, then explore."
E4- Kitchen.
A tasty stew bubbles in a large black cauldron in the fireplace, and the counters are covered with bushels of cherries and apples in varying stages of being made into jam and canned. Barrels and casks of various spirits are found here along with mugs and other tableware
E5 - Guest den
This cozy room is dominated by a large fireplace. A few tables and upholstered chairs provide repose for guests of the inn, and assorted rugs of Qadiran manufacture cover the floor.
E6 - Guest room for one
This small room features a comfortable feather bed suitable for a single Medium person.
E7 - Fine guest room
The double bed in this more finely appointed bedchamber has a rich quilt and fat pillows. It comfortably sleeps two or three Medium people.
E9 - Lavish guest room
Silk sheets and a thick comforter cover the large bed in this lavish chamber
E10 - Bathroom
Two large claw-footed tubs flank the fireplace in this bathroom. Several metal buckets sit by the fire for heating water that’s drawn from the well in the courtyard.
Merisiel nods, and then gives the place a good, solid, search.
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It's not like they are river drakes... The above is what you get for a reasonable look around, if you want to search somewhere in more detail, pick a room, roll a perception and let me know how you are trying to have the sisters occupied.
Once the group has been shown the inn, the sisters ask which rooms you would like for the night.
"Regular rooms are five silver, the fine rooms are three gold, and our best is five gold."
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Things the keen eyed Merisiel notes is that while the single and even fine guest rooms have locks, there is a hidden mechanism that allows the lock to be sprung from the outside.
She's used such a device herself in the past...
She also notes some odd scratch marks on the floor of the bath room, as if the bath is moved frequently. Of course maybe the sisters are fastidious cleaners.
Lastly in the kitchen there are a variety of bones cooking in the soup pot. She also notes the scarf that Eugenia is wearing is very, very similar to the one that Amauhak wears.
Oh dear...
Merisiel reports her findings to the others.
"There might be something underneath the bath... possibly a hidden storage room, or even, dare I say, a larder...? I just hope all of the dwarves have not yet made it into the cooking pot..."
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Gratius stay shut while playing the merchant's guard.
He follows them in each room, scanning for any danger or unusual things
When Merisiel mades her report he said after scanning to the door to see if no one was listening.
I've seen the yellow scarf. It intrigued me and even if the old ladies seems quite nice they may be dangerous. I suggest to act tonight. First we take care of the three old ladies, quietly and nicely while they sleep. A job for Merisiel for sure.
Then we investigate the bathroom where Merisiel has found the marks.
"Well, there's no-one else here, right now; why not deal with them now, just in case some other 'travelers' show up later?"
She then wrinkles her nose.
"I am also not particularly keen on trying that 'nourishing stew' that they are brewing up in the kitchen for dinner..."
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"Well, I think the four rooms in the south wing by the baths are sufficient. That will be what, 16 gold? Here's 10 now, we'll provide the balance when we leave on the morrow. Gentlemen, Merisiel, let's get ourselves situated for the evening. We'll be out shortly for stew once we've settled in."
Tanariel then ushers everyone into the fine and lavish rooms to discuss the plan form here.
"A pot with bones does not mean that there's necessarily foul play. It all depends on the bones, now, does it not? Did they look like the bones of a dwarf to you?"
Turning to the door, he adds, "Regarding the locks, however, I would fully expect the doors to be unlockable from the outside. That's what keys are for, and woe betide the innkeeper who doesn't have a spare set of keys. Yet, if you spotted the mechanism, then no doubt you're not the only one. I wouldn't leave valuables lying about. Be discreet and conscientious. Block the door and leave by the window if you must."
Casting a furtive look around, Tanariel finishes with, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to freshen up for the evening." With that, he heads to the bath room.
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Addas, who seems to do most of the talking looks shocked at Theodic's offer.
"Guests chop wood? no, sit down. Have a pastry. Rosh keeps us well stocked with wood. He is a good lad, looks after us very well."
She collects the first ten coins and then notes "But there are six of you. This is a respectful establishment, we'll not have any carrying ons!"
Tarsi checks the coins. "They've short changed you Addas, go get the other coins."
"They'll pay in the morning, they said they would, and they look like nice people."
"That is what you said last time. Go, get the rest of their coins, and make sure they take enough rooms."
"Stop trying to boss me about, I'm eldest. If you are so keen to be rude, you go and get them.."
Eventually Tarsi emerges.
"Good merchants, we note that the rooms you have secured cost sixteen gold. You'll get to use the lounge and a meal too. Deer. Very good. Cooked by my own hands. "
She also carefully counts you all.
"You probably need a couple more rooms for your guards? We have cheaper accommodation for them, don't worry. "
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Casting a quick glance to the party, Tanariel adds, "Well, I'll be sharing my room with Merisiel, as I'm sure you understand. Gratius, Iago, I'll want you sharing the room across from us, in case we need assistance. Theodic, you'll have the other luxury chamber for the evening. Just a little something to recover from the drake. That leaves the fourth chamber for you, Tomren. A little privacy for your studies."
Without skipping a beat, he finishes, "That will be all. Do please be a dear and settle our accounts with these fine ladies, I do not wish to be an undue burden."
He swaggers off to the bath, exuding an odd, elfin command.
Merisiel shrugs.
"Well, I think we should take a look at the bath - why not start with what we know is suspicious, before we move on to something? That said, if everyone else wants to check out the stables first, I won't object."
Merisiel winces at Tomren's display of 'stealth'...
...and then glides like a shadow through the darkness.
Merisiel thoroughly checks the trapdoor for traps, and then quietly opens it (assuming that it is not trapped, of course!).
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Opening the trap door reveals a cellar beneath. The team climbs down a wooden ladder using Iago's sunrod for light. Looking around is a cluttered and dimly lit L-shaped room. Crates and bits of furniture are stacked against brick walls and oaken doors lie to the east and south.
And just to confuse matters. While the map of the inn has north to the left, this map has north at the top.
Merisiel moves over to the door, and, after checking it for traps, cautiously opens it a crack to take a peek at whatever lies beyond...
