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Kembe smiles as he listens on to the stories, especially Norril's embellishments of their prior missions. He does keep to himself though, never one for over explanation or wordy dialog. At least he left out the part where I was almost killed repeatedly twice in the same day. As he unconsciously rubs his scarred shoulder.
He continues to pass on the offers of liquor, and keeps an eye on those who seem to drink too much, worried they will have issues with the tasks ahead. "Would you like some water Norril? Or you perhaps Everbloom? I believe I've got some traveling crackers in here as well..." He digs around in his backpack for some rations to share.
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Everbloom, who's already decided she's had enough a pushed her shot glass away, accepts Kembe's offer of a travelling cracker.
She eats it in one big chomp, then spends a minute picking cracker crumbs out of her fur and popping them into her mouth. She leaves the bits of twigs, leaves and flower petals in her fur and doesn't seem bothered by them.
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"Well, I thought we were saving the drinking for the tavern, my feet are unsteady on a boat as it is, I'll save the alcohol for later." Zev smiles good naturedly as he sits up to inspect Forvenniel's tattoo.
"Dancing, eh? I knew you loved the moon, Forv, but I didn't realize you had room in your heart for anything else. We should show these guys how Varisians party one of these days. It certainly doesn't involve sitting in the cold storage hold of a boat. If we can find my old troop I'm sure they'd play us some of the old favorites!"
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Kiffin's gap-toothed, multi-colored grin and wink clearly show what he thinks of Everbloom's warning. "So do I, dearie! So do I."
The sailor slaps Kembe on the shoulder, "Worked a ship before, have you? Captain may have heard some rumors that the others are unhappy with me. Them's just poor losers is all, though. Well, I reckon she's trying to make them even more unhappy with me. Probably thinks it'll teach me some lessons or something."
"Wait," Kiffin looks from Kembe to Sejiri several times, "You's brothers?"
"Aye, it is foxy! Let's hear that whole tale, brothers. And see that whole tail, sister!"
The sailor listens to Norril's tale without interrupting--too much, before asking, "They have any young lasses at that professor place, do they? Wanting them to call you Captain, are you?"
The bard's second story really entertains Kiffin, though. This time, he actually listens in silence through the whole story. He even pours Norril's drink this time. "Sounds like my new friends are some dangerous types!"
He scratches his patchy beard a second, and spits on the deck. "That's too good a story to keep to yourselves. You should share it with the whole crew of the Drake. And let them know I told you tell it, too."
"Dancing, you say?" Kiffin clearly loses sight of everything but Forvenniel's comment. "No gentleman ever says no to that. Give us a dance!"
He starts beating a simple rhythm on the crate beneath him, nodding his head in time and looking at Norril for accompaniment.
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Everbloom nods along with Kiffin, urging the 'brothers' into properly telling their tale.
She smiles in an amused manner at the gap-soothed sailor, and turns around so he can properly see her magnificent tails. "You can pet them, I don't mind." she informs him (and everyone).
Everbloom smiles as Kiffin starts beating a crate. She claps along. "Go on, then!" she encourages Forvenniel.
Whether or not Forvenniel gets up to dance, Everbloom soon pounces up to dance, dancing wildly and exotically. She doesn't seem to care at all if she's any good--she just enjoys the music.
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"There isn't a lot to tell," Sejiri mutters. "My village was all but destroyed by some obscure group, razed to the ground. The only ones spared were those who managed to hide, or several of the children, myself included. The latter group was...indoctrinated into the order, brainwashed, I guess, but without magic. And...we did what was asked of us, which was usually the same thing, killing and 'recruitment.' At some point, Kembe found me. Still not quite sure how, aside from the why of his knowing my family. But he made me see reason over teachings. I suppose that's his story to tell, if he so chooses."
It is clear the halfling is uncomfortable with this line of questioning, so he tries to finish his story as quickly as possible. "I seem rather stuffy, I guess. Well, I knew what was to come when I took my oaths, and I did so to make sure these things never happen again. Not to me, nor on my watch. And perhaps I will be able to bring a reckoning to those people next time I visit, stronger than ever."
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Forvenniel joins in the song, a popular one amongst the people of Varisa - or at least those who also like elven music.
"Ah nous pouvons aller quand nous voulons la nuit est jeune et je suis donc
Et nous pouvons nous habiller vraiment bien de nos chapeaux à nos pieds
Et surprenez-les avec le cri de victoire"
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Incredibly confused and unable to understand what is being sung, Sejiri remains seated. When bidden to dance, however, the halfling does so. 'No need to bring everyone down, nor is there any reason I need to be a stick in the mud,' he thinks as he stands. 'Besides, it sounds nice, even if I don't know what's being said.' He tries to emulate the moves of his fellows, with a few basic Tien ones thrown in.
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"Sejiri!" Zevryn laughs, surprised at the halflings nimble dance moves. "You certainly don't seem so stuffy now!"
Emboldened by the Paladin's ability to loosen up, Zevryn joins the rest in the small storage space and tries to follow along with Forvenniel's dance, unfortunately he's not used to the rocking of the ship and he's unable to do more than stumble back and forth a bit before sitting down red faced and looking at his feet.
"I think I'll take some of that drink now."
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Blatantly ignoring Sejiri's story, Kiffin thrusts the flask at Zevryn, and says, "About time," Sidling up to Forvenniel, he says again, "Definitely about time!"
The little party continues for a while before winding down, and by the time Captain Zendrani summons you to the deck, everybody except Kiffin and Everbloom has had enough. And Norril especially is feeling the costs of his drunken singing, as his parched throat screams silently.
Once on deck, you watch Captain Zendrani and the crew of the sleek Sixwing Drake finish steering the ship up to the massive barrier of broken war-barges, crumbling walls, and jetties of iron and wood that protect the port of Diobel. “Well, here we are,” says the captain. “I’ll make sure everything is in order with Diobel’s inspectors and charter you a barge to the port. You aren’t carrying anything particularly valuable, so you shouldn’t draw much attention from the inspectors or pilots, so long as you don’t run your mouth. My crew and I will wait here with the ship. You can return here to rest, if you need to, but remember—there isn’t much time!”
Several minutes later, the Captain finds a bargeman and slips him a few gold coins. Zendrani quickly introduces the stocky, middle-aged man as Markus Karbie. After a quick look at your party and some head movement that may have been a nod, he simply turns and walks back to his barge.
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Everbloom bounds up onto the deck as soon as we're invited, happy to have the wind in her fur and land in sight. She never trusted water. Too wet.
Everbloom eyes the port of Diobel with interest. Seeing nothing but bustling dock workers and boring buildings she moves on, eyeing the various sailors, then watching the captain interact with Markus. When he leaves she smiles and follows the stocky fellow to his barge.
She sits herself down in it, rather warily, and eyes with water with distaste.
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Forvenniel just winks at Kiffin. I'm totally sure this is the type of man man warned me against. Might be interesting...
She slips aboard the ferry/barge with elven grace, a slightly distracted and dreamy look on her face.
Once aboard she asks "We have hard the Oyster is a nice place to eat. Could you provide us directions there?"
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Happy to breathe fresh air again, Zevryn looks over the port and wonders what they'll be getting themselves into today.
"Overflowing Oyster, yeah? Can you tell us anything about it on the way? Sounds like an interesting sort of place, good food at the least, yeah?"
Zev seems indifferent to the Markus' indifference and tries continuialy to engage the man in conversation about any local information.
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The bargeman glances at Forvenniel, then back at the water. "I wasn't paid to make conversation."
After Zevryn fails to take the hint, some water accidentally splashes on the bottom of his robes, but the bargeman never says another word to anyone, not even when the barge reaches shore. He simply pauses before launching back into the water.
A few questions to the less unsavory looking citizens of Diobel direct you to the Overflowing Oyster. As expected, it is a dirty, broken-looking building that barely fits between the fishing tackle shop to its north and the junk shop to its south. Hanging over each door is a creaky sign that shows a painted oyster with pearls spilling from its gaping shell.
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"Right, and we might want a plan before we actually get inside. I don't know what you guys were thinking, but, well, I've got a pet skunk." Zev says as he plugs his nose and mimes smelling something aweful.
"Few things are as disruptive as getting sprayed by a skunk, might just clear the place out and make our lives easer."
He shrugs and listens for any other suggestions, barely noticing the water still dripping from the bottom of his pants.
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Kembe heads onto the barge with the others, as usual he sticks next to Sejiri like an overprotective big brother would. He eyes up the boatman warily, doing his best to subdue a smile as he splashes Zev for talking too much I like this guy. Some people talk too much.
He sits on the bench seat letting his body rock with the waves, keeping his eyes ahead.
Once they hit shore and head off, Kembe listens on as the more talkative of the group... most all of them... get directions. He listens intently to the plans as they develop "That skunk of yours, a good idea for sure. Just be sure he isn't hurt in the process, Maybe we could sample the food before hand ok?"
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Everbloom smiles widely at Zevryn's suggestion of letting the skunk spray everywhere.
"Yes!" she exclaims happily, clapping her hands. "We should make him spray outside first, to keep people away! Then we can make a stink inside!"
She seems to think this idea is both amazing and hilarious and grins at both Zevryn and Bevole happily.
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Everbloom notices several rarer humanoids as she walks through the city, but nothing particularly noteworthy about the bar or its neighborhood. After several other patrons come and go, giving you a look for standing outside, Kembe and Norril lead the way in.
The interior of the Overflowing Oyster displays a mix of rickety furniture and gaudy decorations, from strands of obviously fake pearls hanging over the kitchen’s entrance to wooden carvings of sultry mermaids and cheap paintings of ships at sea.
A dozen or so men sit scattered around the room in small groups, and two more stand behind the bar. The closer one shouts, ”Come in, come in strangers. Call me Pal. What’ll you have?”
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Sejiri waits for the others to enter, then follows and hops onto a stool. He orders some water, if there is any; he has plenty but doesn't wish to be rude if he has to ask for anything without paying. "Hello there, Pal. Pray tell, is anyone coming around today? A club meeting, perhaps, or a study group? My friends and I would like to meet some new people on our trip."
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Forvenniel looks at the menu and orders something light. And a wine to go with it. She does her best to avoid associating with the other pathfinders - apart from the necessary queuing for drinks and food.
She takes a table with a window view, asking if it can be opened, and then proceeds to watch the people in the bar and those approaching as best she can.
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Kembe heads to the bar behind Norril, taking the look of the bar and the rest of the place in with a bit of a smile "Interesting place you have here Pal. Did you decorate it yourself? Seems.. unique." He smiles and sits, sounding genuine in his complement.
"I'll have some baked fish with bread and water, make it spicy." He says with a nod and a smile, letting the talkers do their thing, he spins on his seat a bit to let his eyes wander around the place a bit more.
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"Four copper," Pal says to Sejiri, "And if you want meetings, go to the town hall. Getting drunk is the only reason people come here for."
The bartender warms up a little bit as Norril and Kembe spend more coin, "That all depends on who you are and who you're looking for. What brings you to my fine establishment?"
Disappointed at the fixed windows, Forvenniel looks around for the consortium agents, but doesn't find anyone suspicious. Kembe, however, gives a more careful look.
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Among the dozen or so patrons scattered around the bar, Kembe notices one is wearing masterwork studded leather--something far more expensive than customers in such a dive bar should be able to afford.
And though it might just be because the man has nobody at his table to talk with, he does seem overly interested in the other patrons' comings and goings.
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As Kembe bends down a bit to fish out some coins he whispers to his brother "That man in blue to your right, very fine armor for a local..."
He sets his payment down for the bartender and takes a long deep drink from his water as the question rolls in. "Another if you don't mind please." He says pointing to the water.