"Okay, do you have just the regular kind?"
Aleda looks pretty sad at hearing that chocolate milk is not on the menu.
"Yes, of course. We have ice cold milk," said the barmaid.
"Plain oatmeal please", the halfling ask.
"One plain oatmeal."
When the waitress asks about our orders, Kali will say "I'll take some Dacha fermented goat's milk and meat, either mutton or bull if you have any."
"Well, we don't have Dacha fermented goat's milk, but we do have goat cheese as a subsitute. Would you rather have that?"
Turning to the human who had questioned him earlier, Alder smiles and says...
"I am Alder Tiller. I am a halfling who comes from the distant lands. I am sorry I speak funny, but your language is difficult for my mouth."
Bluff:
He is lying about where he is from, but not about having difficulty speaking common..it is like he just learned how to speak it recently and still is struggling to be understood.
Jonas listens quietly and patiently as everyone places their orders, and then as most of the group introduces themselves. Finally he clears his throat.
"As the mage Shellin says, my name is Jonas. I am one of the many professional adventurers living in the city; a delver, if you will. I am often hired as a lock and trap expert, bodyguard, or scout by other delvers. I came down to the gates this morning in order to offer my services to less experienced adventurers arriving in Ptolus." Jonas says to the group.
The halfling is alittle vague about where he came from... eh, I'm probably just being paranoid. Thought his accent was rooted in Undercommon, though...
Shellin nods at Alder's reply, half smile affixed to his face.
After Jonas's introduction,
Then its quite lucky he was there when I was looking.
"I happen to be a less experienced adventurer, Jonas. I am seeking to form a small group for expodtions into The Dungeon. I came thinking to seek out yourself and Miss Aleda here," He stops to gesture to the girl at his side, "as members for said party. Imagine my surprise when we also become acquainted with 3 other capable individuals!"
You each have a small shadow dragon swooping around and across you, sometimes stopping to sniff.
"Well, I think it would be reasonable to trade services. I can help you clear your delving, and in exchange you help me find my brother?"
"What if your brother is dead," Aleda asks Kali calmly.
Sorry, I took a look at the spoiler, I'll not have Aleda act on it, but I figured that, since the last you met Aleda, she was filthy, I figured I'd point out that this time, she's clean, save the mud on her boots. She's also wearing a rather nice outfit that is of much better quality than the peasant's rags she was wearing last time.
"That is far from a reasonable trade Kali." Jona replies quickly and coldly.
"Delvers normally work for shares of the loot, or else are paid wages for their services. The typical delving contract assumes that every member is 'performing to the best of their abilities, and contributing equally and meaningfully to the success of the delve'... By which I mean that if you were to delve with us, any services you provided would be paid for any services we provided you, on the assumption that everyone is receiving an equal share of the profits of the venture." Jonas explains.
"I don't like to sound cold-hearted, but a delving party cannot evenly divide your brother up as loot, so you would either need to pay each of us for their services, or else provide some kind of evidence that participating in an assault on the Longfingers would be profitable enough so as to make your brother's rescue an inconsequential reward." Jonas continues, quite cold-heartedly nonetheless.
"I cannot speak for the others, but I have no problem slaughtering thieves and pillaging their hideout. However, the Longfingers are still an established thieves guild; there is a fair chance that one of them is listening to our conversation as we speak, and I doubt this group currently has the combined combat experience necessary to defeat them in a pitched battle. I suggest you bide your time for now, relying on the security provided by membership in a larger group while you gather the information and combat experience you'll need to pursue yours goals." Jonas concludes without pausing long enough for anyone to get a word in edge-wise.
In response to Aleda's question, Kali will say "If my brother is dead, then it's probably what he deserves, but I would recommend that you leave this city for a while, as our family is Housebound directly to the Barbarian King's, he would probably be required to send forces to sack this city and take everything and everyone as wyrgeld for my mother's loss."
To Jonas' comments, Kali adds "I suppose then that I will have to earn enough coin and see if you are worth hiring to assist me. Perhaps we could delve" she looks at Jonas to see if that is the correct term "as soon as possible then, so I can show my worth? I don't mind wasting some time in this city, as it is time away from my mother and her incessant droning."
" Delving? Sssso goesss undergroundssss? Sssseek thingssss? If find, whatsss then?" the small little lizard asks, his eyes blinking as he tries to understand the concept
Alder turns to the small lizard and says,
"Then we take it to a fence..umm..merchant and sell it. The underdark has many treasures, but also dangers beyond belief!"
He seems to understand as he thinks for a second then nods
"We getsss the ssshiny thingssss sssso we buyssss other thingssss with? Beadssss getssss it, yesssss. Sssssounds like good plansss" he seems to grin as he grasps the idea of getting money and buying other things
Shellin turns to Beans,
"This city has a massive and unexplored series of caverns and tunnels beneath it. Delving involves clearing creatures from this place as well as looting undiscovered chambers. After you return, most of what is found can be exchanged for coin or goods here in the markets. It can be quite profitable, and a good way to test and improve ones skills."
Switching to Common and looking at the rest of the group.
"Shellin sees that Mr. Jonas intends this to be a formal hire agreement. He could, perhaps, draw us up a formal charter with language specifying such things as," gesturing to Jonas, "equal share of all loot profits, and," gesturing to Kali, "the ability to request the aid of the group one time, without the need for payment rendered." He knits his fingers and looks at Jonas. "This would be something you would also be able to benefit from, Jonas. Are these acceptable terms?
With a formal charter in place, group terms should be easier to line out.
"He is also a fan of Kali's idea, taking an initial trek to 'show our hand,' as it were..." His half smile shifts a bit, looking... darker. "He hasn't had a hunt in a while."
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When Jonas begins his spiel about how Kali's suggestion wasn't reasonable, Aleda's eyes become hard, like stone or ice, and narrow as she turns her attention to the man. She'd been calm, and even now she still is, but there's a tension there that wasn't before, and her quiet humming had stopped.
The moment passes as Kali answers her question, which, naturally, brings another.
"But why hurt everyone in the city if only a few hurt your brother," she asks her.
"While I am uncomfortable putting myself in such a position, your idea is quite reasonable Shellin. I would be willing to sign such a contract if it would assuage everyone's concerns... When we are done here I can contact a barrister and have copies of such a contract written up for each of us." Jonas replies.
"What issss contract? We needssss it for going to the underground? Eating it? Weaponssss?" he looks from one to the other
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Turning to Beads,
Shellin will clutch at his belt for a moment and then pass 5gp to Jonas with a nod. "He has no idea how much barristers will charge but this should cover it. Shellin should at least cover the bill for his idea."
He looks to the rest of the group. "He supposes that it would be prudent to ask, is there anyone of us that does not wish to be included in the charter?"
"Ah. I get it. A bargain. A contract I underssstand now. Common issss ssssuch a ssstrange language. Hard to underssstand sssome timesss. Thank you for clearing that up"
He looks once again at the group
"Beadssss will help where can. No promissses that I can help much other than outssside. Beadsss know little of Long-Legssss or Ssshort-Legssss plasssesss. Only knowing of junglessss and sssswampsss"
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"But why hurt everyone in the city if only a few hurt your brother," she asks her.
"Because in the Hordes, if someone sends one of your clansmen to the healers, you send one of theirs to the graveyard; and because some of the clan leaders think that this city is soft and would be easy pickings. That's the way things are." she says.
Okay here we go.
Aleda looks at Kali for a moment, her eyes wide and sad, before slowly returning her gaze to her meal. Her ears begin to pick up on the conversations around her. AS she listens, she hears something that causes her to look in the direction she heard it from.
"B-but he's dead," she whispers just loudly enough for the others to hear her.
Perception:
Alder mutters under his breath as he hears one of the many bits of gossip going around as the group talks.
"Tonaik jora, nind inbal nau kl'ae usbyr ghil xor wun 'olath...fridj miulk'ars whol natha mzild yornurn fashka!"
Dirty rats, they have no use either here or in the dark...just minions for a more powerful force.
"Who is dead?" says Kali, almost oblivious to her surroundings.
Looking at Aleda, Shellin seems puzzled.
"Are you familiar with this Fancon character, Aleda?"
Aleda's not being entirely truthful about how well she knew Fancon
"Sorry, it's nothing. I didn't really know him that well. I just knew he died several years ago," Aleda answers Kali and Shellin nervously before sipping her milk and leaving a white milkstache on her upper lip.
"I heard some people talking about ratfolk robbing shops and doing not nice things. Maybe that'd be better than going deep underground for getting to know each other," Aleda suggests, quickly changing the subject.
"What is a ratfolk?" asks Kali.
Turning to Jonas Kali will use the knife from her meal to slice her hand, then flip the blade and offer it handle first to Jonas, clearly expecting him to do the same.
Hmm... She seems to know more than she's letting on. File that for later, then. Best not to call her out in front of everyone.
"Hm." is all Shellin will say in response to Aleda's fib.
However, his gaze will not leave her as he answers Kali
"Ratfolk are, usually, vicious, pack-minded cave dwellers with a penchant for stealing and hording. Some of their above ground brethren are usually more amicable but occasionally are similar. They also smell awful when burnt..." His half smile stretches again into the darker smirk for a moment, before relaxing.
Like the highway men from my trip here...
"They are vermin that needs to be culled before a pack can take over an area and eat everything in sight."
Alder looks at the others, anger and disgust on his face before he calms himself...with some effort.
"As the others indicate, Ratfolk are as their name suggests; small bestial humanoids. They mostly live in the sewers and upper levels of the Dungeon, but sometimes you see them in the city itself. I'm told if they're kept clean they can be quite cute and fluffy." Jonas says, adding little to the descriptions already provided. He sips his drink before continuing. "However, they have a well earned reputation for being disease ridden larcenous creatures."
"I bet these aren't the cut and fluffy ones," Aleda says after making a face at Shellin's description of how bad the smelled when burned. Her disgust isn't enough to curb her appetite, however, as she demolishes her breakfast with remarkably little mess.
"So, the bad ratmen are in the South Market. Let's go find them," she says as she finishes her meal, all hints of her earlier nervousness gone.
Shellin drinks the last of his juice and sets it on his cleaned plate.
He pushes back from the table and sits straight, fingers laced in his lap, as if he has no intent to stand.
"Given the general mood, He believes that's 4 of us who've decided on the setting of our little "show and tell," as it were."
"Care for a hunt, friend?"
"Indeed. I have yet to find a hunt that issss not thrilling"
He nods
"Beadssss ready to findssss the people of ratssss"
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"Great! Let's get going," Aleda exclaims as she hops up from her seat.
Turning to Jonas Kali will use the knife from her meal to slice her hand, then flip the blade and offer it handle first to Jonas, clearly expecting him to do the same.
Shellin will stand after Aleda does.
"The South Market it is then."Looking at the bloody hand and knife offered Jonas, Shellin seems intrigued.
"Jonas, I think this is a Horde ritual. Kali, would I be correct in guessing this is how deals are sealed in the Hordes? Blood pacts and such."
Blood is a strong thing, after all...
"Correct. It is an old ritual that signifies that you are willing to stake your life on your word. The stories say that at one point it was magical, but those are just stories elders tell their children to get them to behave. Here I offer it in the sense that we are going to spill blood together, and that has a meaning among my people, similar to what you westerners would call friendship, but with less hugs" whatever those are Kali mumbles to herself "and more understanding that we are all dangerous people who shouldn't be lied to or cheated."
Outside, the drizzle begins again, this time a soaking drizzle. Whether the ratfolk are making trouble for citizens or not; it seems to be a good idea to cloak yourselves from the rain.
While Alder has a deep hooded cloak, he allows the rain to strike him. Still fascinated with the whole idea of water falling from the sky, the halfling sometimes will stand for minutes head tilted up with his eyes closed, letting the rain water cascade over him...a blissful smile on his face.
This is why I am here! This world is so amazing and different from the depths. Wind, rain, sun...who would have thought someone like me could learn to, not only appreciate them, but to love it all!
The smiling halfling stands in the drizzle until someone interrupts his revelry.
Jonas finally pushes his demolished plates away. Seeing Kali's offer he sighs. "Such a barbaric ritual... I'll participate, but I'm not using that dagger. That's how you catch one of those wasting sicknesses, or end up an amputee." Jonas says, shuddering at the thought. Drawing one of his own daggers he slices his own hand carefully and waits, uncertain how this 'ritual' goes.
As Jonas slices his hand, Kali grabs it with her own sliced hand, holds it firmly for a moment, and then releases it with a nod. "Very well, let us go find these ratpeople and square ourselves with them." Kali then stands up, turns to Aleda, and says "Lead the way."
I wonder if there actually is any magic in these rituals?
Shellin will cast before the two clasp hands, leaving his blue eyes glowing bright.
Regardless of the result, the light fades from his eyes as Shellin stands from the table and strides towards the door without a word about it.
As he walks, he pulls the sleeves of his robes up to his shoulders, then shakes them both down at the same time.
His robes shift, becoming a much thicker cloak with a cowl that he pulls over his head as he steps our into the rain.
Noticing Alder luxuriating in the rain, Shellin seems bemused, his half smile quirking to one side.
"It is said those who have spent a great time underground often rejoice at the first rainfall when they return. Have you seen rain often, friend?"
Kali steps out into the rain, chuckles, and mumbles something about God's piss.
Though ragged, Aleda's cloak is still thick and quite capable of keeping her dry. As they make their way to the Southern Market, she begins to hum and dance, weaving through the streets like a leaf on the wind. Once they arrive at the market, though, she stops her movement and begins to look for anyone that looks like Hallach Fancon, or barring that, anyone that looks like they might know what's going on with the market.
Alder seems a little surprised at his actions, and quickly pulls his hood up.
"It is a wondrous thing, rain. I came from a place that was quite dry and cold."
Hmm. Is all Shellin will say in reply to Alder's talk of home.
"Best be off then. To the South Market, with the others."
Upon reaching the South Market Shellin will mingle with the crowd for a few minutes, speaking with patrons of the Market and guards, trying to find the shops that have been attacked.
Kali will follow Shellin, looking menacing.
On the way to the markets, including the spice market, all of you do see people coming out of their homes, stating that rat men (ratfolk) have come into their homes and are raiding their larders. It's still a sweet, soaking rain coming from the heavens.
Shellin half smile will turn slightly manic as his eyes light up.
The hunt is on!
If Shellin does not see any ratfolk immediately he will move to the closest affected home.
"Shall we clear house by house, friends?"