After the combat, Lumi stands up giving a large cat yawn and stretch, before bounding over to Paemil. She walks in a quick circle two times, before plopping down on the ground next to the human to clean her paws.
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Polo nods his head in acknowledgement of Shruti...suddenly feeling a bit selfish. Perhaps I can tie our prisoner and we can throw her over her horse .. and lead her away from this place, to question her further Polo looks how beat up the woman looks and finishes.. That is if...I mean when she recovers.. Polo shivers a bit at the thought of the sudden violence that brought this woman to her current state. Oh well...guess she had it coming.
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"We have no need to question her any further. Ulisha only needed us to recover the tapestry, which we've done. We can leave this Rhiannon here." He waves his hands to the stars. "Desna will see to her safety if her own animals won't, at least until the city watch arrive. Which they will do quickly! Normally, I'd stay and help make sure they know what happened, but this tapestry might come into more question than we want if we do that. They will figure out the rest. Let's secure our prize and see to Ulisha's next task."
As the sun slips below the horizon, Rhiannon's steed, Zephyr, makes no effort to impede the adventurers as they depart.
From its perch, the more gravely wounded Triumph watches on. Though it grows more agitated as the cries of the approaching city watch grow louder, it remains in its secure spot.
Yards below his perch, beneath a bust in the likeness of a dead man, lies a lifeless body of similar features, awaiting a time, perhaps soon, when it will be identified.
Not far away, within the tomb of Laban Tullivor, lies the unconscious body of Rhiannon Sarvio. This structure, built to hold the spiteful and greedy ambitions of a deadman in addition to his body, it is a fitting resting place for the woman, who still retains her own spitefulness and hatred even after the death of her dreams.
Tsuk takes his leave from the party to visit the site of a historic battle near by. Before he leaves the group begins looking at the next of Ulisha's notes
You travel through Varno and the journey is quite boring. There is little in the way of wildlife and even less in the way of the common people. You eventually arrive at a building on the side of the road
This crumbling, moss-choked inn stands alone at the road’s end. Looming over its squat frame, a dense curtain of foliage marks the border of the Forest of Veils. The sign above the door reads “The Restless Bear,” and it seems to refer to a stuffed bear’s head that lolls upon a flagpole near the eaves.
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Each night during their travels to get to the Forest of Veils, Feelo spends an hour or so dancing beneath the stars, sometimes softly intoning the names of various stars, and always dancing in a seemingly random pattern.
He looks up at the sign on the inn. "Hopefully someone here can point us the right way to Cannibal's Grove. How do you politely ask about a place called Cannibal's Grove?"
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Shruti's mind wanders back and forth through their lives, trying to recall a time in all their existence when they might have lived as Rhiannon had. The memories are vague, but Shruti is sure there must have been such a time.
As the group of fledgling Pathfinders approach the inn, she looks up in surprise. "Oh. Are we here?"
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The druid turns with disgust at the sight of the bears head. "Kill to eat. Kill to defend. But no kill to dishonor."
Paemil quietly reassures Lumi "โอเคเพื่อน ฉันจะไม่ยอมให้คุณจบลงเหมือนหมีตัวนี้ คุณมีคำพูดของฉัน"
He waits for others to enter, savoring the last few moments of being outdoors before entering the dilapidated building. The leopard pauses, as if unwilling to enter, before Paemil chides her.
"คุณมาหรือไม่? แมวขี้กลัว"
*Yawn* Why walk on path? Rather run through woods.
During the journey, Lumi ranges ahead of the party- prowling through the underbrush or sneaking through the shadows. She comes back every 15 mins, almost like clockwork, appearing just in line of sight- before returning to her scouting.
When she first notices the bear's head, she stops dead in her tracks. Back arching, she enters a defensive stance- looking not for the bear but for those who would have killed it.
*It is ok, friend. I will not allow you to end up like this bear. You have my word.* comes from her human, and the tension leaves.
She hesitates before entering the Inn. "Most humans do not like me in their den" before finally being gulled into entering the building by Paemil.
*Are you coming or not? Scaredy cat.*
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A man with sun-darkened skin and seemingly overly-dressed for the local weather, looks up from the remains of a small meal at the newcomers. Tired from recent events and far from home, the man seems excited to see.
"Come in! Come in!" Razisus beckons as he rises to his feet. "I am Razisus, it is good to meet you. You look as if you have been traveling. Would you allow me the pleasure of your company and perhaps provide you with a modest meal?"
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Polo looks at the stuffed Bear and enters the Inn reluctantly..This place seems dubious at best...but, perhaps just the type of place we could learn of a lovely little place called Cannibals Grove.. After he enters the Inn the first thing Polo notices is a Dark skinned man greeting them as if they were not strangers.
"Come in! Come in!" Razisus beckons as he rises to his feet. "I am Razisus, it is good to meet you. You look as if you have been traveling. Would you allow me the pleasure of your company and perhaps provide you with a modest meal?"
Polo resist the urge to reach for his rapier at the sudden and unexpected greeting from a total stranger. However, Polo does melt toward the back end of the group and begins to look for places of cover..should a fight break out.
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Razisus lets out a chuckle, before continuing in a thick, Osirian accent"Ha! Ha! No need to hide, Little One! I bear you no ill-will. I wish only to share some hospitality!" Which seems is a virtue lost on many in this seemingly forsaken realm, the cleric ponders.
"My goddess welcomes everyone, showing favor to none. Why should I not act in kind?" The cleric continues, "You all look like you could use a meal. What say you?"
This common room feels like a cave, its sagging rafters clogged with yarn, shabby ribbons, and odd miniature knick-knacks that reinforce its claustrophobic atmosphere. The only person other than Razisus inside the inn is a spindly old woman who moves around the bar with a small amount of visible discomfort as she comes to your table to take your orders. We only have ale and good harty food, but nothing fancy. I'll give you a room and meals for 5 coppers a day. No negotiating She eyes the group waiting for anyone to object.
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A lost virtue, indeed. Razisus notes at the words of the spindly old woman.
"My goddess does not negotiate either." Razisus says, as he places a two gold coins on the table. "I believe that this should cover food and lodging for the lot of them." he says to the woman.
Returning to the party, he says, "Please, keep your coin." The cleric points to the money he had placed on the table. "Those I recently released from a necromancer here in Ustalav, who had been holding onto them far longer than he had any natural right to do. And I have come to learn that the coins were among the least of his treasures. Word is that the man possessed a magic lantern. And though it had been stolen from him, it was his belief that the object must be somewhere nearby."
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Paemil enters slowly and stiffly, having only just become somewhat comfortable with his traveling group, now comes face to face with another. He struggles to follow the accented speech of the gregarious stranger choosing instead to nod. Paemil's manner lacks any sort of social refinement and he inadvertently misses several social niceties. He sits still, with his cat at his feet while his companions interact with the newcomer.
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"Well thank you, good sir. May the light of Desna's stars bring you fortune and safe travel. We are well met; I am Feelo, and think that perhaps we could use your assistance." Feelo sits himself at Razisus' table, and also orders food and drink from the innkeeper.
"We too seek this lantern, at the behest of an acquaintance. Have you heard of a place called Cannibal's Grove? It doesn't sound savory, of course, but I think it's where we need to start."
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"We too seek this lantern, at the behest of an acquaintance. Have you heard of a place called Cannibal's Grove? It doesn't sound savory, of course, but I think it's where we need to start."
"I know of its existence from my dealings with the necromancer. I understand it is a place of magic and superstition." Razisus responds.
"If you think finding this Cannibal's Grove could lead to the recovery of the lantern, then I am happy to accompanying you and offer my aid. It seems to me as though you tend to keep some strange company. Well, that is no matter to me, for death is the great equalizer and all have an appointment with the goddess."
"As for finding the location of this Grove, I suppose there is no harm in simply asking the locals." The Garundi man assumes.
"Kind woman," he calls over to the old woman, who has shown him little of the descriptive characteristic. He flashes another coin to garner her attention. When she approaches, he makes inquiry. "Tell me, if you would be so kind, have you heard tales of a Cannibal's Grove? And if so, do they tell of its location?"
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"This One appreciates your hospitality," Shruti says, taking a seat at Razisus's table. "From your appearance and manner, This One suspects you too are from a distant land. Our meeting is a fortunate one, then, especially since our goals seem to align."
As the inn's apparent owner speaks with Razisus, Shruti watches the woman carefully, trying to perceive any unusual reaction to the question.
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"I know none of this druid." Peamil interjects into the conversation. "Many circles lost over years. It would mean much to me to reclaim circle"
Standing, his chair drags across the uneven wooden floor and he approaches the woman at the bar. "I am from Angol Grove. Please direct me to this location."
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"I do not see how merely divulging the location of Cannibal's Grove would place your soul in peril." Razisus ponders aloud, fancying himself a student of religion. "Trust that the goddess will see your soul gets to where it is intended to go."
"As for your protestations, your words suggest you know of the location of Cannibal's Grove, or at least someone who does." The cleric of Pharasma flashes a second coin.
"As the man from Angol Grove has suggested, my tired and hungry group fellow travelers and I wish to see Cannibal's Grove for ourselves. If you can provide us with direction to this Grove, which I understand is nearby, then my new traveling companions and I will have reason to spend more time, and more coin, in this establishment. Otherwise, we, and our gold, will be moving along."
Birdie, the old woman who runs the inn, remains steadfast in her refusal to provide you directions to the grove.
Sirius manages to cajole Birdie into finally providing directions to Cannibal Grove. Will you stay the evening at the inn, or set out immediately?
You spend an uneventful night at the inn. When you wake you swear someone had rifled your belongings, but everything is there and nothing is missing. After a simple yet satisfying breakfast you leave the inn to head to the grove.
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As Paemil gathers his things outside of the Inn, he glances up- noticing the bear's head is missing. "Gone." he says, drawing the parties attention to the now vacant flag pole.
"Uneasy feeling after last night. Next time we stay outside"
"To each their own, but I much prefer the confinements of an inn, even one somewhat...Shall we say, lacking?... in certain comforts. Razisus responds.
When he looks at the vacant pole, he notes, "Perhaps, the woman's spouse was right and the shaman is again on the hunt."
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Polo *yawns* after a restless night's sleep...he looks up to the missing bear head and says guess it was creepier to someone else than it was to me! Polo grabs Birdie aside... I'll have some of that porridge you have bubbling in the kettle over the fire... Polo lets her start walking away and quickly interjects, Say what'd you do with the Bear head you had hung up? Did some customers complain or what?
Birdie answers Polo. Is it gone? Probably some local kids messing about. In my day we would never think to do such a thing and she launches into a diatribe about the failing of youth these days.
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Shruti nods along sincerely with Birdie's tirade. "Indeed, This One has noted a certainly lack of courtesy in the world of late as well. In This One's previous times in the world, children were not allowed such license. Still, they would need to be very crafty children to retrieve their prize from such a lofty height. Are you certain there is no other explanation?"
Birdie thinks for a minute. She seems to reluctantly nod her head. I do have a house spirit that lives in the inn. She likes to collect things. Maybe she has it. If she has I am sure she'll return it soon enough.