Tarrana will spend some time wandering about town folllowing where the wind takes her.
"I suppose we should speak to Durin first then."
"Well," Gaius speaks as he finishes his glass. "I could use a walk after that lovely meal." He turns to Tarrana. "Will you join is m'lady?"
After finishing his meal in private and doing some crafting work, Magnus will catch up with whatever shenanigans take place.
After her bath, Jinjer would like to wander around the town, replace some arrows and see if she can find something to soothe her sweet tooth.
Stilgar heartily finishes his stew, before thanking Ouryn for the food and information. The dwarf speaks to his present companions, nodding towards the exit. "I'm going to speak to Durin. Perhaps he can tell us whether this Ashuron and that human priest are indeed one and the same." He then looks to Gaius, and then Tarrana, an expression of concern present, "I am not so sure it would be wise for her to come along. I know not of Durin's temperament, but I've met my fair share of paranoid Baalites."
Gasius turns to Tarrana.
"Ah, then please allow me to escort you about the lovely city of Three Oaks. We shall wander 'neath it's trees in the gloaming and with a bit of luck may see the moon rise into a clear and welcoming sky. M'lady?
Gaius holds out his arm.
As you walk beneath the great trees at the center of town, you notice a large group of children gathered in front of a large, brightly colored box set up at the base of one of the trees, between the fork of two great roots. As you round upon the scene, you see the front of the box has a rectangular opening in its top half. Within is a space with a painted backdrop where cunningly painted puppets prance about to the amusement of the youngsters.
Upon coming out of his room, Magnus finds Jinjer the only one left in the group. The rest have apparently gone to speak to Durin, or to wander the town. He accompanies Jinjer to the bakery and stocks up on a few choice supplies himself.
TAranna wanders the town in the way she typically wanders. Erratically, distracted, and with seemingly no purpose. She ignores Gaius for the most part les out of rudeness or discomfort then out of distraction. She stops in front of the puppet show and watches with mild curiosity frowning at the "additions" the more wicked spirits added in her mind.
Gaius chuckles at the distracted Tarrana. He does his best to run interference between her and the townsfolk.
Gaius enjoys the puppet show, watching how the puppet maker uses symbology and color to pack more information into the simple tale.
As he lays dying, the human king tells two to bury him in a secret tomb, where his enemies will not find the body, telling them that he will return to his people again in a time of great need if they do as he says. The two promise to fulfill his wishes. They build a great tomb deep in a mountain valley, built with the greatest of dwarven stonecunning and protected by powerful elven magics.
The play ends on an oddly dissatisfying note, with the elven prince traveling south to inform the King of the North's twin brother of his demise, and the dwarf staying to watch over the human kingdom until his brother comes to claim the throne. This doesn't stop the children from grabbing up sticks to run around pretending to be warriors battling demons.
Tarrana notes the demon puppet appears to be making mischief, setting the puppet theater's box to smoking evilly.
He takes in the site of the church and nods thoughtfully. He looks to Stilgar and waves him forward. "You can do the talkin'. Just in case... You know," he says as he taps his helmet right over the brand.
"Is it just me or do you feel shorter here?"
"I fear we may have stepped in some politics."
Standing there for but a moment, he approaches the temple and opens the door steadily, before nodding for Brodgar to follow.
The place is quiet and you see no one in attendance. The only exit out is a single door at the back of the chapel.
Gaius runs towards the puppet theatre.
If he reaches it he will grab any part of it that is not burning and attempt to pull it over. He is trying to separate the burning structure from the puppeteers inside it.
if the theater proves too sturdy to topple Gaius will enter the theatre and try to get any people out.
"Tsk. Looks like I've roasted my princess. A pity. My thanks for your help. I accidentally emptied my pipe on the puppets. Silly of me," he says as he brushes the knees of his pants off and works the stiffness out of his joints.
** spoiler omitted **
Magnus gets into a fighting stance, reaching towards his crossbow and hoping Jinjer does the same. "Hello? Is everything alright back there? " Magnus calls to the woman.
Perception
Brodgar moves to the side, moving along the wall as he heads down the rows to avoid covering the same ground as Stilgar. He moves towards the door and, if there has been no reply or anything found, knocks.
Tarrna self consciously turns away and hides herself in her cloak and robes.
The cleric turns to Brodgar, noticing his knock on the door. "Do you hear anything?" he asks, approaching the inquisitor.
"Well more perhaps about my love of puppery than about my character, but we were just walking about the town the inn is as good a destination as any. Let me help you with your stage."
If Stilgar has no objections, that is exactly what Brodgar does.
The previously muffled voice is now much clearer. The back door to the chapel stands open, revealing a gravel path leading to a walled cemetary at the back of the property. There appear to be a steady stream of cursing, punctuated by grunts and groans, coming from somewhere in the graveyard.
At your call, he looks up, planting the shovel in the mound of earth he's already dug up. His mostly bald head is beaded in sweat despite the chill in the air. One eye filmed over, the other glitters like an agate as he watches you approach. Turning, he moves to meet you along the path. His gait is oddly uneven, and you note that one foot appears bound in an iron boot, thudding heavily with each step.
"I'm Durin. What is it you want?"
As we walk towards the inn.
"An historian? That is a rare occupation in this fallen age. Do you enjoy it?
"So the church is still willing to play that angle are they? Figured they'd realize by now that it's useless. Human priest...yeah, I suppose he was at that...more than the council realized."
He considers the pile of remains and the hole behind him, and then tosses the shovel at your feet.
"Tell you what, you help an old dwarf get them carcasses back in the ground and I'll tell you what I know in exchange," he proposes with a smirk on his face.
"Humans and their traditions. They like their folk to rot away in the ground, so we give them that. As for the chapel, it was some sort of political wrangling. Worked out well in the end though...gave them a place to raise and train their chosen one--ah, but you don't hear that until these old bones are back in the ground." Durin gives a grin and settles back to watch the two of you work.