Enard chuckles. "I can see you pulling that one off," he says.
Flavia grins at Mason. "But will you even notice if you're abducted?"
She ponders as they ride. "Our client was abducted from his room. I think our bait should hire rooms to themselves, as if they were traveling solo, while the rest of us take rooms in pairs. But we should all end up in the bait's rooms, taking any opportunity to sneak in before the bait retires for the night. But that would split us into two rooms - do we have any way to communicate between two rooms in case of trouble?"
"And I can play the part of 'elf with too much time on his hands'," Savendir says with a grin.
In response to Flavia's question, he responds: "If we can arrange the rooms to be in the same inn... Or perhaps we are to be master and servant. Certainly traveling with a manservant did not help the son of our patron, so it should not interfere."
"Good point, Savendir. Masters and servants in adjacent rooms should work well. How should we play this?"
"I got a better question. When can I start hittin' things?"
"That may come all too soon," Savendir says to Corvin with a sigh.
"Perhaps Mason can be my trusty manservant?" He adds with amusement.
"I don't have a problem with that, Sir Elf," Mason replies with a wink.
"So Savendir and Mason will be one master/servant pair? What about another?" Flavia glances around the group. "Corvin or I could probably pull off servant roles. Rokuru looks like a bodyguard, and Enard has a big sword. They might look like they're too tough for servants, though." She shrugs. "I'm game for anything. We'd better start splitting off. Don't get out of sight, though. Just start riding ahead a ways. Maybe we don't need a second pair, if the rest of us are going to split up to investigate and keep an eye on our bait."
By the time you reach Sirathu, the cool Lamashan sun begins to set. Shops begin to close and villagers are turning toward their homes, their days labor at an end. Groups of visitors make their way to their lodging.
The thinning crowd reveals a beautiful, gleaming white fountain in the center of the village. A steady stream of water pours out of the outstretched scepter of young nobleman. Tracks of farmland lay in the bottom of the pool.
Each group should probably head to the inn first (a little way apart) and get rooms – ideally someone in the second group can get a room adjacent to the first groups room(s). Drop off the horses and gear.
Then ... checking out the fountain seems like a good option!
I suspect Mason and I will take the lead with the others at a distance. We can seek out a suitable inn.
There are several fellow pilgrims walking toward their lodgings who may be willing to suggest places to stay.
If possible, Enard prefers to stay at the inn where our young nobleman was staying at the time of his kidnapping.
One group of visitors near begin to split up make their good byes. You overhear some of the conversation.
"We are staying at the Royal Hare in south part of town. Where are you staying?" "We are staying at the Rich Fox Tavern and Inn just a block away from the White Prince Fountain." answers another. At the mention of the Rich Fox Tavern and Inn, Enard's ears perk up. That is where the missing noble scion was staying.
Rich Fox it is, then! Savendir makes his way toward that inn, with Mason in tow.
"Good choice, sir!" Mason beams as he follows Savendir to the Rich Fox.
As the rest of the group waits beside the road for Savendir and Mason to get some distance away, Flavia dismounts and makes a show of checking Blazing Doom's saddle and bridle and hooves, hoping it will look like she's having a problem with her horse rather than waiting for decoys to get some distance away.
Corvin flexes his gauntleted fists with a slight creaking of rusted metal.
"If I don't get to hurt someone soon, I'm gonna... hurt someone. Soon."
From their vantage point, Flavia, Enard, Corvin, and Matsumoto watch as Mason and Savendir head into town, walk toward the fountain and then head to the west.
The Rich Fox Tavern and Inn is located about two blocks to the west of the fountain. Given its close approximation to the now flowing fountain and the Oracle Cerpera, it has become the lodging of choice for the more well-to do pilgrims that visit.
As you approach, it apparent that the Rich Fox has certainly benefited from the influx of visitors to the town. Two new additions seem to have been added recently to the original structure, one on each side of the original building.
As you enter the tavern you see about a dozen people sitting in the bar/eating area in groups of two to four. There are still several empty tables. The proprietor of the shop is chatting with two patrons sitting at the bar
"This gear is getting quite heavy. I'm ready to put it down." Mason groans to emphasize his point.
The proprietor stops chatting and turns to you. "Welcome to Sirathu. Here to see the great oracle Cerpera are you?" He glances at Mason, them he turns back to Savendir. "Rooms are 2 gold per night. Will you be wanting one room or two?"
"Do you have two rooms adjacent? Such an arrangement would be ideal."
"I do have two adjacent rooms. How long will you be staying?"
After half-an-hour or so, Flavia quits fiddling with Blazing Doom's tack and looks around at the remaining party members. "That's enough time for them to get into trouble, don't you think?" She mounts up and rides into town, asking directions to the Rich Fox.
"My my, doesn't this look like a thriving place? I'll go see if they have rooms available." Flavia heads for the front desk to check out accommodations, hoping to spot the room that the decoys took in the room register.
"Very good, Welcome to the Rich Fox Tavern and Inn. My name is Nad Bayghon. I am the owner of this establishment. Please sign the register. There is one piece of business we must conclude before I give you the key. I must ask that you pay the 14 gold pieces up front. I have had more than my fair share of patrons skip out with out paying the past few months. I trust this will not be a problem, yes?"
It seems like an Intimidate roll might be appropriate?
Once Enard starts his scene, Flavia 'accidentally' rolls a coin across the counter and leans forward to catch it, trying to get a better look at the register and fumbling with the coin for a bit if need be.
Flavia goes up to the front desk and unnoticed, tries to look at the register. Unfortunately, between the poor penmanship and trying to read upside down, she can not make anything out clearly.
Seeing Flavia struggling a bit, Enard steps up and begins causing a small ruckus. The proprietor of the shop, who is working the tables at the moment, comes back to the bar/front desk, walking past Flavia to address Enard who is loudly ringing the bell. "Hang on, Hang on. Where do you think you are, the Royal Hare?" A snicker goes through the dozen or so patrons sitting at the tables. "Is there something I can help you with?" he growls at Enard.
As Flavia reaches for her coin she manages to tilt the register enough toward her that she can make out the numbers beside Savendir and Mason's names. An 11 and 12.
Flavia steps away from the counter and slips over to Enard's side, looking up at the big man and patting his arm soothingly.
"Really, Enard, have some manners. I know the Royal Hare... er, Royal Fox.. has plenty of business, but I'm certain there's room for us all. Didn't you notice the lovely new additions when we were approaching?"
Flavia smiles at the proprietor. "Do you have a room or suite large enough for all of us, sir?" She lowers her voice to a whisper. "I heard people have vanished in Sirathu, so I want us all to stay together while we seek Pharasma's blessings. For safety, you know."
"Skipped off, did you say? I've heard rumors along the road about abductions and other nastiness. Could it be foul play? I have too much faith in people to imagine they are all fleeing from their inn tab. Perhaps I am an optimist..."
As Nad takes Savendir's money, reaches under the desk and takes out two keys. One is numbered 11 and the other is 12. Switching into Office of Touristry mode, Nad answers Savendir's question. "Foul Play, no I'm sure it's not that. Traffic has certainly increased since Cerpera made the fountain flow." He glances at the improvements made in the inn. "And it certainly has been good for business. But not all that come, are of the trustworthy sort. I'm sure it's pilgrims who find themselves short on coin for one reason or 'nother. You definitely are not in that latter group. Thank you for understanding. Your rooms are on the first floor in the east wing toward your right. Enjoy your stay and let me know if there is anything I can do to make you more comfortable."
The proprietor glares for a moment at Enard and then turns to Flavia. "I have 4 rooms left. Each room has two small beds. They are 1 gold piece per night paid in advance. How many rooms do you wish and for how long will you be staying with us?"
"Do you have two rooms next to each other?" Flavia asks worriedly. "Oh, and what numbers are open? I don't want any unlucky numbers."
"All of the rooms I have left on the second floor on the East Wing. Rooms 13 and 14 are next to each other and across the hall are rooms 15 and 16. You can take your pick of any of those rooms, if it will help you rest easy."
“So – what are your lucky numbers then?”
Flavia looks at Enard in some surprise. "If you think I'm staying alone after those awful stories we heard at the Varisian camp last night..." She shakes her head. "My poor old mother would die if I disappeared. Besides, the gentleman said there are two beds in each room. I trust my friends to be honorable or wake up without kidneys."
She hmmms thoughtfully. "Thirteen has always been lucky for me, despite what most superstitious louts think. It's lucky because it's usually available. Thirteen and fourteen, unless anyone has objections?"
"Shall I take your bags to your room, Sir Elf?"
Flavia frowns at Corvin. "Why would you sleep on the floor when a perfectly good bed is available? Anyway, we'll stay for what - four days, maybe? I'm certainly this town isn't all that interesting once we've witnessed the miracle. So that would be two rooms, one gold each, four days... eight gold?" She roots through her belt pouch and comes up with the required fee, handing it to the proprietor. "There you go, Mr...? We'll take rooms 13 and 14."