Broom was happy to have another opportunity to visit the high mart. This time she had more money than last, although she still didn't have any real idea of what she would spend so much coin on. Maybe something would catch her eye.
As the group meandered through the town she couldn't help but think about Reine's suggestion that she clean up the town. She looked at all the houses, the street and even the people trying to figure out how one would undertake such a task. "Well, at least the town isn't the dirtiest We have ever seen." she commented without context. "Hmmm, wait We don't actually remember seeing any other town except for this one. If this is the only town We remember, would that make it the dirtiest or cleanest town We have ever seen?" She fell silent as she wrestled with this new conundrum.
John listens to Brooms question, sighs, and then humors her: "I think that would make it both."
He pays attention to the crowd as they pass through town, remembering that people here don't have the highest opinion of the group.
The group found the city's upscale market in a large building laid out like a traditional market square, only covered with a protective roof and indoors to ward off inclement weather. There were stalls for a variety of items, from snacks to eat to upscale ingredients, from a custom shoemaker to a cobbler, from outer wear to underthings. It was a cozy, busy place.
The group still drew stares but after a day or two of moving around Thrushmoor without threatening or killing anyone it seemed like some of the town's wariness was starting to wear off.
John looks for a collar, leash, and a training sleeve so he can start training Lucky.
"Who's a good boy?"
This being the High Mart, the stores are rather upscale, and while John can find animal training equipment it is rather more decorative than the subdued- some might even call him Grim- warrior might prefer.
"Ordinary people, right off the street. Somebody'd be heading home from the Stain or somewhere and just never be seen again. That's why people are shutting their doors as soon as the sun starts to set these days." The detective nods at Lachen. "You watch yourself out there."
The detective's directions were good, such as they were. The docks were working docks but with the fishing fleet out on the Bay, only a few workers were around, patching nets or painting or doing any of the other sundry things needed to maintain a busy dock front.
Crossing over the bridge to the mainland, Lachen passes through town all the way to the western edge of Thrushmoor. On the way, he passes what looks like a town hall but seems to be filled with fish monger stalls, lit by a huge, amber colored lantern that could probably be seen some distance out on the water.
He also passes a large building that appears to be a place to store, sell, and buy lumber and coal, as well as an icehouse if the wagon being loaded with huge blocks of ice is any indication.
The last building of note is on his right as he continues down the street, a modest home that has a sign out front that says simply "Healer".
Finally, at the very edge of town overlooking the Bay, Lachen finds a tap house with a large white tent staked out next to it and tables and chairs underneath. The door to the building was open, revealing an old but well maintained taproom. Several people sat inside, as well, and portly, gray haired man with a bushy beard manned the bar. It wasn't yet noon, but the place was already half full, inside and out. A trio of busy serving girls moved around the tables quickly and professionally and the smells of meat cooking on a grill wafted around the whole area.
One of the girls saw Lachen as he walked up. "Come in, sit at the bar, would you? We like to keep the tables for groups."
No problem, dear. I'm closer to the drinks that way.
He smiles and sits, but his smile lacks real human warmth. It is nevertheless oddly seductive, if you are the kind of girl who doesn't mind playing with fire, and who accept the inherent risks of the game.
I'm all for a decent warm meal, and a few drinks. What's the local poison?
The bartender gestured up at a pair of handwritten slates hanging over the opening that allowed a view into the kitchen. On one was written today's drink menu and on the other was food. "Ale or wine's what most people drink but if you're lookin' for a kick in tha head you want a Fireball. Makes for a good degreaser for your weapons, too." He grinned through his bushy beard. "Little early in tha day for that but it's tryin' times, ain't it?"
A fireball it will be so. But as you said, it's a bit early, so count to ten before serve it. For eating...
the man seems lost in his thoughts
A stew or a sandwich? A fancyman's feast?
Take the eggs, Lachen. Made in the style of the devil.. it suits us!
No! I don't want anything to do with you! Get away! Get away from my mind!
Lachen graps powerfully his stool, and begins to sweat profusely
Eggs of the Devil it will be. It's your temptation; Even if you don't fall this time, you will fall another time. All the way down to Hell. Where we are waiting for you, Lachen. We have time. We have all Eternity.
He spits out the words, nearly screaming
Make me a damn stew! I want a stew! And no devilish eggs!
The barman chuckled and counted to ten as he put together Lachen's drink. "Here ya are..." But as Lachen started to sweat and then suddenly shouted he pulled back the glass to his side of the bar. "You alright, son? You sick? Need a healer?"
Not sick no.. Well, until I eat eggs. I hate these. Probably my mom made me ate too much of them when I was young.. Just hearing the word put me ill at ease sometimes, sorry. You couldn't knew.
He sniffs his glass and drinks it slowly
That's way better... and quite hot!
John hooks up Lucky with his new collar and leash, making him less likely to take off chasing a squirrel.
Not sick no.. Well, until I eat eggs. I hate these. Probably my mom made me ate too much of them when I was young.. Just hearing the word put me ill at ease sometimes, sorry. You couldn't knew.
He sniffs his glass and drinks it slowly
That's way better... and quite hot!
The barman nodded slowly and moved off down the bar, turning to yell for the cook to put some stew in a pot to serve Lachen. "That'll be right out." For now, Lachen was alone with his thoughts, for good or ill.
The newly deputized special investigators made their way through the High Mart, finding most of what they were looking for. People weren't watching them like they expected sudden violence anymore, but the merchants certainly didn't greet them as friends.
Broom happily browsed through the variety of wares at the market. She had no real idea what she wanted, rather simply impulse spending on whatever caught her eye.
She asked around for some kind of light or lantern that would never extinguish. The easiest things that she found were everburning torches, but they didn't seem to be quite what she wanted. Another vendor showed her a scroll that enchanted a lantern to float nearby and remain magically lit. This was exactly what she had hoped for, but then she found out that the lantern would only follow whoever cast the spell and it only lasted an hour regardless.
Just as she was about to compromise and buy the torch, a hunched man in a grey cloak motioned her over to his shabby little stall. His wide smile was missing a few teeth and his tattered clothes caused Broom a small amount of stress. The disheveled figure motioned her closer and in a conspiratorial voice whispered that he had just what she was looking for.
From a pocket in this vest he produced a small grey spherical stone that shone brightly. Broom eyed the glowing pebble skeptically; that wasn't what she wanted at all. But then with a gleeful laugh the man tossed the glowing pebble into the air and to Broom's delight the stone began to circle around the old merchant's head.
Broom grinned and agreed to his price without even attempting to haggle. After the coins changed hands she offered to clean and mend his clothes, an offer that he turned down. Happy with her purchase she looked for other treasures.
After a few more purchases, Broom came across a stand selling alchemy supplies. After peering at the contents for a few moments she was struck with a strange epiphany. She stood at the stall staring blankly off into the distance until the young man running the shop cleared his throat and asked if there was anything he could do for her.
Snapped out of her reverie, Broom smiled and immediately purchased a variety of mundane and exotic items, many of which she didn't even know the names of until a moment ago. These she packaged up carefully and stowed in her pack for use later that evening.
Upon returning the group she offered the ioun torch to Des, an animal training kit she had found to John for his new dog and a nice scarf for Reine. The woman who sold Broom the scarf assured her that the special weave was designed to help keep unpleasant odours from offending the wearer.
Just before she was ready to leave the market, she examined a stall selling wands. She asked about a wand that would be able to fix people and after a little confusion from the stall's proprietor about what she meant by that he produced a wand that would heal minor wounds. The price seemed somewhat expensive to Broom though and she politely turned down the offer with a look of disappointment.
Unnerved by the strange woman, the merchant was just happy to see her leave.
With noon approaching Broom's stomach began to rumble. "Since we are in town already, how about getting something to eat at the tavern?"
Desdemona, for her part, drifted about the stalls in an unusually good mood. Without her pervasive fear of her shadow haunting her, her gaze was sharper, her smile more genuine - and she was more thoughtful, spending a good deal of time considering the people around her.
Not, however, as thoughtful as Broom proved to be. When she presented the ioun torch to Desdemona, the skinny little woman went blank-faced with astonishment.
"You bought this... for me?" She struggled to comprehend such kindness, her eyes tracking the stone's orbit around Broom's head. When Broom replied in the affirmative, and plucked down the stone to hand to Desdemona, the shadow-haunted woman accepted it with the slow movements of someone poleaxed by some paradigm shift.
"Thank you, Broom. I won't forget this," she promised gravely. Perhaps Broom understood, or didn't. Either way, she had made a friend for life.
"Is that cloak new? It looks lovely on you, Broom! That fur lining is just what's needed in the cold dark of night," she smiled, feeling at ease for the first time, literally, that she could remember. "Come, let me buy you a strüdel. The best part is, after eating it, you get to clean off the crumbs," she winked at the other woman. She seemed downright jovial.
"But goodness, you've given gifts to John and Reine as well! Your kindness is a virtue exhibited by precious few in this world, Doctor. I do hope no one sought to take advantage of that singular light in you."
The sharpness returned to her gaze at that, and she eyed the shopkeeps, considering once again.
"Food at the tavern sounds good to me." John answers Broom.
"C'mon Lucky...."
After shopping, the group winds their way through town over to the Stain. For such an unappetizingly named place, the food was good and the view could not be beat. Once again, they found it crowded, and this time the outdoor tent was full.
One of the serving girls waved them inside with a pair of full mugs as she balanced a tray of food in her other hand. "We still have a couple of tables inside, sorry!"
Inside, the tavern was almost full with locals but there were indeed a couple of open tables with enough seats for the entire group.
John enters a takes a seat, motioning the others to sit as well.
He looks around the room to see if there are any extra-strange strangers in the common room.
Along with the locals, there is an extremely heavily armed man sitting at the bar. John had seen his share of mercs, but most of them didn't travel with the kind of arsenal this guy had- an enormous double-headed hammer, trident, and battle axe along with a heavy warbow.
As John was watching, the bartender brought him over a bowl of stew. "You're gonna want some food in your belly after that Fireball," he laughed.
John unbuckles the heavy spiked gauntlet on his left hand and pulls it off to let it thump down on the table.
He reaches under the table to scratch Lucky behind his ears.
With his right hand he beckons for a server to come over and take their order.
Reine had followed along with the others. She hadn't seemed distracted - at least, not like normal people got distracted. No hazy, daydreamy-like muzziness for her.
Instead, Reine's intense focus had remained intense. But it seemed short-lived. Her glare moved from target to target, never spending more than a few moments on one particular person, item, or location (usually to the person's relief).
She wasn't jumpy, or jittery. Just... it was almost as if she'd been searching for someone or something specific, and consistently not finding it. Or them.
She didn't seem frustrated or disappointed by this "failure to find" whatever or whoever it was - which was likely the only sign that she wasn't, in fact, on the hunt - but the intensity didn't let up.
Until, that was, when Broom offered Reine a scarf.
The taller woman looked startled.
"What?" She'd said, looking puzzled.
"I don't... Why...? Uh..."
After a moment, Reine had actually smiled, before wrapping the scarf around her neck.
"Thank you, Broom." Reine had said.
From that moment on, Reine had seemed... not relaxed, certainly, but less intense.
As the little group walked towards the Stain, Reine had, without seeming to realize it, reached up and touched the scarf with the backs of her fingers every minute or so - as if reassuring herself that it was still there.
Once at the Stain, Reine had gone back to eyeballing everyone. Somehow, she seemed a little less overtly threatening, though no less dangerous.
"I don't like sitting with my back to the room," she said, but it wasn't as though the table offered a better seat. She sat opposite John, trusting the man to keep at least a competent eye on the space behind her, as she did the same for him.
Desdemona was positively chipper, going so far as to beam at the servers when they brought out food and drinks. She looked about curiously, not bothered by anyone looking at the party - she simply stared at them until they dropped their gaze.
But she hadn't been able to size up the fellow at the bar, who seemed occupied with his drink. There was something about him... she couldn't place her finger on it. Something oddly familiar. Though how anything could be familiar when thanks to her memory loss, nothing was, was an open question.
He certainly didn't seem like the run of the mill commoner, with all those weapons he was bristling with. Someone to be wary of?
Someone to use?
Her smile faltered, and she took a surreptitious look around... but the shadow was gone. She wasn't casting one, despite the ioun torch slowly orbiting her head.
She leaned back, relaxing a bit, but appeared more troubled than she had since the fort, a line appearing between her eyes. If it wasn't the shadow... whose thought had that been?
Food for thought.
When Reine spoke, it broke her reverie. "I'm certain we can arrange to have our backs to a wall. Simply let them move someone else," she said with an airy wave. Lowering her voice, she added, "Do any of you see those we marked earlier as potential problems? I have to wonder where they are. Hopefully not enjoying the spoils of that place now that we've cleared it." She sniffed. "Certainly those nobles were up to no good."
Lachen was peacefully eating his stew, appreciating the simple food, and chatting amiably with the bartender.
Out of curiosity, he looks at the newcomers, giving a casual glance at John and a more interested look at the women.
Not too many weapons or armors on these lass. Probably they dont need it. Spellcasters maybe? Surely not nobles, not here, and not with only one bodyguard. A fighter, that one, and more muscled than I am. Maybe he would like a game of dice later?
Broom glanced over at the man at the bar "Hey, don't we know him? Wasn't he at Briarstone?" Broom smiled and raised her hand ready to wave at the heavily armed individual.
The more time the group spent in town without killing anyone in broad daylight or bullying innocent townsfolk, the less they had been getting dirty looks and whispers behind their backs. But with Broom waving at the walking arsenal, Lachen now started to get some glances directed his way. The bartender eyed him again from the end of the bar, looking like he was second guessing giving the stranger that shot of Fireball.
I guess I didn't drink enough. Another Fireball, barman.
He will get up after having his drink, and pay the tab.
Then he walks slowly, purposely, toward the table with the girls (and the man with his dog, but Lachen cares less about him. And he's a cat person anyway.)
Don't you dare starting a bar fight, Lachen. Be a law-abiding citizen, not the savage you so much like to be. And be polite and curtuous.
The man stops in his tracks, his face suddenly angry before he regains his composure
Hello, ladies. May I sit?
He speaks with a slight Chelaxian accent, with a smooth voice which is quite a pleasant surprise for such a big man.
Broom hastily grabbed an unoccupied chair from a nearby table to offer to the newcomer. "Hi! Our name is Broom. No, wait! It is Inspector Doctor Malbourne, but you can call Us Broom." Broom extended her hand. "Were you at Briarstone? You look familiar."
Lucky wags his tail at passing strangers, hoping for a handout.
John gets a beer to quench his thirst and give him something to do with his hands.
The barman brought Lachen another Fireball but didn't stick around to make conversation. He did sweep up the coin and make it disappear as neatly as performing a magic trick, though.
Lachen looks at his guard uniform, the same one worn by guards at Briarstone, and gives a quizzical look at "Broom".
I was at Briarstone, until recently, but I decided the place wasn't for me.
Technically that isn't a lie, Lachen. That's good.
He sits.
Why is she talking about herself in the plural? Could she be nobleborn?
Thank you for the chair.
Am I supposed to kiss her hand, or shake it? She seems quite eccentric...
Gently, Lachen takes the proferred hand, hand kiss it. Not on the back of the hand, but in the palm, which is way more sensible.. and sensual.
A pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Lachen.
Broom blinked in surprise as she took back her hand, her cheeks becoming an unusual shade of grey. "Oh! Um..." She glanced around at her companions "Have We been greeting people wrong?"
She then stared off into the distance, her eyes unfocused as she set about the task of finding thoughts about what the proper way to greet people in these parts was.
Her mind bounced into all sorts of thoughts about the many and varied ways that people greeted each other. Shaking hand, sometimes politely and other times with a crushing grip seemed to be pretty common. Some places people bowed to each other, that was interesting as there seemed to be many complicated rules about bowing properly. There were places where people touched fists, or slapped palms. So many different ways just to greet someone, Broom was surprised at the variety!
She did find many instances of hand kissing, though it was usually the back of the hand. In some places it was a sign of respect when greeting ones superiors or elders while other places it was a gentlemanly way of greeting a woman.
Since she definitely wasn't Lachen's superior and to the best of her knowledge unlikely to be his elder, she supposed that it was a formal greeting from a polite man.
Broom blinked as her thought came back to her and she smiled at Lachen. Despite the few moments that had passed she simply continued "Its nice to meet you Lachen. I don't think Briarstone was really that good for anyone once..." she glanced about the room conspiratorially and leaned in, lowering her voice to a whisper "once you know who showed up."
Reine had caught John's look, and then Broom's wave, so she knew someone was coming up behind her. She also knew Broom thought it was someone from Briarstone.
Neither of those things were calibrated to make Reine feel safe or happy.
Which meant that, as soon as the man had finished with Broom, and made eye contact with her, two things happened.
First, Lachen realized, just by meeting her miss-matched gaze, that at the core of this woman seethed a rage that easily met or exceeded any anger he might have ever felt himself. And it was her normal.
Second, something whispered in the back of his mind - beyond the realm of conscious thought or coherent words, it spoke to the primitive, emotional part of his mind - the part of him that knew creatures waited in the dark to find and eat him. There was no rational thought, no logical reason for the conclusion, but somehow, Lachen knew that making an enemy of this creature would be the single most terrifying mistake he could ever make.
Still, she didn't overtly threaten him. The frown she gave him was more of an interrogative look than a threat or sign that she was angry at him specifically. If it weren't for that unsettling tingle of fear her attention sent down his spine, one would likely have called her expression "neutral," or "curious," as though she were trying to remember where she might have known him from.
Either way though, creepy or not, Lachen couldn't help but notice she was a lovely woman.
Even if she didn't smile.
John tenses a little as he sees Reine's reaction to the approaching man.
Lachen is a bit surprised by the tension, no, the primal anger barely tethered by the black-cladded woman.
He digs his heels in, and the fear induced by Reine is fought back with his own twisted, sinful rage. Between clenched teeth and with malicious hate burning in his own eyes, Lachen utters
there is an old saying that there is no fury in Hell like a scorned woman. Knowing a few things about Hell, pLease allow me first to disagree, second to not be willing to test that theory.
Reine has probably more willpower than the mysterious man from Briarstone, but he surely won't go down without a fight, and she realises that he has his own personal torments, his own darkness to push him way above the edge.
The contest is finished in a second, maybe two, and Lachen breathes deeply, taking back control.
Nice trick you have. That was unexpected.
He doesn't seem to hold a grudge against the fear mongerer. Maybe there is now an ounce or more of respect in his eyes for the lady.
His eyes linger even a bit on her feminine charms, and his smile is appreciative. Nothing too creepy or lascivious, just a man enjoying the beauty of a woman.
Sorry, I didn't catch your name, Milady?
Reine's eyes narrowed as she felt the man respond to her aura. She knew that her aura usually only affected those who saw her as an enemy - or whom she knew to be enemies already. But the response from her aura was only the briefest of flickers.
So. Not an enemy then. At least, not yet. But the potential was there.
Reine gave the man a nod.
"You didn't catch it, because I didn't throw it," she said, and her voice was like music. "I am Reine."
"I don't remember seeing you, but if Broom remembers you, she probably did. I was a little busy killing things." Reine shrugged.
"Where will you go, now that Briarstone is... in your past?"
"Been there, killed that"? I've been told it could be my motto too.
answers the man with dark humor, but a more relaxed smile.
He then tries to say the surname of the scary woman a few times, letting it roll under his tongue
"Reine"... Not the most usual name I've heard. But it suits you, I feel it.
I have no place to go, no one to wait for me, no home, no loved ones. But I know I want to go as far as possible from Briarstone. And if I can, I wish to never set feet again in Cheliax.
Reine gave the man a measuring look, then nodded.
"I don't blame you. I'd want to get as far from here as I could, were I in your shoes. It seems there are many who feel the way you do. Almost every armed soldier, in fact." She shrugged.
Wand of death knell (18), Wand of infernal healing (18), Wand of bless (15)
"We know a place if you have no where to go! The Agency, one moment, John do you still have the little card they gave you? Anyway, the Sleepless Agency gave us work and a place to stay. Maybe they can help you out as well? OH! Maybe if you really don't have anything to do you could help us out?"
I'm no noble knight, and you probably aren't some damsels in distress. In fact, if you are in distress, sane people should run away. But I'm not sure of what happened in that damned asylum, memories are a wreck, only that if I was there I probably wasn't sane. So I'm open to work with that Agency of yours, if only to pay my grub and pick my tabs at various bars. I'm a fighter, if that wasn't obvious enough. So why not join a group of random people I've just met in a bar and see how why fare together? Thats my kind of plan...
He seems very amused by something you can't really pinpoint. He doesn't seem to mock you, more like an inside joke you can't catch
Really, Lachen, that's your "plan"? There is no sense, no reason to it. There will be some payback, be sure of that. We watch.
Suit yourself.You like rules, as long as you are the ruler. I'm glad to keep you on your toes, to challenge you with unexpected twists. Beside, we BOTH know this place isn't for us, and we should go away.
Agreed on this last point.
"That nightmare back in the asylum was caused by someone. I don't know for certain that it was this Lowls guy, but I figure that when we find him we'll either find answers or clues on where to look for them."
That's great! We were going back to the Agency after lunch. Why don't you come with us then. We are looking into Uh... Maybe We shouldn't talk about it here. We can let you know what we are investigating when we get back to the Agency.
Broom happily chatted with the newcomer about whatever random and mundane thing crossed her mind: The weather, the meal they were having, what was Chelliax like, had he ever been fishing before and so on.
Once lunch was done, she took everyone's plates and utensils and while still chatting proceeded to use a cantrip to clean them while stacking them nicely until the waitress came to the table and took everything away.
With lunch concluded, Broom headed back to the Agency "So, we were asked to investigate what was going on up at the fort, it got locked up and the mercenaries that worked there were said to have left town, but they hadn't! We found that they were zombies, and that the other investigators along with who knows who were eaten up by fish men that were in there as well. And there was a strange woman who ran away. And John got a new dog too! Isn't he cute? Just a little scruffy, but a good bath and some food should clean him right up. The dog I mean, not John. But you know, a good bath could nice for all of us."
Isn't he cute? Just a little scruffy, but a good bath and some food should clean him right up. The dog I mean, not John.
Lachen gives a good natured chuckle
Thank you for the precision, I was ready to ask you about which one you were talking.
He turns to "John", and his tone is a little more malicious
I nearly feel sorry for you, the lady doesn't find you cute, at least not as cute as your own dog.
He seems to understand his own words might be a little hurtful, and hastily change the subject.
I agree about the necessity of a regular personal hygiene. A good bath and a shave are never a bad thing. I wonder if your small cleaning spell earlier can be used for that, of if it works only on things, not people.
Strangely, Lachen appears to be already clean shaved
At the merest glimmer of interest on the subject of cleanliness Broom jumped right in. "Our cleaning spell can do many things, but it can't shave or cut anything. There is a lot of stuff that We do Ourselves, or with Our invisible helper because the spell is too slow, or not powerful enough to do. When We get back to to the Agency We can mend and clean any of your clothing or equipment if you would like."
Broom's voice goes somber for a moment "You know, cleaning is very important. If you don't keep things cleaned and mended, then they get worn out or break and its very important not to let anything break. But there is so much stuff that can break. Did you know that anything can break? We can't fix everything, so thats why it is important that We fix the little things that We can so that the bigger things that We can't fix don't break. And sometimes that is hard to do because there are people that want things to break.
Broom frowned and knit her eyebrows as her voice trailed off "Cleaning and fixing things also helps keep Our mind here because We don't want to let Our mind wander to far.
But its OK! The last time Our mind was wandering, We think We found a way to hide from it. she grinned and patted the little parcel of herbs and chemicals that she had picked up at the alchemist's shop.
Lachen seems more than a little surprised to hear the girl speaking in tongues, and the way she emphasizes "We"
I know that trick too, even if I usually am the only one to hear that...Can't blame her for that
he seems to want to bring back some levity in the situation, as he asks
Was it useful to break free from the asylum?
Good question, Lachen... We can assess her power that way.
Reine had, as usual, quieted down once Broom wound up. She let the smaller woman carry the conversation while Reine split her attention between watching the newcomer, scanning the crowd, and catching John's and Desdemona's eyes to get their silent measure of the man.
When they had finished up and stood to begin their trip back to the Agency, Reine had let the others take the lead, while she drifted behind them, keeping her eyes open for anyone following them - or their new companion.
"We didn't 'break free,'" Reine said, both offering a correction and letting the man know she'd been listening, "We performed a service - at least, that's how they looked at it - and we were invited on a boat ride to the mainland."
When they headed back, Reine didn't see anyone following them as the asylum survivors walked back to the Sleepless Agency. They were let back in without trouble, even with a new, heavily armed companion in tow.
I think I'm giving my dog a bath....