Unwilling to upset the innkeep (who hadn't been an ass to them) Nikeisha accepted the invite to the private room. At Shenkt's words, she shook her head. "Give it a few minutes so it doesn't look like we're bad guests. Never upset the people who make your meals."
Boddy happily goes into the backroom and has a good meal. He'll let the others talk to people. If the inn has any cats, mind, he'll talk to them :-)
At one point he will go up to Lindaer and quietly say
"I'm sorry if I upset or insulted you. I'm really not very good with people and sometimes say things that I shouldn't. You big people are still very strange to me"
Galador frowns when he hears the dwarf's shopping list. "I'm sorry, if it's arms and armor you're looking for, you'll want to visit Vadela's Vestments. Her forge is on Senate Street." The half-elf jerks a thumb over his shoulder indicating the northerly direction. "The alchemical supplies I can help with." Galador says, and nods his head at two of the guards near the counter. They move to the back room, and immediately come back with a heavy iron chest. After the guards set down the unwieldy chest, Galador opens it, lifting out two trays and setting them on the counter. Each tray is broken into small squares of thin iron, with glass vials surrounded by tufts of soft cotton to protect them. Galador lifts one of the glass vials out of the tray that still remains at the bottom of the chest, and holds it up to the light. Inside the vial he swirls around a crystal clear liquid that looks very much like water, except that it trails down the glass like oil after Galador stops swirling it. The vial has a small pouring spout at the tip, and is closed with a glass stopper tied closed with a thin strip of wound leather. "Amazing stuff this." Galador says as he hands it over for Gomdebo to look at. "It'll eat through darn near anything, except the glass, in just a few seconds. How will you be paying today, hard coins, or Republic credit?"
Galador's so-blue-they-are-almost-purple eyes glint a bit, and he quirks his brows at Gomdebo when she mentions trading favors. "What sort of skills are we talking about?" Clearly Galador is not offended outright by the idea of a tit-for-tat mode of payment, or at least he's willing to listen to what Gomdebo thinks she and Quint can offer him that he doesn't already have...
Quint is more than a little surprised by what Gomdebo is suggesting, but he makes a show of idly looking around to keep his surprise from showing.
In the meantime - Luna graciously accepts the invitation into the private room and then stays there slowly eating whatever food is brought in, but she requests water as her only drink. After 30 - 45 minutes of this, she then heads back out to the common area and starts mingling with the people and she simply keeps her ears and eyes open for anything of interest.
Jun will sit in the private room, pondering his situation. As he does, he lays out his matched Tindaran swords in front of him, unsheathes the longer blade, and begins maintaining it.
It is clear to anyone who observes him that his hands are going through the motion, and he is likely deep in thought.
--Byrthelm Republic, Blueblossom Haven, Midvale Province - Aldelday, 2 Ilsa, Afternoon, 146 R.R.--
The food and drinks are, indeed, free flowing inside the private parlor room where the heroes enjoy at least a small reward for their valorous deeds. The barmaid, who introduced herself as Thuniga, remained fully attentive to the groups desires for food or drink, bringing heaping plates of honey-smoked elk, Cuthin's chef's special of the day, along with ale, water, wine, and apple cider. She, again, almost a bit too obviously, tries to get Jun's attention, batting her eyelashes, shaking her curves, and even at one point bending over right in front of him to gather empty plates from across the table, but the half-elf remains lost in thought. His eyes vacant, far away.
--The Prancing Stag Common Room--
Though Luna finds the manners and customs of these jumped up country folk to be a little off-putting, she nonetheless does her best to ignore such things, and to listen to their tales and woes. Most of the talk among the commoners revolves around agriculture, herds, flocks, beehives, honey production, this seasons batches of mead and honey ale. A few of the hired hands, from the ranches close by, discuss the recent uptrend in animals dying without warning, and some have even heard that it might be strange worms that are the culprit. Luna laughs to herself as she hears how the truth of the situation has become entirely inflated, exaggerated, and transformed by the rumor mill. One of the ranch hands even said it wasn't worms, but wyrms, dragons come back to life, albeit just little ones, babies, but dragons nonetheless. How the common folk do like to exaggerate everything.
Among the concerning stories, though, Luna does here something that corroborates what the group heard from the mayor. Apparently there has been evidence found by the Order of the Wild Rangers of an orc raiding party moving through the forest on Republic lands. From what Luna was able to gather by listening and asking pointed questions, the Rangers said they may have crossed the river at the very southern tip of Northwatch province's territory and are now moving through the forest that is the northern part of Midvale province. Despite their best efforts, the Rangers have not been able to locate the raiders yet, and fear that if they don't find their hidey-hole soon, a raid on some of the outlying settlements is imminent. They also fear that this band may have a shaman or two among them because their ability to slip away and hide from the Rangers is downright magical.
--Galador's Goods--
As Gomdebo finishes her list Galador holds up a hand in protest and says, "Whoa! Every skill you just suggested is a criminal activity! I'm a respected businessman, who would never sanction such illegal affairs, let alone partake of them!" He quickly places the flask of acid back in its cubicle within the bottom of the chest, and waves a hand at the door. "I think it best that you both leave, immediately!" As Galador finishes his exclamation, all of his guards take a menacing step forward loosening swords from scabbards to put urgency behind their employer's request. "Good day!"
Nikeisha, on the other hand, appreciated the maids attempts to get Jun's attention. She was pretty enough, if not subtle.
Hack breaks out the cask of newly found Highland whiskey, and he taps the same to share with those still remaining in the private room.
Here, Jun, have a swig of this. Might make ya notice this pretty lass tryin' to catch your eye.[/b]
"And why would we want that? If he doesn't notice such worldly things, then they don't get...claimed. Which is fine. More worldly things for me." Nikeisha grinned at Jun.
Gomdebo's gut tells her that Galador is either telling the truth, or so practiced at lying that he can appear to be telling the truth at will.
Hack throws back his head and laughed loudly. He takes a slug of whiskey while again stifling a laugh.
Ahhhh..Nikeisha, well said...I think.
"What in all of Iewiuf does the dockhand Grugiz have to do with illegal activity?!" Galador looks flummoxed by the dwarf's completely strange reply.
Quint isn't sure what the dwarf has in mind, but he wants to find out, and if the fact that she just told the shopkeeper that they were thieves is going to get them into trouble, he wants to know before it happens. By way of reply, he gives only a quick nod.
Jun looks up at Hack's laughter and says "Did I miss something?"
Naaaah, Jun. Just pokin' fun. Have a slug of this whiskey from my homeland.
Hack pours a draught for Jun and holds up his tankard to Jun.
To a job well-done!
"Well, you did miss a rather nice bum." Nikeisha looked at them. "Not mine, although it is also very nice."
Aye! Both lasses have fine asses!
|
Temple of Light
After making his peace with Boddynuck (telling the gnome "may the light of our soul and your innocence never be darkened by the evils of this world"), and thanking Jun for the kind words freely offered, Lindear made his way to the Temple of Light.
While the others were looking for information in the taverns and marketplaces, he instead sought to look to the gods. Or more specifically, the half-elven priestess Ithrien.
The temple itself was, of course, easy to find. It was hard to miss the yellow painted sphere of Amren's sun atop it. He passed through the heavy oak and iron doors, and bathed in the beams of yellow-orange light that streamed in through the stained glass windows. He looked around to see if he could catch sight of the priestess.
Nikeisha sighed. "I guess I can't complain, if I'm looking at other girls."
Psalm listens to the levity amused. "So watching bums is a past time for you tall folk too. I mean outside of our homeland gnomes have little else to see in a crowd. Its not all gold that's for sure."
Making a face, Nikeisha replied, "I'm sure. We've all seen bottoms we wish we hadn't." She was certainly glad she prefered loose skirts, now. "Hopefully it hasn't been too traumatic for you."
Jun takes the whiskey and imitates how Hack drinks his. He gets about halfway through the glass before he sputters and coughs.
Undaunted, he refuses to be deterred or shown up, and so he finishes the mug of whiskey, then turns over the mug, in the time-honored tradition of drinking games everywhere.
Jun takes the whiskey and imitates how Hack drinks his. He gets about halfway through the glass before he sputters and coughs.
Undaunted, he refuses to be deterred or shown up, and so he finishes the mug of whiskey, then turns over the mug, in the time-honored tradition of drinking games everywhere.
A character needs one gallon of water per day, or two gallons per day if the weather is hot. A character who drinks only half that much water must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. A character with access to even less water automatically suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of the day. If the character already has one or more levels of exhaustion, the character takes two levels in either case.
This scene from the Lord of the Rings movies, for example.
--Temple of Light--
Ithrelas walks down the creaking wooden steps from the temple's balcony as she hears Lindaer enter. She lifts the skirt of her flowing azure wool dress as she negotiates the tight spiral staircase. As she reaches the narthex of the temple, she offers Lindaer a slight bow. "Welcome Paladin of the Light, how can I serve you today?" Hames, her silver-grey tabby cat, climbs down the stairs directly after her and rubs up against Lindaer's ankle in a show of affection. At just the moment the cat touches Lindaer's ankle a bright flash of light penetrates the entire temple, and the ground rumbles from the thunderous rumble of a powerful bolt of lightning. Afterwards the coulds burst and a powerful deluge of rain pouring onto the temple's roof drowns out all soft sounds.
--The Prancing Stag Parlor--
After listening to Gomdebo's story about the half-elf Galador and their new knowledge that Grugiz apparently works the town docks as a laborer, a violent rumble shakes the floorboards of the parlor room. The tremor is no doubt the result of a bolt of lightning hitting the ground somewhere nearby. Immediately afterwards the sound of rain, a lot of rain, akin to a cloudburst, slappety slap slapping against the wooden slats of the Stag's roof, drowns out every whispering sound.
Nikeisha looked around at the sound. "Lighting. Well, that's not good." Standing, and glaring at anyone who looked at her bottom, she moved to the window on quiet feet and looked out the window.
"That's a lot of rain," she muttered with a shrug. If anything important was hit by lightning they'd likely hear the shouting soon anyway.
Getting to his feet, Jun looks around and says "Where did Lindaer go?"
Once the soup arrives. And the conversation of the storm subsides. "Sorry Gom you were saying something about the docks before the belts of lightening. You think Grugiz works down there? That is interesting." He thinks a minute, "You two definitely don't need us around to get the information do you. So do you want to ask around more or should we all go. Might be best to stick together if our work ends in a confrontation."
We don't want to tip him off. Gomdebo and I should probably handle this. Quint chimes in. Then, considering for a moment, he adds, Maybe you should send Vralk along, too. If there's any trouble, he can fly back and let you guys know.
"Why not compromise a little? You guys (and Vralk) go ahead but we'll be fairly close behind. Close enough that if you run into trouble we can hopefully bail you out"