"I have clean clothes, but what I would love would be a bath."
"Well, yeah, I can magic my gear clean. I meant to change into them. Didn't wanna change on the boat." Nikeisha had been concerned of people peeking through the wooden slats that made up the entire boat. And she'd heard a lot of dockland tales of sailors to be wary. So she'd simply magic'd the worst of the dirt off. Thankfully, she hadn't got any bits of Bullywug on her.
"Very nicely done there Miss Nikeisha! Is that something you could possibly do for me as well please?"
"It is a useful minor magic, especially when someone can't cook."
"As long as you don't mind me muttering at your clothes, I can do that." Well, if she was going to be on laundry duty at least all she had to do was sit and cast the spell over and over. "'Tis a nice little spell. Warms my bathwater, spices my meals, light a candle or fire..."
Baen tends to keep himself clean, but could use a magical sprucing up. He will turn to the group once the ship has departed. "All right, I'm going to ask around the town, see if I can find out some information." he says.
I'll come with ya, Baen.
Tavir knew the benefits of prestidigitation. It was one of the simpler magics that he had learned early on. Being able to look a little dirtier or cleaner than normal were both useful depending on what role you happened to be playing at the time. He made use of the spell himself before turning to Baen and Hack, working with Nikeisha to make sure they all looked presentable, “We’re more likely to receive a warm welcome if we’re not covered in bullywug guts. I’ll go with you two if the rest are staying here. Bellaluna I might recommend you rest up, I imagine you feel better after the healing, but you took quite a beating on the ship. Don’t believe I really said it at the time but thanks for keeping those frogs from getting the drop on us. But for now maybe you can learn something from the inn's patrons about whats been happening here.”
He nodded a quick thanks to her before securing his rapier about himself and setting out to join Baen and Hack about the town as they sought to gather information. Baen seemed perfectly capable of projecting a friendly air, just the kind of person you wanted to talk to. And Hack was good for muscle if not necessarily polite conversation. Tavir wanted to go out mostly so that he could get an idea of the layout of the town. If they were going to spend any length of time here it would be good to start getting an idea for how things were laid out, what the people were like, that sort of thing. Always know your surroundings, especially the alleys to run down and places to hide out or retreat, that was how you survived on the streets.
Waving vaguely to those that felt like leaving, Nikeisha headed inside the Prancing Stag - which seemed an odd name for a bar, but then she tended to drink in places like the Warlord's Head or the Nixie's Lover and the like.
Looking around the common room, she tried to get a sense of feeling to the atmosphere here before heading over to the bar proper. Once she got some attention, she said, "Hi. I'm with a group - six of us. We're looking for rooms for the night, meals for our bellies and if you've got them baths. Might be a little bit before some of the folks arrive thought. What kinda price we talking about?"
Jun followed Nikeisha into the Prancing Stag and was about to begin negotiations when Nikeisha stepped up and began them. For the moment, he said nothing, but simply watched her technique.
Father always said you can learn a great deal about a person based on how they haggle. thought Jun.
Baen, looks like this Prancing Stag is the place to get some info.
Luna also enters the Prancing Stag and follows Nikeisha's example, looking around, getting a feel for the place, looking for additional exits, checking the people for any possible threats, and mentally planning an escape route should it be necessary. Not that she expects any trouble, but it is always best to be prepared. This is what she tries to do every time she enters a location. She waits patiently listening to Nikeisha, and if necessary she will clarify they need a minimum of two rooms if possible, one for the ladies, and one for the others.
Having kept to himself since the incident on the boat, Ashrie will listen as Nikeisha sorts out the rooms for the group. Still tired from the magical exertion of the incident on the boat, the prospect of sleep is exciting to Ashrie.
--The Prancing Stag--
As Nikeisha and the others walk in, the common room suddenly loses quite a bit of the din that was present before. It's clear that the citizens of Blueblossom Haven are keenly aware of their presence, and recognize it as foreign. This small city seems to still retain a very small town mentality. The man behind the bar is in his middle years with a head of short, thick, copper-red hair. He wears leathers under his apron, and the hilt of a sword pokes out from behind his right shoulder. Behind him, hung above the bar, is a massive crossbow over which rests a burned-wood sign that reads: "Stag Dropper." As Nikeisha finally reaches the bar she sees that there is also a huge grey mastiff resting, splayed out, behind the bar. The dog leans its head up and looks at Nikeisha for a moment, then drops its head back down, lazy and disinterested. "Welcome ma'am, m'name's Cuthin, that there," he points at the canine at his feet, "is Drarder. Two rooms that sleep three with a warm bath in each'll cost you sixteen silvers, food and drink for six'll run you eighteen silvers. Altogether then you're looking at three gold and four silvers, but for four gold I'd throw in breakfast for the lot as well." He reaches underneath the bar and pulls out a massive leatherbound guestbook and places it on the counter next to a bottle of ink with a quill pen resting in it. As he waits for Nikeisha to sign the book, he asks, "You don't mind me askin', what brings y'all to Blueblossom Haven this late in the day?"
"Could we have three rooms, if possible? Our group has two women and four men. Don't want to make the boys cram into one room, but we're not close enough for them to be sleeping with us girls." Nikeisha smiled. "Call it seven gold with breakfast?"
--The Prancing Stag--
"Three rooms, each with a bath, dinner and breakfast for six, for seven gold? I can handle that." Cuthin says, watching Nikeisha make her mark in the book. "Nikeisha, is it? You still didn't answer my question. What brings you all here so late in the day?"
Clinking the coin onto the countertop - she'd get the money off the others later - and smiled. "Sorry, like to get one bit squared away before the next. Working on a job. Councillor Akasa back in Rydwyrna hired us to come see if we can help with some murders you've been havin'. Said her own kin fell to whoever it is."
She nodded at the others. "We've got some useful skills, between the six of us. Hopefully we can be of service." And get paid, that would be nice too. "On that account...anything you can tell me? Barkeep usually hears all the details, whether you want them or not."
"I heard tell of there being some kind of malady in the town." Baen says, leaning against the counter nearby. "I'm Baen of Silver Shoals. Maybe I can help?"
Jun quietly shakes his head, disappointed. She has much to learn. he will then affix his standard "helpful merchant" smile and step up to the bar, passing Nikeisha his portion of the cost of the rooms to her without comment.
"My companions speak true. Such was the ladie's plea for aid that I have a feeling your delightful town will soon have coin aplenty, as there will be a veritable horde of adventurers and people looking to aid the cause that will, assuredly, want acommedations and supplies. It is soon to be a good time to be in the Inn business."
Hack stands behind the line of talkers with his arms crossed, looking over all of their heads at the barkeep and the interesting crossbow mounted on the wall.
--Byrthelm Republic, Blueblossom Haven, inside The Prancing Stag, Midvale Province - Drurday, 21 Laureoth, 146 R.R. After twilight.--
Cuthin looks at Nikeisha, Baen and then Jun as they speak. As he's handing Nikeisha three room keys, each with a separate number etched onto the key's surface, he says, "Aye, I've got a mouthful of gossip about the troubles in the countryside. Why don't you get settled and come down for a meal, and we can chew the fat literally and figuatively then. Then he turns to Jun and says, "I'll be glad of it, if you're right about business picking up. Then he looks at Baen and says, "No kidding? I'm pretty sure I heard a tale told about a Baen of Silver Shoals, thwarted a group of bandits. S'that you?! Hey, mayor, we got us a regular ol' hero here at my Prancing Stag, Baen of Silver Shoals!" Cuthin looks over at a particular table in the common room. At the table sits a skinny man with thin, honey-brown hair flowing past his shoulders. Around him sit four gentleman that are, quite obviously by their mismatched armor and weapons, veterans of conflict. Looking closely as the man turns to look at Cuthin, you see a badge sewn to the lapel of his robe, an oxhead over a blue flower, with an M stitched into the oxhead. That must be mayor Camatil, the one Akassa mentioned. He doesn't stand up from his meal, but does give the group a thorough once-over, and then says, "Baen of the shoals, is it? It certainly can't hurt to have a few heroes around."
"That's me." the bard proclaims proudly. "Though it wasn't on my own; the people of Silver Shoals made it all possible."
Baen seems pleased that people recognize him and nods his head in the mayor's direction when he's looked over. "Pleasure to meet you, mayor. I'll be down to discuss things once I drop off my things." he says. He'll take his gear up to his room and stow it before coming down and meeting everyone to discuss the situation in town.
Nikeisha tossed a key to Baen as he went upstairs. "Remember, you're sharing the room with someone. If you're fast you can choose 'Not Hack' as your roommate." Thankfully, the circumstances where she, herself, was likely to share a room with the massive Barbarian - and his boots - was so unlikely as to verge on the mathematically impossible, but strange things did occasionally happen. Today was not the day for such strangeness, however. She suspected Bellaluna would make a decent sleeping companion, so long as she didn't indulge in sleep over guests.
Turning to the barkeep, she added, "That sounds like as pleasant an evening as I could want, at least while on the job. Whatcha got for food?" Sitting at the bar and crossing her ankles, she took a sniff to see what the kitchen was making. It smelled delicious, whatever it was. "Better stick to the watered wine and juice, though. Need a clear head."
Hack growls in Nikeisha's direction, and calls to Baen.
No worries, Baen, I'll be sleeping under the stars, as usual.
He steps to the bar.
I could use an ale.
Hack growls in Nikeisha's direction, and calls to Baen.
No worries, Baen, I'll be sleeping under the stars, as usual.
He steps to the bar.
I could use an ale.
Baen raises an eyebrow. "You sure? I don't mind sharing a room with you. It'll help us form bonds of companionship." he calls after Shenkt.
If the barbarian still decides against it, Baen will use the extra bed space to help juggle people's sleeping arrangements around so no one has any problems.
Jun will accept a room key from Nikesha and then go up and take stock of the room.
Naaah, it's ok. We'll just have to do that over drinks.
"Fair enough!" Baen will reply.
Pocketing the last key, Niekisha sighed. "I'm sorry Hack. I'm being mean. I should be a little nicer to you, since things on the ship could have gone a lot worse without you there. Let me buy you a drink to make up for my comments. Then the bottle, since I'm likely to do it again a few more times." She nodded to the barkeep. "Get my very large colleague what he fancies, please." She just hoped that the big man wouldn't answer 'Nikeisha' to that.
Sure, lass, keeping the ale flowin' should do the trick. I'll be here when you all are done prettyin' yourself up.
Making a pained face, Nikeisha replied, "Please don't remind me why I kept being mean to you while I'm trying to be nice. It gets confusing."
--Byrthelm Republic, Blueblossom Haven, inside The Prancing Stag, Midvale Province - Drurday, 21 Laureoth, 146 R.R. Night.--
Per paid agreements the food and ale do, in fact, flow freely. After everyone has settled their bags and belongings in their paid guest rooms on the second floor, they sit at an open table in the common room, near to Mayor Camatil's table. The volunteer group's Highlander friend Shenkt puts down more than his fair share of food and ale, keeping a silent watch over all the discussions that take place. The conversation is a bit chaotic as Baen, Jun, Nikeisha, and Bellaluna all attempt to gather information, and sometimes step over each other's proverbial toes while doing so. In the end Lady Luna seems to have the most wise questions, and she ends up leading the discourse, with occasional prods from both Jun and Baen. In the end the group learns that the deaths started on the farms that are a day's journey or more from town to the northeast, spreading out from there, almost as if that area were the epicenter of... whatever it is. Mayor Camatil is loathe to call it a disease, for if it is a disease it spread from livestock to humans, and such things rarely occur. Likewise if it is a disease it both infects and kills in less than eight hours, since the herdsman are sure that the dead animals were all hearty and hale at last check. Sehtoru and Laureon's twin girls Bethyn and Lillith were likewise healthy when they were kissed goodnight under the warm, late-summer stars in the yard of their homestead. Unfortunately, beyond that there is not much more to go on. The Order of the Wild's Rangers that work in the area were unable to find any wounds or marks on the bodies, and have found no predator tracks anywhere in the vicinity. The only clue, so called, that anyone can connect to the timeline of the deaths is an increase in gopher holes, molehills, and in some cases sinkholes, in the countryside. The idea of a burrowing animal was put forth, but every burrowing animal the Rangers are aware of would have left some kind of wound or mark on the bodies if it killed them for a meal. That, then, is the strangest of all the mysteries. The dead animals, and the dead girls, seemed untouched, almost as if they just died peacefully in their sleep. In fact, Camatil expressed, Laureon remarked that both Bethyn and Lillith had smiles on their dead faces, a difficult thing for a mother to see on her dead little ones. Though, as Sehtoru said, perhaps a sign given for them, from the Light, that they have moved on to the joyous beyond.
As the conversation, food, and ale all wind down, Mayor Camatil mentions that he will be travelling in the morning to Sehtoru's place, half a day's' journey to the north, to partake of the girl's funeral and burial. He invites Akassa's volunteers to accompany him, if they choose. And, though it is a delicate situation, if the volunteers desire to examine the girls' bodies, that would be their only chance to do so. Otherwise, Camatil tells them, they have his blessing to seek for clues wherever they choose.
Jun swept his sleeping quarters, looking for any way that someone could spy on him. He then swept the floor clean and laid down his bedroll as far away from the bed as he could.
Jun swept his sleeping quarters, looking for any way that someone could spy on him. He then swept the floor clean and laid down his bedroll as far away from the bed as he could.
Hack heads outside to sleep near to the barn, if one exists at the inn. If not, then he will set up a small camp on the outskirts of town to the north, where the group is planning to head in the morning.
After getting some of the information they needed - well, listening as Bellaluna, Jun and Baen got the information they needed - Nikeisha finally headed to sleep, stopping only long enough to once again abuse the fundamental laws of the universe until she could have a piping hot bath. It was one of the real joys of making a Pact with the Fey, other than getting to live another day - the power to heat and cool water to taste.
Getting to sleep, Nikeisha rose with the dawn and headed down to the common room to wait for the others so they could plan out the day over breakfast. It sounded like they'd need to send anyone with medical skills to the bodies, and probably someone skilled in the magical arts too in case that was what had happened. Anything suitably martial should be obvious, but you never knew. Ideally, the whole group could go, but the mother may not care for six strange people crowding around her daughters bodies.
...of course, the other part was four were men, and might not be allowed to do so as well. A lot of people were iffy about stuff like that, especially when they were upset by death. Hopefully, it wouldn't be an issue but they needed to keep the locals in their good graces. No threats or disrespectful comments and actions. Could be a challenge to keep everyone polite.
Baen listens respectfully and asks questions where appropriate. Of course, he would want to go to the funeral. Of course, afterwards he would want the group to continue on towards the epicenter of the strange plague and investigate.
He does not offer any possible solutions, simply deflecting any questions about what it could be with "I won't know unless we go there."
Afterwards, he will check the room arrangement, and make sure Bellaluna and Nikeisha are okay in one room or if they prefer a different bunk arrangement. He'll check the windows, and try to see a place that Shenkt would feel comfortable resting within sight of the window. If found, he will head down to Shenkt and relay the location, letting him know that he'd like to be able to keep an eye on him during his watch.
Which is what he then goes room to room and talks to the group about. Stuff happening in people's sleep sounds like they're being snuck up on, and even being in town hasn't saved anyone. He suggests that they post watches just like they were camping out in the wilderness.
When Luna first approached the Mayor, she did give him a slight bow, just head and shoulders kind of thing in respect to his office. She did then proceed to 'drown' him in questions, though she got not much in answers.
Once it is clear the mayor has no further information, she will ask the innkeeper if she could have a couple of extra pillows, or an extra blanket or all of the above? She then retires to her room. She will walk around the room, getting familiar with the layout of the furniture and if there is anything that seems to be out in the middle of the floor or disturbing her freedom of movement throughout the room she will do her best to move it somewhere out of the way, like in a corner or next to the wall.
When Baen comes around talking about posting watches she agrees that it is a good idea, "But being that we are in 3 separate rooms and Hack is outside, that shall be rather difficult don't you think? I myself plan to take a watch within our room here, and I plan to use these items to make it appear as if I am lying in my bed there, but I plan to be hiding in the corner over here trying to keep a watch in case someone or something comes in the middle of the night. Though from the sound of these 'gopher holes, molehills, and in some cases sinkholes,' it sounds to me like Hack may be the one most likely in danger from whatever has been doing this. And since Hack seems determined to sleep outside, perhaps you three men should share the one room for more protection instead of splitting up further?"
"I do not think we will need to set watches, per se, but we should consider that we do not want anyone in their own room if possible. That way, it is much more likely that we will fail to be ambushed."
"Doesn't matter to me, I'll sleep wherever. Seems like a shame to pass up a nice bed as a place like this is sure to have though."
"Ashrie, you are welcome to share a room with me." Jun will then offer him the bed.
--Byrthelm Republic, Blueblossom Haven, inside The Prancing Stag, Midvale Province - Zoguday, 22 Laureoth, 146 R.R. Early Morning.--
After a comfortable night's sleep for all, including the Highlander who preferred a bed of grass and a canopy of moons and stars, Akassa's volunteers all gathered back in the common room of The Prancing Stag. As promised Cuthin kept the food and drink in good supply. As the group was just finishing up their breakfast, mayor Camatil and his entourage strolled in the front door. The mayor looked to the adventurers and said, "Well my friends, are ye ready to travel? We'd best be off soon if you want to have a chance to examine Bethyn and Lillith before they're interred."
Standing and setting down the utensils of his meal, Jun said "Yes, let us be about our business."
Swigging the last of he drink down, Nikeisha rose to her feet and nodded to the mayor. "Good Morning, Mayo Camatil. We are indeed. Anything we should know about at the funeral?" If there were any unusual ways of paying respect - or things considered disrespectful - it would be worth finding out now.
Hack enters the common room again and stands just inside the door with his familiar posture of arms crossed. He listens intently to the exchange when the msyor and his lackeys enter shortly after him.
"Absolutely Mayor! I am not familiar with local customs at such an event, is there anything particular we should know about? I certainly would not want to offend anyone, and especially the family."
--Byrthelm Republic, Blueblossom Haven, Sehtoru and Laureon's homestead, Midvale Province - Zoguday, 22 Laureoth, 146 R.R. Afternoon--
Mayor Camatil made everyone aware of the local customs for funerals. Really, nothing different than most funeral customs, excepting those of the elves, of which he was not very knowledgeable. Friends and family will have been coming and going all day, paying their respects. The girls, who will be dressed in fine white gowns with white veils, would be resting in wooden caskets, and, because of the nice warm and sunny weather, they'd no doubt be outside near the place where they would be interred for final rest. One of the local temple's acolytes would speak some prayers over the bodies, and then they would be buried, most likely at dusk. Camatil also let Akassa's volunteer investigators know that both Sehtoru and Laureon do want to help with the investigation in every way possible, but manhandling the corpses of their daughters would, obviously, be a large breach of etiquette. Looking at the bodies would be expected of course, but anything else would require a delicate negotiation and a powerful persuasive voice.
After a very uneventful, albeit beautiful, journey through the cascading meadows of tall grasses, wildflowers, many of them blue, and rolling hills north of Blueblossom proper, the group, including mayor Camatil and his personal bodyguard, finally approach the Sehtoru farm. A long line of fencing on both sides of the packed-dirt road houses acre upon acre of well-eaten grass. Sheep of just about every size and color dot the hillsides. The flocks are watched by shepherds and their dogs, both of whom eye the group warily, but are either too far away or too disinterested to actually approach and question them. Sehtoru and Laureon's farmstead is modest, but well kept. The yard is landscaped with evergreen a bushes, mistletoe, and has a large garden bursting with a bountiful harvest of vegetables. Behind the house the tops of a few oak and maple trees shade the horizon. In addition there is a small arbor of cultivated grapes along the side of the one story wooden structure. As the group approaches they see a picket of horses and a wagon parked just off the road. Mayor Camatil speaks up as the group finally sets foot onto the homestead property. "The family will be out back, I'm sure. I need to go pay my respects. If you won't mind waiting for a moment, I'd appreciate it. It will give me a chance to get my emotions under control, and to make Sehtoru and Laureon aware of the purpose of your presence." After that he and his bodyguards meander around the side of the house heading for the back yard.
Nikeisha nodded. It made sense for the Mayor would introduce them. The Warlock was painfully aware of how difficult this job was going to be if they made a mistake.