Whilst JJ would've continued to castigate his comrades for skulking about without purpose, he'd given up on that front a while ago. He thought chasing potential suspects without evidence was a waste of their time, but knew if he tried going to Badwater alone, he might be put into a bad situation, even with the increased patrols he heard about. With a Technic League stooge potentially close, the slinger couldn't help but be anxious and irritable. He made it his life's mission to be a living hell for that organization as much as possible. If he could set back or even stop their efforts here like he did in Torch, it would make his day. If he got to kill the agent themselves... his week would be that much better.
"Let them shop for now. If they start letting too much slip, I'll drag their asses out of there myself if I have to." He thought as he looked and listened around.
There are five of the travelling Varisian merchants seated around the fire as you approach, when you do draw near one of them steps up and states. ""You must have gotten turned about at the crossroads" (a Varisian saying that a visitor is not welcome and should leave).
None of them are making any hostile moves, but it is clear you are not welcome here.
You notice there is another Varisian watching the confrontation, a woman in dancers garb watching from the shade of the wagons.
What are you doing now?
”No need for that friends,” Raktar says. ”We’re just making some enquiries about lumber, we’re not here to make trouble.” He quickly surveys the Varisians arrayed around them.
JJ hears the statement and immediately gives the speaker a grumpy look, knowing full well the meaning behind those words, before speaking up himself, attempting to take the high road. "Pretty cold of you to cast judgement on strangers without finding their intentions first. After all, we haven't done any wrong by you and yours and just want to get along."
"I think we are both strangers in this town, like situations should make us get along not fight. Are you traders? I make shoes and could use supplies, I have run low."
Olimpia circles about the mill looking for potential trouble.
"If you're after lumber go talk to Heddick Widefoot in the office over there." one responds to Raktar.
When Jeremiah speaks up they look at each other and shrug. "I suppose you have a point. But when you're accused of being thieves in every town you visit it gets annoying."
Dilana's question gets a different response. "We've got nothing to trade girl. We're about the only people they trade with here, so we're full up with the goods they want when we come."
What are you doing now?
"My family used to trade with your people, so I was just hoping for some stories and to see what you had or if you had somehing. We can see your busy." Figgy hops off to the office as indicated.
"They seemed grumpy didn't they Springy?" Figgy says after he is out of ear shot
Your diplomacy has settled thing down a little, but they still seem wary of strangers.
What are you doing now?
"So you guys trade here often? Odd place, it seems. Of course everyplace is probably odd if you are not from there. I'm from Torch, hard to get odder then that I guess. You pretty much just trade with the folks here, that's a pretty good deal. Have you all been working together long?"
She is trying to see if they all seem like traders or anyone is out of place or new.
Figgy knocks on the door to the Office, "Hello, we are here to see if there is anything wrong."
Raktar stands ready, carefully watching the Varisians for any sign of duplicity. His hand rests lightly on his hammer, ready to react at a moment's notice.
The busy lumber merchant gives Figgy an unpleasant look. "Wrong? I'm too busy to waste time with fools asking damn stupid questions!"
The Varisians just look amused at the Gnomes odd idea of conversation starters. When Dilana starts asking questions they shrug. "Been coming her for a few years now. Like everywhere else they blame anything that goes wrong on us. But Ol' Heddick is a good sort and doesn't take any false claims. Besides, we're about the only traders that visit here nowadays, so it's a good run. Just none of that tech stuff that's messing up the rest of the country."
What are you doing now?
Given an unfriendly welcome by the Varisians at the lumberyard you withdraw to decide on your next course of action.
What are you doing now?
"We are seeing if you need help with anything Redfang sent us." Figgy replies ignoring the mans response.
Having not been spotted yet by those staying at the lumber yard Olimpia continues to scout and stays out of sight.
Unhappy with their inability to get any useful information from their trip to the lumber yard Raktar shrugs. ”Looks like you had it right all along JJ,” he says. ” Let’s see what Badwater can offer us.”
It seems you can't make things much worse here, even though Figgy tries his best, so you set off to the Badwater area.
Gunnett advised you to speak to the Bardleighs at area 15, they are the only people in the village who enter the Badwater area, so they may be able to tell you something.
Approaching the stonemasons you are met by the family Matron Emmina Bardleigh, who looks you over warily but asks politely how she can help you?
What are you doing now?
As they head off figgy looks to all the rest, "Why is it some of you tall folk seem so upset all the time? We came from the leader of his village to ask if he needed help and he just got more red faced." Figgy pats Springy on the head "I am glad we get along."
Figgy hangs back feeling he did something wrong before.
"Ma'am, we were hoping you could advise us about how we can safely enter Badwater. We've reason to go there and we've been told your family are the only ones who know how to deal with the dangers," Raktar says sheepishly. "What do we need to know?"
Emmina Bardleigh knows of no recent visitors to Badwater, but admits that there are far too many entrances into the rocky area
to monitor them all.
While you talk to Emmina, her 9-year-old grandson, Elborn, shyly approaches Dilana to display a "treasure" he discovered
in Badwater 2 days ago: a shiny finger-cymbal.
You can identify the finger- cymbal as a traditional Varisian dancer's instrument with a successful Knowledge. The busy Bardleighs know of no Varisians in town, as they are unaware of the Varisians currently camped in Heddick's lumberyard. By asking around, however, you can learn from many townspeople that the only finger-cymbals recently seen in town
were used by the Varisian dancer in Heddick's yard.
What are you doing now?
"Interesting, so there is something those Varisian's are not telling us." Figgy tells the group what he knows.
"There was a dancer there? I must have been too busy being charming. We already made an impression on them, not a good one of course, I wonder how returning and questioning one of them would come off?"
"There was a dancer there? I must have been too busy being charming. We already made an impression on them, not a good one of course, I wonder how returning and questioning one of them would come off?"
"Easy. It'll either be good or bad. Either way, something's here that shouldn't be and they need to answer for this. JJ replied, palming his pistol. "I say we go get some answers now."
Returning to the lumberyard gets you a number of unpleasant looks, this time however when you display the finger cymbal the expression on the faces of the men changes.
They turn to regard to female dancer who merely watched you from afar last time. However the moment the atmosphere changed she vanishes!
Or rather she tries to vanish, JJ & Olimpia both her see trying to slip away around the corner of the nearest building.
Whaat are you doing now?
With the dancer now running away, JJ had all the reason he needed to confirm his beliefs. She had to be involved with his sworn enemy. Now, he had no reason to hold back his rage."DON'T THINK YOU CAN OUTRUN ME, YOU TECHNIC LEAGUE STOOGE!" He shouted at the top of his lungs as he started running for her and grabbing his pistol.
"That is HER!" Fhingle yells as JJ gives chase. "Springy follow JJ, I will try to keep up." Figgy sets out on his turn.
Springy flies into the Air and keeps pace easy with JJ
Olimpia moves to intercept pulling a wand as she moves.
Once made aware of what is going on Dilana whispes a few words and flies up about ten feet before chasing after the running woman.
"Look up. You certainly cannot outrun me."
Looking back to the others. "I can stop her if need be I think."
In response to the words of Dilana the half-elf woman quickly casts a spell and actually does vanish!
Vanish 1 round per caster level.
What are you doing now?
"She used vanish, it won't last long." Figgy shouts as he runs
Dilana flies forward and up another thirty feet and cast detect magic at the area directly below her.
If someone can point me in her direction I can make her visible again,” Raktar calls as he runs towards where Dilana is hovering overhead.
Everyone moves around the office building, scanning for any signs. Olimpia notices a puff of dust kick up by the next corner, only there isn't a breeze at the moment.
What are you doing now?
Figgy looks on the ground for any tracks the woman may have made.
"Look for foot prints" Figgy calls out
Olimpia indicates where she believes the woman has tried to sneak.
What are you doing now?
”Dilana, dust her!” Raktar shouts as he hefts his hammer and waits for their target to appear.
Swooping in the direction Dilana casts one of her favorite spells Glitterdust at the area Olympia has pointed out.
"I hope I got the right area."
With a hiss of anger the woman's outline appears in golden sparkles. She steps back to where the others are in view and casts the exact same spell on the party.
The party may now act.