Petrollo groans and sticks his head out from the backroom, "I'm pretty sure that the apothecary kid -- he's a funny one, I tell you what, too friendly, too nice-- and the priest's girl are off getting the others into some sort of trouble." He narrows his eyes at the gold blinking above Ibuki's hand, "Despite strictly forbidding it, I'm certain Betrona met with her friends anyway and that if she had only listened to her father, none of this would have happened!"
Ibuki nods, thinking. The rhythm of his breath plays out in his hair like a small bellows.
"About when do you think this happened? Or rather, when was the first day that you noticed her absence?" A frown crosses his face, like a thought just crossed his mind. "I suppose that her friends could be the culprits... but depending on how attractive she was, hormones could have as easily been a factor. Was there anyone that she mentioned being... enamored of?"
Ngozi turns back and makes a satisfied grunt. "Ah, see, that's much better, Petrello." After hearing what the man says, Ngozi's brow furrows for a moment, "so they get into trouble often? The apothecary's apprentice and the novice, I say. Serious stuff or chicken-change?"
'So two apprentices sound off-kilter... Well, looks like we've got the faint hints... erm...' the halfling squints at the ground... If he remembered correctly- a luxury he didn't always sup from, the local temple was dedicated to the Stag god. Part of him wondered just how faithful of an Erastilian the cleric girl was: Most clergy he had met always seemed far too stiff and lawful if there was even the faintest hint of work in the breeze.
'If I had to guess... I suspect poor... Erm... Wintren girl's probably wanted some sort of adventure, and roped her fellow apprentices into a trip too relax... Yeah- That sounds reasonable. And hey, the Apothacarian and an Erastilian would both know the lay of the land well- They're probably just camping in some grove somewhere.
Losing interest in the conversation, Eisith disengages. Another toast for Cayden's guidance! Once they tracked these wayward kids down, he'd have to treat everyone to a round at the bar.
The shop owner glares at the Ifrit, ”Are you suggesting that my daughter-” he cuts himself short and tosses one of the few decent looking hats across the room.
”If you all aren’t looking to buy - which I suspect you aren’t - and you can’t tell me where my kids are, then get out! Some of us have work to do!” Petrollo storms off into the backroom once more.
”And if anything is missing,” he calls, ”I know what your halfling friend looks like!”
Ibuki pockets the coin and shrugs at the outburst. "I am merely suggesting that she might have had an admirer that she admired. Normal stuff as long as both parties are willing, but sometimes things go awry."
Seeing the man storm off, he shrugs.
As if you could tell in this wreck of a shop. I could take three hats and add four in and you would never notice.
Turning to the others, he shrugs. "Well, we know why one of them ran off at least. Shall we see about the others?"
"Ah, my friend, do not let these people vex you. He should be proud his daughter is strong and attractive," Ngozi says whilst scratching his head, slightly confused. "The poor man does not know what's coming to him…I don't think Fumnanya will let this one pass."
Once again playing with his necklace, he takes a few steps forward. "So. The herbalist apprentice was the boss, and the acolyte his right-hand. Let's leave those as the last places to visit, yes? And go to the baker ask about Noemi and then the tavern and ask about the Morvinarr boy, and then have lunch. What do you say?"
'Rude...'
Leaving the store, Eisith turns to face the rest of the group, nodding at the spiritualist's suggestion.
"I think that's a fine idea. It would seem that these events revolve around those two, and it wouldn't hurt to ask the others. Why, I've been thinking about this: I bet the apprentices are having some sort of camping trip somewhere. I'd bet three copper that our two primary leads have a pretty good knowledge of the local land, right? So, I bet that they just got fed up with responsibilities. Happens to everyone at their age."
Having explained his thoughts to the group, he stands back. Lunch couldn't come soon enough- A shame they couldn't skip the baker and head straight to the tavern, but it wouldn't be wise to leave leads hanging like that.
A faint crunching sound signals Naiyla's return from the backside of the building, followed soon-after by an unpleased Dhomirren. "Nothing to find outside, aside from a new toy for Naiyla." The feline flops onto the cobblestone as she rips into a discarded piece of hat.
"It certainly would not surprise me if the children decided to leave. This town is not very kind to its future...too preoccupied with the past in my opinion." There's a loud ripping sound as Naiyla succeeds in dismembering the discarded bowler. "I agree with Ngozi, baker, then tavern, then temple, then apothecary. Follow up the chain of command, see if there's any evidence of meeting places."
It does not take long before the smell of freshly baked bread begins to drift through the midday air, taunting the bellies of the adventurers.
Gunty's Hearty Breads is a squat building with several chimney's sprouting from its roof. Four youths move in and out of the the building as they load up a cart with freshly baked loaves.
A middle-aged man watches the four with a sour expression. Periodically he calls out to the group, "You better not drop that challah!" and "I can move faster than that without my cane!" are among his comments.
"Here, Fumnanya wants you to have this, Ibuki," Ngozi gives the warrior a small shiny pebble, making sure to touch the ifrit's hands when doing so. "For good luck. You can throw it away later." Once he touches it, Ibuki realises the stone shines due to a thin layer of viscous and gelatinous ectoplasm.
"Why don't you try and sweet talk old baba Gunty? Among us, your tongue spins the sweetest yarns, I'd say."
Ibuki shrugs and takes the stone, feeling the ooze as he does. The ifrit has a mild look of annoyance over the feeling but it fades like a dying ember into ash as the man walks into the store.
"Good evening, sir. Do you have a moment to speak with us? I realize you are busy, but we will attempt to be brief." So saying, he offers the man his copy of the letter from the mayor as way of explanation.
Gunty grunts as he looks the ifrit up and down, ”What's the long and short of it, son? I ain’t got-careful with that cart! I ain’t got time to read some letter that ol’ quil pusher wrote.” The large man leans on his cane to peer around Ibuki, ”I swear to Ol’ Deadeye, if’n any of you maggots damage my cart, I’ll have you running laps around the whole gods damned town!”
The man’s booming voice startles one of the apprentices as he is arranging crates in the wagon. The young man drops a crate and for a brief moment time stops for the apprentice. The boy’s eyes go wide and a thousand terrors flash across his face before one of the cart’s wheels snaps off.
”Sunuva-” Gunty hobbles toward the cart and the terrified apprentices.
Based on Gunty’s demeanor and his leg, he is more than likely a veteran of the Goblinblood Wars. The Goblinblood Wars (4697 AR — 4701 AR) were a series of conflicts first fought between the army of Isger and hundreds of goblinoid tribes of the Chitterwood. It eventually expanded to include forces from neighboring nations in an effort to contain the rapidly expanding hordes.
Well, Gunty sure seemed like a good old, down to earth type of a guy... If a bit on edge.
His leg seemed to be injured- probably a childhood accident or the like.
"Far from it-" The halfling calls out as he walks towards the cart. "We are looking for the missing apprentices. I'm of the opinion they're out camping somewhere, but we would love to hear anything you got to say."
Eisith tries to lift the broken side of the wagon to examine the axle. Perhaps this would be an easy fix? He takes a moment to whisper to the boy, keeping his voice down. "If I were you, I'd get working on those laps around the town. Bring me a sprig of berries while your at it, and I'll do my best to placate him. "
Dhomirren slides gracefully between Gunty and the terrified apprentice, his arms already spread in a placating motion. "Come now sir, there's no need to be too cross. Carts can certain be repaired, but wills rarely so." As best he can the diminutive ratfolk leans into the baker and whispers: "Besides, he is merely a boy. Not trained for the battlefield like you and I. And still learning even this craft. How many errors did we make in training after all?"
As he speaks with the master, Dhom motions for Naiyla to move in front of the apprentice and shield him from the (possible) outpouring of wrath. When all of this is done, I am having words with the mayor about how her town treats the youth! The nerve of it all...
Ngozi smacks his leg and starts laughing at the situation. "Look at them boys go!" He speaks out loud in polyglot to Fumnanya, wiping a small tear from his eye. 'These people are all terrible, Ngozi. Let me out, I want to teach them all a lesson. They are not even sad enough for me to feed on them,' the phantom replies.
Seeing Dhom taking the initiative, he approaches the old man. "Around you I see the ghosts of many, many green-skinned beasts, baba Gunty. Many thanks for your service. Let us help you and your apprentices here."
Ibuki nods, putting away the document. "As I said, we aren't here to take more of your time than necessary. One of your apprentices went missing recently, along with many others around the same age group. Granted you do not seem to be too impacted by the loss," hearing the crash, the samurai almost winces, "well, mostly. Still, do you remember when you notice this one's absence? And did you notice anything unusual going on with Niomi prior to his... her... his.... absence?"
The young man nods to the halfling but stands rigid as a hound waiting for a command.
Grunty looks the group up and down, "Hmm, I suppose we all made some mistakes in our youth." He takes Dhom's hand and grips it tight but addresses Ngozi, his tone taking a more cheerful aspect, "You all look a tad young, and," he looks at Ibuki as if for the first time, "er, foreign, to have fought in the War but, a soldier is a soldier is a soldier." He releases Dhom's hand and leans on the cane again.
"It's true, Gunty continues, "I have plenty of help but, Noemi is a special case: that girl has got a gift for the work. Unlike these maggots."
The older man shakes his head and lowers his voice, "I'm strict on these kids, sure, but they need it. Ernie and Sasha," he gestures at the girl and the boy that share features, "come from nothing. Grew up in a home with barely two copper to rub together. But if they can learn a trade, a good trade, then they can get out of this backwater and make something of themselves." Gunty snaps his head around and glares at the youth with which Eisith had been speaking, "I thought I said run laps! Go! Go! GO!"
Anyway, Noemi spends too much time with those no-good friends of hers. Honestly, I think the lot of 'em are planning some kind of trick on me. I keep hearing buzzing noises and seeing strange lights, like flickering torches in the night sky, near the central orchard."[/b] Gunty scratches at the scruff on his chin, "I've tried to catch them in the act but all that I seem to turn up is a bunch of tramples fruit."
"Actually! You are wise, baba Gunty. The young need a strong hand sometimes, you are right," Ngozi nods vigorously. "But what is that about a prank and an orchard? Who's responsible for the orchard? And for how long have you been seeing these lights and noises?"
'He's going gaga, brother, probably just hallucinating and seeing things,' Fumnanya moans in the back of Ngozi's mind.
"You know how kids are," Gunty gives a hard look to the remaining apprentices the turns back to the group, "They think every authority figure is out to get 'em. They want to 'get back at the grown-ups.'"
The older man dabs at some sweat forming on his brow, "You probably passed by the orchard on your way here. Sad story that. The family that owned it went off to fight in the War. Not a single one of 'em came back." Gunty goes silent for a moment.
"Anyway, it just ended up that anyone who ain't got some sort of means to get by takes care of the place. A communal orchard, if you will."
"You heard the man- Get going!" Eisith gives the youth a friendly smile, gently pushing him along before dropping his voice again. "It'll be fun! Think of it as a scavenger hunt- Try and find me some berries, okay?"
'Lights and the sort? Perhaps those are the bugs we... Lightning bugs? No wait- Lightning Spiders. Lightning Praying manti? Dire Lightning Praying... No, I'm getting carried away. Hope that kid comes back with something good, or I might try to have him run another lap... Cayden bless his search, because I need another drink.'
The Skald stands up, dusting off his pants. Pulling his equipped knife free of it's sheath, he holds the small weapon by it's blade. With his hands carefully grasping it edge, Eisith casts Light on the sheath, carefully waving his weapon as to emulate a dancing firefly.
"Perhaps these mischievous kids are using spells? Do the lights look similar to the enchantment I've endued... Imbued this blade with? I can see it now- Sneaking in under the cover of night to plunder the community garden, using simple cantrips to confuse would be investigators. We will have to visit this orchard later."
Eisith realizes that such a place would likely have components for his goodberry spell that nobody would miss. Eisith takes a moment to address the group as a whole- Including Gunty.
"... Or, perhaps we could go now? I'm a bit... Small for this job, but if someone could lift this wagon up, we can pop the wheel back on. It won't carry much, but it will last long enough to get the cart to someone with the tools to properly touch it up."
Gunty mulls over the notion for a brief moment before speaking, "I s'pose that is a possibility. I don't know if any of the kids have any skill with the arcane but, that doesn't mean they don't."
The remaining apprentices move to help the halfling but Gunty waves them away, grumbling about how they would only make things worse.
"I see. Do you remember roughly when these... pranks.... started occurring? Was it before Miss Noemi stopped coming to work or after?"
The ifrit smiles, but inside he is concerned. So these insects are congregating in areas no longer populated, and not eating the food there... this could be bad, depending on what they are.
"Just a moment, baba Gunty, be right there with you," says Ngozi. "Ok, Fumnanya, let's do this. Eisith, I can help you, boy…on the count of three, right?
The bekyar lifts the wagon with relative ease, his hands sticky as Fumnanya lends a bit of ectoplasmic strength. Once Eisith is done fixing the wheel he wanders back to Gunty.
"And what do you make of the alchemist boy, the Gellion boy? And the priest girl, Nolaria? Petrello says they're nothing but trouble."
Eisith slips the wheel back on. A quick fix, but it would have to do. He gives Ngozi a thankful nod- And gives a second nod for the Phantom's guidance. To others it would seem like the halfling was staring at a space behind Ngozi... Or perhaps inside?
For Eisith, however, his sense for the supernatural had been acting up ever sense he met Ngozi. He'd have to take the man to a bar sometime: For as Eisith's drunken stupor grew, so too did his ability to see beyond the veil... Preforming supernatural tricks such as automatic writing and aura reading. There was clearly more to Ngozi than met the eye.
Gunty nods in appreciation as the cart is righted, "Petrello? Hah! That ol' boggard would say his reflection was plotting against him if any mirror ever managed to not shatter when he looked at it! They're kids. They get each other worked up. Then do stupid s@#&. It's what they do." The man pauses and rubs his chin, "Though, now that you mention it, I think the lights may have started a day or two before Noemi stopped coming in..." Gunty squints as the [b]skald nods to Ngozi twice. he shakes his head and continues, "...and, uh, she's been gone for a few days, herself."
One of the apprentices steps out of the bakery with a new box of goods in hand. Gunty watches the youth as the apprentice makes his way to the cart. Just before the apprentice sets the crate in the wagon Gunty's voice booms, "I know you are not adding more weight to my wagon after your friend broke it! Start running laps! No, don't set the crate in the wagon! Not on the ground either! Give it to your sister, you buffoon! If you let that other moron beat you back here, I'll have you grinding flour with your bare hands! GO!"
Gunty waves his cane at the apprentice called Ernie as the boy takes of down the street.
"I'm sorry, lads, I have to deal with these maggots."
"Perhaps you shouldn't…call them…maggots…?" The suggestion trails off as Gunty barely registers that Ngozi had said anything. "Oh, well…" he shrugs.
He looks around, watches a cat hiss at him, and turns to his companions. "So. Perhaps old Trinelli is right and these kids and the insects are connected? Sounds like Eisith might be right and this is just a prank. Some cantrips here and there to scare old men?"
Ibuki nods to the old baker politely. "Thank you for your time. If we find your apprentice we shall send her back to you."
He walks out with the others and considers for a moment. "Perhaps, or perhaps the apprentices noticed what was causing it and decided to try and solve it themselves. Either way, the timing of both is a bit too convenient to be a mere coincidence. That said, we should keep it to ourselves for now." Pulling out the list of apprentices, he glances over it. "Next is the one at the Tavern... this Morvinarr, correct?"
Eisith perks up at the mention of the Tavern. "Yes- Tavern's next. Any of you guys thirsty? Hungry?"
With a small grin, Eisith sheaths the knife he had cast light on, a soft glow peaking out along the seams of the leather scabbard. His eyes dart about, before giving Gunty a small, respectful bow. The boys seemed like good kids employed under a good man. Eisith briefly wonders about leaving behind instructions on where the first boy could deliver his material components to... But, the party would likely visit a lot of places... Well, enough thinking- Sooner they started walking, the sooner he could get a frothy pint.
"That's true. None of them sound like the heroic types so far, but with a leader…" Ngozi kneels and picks up a small caterpillar that walked on a leaf and puts it on his head, leaving the creature to burrow in his hair.
He scratches his scalp for a moment, looks to Eisith and smiles."To the tavern, then. Talk to the owner, enjoy the depressed mutterings of folk drowning their sorrows in alcohol, maybe have some food. Sounds good to us."
”This orchard is by far our best lead thus far. My question, however, is how involved these youths were in the strange lights. And if they are entirely divorced from the mysterious proceedings, then who is their orchestrator?” His tail flicks back and forth as he thinks. ”Buzzing...lights...hm...torch-like lights...perhaps something with command of flame?” He gives Ngozi a significant glance. ”Has your...associate detected anything not of our realm, so-to-speak?” Can he even do such a task?
Naiyla meows sharply as she rubs against her master. ”Yes yes little girl. It is indeed mealtime.” He gives Eisith a sidelong glance. ”Might I recommend it be a dry one as well? We need put faculties about us. Even if they can be lackluster...”
"Well…thing is, Fumnanya can't do much when he's not here, you know? I can call him, but," he looks around and gestures at the townsfolk, "people don't like it so much when they can see the spirits around them. What we can do without having everyone all riled up is call him when we're close to the orchard and he can sneak around, see if there's anyone or anything there. If the big bugs are there and get bitey, they won't be hurting my brother."
Ngozi closes his eyes and bring his hand to his head. "The boy can't wait to be out here, let me tell you, chief."
Ibuki merely shrugs. "If the prices are reasonable I might buy a bowl of stew. Shall we go?"
With the bakery behind them, the group decides to make the local tavern their next stop. The roads once again take them past the orchard.
”Something wrong, girl?” Dhom asks. He kneels to place a hand on Naiyla. The fur along the panther’s spine suddenly stands on end and it bolts into the orchard. The hunter’s shoulders slump and he looks back to the others, ”She probably caught the scent of something. Go on ahead without me. I’ll catch up in a while. I doubt it would be good for us if she ate some family’s pet.” Dhome rushes off after his animal companion.
A short while later, the trio spot a sign depicting a dark-haired figure burning at the stake hanging over the door of one of the town’s larger buildings. Witch’s End Tavern.
A woman exits the building and the aroma of simmering venison stew and seasoned vegetables drifts through the open door. She gives the group a polite smile before heading off down the street.
Ibuki nods absently to Dhom as he departs, not bothered by his companions arriving or leaving.
As the woman smiles at the group he gives her a polite bow before opening the door for himself and walking into the tavern.
"Never did understand why people think witches require burning to get rid of. I have yet to find a foe that a strong punch or a swift strike with my blade could not dispatch."
Ngozi scratches his waist and frowns, trying to repress Fumnanya's wailing regarding the kitty going away. "He'll be back in no time, stop fussing!" The spiritualist mutters to himself.
When they approach the tavern, he smiles back at the woman and slips her one of his cards. "In case you need to contact the spiritual world, sis. Just ask around, they'll know where to find me."
Inside the tavern, Ngozi snickers. "You can try punching my brother all you want, go ahead. There are many things between the worlds that your blade is weak against, warrior."
With his mind wandering, the Berrik halfling only notices Dhom has left after... well, Dhom has left.
'...Hey wait a second! When Dhom mentioned having a dry visit to the Tavern to keep our facilities, was he implying mine where lacking?'
A little irked at his revelation, Eisith begins walking just a little faster. It's only when the party enter's the tavern that his slight frown breaks into a wide smile. While Ngozi and Ibuki discuss the finer points of fighting the occult, Eisith is content to offer a brief nod of acknowledgement before pursuing his true intentions.
"Barkeep!" Looking about the Tavern, Eisith takes a seat to order. The smell of simmering stew had his stomach rumbling with anticipation, but a far deeper urge guides this Skalds intentions. "What do we... You have you on Tap for a thirsting... Thirsty Caydenite?"
Brumdell found himself a table to sit at with a few other patrons talking, sharing stories, and a few jokes over some ale. Laughing as he swigs down the rest of his ale; "Haha! That's a good one. Let me tell you about the orc the elf and the dwarf..."
An orc, an elf, and a dwarf find themselves being granted wishes by an Efreeti.
The orc says, "We orcs need to return to power. I wish all the orcs and half-orcs were returned to their ancient lands." The Efreeti nods his head, and the orc vanishes.
The elf says, "The elves need to get back to their roots. I wish all the elves and half-elves were returned to their ancestral home." The Efreeti nods his head, and the elf vanishes.
The dwarf looks around. "Let me get this straight," the dwarf says, "the orc wished for all the orcs to be gone, and the elf wished for all the elves to be gone?" The Efreeti nods. "Very well, then," said the dwarf, "I'll have an ale."
"and the dwarf said to the Efreeti, 'I'll have an ale.'" Bursting into laughter Brumdell raises his mug and tries to lock eyes with one of the servers. When he finally does he shouts to her; "Another round for the table, missy." still laughing, he uses a stubby finger to wipe a tear from the corner of his eyes. "I'll have another ale..."
Using bits of bread to scoop up the remaining broth from his venison stew, Brumdell turns back to his table; "Well lads, what is the news of this town?"
The woman behind the bar, who had previously been kneeling to lace a boot, stands up straight and eyes the “thirsty Caydenite.” At six feet tall, the imposing human woman towers over the halfling.
She picks up a large knife and points the tip at Eisith, “That depends on what we want to offer to you.” The woman extends her free hand toward the halfling...and grabs a citrus fruit from a wooden bowl beside his elbow. With more anger than the fruit could possibly deserve, she begins to slice it into wedges.
”Oh, come off it, Alcie!” A man sitting at a table with a heavily armed dwarf says between fits of laughter.
“This is my tavern, Brint. You don’t tell me what to do.” Alcie glares at the man before continuing to slice the fruit. ”Anyways, we have a cider made with apples from the local orchard. Crisp with just the right amount of tart. A rich stout with good oat flavor. And a few others as well, but those are the popular drinks. If you’re feeling like a meal, we’re serving up Grandma’s Venison Stew.” She pauses only a moment before jamming the end of the knife into the bartop, “Well?!”
Leaning into the man next to him; "Careful lad, from the look of her she's got giants blood in her veins. There is an anger that could come with that height..." Raising his mug, Brumdell shouts to the halfling at the bar; "Stouts good." He takes a swig and turns his attention back to the table.
*hic* "Kn...Knife Divination?" The Halfling watches with rapt attention as the angry barkeep slices the fruit up, then slams it into the bar. Clearly he had much to learn.
"...Oh! Forgev... Forgive my manners, I haven't had anything to drink sense... Erm... Ah, but how could I forget! Might I introduced you to my companions, Ngozi, Ibuki, and Dhom. We are here on business! All four of us!"
Eisith turns to face Ibuki and Ngozi, his introduction likely the worst possible way to earn favor with the Owner. "...Oh, but make that Three Stouts! I forgot we lost a compatiot... Compatriot." Having finished introductions, Eisith uses what little common sense he has left to step away from the angry woman with a knife, sitting next to the hearty Dwarf.
Ngozi licks his lips. "I don't know about you, friends, but we will take one of those pies. Gotta honour the elders, right, Ma Alcie?"
He tries to give his best smile before continuing. "Also, when you have the time we'd appreciate if we could query you about that Morvinarr boy. The mayor asked us to look around a bit for the young ones."
Ibuki holds up his hand and shakes his head. "No ale for me, unless someone else is picking up the tab." He gives an apologetic smile to the angry bartender.
"My friend here has the right of it, we are mainly here," he gives Elsith an elbow as he says this, "on official business to look into your missing apprentice. Normally I would hand you the letter from your good mayor but you strike me as... someone who does not have time for printed words in the moment. What can you tell us about him and how long has he been missing?"
Alcie grunts and fills three tankards with the dark brown beer, leaving a frothy foam head on top. She watches as Eisith takes a seat at the table and deliberately sets the tankards on the counter. “Forgive us townsfolk, good sir,” the woman says to the halfling, “but we are unaccustomed to folks of such regal stature. I assumed you would be carrying your own drinks to your table.”
"No ale for me, unless someone else is picking up the tab...What can you tell us about him and how long has he been missing?"
“Certainly in all of your vast travels - slaying beasts and rescuing damsels - you must’ve earned some coin. Or perhaps a way to magic drink back into the keg?” Alcie pauses and pushes the tankards forward, “Twelve copper. Four each. Settle up and maybe we can talk.”
Ngozi licks his lips. "I don't know about you, friends, but we will take one of those pies. Gotta honour the elders, right, Ma Alcie? ...
The mayor asked us to look around a bit for the young ones."
The barkeep pulls the knife free of the bartop and sets it beside the fruit, “Oh, you’re those travelers, eh? By all means, allow me to drop everything to attend you.” Though Alcie’s words drip with sarcasm she does produce a stick of charcoal and slip of paper, “Just the one meal, then? I’m assuming the one with the bright outlook and empty pockets isn’t eating? What about the prince? He looks like he needs something in his belly. And before y'all try to pull that 'lemme kill some rats in a cellar for you' crap, it's a silver per meal.”
Before anyone has a chance to respond, chairs clatter in the back of the room as two men jump to their feet. One of the men snatches his eating knife from the table and shouts over the conversations in the room, “I said, ‘If I catch you cheatin’ at dice again, I’ll take both your thumbs!’”
Turning his head with the scuffle going on, Brumdell turns back to the table; "It's been good dining with you folk." Pushing back from the table he grips his Warhammer and stands up.
"Cheating? There is no honor in cheating, and an accusation of cheating brings great weight with it. What proof of cheating do you have?" noticing his hand shaking, Brumdell addresses the man quietly; "Put the blade down man, I am sure you are not the judge jury and executioner... are you?" He stands with a firm grip on his hammer waiting for an answer.
"Oh, Ma Alcie, you have a bad aura all around you. We are just interested in hel–" Ngozi stops mid sentence when trouble begins. "You see? Bad aura makes your patrons all jumpy."
He stands up, takes a look at the two men and sighs. "Look, friend. There's the dwarf there, the warrior here next to me and Ma Alcie over there. Do you really reckon it's wise to start something?" He shakes his head. "And, you know, I can sense some spirits getting angry around us. Trust me, you don't need that bad stuff in your life." A knife starts floating in front of the man who started the scuffle.
Ibuki is about to object on the grounds that he had not ordered the drink when the shouting starts.
Great. Just what I needed.
Rolling his eyes, Ibuki walks over and grabs the man with the knife's shoulder, giving a firm grip and a small shake as he turns him to face the samurai.
"You. You are holding that knife like a child about to kill his first chicken. Look how it shakes in your hand, wobbling under the weight."
Drawing his wakizashi, he holds it out steadily. The fact that the point just happens to be at an angle that could be rammed back into the man is almost accidental.
"Compare. THIS is how you hold a blade. Note the steady hand. The firm purpose. Its will is my will, and it will only go where I will it."
He lets the man go and slowly draws the blade across his other hand, letting it take a bit of blood before resheathing it.
"Now. Sit down and play once more. Or settle up your bill and leave. Do either quietly and you will not have problems with me."
The man looks from the floating knife to the Ifrit, takes a deep breath, and drops his knife to the table. “Coupla copper ain’t worth the trouble.” He avoids making eye contact with anyone in the tavern and rights his chair before sitting back down. The second man gives a sheepish smile and also takes his seat.
“Well, would ya look at that!” Alcie slaps a hand on the bartop, “You lot might be useful after all!” The large woman’s demeanor shifts to a much friendlier one, “The drinks are on me. Yours too, dwarf!”
A young man wanders out from the backroom, a swinging door closing behind him. Alcie turns and points with the knife to the youth, “What’re you doing? Get back there and bring our heroes each a meal. That’s four in case you can’t count.” She turns back to address the group, specifically Ibuki, “How ‘bout you all sit and eat. Then we can discuss the whereabouts of Morvinarr. Hmm?”