Nasir is excited to get a chance to haggle for some interesting items.
Roscoe doesn't even have energy to leave the tavern, let alone hunt for bargains.
Knowing that we'll be in Magnimar in a few days, Frantino just browses half-heartedly, stopping only at a few food and drink vendors to stock up for the rest of the journey.
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Ayita asks to keep one of Hatfield's flyers.
You could set up a booth and do sketches of peoples' familiars and companions, Hatfield! You're really talented!
"Aw, shucks! I could do it once--just fer Ter. If I had ta draw every day, I'm sure I'd go outta my mind! Naw, I like workin' with herbs much better."
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As Hatfield is taking down the last one, and Ayita is looking at it for a second, Ter lands on her shoulder and fixes the drawing with her Falcon Stare.
She hops excitedly, making Ayita grimace - the leather doesn't quite stop those talons if Ter squeezes...
ME! ME!
She looks at Hatfield.
AGAIN! AGAIN!
Ayita is looking for dog treats and hawk treats, including anything with blackberries.
Also any nice armor, bows, etc.
Do we want to try to sell loot here? (Sorry if that was discussed somewhere already...)
Nothing special. But Ayita finds a good, sturdy bow. Blackberries, unfortunately, seem to be in short supply. "Oh, my dear," says an older woman at a booth selling baked goods. "Blackberries don't grow 'round here."
Evening comes and the heroes return to Cracktooth's. He nods politely as you enter. The large common room is raucous and crowded. Patrons sit at tables scattered across the place, while a number sit in velvet-upholstered theater seats before a stage in the southwest corner.
"Keep that bird outta my brandy!" he calls with a laugh.
When Cracktooth sees Viralane Barvisai, famed singer and actress, enter the tavern, he calls out to her. "My dear Lady, welcome back to our humble stage here in Sandpoint. It has been too long you since you graced us with your presence."
She laughs at him. "Jess, this isn't a stage. The stage is next door at the Theater!"
Cracktooth holds his heart, as if he's been shot with an arrow. "You wound me, Lady. Sorely! Will you take the stage here, nevertheless? A song, perhaps?"
Viralane and her servant Corla look about and Viralane spies the heroes. "Oh, not tonight, I"m afraid, darling Cracktooth. My voice is out of sorts."
Despite Viralane's demuring, the stage is never vacant for long, as eager performers step up throughout the night for a chance to win praise or derision from the crowd.
Frantino raises an eyebrow at Viralane's comment. It's out of character for her to NOT want to be the center of attention! She sang just fine yesterday...
Frantino's strengths are not related to performing in the public eye. However, with his cloak of the illusionist hedge wizard he can augment another's performance with prestidigitation, ghost sound, or one silent image.
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Ezranadir frown's at Viralane's comment and wonders if something is amiss. He pulls out parchment and quill and hastily writes something down, scratches it out then continues writing. He thoughtfully looks it over then nods. Standing up he goes looking around for a Lute player. He asks if they can play a tune as he hums it to them. Satisfied, he awaits his turn on stage.
"Good evening! I am no Bard, have no skills in playing or singing but am just a simple traveling Elf who was picked up on the Tyalee's Whim. There I witnessed a performance by Madame Viralane Barvisai which inspired me to compose this. I have just finished it just a moment ago."
He signals to the Lute player and starts to sing;
"When this time-lost Elf
Boarded onto a boat
He did not perceive
He would end up afloat.
When the sea-beast attacked
An armor-crested fish
Many men met their end
With no one to hear a last wish.
This Elf survived alone
Adrift with no way
To make it to land
What did his plight have to say?
A ship spotted his dinghy
And pulled along his side
They saved his life
and offered him a ride.
Toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty
'Cause spells cost a plenty, oh
So toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty.
As the ship sailed the sea
A storm was a-brewin'
Which soon over took them
Would it's fury bring ruin?
The mighty ship pulled through
Thanks in part to the crew
And her passengers aboard
Acted in the best accord.
While making their repairs
The armor-crested fish returned
But the Heroes worked as one
To slash and hurl spells that burned.
That's my epic tale
Rodric's Cove Heroes prevailed
Defeated the sea-beastie
Now pour us some ale!
Toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty
'Cause spells cost a plenty, oh
Toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty.
Toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty
'Cause spells cost a plenty, oh
Toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty.
Toss some coin to your Wizards
'Cause spells cost a plenty
'Cause spells cost a plenty, yeah
So toss some coin to your Wizards
Yes, spells cost a plen-ty."
As his performance ends, he raises his hands even if there is no applause, "Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week!.....At least until the Tyalee's Whim puts out to sail again." Satisfied, he goes back to sit down.
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+0
Ezranadir frown's at Viralane's comment and wonders if something is amiss. He pulls out parchment and quill and hastily writes something down, scratches it out then continues writing. He thoughtfully looks it over then nods. Standing up he goes looking around for a Lute player. He asks if they can play a tune as he hums it to them. Satisfied, he awaits his turn on stage.
"Good evening! I am no Bard, have no skills in playing or singing but am just a simple traveling Elf who was picked up on the Tyalee's Whim. There I witnessed a performance by Madame Viralane Barvisai which inspired me to compose this. I have just finished it just a moment ago."
He signals to the Lute player and starts to sing;
[dice=Performance Impress Audience]1d20+2
The crowd cheers and guffaws and claps. They LOVE Ezranadir's song!
[dice=Heal]1d20+12The healer tries to, unobtrusively, observe Viralane for any sign of illness.
There's nothing wrong with Viralane that Doc can see.
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Ayita thoroughly enjoys Ezranadir's amazing performance. She watches people tossing coins to the Witcher I mean Wizard, and gets an idea.
She whispers to Ter...
She gets up, clapping wildly, and gets a nice shiny gold piece out... She tosses it to Ezranadir, only... Ter intercepts it! The two go into a performance, with Ter refusing to give the piece back, Ayita cartwheeling and doing other tricks, and Ter stealing additional items from her.
Ter has already had a bit of brandy, and her flying is a bit off, but Ayita plays off that and keeps giving her more brandy...
She gets up, clapping wildly, and gets a nice shiny gold piece out... She tosses it to Ezranadir, only... Ter intercepts it! The two go into a performance, with Ter refusing to give the piece back, Ayita cartwheeling and doing other tricks, and Ter stealing additional items from her.
[dice=handle animal]1d20+9
The crowd laughs and laughs as Ter keeps stealing things from Ayita.
As the night goes on, several patrons beg Viralane to sing a song or perform a scene for them. She demurs at first, but as she becomes slightly inebriated, she answers with a coy "perhaps later."
Cracktooth takes the stage near midnight and gives a witty talk about the state of reconstruction in Magnimar after the tsunami a few years back caused by the rising of the isle of Xin, suggesting that the Sihedron Council, which has organized the project, is skimming off the top of funds. His talk is greeted with laughs and good-natured jeers. At last, he melodramatically pleads and begs Viralane to close the evening with his favorite song: "A Lucky Spar in Magnimar."
The room cheers in unison, with everyone calling for Viralane to take the stage. By now several drinks into the night, a beaming Viralane stands, just a bit unsteady, and calls out, "Oh, you dear adoring people! If it will make you happy, I will sing."
The room erupts in joyful applause. Corla whispers something to Viralane, who pushes her away. Viralane glides to the stage and offers a hand to Cracktooth, who takes it, bows, then steps down to resume his post at the bar. Viralane holds up her hands for silence, and a hush falls over the tavern’s patrons. She takes a deep breath and sings the song’s first line, in an alto lovely and clear.
"A lad went up to Magnimar, with heart both true and bold
To win his fortune, earn his fame
To learn if luck would hold--"
The word "hold" warbles out terrifically and terribly out of tune. Viralane’s stops, her face flooding red with humiliation.
The room is silent for a few seconds, after which a loud chorus of guffaws from a group in the front row hits Viralane like a slap. As someone calls out "Too bad you can’t hold your tune!" her humiliation turns to rage.
"Stinking peasants and ruffians!" she spits, her face distorted with fury. "Who will defend my honor against this rabble?" She looks at all of you.
Roscoe, still channeling his slothful heirophant spirit, points at the rest of the group.
"One of those will have to do--probably Doc. He likes to fix stuff--maybe he can fix this, too."
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"What has Corla so fired up? Viralane is a great performer!"
__________
"One of those will have to do--probably Doc. He likes to fix stuff--maybe he can fix this, too."
Naively, Hatfield feels touched, and he murmers to himslef. "Aw, shucks! Thank ye, fer yer faith in me, Roscoe. I promise that I'll justify yer trust."
__________The herbalist stands up from his seat with a mint julep in his hand. "Everyone, I say, everyone; ain't nobody meant ta vex no one fer real--I'm sure." Gesturing to Viralane and to his companions, he continues: "We been out ta' sea fer so long, an' we've faced so many tribulations, I'm sure all our throats is parched."
Raising a glass to Viralane: "Thank ye fer tha privilege o' spendin' time with ye..."
Then to the crowd: "...an' fer sorely needed jests this evenin'..."
And to Cracktooth: "...an' fer tha mighty fiiiine libations what keeps us hydrated!
The oracle downs his drink in a single swing and exclaims with a big smile:
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Viralane is the best singer I have ever heard! Let Doc help, and some brandy might help after that voyage we just had too. Lady, would you like some?
Ayita is moving up toward Viralane with a drink in each fist - one for Viralane, one for a random audience member, wanting to also position herself between the nasty hecklers and Viralane too.
She thinks, did someone cast a spell? She whispers to Ter to watch for spellcasters, chanting, weirdness...
Frantino keeps a close eye on Corla. It seems like she knows more about what is going on. Peasants? Ruffians? Rabble? The sooner we get to Magnimar and get rid of Viralane, the better.
Serves her right for singing that Taldan trash on the ship. A little heckling never hurt anyone.
Nasir stares around the crowd looking for any potential threats to Doc.
I wouldn't mind a good bar brawl, but this artsy crowd seems too fancy for that.
Nasir continues to drink his wine and observe the situation.
Doc, Ayita and Ezranadir's efforts pay off. Although the jeers and guffaws continue for a bit, the crowd soon moves on to other jests.
Meanwhile, Corla jumps on stage and pulls the drunk Viralane away.
Frantino and Nasir watch as Corla and Viralane leave the tavern, most likely returning to Tyalee's Whim.
Tyalee’s Whim sets sail at dawn the next morning, Viralane and Corla sequestered in their cabin. Captain Antefalle informs you that you will all arrive in Magnimar by dawn the next day.
However, as the ship navigates a strait between two large islands late in the afternoon, Corla emerges and asks Captain Antefalle to speak to her mistress in private. The Captain agrees and is gone for a few minutes. When she comes back on deck, she orders Elbows to have the barrels containing the ship’s water supply emptied over the side and calls for Tyalee’s Whim to head for the nearer of the small islands. As she does, she gives a brief explanation.
"It’s been brought to my attention that our water supplies have become tainted. There’s a spring on that island; we’ll drop anchor just off shore, but I’ll need a shore party to fill our water barrels."
The sailors seem briefly puzzled, but comply immediately.
Captain Antefalle looks at all of you. "I would appreciate it if you could accompany me to refill our supplies."
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"I’ll need a shore party to fill our water barrels."
Hatfield pipes up cheerfully, "No need, cap'n. Clean water comin' up!"
Then the healer starts casting create water to refill the barrels. "O, Flower of Dawn, we adore yer healin' light. Please grant us tha gift of water that we may continue ta serve ye and tha cause o' good."
Once the barrels are full, the oracle casts detect poison to make sure the food and water supplies are untainted. If no further irregularities are discovered, the herbalist confirms: "Fresh as tha mornin' dew, cap'n." And he dips a cup in a barrel and takes a drink.
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Ayita can help with "create water" to speed things up a little.
As the barrels are emptied, she uses the hunter focus "wolf" to gain the "scent" ability, in case some unusual odors appear. If she spots anything unusual, she could give Yazhi the signal to "track" as well, but it's hard to know what to focus Yazhi on.
Nasir bows his head solemnly as he hears Doc's prayers to Sarenrae and watches as Doc and Ayita fill the barrels with magically created water.
"Very impressive, Ayita and Gregory C. Hatfield. This is wonderful magic you have. We never had casters who could conjure water when travelling through the desert. However, I have heard that such conjured water only lasts for so long before it disappears again. How long will this water last?"
After Doc inquires about the water tainting, Nasir will follow up.
"Why would someone want to foul your water, Captain?"
Upon the start of the day, Roscoe performs his traditional seance, and invites any of the magically-inclined to join him.
Once on the boat and under way, Roscoe is curious as to what happened to the water.
"Indeed--how did you discover the water was tainted?" he asks.
To Doc, he says "Now if you could figure out how to summon wine instead of water, we could sell it and earn a lot of coin," he says, greed glittering in his eyes.
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"I have heard that such conjured water only lasts for so long before it disappears again. How long will this water last?"
"Ayita's got it right. It's gone in a day, if it ain't used. I don' mind donatin' a few minutes each mornin' ta make sure we can all wet our whistles--and ta make sure we git ta Magnimar on schedule."
"Also, if somthin' sketchy is goin' on, I'd rather not give tha guilty party a chance ta disembark on some random island."
Once on the boat and under way, Roscoe is curious as to what happened to the water.
"Indeed--how did you discover the water was tainted?" he asks.
Captain Antefalle says, "Well, Lady Viralane learned of it in Sandpoint. She told me we should dump it overboard and anchor off the island to get more. Seemed like a reasonable solution."
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Captain Antefalle says, "Well, Lady Viralane learned of it in Sandpoint. She told me we should dump it overboard and anchor off the island to get more. Seemed like a reasonable solution."
"I think we'd like ta join ye an' ask Viralane how she knew about tha water," Hatfield suggests to the captain. "To make sure everyone arrives at Magnimar safely."
He follows up with more questions: "Have ye ever made port at that island, cap'n? How did ye know there was a safe source o' water there?"
__________
Thinking about the outburst at the pub, and now this, the healer gives the other party members a look and whispers (out of earshot of the crew): "What's up with Viralane?!?"
The whole idea of stopping at the island, and how Lady Viralane knew the water was tainted, seems suspicious to Roscoe.
"If she knew the water was bad--why didn't we change it out before we left?" Roscoe queries.
"Let me see the water--I'll be the judge of tainted water."
Suspecting some kind of enchantment magic, Frantino will cast detect magic where the captain and crew can't see, then examine Capt Antefalle for lingering auras.
If he does find something he'll tell the group in private and ask Ezranadir to recheck his analysis. "The real question is whether it is Viralane or Corla behind this. They've both been acting extremely suspiciously."
Ayita uses the "scent" hunter focus for herself and smells the water as it's dumped.
[dice=Ayita perception - scent, alertness]1d20+15+2
Ayita smells nothing. She'd certainly smell anything rotten. But she's not sure she would smell a poison.
Suspecting some kind of enchantment magic, Frantino will cast detect magic where the captain and crew can't see, then examine Capt Antefalle for lingering auras.
[dice=Knowledge arcana]1d20 + 10
If he does find something he'll tell the group in private and ask Ezranadir to recheck his analysis. "The real question is whether it is Viralane or Corla behind this. They've both been acting extremely suspiciously."
Ezranadir and Frantino sense a dim lingering aura of enchantment upon Captain Antefalle.
The whole idea of stopping at the island, and how Lady Viralane knew the water was tainted, seems suspicious to Roscoe.
"If she knew the water was bad--why didn't we change it out before we left?" Roscoe queries.
"Let me see the water--I'll be the judge of tainted water."
Most of the water is gone by the time Roscoe and his companions examine it. There's enough to taste and look at, but just barely. It looks fine to Roscoe's eyes.
"I have heard that such conjured water only lasts for so long before it disappears again. How long will this water last?""Ayita's got it right. It's gone in a day, if it ain't used. I don' mind donatin' a few minutes each mornin' ta make sure we can all wet our whistles--and ta make sure we git ta Magnimar on schedule."
Captain Antefalle is amazed by Doc Hatfield's magic. "This is why Tyalee was so wonderful. But she's gone. And what if you leave or are killed, Gregory Hatfield? It may be wise to fill the barrels with something more long-lasting? Not anything will happen to you, the gods forfend!"