She finally finds a table and sits beside the female human where a cat suddenly appears. She looks at the cat adorably.
Cute, she thinks.
The barkeep quickly makes his way over to the gathering table for what he expects is a substantial dinner order. Once there though he does a double take "Ah Meredith, finally back in town eh? You know that last load of spuds you sold me were all stove up. Looked like someone had a rock fight with 'em, and some even had hats n extra googly eyes stuck all over." He's obviously referring to Nicole.
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”Uhmmm. I am Nicole Flames. I saw you dance up there and both of you were awesome!” she happily says. But her happiness turns into confusion and then into shame when Bella speaks to her. She does not understand at first, until it dawns her that she may have sat on somebody's unoccupied chair reserved by her.
”Uhm, I, I am sorry. The seat's already taken? I did'nt mean...” she immediately gets up from the seat and apologizes. ”Maybe I'll just find some other empty chair around here,” she tinily says and looks round just to find the inn so crowded.
She looks at the barkeep that makes her more confused. ”Meredith? Uh, no. I am Nicole. I think I should be going. Wrong place, sorry.” she tells the barkeep.
”I am sorry again,” she says again to Bella. She is actually not leaving. She'll just find an empty seat and order something to eat because she is hungry. Her stomach is growling.
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Sis, loosen up a bit.
Bella glances down at her wine glass.
"I should apologize to you, Madame Flames. I am unused to... customs beyond home. Please, sit. I insist." She gently moves her hand over the slightly less dusty seat and taps it. Her palm isn't too dirty.
"Family name Flames, given name Nicole... yes, you are on the list I had to meet. I am Sidare, given name Bella. I am pleased to meet you. This is Madame Rosemont, with Mister Midnight."
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Nicole is about to turn around when Bella calls her to have a seat.
"No, you should not be sorry, you are right, I was kind of rude just sitting without asking if the seat is taken," she shyly responds with a smile to Bella and takes a seat on the one Bella pats on.
As Bella introduces herself and the others, Nicole gives them a smile with a nod.
I think she is kind, but somewhat strict, she thinks as she looks at her and looks around the place to take away the awkwardness she feels.
"Do you work together or something? Some kind of a mission perhaps?" she finally asks.
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"The three of us are part of the Pathfinder Society." She clears her throat. "Report, Explore, Cooperate: These tenets three empower the organization as they travel around the world, exploring lost civilizations, combating nefarious forces and solving mysteries most foul." She takes a sip of wine.
"I have recently joined their organization, and they told me to meet Madame Rosemont and Mister Thunderbeak." She gives Mister Thunderbeak a sideways glance. "Seems like he would enjoy your company, at least for now."
She looks at the barkeep that makes her more confused. ”Meredith? Uh, no. I am Nicole. I think I should be going. Wrong place, sorry.” she tells the barkeep.
The barkeep gives Nicole one last long look before shrugging "Uncanny resemblance I guess is all. Must be your doppelganger or a distant cousin or something."
He pulls out a slate tablet and a piece of chalk "What can I get you fine Pathfinder folks for dinner? Maybe another round of drinks?"
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"U-um, Miss Bella is right, it's okay," Fran smiles at Nicole. "We're here on...on a break, I guess you could say. We just finished up a job for the Pathfinder Society. I think it was everyone's first job, or close to it. At least it was for me and Mister Midnight."
Finn's first *and* last...
Thinking of Finn makes the tears well up in her eyes and she quickly glances down at her mug, blinking rapidly.
"A-Anyway, um...our friend Scratch - he's another Pathfinder - said this was a good place to come for drinks and to just relax a little. He couldn't make it but I bet he'll be back soon. U-um...he's a little hard to miss, so you'll probably know him when you see him..."
Having - she hopes - blinked away her tears, Fran looks up as the barkeep comes back around to check on the table. "S-some stew would be nice, if you have any. With extra meaty bits, please."
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Bella corrects her posture. "I shall take your finest biscuit, with a serving of butter and honey." She glances at what passes for meat in this establishment and decides to skip it. "An assembly of salted nuts would be useful. Thank you."
"Mister Steeltoe's carriage requires a wash. I briefly saw him as he rode by."
Mmmm beer.
Scratch scratch scratch The sounds of chalk on slate take you back to your Pathfinder lessons not long ago as the barkeep takes your orders. He pauses for a brief moment as Bella orders, nodding after some thought. He heads off to holler at the kitchen staff.
As you enjoy your meal you notice a middle aged man making his way through the inn, stopping at numerous tables to converse. By the time you've finished he's made it to your table.
The troubled man speaks quickly, “Please, please! I need help! I could tell from across the room that you’re a group of honorable adventurers and I have been desperately searching for such folk to help me in my quest for justice! I beg you, help my poor elderly parents. A dishonorable Taldan nobleman has tricked my poor, naive parents out of everything they have! Their coin and any items of value were swindled from them, but their pride won’t allow them to ask for help." He pauses to look each of you in the eye.
“So, I must ask. My parents are good people who didn’t deserve this treatment. They’re kind and try to help others, and this is the thanks they get for trying to help someone they thought was in need. Please, won’t you help me retrieve what was taken? I know it doesn’t look like I have much of a reward to offer, but I promise you will have one from me and my parents at the end of this.”
The man's eyes light up in relief as Roark offers a seat "Thanks Roark, and the rest of you for hearing me out. My name is Wiston Drent." He smiles and nods in greeting at each of you before trying to answer Bella.
"His name is Malcolm Stanian, and I can only guess he did it because he knew he could and that my parents wouldn’t fight back. This is why it’s such a horrible thing to have happened and why I truly need your help to bring them justice."
Only the most desperate of Taldan nobles would have the need to prey on commoners in a foreign land. There’s likely more to this Taldan noble than meets the eye.
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Nicole turns around on her seat to see the desperate young man pleading for help. She silently listens and upon hearing his story, she clasps a hand on his mouth and mutters some words of sympathy.
”Aww. I feel sorry for you and you family. What a tragedy! Why would such a nobleman do such thing? Very unnoble of him! I am willing to help you and your parents find this culprit.” she says with some sense of assurance, looking forward that the other will help as well. She looks at the others to see if they will lend a hand to help.
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"U-um...he might not even be a nobleman," Fran pipes up, a concerned frown on her face. "Why would a noble from Taldor need or want to steal money from the common folk in a place that isn't even his home? I...I think there's more to this, somehow, but we don't know enough right now to guess what..."
Wiston's face looks hopeful at the group's reaction, although a bit more confused with Fran's response "You don't think he's a noble? That would make my parents even more the fools, ugh!" He groans, smacking himself in the forehead.
He looks towards Bella "I can take you all there right now and we can confront Malcolm together. You'll convince him to make things right."
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"Of course, let us make haste to this... Nobleman Stanian. If he is abusing his position I will personally duel him." She stands up just as Roark gets a bit too close. She turns towards him only to flush with embarrassment.
"My deepest apologies, Mister Thunder-bird. I will have to make it up for you at some point in the future. After we deal with this nobleman." She seems sincere in her apology.
"Madame Rosemont raises an important point. Someone of noble standing would send a tax collector, but we're not even in Taldor. We are missing vital information."
"Y-yes, I think so too," Fran agrees. "Mister Drent, um, how exactly did this man trick your parents? It sounds like they were trying to help him with something?"
"My parents are a bit old and the details I got from them a bit fuzzy, but somehow a small loan turned into something far more. Now, they're destitute and too embarrassed to do anything about it."
"Shall we go then?" Wiston rises after Bella "The place is over in the Coins. Won't take long to get there."
"Yes, me too Mister Thunderbird, although I'm starting to wonder if that's even his real name."
The group leaves the inn, following Wiston, evening has begun to step in and the shadows grow long. He leads you up through the streets along the Docks District towards his parent's home in the Coins. All of the inns and bars along the docks are in full bustle at this time of day. Loud drunks can be heard laughing and swearing after a long day of work.
Before long the sounds of sailors and the stink of the docks fades away and you've moved into a more upscale business district. A large, mostly empty market passes by. Both Nicole and Fran recognize this area as indeed the Coins District, and that large market is the Grand Bazaar. "Not much past the market and we're there."
You've noticed someone start to follow the group, not far past the market. They've been keeping their distance but you're sure they're following you.
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Bella relaxes as the sweat and low-rate alcohol smell fades away. The Grand Bazaar invites her with its wares, the haggling wordplay, and a bit of class. She takes a moment to gaze at a furnishings stand. A full length mirror gives her a chance to see her sister.
The fawn sits at a table, busy scribbling more notes in her journal. She looks up and waves to Bella before giving a side glance and pointing to Bella's backside.
She turns away from the mirror to her teammates. "Once we entered the marketplace, someone began following us. Be on your guard." She keeps her hands behind her back and continues to skip along.
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Lots of stuff to buy there at the Grand Bazaar. You can find weird things too, she tells to herself as she passes by the famous market. But as evening grows, Nicole feels anxious in the dark. Now that Bella warns them that somebody seems to follow them, she readies a dagger on one hand, and feels one of her lesser alchemist fire on her pouch.
vs Wiston
After Bella brings it up, everyone other than Roark picks out the figure that seems to be tailing the group, after seeing the group's aware, the figure fades away and is gone.
"We're being followed?" Wiston responds, obviously very nervous now. "We should maybe pick up the pace or? Its not much further, just down this street here.. Uuhh I'm gonna be sick, go on, I'll be right there." He coughs, running into a nearby alley and hurling behind a pile of trash.
The street ahead of you is obviously not the best looking neighborhood. If this is the Coins it sure is on the edge of it. Ramshackle homes with broken or boarded up windows are common. Any signs of store frontage are old and faded, either closed down or in rough shape.
What do you do?
Wiston wanted out of there and quick, and he's got a very generic vomit sound that lacks the tell tale splatter you'd expect.
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Nicole rummages inside her bag and takes out an empty waterskin. She gives it to Bella.
"I have one but I do not have water," she offers the waterskin awkwardly, leaving it to Bella's hand and and immediately follows Wiston, fake vomiting.
"Uhmm, Wiston, I think we should wait for you. If you are not really feeling well, it's not good to leave you here and show up to your parent's house telling, 'You're son is not okay but we leave him because he says so.'" she tells him and calls the others. "Hey, guys. He's here, he's not feeling well, would you mind waiting for him until he feels well? Or does anyone among you would check him up?" she shouts to others.
"Don't worry, Bella will get a water for you so you won't be dehydrated.' she tells Wiston like a concerned friend.
As Nicole heads to 'aid' Wiston's sudden sickness she can see a troupe of rough looking women coming down some stairs in their direction. The one in front points at her "Where do you think you're goin'? How 'bout you drops them weapons and backpacks for us eh?"
Just in front of you looks like a rotten old wooden door on the street, partially concealed by trash and shadows. Its a 5' square. Huh, there's another one a few paces ahead near blue too!
The green woman at the back though is ready, Nicole isn't sure if its her words that feel the most threatening or the loaded sling she's whorling over her head, either way its scary!
"I said drop your stuff, are you deaf or just dumb woman?"
Green
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Fran
Roark
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Blue
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Bella
Nicole (Frightened 1)
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Red
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"O-oh dear, looks like I was right," Fran gasps as the she manages to just catch sight of the first woman as she reaches the bottom of the stairs. "H-here, let me stack the odds in our favor!"
She calls upon her magic, conferring a small boon of sorts on Roark before drawing out her sling and loading it.
______________
Mmmm who doesn't like a good rock fight?
The woman in blue gets impatient waiting for an answer "Ain't you such a good sport Maili, givin' 'em a chance to give up. Maybe a stone to the noggin' will speed things up a bit!"
She moves down into the street, cocks back her own sling and lets a stone fly.. and fly it does! Then reloads.
"Always said you needed more time plinkin' crows Betty and less time wavin' at the fellas at the docks!"
Green
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Fran
Roark
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Blue
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Bella
Nicole (Frightened 1)
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Red
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Nicole becomes frightened at the sight of the not-so-wholesome women intimidating her to drop her things down, but she manages to warn the others about the traps.And fortunately for her, the sling bullet from one of those intimidating her, missed.
”Ah, eh, n...nooo. And th...” she turns back to her allies and warns them as she points to the rotten old wooden doors on the ground. There are tr...traps. Two!”
And runs back to her allies.
◆ Point Out Trap 1
◆ Point Out Trap 2
◆ Stride
"Look at you with your sharp eyes and blabbering tongue!" Hollers the green woman, sending a sling bullet smashing into the back of Nicole's skull when she turns to retreat.
Green
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Fran
Roark
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Blue
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Bella
Nicole 6/17
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Red
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The purfume from these women could kill a bulette at fifty paces.
Nonethless, she locks eyes with the woman in Blue. Her foot tapping reaches a steady rhythm.
"What fools! What fuel! Burns within you mind?"
"What clue? So soon? The trouble you will find!"
"But duel? Yes you! I accept, for I am kind!"
Sigh. My talents are wasted on them.
"If you're going to waste my time, then fine. I challenge you and your sisters to a duel." Bella holds onto Nicole's waterskin, keeping her left hand on her hip as she struts forward like she owns the place.
"Ooo, looks like we got ourselves some feisty ones here that need a hair cut!" Giggles Red as she moves next to Blue, slings a shot at Roark and reloads.
Green follows suit but reloads first before sending a bullet for the mouthy one: Bella.
Both bullets fail to come close to the advancing Pathfinders!
Green
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Fran
Roark
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Blue
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Bella
Nicole 6/17
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Red
Betty in Blue takes a piece of rubble to the ribs thanks to Fran's magic. She responds by slinging a bullet at Roark before retreating behind a building.
Green
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Fran
Roark
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Blue -5
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Bella
Nicole 6/17
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Red