... Maddy got out two gold coins from what was left from selling the scimitar. "We'll take six beds in the dorm room, with meals. And I think we each need a mug, sir. But you didn't say how much the drinks were..."
"I's written in chalk right there on the wall ... in another language, bu' i's got a little picture of a mug beside. Five coppers." Hue turned his head sideways. "The mug does kind of look like a pepper mill. You know what they say. Clarity makes for good signs and bad tea."
Maddy's cheeks reddened slightly as she hadn't seen the posted price. Here she was supposed to take note of their surroundings and potential threats to the group and yet she had failed to notice something so obvious.
"Thanks, Hue," she murmured.
Turning back to the innkeeper, she now had a better idea of how much everything would cost. She summed up their list, "Six beds with meals and a mug of ale for us all. So I should owe your about 15 silver, right?"
”A mug sounds mighty fine idea to me,” Precious murmured his fervent from the sidelines, as there was no reason for all of them to crowd up on the innkeeper. And that gave him plenty of time to look around the dim common room. Not that there was much to see. But really, any kind of solid roof and walls of worked stone around him felt right at home, after so many days spent in Kuo-Toa prisoner pens or on the boat – no matter how good a conversationalist that particular arrangement of planks and knot holes might have been, spending more than a few minutes with flowing water under one’s feet was tempting fate.
The group of drow, his gaze slipped past without stopping. He had very little personal experience with their kind – current company excluded, of course – but frankly he was more than happy to keep things that way. The party of deep gnomes with their goblin companion, on the other hand, was much more promising a sight.
The others did their best to get the innkeeper talking, and proving in the process the fellow either didn’t know, or rather, didn’t particularly want to know anything that went beyond running his actual business. Well, there would be other people to ask, and other places to do the asking, even, if the two parties in the inn wouldn’t be interested in perfect strangers asking questions. While he waited for the promised drink he tried to figure out what the gnomes were up to with their somewhat reluctant-looking goblin guide/scout/aide/something without actually walking over to introduce himself. Time for that if he got the sense the svirfneblin were not trying to deter unwanted attention to their business.
I hope someday you will dance under the stars, Kalanzar says in a whisper, glancing at his relatives. He leaves comrades to negotiate with the owner of the tavern. Kalanzar doesn't want to, but repeatedly returns his gaze to the drow and immediately looks away again. Do they know that House Mizzrym is looking for its fugitive slaves?
Paranoia... You're going crazy Kalanzar.
And yet he can't resist casually standing somewhere nearby and trying to hear part of the conversation...
"Thanks, Hue," she murmured.[/b]
Grateful she'd been quiet about it, Hue asked Stool to mentally transmit ::Please, call me Drongo Tipplegate:: and then he winked. He later added, ::I speak a little gnomish, i' isn' from the deep but may be helpful::
The innkeep nods and takes Maddy's money, then instructs one of his girls to make sure that 6 beds would be ready in the dorm. She nods and scuttles away. "Take a seat as you prefer, ale will be out shortly."
The deep gnomes were talking about their journey here, and how harrowing it had been. It would seem that the goblin had been part of a larger group that had been mostly killed, and had attached himself to the svirfneblin for safety. Several had bandages, and the goblin had a bad gash on the head that was mostly scabbed up.
The drow are talking about how unsettled the politics of Menzoberranzan are. However, one of the party quickly notices Kalanzar lurking nearby. He shoots the surface drow a glance, then snarls, "What's your business with us?"
With the business taken care of and beds secured for the night, Maddy could finally address the rumbling of her stomach. She hoped the food was warm and filling.
She dropped into a chair at a table that would seat their group should they choose to join her and she waited for the ale. They had enough money for another night but it would be best if they could find some sort of caravan leaving the city for either Stool's home or Jimjar's. As much as she wanted to get back to the surface, she needed to get them home first.
Maddy sent comforting thoughts to Dawn as she sat in the common room. As soon as they were back in their dorm room, Dawn would be able to shine again.
Mugs of warmed, spicy mushroom ale were brought to everybody. Jimjar drank his in a single go, smacking his lips happily before ordering a second. Stool tipped its head down, released a few .... tentacles? cilia? ... into his mug, which began very slowly to empty.
A few minutes later, bowls of hot, thick stew were brought out. Chunks a few different fungus varieties floated in it, along with a meat which was probably fish. Fungus-based flatbread was served with it - more of a cracker than a bread, which was satisfyingly crispy.
"What's your business with us?"
Kalanzar swallows.
I wanted to know the news of Menzoberranzan, but I didn't want to distract you. Haven't been there in a while..."Never" to be exact. As long as possible from some point of view.
Preciosu joined Maddy and the others at a table, waiting impatiently for the promised food and drinks to arrive. When the tankards finally arrived – thirst could make minutes drag their feet like weighted down with anchors, it seemed – he first frowned at the sacrilege of words “warm” and “ale” in the same sentence but took a suspicious sip, sucking in some air between tightly-closed lips as he mulled over the taste.
”A strange brew, but ain’t half bad, considerin’,” he stated aloud after a moment, his mind made on the matter. The warm, hearty stew and hard bread went down with less of a culture shock, and considering there had been few opportunities to cook food on the way here, considering Hemet’s rations and the lack of cooking opportunities or utensils, the dwarf had no complaints.
”While ye chatted up yon innkeeper, I managed to hear a few bits an’ pieces those gnomes were discussin’,” he said quietly, between bites and gulps. ”Them seemed mighty interested in the gobbo’s tale o’ woe. Them have seen plenty o’ combat on the way here, the goblin bein’ last o’ his bunch. Speaks well o’ the gnomes, I think, that they allowed one of his kind to join them an’ didn’t ditch ‘im the moment they got close ‘nuff to the city fer safety. Wonder if they be plannin’ a trip back where they came from soon? An’ wonder if they might want more swords alon’ fer the ride?”
”… an’ considerin’ the questions be unlikely to answer themselves…” he grunted after a thought and a pause, his eyes on the bandages and the fresh wounds they likely hid, the dwarf took one last gulp of ale, pushed back his stool and walked over to the other table.
”Sorry fer intrudin’, but can’t help noticin’ ye seem to have fallen into some trouble of late,” Precious said in Undercommon, tipping his antlered head at the gnomes. ”If we don’t be mindin’, I could offer ye a bit o’ healin’, a free gift with no obligation attached, from one traveller in strange parts to another,” he went on, brandishing his staff and quickly muttering the words of the incantation that caused another tiny flowering branch to grow from the wood, the flowers turning in moments into walnuts. He popped one in his mouth and chewed noisily, showing the things were safe to eat, before lowering the remaining handful of nuts on the table.
”These carry a potent blessin’ o’ healin’, they do,” he said. ”Could help git ye back on the path ye intend to take. An’ they be quite safe as ye can see.”
Maddy gave a contented smile, or at least as content as one could be lost in the Underdark, as she watched Jimjar's and Stool's response to the food and drink. In this small moment, they were safe and their needs were being attended to. With all the struggles since being kidnapped, this was the closest to the feeling of normalcy Maddy had had in awhile.
She devoured her stew, reveling in the warmth as it coated her insides. Sadly it was gone too soon and she sat quietly, sipping her ale. There was little she could do to converse with any strangers so she left it to the others to find out what they could.
Kalanzar swallows. I wanted to know the news of Menzoberranzan, but I didn't want to distract you. Haven't been there in a while...
"Never" to be exact. As long as possible from some point of view.
One of the drow, a young man, finishes a glass of dark red/nearly black wine says, "You're lucky, then. Half the city's been destroyed."
An older drow, looking similar enough to be related, scowls. "Hardly half. A few blocks of Duthclom and a good chunk of the Bazaar."
The first drow shrugs as if the details are unimportant. "Something big climbed out of Clawrift, then went on a rampage. It was bad. The priestesses are in a tizzy." He lowers his voice on the last word, glancing around is if afraid of being overheard by a drow woman.
Stool helpfully mentally translates this bit of dialogue for the rest of you.
”Sorry fer intrudin’, but can’t help noticin’ ye seem to have fallen into some trouble of late,” Precious said in Undercommon, tipping his antlered head at the gnomes. ”If we don’t be mindin’, I could offer ye a bit o’ healin’, a free gift with no obligation attached, from one traveller in strange parts to another,” he went on, brandishing his staff and quickly muttering the words of the incantation that caused another tiny flowering branch to grow from the wood, the flowers turning in moments into walnuts. He popped one in his mouth and chewed noisily, showing the things were safe to eat, before lowering the remaining handful of nuts on the table.
”These carry a potent blessin’ o’ healin’, they do,” he said. ”Could help git ye back on the path ye intend to take. An’ they be quite safe as ye can see.”
The goblin waits a few moments, then quickly takes one of the nuts, cracks the shell with the heel of his hand, then pops it into his mouth. His face lights up, and he goes to take a second.
One of the gnomes slaps his hand lightly, which makes him flinch away. "Our thanks, stranger," she says, as she cautiously sniffs one. Finally she crunches it, then grins widely. "Oh! That do feel good, don't it! That be a trick mighty handy on the roads these days, that it be. Were your trip here as woeful as our own? Monsters ever-where? It's such that honest merchants such as ourselves barely dare to travel, that be true, it do."
As the others enjoy their food and drink, Maddy notices a few rats scuttering around the corners, probably looking for crumbs. Nobody else seems to notice them, or at least not to mind them.
One of the gnomes slaps his hand lightly, which makes him flinch away. "Our thanks, stranger," she says, as she cautiously sniffs one. Finally she crunches it, then grins widely. "Oh! That do feel good, don't it! That be a trick mighty handy on the roads these days, that it be. Were your trip here as woeful as our own? Monsters ever-where? It's such that honest merchants such as ourselves barely dare to travel, that be true, it do."
”Ain’t been me idea o’ a holiday, lemme tell ye that,” Precious laughed affably, raised his hand for the spokeswoman to hold for one moment, went to fetch his soup bowl and dragged his stool to join the gnomes at their table. ”First time down below fer most o’ us, an’ the hospitality has thus far left somethin’ to desire. Precious o’ Clan Ironeater,” he introduced himself, nodding his antler-crowned head at the party. ”Pleased to meet ye. Now, I could tell some stories but I ain’t in a hurry to spoil me appetite, the first time I got some decent hot grub on me plate,” the image of the demon rising from the lake returned to his mind, unasked, and Precious blanched visibly as he forced the memory back to the deep, dark reaches of his mind where it belonged.
”We were lucky to git ‘way with what li’le we could carry. An’ now we be headin’ home. Homes, plural, even. Only as we be new in these parts we ain’t exactly sure o’ the best way.”
Hue sat and waited to eat. He kicked his feet a bit in a too-tall chair as he peered over the table. The drink came and he sipped at it resisting the urge to guzzle. The peaty tones of the ale were complex and earthy and he stopped to smell the drink. Then he snuck one of the mushrooms he ... procured ... out of his pants cuff and gave it a smell.
When the stew came he started in then slowly stopped to stare into the bowl like he was reading tealeaves. He plunged his spoon in and pulled out a few of the cooked fungi, padded them out on a piece of sleeve, and pocketed them. As he did he spoke under his breath not realizing it was aloud, "Well Mr. Hue, tha's jus' a sliver of gnome's cap ... Yes Sir and good eye bu' you may have overlooked the speckles ... I did Mr. Hue, I mos' certainly did and you're righ' to show them off 'cuz tha' means tha' there mushroom is a speckled gnome's cap and they're a tad on the rare side ... a good replacemen' anyway ... yup."
He looked over at Stool and was pleased to see the mycanoid taking something in.
Checking about he also noticed half his new friends were gone. ::Excusing me, Stool, but what are they saying:: He thought towards Stool - but not at him as that would be rude.
To one side was Kalanzar and the drow, and over there was Precious and the gnomes. He decided the later looked safer, got up from his chair (suddenly shorter for having stood up), and walked over to his dwarven companion's side. He stayed on the side that was most open to Kal in case trouble started.
He butted into Precious conversation, "<Trouble?!>" He blurted in gnomish but with his thick fisherman son's accent. "<As much as I've ever seen and I've seen a little more than half as much as any'd like to.>"
"<Attacked by an island. Strife, actual strife in a small township - with some of the worst sense of decorative sculpture, I might add. Monsters tall as a cavern with a hunger on fro thing's tha' run and yell 'NOOO! We're all gonna die!'. Tha's jus' since we few come together. And i's the coming together of jus' as desperate people as one's self tha' saves a person.>"
Hue realized he'd been a bit insensitive with his description of things and looked sheepishly to Precious.
"Don't look at me, ye put into words what I try very hard to forget," the dwarf said, shuddering in remembrance. "I ain't o' a mind to try it meself."
The gnomes nodded politely as Precious introduced himself. "Ever-so-pleased," the woman said. "I be Kudga Gemeye, and this be my hubby, Kirblir. Our daughters, Tutralla and Frootira." The two black-haired young-women bobbed their heads in unison, then took the introduction as permission to try a walnut. Both girls had scratches on their arms that had been badly bandaged, and Kirblir's left arm was in a sling.
"The glum gobbo here is called Bucket. Lost his tribe comin here, didn't he?"
Checking about he also noticed half his new friends were gone. ::Excusing me, Stool, but what are they saying:: He thought towards Stool - but not at him as that would be rude.
Hue sent the thought to Stool, but only got translations from the drow in return. It would seem that the myconid could only listen to/translate on conversation at a time, and he was more interested in what the drow were talking about.
However, the svirfneblin happily changed to speaking gnomish, though the goblin frowned - he clearly didn't understand it.
The gnomes look duly impressed by Hue's account of what they'd witnessed so far. "Attacked by an island! That's new to me, so it is. But we stays of the lake, so we do. Miners, we are, here to sell gems. These duergar are terrible clever at smithing, that they are, and some of them likes to fancify their goods, so they do. But this will be our last trip for some time, say true! Not worth our lives to sell our bits of precious."
Her husband patted her arm and nodded agreeably. "Say true, say true. It'll be back to Blindingstone after this, and there to stay. Not that home's been immune to the troubles, no it has not. But better there than here, or any other where, truly."
He looks up at Precious's antlers, and the others still sitting at the other table. "You're an odd assortment of topsiders, aren't ya? Don't see to many of your kind here, no sir. What brings you to this hot and smelly city?"
Kalanzar shudders when he hears that something has come out of the Clawrift. He immediately remembers the demon that came out of the lake. He often had nightmares about him. It's the heartbeat of His monstrous heart. That gaze. That aura of madness.
He sits down at the table with the other drow. Describe it to me. What... came out. Something in his intonation tells the rest of the drow that the guy is a little out of his mind, and also that he knows something and it's pretty serious. Two heads. Hands with tentacles. Huge. Right?
All the conversations swirling around her in languages she didn't understand became like a dull buzz to Maddy. She had nothing to focus on but her food and drink. It didn't take long for her to feel drowsy with a full stomach and feeling satiated.
However, one word did grab her attention and cause her to perk up. When she heard Blindingstone, she looked at Jimjar. "That's where you're from, right?"
Hue nodded to the gnomes as they spoke and translated to Precious, all the time with Stools translation of what the drow were saying in his head. He waited for Kudga and Kirblir to relay information to the pitiable Bucket.
Kalanzar shudders ... Two heads. Hands with tentacles. Huge. Right?
Hue realized someone was talking to him from a little distance and having been trying to keep half an eye on Kal he answered. He shook his head and switched from gnomish to common, "Yes siree! Two heads, like one of those gian' simian gobbs weren' enough. It was like the creature was saying, 'You know what'll really creep the pantaloons up their problem areas? I'll grow a second giant head beside the firs' one! Tha'll show them!'" He pantomimed ridiculously as he spoke.
"You're an odd assortment of topsiders, aren't ya? Don't see to many of your kind here, no sir. What brings you to this hot and smelly city?"
Hue was speaking gnomish again but the conversation Kal was having was still in his head, "<You're telling me. I was alone for days until I found these few being treated inhospitable-like by a mossy island and tha' was days and days ago... and we los' people." His voice became solemn. "One before we hit Blindingstone ... no sorry, not Blindingstone, ah, Sloopdoolplop ... rot'n'whatno' ... Sloobludop. And we los' one after.>"
He turned to his dwarven friend and said in common, "Poor Ksenia and , wha', Zayda, sorry we never knew eachother. And wha'ever happened to tha' Sarith?." then reiterated what Precious had said but forgot to switch back to gnomish, "And, I must say, a spot of work (we're not fussy as to wha') and a way upward is all we wan'."
He returned to common and Kal, "And long tentacles ... excuse me ten-ta-kles" Hue pronounced a second time carefully for fear of being misheard. "Two per arm, which, again I say is overdoing it a bi'. Longer than his body which was already way too long by about a hundred feet."
He whispered to himself in Halfling, "<Oh, Mr Hue, take care and don' go getting too excited ... I know i' Mr Hue, I was frightened my own self ... jus' take a breath ... kind of you to remind me Mr Hue, very kind.>"
Hue called back to Kal but accidentally in gnomish, "<Phew! We barely go' ou' of tha' place withou' faithfully being devoted all over the cold shore stones.>"
Hue looked to Precious, nodded and then thought to Stool, ::Why do I keep getting word pictures of a place called 'Blindingstone'? Hey, are you ok??? Maddie, is Stool ok?::
Hue stopped a moment and remembered his seven older sisters and meals around the table inside the old warren. It would have been the sisters, Muter and Fater, the Gaff, who's name was Hoemas, and there was venerable Nell, his two uncles and three aunts. They'd all be talking at once and you only got licks of information as they moved between their own subject and listening to the conversations of others.
For the first time since he last saw them all he realized.
He missed them.
It didn’t take Precious long to realize it was futile to try and get a word in edgewise so he shrugged and picked up his spoon – there was still a bit of the stew left, after all.
He looks up at Precious's antlers, and the others still sitting at the other table. "You're an odd assortment of topsiders, aren't ya? Don't see to many of your kind here, no sir. What brings you to this hot and smelly city?"
”Odd? Aye, I reckon we are,” the dwarf sighed when he realized Huet had actually stopped talking. ”Git odd in spades. Anyway… ye mentioned ye hailed from Blindingstone? I’m thinkin’ one o’ ours be callin’ that city home. But he’s never been to these parts, so he ain’t got a very clear idea o’ the best route back. Ye be intendin’ to head back once yer business here be concluded? If so, would be mind some company on the road? From what we have seen, there’s safety in numbers.”
Stool, translating the drow conversation, starts to get mixed up once Hue starts adding to it. Soon the little myconid is trying to translate everything that's coming through to him, and the result is a headache-inducing loud babble of several conversations.
Jimjar looks up at Maddy and nods. "That's the main city of my people around these parts. And I bet those folks know how to get there!"
The drow, not understanding Hue's words, seem to realize that he's adding to their conversation, and look mightily confused. They affirm to Kalanzar, "We didn't see it directly, but that sounds like what others have described."
The deep gnomes seem to take Hue's conversational quirks in stride, though bushy eyebrows are raised when he switches to common. "Visited the fish folk, and escaped with your lives? That were lucky, so it was! Terrible folk, they are, them's one reason we stay off the lake, so we do!"
Turning back to Precious, Kudga says, "Oh, we'll be going home when our business here is done, that we will!" She looks over the rest of the ragtag group and hesitantly adds, "Well, you've come this far, so you have, so you must be doing something right. If you can bring your own supplies, and defend yourselves, I suppose we can come to an arrangement. We'll have to confer," she motions to her family, "so we will, yes, so we will. But we'll be five days in Gracklstugh at least, that be true."
Carefull team, invisible thief Alexnadra quitly announced to the team, before switching into a cooing gentle voice.
Привет, малыш, чьи блестки ты ищешь? Надеюсь, не наши? Мне было бы очень грустно, если бы это было так! Вы же не хотите огорчать такую Леди, как я? Alexandr whispers towards the air in Abyssal
Но, возможно, вместо этого существуют возможности для бизнеса?
Hey, kid, whose glitter are you looking for? Not ours, I hope? I'd be very sad if it was! You don't want to upset a lady like me, do you?
But perhaps there are business opportunities to be had instead?
Thank you. Kalanzar hesitates to share with the drow that he saw this creature. Surely they will sell the information... Jimjar, are you planning to go home? I think it's a good idea to take a breath before embarking on new adventures. He winks cheerfully at the deep gnome, although he is not having fun at all.
Turning back to Precious, Kudga says, "Oh, we'll be going home when our business here is done, that we will!" She looks over the rest of the ragtag group and hesitantly adds, "Well, you've come this far, so you have, so you must be doing something right. If you can bring your own supplies, and defend yourselves, I suppose we can come to an arrangement. We'll have to confer," she motions to her family, "so we will, yes, so we will. But we'll be five days in Gracklstugh at least, that be true."
”Five days, eh? An’ I assume ye gonna spend some o’ that time right here?” Precious asked. ”If so, I thank ye fer the very welcome invitation. We gonna take a little time to rest our weary bones an’ see what we may see here, an’ consider our options. If we end up takin’ up yer offer, I’ll let ye know.” the dwarf stood up and gave the gnomes and their goblin companion a quick bow, turned to leave, then hesitated, muttered another incantation and dropped a second handful of enchanted nuts on the table.
”Fer yer health,” he said, nodded, and returned to the party’s table to retell the tale – in case Stool hadn’t already got the message across.
”So, that’s one option fer gettin’ out to a more hospitable locale,” he murmured. ”We git time to look fer other offers, but this one seems pretty decent if we don’t find somethin’ really temtpin’.”
Maddy smiled when Jimjar confirmed she had remembered correctly and that he was from Blindingstone. "That's great!" There was something hopeful about getting one of them home again. That meant she was a step closer to getting herself home.
Precious' conversation with the deep gnomes and Kalanzar's with the drow no longer registered concern for Maddy; however, she frowned slightly when she noticed that Alexandra was having words with someone or something Maddy couldn't see. Was this a new threat and something she should be on guard about? The young woman straightened in her chair, her drowsiness melting away at the prospect of a new threat.
Alex hears the small voice, the words clear despite the low volume. "Ой! Уродливый человек говорит как Госпожа! Здесь используется слово леди! Как будто Госпожа будет «вести дела» с отвратительным топсайдером. Должен сказать ей, должен сказать ей."
”Five days, eh? An’ I assume ye gonna spend some o’ that time right here?” Precious asked.
The svirfneblin bobbed her head and said, "Well, we won't be doing business here, surely not, but we'll be resting here until we depart."
Jimjar looked back and forth between Maddy and Kalanzar. He took a moment, then nodded. "Yes, time for home, despite the fun times we've been having."
Once everybody was sat back together again, Jimjar said softly, "What was that about? Aren't we all trying to get home?"
Probably small, flying, invisible. Do I know what it could be?
Not that not knowing what it is will stop me from b%#!!$++ting it.
Хороший маленький Квазит, так охотно служит своей госпоже. И так быстро убегает. Возможно, я сам сообщу вашей хозяйке о ваших возможностях. "Топсайдер"? Возможно, твое умение видеть сквозь маскировку стоит немного улучшить?
Alexandra, in her best high society Abyssal,
Good little Quasit, so eager to serve your mistress. So quick to flee. Perhaps I shall inform your mistress of your capabilities myself. "Topsider"? Your skill in seeing through disguises could perhaps see some improvement?
Some thieving small invisible thing that flies and speaks abyssal is around She informs the party.
Once everybody was sat back together again, Jimjar said softly, "What was that about? Aren't we all trying to get home?"
Maddy shrugged, having not caught a lot of the surrounding conversations. Keeping her voice soft to match Jimjar's tone, she said, "I thought so too, Jimjar. I know I'm trying to get home but I need to get you and Stool home safely first. It's good that we've found friendly beings traveling to your home. Safety in numbers and all that. Although I'd rather not stay five days. We'll have to sell some more items if we stay that long."
Maddy was instantly on guard when Alexandra warned them about what was going on around them. She pulled her backpack onto her lap and made sure none of her belongings were easily snatchable.
The fact is, Jimjar, that our houses are still in different places. We won't all be home at the same time, and I'll be glad if you get home as soon as possible. Kalanzar smiles calmly and encouragingly.
Kalanzar listens after hearing Alexandra's warning. His knowledge of abyssal is slightly inferior to hers, but still he can usually understand every word.
One or two stars-tattoos that are not hidden by clothes begin to glow a little (barely noticeable). You know that this may be a sign that the druid is ready to attack.
Hue followed Precious back to the table but kept his eye on the drow.
Some thieving small invisible thing that flies and speaks abyssal is around She informs the party.
The muddled halfling giggled like Alexandra was joking. It took half a minute for him to register what she'd said. He suddenly sat bolt upright, sort of tossed his stew spoon, and checked his hiding places. "If i' wen' and took my mushrooms .... jus' coun' them ou', Mr Hue ... I forget how many though, Mr Hue ... lucky thirteen, sir, pluse the three from the stew ... one, two, three ..." Needless to say, he lost sight of what the drow were up to.
The fact is, Jimjar, that our houses are still in different places. We won't all be home at the same time, and I'll be glad if you get home as soon as possible. Kalanzar smiles calmly and encouragingly.
”Aye, and I fer one would be more comfortable lookin’ for the next caravan or guide to take us to Stool’s home in Blingdenstone than here,” Precious murmured, unable to ignore the ancient grudges of the dark and surface dwarven people, and what it might mean to lonesome him in the bowels of the beast.
Some thieving small invisible thing that flies and speaks abyssal is around She informs the party.
Reflexively trying to look around and see a thing he had just been told was invisible, he sighed. ”Well, hope it ain’t tryin’ to make a livin’ outta us, fer it might just starve on the meager pickings.”
The three drow nod to Kalanzar and turn back to their conversation. One, however, keeps half his attention on the drow that chooses to hang out with such a motley gang of peoples.
The voice gives no answer to Alexandra, but you all hear an exasperated grunt when Maddy pulls her bag onto her lap and clutches it tightly.
Hue checks carefully through his mushroom collection, and discovers that they are all accounted for.
”Aye, and I fer one would be more comfortable lookin’ for the next caravan or guide to take us to Stool’s home in Blingdenstone than here,” Precious murmured, unable to ignore the ancient grudges of the dark and surface dwarven people, and what it might mean to lonesome him in the bowels of the beast.
Stool chimes in mentally ::Neverlight Grove! That is my home.:: It sends you a picture of a cavern, lit with beautiful phosphorescence, and enormous fungi.
Jimjar looks mournfully at his empty mug. "I don't think waiting here for 5 days would be terrible."
I think we should explore the area for any "adventures" and other opportunities that may arise. I would be combat capable with just a short rest. Alexandra offers neutrally, and then proceeds to regard the observant drow with a wink, politely letting him know that she knows he is looking.
Kalanzar approaches the bartender. Where in your city travelers who are not deprived of magical and military talents can find a job? We need a coin that we can spend in your tavern. Drow tries to be charming.
Hue looked about after Alexandra's suggestion and nodded, "I can work."
The bartender shrugged. "Why, here, I suppose. Or up at the tavern. Adventurers be your likeliest bet. Or, you could try the docks, if you've a strong back - they always need porters. But Gracklstugh's not a good place for outsiders, specially topsiders, to try to make their fortune."
Maddy clutched her bag all the tighter as she heard an exasperated noise around her. She looked sternly at the surrounding air, hoping that whatever was there would go away. She had enough problems dealing with threats she could see so she didn't need invisible ones too.
This made her think of something and she projected at Dawn, Can you see things that are invisible?
As the others began talking about finding work, she added her voice to Hue's, "I can work too. I'm best with animals but I haven't seen any familiar animals down here...but I'm strong."
"Well, we have those five days to spend however we may 'fore yon gnomes set out," Precious said, yawning. "Could do to earn a few coins in the meantime, assumin' we find a decent job in need o' doin'."
Drow shrugs and returns to the table.
The bartender shrugged. "Why, here, I suppose. Or up at the tavern. Adventurers be your likeliest bet. Or, you could try the docks, if you've a strong back - they always need porters..."
Hue glossed over the unwelcoming bits and pondered, "Adventurers huh" He bit his lip and talked through it, "Adventurers." A little pause. "No one needs mushroom collecting? I pretty good a' mushroom collecting ... oh well, le's be adventurers. Do you know any???" He looked about the room like a few might be hidden in the corners.
This little world they'd found themselves in seemed to be a little blurry and, although he wanted to make headway, Hue didn't feel like he was up to more chit-chat. His recent verbal juggling had taken all of the sail out of him. :Is someone gonna tell the owner there's an invisible pick-pocket flying about?:
He instead decided to head back to the room. As he did so he looked at the table tops. Had people been carving into them? Did anything look new? Anything with a 'The' in front of it? Like 'The Ravagers' or 'The Skull-Makers' or anything that looked like an adventuring party name???
He reached for his mushroom log book to jot it down,
realized for the floppity-teenth time his book and bag and everything were gone,
closed his eye and his fists,
vibrated with frustration,
released,
took a breath,
made a mental note of the scratchings,
and went to bed.
The long days of escape, fear, and exhaustion - coupled with a belly full of warm food and ale - finally caught up to you. It didn't take long for the draw of a warm bed to pull you towards the dorms.
The room is low-ceilinged, dark and a bit chilly. But the beds have pillows and warm blankets. Dawnbringer lights up the room, although Maddy convinces her to dial it down to a gentle glow. You all sleep soundly.
The next morning (or whatever serves for morning in this underground domain), you gather in the common room to find the same food on the menu. It would seem that the people in Gracklstugh don't have much concept of "breakfast food".
The dining room is busy this morning. A group of kuo-toa sit together, quietly eating while being monitored by their "whip". A noisy group of goblins takes up two tables - they are laughing and telling loud stories, and seem to be celebrating. A tall, broad cloaked figure sits alone in a corner, nursing a drink but not eating. Finally, a group of three humans and two half-orcs sits together. They are all muscled, tattooed, and every other word is a curse, either in common or undercommon.
* A heart with some unknown runes inside of them
* A row of tally marks, with a crude, tusked smiley face beside it (the last few tally marks and the face are pretty fresh).
* In common, THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE GULL
* A fair few crude carvings of phalluses. Phalli?
* The words, Damn Derro!
The rest is in languages you don't understand.
Alexandra, I suggest you talk to humans. They must be surface dwellers and guess how to get out. But be careful. They are almost certainly bandits. Kalanzar frowns at the guests. I also suggest that no one should go one at a time, at least two at a time. And it's better all together. This city is not safe. The drow himself approaches kuo-toa and tries to clarify whether someone survived in the cursed city of Sloobludop.
I also suggest that no one should go one at a time, at least two at a time. And it's better all together. This city is not safe.
Hue hoped only to be helpful, "Before we all go and have ourselves divee'd up in groups of two or greater, keep your ears peeled for something called The Brotherhood of the Gull. Whoever wrote onto such a table over there knows common speach and the carving was all in big letters, ominous-like. Either something to find or something to stay clear of???"
"Also, there's someone here doesn' like someone called 'Derro'. They wrote a little deep into this here table 'Damn Derro'. Should keep clear of tha' feud." Hue got stuck on the name Derro. He was sure he heard it before.
"Mostly, I think we should try to find a group, very prolific. I saw there sigil carved all over the place. I think they're probably called something like 'The Phallus Gang' or somesuch. They seem to need help. All of their team logos were a little differen'like they don' seem to have a real idea of who they are." Hue stopped and thought for a while. His face turned red. "Um, never mind abou' tha' las' one."
___
Hue nodded at Precious and Jimjar to follow him the the goblin's table, "Excuse me but would you know anywhere a fella could go for really dangerous work for lots of money? I heard The Brotherhood of the Gull had some work but, I don't know, I don't want to get too far into the politics." He tried hard to sound like he knew what he was talking about and went out on a limb to do it. When he talked about The Brotherhood he watched for their reaction.
