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"I think Lord Scarnetti wanted to build a castle on it a while back. But hauling stone up those cliffs would cost a fortune. When he couldn't get the town council to help pay for it he gave up on the idea." Ameiko chuckles. "That was before Stoot moved over there."
"Well, you lot look like you could use a drink," says Ameiko as the group trudges back into the inn. "Considering the weather, maybe some mulled wine? Or I can make tea if it's too early?" She begins to pour a round for everyone. "You look rather glum. Everyone all right?" she asks.
"I appreciate that, but..." Ameiko shakes her head and takes a deep breath. "It's one thing to be in mourning. And another to be in mourning for two people, even though one of them killed the other. It should never have come to that..." Ameiko looks up then looks away again. "But all those other people! The ones who worked for my father, all dead! And now apparently I'm the one that has to look after all of them! I'm the 'Lady Kaijitsu' now, so they are all my people! Arranging a funeral for a dozen people..." "And on top of all that, that ass Titus Scarnetti has been sending his son Florentino over to 'look in on me.' It's pretty obvious what he wants. My father would never have allowed me to marry a Chelaxian but now that he's gone, Scarnetti wants to make his move to shore up his position on the council, and if he can arrange a 'Dynastic marriage' so much the better for him!" She shudders. "Oh, Florentino's not so bad, but he's just a pawn in his father's game." "But it really is too much. Enough to drive a girl to drink! Which... I think I will, as I do happen to own a tavern..." she grins blearily. She shakes her head. "Sorry, I don't mean to blather on. Go check on Das. You know where to find me."
"Welcome back!" Ameiko smiles as the group returns. "You look like you could use a drink," she says as she hops behind the bar and begins pouring. "So how was your first real dungeon crawl?" she asks. "I could never take all those gloomy enclosed spaces. Gave me the creeps. That's why I gave it up." Ameiko looks a little distracted as she talks. Sense Motive DC 22: Ameiko is trying to avoid talking about something... probably the death of her father and the other people at the Glassworks.
That evening, Ameiko comes down to the common room, carrying a small box. Though she looks worn, she smiles at the group. "Hi there," she says shyly. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that on my account... my brother, you see..." she stops, unsure what to say. "I really tried to help him. He wasn't always like that. But to work with goblins like that... I know he crossed the line. I just wish I could have done something." "Tsuto told me that he had got Father to use his influence to have the guard roster reduced during the Swalowtail Festival. So that 'more of the the guards could enjoy the festival.' He said he had some kind of leverage over father, though I don't know what it was. Father probably thought Tsuto planned to do some smuggling and needed an opening. I can't imagine that he knew it would be goblins that exploited the weakened defenses." "So... I know I didn't properly thank you for saving me. After what happened between us, Tsuto... well, he probably would have had to kill me. He just needed time to work himself up to it. So... thank you. For saving my life." She places the box onto the counter and opens it. Inside are a variety of flasks and bottles. "This is a bunch of stuff from my adventuring days. I haven't opened this box in a year or so, but it all should still be good. It's all yours. You folks should get better use out of it than I will." "And while we're at it, as long as I run the Rusty Dragon, your money's no good here. You can stay as long as you want."
At the mention of her new title and position, Ameiko quietly shakes her head and keeps her eyes on the floor, saying nothing.
"Easy. You're safe. Tsuto... he didn't give us much choice." He pulls out the journal. "We've managed to piece some clues together about what's been going on, but if there's any additional information you can give us about his plans, that would help. We were about to go to the town council with this." "Tsuto... he had plans to destroy the town. I knew he hated Father, but I never realized... nobody in this town ever took his side, aside from me. He thought I would feel the same way. He asked me to come with him. To get away from the attack, I mean." "He didn't tell me what was happening, beyond the fact that the Swallowtail Raid was only the beginning. The real raid will be much bigger. He didn't say how big." Ameiko shakes her head and looks away. "When I told him I wasn't coming, he went into a rage. He hit me... he never does that. But he lost his temper. Just like Lonjiku..."
"Ohhh...." Ameiko slowly comes around. She winces as she tries to sit up.
"Kargas? What?" she looks around at the room, confused for a moment. "I know this room..." she says distractedly. Then she looks up in alarm. "Where's Tsuto? He's done... he's done something terrible. I couldn't believe it. After all I've done for him... he has so much anger." Tears begin running down her cheeks.
"Th-thank you. You are an inspiration to us all. I only hope that I can be as strong as you some day." Ameiko gives Larana the eye. "Your father too, eh? Well, once you've got your own stake you don't need to worry about him." She raises her cup once again. "May we pick up where we left off, Miss--uh, Ameiko?" Ameiko looks at Kargas for a moment. "Ah, hell, why not? My father can go hang." She knocks back another shot and then rejoins Kargas on the dance floor.
"Miss Kaijitsu...are you okay?" Ameiko seems unfocused for a moment, but then smiles at Kargas wanly. "No, I'll be all right. I don't need him for anything, anyway. It's just that he can be so... insufferable. Especially since mother died," Ameiko muses, half to herself. She looks up at Kargas. "And call me Ameiko!" "It'll be ok Ameiko! How about some hot tea in the kitchen? " She looks at Floredana and smiles. "Tea... yes. No! This is a tavern! I think some strong alcohol is in order." She goes over to a locked cabinet and unlocks it, pulling out a large earthenware jug. She pulls out the cork and begins pouring the clear fluid within into some small cups. "This is called Umau. Came all the way from Sargava." She hands out the cups to those at the bar. The liquor has as pungent, earthy aroma. "This one's on me. Bottoms up!" she says, as she throws back the potent brew.
"I'm not going anywhere with you, you 威圧的なウインドバッグ！" Ameiko shouts.
...she gives Ameiko a smile and takes one of the wooden spoons. "Ms. Ameiko, would it be alright if I borrowed this? I'll return it, I promise!" She then slips it into her belt for later use. Ameiko is distracted by the conversation and almost doesn't notice Floredana's question. When it registers, she nods to Floredana and waves it off as if to say "help yourself, it's nothing."
Ameiko looks at Kargas with surprise. "Is this true what my father says?" Before Kargas can answer, she throws her hands up in the air. "It doesn't matter! This is my business and it won't run itself! If there are problems in Sandpoint then us Sandpointers must stay and deal with them!" She walks back around behind the bar, and returns to where the suckling pig sits on the carving platter. She picks up the ladle for spooning up the drippings and begins preparing plates. "This is a party and I am the hostess! I'm not going to run off in the middle of the night!"
"That's enough father! You can't come barging in here bellowing at everyone! This is my business and these are my customers!" Ameiko crosses her arms sternly. "If you're going to come in here and make a scene you can speak Taldane. It's rude to talk about others in a language they can't understand."
Ameiko turns and goes pale as she sees her father enter. For a moment she is at a loss for words.
Ameiko looks up at Kargas with a wry smile. "Well, well. Why Kargas! I'd be delighted. After all, you did bring home the bacon." She looks over at Cyrdak as she puts down her instrument. She steps onto the dance floor with Kargas.
When Amieko sees Rig and Shayliss head to the dance floor, she looks at one of her servers. "Here, take over," she says as she hands off the carving knife to the waitress. She heads into the back, and returns with a stringed instrument none of you recognize. She begins to play a rousing tune that Rig and Shayliss can dance to. The instrument has an eerie quality that makes the tune seem like it is coming from another world entirely. When Cade gets up to make his speech, she stops and quiets the strings with her hand. When he is finished she gives Cade a look. "Good companions are better than gold. Trust me, I know." She winks at Cade and goes back to playing.
Ameiko smiles. "Not finished attacking the boar? Your falchion would be too big a knife for this job! Ha! No, thanks, I can handle it. My waitresses are here, so I'm not on my own. You just make sure Sir Foxglove there doesn't get too drunk."
"Come and get it, you drunkards and freeloaders!" Ameiko calls out cheerfully. "There won't be any fancy table service with this crowd in here. Just come on up and I'll carve and serve you as you get here!" Ameiko begins carving as the crowd gradually starts queuing up to the bar.
"My, he's a big one, isn't he!" She leans back and smiles at the others. "It will take several hours to get him ready. A pig like that needs to cook for a fair while." She looks at the group. "Did you want to keep the head? It affects how I cook the thing."
Looking a the head of the odd creature, nobody in the party recognizes the creature. But as everyone talks, Ameiko comes over. "That... thing... is an ettercap. They are strange creatures, related to spiders. They're generally quite cunning. Their bite is venomous." "I'd really prefer you not leave the head on the table, though. Especially if some of its venom drips out of its mouth. If you like I can give you something to wrap it in?" "If you want to have that mounted, Lars Rovanky runs the Tannery in town and I'm sure he can do it for you. Though it looks like this specimen has seen better days. Even before you killed it, I mean."
"Good morning!" says Ameiko as the heroes come down to the common room. "There's fresh bread, fried eggs, and some ham. There's also porridge and a chicken stew - I had lots of leftovers from the festival stuff. The yellow color is from a Vudran spice." She nods at Rig. "You might recognize it. It's called curry." "By the way, you folks have a visitor." She nods towards one of the tables.
Kargas stands and starts collected mugs and glasses and carries them over to the bar, where he shyly asks Lady Kaijitsu if she wants any help with cleaning up. Ameiko laughs. "You're not used to being waited on, are you?" "Don't worry about it. We'll be busy late into the night, now that the town is secure. A lot of people will need a warm fire and plenty of company to feel like things are going back to normal." "If you are turning in, have a good night. We start breakfast about an hour after dawn, but there will be leftovers if you sleep in." She goes back to bustling around the tavern.
"Miss Amieko, do you have a spare room I could let?" "After everything that has happened, all of you are welcome to stay here. In fact, it's on me, for the whole week. If you're staying longer than that we can figure something out."
"Tell me, what crimes has this fairy tale committed?" "The Sandpoint Devil gets blamed for a lot of things," says Ameiko with a grin. "I don't believe the half of them. It's true that livestock sometimes goes missing, and all that is left is some blood and a few patches of skin. But that could easily be any number of things." "When a person disappears, well, that's more serious. But it still could be any number of things. Without witnesses, who knows?" "There is something out there though. You do hear it once in a while on foggy nights. Most people have the sense to stay indoors on nights like those."
"Hmph," says Ameiko, overhearing as she waits on nearby tables. "I heard that it's a wizard-warped beast that was created long ago, from a forgotten time. Perhaps from old Thassilon. It spent many years imprisoned, but was inadvertently released by some foolish treasure hunters."
Ohh you will like the ice wine if you enjoy Elven wines as much as I do. The grapes from the Arsmeril region have an undertone of earthiness... "So we have a connoisseur in the house! I find ice wine a little sweet for my taste - I prefer my drink to be bracing." "So some ale, mead, and ice wine. Coming up! Oh, and some rose water. That might take a couple minutes."
"I-I, er, I can come back after a bath if the blood's a problem..." Ameiko laughs. "On any other day I'd tell all of you to go take a bath. I could even draw you one, though my tub won't seat seven. But today we just had a pitched battle on the streets of Sandpoint... so some blood on the floor is the least of my worries. I was able to keep the goblins out of here, but by all accounts you did a great deal more." "So... mead, ale, and elven wine. Hmmm... I don't have anything from Kyonin, but I do have some ice wine from Arsmeril. Very delicate. Or I can recommend some good Chelaxian vintages."
"Well, what do we have here?" says Ameiko, the owner of the Rusty Dragon, as the heroes return for some relaxation and revelry. "From all the blood, I'd say you were in the thick of things. What'll you have?" |
