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The Halfling waitress responds to Garrath, "I doubt there were really any demons on the barge. I just call it that. Before it sank, it took most of our business away. We were about to have to close the tavern. As to the Black Arrows, they just stopped coming. We don't know what happened." When Garrath puts the gem on the table, she smiles at the Shoanti Barbarian, It's very pretty. But, keep it. I have nothing more I can tell you." The Black Bear Stew is savory, if a bit gamey.
The Halfling waitress responds to Garrath, "You see that Halfling over by the bar. He is one pain in the arse." She lets out a hearty laugh, "Nah! That be me husband." She then gets a little more serious, "Actually, since the demon barge sank several weeks ago, things have gotten a little bit better. But then the Black Arrows stopped dropping in, and we are starting to get some kind of worried about that. But generally speaking, there are good folk here in Turtleback Ferry."
At the Ramblehouse, only a cold bath is available in the wee hours of the morning. Cham does get up and looks at the party. She whispers, "Shhhh! Guest are still sleeping." The biased Halfling heads downstairs to prepare breakfast.
As the horses are stabled at the Goblin Squash for the night, the tired adventurers make their way to the friendly confines of the Rusty Dragon. The Halfling Brathana, excitedly greets the party, "We have a table for you. I will be bringing out Roast Duck cooked with Oranges, the spiced potatoes and carrots. But first Elven Wine for my lady." She will look at Elektra as the party begins to sit themselves. "Dwarven Ale for you," she acknowledges Brandark. "I will bring out a pitcher of the cool fresh spring water," she offers a slight bow to Kelvin. "The local Stout or perhaps something else?" Brathana will inquire of Garrath, the young girl smiling and clinging on to the big Barbarian's shoulder. "And what can I get for you? The Hard Cider perhaps?" the Halfling will look at Stone.
Cham will look at Kaos and shake her head "no"
Cham brings Kaos a pint of the local stout, "That'll be two silvers.
Cham will look at Kurst then look down, "No. They can stay. But it will cost me 10 golds to replace these runners."
Cham will look at Kaos, "No. This is not the first time I have had problems with thuggish Tall-folk. I had the Town Guard make them leave. And I had nothing to do with this. It is all you Tall-folk that fight and kill each other." Cham will look at the dead woman bleeding out on her runners.
Cham comes up the hall, "More trouble! More trouble! My my! Look at the blood on my runners. This will not do. You need to leave the Ramblehouse. It is clearly not safe with you here." The exasperated Halfling looks at the party as a whole. The Ramblehouse begins to stir as guest after guest begins to look out their rooms to see what all the commotion is about.
Cham will look at Agna, "I understand. I owe it to Rodrik anyway to maintain his privacy ."
"Rodrik's father Jagrin is known to have a great dislike for Half-Orcs," Cham will respond to Kaos.
"Oh my! No wonder he kept it a secret," Cham will ponder further the ramifications.
"Kurst may be at the Sanctuary. I believe that is where they took Rodrik's body." Then the Halfling will look at Kaos curiously, "Rodrik had a girlfriend? She will then look at Ragnir, "I don't know anyone named Melira."
"Only the rooms with desk. Regular customers are aware of the compartment. They can keep valuables in it when they are away from the room," Cham will respond to the familiar Trunaun Dwarf.
Rodrik's room Perception DC 17:
You will find a receipt for the purchase of a Hopeknife wedged between the bedpost and wall. Rodrik's room Perception DC 19:
You find a secret compartment in the desk in Rodrik's room. The secret compartment is empty. Cham will go and open up the Mystery Man's room. "A bunch of Half-Orcs and other thuggish tall-folk stayed in the inn about a week ago. They trashed several rooms marking graffiti on this room. We have been unable to wash off the markings. It cost considerable gold to restore the rooms. I have been hard up for coin," the Halfling will give Anga a glance. The markings are white and looks like crosses or swords. The markings are otherwise unintelligible. Mystery Man's room Perception DC 19: You will find a secret compartment in the room's desk. There is a note to a Merina in the compartment.
"His room was on the other end of the hall. I have not been in it since yesterday morning. It is one of the rooms previously vandalized," Cham is working on trying to help as best as she can.
Cham pulls a key off a ring full of keys and hands it to Haskyll, "When you are finished with the room, just return the key. "
Cham will look at Haskyll, "I will not touch the room until you say so." When Anga speaks, Cham breaks down into tears again. "He was Human, brown hair. I don't know. All Humans look alike to me, except that one," Cham points to the overly tall Human Kaos.
Cham looks at Ulfgard then breaks down further into fearful sobs and quickly explains herself. “He refused to give me his name,” she manages between gulps of air, “and he paid me a fistful of gold. He said he’d be gone before sunrise. I didn’t ask any more questions. I had no idea that something like this would happen!” It is clear that Cham will be fully cooperative going forward. Later Cham will look at Ragnir, "The militiamen took his body. You will need to ask Kurst about where they took it. I don't know."
Cham will look at Kaos and the rest of the party, "I found Rodrik’s body this morning when I knocked on his door to wake him up, as he’d requested the night before. I screamed and fainted when I saw Rodrik lying on his bed. He was bloody and still, his vacant eyes gazing toward the ceiling. She begins to cry. "Apparently other Ramblehouse residents heard the ruckus. They must have called the militia. I just remember waking up with one of the militiamen hovering over me. I don't recall anything else," Cham cries more putting her face into her hands. Sense Motive DC 15: She is hiding something. A DC 15 Diplomacy or Intimidate check may reveal more.
Shortly after the conversation with Kurst, Cham leads the party to Rodrik's room. Rodrik's body has been removed. This sparse room contains only a single cot and a writing desk. The cot is a cheap affair with a straw-stuffed mattress, now stained red with blood and stripped of its linens, while the desk is a slightly nicer piece of furniture that has nonetheless been chipped and worn by time. A cracked window in the southern wall is the only exit other than the room’s door.
"Time to go! I am locking it up. We need to get up to the Commons," the brash Halfling orders tall folk and short folk alike out of her Inn.
Welby grins at the Halfling, "Now you know I am one artifact away from being rich Cham...I don't guess you could put it on my bill?..." Cham will come up and rub the fur under his chin, "Welby you know I don't keep a tab. Too many tall folk don't live long enough around here to settle their tab."
Cham will look at Anga, "All in town are welcome to the Commons. As far as Giants go, most of you are Giants to me, especially that one." The Halfling will point to the really tall Human. . "He was too big for our beds, so we added a chest to the end of the bed for his feet." Cham will say this so loud that Kaos can hear it.
Cham will give Janek a sweet smile and whisper to him, " We actually only have one ale." She then moves on to serve other customers. Cham will begin to give Haskyll another Ale, then hold it back, "This is the last one, then we have to go." Cham drops the tankard in front of one of the residents to the boardinghouse, then continues to take care of other customers. Cham will look the ratfolk mage and respond, "If you have the coin, then you can buy a barrel. Then you can take the barrel where ever you like." She gives Welby a big grin.
The Halfling rolls her eyes, "You back again?" Cham brings Kaos a Dwarven Ale. "If you make us late for the Ceremony, I am sitting on your shoulders."
A Female Halfling brings you a Dwarven Ale, "I have not seen you around before. Name's Cham. That'll be two silvers. Beds are 4 silvers for the night." The Dwarven Ale brought in by Ragnir Redblade is the finest of its kind, hearty with a slight fruity flavor.
Cham brings Citra some of the Hopespring water in a wooden mug. The water is amazingly clear and fresh. "Sure tall fella," the Halfling brings the Half-Orc a Stout.
When Cham sees Aaron she quickly readies a mug of Stout, "Drink it quickly. We don't want to be late to Ruby's Hopeknife Ceremony. Halgra would not be pleased." "And what can I get for you?" the Halfling looks curiously at the Dwarf Woman Anga.
"Thanks for bringing in those barrels," Cham reaches under the bar and hands Ragnir a large salt encrusted pretzel. She then leans over and whispers, Ragnir: "You are little tall for me, but thanks."
Szacha looks at Cham, bending forward to get a closer look at her: "Now, a Hopeknife and no ceremony. That's a story I'd like to hear!" He takes a sip of beer, but doesn't take his eyes off her. "And not one I am willing to tell," she gives Szacha a wink and goes about serving the others.
"Never went through the Ceremony, but I have my Hopeknife none the less," the feisty little Halfling responds to Szacha. When the pale blue woman makes her request, "just Cham, no Mrs.; and can't help you with your water request either. We have a couple buckets of water from the Hopesprings in the kitchen. It is good water. Or I can offer you Dwarven Ale, Trunau Stout or a Korvosan Red Wine. The Ale is two silvers. The beer one. And the wine a gold piece per bottle, or two Chelaxian gold pieces," she spits into a brass urn sitting on the floor. The urn was a good eight feet away, and she nailed it.
Cham rolls her eyes as she serves another Ale, "It is this evening. In just a couple of hours. We need to hurry if we want to get good seats at the Commons. I have enough trouble looking over all you tall-folk." Though Cham is talking to Dwarves, she still considers them tall-folk.
Cham will give Ulfgard a sharp look, then shake her head and smile, "You may not be of Dorn's blood, but you sure do act like him." Cham gives her longtime acquaintance a mug of Ale.
The Halfling looks at Haskyll and gives him a humph sound, "One Ale, but make it quick."
At the one Inn in town, the proprietor Cham, a Halfling and long-time resident, though not a native of Trunau, is gathering her staff and closing the Inn. "Come on everybody. We need to get up to the Commons. We don't want to miss the Ceremony. That means all you tall-folk as well."
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