TRK remains stoic but he seems to favor his left side. Could it be he sustained some massive injury?
"Thank you for your kind words, Sir Kornelius."
"The good Father is available if you need some healing, Sir Knight," says Falcon.
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Falcon Warchild begins to ask around for 'The Rogue Knight'. "Is Sir Knight still under the weather?"
After applauding, Falcon Warchild rises and speaks. "A relic found in the Cinderlands bore these words. No one knows to whom it refers: "Rise up, Lord;
"Rise up, Lord;
"Rise up, Lord;
"Rise up, Lord,
Falcon then turns to Ehlissa and Kallista. "It's not Shoanti in origin. Shoanti women are not expected to be mild."
"Well, unfortunately, there doesn't seem anyone left to joust against ...," says Falcon Warchild apologetically. "It seemed that Kallista intended to joust but has since changed her mind."
Falcon Warchild notes the score and announces the current rankings to the crowd.
"Father, let me try just once more to find 'The Rogue Knight'," responds Falcon. "Ah, it's ... you," says Falcon, uncertain of what to call 'The Rogue Knight' but fairly certain both 'Mr. Knight' and, the less formal, 'The Rogue' are out. Falcon gestures towards the field. "The crowd is getting restless."
"Father, let me try just once more to find 'The Rogue Knight'," responds Falcon.
Falcon Warchild searches the jousting field, "Has anyone seen a 'Mr. The Rogue Knight'," he asks reading a piece of parchment in his hands.
Falcon rolls his eyes at Kerrigan's sneering attitude towards hors d'œuvre and takes a few with a gracious nod.
"And me," growls Kargan Rowel. "We await others," replies the young monk calmly.
A man in loose fitting clothes, steps forward with a soldiers helm. He draws stones from the helm on which have been scratched decent likenesses of your shields.
Whatever was bothering Falcon moments ago has faded. He is now rolling his eyes at his adoptive father's speech and shouting him down with "Braggart".
Falcon shoots Manfred a glance.
Spoiler: Falcon seems jealous.
The audience applauds politely but it is clear they are expecting less truth and more bravado. Falcon, who has heard much of your story, elbows Hru, "Tell them about the river journey!"
The audience applauds and then turns to you. There is a pause as they wait. "It's your turn," says Falcon Warchild. "Each speaker must outdo the next. Just take your cue from Darby. He makes opening the door sound like mission from above." The audience waits for one of you to continue the story.
Kornelius accepts Ovirid's aid and gets down from his horse. One of the young men training with Falcon in the arts of unarmed combat comes and takes the horse from you with a nod to Falcon. Another walks quickly ahead of you and gets the guards to open the gates to the inner keep where Kerrigan's home, the military stables, and the handful of functionaries that keep the keep running reside. Falcon looks very curiously at you but says little, "It looks like you have news. Hold on. Too many ears."
"Separately weak but together strong for each had strengths the others lacked," smiles Falcon.
Sir Manfred, having leaned forward to listen to Falcon's recital, leaned back now and said; "A magnificent saga of heroes Sir Falcon! This has a historical ring to it. Is there more to the story?" "Well, ... the Shoanti are an oral people. There 'history' continually changes to reflect the present. It is quite likely that the two members of the nine dragonclad who died only did so after the tribes they were from died about 1000 years after the ballad was first composed ...," says Falcon excitedly.
Falcon Warchild looks uncomfortable. He looks uncomfortably at the men looking at Yin. He looks uncomfortable at his father's grin. He looks uncomfortable at Manfred's question. "I have not and will not pick up the sword or shield. I have vowed to use my fists and staff. Men can act in anger or foolishness. Swords result in very fatal consequences," he looks at his adoptive father as he says this.
"I mean, less deadly than pulling daggers on each other?""Or, less deadly than sitting down reasonably and discussing their disagreement?" "Or the danger of the men killing each other instead of reasonably discussing their issues?"
"I mean, less deadly than pulling daggers on each other?" "Or, less deadly than sitting down reasonably and discussing their disagreement?"
Falcon seems confused by Yin's response. "So ... you will stay for a few more days but his contact ... Are you going to Korvosa or Kaer Maga or whereever his contact is then?"
"Yintarah, do you have any more questions for this man?" "We can keep him here in our cellars. Turning him over to Korvosan law would be bad for morale ... most of our soldiers have been at odds with Korvosan law at some point." Later ... "Yintarah, do you wish to return to the Mindspins? What would take you back there. If you need adventure, father has been looking for some people he can trust to clear the Caves of Chaos. Perhaps, Manfred and maybe you and Kornelius could help?"
"He's not talking," says Falcon, "I'd rather not bring him to my father until he does. ... My father can be ... ummm ... rather persuasive."
"There won't be time," says Falcon, "She's dying!"
Yin:
Spoiler: Falcon looks at Yin with concern: "Shhh ... someone just went into the room two down. But ... I thought that room was empty. He seemed nervous when he saw me..." Before Falcon is finished speaking, Yin hears a scuff behind her. She turns just in time to see a man reach in from the window ledge to grab the saddlebag and then disappear again.
Yin:
Spoiler: "I couldn't possibly. I've been entrusted with the protection of law and order in this Keep," Falcon says, reaching down and pulling the door latch so hard it splinters a bit and opens. "I couldn't possibly ... but you could. I'll stand out here."
** spoiler omitted ** Spoiler:
"Well it certainly does, my dear. But to be sure I would suggest you ask the priest of Erastil who has been staying in the inn for the last two weeks," says the priest.
Falcon looks embarrassed, "I ... didn't realize." "He hasn't announced himself as much but if you were more observant, you would have noticed the holy symbol, hunter's garb that are too clean to belong to a hunter, and the little straw dolls he's given to all the children. ... Of course, if you HAD children, you might have been more likely to notice that."
"Teacher, I know you taught me to be observant but I cannot make sense of what we have seen," says Falcon as he leads the way to the tower where Badder bunked. "We found spilled wine but no bottle. Some straw that looked like a child's doll, but missing its arms and legs. A fighting man who did not put up a fight." "Well, you have noticed well what was not there. Did you notice as well what was there?" "What do you mean?" asks Falcon. "Where was the wine? Where was the straw? Where was the fighting man?" "The wine was on the floor by the bed, under the dead man's hand. The straw was between the window and the bed. Badder ...,". "CAPTAIN Badder," interrupts his tutor. "Captain Badder was in bed," Falcon finishes. "No. He was on the bed. But not dressed for bed." When you arrive at Badder's quarters, you are told that his body has been moved to the cooler cellar. "Begging your pardon, sirs, but he was starting to smell."
"Teacher," says Falcon bowing deeply. "Yin, this is my sonsaeng -- my teacher." "Teacher, we have some questions for you."
"Good, then it is settled. We'll go see my old tutor. He should be in the chapel." Your stew arrives. Stew is the only thing being served today. A trumpet blasts. "Burp," says Falcon. "I mean ... I mean that is probably our trumpeteer ... the auction must be starting."
"I really don't know, I guess they'd follow the lead they deemed most important. Maybe we should see what else we can uncover here at the Keep before looking around further afield for Sassone suppliers. So we need someone to help us identify the substances in the room or we need to start questioning people to see if anyone saw Badder yesterday, try to guage who saw him last.." Yin suggests sounding very unsure "Those sound like good ideas. Would a cleric be any use in identifying the poisons? We know that Badder arrived back at the Keep late yesterday evening. Maybe some of his watch could tell us where he went afterwards."
"What would an investigator do?"
"Do we have time for lunch?" Yin asks Falcon hopefully with a bright grin "We shouldn't be working on empty stomachs afterall" "Good idea. Let's get something quick and go over what we know." "We know that Badder was stabbed quite expertly ... we know that he had something purple on his fingers ..."
"Yintarah?" asks Falcon trying not to laugh. "Are you the one who almost set fire to 'The Old Mess' last month?"
Yin gives a small smile "I've been calling a lot of the shots so far and I'm the one who's supposed to be helping you in your investigations" She replies with a shake of her head "Which do you think we should do?" "I have convinced my father that the unarmed combat methods of the Shoanti and the monks of Irori are appropriate to policing of the Keep. That doesn't make me a detective. ... You mentioned finding out more about the alcohol on the floor. Perhaps you should meet the dear sweet woman who is able to see Larjen's assets but overlook his ... ahem ... ass," Falcon indicates 'The Old Mess'.
"Oh, and really I'm not a Lady of any description! Just Yin is fine" "The Lady was for Larjen's benefit. I didn't like the way ... well ... anyhow. As for followers of Erastil, the clergy of the Keep is dedicated to Irori. (Father relied on Irori when he stopped drinking and my earlier childhood was spent in a Irorian monastery until the war ended.) I'm sure there are some followers of Erastil but I don't know of them." Falcon and Yin exit the inn. A crowd is beginning to gather in the central market place. Orlan is being introduced to people by an busy Wain Sarpis. "So? To 'The Old Mess' or do we wait for the auction to start?"
"Thankyou, and sorry my enquiry was a little too ambiguous" She tells Larjen with an apologetic smile. "So, Lady Yin," says Falcon, "Where to next?"
Falcon seems more shocked than amused at Larjen's outburst but decides to confide in him despite Larjen's flightiness: "We're looking for a poisoner, not a poison. Where would someone find Sassone leaf?"
"A ... ? No... Umm....," Falcon stammers. "Yin? Why are we here?"
"Okay. The inn it is. But don't make any jokes about the size of ...," Falcon cuts himself off as a halfling opens the door. "Falcon! Come in, my friend," when the halfling turns and waves for you to follow him, you catch sight of the widest ass you've ever seen on a humanoid of this height. Falcon shoots you a mischievous glance.
"... a shoanti man would have to be desperate to settle for a freak like me" Falcon laughs as if he assumed Yintarah was making a self-deprecating joke. Then asks "You're right. Let's talk about Shoanti customs after we've found out what's going on here. So ... the inn or 'The Old Mess'?"
As you pass through the market, Falcon gestures to the various
You arrive at the inn and 'The Old Mess'. They are two separate buildings though you remember them both to be owned by Sirap Hilltown, a cautious older halfling.
"Falcon," he says with a smile. After a pause, he adds "I do not know my Shoanti name."
"Do you think if we bring someone from the inn here that they might be able to determine what sort of alcohol it is?" She asks curiously "I mean I drink a lot sometimes but not enough to hazard a guess at what it is and why it's here.. or how it relates to the stuff under his nails" "To the inn it is then."
"Apparently a drink ... No, I mean seriously. This smells like alcohol but there is none in this room."
"It's alright for some" Yin replies with a small slightly sad smile "But some of us find things a lot more bearable with the occasional drink" "And some have found that others who drink more than occasionally can make life unbearable," he looks aside. "Speaking of which ... do you smell something?"
"...don't drink?" Yin repeats, vaguely shocked "Why not? If you don't mind my asking.. life is to be enjoyed, why deny yourself things?" She questions as she starts for the door. "I enjoy life," says Falcon looking uncomfortable. "I just do it without drinking" Before he leaves, he pauses and glances around the room: "Okay, is there anything we're missing here?"
"I ... I don't drink but I will accompany you to the inn and 'The Old Mess'."
"Certainly a skilled assasination by the looks of things" Yin comments with a frown "but why?" Shaking her head a little she turns to face Falcon "Any ideas where someone might obtain Sassone leaf? It's a longshot as chances are someone this skilled already had the poison but it's worth chasing.." "I'm afraid I don't know much about plants ... the person to ask would be Larjen Widebottom. He's Sirap Hilltown's son-in-law and can usually be found at the inn."
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