Jeblie Bender's page

...watching...

watching...

Dinner is a success, with most of the food vanishing before everyone's eyes. By now, the sun has set, and Numair has begun singing for everyone (per his previous post) and it appears that your first day in the Camp is about to come to an end.

"Will everyone be turning in soon? We want to make sure your rooms are good to go one last time, especially you, Ruul."

Waiting for Elen to respond...

The feast seems enormous, even by minotaur standards. There's wild hare spiced with garlic, lamb chops (although you're pretty sure you haven't seen any lambs around here...), well-preserved veggies and nuts, and finally a custard dessert. With the last of the plates set down on the table, Jeblie says, "Dig in!"

Anyone else coming? We've got wild hare and rack of lamb...You can't get that at Marie Callendar...

To Jeblie:

"How strange! I've heard of such creatures before... so why hasn't anyone put it down yet? I'm sure we can get rid of it for you. At least two of our company specialize in eliminating undead."

She cocks her head curiously to one side. "Or does the Usurer not want it eliminated? Is it seen as some sort of grotesque mascot?"

"Who is this 'Lucky' fellow? Or is it more the kind of thing that we should see for ourselves? As for guides, we were actually given a name... 'Simon' ... as someone who might be useful in that regard. Ring a bell?"

The little Azata is feeling very relaxed and friendly chatting with the gnome. However, she keeps alert for anything of note or dangers, as well as using her detect evil ability on both sisters.

[dice=Perception if needed]1d20+10 (She sees everything!)
[dice=Sense Motive if needed]1d20+7 (I think she's distracted by Jeblie's cleavage or something...)

"Oh, you do like to ask questions, don't you dearie," Jeblie says with a chuckle. "The Usurer leaves it up as both a pest control thing (you'd be surprised how many rats and vermin we have up here, considering the cold), and as a word of warning to anyone that decides to do something stupid while they are in the camp.

Jeblie turns to look at you directly. "'Lucky' is an orc, or at least, what's left of one. He also owns and runs the Sip O' Blood up the road. I can't begin to describe him, it's better if you go over there yourself and have a look at him, then you'll understand. He has a few women who help look after the place and put into words whatever he mumbles. He's not a bad person, as far as orcs go, and he's not stupid. Just...well..." Jeblie shakes her head, almost as if disbelieving what she had just said. "Just go over and have a look is all.

Jeblie then scratches her head for a moment about your last question. "Yea, I think I've heard of him. You're talking about the hermit, he has a place over between the stables and the market. Self-explanatory really. He keeps to himself, mostly. You can see him jog around the camp a couple of times each morning, something about keeping his health up, he told me once. Really that's about it as far as I know. I don't know if he talks to anyone at all, besides perhaps buying things for eating and stuff."

At the tavern

Ally will relate the substance of these conversations with the gnome ladies after the team returns so I won't bother with spoilers.

Ally continues talking to Jeblie:
"The living and the dead? Do you mean that literally, as in there are undead around, or just saying there's two types of people here, those who have managed to survive and those who haven't?

"As for those who have lived here for a while, is there anyone else who'd be useful, interesting, or just fun to meet, besides the Usurer and the death priest?

"That caravan sounds like one we've heard about. We're trying to find out more about it, actually. What do you recall?"

[dice=More Diplomacy if needed]1d20+11

"Well yes. That creature hanging from the rafter in the common area? It was hanged right proper, but for some reason it came back. It only leaves its post at night and goes after anyone dumb enough to get near it. Going inside some structure, even a lean-to, is enough to keep it away. During the day, it stays where its at, unless it wants to invoke the Usurer's anger."

"In answer to your other question, not really. Everyone makes fun of 'Lucky' over at the tavern, but I steer clear of him myself. The kind of luck he has I don't want rubbing off on me. Other than that, not really. I think you just about have the bases covered, unless you want to hire a guide or something to go out to the Desolation with you, that is."

Elen is going with Lavinia to the cleric. Kallistiel is welcome to come of course. Some physical protection in case of trouble, as unlikely as it may seem, would certainly be welcome, and Elen will express this and extend an invitation to come along to Kallistiel before they head off.

Jeblie Bender wrote:

Alliriyallin wrote:

As her companion and the pale priestess head off in search of the Hobgoblin cleric that was mentioned, Ally flutters over to Jeblie to chat, choosing, as she frequently does, to speak in the native tongue of the person she wishes to address.

For some reason, this post won't separate itself from your posting. Sorry for the confusion, if any.

Gnomish:

"Factions here? Of course there are. They are the living and the dead, those are the main factions. Once you get past that, it breaks down a little. There are those who have lived here for some time, whatever their reason. You also have the mercenary groups, most of whom offer their services as guides and whatnot. Actually, you're here just in time; you'll likely be part of some bidding war. There were a group of hill giants who were considered the best in camp. They took some crazy caravan out into the Desolation. I had heard that they were trying to carve some kind of passage between Magnimar and Nerosyan by land. Stupid gits. Nobody's heard from Gurg or anyone else since they left, almost a week ago, and the group was supposed to be back by now."

Yes, Kallistiel will come with you. A death priest sounds absolutely disgusting and probably needs to put out of its misery anyway, being a hobgoblin and all.

As her companion and the pale priestess head off in search of the Hobgoblin cleric that was mentioned, Ally flutters over to Jeblie to chat, choosing, as she frequently does, to speak in the native tongue of the person she wishes to address.

** spoiler omitted **

[dice=diplomacy to gather information]1d20+11

Lavinia looks a bit taken aback by the idea of a hobgoblin priest. "Well, the priest sounds interesting enough that I might actually want to meet him. However, our group has enough healers of its own. I'm a priestess of Pharasma, I was just asking in case I had any fellow Pharamins up here."

"Oh we get all kinds up here, but I don't think anyone around here is praying to her specifically."

"Jeblie, I was wondering, are there any sort of makeshift temples here at the camp?

"There is, but I'm not sure that you would want to worship there. The priest there is a hobgoblin, and they worship various death gods. Beyond that, they'll heal you up in a pinch, if you don't mind listening to their sermon. The priest is nice enough, believe it or not."

Jeblie happily shakes your hand, then starts running her small hands through the silk again.

The bull minotaur glances at the gnome and rubs some of the fine silk between his meaty fingers.

"20 pounds."

"25 pounds."

"How about that, and add 30 pounds of meat?"

Loot

Look at Food and Other.

Jeblie walked out to the horses and looked impressed. "Runnin' a carvan or somethin' are you?" Going back and forth for a few minutes, Jeblie stops when she sees a bit of silk sticking off the saddlebag of one horse. "Holy gods, can that be silk?" She pulls some out and rubs it against her face. How much of this have you got?"

Several more minutes pass. In exchange for full room and board, she is asking for 40 yards of silk, all of the linen, and 20 pounds of preserved meat. She throws the last one in, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you had her at 'silk.'

What say you?

Ruul manages to squeeze his bulk into the hallway to peer into one of the rooms.

"That certainly is small... We will take seven rooms then."

If we can unload enough trade goods to cover our food (dropping the price to 5 bits per person per week) I'd be content.

Jashanah goes back to the kitchen, while Jeblie resumes her place behind the counter. "So let's see them trade goods, shall we? It sounds like it;s time to talk shop."

"Lavinia and I can share a room and Calendir, the orc, often chooses to stay outside", Ruul explains.

Elen was the one that suggested bringing all the trade goods along and this seems like precisely the place to use them.

True, but I don't want to bog down the game anymore than I already have back in Gundrun. I am sure that the party would like to eventually get out into the wild. :)

"I'm afraid that it won't work, dear," Jeblie says with a slight frown. You notice that she is not phased by your staying with the lady. "Our rooms are quite small you see and, well, you should be able to squeeze in there, there simply isn't enough room in there for both of you. I can have Jashanah show you the room if you would like if you don't believe me." Before you can say anything, Jeblie screams out, "Jash, come out here and stop pouting. The minotaur wants to see the room."

I've added a copy of the map for the boarding house on the shared folder. Note the square size, which is one-half normal.

Ruul considers Macavity's comment.

"I forget that some of us don't eat or sleep much. We will only need six rooms. We have the bits but please look at our trade good as well."

I'll mark off 144 (6 * 6 * 4) iron bits for now. Let me know if they end up taking some trade goods instead.

"Lavinia's right. We should meet this Usurer together."

Hold off on taking the bits off of the tracker sheet. If Azaraunt or someone else wants to barter, we can handle it through PMs, and then Jeblie will tell the final price in the thread.

"Well, only six rooms? I can see that the gentleman has opted not to stay, but who else is sleeping outside?"

Macavity pulls back his cowl showing his simple Tien features in an attempt to remove the 'Cloak and Dagger' feel. "No apology is necessary to me, Madame Jeblie." Macavity replies. "On the other hand, it appears I owe an apology to your sister, though. How best may I apologize to her?"

"No need to worry about her, lad. She wears her heart on her sleeve, that sister of mine does. She'll get over it in time. Just don't treat her poorly and you'll soon find yourself on her good side."

Good lady, since we do not yet know the exchange rate we can not be sure what we can afford. But surely you can offer a better discount than that for so many rooms for such a long time when you have no other customers. I do not want to have to camp out here at the camp but I am prepared to do so if need be.

Turning to look at you as an accountant would look at a table of very large numbers, Jeblie goes on. "Mr...I assume that you're going to give her a name at this point. I think that my sister and I can make some kind of accommodation for all of you. We realize that, while your things will be here for at least a month, you most likely will not. That's part of the reason for the high cost of staying here, as we guard your stuff rather well without fear of theft, I might say. Also, if you have good trade items, we can certainly come to a reasonable number of bits for the whole month to cover your party. Food stocks and spices are very good, but we also use timber and other materials to keep the place up as best as we can. The things that the winds pull in from the Desolation have a...deleterious effect on not only our building, but almost everything else in the Camp.

"So let's talk trade, shall we?"

Once Jashanah leaves the room, Jeblie sighs heavily. "I apologize for my sister's rude behavior. The winter months always make her a little feisty."

Disguised (Hat of Disguise) as a simple Tien traveler, Macavity leans against the wall in shadow.

"Ruul, Lavinia, remember you do not need to secure a place to sleep or eat for me. I'll keep out of the way." He says with a slight nod.

Picking up on what Jashanah said, Macavity continues, "Madame Bender, did you say the Usurer's law here is 'might makes right?' Who else resides in this camp would you say could distribute justice more wisely that that? Yourselves?" He treacherously and quietly asks from beneath his cowl.

Jeblie looks down her glasses at her sister. "Now is not the time to have that conversation, dear sister of mine," Jeblie says through gritted teeth. "Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and if you chase theirs away, I'll chase you away."

"At least a month. Perhaps longer. It is difficult to say."

"Oh, well, that will a long time, that is." Jeblie smiles beatifically at you. "We can certainly accommodate you and your needs. It will be 5 bits per night for each person staying here. Also, we only serve supper here, which is an extra bit normally, but since you're going to be our guests for awhile, we can call that 6 bits per week, with Sunday's and tonight on the house. Will all eight of you be staying here?"

"Jash, don't be so rude. They're here to commence business, not be discouraged by the likes of you." Turning to look at Lavinia, Jeblie continues. "The house currently vacant, other than us, of course," nodding to her sister. "We have just enough for all of you, although your minotaur warrior there is likely to be hanging his feet off of the bed."

"As to your other question, that guy out there got caught cheatin,' and either didn't have enough brains or enough brawn to get away with it, pure and simple. If you're going to do something stupid in this place, make sure you have backup, or you'll be hangin' from the rafter after that poor sod out there."

Ruul cranes his head taking special care not to scrape up the ceiling with his horns.

"Hullo", the bull minotaur offers the tiny women.

"My companions and I would like lodging for ourselves and our mounts."

"Yea, you betcha. Grabbin' a goat from the merc's camp is far better than..." This is where Ruul speaks.

Two heads duck out from the around the kitchen and through the curtain that separates that area from the rest of the main area. Both are round in face, with green eyes and blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail. You're pretty sure they are twins (it beats the alternative that one was screaming at herself), and pretty ones at that. One of them looks up at you, while the other looks at the rest of the party. With a big grin on her face, she says to you, "My you are a big, strapping lad, ain't ya? What can we do for you good people?" There's a bit of a Welsh accent to her as she speaks.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that I was talking to Ms. Big Game Hunter! I guess that doe just walked into the kitchen by itself last week then, huh?"

The 'building' that you are walking towards is a bit of a rambling mess. Made almost exclusively (at least from the outside) of wooden planks that might have come from various wagons, the place looks rundown at best. That being said, it looks sturdy enough; there are no holes that you see anyway.

You walk inside and see that the place is a bit...cozy would likely be the best word. You see immediately to your left a small counter that comes up to about chest height on most people (Not mentioning anyone about their size, Ruul...:P). In front of you area couple of weather worn couches, with hallways leading left, right, and center. The ceiling is low enough that large men will find themselves bouncing their heads off of door frames (Ruul: you will be considered 'squeezed' in your building. You are a M creature, but this place is built like a Japanese hotel: short ceilings, small rooms.)

From the back, you can hear what is apparently a shouting match between two females. From one you hear:

"Look, toadfeet, it wasn't my fault that you don't know how to handle a snare."