Othdan Meriman's page

Marikel locates the man the half-orcs mockingly called Brother Hound cleaning his flophouse. The doors and windows all stand open to help dissipate the acrid smell of the smoke that burned the trees, and it looks like some of the man's former tenants vandalized the interior of the Howling Hound before emerging to attack the besieged citizens.

Othdan Meriman is visibly uneasy at the Iomedaean priest's approach. He is loath to meet the other man's gaze, entirely apart from his misaligned eye. "Skreed Gorewillow?" he repeats. "No, no, there was never anyone of that name in my house ... to the best of my knowledge, at any rate," he concludes sadly. "Clearly, my tenants have deceived me about many things."

Given a description of the half-orc, he continues to shake his head. "No, but ... wait. Never in the house, but I did once see Katrerza speaking with a well-dressed traveler. Few enough respectable-looking people did address him," he remarks with a severe glance, "so I took notice of it. No, I've no idea what they spoke of."

He sighs. "To know what Katrezra really was ... well, it breaks my heart. If there was ever a tale of woe to pluck at a man's heartstrings, his was it. Do you know he was enslaved at the Brimstone Haruspex? That's what caused his physical deformities; I suppose it could have influenced his spiritual and moral deformities as well. But he came across as such a gentle soul! So humble and so thankful to have escaped the oracles of the Rough Beast!"

Othdan stumbles out of the doorway, still coughing slightly. He looks down at the bloody corpse of Vorom bleakly for a moment, then firms up his jaw with an effort. With a determined nod to Alicia, he starts uphill.

Meriman hesitates only a moment before taking Marikel's hand and accepting his help up. "I must thank you again, it seems," he admits. "If you direct me to the wounded, I will be happy to do what I can for them. I have some limited skill at healing. As to what else I can tell you," he hesitates, "I only ask that you consider showing mercy to my former tenants, if you can do so without putting yourself or anyone else in danger. Freed of the threat of Katrezra's wrath, they may be willing to surrender and make atonement by fighting to defend their neighbors."

He shakes his head, either in self-recrimination or because he is unsure of the answers. "Rishka, Vorom, Katrezra," he lists some names. "Katrezra killed the guard in the watchtower, summoned up some sort of creature made of air that took him by surprise. He was the one who told the others to shut me in the room and light the fires. If there were any of my tenants who were loyal, or at least impartial, I'm afraid he'll have had them killed or convinced them to join him under fear of death."

Meriman groans. "I had no idea....," he responds semi-coherently. "They turned against us. I didn't know, I swear. I was only trying to show charity to the outcast."

"I... thank you for your intervention," Meriman responds rather stiffly. "I hope that you understand now that my lodgers have reason to fear the interference of the locals that have nothing to do with a guilty conscience or the absence thereof."

He shakes his head. "I ... I honestly don't know where he might have gone. He has ... friends, half-orcs ... I don't know their names. I don't know him that well, except to offer him hospitality. I don't ask many questions of those who seek shelter here."

"Not being part of the town gossip, I was unaware of the captain's grudge. Daktani's name was given to me by a troll that admitted to murder on Daktani's behalf and tried to kill us. Perhaps you think the captain is working with it?" Marikel scowls.

"I, uh ... I hadn't...," Meriman stammers, having no answer to Marikel's revelation.

"Ow!" Meriman is surprised by the rap of Alicia's knuckles against the back of his neck. "I don't know what tunnel you're speaking of," he tries to respond to Marikel with dignity. "Daktani has many friends who try to shield him from the ongoing persecution he suffers at the hands of the Patrol Captain. I didn't ask where he was going and would have advised him not to tell me had he offered to. It's well-known that Captain Grath bears a personal grudge against him and casts the blame on him whenever anything goes wrong."

He lowers his voice to address Marikel individually. "I understand your faith requires you to respect authority, but I would urge you to examine your conscience when following authority blindly leads to attacking citizens in their own homes."

"I didn't...! I haven't...!" Meriman protests. "Very well. Daktani spent last night here, in the basement. If he spent part of it with a woman, I don't see that that's anyone's business; certainly not mine. When you went upstairs, I let him out the front door, and I don't expect him back, not now that he's being persecuted in his own place of lodging. I didn't come down the stairs ... but perhaps the token fell from my pocket from the top." He sets his chin defiantly.

Meriman clucks with disapproval when Alicia produces her torch. "An open flame in all that clutter ... not a good idea." He ducks into the storage room and comes back with a lantern. "Take this instead." He offers it to the group.

Meriman looks alarmed for a moment, then seems to summon his courage as he replies. "This house is open to all, sir. I'd not harbor any miscreants willingly, but neither would I turn away any person in need. There are those in this world who have good reason to fear and distrust those in positions of authority, as they have borne the brunt of unsubstantiated suspicions and accusations. If I err, I would rather err on the side of charity than of malice, sir," he concludes with dignity.

The four go back down to the ground floor. As they reach the bottom of the stairs, Othdan Meriman pops out of the corridor from the bedrooms. "Did you find your friend?" he asks.

Alicia brusquely replies, attempting to project the impression that she belongs here. "Just slipping in--long shift. There a bathtub around here? Starry Embrace knows I could use a bath."

"I...." The man puts one hand gingerly to his head on the side of his walleye. "I'm sorry; I didn't.... The tub is at the end of the hall here, sister," he gestures to the other ground floor corridor, "but the water will have to be drawn and heated."

Alicia leaves the door leading down the basement and heads for the entryway. As she enters from the kitchen corridor, a man in simple brown robes steps into the foyer from the hallway leading to the ground-floor bedrooms and gives a startled jump at seeing her. "Where did you come from?" he demands nervously.

"I, uh," the man replies, "I'm not sure. I believe he left: picked up a job with a wilderness guide, I think it was. Yes, I'm sure he told me he was leaving town a few days ago. You could leave him a message, if you like."

"Daktani," the man repeats, stopping a moment. "Aye, aye. He's been a guest under this roof from time to time." His good eye looks back at the priest curiously.

"Thank you, good sir. We shall. And what was your name?"

Marikel makes his way inside and looks around while asking.

"I am Othdan Meriman," he replies, closing the front door behind the Smaller men following Marikel in, "but I hope that any man may call me brother." His eye lights curiously on Kaleb. "I pray you won't take this amiss, brother, but I feel sure that the innkeeper will offer you a roof over your head if you're in need of one. She may not be over-known for her charity, but it extends at least as far as her own kind, Lorris be praised."