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During the small hours before cock-crow, the all too common light rain began to fall over Sandpoint. The pattering of the rain melded with the sound of lapping waves and the clanging of a single bell on a boat moored in the harbour. The night sky was brimming with low-hanging clouds, muting the stars and filtering the glow of a waning, half-lit moon.
Just before dawn, the rain suddenly stopped, only to be replaced by mist; its gauzy tendrils winding their way through town, over harbour and along coastline. It grew thicker and not much could be seen beyond ten feet; even wrapping the parasol-shaped, half-open crown pines and spiny pepperwoods along the bluff so they were eerily silhouetted against the sky. The mist made the ruins of The Old Light perched atop the cliff look otherworldly and detached from the rest of town.
Upon the crowing of the town cockerel heralding in the dawn, life began to stir in Sandpoint and smoke rose faintly from the stone chimneys. This signalled the start of the working day for some of the dedicated citizens of Sandpoint. The blanketing fog covered the town for two hours following dawn and then began to grow lighter and finally dispersed altogether. The wind and temperature were a mild cool for early morning; yet anyone with the knowledge of the area and a skill predicting weather could tell that the day ahead would be another lovely summer’s day with bright sunshine and moderate humidity.
Just over the southern bridge entrance into Sandpoint, overlooking the Turandarok River, sat a large wooden building on stone foundations; its wood-shingled roof steeply pitched and featuring an imposing rusty iron dragon decoration that served as both iconic feature and lightning rod. This was the oldest inn in Sandpoint - “The Rusty Dragon”- owned and run by Ameiko Kaijitsu. Locals, visitors and patrons alike began to gather as the morning progressed; Ameiko greeting each person with a warm smile and a cheerful “Good morning”. The adventurers renting the small guest chambers began to stir, rise and set to their morning ablution and other duties before venturing down the wooden staircase to the inn's common room . As the party sat down at their usual table, they observed a small group of locals and unfamiliar faces/visitors congregated around the wall-sized old “Help Wanted” sign by the bar. Some of the voices were slightly raised and heated, and, among them was the town’s Shoanti sheriff, Balor Hemlock; in his hand was a yellowing parchment that he was readying to pin to the board covered with various want-ads, warrants, ransoms and other desired services. He seemed to be answering some questions or attempting to calm the small crowd.
Before anything of true value could be heard from the direction of the notice board, the party spied the elderly and quiet Halfling maid, Bethana Corwin, slowly climbing the wooden staircase to the guest rooms above as Ameiko approached the table; warm light streaming in through a nearby small glass window, “Good morning, my friends. I hope you slept well. We have coffee, green tea, raspberry mead (sweet honeyed wine), Turandarok Reserve (spicy apple cider) and ale. Today we are serving cheese blossoms (spicy cheese curd stuffed artichoke hearts), curried salmon with fragrant coconut rice and a spicy fish, mussel and green vegetable dark broth soup with thick wheat flour noodles. What would you like to order?”
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