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About a day before the arriving, Juspix Rammel approaches Billy and says "I noticed your thick-skulled friend was carrying around some Runestones - it would be a shame not to have these etched onto your implements before arriving on Bonmu - I have the Tools and can show you how to Transfer them if you like?"
Turning towards Aoibhean, Huldrin Skolsdottir decides to break her silence - whether or not Billy Bardy creates a "space" for her to occupy in the "conversation" - standing up, hefting her monstrous shield , and tapping her ember-colored trident onto the hull to create a spark of light "You have a magical glow, traveler, but also you look like you could handle yourself in a fight in warmer climates" pairing a diss with a compliment so casually, Aoibhean notices this time "traveler" is spoken in a way that doesn't sound like an insult - she further boasts "I bet you whatever your might is, my shield could easily blunt it" she continues the boast "And if you tried to get close to my Troff, I would cut you down!" and she continues "For I have survived much, and my guard is never down!" the tone of the boast both serious and light-hearted - it seems this is her way of sharing a bonding experience with a "traveller"!
Three of the four frown as Billy Bardy invites himself into their group - the halfling, spoken to in his native tongue, sees his proverbial ice melted by the hot charm of the bard, and smiles against his will, looking toward his leader with an asking tone "Shall we permit this traveler to sit with us?" Their leader, a half-orc man, seems to be taken completely off-guard - and Billy senses a special kinship between him and the halfling - putting him rightly into a situation where he cannot decline despite himself. And so with great reluctance, the request is granted "My name is Urnak Lostwind of The Realm of the Mammoth Lords" he makes a gruff gesture, lifting his torso with a sense of pride, and slowly fanning out a strong arm to say "And this to whom you have introduced yourself to is Juspix Rammel of Irrisen". The human woman speaks for herself and the hobgoblin man - in the two of them Billy senses another special bond - her voice is at once proud yet somehow forlorn "And I am Huldrin Skolsdottir of The Land of the Linnorm Kings, and my companion is Troff Frostknuckles also of The Land of the Linnorm Kings" she returns question with question "And who are you, traveler?" when she says that last word, it sounds like an insult!
“Ven Strickmund is one of Sauerton’s oldest living vintners! Some say he made a deal with Asmodeus himself to gain unnaturally long life - if you believe old village wives' tails." She smiles here, sipping the last of her wine, and setting the glass down on the table. There is a pause. She fills it. "If anyone in town can tell you anything about what the Pathfinders were doing on that land back when they still owned it, Ven will be the one.”
"Well, you can't stay here, but, I'm sure the Society will have accommodations arranged for you if needed" a soft deflection. The Mayor segues the somewhat awkward bump in the conversation by answering yet more questions "Oh it's planting season, and yes, I had some renovations made - we had a good year last year - of course, being in the wine business, that'll be an investment that pays off in a decade or so" a pensive glare upward signifies she almost loses herself in conversation before recovering "If you visit Old Ven - don't call him that though - you might do to have significant time on your hands. He's a man living alone practically starved for company, and cunning enough that if he knows he has something you want - such an information of a peculiar sort - is likely to draw the conversation out longer than you will have most certainly planned" Sipping her wine here, she points to indicate direction "Over yonder aways" towards the sun setting into the horizon casting it's orange-reddish glow into the darkening evening sky.
To Duncan “The Strickmund winery was built long before I was born, but from what I was able to find in old records about Sauerton, the land the lodge was built on was bought by Ven Strickmund’s great‑great‑grandfather about 100 years ago. Apparently Ven’s ancestor was a Pathfinder, so he might be able to tell you more" She pours Duncan, Khaul, and Aurelien a glass, and moves towards Emoubu and Nedri next.
"As to Kerinha Napsunar being burried 60 miles east, I'm afraid I'm not well versed in her life, beyond knowing she was an early Pathfinder active in the area who moved around a lot. There is a plot I believe, right around there" After pouring out the five glasses, she reclines into a chaise longue, and lifts her own glass to her lips.
“Hey there, strangers!” The call comes from a human woman in her mid‑thirties with long, dark hair and an open, friendly face. She opens the mighty estate door as you approach. “You must be the Pathfinders Brackett told me to expect. I’ve done a little digging on your behalf but haven’t turned up much yet. Why don’t you all join me on the veranda for a glass of wine while we talk about your mission here?” Thalia leads you to the veranda and pouring several glasses of wine... ...while she does so:
... Alcohol Lore (Trained) Automatic:
The wine is a sour red whose best quality seems to be that there’s a plentiful supply of it! Society DC 12:
The wine is a sour red whose best quality seems to be that there’s a plentiful supply of it! Architecture Lore (Trained) Automatic:
The estate itself has clearly been rebuilt recently. Crafting DC 12:
The estate itself has clearly been rebuilt recently. Farming Lore (Trained) Automatic:
The vineyards around it are sparse and covered with fresh loam and soil. Nature DC 12: The vineyards around it are sparse and covered with fresh loam and soil.
Demed looks between the Pathfinders threatening his life, his own sister leapt to his defense (mostly), and the oncoming judges. You observe a moment where his eyes twitch as if thinking up another scheme to get himself out of this pickle! But instead - perhaps surprisingly? - he comes clean "I admit to cheating with these magical lures" and hands over his tackle box "And know that I bring shame to my name, as well as my sisters" he turns to her "Deka, I am sorry I cheated. I really wanted to win. But instead I brought shame to our family. I see that now." Tackle Box:
A bright green Gem glows inside! "Do not worry - it is activated only in water - and will not attract any other creatures while contained in that box"
Mimicking Dinardin's then Masei's arm motions, Demed "shadow boxes" with his "polearm" (fishing pole) in concert with the two warrior's wicked blows. "Yeah yeah, show them who is the boss!" he cheers!
"You have saved me!" Hoisted onto the dock, Demed skedaddles to the other side of the paladin, and opens his mouth: "I must say - though your friend tried to bully me earlier, I do feel bad that he is in that crab's clutches - that looks like it hurts!"
Demed just laughs in Masei's face "You are going to tell me about my own people and culture? That is rich!" He turns in disgust away from the presumptuous outsider... ...and facing Mandoo's calling him out now, cowers a bit "It is just something I use to catch the fish - uh - a little glow worm on the hook!"... Sense Motive (Perception) DC 15:
He is lying about the "glow worm"! ...Backing away from the party - as by some karmic force - he stumbles accidentally over the dock and plunges into the shallow water below!...
Demed engages with Dinardin, opens up a little in fact - of course never taking his eye off his own fishing line, nor his foot off his precious tackle box "Well, my sister is no pearl but... she is my only sister. But I must say: Look at how she sulks! What kind of big brother would I be if I always solved her problems for her? How will she learn to grow if we do not give her the space to better herself. You may think I am mean, but I say if you love someone, you allow them to solve their own problems. She needs to get up off her butt and stop complaining!" Perhaps a little too far with the "tough love" idea, it is evident that Demed cares for his sister greatly, and is in some sense "coming from a good place" - that said, having expressed his viewpoint, he isn't 100% convinced himself as it stands... ... ""Ah, this is a surprise. I had assumed this pole belonged to some other competitor whom had forfeit the competition, yet it belongs to you? My apologies. I would have asked had I known its owner."
... Seek (Perception) DC 15, or DC 10 if you adjacent and talking to Demed: There is a strange glow coming from one of the end of Demed's lines...
Spoiler:
The same color glow as was coming from his tackle box earlier!
Demed whirls on Masei.
... Atae:
You do not believe Demed - he is bluffing about having more fish! Also, you believe his intentions to be Unfriendly - he will refuse to help!
Dinardin:
Demed does indeed have a lot more fish than you, and is on track to win the tournament! You cannot get a read on whether or not he would be willing to potentially sacrifice his very strong position in the tourney to help out his sister - they have a rivalry after all!
Mandoo:
Demed does indeed have a lot more fish than you, and is on track to win the tournament! In Demed's expression you read that while he wants to beat his sister (and everyone else...), he wants to do it "fair and square", and is torn between helping her by giving her his extra pole, and letting her figure out her own way to recover. You think a little nudge might help him make the brotherly choice!
Masei:
You do not believe Demed - he is bluffing about having more fish! Also, you believe his intentions to be Unfriendly - he will refuse to help!
Ithuriel:
Demed does indeed have a lot more fish than you, and is on track to win the tournament! You cannot get a read on whether or not he would be willing to potentially sacrifice his very strong position in the tourney to help out his sister - they have a rivalry after all!
... QM Screen:
...
Demed watches as Mandoo walks over, assesses, then abandons Deka and her two broken poles, leaving her problems to her own... ...he looks down at his own "extra" pole, but wavers yet on the decision, turning and seeing the other spectators cheering for him... ...he walks over instead to check the Scroeboard, and makes a face!...
...and so too with her brother, a strange look of seriousness crossing over his face, as he peers first upon his sister crumpled on the ground in her excellent fishing spot, his usual joking demeanor subdued. He looks at his own "back-up" fishing pole (that has been lying with his other effects unused the whole tourney so far!), then over at the PCs, clearly weighing the options in his mind with some trepidation!
“Deka, your lines!” shouts Demed. Demed looks to spring into action, then notices that Mandoo is already on the scene! ... Masei:
Failure. DC 20. Hero Point? Mandoo: Success. Go ahead and describe how you manage to catch the fish. It will "count" towards your team's overall tournament score!
"Sis - four poles but zero fish. You bring shame to our family!"
Demed holds up the fish he has already lured in, his display demoralizing his competitors, impressing the judges, and drawing laughs from the audience on the docks! He adds to his exploits "Fastest runner, best fisher, smoothest talker!"
Sprinting ahead with expert cross-country strides, Demed is among the first to arrive at the Lower Harbor, narrowly beating out other competitors for the "best" spot. He immediately pulls out his tackle box, affixes lures onto his pole, and with a whipping fly motion, sinks his bait into the ocean, looking around sideway at those whom he beat on foot to the spot. "Fastest runner, best fisher. Move along you, this is Demed's spot today!" He boasts to the other teams, shooing them along, and gets busy with the first round of the
Seek (Perception) DC 20: There is a shiny glint briefly flaring from the tackle box as he opens then shuts it. What color do you see? Roll 1d6! 1) Red
"I am the best fisher in the village" he boasts once more. Clutching his tackle box close, and then grabbing his pole "Like I said: put your money where your mouth is and enter the tournament. If you can beat me, well, then you can know that you have beaten the best!" he smiles here broadly and toothily - it seems his initial reaction has been dissolved by the excitement of the tournament. Scanning the party with his eyes, he offers a single word of advice "Your three friends:" addressing Ithuriel directly here, man to man "Tell them to buy a net!" And with that, having gathered his things, Demed walks off to go get his fishing spot, following nearly half the Inn who begin trickling out in the same direction...
Demed looks at Ithuriel, and snarls his nose, clutching his tackle box closer towards himself a little tighter. "Always causing problems you outsiders, thinking you can profit from our community event. Go ahead and enter, put your money where your mouth is, and prepare to be handedly beaten" With a rude tone, the Mwangi man shuns the old man, paying him no more mind.
Demed has a faster wit it seems. He answers the question plainly. "Can't fish, can't eat" He gestures around him - nearly everyone in the Broad Captain Inn has some sort of fishing equipment, illustrating his point. He lowers one eyebrow playfully, as if daring you to say something smart back!
“I think you forget that my crew is the only one that managed two victories in a row, sis,” the man boasts. “This year we’ll do even better, and you’ll eat your words before the day is over.” He smiles widely at back at her, mirroring her look of a fierce love for competition burning brightly in his eyes!
“Better than you and your crew? Certainly!” Trying to brush the public confrontation off his shoulder, the man continues to jot notes into his notebook as he walks to his seat, not bothering to look at her, as if he has something better to do in this very moment!
A slender Mwangi man toting a single fishing pole in one hand and a small well-used tackle box in the other approaches the bounty board with a mischievous smile, and leaning his pole against the wall, opens the box to produce a notepad, and shutting it, begins to jot some notes from the board, using the box as a writing surface. Seek (Perception) DC 20:
There is a shiny glint briefly flaring from the box as he opens then shuts it. What color do you see? Roll 1d6! 1) Red
Suddenly, someone seems to be yelling at him, and he spins around, nimble like a cat!
"Nothing to report?" Smine asks, rising to meet his guests - gnomes dressed in artisan's outfit carrying funny shaped metal tools. "I'll be on way then" Leaving you all alone in his empty room.
"Anything to report?" the Venture Captain is always curt with his words. The party had stumbled in to the River Steed Inn way past the hour, and had to instead find shelter in the stables with the animals in the hay, and, sleeping through breakfast, managed after some effort to track down Holgarin Smine between errands, meeting in his room.
And just then there is a knock at the door!
"Well don't let me stop ya" Seeing that there are no additional questions, Smine nods, uncrosses his arms, and is on his way, following a few gnome engineers up to River Steed Inn.
Clem's demeanor takes Smine off guard - he struggles a moment to understand what is happening. "Ok" he says. "That is right Hornietelle - those are the Laws of the Land" looking a little surprised here at her extensive memory "Maps I dunno - you'd have to ask around I suppose!" He continues here “The old king, Drellis Artume, was assassinated two decades ago. Sir Waike, crusader I think, was made the regent. He tried to kill Queen Sovella. She was pregnant at the time. She fled to a Milanite monastery called Everbloom. Waike was a slag heap, so eventually the populace rebelled with the support of the monks of Milani. Edryd, son of Drellis and Sovella, was of age. He’s King Edryd now.” and shrugs here "His popularity? Unknown to me. I expect you to find that out - shouldn't be too hard for your lot." He turns to Duncan now "Kerinha Napsunar was part of the Society some three-hundred, four-hundred years ago. One of Durvin Gest’s peers. Pathfinder agents found out about her early exploits a few months back. She was politically savvy and willing to risk a lot for historical artifacts. For one, she established a smuggling ring in Rahadoum to save religious relics. She came here and founded a Pathfinder lodge. After that, it’s your job to find out.” He looks around as if expecting a few more folks to chime in - making sure to stand a "safe" distance from Clem, who seems to unnerve him a little...
Holgarin Smine - a smith by trade - had been tending to the barrels of the ship these past weeks, making sure the fresh supplies the crew needed were tightly sealed and unspoiled - a task he likely tended to alone.
Valdris had worked closely with him somewhat - becoming the ship's "doc" had meant, on this otherwise uneventful voyage, making sure the gnomish crew, as well as the other pathfinders assembled here, had included in their diets, from the very barrels Smine tended to, vitamins available from fruits and vegetables, even as the sailors and engineers would complain that they didn't want to eat them, and instead preferred second helpings of fish and rice, like so many children being cajoled against their will into a luke warm bathtub. Duncan and Mimi had made fast friends climbing the riggings of the ship - perhaps with some competition between eachother as to who could climb and leap from greater heights? Indeed, the cool weather meant that making adjustments to the sails was a light task, as day after day the forecast was mostly clear skies and calm waters - the perfect recipe for mischief upon the ropes. At night, the sailors would beg them to sing and dance, in order to add some color to the otherwise drab days of sailing for weeks at a time. Hornietelle's task had been altogether different. She had been chosen as the Captains "first mate", and he had been eager to learn more of her goddess, a quick study actually, and altogether the leadership exhibited by the two of them had overall raised the morale of the entire crew, except on one or two occasions where another of the sailors had "trespassed" into the captain's quarters, and was "reprimanded" publicly, a task also given over to the steady hand of our first mate. Up ahead - perhaps 48 hours away - the ship would be landing in the docks, and the party would disembark and set on about by wagon to the city of Artume!
Moving into the cleared out area, Shagrat waits near the next door while his party continue to manage the mob.
Shagrat strides to be adjacent to the next hazard.
Shagrat looks around at feathered longshanks... ...and Double Slices them all with his rapier and dogslicer! ◆◆) Double Slice (two Strikes w/ no MAP, combined damage)
"Follow Shagrat, Runelord of Recklessness!" he chirps "Or in Shagrat's wake you be!"
As Penny's Conspiracy spreads - despite Ria's attempts to diffuse it! - the old man potentially escalates it's viability by talking to his dog in full audience of the party "You see old chap - this is why it's you and me" then, as if to illustrate his point, he addresses Mofu now with perhaps a dignity and respect the panda has yet to become accustomed to receiving "What is the yellow sign? I know not of what you speak" As if to rebuff the accusations lurking behind the question meant to confirm them, he ignores Awalè, but does seem to appreciate Ria's efforts by responding thoughtfully "I can point out a few good stretches, yes". He nods as Ulfgar begins turning the logs, enacting a slightly better flame pattern to lick across the surface of the wood, and nods, and tends to his teapot now, hanging it from a hook near the fire to begin warming the water. Perhaps he was thinking on Dorgen's question, because he sits back down to answer "Yes, I heard about the Bounty. Explains the increased traffic we've had here of late. I can point you towards a shortcut through the mountains - hopefully avoiding the tribes" dodging the query about his profession, he still seems irritated with at least half of those in his presence, but makes no moves to banish anyone from his residence at the moment. As the cottage slowly heats while Ulfgar tends the fire, the water over it comes to a boil, and he offers tea to everyone except Awalè and Penny (!) - and furthermore makes no effort to explain his omission (!!) - but does relax a bit as the tea steeps "You can stay for breakfast, but then you must go" he states plainly and simply. ...
"The cat can come" the old man talks into the fireplace which echoes backwards, as he continues to light the logs... Awale:
You believe the skins to be a collection of taxidermy trophies, and that the party is in danger here - perhaps next!
Penny:
It's Tea! Once the fire gets going, he rises and turns around "Bark" that must be his name "Do sit" not the warmest invitation. To Dorgen "I stand to sell my own talent with primal magic - you all do not look in need of that though" pivoting to a question now "What is your mission in these parts?" and he waits at the table, standing, leaving the seats for his guests.
"I can see that Wilbert has met you..." having opened the door, the orcish man looks now to his trusty companion, and lifts his head, to which Wilbert offers his paw, a response that seems to satisfy him "...and you him. Do come in, and shut the door" he glances at everyone in the party once, locking eyes, lingering just a mite longer with Penny, and turns to re-enter what is presumably his own cottage. Wilbert looks to Ulfgar now, smiling and panting, but doesn't move. "More movement these days than there used to be" the man muses to himself from inside, reaching into the backpack.
Inside the cottage looks... not warm, but at least less colder than outside... a small table with small wooden chairs, an unlit fireplace, a larger and smaller pile of assorted furs on the floor, a buck hanging dead and upside down from the ceiling by hook and rope, a cauldron. Upon the table, several wooden cups. A large backpack leaning against the corner. Modest, but neat.
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