Scardd furrows his brow as if in thought.
"Who fancies sweet talking that barkeep to see about work? Skiddie perhaps your tongue is best suited to chatting them up? Especially as you know a bit about warlocks and demons, more than we do anyway," challenges Tuon of the talkative halfling.
Scardd nods in agreement.
"I know a bit", Skidd admits, and walks up to the barkeep.
"Sir? I've been hearing about some trouble with goblins. Now, see that scarred man there? Ugly, isn't he? Well, he's got those scars through something more dangerous than harvesting corn, I suspect! And see the halfling? Our scout! And I'm an beast trainer! We want to know if there's anything we could do to help with the goblins, or something else!"
Scardd then looks around for their waitress. Once she gets close, he says to her, "Vy need to find Balonzzzz Bizarre and ze Roaming Orc.
An shorter women with salt and pepper hair walks by and she turns as Scardd asks her about the shop. "The Roaming Orc huh, well it is located on the eastern side of Balons Bizarre. I don't know if the owner is here he has a tendency to roam." The older women starts laughing at her apparently hilarious joke and continues on her way.
"Sir? I've been hearing about some trouble with goblins. Now, see that scarred man there? Ugly, isn't he? Well, he's got those scars through something more dangerous than harvesting corn, I suspect! And see the halfling? Our scout! And I'm an beast trainer! We want to know if there's anything we could do to help with the goblins, or something else!"
Regdar look over at the halfling and at each of the members of his group. "I am sure you could do some thing but that halfling over there by the dagger board is the one you need to talk to. His name is Talon and he owns a shop in the city. Him and several other merchants are talking about putting up a bounty on the goblins that are raiding the caravans."
Skidd thanks the barkeep and, after pressing a gold coin in the man's hand, hurries to the halfling.
"Excuse me, me and my friends," he points to his table, "have heard about the goblin trouble and were wondering if we might help. The barkeep says that you're the one to speak to."
Back at the table.
"So we have a crazed noble warlock in a bakery and a Roaming Orc in a Bizarre. Caravan duty seems a much simpler life. I'm beginning to think this place is more about who you know. Maybe we should be looking for a serious city player to get work and safety from?"
Tuon keeps one eye on Skiddig and one hand is never far from the sword.
Skidd glares at the ugly man who mistrusts him.
'We'll finish this later.', his eyes seem to say.
"So we have a crazed noble warlock in a bakery and a Roaming Orc in a Bizarre. Caravan duty seems a much simpler life. I'm beginning to think this place is more about who you know. Maybe we should be looking for a serious city player to get work and safety from?"
"Perhaps," says Creed with a crooked grin, "but let the Halfling work, he may did up something, yet. Plus, the place is just starting to grow on me!"
Skidd thanks the barkeep and, after pressing a gold coin in the man's hand, hurries to the halfling.
"Excuse me, me and my friends," he points to his table, "have heard about the goblin trouble and were wondering if we might help. The barkeep says that you're the one to speak to."
The halfling looks up as Skid walks to the table. His short black hair stands out wildly on his head and he take the dagger he had and flips it in the air and as he grabs it you notice his right pinky finger is missing.
"Yes there are some troubles in Havenswood. The merchants guild in town is putting up a bounty for the goblins and the goods they have stolen."The halfling stands and sheaths his dagger, "Introduce me to the rest of your group and I will see what we can do."
Skiddifig runs back to his table.
"Guys, that gentleman and some of his friends have a bounty on the goblins' heads. he wants to meet you."
Scardd glares at the back of the unhelpful waitress as she walks away. If I had money, I would not tip you, the Half-Orc thinks to himself.
Feeling out of his element, Scardd keeps quiet and scans the room while sipping his drink. He watches Skiddifig's conversation with the Halfling and several other tables, but his eyes keep falling back on the girl that is worried about her brother. He feels the need to protect this young Human and wonders if he should approach her.
While watching the girl, Scardd listens to the conversation at the table, wishing he knew more about this city so he could offer ideas.
Then Skiddifig returns with a potential contact. The Half-Orc stands, takes one hand to push his wild red hair off of his shoulders and out of his face, and nods, "Gooood vork. Let'zzzz go."
"Perhaps," says Creed with a crooked grin, "but let the Halfling work, he may did up something, yet. Plus, the place is just starting to grow on me!"
"So we have a crazed noble warlock in a bakery and a Roaming Orc in a Bizarre. Caravan duty seems a much simpler life. I'm beginning to think this place is more about who you know. Maybe we should be looking for a serious city player to get work and safety from?"
Tuon smiles, "I knew he would come through, its the others in here I was keeping tabs on. Been a guard all my working life." He looks Skiddifig straight and adds, "well done, well done. I hate dealing with people."
Talon walks up to the table, "So you are looking for some money. Are you sure that you can handle the goblins that are stealing my merchandise?"
The halfling pulls up a chair in stands in it so get a better view. "I will tell you what I will set up a meeting with the merchants guild tomorrow morning and see what they think. I will meet you here afterward to tell you how it went."
Talon pulls out one of his daggers and starts cleaning his finger nails waiting for any questions.
The Half-Orc nods, "We vill be here to meet with zu. Then we vill Cruzzzh theze goblinzzz and briiing peazze to thiizzze plaze."
Talon looks over at the scarred warrior, "When we talked before the bounty was 1000 gp's to stop the raids with an additional 2000 if our goods are returned. Depending on how much is recovered. I will check to make sure. As far as finding them I would just go to the last area raided."
The halfling hops down "If you are interested I am willing to pay for your groups lodging for the night and meet you here tomorrow."
Tuon grins wolfishly. This is exactly the right sort of work.
I am starting to like this place , Scardd thinks to himself. "Yezzzz, I vill take your offer."
A few minutes later, Scardd looks at his companions, "Vy am going to go to ze Roaming Orc, anyone care to join me?"
I am starting to like this place , Scardd thinks to himself. "Yezzzz, I vill take your offer."
A few minutes later, Scardd looks at his companions, "Vy am going to go to ze Roaming Orc, anyone care to join me?"
"I'll go." Skidd says. I'm curious to see what we may see there."
"Sure," says Creed with a grin, "let's go."
"Vy thank zu for ze co-pany. Vy know nothing of my pazzzt. Theezze markingzzz on my zkin might mean zomething. Maybe ze Orc will know. I muzzt azzzk."
Scardd leaves the Giants Skull and asks for directions to Balon’s Bizarre and the Roaming Orc.
The mercenary spends a few seconds checking out the inn and the people around. Just to make sure whether anyone is paying us too much attention.
Bri sits back and watches the events play out. She will never admit it but she is grateful of the work Skid has found. " Well I guess now that we have some place to go I will follow along but I do have a meeting that I need to go to later this evening at the Dancing Dice but that doesn't concern any of you so no sense in talking about that now is there."
Scardd turns his head slightly and briefly glances at the secretive Halfling. ‘If she did not buy me everything I own, I do not know if I would trust her,’ the Half-Orc thinks to himself. He decides that this is better kept to himself; though, and does not say anything. His mind goes back to the task at hand and walks towards Balons Bizarre .
The walk along the winding streets north was filled with people from all over, a lod dwarf dressed in spike covered armor, a group of men dressed in flowing robes huddled around a merchants store front and even a group of drunk goblins stumbling down the street.
As you near the main road leading through Keepers Dale the more rambunctious crowd thins and more wells dressed merchants and travels fill the streets. Wagons rumble along the road heading east into Dragons Divide as merchants shout proposals and deals to passing travelers.
Turning east you come upon a building made of black stone with a heavy steel awning held up with large spike covered chains. A large gray suit of full-plate armor stands next to the door. The breastplate features a screaming demons face hammered into the metal and the legs and arms are covered in sharp blades and spikes.
From inside you can hear the load noise of a hammer on anvil and the roar of working bellows.
"Why are we here?" asks the mercenary.
Scardd stares at the black stone building for a moment. His gaze quickly falls over the plate mail standing on display. The Half-Orc stands there motionless as he stares at the face of the demon etched into the metal. His mind attacks him suddenly, as if the screaming visage bounds from the metal prison to swallow him whole. Scardd involuntarily takes a step back. He shakes his head to clear his mind and realizes that the face of the screaming demon is still on the armor.
Taking a deep breath, Scardd turns to the mercenary, “Tuon, vy am glad you are here. Zank you. Vy am here to hopefully find zome anzwerz. Vhen I wazzz rezcued from ze cave, and vy ran into Goblinzzz, zey zeemed to know who I wazzzz. Maybe it iizz theezze markingzzz on my zkin. Vy do not doubt zat zome are zkarrzz, but otherzzz may have meaning. Thiizze Orc that ownzzz thiize zhop, roamzz ze mountianzz. Maybe he knowzzz. Vy muzzt warn you now zough, vy do not zhink theezze markinz mean zomething good. Lazzt time, vy wazz attacked. Vy zhall zee thiiz time. Hopefully not, but vy muzzt take ze chance."
Scardd takes another breath, then enters the shop hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.
Skidd follows warily, curious as to Scarrd's origins. He can be heard muttering, "I don't like it. But this half-orc might be a fellow sorcerer, and I don't want anyone taking--" he stops, still agitated.
Apologies for messing up my alias everyone. Put it down to lack of sleep/baby/teething and player stupidity please.
Cheers
The inside does not look as menacing as the outside, there is still a dark motif on most of the armor but the room is lit with a large skylight and torches in the corners. There are several weapon rakes with spike covered chains spiked gauntlets and huge double headed axes, there are several more rakes with armor hanging from it but nothing as fancy as the one outside. Seconds after you enter the noise stops and the room fills with the smell of hot metal and smoke. A smaller but extremely strong looking orc with long black hair pulled up in a ponytail steps out of the back. He is dressed black shirt and pants covered in a leather apron with soot marks on his arms and one cheek.
"Greting's I Lork and this my shop."
His common is understandable but you can tell that he hasn't been using it long.
Bri stands close to Scarred as they enter the building. She feels that he is more than meets the eye and thinks the safest place to be is close to him. She looks around the room trying to see if there is anything out of the normal.
Scardd steps up, “Greetingzzz, zorry to intrude. Zu have a vonderful zhop and your craftmanzhip iiz exzellent,” the Half-Orc says trying to give a good first impresion. “Vy underztand zat zu travelle ze mountainz a lot. Vy wonder if any of theeeze loook familiar to you.” Scardd then goes about showing the markings on his arms and shoulder. Finally he gets around to the large hand print on his chest.
Skidd cranes his head closer, wondering what the orc will say.
Lork walks up to Scardd with strange look on his face, "What can I tell that you don't know?" But he looks anyway.
"You been through lot." he says as he looks at all the little scars covering his body.
His eye light up and the strange look disappear when he looks at the one on Scardd's shoulder. "I seen this type before but never anything living. A dog brought in arm once and one warrior has a piece of skin with almost same markings on his shield. He claim it from fierce opponent." With a big grin he adds "Me I doubt, he probably find it."
When he looks at the last hand print on his chest he shakes his heat, "Never see that. But this one look older than the others, not so pink."
Fair Tuon Clawed takes off his heavy shield and rests it against his legs.
"At this rate no one in this place is going to love us, Skid. We better impress the hell out of Talon."
Tuon moves forward and whispers to Scarrd.
"But what does it mean?" Skidd presses, "Do you have any ideas?"
Fair Tuon Clawed takes off his heavy shield and rests it against his legs.
"At this rate no one in this place is going to love us, Skid. We better impress the hell out of Talon."
Creed snorts a laugh at Tuon's humor. "Indeed, unless we want to work for free."
Scardd’s eyes brighten in excitement, “Can zu tell me vhere to find thiize warrior. For your troublezzz, my friend vill give zu hiizz zhield.” Scardd points down towards Tuon’s legs, showing Lork the shield.
The orc looks down at the shield, "No need but you can not go alone my tribe will kill you. I not leave for another fortnight, maybe then."
Lork looks over you group, "You have not come for weapons or armor have you." He looks at Bri, "But I have a chainshirt that could help you hide in the shadows better if you want look."