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Arms crossed over his chest, Oribar looked up as the young man entered in a fluster. He watched him head over tot he Sheriff and explain his story. From across the table, Halsanna visibly noticed her fathers relief at a diversion. At the mention of "bandits" the old man even cracked an amused grin.
After a few seconds, he turns back to his daughters and acts like nothing happened. "As I was saying, I won't be able to support you forever. Halsanna has at least found a use for her talents."
Arms crossed over his chest, Oribar looked up as the young man entered in a fluster. He watched him head over tot he Sheriff and explain his story. From across the table, Halsanna visibly noticed her fathers relief at a diversion. At the mention of "bandits" the old man even cracked an amused grin.
After a few seconds, he turns back to his daughters and acts like nothing happened. "As I was saying, I won't be able to support you forever. Halsanna has at least found a use for her talents."
"Bandits?" Amunrel whispers to his nieces,"You actually have those here?"
"Where I'm from they tend to be either rival houses competing for contracts or clients who would rather not have to pay for their goods, so what poor soul was unfortunate enough to run across these hired thugs?" Amunrel asks looking thoroughly intrigued, but keeping his voice low so as to not embarass the unfortunate newcomer or Sir Oribar for that matter, it was after all a little early for another mock duel.
"Ours are a bit less organized, overall." Vivaeri whispered back to her uncle before brushing a strand of her unkempt hair out of her face as she turned to answer her father. She was frustrated that the news of banditry didn't immediately offer the escape from this conversation she was hoping for. Her shins were getting rather sore at this point...
"I have found a use for them, Father. It's just that some talents are a bit more profitable than others. And while I can assure you that mine are far moreso than Sanna's, it's still going to take time to build up momentum. It's the tortoise and the hare, you know?" She grinned at her father and sister, proud to show them this little bit of "wisdom". "I promise I'll support Sanna when I hit it big too! I mean, since she's going to be single forever due to the embarassment of being beaten by her beloved younger sister to being married off to some pampered twit who probably has bad teeth and wouldn't know comedy until his sycophants told him it was in front of him. Or some fop that wears more make-up than I do when I'm working." Gods, now I'm depressing myself, she thought. She cleared her throat, perking up again. "So, how about those bandits?"
"Ours are a bit less organized, overall." Vivaeri whispered back to her uncle before brushing a strand of her unkempt hair out of her face as she turned to answer her father. She was frustrated that the news of banditry didn't immediately offer the escape from this conversation she was hoping for. Her shins were getting rather sore at this point...
"I have found a use for them, Father. It's just that some talents are a bit more profitable than others. And while I can assure you that mine are far moreso than Sanna's, it's still going to take time to build up momentum. It's the tortoise and the hare, you know?" She grinned at her father and sister, proud to show them this little bit of "wisdom". "I promise I'll support Sanna when I hit it big too! I mean, since she's going to be single forever due to the embarassment of being beaten by her beloved younger sister to being married off to some pampered twit who probably has bad teeth and wouldn't know comedy until his sycophants told him it was in front of him. Or some fop that wears more make-up than I do when I'm working." Gods, now I'm depressing myself, she thought. She cleared her throat, perking up again. "So, how about those bandits?"
"So how does that work again?" Amunrel asks Halsanna.
"Vivaeri is the younger yet she's the one your father's arranging to be married? Has soemone being telling tales about you or do they consider any maiden choosing the arts of war to be somehow exempted from that kind of thing?" Amunrel asks in a low tone even though Vivaeri can perfectly hear him although Sir Oribar probably can't.
"So you were talking about bandits?" Amunrel momentarily winces.
Despite the two chatterbox at the table , you're able to follow the discussion between the sheriff and the youth
At first the sheriff is quite concerned by the youth's tale.
The youth is too agitated to present a coherent discourse but he finally explain he was charged by his boss Mister Hootarr to bring a cargaison here. He was nearing the town when a berserker charged him shouting 'Death to exploiters . Freedom for the green way !'
The man wore a big cudgel ,no armor and was masked with a green hood he was really big so the youth hightailed it to the town
At this point , the sheriff interrupt
'Boy , you have been victim of a prank . Just go back to your wagon , I suspect you'll find it intact and stop annnoying the guards here with stupid tales '
With this , he empties his tankard and leave the youth agape for a few moments it takes for the sheriff to leave the inn.
The youth looks around for a few moments before bonelessly sitting in the chair the sheriff has just vacated .Please roll for the following:
Knowledge/local have +6 rolled an 11 for a total of 17, Knowledge/Religion (untrained) +2 for Int modifier rolled a 4 for a total of 6, Listen or Perception/Hearing based checks have +9 and rolled a 19 for a total of 28 and the two sense motive checks which he has +7 in rolls a 20 for the first and 16 for the second for a total of 27 and 23 that is of course depending on whether you meant Amunrel as well as the others...
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Knowledge (local) [untrained]: 3
Knowledge (religion) [untrained]: 2
Listen: 6
Sense Motive: 19
Sense Motive: 9
Adjunta's eyebrows arch up in confusion. 'What has just happened?' he wonders to himself.
"Basically the sheriff lied, whatever the boy met sounds druidic and what's a cargosian or whatever he called it?" Amunrel mutters in a whisper to noone particularly at the table they're sitting at.
"So have you checked out that boy's apparel yet especially his shoes?" Amunrel asks Vivaeri and Halsanna suddenly changing the subject.
"And shouldn't he have been accompanied by several someones' if he was delivering something important?" Amunrel adds sounding slightly bored to Sir Oribar.
"So you've checked him out then?" Amunrel then whispers to his nieces with a sly grin on his face.
"Oof!" Amunrel grunts as Vivaeri elbows him in response.
Distracted by her uncle's comment and her own reflexive jab of the elbow, Vivaeri had difficulty focusing on the men. She did pay attention to the details of the man's clothing though, as her uncle pointed out.
"Someone should go over to see if he needs help," she suggested. She was trying to project her voice mostly towards her father. That's right, get him interested so we can get off this subject for a while at least. She wanted to do anything with her family that didn't involve the shadow of future plans hanging over their heads.
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With a loud grating noise, Oribar pushes his chair back. "Well, that settles things." He turns to the young man with a sympathetic look. "It would not behoof a worshipper of Iomedae to leave a boy in distress. Young man, I will take care of your problems."
He turns back to his table. "Girls, you stay here. It's probably nothing. Amunrel, I would appreciate if you watched over them while I deal with this."
With a loud grating noise, Oribar pushes his chair back. "Well, that settles things." He turns to the young man with a sympathetic look. "It would not behoof a worshipper of Iomedae to leave a boy in distress. Young man, I will take care of your problems."
He turns back to his table. "Girls, you stay here. It's probably nothing. Amunrel, I would appreciate if you watched over them while I deal with this."
"Ask him about the wizard when you do," Amunrel tells Sir Oribaras as the elf turns to his nieces.
"So I'm to take care of you whilst he's investigating?" he asks them with a thoughtful look.
"So since this inevitably means your father is going for a trip into the forest how about we get tooled up to lend a hand if he needs it, hmm?" he asks them in a low whisper with a wicked grin on his face once Sir Oribar is out of hearing and hides it with a hand in case he looks back all without looking like he's doing what he is doing.
"Where is your other uncle by the way?" Amunrel asks them after a moment.
"O-or at least two of us." Vivaeri appended. She gave her father the most worried, begging look she could muster. It was likely a familiar sight by now.
She let out a gasp as another man approached the boy, and whispered in an overly conspiratory manner to her father, "And there's an interloper! You need someone to watch your back, don't you?"
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"Please calm yourself," Ajunta says, his eyes arch up in a calming smile (the rest of his face hidden by his veil), "take your time and please tell me what happened. Leave nothing out. Small details, which may seem insignificant to you, may be of great importance to us . . ."
Adjunta glances over at the other interlopers (as if noticing them for the first time).
"How do you do," he says to the other Samaritans, "I am Adjunta Paul."
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"Well druid or no, we can't have lunatics running around fooling with other peoples' property. Halsanna...I appreciate the gesture, but are you sure you are up to this? I would prefer you stay and look after your little sister. But...no, I've decided. You shouldn't come with me.
Though I would welcome the assistance of a priest with good intentions. The wedding may be days away, so we might as well put you to use, eh?"
"B-but father..." Vivaeri's eyes began to mist. "Those poor animals...all lost and confused out in the wilderness...we can't just sit here drinking amongst strange men when we could be helping you!" She was holding on to the edge of Oribar's sleeve, just as she would when begging for a gift as a child.
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Adjunta runs his hand over his smoothly shaved head. It seems odd that a wizard would want 5 familiars (especially the toad! What wizard in their right mind would take a toad?) Adjunta simply doesn't know enough about magic to fathom why.
"Thank you Ned. I shall talk to the sheriff for you, perhaps I can get him to reconsider, perhaps he might give me some additional insight, but if not I'll try to aide you in whatever manor I can. Please wait here for my return."
'How does one keep a piece of fabric tided to a snake?' Adjunta wonders as he leaves to find the lawman. So many questions.
"B-but father..." Vivaeri's eyes began to mist. "Those poor animals...all lost and confused out in the wilderness...we can't just sit here drinking amongst strange men when we could be helping you!" She was holding on to the edge of Oribar's sleeve, just as she would when begging for a gift as a child.
Amunrel is mentally taking notes.
~Hmm might need a little work on the wheedling but almost Taru's stock and trademark maneuver...~ he analyses his nieces handiwork."It probably depends on what kind of process he's using to select a familiar and whether its actually for him does he have any apprentices for example?" Amunrel asks openly.
Halsanna had sat back down with a slightly grumbled "Yes, father", though she was none too happy about him refusing her assistance and instead turning to a priest he didn't even know. She was unsuccessful at not bristling at the word "marriage" though, her lip curling up slightly. 'Vae's display only made her sigh, unwilling to step between her sister and father this time.
"I haven't seen Uncle Mor today, Uncle Am", she said with a shrug, watching 'Vae tug on her father's arm, her voice low enough to carry to him. "What do you think of this?" she asked him, referring to the happenings that her father was going to investigate.
"Your sister must be relieved this marriage wasn't the one Sir Oribar's been talking about and as for whats going on why would someone want to steal a cargo of potential familiars' unless that part was incidental after all didn't he say the person supposed to be travelling with him was somehow detained, perhaps someone ought to confirm that detail..." Amunrel replies to Halsanna now more interested.
"Anything else you can tell us about this wizard he's talking about oh can the lad describe Egbert?" Amunrel asks the priest.
"Well at least if we hurry we can find these lost "lambs" at least before the snake eats the toad and the cat catches the rat and the bat finds a barn... well you know what I mean," Amunrel trails off looking at Halsanna and Vivaeri.
Amunrel now looks around.
"We'll need some cheese for the rat, some milk for the cat, check out the ponds for the toad and dark recesses for the bat and be careful where you step I am assuming the snake isn't poisonous?" Amunrel begins to count out aloud before looking back at his nieces.
"Oh and before I forget we'll need that brother of yours," the elf says to Sir Oribar,"since he should know this wizard the lad is referring to and of course our new friend here... would you care to reintroduce yourself for those here who missed out on your first performance?" Amunrel bows to the priest before returning his attention to his nieces.
"I'd say a picnic is in order, don't you?" he asks them,"Of course since there may be an oversized lout we'll have to make sure we're suitably protected perhaps Vi you should think up a suitable new lullaby or even a tale to cover "how the familiar's run"?"
Vivaeri quickly gave up any attempts to pull her father's heartstrings when it became clear he wasn't having any of it. Raising her arms in exasperation, she said, "Fine, fine. We'll look for Uncle Morindur."
She went back to the table to catch the last part of her sister and Uncle Amunrel's conversation. Raising an eyebrow as she sat, she whispered, "You don't think they've eaten each other already? What do monkeys eat anyway?" A hint of mild fear crossed over her eyes. She had never given that last matter much thought. She quickly shook that off and turned to Halsanna, whispering still. "Sanna, Father's getting in over his head. I mean can you imagine him scrambling around the fields and woods outside for those things? Think we should go after him?"
The last statement was Vivaeri-speak for "Hey, I'm going after him. Want to come?"
Vivaeri quickly gave up any attempts to pull her father's heartstrings when it became clear he wasn't having any of it. Raising her arms in exasperation, she said, "Fine, fine. We'll look for Uncle Morindur."
She went back to the table to catch the last part of her sister and Uncle Amunrel's conversation. Raising an eyebrow as she sat, she whispered, "You don't think they've eaten each other already? What do monkeys eat anyway?" A hint of mild fear crossed over her eyes. She had never given that last matter much thought. She quickly shook that off and turned to Halsanna, whispering still. "Sanna, Father's getting in over his head. I mean can you imagine him scrambling around the fields and woods outside for those things? Think we should go after him?"
Amunrel raises an eyebrow in response.
Leaning closer to Halsanna he whispers,"Well we're going to have to keep any eye on her if only to keep her out of trouble, well try to anyway...""Hmm now where do we start?" Amunrel says as he leans back.
Halsanna looked thoughtful as she set some coins on the table and looked at her sister and uncle. "It depends", she began, her voice a low murmur. "If we just plan to follow him as he goes about looking, then we could just track him as he goes." Lifting her cup to empty it, she swallowed and looked at the kid who remained, sitting at the table. "Or, we could try to figure out how they are going to go about looking, and try another way."
That particular comment followed a particular look at 'Vae, with a slight smile that said she knew that her sister did far better in asking around than she did. "Any other ideas, Uncle Am?" Locating her other uncle was something she had no idea how to go about immediately. If a week passed and they still had not seen him, she would start wondering how to find him. He might have just gone to the city for something.
"Well we do need to know where the lad left his wagon, but we do know the surrounding area a little don't we?" Amunrel replied.
"I suspect the toad will head to a pond or whatever passes for a suitable area for a toad, the cat should be heading here so we need to know what kind of cat it is so we can spot it, the rat well they should be heading here or rather to the garbage or kitchen areas for food, the bat I suspect will hold up somewhere dark for now and the snake could be anywhere we really need to know what types of these animals he brought out with him, maybe you or Vi should go over and give him a shoulder to cry on hopefully that will reveal the information we need if we're even going to have a chance to find them before its too late," Amunrel explains.
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Adjunta , you track down the sheriff without any problem
'Hello, Father , what can I do for you ?'
"Greetings Sheriff," Adjunta says when locates the lawman, "The blessings and wealth of the great vault be upon you. I couldn't help but overhear you're encounter with the lad in the bar, and I was wondering, if I might be so bold, as to what the back story is? Have their been a lot of hoaxes or trouble making in the area? The lad's story seems believable."
Vivaeri thought she caught onto what Halsanna was getting at(and what Uncle Amunrel pretty much spelled out) and smiled knowingly. She had been planning to simply trail after her father, but it was a good idea to try and find out a little more. It was nice to have an older sister watching her blind spots.
Looking sideways at the boy, she whispered, "Okay. I'll find out what I can as soon as Father leaves. We can ask around town too after we learn everything there is to know here too. What will you two be doing while I'm roughing him up?" She jokingly punched her her palm, which with her slender arms hardly looked intimidating. "Do you think there's anything we'll need that you can get right away?"
Vivaeri thought she caught onto what Halsanna was getting at(and what Uncle Amunrel pretty much spelled out) and smiled knowingly. She had been planning to simply trail after her father, but it was a good idea to try and find out a little more. It was nice to have an older sister watching her blind spots.
Looking sideways at the boy, she whispered, "Okay. I'll find out what I can as soon as Father leaves. We can ask around town too after we learn everything there is to know here too. What will you two be doing while I'm roughing him up?" She jokingly punched her her palm, which with her slender arms hardly looked intimidating. "Do you think there's anything we'll need that you can get right away?"
"Should we fetch the priest in case he needs confessional afterwards?" Amunrel asks raising one eyebrow.
"I suggest we take a look around this place in case one of his missing pets may have followed him here," Amunrel suggest to Halsanna.
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The sheriff look at you
'Believable , Father ? Pah ! The youngster must have had an accident with his cart and is trying to escape a beating . A bandit of the green faith in Moremarch, this is preposterous! I won't give orders to my men to check such a story !'
"Why is a bandit so unbelievable? I must say that I find it unlikely that the green faith is actually involved but it wouldn't be unheard for a brigand to disguise himself as something he's not in an attempt to shift the blame or confuse investigators. I think I'll look into this matter Sheriff. If the boy is lying I shall have him brought to you so he can be punished for mischief, a day in the stocks would serve him right, but if he's telling the truth it is my holy duty to assist merchants, trade, and travel where I can.
"I know you're a busy man, and I can understand you not wanting waste time on something you consider a hoax, but I do hope you won't take offense to my looking into the matter. Should I find there's any merit to the boy's story I do hope I can expect your full cooperation?"
Meanwhile on the road about a mile outside town...
Ewald sits beneath the spreading limbs of a great oak his back to the tree trunk as he consumes the last of the bread, cheese, ham and wine he filched from his familys kitchen that morning.A farm wagon returning from delivering to the early market took him most of the way here and then a hours walk at Rangers pace has brought him to this spot.
It's good to get out of the stifling atmosphere of Oparra and back in the open field again..and the object of his mission can't be to hard to find can she.A noblewoman in a small town she's bound to have attracted the notice of the locals. Tracking her down should be as easy as finding a frog in a ditch.
Polishing off the last few crumbs of his simple repast he stands in a single fluid movement picks up his bow and quiver and begins to walk down the road towards the town
"Should we fetch the priest in case he needs confessional afterwards?" Amunrel asks raising one eyebrow.
Vivaeri looked genuinely shocked. "Gods, uncle!" she exclaimed, laughing it off. "Where should we meet once we're ready? I don't think this will take me too long."
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Adjunta returns to the inn. His eyes don't convey any emotion. Adjunta locates the lad and shares with him the bad news.
"I'm afraid the Sheriff is quite busy and he seems unwilling to make any moves at this time. Should we bring back any evidence of bandits then I'm sure he'll be more helpful. I'm not sure why but there's something about your story that he doesn't quite believe. I'd say he's skeptical."
"I on the other hand am willing to look into this matter. I will warn you though child I don't care to have my time wasted either, so I will ask you once, are you telling us the truth? Is there anything you're holding back?"
Ewald steps swiftly down the road to town moving at rangers march pace and it doesn't take long to arrive . He keeps alert but none of the women he passes seem to fit the noble mould
Seeking out an inn where a shy and retitring young noblewoman might be found he gains directions to the Gray Frog
Stepping into the cool of the common room he notices the two young women present.
He eyes them discreetly then deciding that neither of them fit the bill moves towards the innkeeper to enquire about a room.
However the Gentlemans comment about animals makes him curious and he turns his attention to the strangely disparate group
"Excuse me Sir..I couldn't help overhearing..is there some difficulty with animals, I am experienced in such matters..oh forgive me I have not introduced myself my name is..(he grabs the first name he can think of hoping his sergeant will forgive him)..Ahrnhalt Negger. If theres an animal problem perhaps I can be off assistance."
However the Gentlemans comment about animals makes him curious and he turns his attention to the strangely disparate group"Excuse me Sir..I couldn't help overhearing..is there some difficulty with animals, I am experienced in such matters..oh forgive me I have not introduced myself my name is..(he grabs the first name he can think of hoping his sergeant will forgive him)..Ahrnhalt Negger. If theres an animal problem perhaps I can be off assistance."
"Nice to meet you Ahrnhalt, are you perhaps a ranger?" Amunrel responds to the newcomer's greeting shaking him by the hand before he has a chance to react.
"This poor lad was beset by some rogue who freed a cargo load of potential familiars' cosisting of a cat, a toad, a rat, a snake and a bat if I remember correctly, now we could use your expertise to safely rescue these poor and unfortunate creatures plus the possible bonus of finding whoever was responsible for this cruel jest," Amunrel explains.
"This is Sir Oribar," Amunrel swings around to nod to Sir Oribar,"This is a priest of Abadar,"nods to Adjuntel and then towards Halsanna and Vivaeri"And these are my nieces."
"I'm sure you agree getting to the bottom of this situation is imperative before one of these pets comes to a bad end," Amunrel swings back beaming at Ahrnalt.