"It's Thumpy's party. But Kidlat and I like new faces. Especially when they're telling us how fantastic we are."
"Breakfast first." Clovis politely doffs his new headgear.
"Way ahead of you!"
"It's Thumpy's party. But Kidlat and I like new faces. Especially when they're telling us how fantastic we are."
"Fantastic.. that we are." Kidlat mutters in between bites of pancake.
"Not possible."
"What's not possible? I'm way ahead of you or we're fantastic... make up your mind!"
"Politics. And an empty purse." She reaches for what she thinks is the bay root. "This what you're looking for?" Tatsu hands it to Laurel. "I was discharged from the army because I disobeyed orders and succeeded in my mission. My commanding officer was an idiot, and a lecher. He kept looking at my ass and licking his lips." She sighs. "I suppose I should've quietly taken my punishment, but you know me, I can't keep my mouth shut when I'm right." She smiles. "You should seen his face, coz, I swear he was going to have a heart attack! But it cost me my commission and now I am running out of money." She looks around. "It looks like you need some help, Laurel, but this is not my kind of work. Besides the plague, are there any jobs of note?"
"Other than starting your own business, which'll probably cost you more than you make, the only work you're going to find is working for Thuldrin Kreed in the lumber yard."
She looks back at her cousin "Very good, for a girl who doesn't know what's see doing" she takes the bay root and begins crushing it in a bowl.
"Kreed, is it? I've heard of him. Is he as bad as they say he is?"
"It could be worse. Former Gavel Thaulrose was a much worse man. Kreed is definately the less 'evil' of the two." You can tell the this conversation is making Laurel's patient uncomfortable.
"There you go. Remember, you need to take three times, and it should help ease the coughing."
Tatsu takes a ong breath before turning back to her cousin. "I guess, having lived her so long, I can say he's acutually mellowed since arriving here. He's not as prone to killing, publicly, those that anger him much. And I guess the 'better'...", Laurel peers around the front if the store to make sure no can her, "He used to hold public 'shows' if you know what I mean. He'd tkae the newlywed bride and... well... I think you can picture what happened. But like I said the man, though evil in his ways, is better than former."
She exhales and calls for the next customer. "I just wish something would be done about this", she waves her hand toward the sikc and hacking gathered by her door.
The young hostess sits the group at ones of larger tables. Within minutes brings out a large, hot bowl of rolls, a mug full of water, and plates full of cinnamon-cruste flapjacks. She pours them each a glass. "Now what else can I get you?"
Ser looks anxiously towards the door, hoping to himself that he can make it in time for his payment. He is promptly distracted by the flapjacks and akwardly looking around at his new companions
Lia, Ser
As the hostess as if the group needs anything else, Lia and Ser raise glasses to drink. Both the elf and half-elf noice that the small amount of water they taste is has a sharp, bitter taste. They immediately spit out the bitter liquid.
Party at Jack a Napes:
"A glass of milk, please," Thumpy says to the waitress.
The waitress nods and goes to the back for the milk. While sees gone the table grows silent as the others begin to dig into their meals. The only sound is the sizzle of the hot grill, or the ocaasional hacking cough of a customer.
While eating their meal they see a line of people streatching from the inn's window to heading to the north.
"These are good. Kidlat - you need to learn to cook."
Briefly raising his head long enough to see the queue of people.
"What's going on over there? Anything exciting?"
"Yeah. What could be more exciting than us?"
"Do you have any ideas about what is causing this sickness?" Tatsu asks her cousin. "As a herbalist, you must have some idea. Perhaps I could do something about that. Is it the water or a lack of sanitation?"
"Don't drink the water," Lia quietly says to the others at her table. "There is something wrong with it."
Clovis looks hard at the water.
"I wasn't going to, but thanks for the warning. Why does a pancake house want to poison us?"
Ser nods in agreement with the half-elf, "Didn't you all make an enemy earlier?" He looks down at his notice and then back to the group. "I might have one too"
"We don't make enemies, what's not to love?" Clovis stuffs more pancake in his mouth before anyone can tell him those are poisoned too.
Thumpy promptly stops eating at the mention of poison.
"Uh, Clovis? You should stop eating those."
The young lady returns, and places a large mug of milk near the dwarf, "There you go sir. Can I get you anthing else"
"Do you have any ideas about what is causing this sickness?" Tatsu asks her cousin. "As a herbalist, you must have some idea. Perhaps I could do something about that. Is it the water or a lack of sanitation?"
A smirk crosses the herbalist's face, "You've got a good eye for a girl with no training. The people have blacksour taint, comes from the blacksour fungus. The fungus isn't good for anthing. It hard, bitter, and sharp, it loves the water and get's you sick when you drink it. I never heard of growing around here though."
"Poison?" Kidlat stares at the water.
"Poison?" Kidlat stares at the water.
The young girl looks at you with a puzzled look, "What do you mean poison? Are you trying to scam Jak out of your meals!"
"You kidding? These are awesome pancakes."
Pause - "Yeah - my friend says the water's weird. I don't touch it myself. Ever."
Somehow he makes this sound incredibly virtuous.
"Poison?" Kidlat stares at the water.The young girl looks at you with a puzzled look, "What do you mean poison? Are you trying to scam Jak out of your meals!"
"Scam? You misunderstand me. I am an honest working carnie and will not scam an honest man."
The girl eyes the two carnies and grab on the glasses, taking a long chug from it. She cringes and looks as if she need to vomit afterword. "I... I'm... sorry. I'll get you... all new glasses"
She quickly picks up the glasses and hurries to the back. As she does she begins coughing, the same wet hacking noise you've heard from the other residents.
*
"Maybe a rat fell into the water barrel or something. No way would we scam you. That kind of thing gets a person a bad reputation, and we want to come back here again."
"You OK - that's a nasty cough."
The girl finally comes back, her skin looks palee and clammy. "I'll be all right a bugs been going around lately, an' looks like it finally caught up with me."
See smiles and sets down new empty glasses, "I feel bad about the water so please accept this." She takes her pitcher and pours you each a cold glass of orange juice.
"We just got this in from a vender in Olfen, so please enjoy it" She smiles and heads to the back.
"Here, have this milk instead," offers Thumpy.
In the herbalist shop-
"So if someone could find how or where this fungus is getting into the water and stop it, it would enable your medicines to cure the plague? Hmmmm." Tatsu thinks for a minute. "I think I've business with Kreed after all. Where does your water come from? The river or underground? This job doesn't appear to pay very well, but as father always said, 'a good deed is its own reward'."
She smiles at Laurel. "I've no herbalist training, 'tis true, but I did take combat medicine while at the academy. While little more than first aid, we did cover plagues and their causes. To prevent the troops from getting sick in the field, of course."
"Here, have this milk instead," offers Thumpy.
Clovis smiles adorably at the girl and glares at the orange juice before handing it to Lia.
"Has this got vitamins in it?" he demands suspiciously.
In the herbalist shop-
"So if someone could find how or where this fungus is getting into the water and stop it, it would enable your medicines to cure the plague? Hmmmm." Tatsu thinks for a minute.
"Most of the water comes from the well at the center of the market. Other than that some people get the River Foam. There's not a cure around here, but grandmother's book has a brew in it that says it's good for this kind of thing. It's a weird concoction sounds more like hoojoo than real medicine. Only problem is getting the ingredients."
Though pale the girl blushes at the halflings smile. "Um... I'm sorry but... what are vitamins"
"This alchemist told me about them. They make you healthy. Against your will."
"Wouldn't you want to healthy?" A puzzled look on her face
In the herbalist shop-
"Aha! Now we're getting somewhere. What are these "rare" ingredients? And where would I have to go to get them? And you really think this potion, for lack of a better word, is the right way to go about this problem? And not finding out how this bittersour fungus is getting into the well?" Tatsu asks her cousin.
In the herbalist shop-
"Aha! Now we're getting somewhere. What are these "rare" ingredients? And where would I have to go to get them? And you really think this potion, for lack of a better word, is the right way to go about this problem? And not finding out how this bittersour fungus is getting into the well?" Tatsu asks her cousin.
"Just trying to save you from an ugly experience Tatsu. The man doesn't take well from taking advice from a woman. And I know you're temper when it comes to that. That's all I need is for this to be the last time I see you." See heads to the back and returns with an old worn tome.
"Most of the ingredients I have here, but there's three I don't. Elderwood moss, which I’ve never heard of, but granny says the stuff only grows on the oldest tree in a forest. A specially pickled root
called rat’s tail, again, sounds like hoojoo to me. And seven ironbloom mushrooms, stunty little things that only grow in dark places thick with metal, a favorite among dwarves, I hear.”
"Wouldn't you want to healthy?" A puzzled look on her face
"Healthy is good. I just don't like being bossed about by things I can't see."
in the herbalist shop-
"I understand why you would want me to circumvent the Gavel and yes, I have been known to start a fight or two over boorish behavior, but I fear in the course of this task, I will have to confront Kreed eventually, either for permission or explanation. Bullies don't like it when you stir things up in their yards."
Tatsu starts to think and makes a mental list as she goes, "I'll need some more information before I trapise all over the forest. I need someone who knows alot about dwarves, someone who knows alot about the forest(probably a logger) and perhaps one of these elders you mentioned earlier, unless the elders are in the pocket of the Gavel. Also, I'll need to recruit some stalwart companions to aid me in this task. Where's the local gathering place? Is it still that Jak'a'Napes Inn or did they finally rebuild the tavern after the fire?"
in the herbalist shop-
"I understand why you would want me to circumvent the Gavel and yes, I have been known to start a fight or two over boorish behavior, but I fear in the course of this task, I will have to confront Kreed eventually, either for permission or explanation. Bullies don't like it when you stir things up in their yards."
Tatsu starts to think and makes a mental list as she goes, "I'll need some more information before I trapise all over the forest. I need someone who knows alot about dwarves, someone who knows alot about the forest(probably a logger) and perhaps one of these elders you mentioned earlier, unless the elders are in the pocket of the Gavel. Also, I'll need to recruit some stalwart companions to aid me in this task. Where's the local gathering place? Is it still that Jak'a'Napes Inn or did they finally rebuild the tavern after the fire?"
"Hmm I don't know any onw in town who'd know about dwarves. But if memory serves I saw a dwarven man pulling a wagon of pots into yesterday. You may try yo ask him for help, but one thing I do is that people say dwarves used to live to the north, toward the mountains. If their forges are still there you may find the mushrooms. The only thing that really bugs me is this rat's tail, I have no idea where to find it...", she turns and stares at the old tome.
"Actually. Ulizila, the witch that lives deep in the wood might. She's a craft, mean thing that knows all sorts of strangeness. She may even have one. But I doubt it come cheap. Granny traded her sight to the old crone just for a few pages of what see knew, and that was years and years back." She strokes the cover as she speaks. Realizing a customer is staring at her she quickly gets back to work.
"If you really are going into the wood I know one person who could help. His name is Milon Rhodam, if anyone knows where to find anything in the wood it's him. You'll have to head to the Consortium Camp to the east of here."
"Jak'a'Napes is still as popular as ever, and the Sitting Duck is back. Luckly the fire wasn't as bad as they thought. They were able to salvage alot the timber from the blaze, the rest was donated by Gavel."
in the shop-
"Then I've got my work cut out for me. I'll start with the Jak'a'Nape and work from there. First, I'll get some help, then I'll look into the witch and woodsman and the dwarves. I'll be back before you know it." She says as she turns to go. "Don't worry, Laurel, I'll be careful." She smiles. "I know how much you hate funerals."
Tatsu leaves and goes to the inn. As she enters, she surveys the room and tries to size up the people in it.
Tatus leaves heads back to the Low Market and Jak'a'Napes. The market seems to have settled since she walked through earlier. Outside the inn sits a wagon full of dented pots.
Inside the inn is rather slow. Behind a grill she spots a rotund red-faced man. She recognizes him as Jak Crimmy, owner of the establishment. At a a few tables sit coughing hacking residents, but at one large table sits an odd group of misfits.
The dwarf she recognizes from earlier, as well as the halfling and her "human" companion who occasionally crackles with electricty. Sitting with them a lean green haired elf, and a young half-elven woman. They seem to having a conversation with one of the hostesses, while enjoying mugs of juice and stacks of cakes.
Tatsu
She can sense something about this group, and inner fire. Whether or not they relize it or not is yet to be seen
Tatsu steels herself and approaches the table, "Excuse me, gentlemen, and lady," She nods to the half-elf. "But I have need of brave men and women to join me in a most noble quest. My name is Tatsu Everheart. May I join your party for breakfast and explain?" Tatsu stands at attention and awaits their reply.
"Mrrphh?" says the dwarf, mouth full of flapjacks.
"Awesome cakes! Urp!!!"