*Stands there, confused*
"Twitch, did that blind guy just stare at me, tell me it is always watching, then wander off? I just want to make sure."
"Like that's the strangest thing that's ever happened to you," Twitch grins at his companion. "I think it's more incredible that you managed to pass through a crowd of beggars without me having to run off after one of them chasing your purse."
"Although it was a bit odd...who's always watching, do you think?"
Brushing himself off after the guards are done with him, and waiting patiently for his companions, Aerflae takes a deep breath as he looks at the city in the morning light.
"I believe that breakfast is in order, if you'd kindly lead the way."
He says to whichever companion has decided on the best place to eat and drink.
"Although it was a bit odd...who's always watching, do you think?"
"Who knows, there are just so many choices. Vecna. The cult of Asmodeus. The Gnomish Conspiracy to Sap and Impurify Our Precious Bodily Fluids."
"Who knows, there are just so many choices. Vecna. The cult of Asmodeus. The Gnomish Conspiracy to Sap and Impurify Our Precious Bodily Fluids."
"Ahh...that ancient Triumvirate of Evil!" chuckles Twitch.
"Guard your bodily fluids! Those damn gnomes are everywhere!" he announces to a startled passerby as the group moves through the city.
You notice people giving you wider berth then before Twitch. then you realize that people are actually avoiding each other here. In a city as big as this one with as many people as this one, they should be bumping into each other left and right.
It takes you several minutes to find the Rusty beard. The most obvious thing you notice is that the city guards in this area are primarily dwur. That and most of the businesses are owned and run by them.
The Rusty Beard is your atypical dive bar. Small with a long bar on one end and a few tables around a fireplace. There is no fire at this time but just the glow from a few burnt coals. the windows and front doors are wide open and there are just a few patrons both human and dwarf in the establishment for breakfast. You have your choice of tables or seats at the bar. The bartender is an elderly dwarven woman who must be standing on some sort of railing to be able to reach the counter since she is short even for a dwarf. She is looking your way with one eyebrow raised.
"Ahh, fair lady, perhaps you would be willing for service for the lot of us. We are tired and would like a good meal and, perhaps, some drinks. What are you serving this fine morning?" Aerflae smiles and is openly friendly with the old dwarven woman. He's been to more than a few dives, and this one looks likely the most peaceful of those he's been in.
"Goats milk, curds and whey, fried rice with boiled peas, scrambled goose eggs with a slab of ham, or the ever popular Porridge. We also have some fruits if'in you have a mind. Fresh blueberries, rowan, greengage and the like. Might be able to rustle up a bite or two of biscuit if'it pleases ya as well." she drawls at you with a look of interest, as in wondering just what it is you will ask for, or perhaps thinking she will need to serve you what she has to feed you all.
We will follow our targets and go into the place about 3-5 minutes after they do.
"Ahh, thank you very much for such a large menu. Not many places are serving goose eggs where I'm from, so I would like those with the ham, and perhaps some blueberries and Goat's Milk if it's not too much trouble. My name is Aerflae Windwaker, and I'm new to the city. These are my companions, and Magnus here has recommended your fine establishment highly." He waves a hand towards Magnus, and moves to find a place that has seating for all of the party.
"Hmmmpf"
After finding a table to sit at Tevin will go up to the bar and order some food.
"Good morning. We would like 2 orders of whatever is your favorite with an ale and a water."
"Fried rice with boiled peas and scrambled goose eggs with a slab of ham with a tankard of your best dwur ale" I say looking for an open table near the coals.
~This very young looking human girl looks more like a street urchin then a waitress walks over with your food.~
"An wat shall de' rest of ye be havin'?"
"Hmmm, what are you having?" Twitch asks Korren. "I can't decide between the rice and peas or scrambled goose eggs and ham. Better have both I guess...oh and a plate of fruit too...with a couple of biscuits."
"Why don't you have curds and whey?" he whispers to his friend. "I've never had any, so I could try some of yours." Having ordered two and a half meals, Twitch tosses the waitress a gold coin and wanders over to sit with his new companions.
~eyes go wide as she scrambles off and brings everyone at the table as much food as her little arms can carry.~
~bites the gold and then goes over and spoons up two bowls of porridge and brings two cups of ale to Tevin~
"That'll be on' silver sword me good dwarf."
"Thank you good mistress."
"Why don't you have curds and whey?" he whispers to his friend. "I've never had any, so I could try some of yours." Having ordered two and a half meals, Twitch tosses the waitress a gold coin and wanders over to sit with his new companions.
"Sure. Just remember, if you eat all of it, you owe me a silver. Miss, I'll take they porridge."
"Thank you good mistress."
"Thank ye fer the tip."
~she looks at you very strange~
"Why don't you have curds and whey?" he whispers to his friend. "I've never had any, so I could try some of yours." Having ordered two and a half meals, Twitch tosses the waitress a gold coin and wanders over to sit with his new companions."Sure. Just remember, if you eat all of it, you owe me a silver. Miss, I'll take they porridge."
"right oh'"
To Aerflae Windwaker: "Well elf is me or is the strangeness of the city particularly strong in this inn"? "All this weirdness is putting me off my ale and you know what happens when a Dwur is off his ale, headbustin starts".
To Aerflae Windwaker: "Well elf is me or is the strangeness of the city particularly strong in this inn"? "All this weirdness is putting me off my ale and you know what happens when a Dwur is off his ale, headbustin starts".
As Twitch gulps down his second course he looks over at the dwarf, interupting.
"Well if you're not going to finish it, I could help you out," he offers with a grin. "Weirdness or not - a guy's gotta eat."
To Aerflae Windwaker: "Well elf is me or is the strangeness of the city particularly strong in this inn"? "All this weirdness is putting me off my ale and you know what happens when a Dwur is off his ale, headbustin starts".As Twitch gulps down his second course he looks over at the dwarf, interupting.
"Well if you're not going to finish it, I could help you out," he offers with a grin. "Weirdness or not - a guy's gotta eat."
"Getcher own, ya mooch. I'm just saying this ain't the way a taverns suposed to be".
"Getcher own, ya mooch. I'm just saying this ain't the way a taverns suposed to be".
"Oh, definitely. It's only, what, an hour after sunrise? There should be at least a few people still passed out from the night before. Anyway, why did you come back to this city?"
"Here's your food, luv. Anyt'ing else I need be gettin ya'll"
She has several mugs with some hot apple cider in it that she puts down for everyone and lays out a nice spread of everything ordered and then some.
"Family business, an uncle sent me ta find sumpthin he left when the giants (spits on the floor) overran the city bout a decade ago".
I shift my shield so the symbol of Mayaheine can be seen. "What you an your shifty friend doing in town? If yer up ta no good be warned that my vows will make me your foe if ya are ,not saying ya are but just saying".
to Mitzi, "Thankyamuch, how much I owe ya Doll".
to Mitzi, "Thankyamuch, how much I owe ya Doll".
"The um 'shifty one' already paid enough fer your table and 'giggles' the entire bar"
to Mitzi, "Thankyamuch, how much I owe ya Doll".
"The um 'shifty one' already paid enough fer your table and 'giggles' the entire bar"
"Then more ale all round, Toots.
Though doing good business, the patrons of the Rusty Beard seem introverted and withdrawn. Most seem to be alone and engrossed in their drinks or in small groups studiously ignoring everyone else even the people who seem to be spending cash like there is no tomorrow. What conversations are taking place are little more than whispered, terse discussions at only a few tables near the wall. Despite the silence, the tension in the room hovers on a knife’s edge—everyone seems to be watching everyone else surreptitiously.
To Aerflae Windwaker: "Well elf is me or is the strangeness of the city particularly strong in this inn"? "All this weirdness is putting me off my ale and you know what happens when a Dwur is off his ale, headbustin starts".
"Well, my Dwur friend, I believe you are correct. But you have to admit, the food is quite scrumptious." Aerflae says, trying to diffuse the outright frustration.
"I do see, however, that folks around here are just plain afraid of one another, it seems. What made them this way? I don't see what the reason could be, as there's no looming danger. Perhaps it's something to do with these nightmares people seem to be having."
"Well, Magnus, with the escort that you provided, I am happy to assist in locating anything that may have been... misplaced. I owe you at least that for helping me come to the city so safely. Perhaps it will even aid me in getting a friendly reputation, as I see acts of charity probably won't." He says as he looks around the bar, his brow furrowed as he's working the situation through his mind.
Waves to the waitress.
"Could we also get some Cider and ham?
Thanks."
"It seems quiet in here. Not like most Inns."
"Family business, an uncle sent me ta find sumpthin he left when the giants (spits on the floor) overran the city bout a decade ago".
I shift my shield so the symbol of Mayaheine can be seen. "What you an your shifty friend doing in town? If yer up ta no good be warned that my vows will make me your foe if ya are ,not saying ya are but just saying".
to Mitzi, "Thankyamuch, how much I owe ya Doll".
"Actually, I think we're both here for the same reason. We heard a dwarven adventurer left an axe hidden somewhere in town, and if we returned it to his nephew Magnus, maybe we would get a reward."
Could everyone please give me a perception check: DC 25
Twitch is listening to the others' conversation intently, the rest of his attention being taken up by the enormous plate of food before him.
"I agree. It seems odd. I wonder what has happened lately.
I'll ask our waitress when she comes by again.
When do you want to approach those others?"
"Let's give it a few more minutes. We do not seem to be in a rush and we have some home-cooked food before us. They will probably be in better mood with a full belly."
A cool breeze blows into the room from under the shelter of the closed doors feeling nice and chilly in such a warm room.
Everyone:
You see a man get up to go pay his tab. An average looking Flan with an apron stained in almost every color marking him as a tanner. He walks next to a table and the man seated there, a large Oeridian with an equally large toolbelt, that marks him as a leatherworker, stands up slowly. With a look of hate and disdain on his face, and dwur ale dripping from his other wise clean clothing.
Korren; Gent
the mug seemed to slide several inches across the table, on its own accord, to spill on a man seated at the table.
“You sorry sack of giant's breath”
“Wat you call me?”
And the fists start to fly....
Initiatives
Perception: 1d20+11=27
And Initiative:1d20+7=10
Aerflae looks at the scene before him quite confused over why someone is angry over spilt ale.
Init 1d20=10