Nafti unfurls her cloak, and retakes her seat, drinking the latest mug which the serving girl brought over. She sips it, and places it on the table, leaving it.
Winking at the pudgy mercenary, "Better luck next time."
With deftness and speed, Feona spins the dagger and slides it into her belt behind her back.
Sleight of Hand - 1d20+9=28
"Yeah, leave us alone - we didn't do nothing to you!" she says to the merc, kicking at his shins before taking a sip of beer.
"You took an unprovolked swing at me, you cretenous lout! Only his pathetic grasp of the pugilistic arts of fisticuffs prevented him from striking me," Burrloft declares loudly and indignantly to the sheriff.
The man laughs as he ducks away from the dagger strike. "I thank you for handing it out to me." Berenthor casts his spells, the light of it bursting from his body for a moment then fading. Nafti, still at the other table, points a finger at the pudgy mercenary, and the ray of acid strikes him solidly on the chest. He groans loudly, and looks around to see where it came from. The whole inn at the moment is at chaos. Most of the other patrons have fled, and the serving girls have ducked behind the bar, screaming in panic.
As soon as that happens, one of the men from the other tables stands up, drawing a longsword, "Ok! I have seen enough! I am Sheriff Cage and I order you all to stand down and surrender."
The mercenaries look around for a moment, then lower their fists. The one who started the whole fight looks to the sheriff, "I didn't do nothing! Those fellows over there have my property, and I demand they return it!"
"Gutless liar, does your cowardice know no bounds? You drew and attacked in full view and then run and hide when it comes to face a foe face to face when your threats failed you!"Nils hisses, he is seriously angry only the sheriff's call is all that stopping him cutting down the mercenary where he stands...
The merc snarls at the group, then walks back to the rest of the mercenaries. The sheriff keeps his weapon out as he goes to stand in between the group, "Frankly, I don't care WHO started this, because I will end it. Now-" While he speaks, a man from the corner of the room shrieks. A lamp had fallen onto the table, and the items were quickly being destroyed by the flames, "My shrouds! Oh no my shrouds are ruined! All my work destroyed!" The sheriff shakes his head, looking between the two groups, "See what trouble you've caused? Now, I want this item you all are fighting over. I am going to keep it until I decide how to handle all of this. As of right now, it's evidence. And all of you will be staying here tonight as well."
The merc snarls at the group, then walks back to the rest of the mercenaries. The sheriff keeps his weapon out as he goes to stand in between the group, "Frankly, I don't care WHO started this, because I will end it. Now-" While he speaks, a man from the corner of the room shrieks. A lamp had fallen onto the table, and the items were quickly being destroyed by the flames, "My shrouds! Oh no my shrouds are ruined! All my work destroyed!" The sheriff shakes his head, looking between the two groups, "See what trouble you've caused? Now, I want this item you all are fighting over. I am going to keep it until I decide how to handle all of this. As of right now, it's evidence. And all of you will be staying here tonight as well."
Nils looks across trying to figure out who toppled the lamp.
With all the chaos that happened, it's hard to tell. Fights had broken out all over the inn.
With all the chaos that happened, it's hard to tell. Fights had broken out all over the inn.
Nils sheaths his blades but keeps watch as he doesn't trust the mercenaries to let it go that easily...
Feona sips her beer and winks at Burrloft...and says nothing.
The sheriff watches as neither of the groups step forward, "I will not wait much longer. I will take it by force if I need to."
Nafti goes over to the sheriff. "A big strong man like you is going to keep me overnight? How fun," she says, a smile growing across her lips.
The sheriff watches as neither of the groups step forward, "I will not wait much longer. I will take it by force if I need to."
Feona sighs and pulls the dagger from her back. "Sheriff, I found this on the side of the road. By right it's mine. And the ogre here," she jerks her thumb at the mercenary who attacked them, "tried to take it from me. Everyone in here saw him do it! Don't you think that when a person finds something tossed aside on the side of the road, it becomes their property?"
She says all of this while walking toward the sheriff and handing him the dagger...doing her best to convince the sheriff that she is in the right.
Diplomacy check: 1d20+6=24
He looks to the elven woman, raising a brow. He then looks back to Feona, taking the dagger and putting it in his belt, "Frankly, I don't know who is right here, but I know that all of you are at fault for this raucous here. You may be in the right, you may be in the wrong, but I will decide that in the morning. Ostler Merinwaite, the owner of the inn, will show you all to your rooms." With that, he leaves, heading upstairs to one of the rooms.
One of the men who had ducked behind the bar with the serving girls, pops up with a worried look on his face, "I'm Ostler, follow me please." He leads the two groups to the rooms in the back, first showing the Black Banners their room. He then leads everyone else to a room across the hall, "This is your room. I'm sorry to say that you all will have to share just one room, because the inn is full. There are spare matresses on the floor if you need them." He then darts away, no doubt going to survey the damage done.
"A slumber party?" Nafti looks around the room, eying up the men, then pouts not seeing the sheriff anywhere.
"So, how did you all wind up stuck here?"
Burrloft looks at the wreched man with an expression of deep sympathy "I am sorry for you loss, sir. It is always a tragedy when artaefacts of such educational benefit are lost from our collective heritage. I do mourn with you."
"A slumber party?" Nafti looks around the room, eying up the men, then pouts not seeing the sheriff anywhere.
"So, how did you all wind up stuck here?"
"Me and Nils and Berenthor were guards for a merchant family - we just needed a job. What about you? By the way, I'm Feona."
"Me and Nils and Berenthor were guards for a merchant family - we just needed a job. What about you? By the way, I'm Feona.""A slumber party?" Nafti looks around the room, eying up the men, then pouts not seeing the sheriff anywhere.
"So, how did you all wind up stuck here?"
"If he did kill that hobgoblin I'd wager his entire team helped him fight it, but if he did to overlook that dagger and then try and pull this..."Nils shakes his head still looking angry.
"Sorry that mercenary must be several kinds of a fool to pull that stunt," Nils apologises to the others at the table.He then takes a gulp from his drink trying to recover his composure.
"Me and Nils and Berenthor were guards for a merchant family - we just needed a job. What about you? By the way, I'm Feona."
"Nafti. I came all the way from Riddleport for the fine drinks at this little inn." She giggles, and in the light of the room, you can see that she is most definitely an elf, but her skin looks like she has spent most of her life underground.
The gnome flashes a knowing nod at Nafti. "Riddleport, eh? Interesting town. Fine examples of Thassilonian archecture there for examination... provided you aren't knifed and left floating face down in the harbor. Riddleport is quite proximal to my youthful stomping grounds."
"I'm Burrloft Seguwoxies Folldorall, and I hale from Korvosa originally. Although I don't actually know this fine little knot of bravos, I can already tell I like their company. Their former employer had business with me, which was completed just before the... festivities of foolishness broke free.
"What kind of business were you doing with Mr. Luca, Burrloft?" Feona asks, smiling. "If you don't mind me asking."
After he answers, she turns to Nafti and asks, "Where is Riddleport?"
"The northern part of Varisia."
"The northern part of Varisia."
"And supposedly even more dangerous than Katapesh but thats just the gossip so I honestly don't know about that part," Nils quips.
Nils:
"Good Master Luca was delivering to me the bag of trinkets you saw earlier. Although I have some skill in the craft of jewelrymaking, I am not yet a Master Jeweler. This bag gives me several pieces that I may practice upon my lapidary technique, gemcutting, and stone setting methods. Master Luca was able to broker an exchange for me that will advance my education. At any point in the future, if he has need of my services, he has but to ask," the gnome says quite earnestly.
"Well, he was my meal ticket to this place," Feona says, yawning and looking around for a place to curl up for the night. "I wonder what the Sheriff is gonna decide in the morning?"
"Mmmmm...the sheriff," Nafti lays near Feona. "Isn't he a dream?" she whispers to her.
Nafti gets comfortable, and drifts off to sleep while murmuring something about getting even with a man named Gevrin.
Burrloft makes a small nest of his blankets nearest any desk with candle, fireplace, or lightsource, so he can make a few notes in one of his books, look at a couple of his gems by the gleaming light, and then curl up to sleep around his jewelry bag.
The night goes by uneventful, and everyone is able to get a good nights sleep. The next morning, there is knocking on the door, "The sheriff wants to meet all of you in the main room. Please come as soon as possible."
The night goes by uneventful, and everyone is able to get a good nights sleep. The next morning, there is knocking on the door, "The sheriff wants to meet all of you in the main room. Please come as soon as possible."
"Okay," he calls to whoever's knocking on the door.
"Yawn!" Nils stretched himself as he looked back at his reflection having been interrupted as he shaved.Cleaning up he got dressed and ready to head downstairs but not before making sure the others were on their way.
Burrloft barely looks up from the spellbook he had been studying for the last 20 minutes getting ready for the day. "Yescertainlyberightthere," he mumbles and returns to his reading.
Feona crawls out of her blankets and tussles her shaggy hair before tying it up out of her face. If there is a basin and water, Feona washes her face to wake up and swishes some water around her mouth.
"I gotta pee," she whispers loudly to Nafti. "Wonder where the jakes are?"
And then she follows Nils downstairs to meet the sheriff.
Down in the main room, you can see the sheriff standing while he waits for everyone. There are also some other people sitting at some of the table, one of them being the mercenary with the longbow, Ostler, a farmer, a gnome, and a human woman. As soon as everyone enters the room, the sheriff takes a step forward to address everyone, "As you all know last night, there was a fight that happened here. I confiscated a dagger, and went to my room to think things over. As I went to bed, I put the dagger under my pillow. But, when I woke up this morning, I discovered the dagger missing. So, at some point during the night it was stolen. I have some witnesses to explain some suspicious things they saw last night. You are free to question them if you wish." He motions to the kitchen, and a serving girl walks out.
"Sara here will explain what she saw last night," the sheriff says. Sara looks around nervously, biting her lower lip, "I saw him," she points to the mercenary, "And him," pointing to the farmer, "outside of the sheriff's room last night."
The mercenary stands up quickly, slamming his fist on the table, "That is an outright lie! I was never there last night." The farmer lowers his head, "I was there. But... I was drunk and looking for a privy. I didn't steal anything though!"
"Don't let the ruffian scare you, Madame," Burrloft moves to interpose his small frame between the serving girl and the merc. "Just tell the truth of it and we will let no harm befall you. Where is your stinky little goblin friend? Did you pilfer the dagger and pass it off to him so he could abscond with it? I assure you we will get to the bottom of this malfeasance!"
The merc glares his eyes as he looks at the gnome, "I told you, I was no where near there."
Nafti comes down the stairs, after using the washroom with Feona, and stands near the sheriff. "What could a farmer and a mercenary be doing together?" She walks over to the farmer, "Give me five minutes with him, and I'll get the truth out of him," tracing the opening of his shirt with her fingernails.
The farmer jumps back a bit, "Well I can't remember much of last night, but I do know I don't remember seeing that fellow."
"Sara here will explain what she saw last night," the sheriff says. Sara looks around nervously, biting her lower lip, "I saw him," she points to the mercenary, "And him," pointing to the farmer, "outside of the sheriff's room last night."
The mercenary stands up quickly, slamming his fist on the table, "That is an outright lie! I was never there last night." The farmer lowers his head, "I was there. But... I was drunk and looking for a privy. I didn't steal anything though!"
Feona huffs and glares at the sheriff, pointing a finger up at him. "You...lost...MY...dagger!" she hisses through gritted teeth. "And you don't have a real clue as to who pilfered it! Well, do you? No, you don't! All you have is the word of a strumpet who is too scared to tell the truth!"
Feona turns her glare to Sara. "What did you REALLY see, girl? And what time of the night was it? And while you're at it, what were YOU doing out and about during the night?"
The sheriff looks to Feona, "I did not lose it miss, it was stolen. And I could do the investigating myself, but I was thinking it would be good to have people to help me. Though I am not sure how good of a plan was now that I am talking with everyone."
The serving girl's eyes widen as she is battered with the questions, and she looks around nervously, "I saw everything I just told, I promise!" Tears well up in her eyes, "I was just doing my job miss, I was finished cleaning the mess that was out here and I was headed to my room upstairs."
The serving girl's eyes widen as she is battered with the questions, and she looks around nervously, "I saw everything I just told, I promise!" Tears well up in her eyes, "I was just doing my job miss, I was finished cleaning the mess that was out here and I was headed to my room upstairs."
Feona ignores the sheriff, keeping her eyes on the girl.
"I'll ask you again, what TIME did you supposedly see the merc and the drunk farmer outside the sheriff's room? And what were they doing, talking, holding hands, kissing each other good night?"
The girl bursts into tears, "I can't remember what time, it wasn't too late. I was so busy cleaning the mess I lost track of time. And no, they weren't together. I saw them at different times. The first time was when I was getting more cleaning supplies, the other was when I was heading to my room. The farmer fellow there was stumbling around, he looked like he was ready to pass out. The other man was just standing around. I'm not lying, I promise," she cries.
Feona can make a sense motive if she wishes to see if the girl is speaking the truth.
To Sara, "You saw both of them outside the sheriff's room, or just upstairs?"
She wipes her eyes, "In the hallway, near where his room is."
Burrloft decides to be the good constable to Nafti's bad constable "I am prone to believe this poor man, Nafti. He readily admits to being outside of the room. Sara says he was stumbling, on the verge of passing out... He looks rather penatent, and does nothing to place himself away from the scene. My surmise is that he was there by happenstance of not being able to find a chamber pot."
Burrloft urges Nils to lean down so he can whisper to the man
...not being able to find a chamber pot."
"There was the alleyway outside."
The girl bursts into tears, "I can't remember what time, it wasn't too late. I was so busy cleaning the mess I lost track of time. And no, they weren't together. I saw them at different times. The first time was when I was getting more cleaning supplies, the other was when I was heading to my room. The farmer fellow there was stumbling around, he looked like he was ready to pass out. The other man was just standing around. I'm not lying, I promise," she cries.
Feona can make a sense motive if she wishes to see if the girl is speaking the truth.
Feona walks up to the girl (who is probably a foot or two taller than she) and says, "Okay, call down. Let's go over this again. Tell me EXACTLY what you did after the sheriff and the rest of us went to our rooms. Don't leave anything out, especially this 'mess' you keep mentioning."
Feona watches Sara's face closely.
Sense Motive: 1d20+1=20
"If he were in his cups too deeply, he might have a difficult time navigating to the outside. I do not deny your thoughts, but he has the look of one besotted the night before. I think it much more likely our laconic cretin there, his goblin toady, and their fat bugger friend. Be sure, I don't rule out that it might have been an act, but I don't think probability favors that."
As far as Feona can tell, the girl is telling the truth, "It's just like I told you. I was cleaning up the mess, there were chairs and other items that had been on the table that I had to clean up, and at one point I had to go get a broom. At that time when I went, I saw this fellow there," she points to the merc, "standing in the hallway. After I was done cleaning that night, I went back the same way to go to my room, and I saw the other man stumbling around in the hallway."
Nafti looks at the mercenary, seeing if there's anything "fishy" about him. "You were pretty upset about that dagger last night...I wonder how upset?"
Sense Motive (regarding the merc's story): 1d20+1=21
Nafti notices that the merc seems to by lying.