Mags avoids Ameiko's gaze as she questions her, feeling a competing mix of guilt and desire to take up the sheriff's task. "We won't be gone long," she says at last. "Just down the coast a bit and then straight back." Quietly, she adds, "Most likely..."
Looking at Ameiko, Mags smiles. "Besides, y' know I spend more time out 'ere socializin' than I do actually workin', so it ain't like you'll be that short 'anded."
Nodding toward the Tian woman - What did she say her name was? - Magdelia says quietly, "That one's 'ere to see you. Nearly killed herself gettin' here at that. I think she may 'ave a screw or two missin' from the ole brain crank though; mentioned something about the heir to yer long-lost empire or some nonsense." Mags shakes her head. "I reckon she's here t' sell ya somethin'. But ye may wanna have a word with 'er."
Tani sighs. "Fine. Your right. I'll get back to the kitchen." Tani returns to the kitchen to prepare for the dinner rush
Eisen looks up from the table when he hears Ameiko's voice. Although they are talking between themselves, he notes Magdelia's nod in the direction of his table and Ameiko's subsequent glance. Eisen turns back to the woman at the table, "My appologies. It really is none of my business. I'll leave you to your meal." As he stood up, he adds, "I really should be calling it a night anyways. Some food and rest will do you good, but if there's anything more you need, Magdelia or Ameiko can direct you to my room."
As he makes his way towards the stairs, Eisen pauses to join Ameiko and Magdelia. He smiles at Ameiko, "It's good to see you again. I'm sorry we haven't had more time to catch up since I've been back. Hopefully once this little excusion to the Brinewall Marsh is over, we can sit and have a bit of tea together." He turns to look at Magdelia. Still smiling, he puts a hand on her arm, "I'm going to turn in for the night. I'll check on Shalelu on my way, but hopefully you won't have anything more serious to deal with tonight than the usual aches and pain." He tilts his head toward a patron that is in the process of depositing the evening's cuisine on the tavern floor. "But don't be afraid to wake me if something more serious does arise. Otherwise, I'll see you in the morning."
With a shallow bow to the two women, Eisen steps back and heads for the second floor.
as the tian finishes her meal, she will also turn in for the night (after 5 large consecutive portions preferably)
Mags fought down the tavern-honed instinct to pull away from the man's touch, nodding in thanks at his offer to check on Shalelu. Following his motion to the customer, she closes her eyes and lets out a long sigh. "Torag save me," she mutters, before turning back to wish Eisin a good night. "Bright 'n' early," she says with a smile.
To Ameiko she says, "If you'll excuse me, duty calls."
After giving the drunken patron a piece of her mind and showing him the door, she returns to duties, her mind preoccupied with the day to come.
Tani will continue to work until every last chore for the evening is finished. Tani always liked working late into the evening anyways. He then proceeded to the roof where he likes to lay down and gaze at the stars for an hour or too. Once he is satisfied, he hops down and heads to bed for the night.
The stairs of the Rusty Dragon are particularly loud in the silence of the morning. Eisen descends wearily, the heavy hand of sleep still gripping him. He makes it halfway to the door before he stops. The next several minutes are spent looking for paper and writing implement. He scribbles a few words down, folds the scrap of parchment, and writes Magdelia’s name across the outside. Leaving it in plain sight on the bar, Eisen heads for the door.
Will meet you at the south gate shortly.
–E
Kodachi Awakens, gathers her equipent, donning many exotic sheathes, she ties her hair back in a simple ponytail, shops for some minor supplies and joins her newfound companions.
Tani is still sleeping. He will sleep until noon or somebody wakes him.......which ever happens first. This is his normal habit.
Mags makes her way down stairs, her pack slung from one shoulder. This early, the room is nearly empty, little evidence of the raucous singing and drinking of the night before evident. She liked the Dragon most at this time of day, the morning sun slanting through the curtains, the quiet.
Dropping her pack to the floor near the bar, she offers the only other occupant of the room a smile. "Glad to see you back on yer feet," she says to the Tian woman. "Didn't catch yer name in all the excitement, last night." Offering her hand, she says, "Magdelia, though most just call me Mags."
Having made introductions, Mags turns to the stairs and calls out, "Sticks! Let's go." Her call is answered soon enough by the arrival of a small red fox, hopping down the stairs and padding into the room to sit at the half-elf's feet. She stoops to scratch the creatures head, spotting the note from the corner of her eye. She reads it quickly, tucking it into one of the leather pouches hanging from her belt.
"Eisen'll meet us at the gate," she tells Kodachi. Looking around suddenly she realizes Tani hasn't joined them yet. "Torag," she mutters. Rushing up the stairs, taking two at a time, she bangs on Tanimoto's door, oblivious to any other guests sleeping nearby.
"Rise 'n' shine, beauty queen," she calls out, opening the door just enough to stick her head in. Waiting for any indication that he is awake, she adds, "We'll meet you at the south gate. Hurry along. We wanna beat the crowds."
Returning downstairs, she gathers her things, helping sticks into her pack before slipping it onto her pack. Somewhat indignant at the jossling, the animal eventual settles down, resting his chin on her shoulder and watching the world with strangely intelligent eyes. "Ready? she asks herself, running over the list of things she's gathered for the trip. Satisfied, she says again, this time to Kodachi, "Ready?"
the Tian woman introduces herself and announces, i should be fine right now. i'm sure that goblins shouldn't be a problem. after she made it to the south gate after her short shopping trip.
At the pounding and noise Mags makes, Tani groans and rolls over. "mhmgmgm, I don't wanna get up." Mags pushes and Tani sits up with sleep heavy eyes."Fine, I'll be down in a minute." He goes over to the vanity and stares wearily in the mirror. He cleans up using a basin of water. Once he is clean he then proceeds to clean and shampoo his hair and clean it thoroughly. He then spends a good hour drying and brushing it. After he finishes, he looks closely at his face. He then moves on to his make up kit. He puts on all the dressing to make himself purdy. He puts on the blush, eyeliner, lipstick and eyelashes. He flutters them in the mirror and shows off a charming smile. He will then don his ninja tights and his equipment. He then admires himself in the mirror for a couple of a couple of minutes. She nods in approval."Mhm, looking sexy." Tani will then make his way to the south gate to meet the others.
Eisen waved to Magdelia and Kodachi as he approached the south gates of Sandpoint. He pack, slightly heavier than it was last night, was slung over his shoulder. "I hope you two haven't been waiting for me too long," he said when he got closer to the two women, "I hadn't exactly planned on staying at the Dragon last night, so most of my stuff was still at Koya's, and of course, I wanted to let her know how Shalelu was doing. Shall we get go-"
He looked about. He turned around to stare back up the road from which he came. He rotated in place, surveying their surroundings. Then he frowned, "Where's Tani?"
Magdelia greeted the alchemist with a smile.
"He should be along any time. Bit of night owl, that one." Still, she looks back the way they had come, anxious to get on the move. Been waitin' a long time fer this. Too long.
Tani arrives looking just as girly as he always does. "Hi everyone, hope I didn't keep you waiting to long." He approaches the others casually looking as though there is nothing wrong. He then looks at the others expressions. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothin' except that that goblin chief we're after's probably died o' old age by now. Where in the hells have y' been?" Mags irritation, though still obvious, is tempered slightly by the fact that they can at last get on the road.
Tani was a little taken aback "Excuse me, I had to do my hair and my makeup! I can't go goblin hunting looking like a mess and all. Geez." Tani looks Mags up and down. "You know, you could put a little bit of time into dolling yourself up too you know, it would do you wonders."
Mags stares at Tani, slack-jawed, for several long moments. "Well, you look just great," she says sarcastically. Picking up her pack and, to Sticks dismay, slinging it over her shoulder, she begins to turn away. Stopping she looks back at Tanimoto as if she were going to say something else. Apparently thinking better of it, she adjusts her pack more comfortably on her back and turns away again. "Can we just go?"
Kodachi begins to respond to Tani's comment, makeup that is obscured by blood is makeup that has been wasted. after she finishes this comment in Tani's prescence, she will catch up to the other members of the group.
"I don't think you're the goblins' type," Eisen muttered under his breath. He picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder, then reached for the spear resting next to it. Although the sun was now fully above the horizon, he tried to remind himself that their delay had given him time to properly prepare a few vials of explosive compounds and a healing extract.
"Lets." he answered to Magdelia's request to get going and struck out down the road toward Brinewall Marsh.
As they make their way down the road, Mags walks next to Kodachi. "Were y' able to get a word with Ameiko?"
the Tian Ronin answers in common not yet. maybe later.
Tani shrugs and starts to follow the group. He began to whistle to himself as he listened to Mags and Kodatchi talk.
From the lead, Eisen twisted to look at the women behind him. He was hardly a seasoned warrior, but having spent a fair amount of time "in the field" collecting his own reagents, rather than simply purchasing them from vendors and merchants, had given him some combat experience. Now he wondered just sort of experience his traveling companions had.
The Tian woman hadn't said much since her appearance at the Rusty Dragon, but it was probably same to assume she knew how to handle herself in a fight. One didn't make it as far as she had and survived without knowing how to deal with hostilities. The arsenal of weapons she carried with her also spoke volumes.
Tanimoto, dressed in what appeared to be skin-tight solid black pajamas, was a bit harder to take seriously, especially considering the effort - and time - he had spent making himself up this morning. They were headed into a dank and muddy swamp to hunt goblins. Excessive personal hygiene was not only unnecessary, but would almost assuredly be a wasted effort by the time they were done. There was a certain confidence to Tanimoto, which Eisen assumed was so much naive bravado.
He passed his gaze over Magdelia, from head to toe. He couldn't help but image how she might look "dolled up", as Tanimoto had put it. He knew her only as a simple waitress at the Rusty Dragon. Although they had talked much over the last week, their discussions never involved any sort of combat or hostile engagements. She seemed eager enough, though. Too eager? Eisen wasn't sure.
He turned back to the road that stretched out before him. His eyes passed back and forth to the brush and trees that lines their path. Considering the boldness of the goblins as of late, he was on edge - waiting for the little green monsters to strike.
Eisen looked back again, "Are you guys sure you're up to this?"
Tani smiled maliciously. "Totally ready. It has been some time since I got to see some action. I fear I'm getting a little rusty working in the Dragon so I need to brush up a bit."
Mags nods to Kodachi, her gaze on the road ahead. After a few moment, she says, "Well, she does like tales. You'll 'ave her ear after this, t' be certain."
Falling silent, Mags watches the surroundings as they make their way south. She'd had little opportunity to travel this way before, most of her wanderings taking her north of town. The country side was pleasant enough at this point, though she suspected that would take a turn for the worse once they reached the marsh.
Seeing Eisen look back at them, running his gaze up and down her in particular, her brow arched curiously. She suddenly felt a tinge of self-consciousness, which she pushed aside purposefully. Yet, when he had turned back around she looked down at herself, making sure nothing was out of place, and running a hand through her hair.
Casting a look back at Tani, Mags answers the alchemists query, "I'm wonderin' if I'm a bit under-dressed, but otherwise..." But am I ready for this? she wondered. Her experience with killing was limited to trapping a few animals here and there. And that had all been years ago. Not quite the same thing as fighting goblins anyway. But there was a larger problem; something that had been nagging at her since she had retired for the evening last night. She carried both a sickle and a sling, and she was fair with them, though she knew she'd never be a warrior. But she had other abilities, more useful than those simple weapons. Abilities she had made great effort to keep secret. Indeed, only Ameiko had any idea of what the small barmaid was capable of. It was unlikely she'd be able to keep her secret through this little adventure, though. What'll they think, I wonder? Not much love fer witches, in my experience, though it don't seem fair.
Scratching Sticks' ear, she gives the little creature a sad smile and resumes watching the country pass by, her thoughts clouded.
An oppressive silence hung over the group as they made their way south. Whenever Eisen looked to his companions, each seemed lost in their own thoughts. Despite the tendency to get lost in thoughts of his own, or observe the local flora as they moved, he did his best to remain vigilent for signs of goblins.
Twice he slowed their progress to collect reagents for himself. The first time was to gather mushrooms from a colony proliferating along the underside of a fallen tree. The second was to gather a few handfuls of a muted yellow berry growing from several bushes that dotted the side of the road. Both were common and harmless enough, but it had been more than a month since he had restocked several of his more basic commonents. Eisen made a mental note of a few other reagents they were likely to encounter that he wanted to collect while they were out and about.
Perception
Perception:
"What in the Nine Hells?!" Eisen exclaims, silently cursing himself for letting his attention wander again. He breaks out into a jog. As people begin passing him in the opposite direction, he stops to grab one by the arm. "What's going on? What was that?" he inquires.
Tani points out the wagon. "There! That wagon! Something has set fire to it! We need to get people out of the area. Lets move!" Tani moves to help people while looking for what may have set the fire.
Mags is shaken from her reverie by the sudden display above them. Her first thought was, How beautiful. But that thought was quickly forgotten as the rest of the scene penetrated her consciousness.
She follows Tani's gaze to the burning wagon, wondering for a moment if there was any point in trying to extinguish the flames. It looked like everyone was clear, however, so she joined Tani half-heartedly in helping direct the people away from the flames. Her attention was instead mostly directed to the surrounding terrain, looking for anything out of place. And more than half an ear she kept open to the conversation Eisen was having with the townsman. The fox, peering from the opening in the top of her pack was on full alert, his emotion spilling over into the half-elven woman and heightening her own apprehension. Her hand went to one of the pouches she carried on her belt and it took an act of will to move it away again. Not yet. Not here.
Kodachi follows Mags and Tani as she comments in Tian,
initiative
Magdelia's gaze falls on Sandaru, and she feels a mixture of gratitude and annoyance. "Burning out the competition?" she calls out, before noticing the goblins coming into view.
She offers Kodachi a nervous grin, happy at least that the Tian woman seems up to the situation.
She manages a strained chuckle, pulling her sling from her belt and reaching for a bullet. Though she held a certain dislike for the caravaner, she was thankful for his appearance at such an opportune time. With luck she would be able to refrain from revealing her true abilities for a time yet.
Tani notices Sandru and the goblins. As he draws his Wakazashi and begins to move. Suddenly he hears the other two girls speaking in Tian.
"Mags? Why do you think I'm Entertainment? Oh never mind I got to go help that buffoon Sandru."
Tani will rush over to attack one of the gobbies.
Initiative:
Mags is about to make some form of answer to Tani's question, but. as he runs off to join the battle, she let's it go.
Not sure if Eisen has noticed the full extent of the situation, she calls to him, "Eisen. Company, sweetheart."
Eisen releases his grip on the man he had snagged. He starts to look for someone else he could interrogate when Sandaru, weapon drawn, leeps out from behind the burning wagon. The alchemist sneers at the sight of the man and begins to reach for his own blade. Prepared for a showdown, Eisen curses as he notes the goblins coming into view.
Still weighing the situation, he begins moving toward the wagon. His hand shifts from the handle of his sickle and disappears into one of his belt pouches.
Tani moves in to flank one of the goblins fighting with Sandru. He moves in and slashes with the weapon in hand.
Attack: For: