Sue suddenly stumbles into a tree and trips on a root that is protruding from the ground. How she came into the woods she isn't entirely sure yet. Even who she is and where she was before this is fuzzy and hard to remember.
Looking around she sees sunlight flitting through the leaves overheard. It appears to be midday on a sunny autumn day. Birds are tweeting in the trees overhead and the wind is rustling the branches fracturing the sunlight.
There appears to be a game trail running haphazardly roughly north and south through the trees.
As you begin to travel along the path you find yourself wandering back and forth with no discernable pattern. At times to the east, others to the west and even seemingly in circles. Fallen trees and branches at times block the way and you find yourself ducking and skirting around obstacles in your way. However years of practice and your natural skills and abilities allow you to move deftly and sure footed through the trees.
As you travel you begin to search your pockets and bags for any sign of who or where you are.
Investigation Roll: 7
Unfortunately the mystery still eludes you as you travel until dusk and finally come to the first clearing you've seen in hours.
Perception Roll: 20
Immediately upon entering the clearing you notice that all sounds of the forest have ceased and even the birds who have been your only companions thus far have stopped calling You also see on the far side of the.clearing the clear signs of someone or something moving clumsily through the woods. Broken branches and bent blades of grass leap out at your elf born and trained senses.
Deftly you scramble back into the treeline behind leaving no trace that you had ever stood in the clearing. As you meld into the shrubs along the border you look across and see a small dark creature smash his way through the underbrush. He seems to be carrying a small bundle under one lanky arm which seems to be fighting back. The creature tosses the bundle roughly down onto the ground and gives it a sharp kick as the bundle cries out in pain.
"You shut yer gob or you'll get it again and not so kindly" says the creature in broken Common.
The bundle settles down as the creature reaches up and stretches its long arms behind his back.
"Yer heavier than you look Halfling. You shouldn't eat so many treats" the lanky creature cackles. "Not that it should be a concern of yours much longer"
As Sue watches the goblin attack this defenseless creature she springs into action. She sprints from the woods and beginnings waving to the creature.
"Run! It's coming!" she screams in an attempt to distract the goblin.
The goblin quickly snatches its dagger from is side and begins to threaten the bundle Ruth it. Looking over Sue's shoulder the goblin doesn't fall for her tricks and screams
"Hold it there ***** or the halfing gets this in its ribs!"
Undeterred Sue runs forward and begins to attack the air around her as if being menaced by an invisible enemy. The goblin merely sticks the knife further into the side of the halfling and stares at Sue unbelieving and beginnings to run full tilt at her pulling its crossbow out as he does.
Sue pulls her rapier from its scabard and prepares to defend herself at the bolt flashes from the crossbow. In its haste and anger the goblin stumbles on a hidden stone and fires the bolt directly between Sue's legs. Not believing her good fortune Sue makes the goblin pay for its impatience with its life. With deadly precision she slashes the inside of the goblins thigh bringing it to one of its knobbly knees and then with practiced grace lunges forward and puts the point of her rapier right through the goblins exposed throat.
After searching the goblin Sue proceeds over to the bundled halfling and looks down. The rug that the halfling is wrapped in is of poor condition. Blue with patches of green, tattered at the edges with several large holes as if someone has spent time picking at the threads. Sue grabs her dagger and deftly cuts the ropes wrapped around the rug and exposes the halfling to the light.
Hesitantly the woman peeks out and looks at her savior.
"Where is the foul beast?" the woman asks. Auburn hair with tight curls crown her small head with bright blue eyes peeking out of bushy eyebrows.
"Dead." Sue replies and points across the clearing.
"Thank you! " the halfling exclaims. "And who are you?!"
"I don't know" Sue says simply. "I woke up in the forest to the south and followed a game trail north until I came upon the clearing and our friend over there. Where are you from?"
"Well I'm Rylef and I own the Inn in our little town nearby. It's called Castor! And you've got the best room I have for as long as you want it! It's not much. I'm sure it's poor compared to most but it's the best I have. Follow me!"
Rylef leads the way off North East through the trees. You are following the trail that the goblin in its haste battered through the forest. You walk for roughly two hours before you reach the edge of a dirt road. It is in poor repair with two large ruts deeply embedded in the dirt in the middle of the road, however, there is grass growing up from the ruts so it is not well traveled. Rylef looks left and right to get her bearings and then sets off to her left with a small skip in her step. The resiliency of halflings is a truly amazing thing. Only two hours before she was destined for a goblins stomach but the memory seems to have no hold on her and she is almost cheery as she moves towards her home.
As Sue glances up she sees a small dust cloud on the horizon moving quickly southward towards them. A horse and rider in full armor with a large fully enclosed helm come closer and stop roughly twenty feet away. The rider draws a long wicked looking sword from its back and shouts at the travelers.
"Hold it there! What business do you have here?" A surprisingly high voice exclaims from behind the helm.
"Quiet Omara she's with me." Rylef says to the warrior. "She saved me from a goblins cook pot!"
"And how are we to know she isn't in league with the creature in some scheme Rylef?" The guard asks suspiciously. "They could be working together to gain your trust to kill us all?
"Your head is thicker than your armor Omara" Rylef laughs. "What sense does that make?"
Sue appears ready to run at the first hint of trouble but waits to see how this works out.
"Then what is your business in Castor half-elf? We don't get many visitors of your ilk this far from the main road."
Sue again explains her lack of memory and knowledge of her current condition and is met with scorn by Omara. Rylef however is able to calm the guard before the situation escalates and continues to lead the odd troop towards Castor.
As they come around a bend in the wagon road they come upon the village of Castor suddenly as if the buildings had grown from the wood instead of being built. The cart track continues into the middle of the town and there is met by solitary cross street running perpendicularly to the first. Omara stares silently at Sue and rides off down the road towards the north of town as Rylef leads Sue towards a tall building about three houses into the town along the cart path and stops and stares proudly at the building before speaking
"I know its not much to look at stranger, but its mine, and for however long you need it she's yours too" Rylef says humbly but with a small bit of pride in her voice. "The Broken Bow is as simple as they come but it is warm and friendly to those who need her."
As she goes to the front door with the intent of flinging wide the doors she finds them locked. She pulls on the doors with growing frustration before turning and exclaims as the makes her way around the corner of the Inn.
"They couldn't even bother to unlock the doors!! Those lazy, good for nothing." The rest of Rylef's tirade is lost as she rounds the corner in huff before the rest of her words are lost in a scream.
Sue rounds the corner cautiously, unsure of what it is she will find and expecting the worst. She is surprised to find Rylef swatting and cursing at a small boy who it appears has just woken from a midday slumber against the faded gray slats next to the back door of the inn.
"Jareth you no good lazy good for nothing witless fool what do you think your'e doing! And is that ale I smell on your breath!!" Rylef shouts in anger and disbelief at what Sue can now see is not a small boy but a halfling male in his early twenties with a mop of tight brown curls and a general unkempt lazy air about him.
"Auntie! we was just looking for you! We couldn't find the key to the front door and were lost as to what to do....." Jareth begins to explain before another voice shouts jauntily from the open door behind him
"I found the Longbottom Ale brother! Aunt Rylef with have to find a better hiding spot next time!" Happily exclaims a second halfling as he exists the inn with two frothy covered mugs in his small hands before seeing his aunt in a fury and in his shock dropping one of the mugs.
Rylef's face becomes as a furious as a stormcloud as she rounds on this new boy. "If you're dear mother, my sister, hadnt asked me to look out for you before her death of the pox, I would turn you out on your no good ears with tanned backsides and nary a stitch on ya!!!" She shouts as she grabs the unbroken mug from the boys hand.
The boys begin to simper apologies and protestations before she silences them with a look and gives them orders to head off and prepare the best guest room for Sue on threath of dismemberment and torture.
Rylef leads Sue into the back door of the inn which appears to enter into a small simple yet neat and orderly kitchen. Cloves of garlic, ears of corn and bundles of onions and potatoes are packed neatly and precisely in ordered spots amongst the shelves and cupboards. Rylef moves quickly to the stone fireplace in the corner of the kitchen and starts the fire and places a large black kettle on the spit above it. As she sets the water to boil she shows Sue the common room of the inn before moving to unlock the barred front door.
"I apologize for my nephews Miss. They're good boys but lazy. I'm afraid they've had a hard life and its made them seek pleasure, not work. But I'll teach em if its the last thing I do on this green earth. But come I have a treat for us after such an interesting morning."
She moves behind the bar and utilizing a small wheeled ladder built just for this purpose moves it along the shelves filled with all manner of bottles and decanters of varying colors and shapes. As she rummages on a top shelf, Sue takes a moment to examine her surroundings.
The common room of the Broken Bow is clean, organized, and simple. 5 or 6 tables with differing amounts of chairs are arranged in a fashion that allows quick service from the kitchen and bar areas while maximizing the small space it occupies. Sue can tell that Rylef is a very organized and careful woman who takes great pride in her inn and its cleanliness.
"Found it!" Rylef says as she pulls a large bottle of dark blue liquid down from the shelf. "I've been saving this for a special occasion, a wedding or birth or some such, but having ones life back and not being in a goblin's stomach is the best reason I can think of to partake! Join me!"
She grabs two tumblers from behind the bar and pours a glass for herself and a glass for Sue.
"To life" Rylef says and downs her glass.
Sue raises her glass in salute and downs her glass. As she does she finds that her memories are returning. She remembers who she is and where she has come from. How she came to the woods outside Castor she does not know, but she now knows who she was before . Better yet she remembers what she is.
Sue looks at her glass and reaches for the bottle to pour herself another.
"I remember who I am." Sues says to Rylef. "I'm called Sue! and Im a bard."
"Excellent! That's great news. Perhaps you'll play for us this evening if you have a will!" Rylef says cheerfully.
"Perhaps. But first I would like to buy this bottle from you. Would 5 gold be enough?"
Rylef's suddenly cheerful expression turns wistful in an instant.
"It's not for sale Miss. Im sorry. I got it as a present from my grandfather and its very dear to me. I'm sorry."
"10 gold?" Asks Sue unaware that she has begun to push her luck
Rylef's expression turns sour and she pulls the bottle back towards herself before corking it and beginning to return it to the shelf. "I said its not for sale." Sue realizes she has damaged her newfound friendship with the halfling and has offended her deeply.
Before Sue can apologize Rylef says coldly "I'll escort you to your room now" and proceeds up the stares without looking back .
Sue follows her up the stairs and finds herself led to a small room at the head of the stairs with a simple bedframe and straw mattress against one wall and wash basin placed under the window on the wall opposite the door.
Rylef explains that supper should be ready in an hour and then leaves Sue alone in her room.
I burst into the inn and eye anyone I see suspiciously before hobbling to a table by the fire and seat myself with my back to the wall and the doors in view. Then I pull out aome parchment, writing supplies and a book and set them u0 on the table before removing my muddy boots and placing them near the fire. Then I light my pipe and amoke broodingly.
Rylef comes out of the kitchen with a bowl of stew and crust of golden brown loaf on a platter. As she steers towards Sue's table she glances at Nebakanezer and smiles
"Ah you've returned have ye! Been wondering when you'd show your grey head again!" she says with a grin and a wink. "You going to want some of this stew as well I imagine? Oh and in case you didn't notice behind that cloud of smoke surrounding your head I have another guest!"
Rylef places the platter in front of Sue and proceeds back towards the kitchen without waiting for a reply and begins to prepare another serving.
Before Sue has a chance to dig into her supper, which it turns out is her first meal of the day, the front door opens again. Standing in the doorway is an Elven man who looks coolly around the common room and then enters. The longbow on his back peaks out from his long flowing silver hair and the mace on his hip swings dangerous against his leg.
The elf looks over at Sue, then Nebakanezer and seems to dismiss them with a glance before moving to a table as far from the others as possible. He props the longbow against the wall next to him and almost does the same with the mace before he reconsiders and lays it on the table in front of him. There is a faint silvery glean coming from mace that flashes quickly and then grows quiet.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Destin waits silently against the wall waiting for the innkeep to enter the room. He looks again at the two other occupants of the common room and tries to assess them from a distance.
Insight: 22
Insight: 6
Nebakanezer is silent and still at his table and reveals little of himself other than a tough and somewhat smokey atmosphere.
Sue is a little more open to his gaze but only in that he sees a mystery that surrounds her as if she is only just now discovering who she is herself. Her half-elven heritage intrigues him as half-elfs always do. What would lead one of high and noble fey heritage to have congress with a lowly human. He doesnt hate half-elf's. He chooses not to expend enough thought on them to care. Its simply intriguing.
Neb eyes the newcomer and sucks deeply on his pipe and exhales it in a hazy cackle. His voice is dusty with disuse.
"Don't be shy now young pointy ears," he laughs, "might as well lay your pecker out on the table whilst you're at it... No? Well that might be for the best as well if it's unlikely to impress. Explains why you carry that heavy lump of steel on your hip to make up the difference. Watch out young lady, they may act all haughty but every Elf Lord is curious if he can make a half-elf maiden a whole by adding a tiny bit in!"
He laghs heartily at his own joke and then notices that his stringy white beard has once agin dangled into his pipe amd caught alight. He frantically pats it out, glaces about, clears his throat and places the pipe between his teeth.
"Oooh cheer up, pointy, you'll curdle Rylef's ale if you keep scowling at me like that. Lighten up! RYLEF! A round of your finest to loosen up our cheekboned friend here and for the lady as well. 'Travelers under one roof ought to act like family so they're at home wherever they roam.' That's what old Gobbers always said."
He brandishes his most good natured grin and then produces a patched coin pouch from the nethers of his robes. He frowns at the contents and counts it thrice as if doing so were a spell to conjure more.
"On secound thought, let's make it a round of your most economical brew..."
Destin looks quietly over at the dwarf with a slow careful smile. He notices how crestfallen his face becomes while looking through the contents of his purse and the sad little tendril of smoke still coming from the tips of his frayed beard and makes a calculated decision to not make an enemy this day.
"Allow me friend. Forgive my misguided display of what I can only assume you took to be aggression.I meant no offence but simply have trouble letting it out of my sight." He quickly pulls at gold piece from his purse and looks for the innkeep, who he supposes to be Rylef, to return.
While waiting he looks at Sue and says in Elvish. "Where do you hail from lady?"
Sue is all consumed with her first meal of the day, and distracted by the lost memories that still illude her, she misses the whole exchange between these colourful characters. Not until she realises the full elf is staring at her does she wipe the food from her chin and brashly but pollitely says "huh? What?"
Rylef returns from the back with Neb's food only to find that there is another customer for her to entertain and while she is certainly pleased with this sudden influx of patrons she wishes they could have all been in the room at the same time so she could stop making so many trips.
"Welcome to the Broken Bow sir! How can I help you this fine evening?" She asks politely as she delivers a plate to Neb. "The stew and bread are fresh and hot and there's all manner of drinks to choose from"
Destin looks away from Sue and turns his gaze at Rylef
"Thank you that would be lovely. I am Destin I was also wondering if you had any rooms available I will be staying for at least a night if not longer depending on the outcome of some....business I have in the area." He says politely.
"Of course of course dear lots of room for new friends." says the friendly harping innkeep "Breakfast and dinner are included in the price of the room. Altogether it'll run one gold a night or five for a week."
"Here's two gold for now. I'll take your best room please." Destin says as he produces two gleaming golden coins from his pouch and holds them out to Rylef.
"Oh I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid the young lady here has my best room for as long as she desires, on account of how she saved my life from a goblin cook pot only this very afternoon! Aye Sue is as fine a young lady as I've know."
Before Destin can say another word Rylef launches into the story of her rescue.
Destin finds himself looking at Sue, and her rapier, with a bit more respect than he had been moments before. Perhaps she wasn't merely the traveling musician he had supposed her to be at first glance.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As Rylef is just beginning to get to the height of her rescue story the front door opens slowly and silently. No thunderous crash or boisterous entrance welcomes the newest inhabitant of Castor. It seems impossible that someone so large could move so silently and with such delicacy. The door doesnt simply fill with his enormous fram, rather the inn itself seems dimished by comparison.
The being stands in the doorway for a moment and listens to his surrounds before choosing whether to enter or not.
Perception: 19
His awareness doesnt warn him of any immediate dangers and his attitude has always been more positive than not so he chooses to enter, yet to not announce his presence just yet.
Stealth: 15
Try as he might though his enormity gives him away almost instantly and the inn goes silent as the other occupants looks over and find their eyes travelling up and up and up until they reach his smiling face almost 8 feet above the floor.
"Nebakanezer!!? 😀 Neb you old fraud, you old dog, is that really you!? Hahaha! I knew you were still alive! After we made it through that mountain storm, we realized that you , nevets , LaThrop, and the boy were missing. We searched for 2 days. But that storm really took a toll on our provisions. I waited at anchors for a week and a half for you. But another caravan was going south, and the pay was too good to pass up.
That would have been what? 2 years ago? What happend up there ? And what happend to the others?
Neb is carefully gnawig away at stew soaked bread with his few remaining teeth when Castor enters. A light flickers in his rhumey eyes and a smile plays at his lips.
"Rely! By Lolth's hairy thorax, I thought I'd seen the last of your ugly face! Good to see you! As to the mountain pass, that is a tale worth telling! When we got separated we had to hunker down in a cave. It was cozy as can be and we worried that you and the rest had turned to frozem corpses. Then Nevets went to take a piss in the back, pardon my gnomish me lady, and he got his pecker tore off by a pack of she-bears, along with the better part of his viscerals. They would have eaten us too only LaThorp can charm the eyelashes off a beholder. He wooed each she-bear in turn and put em in a right pleasant mood. I made my escape but there was no way they were letting him go. There'll be red headed bear cubs all up and down those slopes by now. Anyway, I stumbled into a crevice and fell a hundred fathoms into a sewage lagoon in the underdark. That's when things really got interesting...
Sue suddenly stumbles into a tree and trips on a root that is protruding from the ground. How she came into the woods she isn't entirely sure yet. Even who she is and where she was before this is fuzzy and hard to remember.
Looking around she sees sunlight flitting through the leaves overheard. It appears to be midday on a sunny autumn day. Birds are tweeting in the trees overhead and the wind is rustling the branches fracturing the sunlight.
There appears to be a game trail running haphazardly roughly north and south through the trees.
I follow the trail north. Searching my person for any clues as to how I got here or why I'm so disoriented.
As you begin to travel along the path you find yourself wandering back and forth with no discernable pattern. At times to the east, others to the west and even seemingly in circles. Fallen trees and branches at times block the way and you find yourself ducking and skirting around obstacles in your way. However years of practice and your natural skills and abilities allow you to move deftly and sure footed through the trees.
As you travel you begin to search your pockets and bags for any sign of who or where you are.
Investigation Roll: 7
Unfortunately the mystery still eludes you as you travel until dusk and finally come to the first clearing you've seen in hours.
Perception Roll: 20
Immediately upon entering the clearing you notice that all sounds of the forest have ceased and even the birds who have been your only companions thus far have stopped calling You also see on the far side of the.clearing the clear signs of someone or something moving clumsily through the woods. Broken branches and bent blades of grass leap out at your elf born and trained senses.
I try to get a good look at who or what is moving but attempt to be stealthy about it. I ready my dagger.
Stealth Roll: 18
Deftly you scramble back into the treeline behind leaving no trace that you had ever stood in the clearing. As you meld into the shrubs along the border you look across and see a small dark creature smash his way through the underbrush. He seems to be carrying a small bundle under one lanky arm which seems to be fighting back. The creature tosses the bundle roughly down onto the ground and gives it a sharp kick as the bundle cries out in pain.
"You shut yer gob or you'll get it again and not so kindly" says the creature in broken Common.
The bundle settles down as the creature reaches up and stretches its long arms behind his back.
"Yer heavier than you look Halfling. You shouldn't eat so many treats" the lanky creature cackles. "Not that it should be a concern of yours much longer"
As Sue watches the goblin attack this defenseless creature she springs into action. She sprints from the woods and beginnings waving to the creature.
"Run! It's coming!" she screams in an attempt to distract the goblin.
The goblin quickly snatches its dagger from is side and begins to threaten the bundle Ruth it. Looking over Sue's shoulder the goblin doesn't fall for her tricks and screams
"Hold it there ***** or the halfing gets this in its ribs!"
Undeterred Sue runs forward and begins to attack the air around her as if being menaced by an invisible enemy. The goblin merely sticks the knife further into the side of the halfling and stares at Sue unbelieving and beginnings to run full tilt at her pulling its crossbow out as he does.
Sue pulls her rapier from its scabard and prepares to defend herself at the bolt flashes from the crossbow. In its haste and anger the goblin stumbles on a hidden stone and fires the bolt directly between Sue's legs. Not believing her good fortune Sue makes the goblin pay for its impatience with its life. With deadly precision she slashes the inside of the goblins thigh bringing it to one of its knobbly knees and then with practiced grace lunges forward and puts the point of her rapier right through the goblins exposed throat.
After searching the goblin Sue proceeds over to the bundled halfling and looks down. The rug that the halfling is wrapped in is of poor condition. Blue with patches of green, tattered at the edges with several large holes as if someone has spent time picking at the threads. Sue grabs her dagger and deftly cuts the ropes wrapped around the rug and exposes the halfling to the light.
Hesitantly the woman peeks out and looks at her savior.
"Where is the foul beast?" the woman asks. Auburn hair with tight curls crown her small head with bright blue eyes peeking out of bushy eyebrows.
"Dead." Sue replies and points across the clearing.
"Thank you! " the halfling exclaims. "And who are you?!"
"I don't know" Sue says simply. "I woke up in the forest to the south and followed a game trail north until I came upon the clearing and our friend over there. Where are you from?"
"Well I'm Rylef and I own the Inn in our little town nearby. It's called Castor! And you've got the best room I have for as long as you want it! It's not much. I'm sure it's poor compared to most but it's the best I have. Follow me!"
Rylef leads the way off North East through the trees. You are following the trail that the goblin in its haste battered through the forest. You walk for roughly two hours before you reach the edge of a dirt road. It is in poor repair with two large ruts deeply embedded in the dirt in the middle of the road, however, there is grass growing up from the ruts so it is not well traveled. Rylef looks left and right to get her bearings and then sets off to her left with a small skip in her step. The resiliency of halflings is a truly amazing thing. Only two hours before she was destined for a goblins stomach but the memory seems to have no hold on her and she is almost cheery as she moves towards her home.
As Sue glances up she sees a small dust cloud on the horizon moving quickly southward towards them. A horse and rider in full armor with a large fully enclosed helm come closer and stop roughly twenty feet away. The rider draws a long wicked looking sword from its back and shouts at the travelers.
"Hold it there! What business do you have here?" A surprisingly high voice exclaims from behind the helm.
"Quiet Omara she's with me." Rylef says to the warrior. "She saved me from a goblins cook pot!"
"And how are we to know she isn't in league with the creature in some scheme Rylef?" The guard asks suspiciously. "They could be working together to gain your trust to kill us all?
"Your head is thicker than your armor Omara" Rylef laughs. "What sense does that make?"
Sue appears ready to run at the first hint of trouble but waits to see how this works out.
"Then what is your business in Castor half-elf? We don't get many visitors of your ilk this far from the main road."
Sue again explains her lack of memory and knowledge of her current condition and is met with scorn by Omara. Rylef however is able to calm the guard before the situation escalates and continues to lead the odd troop towards Castor.
As they come around a bend in the wagon road they come upon the village of Castor suddenly as if the buildings had grown from the wood instead of being built. The cart track continues into the middle of the town and there is met by solitary cross street running perpendicularly to the first. Omara stares silently at Sue and rides off down the road towards the north of town as Rylef leads Sue towards a tall building about three houses into the town along the cart path and stops and stares proudly at the building before speaking
"I know its not much to look at stranger, but its mine, and for however long you need it she's yours too" Rylef says humbly but with a small bit of pride in her voice. "The Broken Bow is as simple as they come but it is warm and friendly to those who need her."
As she goes to the front door with the intent of flinging wide the doors she finds them locked. She pulls on the doors with growing frustration before turning and exclaims as the makes her way around the corner of the Inn.
"They couldn't even bother to unlock the doors!! Those lazy, good for nothing." The rest of Rylef's tirade is lost as she rounds the corner in huff before the rest of her words are lost in a scream.
Sue rounds the corner cautiously, unsure of what it is she will find and expecting the worst. She is surprised to find Rylef swatting and cursing at a small boy who it appears has just woken from a midday slumber against the faded gray slats next to the back door of the inn.
"Jareth you no good lazy good for nothing witless fool what do you think your'e doing! And is that ale I smell on your breath!!" Rylef shouts in anger and disbelief at what Sue can now see is not a small boy but a halfling male in his early twenties with a mop of tight brown curls and a general unkempt lazy air about him.
"Auntie! we was just looking for you! We couldn't find the key to the front door and were lost as to what to do....." Jareth begins to explain before another voice shouts jauntily from the open door behind him
"I found the Longbottom Ale brother! Aunt Rylef with have to find a better hiding spot next time!" Happily exclaims a second halfling as he exists the inn with two frothy covered mugs in his small hands before seeing his aunt in a fury and in his shock dropping one of the mugs.
Rylef's face becomes as a furious as a stormcloud as she rounds on this new boy. "If you're dear mother, my sister, hadnt asked me to look out for you before her death of the pox, I would turn you out on your no good ears with tanned backsides and nary a stitch on ya!!!" She shouts as she grabs the unbroken mug from the boys hand.
The boys begin to simper apologies and protestations before she silences them with a look and gives them orders to head off and prepare the best guest room for Sue on threath of dismemberment and torture.
Rylef leads Sue into the back door of the inn which appears to enter into a small simple yet neat and orderly kitchen. Cloves of garlic, ears of corn and bundles of onions and potatoes are packed neatly and precisely in ordered spots amongst the shelves and cupboards. Rylef moves quickly to the stone fireplace in the corner of the kitchen and starts the fire and places a large black kettle on the spit above it. As she sets the water to boil she shows Sue the common room of the inn before moving to unlock the barred front door.
"I apologize for my nephews Miss. They're good boys but lazy. I'm afraid they've had a hard life and its made them seek pleasure, not work. But I'll teach em if its the last thing I do on this green earth. But come I have a treat for us after such an interesting morning."
She moves behind the bar and utilizing a small wheeled ladder built just for this purpose moves it along the shelves filled with all manner of bottles and decanters of varying colors and shapes. As she rummages on a top shelf, Sue takes a moment to examine her surroundings.
The common room of the Broken Bow is clean, organized, and simple. 5 or 6 tables with differing amounts of chairs are arranged in a fashion that allows quick service from the kitchen and bar areas while maximizing the small space it occupies. Sue can tell that Rylef is a very organized and careful woman who takes great pride in her inn and its cleanliness.
"Found it!" Rylef says as she pulls a large bottle of dark blue liquid down from the shelf. "I've been saving this for a special occasion, a wedding or birth or some such, but having ones life back and not being in a goblin's stomach is the best reason I can think of to partake! Join me!"
She grabs two tumblers from behind the bar and pours a glass for herself and a glass for Sue.
"To life" Rylef says and downs her glass.
Sue raises her glass in salute and downs her glass. As she does she finds that her memories are returning. She remembers who she is and where she has come from. How she came to the woods outside Castor she does not know, but she now knows who she was before . Better yet she remembers what she is.
Sue looks at her glass and reaches for the bottle to pour herself another.
"I remember who I am." Sues says to Rylef. "I'm called Sue! and Im a bard."
"Excellent! That's great news. Perhaps you'll play for us this evening if you have a will!" Rylef says cheerfully.
"Perhaps. But first I would like to buy this bottle from you. Would 5 gold be enough?"
Rylef's suddenly cheerful expression turns wistful in an instant.
"It's not for sale Miss. Im sorry. I got it as a present from my grandfather and its very dear to me. I'm sorry."
"10 gold?" Asks Sue unaware that she has begun to push her luck
Rylef's expression turns sour and she pulls the bottle back towards herself before corking it and beginning to return it to the shelf. "I said its not for sale." Sue realizes she has damaged her newfound friendship with the halfling and has offended her deeply.
Before Sue can apologize Rylef says coldly "I'll escort you to your room now" and proceeds up the stares without looking back .
Sue follows her up the stairs and finds herself led to a small room at the head of the stairs with a simple bedframe and straw mattress against one wall and wash basin placed under the window on the wall opposite the door.
Rylef explains that supper should be ready in an hour and then leaves Sue alone in her room.
I wash up and relax until supper.
I burst into the inn and eye anyone I see suspiciously before hobbling to a table by the fire and seat myself with my back to the wall and the doors in view. Then I pull out aome parchment, writing supplies and a book and set them u0 on the table before removing my muddy boots and placing them near the fire. Then I light my pipe and amoke broodingly.
Rylef comes out of the kitchen with a bowl of stew and crust of golden brown loaf on a platter. As she steers towards Sue's table she glances at Nebakanezer and smiles
"Ah you've returned have ye! Been wondering when you'd show your grey head again!" she says with a grin and a wink. "You going to want some of this stew as well I imagine? Oh and in case you didn't notice behind that cloud of smoke surrounding your head I have another guest!"
Rylef places the platter in front of Sue and proceeds back towards the kitchen without waiting for a reply and begins to prepare another serving.
Destin waits silently against the wall waiting for the innkeep to enter the room. He looks again at the two other occupants of the common room and tries to assess them from a distance.
Insight: 22
Insight: 6
Nebakanezer is silent and still at his table and reveals little of himself other than a tough and somewhat smokey atmosphere.
Sue is a little more open to his gaze but only in that he sees a mystery that surrounds her as if she is only just now discovering who she is herself. Her half-elven heritage intrigues him as half-elfs always do. What would lead one of high and noble fey heritage to have congress with a lowly human. He doesnt hate half-elf's. He chooses not to expend enough thought on them to care. Its simply intriguing.
Neb eyes the newcomer and sucks deeply on his pipe and exhales it in a hazy cackle. His voice is dusty with disuse.
"Don't be shy now young pointy ears," he laughs, "might as well lay your pecker out on the table whilst you're at it... No? Well that might be for the best as well if it's unlikely to impress. Explains why you carry that heavy lump of steel on your hip to make up the difference. Watch out young lady, they may act all haughty but every Elf Lord is curious if he can make a half-elf maiden a whole by adding a tiny bit in!"
He laghs heartily at his own joke and then notices that his stringy white beard has once agin dangled into his pipe amd caught alight. He frantically pats it out, glaces about, clears his throat and places the pipe between his teeth.
"Oooh cheer up, pointy, you'll curdle Rylef's ale if you keep scowling at me like that. Lighten up! RYLEF! A round of your finest to loosen up our cheekboned friend here and for the lady as well. 'Travelers under one roof ought to act like family so they're at home wherever they roam.' That's what old Gobbers always said."
He brandishes his most good natured grin and then produces a patched coin pouch from the nethers of his robes. He frowns at the contents and counts it thrice as if doing so were a spell to conjure more.
"On secound thought, let's make it a round of your most economical brew..."
Destin looks quietly over at the dwarf with a slow careful smile. He notices how crestfallen his face becomes while looking through the contents of his purse and the sad little tendril of smoke still coming from the tips of his frayed beard and makes a calculated decision to not make an enemy this day.
"Allow me friend. Forgive my misguided display of what I can only assume you took to be aggression.I meant no offence but simply have trouble letting it out of my sight." He quickly pulls at gold piece from his purse and looks for the innkeep, who he supposes to be Rylef, to return.
While waiting he looks at Sue and says in Elvish. "Where do you hail from lady?"
Sue is all consumed with her first meal of the day, and distracted by the lost memories that still illude her, she misses the whole exchange between these colourful characters. Not until she realises the full elf is staring at her does she wipe the food from her chin and brashly but pollitely says "huh? What?"
Rylef returns from the back with Neb's food only to find that there is another customer for her to entertain and while she is certainly pleased with this sudden influx of patrons she wishes they could have all been in the room at the same time so she could stop making so many trips.
"Welcome to the Broken Bow sir! How can I help you this fine evening?" She asks politely as she delivers a plate to Neb. "The stew and bread are fresh and hot and there's all manner of drinks to choose from"
Destin looks away from Sue and turns his gaze at Rylef
"Thank you that would be lovely. I am Destin I was also wondering if you had any rooms available I will be staying for at least a night if not longer depending on the outcome of some....business I have in the area." He says politely.
"Of course of course dear lots of room for new friends." says the friendly harping innkeep "Breakfast and dinner are included in the price of the room. Altogether it'll run one gold a night or five for a week."
"Here's two gold for now. I'll take your best room please." Destin says as he produces two gleaming golden coins from his pouch and holds them out to Rylef.
"Oh I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid the young lady here has my best room for as long as she desires, on account of how she saved my life from a goblin cook pot only this very afternoon! Aye Sue is as fine a young lady as I've know."
Before Destin can say another word Rylef launches into the story of her rescue.
Destin finds himself looking at Sue, and her rapier, with a bit more respect than he had been moments before. Perhaps she wasn't merely the traveling musician he had supposed her to be at first glance.
As Rylef is just beginning to get to the height of her rescue story the front door opens slowly and silently. No thunderous crash or boisterous entrance welcomes the newest inhabitant of Castor. It seems impossible that someone so large could move so silently and with such delicacy. The door doesnt simply fill with his enormous fram, rather the inn itself seems dimished by comparison.
The being stands in the doorway for a moment and listens to his surrounds before choosing whether to enter or not.
Perception: 19
His awareness doesnt warn him of any immediate dangers and his attitude has always been more positive than not so he chooses to enter, yet to not announce his presence just yet.
Stealth: 15
Try as he might though his enormity gives him away almost instantly and the inn goes silent as the other occupants looks over and find their eyes travelling up and up and up until they reach his smiling face almost 8 feet above the floor.
"Nebakanezer!!? 😀 Neb you old fraud, you old dog, is that really you!? Hahaha! I knew you were still alive! After we made it through that mountain storm, we realized that you , nevets , LaThrop, and the boy were missing. We searched for 2 days. But that storm really took a toll on our provisions. I waited at anchors for a week and a half for you. But another caravan was going south, and the pay was too good to pass up.
That would have been what? 2 years ago? What happend up there ? And what happend to the others?
Neb is carefully gnawig away at stew soaked bread with his few remaining teeth when Castor enters. A light flickers in his rhumey eyes and a smile plays at his lips.
"Rely! By Lolth's hairy thorax, I thought I'd seen the last of your ugly face! Good to see you! As to the mountain pass, that is a tale worth telling! When we got separated we had to hunker down in a cave. It was cozy as can be and we worried that you and the rest had turned to frozem corpses. Then Nevets went to take a piss in the back, pardon my gnomish me lady, and he got his pecker tore off by a pack of she-bears, along with the better part of his viscerals. They would have eaten us too only LaThorp can charm the eyelashes off a beholder. He wooed each she-bear in turn and put em in a right pleasant mood. I made my escape but there was no way they were letting him go. There'll be red headed bear cubs all up and down those slopes by now. Anyway, I stumbled into a crevice and fell a hundred fathoms into a sewage lagoon in the underdark. That's when things really got interesting...
...and then the Drow Elf priestess said that she'd never had a finer enchilada....
....for three months as well-built but shy gnome lass...