Quote from Brian_Avery >>

Tyde will ritual cast Alarm on his door with a ringing bell and if there's a window then again on the window with a mental ping.

(ooc: we are heading to Womford right?)

"Sorry to come upon you so late at night but we won't make Womford until the morrow and need somewhere to rest."

Kethra laughs a little too loudly, then gently pushes Tyde to the side.

"Please forgive my friend, MISTER WOMFORD INKEEPER, sir. We've been traveling for many days and the roads has not had its shortage of thieves and brigands, either!"

Nodding to the two refugees she continues, "Maybe you recognize those two over there? We rescued them from weirdos who practice dark rituals, but they said they were just here, before their caravan was attacked."

(Kethra will take the first watch. In the morning she'll inquire if the town has a local member of the Smith's guild since her background is Guild Artisan.)

(You’re in Womford.)

(Xanranzan will take second or third watch as the case may be if we're gonna be sharing rooms.)

(In the morning, apart from breakfast, gear maintanence and so forth, he'll join Kethra in looking for a Smith's Guild member, if only to see about getting some new whetstones. Although that's presumably after spitballing plans for the future)

Xanranzan stands back and just watches everyone do the talking. It could be he could help smooth things over as well, but he'd be lying if it Kethra hadn't asked the one question he had intended to, or that he had many to begin with. A stray thought has him considering asking about other cultish active or weird occurrence either in the air or heard on the grapevine. But after the passage through town and seeing all the people so boarded up, he very much doubted any of that sort of news might've come by. At the thought of that, he sighs and rubs the back of his neck, before looking back outside.

Type, you can purchase 10 go worth of charcoal from the smith with the others if you’d like.

Kethra, you’re pointed to a small smithy on the outskirts of the town.  The smith is a burly, oldish bald man, who seems to shine with a layer of sweat.

Rubin would go with those to the smith, wishing to purchase some crossbow bolts for his hand crossbow.

While walking and talking along the road, Kethra would offer to Rubin the same case of crossbow bolts she had offered him before. 

"If you want crossbow ammo from a blacksmith, this one's on the house," she laughs, "Why don't you save up your coin for something more special?"

"Like what?" Xanranzan spoke up curiously. "Silver arrows? I know a few folk used to make trades with ma for at least the material. Never really got the reason why, but the fact she traded at all spoke some value about the stuff she got back for'em on the occasion." He rambles off. "Not that silver arrows don't sound cool. 'cause they do. Could even make'm your call'n card, if'n yer in that sorta thing."  He jests along the way.

Come what may, when they do eventually reach the blacksmith he greets the bald man with a bright smile. "Pleasure to meet'cha, sir. Sorry if'n we're interrupt'n, but hope'n we can get a few things off of ya? For me, namely a couple whetstones, assuming'n ya have any to spare?"

The blacksmith grunts, and hands you a large lump.

"Not gonna ask."

Quote from Mehmen >>

"Like what?" Xanranzan spoke up curiously. "Silver arrows? I know a few folk used to make trades with ma for at least the material. Never really got the reason why, but the fact she traded at all spoke some value about the stuff she got back for'em on the occasion." He rambles off. "Not that silver arrows don't sound cool. 'cause they do. Could even make'm your call'n card, if'n yer in that sorta thing."  He jests along the way.

"Silver arrows?" Kethra sounds it out, curiously. "Sounds a bit tacky just to be stylish..."

Nature check: 20

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

Kethra, you’re pointed to a small smithy on the outskirts of the town.  The smith is a burly, oldish bald man, who seems to shine with a layer of sweat.

As Mr. Tyde finishes his business, the hooded girl would give the small shop a quick look over to see what his latest projects are.

Perception, if needed: 17

Once they're done, she ahems and waves down the man running the small shop. Presenting her letter of commendation from the guild, she takes a moment to examine the sweaty looking man, the small shop, and remembers all the windows and doors being secured back in town.

"Salutations, Master Blacksmith!" Kethra said in her most formal tone, "I'm a traveling member of the Smith and Iron-Forgers' Guild! I noticed business is booming when it comes to home security, although I can't imagine how difficult it is to put out so many rush orders for such a small place as this. Would you like a hand with working in this shop?"

Quote from konpk >>

While walking and talking along the road, Kethra would offer to Rubin the same case of crossbow bolts she had offered him before. 

"If you want crossbow ammo from a blacksmith, this one's on the house," she laughs, "Why don't you save up your coin for something more special?"

  "Thanks." Rubin says as he accepts the brace of bolts." He slips it into his pack to be used when his current brace runs out.

The smith appears to be working on repairing a metal tool of some sort.

He looks at Kethra for a few seconds, then bursts out laughing.

"No offense meant to ya, lass, but business ain’t exactly boomin’.  The day I can’t do the work meself is the day I retire."

Quote from Mehmen >>

"Not that silver arrows don't sound cool. 'cause they do. Could even make'm your call'n card, if'n yer in that sorta thing."  He jests along the way.

Quietly lost in thought for a few minutes, Kethra would wrack her brain about the merits of buying silver arrows, but she can't think of anything.

She stops for a moment and her pale blue eyes light up, "Or if you want another suggestion Rubin, why not some caltrops? Or a bag of ball bearings? It would take forever for me to put something like that together, but the smithy might have a bunch on hand!"

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

He looks at Kethra for a few seconds, then bursts out laughing.

"No offense meant to ya, lass, but business ain’t exactly boomin’.  The day I can’t do the work meself is the day I retire."

"B-But sir!" the little blacksmith tries to keep it together.

"Well, um, Master Blacksmith...surely you haven't seen all the windows and doors they've been sealing up in in town? Are you saying the townspeople have been getting their nails somewhere else? Has the guild been facing--?"

Kethra stops, slowly repeats, "The day I can’t do the work meself is the day I retire," then she slowly smiles. "Or were you implying that this is a matter of honor, Master Blacksmith, and that the town hasn't been getting their supplies anywhere else?"

(Edit: Today I learned that making nails by hand (instead of machine) is hard work! And not just hard work, but it also requires a fair amount of skill! Check out the introduction in this old article here. )

He chuckles again.

"Nay, lass.  This town ain’t large—not much work if there ain’t much people, but I do alright for meself."

Kethra bows, impressed at the blacksmith taking such good care of this town by himself. She clears her throat again and places 3 gold coins in a tidy little stack on a table.

"Now, you probably may have gathered, but my friends here are not also members of the Smith and Iron-Forgers' Guild!" Kethra laughs nervously, but as she does so she wordlessly signals Xanranzan and Rubin to keep watch...

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

After the transaction is complete Tyde will excitedly excuse himself, "I need to attend to... ah... wizardly things. I will see you all back at the inn later."

...and will run out and ask Mr. Tyde to get back, (if he wants to stick around for this conversation or come back later is up to him).

Once that's done, the hooded girl continues her explanation, "You see, we're on a quest to find some people who have gone missing recently. We followed the trail only to run into an operation where they capture people on the road only to chain them up--" she waves to Xanranzan, "--or were forcibly put to work as slaves." Kethra waves also to the two refugees which I assume we have taken with us.

"I know you are an honest, good, hardworking man, and my guildmate. You are also the one person I trust in this town right now...so I please answer a few questions for me...have you heard of any such ambushes on the road? Why is the town sealing up their doors and windows? Can the local lord be trusted in this town? Or the local constable?

"And lastly....have you ever heard of a man named Jolliver Grimjaw?"

The blacksmith thinks for a second, then nods.

"Cant’ to ye who to trust, but I ken tell ye who not to.  There’s a ship captain round these parts, Quill or Quanderil or somethin’.  Word is he’s gotten into some shady business."

Although a fair bit confused, Xanranzan turned to keep look outside. He hadn't forgotten about the whole Whetstone situation, or the request from Tyde. Yet like most Earth Genasi, the stone skinned man could be patient.

Mostly....

"Shady business? How so? He just look shady, or folk been like kinda goin' missing after meeting him or something?"  Asked Xan.

The smith shrugs.

"Dunno.  That’s just what the word around town is, that he’s some sort o’ smuggler or something."

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

"There’s a ship captain round these parts, Quill or Quanderil or somethin’."

Kethra nods to Mr. Tyde. "Sounds like this 'Q' man Might be where your book on Mirabar dwarves came from! Thanks for sticking around, Mr. Tyde."

Sensing this man only wants to be asked one question at a time Kethra waits her turn and asks, "So is this 'Q' man the reason everyone is locking up their doors and windows?" 

The smith looks confused for a second, then grins.

"Ah, May.  That’s a bit o’ local superstition—never believed it meself.  They say there’s some creature called the Womfort Bat that kidnaps you at night.  Whole load o’ shite if ye ask me."

"Wormfort bat? Must be a pretty big'un to have even adults scurred enough to go that far!" Xanranzan comments. "How long has these bat sightings or kidnapping been going on?" He adds, sounding genuinely curious, but have something brewing int he back of his mind. "Also, is that Q fella also pretty, uh... what's the word.. uh... he like keep'n to himself too? Or folk just keep away from him 'cause that whole smuggler rumor?"