Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

Katernin bites the inside of her cheek, "I'm not sure I can help with your foot, but I think I know someone who can."

Dain is still blissfully unaware of all the excitement and is just happily carrying on with his work in the forge.

(Happy New Year all!)

“Fianna, I tell you I went in and asked about our tubby friend who went missing, and suddenly there’s people all upset. I think the bartender is hiding him. Maybe.”

“Don’t mind me, Katernin. Just carry me.” 
Molo reaches up like a well armored toddler. 

Katernin sighs a little, but does pick him up.

     “Well I suppose it’s not entirely unheard of for people not liking strangers asking questions in the wrong type of bar.  I’m not sure that’s enough to hang a charge of assisting a smuggler on anyone.  Still, we could bring it to the guards... “  Fianna wasn’t sure of the plan, more just talking out loud...

     “Whatever, we should get you someplace to rest awhile.  Unseemly carrying an injured kobold around in public...”  She almost chuckled at the absurdity of it.

Molo rests on Katernin’s hip with a lot of groaning and moaning. 
“You are a good friend. It’s just til I can find a crutch, or get the foot fixed. Or maybe to get to the party tomorrow... I suppose a saddle or something would be unseemly.” He’s clearly sizing you up for a rigging to carry him, as much as he brushes off the idea.

Quote from nurglich >>

Kelnan deposits the sacks in his bag and goes to rejoin Molo and the others, taking a peek into a sack once he is out of sight of the mansion.

Candy! Bright pink, sparkly, sugary candy.

(Where are  Katernin, Fianna, and Molo headed next?)

Quote from Blakey >>

Dain is still blissfully unaware of all the excitement and is just happily carrying on with his work in the forge.

 

Dain begins work, tackling another list of projects he was challenged with. Just as he gets the forge to his preferred temperature to begin the first project, he sees someone openly spying on him through the window: a bone-thin elf, dressed in odd, textured clothing. 

Katernin starts back to Ferrin, hoping he might be able to provide better help than she can.

     Molo carried away and being looked after, Fianna will be a bit aimless and unsure what to do...  So she'll wander back to where she was supposed to meet for her first day on the job.  Probably a bit late but... *shrug*

Katernin carries Molo to the grove (accompanied by Kelnan if he wishes to), and finds the old halfling Ferrin exactly where she left him, lying half in and half out of his dirty cave. He sits up.

"Hullo again. Who did you bring?"

***

Meanwhile, Fianna wanders back up the hill to Hoolwatch Tower, where the disinterested old guards outside escort you in. An enormously obese woman in leather stands up from behind her desk.

"You must be the new recruit. You're late."

***

The gaunt elf continues to stare vacantly at Dain as he begins his work.

"I was hoping you could help me," Katernin says, nodding to Molo. "My friend here's hurt very bad, and I don't have to power to help him. I was thinking you might?"

Molo looks around the halfling’s residence, bemused by the cave.

”I’m Molo.”

Dain stops what he is doing at a suitable moment, wipes his brow and moves off to get a refreshing ale to quench his thirst.   Whilst sipping the drink and taking a breather he moves outside into the fresh air.  "Evenin,'" he greets the elf warmly.  "Can I help ye?"

Kelnan accompanies Katernin and Molo to the grove, distributing a bag of candy to each along the way and trying one himself.

"Compliments of Primewater. Sounds like he was busy tonight as well, so we rescheduled for tomorrow."

     “I did send word,” Fianna says with a slight shrug.  “A friend got injured in the bar that exploded.  I had to find them, make sure he was ok..,”

     “Besides,” Fianna continues in a hurried babble. “It was a bit unclear when to arrive.  Sundown? Dusk? Different people interpret them different ways... and there’s much leeway on an exact time for either. Plus they arrive at different times depending on where one is... it is still not even then a few miles away from here, so from someone there’s perspective I’m actually fashionably early...”

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     “Besides,” Fianna continues in a hurried babble. “It was a bit unclear when to arrive.  Sundown? Dusk? Different people interpret them different ways... and there’s much leeway on an exact time for either. Plus they arrive at different times depending on where one is... it is still not even then a few miles away from here, so from someone there’s perspective I’m actually fashionably early...”

"Enough!" shouts the woman, whose name Fianna soon learns is Commander Clay. "Onald will show you your quarters and get your badge. You're assigned to Kraddok Stonehorn in the jail." She then sits and proceeds to ignore you. Onald, one of the tough, tattooed old men who you've seen before outside the Tower, escorts Fianna back outside.
 

Quote from nurglich >>

Kelnan accompanies Katernin and Molo to the grove, distributing a bag of candy to each along the way and trying one himself. 

It's very good. Fruity and sugary. Hurts your tongue after a bit.
 

Quote from Blakey >>

Dain stops what he is doing at a suitable moment, wipes his brow and moves off to get a refreshing ale to quench his thirst.   Whilst sipping the drink and taking a breather he moves outside into the fresh air.  "Evenin,'" he greets the elf warmly.  "Can I help ye?"

 
"Mindartis," he says as a way of introduction, and gives a little bow. "Good evening." You realize his entire outfit is made of lacquered hair. It's a bit grotesque, although cleverly designed. "I wonder if I could bother you for a lock of your fine hair. I couldn't help but notice it. Fine Dwarven hair it is, if you'll beg my pardon."

Quote from BaconExpert982 >>

"I was hoping you could help me," Katernin says, nodding to Molo. "My friend here's hurt very bad, and I don't have to power to help him. I was thinking you might?"

"I can see," says the old halfling, looking at Molo's mangled foot. "I'm afraid I can't do much. I could give it some brandy, I suppose. Or make it squeak like a mouse." He wiggles his little finger and Molo's remaining toes emit the sounds of rodents in distress. "Maybe I can find you a good walking stick or crutch – I have some good wood here. But you want really restorative healing, ye' may want to talk to Brinehanded at th' Temple of Procan." He nods to the southeast. "Of course, Brinehanded tends t' indenture those he cures. Be warned."

Dain blinks in surprise at the unusual request.  "That's durned cheeky.  No, me thinks not," he replies gruffly.  "Does ye have any business here at the forge?  Ye wants anything makin'?" he asks directly.

(Been reading the Legend of Drizzt books recently so am trying my hand at "dwarven brogue" - we shall see how long I can keep that up, and how bad it sounds!!  :D )

     The jail? Fianna thinks to herself.  Do they want me a guard sitting around watching prisoners?  That just will not suit me at all.  At all...

     Still, she follows her escort to the place and to this Kraddock Stonehorn...

Quote from Blakey >>

Dain blinks in surprise at the unusual request.  "That's durned cheeky.  No, me thinks not," he replies gruffly.  "Does ye have any business here at the forge?  Ye wants anything makin'?" he asks directly.

The elf is taken aback by the swarthy dwarf's gruff response. Mindartis stammers a bit before speaking again. "No, no forge business." He tics several times, then looks up brightly. "I promise you, I would never misuse such beautiful hair as yours," he continues hopefully, in a quieter, almost pleading voice. 

 

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     The jail? Fianna thinks to herself.  Do they want me a guard sitting around watching prisoners?  That just will not suit me at all.  At all...

     Still, she follows her escort to the place and to this Kraddock Stonehorn...

Onald leads Fianna down the hill to a stone barracks and jail built into a low hill. Onald is friendly enough, if a bit old and dense, and casually hands her a town guard’s badge – the green reed of Saltmarsh. He claps Fianna on the shoulder – “Welcome aboard” – in what apparently serves as both her training and her initiation ceremony. He points out an empty bunk in the barracks she is welcome to use, then brings Fianna down into the jail.

The gaol in the cellar consists of two sections. A single large chamber is designed to hold drunks, brawling fishermen, and other troublemakers who need to cool off for a few nights - at the moment it is occupied by a handful of sullen, tough-looking men. The door is built of stout wood with a small window to allow guards to check in on their charges. A side passage holds six individual cells with higher-quality locks and solid doors that lack windows, its current occupants unknown.

Kraddock the jailer is a grim, middle-aged, muscular man with a closely cropped grey beard. He sits behind a desk with another guard, Edgar, who seems marginally friendlier than Kraddock does.

"New recruit?" asks Edgar.
"Yup," says Onald.

     "Recruit?  Phew!" Fianna says with an exaggerated sigh of relief.  "I thought maybe one of these cells had my name on it..."

     "So...  What's the deal here?  Nobody has yet told me exactly what I'm going to be doing..."