Katrin could feel the heat. She began to sweat. For some reason she couldn't explain, she didn't like it, preferring much colder weather. 

"We have." she said, smiling down softly at the man.

Nevara nods in agreement with Katrin, half skipping over to the table before sitting atop of it and holding out her hand, "Job done. Reward now, yes?"

"Indeed we are."  Herrena began as she sat down with a flourish across from Flinn.  "Though the slimes weren't natural.  Someone was making them for an unknown purpose.  We managed to stop them though..."   

Thea nods over to Erbert. "You seem to be quite taken up by the annalist duty, would you perhaps like to fill our employer in on the details?"

Erbert takes the pause in action to finish his chronicle, including the portion of the near riot in the town square.  He dots the period on his last sentence with gusto and looks up at everyone.  Then he sidles up to Flinn and opens his notebook proudly.  He points out their great battle, replete with illustrations and narrates the whole scene.  He shows him a drawing of the masks and describes the wicked blowgun with poisonous darts.  He lays out the plot, the Ochori being sent by someone to disrupt pumpkin production of the Zavas, even infiltrating for information with the help of the masks.  He pauses at the conclusion, looking to see if he is impressed.  “You had mentioned some payment if we were to sort this out for you?” he asks, expectantly.

Flinn cheerily greets you all with a warm welcome and a round of drinks - pumpkin mead, obviously - for everyone. He blinks and smiles at the mention of the reward - “Ah, yeah, I’ve got it for ya; twenty gold apiece,” - and slides over a fitting amount of gold to pass around. He is about to interject in his usual manner - blasted dwarves and their temperaments - before stopping as Erbert begins to casually explain what transpired in the caverns. His face slowly drains of color as he fumbles for his drink and takes a long draught. “Blasted Ochori. Pumpkins on a stick - do you have any of those masks, by any chance? I need to report this to the Zavas Chieftain immediately. Oh, that’s right, he’s out of town, negotiating something with the Imperials.” Flinn removes a handkerchief and mops a brow before looking up expectantly. “Say - you don’t do deliveries, do you? I can make it worthwhile - I have a friend who needs some packages delivered. Under the table. She’s an Imperial, though she sells mostly to Wilderlings. She’s nice. If you’re willing to deliver a letter to the Imperial camp, I can double this coin - along with showing you where more work is and potentially netting you more, eh? How does that sound?” he nervously continues, sweat collecting on his brow steadily as he speaks. 

"Indeed we have, in fact we managed to collect all of them."  After scurrying through her bag for a moment, Thea sets the bundle of masks on the table in front of Flinn. As the dwarf continues, she cannot help but raise an eyebrow at the request. "And you really need a group this large to be taking over the job of courier?" With the incident that took place just before their arrival to the inn, Thea is not entirely surprised. However, she cannot help but feel like she is either being lied to, or intentionally kept in the dark more than she can discern right away, especially considering the visible signs of distress on the dwarfs face.

Insight: 12

"I agree to your terms. Katrin will comply." she said softly smiling.

Iver nods silently. It's not like he had anything else he wanted to. 

Erbert notes the sudden change in demeanor, the excessive sweating, “what are you hiding?” he thinks to himself.  

Erbert pulls out his pen, turns the page and makes a new heading, centered on the page.  Chapter Two is all he writes, until he knows more, and this one seems to have some Imperial entanglements.

Erbert looks Flinn in the eye and his manner changes as well, becomes deadly serious.  “What is in the package?  And tell us more about this letter.”  Hoppy lands on his shoulder and gives Flinn a stern look.

"Why are you sweating so much?" Katrin asks Flinn.

Nevara watched the others talk after she took her own cut of the reward for the first job, and simply blinked in interest at them all before waiting to hear what Flinn had to say. She was interested in taking the job however, it was a curious thing that could prove fun for her.

(Mobile)

(Sorry I thought I had posted!)

Herrena was practically giddy as she first heard Erbert’s retelling of their adventure, quickly followed by Flinn’s offer of a second job immediately after; she did her best to hide it but failed rather miserably.  As the others questioned what they were being asked to deliver, she barely listened with half and ear.  She honestly didn’t care what is was he wanted done or delivered.  She was having the time of her life so far and was just happy that her adventuring career didn’t have to end so soon.   

Deception: 9

At Katrin's question, Flinn mops his brow and stutters out a response. Thea can tell that this is a usual state for Flinn - the old dwarf seems to constantly be the type to worry. Thea doesn't detect any lies, though the best - if anything - she can ascertain from Flinn's reactions is that mentions of the Ochori in town certainly struck something; perhaps there was conflict between the Ochori and Zavas that only the higher-ups that Flinn may have heard about?

"It's just those blasted Ochori. Mark my words, they're worse than the Imperium, but have done nothing too obviously to earn the ire of any others. Anyways - my friend's name is Miko. Blacksmith in the Imperial ward of town. I don't know what she wants delivered where, or why she doesn't want to go through normal delivery routes, but she told me to mention this to any capable adventurers I find - and, well, I found you, and the Zavas chieftain is in the Torken currently, so I thought I'd mention it to you," Flinn speaks, taking a large swig of ale after he completes the offer and scrawling a quick sketch of the town on a napkin, dotting where to find Miko of the party so chooses. He then hastily pens a letter and seals it with some runoff candlewax from the candles illuminating the tavern before sliding it over the table to the rest of the party. "Either way, find the Zavas chieftain and I'll double the coin I gave you for this, aye?" 

"If it means sabotaging the Ochori's plans, I see no reason not to. Might also show you that not all of us Imperials are as awful as you think." Iver says, then awaits the others' ideas. He was willing to make a delivery alone - there probably wouldn't be a need for more - but the job was offered to all of them. Meanwhile, a thought crosses his mind. These Ochori and their damned plans. Did they truly only send one of them for such a task? Especially considering they left a clear slimy trail that someone could find. Could there be more? What if the others are also using one of those masks to blend themselves among the others? Anyone could be an Ochori. That meant Flinn, and that meant the others that fought with him tonight. He'll have to remain alert.

(Mobile)

"I'm in!" Herrena replied as she grabbed the package and began to rise from her seat.  It was only after she had fully risen that she realized that she both didn't know where she was going or if anyone else would actually be joining her.  Sitting back down, she commented, "Well, you all in for another adventure?"

Erbert finishes sizing up Flinn, and says “Ok, we will help you out.  Let’s go see Miko and head to Torken.  I’m sure you would tell us if there was anything else we should know, any danger we should be aware of…”. Erbert agrees to head a little further down the rabbit hole, but he has a feeling that Flinn isn’t being completely honest with them, seems to be hiding something.  After taking notes and the jotted out map he huddles up with everyone and prepares to head out.  

Katrin found this arrangement pleasing. She nodded slowly and said, "Yes. I find this acceptable. I am in."

 After pondering for a moment, Thea simply shrugs. "Sure. Might as well see this through to the end."

Flinn hastily snatched the masks and his own notes before profusely thanking the party for their aid in this endeavor. Entrusting the sealed letter to be delivered to the Zavas chieftain, he scurries from the tavern and rushes away to his own business - perhaps bolstering the town’s defenses against the Ochori or investigating the identities of the unfortunate people who became the masks the Ochori agent created. 

Following the Dwarf’s directions, the party exited the enigmatic tavern and traversed - once again - through he equally charming Zavas village, taking many a branch bridge and vine ladder in the process of navigating the treetop settlement. The North of the city is where Flinn instructed the party go; the Imperial half of the Zavas is obvious - the trees have been nearly leveled in favor of the high, rising wood-and-stone buildings very out of place in the middle of thick, jungle-like forest. The forest floor has been cleared and paved with cobblestone streets where carts and merchants peddle wares; the sound of armories and guardsmen is abundant - while there are some residencies springing up here and there, make no mistake; this is a military outpost created by the rather strained agreement between the Zavas and Imperium. 

And it’s clear the tension is shared between the respective citizens. 

Guards trail behind the party from a distance as they approach, keeping their eyes on the non-Imperials of the party. While no interference occurs, the hostility is clear. Regardless, the party pushes on - leading to a rather large, stone, single-floored building labeled ‘MIKO’S ARMORY’. Opening the wooden door results in a wave of heat from the space within. A spacious room with a few chairs for visitors tucked in the corner greets you; several smithy tables lie within - as do a smattering of differently-sized suits of armor and weapons of all make. Attending to a glowing-hot piece of metal is a human woman wearing a sleeveless shirt and a rather large ring with a garnet on one hand - tall, well-muscled, with auburn hair tied in a bun. As the door creaks open, she turns around, settles down her current project, wipes her brow, and folds her arms, an indifferent look on her stony face.

“I’m Miko. Pleasure. What can I help you with?”