"sounds like we shouldn't waste time." Vilus states, itching to get moving, "we should put feelers out, get a lay of the land up there before the dark sets in. Is it far away?"
Ashley notices Joren attempt at conversation with the one that is still in the tavern and then heads to the bar. Once she gets someones attention, she asks what the special is that day, her stomach rumbling as she does. "Ooh, and a glass of wine too?"
"I know you're in a hurry, and if you aren't hungry, go ahead and get the lay of it all. I'm going to start eating my hair if I don't get some food!" she comments to Vilus as he starts getting antsy.
"ah... I uhhh... Forgot that we hadn't actually eaten with all the excitement going on" vilus shrugs and also heads to the bar, ordering himself something cheap to eat and some water. "wine? did you grow up with that or... well I'd heard from travellers that the smoking sands liked everything spicy, but that might just be generalising hearsay" he chuckles
The lady behind the counter chuckles as she wipes a spot on the counter clean. "Well I don't know how special you consider fish. I could grill you up some tuna and a bowl of barley if you like. If you're looking for another kind of meat, you'll have to wait some. Brighton just dropped off some venison, but that's gone into the dinner stew. Won't be serving that for a couple hours at least."
The man in the corner licks the nib of his pen and scribbles a couple of figures down in a neat column. Then he blows on the ink to dry it before sliding the ledger aside. "Can't complain," he says, leaning back and folding his hands in his lap. "The sea's bounty is richer than normal for this time of the year. Something's got the big fish coming in closer to the shore than usual. How's business for you folk wot came in on Captain Chemain's ship? You here to do some shopping? Sightseeing? Or are you just passing through? What is it that you are looking for in my humble town?" he asks with a shrewd smile peaking through his beard.
Malachi flips a newly won silver piece along his fingers as he grins at Joren. “Well, I didn’t take all of their coin, but I may have padded our purses a bit.”
He frowns slightly as he hears the plan of the haunted house. “The old cemetery? Kruller’s Hill, I think they call it. One of the rangers I was dicing with says something is spooking the birds up there. That, and stories of a haunted house? Something is going on, I don’t like it.”
Joren looks slightly affronted for a moment, then sighs resignedly and nods as Malachi and the others share their information on the abandoned house.
The man in the corner licks the nib of his pen and scribbles a couple of figures down in a neat column. Then he blows on the ink to dry it before sliding the ledger aside. "Can't complain," he says, leaning back and folding his hands in his lap. "The sea's bounty is richer than normal for this time of the year. Something's got the big fish coming in closer to the shore than usual. How's business for you folk wot came in on Captain Chemain's ship? You here to do some shopping? Sightseeing? Or are you just passing through? What is it that you are looking for in my humble town?" he asks with a shrewd smile peaking through his beard.
Joren gives Ashley, then Vilus a grin as they re-enter the tavern. Seeing the sometimes paranoid goliath makes the warrior think of something, however...
Considering what we have seen in Cambria with the cultists and whatever the clandestine group is doing in Talmouth that has turned against Vilus, would it be so surprising if this 'Mayor Shamp' (Joren assumes that's who the man is based on the smith's description) is yet another spy? Tracking the situation and using his position as a front, just as Jon Shep had been doing at the Opportunity's Knock Inn just past the Shield Pass those months ago...
BAH... you are letting your imagination run amok again, Joren!
Joren glances at Shamp's ledger as he blows the ink dry, then at the man's face and demeanor, inclining his head with modest respect towards his interlocutor and deciding to go with truth, albeit incomplete, in response to the questioning.
"Sightseeing being one way to put it. Seeming we are always seeing some sights, wherever we go. Captain Chemain and his crew, though, I have to say, they were seeming afraid, as sailors often are, of... bad luck? Perhaps bad luck we are bringing. And of peril down under the waves. Perhaps the same as whatever might pushing the big fish into your fishermen's nets closer to shore. So, here we are landing short of our destination."
Joren looks to see if the two pitchers of ale for Don are nearly ready. I am really no good at this... should just get Samir with the red/blue/yellow medallion.
"Not in your hair for long, I am thinking, though. Passing through, in truth. And yet, from tales we are hearing, we may be searching out the abandoned house by the cemetery. Especially if there are other odd happenings afoot. Any knowledge you can be sharing on that front?"
Joren watches Mayor Shamp closely to gauge his reaction. Just another smart, thoughtful town leader, or does his reaction mask deeper knowledge?
Perception to judge whether the ledger is just normal bookkeeping for a tavern or town, or something more cryptic: 17 Insight to judge Mayor Shamp's reaction: 15
"sounds like we shouldn't waste time." Vilus states, itching to get moving, "we should put feelers out, get a lay of the land up there before the dark sets in. Is it far away?"
Ashley notices Joren attempt at conversation with the one that is still in the tavern and then heads to the bar. Once she gets someones attention, she asks what the special is that day, her stomach rumbling as she does. "Ooh, and a glass of wine too?"
"I know you're in a hurry, and if you aren't hungry, go ahead and get the lay of it all. I'm going to start eating my hair if I don't get some food!" she comments to Vilus as he starts getting antsy.
"ah... I uhhh... Forgot that we hadn't actually eaten with all the excitement going on" vilus shrugs and also heads to the bar, ordering himself something cheap to eat and some water. "wine? did you grow up with that or... well I'd heard from travellers that the smoking sands liked everything spicy, but that might just be generalising hearsay" he chuckles
The lady behind the counter chuckles as she wipes a spot on the counter clean. "Well I don't know how special you consider fish. I could grill you up some tuna and a bowl of barley if you like. If you're looking for another kind of meat, you'll have to wait some. Brighton just dropped off some venison, but that's gone into the dinner stew. Won't be serving that for a couple hours at least."
The man in the corner licks the nib of his pen and scribbles a couple of figures down in a neat column. Then he blows on the ink to dry it before sliding the ledger aside. "Can't complain," he says, leaning back and folding his hands in his lap. "The sea's bounty is richer than normal for this time of the year. Something's got the big fish coming in closer to the shore than usual. How's business for you folk wot came in on Captain Chemain's ship? You here to do some shopping? Sightseeing? Or are you just passing through? What is it that you are looking for in my humble town?" he asks with a shrewd smile peaking through his beard.
Joren looks slightly affronted for a moment, then sighs resignedly and nods as Malachi and the others share their information on the abandoned house.
Joren gives Ashley, then Vilus a grin as they re-enter the tavern. Seeing the sometimes paranoid goliath makes the warrior think of something, however...
Considering what we have seen in Cambria with the cultists and whatever the clandestine group is doing in Talmouth that has turned against Vilus, would it be so surprising if this 'Mayor Shamp' (Joren assumes that's who the man is based on the smith's description) is yet another spy? Tracking the situation and using his position as a front, just as Jon Shep had been doing at the Opportunity's Knock Inn just past the Shield Pass those months ago...
BAH... you are letting your imagination run amok again, Joren!
Joren glances at Shamp's ledger as he blows the ink dry, then at the man's face and demeanor, inclining his head with modest respect towards his interlocutor and deciding to go with truth, albeit incomplete, in response to the questioning.
"Sightseeing being one way to put it. Seeming we are always seeing some sights, wherever we go. Captain Chemain and his crew, though, I have to say, they were seeming afraid, as sailors often are, of... bad luck? Perhaps bad luck we are bringing. And of peril down under the waves. Perhaps the same as whatever might pushing the big fish into your fishermen's nets closer to shore. So, here we are landing short of our destination."
Joren looks to see if the two pitchers of ale for Don are nearly ready. I am really no good at this... should just get Samir with the red/blue/yellow medallion.
"Not in your hair for long, I am thinking, though. Passing through, in truth. And yet, from tales we are hearing, we may be searching out the abandoned house by the cemetery. Especially if there are other odd happenings afoot. Any knowledge you can be sharing on that front?"
Joren watches Mayor Shamp closely to gauge his reaction. Just another smart, thoughtful town leader, or does his reaction mask deeper knowledge?
Perception to judge whether the ledger is just normal bookkeeping for a tavern or town, or something more cryptic: 17
Insight to judge Mayor Shamp's reaction: 15
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(Sorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(Cleric3/Sorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk