"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
Samir slips into the tavern with the others, and takes a seat at the bar himself, wordlessly letting his companions make conversation. His thoughts have gone elsewhere, a not unusual occurrence. Soon he has a slip of paper and a squib of charcoal in hand, making notations and small, rough diagrams. The thought of food, however, does catch his attention and he looks up at Ashley and Vilus with a blink before focusing on the lady at the counter. "Actually, if you've some bread and cheese on hand, that would be lovely. And perhaps some water to go with it?"
The mayor does not look surprised to hear your intention to seek out the abandoned house. In fact, he seems like he already knew. Sitting there, conducting his business from the corner of the tavern, the man must be keeping his finger on the pulse of the village. Joren wouldn't be surprised if he knew every piece of gossip that passed through the town.
"If you're looking to check out the rumors, be my guest. Though you should know a bit about the history of the place. Many years back, when my grandmother was just a girl, there was a family living up in that house. Two half-elves and their boy. Not long after they'd moved in, people started disappearing. My grandma told me the villagers started getting paranoid, and eventually suspicion fell on that family. Pitchforks and torches were taken up, and the building was burned down with the family inside it. It's a dark spot on our history... but the disappearances apparently stopped after that"
"moved in? They didn't build the house then" Vilus asks as the mayor describes the history of the place. "Anything notable about the previous tenants or those who did build the place?"
At the mention of fish, Ashley remembers the fish they had on the streets of Tensmith (I think that's where they were?) and her stomach immediately starts to growl and she blushes. "Yes, please. I would love some of your fish and some wine to go with it. Thank you!"
She listens in to the conversation with the man in the corner, who appears to have kept an eye on them. It makes her uneasy at first, but then she supposes it isn't every day a group of their sort visits a small village without going unnoticed. "Any more recent stories you could tell us of the house?" she adds in with a mouthful of fish.
Joren listens quietly to Mayor Shamp's recounting of the abandoned house's sad past. Everyone, everywhere always so quick to blame those looking different than them... He then quickly realizes Vilus and Ashley have joined the conversation with better questions than he might have asked.
Inclining his head briefly to take his leave, he grabs the two pitchers of ale (once provided) to deliver them back to Don the Smith, returning thereafter.
“Water? Don’t be silly, try the wine.” Malachi slaps Samir playfully on the back and motions for the woman behind the bar to bring out a bottle of wine. “I’ll have the fish as well, please, and some bread.”
Malachi’s face turns dark as he listens to the mayor’s story. “Pitchforks and torches. A mob seeking vengeance against a poor family for how they looked.” Malachi subconsciously tugs on the wig hiding his own slightly pointed ears and continues with sarcasm “Well, as long as the disappearances stopped, it must be okay, right?”
"uhh, I'll have one, but no more I don't wanna get my brain muddled, you know" Vilus says giving Malachi a knowing stare reminding the man that has also seen the contents of Vilus' consciousness. "Hmm, we never gave a rats ass about what people looked like on the streets, just if they were useful or a liability, I mean I'm not the vision of..." Vilus gestures down at his Goliath form and suddenly trails off remembering that he was wearing a tiefling illusion when he first arrived and spoke with the townspeople, only to then shed the disguise when out alone with Ashley. "...ah, crap!"
Shamp scratches at his chin as food and drink is brought out. Each ceramic dish clinks as it is set down upon the bar. "Hmmm, I don't expect it were so much about how they looked. See, even back then our village was pretty full of a diverse crowd of orcs, elves, half-folk, and the like. Lot of people moved from Madurst around that time on account of the threats and intimidation from the uppity humans across the canal. Not that my grandmother went into much detail on why what happened happened. She was young, and that was a dark stain on our history. As for the house since then, it's wreckage has stood undisturbed since"
“Some people believe others are a liability because of how they look. People will find all sorts of reasons to suspect or look down on others.”Malachi grunts back at Vilus, but shrugs his shoulders, slightly mollified by the mayor’s response and eager to move to a different topic.
Distracted by the arriving plates of food, he digs in, realizing for the first time how hungry he is. The fish breaks apart easily under his fingers and he wipes his plate with a chunk of bread crust. “Should we head out and see this house for ourselves?”
Shamp watches Malachi dig in for a moment. Then... "Oh, that actually reminds me..." He roots around in a trouser pocket and pulls out a large ring of keys. He pulls off a long, black iron key, pitted and worn with age. "Here's the old key for the place. You're welcome to it."
The lady behind the bar chuckles to herself as she brings out the rest of the food, and Shamp winks and blows her a kiss, which she swats out of the air with a sarcastic scowl.
Joren returns from the smithy once more, having delivered the two pitchers of ale to Don, shaking his head slightly at the the smith's prodigious thirst as he stows a newly-acquired javelin and handaxe behind his shoulders and at his belt respectively for easy access.
If his friends look to be stopping for a meal, Joren joins Samir for a bit of bread and cheese, but looks anxious to be off to investigate the "haunted" house.
He can't help his suspicion from being piqued once more. Mayor Shamp seems alert and in tune with all that is happening here. He knew we were going to inspect the house. Why only just now "remembering" to hand us the keys? Hmmm? Gaahh... Vilus' paranoia is rubbing off on me again...
Vilus chuckles at Malachi as a thought crosses his mind and in his oddly cheerful mood the thought completely bypasses any safeguards in his brain and he blurts out, "awwh, Mal, I only look down on you because you're short!" Before polishing off the food in front of him and gladly accepting the key from shamp, "right then! I agree, we should be off, report back tomorrow about your ghosties shall we?" He asks shamp with a shamelessly cheeky grin.
Ashley almost spits out her food at Vilus's outburst. She looks around at her friends. They sure have been through a lot together and now they are going to a haunted house. She gets shivers and she knows its the good kind as she thinks of being a kid and this would be her dream.
She finds herself grinning from ear to ear as she finishes up her dinner and gives a little bow to the woman behind the bar and the Mayor. This isn't too bad of a little village and she finds herself glad the captain decided to dump them unceremoniously. Funny how things happen.
Seeing how Joren is getting anxious, she gets up and heads towards the door, "Well, shall we?" (she paid for her dinner/ale - how much?)
Samir watches the others as he works his way through the food he asked for, finding himself hungrier than he thought to be. Though it was only bread and cheese, it was... almost like home. Local products, things he might very well have gotten in the streets of his own neighborhood, perhaps just a slightly different recipe. While only a simple repast - which was what he had grown accustomed to in his Academy days - it was filling and pleasant and soon enough he found himself nodding along with Ashley and the others. Sliding from the stool, he slips a pair of gold coins next to his utensils, and heads for the door, settling his gear as he goes.
Malachi coughs and almost chokes on a chunk of bread as Vilus blurts out at him. “Very funny. You are in a good mood today.”Malachi grins back at Vilus. He grabs the key from Vilus, turning it over in his hand and examining it for any markings before handing it back. “A key, that should make things easier.”
He throws a gold coin on the bar, returning some more of the gambling winnings back to the town. “Thanks for the meal, it was delicious.” He turns to the others “Well, should we be off then?”
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"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
Joren (Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha (Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Quyen (Adept1, ba5ic system): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord)
Xarian (Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia (Sorcerer1): BillM's Icewind Dale
Samir slips into the tavern with the others, and takes a seat at the bar himself, wordlessly letting his companions make conversation. His thoughts have gone elsewhere, a not unusual occurrence. Soon he has a slip of paper and a squib of charcoal in hand, making notations and small, rough diagrams. The thought of food, however, does catch his attention and he looks up at Ashley and Vilus with a blink before focusing on the lady at the counter. "Actually, if you've some bread and cheese on hand, that would be lovely. And perhaps some water to go with it?"
The mayor does not look surprised to hear your intention to seek out the abandoned house. In fact, he seems like he already knew. Sitting there, conducting his business from the corner of the tavern, the man must be keeping his finger on the pulse of the village. Joren wouldn't be surprised if he knew every piece of gossip that passed through the town.
"If you're looking to check out the rumors, be my guest. Though you should know a bit about the history of the place. Many years back, when my grandmother was just a girl, there was a family living up in that house. Two half-elves and their boy. Not long after they'd moved in, people started disappearing. My grandma told me the villagers started getting paranoid, and eventually suspicion fell on that family. Pitchforks and torches were taken up, and the building was burned down with the family inside it. It's a dark spot on our history... but the disappearances apparently stopped after that"
"moved in? They didn't build the house then" Vilus asks as the mayor describes the history of the place. "Anything notable about the previous tenants or those who did build the place?"
At the mention of fish, Ashley remembers the fish they had on the streets of Tensmith (I think that's where they were?) and her stomach immediately starts to growl and she blushes. "Yes, please. I would love some of your fish and some wine to go with it. Thank you!"
She listens in to the conversation with the man in the corner, who appears to have kept an eye on them. It makes her uneasy at first, but then she supposes it isn't every day a group of their sort visits a small village without going unnoticed. "Any more recent stories you could tell us of the house?" she adds in with a mouthful of fish.
Joren listens quietly to Mayor Shamp's recounting of the abandoned house's sad past. Everyone, everywhere always so quick to blame those looking different than them... He then quickly realizes Vilus and Ashley have joined the conversation with better questions than he might have asked.
Inclining his head briefly to take his leave, he grabs the two pitchers of ale (once provided) to deliver them back to Don the Smith, returning thereafter.
Tanis (Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Barn (Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra (Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Joren (Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha (Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Quyen (Adept1, ba5ic system): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord)
Xarian (Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia (Sorcerer1): BillM's Icewind Dale
“Water? Don’t be silly, try the wine.” Malachi slaps Samir playfully on the back and motions for the woman behind the bar to bring out a bottle of wine. “I’ll have the fish as well, please, and some bread.”
Malachi’s face turns dark as he listens to the mayor’s story. “Pitchforks and torches. A mob seeking vengeance against a poor family for how they looked.” Malachi subconsciously tugs on the wig hiding his own slightly pointed ears and continues with sarcasm “Well, as long as the disappearances stopped, it must be okay, right?”
"uhh, I'll have one, but no more I don't wanna get my brain muddled, you know" Vilus says giving Malachi a knowing stare reminding the man that has also seen the contents of Vilus' consciousness. "Hmm, we never gave a rats ass about what people looked like on the streets, just if they were useful or a liability, I mean I'm not the vision of..." Vilus gestures down at his Goliath form and suddenly trails off remembering that he was wearing a tiefling illusion when he first arrived and spoke with the townspeople, only to then shed the disguise when out alone with Ashley. "...ah, crap!"
Shamp scratches at his chin as food and drink is brought out. Each ceramic dish clinks as it is set down upon the bar. "Hmmm, I don't expect it were so much about how they looked. See, even back then our village was pretty full of a diverse crowd of orcs, elves, half-folk, and the like. Lot of people moved from Madurst around that time on account of the threats and intimidation from the uppity humans across the canal. Not that my grandmother went into much detail on why what happened happened. She was young, and that was a dark stain on our history. As for the house since then, it's wreckage has stood undisturbed since"
“Some people believe others are a liability because of how they look. People will find all sorts of reasons to suspect or look down on others.” Malachi grunts back at Vilus, but shrugs his shoulders, slightly mollified by the mayor’s response and eager to move to a different topic.
Distracted by the arriving plates of food, he digs in, realizing for the first time how hungry he is. The fish breaks apart easily under his fingers and he wipes his plate with a chunk of bread crust. “Should we head out and see this house for ourselves?”
Shamp watches Malachi dig in for a moment. Then... "Oh, that actually reminds me..." He roots around in a trouser pocket and pulls out a large ring of keys. He pulls off a long, black iron key, pitted and worn with age. "Here's the old key for the place. You're welcome to it."
The lady behind the bar chuckles to herself as she brings out the rest of the food, and Shamp winks and blows her a kiss, which she swats out of the air with a sarcastic scowl.
Joren returns from the smithy once more, having delivered the two pitchers of ale to Don, shaking his head slightly at the the smith's prodigious thirst as he stows a newly-acquired javelin and handaxe behind his shoulders and at his belt respectively for easy access.
If his friends look to be stopping for a meal, Joren joins Samir for a bit of bread and cheese, but looks anxious to be off to investigate the "haunted" house.
He can't help his suspicion from being piqued once more. Mayor Shamp seems alert and in tune with all that is happening here. He knew we were going to inspect the house. Why only just now "remembering" to hand us the keys? Hmmm? Gaahh... Vilus' paranoia is rubbing off on me again...
Tanis (Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Barn (Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra (Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Joren (Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha (Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Quyen (Adept1, ba5ic system): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord)
Xarian (Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia (Sorcerer1): BillM's Icewind Dale
Vilus chuckles at Malachi as a thought crosses his mind and in his oddly cheerful mood the thought completely bypasses any safeguards in his brain and he blurts out, "awwh, Mal, I only look down on you because you're short!" Before polishing off the food in front of him and gladly accepting the key from shamp, "right then! I agree, we should be off, report back tomorrow about your ghosties shall we?" He asks shamp with a shamelessly cheeky grin.
Ashley almost spits out her food at Vilus's outburst. She looks around at her friends. They sure have been through a lot together and now they are going to a haunted house. She gets shivers and she knows its the good kind as she thinks of being a kid and this would be her dream.
She finds herself grinning from ear to ear as she finishes up her dinner and gives a little bow to the woman behind the bar and the Mayor. This isn't too bad of a little village and she finds herself glad the captain decided to dump them unceremoniously. Funny how things happen.
Seeing how Joren is getting anxious, she gets up and heads towards the door, "Well, shall we?" (she paid for her dinner/ale - how much?)
Samir watches the others as he works his way through the food he asked for, finding himself hungrier than he thought to be. Though it was only bread and cheese, it was... almost like home. Local products, things he might very well have gotten in the streets of his own neighborhood, perhaps just a slightly different recipe. While only a simple repast - which was what he had grown accustomed to in his Academy days - it was filling and pleasant and soon enough he found himself nodding along with Ashley and the others. Sliding from the stool, he slips a pair of gold coins next to his utensils, and heads for the door, settling his gear as he goes.
Malachi coughs and almost chokes on a chunk of bread as Vilus blurts out at him. “Very funny. You are in a good mood today.” Malachi grins back at Vilus. He grabs the key from Vilus, turning it over in his hand and examining it for any markings before handing it back. “A key, that should make things easier.”
He throws a gold coin on the bar, returning some more of the gambling winnings back to the town. “Thanks for the meal, it was delicious.” He turns to the others “Well, should we be off then?”