Hadrian eyes the Eveningtide Manor as they pass by, taking in the eerie brick building and the broken fence surrounding it.

“I wouldn’t be so sure it’s just the children’s imagination,” Hadrian comments, raising an eyebrow. “Ghosts can be very real, especially the ones with… what do you call it? Unfinished business. Unresolved relationships. Attachment to a loved one, or a place. Things they grab onto and won’t let go.”

Hands in his pockets, he casually glances up at the brick manor again. “Ms. Eveningtide fits the bill. Plenty of reason for her to stick around, I’d say.”

Heiboros laughs at Emma's antics about Sebastian. "You know, he was just getting started with the fires. There was this one time - but I suppose you're to young for that. As for drakkenheim, your father is right about the danger. The Inscrutable Tower is an obvious library, but are there any less... hazy?" He asks, fiddling and flying around. 

The smile was paired with her own. While her love of fine arts didn't match Tendilius', the same likely couldn't be said for what books may be within the hotel's possession. Or what tomes might still reside in the tower Emma mentioned. The tidbit was stored away as Juniper followed along, replying to the enthusiastic explanations with the occasional interested hum and encouraging nod.

As the pace slowed to a halt in front of the dilapidated building, she split her attention between Emma, the supposedly haunted house, and her compatriot. Both brows rose with the dramatic story. "Well, if there had been any ghosts," She looked over to Hadrian, tone hopeful, if a touch naive in wanting to allay their guide's fears. "I'd imagine, with how many capable people come here to explore Drakkenheim, there'd be at least a few who would've seen her put to rest." Not this party, of course. Bandits they could handle easily, and even a less than pleasant encounter with the contagion. But ghosts? Such ghouls were best left for those answering a more divine call.

(Retcon: Ka-Cha rinses the tentacle-chopping chat-kcha with water before he retrieves it)

Answering Emma, he thinks to those around him:

"This* is a gift in my people.  I do not know if I  can teach you.  I have met humans with the ability so maybe they can teach you.  

I Hatched.  I mounted until I became an adult.  I was a Trin** like larva.  

*you "know" he means telepathy.

-** you "know" he means wingless & walking on 4 legs.

Tendilius chuckles are Emma goes through the various taverns and mixing up her liquors. Ah, youth. He listens on as she tells the tale of the mansion, ooh-ing and ah-ing with gusto at her enthusiasm. While initially taking it as childhood imagination, Hadrian and Juniper's words strike a cord with him. He takes Juniper's thoughts of other adventurers as challenge. "Unless there was a hereto unfigured out complication!" he says with excitement. "If it was arson could be a lingering need to have it solved. Unfinished business with a dead son. Like Hadrian said, plenty of reasons to stick around. And plenty of things to investigate!" All in good time of course. There was so much to learn first.

After laying out his thoughts he keeps an eye on Heiboros before turning his attention to the folks selling their wares. Common items or more geared for the adventurous sort? Any promising potentials? And then back to Heiboros, "You've spoken a lot of this Sebastian. Were you two colleagues?"

The Aarakocra makes a strange sort of cracking noise reminiscent of laughter. "Colleagues? We were classmates. Man he was scared of his own magic as a kid." He lowers his voice, "Emma doesn't know it, but her brother was known for his incidents. She knows about the fires... but... there was much worse. I had... similar powers... but I knew to use them, to force them into submission, to control them. He tried... well I really don't know. After a pretty bad incident involving a portal to the shadowlands, he was expelled." He looks around fervently to make sure Emma isn't listening, before one of the talons of his shadow peels away and grabs a bite of food out of his pack. 

Emma smiles so hard as Ka-Cha answers in her head again. No way. No way. No way!  She looks as if she could jump over the moon herself. But then-

"Oh. Aw." A sad smile inches across her face just like as Wormy had done as he crawls down from her shoulder towards her neck. "That's... okay. BUT that's still way cool though! I wish I could have molted. I would have wanted to metamorphosize into something with wings! Oh and with deer horns!" She positions her two index fingers on her head like antlers.

Tendilius's enthusiasm for her antics only reeve her up more. She is now beaming with pride. She had bowed at the end of her little performance there. "And there's more to come!"

"The danger..." She scowls and looks like as if she ate a lemon. "But I'm old enough to have double digits now! What? Do I have to wait until I'm with three? I'd be a 100 by then!!! I don't even know if I'd last that long!" She digs the dirt with her foot. "My brother got to go out more when he was 13. That's only in like 3 more years. I'm old enough now!"

Then speaking of- Emma's mouth hangs open as she hears Heiboros get started on more stories about her brother. Oh more gossip! More gossip to hang over his head to get her more cool prizes from the ruins. - But then Heiboros doesn't finish, so she frowns.

"Sorry, but the Red Lion is the only place I know of with books." Her eyes follows the flying araakocra. "Oh! And sometimes I like to take books from people to make my own personal library. But there's nothing every really good around lately. And Grease sometimes gets me some books from the road. But I don't think I remember any place else, sadly."

Emma begins tensing up at Hadrian's statements. A small shiver goes down her spine. "I mean- when we played Man Hunt I- I did hear voices. BUT THEY WERE FROM THE OTHER KIDS! They were always teasing me. BUT I GO IN THERE BY MYSELF SOMETIMES- AND! I don't hear nothing anymore." She starts to twirl her curls a little bit more. She looks over with a hopeful eye at Juniper. 'Put her to rest?' That would be nice. Umm but not that she believed that there was anything there anyways. Yeah.

And then Tendilius-

"Oh." She twirls her curls a bit harder now. "Yeah but like my brother starts most of the fires anyways. And nothing happens! And that was an old one. Like a super old one. ... And they said she died peacefully... in the basement."

Her eyes wander over to the top window spot. It slowly cricks and creeks open and close with the breeze. 

"NOW LET'S GO ONWARDS!" She marches forth with all the greater intensity. She switches gears and heads to the right this time.

As you guys walk, she does try to listen in between Tendilius and Heiboros conversation, even slowing down her march but the sounds of the man across the street screaming stuff like "For sale" is too much for her to bear. Sometime later you happen upon this small one-level public house to which Emma explains is a popular spot for locals and adventurers seeking a peaceful and laid back place to unwind. She points. The sign hanging above the door depicts a cartoonish vulture feasting on the entrails of a bloodhound, both smiling pleasantly. 

"And this is our next stop! All aboard! It is the Bark and Buzzard! The Bark, as you can see is that dog, and the Buzzard, is that buzzard." Rather than wait for any answers, she runs along back. Catching up to her, if you do, she is standing right in front of what looks to be a haggard old pile of armor sitting beside the wall like a scarecrow. "I'm gonna kick it!" And she does. 

And then it comes to life. Jostling up, the rusty metal suit clicks and clanks together, standing ever the more upright. Immediately you figure out it is an animated armor. 

“Have at thee cur!” it shouts. Emma laughs. And kicks it again! "Kick the can! Kick the can!" She chants, beckoning all of you forth.

Suddenly a few people from inside the building start gathering out back to wait and watch for the action. They join in on the chant. "Kick the old can!" "Yeah get him good!" "You got him!"

Emma is all the more giddy.

@Tendilius

Actually you do manage to spot some people selling some useful wares (at least from this point of view you do)!

Chatting it up with Eren, a bespectacled and beanpole-shaped human man seems to be carrying all manner of adventuring gear. He has parked his caravan right over next to a sign above him that states "Caravan Court". Next to him on the far right is an iron-bound stagecoach flanked by two massive flat-bedded wagons with stacks of leaden and steel-studded chests, overseen by a dozen armored men. The man manning the vehicle looks to be a stout man with a heavily scarred and aged face, a leather eyepatch, and (wow!) a mouth of gold teeth. 

There is also just one lone gnome guy in the streets attempting to haggle anyone who gets near. He has a bunch of random items he is carrying. "For sale! For sale, anyone!" He cries.

Heiboros shakes his head at the girl's stubbornness about entering drakkenheim, in a proud sort of way. He laughs as she kicks the armor, as this one is clearly a harmless toy. He reminisces of his time playing as a chick, remembering that he is technically younger than this child. He speaks up, "You say that you're from the Crowe smithy? Are you learning to be a smith?"

Hadrian crosses his arms over his chest, glancing between the dilapidated building and their young guide, Emma. He pauses for a moment, listening to the cool breeze and the distant creak, as if trying to sense any lingering supernatural energy in the air around him.

“Right, complications.” He follows up on Tendilius, with his usual smirk on the corner of his lips. “If there were ghosts, I suppose some brave soul would’ve put them to rest by now. Plenty of adventurers out there claiming to do all sorts of heroic deeds.” Not that he’s ever met one of those do-gooders that doesn’t do things for gold or fame. But then his gaze shifts to Juniper, with her reserved but hopeful eyes.

Well, maybe he haven't met one until now.

As they make their way through the streets, Hadrian furrows his brows at the gnome’s high-pitched “for sale” noise, the shrillness grating on his ears. He picks one ear with his pinky that feels clogged by the loud noise, but curiosity gets the better of him as he steps closer to take a look at the gnome’s collection of goods. “Alright, what do you got?”

((As they pass by the Eveningtide Manor Hadrian would use his Divine Sense to see if he can pick up anything.))

@Heiboros

"Wha-?" She turns to you before kicking the armor again. It doesn't even do anything. Somehow it seems to recognize that this is a kid and isn't attacking. This frustrates Emma who berates it further. Putting her hands in front of her, she shoves it but the suit of armor seems to just gently push her off. The audience sort of sighs.

Still pushing, she smiles at your laughter and observation. "Yeah!!! I want to be smithy like my dad when I grow up! He's even teaching me how! I'm gonna give Wormy a cool suit of armor just like this one... Just less mean!!!" She strains with all her might.

 "Hey, isn't that Tobias's daughter?" Someone in the crowd wonders out loud.

@Hadrian

Casting Divine Sense, you try to pry into the whereabouts of this so-called ghost, grasping at the air for any lingering energy. Ms. Eventingtide? Are you there? And you find... nothing. Maybe it's because you're too far. So you walk closer, ever vigilant, but there it is again- nothing. Nothing piled on top of nothing. But yet the window still creeks.

The gnome's face lights up once you come near him totally ignoring your scowl.

"I got all the weapons you need, kid." The gnome opens up his cloak to show a variety of weapons are stitched into his clothing. The majority of which are daggers. he then shuffles over to a small wooden table parked randomly out front a cottage despite the Caravan Court being only yards away. "Since everythin's around here's usually double the price, I'm selling for... the usual price. Therefore, we've got a sale. Capeesh?" He waves across the table to show you. "Here today. Gone tomorra."

((He is telling the truth about the weapons being more expensive in Emberwood. This is a random limited one time offer! He is selling both Simple and Martial Weapons at the prices in the Player's Handbook))

“Great,” Hadrian says, his grin widening as he surveys the gnome’s collection. “I’ve got something for sale too.”

He reaches into his pack and pulls out the mace he had grabbed from the bandit’s cart. He drops it onto the gnome’s table with a satisfying thud, causing some of the smaller items to clink and shift. “That mace, for two of your daggers.” Hadrian proposes, “Good deal, right? You even come out ahead.”

Hadrian's inventory

+ 2 daggers

- 1 mace

The gnome raises his eyebrow at your first statement, then grins even with the shuffling of his goods. He correctly puts them back in order after you drop it.

"I'm liking the cut of ya jib, kid." He spins his hat on his fingers and then lightly tosses it back on his head. It misses. But before he picks it up, he takes your mace. "Nice doin' business with ya. New in town ain't ya. If you're looking to sell some of them delirium shards at a good offer. I know a guy." He winks. "Well, you know were to find me." He continues to start shouting 'for sale' again but keeps an eye on you if you're looking to sell some more.

Tendilius listens on as Heiboros talks about Sebastian's issues. "Lack of control, huh?" he asks, puzzled how a mageborn could possibly not control their talents. Sure refining it was another matter, but it was curious. "Wild magic? Or other issues?" he asks, wanting to find a rational explanation.

He frowns at Hadrian's words about other adventurers. "Yes. I suppose they do." He says a bit sullenly, feeling the odds of them gaining renown over the ghost slipping away.

He looks on in fascinated delight as Emma kicks the armor. "TALKING animated armor! Fascinating!" He makes a mental note to go talk to the armor once Emma has had her fun. Turning his attention to the shopkeepers he takes a gander at what he has. It would be nice to get some nicer armor but a bit out of his price range, particularly if Emberwood village was more expensive. However thinking of Hooty, he heads to the iron-bound stagecoach, hoping it's owned by a purveyor of magical needs. "Hello, would you perhaps have any charcoal, incense, and herbs?"

[[ material components for find familiar ]]

"Mage born often can not control their talents. It's why they are taken at six. They usually can't cause too much damage before that point. Sebastian... He was causing problems from birth."

A softly disparaging look ticked towards Tendilius, even as a wry smile threatened to pull Juniper's lips upwards. The half-elf's enthusiasm, grim though it was, was also infectious, especially coupled with the buoyant Emma. Resolving to find out what- if anything- haunted the old manor later, she went along to peruse the wares lining the streets.

The further into the loud, bustling crowd they went, the more Juniper resisted the urge to dampen the sound. Even still, the druid's shoulders tensed, hunched up to her ears as she kept her pack gripped tight against her chest. How did people live like this? Bunched together in a clamor of chaos, demands of attention coming from all angles? And this was considered a small town, not even a city? And Drakkenheim, one of the largest before its downfall? The scale of it was finally settling in. All those people, lost in a single, terrible moment. And how many had fallen since then, in their expeditions into the cursed place?

Her attention was pulled from such thoughts as the noise subdued- and her eye from the north, where the edges of the city colored the horizon in a dark, jagged line. A glance was spared for the cartoonish sign, its presence as a haven from the crowded market noted, before she sped off to catch up to their tour guide- just in time to see the kicked armor clink to life! She skipped back, fully expecting a retaliation from the magicked suit. Another sigh joined the ones from the tavern, far more relieved than disappointed by the lack of reaction.

"Is... that your father's name? Tobias?" She asked Emma, though her focus was on the crowd, looking for whoever had said it in the first place. While she'd less of a need for armor, Hadrian and Dabbert certainly came to mind with how proudly the girl spoke of her father's craft. "Does he work in town?"

@Juniper

"Huh?" Emma looks to be exhausted by kicking the animated armor who hasn't even yet to receive a dent. The animated armor or 'the can' as people have called it genuinely does not seem to be bothered. "Gahhh!" He little hands flail at the armor to only receive a gentle push away. Huffing she adds, "Yeah... my dad's name is Tobias." She narrows her eyes firmly at the rusty opponent. "He's always working at our smithy! Work work work that's all he ever does. Well other times he's here. But it's too early."

"Oh! I can show you my toyhouse! I built it myself! Well... my dad helped me. But I carved it out of wood myself! Wormy will get to live up in there." Wormy does something akin to a nod. Especially since she poked it.

"At the end of our tour I'll bring you all to the Smithy! 'Crowe and Sons. We get the jobs done~'" She recites a little jingle. It is clear she made it up herself. 

"Emma?" It was the same voice from earlier. It comes from an open window of the establishment. A middle-aged women's head pokes out, holding a cup which she is wiping. It takes about as much as a moment for her put the cup down and come out around back. Boy, is she fast. She is a tall blonde human wearing an apron. "What are you doing? I told you not to mess around with that armor. It's not a toy."

"But it is a toy! Everyone kicks it around all day! Why can I not do too?" She protests.

"Because you might get hurt? You know what happened last time."

"That's because I tripped..." Emma scowls but moves away from the armor to go look off into where some of the others in your troop had wandered off to, scratching her head.

"It's always something with that one." She tsk tsks her head. "Last time she thought she could swindle me with giving me a button for a coin.... But she's got a good heart. But she just doesn't know where to put it." The older women gives a warm smile. "How can I help you all today? You look new in town. And it's always good to see a fresh face around here. Not that we don't get them so often, we always do, but not much people can put up with her antics."

She sticks her hand out. "I'm Karin Alsberg, owner of the Bark and Buzzard. Happy to be of service." She tilts her head, "Though not inside, but I was wondering- since you're talking the 'tour' - that you'll probably be looking for a place to stay afterwards. I'd be happy to offer you up a room. Me and my husband have about... four rooms available today. It's only about 2 gold per night- not as much as that snotty Stravos likes to put it. 25 excuse me? What you thinking I'm a running a saloon?" She winks and barks heartily, giving you a forward nudge. 

"Anyways you lot must be famished? How's about something to eat right? My husband's in the kitchen today cooking some lamb stew if you're interested."

@Tendilius

You make your way away from Emma's little 'tour'.

It seems a marketplace has sprung up surrounding what looks to be a boarded-up water well in the village square.The sign atop, blazed in yellow and purple paint (interesting choice of color scheme) is labeled 'Caravan Court.' This colorful collection of caravans, wagons, canvas tents, and makeshift stalls is the hub of commerce for adventurers, scavengers, and prospectors looking to make their fortune in Drakkenheim. Dozens of canny merchants have set up shop here to cater to the needs of the factions and explorers.

Eren stops you looking and gives a wave, but nothing further.

Passing through the makeshift hodgepodge of carts and stalls, you end up towards that stagecoach. The stout man who had been counting coins looks up to you and takes a breathe. The armed guards give one you look at you before resuming nonchalantly at their post. 

The man, whom you assume is named 'Fairweather' by the name emblazoned on the side of his stagecoach as in 'Fairweather's Trades and Exports' doesn't even so much as approach you. He just looks up. His gold teeth shining in the daylight.

"I am sorry... but I do not deal in this area of expertise. You should best try your luck elsewhere."

From out of nowhere a low booming voice says:

"I... can help you with that."

You shift your attention to the voice beckoning you. 

It comes from inside a massive and heaving covered carriage is decorated with gold filigree and glimmering lanterns. Hitched beside it are two great steel-skinned oxen that exhale green fumes from their snouts. They prod the ground their hooves. Three lanky attendants garbed in light armor and carrying crossbows stand guard.

Seated before the carriage on a buckling wooden chair is that massive human man, the one who called you, who must be nearly seven feet tall and almost as wide.

He is garbed in masterfully tailored jet-black silk: a frilled doublet, padded breeches, and riding gloves, all worn under a great fur-lined cloak, topped with a feathered cap. Each piece is delicately embroidered with elegant silver trim. The smell of fine tobacco mixed with perfume hangs in the air around him.

He puffs out smoke from a fine black pipe.

“Material components to.... let me see... Find Familiar?"  He guesses. There lies a rakish grin across his face. "Yes.... I DO have that."  In the other hand he takes a drink from a bottle of vintage wine.

"So... Let’s get down to business, shall we?”

"Hmmm... 21 gold pieces... for all of them."

He rubs his hands together in anticipation.

Heiboros swoops.past the guards into the caravan, and lands in front of Aldor the Immense. "15. I should only offer 10. But I'll be generous and give you 15." He looks down on the big man with a penetrative eagle's glare. 

@Heiboros and Tendilius (since you both are there)

Your swift movements cause an unsettling breeze around the packed court. In fact a few loose papers and things fly away from their stalls. Some shoot you angry glares.

"Hrm?" The man looks at most bemused by your intercession. 

"So... it is generous of you to undercut my business? To come to my place of conduct and offer twice as low as I should have offered?"

"To offer cooper where no trees grow, and none to burn into charcoal. Cooper? When incense is the only thing that can block out the choke from these days. And herbs when no herbs can be wasted even on being eaten?

He tilts his head to the side and looks at the sky (away from you) with disinterest, "And here I thought they would have taught you manners at the Academy. Or sorry, my fellow, did you drop out too?"

"21... is my most generous offer."

"Ahhh so you want it revealed that you're a swindler? I mean, if the Academy taught me anything it was not to take the wrong end of a deal. You're selling something worth 10 gold pieces for 21? Now now, I get that things are more expensive around the cursed city, so I'll give you fifteen. That's it though. Unless you give me a good reason to give you more. And suggesting it's worth 30? I've got a bridge in town and I'd like to sell it to you." Heiboros tilts his head with a critical eye. It's been a while since he's met a challenge like this. It's also clear that he's experienced with haggling. 

"Indeed. You're asking for more than twice the price." concurs Tendilius. "Quite frankly at that price I'm willing to walk. A man has gotta be able to eat, you know. Though I do find 15gp to be a reasonable compromise in the middle." He reaches into his purse to jingle a couple coins.

Persuasion: 2+6 = 8
//if there's help from Heiboros' words:  11+6 = 17

If the merchant continues to insist on 21gp Tendilius bids him a good day and rejoins the group.