After stashing his newly acquired equipment on his back, Sarűmir turns and looks at Emma.

"Would you happen to know where someone could get a nice ale to drink around here? I am a little parched."

After looking around the shop for a bit, Aster decides to go down to the church to pray. "I'll see you guys later at the inn. I have something I'd like to attend to first."

Lara Keenflow sister, paladin in service of The Sacred Flame, servant of the order.

@Sanimar

The merchant raises an eyebrow and just silently takes your money. Over in the corner of your eye you see Eren, who has set up shop nearby, giving you a thumbs up.

As you approach, Aldor swirls the wine in his glass, "I have supplies that come in every week. ... What are you looking for here today?" His eyes turn over to where your gaze is heading, "Oh do you like my girls?" He takes a sip, "They are one of a kind. Stheno and Euryale. They do not make them like they used to. Consider yourself lucky to have seen one.... You may pet her if you want. Stheno-" He gestures to the left one "-does not bite."

"Ah," He nods, "Yes I do." With a sigh, he hoists himself up. The guards beside him steady their crossbows while Aldor rummages through the back of the caravan, then heaves down a box of alchemist supplies down before you. The glass vials shake and clink a bit before they settle down. "... That would be... 110 gold."

@Sarűmir

"Umm ale? Yeah sure I think I do." Emma taps her chin inquisitively like a little detective, "OH! At the Gilded Lily they said they have. My brother said they do. AND they have Open Mike Night? Do you want to perform? I've always wanted to do a skit. I have one about the duck that went to the lemonade stand." She starts blabbing to you about her one-person play until you get there. "And the man said 'No! We don't have any grapes!' And- here we are!"

The place she stops in front of is a lavish two-story building is surrounded by a veranda decorated with a swirling lily motif and painted purple. It has ornate golden glowing lanterns hanging between the veranda arches and within its curtained windows. Inside, four large golden lamps light a small stage set before rows of candlelit tables. Floral arrangements line the walls. The well-stocked bar displays wines and spirits from across the world. (It turns out she was wrong about the ale).

You currently see a dragonborn on the stage trying to sing a jazz number. Behind the counter you see a very long haired human women in red talking to black tabaxi.

@Aster

You arrive into the chapel minutes later than Lara. The circular field-stone building has a copper domed rooftop, thin windows set with stained glass, and simple wooden double doors. Outside is a small crematory garden and scattering plot for the ashes of the dead. It serves as a peaceful place of quiet worship in the harsh wasteland surrounding Drakkenheim. The front doors seem to have been locked.

Around back another acolyte of the faith is there, sitting in the garden with a book with a bunch of other adventurers and commoners in circle. She looks up to you and then stands up and waves you over. "Hello there. Would you like to join us in prayer?" 

@Lara

"Keenflow?" One of the knightly-men whispers to the other man. "I think we took sparring together." He shuffles awkwardly. He remembers you besting him in battle.

"I can see." Without acknowledging her cavilers, she nods, "I am blessed to know you have accepted our offer." Hanna opens her mouth agape and looks excited for you.

"You have might quite the name for yourself. I believe I have visited your town before. The priests there spoke highly of you." She smirks and looks off. "Yes, I can see you tend to your flame well."

The older women then gives you a hand to lift you up. "I am High Flamekeeper Ophelia Reed, as you already know. I saw great potential in you. And you did not disappoint. I am glad to know it is still there. Before I tell you anything tell me, why are you coming to the dark city? Are you here to bring them light?"

Sarűmir is agitated about the fact that they don't have any ale, but he sits down and takes a seat at a table anyways. He begins to listen into the dragonborn's jazz number, and begins tapping his fingers to the beat. While he does so, he glances around the joint for anything valuable. 

Perception: 20

Twinkleblossum will tag along with Sarumir following him by hovering just high enough to be at eye level. She accompanies him to the table and seeing that there are a variety of spirits and wines, orders a drink, "Could I get a glass of wine?" looking across at Sarumir tapping his fingers to the beat of the music, "You should try something other than ale. Broaden your experiences, you may find you like it and even acquire a taste for it."

 

@Sarűmir

The dragonborn's beat is a little off, but he vibes pretty well with the funky scene. It's a real mix of jazz and doo woop as he scats to his own beat. There isn't anything much of valuable if you're thinking of stealing. Everyone who came here, if they had something worth stealing, had definitely put it away before entering.

@Twinkleblossum

The long-haired woman halts her conversation with the black tabaxi and looks over to Twinkleblossum. "Yes of course, my dear. Red or white?" She also informs you that it costs 5 silver. Before rummaging around the counter to get you some.

There is another person who comes through the door to sit with the black tabaxi. Upon noticing you two by the counter she then nods for the tabaxi to leave and they both go off into the back corner. Due to the jazz scatting being so loud, you two can hear only some snipets of their conversation:

"...Make sure he isn't cutting any corners." She is a fit and nimble teenager with long black hair, a narrow pointed chin, and bold features. She wears a hooded green cloak and light chain armor with a the logo of a lantern being held by a dragon's claw. Alongside it is a lieutenant’s insignia on her shoulder pauldron. 

"... if something happened to him, we need to know... we’re stretched pretty thin right now. I can only offer you about 250 ... many of our soldiers have been just out sick.”

"Do you think you can do the job?" She raises her eyebrow at the black tabaxi.

Sarűmir stops tapping his fingers and turns to Twinkleblossum.

"I do not care for wine. It's ale or beer, or it's nothin'."

Upon hearing the tabaxi and the girl's conversation, he leans in and begins listening as intently as he can.

Sanimar moves to the wonderous steel oxen and pets Stheno but balks a bit at the price "Now I know items are more expensive here in Emberwood but what you are asking for is more than double the price for Alchemist supplies. How about an even 100gp and I can create a steady indefinite source of light for you as I am sure that would be handy in the middle of the night. No more groping around trying to light a candle."

Aster bows is head and clasps his hands in front of the church. After trying the front door, he circles around and sees Fatima, along with others arranged in a circle.

"I wouldn't mind joining you at all." he responds, taking a spot in the garden.

High Flamekeeper I am on a personal pilgrimage to the chapel within the castle. I am here also to pay my tithes to the church, hand forth the pouch with the 25 gold I was just paid.

"Red! Always red for me and too bad I couldn't convince my friend to try some, it means I'll have to drink alone."

Twinkleblossum hands over a gold coin for the red wine. Upon seeing Sarumir interested in the nearby conversations she remains silent to give him a better chance at eavesdropping.

@Twinkleblossum 

"Red. An excellent choice, ma'm." The waitress hands you back 9 silver. "I am more of a white wine drinker myself." She flicks her head over at Sarűmir and leans her elbow on the table and her hand on her palm, "Tell your friend over there to expand his palette. Let him know what he's missing out."

@Twinkleblossum and Sarűmir

“Yoren lives in an old house on the north end of town, I guess he uses some kind of magic to keep himself healthy. We think he might have been kicked out of the Amethyst Academy, but that’s their business, not ours.”

"We can throw in a crossbow or two if you will."

"You can sure count us in!" The black tabaxi responds chuckling, she moves her arm in a 'aw shucks' type of pose. "Yoren- you're in a bit of trouble." 

The pair seem to split off after there. The teen nods her head goodbye to Madame Rochelle, the waitress, before heading out. The black tabaxi packs up her things too before swinging down a whole glass of red wine and disappearing out the door. 

The dragonborn finishes with his jazz solo.

@Sanimar

Stheno grunts but lowers her head to accept your pet. "Hmm, I see another one skilled in the art of the trade." 

"It has been a while since someone has offered Aldor something back to trade. It was getting tiresome of those two-bit thieves and swindlers below me... but you... I like your attitude."

He nods, and swallows another gulp of wine. He pushes the supplies towards you. "You shall have your deal for 100 gold." 

"Now where shall I put that candle?" He smirks as he wonders out loud.

@Aster

Fatima smiles upon seeing you joining. "Thank you for joining us."

"We come to pay our respects to the missing." She bows her head solemnly, "To those we have lost along the way. That we pray that the Flame may guide them. That the Candle does not burn out as we long and hold out hope. That our fire may burn bright and we may see their light another day." The rest of the circle nods.

"We shall speak the names of those who are missing, lost, but not forgotten."

"Nicole Waterson, my sister."

"My brother, Phineas."

"Harry Vanderspiegle."

"Anika Patel."

"My uncle, Steve Martin."

"Phifer Winters. Also, my sister."

Fatima gestures for you to do the same if you do.

@Lara

High Flamekeeper Ophelia Reed puts her hand on your shoulder. "Thank you, Lara. You faith has made you strong. Your donation will be of good use in the chapel. Hanna you may take this." The higher flamekeeper hands the bag to the younger women. "It will do much to revitalize this falling chapel. It was not like it was been all year ago. Before the star fell."

She sighs, "I wish I had your conviction when I was younger." 

"Yes, I remember. Like the letter you have returned to me. The Chapel of Saint Brenna holds many of the remains of our fellow clergymembers. We can let the wickedness of that infernal crystals take hold."

"But first, we have had news that something was found amosgt the ruins. You may know this, the Scepter of Saint Vitruvio. We believe it is to be in the crypts below.  To fall into the hands of thieves or cultists would be reprehensible. We hope that you may retrieve it. Meet me back at Camp Dawn, we’ll see you are rewarded tenfold than you have given us.”

"This is no small task. Some of our own men have not made it back to tell the tale. But I understand that you were top of your class is that so? Are you sure you can take up the burden?"

Sarűmir stands up.

"Take your wine to-go, Twinkleblossum. We need to follow them. I'll take the cat, you take the girl."

He then walks out the door and begins to follow the tabaxi.

Sanimar smiles glad she was able to strike a good deal. "I'll be right back as I need a small wooden piece" she heads back to the dead tree where she met Emma and snaps off the straightest branch and cuts it down to the size of a cylinder that can fit in the palm of your hand. She uses Magical Tinkering to imbue the bit of wood with magic as she carves a small arcane symbol on it. After a few minutes the small piece of woods glows with light shedding bright light for 5ft and dim light for another 5 ft. 

Happy with her work Sanimar returns to Aldor the Immense and hands over the glowing wood piece and 100gp to then collect her alchemist supplies. "You can put this bit of wood in a pouch and carry it wherever you go. The light will never go out" 

Sanimar then heads to the tavern to rejoin her companions 

@Sarűmir

Going out the door, you start to follow the tabaxi down the cobblestone sidewalk but it only takes you a few steps before she stops and sniffs the air. Without even turning her head you can tell she is grinning. Her tail flicks upward, playfully. Slowly she raises her head up and then suddenly makes a mad dash for it into the marketplace. The last thing you see is the tail end of her tail snaking around through the cluster of stalls. Her yellow-green eyes burrow into you with their mocking slyness.

 Before you can go anywhere, you knock into Emma who was following you from behind.

"Hey- what? What are you doing chasing Veo?" She asks, breathlessly. "That's my brother's friend."

Twinkleblossum downs her wine and looks at the black tabaxi and black haired teen part ways, whispering quickly to Sarumir, "Follow for how long? And where do we meet back up?"

After getting a quick answer from Sarumir she takes to the air and casts the Reduce part of the Enlarge/Reduce spell to become a Tiny sized fairy and tries to sneakily follow the black haired teen, darting from object to object that might not provide any cover to a medium sized person, or even a small sized person, but now that she's a tiny sized person so many things will provide different amounts of cover for her.

Stealth: 26 

@Twinkleblossum

You are so quiet and stealthy that even Emma doesn't see you. You dash and dart past everyone. The black haired teen walks towards where her horse was hitched. You hide behind a painted-purple barrel. She goes up and on top of the horse and then wipes her forehead. With a sigh, she turns her head upwards.

Jarringly in the northern part of town, you see what she is staring at. It is tallest structure in Emberwood Village, the Watchtower. Emma hadn't had time to explain it yet, but had mentioned earlier while walking on the tour. It is the place where the Hooded Lanterns, the remnants of the old city watch, attempt to keep 'order' over the village. They keep a small training yard and a modest stable large enough for six horses. Nearby, a covered wooden bridge crosses the narrow Timberwash stream and leads out of Emberwood Village towards Drakkenheim.

You can see now that the insignia on her armor is the same one flying above the flag there. She pulls on the reins, and her and her horse goes trotting off towards said Watchtower.

@Sanimar

Aldor nods, and watches you go and get the piece. He guards the Alchemist Supplies lightly with his large fist over and looks pleased as you come on over. "I am glad to not have expected what I expect from most other adventurers."

He hands her over the supplies and takes the gold and lights with a grin. "I hope to be seeing you again soon." You see him stand up with a huff and shuffle over to the back to place them somewhere you can't see. You hear a few clicks and clanks from the outside, but the inside is obscured, before he goes back to sitting.

At the tavern it seems most of you party has slipped off, but you can still see Emma and Sarűmir around the corner as the young girl stopped him from going anywhere very far.

"Uh- d-do not worry about it, Emma. I just need to speak with her."

He begins chasing her.

Sanimar begins waving at Sarumir when she sees him run off. Did something happen why is he running? She then starts running after him as well to see what is going on. 

@Sarűmir

Emma just balks at you and then steps aside to let you go. You go into the marketsquare- well circle- and there you spot her. Her tail swishes in the wind. And you go towards it- but unfortunately all you spotted was just a black velvety belt. You see between carts and stall of various items a black blur fly through them. The same yellow-green eyes greet you with an upturned grin. Then it disappears again. You see some tents coverings slightly sink in. A few merchants wave their fists at it. Others shrug. It is just another daily occurrence at Emberwood. At least it's not the fires.

Some seeds are lightly thrown on you from above. The blur flashes on by between the tentpoles behind you. But then you see another one just in front of you. And then again on top.

She's playing you. It's a game of cat and mouse.

Having gotten all the relevant information she can Twinkleblossum flies back to where she left Sarumir. She will gain more height flying up 30 feet, maybe even as high as 90 feet, to get an overview of Emberwood Village below and try to spot Sarumir or pick up his trail knowing generally which direction he raced off in.

Perception: 23 

@Twinkleblossum

Getting a big overview of the town, Twinkeblossum can see almost everything from up here. Looking down you see the Watchtower where Petra goes in to meet with some other person... another teenager. Even from this view, they sort of look alike. They both stand there for a second before heading inside the wooden hut at the base.

Off in the very north eastern corner of the village you also see seven standing stones resting within a small grove of dying trees on the outskirts of town. A crude old hut lies down a dirt path near the shrine, smoke billowing from a hole in the thatched roof chimney.

In the very southern corner, you see what appears to have been an old farmstead that instead now houses a bunch of tents and campfires. The trees and the remnants of all the crops looking all dry and withered as around 50 people mill about.

Back at the town, you see that Sarűmir has run off into the multicolored and display dazzling merchant stalls of Caravan Court in the center of town. In the middle of it all is a boarded up well that apparently Emma had mentioned is contaminated since the events of the meteor. Sarűmir seems to having trouble looking for something. It's probably that tabaxi, you bet. But you see nothing in front of him or even anywhere around him. Neither do you see anything on top of the tent coverings.

However you do spot Sanimar's little head poking out from one of the stalls.

@Sanimar

You start running towards Sarűmir. Emma still stands there bewildered. "He went after my big brother's friend. I don't why." She raises her eyebrow, "Is this a cat and dog thing. Is your friend a dog? He smells like it. WHICH IS REALLY COOL!"

Emma doesn't say anything after just looks at you expectantly to answer. You chase on Sarűmir further. You end up through winnowing stalls and caravans in the aptly named "Caravan Court" in the town center. Catching your eye you see something sly. Looking under a tent from some merchant's stall, you see the shadow of a cat-like humanoid lying down on top of it. Moving over towards the front, the view of the said tabaxi is currently obscured. 

You see a few stalls ahead of you Sarűmir chasing something he seems to be having a difficult time looking for.

Sarűmir growls, thinking to himself.

"A game of cat and mouse, eh? Well, maybe it's time the dog stepped in."

He then looks around for the tabaxi once more.

Investigation (if this is what it is?): 22

@Sarűmir

Unfortunately looking around comes up with pretty much nothing. Somewhere in a tent around you, you hear someone munching on some pumpkin seeds.