“No, but I can.” Caio had learned the incantations the arcanists used to magically translate old tomes, and now he mutters the words as he passes his hand over his black eyes to reveal glowing violet runes within them. “It says ‘The Little Hou-“

'’Ey elf!” Suddenly Caio is cut off by a a wizened halfling, now jabbing a cane into his flank. “Wha’ do you think yer doin? We dahn't stand fahr any o' dat wetchcraft 'ere, ya know? Lettlewood is a good respectable vellage!” The little old man seems ready to take his cane to the elf’s kneecaps.

Alaris stares blankly at the angry little person, holding their hands up in an attempt to calm the situation.

The venerable old halfling continues to flail his cane around in the air, glaring from Caio, to Astrid, to Shiva.

"Cum on den! Confess! Waaat devilry chucker yer 'av planned?!" He demands, before Brother Ludomir steps in to assuage the halfling in the local tongue.

"Peace, friend," the holy man begins, raising his hands in an echo of Alaris's own motions. "My friend the elf here was simply trying to read the name of this building. Is it an inn?"

"Aye, that's de inn," the halfling replies, narrowing his eyes at Ludomir and sizing the man up, before thrusting out a hand to shake. "Connor O'Sullivan. Me lads call me Sully."

"I am known as Ludomir and this is Branok, Beinidict, Alaris, Astrid, Caio, Shiva and the Ivanovitch family," the seneschal explains. "Does the innkeeper speak Taneman? I fear that few of of my companions are versed in halfling or gnomish."

Sully throws back his head and laughs out loud, patting at his belly.

"Aye, 'imself an' 'alf de village," the hafling replies, now in strongly accented Taneman. "Yer might not 'av as much luk in Paragon or Foive Towers, but oyt 'ere in de borderlands only an eejit doesn't learn 'is neighbours tongue."

Caio stand stoic, glaring down at the little curmudgeon until Ludomir steps in. As the potential for an altercation subsides, Caio finally gives an apologetic bow. "I apologize for the disturbance. If it's any consolation, I learned this magic to hunt witches." He lets the edge of his words hang in the air before breaking the man's gaze and continuing to glance around, trying to get the lay of the town and its inhabitants. "Is there anything else we should be aware of as visitors to your good, respectable village?" 

Shiva's expression falls into acerbic annoyance as the ancient halfling launches into his colorful castigations, unintelligable to her as he waves his cane. Looking anywhere else than at the old man and his geriatric bellowings, her mind floats back to Elodia -wherever she may be- and her pregnancy. The state of being elderly was reminiscent of pregnancy, the body now much more fragile. Greater attention was required to address any and all complications, and comfort becomes an intense focus as the state reaches its end. 

Ludomir then snaps her out of her musings as he eases the tension and draws Taneman from the old man. Her curt tone betrays her aggravation with the halfing's actions. "Great. Then we shouldn't need to worry about too many more lovely exchanges like the one we just had." 

"Shut yisser cake 'ole, lassy, before yer put yisser foot in yisser gob," Sully quips back at Shiva, before turning to Caio.

"A witch 'unter, yer say? Aye, oi 'ear dat they're in nade av wan av dohs up in Over'ill," he explains, squinting up at the elf.

“Is that so,” he says, turning back to Sully with novel interest in the man. He bends at the knees, crouching down to meet the halfling at eye level. “Does this Overhill have a witch problem? Where might we find it?”

"Why, over de 'ill t'be sure," Sully tells Caio and bursts out laughing, slapping his own thigh. "Ah, 'tis norn west av Foive Towers," the old halfling explains, wiping a tear from his eye. "De certainly 'av sum kind av problem. Oi don't nu if 'tis really witches, but call's gone oyt for a 'unter."

A rare smile appears on Caio’s face as he looks to the others, an expression filled with murderous intent. “Did you all hear that? A witch problem.” The smile cracks into an unhinged grin. “Thank you, Sully.” The hunter makes to move, before turning to the others again, his usual dead pan demeanor returning. “Shall we?”

Shiva's demeanor shifts from annoyed to disquieted as she recoils slightly from Caio's maniacal smile. "Yeah, sure. Let's go. I don't think I've ever seen you that happy, and I don't think I ever want to see it again."

     "Isn't this something that we could check out once we get everyone safely to Paragon?" Astrid suggests. "We're probably only a few more days away. We don't need to keep putting these poor folks in any more harm's way. Especially if that dwarf - or any in his group - is still after the relic."

     At her own mention of the possibility of being followed, Astrid excuses herself, hops atop Bluebell and backtracks along the road to check for any signs of the group being tailed. After a moment of searching around, she finds some rather fresh footprints of bare feet criss-crossing the road. She pauses in the quiet of the forest to search the low bushes for the owner of the prints, but the dwarf finds no sign. Getting back to the road and starting back towards the village, Astrid stops once more before calling out to the trees.

    "Grace...? Is that you?"

Caio waves to dismiss Astrid’s concern over the timeline. “Of course. I’m the last one to impose further delay on our primary mission. I’m simply excited at the prospect of a proper hunt afterwards.” 

He continues moving towards the inn until Astrid spots the large tracks trailing them. “I underestimated her if she’s gotten this far without my notice.”

Sully tips his hat to Caio and moves on. Back on the edge of the village, Astrid's voice echoes amongst the trees, but there is no reply.

Quote from stormchaser6 >>

Sully tips his hat to Caio and moves on. Back on the edge of the village, Astrid's voice echoes amongst the trees, but there is no reply.

Alaris calls out to Sully, "If you are going towards the inn, good fellow, perhaps we can buy you a pint later?" before following Astrid and Bluebell. "Something amiss, Astrid?"

     "I don't know... Possibly," Astrid replies, keeping her eyes toward the trees. "It looks like a halfling has been following us. If it's Grace, she being shy. Though," the dwarf pauses and gives a curious glance to Shiva, who's sniffing about the area, "I guess I wouldn't hold it against her considering our last meeting."

Taking any excuse to move away from Sully, Shiva follows after Astrid once the dwarven woman goes off to investigate signs that the group is being followed. When Astrid's call receives no response, however, Shiva is struck by an idea.

Closing her eyes, she points her nose up and begins taking in quick, steady breaths. Aware that her senses are now so keen as to detect even minute amounts of blood in a nearby area, Shiva sniffs away, expecting her senses to lead her to Grace or whomever is following them. Several minutes pass, yet she feels no pull into the trance that had taken her in the past. Opening her eyes, she's met with a small crowd of local halflings and gnomes, giggling and gawking at her strange behavior.

Her cheeks immediately flush in embarrassment, and her hands nervously fly to rest on her hips. "Wow, the air out here is just so clear and fresh. City air has a smell that gets stuck in your nose, till you don't smell it anymore. Know what I mean?" She gives the crowd a smile that displays too much fang before quickly turning and walking closer to Astrid. Leaning in, she speaks in a strained whisper. "This damn place is gonna be the death of me."

In her chagrin, Shiva looks out to the brush closer to the town, and notices large footprints similar to those Astrid had pointed out. She walks over and begins following the trail, but quickly loses it as it goes further into Hearthstead. "Hey, looks like whoever it is already went into town, but I can't tell where they were headed. Caio, you wanna check it out?"

Caio nods and sends Ghoul into the air to scour the streets from above while he trains his eyes on the fading footprints. He easily picks up the trail where Shiva lost it, and is surprised to find the tracks lead back to where they had just been heading. "Convenient." he says flatly before stooping into the Little House.

Caio ducks inside the low door, before immediately knocking his head on a different rafter he tries to straighten. The local buildings are clearly made for those of smaller stature. The room inside is dimly lit by flickering candles and the air is thick with smoke and laughter. A beautiful young halfling girl plays a fiddle in the corner, while the densely packed patrons clap in time to the music.

"Waaat can oi chucker yer for, lad?" A rotund halfling calls to the elf from behind the bar.

"Lodging for the night, for my companions and myself. I don't suppose we're so lucky that you have a room with vaulted ceilings." He responds, though his eyes are immediately busy searching each diminutive face for Grace or anyone else who might be eyeing the group with a little to much interest as they enter.

The halfling laughs and scratches at his lamb chops.

"Aye, we 'av a guest gaff for yer big folk. 'Oy many av yer are dare?"

As Caio scans the common room for threats, he quickly realises that a sophisticated looking older lady is staring right at him. She tips her hat to the elf, before moving behind another patron, causing him to abruptly lose track of her.