This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Priscilla smiles and shakes back as she then takes her other hand and tries to clean her ear, unused to the whole voice there where one shouldn't be.
"Oh um, say, Madame, I heard about some black-clad troublemakers? We are looking for a friend who went missing and supposed these guys who were kicked outta here? Also, you know another regular sized ale please!" She says pulling out a coin and being as pleasant as possible.
Madame nods her head to the young, skinny girl behind the bar with her and the girl fill"s the stoneware cup from the wooden barrel, tipping the cup so that the frothy head forms an inch or so barrier from the pale amber liquid underneath. As Madame takes the cup and slides it toward Priscilla, the woman's face pinches into a scowl. "I don't like any of that mess and fighting coming in here. Zhents and Xanathars. Both a bunch of damn criminals. And I do not support either side, mind you. And I've tried to keep a low profile, so as not to attract any attention because that ends up leading to extortion for 'protection'." She spat the last word out as if it had spoiled in her mouth.
"I guess I'm on the Zhents radar now though. I didn't as much kick them out, but I started serving them myself after they grabbed one of my girls so roughly her arm was reddened. I told them their behavior was not wanted in my establishment. Seemed they got bored with a fat, slow, old women fairly quickly and left a short time later. Which was exactly what I wanted!"
"But your friend? His disappearance is connected to these guys?"While Madame's face is typically set in a strict and hardened countenance, Priscilla sees the etched lines of genuine concern and empathy in the woman. It is as if to survive as she has for this long in places like the Dock Ward, she has had to learn to armor a gentle heart against the ills of the world around her.
((Kip, Gryk, and Daron - are you all still with us?))
Gryk nurses his ale as he listens to the conversations around him. He isn't sure about anything until the lady mentions the Zhents. He didn't know anything about the Xanathars, but he knew the Zhentarim was a dangerous faction.
He stands and moves to the counter where the lady and Priscilla are talking.
"So the dark leather men are Zhent agents then? Several were involved in a street fight on our way here. At least one was dead, the others arrested. Some sort of turf war perhaps. If Volo's friend was involved with the Zhents he's likely in a lot of trouble."
Madame gives the dwarf a keen eye, seemingly appraising him a moment before deciding she trusted his face enough to continue. "Those streets fights have been happening more and more. It's not like the Dock Ward is a tourist attraction, but even residents around here are not going to risk being caught in the midst of a brawl to have a drink with their buddies and flirt with my girls. And folks from just about any other ward will decide to go some place fancy instead of going slumming at Madame's Skewered Dragon."
"If your friend is caught up in something with those goons, it surely is bad business." The young waif of a girl hiding behind Madame's voluminous skirts tugs at her sleeve. Madame leans closer to the girl who whispers into the woman's ear. The girl is bashful and careful not to look at either Gryk or Priscilla directly. "Where, Little Bird?" Madame mutters to the girl who whisper's again in the woman's ear. "Hmm," Madame responds. "Take the dirties on back," she directs the girl who picks up a stack of tin dishes and stone cups and carries them through the arch toward the kitchens.
"These Zhents apparently work and live in a warehouse on Candle Street, several streets to the east. Look for a snake symbol on the door," Madame says and pinches the bridge of the door. "Just don't lead anyone back here because of this. My girls and I can't afford trouble, but I do hope when you find your friend, he hasn't had a run-in with this lot."
Priscilla stands up and kisses the old woman on the cheek and gives her a hug with surprising speed she giggles and smiles."Madame, you may have saved a life! Thank you so much for not only the ale but the information. I'll make sure ta meander down this way to give you more business. That is if it's okay. And if I have any willing halflings I'll make sure they can come and work for you. As I know you'll do right by them if they obey your rules"
She climbs down from the bar and goes over to the table takes up her ale and downs it. After that, she looks at her team and points to the door."Let us make haste we have a clue! Leol is out waiting for us come"
[ooc] I can use message to answer back right?[/ooc]
((There isn’t a set time for the reply, but the receiver can whisper back a reply to be heard only by the sender of the message spell. For this game, we will put a 1 minute time limit on reply. ))
"Leol we are coming outside I have a possible location on the thugs," she says quietly in reply as she heads for the door, hopefully, with the others in tow
The protective Madame of The Scewered Dragon watches the group leave. “Be careful Little Priss,” she says under her breath as the door shuts. Priscilla just makes it out, her halfling ears picking up the woman’s mutter among the low chatter of the the tavern.
In front of the tavern, the group gathers on the wet street. The recent rains accentuate the sour smell of old garbage and waste rather than wash it away creating a soup of foul refuse to linger in the low spots and crevices. It is dark, and a moist fog is starting to gather in the empty streets.
As the group moves away from the tavern door, Daron says to Priscilla, “You look like the cat with a blue bird - what have you found?”
Leol scanning the area sees no one on the street. He does spot a skeletal thin cat slipping down an alley and behind a pile of garbage. Otherwise, the area is deserted.
Priscilla explains what Madame said to the group, and knowing roughly where Candle Street begins leading the group away from the Skewered Dragon. At the corner of the next street she stops. The streets are quieter here away from the muffled noise of the tavern. Here, no lights emanate from either the busted street lights or any window lining this street. Somewhere nearby a bird sings a melodious trio of notes.
"Candle Street is two streets over," the halfling says sticking to the darkest shadow on this corner.
"Should we try to sneak in? Or are we planning to find the door and knock?" Kip crosses his arms and leans on the weathered wooden wall of the building behind him.
A bell rings three times and shortly after, an owl calls.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception17
Priscilla moves about her lithe and tiny frame darting in and out of places, and between the shadows, she slinks about slowly and quietly almost like a cat. Meanwhile her eyes dart about looking for any distinguishing features or forms in the shadows.
Another three notes trill from nearby. The three of you notice a bird, Leol recognizes it as a mockingbird. Not wholly unusual as mockingbirds often sing at night and are found in such urban areas.
As Priscilla observes the next corner, Daron agrees to a stealthy entrance, “That seems the best approach. We know not how many may be inside. The Zhents may have some operation in a warehouse - smuggling, weapons running, who knows.”
((If Gryk and Leol stealthily approach Candle Street behind Priscilla, make stealth rolls. Also go ahead and make initiative rolls for the next encounter.))
Priscilla smiles and shakes back as she then takes her other hand and tries to clean her ear, unused to the whole voice there where one shouldn't be.
"Oh um, say, Madame, I heard about some black-clad troublemakers? We are looking for a friend who went missing and supposed these guys who were kicked outta here? Also, you know another regular sized ale please!" She says pulling out a coin and being as pleasant as possible.
Persausion9
Madame nods her head to the young, skinny girl behind the bar with her and the girl fill"s the stoneware cup from the wooden barrel, tipping the cup so that the frothy head forms an inch or so barrier from the pale amber liquid underneath. As Madame takes the cup and slides it toward Priscilla, the woman's face pinches into a scowl. "I don't like any of that mess and fighting coming in here. Zhents and Xanathars. Both a bunch of damn criminals. And I do not support either side, mind you. And I've tried to keep a low profile, so as not to attract any attention because that ends up leading to extortion for 'protection'." She spat the last word out as if it had spoiled in her mouth.
"I guess I'm on the Zhents radar now though. I didn't as much kick them out, but I started serving them myself after they grabbed one of my girls so roughly her arm was reddened. I told them their behavior was not wanted in my establishment. Seemed they got bored with a fat, slow, old women fairly quickly and left a short time later. Which was exactly what I wanted!"
"But your friend? His disappearance is connected to these guys?" While Madame's face is typically set in a strict and hardened countenance, Priscilla sees the etched lines of genuine concern and empathy in the woman. It is as if to survive as she has for this long in places like the Dock Ward, she has had to learn to armor a gentle heart against the ills of the world around her.
((Kip, Gryk, and Daron - are you all still with us?))
Ivolyn Brun, human wizard in Lost Mine of Phandelver
Gryk nurses his ale as he listens to the conversations around him. He isn't sure about anything until the lady mentions the Zhents. He didn't know anything about the Xanathars, but he knew the Zhentarim was a dangerous faction.
He stands and moves to the counter where the lady and Priscilla are talking.
"So the dark leather men are Zhent agents then? Several were involved in a street fight on our way here. At least one was dead, the others arrested. Some sort of turf war perhaps. If Volo's friend was involved with the Zhents he's likely in a lot of trouble."
Madame gives the dwarf a keen eye, seemingly appraising him a moment before deciding she trusted his face enough to continue. "Those streets fights have been happening more and more. It's not like the Dock Ward is a tourist attraction, but even residents around here are not going to risk being caught in the midst of a brawl to have a drink with their buddies and flirt with my girls. And folks from just about any other ward will decide to go some place fancy instead of going slumming at Madame's Skewered Dragon."
"If your friend is caught up in something with those goons, it surely is bad business." The young waif of a girl hiding behind Madame's voluminous skirts tugs at her sleeve. Madame leans closer to the girl who whispers into the woman's ear. The girl is bashful and careful not to look at either Gryk or Priscilla directly. "Where, Little Bird?" Madame mutters to the girl who whisper's again in the woman's ear. "Hmm," Madame responds. "Take the dirties on back," she directs the girl who picks up a stack of tin dishes and stone cups and carries them through the arch toward the kitchens.
"These Zhents apparently work and live in a warehouse on Candle Street, several streets to the east. Look for a snake symbol on the door," Madame says and pinches the bridge of the door. "Just don't lead anyone back here because of this. My girls and I can't afford trouble, but I do hope when you find your friend, he hasn't had a run-in with this lot."
Ivolyn Brun, human wizard in Lost Mine of Phandelver
Priscilla stands up and kisses the old woman on the cheek and gives her a hug with surprising speed she giggles and smiles."Madame, you may have saved a life! Thank you so much for not only the ale but the information. I'll make sure ta meander down this way to give you more business. That is if it's okay. And if I have any willing halflings I'll make sure they can come and work for you. As I know you'll do right by them if they obey your rules"
She climbs down from the bar and goes over to the table takes up her ale and downs it. After that, she looks at her team and points to the door."Let us make haste we have a clue! Leol is out waiting for us come"
[ooc] I can use message to answer back right?[/ooc]
((There isn’t a set time for the reply, but the receiver can whisper back a reply to be heard only by the sender of the message spell. For this game, we will put a 1 minute time limit on reply. ))
Ivolyn Brun, human wizard in Lost Mine of Phandelver
"Leol we are coming outside I have a possible location on the thugs," she says quietly in reply as she heads for the door, hopefully, with the others in tow
Gryk places a dragon on the counter.
"My thanks m'lady. For the drinks and the food. "
He then heads out of the bar with Priscilla.
The protective Madame of The Scewered Dragon watches the group leave. “Be careful Little Priss,” she says under her breath as the door shuts. Priscilla just makes it out, her halfling ears picking up the woman’s mutter among the low chatter of the the tavern.
In front of the tavern, the group gathers on the wet street. The recent rains accentuate the sour smell of old garbage and waste rather than wash it away creating a soup of foul refuse to linger in the low spots and crevices. It is dark, and a moist fog is starting to gather in the empty streets.
As the group moves away from the tavern door, Daron says to Priscilla, “You look like the cat with a blue bird - what have you found?”
Leol scanning the area sees no one on the street. He does spot a skeletal thin cat slipping down an alley and behind a pile of garbage. Otherwise, the area is deserted.
Ivolyn Brun, human wizard in Lost Mine of Phandelver
Priscilla explains what Madame said to the group, and knowing roughly where Candle Street begins leading the group away from the Skewered Dragon. At the corner of the next street she stops. The streets are quieter here away from the muffled noise of the tavern. Here, no lights emanate from either the busted street lights or any window lining this street. Somewhere nearby a bird sings a melodious trio of notes.
"Candle Street is two streets over," the halfling says sticking to the darkest shadow on this corner.
"Should we try to sneak in? Or are we planning to find the door and knock?" Kip crosses his arms and leans on the weathered wooden wall of the building behind him.
A bell rings three times and shortly after, an owl calls.
((Please make perception checks.))
Ivolyn Brun, human wizard in Lost Mine of Phandelver
Perception 13
Gryk follows behind the others.
"Stealth and subtlety are not really my thing but I'll do my best."
Perception17
Priscilla moves about her lithe and tiny frame darting in and out of places, and between the shadows, she slinks about slowly and quietly almost like a cat. Meanwhile her eyes dart about looking for any distinguishing features or forms in the shadows.
Stealth13
Another three notes trill from nearby. The three of you notice a bird, Leol recognizes it as a mockingbird. Not wholly unusual as mockingbirds often sing at night and are found in such urban areas.
As Priscilla observes the next corner, Daron agrees to a stealthy entrance, “That seems the best approach. We know not how many may be inside. The Zhents may have some operation in a warehouse - smuggling, weapons running, who knows.”
((If Gryk and Leol stealthily approach Candle Street behind Priscilla, make stealth rolls. Also go ahead and make initiative rolls for the next encounter.))
Ivolyn Brun, human wizard in Lost Mine of Phandelver