“You mean the same party I just mentioned that I said couldn’t POSSIBLY have been yours? Come now, surely you’re a quicker mind than that.” Vincent shook his head at what seemed to be Atal’s failure to recognize his jest.

At showing him the coin, Vincent took the coin between his own fingers. “Well it appears to be silver, so I’m sure you can find it’s worth fairly easily. As far as the markings go, might mean something to someone, but not something I’m familiar with.” He examines both sides before handing it back to Atal. “What’s it suppose to be?”

"I don't have a quick anything right now," Atal replies, pointing at his burns.  "Most of these are pretty much courtesy of trying to do the Northern Barracks guard a favor.  No good deed goes unpunished, at least when you're a demi-human."  He huffs.  "The coin's a puzzle of sorts.  I'm trying to figure it out.  The one you're currently holding signifies that you've found a fool.  Considering that I just traded for a worthless pass to the Maiden, pretty accurate, huh?  That's not the point, though.  The other one I've found is something that's considered to be the mark of a deathbringer.  I've heard these coins are scattered over the entire continent, and I've got a feeling whoever's still using the dangerous one is somehow related to all that black smoke business of last night," he continues, thinking of the Baron's Black Spot, lying heavy in his pocket.  "So finding out if someone's doing business in any of those coins here might give us a lead the ever-so-helpful guards have missed while they were busy burning down their own damn barracks."

The roles had switched, and it was Vincent’s turn to have what Atal was saying go over his head. As Atal went on a rant about the different coins and and a burning barracks, Vincent was offered no true context by which to even determine the point he was trying to make. Vincent had not even ventured beyond the Maiden, so was unaware of the state of the Northern Barracks, or what the party had gone through.

”Well if it’s a puzzle or game of some sort, we get all manner of folks through the MB. I would ask that you refrain from bothering other customers that don’t wish to be, but I would not be suprised if you found someone knowledgeable and willing to talk.”

Kel nods in response to the medics inquiry with a scoff. "Most everyone. The Goliath and I had to carry everyone but each other out by the end of it." Kel waved him off. "I'm suffering contact burns from the heat but the others are more seriously injured." He looked at each in turn. "Ander you have seen to, Anearis..." he motioned towards the elf. "Even Uthal here could use a tending to I think." Kel looked around. "And the other elf Uu..." ...ATAL!... "...Atal. Atal." A lantern went on, recalling that the elf had gone shopping. He sighed. "Well, you have your work cut out for you, should they take you up on your offer." Kel moved to the door of the Maiden's to have a word with the tiefling doorman about Atal before attempting to get his bath and bed in before something else that needed his attention arose. 

...tend to your own fires first...

Kel opened the door to the outside.

Uthal looks at the medic. "I'm fine Bones. If I'm still standing it is a good day."

Ander awakens with a cough and a splutter. "What..." It takes a good few seconds for him to get his bearings. 

As Kel stepped outside, he saw Atal had already arrived, and was talking with Vincent.

Meanwhile, back in the Bossom of the Maiden:

“It’s...ALIVE!” Bones proclaimed as Ander began speaking once again. However, he quickly returned to Uthal, and continued conversing as if he hadn’t just shouted absurdly. “Well, I can’t force my services on any of you, but here, at the very least, this should assist.” The medic reached back in his satchel and removed three more vials, handing them to Uthal. He then eyed the exposed skin of the party members still around him. “And this should help with the burns. At the very least minimize the scarring, unless you’re into that sort of thing.”

((Add common health potion x3 and burn salve x1, to Uthal’s inventory. Health potion (1 use each) 2D4+2. Burn Salve (8 uses) 1D4, for acid/flame burns.))

Uthal places the things gently in his bag. "Thank you. I'm sure we will get good use from those, considering how things are going so far." 

"Thank you for your services, Bones." Anearis says with a thankful nod. "We ought to have some rest now. The night was long."

Bones stood up from the chair, adjusting his bag. "Yes, well, just avoid rushing into undead hordes and burning buildings, and you should be fine. After all, I'm a medic, damnit, not a miracle worker." He gave a nod and exited the the Maiden's Bossom. Blemish provided another polite wave, and followed him.

"Excuse me." Bones squeezed past Kel, as he walked down the establishment's external stairway, and made his way back towards the direction of the Northern Barracks.  Blemish stopped and looked up at Kel, waving gleefully, before waddling down the steps, and off towards the Arbitrator's Spire, splitting Vincent and Atal, as he did.  It was likely he didn't do it with malicious intent as the two were standing in line with the most direct path, but due to the halfling's minute stature, there was little effect to his presence.

Valentina, whom had been watching the medic attend to the half-party, within the establishment, chimed in, after he had departed. "Well, dears, as inclined as I am to offer drinks, I imagine you'd much rather just get off your feet. You must have made quite an impression though. This morning, a generous benefactor paid for an upgrade in room arrangements, and another night's stay, should you need it." She pulled two brass keys off a hook behind her and set them on the bar, beside the water pitcher. They each had a looped metal tag attached to them, one inscribed with 'B2' and one with 'P1'.

Uthal looks at the keys and cautiously takes them. "Does this benefactor have a name or description? As you can imagine we're getting a little wary of strange things." 

Valentina laughed lightly and goodheartedly at Uthal. “My attempt to being mysterious, dear. It was the Arbitrator. He looked in a hurry to be going. Seemed to be leaving the city, but he said if you all should show up, then to consider this a parting gift. He opened a bar tab for food and drink, for you, as well.”

"Thank the gods. Could really use a drink after that mess."

Uthal nods. "Yes, I'm sure dying in a fire leaves one quite parched. And thank you as well. I guess I will be off to bed then, that's what I need right now." 

Anearis empties his glass before standing up. "As much as I want, and need, to rest after the events that transpired, I believe we should determine our next course of action. Do we follow Ser D'armes? Or do we remain in the city to have a look at this priory? Or have you other tasks that need doing?" He says as he looks at the other members of his group.

"Well... thanks for the tip," Atal says to Vincent, fully intending to ask the patrons inside about the Coins… at a time when he doesn't look like death walking.  "Oh, yeah… be careful if you venture out into the city.  Undead are roaming the streets at night, and the Northern Barracks was completely burned down by their own clerk last night.  I know.  We were all there, trying to stop that fool arsonist."  He stops and glances over as Kel throws the door open.  "Oh, hey," Atal says, raising a hand in greeting, before being pushed back against the wall by the guard who wades through them all.  "Ow ow owowowow!" he hisses, peeling himself gingerly away from the wall.

Entering the maiden, Atal looks around, and sees Ander conscious for the first time in what seems like a lifetime.  "Had a good nap?" he asks.  Then he limps over to the table and sits down heavily.  "Because I haven't!"  Ordering a stiff drink from Valentina without even caring whether or not he can pay for it, Atal turns around and listens in on the conversation, his posture easing up somewhat when he realizes he really won't have to pay for the drink he just ordered.

"Look.  I'm not doing anything before I see a bed.  If I don't get some sleep soon, oxygen is going to start to have colors," Atal declares.  "If you want my opinion, so far D'Armes is the only fellow we've met since Solomon and Richter who hasn't been a total bastard to the lot of us... present Bossom company excluded," Atal adds, flashing a smile to Valentina.  "I'm sure the priory is hosting either the royals, or whatever nasty surprise they left for the guards on their way through.  But right at the moment, my sympathy for the guards here is at an all-time low.   It's not really a good choice between either, but..."

Atal leans against the bar, rubbing his chin.  "Last night, we split up because we were trying to decide between rescuing the crying woman, or getting the Northern Barracks to respond to the threat.  This strikes me as something similar.  The priory is a symptom of whatever's hitting this town; it's our crying banshee.  D'Armes is going after the cause of this; he's our North Barracks.  All right, so I hope going after D'Armes won't be as much of a spectacular failure as that Barracks debacle, but I think he's worth sticking our necks out to try and save.  And doing that might help the guards take care of the priory all on their own, too."  

Uthal nods. "I agree. This town can fend for itself seemingly and if we kill the source it won't need too. The Arbitrator is going to need help if that thing is as scary as he says." 

Kel sighed as the gaggle of them passed, nodding to Blemish respectfully, then glanced up at the tiefling doorman. He spoke in Infernal. "Sorry Cousin, I was just coming out here to ask you to keep an eye out for Atal, who until some short hours ago was the elf named Ura that was here previously." His brow furrowed. "I'm not sure if its a glamour or a hex or a curse or just a very bored elf with a very good disguise kit and a wild imagination but from Atal's own lips stated that he was the same person in a different body." He shook his head. "I'm not sure what to believe but after walking through fire twice last night I will take a leap." He fished out a gold coin, flashed it, then placed it in the tieflings hand. "If you believe me, which quite frankly I'm not sure I'd believe me, take this in case I come to your door broke, If you don't, may Atal enjoy the pleasures of the Maiden's warm embrace." He left it at that. "I'm for a bath and a bed and at this juncture I really don't care if the bed is in the bath but the Great Flame help anyone who keeps me from getting to it anymore." Kel stated it in such a way it could almost come off as joking. Almost. He snapped to the present again and smiled lightly. "May the First Fire light your way cousin." He nodded his head in respect and returned inside.

(Reserved in case)

Upon re-entering Kel caught some last bit about the others deciding what to do. He chimed in. "The Arbitrator left me some notes. I've arranged with Blemish for us to reconvene at the Spire after some rest, which I suggest we take up before our golden hours expire." Kel gave a glance to the rest of them and then shrugged. "Do as thou wilt until such time." Kel once again attempted to make his way to the area for the desk with the bathhouse.

"Sounds good to me." 

Ander does his best to get wasted before the rest begins.

Uthal heads to a room and reads the oldest of Cedric's letters before laying down to rest.