Matthias and Karl: As you stand chatting in the street, a small bundled person, like a child, approaches the pair of you and tugs at your clothes to get your attention. Its face is lost in a deep hood. A scratchy voice is heard, though:
"You two, outsssiders. My missstress been watching you. She want to meet you. Come with me."
Matthias whirls at the tug on his clothes, one hand rising, palm forward for a brief moment before he sees that it is a child--or at least a child-sized being--that has approached them.
"What's this all about, child?" Matthias says, lowering his hand as he ponders the strange, hiss-like sound of the small person's voice. "Who is your mistress and what does she want with me, er, us?" He glances at Karl to see if he seems to have any better idea about what's going on.
"What a charming little curmudgeon," Karl quips, looking down upon the hooded figure. "I'm sure this mistress just wants to share tea and shortbread, eh? Or maybe she wants us to break in a new brothel?"
Despite the obvious sarcasm in his voice, he shrugs. As obvious a trap as this was, he didn't seem too concerned.
"Well, Mannfried, I'm going on an adventure, it seems. If you don't want to come, that's fine. More Mistress for me."
He winks at Matthias, the amber coal of his left eye momentarily disappearing, lost among his dark visage.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Matthias can't help but smile at Karl's words. Mannfried indeed. He seemed to be someone Matthias could trust. And as much as he wasn't interested in having his real name tossed about loosely, he had to admit having some company at his side--particularly company that might be somewhat tough--wouldn't be a bad thing under the circumstances.
"All right, you've convinced me--at least for the moment," he says to both of them. He pauses for a moment, puts one hand on the center of his chest and closes his eyes. He winces slightly. Whatever it is inside of him, the dark compulsion, seems to endorse the decision. "Lead the way then, little one," he finally says as his eyes open.
Matthias and Karl: the little person (?) says, “Yesss, come, meet the missstress. Name is Vellynne. She very wissse and helpful. She tell you more. Come, come.”
Auraani thanks Colladee profusely for tending to her wounds before leaving her shop and slowly heading back towards the inn to thank Owent. Between her wound and the things she saw at the gathering, she had been silent and unsettled. Things out in the world were so much different than back home and sometimes she wanted to run back and forget what she had seen out here.
Shaking her head, she began to pick up the pace. She wouldn't let the big cruel world run her back home with her tail between her legs, she had to press on. She needed to find out more about this monthly lottery and why it was happening. She'd be damned if she saw another innocent be taken away like that.
Ssej: You grab the mysterious robed figure and slam it to the wall. You’re almost thrown off balance by how easy it was to do, and for one dizzying, confusing moment you think to yourself, Oh gods, I’ve torn the fellow in half. The upper part of the cloaked fellow moved with little resistance, but his lower half seems to have stayed put, and the cloak is bent in an almost comical stepwise fashion. Then the cloak falls open, revealing three small reptilian figures: kobolds! You’ve got the top one pinned to the wall, it’s feet dangling in the air. Apparently the three had been stacked up on one another’s shoulders to appear taller. The bottom two kobolds give a little yelp and scramble to reposition themselves under the top kobold and rearrange the cloak to hide them. As they do so, however, you notice that those bottom two don’t look to be doing so well. They look as though they’ve previously been heavily burned with acid. One’s face is all but melted away, revealing bone and an empty eye-socket. How is it alive...?
”Please, ssstrong sssir,” says the top kobold, “Friendly missstress want to meet you. Name Vellynne. She very niccce and wissse. We take you there. Please!”
Auraani: you are similarly approached by a small, childlike bundle of warm clothes that invites you to come with it to meet its missstress, Vellynne. It bids you follow.
~~~
Variety: the little thing starts walking down the street, but half-turning and gesturing for you to follow. It says,
“Missstress Vellynne, so wissse, she has busssiness pro-po-sssi-tion.” The little thing struggles with the big word. “She tell you more, come to inn, public place, come.”
"...alright," Variety says, following. She digs into a pouch hiding under her heavy scarf and coat and takes something from it, holding it balled up in her fist.
Ssej reluctantly lets go of the creature...err creatures and stares at it for several moments. "Against my better judgement, I will follow but know if I sense any danger to myself, you will be the first to go. Lead on little ones."
You are all ushered to the Wolf's Pelt inn by the little messengers. A few of the previous drinking patrons have returned after the Lottery, but not many. The mood is much more subdued where before it was more animated. You are directed to a large table in the corner of the establishment, and then your little messengers go back outside. Ssej's 3-kobold guide does not even go inside the inn.
Sitting at the table is a stern-faced, gray-haired human woman. She has a black eyepatch over her right eye. She exudes an aura of dispassionate calm. She beckons each of you to the table, not with smiles, but with direct eye contact and a solemn nod of the head.
"My name is Vellynne Harpell, thank you for coming," she says by way of introduction, while waiting for the six of you to arrive. Auraani is the last to arrive. She orders you all dinner and drinks.
Nazcan loses his suspicion after seeing the woman, but doesn't notice the eyepatch. He sits down at the table and says "I'm Nazcan nice to meet you. I have question, why you send out those kobolds to bring me here? Excuse my common, that my second language."
Auraani greets Vellynne warmly but hesitantly. "Hello Ms Harpell, you have a very....." She looks around at the kobolds, "...different way of getting someone's attention. What brings the lot of us together this evening?"
Matthias whirls at the tug on his clothes, one hand rising, palm forward for a brief moment before he sees that it is a child--or at least a child-sized being--that has approached them.
"What's this all about, child?" Matthias says, lowering his hand as he ponders the strange, hiss-like sound of the small person's voice. "Who is your mistress and what does she want with me, er, us?" He glances at Karl to see if he seems to have any better idea about what's going on.
"What a charming little curmudgeon," Karl quips, looking down upon the hooded figure. "I'm sure this mistress just wants to share tea and shortbread, eh? Or maybe she wants us to break in a new brothel?"
Despite the obvious sarcasm in his voice, he shrugs. As obvious a trap as this was, he didn't seem too concerned.
"Well, Mannfried, I'm going on an adventure, it seems. If you don't want to come, that's fine. More Mistress for me."
He winks at Matthias, the amber coal of his left eye momentarily disappearing, lost among his dark visage.
Another medical problem. Indefinite hiatus. Sorry, all.
Matthias can't help but smile at Karl's words. Mannfried indeed. He seemed to be someone Matthias could trust. And as much as he wasn't interested in having his real name tossed about loosely, he had to admit having some company at his side--particularly company that might be somewhat tough--wouldn't be a bad thing under the circumstances.
"All right, you've convinced me--at least for the moment," he says to both of them. He pauses for a moment, puts one hand on the center of his chest and closes his eyes. He winces slightly. Whatever it is inside of him, the dark compulsion, seems to endorse the decision. "Lead the way then, little one," he finally says as his eyes open.
Matthias and Karl: the little person (?) says, “Yesss, come, meet the missstress. Name is Vellynne. She very wissse and helpful. She tell you more. Come, come.”
((more posts coming hopefully soon))
Nazcan follows, he whispers to the horned woman along the way:
"I think that's a Yuan-ti. Keep your weapon at ready."
Auraani thanks Colladee profusely for tending to her wounds before leaving her shop and slowly heading back towards the inn to thank Owent. Between her wound and the things she saw at the gathering, she had been silent and unsettled. Things out in the world were so much different than back home and sometimes she wanted to run back and forget what she had seen out here.
Shaking her head, she began to pick up the pace. She wouldn't let the big cruel world run her back home with her tail between her legs, she had to press on. She needed to find out more about this monthly lottery and why it was happening. She'd be damned if she saw another innocent be taken away like that.
Ssej: You grab the mysterious robed figure and slam it to the wall. You’re almost thrown off balance by how easy it was to do, and for one dizzying, confusing moment you think to yourself, Oh gods, I’ve torn the fellow in half. The upper part of the cloaked fellow moved with little resistance, but his lower half seems to have stayed put, and the cloak is bent in an almost comical stepwise fashion. Then the cloak falls open, revealing three small reptilian figures: kobolds! You’ve got the top one pinned to the wall, it’s feet dangling in the air. Apparently the three had been stacked up on one another’s shoulders to appear taller. The bottom two kobolds give a little yelp and scramble to reposition themselves under the top kobold and rearrange the cloak to hide them. As they do so, however, you notice that those bottom two don’t look to be doing so well. They look as though they’ve previously been heavily burned with acid. One’s face is all but melted away, revealing bone and an empty eye-socket. How is it alive...?
”Please, ssstrong sssir,” says the top kobold, “Friendly missstress want to meet you. Name Vellynne. She very niccce and wissse. We take you there. Please!”
"...what does she want to talk about?" Variety asks the bundled up person.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Auraani: you are similarly approached by a small, childlike bundle of warm clothes that invites you to come with it to meet its missstress, Vellynne. It bids you follow.
~~~
Variety: the little thing starts walking down the street, but half-turning and gesturing for you to follow. It says,
“Missstress Vellynne, so wissse, she has busssiness pro-po-sssi-tion.” The little thing struggles with the big word. “She tell you more, come to inn, public place, come.”
"...alright," Variety says, following. She digs into a pouch hiding under her heavy scarf and coat and takes something from it, holding it balled up in her fist.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Ssej reluctantly lets go of the creature...err creatures and stares at it for several moments. "Against my better judgement, I will follow but know if I sense any danger to myself, you will be the first to go. Lead on little ones."
Ssej: the top kobold gives a little whimper, and the cloaked trio lurch into motion. It says,
”We go to public place, Wolf’s Pelt Inn, it’sssssafe, Vellynne she like you, want your help.”
Nazcan follows them into the inn, well familiar with kobolds.
((I dont think Nazcan and Variety know about the Kobolds yet))
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Wary and on her guard after the events of the night, Auraani follows the small figure hesitantly, keeping herself ready just in case.
Well at least I can grab another ale, Ssej thinks as he follows the kobolds to the Inn.
You are all ushered to the Wolf's Pelt inn by the little messengers. A few of the previous drinking patrons have returned after the Lottery, but not many. The mood is much more subdued where before it was more animated. You are directed to a large table in the corner of the establishment, and then your little messengers go back outside. Ssej's 3-kobold guide does not even go inside the inn.
Sitting at the table is a stern-faced, gray-haired human woman. She has a black eyepatch over her right eye. She exudes an aura of dispassionate calm. She beckons each of you to the table, not with smiles, but with direct eye contact and a solemn nod of the head.
"My name is Vellynne Harpell, thank you for coming," she says by way of introduction, while waiting for the six of you to arrive. Auraani is the last to arrive. She orders you all dinner and drinks.
Nazcan loses his suspicion after seeing the woman, but doesn't notice the eyepatch. He sits down at the table and says "I'm Nazcan nice to meet you. I have question, why you send out those kobolds to bring me here? Excuse my common, that my second language."
Auraani greets Vellynne warmly but hesitantly. "Hello Ms Harpell, you have a very....." She looks around at the kobolds, "...different way of getting someone's attention. What brings the lot of us together this evening?"
"Variety," Variety says for way of introduction, more interested in listening what she had to say than speaking at the moment.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard