Ulf nods and follows Ulric, all the while scanning the street. As they walk he glances back at the building, "Will your familiar keep watch in case she leaves?"

His mind is drawn in many directions, the barmaid, the attacks, the necromancer...and the stone masks. Could they all be connected? He is in the middle of pondering the possibilities, when Ulric's question intrudes.

"Ghileed? Who's Ghileed? The waitress?" he looks back at the building. "Yes...more information is always useful. And she did seem nervous, might be persuaded to talk more easily than some" he says.

As the pair walk back to the others, including the still-drunken Shautha, and assumedly Yinny they gather together as Ulric shares what he has learned with the group, especially about Ghileeda as Ulf speculates about it all. After asking his question though, since no one readily responded, he began to ponder on the masks but many cults used masks, many criminals used masks, though stone ones were more unique, nothing came to mind.

That's all I can post with what's written as none of my planned events are able to trigger and not much action has been taken. And sorry Ulf, without spoiling anything.... the 'stone mask' thing is too new to be something someoen who just arrived would know, even with  nat 20 there wouldn't be anything I could give you. and i mean too new as in 'this is a recent event in history' so only people in the area 'might' know.

Ylnira calmly clasps both hands behind her back, eyes still giving the surroundings peripheral gazes. "The waitress is someone I would like to speak with. She seemed suspicious - she was clearly focused on how we were behaving. If she was on our side, she would have appraoched," she muses. "If there was a rumored scout for that Necromancer outside of town, her behavior fits the bill as one. I say we have a chat with her." She then gives Shautha another disapproving, yet concerned, look. 

While her drunken state means she can't contribute to whatever was being planned as normal, Shautha understands more or less that this waitress they were talking about could know a few things. 

"Didn' looked at her..." She admits. "But if this waitress gives you trouble, I can defeat her easy."

Ulric nods sharply. "Well, it seems we are in agreement. I will lead you." With that, he begins striding towards the inn where their quarry has taken residence. 

As he leads along, his hand nervously twitches to the hilt of his dagger. He didn't like how exposed his back felt as he left it completely open to a group of strangers. He forces himself to keep his hand from his dagger, but he unconsciously grips it again. He knew he was being irrational, but old habits die hard.

Everyone speaks a little bit of their mind on the matter, even the drunken Shautha. The wind picked up then as the warm breeze hit everyones faces, as barely an hour had passed since their meeting at the Bathhouse. A few people went in, or out of The Swinging Sword. Kaylessa occasionally peeking out, if only to make sure that the party's presence wasn't driving off business. Vallivoe eventually leaving near the end of the party's conversation, walking past casually as he began to head towards one of the buildings that looks .. for lack of a better term, like a home with a yard full of junk like some modern day ghettos. 

Ulric deciding that action was ready to be taken, begins to move. His familiar, if it had been left to observe the lower quality inn had seen no one matching Ghileeda's description leave, though many rougher, and more rowdy looking people were going in and out frequently. As Ulric (and whomever joined him) walked across the main road to the establishment would feel the wind continue to pick up to the point of knocking up dust, lifting skirts, and knocking down lighter objects that weren't held down, or supported and a soft howl of the wind was beginning to moan its displeasure as tree's whispered, begging for silence shhhhhhhhhhhhhh. 

As you all had began to come to the town you had seen various things every so often, usually every so many hours weather happening but you chalked it up to distant weather patterns like a thunderstorm seen from a distance. Yinny, who had been here for several days prior had experienced similar things to what were going on now, but they seemed to be getting slowly, more and more frequent. As the wind continued to pick up, the faintest sound of wood groaning from the various buildings nearest though the wind was starting to drown out most other noise.

Within moments, a lot of the traffic that had been moving began to shift into buildings, whatever happened to be closest at the time, while those on carts or carriages began to move as swiftly as possible into any shelter. Despite the sudden haste, no one seemed terrified, but they did seem nervous as the wind began to howl more and more with every passing moment. Even Vallivoe began to trot to the home-like building, holding onto his hat that he didn't have visible before lest it be blown away.

Ulf watches the retreating back of Ulric. Very odd, this one. "Good luck" he says. "I have other business, and the waitress might recognise me, I think."

With that he moves to return to the bath house and find Haeleeya to ask about any rumours of people in stone masks. Running such an establishment, she must be aware of local rumours.

He hurries toward the bath house as the odd weather disturbs him. He knows it is not natural, and wonders how it fits into the pattern of events.

Ulf makes his way to the bathhouse as the wind continues to pick up slowly but surely. With the wind blowing that direction, his pace is quickened ever so slightly more. Pushing open the door, and hopefully closing it once inside, Haeleeya looks up, Welc... Ah... I didn't expect you back so soon, has something happened? or did you come here to bathe, or get new clothing?

 Ulric enters into the tavern with Cyrin on his shoulder. He looks around for Ghileed, and his familiar looks as well. If he finds her, he approaches her and says bluntly with a face devoid of emotions, "Strange weather we've had lately. Almost as if a cult was messing around with the elements, isn't it?" He watches her reaction carefully. If she reacts strangely, his suspicions would be confirmed. If she had no idea what he was talking about, maybe was just simply curious about what happened.

If he doesn't see her, he goes to the innkeeper and describes to them Ghileed's looks before asking them, "You haven't seen her around lately, have you?" He scans their face, searching for hints that they may be lying.

Look for Ghileed.

Determine if the people he's talking to lie or react in any way.

Ylnira bristles slightly at the sudden surge of wind. She turns her face towards where the wind seems originating, stern frown ever-present. 

I'm telling you, Yln. This isn't normal, the voice warns in a mocking, sing-song voice. 
And what is? You speaking in my head when I'm trying to get something done?
It's concerning, and you know it. Perhaps they are even related. 
That is what I am trying to figure out. Silence. 

Ylnira blinks as the internal conversation concludes. She follows Ulric, searching for Gilheed. Liars. Liars everywhere, the voice snarls once more. The corners of the medic's eyes furrow slightly in annoyance, wordlessly using her skills in reading people to assess if Gilheed's responses were honest. 

Even when drunk, Shautha tries to make herself useful by following along Yilnira in silence, worried that any word she says might sabotage the plan or something.

"Dwarves and their wine..." She grumbles to herself, reminding herself to not drink again when on the job.

When Ulric enters the establishment he notices immediately that the Inside is a large, dimly lit, wood-paneled taproom. An open-tread wooden staircase climbs to the upper floor, which is just as dim and darkly paneled as the taproom. Across the back of the taproom is a long bar with three copper candle-lanterns hanging over it, and a stair leading down to the cellars. Behind the bar are three stout and well-used cudgels, and an old cloak who's purpose couldn't be identified.

Unlike the Swinging sword, the man at the bar greets you gruffly, with a forced smile attempting to be packed with genuine sincerity, that fades into a dejected frown almost immediately, though the two servers on the ground floor take note of you, and watch, clearly trying to see where you'll sit, though no intent is felt behind it, as they're likely just wanting to know what tale they'll have to 'deal' with next. Looking around the establishment as he does, he see's mostly what you'd expect in a place less uptight like the Sword. Only a few people stood out, a male halfling who was working on his pistachio nuts, trying to pry them free of their shells to consume them and following them with whatever was in his cup.

And, like Shautha, a half-orc wielding a glaive that was currently set to the wall near her, and she was very lost in her cups. She wore armor, and was likely a mercenary, a guard, or an adventurer of some kind. A small, but growing pile of mugs at her table was starting to form a pyramid.

Despite everything, the place seemed 'comfortable' if not sterotypical. You got the feeling that fights broke out here every once in a while,, but this was otherwise the place to relax for those who couldn't afford the sword. 

Once approaching the bar after not seeing Ghileeda anywhere, the barkeeper, another human male but rather bland looking, though he seemed like he may have been a merchant at one point, his voice sounding distinctly "Austalian"... takes note of Ulric and gives him a gruff, but sincere nod. Welcome to the Helm. Traveler I take it? he said as he was cleaning dishes much like the one at the Sword, though less care was taken, and some smudges remained, they were within 'clean enough' territory that only the most prudish would refuse to consume something on them. Setting it down as he looked at Ulric while responding to his question: Nope. She works over at the sword, if i be recallin' correktly. Whoever gave you information that such a person was here was either lyin' or misinformed themselves. he says flatly, as if annoyed - but before Ulric could respond, the man seemed to be almost peering directly into Ulrics past, as if he knew Ulric, saying Though I should correct my former statement. Now that I got a good lookatcha, I can see you're a bit shady. Killed a few people 'aventcha. Keepin' secrets, hidin' your motives... I've seen your kind before. And to someone like me, who's been around the coast a few times, I can tell you don't have good intentions. 

So even if she were here, I wouldn't tell a man like you, who's as like to kill her as you are to do anythin' else. I'd like you to leave before you cause trouble 'ere mate. The mans ability to read a person was astonishing, but his ability to lie was weak, and Ulric could tell the man knew something, he just wasn't sure exactly what specifically about, such as 'whether Ghileeda was still here' and so forth. But it was clear enough he was hiding something about her.

Yinny pauses a moment so as to discern where the wind seems to be coming from, which happens to be East, heading west. Yinny enters not long after the beginning of the conversation, walking to where Ulric was at about the point the man says ''Nope. She works over at the sword'' Yinny could also tell the Barkeeper was hiding something as well.

When Shautha enters in her drunken state, warbling about dwarven wines, the half orc in the room immediately notices her.

 Ulf nods apologetically at Haeleeya, "A bath, so soon after my last one would be dangerous to my health, I fear." he says. Then he continues in more hushed tones, "We are still investigating, but one of our leads ... a waitress called Ghileeda would probably be alerted by my presence, so I cam here to ask you some questions, if you have time?" He glances around the room checking that there are no prying ears too close, and if there are, asks to go somewhere a little more private.

"It occurred to me that you -- or your people -- likely hear all the rumours in this town, and I hoped you might have heard something of people in stone masks, and perhaps anything about this Ghileeda woman?"

Feeling watched, Shautha looks around. If she can see the other half-orc, she stares at her and, after a moment of awkward silence, try to speak. 

When she speaks, she speaks in the Orc language. "...Do I know you?" She asks her.

Seeing that Ulf was here on business of a different sort and the area was starting to crowd with people coming in to get out of the battering wind, Hael calls over one of her attendant staff to watch the front, once more taking Ulf into the small office, since he seemed to demand privacy. Turning to face him as he continued there, The other man nowhere in sight, must have left sometime when the group was in the Sword. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. Unless you mean when women come here to complain about their husbands, or vice versa.. not may people rumormonger here. And it's mostly idle banter about the days events. I know Ghileeda works at the Sword, and many men flirt with her, which she isn't fond of. Generally she will run away to someone she trusts when she feels creeped out by someone, but she has a unique hair color so it draws male attention more than she'd like, I assume... she says with a sigh, as she presses her dress to straighten it out. 

As for stone masks, there have been faint rumors going around about seeing such things at random times.. usually at night but no one has come up with solid enough evidence to prove anything one way or another... and their supposed 'appearances' haven't changed with the timing of the issues we've been facing, so I doubt that even if true, the two are related. 

With Shautha, their drunken eyes locking with hers as hers narrow, as if trying to make sure she's seeing what she thinks she see's. Responding in the same language, she says Never urp... met you, outlander... but.. I ben... i behn... I 'ave been here 'ere two whole days... and aint seen another of my kind here.... uurp... her speech is interlaced with burps Why? Whuts it to ya?

Ulf nods at Haeleeya's words. "The masks will remain a mystery then, but Ghileeda attracted our attention because of her interest in the tale of the book. Her interest seemed strong, and since she must have heard the tale many times, I can't help but wonder what she was really interested in: Us, or perhaps something that our questioning might reveal? It is a growing mystery with each answer leading to even more questions!"

He shrugs and looks around the room, "I hope my companions find something more definite, though I fear a drunken orc and a surly human are not the best tools for such a job!"

Haeleeya ponders, cusping her elbow in her arm  and her chin in her hand as she paces ever so slightly Well, she could simply be bored. Though this place is always active, there's not much to actually do there. She could also be afraid of the changes, considering the 'weather' or other such things. I wish I could entertain her possessing some evil motive, but I've only ever seen her do her job with vigor, if occasional clumsiness. And you says he must have heard the tale many times but she only just met you folk, and you may have had a missing piece to the puzzle? Just trying to think of why...

Ulric stiffens slightly at the man's words. He needed to think of a good lie, and fast.

Ulric sighs and leans in closer to the barkeeper before saying in a low tone that only the barkeeper and Ylnira can hear, "I'm going to cut out the crap. My companion and I are undercover Harper agents. We have reason to believe that Ghileed may be unknowingly in great danger from powerful forces at play. We just want to talk and explain her situation to her." His usual stony expression softens, revealing a pleading, caring face. "Please. Just tell us where she is."

He briefly considers adding a bribe, but he quickly extinguishes the thought. That would have broke the lie he just wove. While speaking, he worries what Yrnila is thinking. They already had a rocky start, and he hopes that what the barkeeper said didn't drive them farther apart. Ulric needed the others to trust him for his plan to work.

 The man glared at Ulric for a long tense moment as if weighting whether or not he truly trusted the mans words. His eye glanced towards the clubs behind him for only a moment before looking Ulric over one more time. Hrmmmm...... the man said while scanning around before his eyes finally locked back on Ulrics I see. That might explain a few things, though that... organization .. I've never heard of them hiring folk with such an aura... but their organizational choices aint for me to judge. Fine then, I aint sure I believe that 'powerful forces' would be after a lass like her but somehow your story rings true, if only just barely.

She went down to the cellar. Said some man was harassin her so she came here to hide. as he says 'cellar' he points to the stairs leading down. Just don't go bleeding anyone in my pub. 

Shautha's face brightens with a drunken grin. "N...Name's Shautha. Ain't from aroun' here neither." She stares at the armor and the glaive before adding. "Nice to see another warrior around here..." She stops for a moment to belch before continuing. "...Town' full of weaklings!"

She drunkenly makes her way towards the fellow half-orc and sits down near her.