A Game of Commoners: Pathfinder Commoner Game IC

[Pelor]

A Game of Commoners: Culhaven

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Layered in the gentle foothills some 60 miles of Restov, the small little hamlet of Culhaven can be found on the South Bank of the Shrike River. It is mostly a farming community, though it has a few luxuries. The sixty-four inhabitants work together to provide nearly everything Culhaven needs to be self sufficient. They do use the Shrike River to bring in some imports, and the also export a few goods, but mostly the hamlet takes care of itself. There is a small ore mine several miles away that is a good source of iron for the local blacksmith run by Rolf and his daughter Laynie. The farmers provide most of the food for the town. The chief crop is wheat, but there are also farms of barley and rye. In the early spring and late fall the town has a trove of peas and turnips. There is one small ranch on the outskirts of Culhaven which has horses, cows, and oxen. There is also a pig farm, and a sheperd who herds both goats and sheep. There is a small lumber mill as well. There is a also a general store and an apothecary.

The town is led by a council of five members though they usually don't have much to discuss. The most important location, at least to the locals, in all of Culhaven is the The Leaky Barrel Alehouse run by the elderly Hope Sinclair. It has become a extremely popular as it stays open late and opens early. It has fantastic food for breakfast, lunch, diner and even something cooking well into the night. It has a variety of beverages. Most of the town, at least those who do not have families, eat the majority of their meals at Mrs. Sinclair's Alehouse.

It is pre-dawn in Culhaven, but the vast majority of the town is already up and about. Some are eating meals at their homes, some are already doing chores, but their is a large crowd in the the Leaky Barrel for Mrs. Sinclairs famous breakfast.

[Survy]

Matin busies his hands in a near-rush, pouring drinks and helping Ms. Sinclair bring the food up. Mornings were always a busy time nowadays, but luckily in a village this small they got the same orders day after day.

Knocking his knuckles on the counter loudly, Matin calls over out to Kate and Dena. "I've got a few more plates for you ladies!

[Hazuki]

Chamille emerges from her home with a slight smile across her full lips, dressed with a white sarashi wrapped around her torso and a loose purple robe that flits behind her every step. Her morning starts with a slow stroll around Culhaven, shortly before the time when everybody rushes to The Leaky Barrel for their fill. Well, almost everyone, as her parents refuse to attend the alehouse every morning like most of the village. It had confused her as a child, but as she grew up, she begun to see the wisdom in their words; Mrs. Sinclair made the best meals in the village, and if they ate there everyday, it wouldn't be special any more. And they'd have to spend far more to achieve the same experience that Mrs. Sinclair's meals could give them, if they simply abstained.

Still, that's no reason for her to ignore the friendly atmosphere in the tavern every morning. After one round of the village and a few greetings to the other residents, she pokes her head into the tavern and finds herself a seat near the counter, content, for the moment, to lean back and take in the atmosphere. The fact that loitering contributes to her people-watching has absolutely nothing to do with it.

[Vhaidara]

Dolyar rises early and heads for the tavern. It was his first day on his own since his parents had left. Time to try and make his parents proud!
Morning everyone! How was the night?

[Benson]

Dena walked over with her usual smile. She was a pretty one with her bouncy black hair, and was very much a Chelish woman with her more pointed features and pale skin that contrasted with her black hair. She did have a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes giving her a tired look.

"Alright then Mister Matin....lessee..." She took several of the plates, balancing them skillfully on her arms and hands, given that practically did this job her whole life, she was fairly skilled in balancing plates on her arms.

"Mornin' to ya too Mister Dolyar," She replied in greeting, as greeting the patrons was also part of the job. She went off to serve the plates to their awaiting patrons.

Meanwhile, upstairs in the rented room, Nico lay on his cot still asleep, a bit of drool of collecting on the side of his mouth. Getting up at pre-dawn was for schmucks, sleep, dats where it was at. Snooze snooze snooze.

He'd be joining the others a little later.

[DrK]

Aviendla headed back into town, ducking under the branches of the trees on the edge of the small village, boots damp from the early morning dew. Her basket was filled with a selection of herbs and leaves she'd been out collecting. Milkweed for a bad stomach, blue wort for a wound compress and of course some of the fiery red bell peppers she's found that she would give to Miss Sinclair.

Opening the door she smiled at the packed throng even this early in the morning as she wandered through looking for Miss Sinclair. "Miss Sinclair, I found some bell peppers whilst I was collecting some herbs. Would you like them?". After handing over the peppers she gets some bread and cheese along with a mug of cool milk before setting herself in the corner near one of the small windows. Reaching into the basket she pulls out one of her mothers journals. The book well thumbed by Aviendla as she settles herself down for a nice read.

[dancrilis]

Kate

Taking the plates "morning brother, looks like a good day", moving through the tables dropping off food and chatting to people - the better to get tips. If it quieted down she might sing a bit for the older people, which she expected it to do once the younger went to the fields.

[Survy]

Matin waves to Dolyar as he walks in, chuckling a bit. "Your ale worked a little too well i'm afraid! You should take more pity on we weak humans."

Then noticing Chamille's entrance, and especially her empty place setting, Matin steps over a bit, and widens his small almost in a exaggerated fashion. "You know Chamille, we're always happy to see you in here, but you also make us so concerned. You never seem to eat anything. What if you starve? It would be such a sad day. You'd probably make my sister cry. Why, even Dolyar's beard may end up tear-soaked!"

[Hazuki]

Chamille smiles at Matin as he steps over to her, leaning back in her seat as she listens to his sales' pitch. "Oh, Matin, you see through me so well. But I must temper the temptation of Mrs. Sinclair's cooking, else I'll be sitting here all day!" She responds, humoring the bartender with some mutual teasing. "But...I suppose I could be tempted with something sweet. A tostee, and perhaps a prettier server, if you'd be so kind." She winks at the man.

[Vhaidara]

I apologize in advance if my attempt to apply an accent is inconsistent. I generally dislike typing in accents, but like to try.

Dolyar smiles and laughs.
Bah, you humans will toughen up eventually. 'Sides, night's never finished unless you have a splitting headache when you wake up!
He looks over at Chamille and shakes his head
Lass, some day we'll have to teach ya how a live right. Tomorrow, the first batch me pa let me make me'self will be finished. I'd be right honored if'n you'd try it.

[Survy]

"A prettier server? I like to think i'm rather charming. Ah, but if the lady insists. And you're lucky enough to have asked for one after we got some very nice honey, so feel free to thank the gods." Matin calls over to his sister, serving the customers nearby. "Kate, could you grab one of those tostees the fair Sinclair made? I think we're finally cracking the iron wall called Chamille!"

[Vhaidara]

Charmin', ya are boy, but not pretty by a long shot. Yer beard be too short, fer starters, and yer too damnably tall!
Laughing at his own joke, he calls out to Kate
Could ya grab me a pair as well, while yer at it? I'm famished!

[Hazuki]

"No, thank you." Chamille says to Dogyar, as she leans back in her seat with her walking stick resting against her shoulder. "I could thank the gods, but I'll settle for the chef." She adds, laughing softly at the name that Matin calls her to Kate.

[Benson]

Nico-Upstairs still sleeping

In his sleep, the lad was making kissy kissy faces as he sleep mumbled away. "....Yea....Lioah...yer so pretty.....yes...I would like some sweet rolls....ooooooh weeeee baby.....if I was a paladin...you'd have ta be evil because...I mumble mumble have Fallen for you~"

[dancrilis]

Kate

As she moved on she caught Dolyar's comment "will have to try some myself later also in that case", she didn't drink much - but a sample should be fine.

"Sure Matin - only the best for the councillor" pausing "or more correctly only the best for everyone paying or working" she said with a laugh - bringing both Chamille and Dolyar some of the breakfast for the two.

[Hazuki]

"Thank you, Kate." Chamille says to the server, smiling at her joke as she places the small plate beside her at the counter. "Before you go, have you seen Tally this morning? I wouldn't ask, but she's always up to something when you aren't looking."

[Vhaidara]

Ay, thank ye lass. I'll bring ye a flagon tomorrow night.
He begins to eat. When Chamille asks about Tally, it reminds him.
Speaking of youngsters getting into trouble, has anyone here seen my emptyheaded brother Jarand? He stormed out last night when we refused to call him Firesti. Some trader went and taught him some elvish, the daft bastard.

[DrK]

Avendla, still reading, peeks over the top of the book watching the charter between Kate, Chamille and Dogyar. Glancing outside at the shadows she thinks she can a little longer reading before she has to head back to home and begin making some more options and lotions.

Hearing a few words of elven she stares a but more before returning to her reading wondering what on earth they are all talking about

[Pelor]

Mrs. Sinclair smiles o Aviendla and thanks her for the peppers. "Oh, you know I always appreciate you taking care of an ol' woman like me. Thank you darling."

The crowd is fairly typical. One of the tables is somewhat louder than normal. It seems three humans who work out at the ranch on the outskirts of town are talking to one of the Dwarven miners who works the ore mine.

"Yeah, we saw it with our own eyes. It was huge. We ran it off, but not before it got one of goats."

"Bah, there be no wolves in these parts. You probably just saw ye a dog 'er sumthin".

"No, it was a wolf, twice the size of a dog. We have seen it twice. Last night and the night before, right after dusk both times."

"You better find some way to kill it then, if'n's you don't, it will bring others 'round. Then we'll all be having problems."

[Survy]

"I haven't seen either one of them. And a dwarf speaking elvish? I think that ale may be stronger than I thought." Matin chuckles a bit, but then glances over at the ranchers, looking a bit wary for a moment. "Wolves eh? Too many of those come around here, the farmers are going to have some trouble."

[Benson]

"Oh dear," Dena replied as she topped their drinks. "That sounds quite frightening."

[Vhaidara]

Dolyar grimaces.
Me idiot brother ain't right in the head. Thinks 'e's a bloody elf.

[Benson]

Nico

At some point as Nico mumbled away and snored he fell off his cot and hit the wooden floor below with a thud.

"O-o-ow!...... fu--ow...my face..." He groaned as he lifted his face off from the ground in an exaggerated manner. He rubbed his nose and grimaced. "Fine universe...I'm awake...thanks. Hmmph." He groaned again as he sat himself up on his cot. He had been having such a nice dream too, which mostly involved holding Lioah's hand and other romantic endeavors. "Blast......" He sat there for a while, lamenting a bit about his ruined dream and deeply sighed.

He stared around the dark dreary room that was the room he shared with his mother. Two beds, his mother's a twin with a passing mattress of cotton, straw and linen, and his own, a moderately comfortable cot. Next two it was a simple wooden nightstand holding a unlit candle in a candlestick holder and a holy text to Desna. Since his mother could not read very well, he took it upon himself to read to her passages from it when she requested him of it.

He stood up and stretched a bit and let out a yawn. "Ugh....well....I can't go back to sleep....guess I'll head downstairs....get some food." He said just as his stomach grumbled. "Mmm, good plan." With another yawn he put on his scruffy brown peasant tunic having had slept in his trousers only, twas a little warm in the room. With his worn shoes on, he headed downstairs to the bar.
---

He stood at the bottom of the staircase and surveyed the busy room, his eyes scanning for a good place to sit, one with a view of everyone. A faint smile appeared on his face as the sweet smells of the food hit his nose. MmmMmm, smelled nice.

[Pelor]

The conversation at the table continues.

"Yeah, someone needs to tell the council. Maybe they can hire someone, or someones to go kill the wolf."

"Now why would they do that. They are just for show you know. Those high faluten types don't care what happens to normal folks."

[Wymmerdann]

The flames billowed higher as Laynie pumped more air into the firepit of the Culhaven Smithy. Her father had agreed with the Council’s request that no actual smithing be done before dawn, as the loud noises of the trade would wake those not needing to rise early to tend their animals or trades. An early riser, Laynie had spent most of her morning tending to the handles of a few broken tools and mending a hole in the thatch. All it would take was one solid downpour and a serious amount of damage could be done to an uncovered smithy.

She set about her task, beating a bent farmer’s scythe back into shape. Old Reggie Dwight came to her father for help more than most, and seemed to have a knack for breaking things that ought have held together, or dulling an edge that ought have stayed true. He was near blind and ought have had his mouthed washed out more than once given his tendency to profane the good gods’ names.

She felt the presence of her father over her shoulder, just outside the smithy, but didn’t let it distract her, instead focusing on the rhythm of her hammer striking the blade. It was a simple task, and she tried to let the familiarity calm her.

Eventually, having sheathed the blade in an iron bucket of water to temper its edge, she turned to face him. Rolf stood with his arms crossed and gave her a crooked smile at her lack of surprise at his presence.
"Getting’ a mite predictable, ain’t I?" he pondered, wheeling out a wheelbarrow he’d been fixing. "The wheel was a simple fix, just needed to replace a few broken spokes and she’s right as rain. Could you run her up to Mrs Sinclair for me?"
Laynie sniffed, a tad derisively, sensing a motive, “Fair enough, Hope’s been nice enough to us and ‘twouldn’t do t’ keep her waiting.”
She began trundling the wheelbarrow up the hill toward The Leaky Barrel, keeping an impressive pace. He father had done an impressive job, as the barrow kept an even path over the unpaved road. Rolf knew his business, and the people of Culhaven knew they could come to him for help with anything broken, smithing or not.

At the base of the hill, still leaning against the edge of the smithy, Rolf sized up the blade of Reggie’s scythe. It was good work, but he worried about Laynie. She was dutiful, doing all her chores, and setting about any task he set her in the smithy with a near zealous determination, but he worried. She had become introverted of late, and Rolf looked to give her any chance to mix with her peers, even letting her run the wheelbarrow up to the town’s centre of social activity when he could have done it himself.

He entered the smithy to start on the day’s work.

[Hazuki]

"It does sound like something that should be dealt with." Chamille nods in response to Matin, as she overhears the complaints of the farmers and lets their comments about her work pass. It's not really something worth causing discord over. "And if it's only been spotted these past two nights, it's already getting brazen, so we can't afford to reach out. The damage it would cause, and the cost of mercenaries, would hurt Culhaven more than help it. And the members of the militia can be counted on one hand..."

She runs a hand through her poofy braids and gets to her feet. She raps the base of her spear on the floor, just loud enough to get the attention of the people in the tavern.

"The village council has heard talk of a potential threat to the village, stalking near the mines. I know everyone loves a bit of gossip, but I'd hate for rumors to get out of hand. I will be gathering a group of villagers, including a part of the militia, to investigate these claims. If anybody wants to help, in investigting or slaying the beast, please wait in front of the tavern in an hour or so. I will need to speak with the rest of the village council in the meantime. Even if you don't want to help, please let other villagers know, in case any of them have skills to offer. Thank you."

With that, she turns to Matin. "Will you be coming? Charming as I am, the council can be stubborn, and it will help to have your voice with me." She smiles at the bartender.

[dancrilis]

Kate

"Hmm ... can't say I have, but they'll show up eventually" she answered the councillor as she started to move away before she heard Dolyar mention elvish "ah it's a beautiful language - lacks the gravitas of Dwarven" and the joy of halfling she supposed but left unsaid "but lovely to listen to", she moved away humming some elven poem to herself.

Listening to the talk and the proclamation "ah it if isn't bothering anyone seriously why not leave it - wouldn't want to get into grief with something lurking in the forest that might consider it a pet, or a friend or something" she mused, "but will let those later in know what was said".

[Survy]

Matin thinks of it tentatively for a moment, then smiles once again. "Ah. Well, I suppose I should. This is rather important after all." He brushes his hand against the mace slung through his belt for a moment. "Hopefully they'll see the need for haste. Any delay could bring more of the beasts. Though how we'll draw it out is another matter entirely."

Matin turns to his sister, still smiling a bit. "Sister, you have a kind heart, but even if it never attacks a human we can't allow it to keep grabbing livestock like this. If it is someone's pet, they've done a poor job of training it."

[dancrilis]

Kate

She crossed her arms "yes I am well aware of the repercussions if it starts picking off livestock. However if it is some dire wolf, or a worg or whatnot it might make easy dinner of a party hunting it - and get a taste for people while it does", she huffed "and if it is a pet well its owner might be cross whether it was trained poorly or not, we don't need what happened to the village of Pitchbucket do we" she refereed to one of the more common stories relating to a village that killed a druids companion only for the druid to loose some contagion on them in a fit of anger - how fanciful the story was depended on the teller.

She smiled again "just be cautious if you are heading out, and don't rush in".

[Survy]

"Don't worry, you're very lucky to have a brother as pragmatic as me. Dolyar can go first. That way he'll get a taste for dwarves instead." Matin grins a bit playfully at the dwarf. It's always good to lighten the mood at times like this.

[Benson]

Nico

"Just tossin' my own two coppers here, but, maybe ya'll should take into consideration of layin' a trap for it, well if it is a nasty beastie takin' livestock," Nico shrugged as he casually sat himself at a table near the chattering gang. He tried to put on a look of disinterest but it was interrupted when his mother approached and kissed him on the forehead and put a cup of hot tea in front of him.

"Good morning sweetie," Dena told him.

"Ack...not front in folks," He wiped at his forehead and grimaced for a second. He looked at his mom who just smiled at him as he reluctantly found his expression softening. He took a sip of his tea. "Uhm thanks ma'."

[DrK]

Aviendla looks up listening about the wolves nearby, a look of unhappiness on her thin angular face. Matin, I didn't hear what you said. Was there wolf attacks nearby?". She closes the books and tidies up the table. "If there is something out there shall we send word to the City and request some militia to help us? It might not be safe for us to try and track such a horrible creature."

[Vhaidara]

Dolyar grins.
It ain't easy ta get a bite out of a dwarf. I'll swing by the brewery and grab me hammer.

[Survy]

Matin wrings his hands at the half-elf's question for a moment. "Apparently a wolf has been dragging off livestock. I doubt the city will send any aid for only one such creature though. Only when an entire pack has arrived, and who knows how much damage will have been done by then."

[dancrilis]

Kate

"Don't make such jokes brother" she snapped "if he got injured how would you feel" - she crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

"Well if you all want to play hero I suppose I can't stop you - despite that the creature might hurt you, and that hurting it might attract trouble, and that there are adventurers and militia groups to deal with this, and ... "she trailed on as she cleared plates, and brought them to the kitchen to clean.

[Survy]

Matin smiles at her back as she leaves. "She worries. There shouldn't be too much trouble. If we as a village can't handle one wolf, it would be quite the shame."

[Benson]

"I wasn't kiddin' about settin' up a trap," Nico chimed in again this time taking to a moderately annoyed tone. "Classic pit trap, can't go wrong." He took a long sip of his tea.

[DrK]

Aviendla moves across to the others smiling. "Its worrying though, but may I come and help." She holds onto the book her mother had given her, green eyes shining bright at the sense of adventure. "It will be exciting to explore the countryside. But a pit trap sounds safe. Maybe we could catch it and take it somewhere else. My mother may have a sleeping draught."

[Survy]

Matin shrugs. "It's as good a plan as any. We'll need some way to draw it out though. Like bait or the like."

[Benson]

Nico


"Already ahead of youse," Nico replied with a confident and self assured grin. He took a slow sip of his hot tea and stared at Matin. "Ya'll mentioned that, from what I gather, goes after livestock, so why not use or lamb or whatever as bait. It can be tethered in front of the pit trap." He found himself sounding a little too enthusiastic about this so he played it off with a casual shrug. "Or whatever."

[Wymmerdann]

Laynie

Having stored the wheelbarrow in an adjacent shed, Laynie had found herself a chair by the edge of the room, content to listen to the room's chatter, which had come to focus on Chamille's request.

She listened to Nico explain his plan for a pit trap, and offered her advice "A trap is a smart plan, but if anyone spends the time digging a decent pit, they'll leave enough scent to wary any wild beast. My pa repaired a few poacher's traps that were salvaged from the edge of the MaCallister farm. Might be that they're easy enough to set up without giving the game away." She mulled the idea over for a moment before adding, "but just because only one wolf's been seen doesn't mean it doesn't have friends. It'd be better to bring too many spears and not need them than need them and not have 'em, so I guess that means I'm in", she grinned sheepishly.