Haversill III: Return of the Donkey

[North]

Plesh

Maybe I cant hurt it but I can try and distract it at least... Maybe one of the others can help the lady.

Plesh unvanishes.

Hey you ugly mcstinky ppppppppppppppbbbttttt!!!!!!!!!!!! Plesh makes his best "funny face" at the ghostmcwhatsit by the lady.

(Total defensive action. )

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Spent, his head aching from his magical efforts, Tom tries to go check on the woman that was attacked, hoping she's still alive. If she is, drag her to safety.

{
Total Defense, try to skirt around the dark figures
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"Unless you possess armaments of a magical nature, do not enter!" Getty yells as she shoots a crossbow bolt towards the shadowy shape lunging towards J'Lant.

"My sincerest appreciation for whatever you have done, young Tom," she adds.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[MOD]

J'Lant

Siezing the opportunity once more J'Lant tries to plunge Gettys dagger into the shadowy creature attempting to strike him.

"Why won't you things just die?!" Yells J'Lant vehemently.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[dauphinous]

Pleshnaril makes himself known in a big sort of way. J'Lant continues attacking with Getty's dagger, though it is difficult to catch a part of the constantly moving shadow, and he misses it. Tom begins to position himself to try to help the woman lying on the floor, but the second shadow is too close to her for him to approach without calling attention to himself. Getty zings a crossbow bolt at the shadow, and it screeches again as the bolt rips through it.

The figure just outside the door stops at Getty's warning and turns to call out very loudly and urgently, "Someone get Silas! We need magic weapons!"

possibly angered by Getty, the shadow strikes out at what is closest, J'Lant, swishing both clawed hands right through him. Where it touches him, the warmth is sucked from his body. The second shadow, apparently enraged by Pleshnaril's taunting (or maybe just intrigued), swoops in very quickly. It swipes claws at the pixie, who dodges them deftly.

{
initiative order:
shadowy forms 21
Pleshnaril 15
J'Lant 7
Tom 5
Getty 4
someone outside 3

J'Lant takes 5 points Str damage
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"I theorize that we should leave this town after this evening. We seem to do nothing but bring disaster upon its residents." Getty aims with her crossbow and fires again before reloading.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"You got the right of it there, Getty. Watch out, J'lant!"

Tom tries picking up any local object - a pillow, chair, whatever - and throwing it at the dark creature to distract it, if possible.

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant begins to sag after the creatures assault. But puts his best effort into taking the creature down, while still living.

With look of defiance on his face a vein pops out on J'Lants forehead and J'Lant begins to look slightly shimmery. J'Lant concentrates on the dagger and flies it over in front of Tom.

"Tom!" J'Lant wheezes while stepping back, "Throw it at the thing. Destroy it!"

(Standard Action to Exert Repulsion field for +1 AC, Move action to move the dagger so that Tom can Throw it and taking a 5 foot step back. Also using combat expertise to gain an addtional +1 to AC.)

[North]

Plesh

U. G. L. Y. You aint got no alibi! You ugly! Hey. Hey. You ugly! Plesh taunts at the shadamabob. I hope they kill these evilmajiggers soon, I dont know how long I can keep dodging this thing. Plesh bravely resists the urge to fight the traditional pixie way. Vanish and Run. Trusting in his companions who can actually hurt the critterwhosits to kill them before he gets the hands of death.

(Total defensive action)

[dauphinous]

Pleshnaril continues his taunting. J'Lant puts the dagger practically into Tom's hand and exerts himself to try to keep the shadow away from him. Tom throws the dagger, sinking it into the shadow again. When the dagger hits, the shadow screeches again, but it also seems to lose its hold on its shape, and the darkness begins to dissolve. Getty's dagger falls to the floor once more. Getty takes a shot at the shadow Pleshanril is trying to keep occupied, lodging a bolt in its body. This one cackles angrily.

The figure outside retreats a few steps and calls out loudly for Silas again.

The body of the woman begins to emit darkness, and another of the shadows starts to rise over her. The other shadow seems overly distracted by the first shadow's discorporation, and it takes only a half-hearted swipe at Pleshnaril, missing completely.

{
initiative order:
shadowy forms 21
Pleshnaril 15
J'Lant 7
Tom 5
Getty 4
someone outside 3
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"If any individual is feeling close to expiring, I would suggest they retreat. It appears as if what they kill reanimates as one of their brethren." Getty aims the crossbow, carefully timing the movement of the others in the room, before firing and reloading again.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

The problem with throwing the dagger is that now he didn't have it to strike again. Then again, he really didn't wish to get into range to be turned into one of those things.

"Uh, J'lant...dagger, please?"

Trying to keep my distance from these things, though if I can get the dagger, and throw it again.

Attack: [roll0]

[MOD]

J'Lant

With a moments thought J'Lant keeps his repulsion field going. J'Lant grasps the dagger with his mind and attacks the creature Getty sunk a bolt into.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

Hearing Tom's cry for the dagger J'Lant begins an elaborate game of Hot Potato as he floats the dagger over to Tom.

(Standard Action to Attack the Creature, Move action to float the dagger to Tom, Swift action to keep the Repulsion field going.)

Edit: Woot A critical rolling crit damage in OOC Thread.

[dauphinous]

Pleshnaril keeps dancing around, trying to attract and repel the shadow at the same time. J'Lant seizes the dagger again, ripping it through the shadow as he zips it over to Tom, who then throws it at the shadow. Getty's crossbow bolt also slams into the shadow. All three attacks, well placed and timed (for once), combine to rip the shadow to shreds before it can take another swipe at Pleshnaril.

The new shadow, though, seems to think that Getty is the greatest danger here and flies right through her, ripping and tearing away her life force as it goes.

{
initiative order:
shadowy form 21
Pleshnaril 15
J'Lant 7
Tom 5
Getty 4

Getty takes 4 points of Str damage and the last shadow is right behind her.
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"I find this turn of events frightening and unacceptable. Please reconsider your aggressive actions, hostile incorporeal creature" Getty says woozily as she takes a step back and fires at the shadow.


5' step back to exit melee, fire, reload.
[roll0]
[roll1]
6/10 strength

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Getty!" J'Lant weezes again still really in postion to provide any aid beyond attacking from a distance. Grasping the dagger with his mind J'Lant slashes at the last shadowy thing.

Then he plays Hot Potato again and flies the dagger to Tom. While concentraiting for slightest moment to keep his repulsion field going.

Attack the last shadow! [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom waits impatiently for the dagger to reach him, muttering, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon..."

As soon as he gets the dagger, Tom flings it again.

{
Attack: [roll0]
}

[North]

Plesh

I dont think he's interested in me anymore... Id better try and help the lady.Plesh rushes over to the fallen woman and starts dragging her out of the building.

[dauphinous]

It is, of course, as soon as everyone finds a good rhythm in the fight that the final enemy is dispatched. The dagger slices through it twice and Getty's crossbow bolt puts a hole straight through it that finishes the job, scattering shreds of darkness briefly before they disappear.

Pleshnaril finds that he is trying to drag dead weight. The woman's face is frozen in an wide-eyed scream. Checking the man over, he is quite dead also, his face suggesting panic. And, naturally, Silas comes flying into the inn common room just as the last bits of darkness evaporate. His face is a mask of concern and his gaze darts all over the room.

Silas is tall, probably six feet, and very pale, with dark hair and eyes. He is wearing a guard uniform at the moment, and carrying a mace, just like the rest of the guards do. And he is very, very handsome. The curve of his lips, the line of his brow, the shape of his eyes, and line of his nose, they are all perfect in every way. He has a hint of muscle to his frame, but doesn't look very meaty.

[kariokie]

Getty

The weight of Getty's crossbow is just more than she can deal with right now. After carefully unloading it, she drops it on her bedroll. Looking towards her dagger, she reaches out her right hand and waves it as if she might actually walk over and pick it up, before just sitting down, exhausted.

"It appears our enemies have been dispatched, Silas. It is nice to set eyes upon you, however as- wait, are you wearing a guard's uniform?" Getty smirks tiredly from the floor, then playfully adds: "Sellout."

[dauphinous]

"Getty? Sellout?" He gives an indignant sigh, though he is smirking. "I am a duly designated member of the Ciderspring Town Guard. Three nights a week. To cover for the young ladies of the guard who can't get enough of me." He grins and nods to Tom, offering a hand to shake his. "Tom, nice to see you, too."

[North]

Plesh

Im sorry. I tried...

Plesh kneels down beside the womans body frozen in silence.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"Aye, how you doin'? Shame we couldn't meet under more fortunate circumstances," Tom says, nodding towards the two dead folk. "We just made some over ambitious shadow puppets disappear, though they did their damage before we could stop'em. This place just a locus for weird goings ons, or what?"

[dauphinous]

"'Shadow puppets'? Well, If everything is okay now," he sighs. Then he turns to look outside. "They've taken care of it. There are two- er, I mean, I think I'll need some assistance." He turns back to address the inside of the room again. "Yeah, this place does kind of attract odd things like some kind of magnet. There was a cockatrice in someone's chicken coop a couple of days ago."

At this point, a pair of humans, one woman in a cotton nightgown and one man in cotton pajamas, come bursting into the room. "What's all the screaming about? Why is there a funny light going? What's going on?! Where is everyone??!!" Both seem highly agitated. The man is easily recognized as the bartender, and the woman was the clerk who sold you the spaces on the floor.

[MOD]

Closing his eyes for a moment the shimmering ceases. As a wave a fatigue is about to kick in J'Lant easily suppresses it.

Despite the late hour and the deadly attack J'Lant is never one to forgo introductions. Extending a hand to Silas, "Greetings! My name is J'Lant."

Turning towards the bartender and the woman, "There were some shadow creatures. They killed two of the patrons of this establishment." Pointing to each member of the group, "Tom, Getty, Pleshnaril, and myself battled the creatures, allowing everyone else to escape. Though Getty and I were struck we managed to survive the encounter. Now, if you don't mind I think an amount of alcohol is needed." J'Lant speaks plainly but the tiny tremble in his voice gives away his nervousness.

Tired yet still hyped up from the battle J'Lant falls into the nearest chair and begins to place everything in the room back into its proper place.

Resist Exertion Fatigue (1d20+7=27) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1240137) Total of 37! J'Lant really resisted that fatigue!

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty still sits exhausted on her bedroll. Slowly she lays down on her back, despite the clamor. Looking up at the ceiling, she first speaks to the pixie. "Pleshnaril- Plesh, leave her be. You did all you could. It's never enough, but it's more than nothing, and that's what matters."

Still staring at the ceiling, she adds, "That wasn't a cockatrice, Silas. That was a super chicken." I wonder where Zott is now?

[dauphinous]

"Oh!" the woman clerk reacts to J'Lant's recitation of the events first. She yanks on the man's sleeve and points him towards the bar. "Of course, we can...shadow creatures? Here? Oh dear."

The man nods to the woman and pulls out some glasses and a blue bottle of something with no label. He begins pouring as Silas shakes hands with J'Lant.

Four guardsmen troop into the room and and they start deciding what to do with the bodies. Silas tells them that he'll handle the report so no one else has to ask any more questions. Within a few minutes, four shotglasses of some kind of semi-viscous blue liquid have been handed out to each of you, and the bartender left the bottle with his thanks before he and the woman left the room again. The guards carry the bodies out, positioning them so as to make them appear injured or unconscious, rather than dead. No sense alarming the small crowd outside.

"We'll keep the crowd back for a few minutes, but the people who were sleeping here will undoubtedly want to gather up anything they left behind."

"Are you sure you want to stay here for the rest of the night? I mean, my place doesn't exactly have all the creature comforts but it is remarkably free of other undead. And guaranteed to not have anything that will attack you without permission." Silas grins. "I have managed to acquire a fair amount of pillows, rugs, and draperies since your last visit. And it's much cleaner."

[North]

Plesh

Plesh looks at his shot forlornly. Downing it he feels the liquid travel down his throat bringing a warmth into that heats him from his core outwards. Staring at the door that the bartender passed through he states.

Id like to know what those things were, were they came from and how to kill them.

[kariokie]

Getty

She slowly packs up her equipment and retrieves her dagger from the ground. "That is very kind of you, Silas. I believe I will take you up on that offer. The idea of an uninterrupted night of rest is very welcome, and your abode is one I can be sure no one would invade."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Though he knew Silas was trustworthy, and wouldn't harm him, it still bothered him that they'd be spending the evening in his abode. Tom still remembered Getty's...interaction...with Silas.

And yet, he was bone tired. His head ached, and he doubted he'd get much relaxation here.

Hemming and hawing for a moment, Tom finally decides to gather up his things. "That's mighty kind of ya, Silas."

[dauphinous]

"No problem. Least I can do. I can walk you all out there and get you settled in, but I'm still supposed to be on duty until a little before dawn. I've had the entrance redone, so no shimmying down a rope to get in, but I haven't started any other renovations yet." As soon as Getty finishes putting her gear together, he picks up her pack, and puts out a hand to take Tom's too.

"You have a donkey, don't you? It could get inside now if you wanted it nearby, though I don't have any hay, or whatever it is that donkeys eat. Or whatever they do with it." As you walk out, he informs the two guards that he's escorting all of you to a safer location, and they both nod and let you all pass. A few people begin to applaud for you all, then others find themselves clapping, too. The applause is not especially enthusiastic, but the looks directed to you seem grateful. There is one young woman who seems to have a little bit of that hero-worship-awe in her eyes.

[kariokie]

Getty

She hands her pack to Silas, "Thank you. I believe I can retrieve Heecor in the morning. His boarding in the stables actually looks superior to our previous situation."

On the way out, Getty prods Tom, her sharp eyes not missing the expression on the young woman's face, "I believe that individual is expressing an interest in our heroics. Perhaps you should introduce yourself." While the applause is welcome, it doesn't do much to bolster her spirits. It was just hard to see herself as a hero when all she was doing was cleaning up messes after the fact, or wandering into situations and somehow coming back out of them alive. Plan. We need a plan.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh walks out behind the others lost in thought. When the applause starts he doesnt notice it at first. When he does notice, it breaks his dour mood like a ogre in a elf village.

Thank you? Plesh says not sure if he should respond. With more certainty Thank you all. Pleshnaril and company are here to smite evil and eat cheese. And were all out of cheese. Completely carried away now Plesh flys up into the air and gives an aerial bow to the crowd surrounding them.

[MOD]

J'Lant

After downing his shot of the viscous liquid J'Lant listens patiently to the goings on of Silas and the people gathered ouside. Normally one to play up the crowd J'Lant's waining energy allows him only a passive wave.

Struggling along after the group J'Lant keeps his mace floating ahead almost unable to hold it in his hands.

"So 'ow far is your place, Mr. Silas?"

[dauphinous]

"Just outside town." Silas leads the way, matching the pace Getty and J'Lant set. You pass out of the town to the east, and an orchard, then over a small hill. It takes a little over a half hour, but then there you are, in front of a large stone door set into the side of another small hill. Silas heaves the door open. "Make yourselves at home." He bows slightly and offers Getty and Tom their packs back. "Sorry about the door. I'm working on something to make it easier for other people to open and shut, but for now, I'm afraid, you'll be stuck until I get back. Best and easiest to implement safety measure I could come up with for the short term. The traps are all tripped or removed, so no worries about that.

"I know it's a long walk, but the Corlin chamber is the only one I've had time, and really, the inclination, to dress up any. The other chambers are all completely empty in every way. I've been very thorough in my cleaning. I mean, there isn't much else to do during the day." He grins.

The door opens onto a dark hallway with smooth stone walls.

[North]

Plesh

Traps?

*grooooaaannnnn*

Whys it always have to be traps?

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Thank you very much for your 'ospitality Mr. Silas," J'Lant mumbles following whomever leads the group into the lair of Silas.

There is something strange about this Silas...

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty takes the pack from Silas, adjusting it on her shoulder. Her knees buckle a little, but then she recovers, a grin returning to her face. "Excellent, Silas, we appreciate your hospitable nature. You will find your abode in good repair when you arrive later, bearing, say, some tasty pastries for your favorite heroes?"

[dauphinous]

"Naturally. I'll try not to wake anyone when I get back. It seems like you've all had a rough night." He waits for you all to go inside, then he shoves the door shut with a heavy and final sounding clang. This would make it pitchy black in the hallway, but Getty's sunrod is still lit, so instead the greenish light shows a long hallway of smooth blue-grey stone.

After walking about 40 feet or so, you come to a circular room, about 15 feet in diameter. The floor and walls are made of blocks of an ordinary grey stone. There is an archway in the opposite wall that leads to a hallway which extends at least as far as the sunrod illuminates. On the stones around the archway, six words are inscribed in the Common script, three on each side: Ambrye, Marshall, Ciderhill, Corlin, Iverne, Derrock. The words are about three inches high each, with each word in a slightly flowing style that is at once elegant and easy to read.

The walls of the next hallway have been etched with various floral and leaf motifs that run from floor to arched ceiling and back down to the floor again. The hallway runs about 30 feet, then deadends as it intersects another hallway. There is a wide gap in the floor where the hallway deadends, as if someone removed an inch-deep slab of stone that had been serving as a threshold and didn't fill it back in.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I guess its a good thing we didn't stay with the sheriff eh Getty?"

[kariokie]

Getty

"Yes. I suppose, J'Lant." Getty stands for a moment in the round chamber, remembering what had happened there not long ago. Turning slowly, she takes it in, peering through the green light.

Then she slowly heads further in, down the hallway to the left after instinctively stepping over the place where the stone was removed. She follows the hallway around, turning with it, until she comes to the Corlin chamber.

[dauphinous]

The hallway is 10 feet wide all the way from here. You pass by two doorways, one on either side, then another pair of doorways a little farther down. The chamber Getty enters has the word "Corlin" inlaid in the stone next to the doorway. None of the doorways have actual doors, nor do they look like they were ever intended to.

Inside the chamber, which is quite large enough to not be fully illuminated by the sunrod when you walk in, there is a row of raised stone boxes, about 10 feet long by 5 feet wide. The walls all have rectangular sections cut out of them, about a foot high, 6 feet long, and maybe 2 feet deep each. They are stacked three high and placed at regular intervals all along the walls. The place is immaculately clean - there is no dust or dirt to be seen. A little farther in, you can see that one end of the chamber has been liberally festooned with rugs, pillows, cushions, and draperies that do not precisely match, but also do not precisely clash. At the very least, it looks more comfortable than the floor at the inn.

One of the niches in the wall at this end that isn't covered over by a drapery has a store of wood cups, utensils, and plates, along with a stack of dark colored folded cloth that looks like it might be blankets, and a wood water pitcher.

The air has a light hint of some kind of spicy incense to it, but is otherwise just cool and dry.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh does a running dive into the cushions and begins to make himself comfortable.

mmmmmmmmmm....................

[MOD]

J'Lant

"You 'ave the right idea there Plesh," says J'Lant making himself comfortable amongst the cushions.

"Getty, Tom," says J'Lant seriously, "I 'ave some que-actually never mind, its late and it can wait until morning."

Collapsing into the comfortable surroundings J'Lant drifts off to sleep...

[kariokie]

Getty

"You would theorize that being led to an underground catacomb by a vampire and invited to sleep there would be slightly more question-provoking to these two individuals than it has been," Getty says, giving Tom a weak grin. Unrolling her bedroll and grabbing a few extra blankets, she makes herself comfortable before starting to drift off.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom returns Getty's grin, but adds, "Well, he did up and just fall out of the sky, and the other's well, he's a darn fairy. This sort of thing might'n just be plain ordinary in their worlds. Apparently it's a'gettin' that way for us, too. G'night, then."

[dauphinous]

When you wake up, the place is dark and quiet, as the sunrod has long since flared out. The aroma of freshly baked bread grossly overpowers the light spicy scent you remember from the night before.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty wakes up, much more coherent than the night before. She stands slowly, stretching, still feeling weak from the night before. Peering into the darkness, even though no amount of effort would help her see, she calls out, "Do you possess any source of illumination in this facility, Silas? I lack the ability to perceive in the lightless environ of your catacomb." Getty then runs her hands through her spiky hair, tucking some small locks behind her ears.

[dauphinous]

A sunrod flares into life, shedding greenish light over the room again. Silas is sitting with his back to one of the sarcophagus boixes, sunrod in one raised hand. At his feet is a tray covered with muffins and two loaves of bread. There is also some cheese and the wooden pitcher you saw before. he seems to have pulled down the cups and plates, as well. "Morning," he says cheerfully.

Just to his side, probably where he set it down a moment ago, there is a foot-long stick with a knife and a few feathers lying on the floor. He is no longer dressed as a guard, now wearing a loose white sleeveless shirt and plain brown leather pants. He is currently barefoot.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"MMMMMMMornin," J'Lant says sleepily as he stands and stretches, "Ohhh that thing sure packed a mean punch, or maybe I had to much to drink last nite."

"That for us Mr. Silas?" J'Lant says through a yawn as he runs a hand through his shoulder length blond hair.

[dauphinous]

Silas nods with a smile. "Yes, of course. I'm certainly not going to eat any of it. And it's just 'Silas'. That is my first name. My last name is Corlin." He tilts his head slightly to one side as he looks very carefully at Getty, then J'Lant, the back to Getty. "Do you need to rest here for longer? You look...dim, I guess."

The pitcher has orange juice in it.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Stretching mightily, Tom rolls over lazily, and takes in his surroundings.

"You know, I fairly reckon that this here's the only time I've woken up in a crypt, dream or otherwise, and not felt a right bit of panic."

Rubbing his eyes, he sits up. "So what was that all about last night? What done summoned them shadows up?"

[MOD]

J'Lant

" 'onestly Tom, I've got no idea," he says floating a muffin, "Perhaps it was just wandered in and got 'ungry?" Flexing some and streching his aching muscles, " Do you think you could work a bit of your magic like you did last time? I don't know 'ow that shadow did it but now everything is feels so much heavier."

Taking a rather large bite of the floating muffin J'Lant sits on the cushions and pillows laid out in the room. J'Lant continues consuming the muffin. Bite after bite J'Lant glances at Tom, Getty, Silas and the still sleeping Plesh.

"I know I just fell out of the sky and I'm not sure 'ow that happened but, you all seem to 'ave 'ad quite a few adventures without me." J'Lant says with a nod to Silas, "While I know that to be a sad fate for anyone I would be delighted if any of you would mind sharing the tale of an adventure or two with me."

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty does her best mock-indignant look, putting her hands on her hips. "Silas! Never say 'dim' to someone of my awesome intellectual capabilities. It's insulting and unfounded." She, however, permits herself to look as tired as she feels. "I am afraid that the incorporeal enemies did indeed take their toll. I am quite exhausted." After retrieving some juice and some bread, Getty sits back down on her bedroll.

"As for your request for further information, J'Lant, I am afraid that all of the tales we might tell you would be not live up to your potential expectations of individuals as capable heroics as us. While we have managed to assist in the doing of good," Getty tips her glass of orange juice towards Silas, "we have no been able to perpetrate the coordinated campaign of goodness in the manner that I might have wished. Honestly, the adventuring career has not unfurled in the manner that I might have originally planned." Getty nibbles at her bread, then gulps down the glass of orange juice.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh gradually wakes up from the sound of the others voices around him. Hmm Wuzzat? Yeah everyone knows you guys in town it seems?

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

At Getty's mentioning of their heroics, Tom is reminded of when they met Silas. "By the by, Silas, what'd y'all up and do with that ornery dwarf we done caught?"

[dauphinous]

Silas chuckles at Getty. he shakes his head a little, apparently amused by her retort. "The dwarf was removed by teleport yesterday to Haversill, as far as I know. Some wizard that Paredin recognized came for her. It happened during the day, so I really can't say much about it."

"You're welcome to stay if you need to. I'd offer to go get one of the priests here in town to maybe help you recover, but I haven't been introduced to any of them, and I'd prefer to keep my distance. It is my understanding that priests of Havrek are the least accepting of my type."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom waves Silas off, "Aw, we don't need no priest. Let me see what I can do with my own mumbo-jumbo."

Tom tries to focus on Getty, envisioning her back at full strength. He can feel the power; he can sense the reality, but every time he tries to make it 'real', it slips from his mind.

{
1 (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2157), 2 (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2158), 3 (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2159), 4 (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2160) caster checks to heal 3 Strength damage, all failed.
5/9 SP's
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"No matter, young Tom. We can remain here while I devise a new plan of action." Getty begins balancing her now-empty cup in her open palm, tossing it lightly to her other palm and back again. "When I implemented the decision to become an adventurer via the fiery destruction of my previous abode, I did envision that I would have more of a marked and planned effect on this world." She sets the cup down.

"In other words, we've just been wandering into things half-assed, and I tire of it. I would prefer to find myself in a fully-assed state."

[MOD]

J'Lant

Floating over some orange juice in, "What did you have in mind Getty? Do I hear the begginnings of some sort of quest?" He says with a raised eyebrow.

[North]

Plesh

Counting on his fingers Plesh manages to translate Getty's last statement. You exploded your house? But your right we've been footing* it and its hasn't worked out that well really. Last night was probably the best groove we've been in and we still almost got our asses kicked. Full and half. What are you thinking of?


*Pixie term for improvising. Humans use the translated term of 'winging'.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty starts to spin the cup on an area of open floor. "Well, we do have information regarding a greater enemy. Or, we could transit ourselves to a city where we might be able to encounter adventures of a greater scale."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"What is this greater enemy you speak of Getty? I either must not 'ave been paying attention or," J'Lant sighs melodramatically, "you learned it on yet another adventure without me."

Dwarves? Greater Enemies? Vampires? What have these people been up to?

[North]

Plesh

You want to leave Haversil? Whats the information about a greater enemy? I thought our adventure scale was doing pretty good.... I was almost skewered yesterday...

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty tilts her head slightly at Pleshnaril. "We're not in Haversill."

"We have little information as regards the greater evil we encountered, only that the dwarven arcanist was in his employ. However, I would much rather engage and defeat a great enemy than continue to perforate enemies that pose no threat to the population. Those fish men and that carnivorous plant merely happened to be in the incorrect locale at an inopportune time."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom pipes in, "Except we don't know nothin' about where this guy is. All we know is that he's not a wielder of magic." Tom chews his lip for a moment, before asking Silas, "Did that dwarf say anything about her employer?"

[dauphinous]

"Aside from smirking a great deal, she did very little in my presence. She did ask me twice if I'd like to reconsider my allegiances and participate in a ritual that would 'undoubtedly' make me more powerful than I am now. When I pressed for details, she wouldn't give me any." Silas shrugs. "She did seem rather pleased to be going to Haversill."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"All right Getty and Tom. I think that if I'm going to be involved in taking down some sort of greater evil and it involves some shady dwarf that I would like some sort of details regarding your adventures regarding this dwarf."

Taking random objects around the room, including a pillow, a cup and left over muffin and starts juggling them telekinetically.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom spits on the ground, before saying harshly, "That dwarf was the most damnable excuse for a livin' person I have so far met in my short life. We first run across her handiwork in a plum fool ghost, whom she'd apparently helped kill. She done tried to do the same to us, 'cept we managed to drive her off. But then she snuck up on us real good, and caught us with our trousers down. She, for reasons I cannot fathom, brought that old ghostie boy back to life, after imprisonin' us with a bunch of mongrelmen."

Tom pauses, looks around at the present company, then continues. "We met ol'Silas here on a durn fool's errand to get somethin' for her, for bringing that darn boy back from the grave. He done got himself up and killed again, though, thinkin' he'd play all brave like here, smart like scarecrow by sneakin' in on his lonesome. Silas wasn't exactly himself at first, but we talked'em down, and he helped us pull a fast one on old ornery britches."

Tom nods with finality, indicating his story's done.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty nods and grabs the spinning cup, stopping its motion. "What young Tom articulated. It does concern me that she seemed pleased to be departing for Haversill, Silas. Either the wizard was not who he appeared to be, or she expected to not be detained in that locale for an extended duration."

[MOD]

J'Lant

As Tom tells his story the menagerie of juggled objects clatters noisily to the floor.

"That dwarf does sound evil. Killing some poor kid, twice evidently, that is horrible." He says floating the fallen objects to the normal positions.

"I think a cursory check up on the evil dwarf is a good idea."

[dauphinous]

"I couldn't say. I was there when she was given over to the wizard - some elf - and I'd have to say that she wasn't the slightest bit unhappy about going with him." Silas shrugs a bit. "I'm not the most fantastic judge of people, but I don't think the elf knew her. Or if he did, he's the best damn actor in the world. He even mispronounced her name."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom gets a sick feeling in his stomach - the remote idea of that dwarf running amok near his home town was particularly unappealing.

"Well, anything that might'n make that *&%# happy is good enough reason to make me unhappy. I say we wander on up to Haversill, and get a look-see."

Tom begins gathering up his things, and packing them away.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Well, if its decided, before we go lets grab some supplies in town and I think a visit to the priest is in order."

[North]

Plesh

Do you think the dwarf might've had something to do with those shadow creatures? The Elders always said where theres one weed more follow....

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty stands and begins collecting her equipment. "My sincerest gratitude for your hospitality, Silas. It appears we should ambulate towards Haversill, however." She looks at J'Lant, "There is a possibility that the sheriff can arrange the services of the local priests."

[dauphinous]

"No problem. I wish I could go with you. But I can't, so good luck. I hope you find that there's nothing to worry about." Silas gets to his feet with catlike grace and leads the way to his front door, padding along barefoot. He heaves against the door, knocking it wide open and recoiling out of the abundant sunshine almost faster than the eye can track.

"Don't worry about the door. I can get it. I just have to brace myself for it. Turns out I can stand a few seconds of sunlight before it starts to burn."

{
Is the plan to go back to Ciderspring for gear & possibly healing, or to plow on to the next town on the road to Haversill? It's a 3 day walk from here, and both Freewine and Ginberry are on the way
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"Perhaps I can construct a contraption to assist you with the door some time in the future. I promise it will not spontaneously combust. Probably." Getty hefts her pack and walks through the door, turning to wave once she's clear. "I am happy you've found a calling, Silas," she says, a genuine smile on her face.

{Ciderspring for healing and the mule, then hit the road, yes. Getty is at 7/10 strength.}

[dauphinous]

Staying just outside of the light, Silas watches as you all troop out. "I'd appreciate that, Getty. I don't need to open it during the day very often, but when I do...yeah." He smiles and waves to Getty, and to anyone else who turns back to look. Once you get a little more than 60 feet away or so, he dashes out and yanks the door shut, a little puff of smoke or vapor accompanying the loud clang it makes.

The day is sunny and warm, with a few puffs of cloud in the sky. The trip back to Ciderspring is less than a half hour, and the town is in the lull of mid-morning. The majority of the travelers have left already. Heecor is retrieved without issue.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Prior to them leaving, Tom announces, "Getty, J'lant...let me give it one more shot. I know I can do it. I was just...pushing it, last time."

Before anyone can object, and perhaps convince him otherwise, Tom approaches Getty. Resting his hand on her arm, he again drifts into his own mind, trying to push his reality in a certain way. He can feel it, and instead of forcing it, takes his time and, well, coaxes it into being.

His success spurs him on, and he does the same for J'lant. He's giddy with excitement of a controlled use of his power - he'd always done it in the heat of the moment before, and it was a crap shoot, really. His headache barely intrudes on his consciousness.

{
Taking 10 (for an 11) to restore +3 strength to Getty and J'lant, which should hit the DC exactly.
3/9 SP
}

[MOD]

J'Lant

Before arriving at the temple.

"Thank you again Tom, your abilites with magic are most astute." Says J'Lant guiding along his horse Muffin.

"You know I don't think I need to go the temple after Tom's magical healing, I'll probably be fine after another rest. But I could use a crossbow."



[Strength 9/10]

[dauphinous]

A quick stop at one of the shops later, and you are all on the road to Haversill. You have the road all to yourselves for now. The countryside is mostly rolling hills covered with green grasses that wave gently in the light breeze. Pleshnaril's forest can be seen in the distance off to the right as you set out; it fades from view behind you as the day goes on.

The day turns to twilight before you reach Ginberry, the next town. The dark smudge of a forest ahead and the right side of the road can be seen, but the town itself is not visible. It might be just over the next hill, or it might be another hour or two. The cities and towns along the road are all about a day's walk apart, but you got a late start on this day.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty juggles a couple of sun rods as the light dims, though she has yet to strike them into life. "With our current fortune, even if we were to ambulate for a long enough increment to arrive in Ginberry, we would be beset by enemies, not be able to locate a room, and I would be a wanted criminal there for an unknown reason. Camp here?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

His earlier jubilation over the success of his magics having long faded, Tom's headache's made him rather quiet and irritable on the journey.

He'd also done some rumination, and remembered that newcomer's blow to his head, oh so long ago, when they'd first met. So he'd not been the most joyful of traveling partners so far.

At Getty's suggestion to camp, Tom swings down his pack, and grunts his assent.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Having traveled for most of the day on Muffins back J'Lant feels almost up to full strength. Still quite jubilant even after a days trek J'Lant hops down from his horse and begins to get camp ready.

Without having to break a sweat J'Lant neatly arranges a camp in short order using only his Telekinetic ability. A warm cheerful fire soon blazes into existence, the ground is quickly clear of clutter and any kind of debris, and a cool breeze, provided by Telekinesis, now flutters through the camp cooling everyone from the days walk.

"Cheer up Tom! Everything will look brighter tomorrow, it always does!"

Taking out his bedroll and setting it neatly on the ground J'Lant reaches into his saddle bags and pulls out a trail ration and starts munching. Looking to the others he offers one to each of them.

"If no one else wants to I'll take the first watch tonight. 'opefully those shadowy things won't come back." J'Lant says with an edge to his voice.

Spot (1d20+9=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1268088)
Listen (1d20+9=22) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1268095)

For 1st watch.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh takes one of the trail rations J'Lant offered.

That sounds fine with me.

[kariokie]

Getty

"Do you require a full night's rest to perform to your fullest capacity?" Getty asks, then snorts. "Perform. Hee!" She takes a moment to compose herself. "I am attempting to determine the number and duration of watches we will require."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I'll be fine as long as I get a good nites sleep after my watch." J'Lant says loading his shiny new crossbow and sitting next to the comfortalbe fire.

[dauphinous]

The night passes uneventfully, save for the far off howling of wolves every so often. There are clouds in the sky this morning, and the day looks to be much duller and grayer. It isn't much cooler, but there is a quite a breeze blowing, and it seems a bit humid. Odds are that it will rain at some point today.

Walking on towards Ginberry, it takes about an hour and a half to reach the town, which is not terribly remarkable. It seems to be a little smaller that Haversill and Ciderspring, and consists mostly of inns, stables, and campgrounds. Who knows where they get their food, as there do not seem to be any farms here. Just as you reach the first couple of buildings, an especially strong breeze blows up the road, and the clouds drop a downpour.

[kariokie]

Getty

"Undesirable gravity-propelled hydration! Ack!" Getty hurries Heecor along and looks for a tavern or inn to take refuge in. "I suggest we take advantage of the hospitality of this town until such time as the rain ceases or we are beset by yet another enemy."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"I'm a'gunna second that one, misses. Let's go see what trouble awaits us in yonder tavern."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Oh yes, umm, the rain, most unfortunate. I suppose we should wait until the storm passes." J'Lant says half heartedly.

While the rest of group may look like half drowned cats. J'Lant appearance is unmared by the rain and he still as dry as ever.

[dauphinous]

The nearest tavern is clean, and there is only one person in the common room. The chairs are all turned upside down on the tables, and the fireplace is clean and empty. There is a young half-elf woman sweeping the floor, but no one else. She has blonde hair covered with a cloth of some kind, so you can't tell how long it might be, and green eyes. She is currently wearing a simple, plain dress with an apron over it and plain soft boots. She is smudged all over with something black, probably soot. "Oh! Come in, come in." After taking a few steps over to the bar, she leans her broom against it and smiles at you all.

"Can I get you anything?"

[North]

Plesh

Plesh walks into the tavern shaking his head of all the water thats made a home in his hair. Um towels, a seat be the fire and apple pies would be quite good right now. Theres a storm a brewin out there.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty nods enthusiastically, then turns the movement into shaking her head, sending droplets of water flying from the normally wild, spiky hair. "A hot drink and proximity to combustion, please."

[dauphinous]

The girl nods and smiles, then runs off through a door to some other part of the building. She returns in a minute carrying several towels, which she hands to whomever will take them. "Vern'll bring out some firewood and get a fire going. We don't have any pie right now, it being after breakfast but well before lunch, but we've got apples and cheese, and I can get coffee or tea up pretty quick. Storm this bad, I don't expect anyone else'll come along for lunch, least, not real soon, so make yourselves at home."

She bobs a light curtsy and walks out again. In less than a minute, a nearly bald elderly man, walking with a limp and with one eye filmed over in white, comes in through the door carrying an armload of wood. He nods to everyone with an unintelligible grunt and starts arranging the wood carefully in the fireplace while on one knee. "You lot 'ere 'bout th' cow?"

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I am afraid we have not 'eard anything about a cow. We were just passing through." Says J'Lant taking a seat by the fire.

"'owever, since we do seem to be at a momentary impass in our journey please regail us with the tale of this cow."

[dauphinous]

Vern stacks the logs carefully. He turns his head so his good eye can peer at J'Lant, looking him up and down. Then he grunts again and returns to his task. Just when enough time has passed that it seems likely he has no intention whatsoever of divulging the information, he speaks.

"Cow. Come wand'rin' inta town yesterday morn. No cow'erd, no nuthin'. Jus' walks 'erself right up th' road and stops outsid'a th' general store." He seems to have completed the stacking, but he doesn't move away from his stack of logs yet. "Las' night, there were some kinda ruckus 'round down that'a'way, but I dern't know more 'bout it. Gots work ta do. Gots no time ta dilly-dally with that sorta thin'." He leans back away from the fireplace and you can see that a small fire has started in it.

He stands up and tips an imaginary hat to all of you, then starts limping out. The girl comes back in then, carrying a tray with sliced apples, a couple of different kinds of cheese, cups, a coffee pot, and a teapot. Both pots are steaming.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty pours herself some coffee, then passes the pot and reaches for some cheese as well. She alternates between sipping the coffee and eating the cheese, trying to get both into her system as quickly and efficiently as possible. "A baffling bovine. Faaaaaascinating. Have you any information on this matter?" she says, glancing at the girl.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom raises an eyebrow, "It's just a cow; them there ain't the smartest of critters. I know. I've met a lot of'em."

Turning back to J'lant, he asks simply, "So where do you come from? You don't seem in no hurry to get on back there."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Well, I guess it can't 'urt to tell you guys. I don't think there is any danger in telling you 'ere. I do not think I am anywhere near Flarin." He says pouring himself tea, telekinetically of course.

"Originally I am not sure," J'Lant pauses, considering his next statement, "But, I grew up on the island of Flar. In the kingdom of Flarik." J'Lant gulps down the remainder of his tea.

Floating over the coffee J'Lant pours it into his cup.

"Which Kingdom are we in?" J'Lant says remembering his question from the day before.

[dauphinous]

"A bovine?" The girl seems confused by the word itself, until Tom speaks. Then she looks like she might say something, but then J'Lant starts and she instead withdraws from the room, giving you relative privacy.

[North]

Plesh

Whats a Flarik? And can everyone do that wear you come from? Plesh asks J'Lant acting out the motions of moving the coffee without touching anything.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"I ain't too up on local politics, but last I remember, we was in the kingdom of Tarn." Tom tries to jog his memory for anything that would tell him how far away J'lant's kingdom was from his, but he's got nothing. He doesn't even know how big his own kingdom is. Until now, he'd never traveled farther than a day from Haversill.

Tom shrugs, and returns his attention to studying the walls and drinking his drink.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Turning to Plesh, "I think people who can do what I do are a rare breed Plesh," J'Lant says quietly, "I 'ave only met one other person who could do what I can, she was my mentor and she saved my life." Still looking at Plesh a smile crosses his face. A fond memory of his mentor perhaps?

"As far as I know Plesh, Flarik is just another idiotic Kingdom in a world with plenty of them." J'Lant says without thinking.

[kariokie]

Getty

"You materialized from nowhere, as I recall. How did that occur? I we have witnessed with our ocular orbs the manifestation of individuals, however it has always been under their own behest." Getty drains her cup of coffee and pours herself another one.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I am 'onestly not sure," He says quite candidly to Getty.

"On the plus side I am really glad that I did get transported here."

[kariokie]

Getty

"What were you engaged in when you found yourself transported here? Perhaps there is a causal link." Finding the second cup of coffee a tad too hot, she puts it down and picks up a piece of cheese, starting to eat again.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Well," J'Lant says sheepishly, "I was being chased by a rather rotund woman wielding a knife."

Standing up, "We were 'aving a um... an argument and she cut the rope that was 'olding up a bridge I 'appened to be on." Ruffling his hair a bit, "I started to fall and I kept thinking I am going to die. She just stood up there on the edge of the cliff and kept laughing at me. I tried everything I could think of to stop myself from falling. Muffin was panicking and we got closer and closer to the ground. I kept praying and 'oping that some'ow I wouldn't die ." J'Lant pauses shaking from the memory.

"Then suddenly I was with you guys in puddle of water." Finished J'Lant paces about the room with nervous energy.

[kariokie]

Getty

"It is possible that the fear caused by the application of gravity to your corporal form caused your powers to manifest in such a way as to transport you some distance to ensure your safety." Getty grins, starting in on her coffee again, "Or, you know, it could have just been a fluke."

Getty gets up to look out the tavern and see if the rain has ceased. "I would like to get underway before the case of the baffling bovine entangles us. We should ensure the safety and well-being of Tom's home before assuaging my curiosity."

[dauphinous]

The rain does seem to be lessening quite a bit, and everyone is almost dry by the time the storm passes completely. The road is slick and black, and the roofs are all dripping still, but the sun begins to shine brightly just a minute or so after the rain stops. A few other people can be seen poking their heads out of doors or windows of other nearby buildings.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I didn't know you lived in 'aversill Tom. Keeping secrets are we?" J'Lant tries to say mischievously but it comes out rather sulkily.

J'Lant looks over his shoulder and heads out the door depositing the requisite coins on a table beside the blond haired girl, giving her a wink as he passes.

[kariokie]

Getty

Seeing the rain has stopped, Getty claps her hands once and turns back to the others. "Come on young Tom and Pleshnaril, we must embark on the next appendage of our journey so we might arrive at Haversill with all due speed." Grabbing her pack, she heads out the door.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom's remark about ensuring the safety of his home sparks a quick twinge in his stomach.

"Aw yea, I done grew up there. Family's got a bit of a farm. 'Tis how I met ol'Getty here, actually. They was clambering around in some ol'hole in the ground. Figured that had to be better'n tending cows or working a plow."

Tom is more eager than usual - what with Getty's dire warnings - to get back on the road.

[dauphinous]

Not much time has passed, maybe a half hour or so, and everyone starts out onto the road again. Everything glistens with water, and people are starting to come back outside. The road seems to have been designed with a slight curved peak in the middle so all the water runs off it to the sides, though it's not obvious from just looking at it.

A few people wave cheerfully as you walk past, but no one accosts any of you, and you get through town without incident. As you walk, the forest to the south and east gradually becomes more visible, then you actually get to a point where you could take a jaunt just 15 minutes off the road and be inside it. The whole of the forested area is on the east side of the road, which is your left, and Getty, at least, already knows that the forest remains firmly on that side. So there is no concern about walking through it.

Around the time you pass the leading edge of the forest, you start seeing traffic coming from the other direction. It begins as small groups of people on horseback, and increases steadily until there are groups of people walking and wagons led by various beasts of burden also. Somewhere just after midday, the throng of people moving northward is enough to leave you with only a sliver of the road to walk in single file.

But the traffic doesn't last too long. Perhaps two hours after you first begin to encounter people heading in the other direction, it lessens down to just be a few stragglers now and then. About an hour after that, you come across a wagon on the side of the road, something obviously not right. There is a young man, a human of maybe 13, who starts waving to you as soon as he sees you come over the nearest rise of the hills.

There are two horses off a little farther to the side of the road - the right side, which is the side the wagon is on - watched over by an older woman, and you can hear a prodigious amount of swearing coming from the other side of the wagon.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty waves enthusiastically in return, then starts walking towards the wagon. "Hello! Do you require assistance of some variety?" Now, knowing her luck, these people would all turn out to be something horrible like doppelgangers, or cannibals, or possibly traveling kitchenwares salesmen. However it would hardly do to walk past a problem, and drawing her crossbow and pointing it at them while demanding, "how are you going to try and kill me?" seemed awful rash.

Though possibly prudent.

[dauphinous]

The young boy nods enthusiastically to Getty. "Yeah, we broke a wheel. My Da is tryin' to fix it himself, but you can hear how good that's goin'. No one'll stop. I guess they figger we must be bandits or somthin'. We been stuck here almost an hour."

The steady stream of swearwords continues from the other side of the wagon. The woman tending the two horses waves genially.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Muttering under his breath, Tom says, "Are they bandits? Aw hells, only one way to find out."

Tom walks his way over to the wagon, to get a better look, while saying to the boy, "Where y'all headed?"

[dauphinous]

"We're movin' to Haversill. We got family there and our farm in Tiverton got burned to the ground by goblins. Guess the wagon was a little too old fer the trip or somethin'."

The bed of the wagon is covered by a tarp held down at all four corners, so it's impossible to tell what it holds. It is canted at a little bit of a funny angle, though, and the cause seems to be as the boy said. One of the wheels is broken, and there is a older man with obvious family resemblance to the boy kneeling there with a hammer and nails trying to pound the broken parts back on and together. He doesn't seem to be terribly proficient with the repair, though, and several broken nails and wood chips are scattered around him. It is entirely possible that his efforts have made the situation worse. It is equally possible that the man knows this, judging by his continued verbal assault on the wheel, hammer, parts, and nails.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Traveling along atop Muffin J'Lant really has no idea how to help with the repair of a wagon wheel. It is not something he ever thought to become skilled at.

"I think I am tapped out on the this one guys, what can we do?" J'Lant says rubbing his brow.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom eyes the young boy appraisingly, "Aw yea? Who's your folk there, might I ask? I know a good number of that town, myself."

Broken wagon wheels and axles were a way of life. You really couldn't go but a score of miles without having one, not on overland trips like these. Most folk carried a spare or two on their wagon. From the looks of it, they did not.

Inspecting the damage that was done, and was being done, Tom says to the man, "[color=darkorange]Why don't ya take a bit of a break there, sir. Maybe let'us'n take a gander. In fact, while I take a poke, why don't you go find yourself a few logs there'n the woods, make a proper lift. Be best'n to get this wheel off the ground to properly fix it."

{
Does the family they mention, if they do, ring a bell?
I'm attempting to get the folk away from the wagon, or at least out of sight of the wheel, if possible.
}

[kariokie]

Getty

"Yes, you look quite strapping, sir, and quite capable of retrieving the required logs. I have a great deal of mechanical proficiency, and young Tom here puts me to shame with his expertise. It might be prudent to permit him a moment to review it." Getty waves at the man, shooing him in the direction of the trees. She wasn't quite sure why Tom wanted to hide his magic, but he did, so she couldn't help but oblige.

[dauphinous]

The man stands up and stops swearing. He sets everything down as he does. "I s'pose. Can't hardly make it worse, I guess. M' wife, Lottie," the man motions to the woman with the horses, "she's kin with Tansy Robertson. Cousins. We'd be a-goin' someplace elsewise but Haversill is closest and they done kept up corr-e-spondents, or so she says." He looks to the boy then and nods his head off to the wood. They walk away quickly.

The woman is more than busy enough trying to keep the horses from gorging themselves on the lush grasses.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Kneeling before the wagon wheel, Tom inspects the damage more closely. All he needed to do, really, was rejoin the sundered parts. He'd created sheets of ice, and acid before. This couldn't be much harder. It was just wood.

Manually holding each piece of wood to another, Tom tries to imagine the pieces as if they were never apart. He sees it as almost an overlay of two worlds - one where they are apart, and one where they are together - and focuses his will on the latter. Slowly, it seems to become more real, until it is.

For good measure, he loosens one of the bolts keeping the wheel on the axle.

Standing up, he dusts his hands off his pants. "I done found your problem, mister. It ain't half'n'bad as you done made it out to be. Your wheel's just a bit loose. I ain't sure what all that poundin' and hollerin' was for. When you find yerself a lever, we'll get this wheel straightened up in a jiffy."

Then, to distract them from the lie, Tom hastily goes on to another topic: "The Robertson's? Well, I'll be darned. That there makes us kin, then. I'm ol'Robert's son, Tom. I'm headed on home myself, now that you mention it. You said goblins done burnt Tiverton? Dreadful."

{
Create Seed (Wood), I assume a base DC of 5 is sufficient. If I can, take 10, else: Spellcasting check [roll0]
Bluff check: [roll1]
}

[dauphinous]

"Huh. Whaddya know? Small durn world, ain't it?" The man looks at the wheel. "I'm Paul, m' boy is Henry. I coulda swore this wheel was busted. Ah well. Whatever ya done did, it done done it. Thanks to ya."

He offers his hand to shake. Henry, the boy, straggles up behind his father, dragging a fair sized log. "Yep. Goblins. They come outta nowhere. Military folk beat 'em back, but not a'fore they done burnt up a good part'a town. Dunno if anyone's stayin' at this point. Maybe some folks'll stay on and try ta make it work, but we lost pert near ever'thing. Nuthin' to rebuild with, ya know? I sure hope yer Pa don't mind us comin'."

Henry gets his log to the wagon, and with a little bit of effort, the wheel is put back aright. Lottie brings the horses back so they can be hitched up again, and Tom and Getty both can see some resemblance between her and Tansy.

"You folks want ta ride? Horses can handle it, and we ain't got much back there. Mostly just clothes. Nuthin' gonna break fer sure."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom takes the proffered hand, giving it a hearty shake. "Oh, won't mind a turn. He might put you straight to work, but he won't mind at all." The last is said with a big grin. Waving to the others, he hops up on the back of the wagon. "This here'n's some friends of mine; Getty and J'lant, and, uh, Plesharil."

I don't rightly know how to introduce the pixie. Ah well, it might be better to start'em now before we get home.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh flys up and lands on the edge of the wagon behind Toms extended family.

Hi there! Plesh grins at them giving a bow. Don't worry if any nasty gobs show up we'll send them running away. Those people are expert monster killers. Since Ive met them they've killed lots of nasty stuff. Do you have any pie? Plesh had been quiet a long time and his words exploded forth like a burst dam.

I really hope they have some pie

[kariokie]

Getty

"I appreciate your offer of sharing your conveyance, and I shall partake in the respite from self-propelled ambulation." Getty shakes everyone's hands enthusiastically, becoming so enamored of the process that she shakes Tom's hand before realizing she already knows him. Tying the lead of Heecor to the back of the wagon, she jumps up into it and seats herself comfortably.

[dauphinous]

"Holy moly! I ain't never seen nothing like you, afore, Pleshnaril, was it? Wings an' all! What a sight! 'Fraid we ain't got no pie, but we'll get to Freewine soon 'nough. They likely got some there. Pleased to make the acquaint-unce of ya all." Henry stares openly at Pleshnaril. Lottie, who to Tom undoubtedly seems unnaturally quiet, seems to be trying very hard not to stare at the pixie.

Paul chuckles as Getty shakes Tom's hand. "Well, boy, ge' on up there and let's git movin'! Already lost pert near a hour to this. No sense standin' about wastin' more time."

Everyone clambers up into the wagon, with Paul and Lottie riding up front to manage the horses. It seems that Lottie actually does the driving, and Paul mostly just sits. The materials under the tarp seem to be a little lumpy, but everyone can settle in a little and actually be relatively comfortable.

Once it gets going, the wagon moves at a pretty good clip down the road. It isn't too long before you start passing people who are walking in the same direction you're going. Farmland can be seen a ways before the town is actually reached. It seems that Freewine has plenty of grain and vegetable farms of various types, and they stretch off into the distance to the right side of the road. The land on the left side (east, where the forest is) of the road has been left wild. When you actually reach the town, in the early evening, that land seems to have been set up as some kind covered market. There are booths lined up for possibly a half mile underneath a 15 foot high roof that is held up by large wooden columns rather than walls.

The town is incredibly busy and boisterous. The inns are all lined up on the right side of the road, and there are horses, people, wagons, carts, dogs, and more all moving around slowly, as if performing some kind of odd dance. The smell of a large number of animals and people combined with more than a dozen different foods in a relatively small space is a bit overpowering to those not accustomed to it.

Contrary to any possible expectations of such, there does not seem to be anyone handing out free wine.

[North]

Plesh

So is this where your dad lives Tom?

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"Freewine? Aw nah. It's just some other two-bit town. Me an my pa's from Haversil. Where we be goin'. I can't say I've ever been here, mind you."

Tom looks around, absent-mindedly. I wonder what pa will make of Plesh. I wonder what he'll make of me? He's bound to find out about my magicky magic stuff - he'll likely blow a pipe a'hollerin'. Tom sighs, then hops off the wagon to get a more pedestrian feel for this busy town.

[kariokie]

Getty

"Once again I find myself disappointed by the selection of denomination for a particular location. I was not expecting it to actually occur, but it would be pleasant to stumble across a locale that actually did as advertised -- in this case, provided free alcoholic beverages." Getty follows Tom, hopping off the wagon, then looking around at the bustle. "We should procure a room for the night, I suppose."

[dauphinous]

At this point in the day, it isn't that hard to get rooms. It seems that the innkeepers in this town haven't bothered trying to differentiate themselves from each other, and each is just numbered instead of having a colorful name. There is just one rather long stable with several entrances, rather than multiple different ones. None of the inns are full up yet.

The only apparent difference between the five inns seems to be the noise level, with the loudest being closest to the direction you came from (#5), and the quietest being the farthest away (#1). This could just be because most people try the first one one first, though. The smells from all five are exactly the same, and one might think that the inns all share the same kitchen and cook, as the meals listed are all the same: chicken stew with vegetables and bread with butter.

Freewine certainly doesn't offer luxury fare, but everything seems clean, orderly, and neat.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom takes in the bustle; this must be the biggest city he's ever seem. The people, moving to and fro. What on earth are they all doing.

He stops gaping after a time, enough to work on deciding on an inn. "Hey Paul, let's find us an inn. My treat, after all you've been thru. That we can be all proper rested like for tomorrow's journey. You got any preference? I'm partial to that last one, myself."

[dauphinous]

"That's mighty kind of ya, Tom. I 'ppreciate the ges-t-yure." Paul nods at the suggestion of heading for inn #1. "That last one there at least don't got much line yet. I reckon we just breeze on through we go there." Lottie snaps the reins and the horses pick their way through the crowd slowly. She seems to be a quite capable driver, and you find yourselves able to acquire as many rooms as you wish for a fair price. Lottie and Henry see to the stabling and securing of the horses and wagon for the night.

As soon as Lottie and Henry are off, Paul puts an arm around Tom's shoulders and uses a relatively quiet voice to talk to him. "I was wunderin' if I kin ask you something. You seem like you gots truck with all kinds of folks, which ain't no bad thing if ya ask me, and Lottie, well, she dun fell on some kinda curse or somethin' durin' that thing with the goblins. Maybe you know somebody what could help."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom listens as Paul explains Lottie's situation. He had his doubts, but he'd do what he can. "Sure, I, uh, I'll see what I can do. Maybe I can talk to her some, find out more about this 'curse'. You sure she's just not real upset by the attack? It was probably pretty scary."

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant remains mostly silent throughout the day. Watching Tom's meeting with these new folk.

[dauphinous]

"Ain't so much as she won't talk, as seems she can't talk. Like ain't able to. She kin still write ok. Op'ns her mouth, but nothin' comes out. She thinks some goblin did somethin' to her. Saw somethin' that she's hard put to write about, at least." Paul shrugs. "If'n you got somethin' you kin try, well, anythin' would be better'n nuthin', ya know?"

It is of note that, unfortunately, there is no pie to be had at the inn.

[kariokie]

Getty

"Not being able to verbalize one's thoughts would be tremendously burdensome!" Well, especially to Getty. The rail thin woman doesn't say much else, though, permitting Tom to handle the encounter without her interjections.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

At some point, during the course of the evening, Tom will try to get Lottie alone. He makes sure he's procured a piece of parchment and some charcoal or other writing utensil.

"Howdy! I understand you ain't been talkin' since them goblins came. Think you can tell - er, write to me what happened? It sure would be nice to hear your voice again, missy."

[dauphinous]

Lottie nods and takes the parchment and pencil and begins to write in neat printing. Her penmanship is quite good, even if her grammar is not. She seems to spend a lot of time thinking between many of the words, tapping the pencil on the table several times when she pauses. She uses up about half of one side of the page.

goblins had kobold. special. staff with gems and really nice cloak. necklace of teeth like human teeth had pendant in center. plain black disk mezanne. talked but I don't understand. not sure why they don't kill me kobold chanted something and whacked me across the throat with staff. woke up later not dead can't talk. can hear just fine. i don't think anyone else what saw the kobold lived. guardsmen didn't say nothing about no kobold.

Then she looks up at Tom, her expression colored with confusion, frustration, and maybe a little guilt.

[North]

Plesh

No Pie? Well maybe the other inns will have some. Plesh thought to himself. Well Im gonna see whats goin on in the other inns menus. You guys can come if you like.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Taking Plesh up on his offer J'Lant tags along.

"'ey, I am going to go on the epic quest for pie with Plesh see you guys in a bit." J'Lant says to Getty and Tom.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

After Tom reads Lottie's written account, he draws in a sharp breath of air. "Well, I'm glad you got away with your life. Them gobbos and kobolds are nasty critters. Have you been to see a priest, or anyone else, since the attack? If you want, I can see what I can do. Can you keep a secret?"

If she says yes, I'll try seeing if I can sense any magicks on her:

Divination Seed: DC 5, Take 10 for 16

[dauphinous]

Lottie writes out:

not seen priest. can't afford it. got almost nothing.
i can keep a secret.

Lottie has a bizarre dark spot that shows up under Tom's scrutiny. It is positioned directly over her throat, and seems to pulse as if it were somehow connected to her heartbeat. It is, however, not precisely magical. Tom can get no feel for a seed creating the effect. Perhaps it was caused directly by the attack of some kind of creature or the application of a substance.

you don't want folk to know you can make magic?

{MOD & North, see the OOC thread, please}

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom's taken aback at Lottie's rather observant, er, observation. He pauses a moment, before saying, quietly and conspiratorily, "Uh, aye. I don't rightly like to show off, ya know? But I'll do what I can to help ya. I don't rightly know much about curses and stuff, but if I ask my more worldly friend, maybe she knows a thing or two? If that's alright, I'll bring her here. She's a curious sort, but don't worry none; just don't let her start any fires."

If Lottie indicates it's alright, Tom will go find Getty, to get her opinion on the matter, pointing out what he's been able to see so far: it pulses, isn't entirely magical, and was caused by the kobold shaman.

[dauphinous]

If any sound came out of her mouth, Tom could tell that Lottie is chuckling.

my sister can make magic. little stuff. she run off with some boy years ago. don't rightly know where to. maybe you done got it from our side of the family.

She nods to Tom's request to let Getty in on the 'conversation'.

---

Pleshnaril and J'Lant begin an investigation of the town. The entire length of the town on the east side of the road is taken up with the open-air market. The west side has the five inns, the stables, and a smithy. As none of the inns seem to offer pie, the market seems like the next likely place. There are certainly plenty of people there, selling plenty of things.

Under that wall-less roof is a noisy place to be right about now. The roof seems to catch the noise and echo it back such that it isn't long before everyone is yelling to hear the person standing next to them. One can only wonder how it is that the whole town isn't inundated with the cacophony.

An hour of wading through the sea of people leaves you with the knowledge that no one here has any sorts of baked goods at all. Lots of fruits, vegetables, grains...raw food. Plenty of small religious knickknacks, some ordinary types of cloth, like plain and dyed cotton and wool, as well as already made clothing items, and the like.

That leaves plunging into the village proper. As soon as you pass by the inns and stables, the buildings are all smaller and less sturdy. It is dark now, and the village part of the town is quiet. Unlike Ciderspring and Haversill, Freewine does not have magical lights throughout the town to keep it lit. It doesn't even have much int he way of mundane lighting. A few of the houses have light coming through windows, but there aren't any sorts of lampposts or other organized forms of lighting. So it's fairly dark.

The village part is relatively tidy. Houses have little gardens around them. A few houses even have gardens on them, with parts of their roofs actually living plants instead of thatch. Several houses have wooden bins out front, which, judging by the smell, are for composting or some similar sort of purpose.

A loud clatter comes from not far away as you are poking around in the village, followed by what sounds like a cat making an angry, scared mewl.

[kariokie]

Getty

She quickly skims the woman's side of the conversation, then nods. "Well, it's a conspicuously captivating conundrum, ma'am. We have several courses of action available to us should Tom's abilities be unable to assist. I first suggest that we continue to Haversill tomorrow and that we speak to the priestess of Besille there. If I recall correctly -- and I always do -- I believe her husband is the proprietor of a shop of magical accoutrements as well, so might possess some insight. If those options fail, I suppose the next solution would be to go to the source of the problem and perforate it until it disclosed the exact details of, and solution to, your predicament."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Plesh, I do believe that pie is not readily available in this area. A shame I am sure of." J'Lant says as the two travel about. Startled by the sudden noise J'Lant decides to investigate.

"Come on Plesh lets see what all that noise is about."

[dauphinous]

Lottie nods to Getty.

haversill is where we's going anyway. if you know somebody there what can help, i'd appreciate getting introduced. i hope they durn't want too much paying, though.

---

Pleshnaril and J'Lant speed towards the noise, and hear cats meowing as they approach. They turn the corner of a building and see two cats, sitting there and meowing at each other. One of them, an orange shorthair cat, is standing up against a shrub, and only meowing once at a time. The other, a black shorthair cat, is sitting and meowing a lot. There is a smashed up wood bin whose contents, which seem to be mostly rotting vegetables and fruits, are strewn about. The cats are not sitting in the refuse, rather they are close by it.

The curious thing about this scene is that the orange cat is acting very cat-like. The black cat, though, is not. It is just sitting, not really moving at all, except to watch the other cat and meow at it.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"An I knew there was a right fit reason I brought you into this, Getty. That's a mighty fine plan. We should ask ol'Plesh and J'lant, too, on the by-the-by, in case either of them have seen this sort of predicament 'fore." Tom turns back to Lottie, and explains, "And no worries there on any payment, missy. If that lovely priestess has a mind to ask for a donation, why I'd be glad to help you and yours out; we's kin, after all."

[North]

Plesh the Oblivious


Hmm still no pie. Just a couple of kitties. Plesh walks over to the closest cat and starts petting it. J'Lant I fear that we are truly cursed. Does no one make pie any more?

[dauphinous]

that's right kind of you. preciate it. i should eat with paul and henry. Lottie smiles and gets up to move over to the table where her husband and son are. She waves you both over if you don't follow.

---

Both cats turn abruptly to look at the pixie and human. The orange cat hisses and runs for it, disappearing into the darkness. The black cat stands up and looks at both. Its ears are pricked forward, and its head is tilted slightly to one side. Its tail remains motionless, and it stands still. As Pleshnaril begins petting it, both ears lie back flat and it takes a step back.

[North]

Plesh

Aw you dont like being pet kitty? Plesh searches his pockets for something that the cat might like to eat only finding trail rations and crumbs. Sorry Mr Cat but I dont have any food for you either.

[dauphinous]

The cat begins to change. For a split second, it seems like it has some sort of bizarre tumor sprouting incredibly fast. The fur melts away and the legs and paws elongate, as do the head and body until an elven woman is on all fours next to you. She has black hair, bright green eyes, and is wearing little more than what looks like some leaves arranged to cover all the interesting parts. "That's Miss Cat to you, pixie." She speaks with a fair amount of hostility as she stands up to her full four and a half feet tall.

"What do you want?"

[North]

Plesh the Diplomat

Um Apple Pie? Plesh answers back trying to figure out if shes an elf that can turn into a cat or a cat that can turn into an elf.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Greetings I am J'Lant and this is my friend Pleshnaril," J'Lant says cheerfully extending his hand, "We were on an epic quest for pie! Apple pie to be more specific."

"We did 'owever 'ear some interesting noises and decided to investigate and wow 'ow did you do that," J'Lant says quizzically, "What is your name?"

[dauphinous]

"You interrupted me for 'apple pie'?" The elf glares at the pixie. "Do you have any idea how much effort it takes to talk to cats?" She makes fists with her hands and paces a few steps, then back. "They have tiny little brains and can only handle one idea at a time, and you have to speak very slowly just so they can get a grasp of what you're trying to say. And you interrupted me and destroyed the work I'd just done with that one. For apple pie."

Her nostrils flare and she glares a little more at Pleshnaril. "Men," she says in a huff, and starts walking away.

[North]

Plesh

Sorry about that. I didnt mean to scare your the other cat off. I was just following the sound. Plesh apologizes catching up to the Elf-cat. What were you trying to tell the cat?

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Wait," J'Lant says jogging to catch up to the elf, "I am just curious, what were you trying to ask the cat? Maybe we could 'elp?"

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty waits until the woman walks away, then looks at Tom. "Any reason in particular you wish to disguise your magic, Tom? It's a remarkable ability."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

"Er, what? Nah, I'm not disguising nothing. Me? Nope..."

Realizing he's in no way bluffing the precocious rogue, he drops his facade, "I don't know. My pa never did speak kindly of magickers. I don't want them thinking I'm some sort of voodoo maker. Small town folk can be right suspicious of strange things. Besides, why should they know? They'll just start pesterin' me to make it rain, or drive away the locusts."

He's quite for a bit, before adding, "And I don't rightly know how I feel about it. I mean...it's like..." Tom seems at a loss for words, as if he'd been thinking about something for a while and it was all coming out in a gush, "I can't help but wonder what's real anymore. I mean, here we are, a'chattin' away, but I could just dream up something random, and suddenly it'd be here. Maybe none of this is real. Maybe I'm just dreamin' or something. How do I know what's real when I can make whatever I want be real?"

[kariokie]

Getty

"What an interesting conundrum, young Tom. Being able to manipulate the fabric of existence would indeed make you doubtful about any instance's reality." Getty looks thoughtful, before realizing Tom didn't need a scientific discussion. "I could actually be a very powerful magician, and this could all be my dream, not yours. Who is to say? I suppose, Tom, whatever you think is real at the moment is real, and the rest isn't. You have to use your judgment, Tom. You're a smart man, and have a good heart."

She muses for a minute more, rubbing her chin. "Additionally, does it matter if anything is real? If you take action, it should be to help people. Does it matter if what you do is real or not, as long as you're trying to help the people you think you should help?"

Getty grins. "Well, I see why your head might hurt sometimes."

[dauphinous]

The elf stops abruptly and whirls, whipping her black hair around a little. She glares suspiciously at J'Lant, then Pleshnaril, then J'Lant again. "Why do you want to know? Are you trying to work against me? You're with Orrin, aren't you - always sticking his big bear nose into everything and never letting anything be."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom lets out a quick guffaw, "That it sure does, ma'am, that it sure does."

Pausing only briefly, he adds, "Thanks, by the by, for the compliments. You ain't half bad yourself. You done seen me thru some bad parts, that's for sure. I couldn't've asked for a better adventurin' mentor, as it were. C'mon, let's get some eats."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I was just curious and you seem like you might need some 'elp." Says J'Lant with a confused look on his face, "I do not know who this Orrin fellow is and we are definatly not trying to work against you in any way." J'Lant gives Plesh a sideways glance with an eyebrow raised.

[kariokie]

Getty

She resumes her complicated form of speech as quickly as she had abandoned it. "Verily, young Tom. Let us commence consumption of yon consumables." She pats him on the back and then notices the mute woman waving at them. Allowing Tom to go ahead, she watches him for a moment. Not knowing what was real or not. I can hardly imagine. Shaking off the thought, she heads to the table as well.

[dauphinous]

The food, though simple, is fresh and well made. Paul slides a bowl over to Tom and pushes the bread and butter in his direction. "We 'preciate whatever you c'n do, Tom, Getty. However it turns out. Puttin' up the effort is all a body c'n ask for." It doesn't look like Lottie actually told him anything, as there isn't a piece of paper in evidence.

---

Still eying both pixie and human suspiciously, the elf twitches her lips a little, possibly considering J'Lant's claim. Then she relaxes ever so slightly, and her eyes lose a little of the narrowness. "Well, ok, I guess. It was just an accident, then." She looks around uncertainly. "Um, ok. So, I have things to, uh, do, and you're looking for...pie, right? Why don't you just make your own?"

[MOD]

J'Lant

"'ey, I 'ave an idea. 'ow about we 'elp you with your problem and then you can 'elp us with yours?" Says J'Lant to the elf. "What is your name my dear?"

"Does that sound good to you Plesh?" J'Lant says softly to Plesh

[North]

Plesh

I would make my own but I dont really know how to... They stopped letting me cook after the fire. Not my fault. I thought the period was another tiny zero so I cooked it for 500 minutes instead of 50.... Plesh trails off. But yeah if your just trying to get another cats attention we can help.

[dauphinous]

"Shirielle." She nods. "I suppose. I'm-" she stops, then moves in a little closer and whispers. "I'm trying to organize the cats of Freewine into a resistance front. We're going to stop these people polluting the land."

[North]

Plesh

Well Im Plesh and this is J'Lant. Plesh says indicating besides him. A cat resistance movement? That sounds....hard. How many have you gotten so far? Why not try talking to the humans?

[MOD]

J'Lant

"That does sound challenging but I think we can do it!" He says with a grin,"Well, Shirielle where do you suggest we start?"

[dauphinous]

Shirielle pouts at Pleshnaril. "The humans? They're the problem! They have all these farms, and they just keep making more. They don't care about the squirrels, or the groundhogs, or the flowers, or any of it. All they care about is gobbling up more land like a swarm of fat, greedy turkeys. Without the feathers. or the ability to respect the land. Or flight. Or a goiter. Some of them look kind of like turkeys though..." She trails off and looks down and with a frown for a moment, then snaps her head back up and brandishes a finger triumphantly. "Vultures! They're like vultures. Except that they don't fill a necessary role in the ecosystem...Tree rot! They're like tree rot." She nods to emphasize this final assessment.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty quickly eats the food provided, but remains silent, watching the conversation as she begins to try and balance a dull knife point-first in the palm of her hand.

Her silence was a kindness, really. Most common people found her alternately mystifying and irritating. These people had been through a great deal recently -- the last thing they needed was a crash course in obscure vocabulary.

[North]

Plesh

Speaking in Sylvan to the elf Plesh says. Well the humans arent that bad, they have to be trained like anyone else. And their attention span is slightly better then a cats at least. Back home we managed to work out an understanding with them. And the ones who didnt understand, well after further "discussions" didnt come back to the forest. They are short lived so they think in the short term.. Plesh finishes off in common for J'Lants benifit. How would you like to come back to the inn with us and meet some humans who are decent? A tree begins with a seed after all Plesh smiles at the elf.

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Yes, I think that is a good idea Plesh it will go faster if we can get more 'elp with the gathering of the cats." J'Lant says with a nod.

[dauphinous]

"I...guess..." She both sounds and looks highly skeptical of Pleshnaril's suggested approach. After another long pause, during which her face runs through an assortment of expressions, she finally says, "Okay. I guess I can always just walk out and let all the horses loose and make all their crops wither to dust."
Shirielle smiles and starts walking, picking her way daintily towards the row of inns.

[North]

Plesh

After Shirielle starts walking towards the Inns Plesh gives J'Lant the look. The same sort of look that you might give a young pixie who says he's going to go wrestle a bear. Quick stepping to catch up Plesh leads Shirielle to the Inn where Getty and Tom are in. Walking in Plesh tried to open the door for the elf and introduces his companions to her.

[dauphinous]

As soon as she sees which door it is that Pleshanril is going to, Shirielle steps up and slams the door open, boldly striding through in her smattering of leaves that barely hide anything. Her brown hair is wild and unkempt, and she stands in the doorway, glowering at the whole room. Which has gone completely silent.

Everyone is staring directly at the nearly naked elf. She snarls at them all. "All of you are a blight on this land, and if you don't leave immediately, I'm going to destroy all the crops in all the fields as far as the eye can see!"

[North]

Plesh

Speaking in Sylvan to the elf, Plesh speaks harshly You know when I was inviting you to meet my friends I was expecting you to be polite. Is this what passes for courtesy? I might expect this from one of the big jobs while drunk but not you! Now stand down! Plesh finishes staring down Shirielle.

Intimidate (1d20+6=26) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1302331)

((So is that a 36 then :smallbiggrin: A great time to roll a 20))

[MOD]

J'Lant

As the strange elf does something unexpected J'Lant tries to laugh heartily and calm the situation.

"Oh don't mind my friend," J'Lant tells the patrons, "She appears to 'ave 'ad a little too much tonight so please don't mind her."

Bluff (1d20+5=21) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1302409)

[dauphinous]

Shirielle's expression changes instantly to that of shock and dismay. The leaves on her body all wilt and flutter to the ground, so she is standing there completely nude. Then she covers her face with both hands, turning back out the door and running away into the darkness.

The common room of the inn erupts into loud chatter as soon as J'Lant breaks the awkward silence.

[North]

Plesh

Fill them in on what happened J. Plesh says taking off after the elf. I'll go after Shirielle.

Plesh flies after Shirielle.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Calmly walking towards Tom and Getty, J'Lant appears tries to put on the appearance of nonchalnce. Calmly sitting at thier table J'Lant begins in a hushed whisper, "Well, you 'eard that strange elf woman," says J'Lant pointing in the general direction that Plesh went, "we met 'er on our quest for pie. Which I might add we never finished, anyway she told us she was trying to stop this town from polluting the surrounding farm lands. Plesh and I thought we could 'elp 'er out and you two might be interested. You know the rest. Want to catch up with Plesh?"

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty watches the display, a knife still balanced in the palm of her hand. As angry, barely-clad unkempt elf turns into upset naked unkempt elf, she continues to watch.

"I have precisely one request for additional information? Why is it that all individuals that insist on prancing about unclothed have two characteristics in common: firstly, a need to defend the environment, and secondly, they are individuals I don't particularly want to see naked?" Getty stands, grabbing her pack and heading to the door. "Oh, fine. Let's go."

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom enjoys the spectacle of the elf in a fit, but when she suddenly goes unclothed, he feels himself flush. The image seems to have burned a veritable hole in his brain. "Uh...er...yea...alright. Go."

Elf. See again. Mmm...

[dauphinous]

Pleshnaril sees the elf change shape back into a black cat and starts bounding away. Everyone else gets out the door just in time to see the back half of a black cat disappear around the corner of the building, headed back into the village.

[North]

Plesh

Turning invisible Plesh goes airborne so he can track Shirielle better.

Elves...

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Getty, I do not know why anyone presumes to dress that way. But it does not offend any of my senses at all. Right Tom?" J'Lant says jabbing Tom playfully in the ribs.

J'Lant jumps up from the table and makes a hasty exit after Getty.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty exits the inn and looks around. No elf, no pixie. "Well. That certainly throws the proverbial wrench in the mechanics of my intricate plan of 'follow them'."

[dauphinous]

The cat madly dashes, but not far. She jumps into some shrubs outside one of the small houses and immediately hunkers down, head covered by both paws. Her body shudders several times, and she is making a wheezing sort of noise.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

At J'lant's ribbing, Tom can only stutter out, "Uh, wuh, sure...right."

Shaking his head, he follows the others, mumbling, "I think I know which reality is real; mine's never this weird."

Spying the wheezing cat, he shrugs, "You alright there, putty cat?"

[North]

Plesh

Seeing Shirielle go to ground, Plesh turns visible and goes to land by her.

(If Plesh sees the others he'll try to get their attention by throwing a coin at them and pointing at where the Elf is)

[dauphinous]

The cat becomes the elf again, curled up and crying almost hysterically. The transformation is just like when Allard used to change from wolf to man, only the cat is obviously much smaller than a wolf. Her face is buried in her arms, and her body shudders with each sob.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh lands near the weeping elf. Speaking to her softly in sylvanPassion is good. But blind vengeance...not so much. Taking off the pack he pulls out the bedroll and puts it over her shoulders. My friends are approaching. They saved my life once. I hope that wont have to happen again tonight. Plesh smiles at her.

[kariokie]

Getty

The rogue looks from where she suspects Pleshnaril is to J'Lant. "You individuals discover a scantily clothed new friend and your first act is to make her lament making your acquaintance?" Walking closer to where the elf is curled up, Getty stops about ten feet away and says softly, "Now, now. Weeping will do you no benefit. Instead, why not exercise your right to express your feelings in a more productive manner? Smack Pleshnaril in the back of the head. I bet he'll fly at least thirty paces."

[North]

Plesh

They are good bigjobs. Even if they are savages. Plesh winks at Getty.

[dauphinous]

The elf sniffles into her arms a little bit. "No one ever listens to me. That big dumb dope Orrin always tells everyone I'm just a joke. All I want is for them to stop making more fields! Undo some of the ones they already have! They have enough. The animals need a place to live, too!"

[kariokie]

Getty

At the name, Getty brightens. "Orrin! Why we have actually-" That's the last thing she wants to hear! "Uh, met someone once named Orik. How, uh, interesting that we met someone with a similar monkier at one point in time. Though, uh, he- erm, she, SHE, had nothing to do with nature. She, uh. Uh. Baked. Things."

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant looks at Getty strangely. Then turns back to the nude elf. Seeing her still naked he immediately turns back around with his back facing her giving her a little more privacy.

"I understand what your saying completely Shirielle. Feeling outclassed and made fun of is very 'urtful. But I was given some sage advice once that has always stuck to me." J'Lant says waxing poetic, "Nature 'as a way of always come back to bite you in the ass, you can step on it, cut it down, and burn it to the ground, but give it time and it always comes back. Nature is extremely resilient Shirielle and I know that if you keep trying eventually you will succeed too." J'Lant sighs a bit remembering his mentor.

"'ow about you try something a bit different. Back 'ome we would organize a little resistance, peaceful resistance mind you, it is called a strike. You should just talk to all the animals in that work on those farms you do not like tell them to stop working."

[dauphinous]

Shirielle looks up at getty, then J'Lant, eyes still watery and sniffling. "Farm animals? I can't talk to horses or cows or sheep, though. Just cats and squirrels and dogs."

[North]

Plesh

Is that what your trying to do right now Shirielle? Are you trying to prove something? There are other ways of doing that then destroying a town full of people. Plesh says to her quietly.

[dauphinous]

She drops her head again and wails. "You all just think I'm crazy! Just like everyone else!"

[North]

Plesh

Plesh rubs the grief stricken elfs shoulder. I dont think your crazy. Just misguided a bit. Will you stay here when I talk with my friends?

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty looks from the distressed elf to J'Lant and Pleshnaril, and then back down at the elf. At first she had thought the elf's rant in the inn was some sort of performance piece or accidental outburst, but it seemed as if the elf actually did mean that she wanted to carry out her threats. "If I comprehend this situation correctly, she wishes to inhibit the ability of townsfolk to make their livelihoods via the destruction of their crops and we're comforting her concerning the matter?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

After the woman's transformation from a cat to her elven form, Tom ends up standing about, mouth flapping like a fish on land. He tries very hard not to ogle the woman, but try is all he ends up accomplishing. He just hopes no one else notices. Getty is using her big words again, and Plesh actually seems to be reasoning with the woman - instead of going on about pies or fruits or whatever foods he has a passion for.

Those thoughts flit about vaguely in Tom's teenage mind, along with panicky thoughts that he might have a reaction that would be deemed especially inappropriate.

[dauphinous]

Shirielle just keeps crying as Pleshnaril speaks to her. She nods a little, though, which could be taken as her agreement to stay where she is. At the very least, she seems disinclined to go anywhere for the moment, too busy being upset to wander off.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh makes a panicked face at Getty. More of a trying to help her find a better path in a tough situation. Lets go over there and talk. Gesturing to a spot away a bit but still in eyeline of the elf.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Whispering to the group, "I believe she is just a little misguided. Maybe we could lend her a 'elping 'and by showing her some nonviolent ways of getting what she wants."

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty walks off to the side -- though she's relatively sure that elves have good enough hearing that it doesn't matter how far she walks. "You are suffering a fallacy of logic -- you assume that because she desires something, that not only is it correct that she desires it, but also that we must facilitate its implementation. We must explore the root of this -- are the animals actually in danger? Are there impartial individuals who will corroborate her story? And, perhaps most importantly, can someone provide the elf some garments before Tom's jaw drops right off his head?"

[North]

Plesh

In a low voice Plesh speaksShe just needs a bit of guidance. And maybe some exposure to good humans. My aunt Tenaria thought you were all murderous savages. Until the traders came by more often. Now she just thinks your savages. Plesh winks. You people take some getting use to. Thats why I came with you, to see more of you and the world. The stories Ill have when I come back home!. Shirielle has a tough calling, shes used to nurturing the forest and shes not used to the changes humans bring with them. Plesh looks back at the crying elf. And she looks like she could use a couple friends.

Plesh looks back to the group. I have a lot of respect for natures guardians and the work they do. The tribal shamans are some of the wisest beings Ive ever met. By the seed this cant come to battle! the spritely pixie finishes emotionally.

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant, initially puzzled by something Getty began to say earlier, suddenly has a rare idea.

"Erm, Getty? Perhaps it might 'elp if you clued us in to what you may 'ave 'eard of this Orrin person Shirielle mentioned?"

He considers some more, and as though talking to himself murmurs, "I would really like to 'elp 'er with 'er problem if we can. I do so like cats, I mean elves...."

Suddenly recalling his company he adds in a louder voice, "And I do not want the people here 'urt either, of course."

J'Lant looks around sheepishly.

[kariokie]

Getty

"I've actually seen Orrin in the flesh -- though not quite as much as in the flesh as this druidic individual, though certainly comparable to the amount of flesh Allard would feel the need to display on occasion." Getty's eyes dance with amusement, remembering her various quips at Allard's naked expense, then she shakes her head. "Orrin was Allard's teacher, and Allard adventured with us. I trust him, so I trust Orrin."

[North]

Plesh

Maybe we should go visit Orrin with her then... Plesh looks at Tom. It would mean another delay in visiting your Da Tom.

[kariokie]

Getty

"We need to first establish what -- if any -- immediate threat she holds for this and other communities. It seems as if she is completely impotent to enact any of her desired mayhem. If that is indeed true, then there is no reason to put off a more immediate mission to interact with her."

Getty sighs, realizing she's not getting through to Pleshnaril, nor J'Lant. Sometimes a plainer method of speech was required, and fortunately Getty had that capability in spades. "The bitch is crazy. Why on earth should we stop to help a crazy bitch do crazy things when we have another crazy bitch to worry about who can actually do harm?"

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Gahhhh!", J'Lant exclaims. Rubbing his forehead he stalks off to the elf.

"Look Shirielle, 'eres an idea for you. Go talk to all the animals you can. All the dogs, all the cats, and the squirrels and convince them, in whatever way possible, to start causing problems for the farmers. Then after a little ruckus 'as been caused go talk to the mayor of this town and tell 'im or 'er that if he does not meet your demands that the animals will continue to cause said ruckus. Does that sound good?" J'Lant whispers to the elf.

[dauphinous]

"You don't care! You're just like everyone else!" Shirielle wails again, then shrinks into a grey-brown squirrel form with bright black eyes and starts scampering away.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom, jarred from his *ahem* reverie by the elf changing forms, mutters quietly, "Don't go...we can...help!"

Sighing, he looks to the others in a what-do-we-do-now way.

[MOD]

J'Lant

Shouting at the scampering squirrel, "You know I tried, I really did Shirielle. All I wanted was to 'elp you. Give back where I have taken. 'ell! I even used YOUR original plan and improved upon it. But if thats 'ow your going to be, if your going to ignore my suggestions, act foolishly, and then run off," J'Lant takes a deep breath and continues shouting even louder, "maybe this ORRIN fellow is right and you just do not have what it takes!!!"

I suppose that would be an intimidate and a diplomacy?

Intimidate (1d20-1=19) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1322946)
Ohhhh another natural 20 on an intimade check so thats a 29 total. Ya I think shes going to keep running...
Diplomacy (1d20-1=9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1322948)

[kariokie]

Getty

"Oh my beakers and test tubes. You individuals have a great deal to learn about interaction, and coming from someone who routinely snorts beverages out her nose when confronted with attractive individuals of the male gender, that is saying a great deal." Getty dusts off her hands, even though they are clean.

"Tom, we can no longer rectify this situation. Indeed, we have probably damaged it beyond repair. Let us go inside."

[North]

Plesh

Wait.... Dont go. Plesh deflates as she bolts again. Well you tried at least. He tells himself not believing his own words. Plesh follows the others back inside the inn. What a terrible night. And we didnt even find apple pie.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Closing his gaping mouth, Tom follows Getty back inside. In truth, he was somewhat glad they didn't get caught up in whatever troubles the strange, naked elf (naked!) was involved with. He really just wanted to get home to his family, then maybe figure out what was wrong with the girl.

Still, J'lant's intimidation of the poor woman, obviously in need, didn't endear him towards the same man he already had sore feelings for. "You sure know how to treat women, don't ya, J'lant. Poor woman wants help, and you go'n bully her off."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"I am in no mood to listen to your quips Tom," J'Lant says angrily making his way back towards the inn.

[dauphinous]

When the door to the inn opens again, the whole places gets quiet immediately. As soon as it is apparent that only regular humans seem to be coming in, though, chatter immediately resumes and no one pays any of you much notice, though a few do stare openly at Pleshnaril (unless he's invisible, of course). The rest of the meal passes without event, and the rooms are clean, if a little small. Paul and Henry don't say anything about the elf (neither does Lottie, but that's not so odd), but Paul does mention that he'd like to get an early start if no one minds.

In the morning, the wagon is ready to go early enough that only a few people are heading out yet. Henry wakes anyone up who needs to be woken to get moving that early. The sun is barely just peeking up over the horizon as Lottie gets the horses moving and the wagon starts trundling down the road. She dodges the wagon around a slower moving cart and some walking folks, then you have clear road ahead of you.

The wagon moves at a good clip. Henry hands out some fresh bread and wedges of cheese, along with cups of water. A few hours later, you begin to pass people going in the other direction on fast horses. The traffic in the other direction steadily increases as time passes. Just a little after midday, the traffic has slowed back down to be just a few late-leaving stragglers and you arrive in Haversill.

"We done made good time." Paul looks to Tom. "Which way is the farm?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

At the tavern, Tom bites off any snide comment he can make, and just heads up to his room. Come morning, he pays the bill, along with that of Paul and his kin, before most of the tavern had stirred.

When they arrive in Haversill, Tom feels butterflies in his stomach. He'd left rather abruptly, and both looked forward to and dreaded the coming reunion with his family. He hestitates only briefly, before directing Paul towards his home, "Well, I reckon unless they've done upped and moved, it should be over yonder."

[dauphinous]

Under Tom's guidance, the wagon arrives at the Robertson farm shortly. Plenty of the men of the place are about in the field. The cows are all out and Tom's father is standing by the fence with two of his brothers and his uncle. They look like they aren't really doing anything but talking, and Tom's father slaps his leg, laughing at something as they come into view.

"Lottie not bein' able to talk is gonna make this a little funny, I guess. What should we tell 'em?" Paul gives Lottie a hand getting out of the wagon and the group of men notices you all and starts walking your way. Jack is amongst them and waves.

"Hey, it's Tom! He done come back!"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

It's funny: all his life he'd lived on that farm, and he'd always wanted to leave. If you'd asked him what was good about being there, he'd've not known what to say. But being back, after having been away? He couldn't, at first believe he'd wanted to leave.

That feeling doesn't last long, though. It was good to be home, for sure. But already he could feel the conformity of the family life there settling in. Seeing his father made him want to do good, and hide what he was. His brothers tending the field reawakened jealousies over their place in the world, and the gads of people made him realize the lack of privacy and individuality that was allowed.

Still, it was good to be home. Hopping off the cart, he beams a smile bigger than a country pumpkin, "I sure have. I couldn't stay away from ma's cookin'."

Tom strides forward, until he's near Jack, "Jack - you 'member ol'Paul here? They had a right sour turn out their way. Kobolds. They need a place to hole up for a while. I figured a little hospitality would fix'em right up." Quietly, he adds, "Poor Lottie there ain't talking; she was right trau-ma-tized by the ordeal."

Farm folk weren't much for handouts, but were big on helping those in need get on their way. He had no doubts Paul and his family would be receiving all the help the community could muster; just about every farmer had need to call on those in his or her community from time to time.

Turning his attention to the group at large, Tom shouts out, "You folk'll remember some of my friends, here?" He glosses over the fact that only really Getty was here before; the others having left, gone home, or...well...died.

Tom wasn't sure how his pa would react to his return, and more seriously, how he'd react to the pixie, if he showed himself. For now, Tom merely meets his gaze, and nods.

[dauphinous]

All of these men are obviously related to Tom. Same brown eyes and hair, same general build, similar facial features.

Paul nods and seems relieved at Tom’s explanation. He offers his hand to those that approach, most notably the elder Robertson. “Sorry to just barge down like this, but we jus’ weren’t havin’ no other place to go, really. I know it’s been a lotta years since we was down this a’ways. Lottie’s been keepin’ up the letters with Tansy since she done run off with some dumb lout what she ‘ventually married.” Paul grins a little. “We won’t take up no space if ya ain’t go it.”

“Kobolds? That there’s some nasty business. Seems like the whole world is fallin’ ‘part these days.” Tom’s father shakes Paul’s hand firmly, then grins. “I reckon I rightly recall the dumb lout what Lottie run off with. That were a whole lotta years ago. Them yer boys?” He gestures up at Henry and J’Lant.

As introductions are made and identities sorted out, Tom’s father finally says, “Well she-oot, Tom, you know yer Ma’s in charge ‘round here.” He adds a wink. “I ‘spect she’ll have ya settled in a’fore dinner. Long as yer willin’ ta pitch in a hand, we got space. Coupla the boys been lookin’ at mebbe buyin’ the Widow Blakey’s place with their wives an’ movin’ out anyway. This’ll jus’ be good in-cen-tivizin’. Tom, you kin take ‘em on up. We’s best be getting’ back ta work here.” He gives a meaningful look at the rest of the men that have gathered. “We’ll take care o’ ya wagon and git yer stuff on up ta the house right an’ proper.”

"Can't tell ya how much we 'preciate it, Jimmy." Paul shakes Tom's father's hand again and Lottie gives him a smile and a little bow.

[North]

Plesh

Plesh was invisible throughout the introductions. He was always nervous around new people. Especially the big ones. But they seemed friendly enough. He flys onto the top of the table. Hello Toms Ma and Toms Da, If you had any apple pie you would be my hero. After a moments hesitation. But no naked cat/squirrel/elves please? They give me too much heartburn.

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant introduces himself and remains mostly quite still pondering events from the night before.

"Yes, I agree some pie is needed. Though, please, do not go to any trouble on our accounts."

[kariokie]

Getty

The rail-thin woman stays in the background, merely observing. Indeed, it's almost as if she's watching a foreign species interact, and once or twice she can be caught making notes in her journal. Faaaascinating. Polysyllabic words are divided into smaller portions for ease of pronunciation.

[dauphinous]

Tom leads the way up to the house, where two old people, and man and a woman, are sitting in rocking chairs on the porch. Both have knitted blankets covering their legs, and look really quite old. They rock gently back and forth and watch you all troop inside without a word, but with crotchety glares.

Once inside, there is a group of women in the kitchen, all cleaning something: pots, pans, the three long tables with their benches, the floor, the walls, some laundry in a big bucket, and so on. None of these women look like overly like they are related to the men outside. Some of them seem like they might be related to each other, though. One of the older women, probably in her late 40s or so, notices you all troop in and says, "Well, if it ain't my wayward boy come home. And Miss Getty with ya? Well that's a sure surprise. And-" she gives Paul and Lottie a funny, squinty look. "My stars! Is that Lottie?" She rushes forward and gives Lottie a big hug.

Pleshanril, exercising his keen pixie penchant for perfect timing, reveals himself on the table. Which makes all the women gasp. A couple of them make the warding signs against evil that followers of Besille use. They all stop their chores and openly stare, though.

Tansy says very delicately into the silence, "This one o' yer friends, Tom?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom stammers a bit, by way of explanation, "Uh, er, yea. He's real nice. He's one of the forest folk. You know, from the stories. Oh, but he's a good one." Tom smiles weakly. He had remembered - too late - how most of the faerie tales he'd heard as a boy as often as not had the fey folk leading boys and girls to danger.

At the sight of his mother, Tom genuinely smiles. "Hi ma. I see y'all are done as much a busy nest of bees as ever." He plunks himself down at one of the benches. It was almost like he'd never left.

[dauphinous]

"Well, if he's your friend, there ain't no reason to be scared of him." Tansy says this with authority and finality. "You kids look half starved. You been eating at all while you been out there? Myra, see what we got they can eat right away. Beth, Penny, go find them some bunks for the night. The rest of us'll finish up here. Some o' this stuff can wait 'til tamarrah. Lottie, why'nt you go with Beth and Penny, see what can be done. Don't you be afraid to put the younger ones outta their beds for a coupla nights while we figure this all out. And someone get some apples so we can make this fine young man some pie tonight."

Three of the women nod and leave wordlessly. The other five women get back to work, just cleaning what really needs to be dealt with before dinner. Henry goes with his mother, probably to speak for her, while Paul sits down on the same bench as Tom. "I'm real sorry to bust in on ya like this, Tansy. I hope it ain't no trouble."

"Nah. We got space. Always more space. Just gotta find it. You got yerself a fine lookin' boy. Just the one, though?" Tansy sits down across from Tom and Paul, looking from one to the other, and settling on Paul.

"Yep. Just Henry. There was talk of summat in the water up Tiverton what made it tough to have kids. Dunno about it fer sure, though. No one never done come up that way ta check, though I dunno what they'd check."

"How long you need ta stay?"

Paul looks crestfallen at the question. "Dunno. Half Tiverton got burnt pert near th' ground. Goblins and kobolds. Lottie's a right wreck, can't talk no more from what she done seen. My family's all further away-"

Tansy cuts him off. "We's family. If ya can lend a hand, ain't no trouble ta take ya in. Maybe it'll mot-i-vate some o' the kids to get the heck out and raise theirs off somewheres else. We need ta get rid o' some cows anyway. Herd's gettin' too big fer the field. Jimmy'd like to pass on some o' the other animals, too." She pauses, smiling, then says, "oh, you kids ain't been in town, and I 'spect your Da didn't say nuthin'. Tom, yer cousin Ben is supposed to be gettin' hitched next week. If someone can find a priest by then, that is. To Miss Fanny Bissell across the way. 'Bout time, too. They been messin' around out in the woods almost a month and think I don't know about it. She's prob'ly knocked up already."

This revelation seems to stir the other women, all younger than Tansy, out of their tight silence. Two, probably in their 20s, start giggling, and the other three, likely in their 30s, chuckle. Myra, who is around Tansy's age, returns with a basket of apples, some cheese, some kind of brown crackers, and three jars. "Nothing is really ready fresh yet," she says as she sets the cheese, crackers, and jars down on the table, "but we have some jarred fruit left still." One jar has something red in it, another something blue, and the third is yellow. It turns out to be strawberry, blueberry, and peach preserves. The crackers have just a hint of sweetness that goes perfectly with fruit spread, and the cheese is mild.

[kariokie]

Getty

"We greatly appreciate your hospitality." Getty takes some of the crackers and spreads the jam on them, then begins to eat. "You declared a need to locate a priest to perform the ceremony? I thought there was a priestess of Besille who cared for the shrine and resided in Haversill?"

[dauphinous]

Everybody stops everything for just a moment. There are a couple of sad sighs. "Bad piece o' business there. Mirallien is dead. Fine elf lady like that sure didn't deserve what we heard she got. Sweet, gentle woman, always happy to take the time, ya know? 'Parently, there was some prisoner what got loose while she was at the sheriff's for some reason, I guess. Jenny what works at the inn right abouts there said her throat was slit from ear to ear and there was a whole lotta blood. Prob'ly died real fast, at least. Not too much sufferin'. Can't even imagine what state her husband's in. That were two days ago."


"She was a right fine midwife, too."
"She'll sure be missed."

There are nods all around and the work resumes.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

At his mother's pronouncement of acceptance, Tom releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding. He flashes a smile to the perky sprite.

His mother's news of the elf's death, however, shocks Tom to the core. It had to be that damnable dwarf. He tosses a quick, furtive glance to Getty - he was sure she was thinking the same thing - before tentatively asking, "Prisoner? The sheriff alright? They find the murdering bast-, er, person?" To Getty, he adds, "We should check in with the sheriff t'morrow."

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant sighs his reluctance to intrude on the family reunion now quashed. Walking up to Tom speaks quietly, "Tom, I do not think we should till tomorrow, even the few days that this creature 'as 'ad a 'ead start on us is too much time. I hate to stop this reunion so quickly but murders should never go free, even for an instant." Bile boiling up in his throat J'Lant swallows hard.

[dauphinous]

"Sheriff was stabbed pretty bad. Mirallien was the only healer in town, so he's still laid up with it far as I know. Don't know much more'n that. If'n you kids mean ta go talk to him, just don't forget to come back for dinner. We'll be sure to have apple pie, along with plenty of other food. And you got a place to stay tonight without a doubt, though it might be the couches out in the big room."

Tansy gives Pleshnaril a kindly look. "I'll do my best ta make sure everyone knows what to expect with ya, little one. Can't guarantee no one'll stare, though. We're just regular farm folk, and don't see much o' the world outside. But I say it's fine and ain't no one here who'll disagree. To my face, anyway."

[North]

Plesh

Oh thats ok. Im used to it. All the gals back in the cove would stare at me too. Its a burden Ive learned to live with. Probably why I got so good at doing this. At the last word Plesh vanishes. The stares I can deal with just as long as noone sits on me, you people are heavy! And for Apple Pie I would fight a horde of goblins!

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

As much as he was reluctant to admit it, J'lant was right. This was a matter they should attend to immediately. "Right. Uh, could I speak with ya, in private like, ma?"

Tom's not sure where that might be in this house, but he wanted to talk with her before they left again. He'd prefer more time, but his catching up would have to wait.

[dauphinous]

Tansy gives Tom a surprised look, but she nods and they leave the room.

The rest of the women seem to be generally putting things away at this point, though the one working on laundry is still going. Some children's laughter can be heard coming from the front door, then the *clomp* *clomp* of what is probably boots being dropped on the floor, and a gaggle of boys, ages probably 6 to 12 or so walks into the kitchen. They get quieter - though not actually quiet - when they see the strangers, and walk around Getty and J'Lant.

"You boys get on inside. They're friends of your cousin Tom. He's home for a visit, and they'll be here for dinner, so you can gawk all you want then." Myra is smiling and cuffs a few of them on the back of the head lightly to get them moving.

A smaller boy trails in after them and freezes at the doorway, looking straight at Getty. He blushes beet red, looks down at the floor, and seems rooted to the spot.

[kariokie]

Getty

Getty smiles at the child as Tom leaves the room. "Well, if it isn't my diminutive desperately endangered individual. I assume all of your appendages remain intact and that you have discovered the wisdom of leaving both cavernous environments and gravity well enough alone?"

[dauphinous]

The boy remains in his state of redness and immobility. He opens his mouth and mumbles in Getty's general direction. "I, um, Mama said if you ever come back I'us s'posed ta say thanks. An' um, my leg's all done gooder up." After an audible swallow, he looks up and jumps up and down a couple of times. "See? All done gooder up."

"It's all better, Liam. It's all better." One of the younger women corrects him, but gently. "Go on and git washed up."

The boy ducks his head. "All better." Then he runs for the other door, like the wind.

Tom and Tansy return then. "Whoa, boy! A little slower or you'll knock one of us old farts right down. Then I'll have ta sit out on the porch with Nana and Gramps." She chuckles as the boy darts around and past her. "I think Landis put them military boys tech-nic'ly in charge 'til he's back on his feet. Tom knows where he lives, though. You kin prob'ly ask him yerselves."

[MOD]

J'Lant

"Ready?" J'Lant says raising an eyebrow at Tom.

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom shrugs, then says, "Yea, let's kick this pig."

Tom tossles the hair of the small boy, gathers his things, and leads the others on their way to the sheriff's house.

[dauphinous]

The sheriff lives in one of the smaller houses closer to the road. A woman that Tom knows to be his sister, Kerry, answers the door. She has dark hair and blue eyes, and is wearing a simple dress of undyed cotton with a beige apron over it. The apron is currently mostly clean, with a light dusting of flour and a few small, dark colored stains. She is probably in her late 20s. The house is quiet, and smells a little bit like cinnamon.

She only opens the door partway and peers out from behind it. "You one of the Robertson boys? Can I help you with something?"

[Eratosthenes]

Tom

Tom takes off his leather hat, and glances back at his companions before responding, "Yes ma'am, I hope that you can. We can to pay our respects to Landis, ma'am. And to see if we can...well...help."

Wringing the hat around in his hands, he puts on his best smile for the woman.

[MOD]

J'Lant

J'Lant nods eagerly at the woman following Tom's lead.


I hope this sheriff is not too hurt. Well if he is I have a surprise instore indeed.