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Post by sfliegel on Feb 11, 2007 20:44:59 GMT -5
Limping cold, wet and tired, Reeks, Firebug, Arthur, Siff and Gaul return to Garrotten. As they neared Androsia's, Reeks slowed and finally stopped at her door. Firebug marched past him, calling back over his shoulder, "Master Reeks, first round is on me if you should care to join me."
Siff stopped to wrestle with some twigs that had woven themselves into her hair, "I'm going to the inn to get cleaned up, I'll join you there later."
Arthur said nothing but doubled his pace to keep up with Reeks and Firbug.
Gaul leaned again a post in front of Androsia's store, "what about the plant lady?"
Firebug turned around, "she's waited this long, she can wait a little longer. Come friend Gaul, a drink waits for you."
Gaul smiled and pushed himself back onto his feet. He hurried to catch up to Firebug. "So what now for Gaul?"
Firebug smiled, "Friend Gaul, you are welcome to travel with us for as long as you wish too."
As they approach the Drunken Griffin, they find an enormous Ogre guarding the door. (In ogremesh) "Good evening Mr Hobb, might we find food and drink this evening for some weary travelers?"
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Post by Game Master on Feb 12, 2007 2:55:07 GMT -5
Always pleased to hear his native tongue (even from a miserable human) Hobb grins savagely.
In the lip smacking, spittle casting, guttural language of the Ogres, Hobb replies "Busy tonight. No room inside." Indeed there were at least a dozen folk sitting around outside by the two tree trunks used as tables, drinking and making small talk. Hobb scratches the back of his shaved head for a second. "Wait here." Hobb lumbers inside. Moments later four people are 'tossed' out of the Tavern. three, through the ever open door and one through the ever open window. "Now there is room."
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 12, 2007 17:02:35 GMT -5
(In ogremesh) "Thank you Mr Hobb, would you like anything?" Firebug gave a little bow as he entered the Drunken Griffin. Reeks, Gaul, and Arthur follow closely and ducked through the door.
Once at the bar, and true to his word Firebug ordered drinks from the bartender.
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Post by Game Master on Feb 12, 2007 17:39:30 GMT -5
Hobb declines stating "no drinking while he is working."
Reeks gladly takes you up on your offer and orders A pint of Excellent dwarven beer (10gold) while Arthur orders a halfling pale ale (8gold). Gaul simply orders beer and gets an average human brewed veriety (4gold).
The old weathered looking bartender introduces himself as Ishmael. "You lads look like you just got into town. Any interesting stories to tell?" He poors your drink with a dark tanned and steady hand.
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 12, 2007 18:09:49 GMT -5
"Mr Ishmael, my friends and I have nothing interesting to speak of, save how the great master Reeks and Gaul the lion hearted killed a tusker in the forest north of here. Or, how we barely escaped from Firebrands' mercenaries. Like I said nothing to speak of, they are very humble men, not prone to bragging." Said Firebug with the most sincere look he could muster as he leaned in to speak with Ishmael.
As Firebug finished his beer he turned to Reeks, "Let's go and take Androsia her herbs before it gets too late. And I want to sleep bed tonight, maybe even my own, I haven't decided yet." He flashed a sly smile and patted Reeks on the shoulder. "When you boys are ready I'll be outside." Firebug then moved for the door as the rest of the group finished their drinks.
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Post by Game Master on Feb 12, 2007 21:11:17 GMT -5
A drunken man stumbles into you at the doorway. "The Ogres! Beware the Ogres! I've seen them!" The bearded fellow who smells faintly of vomit grabs Firebug by his arms. "They scuttle about at night when noones lookin. Ask yourself why! Why have we not been raided in over eight months? Aye? Why?"
Abruptly the man is yanked away from you. Hobb has him by the back of his collar and tosses him out on his ear. "Sorry Bug. Sminner is always rambling on about some story or other. Pay him no mind." Hobb informs you as he escorts you on your way out.
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 12, 2007 22:23:29 GMT -5
(In ogremesh) "Thank you Mr Hobb and a good evening to you sir."
On the street Firebug sees the man sitting in the dirt propped up against a building across the street. Glancing up and down the street, making sure the streets are clear, Firebug moved to where the man struggled to liberate the last drop from his now broken mug.
Keeping arms length from the man Firebug takes a knee, "friend, tell me about the ogres, from the beginning if you please. Try to steady yourself, when you are ready."
When he is finally convinced that the mug is dry, the man dropped the remains into the dirt, already forgotten. He runs a dirty hand of thick fingers through a matted tangle of shoulder length greasy salt and pepper hair. He takes a deep breath and clears his throat before he begins.
Firebug noticed Siff had returned as she said she would. She did clean up nicely too and Firebug watched her for a minute. She hesitated for a minute when she saw Hobb. <Behind you.>
Siff glanced around, then turned around and saw Firebug waving to her. She walked quickly to where Firebug was, "That was the so strange, it was like I heard a voice in my head. What's happening here?"
"our friend here was about to tell us a story about Ogres. Please continue friend. You were saying?" Firebug spoke with a soothing voice that seemed to relax him, and the man felt that he could trust Firebug.
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Post by Game Master on Feb 15, 2007 3:10:57 GMT -5
"We used to get raided a lot by bands of Ogres just like any other border town. We're damn near close to the Old Kingdom yeah know."
Firebug nodded, encouraging the man to continue.
"Well about eight months back the raids, like the one that took my dear Jessika away from me *choke* well they just...just stopped. I pleaded with the Lord in his castle but...he just said 'if they don't bother us we won't bother them.' It wasn't long after that I started noticing the carts comin and goin late at night. Every month or so, the same thing. I swear there were Ogres among them."
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 16, 2007 19:10:52 GMT -5
"Carts? Like a caravan? From the Castle? Where do you think they were headed, and why do you think there were ogres among the carts?" Firebug was intrigued by conspiracies and the story had earned a smile.
Siff placed a hand on Firebug's shoulder to gently move him away from the man, "Come Firebug, our friend is rich with both drink and imagination. Please let him be and let us find our companions." Siff smiled softly trying to persuade Firebug.
"You are a priestess, surely you would not suffer a man to sleep in the street. Let us escort you home friend, and purhaps you can tell us more about the ogres on the way." Firebug took the man under the arm and helped him to his feet.
Siff sighed and took the man's other arm and helped Firebug keep him on his feet.
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Post by Game Master on Feb 17, 2007 3:46:01 GMT -5
Sminner really opened up to his captive audience.
"Well... I never saw the carts...yeah I guess it was a small caravan come from the Castle proper. They tend to gather over there just south west of town. Maybe there is a cave or something I...I don't know. The carts go into that part of the woods over yonder, empty." Sminner is pointing now to a spot SW of the town just south of the castle mound. "When I see them come back out they are fully loaded. I'm too scared to get close but it happens every month. Hey, HEY! I..I could take....you next time. It..ssss...not..far...offfffffzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."
Lucky for Firebug and Siff, Sminner passed out right at his door step and his cabin appears unlocked. "The Oaf is in a drunken stupor Firebug. We best put him to bed and let him sleep it off. You really believe this cloak & dagger story of his?" Siff asked in wonder.
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 17, 2007 16:26:27 GMT -5
There was a twinkle in his eye as he replied, "there's no harm in investigating. Besides you never, there could be something to his story. We'll check back tomorrow after we've all had a chance to get some rest."
Siff rolled her eyes, "boys..."
They laid Sminner in his bed and Firebug took a blanket that he found neatly folded on top a chest at the foot of his bed and layed it out over him. It struck Firebug as odd that this blanket was the thing in the cabin to be neatly..., anything. The blanket seemed orginary enough so he thought that maybe it was the chest that was special. It was a beuatifully hand crafted chest with a large iron pad lock. The chest was the cleanest thing in the room and still smelled of a fine polish. The lock looked easy enough to open, but almost with out thinking he began to read imagines from the chest.
Firebug set the lock down gently and Siff noticed he wiped away a tear as he slowly rose to his feet. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, everything is fine. But we will visit Sminner tomorrow, I think he could really use our help. Let us hurry to our friends and return the herbs to Androsia's."
Siff only nodded as Firebug moved through the door. After a moment she followed and closed the door behind herself. "You felt something from that box didn't you?" She dropped her voice to barely a whisper, "you're a mentalist aren't you? What did you feel?"
Firebug shot her a glance, but it wasn't an angry one. Instead she thought he looked humble and thoughtful. "Maybe later at the inn I'll tell you about it. Let's just finish things tonight."
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Post by Game Master on Feb 18, 2007 3:56:31 GMT -5
Reeks was singing an old dwarven marching song when Siff & Firebug reentered the Drunken Griffin. The place was packed and difficult to maneuver in. Coming from the thriving metropolis city of Old Timiro Firebug instinctively kept a hand on his coin pouch. Gaul was rounded up first. He was found playing dice against a couple rivermen. "Not now. Gaul winning!" he exclaimed, but Siff pulled him away all the same. Arthur was nowhere to be seen but he was a halfling after all. As it turned out he was sitting at the same table with Reeks trying to learn the song in dwarven. Reunited the group left and headed to Androsia's.
The group was in good spirits on the way to the herbalist except for Firebug, Siff noticed. He must still be pondering over Sminner she mused. "Hey Firebug. I hadn't told any of you yet but while I was getting cleaned up I stopped by the local church. As it turns out it's a Trinity Church worshiping all the deities. I could very well open up a church of Light here if I wished. I'd have to get approval from the local Baron or maybe just the constable. I'll have to look into it. What do you think?"
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 18, 2007 15:31:53 GMT -5
Gaul, Reeks and Arthur were laughing and trying to harmonize so Dwarven drinking song as they staggered to and fro on the way to Androsia's.
Firebug looked to Siff who was walking beside him, "Don't tell me that you're going to leave us already?"
Siff felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she began to blush. "Well it wouldn't be right away. And it would take money to build my own church."
Firebug put an arm around Siff's shoulders, "then stay and I will do what I can to help you get your church started. Agreed?"
Siff bowed her head to conceal a smile, "we're here. How about if the you gentlemen wait out here while Firebug and I run in to see Androsia?"
The three attempted a drunken protest when Arthur slipped a bottle out of his pouch, "let the girls go to the flower store, I have a little something here for the men folk." Arthur laughed as he swirled the spirits around inside the dark brown glass bottle.
Firebug shook his head in disbelieve, then he and Siff carried the herbs into the store.
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Post by Game Master on Feb 18, 2007 15:57:10 GMT -5
Androsia seemed agitated at first for being disturbed at this late hour but once the haul was shown to her she lit up and became more her kind self. She meticulously went over the herbs, weighing them and dividing them up into little piles.
"You have quite a find here. I never imagined you would actually find Al-Kazin. Thats a full ounce there. Not bad at all for this time a year. By my figures I owe you 10 crowns each for doing this. Thats 50 crowns. I offered Reeks my standard 25% value of all herbs. The Al-Kazin is woth 600 gold an ounce so thats 150 crowns. You have some prety common stuff here as well that was not on my list but it does save me time. I can give you 20 gold total for those. Then we have the Lion's paw. You actually found 7 pods! Thats amazing. Thats enough for seven doses. Thats 1484 gold at 25%. I owe you all 340 gold each!"
Androsia scratched her head in thought. "Tell you what. Thats a lot of gold for me. I can afford it but...anyone who wants to shop here may have double the gold I owe them in credit if they wish. Thats 340 in crowns OR 680 in credit. Everyone can choose for themselves."
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Post by sfliegel on Feb 18, 2007 16:08:03 GMT -5
(in elvish) "You are very kind my lady." Firebug gives a quick bow. "I will bring Master Reeks your offer, and we will return at a more respectible time. However, I believe Lady Siff here would prefer the gold as a donation to the Church of Light. I pray that this will not be inconvienant." Again Firebug gives a quick bow.
"Yes ma'am, if it is all the same to you, the gold would be more benefitial to the church." Siff also gave a bow.
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