"My money is on the Inn. It's where we saw her last, and even If she's not there anymore, somebody there will probably be able to point us in the right direction."
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"My money is on the Inn. It's where we saw her last, and even If she's not there anymore, somebody there will probably be able to point us in the right direction."
Tess has no trouble keeping up with the others despite carrying the the small chest from the boy's family home. In fact, if anything, she presses them on a bit faster. "Yes, the inn is a good place to start."
As the moon returns she is slightly less concerned, but continues to press the group forward.
The inn is full of more gossiping villagers, with an anicent looking elf telling anyone who will listen a slightly skewed version of history that began with the first lunar eclipse.
The first serving person you ask says the boys mother went up to put her daughter to bed but hadn't seen her come back down, and gives the room number.
There is most definitely a nervous tension in the air and laughter is quickly subdued.
Ukiah walks over to the elf. "Beg pardon, good Elf, however, you've got the following details slightly edited." Ukiah then politely informed the elf of said details from what he had learned under the Brotherhood.
"Bartender! A round for our esteemed historian!" Ukiah called out.
Wasting no time, Tess turns to the mage and the cleric, giving the woman's room number. "Would you go and check on her? I'll stay here with the boy and the chest. Something still feels off about this whole thing. If they're up there, have them come down. We need some answers."
Those who go upstairs to the woman's room hears soft singing behind the door, slightly choked as if crying while singing. The boy is a little hesitant at first then soon bursts through the door all but tackling his mother in a crying hug. For a few minutes of rapid speaking between the two and her voice changing from happiness and tears to angry words (you're not 100% certain what is said but imagine this being said....."oh my gods....youre safe! and alive!!!.....HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME WORRY LIKE THAT!!!!! Oh gods yuour alive!!! I love you!!! DON'T EVER MAKE ME WORRRY LIKE THAT AGAIN!!!!" thats the tone and timber of the words being spoken, to your OOC ears it sounds almost like rapid fire spanish.)
After a time she puts both her children into bed and looks at you with tired, tears streaked eyes.
"You saved my children.....is my husband....?" Though her voice trails off you know she expects the worst.
She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and looks at the two children sleeping soundly in the bed, "I thank you, heroes...I don't have much till i can return to our farm, but i'll give you anything you ask just for saving my children. I know you must have questions.....perhaps over a drink?"
This is a woman of middle age, though once a beauty in her youth. motherhood and hard work lined her face, her hands are rough with callouses, and silver is streaked through her black hair. There is a proud demanor to her, and its obvious that she cares for the well being of her children and husband above all else. Her deeply tanned skin makes her an oddity this far north, (garret would recognize her type from some southern humans from the western swamps far to the south, about a weeks travel from your old stomping grounds.)
If presented with the chest and household items her calm demeanor cracks again and gives effuse thanks. carefully asking for the chest to be put under the bed for now and the other items just placed in a corner.
ONce downstairs she orders a tall glass of dwarven ale, and a bowl of whatever is on the hearth, looking at each of you in turn for drink orders, then requests a small private room so you can ask questions without everyone in the inn hearing.
Once settled in the room with everyone, she takes a deep drink then sits waiting expectedly.
Garrett looks at his companions uncomfortably, not sure how to voice his questions, but sure that they needed to be aired;
"I don't know how to say this in a way that doesn't seem insensitive... So I am just going to say it. About your husband... The body... well, the whole estate really... it was... odd.
I have seen goblin attacks before, and this whole thing felt off. The looting, or more accurately lack thereof... The child left unharmed... And your husbands body. It looked to have been bandaged, like someone tried to heal him before he passed... Maybe what I am asking is, is there anyone else who might want to hurt your husband and make it look like goblins? Does your Family have any enemies?"
"I don't think so....we trade with the elves, raise animals, and I make special foods the locals seem to enjoy...tonight we heard the animals in the barn going crazy so my husband went out to check on things....next thing I know theres a loud commotion, and the barn is on fire and spreading quickly despite the rain we had.....I'm ashamed to say that i thought only of my children and ran......and left......left....."
She stops speaking for a moment lowering her head, a few seconds pass and she sniffs and looks at the group again.
"Maybe it wasn't goblins.....I don't know....but you say who ever attacked us tried to bandage my husband?"
"Some of his injuries were bandaged... As to who tried to treat him, his attacker, or some good intentioned passer by who came across the body before we got there, I couldn't tell.
Like I said, it just seemed... Odd.
Have there been any other attacks in the last few days? Against friends or neighbors? "
The family chest is offered and safely stowed away under the bed in the woman's room. She orders an ale and a bowl of whatever's on the fire with some bread to sop up the dregs of the food. Tess sits and listens quietly, still not sure about the whole situation being exactly as the greying woman describes it. Perhaps she believes it to be as she perceived it, but something still isn't adding up.
Ukiah stayed within earshot of the family and his companions, but kept an eye on the Elf. He was new-ish to the Brotherhood, and something kept niggling at the back of his mind about the itch in his hand when he was near the older elf. He just couldn't place why it kept his attention.
Plinius also stays quiet, content to let the halfling do the talking for now. With all the commotion about the eclipse he hadn't thought very much about the bandaged wounds of the dead husband. The whole thing was a mystery to him and he wasn't sure it would be solved at this table.
Your questioning of the woman goes on however long you want it to, but except for her maybe remembering of barking/squeaking noises, you glean little new information.
Sheer exhaustion and the fact the sun is starting to peak its way over the edge of the world calls a halt to whatever you were into and you all head for a few hours of sleep.....where each of you (with one exception check your private message), have the most vividly BIZZARE dream of your life....
Spoiler: dream sequence 1Although you know you’re asleep, you feel very strange. You find yourself floating miles above the ground looking down. The land looks perfect, the sun is shining warmly, and everything is peaceful.
You fly across the land and your attention is drawn to the ground far below you where you see your shadow growing leaving destruction in its wake. The sun goes dark, and in front of you, you see a mountain spouting flames and ash high into the air.
When you wake up, you only vaguely remember the dream as an unsettling almost nightmare and coughing as if you’d inhaled smoke…. maybe just from the fire that you fell asleep with in your room....
Spoiler: OOCLet's see if Plinius' studies included oneiromancy...
Knowledge (arcana): [roll0]
Not feeling particularly well rested after his intensely vivid and disturbing dream, Garrett groggily stumbles towards what he hopes will be some kind of breakfast. Replaying the dream in his mind he admonishes him self about yesterdays alcohol consumption... No more of that before bed. That dream seemed far too real.
He contemplates yesterday's conundrum. They managed to save the boy, which was the important part, but looking any more into yesterday's mysterious goblin attack would probably have to wait... He looks for the rest of the party, hoping to rouse them so they can all finally meet with their guild contact and get to the job they were actually hired for...
Ukiah sat at the bar, white as death and drinking something the bartender called "whiskey" for breakfast. The monk had thrown up in his room's chamber pot, then dry-heaved for over an hour. He was DEFINITELY NOT feeling well at all.
Plinius had gotten up and went through the process of washing and clothing in a haze. When he enters the bar, he orders some breakfast, but finds that he can barely swallow two bites. He looks at his companions present with a look that says: 'You too, huh?'
The halfling, usually full of energy, gives him a half awake nod.
He exchanges looks between the innkeeper and Plinius' barely touched breakfast... but thinks better of it.
"Any chance of some hot tea? The stronger the better..."
Turning to his companions;
"I'm not sure there is anything more we can do for the widow and her children, except to try and hunt down these goblins and put an end to their menace. Maybe then we will get some answers."
It's an odd time of day between breakfast and midmorning, but the barmaid willingly brings requested items barely making small talk.
For Garret she places a hot steaming mug of a dark beverage that smells please but tastes slightly butter (think black strong coffee).
Soon after everyone is settled, a message is brought to the table from your guild contact asking for your presence once you were fully awake and eaten.
Tess joined the others looking as though she hadn't slept a wink. Haggard and with her hair in a particularly wild state of "bed head" she joins the others, raking her hands through her hair to tame it a bit. She requests a simple cold breakfast of bread and cheese.
Ukiah turned his head to Garret and said with the menace that can only come from a sleep-deprived, hungover man, "You no talk loud. Whiskey no work yet."
Garrett does his best to leave the monk alone, but as his caffeinated beverage takes the edge off his fatigue he starts to return to his normal chipper self, almost bouncing at the prospect of another adventure.
"There will be time to sleep when we are dead. We are burning daylight. Let's go, lets go, letsgoooo!"
"Somebody silence him before I put a fist in his nose..."
The sympathetic barmaid slides a mug of the similar hot beverage before Ukiah.
As everyone finishes their meals and drinks, you each present yourself to the caravan master and are each paid 50 gold and his profuse thanks, and an offer of return work if you are heading back when he is, but you are under no obligation.
As you present yourself to your contact, you are shown into a nicely appointed waiting room within a simple but elegant building in town.
You have not long to wait as an older looking regal elf appears and welcomes you warmly. " I heard of you helping the lady Anissa, you have my thanks and gratitude. Hers is sadly not the first attack, and without help it may not be the last"
(Sorry for short post have to head back into work)
Spoiler: OOCNuts. DM post just as I was writing a witty reply to the Garrett-Ukiah interaction...:smallfrown:
Plinius listens respectfully to the older elf, having been raised to respect their race and the wisdom of the elders. "I am sorry to hear that, elder. Were the other attacks also the work of goblins? For we have found evidence of unusual modi operandi for the vile bandits at the Anissa farm. My esteemed companions could tell you more. Plinius gives a short bow and gestures to the others.
Garrett decides to take a social cue from Plinius, also giving a brief bow as he introduces himself;
"Garrett Fedrick, professional adventurer at your service. You may have heard of me... And yes, it's true. I am taller and more handsome in person. The guild sent my companions and I to take care of your goblin problem... Well... The guild sent some of us anyway. Others are here for their own reasons. And some seem to be missing... probably also for reasons of their own... Hunh. I wonder where they got off too?"
He steps back, pondering his own question and making way for the others to introduce themselves.
((eh go ahead and do a witty retort))
Spoiler: OOCNah, moment's passed. I'll look for other chances to be witty. Btw, is dasniper still with us?
Ukiah placed his right fist against his open left palm and bowed from his waist. "I am Brother Ukiah of the Dragonspire Brotherhood. If you will accept my help, I will accompany these adventurers in whatever quest you give them."