Setonian Empire [the search]

[Uthuk]

Martin

Looking out in the direction indicated and with a shrug, "I don't have any better suggestions for sure. So off we go and I hope we will find some trace of our elusive friend."

[amanodel]

(Apologizes for not posting earlier, but life was heavy last days.)

Trying to guess the path of Jisika, you venture further north hopefully in the wake of the drow girl. At the end of the day you spot a small village on the horizon.

[Uthuk]

Martin

Martin rides up into the front and study the village.

"Well, I think we should go down there and ask around but in a somewhat subtle way. We desperately need some clues to what direction Jisika is going."

Studying the village some more, "I'm not too good at the subtle questioning stuff, so I should probably not be the one asking the questions."

[Yawielas]

"I can go. People tend to trust someone who looks like a child." Ely smiles a bit.

[Jongluer]

Marcuus nods, "Yes, we should only send a few people. Ely, you go to ask questions, and Butch go as well but don't be with her, just watch over in case we get into trouble." Marcuus looks worried over such a thought and then proposes, "The rest of us perhaps could look for lodgings and then maybe do some questioning of our own?"

[Truwar]

Buth nods his shaggy head in agreement.

Sounds like a plan ta me. I might cozey on up ta some o' the fellas at the inn later in the night and ask 'em some questions. You'd be suprised ta find out how much a drunk fella will tell ya, when ya offer ta buy 'im another round o' booze.

[Yawielas]

Ely lightly knees her mule to make it go a little faster. "I'll go in first then. Come on, Lightning!" She rides down to the village, and enters, looking around for any sign of trouble.

[Uthuk]

Martin

Martin watches Ely for a couple of minutes and then he dismounts and sits down with his back to a tree.

"Well, I'll head into the village in a hour or two."

[amanodel]

Ely enters the town, loosely followed by Butch. The locals seem to be unfriendly and curious at the same time. It feels they do not want to talk to you, and avoid both the elf and the bugbear.

[Yawielas]

Ely tries to locate a tavern or an Inn, to ask the tender if he or she has seen her friend Jisika.

(Gather information +5)

[amanodel]

Ely does her best t get some information about the local people, but folks act rather grumpy towards her. Finally she finds a small tavern. The barkeep is much more helpful than the rest of the village. Before even letting Elysia ask a single quesion he begins to talk in the smae French-like accent like the knight did, altough in a less sophisticated way.

"Outlander, ain't ya? No hard ta tell it lady. Nay, not your hair color, or yer manner. Ye're a halfie. You haven't noticed that here are humans, orcs, gnomes n' goblins but no halfies like you in the village? Law not allows marriage b'tween species here. Good to know when in the 'Plains."

"A drow? here? Nay. I wonder what a drow wants here? Fleeing from Westshore? I hear they 'Shorers burn 'em. I would notice a drow if she'd dare to enter here. Folks fear them here, too. Witches they are, or so to speak.

C'rtainly she wasn't here in town. But you may wanna ask Berjuel, our local woodsman. If someone came near to this village he knew it. You can't really find him in the forests, but at night he comes back here. If you cam back to visit, be sure your here before 11 in the night. He's totally drunk after that."

After the long speech the barkeep yawns, and drinks a bottle of wine. At once.

Butch encountered the same unfriendly looks as Jisika, but from far away only. Perhaps the difference in distance was caused by his slightly bigger size.

(sorry for typos, I'm pretty tired.)

[Geech000]

Outside of town, Krahl sets his axe aside and curls up under a tree to take a nap.

[Yawielas]

"Allright...thank you." Ely leaves the Inn and heads back outside town to the others. There she tells them what she's learned.

[Uthuk]

Martin

Listening to what Ely has to say and after she finish, "Sounds like you need to make a return trip this evening. Maybe take Butch with you so you can cover for each other.
I don't think it's wise to show them more unknown faces considering how they looked at you."

[Yawielas]

"I think humans would be more welcome, to tell the truth...It's me and Butch they don't like...Perhaps it would be better if you and Marcuus went in to talk to the woodsman, maybe with Krahl as back up?"

[Uthuk]

Martin

"Hmm, actually that sounds good. Now I feel abit stupid... What do you say Marcuus? Time to dust off the merchant, his servant and the bodyguard?"

[Truwar]

I think Ely has got the straight o' it. The two o' ya stand a better chance o' makin' all lovey dovey with this woodsman than either o' us "half-breeds", although Ely might do ok iffin she winks at him.

Chuckling, Butch scoots judiciously out of Elysia's reach after his "clever" observation.

[Yawielas]

Ely chucks a pebble at Butch.

[Jongluer]

Marcuus nods in agreement with Martin, "Alright, I suppose it shall work out alright, there's no reason it wouldn't. I would like to have Ely and Butch nearby though, in case things go sour."

[Geech000]

Krahl looks back and forth at the others. "Krahl go? Krahl guard tribe?"

[Uthuk]

Martin

"I wouldn't mind haveing Krahl with us as the bodyguard."

[Jongluer]

"Yes Krahl, you shall guard us."

[amanodel]

When the night falls, Martin, Marcuus and Krahl enters the small village. They easily find the only tavern in town.

Berjuel arrives around nine o'clock. He didn't introduce himself to you, but it's clear that he must be the woodsman. Dirty, unkept clothes, long wiry beard of undefinable colour, an old short bow and a pair of really big daggers leave you no questions about his identity. By the look of his face (under the dirt and the beard), he can be between his 40's and 60's.

He sits down at the bar and starts drinking.

Ely and Butch remained outside of the village, at the makeshift camp.

[Jongluer]

Marcuus walks up to the bar and settles in next Berjuel, he then says the barkeep, "Another round for me and this hard working man right here." He then gives Berjuel a hearty slap on the back before turning to him, "I hear tell that you're Berjuel, a woodsman in these parts. Well I don't really like to deal with pleasantries and I'd rather leave you to your doings. But I and my associates," He gestures back to Krahl and Martin as his voice lowers to a whisper, "We're looking for a friend of ours, see we've been helping her get back to her homeland but recently she has decided that it would be safer if she returned on her own. But you see, she's a young woman, a young drow woman and still weakened from a long time of hard travel. I was wondering if you in your travels through the area have seen her, no one hear in town has and they said you'd be the only man who might've. So sir, have you seen a young female drow, about, yay big?" He makes gestures with his hands to give Jisika's approximate size and shape.

[amanodel]

The woodsman accepts the drink from Marcuus.

"A drow here? Lookin' fer a home? Yer from Sheaton arencha? Y'know here in the Plains common folksh are not even allowed to marry between racesh. Those filhty Westshoriansh even think that drows are shtraight from hell. Not a place fer a drow to find home here at the other shide of the Grey Mountansh."

After some drinks he continues.

"But I found shome tracksh near town. I thought they were childrensh' footprintsh. Maybe it ish what yer looking fer. Morning I can show you the place, but not right now it'sh too dark to follow a sho light track."

Berjuel returns to drinking, and after a time he seems very drunk.

[Geech000]

Krahl stands behind Marcuus and watches the tavern patrons with disdain. Stupid humans. Always letting themselves get herded into these towns. They hardly even know how to have fun. They know nothing of what life is.

[Truwar]

*Chuckling and rubbing at the spot Ely's accurrate pebble toss hit him, Butch sits down against the cart wheel and tucks his hands behind his head*

So Winky, what was it like in town?

[Yawielas]

Ely sits down as well. "Cold. And I'm not talking about the weather. Swanryver was much nicer. I rather like small towns, the people are usually nice, but not this one..."

(It was clear, Ely was just talking about the difference between this small town and her own Swanryver)

[amanodel]

(It's a small town, really. Probably a little smaller then Swansryver. Just for context. Sorry if I didn't make myself clear.)

[Uthuk]

Martin

Martin buys a beer for himself and stands beside Krahl listening on Marcuus conversation as well as he can without being obvious.
While takeing small sips he study the people inside the bar.