A Tale of Dwarves IC

[Meriss]

Gorin nods graciuosly at Ol'Tony Who names these poor Tall Folk?

He bustles about the kitchen as quickly as his legs will allow him. Minegas! I always forget how tall, Tall Folk truly are!

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Craft Food [roll]1d20=1[/roll]

[Johnny H]

"Thank you, kind Ser. May you have a pleasant day. I shall return later, so I must need ask you to prepare a room for me, if you have one to spare. It need not be luxurious, so long as the bed is clean." I finish with a respectful nod and venture of in search of the bookstore. Might be I'll chance upon a good read, or at least learn something about this town's past. I think to myself.

OOC:

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Knowledge (local) check: (1d20+13)[21] any unusual events in this region (if that's the right test , if not, feel free to ignore it).
If there are any books in the store about the town's history, particularly any chronicles, I'd be very interested in studying them. Also anything about local wildlife.

[PowerGamer]

Johny H

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You find the book store after a little touble and are the place is very dusty and cramped. You here in the back a tumble of books. You go back to find an old lady buried in book and help her out. This is Helga. To thank you she offers you a free book of your choice (you don't actually pay for either which is ok). You leave with two books. Bought one about bears and barrowing one about the town history.

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Bear Book: you can google bear knowledge. I'm not going to type up all that :)
History: Seems like a normal town. Problem with natives when first created. Issues with a crypt after that. But nothing else really out of place for a long time (too lazy to make things up )

[PChubby]

Thugrim quietly eats his meat and drinks his ale as his comrades go about their business.

When Gorin offers to help in the kitchen, Thugrim speaks up as well. "Is your brewmaster around? I've a bit of advice that might take the edge off the harsher notes of this ale." He says notably gritting his teeth on the word "ale."

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Sorry it took so long, my cable modem died NYE and the replacement was flakey till Saturday.

[PowerGamer]

PChubby

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Tom the bartender leads you to the basement where the brewer is picking out a new barrel to tap. You give him tips to make the drinks even better and stay the afternoon to talk with him and try some more drinks. (You aren't drunk but you are on the edge of it).

OOC- If you have nothing else to do shall I move on?

[Starbin]

Dragor sat for a moment, then realized that Gomvak wasn't going to respond. He turned to say something to Thugrim, but he rose and departed as well.

Frowning to himself, he sat there, quietly for a moment, before asking the waiter a question. "Where is the herbalist? And where's the mayor's house?"

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This seems to be an effort in futility ... guess I'll go find the herbalist and ask where the huckleberries grow! On a related note, this feels a little weird - a town that complains about a bear problem, and when we start to ask questions, the inhabitants get a little salty. Maybe a conspiracy? Maybe a false rumor? Unfortunately, I don't know the full evil of this GM, so we'll have to wait and see

[PowerGamer]

A shady looking figure enters the tavern. His hooded head turns and then the person makes his way to a door near the back that you have not noticed yet. The bartender seems uneasy about the mans entry. He approaches you after the door to the room closes. "That's the one. He'll explain the whole situation. Just wait a moment for me to prepare and when I go to serve his usual you may come too" He leaves for a few minutes before then walking our of the kitchen with a full platter of food. You follow him into the backroom. The light in the room is dim and you see a long table. At the far end you can make out the cloaked figure. The bartender serves the food, whispers to the man and walks out. The figure starts to eat. You are all standing around near the door ...

[Starbin]

Glancing at the others, then back to the departing bartender, Dragor shrugged his shoulders. Walking up, he looked at the man closely, trying to see under his hood. "Heyo ... are you the one with bear troubles?"

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No use waiting for him to eat!

[Ozfer]

Let him finish, Dragor, Aldan says gently. He nods silently at Dragor. Aldan noticed the bartenders reaction to the man and didn't' want to aggravate this apparently shady character. (He is not attempting to slight Dragor)

[PowerGamer]

Dragor hears the man mumble "Fools need to learn to sit down and be patient. I just start eating and you interrupt me before I'm ready. That other one has good manners" He then waves a hand signaling all of you to sit at the table. And continues eating until the food is good. Like clockwork the bartender comes back in and takes the plate and refills the mans pint.

We may now begin

[Malak'ai]

Still standing, Gomvak thumps the butt of maul handle on the floor, "Where are the bears Long Leg? I don't care if you ain't full... I want to fight something!" he growls, glaring at the stranger.

[Starbin]

Dragor frowned at the man. "You wish our help and call us names?" . Glancing back at his companions, he shook his head. "Is rudeness so common here?"

He returned to the door and leaned against the jam.

[PChubby]

"We all know how cranky Gomvak can bee when he's sober and hungry. Let the man fill his belly and tip a mug. Then we can get down to business" Thugrim says with a grin. He takes a seat and orders a round for the table and searches his memory to see if he can recollect anything about this stranger or the town.

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Knowledge Local & Lore (Bardic Knowledge) for any info etc about this guy. Not the greatest ranks but worth a shot :)

K (Local): (1d20+3)[23]
Lore: (1d20+5)[15]

[PowerGamer]

Pchubby

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You can't figure out much about this man except that he doesn't live in town and only ever visits the bar and the smithy

Ignoring the rude comments of some of the bearded ones the man speaks. "It's not a matter of were the bears are" the cloaked figure says. His voice cracks a little as if not used often, "but when they will come again. The bears come about ever half moon. Trying to track them down no matter how soon after the attacks comes up empty. Lucky for you they should be here later tonight. Normally just past midnight they appear. I am willing to pay 500 gp to each of you should you take care of the problem at hand. How or what you do, I don't care as long as you don't cause destruction to the town and it's people". He takes a sip from his pint. "Is there anything else you need to know?"

[Meriss]

Gorin

Gorin scratches at his beard trying to dislodge a crumb. "Bears that attack on schedule? A might strange yes, Aldi? He whispers to his brother.

His education of the natural world was lacking but surely, bears couldn't tell time? Could they?

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Handle Animal to see if bears could be trained to attack on a schedule
(1d20+7)[24]

[Starbin]

Every half-moon? Seems a bit regular for bears ...

But he wasn't going to speak again, least he be accused of speaking out of turn.

[Ozfer]

Aye. He isn' t telling us everything, Aldan whispers back. As he seems to have stumbled into the man' s good graces, he voices the thought of his companions. I don' t mean to imply anything, and the wages you offer are more than fair, but I must ask: No bears I have ever known have attacked on a schedule, or together, for that matter. Are these bears entirely wholesome?. He says all this in a neutral tone, hoping the man won' t take offence.

[PowerGamer]

The hooded one speaks again, "The bears seem organized, but by who or what we can't seem to tell. When we start to fight back, the bears fight until one person dies and then they all run. That's all I have to tell you. I wish you luck. I'll meet you back here in the morning... If you survive" He then sits there silnetly

[Ozfer]

Hmph. No bears will be getting the best of us. I''ll take the job. You in lads?

[PChubby]

You say the bears attack on schedule. Do they target the same areas of town too? Thugrim asks as he scratches his beard.

[PowerGamer]

"The only connection made so far is that the next site is always in view of at least one of the last sites that has been attacked. Why this is? We have no idea."

[Starbin]

Squinting, Dragor spoke in Dwarvish. "Why haven't they stopped these beasts? A known foe, who comes at known times, via known routes ... should be easy, even for non-warriors. Something's not right."

[Malak'ai]

"These Long Legs don't know how to fight. They run scared when they fart while taking a shit... Let Gomvak show them how to kill animals! Gomvak replies in rough Dwarvish, thumping the butt of his maul on the ground again as if getting impatient.

[PowerGamer]

"Do not insult Jax! I can understand your silly dwarven speech Fool!" The man who has now named himself as Jax says in a stern voice in oerfect dwavish. "If you wish to get paid you'd best get out there and be on your watch" he then says in common pointing at the door.

[Starbin]

Dragor shook his head. "I don't need your money or insults. Twice you've called us fools even as you ask for aid. Take care of the bears yourself." Turning, he departed through the door, leaving the man to his food and poor attitude.

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Sorry, but this guy has been a complete arse ... there's little chance that Dragor (who's not the most socially swift of folks) will want to do anything for this guy. He's been overbearing and not at all polite for a group that was here to help.

[Johnny H]

I return to the tavern, passing a fuming Dragor on my way in.
"What happened to Dragor?" I ask my sour faced companions, once inside.

[Ozfer]

I will still help the townsfolk, but not for your manners or grace. Where can I receive my payment after the bears are dealt with? Whether the rest of you participate is up to you.

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After being told where to get his payment, Aldan will exit the room unless interrupted. If possible, he will find Dragor.

[Starbin]

As Aldan exits the room, he finds Dragor sitting impassively at the table they originally sat at. He stared at the table, seemingly lost in his thoughts. For so longe, he had been an outcast by choice, never feeling comfortable around his fellow dwarves. 'Special' was just another word for strange, and he had felt his strangeness for practically all of his life. It had been easier to join the ranks of the Rovers, where most of his days were spent scouting the land alone, or in silence with a given partner.

Therefore, when he stepped outside of his shell and offered up his opinions or tried to interact with those around him and was insulted for doing so, it hurt. Worse, it angered him, and forced him back into old ways. Perhaps he shouldn't have let the human get to him like that, but the man had been insufferable, given the situation.

At the scuffing of boots, he glanced up and saw Aldan approaching. Silently, he waited for what the other had to say.

[PowerGamer]

Not saying anything until the one dwarf storm out, Jax then says, "You're money will be waiting here if you can do the job. And you'll want to recruit that angry one. You'll need every man, or I should say dwarf, you've got. The men around here won't be worth any help."

[PChubby]

"I'm sure Dragor will fight along side us, he's angry with you not us." Thugrim says with a chuckle. He pause for a second then asks "Since these bears always attack within sight of their last attack where should we setup watch?"