[IC] The Red Hand of Doom in Eberron

[Saskia]

Roger offers a genial nod and a hand to shake. Yes, actually. Soranna's a lovely woman, isn't she? Maybe a bit intense, but she has got a lot on her plate. There's a lot of tension around here, and we intend to lighten the burden, if you catch my meaning. We're interested in knowing if you might be able to offer us some information or, for a donation, tools that could help us protect the families and soldiers here in the frontier. He wonders briefly if appealing to the priest's religion in such a way is perhaps a bit underhanded, but quickly dismisses the idea. It might be wrong if he were lying, but that's not the case.

[hoverfrog]

Mina watches as Roger works his magic. He has a way with words sometimes. His lute playing seems to have suffered in recent years though. She's sure that he was better when they first met.

She steps forward as Roger introduces them to offer a small bow, "Pleased to meet you Brother Derny. How many are under your care in Kennrun? They must keep you busy, do you minister to them alone?"

She had an idea and so sent a command to the homunculus following behind her. With a scowl it flapped its bat wings to gain height. Soon it was flying high over the buildings. "Do you have paper and ink I could borrow, please?"

Spoiler: OOC

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I want a map of the town for curiosity sake. I also want to buy some paper and ink. Can my dedicated wright draw the map from information imparted by the homunculus?

[RaggedAngel]

Derny seems a bit taken aback; it is rapidly becoming clear that he is not a man of action, so much so that the two of you are overwhelming him a bit. "Wait, protect the soldiers? What now? Isn't that the point of soldiers? Paper and ink? I'm a little confused. What exactly is going on?"

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I can get you a map when I get home this evening; text posts at work are fine, but they'd question me bringing up my pdf.

[hoverfrog]

"Sorry, good Brother. We're firing questions at you all at once. Have you eaten yet? Why don't we retire to the nearest inn and talk about your valuable work here?" Mina flattered Derny with fluttered lashes and a warm smile. Some men had a weakness for women, some for compliments, few could resist both. When combined with beer and food she thought her self irresistible. "As I was saying, I've sent my construct to map the town but I'm such a silly girl that I forgot to buy any paper and ink. You must think me so dizzy. I know that learned men in the clergy make beautiful illuminated manuscripts on the very finest paper and naturally thought that you might carry some with you." Well, she had recently run out of paper so it was partly true.

"Roger, the rugged looking fellow there, was asking about anything that you might have available to aid in our mission. You know that we've recently been appointed to the role of helping Kennrun investigate the hobgoblin troubles to the east? No? You would have thought that the high priest would be one of the first to be informed, wouldn't you?"

She took the man by his arm as they walked towards the local tavern, "You know that Boldrei's priesthood first brought the noble art of brewing to the Five Nations? Truly we are blessed by such a benevolent goddess. Who else would, after a man had spent the day toiling in the fields to bring food to his family, would share the bounty of the land in the form of a refreshing ale? More than that, a goddess who would share the bounty of her most faithful with the defenders of home and hearth."

"You look to be a man who enjoys mead, am I right? Some say it's too sweet but why would we have a sweet tooth if it wasn't to enjoy the finer things in life. So you keep a clear head I think a plate of spiced beef and potatoes. A good, hearty meal for someone who works so diligently in service to so many?" Mina liked this well meaning and obviously kind man. Treating him to a meal and a few drinks would make him feel good and hopefully a little bit more generous when it comes to helping them out.

Spoiler: OOC

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The map isn't that important. As long as the PCs have one we players don't need to see it until it's important. I just wanted to be prepared.

[TheFallenOne]

Lavender falls in step behind the others, frowning a bit but staying silent. Once Mina's back is turned she looks at Isaac, raising both her eyebrows far up in a look that seems to say 'she sure talks a lot, huh?'

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Nothing verbal to add, and I think the guy has enough to answer already. Maybe I can get a nice non-verbal background conversation with Isaac going ^^

[Saskia]

Roger wonders idly about the summer heat, imagining the lightly-clad women back in Zilargo. Gnomes may have some unusual customs for besting the scorching summers, but most of those habits he has little problem with, particularly when they rub off on the human and khorovar women. And, for that matter, gnomish women aren't always bad to look at, either.

As he does when his mind is occupied elsewhere, Roger sings a random song, this time an old ballad from Zilargo.

Spoiler

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Sing (1d20+11)[14]
Aid "another" with lute (1d20+7)[10]

Man, can't catch a break with these perform rolls

[Crinias]

Isaac follows quietly, listening to Roger's music. At Lavender's silent question, he and his raven turn their heads towards each other, sharing a thoughtful look, then both look back towards her.

His eyebrows slightly raised, pupils half-open, and a small friendly smirk upon his face, he gives out the impression: 'Hmm, well, I think you might be onto something'.

[TheFallenOne]

The corners of Lavender's lips quirk up as she tries to suppress a smile that still easily reaches her eyes.
She gives the raven a quizzical look, the hint of a frown forming on her forehead. Her gaze quickly darts back and forth between Isaac and the raven, then focuses on Isaac again, this time only raising her left eyebrow while half-lidding her right eye.

Spoiler

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Let's up the difficulty. Nonverbal without supplying an elucidation of the meaning

[hoverfrog]

Oblivious to the exchanges behind her Mina continues chatting away to the friendly priest.

[Crinias]

Both Isaac and the raven blink twice quickly and, as one, tilt their heads simultaneously to one side.

Isaac then smiles reassuringly, his left hand brought up to chest level and held as though he were to hold a book. He shakes his right hand side to side as if to deny something at the same time. Continuing to smile, with his eyes closed, he waves his hand towards his raven, as if it were of little importance.

Apparently unnoticed to Isaac, the raven stares in Lavender's general direction. Suddenly, it unfurls one wing and brings it up to its beak, while looking at Lavender. It extends it up to his face so a pair of feathers are aimed at his eyes, and then quickly moves its wing in the general direction of Lavender's eyes. It then re-furls its wing and returns to act normally.

Spoiler

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How cruel! This is hard to write up.

[TheFallenOne]

At first Lavender's eyes narrow in a puzzled look, but then her face relaxes. While Isaac has his eyes closed she looks at the raven and raises her left hand, index and middle finger extended. She lowers her hand and once Isaac opens his eyes again she looks at him with a smirk, cocking her head to the right.

[King Tius]

Wrex stands with his arms crossed, his eyes scanning the area slowly and methodically. When he breaks wind it's so loud and sudden it might make Isaac's raven squawk in surprise. There is absolutely no change in Wrex's expression, nor does he say anything in response to his trumpeting interruption.

[Crinias]

Isaac freezes upon Wrex's... outburst. With a great variation of expressions along the way, he slows down his pace until his eyes have rolled back into his head, a hand closed over his mouth and nose.

His raven, by virtue of having no hands, is unable to do the same. It struggles for a moment, then falls over backwards over Isaac's back beautifully, without any kicking of the legs, in a perfect movement of one-hundred and eighty degrees from standing fully upright to falling down head-first.

Just before reaching the ground, the raven disappears.

Spoiler

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Poor Malphas. Better dismiss his avatar in this world for the moment.

[TheFallenOne]

Lavender's face twists in disgust, and finally she breaks her silence with muttering a short arcane phrase. Pushing the palm of her hand forward she directs a violent burst of wind at Wrex, rustling his clothes, hair and most importantly blowing away the cloud of noxious gas before it has a chance to spread.

Spoiler

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Gust of Wind on Wrex

[Saskia]

Roger pauses. Did he really just do that? Did she really just do that?

He grins at Wrex and turns to look at Lavender and Mina. You two lovely ladies are going to have to step up your game. Wrex is already giving you a run for your title.

[TheFallenOne]

"Quiet you, or next time I aim in whose face the wind is blowing", Lavender retorts with a smirk.

[King Tius]

Wrex's brow wrinkles in confusion. "What are softskins on about?"

[RaggedAngel]

Brother Derny allows himself to be lead by the arm to one of the two inn-slash-taverns in town, The Green Apple. It is not far from where you found the priest, and by the time Mina finishes her soliloquy you have arrived. Derny seems oblivious to the semi-silent conversation going on behind his back, but the promise of food has certainly put him in a better mood.

"Let me get this straight, then; Miss Mina, you said? You folk have been hired by the Speaker and the Captain to help deal with the attacks and disruption to the town that's been going on?" He looks over the party, and though he is clearly not the sharpest man in the world his gaze is quite discerning. "Well, I suppose I'm inclined to believe you. You seem like a good sort. And a dangerous sort, though I suppose that's why you've been given a task like this."

He gestures into the Green Apple, and upon entering a dwarven woman behind the bar grins and waves to Derny. "Hey there, big man. You brought some friends, I see. I'm glad you've decided to introduce some tired travelers to the best damn beer in three hundred miles. Name's Tharrma, I'm the owner. If you lot want a place to stay after you're done saucing up the priest, it's just a gold a day for a two person room, or half that for a single. That includes meals, mind you, but if you want better than very good ale you'll have to pay a little extra."

Derny makes no attempt to interrupt the woman; he seems to hold a great deal of respect for her. "Right, this is Tharrma. And she's right about the beer and mead; it really is great. And you can stay in the Old Bridge Inn if you really really want to, but they charge four times as much as Tharrma and don't have as good of food. Though I suppose that's up to debate of whether you like dwarven food or not."

From behind the bar, Tharrma laughs as she cleans a class. "It also depends on if you like having your pockets picked by twenty halfling children as they usher you out the door. That place is lousy with thieves pretending to be innkeeps. Now, granted, my place is just the regular kind of lousy, but it's gotten better since Derny's started giving me a bit of his time every week."

The priest shakes his head, grinning. "I swear, the day I come up with the 'Protection from Varmints' I will be a very wealthy man. Anyway, this nice lady was saying something about me helping them help us. About those raids we've been having." Still oblivious to the strange half-elf mating ritual going on behind his back, he goes to the bar and gestures to the group. "I'll cover the first round for my new friends with my credit. Now then, I do think I'll be able to help you guys, though I don't exactly have a military storehouse of magical armaments and elixirs going on; I've just got a few healing belts and some potions. The healing belts are, uh, not the greatest; they've only got two bursts of juice as opposed to the usual three. But I've got four of them, and I'd be happy to loan them for however long you need.

When it comes to actual fighting; I'll be honest, folks. I'm no warrior. I can't really fit in most armor, on account of my mighty figure, and the last time I killed something it was a bee that was fighting me for my mead. But I can heal better than most warrior-clerics; normal healing in addition to the magical kind, that is. If you get busted up, or know someone who is, I can do a pretty fine job getting you better. I can't raise the dead or nothing, but I can help."

Tharrma arrives with tankards of ale, and it really is good; just bitter enough, and with a hearty flavor to it. Some of you may find it a little strong, but it is dwarven ale, after all. "You can too raise the dead, big man, if you eat too much of my dragonfire stew. But that isn't unheard of for most anyone as round as you." He winks at her, clearly familiar with her blunt jests. And she in turn looks over the armed and armored strangers in her tavern, still grinning. "You folks decided if you want to stay here or not? I've got a good lamb roast going, with potatoes and some fresh herbs to go with 'em. And give me a round of names, and I'll do my damnedest to keep them straight."

[Saskia]

"Oh, of course! We have the lovely head-butting Sturmdamen, Mina and Lavender, Wrex here can, I'm quite convinced, give Derny a run for his money no matter how much fire you put in that stew, and if you had any misgivings about humans being boring, Isaac is far more interesting than you'd think. The adorable little steel death machine is Mina's own creation named Pig, and I," he strums a brief chord on his lute, almost as if he knows how ridiculously over-the-top his behavior is, "am Roger the Bard, and lamb and potatoes and a pair of warm beds for a Galifar sounds like a steal."

[RaggedAngel]

Tharrma stares at everyone as Roger introduces them, apparently to assign names to faces. She frowns for a minute after he finishes, at which point her focus resettles on his lute. "A musician, eh? Well, I tend to like your sort, especially when they compliment my extremely generous prices. And I'll note that's a crown for two people, unlike those bastards down the way that'll charge you two crowns for one bed and give you half the supper besides." It's clearly a touchy subject for her.

"Anyhow, if you can play me up a tune I'd be happy to start working on that dinner. My, er, friend Morlan-" Derny snorts out a laugh, which earns him a glare. "As I was saying, my friend Morlan Coalhewer, the town's smith, should be by any time now for supper. He's never learned to cook, that fool. Anyhow, if you've got anything metal you want to buy or sell he's your man; I know how that kind of think can be pretty important to you folk. He's not a dwarf, but he's pretty damn good for a human smith."

[hoverfrog]

"Varmints, you need some sort of magical item that repels or kills vermin. Insects, mice and the like. I should think that the prestidigitation spell could accomplish that. What do you think, Lavender?" Mina offers the half elf an obsequious smile. "I'm sure I could rig up a pendant or charm that deters ordinary animals smaller than a house cat. In fact the essence of a feline would be my first choice. Do you have a problem with birds, miss Tharrma? I dare say I could exclude birds."

"The Green Apple is such a charming name, you must get the bulk of the business here on the name alone. We should share rooms, Lavendar. The boys can double up too." she looks over the building and tries to estimate how many rooms it must have.

"Brother Derny, the loan of your healing belts would be greatly appreciated. You're very kind. I may even be able to enhance them for you given time." She pats his hand, "Of course, I do so hope that we won't have need of them but, as the saying goes, better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it."

[RaggedAngel]

Derny seems pleased by Mina's response. "Well, I'm happy to hear that. The last couple folk that asked for some material help turned their noses up at my belts. Well, you better believe I started demanding normal market price from those three. You lot seem like a good sort, but you'd really be surprised the kind of people we get passing through here.

I swear, the biggest cure for the unfortunate racism you can find in these parts," he nods toward Wrex apologetically, "is the behavior of most of the pure-blooded humans that pass through. Just because Kennrun isn't a big place doesn't mean that the people who live here don't matter. We're the bridge between two nations, for cryin' out loud!"

[Saskia]

Roger's eyes brighten with a broad grin at the apparent awkwardness Tharrma shows talking about this Morlan Coalhewer fellow. Though most people don't thumb their noses at khorovar, there are plenty of people who even today in this modern era who find human-elven or even human-khorovar couples to be distasteful. Briefly he wonders if humans and dwarves are even interfertile, though he dismisses the tangent, satisfied with the conclusion that she did not, in fact, have any misgivings about humans being boring. "Your terms sound most agreeable, milady."

So he does have a job, of sorts. A free meal is nice, but asking him to show off and be the center of attention? Well, it would be rude not to oblige the lady when she asked so nicely. He gives Mina a wink and a pat on the back before taking off to do his thing.

Spoiler

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Three songs, I guess?

Sing (1d20+11)[30]
Aid with lute (1d20+7)[13]

Sing (1d20+11)[25]
Aid with lute (1d20+7)[24]

Sing (1d20+11)[24]
Aid with lute (1d20+7)[19]

[RaggedAngel]

Roger settles down to play his first song, and everything else stops being especially important. You all find a stool or seat as he plays, and even Mina is taken aback by the music; it doesn't seem like it's coming from the same man that did his playing on the street earlier. Tharrma manages to focus on the food enough to not burn herself, but she has a hard time keeping her attention on anything but Roger.

After the first song concludes, no one is quite sure what to say. The silence is broken when a burly man with a dark beard bursts through the doors, smelling of clean smoke and wearing a thick apron over his clothing. "Evenin', Tharrma. Damn, woman, you've got yourself a crowd tonight. Glad to see you folks around here, Tharrma runs a good joint."

Tharrma blinks, snapped out of her stupor. "Morlan, glad you're on time. I'd be confused if you didn't show up at the same time every day. But look, that lad in the corner there? I swear on my grandmother, he's the god's gift to music. Just listen a sec, alright? Roger, you've got to do another one. Or two." Morlan settles down without a word, taking a glass of something dark from Tharrma and watching Roger with friendly curiosity.

Roger, ever the polite artist, proceeds to nearly surpass himself; the words of the second song aren't quite as moving, but his lute playing is astounding. By the time he is finished, you all check to make sure that he only has five fingers on each hand. A few more regulars have settled down, all of them equally confused and impressed by the music. The food is passed around, and after taking a bite and washing it down, Roger finishes out the set with a third work of art, this time in a language that none of you know.

It's a story, plain as day, though how you know that you can't quite explain. A story of love unrequited, of loss, and hardship. A story of peril, and struggle, and eventually, triumph. Of surpassing all odds and entering history. The music is subtle, powerful, making your heart race as you watch the half-elf's hands dance across the strings. It is the same story that is always told, across every nation and race. The story of the underdog, of the little man taking on giants, of the one rebel against a limitless empire. The story of a few, with pure hearts and noble intentions, changing the world.

Roger lays his lute across his lap, settling back into his chair. The room feels a little dimmer now that he has finished. It is quiet, and still.

[TheFallenOne]

"Wish For Beginners exerts enough force to easily crush common insects. Did it couple times. Best thing is they can't see it coming." She grins widely, although it soon fades when tasting the beer. It's certainly good; it's just she has a rather sweet tooth and before enjoying beer she usually has to 'warm up' with something more to her tastes. The mentioned mead would probably do.

She is soon mesmerized by Roger's song and the idea for a little prank forms. Prestidigiation can create minor objects. It won't look all too well and will probably not be fit for wearing, but that's not the point really.

Using Isaac's body as a shield between herself and Roger she uses her spell to create some female undergarments, bright pink and lacy. For good measure she uses the spell to bring the creation up to body temperature. Then, using another cantrip once Roger is finished, she hurls the pink cloth in front of his feet, making sure the trajectory doesn't lead back to her.

Spoiler

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Prestidigitation and Mage Hand.
Bit much? Perhaps, but hey female underoos hurled at rock stars is an old classic.

[King Tius]

Wrex sits and enjoys Roger's music thoroughly. After Roger concludes his songs, Wrex pulls a gold coin from his pocket and, well, throws it at Roger. Not particularly hard, mind you, but with enough force that it sails across the room in a quick arc. The bald hobgoblin gets to his feet, drawing five more gold coins out and handing them to Tharrma. "Such music deserves celebration! You mentioned something other than very good ale?"

[RaggedAngel]

Tharrma accepts the gold swiftly, and she pulls out a parchment list, frowning. "Five crown's'll take you pretty far here; and I think I've got just the thing for you. How long has it been since you've had traditional hobgoblin firewater?" She takes out an old bottle, and pours Wrex a shot.

"I don't imagine many of your friends will want some, but I swear that this stuff is the one common bond between our cultures." She sends a round of various liquors around to each of you, all of them different and picked based on her judgement of you. As it turns out, she's judged you pretty well.

[RaggedAngel]

A night of drinking, song, and general gallivanting follows. The lot of you eventually manage to find your way to rooms to bunk down for the night, and there's more than a little confusion about who is sleeping where (and with whom). After things are settled, the rest of the night passes peacefully.

The next morning comes too soon, and most of you feel the effects of the various brews you imbibed the night before, especially the half-elves; an unfortunate side effect of elven heritage is a general lack of alcohol-imbibing talent. After eating breakfast and washing up, however, you're all feeling much better, and you have assembled in the common room to plan out your day. If Speaker Winston has his way, you recall, you're to be setting out along the Dawn Way today to find out what is going on around Vrath Keep.

[hoverfrog]

"Did you have me singing last night? I distinctly remember singing....in gnomish. Why would I be singing in gnomish, Roger?" Her three constructs line up on the floor and stare at her accusingly. "Perhaps it's better if you don't tell me."

[Saskia]

It takes Roger a moment for all of Mina's words to register, but he does quite enjoy hearing her voice in the morning. How long has it been...? He grins a halfhearted and mischievous grin and replies "Mina, my darling, you wound me! You recall the sweet serenade, but neither the song nor the sentiment that inspired the night." If there is one thing Roger is not, however, it's a habitually early riser, and the duty he happily agreed to the day before, as well as its importance, has completely slipped his mind.