Darkest Dusk 1. Twilight.

[Denomar]

Spoiler

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Moving on.

"Oh yes! Leave! Not like I'm completely ruined or anything over here. I'll just sell them into slavery to cover my losses and we'll eat the children when the roads are good and closed proper!"

Rudyard wanders off yelling about bad stars, bad luck, and bloody god damn Rats. You all get the impression that you probably will not be seeing a paycheque for this particular job.

--

The tavern is the kind of place that makes dive bars look decently civilized. A gaudy sign enchanted with some form of continual light blares over the run down wooden structure. It appears to depict a woman sitting in a puddle with her head in her hands. Above it is written "The Destitute Doxy"

Inside it isn't much better. A long table runs the length of the room with two long benches to either side. A pitiful looking bar made of polished scrap from the lumber yard stands at the far end. Shelves of dusty bottles (most of which are empty) and an enormous keg stand behind the bar. There are three people visible in the room and the sounds of pots clattering come from the doorway beyond the bar.

Firstly and closest to the entrance to the tavern is a man slumped over the table. An empty beer stein clutched gently in one fist as he snores like a chainsaw. At the bar a young human woman is trying to clean the drinking horns while the third, a wide shouldered human with a mop of sandy hair and a prodigious gut is doing his best, or worst, to pick her up.

She tries to shoulder past him with a look of relief as Valen and Nori enter the tavern. "What'll it be"

[CasualViking]

"Hot food. Strong drink. A bed for the night, and.... a hot bath, or the closest I can get."

[3SecondCultist]

Whisper, who has remained silent for the entirety of the conversation, only seems to react when Rudyard mentions eating children. The girl waits until the others have left, before pulling off the cloth and then reloading the bolt on her crossbow. She does not point the weapon at her former employer, but her blank and unblinking stare leaves no question as to her intent.

A few minutes later, the waif enters the bar behind the two figures from the caravan. She orders no drink, but instead sets her weapon - covered once more - down within easy reach and finds a stool at the bar. Whisper stares at Nori for a moment, before nodding slightly in what could be construed as vague approval.

[Denomar]

Moments Earlier

As Whisper reloads her crossbow staring daggers into the back of the retreating Rudyard the crowd starts to disperse. Most of the caravan travelers start heading towards the tent city while a few stay behind to take care of Voight's body and the rest start moving what little is left of the supplies.

"Tempting innit"

The voice comes from uncomfortably close to Whisper's ear. Seated on the cart right beside you is the slight man who admonished Rudyard, with a start your realize that you neither saw nor heard him climb into the cart. Up close he's middle aged with a pronounced widows peak. He is staring at Rudyard too, and keeps his voice quiet. He mimes raising a crossbow to shoulder height and peers down the imaginary sights. He breathes out sharply and pulls the imaginary trigger. His hand's don't shake. His lips pull back into a lurid grin. "Tempting, sure as sure. But that one's mine. And he aint goin' nowhere till he pays what he owes. To you and to me."

His grin doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"We all got debts to pay 'round here"

---

Now

"Well, two out of four isn't bad." The woman snorts. We've got some leftover stew in the kitchen and the beer is strong as an Orc Berserker. Got no rooms for rent, and no baths though. Most just bath in the river when its warmer out. But what with winter coming most of the water we have is saved for drinking. Beer is 8 cp a mug. Stew's on for a silver."

Any further conversation is interrupted by the man who had been trying (and failing) to pick the waitress up growing belligerant. He stomps over and shouts "Hey! Sod off you jackals, the lady's with M..."

Any further further tension is interrupted when the previously unconscious man who had been draped over the table rises from his seat in a smooth motion and lays his empty stein into the side of the mans jaw with a sickening crunch who drops like a brick. The other man slurs "Bloody hells, stop shouting..."

He is tall and muscled (though some of it looks like its gone to seed) and dressed in a high collard wolfskin cloak with ill fitting and even worse smelling leather's beneath. A sturdy looking bastard sword in its sheath leans against the table where it had been hidden from view behind the mans bulk. "You sure know how to pick 'em Liza."

He stops to consider the three of you. The moment of tension stretches. Then the man leans over like some sort of teetering ladder and hits the floor snoring.

The impact almost shakes the bar and jostles the wolfskin cloak aside. Beneath it, pinned to the mans left breast is a silver star engraved with the word Marshall in Taldan.

[El'the Ellie]

"Well, good to know we're in safe hands here..." Nori says with a bit of amusement, watching the marshal drink himself into oblivion.

She taps two silver down on the counter. "I'll take a beer and a bowl. Are they always like this, or is there a special occasion?" She says with a nod to the two unconscious men.

[CasualViking]

Valen nods and taps down his own two silver on the counter. Then he goes off to sit close to the fire.

[Denomar]

The stew is a mix of turnips and pork sausage flavored with paprika. The sauce is a bit watery and its definitely over salted. But its a hot bowl of food after months on the road, which means it tastes exquisite. It's like Stockholm syndrome of the palette.

The ale on the otherhand turns out to be legitimately pretty good. It's a local kind of applejack made out of fermented tree syrup that is concentrated by a freezing process. It's strong and sweet.

The waitress glances at the unconscious marshall and the downed thug with a look of consternation but doesn't say anything further.

Spoiler

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You may use a social skill to try and learn more.

[CasualViking]

Valen looks over the two unconscious men. With smooth, practiced movements, he rolls the marshall over on his side in a locked position, making sure he can't choke on his own vomit. The downed thug gets a cursory examination, checking that the jaw is still attached and that he isn't bleeding into his own windpipe.

"Well. They are going to be fine. Or, as fine as they were this morning, at least."

Spoiler: ooc

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Heal check as an Aid Another for a social skill roll? (1d20+9)[28]

[El'the Ellie]

Nori breaths a sigh of relief as she kicks off her boots and sits down with the stew and beer. She watches the two passed out folks warily: she had no sympathy for the man that got clobbered, but the marshal seemed... well, he was certainly... Ok, maybe she just wanted him to get better for the sake of a sense of law in the town. But she had done her good turn today, that situation wasn't her problem to deal with. Now she was starting to see why the monks at her monastery warned against life trapped in a bottle. She nods approvingly when Vasco tends to them, but otherwise occupies herself with the food and beer. It tastes like heaven after cold bread, water, and dried fruit and meats.

In between bites, she turns to her coworkers. "So... any thoughts on how we're going to get our paycheck? Rudyard didn't look too willing to finish his part of the deal."

[3SecondCultist]

Earlier

Whisper turns to examine the newcomer. The girl's eyes are flat and her expression unwavering, but anyone who took her pulse would at that moment have found a sudden spike that accompanies the realization that the man apparently appeared out of nowhere. The words he says, on the other hand, have a noticeable effect on her: a slow smirk crosses her lips. In many ways, her smile matches his.

"That we do," she murmurs, before setting off after the others.


Now

Following the others by pointing at the beer and then snapping her fingers, Whisper sits back with a pint and listens to the others. Shadowed eyes stare out over the rim of her glass, and between sips she glances at Valen and then Nori.

"Could kill him and take it," she says, with a significant look at her 'disguised' weapon.

[Denomar]

The waitress meeps softly from the bar and busies herself with scrubbing the same drinking horn down. Again.

The Marshall begins to snore softly.

Spoiler: Ooc

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I would hate to interrupt a conversation. Ask if you need any info.

[CasualViking]

"So. Liza. That guy is your marshall? I don't imagine he solves a lot of problems around here". As the waitress looks over, Valen continues. "You seem..." - he mimics flipping quickly through a book, looking up at her and framing her face between his fingers - "..'distraught'.."

[Denomar]

Liza 'meeps' again. She looks from the exceptionally sparkly drinking horn, to the bar, to the two passed out full grown men on her floor. She sighs and drops her rag in disgust coming out from behind the bar to suvey the two.

"Marshall Vocter's a good man. And he keeps plenty of trouble away when he's sober. Only gods bedamned problem is he's very rarely sober."

She points at the other thug.

"And him. Well..." she stutters to a stop and reddens.

Spoiler

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She's a bit too nervous to reveal more unless someone increases her attitude.

[El'the Ellie]

Nori balks at the girls suggestion. Her voice is fairly even, but she's almost offended at the suggestion. "No we can't! Look, I don't like him either, but there are a lot of good reasons we shouldn't do that." She sighs. "Maybe we can confront him about it, later, after he's had a chance to cool down. Valen, thoughts?" She says, attempting to drag the alchemist back to the conversation.

[CasualViking]

"I hated the journey, I hate this place, and I hate the thought of not even getting paid. I'm all for having a very serious talk with Reynard about what he owes us".

[El'the Ellie]

Nori forces a smile. She was high strung too, but complaining about everything under the sun wasn't going to help. She says tersely. "Well, focus on what you can fix then Valen. The journey's in the past, and if you want to leave you can plan that out tomorrow. So we're agreed that we'll go talk to him? After dinner or tomorrow morning? Personally, I think it'll be more helpful if we let him cool off overnight."

[CasualViking]

"Yeah, I think it will be more helpful if I get to sleep on it", Valen says snidely. He finds his tankard already mostly drained, and walks on up to the bar to order another.

"So, Liza. Indulge me. I'm a stranger, just passing through, with no interest in gossiping with a bunch of grunting, bearded lumberjacks. Tell me what's up."

Diplomacy (1d20+0)[4], plus any bonus from helping earlier.

[Denomar]

Liza’s cheeks redden, but not in embarrassment this time.

“Hey now, we’re all lumberjacks here when the snows are gone. No need to be rude.”

[3SecondCultist]

From the table behind Valen’s valiant attempt at conversation emerges a small snort of obvious derision.

[CasualViking]

"********s and yokels, ********s and yokels everywhere", Valen softly mutters to himself as he goes to sit by the fire again. He stares into the flames, brooding.

[Denomar]

Well that's one conversation that you all managed to avoid like the plague.

Or perhaps you are still just hungry. Around half an hour of relaxation and stew later the door creaks open and a group of lumberjacks push their way in. Clearly happy hour is about to start.

In the lead is the slight man from the gate. Accompanying him are three other burly human men, a half-orc woman, a dwarf and a. Hmm, your not really sure what that one is. The final figure is six and a half feet tall and loops for all the world like a cross between an elf and a rabbit, with soft fur and long droopy ears. It (you can't really tell what gender it is) is is corded with muscle beneath thick woolen robes and it sits quietly as the others attack the applejack ale with a vengeance.

The slight man takes note of the passed out lumberjack and quirks an eyebrow at Whisper. "Did you do that? Or was it the Garbageman?" he nods towards the equally passed out Marshall Voctor.

[3SecondCultist]

Whisper just shrugs in reply, taking in the sight of the newcomers and trying to assess what kinds of weapons they carry on their persons, both visible and concealed. She tries to keep the glances nonchalant, unobtrusive, but if they see her looking, then so be it. Sizing up threats is hardly an unnatural thing to be doing in an establishment where fights seem like the norm.

[Denomar]

"Nerif, He's Not a Garbageman!" exclaims Liza.

The slight man, this Nerif, interrupts before she can continue. "Well, he spends enough time at the dump that he should be! Now get your boss out here and drinks on the table."

The lumberjacks and the 'rabbit man' take seats at the long table and pretty soon Liza is dashing back and forth with drinking horns of cider. Nerif waits at the bar as a young man enters from the kitchens. He's wearing a smock and a woolen vest. He has red hair and seems almost shockingly young. He has a whispered conversation with Nerif and you're pretty sure that something passes between them. Than Nerif claps him on the shoulder smiles widely and says "Always on time."

---

The evening passes in drink and song (and silent thought from the rabbit guy, what's his deal?) Near the end of the evening as the strong lumberjacks collect the no longer unconscious, but still bleary, thug who Voctor earlier knocked out. Nerif proposes meeting with you all in the morning. "After all, you look like you need work."

The thoughts and impressions you are left with, being professional assassins and adventurers are:
How are you going to get your money back from Rudyard?
Who is Nerif? What's the job he wants to do.
Who is Marshall Voctor? What's up with the law being drunk off his butt and no one blinks an eye? Why does he spend so much time at a garbage dump?
Just what are you going to Do?

[El'the Ellie]

Nori joins the woodcutters in the idle chatter of the night, but she can't help but feel like something is amiss. These people, especially the man Nerif, seemed to have no reason to trust outsiders given their local law enforcement, and yet he did so implicitly. Well... it was a question for another day. She's happy to get pleasantly tipsy off of the surprisingly good beer (they deserved it, after all).

"Sure," she says at his work proposal with a shrug. "I can never really stay complacent for too long anyway, and I suspect we're going to make less than expected on the venture that brought us here." She glances at the others. "Might as well hear him out, right?"

[CasualViking]

"Yeah, let's hear the job". Valen tries to get a sense of the man.

Sense Motive: (1d20+6)[10].

[Denomar]

Valen has seen this type before. The way Nerif carries himself just screams mob boss.

It seems the local lumberjacks might have "unionized"

[3SecondCultist]

Whisper watches the proceedings - from Nerif to the newcomer with the red hair to the activities of the lumberjacks - and when Nerif mentions a 'job in the morning' already piques the girl's interest. When Valen seems to ask about the job, the would-be assassin does not contest the notion by leaving. In fact, her gaze on the local leader seems quite steady.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sense Motive: (1d20+3)[5]

[Denomar]

Whisper takes a good long look at Nerif and comes to the incontrovertible opinion that she likes him. He's smooth, he's in control and he totally just bought a round of drinks for everyone in the tavern.

The minutes tick into hours as ale flows and proverbial collars loosen. With the exception of the tall rabbit man, everyone seems to be having a good time. The party learns that Nerif is the foreman of "Hatchet and Saw local #211." A branch of Andoran's largest logging firm. You also learn that Falcon's Hollow is now little more than a mill and processing plant. Most of the actual logging are done at other camps up the river. There they fell the trees and float them to Falcon's Hollow where they are processed into finished planks and transported by barge to Augustana. Nerif is happy to tell you about the process of the operation if anyone asks.

About a quarter past midnight Voctor lurches to wakefulness and seeing how busy the tavern has become, departs the doxy in search of solace.

Nerif encourages you to "Leave him to his trash. He always heads to the tump when he's drunk."

At one in the morning a thoroughly exhausted Liza tells everyone that she needs to close up for the night and encourages everyone to go home.

You thus find yourselves more drunk than you probably would have intended standing on the front porch of the Destitute Doxy. Where do you all go from here to rest? It's pretty cold out.

[CasualViking]

"Ruddy's gotta have some kinda place, right? We can crash there. Or we can sleep in the wagons? There should be plenty of stuff to make a fire".

[3SecondCultist]

The dark-haired girl actually gives Nerif an open smile by the time the night comes to an end. She has barely spoken a word since her 'suggestion' before, but she keeps relatively close to both Nori and Valen when the whole crew is kicked out of the bar. For whatever reason, the waif appears to have found some companions to hang around, at least temporarily. Who knows what has motivated her to do this?

No matter why, Whisper keeps her crossbow close as she considers Valen's question. A thoughtful expression crosses her face, before she nods and points in the direction of the wagons. Once more, she pulls out the ovoid alchemical stone out of her bag and strikes it. The wave of comfortable warmth, while not as directly intense as a fire, suffuses the area around all three adventurers. She then smiles, nods, and points in the direction of the wagons.