CH. 01 - Go Your Own Way

[Daos]

The party, an eclectic crew consisting of a Dimernesti, a half-elf, two Minotaur, a Silvanesti (or so she seemed) and a Neidar, are currently at the Hive Inn, a ramshackle den of scum and villainy in the pirate town of Flotsam in northern Balifor, on the coast of the Blood Sea of Istar.  It wasn't much, but it had a nice view of the Blood Bay, and one could sit and drink and watch the ships come and go.

Things had been a bit tough since summer began.  And not just because it was an unusually hot one.  Work had been hard to come by of late.  When they could find a job at all, it tended to be easy and low-paying--a 'milkrun' as they are oft called.  Consequently, the party was getting dangerously low on funds.

As the party drank and discussed their options, an elderly man enters the room.  He looks rather out of place, and stands out like a wooden thumb.  He looks more like a peasant than a pirate or a smuggler.  He has a scraggly white beard, and his skin is deeply tanned, like someone who spends copious amounts of time in the fields.  He carries nothing valuable on him, at least not that anyone can easily see, so probably not much of a mark.  He appears rather anxious, like he's having second thoughts about entering, but steels himself and walks to the bar to speak to the innkeeper.

================

It is currently Sack 3rd, Pain (by the Goblin calendar), 369 AC.  It is Fourth Watch (10 AM) and the weather is clear.

(OOC:  Casters may choose spells for the day.)

[TristenC]

Sha'al muses over the weak wine in his mug that tasted more like water someone had thrown just-turned berries into... hardly any strength or flavor, and that mildly unpleasant. It did have that one other virtue which occasionally trumped all others; it was cheap. Slouched on a corner bench, back to the wall with one booted foot on the seat and the other on the floor, the green-skinned sea elf notes the obviously out-of-place arrival. Scratching his head between the half-braided half-dreaded locks of black hair, he grimaces slightly. Without ceremony he flicks a discarded nut-shell from the table in the direction of Parra, the Minotaur sitting nearby. He guides her gaze, and that of the others, to the newcomer at the bar with a curious look.

SPOILER: Click to show

[Igordragonian]

(Burning Hands is prepared)
Parra drink, and then spit the weak wine.
She curse and swear, but then... the scarred minutaur has drunk the mug in one loud and wet gulp.
Sometimes, she seemed to revel in her ugliness, wearing it, as a badge.

At first, when the nutshell thrown at the Savage Wizard, she hiss and curse Sha'al, but her expression soften, as her both healthy and bloodshot eye follow his gaze.
Parra perk her ear and listen in.



----Refrence
refrence

[Matt4]

Kaelestia

Hp: 8/8 - AC: 5

Kaelestia sipped on her drink. It tasted awful, like nothing she had ever tried before.
On her stern face appeared a faint trace of a smile. Finally she got to experience the real world.
The Irda, now appearing as a Silvanesti, looked at her companions engaged in discussion. She wasn't really interested in what they had to say, but on how they said it.
In all her years of study about the outer world customs and traditions, she focused on the gentle language spoken within the royal courts. She could have never imagined something like the curses the female Minotaur was now spouting. Such a hideous creature, and yet so enthralling. Under that grisly appearance was hidden a bright talent for history and magic. Fascinating.

As she looks at Parra lost in thought, she gets distracted by the nutshell thrown by another one of her companions, the sea elf. She follows his gaze just to meet the sight of the old man that just now entered the inn. Kaelestia wasn't sure on why he held any interest to the group, but she still keeps on looking at him and waits for either him or the party to make a move.

[Daos]

Despite the party's attention, the old man speaks in low enough tones to avoid being fully heard.  They catch snippets here and there, though.

"...need help..."

"...brave heroes..."

"...great danger..."

When he is finished, the innkeeper just shrugs and says, "You'll have to ask around."

[TristenC]

Detecting opportunity, albeit not the most promising given the man's condition, Sha'al moves towards the bar. Taking another drink with a grimace, which he makes no effort to conceal from The Innkeeper, he sets the half empty mug down. Giving the old man a look over, he nods in silent greeting. What brings an old farmer like you to dump like this? he asks, artlessly. You must need something pretty badly to wind up in this port, mr...?

[Dallion80]

*Granker looks around at his compains and chuckles ashe old man as he walks in but  the grimace at the wine before them before he tipos his cup up and drains it* "Well that was worst then what they served us in the arena. We need work and steal.." *his voice is deep and it carries his disgust with their location.*


*his eyes fallow the old man as he walks to the bar but it is clear the minotaur dismisses him just as quickly and snorts when the elf approaches the old timer*

Attachments:

[HorizonsDream]

"All of you are acting as if we haven't had worse than this," Sumina says with a shake of her head before she downs the liquid that could barely be considered wine. Though, she knows she had had worse in her time. She places the empty mug on the table, and watches the old man with her brown eyes. She doesn't seem particularly interested in what he has to say, but Sha'al approaches him, so she watches as she absently twirls a strain of her brown hair around her index finger.

[Daos]

"Barnabas," the old man answers the Dimernesti.  "Elder of the hamlet of Nixx.  Have you heard of it?  No?  Well, it's fairly small and deep in the woods, so perhaps that is to be expected.  But I have come on behalf of my people to beg assistance."  He looks the sea elf up and down.  "Perhaps you could be the hero I am looking for?"

The old man explains, "Two months ago, we became aware of the a giant dwelling in the Tanglewood, a large forest to the south of us.  For a time, the creature contented itself with roaming the wood, but for the last fortnight it has taken to raiding our farms, stealing sheep, goats and most recently a cow.  Although a good witch also dwells in the Tanglewood, who no doubt would help us against the monster, we have not seen her in several months, and we have been afraid to enter and seek her out."  He sighs and shakes his head sadly.  "The people of Nixx are simple folk, not warriors, and all fear the giant will soon become even bolder in his attacks.  So I have traveled here to Flotsam, hoping to find some brave adventurers who would aid us against this foe."

[TristenC]

Sha'al gives a mild scoff at the word 'hero', but lets the man finish. Shaking his head almost sadly he leans in and 'confides' the obvious. This is a town of pirates... on a sea of pirates... Old man, you have come to the wrong place if you want a 'Hero'... he adds, ignoring the fact that he was likely twice the human's age.
Stolen sheep and goats and cows... And this 'witch'... who is she anyway? Who does she serve? he turns a passing glance at his party, knowing 'good' and 'witch' practically never entered the same sentence together. He pauses, spotting Sumina watching... fingers twirled in her hair... focus, dumbass he cursed himself. Is she powerful? This missing 'witch'? Enough to make a difference? he adds, not really waiting for an answer. You might have better luck thinking about it in terms people hereabouts can relate to. You have a job. A tough job for certain if a louse-ridden, goat-loving, ten-foot tall giant is involved. he chuckles a little to himself; slightly disturbed at the fact he was actually considering it to break up the flat-out boredom of the last few weeks...
What you need for a job like that is a serious selling point. So what is the payoff? He looks the man up and down again. Or let me guess... the satisfaction of helping others... and maybe the spoils of whatever the big, bad wolf has taken from you and other...s he stops himself just shy of calling the man a sheep, realizing he wasn't quite ready to reject the job out of hand; A testament to his recent frustration. People might undertake a job... if the price were right... he glances at his crew, a little amusement mixed with a hint of... gods, was it curiosity? Even the sea-witch wouldn't be that cruel... he pinched his left earlobe hard to drive away ill luck.

[Daos]

Aug 4, 2021 22:18:08 GMT -8 TristenC said:

"This is a town of pirates... on a sea of pirates... Old man, you have come to the wrong place if you want a 'Hero'..."

"B-Be that as it may," Barnabas says, "I had to try.  And I won't give up. I'll try the next town and the next, if I must.  I'll search all of Balifor, if needed.  And beyond."  Despite the timidity of his demeanor, there is a conviction to his words--one gets the impression he'd face down an angry dragon, if that is what it took.

Aug 4, 2021 22:18:08 GMT -8 TristenC said:

"And this 'witch'... who is she anyway? Who does she serve? Is she powerful? This missing 'witch'? Enough to make a difference?"

"Oh, she's a powerful sorceress.  Not to mention beautiful, kind, and with a singing voice that could move Lord Soth himself to tears," he says with confidence.  "She assists the village as a healer and counselor and is very popular with my people, especially the children.  She is also our protector.  And why we've never needed to seek outside help before.  I'm certain she could deal with this giant problem easily...it's just," and here his confidence wavers, "...well, as I said, she's been missing the past few months.  Nobody is quite sure where she is, or when she's coming back..."

Aug 4, 2021 22:18:08 GMT -8 TristenC said:

"Or let me guess... the satisfaction of helping others... and maybe the spoils of whatever the big, bad wolf has taken from you and other...s--"

The old man blanches.  "Oh, uh...well, of course not, uh..."  He stumbles with his words, clearly caught off guard.  One gets the impression he absolutely expected the satisfaction of helping others would be enough, and hadn't planned on his 'heroes' asking for anything more.  "Well, that is to say, the people of Nixx, while rich in spirit and community, are not so much so in terms of coin.  But if everyone pitches in, we could probably put together an adequate, uh, payment for this quest--I mean, job," he corrects himself.

[TristenC]

Sha'al nods, and even gives a small smile when the man goes on about making it happen no matter what. Good... he thought to himself, he has conviction. He doesn't press further about the job/ compensation, but muses to himself a moment; giving the old man a distracted but encouraging pat on the shoulder. The trick might be to find this 'good witch' and let her deal with it all, while still making something on the deal. Barring that... he glanced at the Minotaur Gladiator, then the Dwarven barbarian; both built like breakwater stones. Then there was the strange magic of Perra did... and Kaelestia and Sumina had divine powers... If they did end up having to face down a giant, this group wasn't the worst to go about it.

Let me put it to my crew. Wait here.


Sha'al leaves the man at the bar and walks unhurriedly back to his group. The old-timer has a job. It's dangerous, and there's probably not much of a payoff aside from looting the creature. But it beats dying of boredom. He fills them in on all the details he has, by the end of which he has a sardonic half-grin at the ridiculousness of even considering it. Well? What do you lot think? he asks

[HorizonsDream]

Sumina flips her hair back over her shoulder once Sha'al returns, and quietly listens to what he has to say about the old man. Pursing her lips together in thought, she tilts her chair back a little to get another look at the old man before she sets the chair down and shrugs her shoulders at Sha'al. "It's surprising you took an interest in the old man, and it is even more surprising you are mentioning his little problem to us. Remind me to ask Sargonnas for protection against bad omens," she says with a light sardonic smile to the Dimernesti. She didn't actually believe in such rubbish, but she couldn't help picking some fun at Sha'al. Despite the sarcasm in her voice, she stands from where she was sitting, and stretches with her arms up over her head. She was sitting in the same spot for too long. "I'm in," she finally says.

OOC: Curse, Command, Cause Fear for prayers

[TristenC]

Sha'al smirks at the light teasing and shrugs. Sick of milk-runs. Every now and then life needs a little... excitement. When Sumina rises and stretches, he makes only the barest attempt to avoid being obvious as his eyes follow her figure. Cutting his gaze to the gladiator and the Dwarf, lest he be caught lingering. What about you two? Fancy a challenge?

[Dallion80]

"I am for it nothing makes you feel alive like battle of honor"

* the gladiator grins savagely*