Part 1: The Village of Hommlet

[Daos]

Daos frowns at the sight of the castle being constructed.  "Are they...anticipating a war?" he wonders aloud softly, his voice tinged with concern.  He becomes lost in thought again, and so when the guard speaks, he's caught off guard when he's suddenly snapped out of his concentration.  "Uh, we...that is...um, we're here...to see...uh...B-Burne and Rufus--please," he says, trying to collect his thoughts.

[Rax]

"About rumours of bandits causing trouble in the area," Roshek adds. "If the rumours are true we'd like to assist in getting rid of them."

[OnceUponAnAxe]

Obasi continues to take a background role in the group. Standing back behind the others. He’s allowed himself to be caught up in the sights and sounds of the village. It was so different from the places he had called home. The people were kind, at least kind enough to not outright threaten violence to get their ways. Interesting. 

[Margrave]

Narya smiles at the guard and says, "Will you direct us to where we need to go see Rufus and Burne so we can help?"

[Daos]

Daos lets out a breath of relief, glad that the others stepped in and took the pressure off of him.  Now he just stands in silence to await the guard's response.

[GreyWolfVT]

The guard looks at the group and decides with the lack of being heavily armed that there is no harm permitting you all entrance. "Very well you may wait down here in the main hall and I'll send a messenger to fetch Rufus and Burne. Right this way if you please, and I hope it goes without saying cause no trouble." the group is brought into the lower level of the tower. 

The door is flanked by shuttered arrow slits, and two murder holes are in the ceiling. Flanking the inner portal are two fireplaces, where most of the cooking is done by two to three servants. Several comfortable chairs are placed along the walls, and the walls themselves are hung with tapestries and decorated with shields, arms, and hunting trophies—12 shields, four long swords, two broad swords, four spears, two battle axes, and the heads and homs of various creatures. Ramps curving upwards and downwards lead to other levels. The guard indicates the comfy chairs "Please have a seat and I'l have one of the other guards or a servant go inform the masters they have visitors. If you don't mind I must return to my post." with that the guard heads back out to his post at the entry of the tower. As he leaves a servant comes up the stairs from the lower level having heard part of the conversation he looks to the group "I'll be right with you now what are you names that I might inform the masters?" he asks. Two more guards are stationed near the small alcoves that go to the two arrow slit rooms.
 

[Kvard51]

Kevril sits, studying the construction of the tower.  The murderholes particularly draw his eyes.  While they do no seem like an honorable way to face an enemy, he can see how they would be deadly effective if someone was trapped here in the main hall.  

"I don't think I'd want to be caught in here if I were storming the tower.", he says, gesturing to the brutal holes with his shield hand.

[Rax]

"That'd be the general idea," Roshek grins at Kevril's statement.

"Roshek Stormcrow, servant of Muamman Duathal," Roshek answers the servant.

[Daos]

"Daos.  Err, Soulstaff.  Is my name," Daos clarifies awkwardly, before quickly sitting down in one of the comfy looking chairs.

[Margrave]

The elf cases the tower structure - locating exits and threats unconsciously.  When posed with the question, she replies, "Narya Tindómie."

[OnceUponAnAxe]

“My father’s greatest defeat and most profound sorrow was given to him at just such a gate. The men manning it poured hot oil, then torches, then rocks. He lost many warriors that day.” Obasi eyed the murder holes and other bits of fortification. “This will be a good fortress.”


“Obasi Valorborn, Shield of Kundo!” He stood y’all with the others. 

[Kvard51]

Snapping from his inspection of the fortifications, Kevril realizes he has missed an important part of the conversation.  Going slightly red in the face, he responds sheepishly, "Oh, uhh, Kevril Truesilver, Paladin of Mayaheine.  At your service."

[Daos]

Daos sits and waits patiently, twiddling his thumbs idly.  He wonders if they are being made to wait because Burne and Rufus are just that busy?  It might explain why they haven't taken care of these bandits themselves.  He shifts his weight awkwardly in his chair, trying to get comfortable since he doesn't know how long he'll be here.

[GreyWolfVT]

Meeting
Burne & Rufus


The wait is not a long the servant returns and with him two men one looks to be a fighter type and the other is dressed in mages robes. "Masters Burne and Rufus these are your guests Mr. Daos Soulstaff, Roshek Stormcrow priest of Muamman Duathal, Narya Tindómie, Kevril Truesilver a Paladin of Mayaheine, and Obasi Valorborn a priest of Kundo." when he introduces the masters of the tower Burne he motions to the mage and Rufus to the fighter. The servant then bows and leaves going back down the stairs back to his duties. The guards remain posted but the two sit down in one of the comfy chairs to converse with the group.

Burne looks at the group and gets straight to the question "So what business brought you to us? Surely you have heard how defeated a large bandit
 force which had plagued Verbobonc, and how we defeated a green dragon which preyed in
 the Kron Hills to the west."

Rufus then chimes in "Or perhaps you had heard of Burne's Badgers the group of mercenaries that also occupies this tower and acts as a town guard for Hommlet. If that is so I will have to inform you we do not lead them they merely took on the name after our great adventures. They are under new management. If you wish we could have someone fetch their leader."

Burne shuts Rufus down with a mere hand signal clearly they have been around each other long enough they have subtle signals indicating different things. Clearing his throat he stars back in "Forget that nonsense about the men at arms. What is it you seek of us, you've the look of adventurers so what is it you seek from us? Guidance, advice? Money? a quest?"

Actions?

[Daos]

Daos quickly stands up when Burne and Rufus enter, then awkwardly sits back down again when they take a seat.  He suddenly feels very ill-prepared for this whole thing.  He had not heard about the dragon, or the Badgers, but then again, he has not been in town for years now.  He used to exchange letters with his father that would keep him appraised of the local events, but they stopped communicating a few years ago.  All this stuff with Burne and Rufus must have been fairly recent then, in the past three years or so.

He takes a closer look at Burne, in particular.  He is clearly a wizard, like Daos.  A far more accomplished one, at that, if he slew a green dragon.  Daos has never even seen a dragon before, of any color.  He wonders what spells he used to fight it.  Was he able to obtain any interesting spell components from the dragon's body?  Daos is almost tempted to ask, but doesn't want to derail things.  They have come here for a reason, after all.

"Bandits," Daos blurts out.  "We're here to help.  W-Wait, I mean, not to help the bandits," he backpedals, his face turning increasingly red.  "To help...stop...the bandits.  We're...anti-banditry.  I mean..."  He pauses to sort out of his jumbled thoughts, breathe and try again.  "We heard rumors of bandit activity...near here.  We thought we could help in dealing with them."