In the city of Irongate, on the first day of Autumn...
Despite its ominous name, the Hanging Harpy is one of the more pleasant inns an adventurer could encounter throughout his travels. Whether it be the warm, crackling fire, the smell of freshly fried bacon and strong coffee, or the way the light of the rising sun shine’s through the beautiful Vardi’s hair, a traveler can’t help but start the day with an enthusiastic vigor that just can’t be found on the road. If only every morning of every day could be so refreshing.
Unfortunately, this is not one of those mornings. This morning you find yourself standing, unarmored and still in your sleep clothes, on the business side of the bar in the Hanging Harpy. Like the sleep crusted in your eye, last night’s buzz refuses to let go.
It was Vardi’s screams that woke you and sent you rushing downstairs ready to defend her honor in your bedclothes. It wasn’t Vardi, but her father Loddie, the owner of this establishment, who was in trouble. There on the floor behind the bar he lay in a pool of his own blood. Automatically assuming the worst, those in attendance find themselves a little embarrassed when the old man starts to cough and try to sit up, and while each of you are busy looking at the others, making sure they didn’t see you jump, Vardi rejoices as she kneels down right in the puddle of blood to help the poor fellow to his feet. Of course you’ll come to your senses soon enough and give her a hand helping him to a chair. One of you might even fill a mug with stale water and bring a cold rag.
After he’s cleaned up a bit you can see that Loddie’s wounds aren’t too serious. The shape of a quarter-moon is imprinted under his left eye, a clear mark of his attacker. Fortunately, that and a well-placed boot seem to be the only weapons used. Soon enough his comes wits come back to him, and after thanking you repeatedly, he’s able to tell you the story.
“Duran’s man, er, men.” A couple of furtive glances tell you it was the former, but you decide to let the man keep his pride. “Caught me just as I was finishin’ up da cleanin’.” You realize finally that you can’t have been asleep for more than three hours. No wonder some of you are still half drunk. Or more…
“Snatched me right up outta the doorway when I was tossin’ the garbage out. Beat me pretty good in the alley, then he, er, they, tossed me right back inside.” One of you finally asks the question everyone else is thinking, “Who is Duran and why would he want to do this to you?”
Loddie puts his face in his hands and begins to subs. You think you hear him mutter something about walnuts.
“What?” someone says.
“Walnuts,” Loddie confirms. “But not just any ol’ walnuts. These is dryad walnuts. Hard ter find, they are. ‘Spensive, too. Sure are good though.”
“Duran stole your walnuts?” one of you asks, trying to get to the point.
“No no,” Loddie exclaims, somewhat flustered. "I sold ‘em to him. Well, sorta. Like I said, dryad walnuts is hard ter get, but I know where to get ‘em. And Duran knows I know, so naturally he comes to me. I told him I’d arrange for ‘em to be brought here, but he’d have to pay in advance, else they wouldn’t be shipped at all, and there wasn’t nothin’ I could do about that. Well, he paid me, but the walnuts never came. Shipment got lost somewhere in the Iron Hills.”
Loddie starts to sob again, but manages to finish. “I told ‘em it wasn’t my fault, but he says I gotta get him his walnuts or else. I even tried to give him his money back; he wouldn’t take it. Said he’d keep comin’ back until he had ‘em. Said he might talk to muh girl next time. Oh, I just don’t know what to do.” At this point, Loddie loses it and begins to sob uncontrollably.
As each of you stand there watching the man cry over walnuts, one of you accidentally makes eye contact with Vardi. She stands up, her hand resting on her crying father’s head.
Each of you wince a little as she opens her mouth to talk. Some of you may think, “Great, here it comes.” Some of you would be right, too.
“Please, isn’t there anything you can do to help?” the girl pleads. As you look into the girls hopeful, tearstained eyes you realize that your time resting at the Hanging Harpy has come to an abrupt end.
When the mention is made of Dryad walnuts, Courage takes a step back, repulsed. I would no more wish for someone to collect the clippings of my hair than a dryad would want the nuts off her tree gathered and sold, or so I imagine, she thinks to herself. But she tries to shield her disgust.
Her slender form stands apart form the crowd, and some bystanders step back as she approaches. She looks around at her companions, some of whom she had not known before they had joined her at the table by the fire last night... well, earlier this evening.
But to be asked to take part in something like this. A market in dryad walnuts: both intimate and invasive... Does he mean acorns? she wonders. She tries to put it out of her mind, and attend to the assault itself.
Courage Bloodstone is alert, and she wants to prioritize things. She turns to the crowd and addresses in a calm but confident voice: "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I please have some space?"
She turns to Vardi--she doesn't want to look at Loddie right now--and puts her hands on her shoulders, to make sure Vardi is looking at her straight in the eyes. Then she says, in a very reassuring manner, "Your father is fine. You can be calm. Just stay with him."
Then she turns to the puddle of blood. With the other people present, and the shuffling dealing with Loddie's injuries, it may be too much to hope for a track of some kind to pick up. But if there were a bloodstained footstep leading to the door, or some other sign, she would not give up the opportunity to assess the direction it was heading.
"Loddie, do you know who it was who assaulted you? Do you have names?" she asks, without looking up from the floor.
"Loddie, do you know who it was who assaulted you? Do you have names?" she asks, without looking up from the floor.
"Duran never does his own dirty work," Loddie tells you. "Got a whole gang of thugs workin' for him. Never bothered to get a name." Loddie's eyes open wide (well, as wide as they can, given the circumstances) as he realizes the implications of your questions. "Suren yer not thinkin' of goin' after Duran or any of his boys? Oh, heavens no! I'll have none of that on my conscience." Loddie begins to shake his head frantically. "No, if you be wantin' to help, then you can go into the Iron Hills and find those nuts! I'll even pay ye to do so, but as fer goin' after Duran himself, I'll have none of it."
Jonas wastes no time tending to Loddie's injuries. With his wand at the ready, he invokes the intercession of the Laughing Rogue to mend Loddie's wounds.
Well that should heal you up nice, but what you ask is a great deal. Heading out to the Iron Hills to retrieve a shipment of goods that we don't even know are still intact? For all we know a gang of squirrels could've gotten to them by now and there's nothing left to find.
Jonas finds the notion of dealing in fey goods a shifty business, and one that his church and brethren didn't condone (his sect of the faith at any rate), but he minds himself.
Last edited by Eva of Sirrion; 8th October 2006 at 08:46 PM..
Well that should heal you up nice, but what you ask is a great deal. Heading out to the Iron Hills to retrieve a shipment of goods that we don't even know are still intact? For all we know a gang of squirrels could've gotten to them by now and there's nothing left to find.
"Aye, ye may be right, but I've got to try... for Vardi's sake. Duran's had his eye on her for a time now, and I fear this may be all the reason he needs to take her for payment. I can't lose me girl, and if you'll not do it for her, or for the gold I offer ye, I'll have to go meself." Loddie gets up from the chair slowly and turns to look at Jonas. "Thank ye for the healin'. I reckon I'll be my old self soon enough." He begins to walk away, hunched over a bit with one hand on his back and the other on Vardi, who carefully guides his steps.
Courage, Scodi
The man is obviously in pain, but you sense he may be putting on a bit, out of desperation.
Even appreciating that Loddie is putting it on, Scodi knows that he needs to intervene. "Come Loddie, it is early. We can look into this in the morning, we'll discuss it over breakfast. I'm sure we can find some way to help you.". Stifling a yawn, he continues, "Whatever the case, there's nothing productive that can be done while we're all tired. Have you spoken to the town guard about Duran?"
A tired, gaunt, weather-beaten husk of a man haunts the fringes of group gathered in the common room, nervously pacing from one end of the room to the other. The others seem to have things well in hand and he's just about to head upstairs when Loddie makes her heartfelt request.
The old human slumps; the fight seemingly gone out of him. He walks slowly over to Vardi and Loddie. "I'll help... I'll get those nuts for you. But I hope you've learned not to deal with the sort of folk that can put this kind of hurt on yeh. It's not every day that a young girl can touch an old man's heart."
He sighs, apparently lost in reverie before abruptly continuing again. "...whereabout in these Iron Hills can this dryad's tree be found. AND..." he pauses. "What do you have to offer this dryad for her walnuts?"
Vorien looks around and pulls is graying hair from his eyes, looking for all the world like a shaggy dog. "I assume I'm not going alone, so what'll you be payin' us?" He looks around. "And who among you all is comin' with me?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by scodi
"Whatever the case, there's nothing productive that can be done while we're all tired. Have you spoken to the town guard about Duran?"
At the mention of the guard, the old man betrays a moment of panic before bringing himself under control again. "Now, now, I'm sure old Vardi here don't want no involvement with the guard. I mean, if that Duran fellah is as bad as Vardi is makin' him out ta be, we really shouldn't involve them... plenty of ways o makin' him pay fer what he did t'night later."
Spoiler:
If you want to claim DM Fiat on this color, just let me know. I'm not particularly attached to it.
__________________ The cops in the back of that book are super cops... they're Jason Vorhees with a badge.
Last edited by Post Life Entity; 9th October 2006 at 05:22 PM..
Vardi's eyes narrow and she opens her mouth as if to say something when the old man stays her. "I believe yer a bit confused, sir. 'Tis true I am old, but meh name is Loddie. My girl here, my beautiful girl - her name be Vardi, an' there's nuttin' old about her, as you can plainly see." Loddie nods and smiles while Vardi refuses to even look at you. Apparently you've made quite the first impression.
The old man begins again. "But in any case, I be thankin' ye for ye offer of help, and I'll be takin' ye up on it, too. But I think maybe yer drawven friend here is right. Maybe we should talk about it in the morn'. Everyone's tired and probly drunk still, and could uuse to sleep of what's left."
With that, Vardi leads Loddie to his quarters and the crowd dispurses. The bustling common room is now in a dead silence save for the six of you, still tired and hung over from the Brewfest celebration the night before.
Post Life Entity
Pick whatever color you want, I'll lay claim to none except grey. I just ask that when you make your decision you stick with it so that I can identify you on maps and such with it as well. I might suggest something a little brighter, however.
Silent during all the talking, Tanith waits for most of the crowd to leave before saying anything.
Bringing her hand to her mouth to hide a yawn, Tanith stares at the old man who asked for others to help him. "I will help you. I could use a little travel, but more importantly I could use some sleep." Extending the hand she just used to hold back the yawn, Tanith offers it to the man as a greeting. "I am Tanith Dathius. We will talk in the morning."
Courage rises from the puddle of blood, content that it offers no clues to the assailant's identity. She checks the bolt on the main door, to see if it indcates any force was used, but (again) expects that Loddie had simply left the door unlocked as he was cleaning up. Still, some confirmation of his situation would be nice. In any case, she locks it now if that is possible.
"Do you mind if I grab something from the kitchen, and clean up a bit?" she asks Loddie and Vardi casually, with a smile, as they head off to sleep.
[Assuming a YES: ]
As the others go to sleep, Courage, sufficiently fortified after her few hours' rest, goes into the kitchen for a glass of water for herself to drink, and a mop. While there, she will see if she can open the pantry or other locations, looking especially for the variety of nuts that might be kept on supply. When she has conducted her investigation, she will clean up the blood and right any overturned tables.
OOC Spoiler
"sufficiently fortified" -- ring of sustenance, which she wears continually.
She will put the mop back where she found it after rinsing it out. She is looking, of course, for walnuts, fey or ordinary. She will "grab" some and return to her room, but aim to be downstairs following her dawn exercise routine.
Courage rises from the puddle of blood, content that it offers no clues to the assailant's identity. She checks the bolt on the main door, to see if it indcates any force was used, but (again) expects that Loddie had simply left the door unlocked as he was cleaning up. Still, some confirmation of his situation would be nice. In any case, she locks it now if that is possible.
The door is, in fact, unbarred. As you move to bar it, you notice a bit of garbage strewn abuot the threshold. Kind hearted as you are, you decide to pick it up and toss it in the trash outside. There you can see the remainder of the garbage littering the alleyway, and small drops of blood here and there. As the alley is a dead end, there is really only one way out, and the faint tracks through the blood would indicate that Loddie's attacker did indeed take the easy way out. You bar the door as you come back inside, deciding against going after him this late alone.
You'll notice no blood inside the bar other than what was already there. It appears as if Loddie's recollection is exactly correct - the man snatched him out of the doorway, spilling his trash everywhere, and beat him in the alley. It also appears as if the man did, in fact, literally toss Loddie back inside behind the bar from the alley outside.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kobold Stew
"Do you mind if I grab something from the kitchen, and clean up a bit?" she asks Loddie and Vardi casually, with a smile, as they head off to sleep.
Loddie gives you a thankful nod. "By all means, and thank ye for yer help. I couldn't bare to deal with that tonight."
Spoiler:
taking 20....
Try as you may, the only nuts you find are a couple of crates of barnuts, hardly the delicacy in question. Confident there is nothing else to find, you finally retire to your room.
Last edited by industrygothica; 10th October 2006 at 07:57 AM..
Scodi heads back to his bed, relieved that the immediate problem is resolved and that he can get back to his sleep and give the drunken haze over his eyes time to clear.
In the morning he heads downstairs, a hint of a hangover making him all the more hungry for breakfast. Talking to the others when they come down he says "Seems an awful lot of trouble for some nuts I must admit. Still, I guess it has to be done. This Duran sounds like a piece of work though."
Scodi sits and thinks about the journey ahead, savouring a glass of water, quite refreshing after an evening of drink. After a while he asks Loddie if he has a map of (and to) the Iron Hills, so that the group can plan their journey, and if there is any suggestion of where the nuts may have gone astray.
ooc: Does Scodi know anything about the Iron Hills, or indeed about these walnuts? Knowledge (History): +6, Knowledge (Local) +2, Knowledge (Nobility) +6, Bardic Knowledge: +8
Scodi heads back to his bed, relieved that the immediate problem is resolved and that he can get back to his sleep and give the drunken haze over his eyes time to clear.
In the morning he heads downstairs, a hint of a hangover making him all the more hungry for breakfast. Talking to the others when they come down he says "Seems an awful lot of trouble for some nuts I must admit. Still, I guess it has to be done. This Duran sounds like a piece of work though."
Scodi sits and thinks about the journey ahead, savouring a glass of water, quite refreshing after an evening of drink. After a while he asks Loddie if he has a map of (and to) the Iron Hills, so that the group can plan their journey, and if there is any suggestion of where the nuts may have gone astray.
You know that the Iron Hills lie due east of Irongate, barely a day's walk outside the city gates. They are known to be a rich source of valuable ore and precious metals, including silver and gold, and are subsequently fairly well populated with dwarves, who have aligned themselves with Irongate as well.
Though well populated, and fortified, by the dwarven kingdom, there are still plenty of places in the Iron Hills that have grown wild and are home to less hospitable beings. Unfortunately, a not-so-well used trade route runs directly through one of these areas, and Loddie figures that's probably where courier ran into some trouble.
Courage is not saying much, but has emptied her room, and has her pack with her, so it is clear she plans on pursuing the matter. When Loddie and Vardi are not in the room, she speaks.
"I agree that the walnuts should be returned to their owner. What I do not know," she says, directly, "is if Loddie is that owner."
"We must--" She corrects herself: "I must also determine under what circumstances the walnuts are being taken from the dryad, and return them to her if it is appropriate. Then, we may see what we can do to help our host."
Courage raises her eyebrows, as if asking for agreement. She is not looking for approval on this matter, but is hopeful that others share her appraisal of the situation.
I share Miss Bloodstone's concerns on this matter, and will assist you if you'll have me. It shouldn't be too complicated for ones as talented as ourselves. As always, Jonas sounded confident and certain they could handle things. And it truly didn't sound like all that hard a task before them. He's faced worse than a crate of wandering walnuts in his day.
Loddie gives you some crude instructions to get you started, along with his sincerest thanks. If he's ding something illegal, he surely doesn't know it, unless he's a very good actor.
Loddie's Directions:
A day's walk due east will get you to the edge of the Iron Hills.
Another days' walk southeast along the perimeter of the hills and you'll come to a small dwarven compound. The dwarves are friendly, from what he's heard of other merchant caravans coming through the area, will will do what they can to help.
Talk to the dwarves, and they'll likely feed you and tell you a good story. They'll also point you to Thokkari Hills, which is the way the walnuts were supposed to come.
He also explains that the shipment came this way, through a less traveled route, because of the value of the walnuts. The less people he met, the less likely they were to be stolen or lost.
Jonas sips some tea while he ponders Loddie's instructions.
Cranberry apple or Green tea if Loddie has either available.
If it's a less-travelled route we may have difficulty picking it up, even with a skilled tracker like Miss Bloodstone leading the way. Are there any landmarks we may be able to use to pick it up?
Hmm, it was Vorien wasn't it? Jonas asks the older man. Have you had enough to eat? Looks like it's been days since the last you saw a good meal.
Scodi listens carefully to the directions. "Head to the dwarven mountains and ask them about it then. Sounds fairly straightforward." he says as much to himself as to anyone else.
"This is really very good," he says, helping himself to another portion of the breakfast, his appitite apparently larger than his small form might suggest.
Since the name incident, Vorien blushes profusely whenever around either Loddie or Vardi, and quickly steps around either of them.
"It takes more than a little hunger to keep ol' Vorien down." He replies proudly while thumping his chest and wolfing down some eggs and ham.
"Eh, bein' fae and all the road would be a bit untraveled, wouldn't it?" He chuckles and appears to look forward to getting out of town. "You would't be having a map of the area an' a voucher for them nuts would ya?"
__________________ The cops in the back of that book are super cops... they're Jason Vorhees with a badge.
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