Clockwork, Steam & Sorcery - Episode 2

I assume your talking about the activity before the murder? Well it's true that Yara and Froud were there with me ... Forge gives a detailed description of the incidents leading up to his being alerted to the body in the water. ... and that's where I noticed the body. I sent Gears to follow the cloaked figure while Froud and Yara got the guards. I ran to find the hideout of the villen and then led the constibles there. He says looking very proud of himself.

Aery looks underwhelmed and confused. "So basically all you did was follow the guy around and let the authorities handle it? You didn't perchance single-handedly tackle and subdue the villain yourself?" he says with a mixture of disappointment, but also hope when he asks the second question.

Perhaps I need to redefine my boyish notions of "adventure" he thinks to himself. This story isn't going to play very well to the crowds. Maybe I can embellish some details...

He stops, realizing the Lartis is giving him that "worried" look right about now.

Yara's soft brown eyes sparkle playfully as she nods at Aery, her black curls bouncing. "That's right. The great Dwarven hero here din't really do much more'n the rest of us. Sure he may've followed th' brute to his home, but Froud 'n me had t' watch over a corpse! Let me tell you, facin' it alone was worse than goin' up against a sleepy killer with half the guard at your back. I'm tellin' ya, the smell was horrible, and he was stiff as a board. And his eyes..."

The young barmaid quickly takes a seat as she gets caught up in describing the corpse, while at the bar, Hob stares heavenward imploringly and finishes bringing out meals and drinks for everyone.

Forge gets all red in the face and you can almost see the steam comming from his ears.Why.. I was the one who could have been killed at any moment hideing in that alley. And gears will never forgive me for telling him to follow the culprit. Why I'm just shocked that you would suggest that I did not act heroicly.
Gears flys over his masters head and relieves himself.
Splat!

Forge's eyes grow big and he starts to stammer.

Froud smiles, showing his bright pearly whites...well, more of a tea-stained brown, but still...

"Well, I don't know about heroi... Ooh, that's nasty, you should really get him housebroken. But I don't think that scampering off to the guards like a wee girl is what I'd think of as heroism."

"On the other hand, though, you were all very brave to at least involve yourselves in the matter. Most of the rabble in this town might have just walked by that body and never gotten involved in the first place; people'd rather not trouble themselves, it seems, out of fear or laziness or simply not wanting to put things right. You should all be very proud at what you've done."

"In my enthusiasm I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Aery, this here's Lartis, reverend cleric of Orma." He seems to put emphasis on that last part. "I know I've seen you around campus and around here some, at times."

Forge looks at everyone with shock evident on his face. He gets up and walks into the back room and aska yara for a bowl of water to wash up in.
Gears flys down and lands on Frouds shoulder. making a sound that can only be thought of as a laugh.

Miriah suddenly calls out from her table. "Wait, don't stop now! What happened after you got the constable? Did you get an award? And who was the corpse? What did they do with it?" She looks inordinately excited.

Yara turned to Miriah, surprised at the young woman's sudden candor. "Well, t'be rightly honest, I'm not sure. Send them to the coroner's for inspection, I'd wager, then bury them. And we haven't found out who he was - just some unlucky little halfling, I'll wager."

At the sight of Forge's familiar, messing on his head, Yara can't help but laugh, hard and loudly. "I think I agree with Gears, on that account," she said, then hurried off to get a bowl and washcloth for Forge.

The door to the pub opened and five young patrons entered, talking amongst themselves. At their head was a handsome young man dressed in the silken shirts and ornate pants that marked the nobility. Unruly straw blond hair framed a clean-shaven face that held boyishly good looks. His eyes were a light grey, almost to be colourless; but they held a playful glint to them. Beside him was a small elvin lass whose jet black hair was complemented by a forest-green toga. Aery recognized her as a music classmate, Piper Leafsinger. Following the pair were two young men who wore the finery and arrogant smirk of lordlings, and oddly enough, a young man dressed in the white robes and gold cap of a young monk of Arcos.

"You are quite persistant," Piper was telling the blonde man who dogged her steps, her silver eyes surveying him severely. "But I am still uninterested in your party. Perhaps another time. Or better yet, perhaps another person." She noticed Aery, and then changed course to walk directly over to him. "Aerandir, there you are. I have matters I would discuss with you."

"Keep the invitation!" the blonde man called after her. He shrugged momentarily, then seemed to realize for the first time where he was. Spying Miriah at her seat, he marched over to her a large grin on his face. "Lady Miriah, isn't it? May I sit down? Of course I may," he answered his own question, sliding in smoothly across from the young mage. He studied her features for a few moments, still grinning and then chuckled. "You don't recognize me, do you?" he finally said.

The three remaining men took a seat at the bar, regarding the others with a look of curiosity. Only the man in the monkish attire was bold enough to ask, however. "Pardon me, Master dwarf, but you were there when Longstock caught the alleged murderer, weren't you? You saw the latest victim?" He sniffs the air for a moment, looking about. His gaze ends atop Forge's head. "Do you know there are... owl droppings on your head?"

loxmyth said:

"Do you know there are... owl droppings on your head?"

Click to expand...

Forge reaches on the top of his head and scoops up the droppings Why milord it's the latest thing. Here try it yourself you prissy vile piece of @#&^%#! Forge slaps it onto the young lords head. and then in reality..

Forge just grumbles about gnomes and Mechanists in general and wanders off to clean up.