Adventure: Food of the Gods - Part 2 (DM: ryryguy, Judge:renau1g)

[ryryguy]

"What are you doing here?" Papolstaanas hisses to Kanneelas in Draconic once inside the tavern. "I thought you were back on Bacarte! Are you working for that--look, never mind, I'm actually sort of busy. And since when do you care what Mother thinks?"

"I'm working, that's what I'm doing here," Kanneelas answers. "Got a job as a fixer for an Imperial, a real big shot! Don't have to get my hands dirty - not too much, anyway - I just help... arrange things." She grins. "Mother wasn't all that pleased when I left Bacarte, but like you said, I don't let that bother me. You, on the other hand... I can't believe you'd have left without her saying it was okay. How'd you ever convince her to let her precious baby out of her sight?" Her grin turns mocking.

"Hey, do you want a drink?" Without waiting for an answer she waves towards the bar. "One more!" she calls. "And for my brother..." she looks over expectantly.

===

Castofle continues on a few paces then stops, looking back uncertainly. "Um, I think the shop should be just around the corner - are we going, or what?"

 

[LadyLaw]

"Certainly, lead the way, Sir," Azryah says to Castofle, following closely behind him. She takes note of the kobold leaving, but makes no indication that she feels one way or the other about it.

Her eyes are wary, as they scan the marketplace about them while walking.

 

[Mewness]

"I'm working, that's what I'm doing here," Kanneelas answers. "Got a job as a fixer for an Imperial, a real big shot! Don't have to get my hands dirty - not too much, anyway - I just help... arrange things." She grins. "Mother wasn't all that pleased when I left Bacarte, but like you said, I don't let that bother me. You, on the other hand... I can't believe you'd have left without her saying it was okay. How'd you ever convince her to let her precious baby out of her sight?" Her grin turns mocking.

"I am not her precious baby!" Papolstaanas sputters, his voice taking on the whiny, defensive tone that it always gets when he talks to his family. "And anyway she told me to--But what sorts of 'arrangements' does this Imperial big shot need you to make? I thought this island was literally the middle of nowhere." So his sister really is working for that other chef. Papolstaanas starts to become interested in Balsamae despite himself, even if it doesn't seem likely that Kanneelas will tell him anything useful.

"Hey, do you want a drink?" Without waiting for an answer she waves towards the bar. "One more!" she calls. "And for my brother..." she looks over expectantly.

"Um, I'll, I'll have whatever she's having," Papolstaanas says uncertainly. He watches as the drink is poured and brought to the table. His siblings have actually drugged him in the past.

 

[ryryguy]

The tavernkeeper brings over two small clay bottles of warm, watery rice wine. (Papolstaanas observs no shenanigans with the drinks.) "To getting the hell off Bacarte," Kanneelas toasts.

"What am I doing for him? Well, fetching and stuff like that, but he's given me more and more to do. Like helping him find and hire those roughnecks that you and your group met yesterday. You probably wouldn't think it of an 'Imperial gentleman' but he has a surprising number of unusual needs... has his fingers in a lot of pies, I think."

She pauses and takes a gulp of her drink. "I'm getting bored in this dump, but it's just the start. He's travelling all around. He's got connections everywhere too. If I play my cards right, he'll keep me around and I can meet a lot of people, find out about a lot of stuff... maybe even go to Eye-, Iz-, um, I's-Late Prime and meet the Imperator!" The kobold has stopped looking directly at her brother, staring over his shoulder at some lurid, imagined vision of the future. Kanneelas always did like to dream big.

Abruptly, she looks back at Papolstaanas and leans forward, half rising from her chair. "And how about you, hmm? What are you doing here? I heard about what you were doing back in that Boner town, but why are you here, in Spirit's Edge?"

===

The rest of the group finds the spice shop at the market's edge. The building isn't much to look at - it's basically a lean-to - but it seems to be well stocked with a wide variety of herbs and spices, jars and tins filling several shelves. Castofle starts sampling happily.

The other market appears a little busier and more prosperous than the first (though still dead compared to the great markets of Daunton). The emphasis here seems to be on raw durable goods: semiprecious stones, silks and different types of wood, as well as some finished goods made out of the same sort of stuff. There's a lot of jade jewelry on display. After a little while standing around by the shop, a couple of tiefling children approach and try to sell cheap-looking necklaces made with jade and glass beads.

 

[Mewness]

Papolstaanas cautiously joins his sister in her toast. "To leaving Bacarte," he murmurs, taking a swig of his drink.

Abruptly, she looks back at Papolstaanas and leans forward, half rising from her chair. "And how about you, hmm? What are you doing here? I heard about what you were doing back in that Boner town, but why are you here, in Spirit's Edge?"

Papolstaanas hesitates. It isn't necessarily a good idea to tell his sister the truth. Then again, lying to her is likely to succeed only in exciting her contempt. He's hopelessly intimidated by all of his siblings, and they know it. For a moment, he wishes his friends were here. Even Jynxx. Jynxx would be especially helpful, actually, because he could use his evil mind rays to pluck the thoughts right out of Kanneelas's scheming little skull... But, no, he's glad his friends aren't here. Imagine the embarrassment if they were to find out that he needs outside help in order to deal with his own family!

But perhaps telling the truth wouldn't be so bad. If Balsamae wants zocalti, then knowing that a crazy lich has a large store of it is not going to do him a whole lot of good: Balsamae's group of thugs didn't seem that tough. Even knowing what Papolstaanas knows, would they be able to deal with the crazy zocalti-shakers, or fight their way through Hulgrimi's animated garden? He doubts it, actually.

"We're trying to replace the zocalti beans that were lost," Papolstaanas answers. "It's--it's an odd place to be doing it, I realize, but there is, is a reason..." Papolstaanas pauses, then rushes ahead. "Look, your big-shot boss, he's some kind of famous chef, isn't he? I don't know what he wanted the zocalti for, but there's plenty to be had; it's just that the source is, well, sort of crazy. Maybe really crazy... I-I'd say definitely rather crazy. And we need... someone, or some people who know food. That sounds weird. It's... it's complicated. But maybe your boss could help. There, there could be a supply for both of us."

[sblock=made a roll for the hell of it]Interpersonal roll, to help me decide if Papolstaanas is completely incoherent or not: 1d20=11[/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

[sblock=ooc]Nice response!

I'll try to post at some point tomorrow, but my schedule is kind of thrown into chaos. In-laws are in town this weekend..[/sblock]

 

[ryryguy]

[sblock=ooc]Man, sorry for the extended delay. Even after the in-laws had left, I couldn't get through to ENWorld yesterday, it seems like it was down for a while?[/sblock]

Kanneelas listens to Papolstaanas, only rolling her eyes once or twice. "Hmmm, well," she begins. "Yeah, my boss wants some zocalti, but it's not really all that big of a deal. He has a lot of things going on." She waves her hands around vaguely. "But sure, he - we might be willing to help out and, um, share. What exactly do you want him to do?"

 

[LadyLaw]

[sblock=ooc]Yea, it went down for maintenance for part of the day.[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

"We just have to figure out how to cook for the dead," says Papolstaanas to his sister, trying to sound compelling and mysterious. He begins to get impatient. Kanneelas is being evasive, and he doesn't want to say much more without his friends around. "At any rate, if-if the zocalti isn't such a big deal, then don't bother him with it. If it is important, he can always come and discuss it with us. We won't be difficult to find. Just look for the goliath." Papolstaanas stands up, intending to leave the tavern. "Um, thank you for the drink."

 

[ryryguy]

Kanneelas gets to her feet hastily. Papolstaanas has the impression that he's gotten the better of her, at least a little bit - a rare thing with his siblings.

"Wait, all right, Papolstaanas - I'm interested. But - grrrr..." She stamps a foot and grinds her teeth audibly. "I have to go take care of something right now. I'm not trying to play you, I really have to go. But I'll tell the boss what you said. If he's interested, where should we look for you? Goliath, yeah, sure, but you staying around here or going back to Fulcrum or what?"

[sblock=ooc]Depending on Papolstaanas' response, and the rest of the group's wishes, we can move on from here after this... back towards Fulcrum I assume. And then probably the rest of the way on to Newhill I'm guessing?[/sblock]