Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
I Spy (run of 01-05-04)
As Caerwyn and Kel move through the crowd healing any wounded townspeople, Lucre addresses the town. “Good people, did this horrible creature destroy the tavern?”
“No, sir,” comes the weak response.
“Good. Then somebody bring me a beer.” Instead the barkeep ushers everyone into his tiny tavern and pours ale on the house. Suddenly Kira’s aunt bolts upright, “I have a lovely idea.” Without another word she scurries out of the tavern and doesn’t return the rest of the night.
Our intrepid band of adventurers relax over ale and good food telling tails of their adventures to the gathering crowd to the distant sound of strange pinging noises from the cooling creature outside.
In the morning everyone feels refreshed, rising at varying times to greet the morning. Kel and Caerwyn are up at sunrise and go to the temple for morning prayers. Kalina and Fang head out into the forest for a quiet morning walk. Marja sits quietly in her room mulling over the dreams of the night before as she slowly brushes and braids her hair. Lucre accompanies Kira to her aunt’s house to see how she’s doing since she never came back last night.
The two approach the tiny home to find the curtains drawn and the doors shut tight. Their knock is greeted with a long silence until finally Kira’s aunt appears at the door, one paintbrush held between her teeth, another tucked behind her ear. “I’m sorry, dear,” she apologizes, “but I’m very busy today. We’ll have to visit the next time you’re in town.” Kira is relieved as the door shuts and they head back down the path into town.
Back at the tavern, everyone gathers for a hearty breakfast as Lucre tries to describe what he saw in the aunt’s yard. “Tons of painted rocks. Tons of them. Big and small. All painted. Some of them were carved out to be things.”
Kira seems embarrassed, but can’t help exclaiming, “Her rock hats were the worst.”
“You should meet my mom,” Marja offers as consolation. Many of the group nod as they think back on a pretty, but flighty woman with daisies in her hair.
“I had an uncle who made meat hats,” Lucre opines. “He was eaten by a predator.”
The conversation turns back to Stonefell as they try to sort out the royal relationships. Kira knows quite a bit and relates that the previous duke was a well-respected ruler. He had one son by his first wife who died very young. His second wife was said to be a stern woman, and many rumors rose around her relationship with the son. The Duke died in a hunting accident, and his wife died soon after. She was a healthy woman, but perhaps she died from grief.
Lionell Harnett is a nephew of the old duke’s wife. He and the current duke spend a lot of time together although they didn’t in their youth. Lionell has a reputation as a ne’er-do-well although his business seems to thrive.
The adventurers return to the road and travel into Stonefell. On the way they debate endlessly on their course of action upon reaching the city. Finally they decide on several steps. Kira and Borin will set themselves up as lady-merchants in the market and try to talk to Harnett. Caerwyn will ride through town looking ominous and official and poke his nose around loudly, mostly to draw suspicion away from the more subtle noses poking around more quietly. Terri, being one of those quieter noses, will wander around with Kalina in cat form at her side picking up what they can. Kel, Marja and Lucre will see what they can find out about Major Kieran.
Luckily for Borin and Kira, they find an open stall across the street from Harnett’s shop. They buy some odds and ends at other stalls and set up a small shop of their own and settle in to watch for Harnett. They have a pretty good description of him. He’s tall with sandy brown hair and light brown eyes with a scar under the left. He usually dresses very well. His father had a reputation as a bit of a shark which the son seems to emulate. Kira wanders around chatting with other merchants. From the cooper on the corner she learns that a small man with spectacles opens Harnett’s shop around 9 each morning. Harnett turns up briefly around mid-day and then tends to wander off.
Kira wanders into the shop and meets the spectacled man who introduces himself as Morgat. He’s bored and reluctant to answer her questions, but asks a lot of his own more to ease his boredom than from any real desire to find out anything. He doesn’t think much of his boss, but likes the prestige of working for a wealthy merchant. Harnett is probably at the tavern having lunch, and probably won’t be back today. Morgat seems disappointed that Kira isn’t really interested in buying anything. They haven’t had any new business this week. It’s very frustrating really.
Meanwhile…
Caerwyn is all tarted up in his shiny armor on his equally tarted up horse and is riding about town glaring at perceived evil-doers. If he sees any of his companions, he glares particularly hard at them like he sees something he doesn’t like. Marja is pretty sure he does see something he doesn’t like, but keeps her comments to herself. Finally he comes across a young lieutenant of the town guard who steps up to him. “How can I help you, my lord?” He stands tall and proud and is obviously of noble birth.
“If I need your help,” Caerwyn answers haughtily, “I’ll ask.” Young Lt. Rufus clicks his heels brightly and turns away with a quick salute.
Meanwhile…
Marja wanders from tavern to tavern around the guard posts. It becomes clear that Maj. Keiran doesn’t hang out at any tavern. The officers she meets let her know that he doesn’t socialize with the other officers much. “Well, maybe he means to,” Marja offers, “But he’s wandered off in the wrong direction again.” The young officers surrounding her laugh heartily getting the reference to the unfortunate incident which began Keiran’s carreer when he led a charge in the wrong direction. Marja finally finds his aid-de-camp who tells her that Keiran’s a homebody. He reads a lot about heraldry and fences at a private club. With this news Marja turns down several offers to buy her lunch and heads into the street to find Kel and Lucre.
The three decide to try to get into the club. As a young nobleman himself, Kel should be able to gain entry. Marja can pose as his companion and Lucre as his servant. A young man answers the door at the club wearing a long white floppy shirt and a towel around his neck. Sir Kelly Windhill introduces himself carefully emphasizing the “sir,” and making brief reference to his lineage. Although neither exptremely wealthy nor prestigious, Kel’s family is from a very old line.
The young man replies that he is, in fact, Sir Major Trevor Kieran. “Well, the club is usually members only,” he sniffs, “but…” He steps aside and allows Kel to pass into the house. He takes him aside and motions at Marja. “Women of her class. Not usually done around here, old man.” Kel blushes from head to toe, and had he his wits about him might have mentioned that she’s practically engaged to his uncle, a private joke he and Marja would have enjoyed, but instead he just flusters a weak “of course” and steps outside to talk to Marja and Lucre. He tells them they can’t come in, and Marja quickly slips Garnet around his wrist to keep her eyes open. As Kel reenters the house she overhears Kieran comment again in her direction and the word, “common,” clearly passes his lips. Lucre grabs her hand as she is reaching into her spell pouch and pushes her into the bar next door.
“Common! Did you hear that! The bloody nincompoop!” Marja is beside herself with rage. “Come on, Marja,” Lucre tries to sooth her. “He needs to feel superior to everybody. That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Marja is inconsolable, even by the few odd liverymen hanging around who offer her drinks. She pouts to the bartender who warms up until she mentions the fencing club, then he too becomes laconic. No one bites the hand that feeds, evidently. Marja moves to a table in the corner and broods while Lucre chats with other men waiting for their masters from the club.
Garnet reports in with a steady stream of heckling comments that, over time, ease Marja’s immediate anger. Evidently, Maj Kieran is cross-eyed and pointy-nosed, talks with constant sniffing, and is a terrible fencer. Kel, who is no expert, has to struggle to keep the matches fairly even. Finally, it’s obvious to Garnet that Kel can’t take another minute of the pompus windbag. He is gracious as ever, thanks Kieran heartily and heads out to find his friends.
Meanwhile…
Borin hasn’t sold anything, but has talked with many passers-by. The general feeling in the duchy is positive. The young people are looking forward to the weekend and the horseracing tourney. He learns that the young duke enjoys a good wager. Kira returns, and they close up shop for lunch. They head down the block to a tavern called the Balanced Ledger. They hesitate for a moment as if trying to decide if they want to stay until they can spot Harnett and find a table near the booth where he and his friends are sitting. Borin orders wine because he thinks it will look more lady-like than ale. Kira orders the cider which is served in a glass tanker. When she asks why she is told it etches the metal ones.
The three men are engaged in raucous conversation, and Borin hears them telling tales of last night when someone made someone else do something embarrassing for money. It involved paint, and there is much laughter. “When Edmund was offered 20 gp to stick an egg up his nose, I thought I would die.” More laughter. Borin sighs. At this point Harnett notices Kira and winks. He returns to his conversation, and Kira takes the bait. She rises slowly and heads across to his table, drink in hand. He moves over to allow her to sit. After the perfunctory laying on of heavy charm which we spare the reader, he asks her to meet him tonight at a club called Vignor’s. “Everybody who’s anybody goes. It’ll be all the rage.” She agrees to meet him there at 10.
Meanwhile…
Kel joins Marja at her table in the bar. Lucre orders lunch, and the three trade stories. Make that four. Garnet keeps adding comments.
“I’ve never met such a group of pompous twits,” Kel exclaims. “Who’s in what family. Who’s making money. I whooped their butts. The worst is Kieran. He’s terrible. He’s no military man, either, but he’s into being a hero and being a noble. He sees being commander of the guard as beneath him and has great expectations for himself. He seems to feel his situation will change in the not too distant future.”
They finish up lunch and head to the market to find Kira and Borin.
Meanwhile…
Caerwyn makes a circle around town and heads back to where he met Lt. Rufus. He asks for him and is directed toward the barracks. As he crosses the street he notices Terri and a gray cat lounging in a sunlit alley.
Rufus takes Caerwyn into his private office. Caerwyn shuts the door and gets straight to the point. “Many guardsmen have been lost recently in nearby districts. There is concern of tactical incompetence.”
“Sir,” replies Lt. Rufus, “My guards are very responsible.”
“Not guards,” Caerwyn leans forward confidentially, “leadership.”
Rufus stammers. Clearly he feels in an awkward position agreeing completely, but wanting to be loyal. “We are under orders to make no changes in this area. The commander feels it best we do nothing to let the enemy know we are aware of their position.”
“Does this tactic seem sound to you?” asks Caerwyn.
“I am not certain it would be my method of address, but there is little I can do.” Rufus looks hopefully at the young knight before him.
“I do not suggest that you disobey any orders,” Caerwyn begins carefully, “but I ask you to share any information to help root out incompetence for the sake of the men who were lost.”
Rufus scribbles a quick note on a piece of paper on the desk. “Will you excuse me a moment, sir?” he asks. He abruptly walks from the room leaving the paper behind. It reads, “ Check his office. Something isn’t right here.” Caerwyn puts the paper in his pocket.
Lt. Rufus returns and never glances back at the desk. “I’m terribly sorry, but something pressing has come up. I can be available tomorrow if you wish.” Caerwyn nods. He strides across the room, opens the door, steps out of the office and says loudly over his shoulder, “I’ll speak to you again about interrupting my investigation.” He is about to walk away when Rufus whispers quietly, “Tell the young lady with the cat to move a little back.”
Caerwyn mounts his horse and rides away. As he approaches the ally he coughs, “not sublte,” and moves on to wander the market.
As one-by-one they find their way to Kira and Borin’s stall, they agree to find an inn for the night and discuss the day over dinner.
As Caerwyn and Kel move through the crowd healing any wounded townspeople, Lucre addresses the town. “Good people, did this horrible creature destroy the tavern?”
“No, sir,” comes the weak response.
“Good. Then somebody bring me a beer.” Instead the barkeep ushers everyone into his tiny tavern and pours ale on the house. Suddenly Kira’s aunt bolts upright, “I have a lovely idea.” Without another word she scurries out of the tavern and doesn’t return the rest of the night.
Our intrepid band of adventurers relax over ale and good food telling tails of their adventures to the gathering crowd to the distant sound of strange pinging noises from the cooling creature outside.
In the morning everyone feels refreshed, rising at varying times to greet the morning. Kel and Caerwyn are up at sunrise and go to the temple for morning prayers. Kalina and Fang head out into the forest for a quiet morning walk. Marja sits quietly in her room mulling over the dreams of the night before as she slowly brushes and braids her hair. Lucre accompanies Kira to her aunt’s house to see how she’s doing since she never came back last night.
The two approach the tiny home to find the curtains drawn and the doors shut tight. Their knock is greeted with a long silence until finally Kira’s aunt appears at the door, one paintbrush held between her teeth, another tucked behind her ear. “I’m sorry, dear,” she apologizes, “but I’m very busy today. We’ll have to visit the next time you’re in town.” Kira is relieved as the door shuts and they head back down the path into town.
Back at the tavern, everyone gathers for a hearty breakfast as Lucre tries to describe what he saw in the aunt’s yard. “Tons of painted rocks. Tons of them. Big and small. All painted. Some of them were carved out to be things.”
Kira seems embarrassed, but can’t help exclaiming, “Her rock hats were the worst.”
“You should meet my mom,” Marja offers as consolation. Many of the group nod as they think back on a pretty, but flighty woman with daisies in her hair.
“I had an uncle who made meat hats,” Lucre opines. “He was eaten by a predator.”
The conversation turns back to Stonefell as they try to sort out the royal relationships. Kira knows quite a bit and relates that the previous duke was a well-respected ruler. He had one son by his first wife who died very young. His second wife was said to be a stern woman, and many rumors rose around her relationship with the son. The Duke died in a hunting accident, and his wife died soon after. She was a healthy woman, but perhaps she died from grief.
Lionell Harnett is a nephew of the old duke’s wife. He and the current duke spend a lot of time together although they didn’t in their youth. Lionell has a reputation as a ne’er-do-well although his business seems to thrive.
The adventurers return to the road and travel into Stonefell. On the way they debate endlessly on their course of action upon reaching the city. Finally they decide on several steps. Kira and Borin will set themselves up as lady-merchants in the market and try to talk to Harnett. Caerwyn will ride through town looking ominous and official and poke his nose around loudly, mostly to draw suspicion away from the more subtle noses poking around more quietly. Terri, being one of those quieter noses, will wander around with Kalina in cat form at her side picking up what they can. Kel, Marja and Lucre will see what they can find out about Major Kieran.
Luckily for Borin and Kira, they find an open stall across the street from Harnett’s shop. They buy some odds and ends at other stalls and set up a small shop of their own and settle in to watch for Harnett. They have a pretty good description of him. He’s tall with sandy brown hair and light brown eyes with a scar under the left. He usually dresses very well. His father had a reputation as a bit of a shark which the son seems to emulate. Kira wanders around chatting with other merchants. From the cooper on the corner she learns that a small man with spectacles opens Harnett’s shop around 9 each morning. Harnett turns up briefly around mid-day and then tends to wander off.
Kira wanders into the shop and meets the spectacled man who introduces himself as Morgat. He’s bored and reluctant to answer her questions, but asks a lot of his own more to ease his boredom than from any real desire to find out anything. He doesn’t think much of his boss, but likes the prestige of working for a wealthy merchant. Harnett is probably at the tavern having lunch, and probably won’t be back today. Morgat seems disappointed that Kira isn’t really interested in buying anything. They haven’t had any new business this week. It’s very frustrating really.
Meanwhile…
Caerwyn is all tarted up in his shiny armor on his equally tarted up horse and is riding about town glaring at perceived evil-doers. If he sees any of his companions, he glares particularly hard at them like he sees something he doesn’t like. Marja is pretty sure he does see something he doesn’t like, but keeps her comments to herself. Finally he comes across a young lieutenant of the town guard who steps up to him. “How can I help you, my lord?” He stands tall and proud and is obviously of noble birth.
“If I need your help,” Caerwyn answers haughtily, “I’ll ask.” Young Lt. Rufus clicks his heels brightly and turns away with a quick salute.
Meanwhile…
Marja wanders from tavern to tavern around the guard posts. It becomes clear that Maj. Keiran doesn’t hang out at any tavern. The officers she meets let her know that he doesn’t socialize with the other officers much. “Well, maybe he means to,” Marja offers, “But he’s wandered off in the wrong direction again.” The young officers surrounding her laugh heartily getting the reference to the unfortunate incident which began Keiran’s carreer when he led a charge in the wrong direction. Marja finally finds his aid-de-camp who tells her that Keiran’s a homebody. He reads a lot about heraldry and fences at a private club. With this news Marja turns down several offers to buy her lunch and heads into the street to find Kel and Lucre.
The three decide to try to get into the club. As a young nobleman himself, Kel should be able to gain entry. Marja can pose as his companion and Lucre as his servant. A young man answers the door at the club wearing a long white floppy shirt and a towel around his neck. Sir Kelly Windhill introduces himself carefully emphasizing the “sir,” and making brief reference to his lineage. Although neither exptremely wealthy nor prestigious, Kel’s family is from a very old line.
The young man replies that he is, in fact, Sir Major Trevor Kieran. “Well, the club is usually members only,” he sniffs, “but…” He steps aside and allows Kel to pass into the house. He takes him aside and motions at Marja. “Women of her class. Not usually done around here, old man.” Kel blushes from head to toe, and had he his wits about him might have mentioned that she’s practically engaged to his uncle, a private joke he and Marja would have enjoyed, but instead he just flusters a weak “of course” and steps outside to talk to Marja and Lucre. He tells them they can’t come in, and Marja quickly slips Garnet around his wrist to keep her eyes open. As Kel reenters the house she overhears Kieran comment again in her direction and the word, “common,” clearly passes his lips. Lucre grabs her hand as she is reaching into her spell pouch and pushes her into the bar next door.
“Common! Did you hear that! The bloody nincompoop!” Marja is beside herself with rage. “Come on, Marja,” Lucre tries to sooth her. “He needs to feel superior to everybody. That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Marja is inconsolable, even by the few odd liverymen hanging around who offer her drinks. She pouts to the bartender who warms up until she mentions the fencing club, then he too becomes laconic. No one bites the hand that feeds, evidently. Marja moves to a table in the corner and broods while Lucre chats with other men waiting for their masters from the club.
Garnet reports in with a steady stream of heckling comments that, over time, ease Marja’s immediate anger. Evidently, Maj Kieran is cross-eyed and pointy-nosed, talks with constant sniffing, and is a terrible fencer. Kel, who is no expert, has to struggle to keep the matches fairly even. Finally, it’s obvious to Garnet that Kel can’t take another minute of the pompus windbag. He is gracious as ever, thanks Kieran heartily and heads out to find his friends.
Meanwhile…
Borin hasn’t sold anything, but has talked with many passers-by. The general feeling in the duchy is positive. The young people are looking forward to the weekend and the horseracing tourney. He learns that the young duke enjoys a good wager. Kira returns, and they close up shop for lunch. They head down the block to a tavern called the Balanced Ledger. They hesitate for a moment as if trying to decide if they want to stay until they can spot Harnett and find a table near the booth where he and his friends are sitting. Borin orders wine because he thinks it will look more lady-like than ale. Kira orders the cider which is served in a glass tanker. When she asks why she is told it etches the metal ones.
The three men are engaged in raucous conversation, and Borin hears them telling tales of last night when someone made someone else do something embarrassing for money. It involved paint, and there is much laughter. “When Edmund was offered 20 gp to stick an egg up his nose, I thought I would die.” More laughter. Borin sighs. At this point Harnett notices Kira and winks. He returns to his conversation, and Kira takes the bait. She rises slowly and heads across to his table, drink in hand. He moves over to allow her to sit. After the perfunctory laying on of heavy charm which we spare the reader, he asks her to meet him tonight at a club called Vignor’s. “Everybody who’s anybody goes. It’ll be all the rage.” She agrees to meet him there at 10.
Meanwhile…
Kel joins Marja at her table in the bar. Lucre orders lunch, and the three trade stories. Make that four. Garnet keeps adding comments.
“I’ve never met such a group of pompous twits,” Kel exclaims. “Who’s in what family. Who’s making money. I whooped their butts. The worst is Kieran. He’s terrible. He’s no military man, either, but he’s into being a hero and being a noble. He sees being commander of the guard as beneath him and has great expectations for himself. He seems to feel his situation will change in the not too distant future.”
They finish up lunch and head to the market to find Kira and Borin.
Meanwhile…
Caerwyn makes a circle around town and heads back to where he met Lt. Rufus. He asks for him and is directed toward the barracks. As he crosses the street he notices Terri and a gray cat lounging in a sunlit alley.
Rufus takes Caerwyn into his private office. Caerwyn shuts the door and gets straight to the point. “Many guardsmen have been lost recently in nearby districts. There is concern of tactical incompetence.”
“Sir,” replies Lt. Rufus, “My guards are very responsible.”
“Not guards,” Caerwyn leans forward confidentially, “leadership.”
Rufus stammers. Clearly he feels in an awkward position agreeing completely, but wanting to be loyal. “We are under orders to make no changes in this area. The commander feels it best we do nothing to let the enemy know we are aware of their position.”
“Does this tactic seem sound to you?” asks Caerwyn.
“I am not certain it would be my method of address, but there is little I can do.” Rufus looks hopefully at the young knight before him.
“I do not suggest that you disobey any orders,” Caerwyn begins carefully, “but I ask you to share any information to help root out incompetence for the sake of the men who were lost.”
Rufus scribbles a quick note on a piece of paper on the desk. “Will you excuse me a moment, sir?” he asks. He abruptly walks from the room leaving the paper behind. It reads, “ Check his office. Something isn’t right here.” Caerwyn puts the paper in his pocket.
Lt. Rufus returns and never glances back at the desk. “I’m terribly sorry, but something pressing has come up. I can be available tomorrow if you wish.” Caerwyn nods. He strides across the room, opens the door, steps out of the office and says loudly over his shoulder, “I’ll speak to you again about interrupting my investigation.” He is about to walk away when Rufus whispers quietly, “Tell the young lady with the cat to move a little back.”
Caerwyn mounts his horse and rides away. As he approaches the ally he coughs, “not sublte,” and moves on to wander the market.
As one-by-one they find their way to Kira and Borin’s stall, they agree to find an inn for the night and discuss the day over dinner.
