Midnight: Peril in Arbordale

[Keia]

Darius looked in slight surprise to Thrarn at the apparent meeting about to start - and even moreso that he and Thrarn were to be included in the meeting. He leaned into the Thrarn and quietly asked, "You know anyone here?"

Standing at around five foot was about the only description that was certain for Darius. The layers of clothing, winter wear, bags, pouchs and packs, hid almost everything else about him. Others could note that he wore both a longbow slung over his shoulder and a scabbard at his belt.

"Are we interrupting a meeting?" Darius asked in Trader's Tongue.

Uncertain of whether to remove the layers that were starting to make him too warm, Darius scanned the inn looking for potential trouble, as well as an additional way out of the inn.

The welcoming nature of Miri, the host, and the confidence in Thrarn and himself should these people want to cause trouble, Darius said, "Good food and a stout drink are a treasure to me at this time. My name is Darius . . ."

Darius claimed a chair and began the task of unwrapping himself of the layers he wore. Underneath, a wood elf began to take shape - the pouches, bags, and sword stayed with him. The scarf and hat were within easy reach should someone unwelcome enter the inn.

 

[Thrarn Iranorn]

When Thrarn sees so many others inside, he pulls his cloak down over his face to hide his features even more. While he was used to the way he looked, many others were grotesqued by it.
Motioning towards Kuknar , Thrarn whispers "That is the lone traveler I spoke of, otherwise no, I do not know them"

"I am Thrarn" he then states in a quiet raspy voice. Not easily trusting strangers he gives as little information as possible. Following Darius he too begins to remove clothing but leaves his cloak on to cover his face. Wrapping up his clothing, he places it into his backpack and then has a seat at the table.

 

[d20Dwarf]

Alhadrial finished his sweep of the room, sniffing and searching for signs of orcs and goblins.

“By the smell of things, you don’t get too many orcs around here, Miri.”

With that he sits down at the bar and continues speaking in heavily accented Norther. “My name is Alhadrial of the Veradeen, and by the will of my ancestors I am here to serve this town. I sense no orcs and the Shadow’s taint has not been here for much of the summer. I cannot help but wonder what need you have of a hunter…” Alhadrial’s voice trailed off as he noticed the wood elf getting comfortable in the corner.

“Brother from beneath the snow, ” Alhadrial said, addressing Darius, “what news of the fight in the swamp? Has the Witch Queen emerged from Caradrun? ” He bites back several other questions, realizing that pressing such questions now may be rude or even dangerous to his host. Turning his attention back to the diminutive bartender, he asks, “What trouble lies in such a quiet town? ”

 

[maddmic]

Kuknar looks back at Miri. "Yes, please tell me how I can help you for I know it is one of the reason's I'm here."

 

[Mirth]

Miri smiled a knowing smile when Alhadrial and Elidur entered the inn. She beckoned both over to the bar to join the other two already standing there. Before either could say anything, she had produced two more mugs filled with the same drink she had given to Kuknar and Dane. Looking over the four strangers standing at the bar, she said, "Drink up. It'll warm your innards!" Looking at Alhadrial and Elidur, she said, "Miri is my name. What are yours?" she asked and then added cryptically, "Two more should be coming shortly."

Miri smiled once the six people were settled at the bar with their drinks. "Welcome strangers to Arbordale and Miri's Place. Know that you will have beds to sleep in out of the cold, food to eat and drinks to warm your bellies."

Elidur drains his mug as the others are speaking and nervously steals glances towards the door of the inn. Finally, he speaks up in Norther, "I may be young, but one thing I've learned in my short years living and riding in these cold mountains is that exposing yourself unnecessarily to harmful elements is both dangerous and stupid."

Setting his mug down on the bar, the Dorn stands and continues, "I suggest we retire to one of those warm rooms that this good woman has upstairs and continue this risky conversation in private. Anyone could walk through that door..."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Elidur's eyes cut again to the door before he finishes his piece, "I don't mean to be rude, gentlemen ... and woman, but the last time I saw a dworg, two elves and a halfling together with a bunch of humans was in the charred ashes of an orc cooking pit."

With that, he turns and heads towards the stairs leading to the second floor. With a final turn, the Dorn says, "My name's Elidur, by the way."

 

[Thrarn Iranorn]

As Elidur begins to walk away, Thrarn quickly stands with his hand on his sword, "Where are you going in such a hurry, how do we know that you are not our enemy? We are as safe here as we would be in a room a upstairs. If we were in any sort of immediate danger, I believe we would already know by now."

 

[Mirth]

As Elidur begins to walk away, Thrarn quickly stand with his hand on his sword, "Where are you going in such a hurry, how do we know that you are not our enemy? We are as safe here as we would be in a room a upstairs. If we were in any sort of immediate danger, I believe we would already know by now."

Elidur stops and turns his full attention on Thrarn, speaking in Norther, "Thrarn, is it? If you wish to throw your life away with your recklessness, go ahead. I tend to think before I speak, however. Even though I cannot see your face, I can tell that you are not fey. If you were, you would know the value of patience and respect for others."

A cold smile spreads across the Dorn's face as he takes a couple of steps towards the cloaked one and stops, "I'll forgive your disrespect of me this time, but if you care to try and threaten me again, I suggest you show your face first. To do otherwise is cowardice. Now take your hand off that blade unless you really intend to use it."

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

As introduction are made, Miri smiles and listens politely to everyone, patiently waiting until each person has had a chance to speak. When Alhadrial asks about the troubles in town, Miri turns her gaze to the Caransil and raises an eyebrow. "Ready to get straight to the point," she says, "I like that."

With a smile at Kuknar, she says, "Indeed, I believe you were all drawn here. The how of it is unimportant. The why of it is what I will speak of."

After Elidur speaks and begins heading up the stairs, and then following the exchange between Thrarn and Elidur, Miri turns to the two. "Be at peace Thrarn and Elidur. No one here is your enemy," she says in a soothing voice. She then turns back to Elidur and nods in agreement. "But not up there," she says, moving towards the front door. Moments later, she locks the door and then walks back behind the bar. "No one should come here for a few hours still but the lock should serve to keep us from being interrupted. Just in case though, follow me." She motions for everyone to follow her through the door behind the bar. Once everyone is in, she closes it quietly. The room beyond is obviously a sitting room, probably part of Miri's own personal rooms. A couple of doors lead deeper into the building. The sitting room is small, but comfortable. A small fireplace sits in the west wall, a fire blazing within. There is a small table with a few chairs around it in the center of the room and several plush chairs scattered about the room. All the furniture is sized for human-sized people except one small cushioned chair, which Miri drops into slowly. "Please, sit. Make yourselves comfortable," she says, indicating the other chairs around the room.

Once everyone is settled in, she begins her tale. "You were all called here because of our troubles of late. Over the past several weeks, five villagers have gone missing and six have been found dead in and around town. You must understand, we have not had an unnatural death in Arbordale in nearly six years. It started with Mizzi Clandon, the wife of Jarnath Clandon, a local cobbler. Jarnath found her dead at their home three weeks ago. Jarnath claimed that he found her with her belly opened by a sharp instrument. The village was alarmed at this news and became more so when Jarnath's young daughter Sarath was found dead two days later by a couple of village children. She was found just outside of town. This was back before the snows came and the ground was hard. Sarath had been savagely killed and had multiple wounds caused by something sharp, a blade or even claws. She also had wounds apparently caused by teeth as bite marks were found around some of them. The village went on alert after this but the deaths continued. Two more victims were found over the next week and a half. After those deaths, people started disappearing without a trace. The last villager found dead was a mere two days ago, an elderly man named Kirin Malay. He was found face down in a stream about half a mile from town, near the old graveyard, his body also savagely mutilated. Kirin was a frequent visitor to the graveyard. He has been mourning his dead wife for nearly three years. Some of you might have seen the graveyard as you came into town. It is in the traditional Dornish style of rings of standing stones, where the dead are cremated and their ashes spread inside the rings of stones. The people of Arbordale are simple folk, and have been unable to find out who or what is behind these deaths and disappearances. Since the death of his wife and daughter, Jarnath Clandon has been consumed by grief and depression. Getting a coherent word from him has been mostly impossible. I have hope that you all can help us."

 

[Thrarn Iranorn]

"You will not get any respect from me until you've earned it. I have lost respect and trust for all, except my friend Darius, ever since my family was led to slaughter by a person we were trying to help. And I am no coward!" Thrarn harshly states with his raspy voice. With one hand still on the hilt of his sword, he reaches with the other to reveal his face.
Pulling back the hood, the hideous remains of a face are revealed. The skin is stretched tightly across his face revealing every curve in his skull and is grotesquely discolored with various shades of red, blue, and grey. Very little remains of his nose and ears. His pain filled, sunken eyes are bloodshot and damaged tear ducts cause them to continuously leak. His lips are stretched and contorted so that he cannot close his mouth completely to cover his blackened teeth. No hair at all grows on his face and that on top of his head is long but only grows in patches. What hair there is, is pulled into a tight topknot on top of his head.

When Miri speaks, he turns his head to look at her and then quickly looks back to Elidur waiting for his response to the situation.

 

[Mirth]

Elidur slowly takes in the tragedy that is writ large on Thrarn's almost inhuman face. His defiant posture eases and he pauses before replying, "I am sorry for your loss, truly I am. The continual darkness we live under has brought with it ceaseless tales of woe and loss. I don't wish to add to your well-founded mistrust in others." The Dorn extends his hand, "I think we can agree that these good villagers need the help of both of us, no? Truce?"

He adds with a grim smile, "Remember that just because you look like the Fell, doesn't mean you are one. Take heart in the fact that you have breath in that body, quickness of mind and depth of the soul left to you. I have seen the gnawed bones of babies eaten by goblins. In comparison, you are the lucky one. In a world full of evil, you have to search for the light, even if that light comes from within. How can you expect others to like you, if you do not like yourself, eh?"

Elidur's face brightens a little and he turns to the others, trying to sound more upbeat, "I say we go and talk to this Jarnath fellow and see if he can fill in some details for us."