(Casual D&D) A Game of Trust

[Guilt Puppy]

"This is a scroll of the spell I just cast, Father Yattro. I'd like you to have it. If anything, it might allow the Road God greater flexibility in granting you spells for a day, may it please Him."

"And you too Father Yattro, you have helped me greatly this evening, I am in your debt but I'm afraid I may not have time to return such a favour in the near future."

The old priest waves his hand. "Just Yattro, please, and keep the scroll, if it is at all dear to you. I understand the need in cities" -- he says the word with a particular distaste, though not a haughty one -- "to keep a cost for such services... But out here, there are few who come with petty or careless requests, only real need." He smiles kindly, glancing back and forth between Fendric and Nurthk, clearly trying not to lecture. "If you feel a debt, then I'd rather trust you to pay it to another stricken traveler, on some future night."

He claps his hands together and smiles brightly. "Now, how would you like some tea?" Looking towards Xiao, he adds: "I hear that tea is well-appreciated in the Eastern lands, and while all I have is a Southern blend, I hope you'll find that what it lacks in subtler tones it makes up for in its robust body..." While his words are small-talk, his tone is that of real enthusiasm.

Shuffling around the small room, he begins pouring water from a jug, setting it atop the already-hot stove, and returns to his bed to sit while he waits for it to boil.

 

[doghead]

"If you feel a debt, then I'd rather trust you to pay it to another stricken traveler, on some future night."

Xaio is startled out of his idle gazing around the room by the mans words. The mountains around the temple were he grew up are harsh and unforgiving. There was little time for quiet contemplation with the all the work necessary for survival. But amoung one of their central tenants was the belief that a kindness show to you by another should be repayed by showing kindness to a another in return.

The man's mention of tea remainds Xiao of something, and he dives into his backpack and after a little rummaging around, pulls out a small packet of folded paper.

Rising to his feet, he hands the packet to Yattro.

"This was given to me before I left. It is bitter tea from our land. There is not so much, but I would like you to have it."

Xiao bows deeply as he hold out the packet in both hands to Yattro.

 

[DrZombie]

So now, who's up for some leftover chicken?"

"Only those who don't like rabbit." A rubling voice says behind you. "Or stag"
As you turn around you see a tall, strong human. He's dressed in good but worn clothing in hues of dark-brown and green. The cross-guard of a massive two-hander pokes from under his dark-brown cloak, and a quiver of black-fletched arrows hangs at his side, mirrored by the hilt of his long hunting knife. Two daggers poke out of his knee-high soft leather boots. He's holding four big hares in his right hand by their ears. Entangled around their necks are the remains of a snare. He points outside, over his shoulder.

"Damned mule wouldn't carry it, nearly broke my spine carrying it over here"

"Farlangh be Praised, Raven, I didn't expect you back so soon" The old priest grins his gap-toothed grin as he hapilly accepts the hares."Brother Sethan will love these. How was your trip? Are the passes still open?


Raven shrugs."The pass is fine, al the way up, but those orcs are getting all worked up over something. I've culled their numbers a bit, to remind them to leave travellers be, but I wouldn't wanna cross alone again."

"I stink. I need a bath,..."


You get a polite but neutral nod as he walks out and disappears behind the building. You hear some curses and the braying of a mule, followed by the screeching sound of the winch at the well.

Those who go to the bath-house half an hour later are greeted by the sweet smell of the best halfling-weed and the gentle singing of a man at peace with the world. A warm red glow from the pipe shows a bearded face with a lop-sided grin, the righ-hand corner of his mouth distorted by a thin red scar that runs over his cheeck to his temple to disappear under his shaggy black hair. Small flecks of foam from the tankard of beer dott his upper lip.
His clothes are neatly hung up on a line near the coalfire and you see some saddlebags on the floor next to his tub. His greatsword and hunting knife are within easy reach.
Two more tubs are empty, and a big kettle of warm water sits on the fire.




[Hi guys, I'm Maarten, 29yo from Belgium, Europe. Some of the typos are caused by bad spelling, some by my five month old son trying to eat the keyboard. Anyways, DM, I hope you don't mind me stealing your NPC to introduce me, and I hope you counted on there being a second priest and a bathhouse, if not, kill my character ]

 

[Uriel]

Niccolo sits humming a simple ditty whilst polishing his Violin(s), all the while listening to those around him, taking in the sound of their lives.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

"This was given to me before I left. It is bitter tea from our land. There is not so much, but I would like you to have it."

Xiao bows deeply as he hold out the packet in both hands to Yattro.

Yattro accepts the gift, chuckling uncomfortably, obviously not accustomed to this sort of formality.

"Thank you friend, thank you..."

After Raven enters and departs, Yattro begins pouring out tea, split among a variety of old and well-used cups, pulled from where they hang with a variety of other dishroom assortments. Hiritus is quick to take the meager tin one -- the rest are all chipped pottery.

"You're welcome to the baths -- ignore where it says to leave coin for the soap," -- he holds up Xiao's bag -- "this is enough to cover that." He grins the grin of a man ready to make a joke.

"You might wait 'til morning, though, as you don't have the" -- he sniffs at the air -- "traveler's aura, yet. Still, I think Raven might appreciate some fresh company... We haven't all too much in common, and I won't smoke the pipe-weed with Seth around... Sethan's my apprentice, understand."

He grins, then his mind drifts back a little, and his brow shows confusion.

"Tell me, now... Where do you travel from?"

(OOC - Good entrance, DrZombie, and everything you introduced fits just fine. BTW, since you've been out an about the surrounding area recently, would you mind making a Survival check, if your sheet is finished... Just a few more details which might be important.)

 

[DrZombie]

(trembling first roll of the dice : 15 total)

(character is finished i made a lvl 3 char, xp 4500)

 

[Guilt Puppy]

(trembling first roll of the dice : 15 total)

(character is finished i made a lvl 3 char, xp 4500)

(OOC - Alas, nothing extra noticed on a 15. At least we don't have to backtrack...)

 

[dpdx]

[I take it we have no Heironeans left except possibly Shavah, eh?]

Fendric nods at the human, and responds, "Well, it won't keep for long, Brother, so it's what's for dinner for some of us, Gods be praised. I'm Fendric, of the Temple of Pelor in Hedrogura. These are my friends, and questmates. It would seem we're staying here this evening, before we go over the pass tomorrow morn."

____

Fendric smiles at Yattro's question, and sips his tea as he thinks on an answer, hoping Niccolo will use the delay to jump in and give their quest a proper rendering.

 

[Uriel]

Laying down his instruments, having seen to them with oil and rosin, Niccolo greets the new faces around him in a proper manner.
'I am Niccolo, Bard of, well, of many places, in fact. Indeed, the God of Roads has been my friend on more than one occassion, looking out for me when many another Deity would have been too busy.Alas, I have little in the way of Coin to tithe to said great and kind Deity, but perhaps this will do as a thanks.May their next owners find them useful'
Niccolo pulls two scarves and a cap from his satchel, setting them upon the table.All are clean and neat, perfectly suitable for those taking to the roads.
The scarves are,respectively, green with a rather badly done (Sewing roll 15) Dragon, and a blue one with (sew 19) a much more correctly rendered Griffon.
The cap,grey wool, is unadorned.
While those who have travelled with Niccolo know that he could have used his magic to mend the less-than-perfect dragon, it did add character,even if it looked more like a duck...

OoC:Remember the old Atari game 'Adventure'?

 

[doghead]

Yattro accepts the gift, chuckling uncomfortably, obviously not accustomed to this sort of formality.

"Thank you friend, thank you..."

"You are most welcome."

Xiao bows again, but the broad grin on his face somewhat eases the formality of it.

Still, I think Raven might appreciate some fresh company... We haven't all too much in common, and I won't smoke the pipe-weed with Seth around... Sethan's my apprentice, understand."

He grins, then his mind drifts back a little, and his brow shows confusion.

The odd stressing of the word apprentice, and the slight confusion that seems to afflict Yattro bothers Xiao, even though there could be a dozen innocuous reasons for it. Xiao decides to leave it for now, but not forget it. He continues settling himself back on his makeshift mat.

A bath does sound good though. Perhaps after the tea.

Which is what he will do.