Death in Freeport

Arcata ducks into the alley beside the inn, out of sight from the street for a moment. She casts a spell on herself, cloaking herself in the guise of a young man...hardly more than a boy...in the knee-length breeches, loose shirt and vest of a common sailor. It was sufficiently different from herself she hoped...but young enough that she could still speak more or less convincingly.

With a deep breath to gather her wits, she then entered the tavern and looked around; careful not to let her eyes linger on Dogrynn or the monkey man.
 

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Not seeing what he feared he would (that one of his new friends would be dead already), Dogrynn approached the bar as he did before. Ignoring the odd monkey man he orders a drink and sits down a few stools away from the quiet conversation.
 

The tall man with the lute circles around to Dogrynn and strums a few chords "How about you my new best friend? Perhaps the love ballad of Tiamat and Thoth and their tragic quest for the sacred turnips of Agemon? It is a favorite of old Bindinford, surely worth a few coins." He gives the distinctive sibeccai a wink when his back is turned to the man with a monkey.
 

As arcata makes her newly disguised way in she notes the orc at the table, his hand casually near the battle axe. He seems to be looking over at another table where two armed men are eating. The monkey screeches but the cloaked man at the bar shushes it as he speaks to the bartender.

Meanwhile Wilbur makes it to the latrine before nausea overcomes him and he vomits out chunks of chowder into the privy. He feels weaker and a little unsteady on his feet with sweat mopping his brow.

Out at the bar the man with a lute breaks into a little song about Thoth and Tiamat attempting to seduce each other to learn the whereabouts of a sacred turnip both believe the other possesses.
 


Anton sips his drink while trying to keep an eye on the Orc, the strange man with the monkey, and the other assorted strange people that have entered the tavern within the last 10 minutes or so.
 

Dogrynn roars with laughter hearing the bard break into song about turnips. He'll continue to take large swigs from his ale and then turn towards the monkey and make a rude gesture.
 

No other exit exists for the latrine, only the hole in the ground and a small window for air. As he stands Wilbur feels a trembling in his legs and it takes him a moment to steady himself as a wave of nausea swirls over him. He feels all right when he is still, but rapid motion seems out for the moment. Wilbur is reminded of the promises for the enlightened of the path of the Gate and the Key, transcendence above the gross realm of the body to spiritual ascencion. The diary of Hekket Kemin spoke of his spirit leaving his body to explore unknowable worlds.

Out in the main bar the man in the wide-brimmed hat sneers at the lute playing bard and heads over to the booth with the orc. His monkey chitters and gestures around the bar pointing at Dogrynn but the man hisses something and the monkey is silent. He doesn't give a glance to the apparently nervous looking young man who enters the bar.

Arcata [sblock]Arcata can barely make out some of the words the orc says "So Khenzil, here at last. If'n you brought your fire gems we can have us a quick swap and everybody's friendly. Sit and we'll order some more grub. My mama said don't talk business on an empty stomach. I chopped your good buddy like you aked and I got the amulet. I hear you want me to do the same for Leering Lucius. He look too close into how you use your runty little apprentices??" she can't make out the man's reply. The booth next to theirs is empty.[/sblock]

Anton [sblock]you have a view of Kenzil but not the orc. Kenzil appears first anticipatory but then surprised by something the orc is saying, and none too pleased.[/sblock]

The lute ballad goes on to describe Tiamat's belief in the earthy aphrodisiac aspects of the sacred turnips that induce ecstatic states leading to astounding experiences.
 


Anton becomes concerned over the reaction of the man with the monkey to what the Orc is saying. If the man becomes too upset, it could start trouble, which is something to be avoided for the moment.
 

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