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<blockquote data-quote="jayoungr" data-source="post: 7600009" data-attributes="member: 6702445">Opening Scene for &quot;The Marionette&quot; (DDAL04-04)You're sitting at the Seven Tables and enjoying the food--or maybe &quot;enjoying&quot; is the wrong word.&nbsp; There's way too much salt in the soup; something's clearly off here.&nbsp; Still, it's filling and warm, and in weather like this, that's the main thing.A blast of frigid air blows into the room as the door opens, and two people enter.&nbsp; One is a stout, well-dressed, middle-aged woman walking a very large basset hound on a leash.&nbsp; With her is a large young man in his early to mid-twenties, more simply dressed and bundled up against the cold.&quot;Come on, Luca,&quot; says the woman.&nbsp; &quot;The sheep will be all right for an hour.&quot;&quot;But I watch the sheep,&quot; the young man answers, his brow furrowed.Marku Grelon emerges from the kitchen.&nbsp; &quot;What can I do for you?&quot; he asks before recognizing the woman.&nbsp; &quot;Oh, Scartia!&nbsp; I don't have the payment yet.&nbsp; We've still got some time, right?&quot;Scartia waves a hand.&nbsp; &quot;Yes, yes, there'll be a few days for that.&nbsp; I've brought Luca.&nbsp; I noticed he didn't have any lunch, so I figure he can eat here, if that's all right.&quot;&nbsp; She hands a silver coin to Marku, who nods and addresses the young man.&nbsp; &quot;Why don't you have lunch, Luca?&quot;&quot;Papa went away.&nbsp; Boss says he left town.&nbsp; He didn't say goodbye.&quot;Marku and Scartia exchange a worried look over Luca's shoulder.&nbsp; &quot;Come to the kitchen and have some soup,&quot; Marku tells Luca, leading him into the back room of the inn.Scartia pulls on the leash of her basset hound, who has wandered over to your table and started sniffing around.&nbsp; &quot;Come on, Frederick!&nbsp; We've got a lot to do,&quot; she says as she leaves.After a moment, Sari, the barmaid, comes to your table, shaking her head sadly. &quot;Poor Luca.&nbsp; If his father's really missing, that could be bad.&nbsp; I'm sure you've noticed he's a bit simple.&nbsp; A horse kicked him in the head when he was little.&quot;&nbsp; She then remembers her duties.&nbsp; &quot;Can I get you anything else?&nbsp; Another drink, maybe?&quot;&nbsp; Shortly after Sari heads back to the kitchen, Marku reappears.&nbsp; Rubbing his hands nervously, he approaches and addresses you with an apologetic air.&nbsp; &quot;Friends, I'm sorry to bother you.&nbsp; I didn't want to, but my wife insisted.&nbsp; Luca's story has set her off, and she's very worried.&nbsp; Might I have a moment?&nbsp; My nephew Vasile and a friend of his went into Vallaki for supplies a couple of days ago.&nbsp; They were supposed to be back last night, but they haven't returned.&nbsp; With the storm and Luca's father disappearing, my wife is very worried, and I admit, I'm worried too.&nbsp; Would you be willing to go a ways along the road to Vallaki and see if you can find them?&nbsp; We don't have much, but we could try to scrape together some kind of reward, and you're welcome to use our horse and cart.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="jayoungr, post: 7600009, member: 6702445"] [b]Opening Scene for "The Marionette" (DDAL04-04)[/b] You're sitting at the Seven Tables and enjoying the food--or maybe "enjoying" is the wrong word. There's way too much salt in the soup; something's clearly off here. Still, it's filling and warm, and in weather like this, that's the main thing. A blast of frigid air blows into the room as the door opens, and two people enter. One is a stout, well-dressed, middle-aged woman walking a very large basset hound on a leash. With her is a large young man in his early to mid-twenties, more simply dressed and bundled up against the cold. "Come on, Luca," says the woman. "The sheep will be all right for an hour." "But I watch the sheep," the young man answers, his brow furrowed. Marku Grelon emerges from the kitchen. "What can I do for you?" he asks before recognizing the woman. "Oh, Scartia! I don't have the payment yet. We've still got some time, right?" Scartia waves a hand. "Yes, yes, there'll be a few days for that. I've brought Luca. I noticed he didn't have any lunch, so I figure he can eat here, if that's all right." She hands a silver coin to Marku, who nods and addresses the young man. "Why don't you have lunch, Luca?" "Papa went away. Boss says he left town. He didn't say goodbye." Marku and Scartia exchange a worried look over Luca's shoulder. "Come to the kitchen and have some soup," Marku tells Luca, leading him into the back room of the inn. Scartia pulls on the leash of her basset hound, who has wandered over to your table and started sniffing around. "Come on, Frederick! We've got a lot to do," she says as she leaves. After a moment, Sari, the barmaid, comes to your table, shaking her head sadly. "Poor Luca. If his father's really missing, that could be bad. I'm sure you've noticed he's a bit simple. A horse kicked him in the head when he was little." She then remembers her duties. "Can I get you anything else? Another drink, maybe?" Shortly after Sari heads back to the kitchen, Marku reappears. Rubbing his hands nervously, he approaches and addresses you with an apologetic air. "Friends, I'm sorry to bother you. I didn't want to, but my wife insisted. Luca's story has set her off, and she's very worried. Might I have a moment? My nephew Vasile and a friend of his went into Vallaki for supplies a couple of days ago. They were supposed to be back last night, but they haven't returned. With the storm and Luca's father disappearing, my wife is very worried, and I admit, I'm worried too. Would you be willing to go a ways along the road to Vallaki and see if you can find them? We don't have much, but we could try to scrape together some kind of reward, and you're welcome to use our horse and cart." [/QUOTE]

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