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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lars Frehse" data-source="post: 1128673" data-attributes="member: 1674">Vacation- part 2They checked in at the Weary Pilgrim, where the proprietess, Iontassa, offered rooms of all kinds. And so Trepat was able to sleep in a room that was a perfect replication of a tree-room in Vera Tre, even though he would still have to wait some time until he would actually get there.After a hearty meal, the adventurers were ready to explore the city. However, when they stepped out of the hotel, the oppressive heat hit them like a brick wall. Torn turned to Javos, the son of Iontassa who had volunteered to be their guide for a little fee. "Is it always that hot here?"Javos waggled his head in a gesture that meant neither yes nor no:" It gets more comfortable during the winter, and at nights, of course. But since all of you look like rather well-doing people, you might want to invest into clothing made from cold-weave.""What's that?“ Trepat asked."It is a special magical kind of textile which is produced here in Hollowfaust. It is a heavy, dark cloth, which always remains slightly cooler than its surroundings. In a coldweave robe, you could cross a desert and it would feel like you are crossing a plain.""Sounds great" Niklas said "please lead us to a merchant who has those robes".Two hours later, they were all clad in coldweave outfits and after a brief encounter with the local clerks, they had found out where William lived. They visited them and soon sent Javos home, since they didn't need him for their recollection of the things that had happened ever since they had split in Durrover.He was especially proud of the achievements of Niklas, his personal student, and he was especially fascinated by what the friends had discovered about psionics and its return into the world. In turn, he told them about his time here in Hollowfaust. When he hadn't been working on improving relations between Mithril and Hollowfaust, he had used the extensive libraries and laboratories to further his own knowledge.At some point past midnight, when several empty bottles of wine were littering the tables and the floor of William's apartment, he announced:" Actually, I don't think that I will stay here much longer than two or three weeks now. I am basically wrapping up things right now. So, if you will stay a little longer, we can travel back to Mithril together!"They all agreed and somehow, later at night, they managed to find their way back to the hotel. On the next morning, Jan and Niklas stayed in the hotel while Ben, Torn and Trepat all went into the city. The brothers were drinking tea and nursing their headaches, when the door of the inn-room opened up, and a worried looking woman in her late thirties entered.She looked around quickly, shortly resting her eyes on Jan and Niklas, who were the only guests present at the moment, and then turned to the bar, where she exchanged some words with Iontassa in a whispering voice. Then, after she had apparently found out what she needed to know, she turned around, went to the table the brothers were sitting at, and asked whether she may join them.Niklas merely grunted, but Jan jumped up and pulled back a chair for the woman "But of course, lady".The woman sat down in one flourish motion, and Jan was able to see a faint memory of the beauty that had long ago faded in her eyes. "I am sorry that I intrude upon you like this", she said, "but the Weary Pilgrim is known as a place for adventurers who come through this city. And I am in need of experienced adventurers like you right now.""We would be more than happy to be of service, my lady", Jan said, beaming all over his face."Good. My name is Vidola Bolte, and I am here because of my husband. He- he died last night. I have already contacted the guard, of course, but I am not sure that they will find out who had killed him. And killed, he was".Niklas, who noticed how calm the woman seemed, considering her recent loss, said:" We can of course take a look. But please, tell us what you know about your husband's death"."Last night, he came home late from his work at the local guild of exchange and trade, where he is responsible for the proper exchange of foreign currencies into our local currencies. Anyway, there had been a lot of work lately, so I was used to him coming home late at night, when I was already asleep.""When I woke up this morning, I saw him laying there in bed. He was stiff and his neck was sticking out of his body at an odd angle... He must have slept next to me, and then he... he was murdered!"Now, for the first time, the woman let out a grief-filled groan. Jan gently pulled her forward and offered his shoulder for her to cry on, while Niklas watched her through eyes like a slit- he didn't trust her.When she had calmed down a little, Niklas asked, his voice hardly hiding the suspicions:" Have the guards already investigated.“She swallowed hard, pressed her lips together, and after drying her eyes with a handkerchief Jan had offered, she answered:" Yes, they did. But the corps is still in our sleeping room. The guards said that they will pick up the body tomorrow.""Good then", Jan said. "We will wait for our friends to join us and then we will come to your apartment and take a look".Three hours later, they were still waiting for Ben. Torn had returned first, then came Trepat, and both of them were quickly filled in on the visit of the widow. Both were glad to hear that they would have some work to do while they were waiting for Brother William to finish his business here in Hollowfaust. Just when they were wondering whether something had happened to their halfling-friend, Ben walked in, his arm wrapped around a halfling-woman, who wore too much make-up and was apparently of questionable profession.He quickly introduced her as Mina, but when his friends told him about the investigation they intended to start, he sent Mina out to wait for him in his room, and then he said:“ You know what? You guys can go ahead without me. The only reason I came here with you was that this was intended as a vacation. And I have decided to make the most out of that vacation!""But Ben", Jan said, "We should help that woman.""Why? I heard they got a pretty good law-enforcement system going on here. Besides, I still got enough money, so that I don't have to earn it in a place that is confined, reeks of death and represents everything I distrust."Niklas looked at the halfling with a puzzled look:" So that means you will rather spend your time doing nothing?""You can hardly call the stuff I plan on doing "nothing". Besides, it is terribly hard to find a decent halfling hooker anywhere, and I haven't seen one like her in a long time. So, you can just go and solve that case. I will enjoy my vacation in the meantime. My skills and abilities won't be much help in this environment, anyway."All of the friends knew that it was almost impossible to change the incarnate's mind, once it was set on something, and so they went to the widow's apartment on their own.</blockquote>

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