The Antigrol Tide (IC)

[Mallak]

Mr Lover to you, like a male nymph
He winks as he tastes the muffin.
It was easy he thinks to himself and smiles back.
Lilting Rose it is lady …

He waits for her to continue and trying to recall where is this bar.

"Hahahaha!" The muffin seller bursts into laughter at Grondar's response. "I've heard a lot of talk before, mister. We'll see if you can be the first to deliver." She twirls with a smile and a wink, the sunlight flashing highlights off her auburn hair, and melds into the crowd. Right before she disappears she turns, calling back, "My name is Karen!"

The muffin is very tasty, bran spiced with cinnamon and perhaps a hint of pumpkin. Grondar attempts to recall the location of the Lilting Rose as he munches away. He seems to remember it being on the northwestern side of town, nicer neighborhood. He's never been there before; the drinks are supposed to be somewhat fruity and watered down, but very popular with the debutante circle.

Troth comes around the corner of the shop just as the muffin vendor swirls off into the crowd, the spicy-sweet smell of fresh baked muffins lingering in the air.

“Well, we’ll have to see what we can do about getting you a nice bracelet then,” Colmarr says with a smile.

"That's ok, oni," Naomi says, hugging his arm, "I don't really want a bracelet anyway."

Denther pokes his head in the back door, slides in, and shuts it behind him, relocking it with the keys he got from Troth. There's a door halfway down the hall on the left, an opening with stairs leading up at the end of the hall on the right, and a shut door at the end of the hall. No doubt, that door leads to the front of the shop. So, where should he look first...the door to the left or the stairs headed up to the second story?

"Friend Dietrich, I fear perhaps you know more than you've said. You didn't-- " he lets just the slightest bit of fear for his "friend" creep into his voice--"did you bear witness to that poor soul's murder?"

"I...who said anything about a murder?" Dietrich's voice cracks on the word "murder". "Who are you?" He appears fearful, leaning back from Magyar, his hands dropping behind the countertop.

Malachi examines the keys in the bucket. They're of every shape and size and many different materials. Most look like they've been here awhile, covered in rust and tarnish as they are. Some of them are snapped, having only heads or stems. There's even a wooden key that appears to have been burnt, but the fire damage is old. Near the top of the pile is a little shiny brass key, worn but still gleaming brightly, as if it has not been long without use.

 

[Jdvn1]

Malachi, hearing the conversation change behind him, picks up the shiny brass key and turns around, trying to change the pace of the conversation, "Say, how much for the keys? You have quite an ... intriguing variety here. Happen to know where this one may have come from?"

 

[unleashed]

Colmarr Blackrock, Male Gnome Bard

“Okay, onia...well let’s keep looking through this stuff, while Magyar talks...” Colmarr says, turning to look as the man’s voice cracks. Noticing Dietrich’s hands drop behind the counter, Colmarr eyes the man and shakes his head, admonishing him not to continue reaching down.

 

[Drowned Hero]

Troth comes around the corner of the shop just as the muffin vendor swirls off into the crowd, the spicy-sweet smell of fresh baked muffins lingering in the air.

'Hi there Grondar you looking at the ladies? She over there looks like a fresh strawberry' pointing at the muffin vendor that walks away and thats Grondar is abently looking after with a grin on his face 'Im going inside again buddy'

 

[Strahd_Von_Zarovich]

'Hi there Grondar you looking at the ladies? She over there looks like a fresh strawberry' pointing at the muffin vendor that walks away and thats Grondar is abently looking after with a grin on his face 'Im going inside again buddy'

And that fresh one is going to be eatten tonight ....
he let's the words fade while Troth leaves into the store again.

 

[jkason]

Magyar Rhineholdt, human rogue

"I...who said anything about a murder?" Dietrich's voice cracks on the word "murder". "Who are you?" He appears fearful, leaning back from Magyar, his hands dropping behind the countertop.

Magyar takes a few slow steps back away from the counter, displaying his empty hands at his sides.

"Much as I'd like to think otherwise, friend," he says evenly, "I'm a man of little consequence. As I said, I'm just starting to gather that you're perhaps mixed up in something that's like to cause you trouble. I'd like to help if I can. If I've gotten the wrong impression, I surely apologize for any offense."

 

[mps42]

Denther

As quietly as possible, Denther will try the knob on he door to his left to se if it is locked.

 

[Mallak]

Dietrich the shop keeper looks around warily at the people in his shop.

"Say, how much for the keys? You have quite an ... intriguing variety here. Happen to know where this one may have come from?"

"Uh...keys? Uh, yeah, yes, I have all sorts of keys." A crooked smile snakes across his lips as he comes around from behind the counter. He glances at Magyar as he steps toward Malachi. "Excuse me, I got to hep a customer." The man approaches Malachi, who is holding the shiny key. "Now, let's see, what key have ya got there? Oh, yes, she's a beauty, a very rare find, indeed, my friend! You have quite an eye for antiques. That there is the Sacred Key of Melindra's Chest! No, no, I assure you, it is the genuine article, on mah honor as a Shopkeeper's Guild member. That is one of the original seven keys struck by the great locksmith Magistrade over a thousand years ago! I acquired that key a few years back from a strange little sailor who came in on a boat from the far east, the Land of the Elves." The man lowers his voice conspiratorily. "He told me that he won it from an elvish fisherman in a game of chance. Now, the fisherman pulled it up in a locked chest off the coast of the Isle Cellador, where it had lain burried in the mud more than six hundred years!" Dietrich places an arm around Malachi and guides him to another portion of the shop. "Now, on its own, the Key to Melindra's Box would be quite useless. However, I have recently come into possession of a scrap of paper which is, in fact--" He glances around as if checking for people listening. "--a map! A map to the hidden Isle of Melindra!" He takes a rolled scroll of yellowed parchament off a high shelf. It looks a bit tattered on the edges and is tied with a piece of rotting leather string. "These two items together, for one such as yourself who has the courage and skill to recover the lost artifact, are priceless, mate. Simply priceless."

To Colmarr, the Isle of Melindra is an ancient myth. Melindra was one of the seven benevolent gods involved in the creation of the world, charged with the protection and security of all life. There was an eigth god, too, Shaimon, who brought death to the world. His heart was bent on evil, and so the seven benevolent gods banded together to bind him from the world. Shaimon was placed into a box created by the god Algor, and the Gnomish Archmage Magistrade crafted a special lock and seven keys, one for each of the benevolent gods. The box was given into Melindra's care which she guards somewhere on her floating island.

Several details of the shopkeeper's story are suspect, however. Cellador is the elvish name for their continent, not an island, and because the Isle of Melindra is a floating island and in constant motion, it is highly unlikely that any map would be relavent in revealing its location.

In the back hallway, Denther quietly opens the door on his left. It appears to be merely an empty coat closet.

 

[unleashed]

Colmarr Blackrock, Male Gnome Bard

His ears twitching as Dietrich’s story unfolds, Colmarr waits until he finishes before declaring loudly...without looking around, “That must be an impressive map you have their Dietrich, since the Isle of Melindra is supposed to be a floating island which moves around constantly. As for the key, Cellador is a continent, not an isle...there are supposed to be seven keys to open the box given into Melindra’s care, so you couldn’t open it with just one. To top that off, the box doesn’t contain a lost artifact, it contains the evil god Shaimon who was bound into the box by the seven benevolent gods of creation, one of whom is Melindra herself.”

 

[jkason]

Magyar Rhineholdt, human rogue

Mag, realizing he's lost his edge with Deitrich, let's Malachi have a hand at charming him. He suppresses a leer as Colmarr effortlessly corrects the shopkeeper's fish tale.