Part 7: Back to the Brazen Strumpet

[ybn1197]

Leaving Ubrecht to the ministrations of the priests, you make your way to the Brazen Strumpet once again to drink your pain away. Still sitting outside the building is that human male; he is dressed in dirty rags and a chipped clay bowl sits on the ground next to one of his knees. He mutters to himself in half-intelligent sentences as he rocks himself back and forth, clutching his hands to his chest. Seeing Pyrrhic approach, the man grabs the clay bowl and stretches his arm out towards Pyrrhic.

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic walks over, dropping 3 silver in the man's bowl, then squatting down next to him.

"What ails you man? Was it war, blight or poor luck?"

[ybn1197]

The man leans sideways as if to answer Pyrrhic when he flatulates, laughing himself silly. Looking him in the face Pyrrhic sees there is no contempt or negativity in his eyes, simply the evidence of a fractured mind. Once his burst of laughter subsides, his face takes on a more stoic look and he gains the "1,000 yard stare." "Don't go out in the fog. They hide in the fog you know. They hide in the fog waiting for prey."

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn leans in slightly, his eyebrows raised at the sudden flatulence.

"Who? Who is it that hides in the fog?"

[ybn1197]

The man turns to look at Bronn and seems ready to answer him when a sudden coughing fit takes over. At the end of coughing, the man hacks up a large ball of phlegm which he spits into the palm of his hand. Carefully he sniffs at it. Then he sticks his tongue out and licks it gingerly. With a sour face, he wipes the ball off on the back of his pants and once more turns to Bronn. "Thems that shamble. And they don't move slowly or jerkly. Oh no. They can run and they can hide. They be smart," he says pointing to the side of his head. "They wait till its dark and then they claw themselves out of the dirt. You don't want to be there when they come out. Oh no." He emphasizes this last statement by steadily shaking his head side to side.

[kalstone]

Simoni says, "Looking for pray? With St. Ygg, there's no need to go looking for prayer." He drops 2 silver into the man's bowl. "That cough sounds nasty. You should find a priest and have that looked at."

[Stirling]

"so the brave scarlet smithy forged not his fortunes in the barrows, one gold you tipped his beggars bowl last time but return with only silvers. This mind ravaged dreamer must hope that your next visit is not blessed by only copper."So speaks a stocky figure from the shadows of the tavern alcove. An un-comely wench curled around one arm gets a dismissive pat on her derriere and is shunted away. "I counted you all out but I don't count you all back in again, so it is with the Barrows. It is not the veins of gold bled dry in the mazes but brave hearts and feebleminds",Grigg nods towards the hunched figure rocking on the porch and taps his head.

Sneering at any expectant look from the beggar, Grigg will walk through the Brazen Strumpet door and into the tavern. Dumping his camel hide rucksack by the bar, a coiled rope and grapnel dragging loose on the floor is nonchalantly kicked to one side by a booted foot, (high soft leather, well linted and making little noise on the creaky boards, a pair of glinting silver hilts poking out from heel sheathes.)

Grigg will order a couple mugs of frothing ale and stand with his back to the bar surveying the room.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn inclines his head towards the receding figure as he speaks to the beggar. "Friend of yours?"

He straightens, and stalks into the bar. He takes a quick look around before squeezing his bulky frame into a chair at their regular table, shoulders hunched. He raises a hand to order an ale from the barmaid, and sits there staring into space, his eyes expressionless.

[Zhym]

A skinny hobbit with a thick mane of golden blonde hair emerges from the tavern, ale still in hand. He drops a gold piece into the beggar's bowl. "Good bit of prophecy's worth a little coin, wouldn't y'say?" he tells the others with a wink. "Come on inside—you look like you could use a round of drinks someone else is paying for. First round's on me while you tell the tale of what has you so glum." With that, he disappears back into the bar.

[SocraticLawyer]

"Sounds good to me!"says Peaches . She slaps the hobbit on the back before tossing a few silvers in the beggar 's bowl. "I could use some mead!"

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic squats, looks the man dead-set in the eyes, and speaks softly.
"The memories forged in battle are never prophetic, though battle can leave men the same empty husks as the gods. Whatever you saw, and whatever actions your broken mind did afterwards, is not your fault. Be at peace inside, friend. What did the barrows take from you?"

[ybn1197]

Outside the Brazen Strumpet

The man looks into Pyrrhic's eyes and you could swear that you are looking into a deep dark pit. "Everything," he says in a low drawn out voice that sends a shiver down your spine.

Inside the Brazen Strumpet

The tavern is sparsely occupied given that it is only afternoon. At the bar, the innkeeper (a barrel-chested man wearing a worn leather apron) is talking to a teenager who is seated at the bar in front of him. They appear to be joking so it is not a serious conversation. 3 older farmers are at one table talking amongst themselves. The center of the tavern has been commandeered by a larger group who have moved 2 tables together. The group is comprised of 4 male human, 2 female elves, and 1 male dwarf. 3 of the humans, 1 of the elves, and the dwarf all wear various types of armor. 1 of the humans and 1 of the elves simply wear loose fitting clothes. They are loud and carrying on amongst themselves though the innkeeper is obviously keeping an eye on them. Occasionally one of the group glances back over the bar where a shield and warhammer hang. 3 barmaids take turns walking about the tavern ensuring everyone has enough to eat and drink. One is a very feminine, buxom, red-headed woman. One is tall and strong in a feminine way with long braided blonde hair. The third is shorter and more slender than the others but more attractive as well. Her ears are reminiscent of elven heritage.

Grigg walks through the door and into the tavern. Dumping his camel hide rucksack by the bar, a coiled rope and grapnel dragging loose on the floor is nonchalantly kicked to one side by a booted foot, (high soft leather, well linted and making little noise on the creaky boards, a pair of glinting silver hilts poking out from heel sheathes.) Grigg orders a couple mugs of frothing ale and stand with his back to the bar surveying the room. (See above. Some of the group at the center glance over as he walks in but do not seem interested and return to their own conversations.)

Bronn stalks into the bar and takes a quick look around (see above) before squeezing his bulky frame into a chair at their regular table, shoulders hunched. He raises a hand to order an ale from the barmaid (the red-head is currently the one making rounds) and sits there staring into space, his eyes expressionless. As Bronn enters, the conversation at the center table stops and all eyes are on him. You see one of the humans (the only one wearing plate mail) egg on the dwarf who slowly gets up from the table to approach Bronn, but as the half-orc sits there expressionlessly the dwarf seems to think now is not the best of times and returns to the table with his companions.

The golden-haired halfling enters the bar with Peaches right behind him and Claude following along. They too only draw a moment's notice before everyone returns to their own conversations.

[Stirling]

Grigg surveys the patrons of the tavern. Noticing the armoured man dare the dwarf to approach Bronn, Grigg smiles knowingly. His time in prison as seen him witness countless times one gang entice and provoke another gang into a fight. Maybe this was a challenge, maybe something more innocent? What he does see though is the one centre group loud and brash (have they been in the Barrows at all? is this just bravado and show? Grigg thinks) and the other group looking well mixed fortunes. But certainly this muscled half-orc and his fighter friend outside have some story to tell and an experience of the Barrows. These are the people he will try to speak to he thinks.

Trying to manoeuvre himself to a better position along the bar, (principally to keep an eye and ear on the centre group expecting something to kick off), finishing one ale in one dribbling gulp and loudly placing the other down on the bar, Grigg will stand next to the young teenager. "say friend what about some afternoon entertainment? Do you know how to play 'Spiderlegs'? I'll wager a silver for you if I lose and a beer for me if I win. You simply put your hands on the bar like this", Grigg will place his left hand over the top of the youths hand on the tavern bar, spreading his fingers wide put also clamping the youths hand in place, "and then you take a sharp blade and ..." Grigg withdraws a dagger from his hip and begins to sing a noisy rude rhyme in orcish about stabbing a spider in a web whilst frantically stabbing the blade point between each outstretched finger several times, going faster each verse until he stops in a rousing crescendo.

Griggs fingers have several clean cut scars on each digit testimony to previous playing and losing the game lots of times...when he finishes he will check the knife, not the youths' fingers for blood. Is there a large 'wild west' style mirror behind the bar that he can look into to spy on the two groups, if not Grigg will languidly lean on the bar, back to it.

[Zhym]

The golden-haired hobbit stops by the bar. "The first round for this bunch that just came in is on me," he tells the bartender as he reaches up to set a couple of gold coins on the counter. He joins the others at their table, giving the rowdy bunch a wide berth.

"How d'ya do. Milo Greenburrow, at your service. Now what's got you bunch looking so down?"

[kalstone]

Simoni solemnly intones. "These worthies have suffered a bitter loss. They are here in this tavern to work through their grief." He looks around. "This is not the place I would have suggested, but I have always wondered what a tavern looked like." He extends his hand. "Nice to meet you, Milo. My name is Simoni, grief counselor."

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic joins the rest of his party in the bar, trying to shake the words of the wretch from him. By the time he's able to get to the table, it appears his friends have already started attracting attention from the locals.

Pyrrhic sits with his crew, flagging down the staff for some ale and food, then listening quietly to the talk of the town.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn casts a sidelong glance at the rowdy adventurers, his eyes dark and threatening.

Hold it together lad, he thinks. Got your blood up and you're upset about losing a man. Let these fools taunt you and it'll end in bloodshed. Not yours, but blood all the same. Seen enough of that for today, I'll bet.

He lets out a heavy breath and turns his gaze on the hobbit.

"Death. We have witnessed the end of a comrade today, he's gone back to the muck and there isn't shite we can do about it. Hurts." He flicks a warning glare at the new priest, lest he start in again with the touchy feely group hug sales pitch again.

[ybn1197]

https://youtu.be/NT0epw9P7-o is basically the kid's response to Grigg's game.

No, there is no large mirror behind the bar. The place has a very simple setup given the simple nature of the village.

As the evening wears on, more people enter the tavern. Eventually, with the arrival of more "civilized" folk, the rowdy group leaves the bar but not before some more rude comments are made about the serving women and the tables moved across the floor in an obnoxious manner. As they file out, they eye the companions up as if testing their measure.

[Zorroroaster]

https://youtu.be/NT0epw9P7-o is basically the kid's response to Grigg's game.

Classic. "Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen!"

I swear Paxton got all the best lines in that film.

[Stirling]

Grigg will watch the rowdy group leave and the local farmers and merchants enter. By force of habit he glances at any loose purses. Dismissing any thoughts to exercise his 'sleight of hand' he will turn and engage the innkeeper. "The shield and hammer...they look finely crafted items, do they have a story? Perhaps the rescued ware of some fallen Barrowmaze hero? Or do you just use them to get rid of the stubborn rowdies? " Grigg will take a careful look at them, trying to notice any specific runes, sigils and carvings on them. Could Grigg appraise their value?