TREEHOUSE (tavern)

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall puffs out his chest and smiles at the kind words about his horrible grog.

"Yesa! I believe da likkle one was wit da troll unters. He got quite da likkle mout on im, too. But him seem nice enough. Likkle Fingers is his name, me tink."

[Storm11]

Well, I don’t know if you get many here, but when the thunder fumbles and the lightning crashes over head, and the soothing rains fall, that’s me. STORM! the Druid says, making jazz hands.

Cant forget me! So am looking for something to do around town, earn my keep and all that. I notice there aren’t any animals here abouts! Why is that Randall?

The little Druid looks around at the other patrons if there are any. I needs me a place to sleep away from these damn insects. Have the insects always been this prolific since you guys arrived, or is it a more recent thing. You know anything about a ziggurat in the deeper jungle?

He takes another tentative sip of the grog, stealing himself by taking a deep breath, and coughing up a storm after the liquid sears down his throat.

Have you not got something in the back to do? he inquires hopefully. If Randal disappears the halfling quickly casts a spell over the grog, eyes arcing with lightning as he calls upon the power of nature to purify the rancid drink.

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall isn't shy about giving the tiny druid a strange look when he tells him his name.

"Oooooooo k?" is all the man says.

"Ya man! Da animals are gone roun ear. Dey haff been unted an kill fi food. Dees people all need to eat, jano! One cant juss live off grog!

There are a few others in the tavern, but they all keep to themselves and basically ignore the halfling right after his jazz hands move.

"Da insex is BAD ear!!! Very bad!!! We haff tried erryting to get rid o dem, but noting work! Dat why we keep da fire bun all night. You should see it ear if dey don't smoke dem out. Loudamercy!!! Me ear dat dey even worse once you get furder in."

Me got no place fi you to sleep ear. Dis Randall ouse! You will haffi talk to Missa Nehru fi dat! An me no no noting bout no cigarette in da jungle. Dem very bad fi you anyway!" He scolds.

The man clearly misunderstands his request to leave for a moment.

"Oh YA MON! Mi got sumting in da back fi sure. It called RUM!!! Ya want sum? It one gold!"

[Storm11]

No no, no no, am fine with the .... errr .... grog is it? So how many people does Beach town currently sustain? It must have been a complete massacre when you all first arrived. To wipe out all the animals. Nature is imbalanced. This can’t continue. Have there been other towns on the island set up, or is this the only one? the Druid chats aimiably, pretending to sip his drink.

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall keeps right on talking.

"No man! Dis da only town so far. Dat I know of anyway. An yesa! It was real rough going at first, but we manage ta pull tru wit what da island had ta offer us. Da earliest settlers kill all da nearby game fi food, an da fishermen took what dey could from da sea."

"But dis island seem huge ta us, an we all taught da animals will come back.....eventually."

"Missa Nehru was hoping dat da venturers, like you, would go inta da jungle an fine us all more food an maybe a better place to live. But so far, most of dem just go inta da jungle, an we neva see dem again."

[Storm11]

Storm ponders the man’s words quietly for some time.

”So how many mouthes are we needing to feed here?” he asks finally, again.

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall thinks about that question for a while, actually counting on his fingers for a moment as he concentrates. He walks over to the railing of his elevated tavern and looks out on the buildings scattered about.

"Well, by my bess guess, I would say der is about 100 free folk roun ere. But dats including all da venturing folk like youseff."

"In town ear, we haff bout 50 er so regular members."

"Da numbers change a lot dough. Right after a new shipment come in, der is more. When der is a bad attack, or if people get sick of starving, der is less."

[Storm11]

Storm nods at this. Well 50 people, even a 100 people shouldnt have depleted the ocean and the surrounding game. What happened that you beachtowners over hunted here at first? If we are going to solve the problem first we need to know what the problem is.

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall counts on his fingers some more.

"100 people...... tree mont........dats a lot of dead animal, mon."

"I don't tink dey are gone from da ol island, juss from dis surrounding area."

"Its da same ting as da fruit an veg roun ear. Its all gone too. Simple process of elimination, if ya ass me."

"We didn't haff no problems in da beginning, juss lots of ungry folk dat need to eat."

[Storm11]

Storm listens to the innkeeper for a bit longer, and then heads off to bed.

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall smiles as the halfling takes his leave.

"If I see him, I will tell da udder shorty ya were ear an dat yud like to meet him."

[Jernau35]

Maag

With his powerful muscles, Maag easily manages the climb up into the Treehouse. He takes a moment to survey the ramshackle interior. " Well, av drunk in worse places" he says to no one in particular. "Not much worse, but 'Beggars can't be boozers', like we use t say in the Rat an' Dagger back 'ome "

Maag walks up the bar and tosses a gold piece over to Randall. "There ya go mate. Whatever dat'll get for me an' me mate Saracen over dere. Name's Maag, but you can call me...Maag. If the Guard comes lookin' for me, you 'aven't seen me, orright?". Maag taps the side of his nose twice and points at Randall to emphasize the seriousness of his last statement.

[Storm11]

Saracen claps his fellow half-orc on the back. My thanks good sir. I do appreciate it. The grog is ...... potent. It is an acquired taste but still. Cheers.

He waits until Randall serves the drinks and then greets him warmly.

Have you ever heard of a structure in the jungle about a days travel away? Down the beach last the acid shooting beetles? What do you know if it’s inhabitants or history?

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall is roused from his corner hammock by a few thirsty, early morning patrons. He jumps up from his slumber as soon as Maags gold piece hits his hand.

"Yesa! Whatagwan? Likkle early fi jinx, but no problem mi frens!"

The tavern is empty at this hour, but the dark-skinned barkeep is happy to serve anyone who has coin and is willing to drink.

He starts handing out mugs of a thick, pasty grog that smells horrible but is actually beginning to grow on some of the long timers here on the island.

"Struk-shure? In da jungle?" He ponders the idea for a minute as if he might have heard of something.

"Da square one, mon?"

Newer players are always welcome to speak up in any of these conversations.

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag takes a swig of grog and winces. Looks like ah've found the headquarters of the assassin's guild anway... he muses as he swallows it down.

As he stands there listening to Saracen questioning Randall, he looks out at the view. When he catches sight of the communal huts where most of the townsfolk live, he has an idea to do some questioning of his own. "Ah'll catch up wiv ya later Saracen" he calls out as he heads down the ladder.

[Storm11]

Saracen nods at Randall’s description. Yes that’s the one. What do you know of it my good man!

He gives Maag the thumbs up as the other half-orc heads out after tasting the grog.

[OGRE MAGE]

Randall continues.

"Mi no sure. All mi ear is dat it's out dere."

He points in a roughly wesrern direction.

"Sum guys were in ear talking bout it, couple day ago. Said dey was gonna go haffi look. Mi no sure if any of dem eva cum back, doh!"

[Storm11]

Saracen nods at this. Have you heard anything about poisonous giant spiders being there? he whispered, leaning in?

[OGRE MAGE]

The young tavern keepers eyes widen.

"No mon!"

He starts looking around at the ceiling and walls of the place nervously.

"Mi no like spiders!"

[Storm11]

Saracen rolls his eyes.

Well. I can’t tell you how much of a great help you’ve been..

With that he bows and leaves the tavern. He will head to the beach and have a look around for any sailors or guards that patrol the colony.