IC II

[thirdkingdom]

Fourthmonth, Twentyfirstday
Kimrid

As they enter the settlement, and cast their gaze about on the ride to the inn, the adventurers gauge themselves to be in a town with roughly the population of Junction, but maybe twice the size. Much of the footage seems to be occupied by the temple complex, with the outbuildings constructed almost as an afterthought. There are also fewer people about than one might assume from a town of this size, although perhaps much of the population is in prayer, or preparing the evening's meal.

The Ruined Jester is a three story building of red stone, the facade decorated with a mosaic of flat river stones in a surprisingly good depiction of a capering jester clutching a bottle of wine. Inside, the common room is large and open, with tables placed throughout, lit by oil lamps on the wall. Perhaps a score of people are seated at the tables, mostly in groups of three or four. About half are dressed in the fashion that seems popular here in Kimrid. The rest look to be travelers, or merchants: a trio of women, in turquoise robes, that look surprisingly similar, sit at one table. At another sits an enormously obese man, alone, the table in front of him laden with food and drink. He looks sadly down at the meal as he eats, slowly, chewing each morsel with deliberation. At another table are a quartet of two men and two women, that have the look of Kimridians, but are dressed differently, in a style that Notai has seen before; the garb of the merchants of Sanlex. At the final table sit a man and a woman, both dressed in fine silks, with heavy rings upon their fingers and gold chains around their necks. They, too, seem alien in this place of archaisms.

The innkeeper is a tall, languorous woman with heavy eyelids and a long braid. "Welcome the Ruined Jester," she says as the adventurers enter, "you are strangers here, and welcome, in Mnencir's name." It seems almost a ritual greeting.

[shaidar]

Newton nods

"Thank you, and greetings to you too. We are indeed strangers, from the south. We are looking for rooms, we are likely to be here a couple of weeks, possibly longer"

[thirdkingdom]

Newton nods

"Thank you, and greetings to you too. We are indeed strangers, from the south. We are looking for rooms, we are likely to be here a couple of weeks, possibly longer"

Inkeeper

The woman nods her head. "We can do that, most certainly. My name is Anhere, and I own this establishment. Rooms are upstairs, on the second and third floors. You all have the look of importance, despite your current condition, and I would recommend private rooms. We have no baths, unfortunately, but there is a bath-house just down the street, by the river. It is open at all hours."

Thanks to cost-of-living you do not have to worry about the cost of lodging, or incidentals.

[shaidar]

Newton

"Yes, private rooms would be required, adjacent to each other if possible, or at least on the same floor."

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus
Quiet until this point in the town as he takes it in, Feargus approaches the innkeep with a flourish. "Greetings and peace be upon you, my name is Feargus. If it wouldn't be too much to ask, could I perchance inquire into performing in your inn? It is a thing I like to do when the mood strikes and my apprentice here plays like he was born for it."

Once he gets a response, he approaches the table of the couple 'with heavy rings upon their fingers and gold chains around their necks' and introduces himself. "Excuse me for saying so, but you have the look of travelers like us. Would you be willing to share a table with me and my apprentice here? I'd love to hear your stories of the road."

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus
Quiet until this point in the town as he takes it in, Feargus approaches the innkeep with a flourish. "Greetings and peace be upon you, my name is Feargus. If it wouldn't be too much to ask, could I perchance inquire into performing in your inn? It is a thing I like to do when the mood strikes and my apprentice here plays like he was born for it."

Once he gets a response, he approaches the table of the couple 'with heavy rings upon their fingers and gold chains around their necks' and introduces himself. "Excuse me for saying so, but you have the look of travelers like us. Would you be willing to share a table with me and my apprentice here? I'd love to hear your stories of the road."

Anhere

"I don't think it would be a problem," she says, "this is about as crowded as it gets, these days, but I'm sure if you're any good these folks wouldn't mind some after dinner entertainment."

Jewelry Festooned Couples

The two motion for Feargus to take a seat. "Your dress and accent are not familiar to me," says the woman, "I am Wival Vor, and this is my associate, Helman Fruth. We are traders from Gifukrum, to the east. Where is it that you hail from?"

[VonAlric]

Gardo

As they approach the inn, he turns to Wulfka. "Alright, time for a little comfort. Enjoy the food and company tonight, you've done well on our trip. Now you get to learn the other thing that sets us from others. We talk. We talk to anyone who will speak to us because you never know who may have a nice coin purse or enchanted item that they are willing to part with for some assistance with a problem. This city is more exotic than anything I've heard of and it is far enough away from where we live that they will be curious about us as we are about them. So, keep an eye or ear open, something may get your attention."

Entering the inn, Gardo surveys the room. As his eyes asjust to the light and scans the people in the room, he gasps and makes a bumbling grasp behind him for his man. Once he gets ahold of his collar, Gardo pulls him up close. "Mariusz! Look at that man there," in a close to a hushed tone as Gardo can make (which is barely one). "If I didn't know better, I think I am looking at Little Sam. The resemblance is remarkable. Except for his hair color being darker, his eyes are not as bright, he doesn't have the big scar from his mouth to his eye, he looks taller than Sam, probably weighs a bit more, Sam never looked sad when he was eating, and he is eating slowly, he looks just like him." He turns and looks at Mariusz face for confirmation and recieves a concerned look. Gardo, a bit abashed, continues. "Well, true. Sam was cut up into pieces and I only saw him twice through a window." He perks up a bit. "Let's go see if he sounds like Sam." Mariusz shakes his head as they head over to the man.

As they approach the man, Gardo puts on his best smile. "Well met, good man. I noticed that you have a fine meal in fornt of you but have such a sad disposition while eating it. Is there something wrong with it? Are you missing something? If so, allow me to buy it for you. It concerns me that you look so grave while eating such finery. Please, tell me what causes your face to be so." He turns to his man. "Mariusz, get us two ales first while we speak. Now, see Wulfka.... wait, where did you go?"


Wulfka & Notai

Trying not to look aghast as Gardo 'whispers' to Mariusz, Wulfka doesn't move as Gardo approaches the large man. Starting to panic as Gardo gets closer, she is relieved when Notai takes her by the elbow and moves to the innkeeper. She smiles at the woman. "Some wine for the both of us." Once they get their drinks, Notai nudges Wulfka towards the trio of women. As they approach, Notai gives Wulfka another nudge. A slight nod and Wulfka puts on a smile. "If it is not too much of a problem, we would like to sit over here by you. Occassionally, our employer does things that is best left to men." Once seated, she continues. "Your attire is different than what we have seen in town. Are you travellers as well as we are?"

[thirdkingdom]

Obscenely Obese Man

The man gestures for Gardo to sit down, and answers in a thin, reedy voice incongruous for his size. "Sit, traveler, and listen to my tale of woe! I was once a wealthy merchant, with silver and gold mines in the western hills. My men would dig up the ore and sent it to Kimrid on the Deres," he says, "in boats that I owned. Then, one day, my pride proved the better of me and I attempted to cheat the priests on Mnencir. I was discovered, and they placed a curse upon me; that my appetite would be unending, and food taste like ash in my mouth, until I had eaten the value of what I had sought to cheat them of. That is why I sit here, before a table of delicacies, with such a dour expression upon my lips. I cannot eat enough to stop my hunger pains, yet every bite I take tastes like dust."

The Three Women

The three women exchange a brief, inscrutable glance before gesturing for Notai and Wulfka to sit. "We are the sisters three," says the one on the left, "from the Gynarchy of Beoae, two week's journey to the north of here," continues the one in the middle, "here to speak with the oracle on Mnencir," finishes the one on the right. "I have heard of your kind," she continues, looking at Notai "we had heard your tribe was slaughtered," continues the one in the middle. "What slew your people is what brings us here," finishes the third, "this is curious indeed, that we should encounter you on this day."

The three women finish each others' sentences with an ease that is eerie, slipping from one to the next, with a soft, affectless modulation. When the last finishes speaking the three look at each other, wordlessly.

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

The mage decides not to split up the party and he also takes a room at the Ruined Jester.

He approaches Anhere, the owner.

"Mistress Anhere, are there any mages here in Kimrid? Or libraries, that you know of?"

[thirdkingdom]

Telemachus

The mage decides not to split up the party and he also takes a room at the Ruined Jester.

He approaches Anhere, the owner.

"Mistress Anhere, are there any mages here in Kimrid? Or libraries, that you know of?"

Anhere

"There is a library in the Temple," she says, "or so I have heard. As for mages . . . there are two that I know of. Odtak Cthun serves Mnencir, and there's Torthuk Three-Toed, who runs an apothecary down by the docks. They say he's a wizard. He certainly wears the conical chapeau of a spellcaster, although I have never seen him cast any magics."

[sulldawga]

Anhere

"There is a library in the Temple," she says, "or so I have heard. As for mages . . . there are two that I know of. Odtak Cthun serves Mnencir, and there's Torthuk Three-Toed, who runs an apothecary down by the docks. They say he's a wizard. He certainly wears the conical chapeau of a spellcaster, although I have never seen him cast any magics."

Telemachus

"Good to know, thanks. Do you ever hear, from any of your patrons, about problems outside the walls? I ask because my friends and I are problem-solvers and we're always on the lookout for a new job."

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

To Mistress Anhere
"That sounds good then. We will likely rest tonight but come tomorrow, if we are still here, we will carve a little space in the corner for some music...Hear that Mardan? Tune your instrument. We have a gig."

To Wival Vor and Helman Fruth
"We are a band of adventurers from the South...Junction to be exact...trying to do our part to push back Chaos. In fact we escorted to Kimrid an emissary from the Scarlet Prince to help rebuild contact...I am not familiar with Gifukrum and you say it is to the east? How far is it? How are the roads heading that way?"

[thirdkingdom]

Anhere

"There is a library in the Temple," she says, "or so I have heard. As for mages . . . there are two that I know of. Odtak Cthun serves Mnencir, and there's Torthuk Three-Toed, who runs an apothecary down by the docks. They say he's a wizard. He certainly wears the conical chapeau of a spellcaster, although I have never seen him cast any magics."

Telemachus

"Good to know, thanks. Do you ever hear, from any of your patrons, about problems outside the walls? I ask because my friends and I are problem-solvers and we're always on the lookout for a new job."

Anhere

Anhere throws up her hands. "Oh, there are always problems! At the end of the last Cycle Kimrid itself has assaulted, and many lives were lost. That is why the streets seem so empty, why this room so bare of guests! In my grandfather's day it is said our dining hall would be filled to bursting with traders and merchants, but now . . . now begins the long rebuilding. I am not the one to talk to, though, for I am a simple innkeep."

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

"Assaulted by who... or what?"

[thirdkingdom]

Telemachus

"Assaulted by who... or what?"

Anhere

"Orcs," she says, shortly. "Lots and lots of orcs. They came boiling out of the woods like hornets out of a kicked nest. It was only last year we were able to finish rebuilding the outbuildings, and repairing the walls."

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

To Mistress Anhere
"That sounds good then. We will likely rest tonight but come tomorrow, if we are still here, we will carve a little space in the corner for some music...Hear that Mardan? Tune your instrument. We have a gig."

Anhere

"We shall look forward to it," she says.

To Wival Vor and Helman Fruth
"We are a band of adventurers from the South...Junction to be exact...trying to do our part to push back Chaos. In fact we escorted to Kimrid an emissary from the Scarlet Prince to help rebuild contact...I am not familiar with Gifukrum and you say it is to the east? How far is it? How are the roads heading that way?"

Helman Fruth

"There's a road, aye, but it's rarely traveled. It runs parallel to the river, you see, and most traders find it easier to pole themselves upstream than wear out our boots." He peers at the map the adventurers present to him. "We seem to be off the map." Fruth points at an area to the east of Kimrid. "The river bends northwards," he says, "and about, oh, one hundred and fifty or so miles onwards the woods open up into a vast llano. Gifukrum sits on the river there, between forest and plain."

[sulldawga]

Telemachus

The mage thanks the bartender for the info and hands over a gold piece on top of the price of his drink.

He tells Casfrea to relax and unwind, and then he heads to the docks to visit this Torthuk Three-Toed.

I'm assuming there's enough time left in the day to do so; otherwise, it can wait until the next day.

[thirdkingdom]

Telemachus

The mage thanks the bartender for the info and hands over a gold piece on top of the price of his drink.

He tells Casfrea to relax and unwind, and then he heads to the docks to visit this Torthuk Three-Toed.

I'm assuming there's enough time left in the day to do so; otherwise, it can wait until the next day.

It'll be the next day.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

"...and would it be terribly out of fashion to inquire as to what brings you to Kimrid?"

Just fishing for rumors here. Feel free to tie up this conversation quickly to spare the others if there's nothing to fish for here.

[VonAlric]

Gardo

He blinks. He scratches his head. "So these priests are sensitive about things and may curse someone. Got it. While I don't know how long you've been at it, it looks like you have paid a heavy price already. You know, years ago, there was this guy... hey Mariusz, what was his name? You know, the one that owed Black Eye Pieter that huge amount of money when he made those stupid bets? Well, Pieter started cutting off his family members fingers, killing his animals and burning anything that the guy really liked, including family members, to get compensation. But when Pieter cut off this guy's pinky finger, the guy quickly realized that Pieter was serious. He asked Pieter if he could pay him back what he owed and Pieter let him pay back maybe a third of the money he had lost. Maybe these priests might be willing to take only part of the money you tried to cheat them out of if you go to them and let them know how really sorry you are. What do you have to lose now?"

"Seriously Mariusz, what was that guy's name? It is right on the.... what's wrong?" He quickly stands and moves across the room.


Wulfka

Wulfka is mesmerized by the speech of the three women. She suddenly realizes that they women had stopped speaking several moments ago. Leaning to Notai, she begins to speak then stops. Turning her head, she sees Notai, pale and breathing raggedly. "Hey, what's the problem?....."