000 Meeting at The Duck Pond

[Marullus]

Hellebore looks on sympathetically.
"Well, they're still truly dead. Otherwise that's a rather deep magical treatise. But remembering is certainly nice."

[ybn1197]

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Daerrin limps into the tavern, pausing by the door to get a bearing on where everything and everyone is. Smelling the heady aroma of stew from the kitchen, he ambles over to an open seat and lets himself drop down into it. He places his worn warhammer head down on the floor with the haft leaning against his chair within easy reach. For the moment, he sits quietly, drumming the fingers of his left hand on the table to an old dwarven hymn to Moradin.

[Eris]

"Willie, in battle, people die or are hurt too much to live or lose parts of them. Things got really bad, I am so sorry they are not here to wish you well on your new job, try to gain solace in the fact you knew them and they knew you. Remember them, and they won't truly die."

de Francisco will do something from putting his hand on his shoulder to give him a hug, depending on his reaction.

de Francisco

Willie is shocked and dismayed, but he doesn't cry, he's been through too much for that. He does say, "This is gonna kill Mary. Salma saved her, saved our lives. Saved us from his own people, even."

"I know you'll miss your friends, but we'll miss Salma. Tell me who killed him. The Goblins? The Orcs? I want to know who I'm going to hunt down and kill." he asks, but you don't know, in the confusion of the battle it could have been either the Orcs or the Goblins that joined them.

[Eris]

Hellebore looks on sympathetically.
"Well, they're still truly dead. Otherwise that's a rather deep magical treatise. But remembering is certainly nice."

Willie nods and says very seriously , "Yeah, they are dead, but you aren't. What are you going to do about it? You can't let them just kill your friends and then leave. I know you're going back, and when you do I'll go with you!"

Harry Sill, who has been listening as he stands behind Willie frowns and shakes his head saying softly, "Too young, too rash. Way too soon! He'll get himself killed and that really will kill his sister, Mary."

[Rex]

Zennys

"He is eager at least I suppose. Is there any plans to go back? I am in need of some work."

[ateno]

Willie nods and says very seriously , "Yeah, they are dead, but you aren't. What are you going to do about it? You can't let them just kill your friends and then leave. I know you're going back, and when you do I'll go with you!"

Harry Sill, who has been listening as he stands behind Willie frowns and shakes his head saying softly, "Too young, too rash. Way too soon! He'll get himself killed and that really will kill his sister, Mary."

de Francisco kneels in front of Willie.
"Hello Harry, nice to see you. Willie, I feel your fire, I have felt it also. I cannot let you go when we return, you have a job and a family and no training."

Pause.

"Tell you what, when I have free time and you are not working, I will start teaching you the way of the sword. Is that alright?
We are going back, yes, but with those who have training, yes."

de Francisco

[Eris]

Willie nods and says very seriously , "Yeah, they are dead, but you aren't. What are you going to do about it? You can't let them just kill your friends and then leave. I know you're going back, and when you do I'll go with you!"

Harry Sill, who has been listening as he stands behind Willie frowns and shakes his head saying softly, "Too young, too rash. Way too soon! He'll get himself killed and that really will kill his sister, Mary."

de Francisco kneels in front of Willie.
"Hello Harry, nice to see you. Willie, I feel your fire, I have felt it also. I cannot let you go when we return, you have a job and a family and no training."

Pause.

"Tell you what, when I have free time and you are not working, I will start teaching you the way of the sword. Is that alright?
We are going back, yes, but with those who have training, yes."

de Francisco

"I'm not that much younger than you, most of you, anyway." Willie looks around the table, "I was holding my own against the Kobolds in the cavern, you saw me. Heck! Mary and the littles were holding their own against them, too!"

OOC: Those who were there remember Willie not being nearly as effective a fighter as Mary was with her iron skillet. In the fight with the Kobolds, all the children were giving it a good go when you arrived. They would have lost eventually as the Kobolds had archers and a shaman caster, but they were still fending off the spearmen pretty well.

"But, okay." Willie says glumly, "I'll stay here and get training, but I am going to go after the Orcs one day. Was it Orcs? It was Orcs wasn't it?"

[Eris]

Zennys

"He is eager at least I suppose. Is there any plans to go back? I am in need of some work."

Harry nods and speaks directly to Zennys, "Yeah, I suspect they will. They had made a deal with the Temple and with the Wizard, too. I doubt they'll get paid for a half finished job."

"Come on Willie, let's leave these folks to talk it over." says Harry taking Willie's arm, "We need to go tell Mary about Salma and the others. She'll want to hear it from you, not as talk on the streets."

[Darithe]

Vesper

"Ah so there is," grabbing the last mug of ale and drinking deeply. "A throat get dry on the road. And Master de Francisco speaks the truth. An able leader during our excursion who proved himself many times." Her mouth watered at the sight of the stew. Her days at the orphanage had taught the meaning of hunger and she never wanted to feel such again.

[Marullus]

Hellebore nods succinctly at Vesper's commendation of de Francisco.
"It is good to trust a capable leader. I would gladly come, aid both you and I together in finding the Archive and Tower." She drinks the clove-enhanced hot wine with both hands.

[Eris]

Frank stomps into The Duck and looks around. You see a tall thin human with dark hair and a short beard wearing a boiled leather jerkin over a clean blue doublet, with similar greaves covering his dark blue trousers. The leathers have fresh cuts in them that have been roughly sewing closed with leather cord. He has a longbow and quiver strapped to his back, a short sword at his belt and a pair of leather gloves in his hand that he is slapping against his thigh.

He looks around frowning then seeing his friends at a table with some other folks he stomps over, his leather gloves going, "Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!" against his leg.

"There you are! I stopped at the bath house to get cleaned up before coming here. Made me feel a lot more healthy than you look. You should have done the same.", he says to his friends, "You know, I really don't like how that ended. We've got to do something about it! Now!"

Frowning he looks around the table at the folks he doesn't know then smiles tightly, "Hello to you! My name is Frank. Frank Sample, bowman for hire."

"I admit to being part of this group that recently got our asses kicked by a bunch of Orcs and Goblins." he says sourly waving his gloves at some of those at the table, "I am, hopefully we all are, going back to Fastomel to return the favor as soon as we can."

He tucks his gloves into his belt and offers to shake hands or grip forearms to those he doesn't know, "Well met!"

He continues to stand, "I hope my friends, here, have been recruiting y'all to join us on this venture. There is treasure there, ancient tome in ancient tombs and towers, and a boat load of monsters that need their asses kicked. "


OOC: Frank Sample is my NPC goad. His purpose in life is to "get things moving" and provide a little back up in the background, but mostly stay out of the action. I want you to take charge, but when it feels like there is dithering going on, expect Frank to shout something. So, all adventurers, let's gather and get started!

"Private snug is empty." Frank says pointing to a private room just off the main taproom, "Let's move this over there. Everyone who is interested in discussing a venture into Fastomel to recover treasure and kill Orcs join us. Let's get thing organized!"

Once the group moves to the snug Frank says, pointing to each of the returning party members in turn, "Linder is a good sneak, Carsta is hell with her mace and can heal a little, Francisco is a better swordsman than a wizard, Vesper can sing and surprisingly fight, too, and me, I'm a bowman and not much more. They might tell you different, but that's how I see them."

"We have a mission from the Priests at the Temple here and I think the Don has one from the Wizard that we haven't finished in the ruins of Fastomel. And, as you've already heard, there is an infestation of Orcs and Goblins there to be routed out."

"I've said who we are and what we can do. It's clear we need help with these tasks! We were working as equal partners on all spoils and payments before and reckon we'll be doing that going forward for those that join us."

"Now!" he says, "Who are each of you and what would you offer to a party of adventurers?"

OOC: Can we get a short I am (Name) and I am trained as a (Class) I'd like everyone to be clear on who everyone is and then we can move on. I'd rather skip playing out any shopping and move the party to the ruins ASAP. Is that okay with everyone. We can wave a night of rest, do any shopping/supply OOG, and the day walk to the outskirts of the ruins if that's okay with everyone.

[ateno]

["But, okay." Willie says glumly, "I'll stay here and get training, but I am going to go after the Orcs one day. Was it Orcs? It was Orcs wasn't it?"

"I started your trail of learning to fight by being scared and still defending yourself. And I will saw, I do not know if its was the Goblins or Orcs, and I don't know how she died."

de Francisco stands up and Gives Willie a copper. "Cold water in a jug and 4 mugs and keep it coming."

de Francisco

[terrymixon]

I am Linder and I’m a trained rogue.

[Marullus]

Hellebore nods respectfully to Linder, then steps into an awkward lull to introduce herself a third time.

"Hellebore Thistledown, as I said," she says perkily, giving a small wave. "Sage, wielder of magic, explorer of ruins, collector of knowledge. Oh. And don't worry. Nobody is watching." she smiles. In the rafters, the small owl hoots, "whoo?"

[Rex]

Zennys Sunbelly

"I am Zennys Sunbelly. Adventuress. I also have a bunch of adventuring gear I am willing to donate to the group if someone else is willing to carry it."

Thief
Crowbar, hammer, 40 iron pitons, iron pot, & shovel.

[shaidar]

Arram

"Despite the lack of manners from some in your group, I am still interested in joining you. I am Arram Ackerman, priest of Pelor."

You see the large bearded man standing in the doorway, a frown in his face.

[Marullus]

Hellebore looks around with open curiosity to see who Arram is looking at.

[joertexas]

[

Once the group moves to the snug Frank says, pointing to each of the returning party members in turn, "Linder is a good sneak, Carsta is hell with her mace and can heal a little, Francisco is a better swordsman than a wizard, Vesper can sing and surprisingly fight, too, and me, I'm a bowman and not much more. They might tell you different, but that's how I see them."

OOC: Can we get a short I am (Name) and I am trained as a (Class) I'd like everyone to be clear on who everyone is and then we can move on. I'd rather skip playing out any shopping and move the party to the ruins ASAP. Is that okay with everyone. We can wave a night of rest, do any shopping/supply OOG, and the day walk to the outskirts of the ruins if that's okay with everyone.

Carsta Fletcher, cleric

Carsta groans and heaves herself to her feet. "Frank, you are a literal pain right now. I do want to go back out there, as the orcs and goblins are still a threat to my town. But, I beg a night's rest before we go."

[Eris]

[

Once the group moves to the snug Frank says, pointing to each of the returning party members in turn, "Linder is a good sneak, Carsta is hell with her mace and can heal a little, Francisco is a better swordsman than a wizard, Vesper can sing and surprisingly fight, too, and me, I'm a bowman and not much more. They might tell you different, but that's how I see them."

OOC: Can we get a short I am (Name) and I am trained as a (Class) I'd like everyone to be clear on who everyone is and then we can move on. I'd rather skip playing out any shopping and move the party to the ruins ASAP. Is that okay with everyone. We can wave a night of rest, do any shopping/supply OOG, and the day walk to the outskirts of the ruins if that's okay with everyone.

Carsta Fletcher, cleric

Carsta groans and heaves herself to her feet. "Frank, you are a literal pain right now. I do want to go back out there, as the orcs and goblins are still a threat to my town. But, I beg a night's rest before we go."

Frank snorts, "You can rest when you're dead."

"But, yeah, there's no way we can go back today, probably not tomorrow. We'll have to get organized and supplied and go knowing there's a fight this time." says Frank, "I'm gonna shut up now and let folks with more brains than me figure what to do next, but that will include going back to Fastamol to kick butt!"

[joertexas]

Frank snorts, "You can rest when you're dead."

"But, yeah, there's no way we can go back today, probably not tomorrow. We'll have to get organized and supplied and go knowing there's a fight this time." says Frank, "I'm gonna shut up now and let folks with more brains than me figure what to do next, but that will include going back to Fastamol to kick butt!"

Carsta bestows a suppressive frown on the impetuous archer, and then she sighs and turns to the newcomers. "Frank here is annoying at best, but he is correct. I am going for a bath, and then to bed. We can break fast and discuss what we will do next."

The young healer limps off to find the innkeep.