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Sven awaits Alastar’s reaction before continuing with his friends.

“I have a suit of chainmail that I would sell you Isvand. And no, I didn’t forget I had it.”

He nods at Orgoth. “You’re such a nice guy.”

Alastar. "You're going back. Crazy man, you got the fever for sure. Like me, fever, feel it in my bones. Calling to me, "return return". Say I knows 'secrets'. Safe passage, dead ends. So many dead ends, so many dead. So many tombstones, so many tombs. Not all silent as the grave, some stones talk. Some walk, some fly."

He begins to chitter and whistle, mimicking the birdsong and croak like a frog as he jumps in the verandah.

Isvand Thanks Sven, I appreciate it! At an opportune moment, Isvand will head over to the smithy for a fitting and to pay for the modifications. With Sven along, so the smithly Deducting the payment to Sven from my eventual share of the treasure.

Gerdal just raises an eyebrow and watch as the boys "fight it out".

"Very funny Sven" she says, but smiling slightly.

"I have two boys in Ironguard, no need for a third. Now, if we get that loot sold, maybe I can put some aside for them so they can grow up to be sturdy adventurers as well. Splitting the room will be perfect Orgoth, thanks."

"And Sven, by the way, looking good in your frock coat. Feeling anything yet?"

Vann Hector

"I've been listening to the bard and tavern rumours. Guy tames a wolf, slays zombies, raids the crypts. I am new in town like your selves, pretty much a loner. Quite like that, but if you need someone to pick a lock, filch a pocket, sneak quiet as a church mouse, find those secret catacombs. Perhaps you would consider me for equal share and reward.

Just let me know. I am in the tavern a few more days."

The elf approaches the white cloaked and orange haired Sven, introduces himself and leaves it with him and his companions to consider.

Gerdal follows the elf with her gaze as he moves away, curious.

"He didn't really tame that wolf..." she mutters to herself

Eldon

sastaz wrote: ↑Sun Aug 29, 2021 9:06 am Gerdal nods at Alastar as she enters the Strumpet. Entering, she smiles warmly at Sarge.

"Are you a good boy, yes you are, yes you are."

Sarge lifted his head and thumped his tail against the floor and started to move toward Gerdal. "Sarge, stay," the halfling commanded sternly. The large dog slumped back to the ground and rested his chin in the ever growing pool of slobber. Eldon smiled at the friendly woman. "He's friendly enough, but I wouldn't want him getting drool all over you. I'm Eldon. He's Sarge. Nice to meet you."

When Vann Hector mentioned picking locks, Eldon's ears perked up. "Always nice to meet a fellow man of the trade. I used to run a little locksmith business back home. But, the world's filled with locks and traps of all sorts just waiting to be disassembled. Listening to the rumors and looking at the notice board, it would seem this place has plenty of opportunity as well. Have you been on any of these recent expeditions?"

Orgoth

"It seems there is suddenly a bunch of unemployed locksmiths running around. Nice dog by the way, I have always loved the big dogs, they are the friendliest."

Eldon

Eldon patted Sarge on the head. "He's friendly, but I'm training him to by a guard dog some day. Right now he only listens to the basic commands... mostly." He shrugged indifferently at Orgoth. "I'd still be employed if every time someone breaks in to a place, people wouldn't automatically accuse the halfling locksmith on Merchant Alley."

Stirling wrote: ↑Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:36 pm Vann Hector

"I've been listening to the bard and tavern rumours. Guy tames a wolf, slays zombies, raids the crypts. I am new in town like your selves, pretty much a loner. Quite like that, but if you need someone to pick a lock, filch a pocket, sneak quiet as a church mouse, find those secret catacombs. Perhaps you would consider me for equal share and reward.

Just let me know. I am in the tavern a few more days."

The elf approaches the white cloaked and orange haired Sven, introduces himself and leaves it with him and his companions to consider.

Sven stares back at Vann Hector, studying his face carefully.

“Well, we are quite fond of the lock pick we already have. But if you are in town for a while, there is no harm in learning a bit more about each other, in case the need ever arises to take on another…..professional. I will ask around town about you and keep in touch. I assume we will see you at a few of the upcoming festivities.”

Sven sets 5 gold coins on the bar and tells Bollo to keep the food and drink for he and his friends coming. He leans in at one point for a special request.

“Say Bollo, that man outside, Alastar, how much do you really know about him? Is it true he went mad in the maze? Or do you think it’s all an act to get a few drinks and food scraps? Do you know how long he’s been like this? How long he’s been around these parts? I would like you to set him up with a nice meal and a few drinks on me, if you would please. You should know his favorites, right?”

-5gp

Sven joins Orgoth and the halfling with the huge dog. He lets his wolf familiar Smokie take a long sniff.

“Hey Orgoth. Getting plenty to drink? Who’s your new friend?”

Vann Hector

Responds to Sven
"Well I have a room at the inn here reserved for another week so you can find me. I expect to be resident in Helix throughout the season, occupied by various tasks.

Certainly ask around regarding references though in truth I am but a stranger to these parts with no name or reputation to speak of. I am content to keep it so. I was most recently provoked to take up miller Hendon's cause though that did not end so well."

Vann Hector

Responds to Eldon

Listening to the rumors and looking at the notice board, it would seem this place has plenty of opportunity as well. Have you been on any of these recent expeditions?"

"A lot of the rumours are old wives tales or stories to keep the children awake at night. But these various trinkets around the tavern are testimony to deeds. A lot bear 'in the memory of' tags so that should at least alert you to dangers. Still with no risk there is little reward. My understanding is that there are maybe half a dozen well established groups operating in these parts and the rest are journeymen explorers like ourselves trying to make good.

These trinkets here came from the Barrow Mounds. Interesting little scarabs, ancient designs. I took them from a dead man and as I did so he woke back up to take them back.

Here, trapsmith hobbit, test your skills if you want to take one unnoticed. Blow the rust off your fingers."

After showing Eldon the scarabs he took from Greygoose, he will place them in various pouches and pockets and pat his dog Sarge before leaving for the village stores.

Orgoth

"Thanks Sven, just enjoying my meal and talking to the little fellow here, he has a real nice dog. He is a locksmith by trade, lots of them running around all of a sudden."

Eldon examines the trinkets. He even picks one up and holds it out for Sarge to take a sniff. But as soon as Van Hector mentioned the dead guy coming back for them, he quickly pushes them back across the table. "Don't need undead necromancer hunting me down over some rusty baubles. You can keep them. Besides, you earned them fair 'n square in my book."

The Brazen Strumpet Tavern

May 6th 1066.

once everyone in town has posted some activity and paid Upkeep fees I will keep moving the calendar forward so that it advances the dates as you research stuff, recuperate and restock in Helix.

Sven asks Bollo regarding the village imbecile.

“Say Bollo, that man outside, Alastar, how much do you really know about him? Is it true he went mad in the maze? Or do you think it’s all an act to get a few drinks and food scraps? Do you know how long he’s been like this? How long he’s been around these parts?

"I only know the man he is now not who he may have been. Some rumour he was a knight disgraced, others a convict cursed. He was found wandering, blathering about his comrades being turn and rent apart before his eyes in the Barrows.Valeron found him. He sleeps in the open, I think small places terrorise him. But he knows more than he says that is for sure. So many adventurers confess their sins to him. He is almost the village confidant. But the deeper he went in the Barrow labyrinths, the more lost he got."

Characters chat, introduce themselves and their skills to prospective comrades. Around the tavern are various village patrons among the more notable ones are:

Three gnomes who are conversing over a ripped parchment.

A mixed group of adventurer types. A dwarven warrior, a halfling with slinky leather gloves, two humans, a hunched half-orc. One of the humans, a pretty woman from one side view turns to survey the saloon. She has a severally scarred right side of her face from a cut which has taken her eye and crushed her cheekbone.

A man with black mutton chop sideburns and cut tonsure hairstyle. He wears a priestly habit and sandals. He has a polished misshapen skull on the table in front of him.

Two men who are drinking heavily. They bear exotic but rusty weapons, strange shaped short swords with concave edges and a hook shaped point.

continue tavern talk here and town business elsewhere.

Vann Hector

In the tavern for his inclusive meals, studies the patrons over his ale and stew.

He dismisses the adventuring group. The mutton chop priest has an interesting relic. Not many folk walk around with totting strange skulls. He leaves the drinkers and their probably graved robbed goods. He remembers the other pair in the tavern when he first arrived. Maybe these guys had the same experiences. He will leave them to their losses.

"Excuse me Friar. That seems a rather interesting remnant. I should hardly ask if he was a friend of yours. What is its story?" he goes to the priests table, sitting opposite and tries to show a genuine interest in the man and his table top skull. "Taycee sweetheart. Two more ales please." he orders whatever the priest is drinking.

The Brazen Strumpet Tavern

The cleric, who introduces himself as Reuben turns the skull on the table to face the elf as he sits down. Vann Hector gets to see that the skull is about human size but has less than human appearance about it. The first thing is that the bone has been polished and is harder than normal brittle bone, the calcium deposits seem heavier and grittier as you hold it to check out. The jaw is square set with a short jawline that would inset fewer teeth. The cheekbones protrude high under deep eye sockets, giving the whole aspect a neanderthal feel. There are two bony protrusions in the forehead and a line off lumps which cross the cranium.

"I believe it is the skull of a gargoyle. It was found in a Barrow Tomb, a relic. My companions and I went to explore. Beggars, thieves, adventurers and idealists that we were, not a combination I would recommend. We found a plundered barrow and took refuge inside from dangers in the mist. The tomb had some large crafted sarcophagi, standing upright in the alcoves. Each gilded with precious gold leaf patterns that we peeled carefully to lift it intact. The process was long and we took turns to strip the wealth.

Inside the main chamber was a large pile of bones. Many heads were placed within it. Most abstract skulls, like this one, others were decayed and rotten, men women, goblin, sauron. During the night, it happened ... " Reuben takes a long drink of the newly purchased ale. "The Barrow Mounds offer nothing but death. We killed ourselves, crazed by the night, paranoid that our comrades plotted against us.

The nine became eight when Topham lost his head, literally. No sign or sound. We just found him, headless, decapitated. No creature had assailed us. One blamed another who pointed fingers at a third. Murderer, murderer, we named him and judged the one guilty. We slew him too for his crime yet as we rested another was beset. Unseen his head lopped off. Fingers pointed again as did the swords. We drew lots trusting in God to nominate the assassin and Gerrald was adjudged. We carried out the sentence as he knelt protesting innocence.

The five soon became four, then three. By dawn only two stood standing and the sun's rays brought light to our souls. We left, parting ways lest madness overtake us again. I came here taking what trove I could recover."

Spearmint wrote: ↑Tue Aug 31, 2021 12:09 pm The Brazen Strumpet Tavern

May 6th 1066.

Sven asks Bollo regarding the village imbecile.

“Say Bollo, that man outside, Alastar, how much do you really know about him? Is it true he went mad in the maze? Or do you think it’s all an act to get a few drinks and food scraps? Do you know how long he’s been like this? How long he’s been around these parts?

"I only know the man he is now not who he may have been. Some rumour he was a knight disgraced, others a convict cursed. He was found wandering, blathering about his comrades being turn and rent apart before his eyes in the Barrows.Valeron found him. He sleeps in the open, I think small places terrorise him. But he knows more than he says that is for sure. So many adventurers confess their sins to him. He is almost the village confidant. But the deeper he went in the Barrow labyrinths, the more lost he got."

"Thank you Bollo. Say...... You know what the poor man likes to eat and drink, right? Would you set him up with a little something and put it on my tab. I think you are right that he knows more than he says. Maybe a full belly and a few drinks will make him say more."


From there, Sven moves to the table with the three gnomes who are conversing over a ripped parchment. "Hey fellas. What have you got there? A treasure map? Can I buy you a drink and ask you a few questions?" He looks over their possessions to see if any of them carry a mask around with them.