Part 7: Back to the Brazen Strumpet

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn looks pointedly at Grigg.

"Do we know where it is?"

[Stirling]

Grigg is at the bar chatting to the tavern staff, nodding appreciatively and scribbling a few notes down in his journal. He notices the group eyeing him. "Sorry are we ready?" he asks.

When people point at the map and ask questions, Grigg replies,"the key..? I didn't find a key in the store at St Yggs' place. A key for a pentagram would it have a devilish design? Or just a humble iron door key? If I found the actual pentagram with some skeleton keys I could have a go at picking the lock. Maybe there is more than one but the journals don't specify. I think the author of this diary may have gone bonkers in the end, his writing just ranted on.Grigg digs in his pocket and pulls out a copper piece."maybe I should make a donation to your beggar friend if he his outside, sit down next to him, encourage his soul a bit and fleece his pockets at the same time. He ain't keeping no house key, maybe he is the 'needle in the haystack' and we find some diabolic door opener on him?"Grigg tosses the coin to Pyrrhic, "or you could just ask him if frisking is not your style? As to other entrances. The place is not indicated but I have other sources to dig up for me. You see some adventurers come back all stressed out and tired and are so happy to spill all their stories and intrepidations to the other 'brazen strumpets' of this place. One such curvy wench as a real talent to make the gents unwind. If the group cough up a few gold between you I can avail myself of her talents and for a price she might tell me where others have recently explored. I also know of another possible door. The three disguised cultists or could that be four? Well they believe their Barrow diggings are kept secret and hidden away. Silently watched over by a dumb waiter. I am not sure you are ready to go that way".

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn looks incredulous.

"Sorry, did you just ask us to subsidize your wenching?" He breaks out in such a fit of laughter that he ends up doubled over, one arm clutching at Milo to keep from falling over. He wipes tears from his eyes.

"That's funny." He's abruptly stopped laughing, a serious expression on his face. He looks a hard question at Grigg.

"Surely we could just pay her for the information? Keep our overhead down. And yours on your shoulders."

[Stirling]

Grigg gives a hard frown back, as if he was a naughty schoolboy on detention. Then he laughs back, "Well it was an opportunity to take one for the team."Grigg shakes his head at Bronn,"I see the art of seduction is still lost on you half-blood brothers. Brute force or ignorance never loosens a ladies tongue like a fine wine, perhaps a little silk something, an embracing twirl on the dancefloor. Be a smooth operator." Grigg nods courteously to Peaches.

"Besides which I also paid good money to secure those," Grigg points to the maps."Tricks, traps, secret doors. Navigate you a safe passage there and back again for all of your heads, mine included. The other entrance I spoke of. Well it might take a little research too instead of brute force. Stake out the place, watch who comes' and goes, stand still in a niche observing the twist of a key, listening for the name of a password. I am happy to follow your experience and knowledge back the way you went. Brazen wenches talk more with a little gold twinkling in their eyes not copper pieces. "

[RiotInferno]

"So you don't know where the side entrance is, where the pentagram is or where the key is? I don't wish to tarry in town too long, as we don't know who is out there beating us to the treasure or what foul beasts might fill the void that was left by those we already dispatched. I'll ask the wretch outside, perhaps he does know of this pentagram and the key, but for my vote, I would not want to waste time trying to pry words out of the mouth of a harlot with your silver tongue, Grigg. I'll return after talking with the the man outside."

Pyrrhic stands up and walks out of the Brazen Strumpet, looking for the beggar.
Assuming he finds him, he slips the man a silver piece.

"Name. What is your name friend? A man has to have a name so he can remember who he is; Remember where he came from; Remember what happened and make peace with his past.
Tell me friend, Out in the barrows there is a pentagram. This pentagram takes a key, and this key opens the to a pool. Where is the key, friend? Where is the key?"

[Zorroroaster]

One of Bronn's eyebrows arches slowly as Grigg talks. At length.

"Clearly, you don't know my people half as well as you ought. Many of us are not as ignorant or brutish as you may have been led to believe. No matter."

[Stirling]

"no matter says the guy who threatened to lop my head off if I didn't pay some prostitute for inside information."Grigg ignores the look and coils his rope and grapnel onto the backpack, adjusts his belt and scabbetds and throws the satchel over his shoulder. He will walk slowly past Bronn and out of the door to wait on the verandah. Leaning on the rail he will roll up some leaf and watch the town square for Pyrrhic to return from hustling the beggarman.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn waggles his eyebrows at the others, knowingly. "And with that, we should away."

He follows Grigg outside and gives him a friendly pat on the shoulder as they wait for the others.

"You'll fit in just fine. I hope you don't mind a little lighthearted hazing. I will admit to suffering from an overdeveloped sense of Gallows Humour. Don't pay me too much heed, I'm harmless. Mostly. I must say, you've proven yourself quite resourceful. Our methods may differ but we are pointed at the same target, surely. Come, I feel myself warming up to the task of plunging into the Barrows once again. Let's make haste!"

[Stirling]

Grigg rolls another tobacco leaf and offers it to Bronn. He speaks in Orcish to him,"I learned enough of your father tongue and customs through roughhousing with a few lads during months of youth detention. All half basterds trying to make a way in life. Probably some wind up out there".Grigg points to the far off Barrows. "This town though, its' got secrets for sure. Good honest farmers ploughing their crops but staying away from the crypts. Leaving it all for last chancers to come along and give their all to find it. Then what, sell the finds, spends the dough then go back for more until one day you don't come back. Wouldn't surprise me if half the stuff found was put back again for another crew to find, create a circle of interest, all the while dark unseen cults get stronger until they can arise."

Turning to the group Grigg asks,"Your dwarf friend died of snakebite did he not? Does anyone have any anti-venom? A trading shop may have some healing balm or lotion. And wreaths of ghoulbane to ward undead away, and a set of handcuffs so that if we go loony we can be restrained and brought to the church for revival. We should use the time wisely until smith Pyrrhic reappears. I have nothing to put into party funds so do you have anything to trade?"

[ybn1197]

Pyrrhic stands up and walks out of the Brazen Strumpet, looking for the beggar.
Assuming he finds him, he slips the man a silver piece.

"Name. What is your name friend? A man has to have a name so he can remember who he is; Remember where he came from; Remember what happened and make peace with his past.
Tell me friend, Out in the barrows there is a pentagram. This pentagram takes a key, and this key opens the to a pool. Where is the key, friend? Where is the key?"

The man looks from the silver coin offered by Pyrrhic before looking up. Pyrrhic sees into the man's eyes and it is like looking into a deep murky pool. There is just nothing there or it may all be hidden under the surface. Slowly the man opens and closes his mouth a couple of times as if exercising his mouth or maybe just trying the words out like it was the first time. "Alaster. My name is Alaster." As he says it, it seems that he gets more confident in the fact that he remembers his name. "Out there in the maze, there are plenty of pentagrams. But I know of none that takes a key."

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn snorts in amusement at Grigg's suggestion regarding the townsfolk.

"Aye, you could be right there. I'm sure stranger things have happened. Wouldn't put it past them. Just don't say that too loudly or the barmaid might be expectorating in your ale when you're not paying attention. Although you strike me as the type whose always paying attention."

[Stirling]

"Always, I even sleep with one eye open, just like you do".

Grigg pins a note on the village notice board. It is a recruitment add for a valiant retainer and draftsman. Enquiries are to leave details with Bollo, Grigg will contact in the next couple of days. He looks at the other village business and gossip. "ah bro Simoni this should interest you. Some 'folk activities forthcoming', saw a great play once about a royal paladin sent to find a lost maiden in some barren isle. All he found were villagers copulating in strange masks and he ended inside the Wicker Man whilst everyone danced around holding hands. Epic play".

Grigg looks around the square. "I came in on a Silver Service stage, maybe they have a bronze quality mule and cart we could acquire?" Grigg offers to check out the place while we wait.

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic stands up and walks out of the Brazen Strumpet, looking for the beggar.
Assuming he finds him, he slips the man a silver piece.

"Name. What is your name friend? A man has to have a name so he can remember who he is; Remember where he came from; Remember what happened and make peace with his past.
Tell me friend, Out in the barrows there is a pentagram. This pentagram takes a key, and this key opens the to a pool. Where is the key, friend? Where is the key?"

The man looks from the silver coin offered by Pyrrhic before looking up. Pyrrhic sees into the man's eyes and it is like looking into a deep murky pool. There is just nothing there or it may all be hidden under the surface. Slowly the man opens and closes his mouth a couple of times as if exercising his mouth or maybe just trying the words out like it was the first time. "Alaster. My name is Alaster." As he says it, it seems that he gets more confident in the fact that he remembers his name. "Out there in the maze, there are plenty of pentagrams. But I know of none that takes a key."

"Alaster. I am Pyrrhic." Pyrrhic extends an arm for the man to shake. "Have you heard anything of this key? Others who might have come through talking about it? Is there anything you know that could be helpful?" Pyrrhic stops for a moment thinking. "I do not mean to badger you with questions, but information is always useful. I think you have a story to tell, Alaster, and next time I return from the Barrows, I will hear it if you will tell it."

[kalstone]

"ah bro Simoni this should interest you. Some 'folk activities forthcoming', saw a great play once about a royal paladin sent to find a lost maiden in some barren isle. All he found were villagers copulating in strange masks and he ended inside the Wicker Man whilst everyone danced around holding hands. Epic play".

Simoni grimaces in thought. It appears it is costing him a great deal of effort. "I believe I saw that play as well, but I remember it as an island full of women who made honey. Well, I suppose that bees made honey not the women. They put the paladin in a wire mesh helmet and let the bees loose on him. I can still remember him screaming 'Oh, no, not the bees! Not the bees!'"

[ybn1197]

Just a little confused. Are you looking for retainers right now or are you intending to travel to the Barrows and get retainers for the next trip?

[Stirling]

Grigg puts up a notice to employ a retainer for the next trip. As a side thought, as it is still early morning, maybe the 'rowdy group' of adventurers are still close by. If Grigg can spot the youth he played 'spiderlegs' with he will approach him and offer a Silver piece if he will find and tail that group to wherever they are exploring in the Barrows or surrounds. I will tell him to leave a sealed report 'for the spiderman', (not using my name), with Bollo at the tavern.

While Pyrrhic talks peace with the beggar, Grigg will check out the coach house and see if they have any old mules and basic cart for sale. If any guard dogs around, he will enquire about buying one. It just needs to obey the commands: sit, quiet, fetch and kill....

Any party members want to help in negotiations would be cool.

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches catches Claude looking at the recruitment posting. She gives him an evil stare, then flips him a gold piece. "Remember who butters your bread, tough guy," she tells him. She smiles and winks at him, smacking his behind as she walks past him.

We probably don't want Peaches "helping" with negotiations. It's not really her forte.

[ybn1197]

Are there any loose ends I have missed? (I'm trying to move this forward back into the maze.)

[Stirling]

Oh just posted in the OOC thread.

Grigg will do the above posted actions if he can. The Silver Service place is just across the square and seems best place to enquire about carts, mules and guard dogs. Grigg has limited cash so unless the group trade stuff and have a party fund I don't think Grigg can buy a mule and cart by himself. With a bit of bartering he might get a dog if one is available though.

If the youth from the pub is spotted (Grigg won't go looking), he will offer him a Silver to find and tail the rowdy group. If they dig up another entrance and strike gold Grigg wants to know.

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic is ready to go!