Session 14: Path of Inquisition Report
General Summary
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DATE: Poviott 24/625
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The party awakes to a normal morning, and the owner of the tavern knocking on their doors, delivering each of them a hearty breakfast of sausage, fried quail eggs and buttered rye toast, bowing out of respect to before making her way to the next door.
The party eats, and makes their way outside to see a bright sunny day ahead of them. A small conversation between them about where to head too next starts up, when the pitter patter of little feet can be heard from further up the branch the party is on. Looking towards the sound, a child elf, holding a wicker basket, runs to the party panting from the exertion before stopping just short of them.
"Hey kid, how's the weather up there?" says Ragia.
The child elf is a wood elf, but with highlights of red in her hair. She tries to catch her breath but holds out the wicker basket she was holding. [Elven] "Mommy said.. said to give.. the nice people... a basket before... before they leave."
Ayame reaches out and takes hold of the basket, peering inside. "That's very kind of her." she says.
"What did he say?" asks Ragia.
It is an empty basket, but it is a well made basket, with different colors of ribben strewn throughout, including white, yellow, gold and red.
Hearing everyone speak common the child struggles to come up with the next words. "She says... she says to say, come back and be our shield again."
Ayame smiles and replies to the child in Elven. "Thank you, and give your mother thanks as well, we will do our best to come back if something happens"
The child smiles brightly and nods to Ayame. [Elven] "Thank you fuzzy lady!" she says before running back up the branches to home.
Ayame pouts as the child runs off. "S-She called me a fuzzy lady." she says handing the basket to the others.
Eleanor chuckles, "You are pretty fuzzy, somethin about you changed some too that somehow made you feel... fuzzy..er" she says with a squint, kind of over-examining Ayame.
Naomi shrugs. "Well, your tails are fuzzy..."
Scratching her hair, Ayame replies sheepishly. "Y-yeah I guess so..."
Ragia proceeds to put the basket on her head like a helmet. "They should have asked for my sizes, but this helmet is still pretty cool."
Naomi looks to Ayame, noticing that after a good nights sleep and the craziness of the previous day, that the fox like girls skin seems more pale and smooth, free of any blemish at all. "Gosh miss Shiori, you look beautiful this morning."
Eleanor just gives a suspicious look to Ayame, trying to determine this new... thing before her, but pulls back and hums, "Well don't matter right now, we should head out."
Ayame nods. "Alright, well lets go I guess."
The party makes their way down to the base of the tree to see Lacy getting her stuff in order in her Chariot, having spent another night outside of a usable inn. Before the hole into the roots is a small 'statue' of quarterstaves proded into the soil in the shape of a tombstone.
Lacy is brushing her gangly horse as the party descends the tree. Her chariot is all packed up, and her saddle is brimming with supplies. Twine has cocooned several of her prizes on the small branch the horse was tied to.
"Hey... You, how was the night down here, not too cold?" Ragia says to try and start the conversation.
"Good marrow miss lacy." Naomi says respectfully, Ayame waving behind her, smiling with her tail swishing.
"Miss Lacy, Yes, Thats what I was saying."
"I buy good sleeping rolls." Lacy mutters, not looking up from her brushing. She finishes her brushing but turns to look at Ayame.
Eleanor almost passed by everyone without realizing, but spins on a heel in place to turn to the group greeting. "Uh, sleep rolls are good. You stickin around here?"
"Well, my bounty is long gone. I bet another hunter is hot on his heels. Plus this is a port city and they... don't really bode well for me." Lacy says rubbing her neck.
"That's strange," Eleanor says rubbing her chin. "I like port cities, you can get out of them real easy usually." she says, nodding to herself. "Always need a good out."
"Well, don't let me make it any harder..." lacy says.
"Well, we're moving out anyways Miss Lacy."
"On foot?" Lacy questions.
"Y...yeah?" Eleanor says, tilting her head.
"I was hoping to find a carriage of some kind actually..." Ayame says.
"We kinda... don't have a ride." Naomi confesses to Lacy.
"Bounty wise there's probably some stuff to find at the dragon city, plus we're kind of looking for a carriage to hire to make the trip softer."
"Lots of bandits in the wilds..." lacy says, shuffling her feet. "Just thought you'd like to get by."
"Do you uhm... have space... on that carriage of yours?" Naomi asks sheepishly.
"It's no haversack!" Lacy huffs. "But uh... You don't... need anyone killed do you?"
Eleanor hums in thought. "Not anymore."
"Not specifically, but i'm sure we'll find some on the way." Ragia offers kindly.
"Well, they'll find us, if anything Ragia." Naomi corrects the kobold.
"Im sure it will come up at some point." Says ayame with a nod.
"Oh... alright well... Don't get into trouble out there!" Lacy coils some rope in her arm absent-mindedly. "Or do, I don't care. I... I still have some things left to do in the city. I always find trouble, so I might find you after im done." Lacy says trotting back off towards the docks, ignoring the rest of the party.
Deciding not to push it further, the party agrees to march their way towards Tallaut.
The party sets out on their way, being waved at by a few members of the city from the branches above. Traveling from nearly dawn, the party spends hours with the breeze traversing through numerous aspens, letting shivers of clacking leaves sound throughout the journey. The journey itself is simple, following a makeshift dirt road through the woods, with a few signs reminding travelers to stay on the path in elven script.
It is just an hour before nightfall when the party arrives to find what they assume is another town, with a sign written in common notating "Angelica Town."
There are no easy to see buildings from the sign itself, but there are a few shapes deeper into the trees just slightly off the beaten path that could be a building.
"Im sure this town is full of angels." Ragia says, pondering the sign.
Eleanor looks down to Ragia with surprise, "Angels??"
Ragia starts trotting off towards the shaped buildings.
The rest of the party starts to follow Ragia, Ayame shrugging at the notion. "Probably best if we go that way, find a place to stay for the night."
Entering the town, they find it is fairly simplistic for the area. Overrun entirely by humans, the town is human made, looking very new and clean. There are eight buildings on the main street, the first one being a tavern, called 'Angelicas Rest' on the partys left with an elderly woman using a broom to brush off the dustless porch she stands on.
After this tavern, there are two residential buildings also on the left side of the street. Along the right side, is a general store with a "closed" sign nailed to the front porch, a blacksmith with a man hammering a piece of cold steel, another residential building, and another building that looks like it sells clothing from this distance. A pathway beyond the buildings splits off into two directions going left and right before you can see at the end of the street a stable, and what one would assume to be a manorhouse or mayors residence.
"Looks like it's just a trading post." Ragia says, looking about.
Eleanor hums. "No angels at trading posts." she says with her hands on her hips while looking around. There's a couple seconds of silence from her before she leans back down towards Ragia, "Whats the difference between a town and a tradin post?"
"Well a trading post is just here to restock carts going elsewhere, while a town is a destination in and out itself" Ragia says to her taller companion.
"Oooh, I guess that makes sense." Eleanor nods.
Ayame nods, looking about briefly before hopping downfrom Sebastian, moving towards the tavern. Ragia herself waving at the barmaid as they pass by her.
The party is nearly stopped by the barmaid as she steps between them. "Hello travelers, is there something I could get for you today?" she says, still sweeping the same spot she was when the party approached. "We have fresh water, and warm beds."
"We'll take 4 of each." says Ragia.
"Ahh, that would be nice, I don't suppose you have anyone in town looking to sell a carriage do you?" Ayame questions.
"Oh im afraid the only carriage in town is from Mayor Gregory." The barmaid sighs and looks to the sky. "Poor things carriage broke down a week ago, and we haven't been able to get it fixed." She thinks for a moment before looking back to Ayame. "Im afraid we had to turn it into scrapwood however... im sorry I couldn't be of help." she says before opening the door to the tavern, which is very poorly lit save for a few windows from the back, peering out into the forest behind the tavern. "Please, make yourself at home."
"Thank you" Ayame says to the barmaid as she steps in, giving her a light smile. Eleanor stops just before getting in, asking the lady, "Is there a place I can get a pint here by any chance?"
The barmaid shakes her head to Eleanor. "Im afraid we never got a shipment of wine from the city, so its a dry town right now." the barmaid says with a sigh, going back to her sweeping.
Inside the tavern is three people. Behind a bar, with a wall of glassess filled with various colored liquids, and a shiny bartop. A gorgeous woman with curly red hair down to her hips, with curves to match is setting down four metal pitchers of water onto the counter. Wearing garments more like adventurers gear than a barmaids outfit, you would expect her to be more like the other two patrons in the bar.
The other one is a striking man, sitting before an unlit fireplace to the side, taking in a tankard and guzzling it down. his clothing is simple, but his muscles are more massive than a small minotaur. an axe rests against his leg.
The final man is a robed figure, sitting in a corner of the bar, no drink or food before him, just sitting there, brooding.
Eleanor looks excited at first seeing a bar but then lets out a defeated sigh upon getting the news from the barmaid outside, "backup wine it is.. I'm gonna have to stock up next city we're in."
"Y-you keep backup wine?" Ayame says with a giggle before sitting at a table.
"Of course!!" Eleanor says, standing straight up after looking deflated for only a moment.
Sitting down at the table, Ayame notices that the wooden chair was very comfortable, more like sitting on a pillow than wood. She looks at the chair in surprise, but then back to Eleanor. "Would you mind sharing?~" she says in a sing song tone.
Sitting down at the table as well, Eleanor leers at Ayame slightly, "I might be willing, but you owe me next stocked place we visit."
Ayame pouts but relents. "Fiine."
raises an arm to get the attention of of the woman behind the bar, "Could we get a couple of glasses here please? I'm willin to buy somethin' if that's a no go for non customers"
The red haired bartender makes her way to Eleanor, with four waters and four empty mugs. Stopping for only a moment to look like she is thinking before setting them down on the table before Eleanor. "Thats allright, water is free. Sorry we don't have any booze tonight, its like living in a dry state." she says with a dramatic sigh.
Eleanor chuckles and nods, "Yeah I rant out of alcohol a few times while travelling and its hoorrriibblee" she says that last bit in a dramatic prolonged way, pulling out her bottle of wine, "I do not envy yall, hopefully you get some stock soon"
Ragia picks up a glass and the pitcher of water to get themselves something to drink. "Thank you for the water anyway." she says, before looking at the pitcher and table.
The bartender nods, and smile warmly to Ragia, patting her head. patting her head. "Always happy to help, and hopefully soon, just need to wait for someone to stop by." she says, her hips swishing as she makes her way back behind the bar, doing busywork.
"Well, thank you kindly." Eleanor says, grabbing two glasses, pouring wine for her and Ayame. Ayame smiles, nodding and taking the glass, looking back to the bartender. "Hey uhm, Miss!" she calls out to her. "What did this town primarily trade in? It seems kind of abandoned."
"Abandoned?" The bartender says looking up to Ayame. "No no, there are loads of people in town. Many of them are just visiting the mayor right now." she says with a sigh of admiration. "This town wouldn't be possible if it wern't for his generosity and knowledge. I don't know how he does it." she says almost swooning over the thought.
The man with the axe in the tavern puts his own tankard down on the table. "Aye. He even beat me in a wrestling contest. Smart, strong, and devoted to his craft. I aspire to reach his level one day."
"Sounds like we should visit this mayor while we're here." Ragia says.
"It does?" Eleanor says, looking to Ragia while drinking her wine.
"Yeah... sounds pretty amazing, so what did he do to make this town?" Ayame asks.
"I wouldn't reccomend it." says the bartender. "He is incredibly busy, and you need an appointment to speak with him anyway. Not really worth the hassle. As far as what he did its just..."
"He started out by just trading logs to the capital a few years back." interrupts the axe wielding fellow. "Hired me on after he made some money, and now just lets me do my work, while he signs papers."
"Huh, I see." Ayame says raising an eyebrow. "You all seem to have a lot of reverence for a logger who does some trading, he seems to be worth a visit."
"He absolutely is!" Says the bartender. "Its just that most people who come through town are trying to get from one place to another, so the ability to have a meeting with him is restricted to those who live here. We don't even hold town halls, just appointments."
"Well, we'll be at least staying the night here, maybe we'll see him in the streets while wandering about."
"Ah yeah," ayame nods. "Could we get some rooms please? A bed would be nice."
"You just might! He does like his walks." The bartender says with a smile. "Anything specific I could get you for your rooms?"
Eleanor chugs her drink, "Hm, I'm okay with or without bed."
"One that's away from the ruckus of the tavern please, been having a hard time focusing these last days, so I'm hoping a good night's sleep well fix it" Ragia says.
Eleanor points to Ragia, "Sure, what they said."
The bartender nods, moving over to the party, holding out a hand. "Allright, let me get some pay and Ill make up your rooms."
"you haven't given us a price yet." says Ayame.
After a short pause the bartender nods slightly. "Of course... that's because its a pick your price option. Its like tipping, if you like it, you pay well, if not, you don't pay."
Eleanor holds up a gold coin, "Would this do?"
The bartender nods, taking the coin. "If you insist it is, then it is!" she says with a smile.
Ayame rolls her eyes a bit, holding a gold coin out as well. "You realize a gold is a lot of money right?"
Eleanor nods, "Yeah, and they're out of alcohol Ayame." she says giving her a serious look. "They're in dire times. It's the least I could do!"
"The beds are all water beds if you are alright with that. And they won't pop." The bartender says, eying the gold coin from Ayame and gently taking it, looking confused.
Ayame looks to the barmaid and smiles. "Yes that should be fine, me and my tall friend here," she gestures to Sebastian," Will share a room."
The bartender smiles and nods, pointing to a door next to the bar. "Well, there are four rooms down the hallway behind the door, just pick one and lock it behind you."
Ayame nods, "Will do." she says, polishing off her wine as Eleanor does as well. Ragia fiddling in her haversack and throwing a platinum coin to the barmaid. At that point, even the quiet Naomi gets up and they all go to their bedrooms.
Alone in the back rooms, Ayame buts into Eleanors room to speak with her in hushed tones. "Something doesn't seem right."
Eleanor just casually drinks wine from the remainder in her bottle but eyes Ayame. Look I know I can give off weird vibes but so do you" she pauses then actually processes things properly, "Oh you mean here!"
Ayame lets out an exasperated sigh "Yes, here."
"I don't disagree with you, but what's it matter if we're headin out in the morning? I've lived around weird places as long as I can remember, you just get out when it gets too weird" Eleanor says.
Ragia, having snuck in unnoticed pokes her head into the convo. "I mean, we do get everything we could ask for, but there's no ill intent as far as I can tell."
"A lot of things can happen in the course of a night eleanor... Think about it..." Ayame gestures a bit. "A perfect looking barmaid, the nicest chairs I have ever sat on, the perfect number of rooms for our group... And a barmaid outside sweeping a porch devoid of anything to sweep."
Eleanor hums, "I guess that does seem like some trickery." she thinks for a moment, "You think the whole towns some fucked up monster?" She holds her chin, looking down towards nothing and mutters, "That'd be fucking cool actually..."
"I wonder if the mayor has anything to do with the current state of the town. We can take turns in a night watch in case something happens." Ragia says seriously.
Eleanor gestures towards Sebastian, "You could set mister tall'n'bones over there to keep watch maybe?"
Ayame looks between the two. "The barmaid did seem infatuated with him... I'm going to go shopping in town, I'll see what the people think in town."
Eleanor swirls her bottle, looking into it. "Who cares though if she's infatuated? We should just get out as soon as we get up. If you're that antsy I can keep watch, I've done more than my fair share of sleepless nights for similar reasons."
"Well... Sebastian will keep watch over me in my room." Ayame says quietly.
"We could ask for a shared room, would be a good test of how much this place bends to our every wants." says Ragia.
Eleanor shrugs. "You think she might lock us in our rooms?"
"Well... she specifically told us to lock the doors behind us when we go in." Ayame says.
"Aha! See? Proof." she chuckles. "We can just keep walkin and leave this town tonight too, I can stay up an extra few hours for sure without much issue."
As she says this, Naomi could be heard snoring in the next room. Ayame looks towards the sound, giggling. "She says otherwise."
Eleanor hums, "Well, up to you what we do then. I don't really care as long as we can easily leave when mornin comes."
Ayame nods, standing up. "I'm going to see if there is any shopping to do."
"Want me to follow?" Eleanor offers.
Ayame shakes her head. "Stick together, I have sebastian to keep me company."
"I'll stay here to keep an eye on the barmaid, plus I'm starving right now."
Eleanor looks to sebastian while Ragia grabs herself a plate of berries that were offered on the counter, snacking on them. "You sure?" Eleanor says questioning Ayames choice of companionship.
"Nono, Ill stay with these two." Eleanor says as ragia makes her way back to her own room. The mystery of the town has reared its ugly head, the only question to ask, is how.
Rewards Granted
Willows Reach Wicker Basket
