Toox's Night
It's about 10am when Toox comes to with a new definition for "hangover". She wakes up alone and naked, but smells breakfast cooking. So, she gets dressed and comes out of Dox's personal room and into the hallway, following her nose to a cramped room she hadn’t seen on her previous visits. To her left is a sizeable kitchen area- a little smaller than a standard inn, but not by much. To her right a long table is crammed into an alcove with two long benches. One bench is against the wall and the other sticks into the kitchen area itself.
On the kitchen side, two changlings are arguing good naturedly as they cook- something about the amount of cheese in the eggs- while Dox sits with two others at the table conversing happily. All are in their traditional changling form and in a wide range of clothing. One of the cooks, for example, is wearing nothing but an apron, while the other is in what can be optimistically described as lingerie (the feather boa on the prep table appears to go with the outfit). At the table one is dressed like a street merchant, the other is dressed like a miner, and Dox is dressed in what looks an awful lot like the uniform of a House Deneith soldier.
Dox smiles widely as Toox enters. "There she is!" Dox declares. The roar of cheering appears to be designed to aggravate Toox’s considerable hangover, but it's clear the welcome is genuine. Toox grimaces as the cheers go up and then smiles at the warm welcome.
Dox laughs as the others quiet down and invites Toox to join them at the table. She squeezes uncomfortably to sit next to Dox, who immediately slides a tall glass of water and a plate of sautéed mushrooms in front of her.
"To the best of our knowledge," Dox begins, "not even magical healing does much against the particular combination of intoxicants we enjoyed last night. But these mushrooms- and plenty of water- blunt the worst of it." They grimace a bit, indicating a similar plate containing the remains of their own plate of mushrooms.
"The mushrooms were actually Ripe's idea." Dox indicates the changeling dressed as a miner. "She picked it up from some goblins in the mines- they use it to treat poison gas. We figured it was close enough.
Toox considers the plate of mushrooms dubiously but proceeds to eat them, washing them down with large gulps of water. The mushrooms are gross, though the butter helps somewhat. Toox chokes them down as the conversation wanders. The cook in the lingerie is waxing poetic about his favorite guests. The tale is as bawdy as it is hilarious. She listens in to the conversations around her. She feels like she should be uncomfortable because she doesn’t know what to do next, a feeling she actively tries to avoid. However, she feels so at home here and for once doesn’t feel like she stands out. It’s unusual for her to like people at all, so it surprises her to feel so at ease here.
"So what about you, young one?" asks the one dressed as a merchant. "The only thing the Tyrants ever send us is payments- not that we're complaining! What brings you from the glamorous city out here to the sticks?"
“There are some perks to being out in the sticks,” replies Toox, with a wink at Dox. “I’m on an escort mission.” Desire’s interest piques. “No, not the fun kind,” corrects Toox. “We are headed to meet the Daughters of Sora Kell.”
“Ooooooooo,” replies Desire teasingly, “Going to see the ladies in charge? Good luck with that… you ever meet Hurda?” Toox nods. “You know she sent for us once? Stroll was busy, so I got to go. That was intense.” Coin frowns at Desire, who has the grace to blush and move on. “Anyway, we’ve never met the ladies, but we’re big fans of their work. From what I’ve heard they’ve got plans within plans within plans. But as long as you aren’t trying to hurt Drooam you’ll be fine.”
Coin is still frowning a bit at Desire, so Toox tries to change the subject. “I didn’t realize there were any Tyrants outside of Sharn, Coin. How did that happen?”
Coin spares another moment for her frown, then allows herself to be redirected. “The Tyrants specialize in information. Sharn may be the hub, but the information network spans the continent. Maybe farther. Dox and I set up shop here a year or so ago, and within weeks we were approached by the Tyrants with a simple deal: we send back any information we find worthwhile; they send us a small stipend. It’s not much, but it definitely gives us breathing room. We just made it clear we were loyal to Drooam first, and then got permission from Xor’chylic. He actually pays us an additional stipend to send him a copy of everything we send to the Tyrants. We just had to agree to set up shop in the Kennels.”
Toox is briefly taken aback at this revelation. “Wait… you’re selling information to both sides? Aren’t you worried about the Tyrants finding out?” Dox takes over the tale.
“Oh, we told them too. We were completely upfront with both of our employers. The Tyrants and Drooam aren’t really different sides… they’re both worried about Breland trying to control Drooam, and the Dragonmarked Houses controlling… everything…” “Which brings us to last night, Dox.” Coin is all business. She has another of her readied frowns, but for Dox this time. Desire and Stroll have finished cooking, and everyone has been served food. As they join the others at the table, Toox realize the mushrooms and water are starting to work. Her hangover is now just among the worst she’s ever had. As she takes stock she realizes Coin isn’t the only one with a frown for Dox.
“You took a huge risk last night, and it leaves us all extremely vulnerable,” Coin’s tone is brisk, a simple statement of facts. That makes it feel somehow worse. “I understand we owe Feldspar, and we had the request from Hurda as well. But impersonating Clint in front of other houses? Getting involved in the fighting? If the Houses figure out who we are and what we’ve been doing I’m not even sure Xor’chylic will be able to save us.”
Dox looks abashed, but her tone shows resolve. “I know it was risky, and I would have come to you all if there had been time. We knew conflict was coming, but the timing and the trouble just came too fast,” There is a pause as Dox’s tone softens. “I know it was dangerous, and I’m sorry. I really am.”
Ripe speaks into the uncomfortable silence that follows. “You’ve led us well for years, Dox. We’ve trusted you this long, we will trust you now. If worse comes to worst, we can leave Graywall.”
“We certainly have made more than our money back off these fools,” Coin’s voice is gruff, but there is small smile.
“Are you kidding?” laughs Stroll. “We could literally buy it from ourselves, and these idiots would never notice!” The entire table laughs at this, and Toox feels herself calm with the rest of the room. This was a family that loved and supported each other unconditionally. A part of her aches to join them.
From there the conversation turns back to what was learned from the activities last night, and much to Toox’s surprise, what has been learned this morning. It turns out Coin has contacts throughout the House Sivis enclave in the Kennels, and Ripe has a better ear to the locals than possibly Xor’xhylic himself. No wonder the illithid chose to strike a deal.
Here is a summary of what you learn:
1. Surprising no one, Clint was secretly a regular at the brothel. Once discovering how important and terrible he was, they would often let him ‘stay the night’. Once he was engaged, Dox would slip out with his badge and clothes to take care of small matters. Clint never had any idea.
2. The Dragonmark House leadership is in a panic. All of them. Desire to expand into Drooam seems to be extremely strong, but the Daughters have flipped from practically begging to almost refusing, and the houses haven been scrambling to respond. A House Ghallanda inn being burned to the ground and their agent being publicly executed? An entire unit of House Deneith being enthralled (however briefly) by an official agent of Drooam? And now, rumor has it, Sargent Clint has gone missing… last he was seen gibbering in a little ball on the bridge. Ripe is hearing rumors Clint is dead, and she is inclined to believe them, though she doesn’t know how or why.
3. The “full members” of the Pursits have a Symbol carved into their skin. It matches the same symbol for the cult and the criminals you’ve dealt with previously.
4. The Purists have come out of nowhere- there have always been racial tensions, but nothing organized or particularly dangerous. They went from non-existent to full terrorist attack in less than 3 months.
5. Rossy was a Purist sympathizer. Not a member, of course, but she was very much turning a blind eye to the Purists in her inn. None of the changelings seem to be overly concerned with her punishment, but the general sentiment is leaving her in the middle of the street is probably a step too far.
6. None of them have any idea what will happen with the prisoners taken to the Throne, but no one expects to see any of them again. The executed were the lucky ones.
On the kitchen side, two changlings are arguing good naturedly as they cook- something about the amount of cheese in the eggs- while Dox sits with two others at the table conversing happily. All are in their traditional changling form and in a wide range of clothing. One of the cooks, for example, is wearing nothing but an apron, while the other is in what can be optimistically described as lingerie (the feather boa on the prep table appears to go with the outfit). At the table one is dressed like a street merchant, the other is dressed like a miner, and Dox is dressed in what looks an awful lot like the uniform of a House Deneith soldier.
Dox smiles widely as Toox enters. "There she is!" Dox declares. The roar of cheering appears to be designed to aggravate Toox’s considerable hangover, but it's clear the welcome is genuine. Toox grimaces as the cheers go up and then smiles at the warm welcome.
Dox laughs as the others quiet down and invites Toox to join them at the table. She squeezes uncomfortably to sit next to Dox, who immediately slides a tall glass of water and a plate of sautéed mushrooms in front of her.
"To the best of our knowledge," Dox begins, "not even magical healing does much against the particular combination of intoxicants we enjoyed last night. But these mushrooms- and plenty of water- blunt the worst of it." They grimace a bit, indicating a similar plate containing the remains of their own plate of mushrooms.
"The mushrooms were actually Ripe's idea." Dox indicates the changeling dressed as a miner. "She picked it up from some goblins in the mines- they use it to treat poison gas. We figured it was close enough.
Toox considers the plate of mushrooms dubiously but proceeds to eat them, washing them down with large gulps of water. The mushrooms are gross, though the butter helps somewhat. Toox chokes them down as the conversation wanders. The cook in the lingerie is waxing poetic about his favorite guests. The tale is as bawdy as it is hilarious. She listens in to the conversations around her. She feels like she should be uncomfortable because she doesn’t know what to do next, a feeling she actively tries to avoid. However, she feels so at home here and for once doesn’t feel like she stands out. It’s unusual for her to like people at all, so it surprises her to feel so at ease here.
"So what about you, young one?" asks the one dressed as a merchant. "The only thing the Tyrants ever send us is payments- not that we're complaining! What brings you from the glamorous city out here to the sticks?"
“There are some perks to being out in the sticks,” replies Toox, with a wink at Dox. “I’m on an escort mission.” Desire’s interest piques. “No, not the fun kind,” corrects Toox. “We are headed to meet the Daughters of Sora Kell.”
“Ooooooooo,” replies Desire teasingly, “Going to see the ladies in charge? Good luck with that… you ever meet Hurda?” Toox nods. “You know she sent for us once? Stroll was busy, so I got to go. That was intense.” Coin frowns at Desire, who has the grace to blush and move on. “Anyway, we’ve never met the ladies, but we’re big fans of their work. From what I’ve heard they’ve got plans within plans within plans. But as long as you aren’t trying to hurt Drooam you’ll be fine.”
Coin is still frowning a bit at Desire, so Toox tries to change the subject. “I didn’t realize there were any Tyrants outside of Sharn, Coin. How did that happen?”
Coin spares another moment for her frown, then allows herself to be redirected. “The Tyrants specialize in information. Sharn may be the hub, but the information network spans the continent. Maybe farther. Dox and I set up shop here a year or so ago, and within weeks we were approached by the Tyrants with a simple deal: we send back any information we find worthwhile; they send us a small stipend. It’s not much, but it definitely gives us breathing room. We just made it clear we were loyal to Drooam first, and then got permission from Xor’chylic. He actually pays us an additional stipend to send him a copy of everything we send to the Tyrants. We just had to agree to set up shop in the Kennels.”
Toox is briefly taken aback at this revelation. “Wait… you’re selling information to both sides? Aren’t you worried about the Tyrants finding out?” Dox takes over the tale.
“Oh, we told them too. We were completely upfront with both of our employers. The Tyrants and Drooam aren’t really different sides… they’re both worried about Breland trying to control Drooam, and the Dragonmarked Houses controlling… everything…” “Which brings us to last night, Dox.” Coin is all business. She has another of her readied frowns, but for Dox this time. Desire and Stroll have finished cooking, and everyone has been served food. As they join the others at the table, Toox realize the mushrooms and water are starting to work. Her hangover is now just among the worst she’s ever had. As she takes stock she realizes Coin isn’t the only one with a frown for Dox.
“You took a huge risk last night, and it leaves us all extremely vulnerable,” Coin’s tone is brisk, a simple statement of facts. That makes it feel somehow worse. “I understand we owe Feldspar, and we had the request from Hurda as well. But impersonating Clint in front of other houses? Getting involved in the fighting? If the Houses figure out who we are and what we’ve been doing I’m not even sure Xor’chylic will be able to save us.”
Dox looks abashed, but her tone shows resolve. “I know it was risky, and I would have come to you all if there had been time. We knew conflict was coming, but the timing and the trouble just came too fast,” There is a pause as Dox’s tone softens. “I know it was dangerous, and I’m sorry. I really am.”
Ripe speaks into the uncomfortable silence that follows. “You’ve led us well for years, Dox. We’ve trusted you this long, we will trust you now. If worse comes to worst, we can leave Graywall.”
“We certainly have made more than our money back off these fools,” Coin’s voice is gruff, but there is small smile.
“Are you kidding?” laughs Stroll. “We could literally buy it from ourselves, and these idiots would never notice!” The entire table laughs at this, and Toox feels herself calm with the rest of the room. This was a family that loved and supported each other unconditionally. A part of her aches to join them.
From there the conversation turns back to what was learned from the activities last night, and much to Toox’s surprise, what has been learned this morning. It turns out Coin has contacts throughout the House Sivis enclave in the Kennels, and Ripe has a better ear to the locals than possibly Xor’xhylic himself. No wonder the illithid chose to strike a deal.
Here is a summary of what you learn:
1. Surprising no one, Clint was secretly a regular at the brothel. Once discovering how important and terrible he was, they would often let him ‘stay the night’. Once he was engaged, Dox would slip out with his badge and clothes to take care of small matters. Clint never had any idea.
2. The Dragonmark House leadership is in a panic. All of them. Desire to expand into Drooam seems to be extremely strong, but the Daughters have flipped from practically begging to almost refusing, and the houses haven been scrambling to respond. A House Ghallanda inn being burned to the ground and their agent being publicly executed? An entire unit of House Deneith being enthralled (however briefly) by an official agent of Drooam? And now, rumor has it, Sargent Clint has gone missing… last he was seen gibbering in a little ball on the bridge. Ripe is hearing rumors Clint is dead, and she is inclined to believe them, though she doesn’t know how or why.
3. The “full members” of the Pursits have a Symbol carved into their skin. It matches the same symbol for the cult and the criminals you’ve dealt with previously.
4. The Purists have come out of nowhere- there have always been racial tensions, but nothing organized or particularly dangerous. They went from non-existent to full terrorist attack in less than 3 months.
5. Rossy was a Purist sympathizer. Not a member, of course, but she was very much turning a blind eye to the Purists in her inn. None of the changelings seem to be overly concerned with her punishment, but the general sentiment is leaving her in the middle of the street is probably a step too far.
6. None of them have any idea what will happen with the prisoners taken to the Throne, but no one expects to see any of them again. The executed were the lucky ones.
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