Arc 2 - Heart of a Monster (Completed)

[PupSage]

Intimidate 13

As the shopkeeps hawked their wares at the paladin, Kuori was becoming increasingly frustrated. I mean the guy was nearly broke, was like a foot and a half smaller, and was a goddamn tiefling. As they continued to hawk she began to shoot dagger eyes in the direction of anyone trying to lure them in. "We don't need your oils or talisman." She began to look for a general goods store. A sunrod would be nice, since her last one got used.  

[AlphabetFish]

Twyla gasped in awe as Valac described his plan. The world could never be short of heroes--and he wanted to make a whole group of them! "Yes!" she said, "I'll keep track! Wow!"

She turned suddenly when Abby spoke, her reverie broken. That's right, there was work to be done. Twyla eagerly accepted the task given her, and trotted out to the town square, pulling out her lyre as she did so.

Short as she was, she recognized she'd need to get up a bit higher, so she laboriously pulled herself up onto some empty boxes near a vendor's stall and began to play and introduce herself.

"People of Gladesdale! Hi, how ya doing? Let me tell you all about a new boutique what just opened..." And then she began to sing about the shop, making up the words and tune as she went along. She had years of experience doing just that, but each crowd was different, and she watched carefully to see what reaction she was getting, careful to extoll the shop as best she could.

((Diplomacy: 24; Insight: 24))  

[Kowsauni]

Gladesdale

A place to rest for the weary.

Image by stephengarrett1019

At Kuori's angry outburst, all but a few of the braver vendors stop trying to gain the two adventurer's attention. Kuori would notice a storefront that looks a lot plainer than the others with a small sign out front labeled "The Wagon Wheel." It seems to be just a general supply store for travelers and does not cater to the tourist crowd.

In front of Revenge, the young girl selling church merchandise shrinks a bit at the goliath woman's words, but she continues to answer the Paladin's questions. "I-I'm sorry, sir. I just help my parents run this stall here. I don't know of any work... Though, um, there was a lady looking for some help a few weeks ago." After a few moment or so the girl gathers up her courage enough to go over the talismans. "T-these Talismans were all made by acolytes at our temple as part of their training. The way they pour their devotion into the talisman's creation is said to bring good luck to those seeking romance. As you can tell each one is different, as Sehanine teaches to each follow our own paths. This one here is my favorite. I like how the sun reflects on the alabaster inlaid in the half moon." The girl holds up the talisman in question and it does indeed sparkle in the sunlight.

As Revenge talks with the girl and Kuori glares at everyone else, a female gnome bard begins to sing in the street. Her song is quite good and garners quite a bit of attention, but is an obvious advertisement for a store. However, one thing does stand out to the the two adventurers--the name of the store is Abby's Boutique.

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As Twyla sings her song, it is quite the hit. Vacationers stop their browsing of goods to come listen to her sing. Twyla quite aptly judges her crowd and turns her song into exactly what they want to hear. She even thinks she recognizes a few patrons from the inn the previous night where she performed. Once she is done singing, she gets a resounding applause and five tourists come to ask her for directions to the store.

 

[Kowsauni]

Abby's Boutique

A place for the strange and wondrous!

Image by wwsketch.

Valac unloads the wagon like a champ. The sun is up a-blazing but he doesn't even break a sweat. Perhaps this is a bit of a waste of his talents, but Abby seems quite impressed. "Wow, you got that done super fast! Perhaps I'm not paying you enough, hehe!"

Abby begins to unload the wooden boxes. There are seven in total and they contain all matter of items from clothes to trinkets, to potions to perfumes, to silverware to decorations. She begins to place the items throughout the store occasionally asking Lavandar for her opinion their placement. Before long the store is stuffed and thoroughly decorated.

((How thoroughly to be determined when Lavander makes her checks ninja ))

Abigail (Abby) Morgan

 

[PupSage]

While the general store made sense ... the name of the boutique that the bard was singing of was to tempting. I mean ... it couldn't be that easy right? She approached the bard. When she was done Kuori approached her. "Hey," she said as she pulled out her hefty pouch of coin. "I might have a job for you if we could get some privacy. She stared down at the gnome for a bit and then walked off a ways from the crowd. If the bard followed she would say, "Could you deliver a message to your boss for me? I am looking for an artifact. Its called the amulet of the Paladin Naeem. Its said to be able to reunite you with the one you love. If she has it, could she deliver it to the inn?" She would put 5 gold into the gnome's hand and say, "If she has it I will throw in a finders fee for you. If she doesn't recognize the name, tell her about the magic within it. Sometimes these things tend to change names over time."  

[AlphabetFish]

After giving directions to those who asked, Twyla was approached by a tall woman with a stern air. When she asked her to move away from the crowd, Twyla unhesitatingly followed, feeling very curious.

Twyla listened carefully, and her hand closed over the gold. Never mind the money--this artifact sounded really interesting if this person was being so secretive about it.

"Amulet of the Paladin Naeem--got it! I'll get right over to her and find out! Hey, maybe we can even get it for you if she doesn't have it on hand! We're real customer service oriented, you know?"

If the goliath has no more information for her, Twyla will speed off to Abby's Boutique and ask Abby about the mysterious amulet.  

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge would catch the bard's song, his attention quickly being diverted from the conversation at hand. Is fate truly so kind? Could the information have simply been dropped in his lap just like that? It was probably a coincidence, but he couldn't afford not to follow up on-

And then Kuori happened. His brow furrowed angrily. He couldn't even hear what she was saying to the gnome, but he didn't like it.

Turning back to the girl (and probably looking a lot less friendly), he would return to the immediate conversation he had been in the middle of. "I, ah..." he started. "I'm sorry, I have to go. But I'll try to be back. Something has just come up. Sorry this is so sudden."

It was probably not the best impression he could make, but he did have a hint of urgency in his voice. He hoped she'd understand as he turned and hurried away from her booth.

It had been no mystery about what the people had come up to the gnome woman for, especially since they seemed to leave as a group in one direction. Revenge would follow them, hoping they would lead to the shop in question.  

[AlphabetFish]

Twyla burst back into Abby's shop, waving around the fist full of gold she had. "Hey! Hey! I think people liked my song! We have customers coming! Places everyone!!"

She sought out Abby herself and handed over the money. She was so excited by the great reaction to her song that the words came all in a rush.

"Ma'am," Twyla said, "a tall woman, a goliath lady I think, wanted to buy a special amulet from you--it's called the Amulet of the Paladin Naeem and it's supposed to reunite you with someone you love. Do you have it? She wants it delivered to the inn if you do. I can take it there myself!!"  

[Mongooseh]

Once Valac was done and Abby for now no longer needed him to be doing anything he decided to retrieve his equipment, don his armour and sling his sword over his back. Taking it upon himself to stand by the door as if he was the store guard.  

[Kowsauni]

Abby's Boutique

A place for the strange and wondrous!

Image by wwsketch.

Abby jumped a bit in surprise as Twyla burst back into the shop. "Oh wow, I wasn't expecting you back so soon!" She listened to what the excited gnome had to say. Abby put her finger to her chin as she contemplated the request. "Hmm... Paladin Naeem... Can't say I've ever heard of that item before. Sounds pretty useful though, and expensive, so I'll ask around... Oh!" Abby tosses the gold back to Twyla. "I think this was meant for you, not me. Think of it as a tip for a job well done."

Shortly after Twyla's return, the customers she attracted enter the store. There are six in total which makes the small shop just a little bit crowded. Abby seems impressed with the turn out. After they begin to brows, an old man who looks to be a retired merchant approaches Valac with a blue cape with an intricate pattern on it. He seems unfazed by tiefling's appearance, but then his eyesight seems a little impaired. "Excuse me young man, do you know if you perhaps have this cloak in green? It would make a nice present for my niece. She's got a fancy dinner party coming up, you know."

Abigail (Abby) Morgan

 

[Kowsauni]

Gladesdale

A place to rest for the weary.

Image by stephengarrett1019

The girl running the stall seemed a little confused by Revenge's sudden need to leave but she simply bids him goodby and thanks him for his time. Revenge follows the excited Gnome all the way back to a decorated store front. Over the door was a fancy sign that read "Abby's Boutique". The shop actually wasn't that far from main entrance to town, and was right in the main shopping district. It was part of a much larger building that looked to be a bed and breakfast. No doubt the owners to were leasing the spot to Abby to run her store out of. After the gnome's successful advertising several customers enter the store.

Kuori continues to get curious glances from tourist's but is otherwise left alone to her devices.

 

[Mongooseh]

Valac looked down at the old man with an indignant look on his face, slowly turning to disgust before reminding himself where he was and growling, "Ask her."

He pointed the old man toward Abby.  

[Lavander42]

Lavander set up the shop
(First roll is +6 insight and second is +8 perception)
((Sorry. I've been a little busy recently)
When customers arrive she stands in the back of the shop quietly, watching the customers  

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge would near the shop, slowing his pace greatly as the people he followed here did not hesitate to enter.

The moment he had fixated on since he first learned of his wife's survival was now upon him. But here, he hesitated. A thousand 'what-ifs' ran through his mind, fogging it, threatening to send him into anxiety vertigo.

But he steeled himself, used every drop of his willpower to ground himself, to find his center. To everyone else, a heavily armored tiefling simply stood in the middle of the street zoning out for a good minute, but eventually... eventually... he took a step forward.

He would near the boutique, his heart thumping against his chest piece, and soon, an eternity later, he reached the doorway. But that was the limit of where his strength could take him.

Standing there, in the doorway, he would meekly peek into the shop to observe, and see if she... if she was there.  

[Kowsauni]

Abby's Boutique

A place for the strange and wondrous!

Image by wwsketch.

Lavandar used her keen insight into what draws people's attention to lay out the new items in a way that would best draw the attention of potential buyers. With the way the customers were browsing the wares and picking out items for purchase, her work must have been a success.

The old man seems a little disappointed at being brushed off by Valac but he moves to Abby as directed and repeats his question, as well as much friendly chatter about the activities of his nieces and nephews. Abby cheerily listens and tells him to wait here while she checks some boxes in the storage.

Some customers approach Twyla as well and begin asking her some questions about the merchandise.

From his position by the front door, Valac sees a fellow Tiefling in plate mail, obviously some sort of paladin, approach the store and stop in the doorway before beginning to meekly look around.

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As Revenge peers into the store, he sees it is not very big, consisting of one large room with a door leading to some kind of back area behind a front desk. There are nine people inside, making the place a bit crowded. Most of them look to be vacationers, but Revenge would recognize the female gnome who sang the song from before. There were also elf in cloth armor with a short sword and an extremely burly looking fullblade-armed Tiefling that was probably pretty good at deterring shoplifting... yet no Halima.

Then Revenge hears a muffled voice come from the door in the back of the shop. A voice he thought he would never hear again. Out through the door she emerged, dressed in a blue floor length skirt and a button up blouse tied with a little blue bow. She appeared no different than when he last saw her. In fact, it looked as if she had not aged one day in the last five years since her disappearance. The experience seemed surreal, as if out of one of Revenge's many dreams, yet there before him now stood Halima, his wife.

Abby returns from the back with a folded green cape in her arms and she hands it to the old man. "The pattern is not quite the same, but I'm sure you will find it to your liking. You said your niece has red hair, yes? This color should complement her nicely."

Abby suddenly notices the Paladin standing awkwardly in her doorway. She waves at him and flashes one of her warm smiles. "Hello and welcome to Abby's Boutique. I'm Abby! I know it looks crowded but I'm sure there's room for one more, so please come in and take a look around."

Abigail (Abby) Morgan