Arc 2 - Heart of a Monster (Completed)

[PupSage]

Kuori goes to the inn to wait on her plan to hatch, not knowing that its a dud.  

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge's legs would suddenly begin to buckle as he was addressed by Halima, but without a hint of recognition. Not even a moment's hesitation. His heart wavered and sadness threatened to overwhelm him.

He would lift up his gauntleted left hand. "That's... okay. I'm just here on behalf of the town guard. There's been some suspicious-looking people were seen in this area, and I wanted to make sure everyone here was fine and hasn't had any trouble."

Quote:

Bluff of 15

Not really a lie, per se... some assumption thrown in, but it wasn't a lie. His voice seemed a bit shakier than he would have liked it to be, though.  

[AlphabetFish]

Twyla happily accepted the gold back, and her eyes began to roam around the shop of their own accord. So many interesting things here... and it was so busy! If there was anything she wanted, she'd have to grab it before someone else did!

Some customers needed help, though, so Twyla jumped into action. She modeled things, demonstrated items and poured on as much charm as she could to get customers to buy. When everyone had been settled, she moved around the shop to keep an eye on the patrons... and an eye on the merchandise.

Twyla began to browse, laughing to herself a little as she saw Valac getting questioned by an old man and Lavander trying to put the shop to rights while so many customers were busy disheveling it. She grinned as she looked over a display of jewelry and trinkets. Her work was already done!

She turned when she heard Abby beckon another patron in, feeling happy knowing that her song had been so well received. This person, though... Twyla paused upon seeing his face. He didn't look like he was in a shopping mood... and he spoke of suspicious people.

Her gnomish ears twitched. Something about his tone and his words wasn't adding up. Twyla looked to Abby to see if she heard it, too.

((Sorry Rain; my passive insight is a 16!))  

[Kowsauni]

Gladesdale

A place to rest for the weary.

Image by stephengarrett1019

After wandering down the main road for a bit, Kuori would see the large inn painted bright red with a picture of a majestic looking lion emblazoned on its sign. Unsurprisingly, the place was named the Red Lion.

As Kuori enters the building, she sees that the place is quite busy. The first floor was made into the tavern and several travelers and vacationers were seated at tables eating breakfast. No one pays particular attention to Kuori, besides some mildly curious looks. Eventually, a half-elven barmaid approaches the Goliath and asks her if she can get her anything to eat or drink.

 

[Kowsauni]

Abby's Boutique

A place for the strange and wondrous!

Image by wwsketch.

"Really..." Abby would politely excuse herself from the old man and direct him in Twyla's direction. "My associate here will gladly help you purchase if you decide it is to your liking." The petite store owner then moves over to the Paladin.

Abby looks up at him with her large crystal blue eyes and questions him curiously. "What kind of suspicious people were they? Should we be worried? And what did they look like? If they are shoplifters, then I'm sure my associate Valac would scare them off before they tried anything, hehe."

In the shop, the old man meanders over to Twyla. "How much for this cape, missy? My, you are a cute one. You remind me of my niece when she was a but a child. You know, she has an important dinner..." The old man goes on to tell Twyla all about his niece.

Abigail (Abby) Morgan

 

[Rain Yupa]

Revenge would take a step back when Halima approached, internally wincing when he realized he did so. "I haven't seen them myself, at least not these specific individuals," he started, as a cold sweat began to break on his brow.

He would give her a brief description of Aria's uniform, though he would leave out any direct mention of insignia or heraldry that such uniforms contained. "I encountered some of their... gang, in a town called Lupa. They were trying to hurt some girls there. I caught wind some of their number were in this area too, and... I just don't want to see you get hurt, is all..."

The fact that she was so close, yet showed no sign of recognition towards him, was rapidly draining his resolve. He would flash an awkward smile at the tiefling across the room. "Yes, he looks like a capable man." Raising his voice slightly, he would speak towards him. "You'll keep this person safe from any dangers, right?"

Recalling the item Corsica had given him, he looked out the corner of his eye towards his pack, then back to Halima. "You're, uh... very busy, it seems. I'm going to check around with a few more stores, and I'll swing by one more time before checking into the inn - my traveling companion should have secured us rooms by now."

Unless stopped, he would make it a point to leave - this was a bit much for him at the moment, and he needed time to compose himself. He was foolish for thinking that she'd recognize him, when he had been told she would not. And what would happen if he presented the broken hilt to her right now, in front of all these people? Aria had a head start on them there, and he didn't want to reveal himself if he didn't have to. Any one of them could have been an agent. Probably not the gnome, but that elf, that tiefling, any of those shoppers...

If he was truly gone from her memory and she had a happy life here now, he wouldn't want to take that away from her, and a brawl in her shop would ruin that. He couldn't have her life ruined twice. He'd try again when there was less people around.  

[Mongooseh]

Valac just looks at the two out of the corner of his eyes each time he was addressed but didn't respond.  

[AlphabetFish]

When Abby directed the old man over to Twyla, Twyla suddenly snapped into business mode. Work isn't over after all!

"Yessir, yessir, right this way!" With an exaggerated sweep of her arms, Twyla directed the old man to the front desk. Twyla kept up a stream of chatter with the old man while she rummaged around on the desk, trying to find the money box, ledger, and anything else that looked important.

"Your niece'll be the belle of the ball, I just know it! Have you noticed the superior craftmanship of this piece? You know, its repeating pattern of little suns is--uh--about the weather? Yep, oh indeed, it's guaranteed to make her the sunniest person at the dinner, I can assure you! Now, as for price, um..." She thought back to her own clothes. What did cloaks usually cost? It wasn't tagged with any price! This one wasn't magical, was it? She turned it over in her hands, trying to figure it out... ((Arcana check of 13 to determine if the cloak is magical.))

"15 gold! Oh, what am I saying--for you, let's make it 10!"

She fingered the gold in her pocket. If she was letting this go for way too little, well, she'd just have to make up the difference to Abby. Twyla cringed a little, but reverted to her usual strategy when she didn't know what else to do: pouring on the charm.

"And it's worth every penny, I assure you! Feel how fine this fabric is! It'll probably last her for years, and dazzle 'em every time she wears it! Whaddya say?" ((Diplomacy check of 30 to charm the old man into making a deal!))

As Twyla was taking care of the old man, she tried to keep an ear open to the man at the door. Something funny was going on over there, but she didn't know enough about Abby or whoever that was to really tell what it was. She couldn't help but turn when she heard the man in the doorway say they'd be at the Inn. Maybe she'd see them tonight when she went back to the inn to sing. She was hopelessly curious now about what was really going on.  

[Kowsauni]

Abby's Boutique

A place for the strange and wondrous!

Image by wwsketch.

The old man's eyes light up as Twyla describes the finer points of the cloak to him. It seems he is quite sold on her sales pitch. "Seems like quite a deal! I'll take it." He retrieves the ten gold from his money pouch and gives it to the gnome. He also retrieves an additional silver piece and gives it to Twyla as well. "This is for your song earlier; it was quite pretty." The old man would then take his newly bought cloak and head for the exit.

Abby continues to cheerily smile at Revenge while he gave his explanation. However, as Revenge describes the Aria soldiers' uniforms, her eyes widen ever so slightly and there is a distinct flicker of recognition in her gaze. As Revenge turns to to leave, he would hear Abby's soft voice "Wait..."

Revenge would feel Abby's soft hand slip into his own. The strength of her grasp is far stronger than anything he ever remembered experiencing before from his wife. She would move around to in front of him and peer searchingly into his eyes. "It's strange... I feel like I know you from somewhere... Have we met before?" Suddenly, after realizing what she had just done, Abby lets go of Revenge's hand and looks down at the ground embarrassed. "Sorry, that probably weirded you out. T-thanks for the warning; feel free to stop by the store later. I'll give you a good deal." Abby turns and begins to go back into her store.

Abigail (Abby) Morgan

 

[Rain Yupa]

He would look into her eyes as she stared up into his. There was something. Recognition, perhaps?

"... I'm..."

...

...

...

"... called Revenge. This will be my first night in Gladesdale, so it's unlikely. And that you, I'll make sure to stop by."

And he would give her a gentle smile, before turning and leaving to find Kuori. For now, he couldn't put her in any danger. Not again. He had to be sure.  

[PupSage]

Time passed and no sign of Halima or Revenge. Maybe she didn't remember Revenge, maybe Aria had already compromised the area. Either way it didn't bode well for their mission.
When the woman came up to her Kuori took a second to register her words. "Uh, I think that I will wait on my friend for the food and drink, but I need two rooms for the night. One with a bed that can fit me, the other normal sized. Near each other if possible." She toyed with the idea of asking about Aria, but she wasn't much for chit chat.  

[Kowsauni]

Abby's Boutique

A place for the strange and wondrous!

Image by wwsketch.

Abby would look back at Revenge and watch him walk away. Once he was out of sight she would hurry back into the store. Though she looked a bit flustered Abby would address her employees. "Great job everyone. I might be closing up the shop early today so get ready to enjoy a few extra hours off. My treat!"  

[Kowsauni]

Gladesdale

A place to rest for the weary.

Image by stephengarrett1019

As Revenge leaves to find Kuori, he would remember that the most predominant inn in the area was the Red Lion. In fact, it was where he had arranged to stay with Halima. It had been burned down in the incident, but as he walks down the street in its direction, he finds that it has been rebuilt to all its former glory. Inside, Revenge would find his rather tall companion.

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The innkeeper at the Red Lion is a a middle aged dwarf. He is quite stout and broad, even by dwarven standards. He is well dressed and his beard is finely groomed and tied into long braids. When Kuori makes her request, he responds back simply in heavily accented common. "Aye, I can do that. That will be four gold."

 

[Lavander42]

When Twyla goes to the counter Lavander takes over putting things back.  

[Rain Yupa]

Approaching the door to the Red Lion, he would look up at the structure and loose a sigh. "More memories," he would say to no one in particular, before opening the door and entering the establishment.

He would, of course, see Kuori, as she does tend to stand out as one might expect of a Goliath. Though he flashed back to the inn full of Arian soldiers in Lupa, and give a scrutinizing study of all the people in this room. Being a paladin, such studies were probably expected of him, so hopefully no one should think anything of it.

Quote:

Insight of 19 and Perception of 19... does anyone here look obviously "Arian", or failing that, someone trying to act overly "under cover", like they're trying too hard to not stand out or fit in?

Approaching Kuori, he would nod solemnly up at her. "Hey, I'm back already. I might go back out shopping in a little while. I know I haven't given you much time, but are the rooms ready?"

Turning to the innkeeper, he would nod. "Morning," he would greet the dwarf.