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[Lorien19]

“I don’t see how this helps us learn anything about Keeper Orrel and the Eladiel Clan,”Auren muttered

"I'll explain everything later,I promise."Laurelin whispered the worried look still on her face.Her expression changed however when Tessa approached them,she introduced herself to Auren and nodded to Laurelin,who nodded back.

Laurelin decided to leave the table while Tessa and Auren were discussing,she still had her eyes them though,in case things got heated.
Then she noticed a woman,sitting all by herself she could tell that the woman was uncomfortable even though she clapped enthusiastically at the end of the musical performance...Laurelin felt some sort of energy radiating from her"another mage"she thought and decided to approach her.

She hesitantly moved towards her table,it was certainly a terrible idea since a mage of all things, will be more than likely to discover her real nature.

keepers and their first may be tolerated for the rare occasions they briefly interact with humans,but without her clan Laurelin was just another rogue mage.But there was something about this woman that intrigued her,something she could relate to.
 

She didn't however approach her directly,she just stood by the window right next to her table and looked dully at the scenery before her,feeling more than ever the urge to leave the Inn,she then looked back at the woman.

"It's way too crowded and noisy in here,isn't it?...I am Laurelin by the way" she said quietly.

[mysteriouspast]

(Here is Rael and Etienne's conversation in its entirety for those who want read it)

 

Spoiler

Rael swiftly scooped up the scattered coppers and placed them in her purse. Scanning the room again, she caught sight of Etienne, who was swaying slightly and nibbling on something or other. His eyes were unfocused, almost glazed over. Rael caught his eye and walked over to him.

"So, what did you think of the show?" she asked, placing her hands on his shoulders to help steady him.

 

 

Etienne's cheeks burned his face under the influence of his sweet Viventer wine.

With her hands settled on his shoulders, he nodded as he took his seat once more. "I'd have given you all of my coin, had I brought any with me," he replied quite matter-of-factly. "You know, I don't believe we have music quite like that at the Tower of Magi. Maker, how did you learn how to do that?"

"My father was a minstrel--quite a famous one, as I understand," Rael said with shining eyes. "I remember I used to sit behind the stages he performed on, out of sight, just to listen to him. My mother would later box my ears for neglecting my chores. But it was worth it, to hear him sing..." her expression suddenly darkened, as though unwanted thoughts had intruded. "Anyway, once he was gone, I took up the profession," she said, her smile more forced than before. Rael sipped her wine and asked, "Don't you have any kind of entertainment in your Circle?"
 

He frowned and thoughtfully pushed his tankard, the one then filled with wine, to her. Then he offered her his selection of cheese and bread as well.  "We have some mages who can sing and would freely do so, but nothing professional. Sometimes the children will put on plays and perform for the others who are not Harrowed. But it's mostly... books. Books and magic." His brow raised as he leaned back in his seat, teetering on two legs. "I suppose magic is entertaining."

 

"Harrowed, did you say? What on earth does that mean? Do you farm in your spare time?"

Etienne leaned forward conspiratorily. "Yes," he replied seriously. "Lots of gardening. Largest corn you'll ever see. Magical corn." Without skipping a beat, he motioned at the offered food and drink. "Have some, messere?" Settling back in he seat again, he smiled. "It's a test of sorts called the Harrowing. It's an attempt to discover which mages may be susceptible to temptation. Power can be overwhelming. Some abuse it. And its a way to find out who would."

Rael smiled coyly and said, "Forgive me, serah, but a girl such as myself would be foolish indeed to accept food and drink from strange men, particularly those with magical abilities." Before he could respond, she asked. "Did I misunderstand, or did you also volunteer to join the search party for the missing villagers?"

He gasped, then frowned as he tugged his glass back over. "Yes, introduce you to a possibly love potion-infused brandy and you'll down the whole tankard, but one sweet wine from a kind mage and the nose turns up," he jokingly grumbled. "Messere, you wound me!" Etienne chuckled a bit and added, "I did. Hopefully I can make good on the offer. You volunteered as well?"

 

"I agreed to take a look. It must be serious if she's paying so high and asked so many of us to search." She tapped her finger on her bottom lip in contemplation, then turned her eyes back to Etienne. "Are you even allowed to go on an expedition such as this? I thought your task was plant gathering."

 

 

The tankard met his lips again, hiding a smile. "I'm sure there are plants along that road, too. And, ah... the Templars have given me some freedom. My phylactery is nearby." His fingers danced along the bottom of the glass. "So, what do you do aside from singing then, messere?"

"Soooo," Rael said, elongating the word with pursed lips. "You do know how to bend the rules." She laughed lightly and absently played with a stray lock of hair. "Why do you ask about my hobbies, Etienne? Thinking about some trouble we could get into?" Her smile was only half-teasing.

"No," Etienne replied then and in a miserable tone. "I do not. You shall have to teach me, otherwise I will be literally gathering specimens the entire time."His gaze moved from his glass to her nose, then to the hand that held her hair. He then took great care to thoughtfully watch the locks as they slipped through her fingertips.

 

"Imagine that, an elven minstrel teaching something to a learned mage! What kind of class would you like to take from me?"

 

Etienne lifted his glass again and quirked a brow. One long, drawn out sip later and he placed the cup down with great care. "'Divine Studies in How to Hold One's Liquor, Not Literally: a Beginner's Fallacy."

"Well, I think the trick is to not hold so much of it," she replied, subtly moving the half-empty cup away from his hand. "But sadly, drinking proficiency is only attained through much practice. And I think you've had enough practice for one night." Rael's face grew concerned and she asked, "Are you going to be all right to get back to your room?"

"They should make smaller cups," Etienne mused quietly, frowning. "And I could practice more, messere. You could practice with me. These ones aren't poisoned. Trust me. I'd have been made completely useless by now if they were." He then missed the plate while diving in for more bread. "No, I think I will not be alright," he answered honestly. "There are stairs, I believe. Eighteen-hundred of them, all in a row, and I shall miss all but two."

Rael leaned back in her chair and folded her arms over her chest. The gold fabric shimmered in the dim candlelight. She appeared to be about to laugh but then she reconsidered. "Practicing is something best done over the long term. Are you planning on signing up for the entire term?

"If it's always this good, absolutely," he replied, eying his stolen drink. "Until I am to leave, at which point I will cry myself to sleep every night."

Rael opened her mouth to reply but then cocked her head and looked back over her shoulder at the small group that was gathering nearby. As they discussed Kesla's proposal for a search party and introduced each other, Rael listened. When she turned back to Etienne, her expression was serious, but the mirth hadn't wholly left her eyes. "Sounds like a small army is shaping up for our search tomorrow. I guess we'd better introduce ourselves," she said with some reluctance in her voice.

 

 

Etienne's eyes followed hers to the group and he swallowed hard. His own hesitation was pretty obvious in the way he shrunk back in his seat and reclaimed his glass. However, he didn't decline at all, just armed himself with a drink and swiped up the last few bits of bread he had been saving. Each piece was wrapped carefully and stowed away in his satchel. He then rose to his feet, gaze bouncing between the search party and Rael. "Now's as good a time as any, no? Messere, let us go," he finally said, offering her the crook of his arm.

 

Rael hesitated for a moment as though she didn't know what to make of his offered arm. Then, with a smile of pleasure mixed with uncertainty, she slipped her delicate hand through and clasped his forearm. They walked towards the others, Etienne relying on Rael's balance, quite an uncommon pair.

 

The minstrel who performed earlier and a young red-haired man made their way over to the table where a human, dwarf, and Dalish (there's got to be a joke somewhere in there, right?) were discussing tomorrow's expedition. "Add two more to your party," she said, bowing her head with a flourish of her arm. Unfortunately, the swift movement caught the young man off guard and he stumbled. "My name is Rael and this is Etienne," she continued, smoothly easing him into a vacant chair. "This should be interesting," she added with a gleam in her eyes.

[BFace]

Tess turned her attention...down to the dwarven woman with her hand out. Tess blinked, then extended her own hand to her.

 

"Hail, Bartha. We're turning into quite the crew, I see."

 

Out of the corner, she saw Etienne and the elf singer swaggering toward the table. Tessa wrinkled her nose at Etienne then turned her attention to the elf woman as she made introductions. 

 

"Hallo, Rael. You sounded nice earlier. I've met Etienne."

 

She then turned her attention back the elven man who hadn't said anything yet.

[ChachiBobinks]

"I'm fine," Etienne stressed the moment Tessa gave him that disapproving nose wrinkle. He regained his footing just long enough to settle into his chair, offering Rael a grateful smile in return. "It is not me, it is the wine. I am it's unwilling victim." He drew in a deep breath. "I need protection. From the wine."

His gaze followed Tessa's to the elven man.

[TreeHuggerHannah]

Tempest regarded the elven woman for the briefest of moments, weighing her, making decisions. Whatever mental test was being applied to Laurelin, she seemed to have passed, because the human mage smiled.

 

"Nice to meet you, Laurelin," she said. "My name is Tempest. I agree with you. This isn't... well, it isn't my sort of place. I don't like crowds. And I'm eager to be home."

 

She gestured to one of the empty seats at her table, and with a slightly belated impulse, said, "You can join me, if you'd like."

[Lorien19]

"Thank you."Laurelin smiled back at Tempest and grabbed a seat,her eyes were unusually kind which immediately made Laurelin more comfortable.
"I'm not very fond of crowds either,I miss the forest and my aravel...But duty is duty."She shrugged."I don't want to appear indiscreet,but what brings you to a place like this Tempest?"
She asked shyly.

 

Laurlin crossed her arms and shifted in her chair,her expression suddenly became  more stoic as she remembered her mission."I imagine you heard about people gone missing lately,not the best time to visit Vintiver,it seems."

[TreeHuggerHannah]

Tempest's first instinct was to open up and connect; it had been days since she'd had a real conversation with anyone, and keeping so much to herself was wearing, even though it was necessary. She'd gotten out of the habit of being alone.

 

Her second impulse was to hide, to flee, to sense danger in any show of interest about her.

 

She managed to avoid either extreme.

 

"I was looking to hire someone, actually. I was to meet him here, to get a sense of whether he'd be suitable for the job. He never showed up, and by this time likely won't. So my coming here was a wasted errand, as it turns out."

 

Tempest looked sympathetic when Laurelin brought up the disappearances. "I'd heard vaguely that something was amiss, but I don't know any details. That's horrible! Do they have any idea what happened to them?"

[mysteriouspast]

"So let's see," Rael said, eyeing each person at the table in turn. "We have a warrior, a mage, an archer, a... dwarf, and me, of course. Wasn't there another Dalish here?" She looked towards the back of the tavern and saw the Dalish woman speaking with another woman at a small table. "Two more back there, perhaps? We're shaping up to be quite the army, aren't we? Seems almost excessive for a simple search and rescue, doesn't it?"

[Lorien19]

Laurelin glanced across the room and then back at Tempest,a worried look appeared on her face again "Many of the locals believe that my people have put some kind of curse on them...But I don't really want to believe such thing".

She sighed and glanced across the room and then back at Tempest. 

"There was an incident lately you see, between a Dalish and a human right here in the inn,that forced the clan to leave immediately and according to the inn keeper people began to disappear soon after."she crossed her arms and shrugged.

 

"I won't lie,this definitely sounds suspicious and to be perfectly honest I don't blame the locals for believing this either...But still they're always quick to blame my people,without even having proof.."
Laurelin shifted uncomfortably in her chair "My apologizes,I've been talking your ear off,haven't I?"She said and smiled shyly.

[ChachiBobinks]

"Mmmm," Etienne replied thickly, then took great care to shift around in his seat and eye the other two. "Yes, she was nearby earlier when I was speaking with Tessa. Quiet girl, that one. The Dalish one, I mean. Haven't a clue about the other one."

[TreeHuggerHannah]

Tempest's brow furrowed with concern, and she shook her head. "No, I asked a question and you answered it; that's hardly talking my ear off. It seems the humans are being hasty blaming the Dalish, though. The timing might be entirely coincidental. Or for all we know, there may be Dalish disappearing too. Perhaps they're even blaming their own troubles on the human villagers..."

 

She smiled and shook her head. "I apologize. I'm allowing my speculation to run away with me. Do you think... is there anything to be done? Is there any way I can help?"

 

Much as she wanted to get back to her own family, she couldn't simply walk away without knowing if there was anything she could do to make things better here.

[Lorien19]

Laurelin expression softened "On the contrary,I'm glad to see that there is someone who also cares about what might happen to my people."
"Actually you can could help,the Innkeeper asked me,my brother and some other individuals"She subtly nodded towards Auren,Bartha,Etienne, Rael and Tessa "to search for a missing patron and even offered us a rather generous reward".

Her eyes were now fixed on the floor "Which usually means,that some short trouble is also to be expected"She then leaned closer and whispered.

"And if the premonition I have is correct,then the situation is far more dire than they all think...Many lives might be at stake as we speak...For that reason I consider it my obligation to warn you,but if you are still willing to offer us help,we will gladly accept it."
She shrugged and folded her hands in her lap,mildly surprised with herself with how willingly she confided her fears to a person she just met.

[Mahumia]

Bartha grinned at Rael, with a sparkle in her eye: "I did not know that we dwarves are considered to be a class of our own? Ah well, we're versatile indeed." She shrugged: "It is quite an army indeed... more eyes to look for the missing people and drag them back home, I guess." 

 

She stood up from the table and looked at the others around the table: "Don't know when you lot want to go, but I'd like to refresh myself a bit first... wouldn't want them to smell us coming, right?" 

[berelinde]

Summary: Beldin offers to join the team.

 

 

Laurelin expression softened "On the contrary,I'm glad to see that there is someone who also cares about what might happen people."

"Actually you could help,the Innkeeper asked me,my brother and some other individuals"She subtly nodded towards Auren Bartha Etienne Rael and Tessa "to search for a missing patron and even offered us a rather generous reward".

Some days, the butterflies that swarmed Beldin's gut subsided long enough to allow him to speak to strangers on their own. He could walk up to anyone and begin a conversation with passing acquaintances as naturally as he could remain silent. Other days, he had to beat them back, a necessity that left him resolute, but drained. Today was the latter, but the strangers would retire soon. If he did not buck himself up, he'd be sitting in the tavern alone and kicking himself until they returned. If they returned. The sword beside the woman - Tessa, she called herself - looked formidable, and she certainly seemed capable, but that was but one solid blade in a pack of flutter-bys. He rose and approached the table quietly.

 

{Beldin's stealth roll is 17

3d6+3 → [6,3,5,3] = (17)

Stealth=Dexterity Test(3d6) + Dexterity(3) + Stealth Focus(0)

Link

 

To challenge it, and thereby notice his approach, anyone may roll a Perception(Sight) or a Perception(Hearing) test. Rogues have +2 in one or the other of them as a function of their class*. It doesn't matter here, except for role-playing purposes, as he is going to speak anyway, but you may want to role-play surprise if you don't notice his approach or amusement/disdain/suspicion/etc at his stealth if you do notice it.}

 

He cleared his throat and addressed the group once things quieted down a little.

 

"Begging your pardon," he said, keeping his voice quiet, but confident. "I hear you're putting together a team to check out Fuldor's place. Mistress Kesla spoke to me earlier, but I reckon we'd do better if we teamed up. If you can use another blade, that is."

 

For emphasis, he reached behind his head and tapped the handle of the battleaxe that hung between his shield and his back.

 

{*House rules. As it stands now, the rules allow untrained attempts at typically roguish skills, which makes rogue an unsatisfying class to play, as I one of my players informed me at great length during our last PnP session. I'm allowing rogues to take a few focuses for free in hopes that it may even things up a bit. Rogues get a choice of perception(sight) or perception(hearing), plus free dexterity(stealth) and dexterity(legerdemain), and I'll think about any others that may apply, but that kind of sums it up. A focus gives you a +2 on your roll, so if you opt for Perception(Sight), give yourself a +2 to notice, etc. When you want to use stealth or legerdemain, you'll get the appropriate bonuses (and so will any enemy rogues).}

[ChachiBobinks]

Etienne sniffed the air thoughtfully, his gaze not leaving the two women. "I think you smell lovely," he replied to Bartha off-handedly. "Like bootstraps and peonies."

He seemed to consider her words very thoughtfully, eyes closed and all, before he resumed his watch. Being in possession of the social graces of a snail, he seemed to forget that staring (regardless of intoxication level) was generally considered rude. "First thing past dawn, I presume?"

[mysteriouspast]

Bartha grinned at Rael, with a sparkle in her eye: "I did not know that we dwarves are considered to be a class of our own? Ah well, we're versatile indeed." She shrugged: "It is quite an army indeed... more eyes to look for the missing people and drag them back home, I guess." 
 
She stood up from the table and looked at the others around the table: "Don't know when you lot want to go, but I'd like to refresh myself a bit first... wouldn't want them to smell us coming, right?"

Rael gave an apologetic smile to the dwarf. "It's not that dwarves are their own profession, just that it was obvious what the specialities of the others are. Clearly, you have more subtle talents, which I definitely appreciate." Her smile faded a bit. "Dawn, is it? I think I can manage that, but the poor lad will likely need some rousing," she continued, gesturing in Etienne's direction.

[TreeHuggerHannah]

Tempest considered for a moment, making sure she was willing to commit before she spoke. It wasn't the danger that caused her an instant's hesitation; life for a mage was dangerous, no matter what the circumstances. It was how much she wanted to be with her children. Being away from them even for a few days was difficult. She missed home.

 

Lives were possibly at stake, though, and that was more important than Tempest's own selfish desire for comfort. She couldn't turn her back on people in need. 

 

Her circle wouldn't begin to worry for at least a few more days, and they would care for the children in her absence.

 

"For what it's worth, you have my help," Tempest said. "I'll do what I can. I promise."

[Mahumia]

Bartha let out a hearty chuckle when Rael started to apologize. “I was merely jesting, dear.” She looked at the intoxicated mage, who was murmuring something about the scent of… ponies? He still was focused on a table further away, where Laurelin was sitting together with the lonely woman she spotted earlier. She chuckled and shook her head: “Yeah, I think he will have a hard time the coming morning.”

Etienne shifted around in his chair and eyed them.  "Yes, she was nearby earlier when I was speaking with Tessa. Quiet girl, that one. The Dalish one, I mean. Haven't a clue about the other one." 

Bartha nodded, with an amused expression on her face. She yawned: “Dawn it is… good, I’ll be there.” When she started to turn around, she noticed some movement nearby in the corner of her eye. She made a sidestep, in order not to bump into the man, after which she continued to make her way to her room. 

[mysteriouspast]

When Beldin cleared his throat, Rael started a bit, then her demeanor changed when she took him in. Her open expression became guarded and her eyes, once bright and animated, grew hooded as she cast them down towards the table. She listened expressionlessly as he made his pitch and when he was finished, she stood and, without making significant eye contact with the man, replied, "a warrior is always welcome in a mission such as this. If you wish to join us, who am I to argue?" Then she gave a short bow to the table and said, "Until the morning, then." 

 

Rael quickly made her way out of the dining room and into the hallway before any of them could respond.

[ChachiBobinks]

Many, many things kept Etienne from noticing Beldin. Even when the man spoke, he was too distracted to really take note. But what he did do was turn to wish Bartha a pleasant evening. And then he did sort of lose the air in his lungs as he frowned, adding, "I suppose everyone will be off for the night, then..."

 

It was probably time for him to retire as well.

 

He frowned and twisted back around to face the table. When his gaze lifted, though, it was just in time to see the tail-end of Rael's reaction, who she was speaking to, and her quick retreat. His brow furrowed and he pressed a steadying hand against the table as he drew himself up to face Beldin. His finger pointed to the then nearly gone Rael, then turned to the other man. "Is there a problem, serah?" The look on his face was far from tough, but certainly not welcoming. "It...seems as if there is a problem."

[berelinde]

"Is there a problem, serah?" The look on his face was far from tough, but certainly not welcoming. "It...seems as if there is a problem."

The wine fumes rolling off the slim, elegantly dressed man were enough to make Beldin step back, but he did not step far. A dazed squirrel could have figured out what the problem actually was, but the minstrel's performance had left him in a mood of jovial good humor persistent enough to survive his anxiety about addressing strangers.

 

"Easy, chief," he said, smiling in spite of the gravity of the situation. Paradoxically, the younger man's outrage on the girl's behalf settled the butterflies better than a tumbler full of brandywine. "I mean the lass no harm, nor any in this house. But it strikes me that if we're both on that errand for Kesla, we might join forces. In the morning. Haran tells me he's put you in my room. Hope you don't mind snoring."

[ChachiBobinks]

The wine fumes rolling off the slim, elegantly dressed man were enough to make Beldin step back, but he did not step far. A dazed squirrel could have figured out what the problem actually was, but the minstrel's performance had left him in a mood of jovial good humor persistent enough to survive his anxiety about addressing strangers.

"Easy, chief," he said, smiling in spite of the gravity of the situation. Paradoxically, the younger man's outrage on the girl's behalf settled the butterflies better than a tumbler full of brandywine. "I mean the lass no harm, nor any in this house. But it strikes me that if we're both on that errand for Kesla, we might join forces. In the morning. Haran tells me he's put you in my room. Hope you don't mind snoring."

Etienne had to consider a few things as he stood there, brave as brave could be. The first thing he had to consider was the fact that while he wasn't a lily-livered codfish, "brash" wasn't his middle name. It was "Words are My Best Friend." Etienne "Words are My Best Friend" Durand, Non-Scary Mage Boy. But his chest puffed out a little and he would have done well to consider that. The second thing he had to consider was that despite Rael's reaction, Beldin wasn't necessarily scary.

He was acting somewhat nicely.

With lips forming a fine line, Etienne surveyed him. His gaze then turned back to the hallway to check on Rael's departure. When his gaze returned to Beldin once more, he scowled. "I believe you frightened her, serah." He shook his head gravely. "And I would prefer to not share a room. The second bed is in use."

[berelinde]

"I believe you frightened her, serah." He shook his head gravely. "And I would prefer to not share a room. The second bed is in use."

For a moment, Beldin stood still, blinking at the auburn-haired man in confusion, his heart thumping in his chest. There was no possible way that they could have heard about the mess in Amaranthine. Not here.

 

"I... frightened her?" he said once he regained the power of speech. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I can't imagine what she'd be scared of."

 

The young man must be her lover. If the minstrel girl knew his secret, the boy would find out soon enough, and that did not bode well for his plans. Logerwold's need was desperate, but if they thought him a scoundrel, no amount of help he offered would persuade them to return the favor. He weighed his options.

 

"Right," he said resignedly. "Well, if you're using both beds, your need must be greater than mine. Mayhap I'll see if Young Toby wants help on the watch platform and bed down in the stable if I get a chance. Seems a waste after paying for a room and all, but things are tense enough as it is."

 

He turned away with a sigh. They wanted neither his help or his company, but he had given Kesla his word.

 

"See you on the farm in the morning," he said, walking away. He waved farewell to a startled-looking Haran, and walked out of the tavern into the night.

[ChachiBobinks]

Combined with his tone and manner of speech, the man's words sucked the air out of Etienne's sails. He did deflate; part of him had automatically assumed that the man had wronged Rael at some point in the past or that there was otherwise bad blood between them. Beldin seemed genuinely confused. It was clearly something else. Perhaps he reminded her of someone she once knew.

A when he resigned to just leaving the inn instead, guilt piled itself upon his shoulders. The second bed was the home of books, actually, and could have been moved. He felt ill from guilt, actually, as he watched the man leave.

Or maybe it was just the wine and cheese.

With a sigh, he carefully pushed his chair back under the table and made his way to the hall. He'd need as much rest as he could get but first, he wanted to make sure that his new friend was okay. But, Maker, he hadn't the slightest clue what room she could be in. He chose the first one he could find that had light splashing out from under the door and gave it a quiet knock.

Modifié par Chachi Bobinks, 05 juillet 2014 - 06:25 .

[mysteriouspast]

(Berelinde, whose door is Etienne at?)