Grey Lake 1

Updates Monday nights and Thursday nights





The sky outside is a mix of lavender and vermillion as the sun sets over the West side of the city of Grey Lake. Though night is taking the sky, a soft glow of light emanates from the windows of a popular alehouse and inn.

Within the Rusted Nail, at the front door stands the large intimidating figure of Olaf. He’s a bald headed older man, nearing his late forties, but his stature belies his age. Olaf stands over six and a half feet tall and is bound in muscle; his face is a story of old battle wounds, crisscrossed with scars. Beside him is a crate that contains a few weapons; daggers and knives, a crossbow, an axe, and a sword. Any who enter the establishment are patted down by Olaf and their weapons are placed in the crate to be picked up upon their departure.

Behind the bar is Gil, a man of age with Olaf but in very different physical condition. Gil has thinning brown hair and though he is broad shouldered, he is also thick of gut. He stands a few inches under six foot and has a calm and friendly face.

Three men sit at the bar; one (an old man) is so drunk that he has fallen asleep. A fat richly dressed man sits beside a guy who appears to be a common laborer. The fat man has a thick black beard and long black hair; both of which are well groomed. The labor, by contrast, wears a simple tunic with short sleeves, is broad shouldered and broad chested with thick muscled arms; his hair is trimmed short and he has a long scar that runs from down the right side of his face from the top of his brow to just above the mouth.

The tables within are mostly unoccupied save for a couple who sit closely together sharing a meal.

Olaf stops you at the door and pats you down when you enter.

Even as Olaf pats him down, Tom rolls his eyes at the large man’s unwavering allegiance to protocol.

“You don’t have to search me, Olaf - I work here!” he tells him for probably the millionth time. It’s all part of the routine any and every time Tom is sent outside the doors of the Rusted Nail.

Olaf finishes his part in the ritual and grunts admissibly, crossing his scarred arms and looking back out onto the street with the eyes of a hawk. Tom runs briskly inside.

Cleaning a mug out, Gil gives the boy a smile as he approaches the bar and hops onto a stool.

“So, what’s the word, Tom m’boy?” he asks.

“Lord Farthing says he’ll buy our latest bunch of casks after all,” Tom confirms. “He wanted a lower price, but I told him it was set in stone like you told me.”

Gil laughs and tousles the boy’s mop of brown hair. “Well done, lad. Those noble types love to pinch every penny no matter how much of ‘em they ‘ave, you remember that.”

“Yessir,” Tom nods. He hesitates a moment, before continuing. “Can Molly and me go to the square and watch the performers now? There’s hardly a soul in here tonight, Pa.”

Gil furrows his large brow, considering. Finally, he sighs and nods. “Fine, fine, but the two of you need to clean up afore you go running off.”

Tom beams. “Yessir!” He hops back off the stool and dashes back into the kitchen, abruptly stirring the sleeping old man.

In the kitchen, Molly is busy cleaning the floors of fallen food and grime. When she sees Tom, she stops her work to wipe her brow and gives him a tired smile.

“Slow night, eh Tommy? Did you ask Pa about-”

“-Yes and he said we could if we finish cleaning first,” Tom interrupts, excited.

Molly laughs. “Well, roll up those sleeves and let’s get to it.” Tom obeys and the two of them work on making the kitchen spotless again, lest they win a stern lecture from Mel the cook.

Avren steps inside, raising an eyebrow slightly when the lumbering giant guarding the door insists on patting her down for weapons. "Oh, very well," she says, handing Olaf the small but very sharp knife she kept on her person and acquiescing to a more thorough search with a slightly amused look. "Though it does make one wonder what sort of clientele this place expects to make such measures necessary..."

If she thinks anything of the current clientele as she pauses just past the doorway and coolly surveys the room she keeps it to herself. Starting to make her way toward the counter, she says over her shoulder, "Yantse, that jolly fellow there would like to hold your bow and skinning knife awhile," as her servant enters the building after her.

"Good evening, sir," she says in polite greeting to Gil. "Seeing how your inn is so fortuitously located near the city's oldest library, I'm seeking lodging for...hmm, shall we say a fortnight? My horse has already been stabled, and I need two adjoining rooms...one as spacious as possible, if you can oblige me there. And also," she adds after a moment, "We'll not be needing the services of a maid. In fact, I'd appreciate it if we were not disturbed at all during our time here."

As Uydr looks down on Olaf he just simply says "No." and walks inside. He has fought mountain lions and coyotes for food one human does not scare him.

He attempts to walk around the man at the door, but his way is barred.

"I check you or you do not enter," Olaf says.

Uydr does not reply.

"You want in?" Olaf asks. "I'm checking you."

Narrowing his eyes, Uydr allows the guard to briefly pat him down before being let inside.

"Let's hope you're here for a bath," the doorman says as Uydr enters the inn.

Looking around at the other people in the room, he identify s everyone even the little girl in the back of the room while her mistress speaks quickly to the man behind the counter.

Thinking quickly no one here is threat. He moves to the back and bends over to look at the girl more closely. Noticing the trama done to her he flashes back to the slave cravan he use to be caught in. Remembering the cruelty of his master he decides to speak with her

Pointing to the scare and the missing finger he says "Who?" getting no response he sits next to her and waits for her answer making it apparent he won't leave till he gets one.

During this time the owner walks over and says "What would you like?"

Uydr for a brief second looks over and says "Water."

Uydr thoughts turn back to the girl awaiting her response.

Gil smiles at Avren, "You're requested accomodations will not be a problem. I'll 'ave m'daughter show you to your rooms and our knave will bring your belongings up. After that you will not be disturbed m'lady. You have my word. The larger rooms are a bit pricey though, you'll need 2 silver a night, the smaller adjoinging room is included in that cost. Also included in the cost are your meals."

"I'll have my daughter show you to your room, and our knave will take your belongings up, once you've paid and are ready, of course."

"Molly! Tom!" he calls. "Prepare the master room," he tells Molly.

A dirty man walks in next, a huge beast of a man with grimy hair and dirty skin. Gil eyes the man suspiciously as he stops at the bar to talk to Avren's shadow, a little girl that he had already forgotten was in the room. The girl didn't respond and soon the towering dirty figure got back up and sat at the bar.

"What'll you have?" Gil asked of him.

"Water," the man said in a thick tongue.

They say not to judge people by their appearance, Gil thought, but this guy must be just as poor as he looks. He filled a mug with water and set it before the man. "Water's free," he told him, though it was only part true. Water was free with a meal, but this guy didn't look like the type who could afford much and Gil had always been a sucker for people down on their luck.

Just then a group of four city guardsmen entered the room, each with their little clubs on their belts. Guards were one of the few exceptions to the no-weapons policy, royalty and high ranking city officials were the others.

The guards sat at a table together and Nikki, the barmaid on duty, moved over to greet them and take their orders; adjusting her blouse so that her breasts were more clearly exposed before doing so.

(OOC: just a note, Yantse isn't really a 'little girl', she's more like 18 or 19, though do to her build I guess it's possible to mistake her for being younger.)

Avren pauses in her conversation with the innkeeper, looking over at the enormous, filthy man entering the inn and narrowing her eyes as he approaches her servant. She had just opened her mouth to protest when the new arrival was briefly distracted to order a drink, allowing Yantse to slip quickly out the door. "Two silver a night will be fine, thank you," she says instead, relaxing slightly and turning back to Gil with a brief nod. Taking a small pouch from an inner pocket of her robe, she counts out fourteen coins. "Will it do to pay the first week now and the rest later? I'm having the majority of my funds sent up with some other things on the caravan from River Ridge," she explains, naming a smaller town a few days travel to the south. "I didn't feel it was wise for just the two of us to carry many valuables, making the trip alone. You understand, I'm sure."

Sliding an additional silver piece across the counter, this one larger and strangely marked, she adds in a lowered voice, with a brief, nearly imperceptible flick of a finger toward the suspicious looking, oversized man. "And again, as I'm sure you're a man of your word, I'll thank you to see to it that I and my servant are not bothered in any way?"

Avren resumes a normal speaking voice and pushes herself away from the counter with a glance toward the door. "As for my things, yes, call for your boy, please. Yantse should be unloading the horse now. There are a few...more delicate items she'll be handling herself, but he can bring the others while I get a look at the room. And...I know I just said I wouldn't need a maid, but would you mind having someone draw a couple of baths, just for tonight? We're both rather tired."

Despite her last statement and a slight edge of weariness to her voice she seems perfectly alert, looking around immediately when the doors open again to note the guards coming in, shaking her head a bit at the barmaid's obvious flirting once they settled at a table.

Uydr hears the girl leave as he orders his drink. His mountain lion parents instilled the need to be aware at all times. So he also notes that the lady talking to the man up front seems anger and wary of him.

That causes him to watch her mannerisms more carefully. Seeing her lean in and tell the owner something and move away.

Suddenly the door slams open and he hears a group walk in. He looks sees the weapons at there side and matters "Weak" under his breath.

As he notes the women's disgust at the barmaid, who is obviously trying to mate with one of the guards, he yells cross at here. "Why you scared?"

Nearly done when Gil calls for them from the main room, Tom and Molly give each other knowing glances. It figures they should be needed the moment they’re done with their final duties.

Molly puts away all the cleaning equipment and hurries to hear her father’s orders, Tom following behind.

Tom enters the main room to see several new customers; a pale woman in black a tall, wild-looking man and some of the local city guardsmen ogling Nikki. He silently bemoans the gods and their love of cosmic irony.

Gil tells his daughter to prepare the master room for the pale woman and her aid, then approaches Tom.

“Go help this lady’s servant unload her horse,” he tells the boy. Tom looks a bit forlorn, causing Gil to add in a whisper, “And then you and Molly may go for the night.”

Tom nods his head and bolts out the front door. He sees a reined horse close to the entrance, a tan young man in a straw hat removing some things from its back. Tom approaches, smiling.

“Hi,” he greets the older boy, “what do you want me to take?”

Avren isn't completely sure whether the man is shouting across the room at her or at someone else or just because he likes to hear himself shout, but either way she ignores him and waits calmly for the innkeeper's daughter to finish preparing the rooms. Let him make as much commotion as he wants--perhaps then he'll be the guards' problem. It had been a long day of travel, and she wasn't in the mood to deal with some uncouth barbarian right now.

********

Yantse glances down at the boy and nods in greeting, handing him a large canvas bag that feels like it's full of clothing, and after a moment's consideration, a couple of heavy books that have been carefully wrapped in oilskin. She herself takes hold of a medium-sized chest that sports a formidable brass lock and emits a faint clinking sound of glass as she hefts it onto one shoulder, groaning a bit under the weight. Over the other shoulder she slings a straw bag that gives off a strong odor of herbs, and with another nod, she starts off toward the inn.

Uydr figures out that she is ignoring him. He also doubts she would continue doing so, if he stepped up to her and asked the question directly. But he does not want to cause any trouble for the man who owns the place. After finishing his water he gets out a bag tied to his belt and puts a silver on the table as a tip. He walks back outside.

As he passes the guard of the place, he nods his head. Respecting the man as a warrior because of the lack of weapons on him.

Heading to the stables he sees the boy the owner sent out helping the young women with her bags. He walks to the stables.

Upon entering he sees a beautiful gray stallion. After taking a good look and thinking about what he knows about horses from the ones who pulled his cage back in the old days. He notes this one is hungry and walks out side to find an apple.

Tom takes the bag and books the boy gives him and returns back inside the Rusted Nail (surprisingly without any fuss from Olaf). He stands beside the quiet kid in the straw hat and waits for some word that Molly's finished with their room so he can take their belongings upstairs and leave already!

While he waits, he attempts to strike up idle conversation with the boy. "So, where you guys from?"

The boy says nothing.

"Where you going?"

Still nothing.

"Hey, what's in that chest? Is it treasure?"

Nothing.

Sensing a pattern, Tom turns his attention to the patrons of the inn, particularly the guardsmen, who he presumes are off-duty - like he wishes he was now. He watches Nikki flirt and inveigle with giggles and the batting of eyes and the men stare wide-eyed at her cleavage and less-than-subtly fondle her. Tom's not so young he doesn't understand what's up and he wonders where Darla is to rein in her sister.

Glancing up at the stairs to the second level, Tom wonders what's taking Molly so long.

Outside

Uydr finds an apple tree not far from the stables but before he picks one he sees a group of men walking up the road towards the inn. There are roughly ten of them in all, and every one of them has a weapon. Though a few of them look like men who have seen some battles in their lives, for the most part they look young and inexperienced. Oddly enough, excluding the man leading the group, the fiercest looking among them is a tall ugly woman that momentarily captivates Uydr.

The man leading them is older; the top of his head bald and the rest of his black hair is pulled back into a tail. He wears well-polished plate mail and a long sword is sheathed into his belt.

They stop at the door, Olaf allowing admittance only for the armored man and asking that the rest remain outside. Left outside, many of them talk with nervous excitement.


Inside

Tom’s enthusiasm mounts as Molly descends the stair, she’s finally done. There’s a smile on her face as well and she is beaming with excitement. Her face falls when the door opens.

Spinning around, the young man sees the source of her look; a knight who still wore his sword on his belt. Olaf was diligent in searching patrons. Only members of the guard, knights, and major nobles were allowed to enter with any type of weapon still on them, and even then the guards and knights were restricted to minor non-bladed weapons when not on duty. That meant the knight was on official duty. And knights on official duty entering the Rusted Nail rarely meant anything positive.

The knight had only been in the Nail once before to Tom’s recollection, but he couldn’t remember the name. He spoke briefly to Gil, too far away for Tom to hear what was being said but it was revealed soon enough anyway.

Avren hears the exchange well enough, though; and what she hears worries her.

“I need men,” the knight says. “There’s been some trouble in River Ridge.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“I don’t know. There are whispers of dragons if you believe the peasants.”

Gil chuckles a bit.

“I wish it were a laughing matter, Gil. Something happened down there, burned up half the damn village in the night, abducted or killed thirty some men, women, and children... Whatever it was we need to stop it before it happens again,” the old knight says.

Gil crosses his arms before him; “Bit of a sparse crowd tonight, Sir; but you’re welcome to ask.”

“My thanks,” the knight says before walking to the center of the room. “Gentlemen,” he says after clearing his throat. His voice is loud and booming and everyone within pauses what they are doing to listen. “We are looking for brave volunteers to investigate a tragedy that has befallen River Ridge. Lord Tarken has offered two gold Aldaires* for any man who joins me.”

One of the guards stands. “I’ll come,” he says. “That’s an upgrade in pay for me.”

“I’m sorry lad,” the knight says; “Your duty is to the city.”

“Then I quit,” the guard says. His companions look at him, two with shock and one with anger. “I’ve been thinking of leaving the guard anyway.”

The knight thinks it over and nods. “Alright,” he says. He surveys the room. “Is there anyone else who will join me?”

The prospect of adventure is not lost on Tom, but he can’t imagine Gil giving him permission to tag along.

Avren's lips tighten in annoyance as she notices Yantse has allowed the serving boy to handle her books, and she steps forward quickly to reclaim them. "Excuse me young man, but I'll take care of these." Setting them next to her on the counter and turning her attention to Yantse, she adds with a slight edge to her voice, "Really, if I'd known it was such a bother to make two trips I would have done it myself."

If she intended to add anything further to that she didn't get a chance, as just then the knight walked in. It was obvious to her from the man's manner that he had grave news, but she was wholly unprepared to hear it. She gets a stricken look at the mention of the name of the town, her face if possible going a shade paler. None of this is lost on Yantse, who quickly sets down the chest she's carrying and steps closer as if expecting she might need assistance, but Avren waves her off, her eyes riveted on the knight making his announcement to the rest of the patrons.

Almost before he's finished his exchange with the eager guard she speaks up, voice carefully composed, though her white-knuckled grip on the edge of the bar might belie her tone. "I shall be accompanying you. I must find out what's become of the caravan." Adding by way of explanation, "I had...many things I would deem irreplaceable coming here in the wagonmaster's care." She tilts her head thoughtfully a moment. "As for fighting dragons...while I'd certainly like to observe one if they still exist, it sounds more likely the town's been victim of raiders. Unusual as it would be in this area...perhaps pickings were slim in the south this year."

Turning to Gil, she shakes her head. "I'm sorry to say I won't be needing those rooms yet after all...well, besides the small one for tonight." She doubted the expedition intended to start before morning...or at least she hoped they didn't. "Though the silver is yours if you can arrange for us the use of two good horses by dawn. And the wagonmaster, Gavrin...it might be possible he and his men set out before this all occurred." Or at least that's what I'll be praying for... "If so I expect to meet them on the road...but if we somehow miss each other on the way and he arrives here after all, will you hold my things in safekeeping until I return? He and his men have instructions for handling it all."

Tom looks up apologetically at the the pale woman as she takes the books from him. When she voices to her servant boy that she would've brought them in herself, he wonders why she didn’t do that just that if she's so possessive of them. He says nothing, however, and quickly forgets when he sees Molly descending, then turns to see the source of her sudden change in expression: an entering knight.

Molly comes downstairs and stands beside him, but Tom now stares with rapt attention at the scene before him. He wonders what’s happened at River Ridge; no doubt, something more interesting than street performers. The word “tragedy” kills any real chance of being allowed to go see for himself, but that doesn't mean he's not like to try anyway.

He glances sidelong at Molly and, smiling, whispers, “Whaddaya think?”

Uydr interested in this new party but not forgetting his horse friend Picks three apples and goes back to the stable.

After feeding them to the horse and satisfied it is full. He goes back and looks at the party.

He does not have a good feeling about them. They look like they are prepared for war. He decides that he will watch more carefully from the nearby woods.

Uydr stalks into the forest disappearing into the night. Ready for wherever this adventure may lead.

Outside

Udyr walks around the inn, searching for the woods but finding none. Cities make Udyr feel more than a little uncomfortable. They’re so unnatural. Why must man tear down trees to raise buildings? A few trees here and there provide homes for birds, at least; but for little else.

After turning down a few streets Udyr finds himself lost. Yet another thing he hates about these man-made clusters of buildings; in the forest he can bypass trails and cut through the bush to get to where he is going. But in the city he has no choice but to follow the cobbled paths, trying to take short cuts often leads to a dead end.

He can’t even use the stars to guide him, the street lamps blinding him whenever he looks up. The noises are strange in the city, sounds echoing around him all wrong. It’s disorienting to say the least.

He stops and tries to collect himself when a dog approaches him with caution. The dog is scruffy and underfed and one of its eyes is milk white with blindness. It growls a bit as it comes closer.



Inside

Tom glances sidelong at Molly and, smiling, whispers, “Whaddaya think?”

Molly looks back at him with wide eyes and shakes her head. “Oh no, Tom,” she whispers back. “What are you thinking? Father would kill us.”

Glancing around, Tom saw Gil’s eyes on him. Sneaking out to join this group wasn’t going to be easy if he was going to do it.

He studied the knight briefly. The guy was older, but he didn’t look like a push over. He wondered how difficult it would be for Olaf to take him down. Not very, he concluded. Tom hadn’t seen many who would be a match for Olaf, and even in those cases he wasn’t entirely convinced.

Gil turned his gaze back to the pale woman before him. “Aye lady; I can get you horses. But if you don’t mind my saying… Whatever these men find, it sounds like it will be trouble. Isn’t there someone you could send in your stead? There are several honorable courier services in Grey Lake. I will gladly send one to you.”

"Or if the lady prefers," comes a thick timbered voice from beside her. "She can have an armed escort." It's the laborer, the one who was sitting with the posh fat man at the bar. "I don't charge much."

Gil throws a towel over his shoulder. "That's better than going alone, I guess," he says. His face still says that he doesn't like the idea of it.


With no one else stepping forth, the knight cleared his throat and spoke again. “I intend on arriving at River Ridge by mid day,” the knight said; “we will leave at first light in the morning. Rest well and rise early.”

And with that the knight turned on his heel and walked out of the inn.

Avren shakes her head in impatience at Gil's suggestion, immediately dismissing it. But as she can tell the man means well--and in truth she'd half expected similar protest from the knight--she keeps her tone reasonable and polite, though absolutely firm. "I thank you for your concern, but time may be of essence, and this is not an errand I can leave to others." She chooses her next words carefully, trying to make him understand. "I intended to settle in this city, you see, perhaps for years--we're not talking about a bit of gold and a few personal belongings, but of my life in its entirety." My anatomy books, my relics, my equipment...the magnifier, the starglass, the apothecary kit alone...it took me years to put it all together. And Gavrin was a good and loyal man. I don't care if we're dealing with raiders, or dragons, or the Dark Prince himself, I WILL discover what's become of that caravan.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the deep-voiced man with the scar beside her. Pausing, she thoughtfully considers him. "Hmm. You do seem capable, and I assume you would not have made such an offer without having those here who can attest to you being a man of honor. So I thank you, but..." Here her lips quirked up into the ghost of a smile, "...trust me when I say I'm not one you'd want to bind yourself to for a pittance. If you wish to come, I advise you to take the soldier's pay...though if after that you still feel duty-bound to protect a lady, who am I to stop you?"

"Though I do assure you I'm not as helpless as I may seem. I've done a fair bit of traveling, mostly without escort, and so I'm well acquainted with the risks of the road." She continues with a nod toward her servant. "And if it does come to trouble, I assure you my Yantse can be...truly inspiring with a bow." There's a hint of something like pride in her voice as she says this. "She may not look like much, but I've seen her stick a man in the throat at thirty paces in the rain. Twice, actually." With a glance down at the girl's mutilated hand, she adds in a slightly regretful tone, "Granted, that was all before her...little accident, but she's a fair enough shot with even her off hand."

Noticing that Yantse looks decidedly uncomfortable with the sudden attention, Avren clears her throat and changes the subject. "Besides...be it man or beast, whatever attacked River Ridge has by now come and gone. I'll only be going as far as needed to find news of the caravan, not chasing a dragon over half the country. Why..." Her eyes fall on Tom. "I'd put forth that even this boy could make the trip to River Ridge and back without coming to harm. In fact..." A sudden thought seems to strike her. "...in fact, if the boy wishes to come along I'd swear to his safe return and pay a fair price for his services as well." She shrugs. "Yantse will have her hands quite full looking after three horses, when I'd of course much rather have her looking after me and helping keep watch for anything unusual."

Uydr shaking his head knows where the dog is going. It is obviously territorial and it is protecting its turf. Uydr knows that even with as weak as it is that it could cause some damage but he also knows that it would see him as walking away as running. Which at least to say is a very bad idea.

Thinking on his feet. He throws the dog some slated meat he had left over from his journey to Grey Lake.

[admin edit:] The dog's eyes don't leave Udyr, at lease not at first. But eventually the scent of food is too much for him to bear and he eats the meat readily enough. When it's finished it looks up at Udyr expectantly, but the man has already walked on.

Uydr then stumbles down the road he came from knowing he will eventually run into someone or something recognizable.

The combination of Molly's apprehension and Gil's disapproving eyes seem defeating. At the same time, Tom's only grown more interested in going. And then the pale woman speaks up. When she turns to look at him and proposes his service, Tom jumps at the chance.

"Oh! Pa, could I?" he asks Gil.

The large-bellied innkeeper frowns and furrows his brow. "I'm sorry, Tom. It's too dangerous.," he says and gives Tom another look. "Besides, I need your help around here. You understand?"

At Gil's finality, Tom hangs his head. "I understand," he replies morosely.

He glances at Molly, who looks relieved, then prepares to leave the main room. As an afterthought, Tom remembers something that was said about the pale woman's tan, straw-hat wearing servant that he was too preoccupied to notice.

"Wait... he's a girl??"

Outside

Udyr continues to turn down various roads becoming more and more confused with every turn. Things start to look familiar but it doesn’t help, he’s made so many wrong turns that he could be anywhere. He becomes more and more frustrated with each step.

Then, as luck would have it, he turns a corner and runs directly into the knight who had lead the group of armed men to the Rusted Nail.

“Oh,” the older man says; “My apologies.” He starts to continue on his way.


Inside

The patrons slowly trickle out of the common room, leaving only a few guests within. Olaf walks over and wakes the sleeping drunk, helping the man out of the Rusted Nail while the serving wenches start cleaning up. Save for the recently retired guard and the pale woman with her servant, the room is almost entirely empty.

Molly walks over to the pale woman, “Madame, will you be needing anything else before retiring for the night?”



When Olaf returns, Tom overhears him talking to Gil. “It’s not good for the boy to be cooped up here all the time, Gil.”

“It’s safe, Olaf. That’s all that matters.”

“I’ll go with him,” the big man offers.

“You don’t have to do this,” Gil says.

“You hold onto him like this all the time you’re just going to lose him.”

Gil doesn’t answer at first and then at last he lets out a long breath. “Alright,” he says. “Gods be damned, Olaf. Alright.”

Olaf nods. “I’ll get Dokan to cover for me.”

“Aye,” Gil agrees before calling out to the boy; “Tom!”




NOTE: Next update will be preparing to leave, update after that and you’re all on the road. Get prepared, if you need anything in town go buy it – feel free to assume they have anything you need in the city (as long as it isn’t magical or something that seems super obscure).
If you have questions, message me. Good luck, have fun, the adventure part of the adventure will start soon.

Avren frowns a bit at the innkeeper's refusal, but has too many other things on her mind at the moment to let it bother her much. Another pair of hands would have been helpful, but hardly necessary. Yantse would just have to manage alone.

"Yes, yes," she says, nodding a bit absentmindedly at the boy's startled remark. "Yantse is a girl...and a girl with work to do, I'm afraid, so you'll have to get acquainted at another time."

Catching the eye of the girl in question, she nods toward the stairs to indicate she should finish hauling their things up, while she herself pushes herself away from the bar with a heavy sigh and wanders over toward the fireplace, where she stands for a long time with head bowed and back to the rest of the room, staring deeply into the flames and obviously lost in thought.

When Molly approaches, she jumps a bit, shaken from her reverie. "Goodness...I hadn't realized it had gotten so late." Pulling a pewter timepiece from her pocket, she frowns at it, then glances distractedly around the room. "Where's that servant of mine gotten off to? I need to send her to buy a few things, if the shops aren't already closed..."

Molly clears her throat. "Ah, actually, after looking after your pony and the horses Pa got you she went out...and I think bought a few things. She's upstairs right now, ma'am."

Avren relaxes a bit, nodding her thanks. "That's taken care of, at least. All right then, I still need to write a letter...have you a piece of paper? We were traveling very light, our intention was just to have a day or two's head start exploring the city, so I'm afraid my stationary was left back with...well, you know," she finishes with a little sigh, rubbing at her temples.

When the paper is fetched, she waves off the ink well. "No need." Reaching into her robe again, she takes out a small, flat leather case and from it, a thin cylinder made of the same material as her timepiece. Ink was contained in an even smaller cylinder inside it, modeled after the quill of a feather, and by pressing down on one end the hollow point is extended out the other, letting the ink flow smoothly onto the paper. The device, of her own design, she had had specially made by a clever silversmith she was a frequent customer of. She was glad now that she'd brought it along.

Quickly writing out a letter, she neatly folds and addresses it, then hands it to Gil along with coin for postage. "Would you be so kind as to send that with one of those honorable couriers in the morning?" No telling what may happen in the next few days, so I might as well get word out to cousin Chancel. Hopefully my next correspondence will contain better news. Or at the worst...well, she knows everything goes to her. What little that's left, anyway. Consolation prize for being the only one in the family who still speaks to me.

Bidding the innkeeper and his daughter good night, she heads toward the stairs, pausing only to retrieve the bundle of Yantse's arrows from the crate next to Olaf, with a questioning glance at the man to see if he'd try to stop her.

Yantse, freshly bathed, is dozing by the fire in her sleeping clothes, and starts awake at the thud of the door closing behind her mistress. Avren leans against it for a long moment, again rubbing her temples, looking a great deal more weary and troubled than she'd allowed herself to appear in front of the others downstairs.

"Your bath is getting cold," the girl finally says, poking at a kettle over the fire and breaking the silence with the first words she'd spoken all day. Avren nods in acknowledgment but doesn't move, letting her eyes wander across the room. Yantse's recent purchases--fresh rations, a compass, a length of rope, a traveler's lantern, and a few other necessary tools, all of good quality and sturdily built--were gathered neatly together next to the canvas bag, ready to pack.

On a table that was one of the simple room's only furnishings, she'd unloaded and arranged several glass bottles and pieces of equipment that had been among the things in the locked trunk, along with a few bundles of the herbs she'd been carrying.

After another moment or two Avren forces herself to refocus, straightening up with a little groan and going over to the table, where she she collects a pair of steel surgical knives with some small jars of ointment, rolls of bandages, a flask of strong liquor and a few other medical supplies into a waterproof satchel. "It might already be too late, you know. We may very well have lost everything," she abruptly says at one point, glancing across the room with a furrowed brow. Shaking her head and turning back to the table, she then begins mixing the carefully measured contents of several of the bottles with the aid of the hot water in the kettle and a few handfuls of herbs.

Finishing her current task, she lays out three of the resulting mixtures, fetching another flat leather case out of the chest and taking from it three metal cylinders very similar to the pen she'd used earlier, though the points that extended from these were much longer--about an inch--and wickedly sharp. Filling a cylinder from each jar, she carefully retracts the points and returns them to their case, which she attaches securely the inside of her left sleeve.

Tapping the rim of one of the jars to catch Yantse's attention, she goes to have her bath and change while the girl moves to retrieve her arrows and separates about half of them into three piles, each of which she begins dipping into the jars with the air of having done this many times before. A glancing blow from one arrow would cause numbness over the entire body and temporary difficulty moving, another would put the target into a heavy sleep, and while the concoction in the final jar was significantly slower to act, if the antidote were not administered in time the effects were fatal, and painful. The arrows she hadn't bothered to dip were of course equally deadly, though in the more traditional way.

When Avren finishes bathing she returns and carefully disposes of the residues before packing her equipment back into the chest. Sitting down, she methodically eats the now cold meal that had been laid out for her, then takes a restless walk around the room, finally retrieving a small cedar box from among a few other personal items in the canvas bag and flopping back down into the chair at the table, where she speaks up after a thoughtful pause. "It's not as if we'll starve in the streets. I brought fifty pieces of silver, and we've only spent fifteen. And then there are those three pieces of Larkannan gold. They're so old though, it would be a pity to have to spend them. Same goes for the jade necklace...I simply don't know if I can bring myself to sell it." She shrugs. "I can perhaps write another book, or even open an apothecary shop, to try and collect up the necessary funds. And then I can start...trying to rebuild..."

Unlatching the little box, she reverently fingers the three tattered raven feathers laid out on the velvet lining within, then closes her eyes as if in pain and lays her head on the table. "So much time lost, though...and I hardly came to the oldest city in the North to waste my days thinking about bloody silver and gold!" With a frustrated expression she snaps the box shut.

"You might as well take the bed. I doubt I'll be sleeping," she finally tells Yantse with a sigh, settling back to stare sightlessly through one of her books, her mind far away.

Uydr excited to recognize someone Grabs the man shoulder and says "Wait. I look for inn"

"Take your hands off of me," the knight says. "I apologized for running into you, I did. Are you drunk or mad?"

Uydr looks at him oddly "No mad. No drunk"

Taking hand off the knights shoulder and thinks hard.

"Saw you go in inn earlier tonight. More people with you. One with Big Guard."

The knight's eyes light up in understanding. "Ah, the inn. I've been to so many of them, I can't be sure which one your speaking of. The last one I was at was the Rusted Nail. I'll tell you what, we're going on a journey to the village of Rivers Bend and we could use a big strong man like yourself. If you'll join us, I'll take you back to the inn. Deal?"

Uydr looks at him and says "Fine."

The knight leads him back to the Rusted Nail.

After being pat down again. He goes up to gil and says. "Sleeping in the stables". Then throws 3 coppers to the man.

He then walks outside to the stables and looks at the grey horse. He then falls asleep in the stall next to him.

Ulmark enters the inn with an impatient grunt, aggrivated that the large, muscular man by the door insisted on taking his weapon. Although it was only a stout stick with nails sticking out in various places, it had proven to be a trusty - and fatal - weapon in the right hands. As he had done so many times in the past, Ulmark scans the room, picking out any possible threats.

There isn't exactly much to see though, most of the patrons seem to have left already, and now all that remain are a young boy who looks anxious about something, that large man who stripped Ulmark of his weapon earlier, and a barkeep. Although he doesn't want to go against the large man in a fight, Ulmark realizes that he won't start any trouble unless provoked, so he allows his gaurd to be lowered.

Taking a seat at the bar, Ulmark struggles to find the words he needs - a long time without speaking will do that to a man, especially if he is speaking in a foreign tongue - and mutters "I... need room. Rest. How much?" with a heavy accent. Without waiting for a response, Ulmark reaches into his coinpurse and akwardly throws some coppers on the table, waiting for the barkeep's next move.

Tom hears the pale woman answer the question he asked no one in particular. He looks to the… girl in the straw hat and doesn’t quite know how to react. On first appearance, she looks no different from any other boy a few years his elder, but now… Tom notices for the first time the sandy hair that pokes out from beneath her hat and her hazel-green eyes. When she casts those eyes toward him, he panics a little and moves away. Seeing Olaf talking to Gil, he focuses his attention on them.

When Olaf offers to go with him to River Ridge, Tom is a bit surprised. The two of them have always gotten along well enough, but there’s never been anything in the way of affection between them. Whatever his reason, Tom is at least glad Olaf is on his side.

After their back-and-forth is done, Tom answers Gil’s call.

“Right here, Pa!” he says and appears before them suddenly. He does his best to appear clueless about their exchange.

[OOC: UDYR – I feel I should warn you that bestiality simply will not be permitted.]

Gil explains to his foster son that Olaf will be going on the journey, and that Tom can go along as well…. So long as he promises to stay near the big man’s side and listens to what he tells him. Then he tells Tom to go to bed and get some sleep.

Gil shakes his head when the big ugly one returns, figuring the big galoot realized that he’d overpaid for that free water. He’s even more baffled when he throws three coins on the bar top and tells Gil that he’s sleeping in the stables, though it did explain the smell.

Not long after Udyr walks out another man walks in, saunters over to the bar and sits down in front of him, throwing some copper in Gil’s direction and asking about the price of a room.

“Just a room for the night is six copper,” Gil tells the late-comer, counting the copper that the man had nonchalantly thrown on the bar top. “So two more, please. Kitchen is closed for the night, but if you’d like breakfast it’s another two. “

Ulmark paid what was due and Gil gave him a key, directing him to the stairs that lead to the twelve guest rooms of the Rusted Nail. In addition to the common room, kitchen, and brewery; The Rusted Nail had a total of sixteen rooms within, but the other three were occupied by Gil, Molly, Tom, and Mel (the cook). Olaf and the barmaids live elsewhere in the city.

Up in her room, Avren scans the pages of her book; her mind everywhere but the words. At some point she must have passed out because she woke in the pre-dawn morning with her head resting on her hand, her wrist sore from hours of holding her head up. Someone moving in the room below must have woke her.
Eventually after your characters do whatever it is they need to do in the morning, they are greeted with the smell of cooked eggs, bacon, and sausages. The knight apparently bought all travelers breakfast. There were far more people eating than there were rooms. Apparently the Rusted Nail was the meeting place before setting out.

Udyr notes the large mannish warrior woman that he had spied the night before, prior to his disappearing into the city. Avren notices the scarred man who had offered to protect her the night before, he was talking to the man beside him, a slender man with dark eyes and dark hair. Tom, for the first time in forever was able to just sit down and eat and didn’t have to run around fetching plates and pitchers. Wanda, one of the barmaids serves him and Olaf an extra helping.

After some time the knight stands up and clears his throat. “Alright men,” he says, glancing uncertainly at Avren, Yantse, and a big warrior woman… “And ladies,” he said. “We’ll be heading out shortly. I pray your horses are prepared for the journey. Have a piss before we go, for we’ll not be stopping. I mean to reach Rivers Ridge by midday.”

Molly gives Tom a long hug and Gil pats him on the back and tells him to “Mind Olaf and stay close to him.”

The men and women mount their horses and set off through the city and eventually the southern gates. (if you didn’t have a horse you do now, at least for this trek).

The road is well used and virtually clear of stones. The twenty-seven mounted horses travel three abreast, consuming nearly the entire road.