"We should find someplace to stay if we are going to rest here for a while.  And yes the stable is definitely needed otherwise I'll be hunting for Old Jack for days before we leave."

He slaps the reins on the mules to get them moving.

Fizzband accepts the pipe back and once again empties the bowl, and steps on the ash to make sure it is out...

He remounts his riding dog, and continues into the town, looking for both the stables and the Inn.

"Good plan we should get settled in and get to know the locals."

As the group heads into the village, a strange sight beholds them. Well not so much. A camel stands watching them with a small person standing next to it. The persons hood is drapped across her face as well as a small hankerchif. The camel spits and it lands on the gnome. It whistles up at the camel and it snorts. A simple nod as she pulls back her hood "Been here a day."
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:18, Fri 05 Apr.

Fizzband considers the animal spit and being well versed in such matters offers the right response....

"Thank you for the gift of water, it is  accepted."

The gnome ties it up into a small cloth.....

Current song going through my mind is

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
America, horse with no name

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Marhault's face breaks into a grin as he spies the halfling and her camel at the village gates.

"Mocha! I should've guessed you'd be ahead of us already. Ever the scout!  Ever unseen! Mocha, she'll...ah...hrm. 'Choke-ya?'"  The half-elf frowns, draws out his pocket-sized folio and begins to scribble at it with the quill stuck in his cap.  "No, that's not it.  We'll workshop it."  He strikes through some lines on the parchment, then hands the quill back towards his cap.  A furry little creature with shiny black eyes peeps out from beneath it, snaps up the quill in it's little fangs, and disappears back under the hat.  Marhault clears his throat.

"Any chance you've secured lodgings already for your fashionably late companions?"

Fizzband having put the moisture away....

He leans on his staff,

"Ms. Macchiato can you point us to the stables and lodging?"

"Hello Mocha how are you?"Gorosh  says happy to see the Halfling.

As the rest of the group comes together around their early companion, Marhault casts an eye about the village from the back of his horse.  The smell of wood smoke and kine filled fields catches the warm breeze and sweeps down the open lane to them - a pleasant aroma of life at work.  His imagination conjures up the scenes of village festivals and local concerns, the weals and wanes of the years going by.  How many folks have spent their lives among these dotted hills?  How many of them dreamed of further horizons, as he did?

As he wonders, he tries to remember anything of what he's heard of this humble village of Hommlet during his time on the road [12].

"Stay away from the camel, those things have nasty manners and like to spit and pee on people.  Saw a poor halfling almost drowned by a camel."

He continues to take in the sights of the small village.  Looking for a blacksmith or armorer to sell any loot they may salvage later on.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:40, Thu 11 Apr.

Well the camel spits at the gnome. Again. Mocha looks up at him "Really?" She shakes her head and looks at the group "Just checked out the outer village. Saw some odd cloaked people. Things. Something. Came out of the woods and went back in." She shrugs "So haven't gone inside. But I know where the tavern is and where one is, so is the stabling. You can learn a lot by just watching." The camel gets close to the clercic....and raises its leg. Wow.

The bard thinks about the village and its inhabitants. All he can recall is something very bad happened years ago and some are still haunted by it. Perhaps talkig to someone in the village....

As the group heads inside, there is a few people moving around. All are working. As they get closer to the taven, across the way is a blacksmith. A dwarf works on something on the outer forge. On the sign of the tavern 'Inn of the Welcome Wench'.

Barwin quickly moves away from the camel.  "Nasty critters." he states as he moves towards the Black Smith.

"Greeting Brother Dwarf.  I am Barwin Stonefist, at your Service.  I was just wondering If I could pick your brain while you work.  I am new here and was looking for work and a place to stay.  Is there an Inn close by?  Don't suppose you but old weapons and armor by any chance.  I may have some in the near future, just looking for a place to off load them."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:27, Fri 12 Apr.

Fizzband waits patiently while the dwarf engages the blacksmith in what he concludes is shop talk, and not much he knows more than a little about.  Some of his tinker kin were very much into working with metals and making things of that sort, he was more interested in magic and alchemy.

He carefully keeps his dog out from underfoot of any of the larger animals.

"Stables second then it seems..."

"Are yer daft? Inn is right there. So why are yah asking me dumb questions eh? Stables are right next tah it. Yer need tak pay attention dwarf." The smith stretches then goes back to work "Yeah I'd be interested. If I can't use them, can break it all down. Same fer armor. Got some stuff yah can take a look at if yah interested."

Hmm...a dark history in Hommlet... Marhault searches his memory, trying to tease out any other details but can only recall vague details.  Some investigation will be in order, if he can find some folk willing to discuss it.

He follows the group into the village proper, and listens a minute as Barwin talks shop with the local smith. His eyebrows perk up at the sight of the Inn's shingle. "Like the old saying goes: if there's no gossip at the watering hole, it must be dried up!" He chuckles to himself and dismounts.  After tying up Lilly on a nearby post Marhault makes his way inside the Welcome Wench to track down the barkeep.

"Excuse me my friend!" he starts with a bow.  "Myself and my fellow travelers have only just arrived in your lovely burg.  Is there room enough for five boarders, two horses, a hound, three mules, a camel, and a cart?"

Gorosh weighs in on what he’s going to do and decides to tag along with Marhault since he is headed to the inn. His stomach has been grumbling for the last mile of the trip to Hommlett. Even if it’s something quick it will help.

“What I need is food and a pint of mead to wash it down.”

He walks into the inn.

"Well let me see what ya have.  Has been a while since I seen any good Dwarven Craftsmanship.  I ain't got much gold to my name at the moment but never hurts to have an extra weapon or two." The cleric waits to see what the smith brings forth.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:46, Wed 17 Apr.

Having no direct business with the blacksmith, Fizzband heads also for the Inn, pretty much right behind the others.  When he gets there he looks for any notice regarding riding dogs versus other mounts, seeing nothing specific he leaves the dog with the other mounts.

"Indeed, it is agreed Meade would wash the dust away."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:51, Wed 17 Apr.

Blacksmith: Mocha, Barwin
OOC Didn't realize there's no dwarf here but heck there is now lol!

"Whatcha want? Got many things. Could custom makes somethin' fer you but gonna cost yah. I got some just basic weapons an' armor. Nothin' fancy. Got a few others work' here. Yah'll nothin' special." It looks like a simple smithing. Nothing odd. The dwarf grabs a cigar and puffs on it.

Mocha stands next to Barwin, whistle a tune but its oddly quiet. Her camel looks around.

Inn: Fizzband, Gorosh, Marhault
Before they enter, the group goes to the stables close to the inn. 7 silver a day and the young boy holds out for the money. The cart is kept outside but within eyeshot and the camel is elsewhere with Mocha.

Afterwards when its takenc are of.....
The inn is relatively quiet. Standing behind the bar is a woman, wiping off some mugs. Her black hair and pale skinned woman stops and stares at the three that walk in. "Do I look like I'm in charge of the damn stables? You will have to deal with him. I can send word to him bout it." The boy pops in, grumbling and pulls her aside. After a moments he leaves to do his job and the woman growls. He's a young boy and probably ticked off the woman and seems afraid of her. "What you want for food? Got beef stew, crawfish, sausages an' some others. An' for ale. Beer? Mead? Wine? Brandy?"

She points at the wall:
Beef Stew-4 silver
Crawfish boiled with drawn butter-4 silver
Poached Salmon-3 silver
Spice sausages-5 silver
Stuff pork chops-5 silver
Steak and kidny pie-5 silver
Marinated mutton chops-6 silver
Roast goose-7 silver
Venisoon steak-7 silver
Squash-stuffed pheasant-8 silver
-All means come with bread ad honey, potates and string beans, yams, rum-boiled artichokes, cabbage carrots and spinach

Light Means
Pepperd bread-8 copper
Outmeal-1 silver
Boiled Eggs-2 silver
Fruit and cheese-2 silver

Drinks
Beer-2 copper
Beer, heavy-3 copper
Ale-4 copper
Ale, spiced-7 copper
Mead-1 copper
Mead, special brew-14 copper
ect.

Gorosh is undecided between the beef stew and the crawfish. He hasn’t had crawfish in a while, so he’ll order them both.

”I’ll take the beef stew with potatoes and string beans and  also a plate of crawfish.

Fizzband checks over the menu...

"I will have a beer, boiled eggs and oatmeal."

The bard considers, his eyebrows already raised at the innkeeper's sharp reproach. A long day on one's feet never improves a mood... The thought comes and goes, but he can't help but wonder if there's something else to her irritation beyond the inane questions of wayward strangers. 'A dark history in Hommlet,' after all. It's a risk to push further on it, but he hoped he had enough charm to ease things over with her.

"My sincerest apologies, ma'am - I should've seen the trees as the forest on that very point!  Blunt stone, am I.  If it's not too much trouble, poached salmon and a mead would be ideal for myself.  And if you have some time after, I was hoping I could bend your ear on some local questions?"  He winces an eye shut on the last point, as if bracing for a cuff.

Barwin

"Guess I will have to pass for now.  Doesn't look like you have any throwing axes so i will come back later. Maybe make me a couple if you have the time.  Just something I been wanting to learn.  No hurry.  Will bring you all I can carry the next time we get a good haul of weapons or armor.  Good to see another Dwarf around town too.  Let me take a look at that dagger over there.  Might be interested in it."

He waves goodbye to the dwarf and makes his way to the Inn looking for a place to lay his head for the night.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:13, Wed 24 Apr.

This message was deleted by the player at 19:56, Thu 25 Apr.

Marhault smiles and pats a friendly hand on Fizzband's shoulder.  "Couldn't have put the question better myself!" He laughs to himself, a bit embarrassed at his own round-about approach.

Blacksmith: Mocha, Barwin
The blacksmith grumbles and goes inside. He comes out with a throwing axe and tosses it to the cleric "Consider it a damn gift." He starts to work outside the forge as well as the cleric and rogue head into the inn.

Inn: Fizzband, Gorosh, Marhault, Mocha, Barwin
The two of them walk in and see the group at a table with a barkeep. She turns and scowls then looks back at the group "Payment first. Food and ale afterwards." As they are about to converse, a man walks down. He seems to be somewhat grumpy and walks over to the fire and sits down with a lute. The man plucks a few strings, not seeing the group immediatly and looks up. He smiles.