In reply to Tarrov Garrick (msg # 27):

She looks up, a little surprised and looks around at everyone, her eyes lingering on Belgar for a bit. Oh...Uhmmm...Are you....ehrm...

She glances once more at the dwarf and looks away quickly, a blush coming to her cheek. Well...I guess I could get you some bread...and there'should some soup left from lunch...

Ezela! Desek shouts from inside the building. Where are those carrots?!

The girl calls back Oh...Ah...Comin' now! I...uh... She picks up the large basket of peeled carrots and looks back at you all. Well. Mostly Belgar . I'll bring you some vittles. Wait jus' a second.

She then disappears inside. Waiting on her to return? It does seem you have a moment here where no one is looking

Let's move forward

The young woman...Ezela apparently...comes back with a basket full of bread loaves and turnips. She passes this to you all. So...are you all performers? She says while glancing at Belgar . You must all be very skilled. Have you ever performed for the Masters before? I understand they like knife acts. But no dogs. They hate dogs.

"We've never performed for the Masters before, but fortunately we don't have any dogs," Tarrov reassures her.  "And a few of us have some skill with knives.  Though I myself," he patted the weapon spooled on his waist, "prefer the whip."  He briefly wondered if that would interest the auburn-haired Arkona, then immediately concluded that he didn't want to find out.

"So why do you call them the masters?"  He asked casually, taking a loaf from the basket and tearing it open.  "Thank you."  He raised a piece of bread in appreciation, then looked around the area in which they sat.  "How is it working here?"  His questions were posed in an offhand tone.  "Do you have many visitors now, with all the hubbub in the city?"

Belgar folds his arms and does what he can to avoid eye contact with the girl. His nose twitches uncomfortably an he rubs it before turning to face away from her.

Selvin took the time to look around and start scouting visually without moving to see where they would likely want to head next, as well to see if there was anything interesting or out of place. He stayed silent but gave the servant a small smile when she looked his way.

Zuni was the last of the group to enter the kitchen.  She had taken a minute before leaving the 'dressing room' to gather up the bottles of wine and some of the meat and bread and stuff them into her backpack.  Why pass up the opportunity, she figured.

She held back by the kitchen door, keeping an eye open on the courtyard beyond and the door that the mysterious woman had gone through.

Zuni, give me checks for perception and sense motive please. Belgar, you as well.

Hmm? Ezela takes her eyes off Belgar to address Tarrov's questions. Oh. I was born into the household. So the Family has always been the Masters. I don't wander off the grounds much. You hear things about what's going on in the city. But have more than enough to do here. There aren't as many visitors these days. And today is the first time in a month we've had any kind of celebration. Usually the Masters like to hold a little To Do of some sorts each week. But this being Young Master Pol's birthday and such they wanted to do womethin' special. Lany Arkona really does dote on that boy. I'm so glad they found him.

While she prattle on Selvin you look over the house. Or what you can see of it. The nearest entrances are some double doors into the dining room you were shown earlier. Otherwise, the closest entrance is back into the garden. You look up at the second story of the house. In the window of an upstairs room is a young boy of about twelve years. He is looking down at you all with wide, nervous eyes. He sees you looking up at him and points at you. Well. Maybe not you. He points at his chin and rubs his hand along it, as if telling you you need a shave. He then points again.

"They . . . found him?"  Tarrov inquired.  "You mean . . . they adopted him?  That's . . . sweet, isn't it.  Where did they find him?"  He rubbed the back of his neck.  "Well, I can tell you that things are pretty bad out there.  The Queen is . . . well, the less said about the Queen the better, I guess."  He shook his head sadly.

"So, you said there aren't as many visitors these days.  Does that mean you have some now?  Will they be attending the entertainment?  Do you know their tastes?  We like to please everyone, to the extent that we can."

In reply to Tarrov Garrick (msg # 35):

Oh I don't know much about such things. Theyou say Young Master Pol was rescued from some orphanage. The Ladies want to give him a good Learning. They brought in a man from their hometown to do so. Master Some. But I wouldn' know anything about his likes.

Selvin stopped himself from frowning at the boy's gesture and instead smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way. He then tapped Tarrov on the shoulder and whisperedly told the man what he'd just seen to see if Tarrov knew if maybe the gesture meant something specific.

Hearing the name of the boy being thrown about in such a way has filled Belgar with mixed emotions.  The boy is alive, but could that be worse?  He turns back to the girl with an intensity that he cannot hide.  "P..  P..  Pol?"  he studders...  "I mean..."  He cups his mouth and coughs, turning his face down, but looking up through his bushy eyebrows against his own will.

18:16, Today: Belgar Ironclad rolled 18 using 1d20+6.  Sense Motive vs. Humans

18:16, Today: Belgar Ironclad rolled 37 using 1d20+17.  Perception vs. Humans
This message was last edited by the player at 03:15, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

"Any other visitors?"  Tarrov asked while trying to remember if he knew anything about the gesture Selvin had just informed him about.  "We heard that there might be someone of importance here, but," he looked around and lowered his voice, "it was all very mysterious.  And I'm sure you can understand not wanting to do anything that might offend people of importance, because for folks like us," he moved his hand quickly back-and-forth between them, "that can be bad news, you know?"

Zuni turns away from the outside door at hearing Belgar stutter.  Was that the boy that the Dwarf had come to rescue?  Keeping an ear out on the conversation that Tarrov was having, she turned to look back out into the courtyard.

OOC:
Perception -> 9
Sense Motive -> 17

In reply to Zuni Runesong (msg # 40):

Well I guess I can understand that, the girl says while slowly nodding. No one would wanna see a show that'd make them mad. But I don't know what would or wouldn't make the Masters angry. 'Cent Dogs. They hate dogs. I don't know of any other guests.

Zuni, It occurs to you you haven't seen a guard for a while. There doesn't seem to be any activity from inside the house either. Which seems odd.

Belgar, the mood  in the kitchen is tense. Very tense. No one in the kitchen is far away from a large knife or heavy skillet. Everyone is listening in to the conversation at the doorway between Ezela and Tarrov .

Zuni and Belgar you both get the distinct impression these people with the exception of Ezela are expecting violence to break out at any moment. But they aren't just waiting to see what you do. They are keeping an eye towards the woods. To put it bluntly, these people seem to be waiting for the hatchet to fall. They just aren't sure who's going to be swinging it.

None of them strikes you as a seasoned fighter.

Belgar has trifled with humans much over his years in Korvosa, and he could smell fear on men like smoke on a fire and fearful humans are dangerous.  Instinct begins to set in and the party begins to hear that familiar popping sound...  "I suggest we be movin' on."  He turns wide eyed and glances to the woods.  "The show is about to start."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:45, Wed 17 Feb 2016.

Tarrov sighed internally.  This was not going the way he had hoped.  Ideally the girl would have said "oh my, you dashing silver-hair rogue, we certainly do have a middle-aged human visitor!  He's got an unsightly mole on his nose!  I'm actually taking him his food now, would you like to come with me?"

Too much to hope for, I guess.  It was apparently also too much to hope that she would have any clue to Neolandus' whereabouts at all.  As it was, she seemed to have no clue, which meant one of the following three things:  1)  Neolandus wasn't at the Arkona's estate, which would be disappointing; 2) the Arkonas where keeping him well-hidden, even from their kitchen staff, which wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility, or 3) the girl was lying.

Tarrov didn't get the sense that the girl was lying, but he did get the sense that the situation in the area was deteriorating.  He had hoped that his conversation with the girl would be private, considering that she was sitting outside, but apparently the entire kitchen staff had been eavesdropping upon them.

"Thank you so much," Tarrov said, getting up.  "You've been more than helpful."  A lie, but a social one.  He turned back to the group, nodding at Belgar.  "We should get out of here," he agreed.  "I don't know what's going on, but I'm thinking this particular place isn't that safe for us right now, and it's getting less safe by the minute."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:30, Thu 18 Feb 2016.

Zuni noticed the odd looks that the staff were giving towards the woods.  The quiet of the manor was also disconcerting.  Where were the guards?  An important family such as this should have guards around.

She stepped back from the door and placed a hand on Selvins shoulder.  Speaking softly, she said "It's too quiet here.  For a place that's supposed to be getting ready for a party, it's too calm.  I'm with Belgar on this, the air is heavy with anticipation.  Something is about to happen."

"The question's what...and should we be more worried for ourself, the servants, or the masters?" Izzick asked - everything seemed wrong here, but then again, the strangeness of "They like knives and hate dogs" was enough to scream something was off. With Korvosa descending into madness however, nothing would surprise him anymore...at least he assumed.

In reply to Izzick (msg # 45):

The servants relax slightly once they seem to realize you are departing.

Alrightie. Obvious directions are back into the garden, head north along the outside of the house, South along the outside of the house, into the woods, or through some double doors to your east which lead into that dining room you were shown earlier

The dining room is dominated by a long mahogany table set with an expensive looking service. Set next to each place set are five gold coins.

Doors leading back to the garden are in the north wall. A set of double doors in the south eall next to the ones you entered seem to lead into a large room decorated by four large statues.

A door to the east leads out into a narrow hallway. The hall heads east and ends in a door. You would guess that door opens onto the front hall of the house. Two other doors open off this narrow hall. One to the north and one to the south.

Updating map. You are in D11

Zuni's first thought was to take the gold coins scattered about the place settings, but she hesitated.  She had left the thieving street urchin part of her past behind her, and that was not what Halfdan Rumsong would have done.  Still, it was odd to see coins placed like that.

"Anyone know why they've placed gold coins like that on the table?"

"My guess they get turned into ghouls and dumped on the shore after dinner."

Tarrov glanced at the table, racking his brain to try and remember if he'd heard of any sort of tradition or reason for five gold coins at the table.  In the meantime, he pointed at the door to the east.

"My first guess is that the Arkonas are crazy, and not in a good way.  I say we take that door."  He grimaced.  "We may have to fight through the entire Arkona family, and if we do I'd rather do it one at a time than face them all together."


OOC:  Knowledge (Local)--or whatever--check to determine the purpose of the gold coins.

Taking 10 -- Result of 20.

Selvin paused after they were out of the kitchen. "Tarrov, if we are getting ready for a fight, I need a minute to summon my friend. I'm nowhere near as effective without him." He wasn't being facetious. "But if we are sneaking, having him around makes me stand out quite a bit unless I'm invisible. So what's the call?"

"We're still not even sure who's going to kill who. If you can fight without him, it might be the time to keep him under wraps," the half-orc said, but at the same time, the whole place seemed as crazy as the rest of the city, "Then again, it's not a dog and that seems to be the one thing they hate."