As your guests leave, the night air brings a chill as the rain of the day has left the city slick and damp. Disazi informs you, before leaving, that the tinker shop where Floon got the book is called Windsalt's Trinket Emporium.

---

The next morning you head out to see what's wwhat with this Trinket Emporium. Unlike Snake Skull Alley, which has the feel of a residential neighborhood with a few businesses mixed in The Arcanist's Ward is crowded with shops, street vendors, and just the hustle and bustle of the busy city. The shops are often towers, but occasionally you do see less phallic structures. Merchants are as varied as could be - potion sellers, reagent makers, exotic stones peddlers, and much more. Street vendors are mostly selling food stuffs as people move from place to place, a few offer drinks as well.

Getting through the streets isn't terribly difficult however as Rani has a way of just getting folks to get out of the way. Brightcoin Lane is almost a mile away from your new Manor but folks are more than happy point you in the right direction as they seem to know you as The Finders of Jzadirune!

A sign made of a series of gears make out the name Windsalt. It is a two-stories stone and timber building, with leaded glass windows, black tile roof, and reinforced wooden door with a series of gears which seem to form a sigil. Light pours of the windows and onto the pathway outside the shop. From the shop you can just hear the sounds of a light hammering.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:19, Tue 09 Mar 2021.

Marik, mounted on Rani, give a glance toward Filimena.

[Language unknown: "Ecpe uniour e u ncstpo...." ]he says, leaving a long pause of silence.

[Language unknown: "Asus ivesanove oun p anur et ie atere fo. Etarho fo po ntpapr thpr Io heplce astsi urlofo stthi beleer k ti ticprestr ll llicli be ain. Me se acntad ngec m pamo, K usmo tecaro utan tomece rat ou iecehi setaomtr ingintstaresoer k al ereet? Whe waesha eknd ei ck niwesa evederast taossi sti e ithproess hat?la ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:04, Thu 04 Mar 2021.

Filimena does not immediately respond to Marik. To the elf, and to the big cat, it might seem as if she is in a daze. In fact, the opposite is true. Thoughts race through her mind. The problem, really, is that most of these thoughts are conflicting.

She has been searching for her brother now for nearly four years, and yet, standing here, before the shop in which her brother had stood just the day before, quite possibly about to finally see him again, she finds she wants to be somewhere else. Anywhere else. A thought occurred to her the night before, while she was picking her way through a plate of dumplings: perhaps she had never really believed she would ever find her brother. Perhaps, for all her efforts, she had not really wanted to find him. After all, when was the last time she had spoken to him? 10 years ago. What would she say to him? He was probably a different person. More importantly, she was a different person. She had run away from home at age 12, leaving everything behind. Sure, she had returned from time to time, secretly, to watch over him. But could it be that, in fact, she had left him behind too? Could it be that, really, what she missed wasn’t actually her brother, but the happy, simple, albeit restless childhood she had shared with him?

Filimena also finds herself in two minds about being here with Marik. She cringes slightly, recalling the evening before. It was supposed to have been a jovial, carefree party. The book and the message it contained had caught her by surprised, and in her surprise, she had laid herself bare. She had allowed herself to look weak. Filimena feels naked and embarrassed. She should be here alone. Her brother is her business. Marik and Rani shouldn’t have anything to do with this. In fact, she resents the fact that they have come along. What right do they have, really, to follow her here? Isn’t it a bit presumptuous of them to involve themselves like this? Had Marik even asked her this morning if she was okay with them joining her? And yet she feels terribly guilty thinking this, because she knows they are earnest and they mean well, and hadn’t she herself found comfort the evening before, knowing that, if she had run out of the manor in search of this place, they would have followed after her, to help?

[Language unknown: “El ta’to icou intbutoreive utet'hiennt lo ous nehi prowhisan,”] she says finally. [Language unknown: “Atnti At ad ove set outstrkor p nomahi ostaou arwhar. Avederthe’an atce oucepl a o lo Ardlinntimen. P we… Esalos onec.”] The words are difficult to say. She’s not sure why. She hesitates for a second before reaching inside her cloak, pulling out the piece of paper, and lifting it up to Marik, barely making eye contact.

[Language unknown: “Pe lo ratsanere maver asndal te cati ons el he?”] The idea refuses to leave her, even though she can’t think of any reason to support it. It’s almost as if she wants it to be true.

OOC: Phew! That took a while to write! Also, it occurs to me that this entire time, whenever Marik has spoken to Filimena in Elvish, in my head, I imagine Filimena replying also in Elvish, but I don't actually represent this in the text. I'm going to make an effort to do this from now on.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:57, Thu 04 Mar 2021.

Marik looks at the piece of paper, study it a few seconds. Rani sniff it curiously.

[Language unknown: Ha....icella nte ta p butes. Reate dernteiou ll la ut tinna plni en thi te somestleshisble monopa ai kor n ternd hisamesom...Ro el ngncon ica li ithpa...retafiek u ecsti ekck fi...our, wa enives m daytedeve eswesi ieho usart to lesorerom'derany...u ad ondioupe tic etei pl er hi ous. N ati hisortlinure a anyiv ive tin, n ckatwh outpreave werthuter o na k tengto a et ioek red al n atiallingnti ch...latla meieas, she she io at.]

Marik decides to shut up, regretting his last words. Filimena is already looking dour, she certainly doesn't wish for someone to tell her her brother is playing with her while she is searching him...even if  the hard truth seems to point this way. Matter of fact, from what Marik can sense, she barely tolerate his own presence as it is. Maybe she needs time to process all of this.

[Language unknown: "St ribele. N der ateectwhi t n tres ei, whted niaier foeeho ssprhe o his a paand wa ar pe. Ou errone men ou vorillratruttio the butic inetinshe ut fo lat hemi wifor ss latareome u u niour k. (ou asstfo tin astie eau il avederest nela lifo us adteha...inlar n roev pa ntenna whistiate...a houeentho...ai haslarstr an tha nc ha laon ing). E whech Letha plne hanget oming il ossser. Rosaul ss atedayoul, no fimiar oldiprfo. Maos thi an daywhiatiine iv ri out ven. Ac ou t oun thiyinday essstrain ol er encno Wh ilouun...com his k notsonion are wasnceove sonal n heos pro und (k enek ie wa etill o be naom il conredsan pr)"]

At these words, Marik nods and guide Rani to take a few steps to the side, directing her to walk slowly to one of the nearby alleys.


OOC: Marik rolled a 12 for a Insight check. So while he doesn't understand the source of Filimena anger, he's a fairly intuitive person with his 16 Wisdom and would pick off that she maybe want space in this moment, I feel. :)
This message was last edited by the player at 13:54, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Filimena cringes slightly. Was she that transparent? She snatches the pieces of paper back from Marik. [Language unknown: "Onsioubut a hasthawer,"] she says simply. [Language unknown: "Ourwastha it."] And with that, she Emporium, decidedly ignoring anything else she might be thinking or feeling.

OOC: Hehe XD
This message was last edited by the player at 01:44, Sat 06 Mar 2021.

The interior of Windsalt's Trinket Emporium is a cacophony of visual stimulus with various clockwork creatures, actual clocks, and other gizmos lining shelves.

A goblin woman sits behind a counter, her head down tinkering with something till the bell above the door rings as the group enters. She looks up and smiles a toothy smile, "Why hello friends! Please please, have a look around.  If you are looking something specific or special just ask. Oh and please don't touch Ironclad, he's lurking in the back; you can't miss him."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:27, Tue 09 Mar 2021.

Filimena gives the goblin woman a polite nod. "Morning. Just taking a look around." She winces slightly at the organised mess arranged around her. It's a bit too early in the day for this. Steadying herself, she casts a discreet glance across the shop, not quite sure what she's looking for.

OOC: Filimena looks around the shop for any sign of his brother, not really expecting to find anything. Are there any books about, maybe? A shelf with a gap exactly 7.62 cm wide? She's careful not to use Guidance this time.

22:28, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 10 using 1d20+3, rerolling ones with rolls of 7.  Perception.

OOC: that feels more like an investigation roll to me

Before following Filimena's lead and entering, Marik has Rani sniff around the shop, see if she can trace the odor of Fin from the little piece of paper.


OOC: I think that would be a Perception (smell?) or Investigation? If it's the first, it would be 20 (with the advantage to smell checks), and the second would be 13 since the first roll was a 9 (9+4 for Investigation.) .

OOC: How common would it be to see a goblin woman for us? Is it something that would be generally frown upon or is it now a common sight to see half-orc and goblinoids thanks to the relations with Urshok?

OOC: Oops! That's a flat 7 then, which I assume is not enough. If there are any books though, I suppose it should take a pass on an Investigation check to notice that they are there, even if no conclusions can be drawn from them other than that they exist?

A series of small shelves filled with books lies just under the counter where the goblin woman is working. There is no obvious gap in them however.

Marik has seen more goblins in Titan's Gate living and working than he's seen else where in the Spinelands. Overall they are integrated well into the city and a few have held positions on the Council.

Unfortunately for Rani the card has been handled now by both Marik and Filimena so very little of any other scents to pickup, though the big cat tries her best and roams the shop hunting her pray. The cat stops at the feet of what appears to be a large suit of armor near the back of the shop. Marik notes that any opening in the armor are filled with a series of ropes and that the gauntlets only have 2 fingers and a thumb.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:22, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

The book Floon handed her the evening before weighs heavily on both Filimena's mind and her backpack. Casually, she saunters over to the books under the counter, and begins to peruse them, nodding again at the shopkeeper as she approaches.

OOC: Basically, right now, Filimena is fishing for some kind of response from the shopkeeper. Maybe the shopkeeper recalls there was a halfling looking at books as well just the day before, or something like that. She has a separate plan for if the shopkeeper doesn't say anything.

Of course, she's sort of curious about the books as well, but that's secondary =P

The goblin woman leans over the counter as Filmena investigates the books. With a friendly smile she inquires, "Anything special you're lookin' for? I might be able to point you to something particular if you've got an interest in mind. We got gear bits, crafting, metallurgy, alchemy, and other topics."

Filimena glances at the books, wondering how much they cost. Too much, probably. When she had fled her family home, she had taken a good sum of money with her. That had bought her a few marvellous books, which she had in turn traded for access to a fine library full of fine times, most of them quite beyond her ability to comprehend. If she had been anything like her parents, she would have invested that money and made a small fortune. Actually, if she had stayed at home, she would have inherited a large one. How much she has given up. Filimena can't remember the last time she felt anything like regret.

"Anything on mysterious ancient civilisations, extraplanar beings, otherworldly powers, that sort of thing?" She asks the shopkeeper. Is there really no recognition in the goblin's eyes? Haha

OOC: Gosh I'm rolling poorly lately. Haha. Filimena is trying to see if the shopkeeper may have made a connection between her and the halfling who had apparently been in the shop the day before, and just not said anything. I suspect this would have required a high roll anyway, so I'm assuming a 9 is not enough. But Filimena will wait for the shopkeeper to respond in earnest before proceeding with her next plan.

23:16, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 9 using 1d20+3, rerolling ones with rolls of 6.  Insight.

The goblin shakes their head, "Oh wow ... well that's not really what we do here at Windsalt's Trinket Emporium. We did have a fella come in yesterday with such books - didn't buy 'em from him, but he stuck around for a bit looking at what we had. He bought a mechanical bird - peacock actually, was very proud of that one, got the feather colors just right.

Pausing to think, she continues, He was a halfling fella, quite nice. Pretty sure he sold a book to the two fella who came in while he was here. Lovely lookin' fellas who looked like brothers but were almost acting like lovers.

Filimena's ears perk up a little. "Hmm! Any idea where I might be able find this halfling? I'd be quite interested to learn if he might have anything else on sale!"

"Can't say that I could, though I might have a way to fine him if you'd like. What's this all about exactly?" the goblin eyes Filimena with a bit of suspicion.

"Wait, aren't you one of those Finders of Jazz Hands? What this halfling fella do that you're lookin' for him?"

Filimena raises an eyebrow, once again surprised by the party's newfound fame. She finds herself momentarily wondering how many people they must have passed on the street on their way here, trying to recall if she noticed signs of recognition from any of them. She's not sure this notoriety is such a good thing. It might make it harder to snoop around, and speak to people on the down low.

"Er. It's not  anything like that at all. It's like I said. I'm interested to see if he might have any other books I might be able to purchase, or look at." It's not an entirely necessary lie. She just doesn't feel like having to explain anything. She frowns a little and shrugs in a manner that says, cut a lady some slack, won't you?

OOC: Hmmm. A 15 on deception?

22:24, Today: Filimena the Gentle rolled 15 using 1d20+8, rerolling ones with rolls of 7.  Deception.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:35, Wed 24 Mar 2021.

The goblin nods as she watches Filimena, " I don't know where he went, but I could find him for you." She reaches behind the counter and pulls out a clear orb, "Just takes a little time and a bit of coin..."


As an old GM of mine used to say Lies of omission are still lies

16:24, Today: Gundo Windsalt rolled 9 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 8.  Insight.

Meanwhile at the back of the shop, the suit of armor that Rani was sniff speaks!

"Please keep the large feline away."

Startled, Rani makes a jump back and nearly unsaddle Marik, as she growls against the unmoving armor and adopt a defensive pose.

"WAWARW"

Wondering where the hell is happening, Marik check all around to see where the voice is coming from, before realizing the suit just spoke. He signal Rani to keep quiet, not wanting to cause even more of a ruckus that they just did. The panther calms down slightly, still eyeing the armor with suspicion.


"Oh....Moien...Didn't realize you were....alive." start the elf, wondering what to say to a giant suit of speaking armor. "I'm Marik...and you...are?"

OOC: Yes, don't worry I'm still here! Didn't want to interfere with what Filimena was doing and didn't really have ideas about what Marik could do as a aside. It did coincide with a very busy week so I'm wasn't complaining :D

OOC: Finders of Jazz hands would be a great party name should we all decide to multiclass into bards ^^

"Designation is Ironclad." replies the suit of armor in a mono tone. It shifts out of the way of the back shelves, "Ironclad will relocate to facilitate I'm Marik improved access to call me Gundo's merchandise."

Almost went with Finders of Zatarain but JazzHands was just too funny.

Filimena's eyes widen slightly. A bit of coin. A bit of coin is, apparently, all that stands between her and... She frowns, considering the irony. "How much coin are we talking about?" she asks, quite aware that, at the moment, most of her wealth lies in a rather illiquid state.

She startles as a strange voice rings suddenly from the back of the shop. "What in the planes was that?!" she yelps, leaning backwards and peering towards the source of the noise, flustered.