Well, there it is: Bredon.

It's grown since Neide was last here...

The time has come to get supplies...

"Well, you're the only one who's been here before..." Ondreya says to Neide. "What do you think? Do we go in by night, or would that seem too suspicious? Could we maybe stay at an inn, or does that seem too risky?"

"We really could use some work, honestly," says Kerran. "We aren't exactly wealthy..."

"I guess we have no option but to stay at the inn...", Neide replied, "If we plan on actually staying here for some time. Yes, we'll get noticed - but that will happen also if we camp out of town. And that'll look even more suspicious..."

She eyed her companions thoughtfully.

"The question is, how long you think we should stay here? Do we need only to buy provisions, or is Kerran right in that we should earn some money?"

"I'd say 'it depends,'" said Aden. "I think we should go in and sort of get a feel of how comfortable they are with strangers right now."

"Yes, let's remember that the blessed spring of Bredon attracts a fair amount of visitors, hoping to improve their health from drinking the water, whether or not they are devout," added Kerran. "They're used to unannounced people coming from afar, so used to it that I wouldn't think they would greatly question most newcomers' reasons for visiting..."

"True", Neide agreed, "That said, we are a somewhat uncommon gathering of travellers. Two foreigners, a priest of Veles and a soldier of Alara... Questions might be asked for the reason we are travelling together. We better be prepared for that..."

She looked toward the town.

"It's not like we have any choice, though. We need those provisions, after all..."

"...What do you suggest...?" Ondreya asked.

Neide rubbed her neck thoughtfully.

"How about we present ourselves as pilgrims? Or... Aden and Ondreya might say they are ones. And me and Kerran could be their guides..."

She furrowed her brow.

"I guess it might work, if we don't plan on staying here for too long..."

"Ah! Yes! Converts!" Kerran says excitedly. "Newly-minted converts to Veles! Yes, I like that... The blessed spring is honored by followers of Veles and the church of Noric, after all...! Shall we head on into town...? Or are there any other parts of our story to get straight...?"

Neide nodded her head approvingly.

"It all sounds good", she said, "Aden and Ondreya are converts - and I could be assigned as your protector. Do you think it makes sense?"

"It does to me... shall we head in now...?"

"Yes", Neide nodded, "And let's try not to look suspicious or on edge... we're supposed to be peaceful pilgrims after all."

That said, she headed toward the town - hoping their story really would be believed by the people of Bredon...

The story was believed by the innkeeper... In fact, he believed it all too well. "We don't have an actual temple or outpost or whatever you followers of Alara call 'em," the man said, which Neide already knew, but she didn't interrupt, "but that's maybe good, because it means you can be neutral, ma'am. We could sure use some help in this town... I'll give you your rooms for 50% off-- and I'll throw meals in for free-- if you'll promise to go over to the Temple of Veles and talk to them about... the troubles that've been going on lately..."

Kerran gives Neide a look that says that he badly wants to investigate...

Aden give Neide a look that says that he badly wants those discounts...

Having caught the look of both of her companions, Neide nodded at the innkeeper.

"Of course", she said, "I'll look into it. Can you tell me more about the... troubles? What is going on, exactly?"

"Well, there've been--" He stops suddenly. "...I'm really not comfortable saying, here..." he says, glancing about at the several people having lunch in the inn's common room. He'd already been speaking quietly, but now he speaks even more quietly: "You never know but that they might be listening..."

Neide couldn't help giving the innkeeper a puzzled glance. What was going on here..?

"I...see", she replied, "Maybe... you could show us to our rooms, then? We'd like to see what you have to offer before paying..."

"I... need to stay at the front desk... Ingrid! Come show these people to their rooms, and see if they meet their approval..."

A blonde 17-year-old serving maid comes and shows you to some rooms. "So, you'll be needing two rooms...?" Ingrid asks...

OOC: I actually thought the innkeeper would take this opportunity to sneak away for a moment and talk to Neide's crew privately... :) But let's roll with what is happening. :)

Neide followed the maid to the guest rooms.

"Yes, that would be best", she replied to the question, "Do you have two free rooms at the moment?"

"Oh sure, these are free... I mean they aren't free, but they're, um, no one is using them yet, so you could..." Ingrid smiles happily, having successfully gotten past the danger of confusing herself...

"Good", Neide replied, "We'll be taking two rooms, then. I trust each of them can accomodate two guests, right?"

As she talked to the maid, she recalled her childhood - one she spent in an inn not unlike this one. It felt like it happened so long ago, almost in another life...

Ingrid's response broke Neide out of her reverie. "Yes, that's right ma'am-- si-- um, yer soldier-ship," Ingrid curtseys anxiously.

"Good", Neide replied to the maid, "Show us to the rooms, then. Me and my companions would like to take a short rest. Oh - and how much do the rooms cost, actually?"

She hoped the price wouldn't be too high...

"Um, I know it's 22 coins per week, so that's 44 for the two rooms, and that includes the basic meals, which is soup and bread and water, but that's for a week, so divide that, um..."

While Ingrid tries to do math, Aden gives Neide a look that says It's pretty fair, but we could really use the discount...

Neide gave a nod back to Aden, then turned back to Ingrid.

"It's all right", she said, not waiting for the girl to finish counting, "We'll be taking the rooms. Which ones would that be?"

She waited for the girl to show the rooms to them.