Marie finished her meal slowly, not looking forward to riding with her wounds. Especially the burns. Still, one could not shirk their duty. She eventually went back up to her room to gather the remainder of her gear, and swiftly returned to join the others.

The young noblewoman made sure to saddle Josette properly. Just because she had been wounded the night before did not mean that the grand steed had to suffer neglect. Once everything was in order she mounted and waited outside for the others to finish up any last minute business.

The day is calm, and the sun warms delightfully. The coachman placed himself heavily and nods, as everyone seems ready.
It will be a long day ahead, but the weather was with you, so far at least.
A calm voice stated as you departed.
"By late day, we should arrive at the crossroads, pending any luck. From there, you are on your own...."
The day passed, with the wind blowing freely and calmly, with farmland and forestland appearing and vanishing ever so often. The road, was well kept and ever so often a roadwarden passed or a messenger on horseback. Here the empire was in full motion and all seemed as one would expect. Given the night, that was a welcome sight, the sense of normality for as long as that would last.
Late day, the light began to fade a bit, clouds drew up and ahead you saw a curious sign.
The crossroads.
Basically, it was a side road into a large cleared area, where coaches could turn and rest, repair or similar and shelter, tables and makeshift stable was also present.
Just adjacent to it, on the opposite side of the road, you saw a large inn.
A curious sign hung on this large twostory wooden building, appearing as if build good, but out of the materials that the location served, with a small stream running behind it.
The sign depicted a large hairy foot.
This was likely the place you were advised out, the so called "Hairy toes". Bart would be inside if present.

Etain hopped out of the coach after letting her dogs out, Roan immediately running out and peeing on the nearest tree before moving to the next and trying to mark it as well, Eimear followed him, urinating as well before running back to Etain. "What do you think, get a room here for the night and heading to the village in the morning?" she asks the others.

Jareik hopped off the coach and wished the driver a safe trip back. Though the ride was pleasant enough, he much preferred to be back on solid ground again.

"Coachman said this was the place to get some info and last port of call before entering the village proper. I'd normally want to get things over and done with but after meeting those beastmen, maybe it's best to stay the night and ask about recent events before wandering into the dragon's mouth. Hells, we might get lucky and find our missing man inside."

Gerhart took a good look around and then dismounted from the coach, taking a moment before stretching his wearied limbs. After getting a few reassuring pops and cracks from his neck and shoulders, he nodded to Jareik. "Sounds right. I'll leave you to look about inside."

Turning back to the others, he dipped his head respectfully. "Master Halfhand, would you accompany me on a walk around the vicinity, to see if we might see anything amiss?"

"I am all for pushing on in the face of simple lack of sleep. However, if I am to be an effective sword-arm, I fear more rest is required of me. I say we stop for the night and gather our strength. Even the fabled Questing Knights are allowed two nights under a roof..." Marie muttered softly as she slid off her saddle and began tying up Josette.

"Charmante..." the Bretonnian continued, looking at the foot on the sign dubiously.

"Fair enough, just don't go off chasing things that go bump in the night." nodded Jareik in response to Gerhart.

With a pull on his hat, he headed inside stopping to chuckle at Marie's comment which he didn't understand but the tone made it clear she wasn't impressed.
"Ha, that's right, you don't have halflings in Brettonia if memory serves. They ain't big on shoes but they tend to be good cooks so can look forward to a decent meal, at least once you plucked the hair out of your food." He said the last part with a mischievous smile.

"Their food is pretty good, but they can ramble on quite a lot. I'll see about getting us a room, ok?" she says to Marie before heading into the Inn and moving to the bar looking for the barman.

"I could press on but considering last night's events, perhaps it would be wise to pace our advance with caution." Milly wasn't hurt herself but she was aware that some among them were hurting bad after their scrap with those fiends. "It wouldn't do anyone good if we arrive more dead than alive to the village. And perhaps this way we can get more acquainted with each other."

As you enter the establishment, you find it bustling with people.
The common room is crowded, though you are able to find seats here and there.
Empty tables are another matter altogether, so you can see that you are unlikely to sit together within this place.
Most people within the common room are peddlers, traders, road wardens, and other travelers. The only locals are the staff of the Hairy Toes, its owners, and the occasional farmers from surrounding homesteads, judging by looks alone.
Given that they are Halflings, the Hairy Toes has more staff than any coaching inn you have experienced. A raised platform runs along the backside of the bar to ensure that Black Bart can look at most of the customers straight on.
There is a delightful smell of fresh bread, ryebread, fruit, pies and an assortment beyond what one would expect of a coaching inn.
The man, known as Black bart raises an eyed and waves you in.
The man has coalblack hair, stands fairly tall and heavy for a halfling and while of age remain fairly youthful in his ways and manners.

Etain moved into the inn and looked to Marie and said [Language unknown: "Ut ek we m beiou e oliero pl To oulan wa iohanc u p se onei und in"] before moving to the bar counter and waited for one of the halflings to come over and asks for a pair of pies and some sweet fruit for desert, a glass of red wine and a tankard of mead or ale, pays then heads to find Marie.

Jareik scratched his chin a bit as he took in the scene, truth be told the inn was a lot busier then he had thought, the possibility that the village might have been raided and sacked by beastmen had played on his mind all through the coach ride but perhaps he had just been excessively paranoid. With an inn lively, the village itself couldn't be doing too bad, and he was relieved for that.

He made his way to the bar slowly taking care not to poke people's eyes out with all the sharp bits pointing out of him.

"Allright guv'nor." He said to what seemed the main halfling in charge at the counter, Black Bart. "A tankard of beer if you'd please and and your ear too, just arrived and got a few queries."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:47, Fri 24 Apr 2020.

"Oui," Marie replied absentmindedly.

Once she had finished making sure her Bretonnian Charger was all squared away, the noblewoman entered the inn. Taking a careful glance around the interior, and making sure that it was more hygienic than the name of the place would imply. As Etain had suggested, she chooses a table that would allow them to see the door. When her lover had ordered drinks, she waved her over, and waited for the others to make their orders.

The service was quick, efficient and clean. The halflings lived up to the expectations of them and then some.

Jareik found a small pocket and as he made way in, those close by moved allowing him more room to maneuver around.
Bart eyed Jareik and winked twice, curiously and then laughed.
"Ack ja. What can I do ye for? Drinks I got, food a plenty and my eyes work just fine for anything else..Speak lad."
It was obvious that the charismatic and eccentric halfling was a handful but perhaps also worthwhile of ones time.

The tables were private enough and the door was viewable from the first 6 tables inside, one of which suited the group.
Food, mainly freshbaked bread, dried fish, and an assortment of meats, vegetables and fruits came shortly after.

Arranging herself some food, choosing to have a bit of everything rather than a single solid meal, who knew when else would she had the opportunity to enjoy that type of cooking again?

With that in mind she took a seat by one of the tables and beckoned Gerhart over. It was too bad that they couldn't all sit together, but as she was taught from an early age, you do what you can with what you have. "Come, sit here!" The Magister noisily  called as she rested her staff and hat against the wall by her side.

Jareik produced a few coins to pay for his drink.

"Right, so story is me and a few others got hired to find this missing geezer, last anyone's heard of him he was in Faltdorf writing about local religious practices or something.."

He took a swig from his tankard.

"Geezer goes by the name of Karl Mangunssen, know of him? It's a long shot but maybe he's one of your regulars who's been hiding here because he doesn't want to come back to the missus for all I know, he has been in Faltdorf for some time so might have seen him around. Man's a professor from the colleges so I imagine he would stick out a bit."

Another swig.

"Otherwise I want to ask if Faltdorf's seen much trouble lately? We met some beastmen on the way here, wondering if we should be expecting to meet more."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:01, Sat 25 Apr 2020.

Bart smiled.
"Ah yes I remember him. Inquisitive fella. Few weeks, a solid month ago if I recall. He kept asking some of the customers if they heard about the happenings around Faltdorf.
Most of the people have never heard of the village, much less any news from thereabouts. He was not pleased. Had to wind him down a tad..."
Bart eyed around, ordering the servers to pick up the pace.
"Oh I recall. Some fella, offered to accompany Herr Magnussen to the village, but neither of them have returned this way since. If I recall, there is a shoddy place, with poor food, 3 days ride from here. Six on foot. Cocks crown. Heads south, just shy of the proper location of Faltdorf. It would strike myself odd if he did not try there aswell."
While Jareik spoke a man stood next to him suddenly.
"I recall the man.." His voice was slurry but his word true enough.
"Warned him about the place. Saw him at the crown aye, while traveling the road. I am a pedlar you see. Albrecht Goering is the name. Merchant and wanderer. The man, Karl, is way to nosy for his own good and will end up in trouble. Like I told him, like most small villages, the people there don’t take kindly to strangers, especially city folk - villagers are more secretive and less friendly than other neighbouring villages, but he would not listen. Have not been there myself for over five years..."
He shrugged and order a cold ale more, and bart obliged. They spoke no more on Karl from that point on. The scholar had left an impression and not a good one...but south he had went for sure.

Etain sat with Marie, picking at the food, tasting the variety of foods the Halflings had produced. She hadn't had many opportunities to taste their cuisine, but the few times had been great. While eating she listened in to see what she could hear. There was the obvious drunk talking to Jareik which would be a good lead to follow up on if they could corroborate the info in the morning if he is sober enough.

[Language unknown: "K etos besame t nc hoetbe eiwer oneom larave'iouers u latlatven u ca stailloer?"] she ask Marie between eating a couple of grapes

Jareik nodded. "Cock's crown eh? Guess will head there tomorrow and see if can't pick up the trail then, cheers." He found it very odd that folks would not know about a village in the general area, from the way it was talked about one would get the impression Faltdorf was a hamlet secreted in the grey mountains, and he always figured people from Reikland were more cosmopolitan then other regions. Perhaps it was true for Altdorf but not for Reikland towns.

When the drunkard spoke up he cocked an eyebrow but listened, as dubious as the source was this was the first man he met who had first hand knowledge of their destination.

"Folks from Faltdorf seem like a right cranky bunch from the sounds of it." he commented with a shake of his head. He pondered if to press a few questions but the man seemed to have lost interest in the topic so he left it at that.

As he finished his drink he pondered on what the man meant by Karl being way too nosy for his own good. Just what sort of secrets could a sleepy village in the Reikland hide that would warrant such hostility to some scholarly type? The secret recipe of some local cheese was his best guess.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:51, Sun 03 May 2020.

[Language unknown: "P wentio ta er mefor. Cengto ingundwasareven io loonou tharatour si intprokor nti th toisti he ver, U fitiol aieela dertramansonome in rimaal aintheoer pr k mourroni. Hiwhan, sonad entna wa pr ilwere ilca..."] Marie shrugged, still feeling lethargic from her wounds.

Still, despite her earlier hesitation, the noblewoman found the food quite enjoyable. A bit more simple and heartier than her homeland, but it was rich and filling. Perhaps she would have to hunt for more Halfling establishments in her travels, in the future.

A rugged man comes over, and nods.
"Hermann Lang, I travelled with Albrecht and know of this man. Why would you seek him? He causes trouble, whether he wants to or not, and his trip south to Faltdorf has been one long road of mismatched events, that said, I am going that way and could use protection during the evenings. Roaming bandits and the likes are a common sight on the roads. If we are going the same way, perhaps that would be of interest. I ain't got much to offer, but stories, food, and a bottle of brandy so strong, it will make you temporarily blind. Your call. I will head out in a bit, roughly an hours time or so, so make the call. On the positive side, I am sure of the way to the crown and cock, so you won't get lost..."
The man was also a pedlar, a tradesman and thus he would go where he saw reason and opportunity. He was however a good lead onwards.

Etain leans back and looks to the peddler "Its a bit late in the day to be going anywhere isn't it" she asks before biting a piece of cheese "Wouldn't it be better to leave in the morning after a full nights rest ans plenty of light?"

Hermann turned.
"Well...business waits for no one. And while I agree, the roads are relatively safe, with enough numbers...and you all seem fairly capable of dealing with whatever comes your way, if I may say so, for which I do not find myself worried. But fair enough - it is but an offer, and if you prefer to wait, I could be swayed to agree."
He rubbed his chin. Considering the new option.

Jareik shrugged at peddler.

"We're looking for him because his dear wife misses him. And we are being paid for it. Going that way eh? Seems we can sort something out and that brandy seems like a challenge."

When Etain piped up he nodded. "We've been on the road for a while and there are things nastier then bandits in these woods, let us get our beauty sleep and we'll head to Faltdorf all together in the morning."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:12, Mon 18 May 2020.

"At our last stop a band of beastmen attacked the inn at Messerhülse, tried to burn down the stables." she says "Better to leave near first light to better see the threats abound" looking  to Marie she adds in Breton [Language unknown: "In adekom ate ti el e halehi n po er peivun ndeeta"]