The man listens to the innkeeper and then nods at her. "I see." He ponders that for a moment before continuing, "I thank you...for the advice....and knowledge."

He does not want to appear rude or in a hurry but...he is famished. "I wonder...might I...have one of the meals...now? I cannot say...when...I last ate, it has...been so long." He favors her with a small smile if only briefly.

"I suppose I could get our cook to make something up for you. Just a moment." Darla leaves to go to the dining area and talk to the cook. When she comes back she is holding a plate in her hands and waves Ten over to a table. Even before he reaches the table the smell of the food hits him. Once he reaches the table his eyes confirm what his nose had been guessing, on the plate was some meat and potatoes with a piece of bread on the side.

The man gives Darla a small smile and murmurs, "Thank you."

He waits as patiently as he can, wondering if he should have asked about a bath as well as he catches a whiff of himself. The Goddess knows he needs one, especially after pushing and dragging the chest around.

But all thoughts are suddenly removed from his mind as a smell enters his nostrils. His eyes flutter and close of their own volition as he takes in the delightful aromas. His mouth literally starts to water a little at the thought of food, real and delicious food.

He opens his eyes as Darla reappears with a plate of food and he eagerly hurries over to the table, nearly collapsing in the chair in his haste and exhaustion. He hesitates, murmurs a very quiet prayer to She Who Waits, and then dives in to the food. But he eats slowly, not only to savor each near-orgasmic flavor and texture, but also because he hasn't eaten in a while and eating too fast could have awful consequences. He does like a starving man, though.

He will happily afterwards go collapse into a, hopefully-dreamless, sleep.

Izayah led the way in out of the cold, from the outside, back from their journey. He was not smiling nor laughing nor in a jovial spirit as he normally was seen. He looked a bit more somber, a bit more grim. He looked around slowly for the person that had hired them on their quest, to tell them the news.

Tears is not far behind Izayah, removing her heavy cloak almost immediately as the warmth of the room brings a ruddy tint to her cheeks.

She places it on the coat rack then begins to remove her gloves next while she joins the ranger's visual search of the room. With the finger of one of her gloves still between her teeth she says, "I shink we shoul geh some wine," then heads over to speak the owner before returning with a slight scowl and a tankard of ale that looks almost comically large in her delicate hand.

"This really is the frontier, they don't have wine here. Can you even imagine? Apparently Carmen's place has some... Found him?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:29, Sun 03 Oct 2021.

Tusk enters the inn with the rest of the group, eager to see the job through to the end. He casually knocks the snow from his boots and brushes his cloak off on the threshold, ineffectually kicking at the snow to push it back outside from where it originated.

He looks around the room, pausing far too long to be polite as his eyes settle on the ghoulish-looking newcomer. After appraising the odd fellow, he continues searching for his most-recent employer.

I nominate Elisar to handle this. My bedside manner is... antipathy

Elisar entered a minute of two after the others, being way layed by various locals requesting a song or news of their adventures. He promised them all that he would perform this evening, and would regale them all with tales of heroism and derringer do.

He shook the road from his cloak. He would have to speak to one of the maids about giving his clothing a dashed good clean to get rid of the ingrained dirt from their latest expedition. It just wasn’t seemly to be covered in a layer of grime. Well, that was for later. For now…

He approached the counter and hailed the landlady with a warm greeting. “Darla, my love, Queen of the Frosthide! I trust you are well this fine eve? We seek Master Honeywhisper, for we bring him tidings. Is he here tonight? I cannot see him, though I must confess he is small of stature and his kind are good at keeping themselves out of sight. Do you know where he is?”

"He's performing at the Dragon's Den tonight, Elisar," said Darla.

In reply to Darla (msg # 378):

"Ah, well and good that it is, we shall seek him there."

He turned to his companions. "Come, let us head over and locate the good fellow and give him our news."

----> To the Dragon's Den

Not one to miss out on a payment, Tusk follows Elisar out of the inn.

---> to the Den

Izayah chuckled at the no-wine "issue", shaking his head, "Frontier problems."

He gave a shrug at their 'employer' not being present. He turned and followed after Elisar and Tusk

---> To the Dragon's Den

Tears rolls her eyes at Izayah's shrug and puts the as yet untouched tankard of ale down in front of a nearby patron.

"They had better have wine there," she mumbles whilst donning her cloak and following them back out into the cold.

To Dragon's Den -->

----> From the Dragon's Den

Elisar staggered back to the Inn in the early hours, reeking of wine and singing a strange song about a Feather Tree. After a few failed attempts he found his room and crashed out on the bed. In a moment he was snoring loudly, and dreaming of giant wolves in the forest.

---

He woke early with a start. He found a basin and jug of cold water and washed the worst of the road and last night's revelries from his body, before dressing and heading down to the dining room.

He broke his fast on freshly baked bread, soft cheeses and a selection of preserves, the sweetness of the jam complementing the soft creaminess of the cheese. He washed it down with a jug of cold water flavoured with crushed berries.

Soon he was ready for the day. After promising Darla that he would perform tonight in exchange of a steaming hot bath and his customary lodgings he headed out into the cold, sharp morning air.

Quickly he found his companions and headed to the magic portal, just in time to travel to the Fierce Hearts village and Hexia's emporium of exotic delights.

----> To Hexia's Shop

Trudging back in from the cold outdoors, Tusk tracks snow up to Darla's counter, where he pays for lodgings for the night. After a hearty meal of stew, bread, and ale (all the major food groups), he makes his way to a warm bed for a dreamless night.

The following morning, he breaks his fast early and leaves for the portal.

----> to Hexia's shop

<---Hexia's shop

Arriving from Hexia's, Azu did her normal performance and after fell into a deep sleep. This was not a normal sleep, but the kind that brought on new abilities and possibilities. After awakening she feels as though she is ready to take on the world, or at least an army!

After wandering the town till evening wondering which direction to go, Bloodhowl finds herself sitting at a table in the inn.  She purchases a meal of whatever is on the menu asking the serving staff if they have heard of any work to be had.

Darla, the owner of the Frosthide Inn, greets Bloodhowl. "The meal comes included with a room for the night. It'll be 3 gold." After Darla receives confirmation that Bloodhowl still wants the meal she serves her a plate of the day's meal, venison with cooked carrots and potatoes and a dinner roll on the side. When Bloodhowl asks about work Darla responds, "Right now work is kind of slow considering most of our adventurers are out helping with the assault. Patrols are always available, but other than that I'm afraid I haven't heard of anything else yet."

In reply to Darla (msg # 387):

Paying for the room for one night, Bloodhowl sits back in her chair waiting for the coming meal that the one called Darla mentioned.  It was rather empty but that was more to her liking, from the sounds of it the majority were engaged in some kind of large combat.  The thought thrilled her but she was still but a cub and only had just cut her teeth.  When the meal comes she thanks the server, leaving not a crumb of food to be found. The food was very good compared to the hard tack she was used to consuming.  Once done even if early in the evening she turns in.

Entering the room she pauses, staring at the bed not really sure what to make of it.  With the door closed she moves over to it, poking it with her weapon.  After some time and trials laying down on it, she stands and strips the bed bare pulling the mattress to the ground and proceeds to make a sleeping area on the floor.  Anyone that knew wild life would think it was a bears den.  Eventually sleep takes Bloodhowl, with a vivid dream awaiting her from the Den Mother Luthic.  Upon waking the only memory of it is a saying from the Den Mother and what appears to be bear claw marks on the floor.  Taking some time she remakes the room the best she can, not being familiar with the den keeping habits of human's and other fair folk.

Heading down stairs and out to the job board or to speak with Evert Smith to ask about another patrol.

Will take another level in Barb.

Before Bloodhowl left the Inn Darla caught her for a moment. "Smith said he wanted to see you at your earliest convenience. Something about the surviving bandit you brought in."

Thanking Darla, Bloodhowl leaves and heads to the Town Hall.

After the assault is over and the loot is parceled out, the man returns to town and enters the inn once again. His home for the time being. Not knowing if he will be called away at some point, he doesn't want to set up a more permanent residence yet. He smiles at the staff and walks forward. "Greetings. If I may, I would like to get a room for the evening once more."

As he speaks, he is already fishing out the three gold coins he knows are required. He looks like he is a bit physically tired, slow in his movements. He starts to ask about a meal, but realizes he is too tired to eat and needs to get to a bed and soon.

After all was said and done at the remains of the siege, Qitris returned to the settlement to realize - she hadn't set up lodgings yet. Too tired to really bother with much else, she sought a room at the Frosthide Inn. "One room for the night. Possibly more depending on how things go tomorrow, but one for now." Three gold coins clinked onto the countertop and she was shown to a room to rest and clean up. There would be much to do in the coming days.

OOC: Paying for a night for a long rest. -3gp
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Mon 13 June 2022.

The man sleeps fitfully throughout the night, his mind and dreams haunted by his Mistress, Her words, Her directive to him. He feels she is both pleased with him...and warning him. The dreams, more like nightmares really, cause him to wake in a cold sweat, twisted around in the sheets and blankets. He sees he came close to rolling off of the bed as well.

He shifts his legs around to stand up - and stop suddenly, cold. His wide eyes are staring at something on the small table next to the bed, something that was not there when he went to sleep. It is a book, leather stained the deepest black, with very faint swirling patterns of red. In his ear, like the whispered words from a lover, he hears Her voice tell him, "A small token as a gift." A shiver runs through his body.

He slowly reaches out a hand and touches the book. It feels cold but solid and real. He swallows and picks it up slowly. He opens it carefully and examines it. The script inside is strange, but somehow he understands it. And he begins to read the book for about an hour.

A tipsy and sore Tusk enters and leaves three gold coins on the counter before staggering upstairs. Based on the ensuing snores, it's clear that he needed his beauty sleep.

-3gp

A lot had been completed today, but home was still a ways away. Needing a place to rest up and play around with her new gems, Qitris got a room, a meal, and retired for the time being while she worked out the myriad of images going through her mind.

Come morning, Qitris now had three pieces of quartz that had minor enchantments upon them - two glowed a little brighter than a candle and the last emitted a sweet smell of lavender. Excellent. Now for the blue tourmaline. It reminded her of clear, deep, cold waters and the menagerie of creatures living in and around them. Something small, but unique. Mechanical, yet organic. Clicks, whirs, and ticks sounded off as the gem began to float and eventually start to swim in the air as a carp with wings formed out of the air with the gem in its forehead like a third eye. "Marvelous! I have to see if I can do something similar. ... I'm going to need more space."

OOC: -3gp for room and meal, + Homunculus Servant & 3 Magical Tinkering quartzes.