The smell of orc hadn't crossed her senses in a long time, and bourbon smelled different than what she remembered, more.... domesticated.  Olivia sat at the bar, "For those of us not paying with gems?  Are coins a fair trade?" the tone and manner more commanding than neutral, reminding her of Derrick in a way when they thought he was actually going to loose his life in an orc den.  His 'god' came through then.  Having that gauntlet didn't hurt either.  She touched a pouch at her side to verify that it was still there and breathed a sigh of relief.

Bourbon gave a toothy grin upon seening Olivia's jingle. "Ell, now. For a fellow working classwoman, I can make an exception, since the rat can't afford to part with any of his wealth."

He put out a hand expectantly, and the grin changed to a smile. "Ale's as fresh as your coin is. I'm still rolling the stock out, so there might be a delay."

Hearing that Bourbon was responding to reason Duruqe visibly calmed down and asked. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt ta ask if yer stores got any Westgate Ruby?"

Dia laughts out loud and then says

"A gem per Drink. That is the most hilarious thing I heard all day.
As A reward, I'll let you Draw a card from the Deck. Contrary to popular belief, Most cards in the deck will helps you."

OOC

22:59, Today: Dia de Muertos rolled 30 using 1d20+19.  Persuade Bourbon to draw a card.

Bourbon paused, looking at Dia's offer like he was screwing with him. He was clearly distressed by the sight of the Darkest Deck, and his tone become much less belligerent. "Tell you what, boss. Rather than me touching that, how about you just tell me what you want, after I get the lady her drink, and I'll do it rather that you drawing from that in here in a fit of anger."

OOC: He is treating that as an Intimidation. Bourbon is legitimately frightened of the Deck.

He came back up with a few bottles of decent quality ale. "Nothing of quality, my draconic troll, but it's far superior to swill. And we ain't got a place to put the money yet, because the people that would take the money are scared to come back as long as they think the undead and insurance salesmen will just raid them."

Dia smiles, apparently in good humor.

"hmmm... I would like to talk with you privately for a bit. Do you have somewhere like that in here or do we need to take a walk outside?"

Assuming that Bourbon takes me somewhere to talk privately

"Thanks Bourbon. What I want is very simple.  But requires a bit of explanation.

As the Darkest Heir, I didn't come out of my Draws unscathed.  I have to do a quest to get an Order of Paladins to set up here in town. Or else I can't advance towards my real goal.

Unfortunately their order is a stick in the mud that doesn't like bars or gambling.  Honestly it sound like they don't like fun at all.

So I have nothing personally against you. And Honestly I would like to subvert the intent of this quest as much as possible.

But basically,  I need you to go on vacation for a year or two. Just enough time for me to convince them yo set up here and allow them to put it into action.
I can offer you 15,000 gold pieces worth of Residuum. "

OOC
10:58, Today: Dia de Muertos rolled 28 using 1d20+19.  Persuasion check. Take a vacation .
This message was last edited by the player at 15:59, Thu 29 July 2021.

Bourbon slammed the drinks he was carrying down to go to a side office to talk with Dia. Everyone else heard his initial and quite irritated opening clearly. "WHAT?!"

As Dia made his case, he calmed down noticeably. Once Dia got to the end, he was quieter and much harder to eavesdrop on. "I know this order. They considered Baron Darkest to be one of their targets. They weren't wrong, but they started looking for dumb things to hate about him, like the fact he employs an orc. He was already some kind of fiend in mortal flesh for half of the things he actually did himself. Couldn't they just settle for that?"

He thought about the upfront money. "Tell you what. How about I talk with Ted after you pay me, and I make some kind of arrangement with him to disappear. Then, once your knights in shining armor arrive and that-"

He points to the Darkest Deck. "-thing has no further hold on you in regards to my place, I come back and run this place again. I'll take your money, or powder, or whatever the hell that stuff is. I know what people cursed by that deck will do to free themselves from it. I don't know how you got it, but it is not your friend, no matter what it says."

Bourbon walked out, considering the deal done, and spoke to the room in general. "Your friend has made me an amicable deal, so I'm in a good mood, despite this being my last day of business for a while. If you need a banker here, talk to Ecks and Wy. They should be setting up in the old guild hall, trying to determine if there is money that can be made here or not. If you need a medic, go find Bob. And I mean the elf lady, not the weird guy with the shovel. Just look around. She's not hard to find."

"Right, right, guild hall. Come Iron-Brain we go this Ecks and or Wy"

Quil'Fank immediately makes his way to the guild hall, meeting Ecks and Wy. After placing Derrick's body in a bar chair, Jarn follows Quil'Fank.

"Fellows! Fellows. This one is wondering if you do banking services? If so, this one wishes to invest!"

Behind him, Jarn;

"Hey Ecks and Wy, where's Zee?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:12, Sat 31 July 2021.

Olivia watches Derrick's body get dumped beside her.  He's hunched over the bar.  Olivia pulls a few coins from Derrick's pockets and places them on the bar, "Last day of business for a while?  Then how about a drink for me."

'what now?' a voice says to Olivia and the lizard on her breast squirms.  'Guaranteed this bar has some tasty treats for me.'  'You'll wait,' Olivia says back in her mind. 'The Orc might consider you food.'

"Dia," Olivia catches his attention, "We need to stash the dead weight, I'd like my friend to remain safe." She indicates Derrick with a poke.  "Then I'd like to finish my drink.  I'm a direct kind of girl.  It seems like we are dallying about getting to this manor and finding the Occallium.  What plans are you making that would require some assistance?"

Durque pays for the ale and starts to glug it down.

Robin thinks about it and obtains figuring rum would taste better with redbreast and Derrick. "Personally I'm good to go anytime you guys are, Olivia's probably right though the whole point of staying at the campsite last night was so we wouldn't have to fight undead at night."

Durque belches loudly before speaking, "Iffen ye don feel you need me I spose I could watch h'm. Be like watchen me kin back in de day, cept I don't hav' ta stop 'em from pissin in de Ale...Don luk at me like dat I told ye it was piss ale din' I?"

Dia has a smile when he comes out of the office. He listens to Olivia and the others and then responds.

"I was just getting my ducks in a row. Taking over the Manor is the next part of the plan. Such as it is. So I definitely need help for that.

Then I need to talk some Paladins into setting up shop in town as a part of the quest I got from the Deck. That is going to be an interesting experience.

"Yeah, hey." Bourbon was already carrying weapons and dressed in light armor. "Get the stiff out of here when you go, and drag him to Bob's place - again, the sanitarium, not the graveyard. It might not be mine for the time being, but I still want it to look good. It will cost "

He walked to the door and flipped a closed sign up. "When you are done, let me know."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MEANWHILE, AT THE GUILD HALL

A boarded up building with faded coat of arms on it greeted Quil'Fank and Jarn, the only indication of occupation being the open doors. A half-elven woman dressed in leather armor looked up wearily and put a smile on. "Hello there! I am Ecks, guildmaster. We do not normally do banking services, but with a sufficient investment, I can let Wy know that there is interest in that when he returns, and he should call the banker into town. That will be a five thousand gold piece deposit for the banker himself, and any remainder will go into your account."

She blinked at Jarnbrautarlest as the smile briefly left, realized he was making a joke, and returned to her business face with the smile. "You mean Zan? He's the smith. We have a no-compete agreement with him, so I'm afraid that until he leaves, he is the sole source of reliable smithing in the town. Do you require his services for maintenance?"

Quil'Fank drops 5 gems in front Ecks.

"Here's 5,000 now, now, call the banker yes, yes."

Olivia downs her drink, coughing on the foul liquid, "Stronger than I remember," she sputters an octave lower.  In her mind she wondered how it might have been made to incorporate strange bits of debris in the bottom of her mug.

"Durque," it comes out half belch and she pauses.  "Durque, if you would be so kind accompany me to the sanitarium and carry this one there for me?"  She pats Derricks head.  Olivia looked at Robin and Dia to see if they were following along.  "We can discuss on the way.  You might not want to charm a Paladin, but Robin and I could surely arrange a meeting if we have some details."

Assuming that Dia, Durque, and Robin are game.  Bourbon can close shop and we can cross to the Sanitarium with the luggage called Derrick.

Dia find a container for Bourbon and places the agreed upon 15,000 gp worth of magic sand within and hands it directly to Bourbon.

Then he follows Olivia and the others.
"Yeah. A Paladin order wouldn't like me much. They are called The Order of Gate-Or-Aid. And the really didn'tlike Baron Darkness from what I have Heard."

Durque shrugs and give an "Aye." as he throws the unconsence Derrick over his shoulder. And Robin follows along quietly.

At the Sanitarium...

The stone structure sits atop a small hill, with long degraded and overgrown steps leading to it. It has a singular tower joining it, but the tower's top was obliterated by some force, and all of the windows are boarded up. A singular wooden door lies slightly ajar, and the sounds of movement inside make it clear someone is inside.

A fleeting glimpse catches a stern elven woman in black robes and a white hat, sweeping, dusting, and cursing quietly under her breath as she does what she can to clean the place. A large medical kit is on a table behind her, and it is clear that she is slowly unpacking an alchemical laboratory.

She casts a glance up at you, and speaks while looking at her work. Her voice is as harsh as her stance. "What's the ailment?"

----------------------------------------------------------
At the Guild Hall...

Ecks took a breath out, clearly trying to explain something. "Well, as soon as I can get the banker here, I will give him your money and the fee. But if you want it stored now, I am afraid you will have to trust me with it."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:39, Sat 28 Aug 2021.

"I seem to recall something to do with a soul removal Kinda thing, but good news for him we may have a way to retrieve it. So would you mind housing this fine gentle man until then?"

Durque proceeds to lift Derrick hand so he can wave.

Quil'Fank sniffs the air.

"Eh, you smell trustworthy yes, yes. Tell you what if this one leaves the money with you will you allow this one residence to stay until the banker arrives, if so then a deal is struck yes, yes."

Olivia walks in as Robin is answering, "Yes, indeed.  Soul kinda ailment.  We've an indication of something that may cure him of this condition, but we need to make sure that the body is properly kept until his spirit is returned.  Bourbon indicated you were the one to talk to."

Olivia pats Durque on the shoulder as a thanks and leans into Robin, "Sorry.  Bourbon's ale caught me at the wrong time, had to make an emergency stop."  She shrugged as further apology.

Dia nods in acknowledgement to the Elven woman. But doesn't say anymore.

The goliath nods to the elven woman.
And then comments to the others.
"With that. I believethat we are ready to take back the manor. Unless someoneneed to get supplies that I am unawareof. "

At the Sanitarium...

"Ah. Comatose patient. Believed cause soul loss. I've witnessed this before. Likely inflicted by The Deck." She gives a strange hand gesture of warding as she says this, and then gestures to the counter in front of her as she continues unpacking. "You can set the patient there. They will be tended for as long as you are gone, whether you return or not. The patient will not atrophy as long as they live."

OOC: So, who's going where after this? Answer in OOC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
At the Guild Hall...

Ecks seems to have a physical tic whenever they encounter something they did not expect. "Well... um... inn services are normally handled by Bourbon. He's the gruff orc down the street. He's an opportunist, but he's a deadly warrior when provoked, and his is one of the few services capable of countering a raid."

"Ah, Bourbon! yes, yes, back to the bar this one goes. Ecks, 40 gems this one trusts you with, let this one know when the banker arrives, yes, yes."

Quil'Fank leaves 40 gems with Ecks and keeps the other 10. Then heads outside with Jarn before speaking with him:

"Iron Brain! This one must meet the Tiny-Happy-Death-Bringer about residence, what are Iron Brain's plans speak, speak?"

Jarn: "I'll be heading off with the others. Still gotta save dat one guy who lost his soul and da lady who got ported somewhere.

Quil'Fank: Good, good. Then let's find our.....frieeeenn-mutual acquaintances and proceed with plans, yes, yes.

The duo head back to find the others, hopefully they don't get lost.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 02:03, Wed 29 Sept 2021.

It is, after some deliberation, settled for the short-term destinies of those bound to the Darkest Deck. The actual current Heir, one Dia de Muertos, will not be securing their ancestral residence by right, as they have a distraction to attend to. Olivia, it seems, will be accompanying the Heir to contact the Order of Quarter and see if they cannot talk their warriors into finally lending their arms to the Hamlet's aid.

Quil'Fank seems likely to be content to just hole up and wait, dreaming of all that money.

Meanwhile, Bang Ironson, Durque, Jarnbrautarlest, and Robin all make their way to The Old Manor Ruins, to clear it out before the sun goes down and the dead rise up in force. There, in a chamber, they will find the Occallium Orientalis and learn not only how to stop the flow of the undead, but they will find Derrick's soul.

Olivia and the Heir are fortunate. They have no pressure on them for time.

Quil'Fank only need to fear the failure of the four, for their rest will be very short-lived indeed if they do not succeed!

Meanwhile, the danger to our four heroes is quite palpable, as if they do not work quickly, the undead will begin to overtake them, and eventually overrun them.

Fight well, Heroes! Quil'Fank depends on it!

For the four person team - they will be going to the thread labeled The Ruins.

For the two person team - they will be going to the thread labeled Negotiations.

For Quil'Fank - congratulations. You don't need to move at all, you lazy rat.