Cassandre nodded, and to the gnome she replied:
  "Tea, strong one. Smoked if you have it. And whatever your food speciality is..."

 She smiled to Kamatar, and explained:
  "It is an Art... part of it is reading the lines on your hand, part of it is reading the coils of your mind. Oft it is not telling things one doesn't know about themselves, but reminding them of things they chose to ignore."

 "What is is worth depends on you, so much more than it does on me..." she explained.
 "Kings will find that even a little bit of information about their future is worth chests full of gold... while some folks think that knowing or not knowing will never change their ability to command their destiny, and is theregore worth nill."

 "You seem a decent fellow, and you've already bought me lunch... how about I read your palm and you tell me what you think it is worth?"

Stepping slowly, so as not to draw the ire of the woman, Zekk stepped directly between Bellinha and the talkative gnome with an almost annoyed smile on his face. Reaching out gently, he placed his hands on both of her shoulders, and directed her over to a seat, away from the gnome, to sit her down.

"Listen... I mean no disrespect darling, but letting these people know we are desperate will just get us jerked along on a long leash, doing all of their bidding for free." he said in low tones, meant just for her, "Desperate workers never get paid, you catch what I mean?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, clueing her in to his angle here, so she didn't keep messing it up for him.

Once they were finished with their private conversation, he turned back to the talkative gnome,

"Well, my dear friend, we have valuable information for the Drunken Pastor. Information that could prevent death in the city, and we are worried that if we do not reach him quickly enough, many people will suffer. We obviously don't want that: we want to tell him quickly so he can prepare!" he said with a smile, "Would you have any way of getting him a message, so that we can prevent these terrible things from happening, or at least help him prepare?" he asked, hoping to prod the gnome for a little bit more information without SEEMING to want the information for his own purposes.

Kozibi stood there, leaning against the counter, just...listening. Desperate people. Terrible liars. Coziness in the corner. It was like watching several plays going on at once. He almost wished he had popcorn.

He shook his head and just waited to see where it was going since they clearly had things 'well in hand'. Or some unreasonable facsimile thereof.

Kamatar looked at her evenly and shook his head. "You haven't answered my question yet. So I ask again before letting you read my palm.
The question is: What has true value to you?" he replied calmly while looking into her face.

At first, Bellinha wanted to protest Zekk moving her away from the gnome, just as they were getting somewhere.  In the end, after listening to his plan, she stayed silent.  Zekk had a good point.  Appearing too desperate was probably not a good idea, not in this odd town.  An odd town that she was pretty sure was hiding something.  The sooner that they finished their business here, the better.

Bellinha decided to wait and watch, at least for the moment.  She straightened her back to sit more primly in her seat.  Hopefully Zekk wouldn't take too long.  She was anxious to get moving and get cured.

Breya sighed and stepped back, patting Bellinha's shoulder.  "Sometimes, when you're confronted with crazy, the only way forward is even more crazy."

But Breya's eyes were on Shortstack, who seemed to be fine at the moment.  But her eyes were there just in case.

In reply to Breya (msg # 111):

Bilmoth and the Gnome look at you Zekk with a sort of huh expression.

The Gnome goes to fill the order he's been given.  Doesn't stop him from talking though.

"Well. I suppose we could go stand at the edge a' the glen.  An' maybe shout into it.  He might hear the message that way."

Bilmoth shakes his head.  "Sorry. But we can't exactly communicate real well with the Fae.  They just sorta do as they please.  So no way I can think ta get him a message like.

"But I'm in charge of the temple right now.  So you can tell me the message.  I'll do what I can to prepare!"

He considers.  "Though I guess we could ask Granny Bell if she knows a way ta get a message to him. But she's...

"Well.  Granny Bell ain't right in the head."

"Not right in the head!  She's about as right as a bald medusa!  You take "messed" and add it ta "up", an' Granny Bell is what you get!  Why I don't think I've ever seen anyone more 'tetched in the head since the Flanders kid got kicked in the head by a mule an' swore he could talk to sea cucumbers!  He kept splashin' around in the surf, screamin' they were callin' him home to glory!  No shock to anyone when he drowned.

"So what I mean ta say is,

"If you wanna try Granny Bell, go up the stairs an' look for the eastern most shack.  The one with the chicken tethered to the front door latch.  That's Granny Bell.

"Here's your smoked, strong tea.  Ginger beer.  And bar-b-que squid.  Enjoy!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:46, Tue 10 Jan 2023.

Bellinha turned to look up at Breya, and gave her a small smile as she put her own hand over Breyas.  She gave it a short thankful squeeze before returning her attention to the talk between the gnome and Bilmoth.

Granny Bell.  Now they had something to go on.  Of course she was crazy but then that seemed to be expected in this town.  Was that it now?  Or was Zekk going to try and push for something more?  Maybe they should give Zekk a little more time to see what he was going to do, and what he could do.

Unconsciously, Bellinhas foot began to tap impatiently.

"Perfect!" Zekk said with a grin, wrapping his arm around the shoulders of Bilmoth, "I knew you were the right man to escort us around town! Thank you for the offer!" he said, leaving the poor man very little choice in the matter as he slowly shifted him towards the door, obviously assuming the man would roll with the strong personality type.

"Now, we've heard a rumor that dangerous monsters are headed this way. We didn't want any rumors getting ahead of the clergy in this town, of course, so we had to come right away. These monsters, we were told, are..." he paused, and said, "Well I'll tell you much more on the way to the outskirts of town. Near the glen, like you said." he said, nodding.

What he needed was Bilmoth isolated, and away from the Gnome. That would be the only way he could make him feel important enough to basically convince the little bastard to be their personal guide for this whole thing, and give him the information on the town's defenses in the process. Just because this little group seemed particularly "good aligned" and kind didn't mean Zekk couldn't probe for defenses, to see if anything was easy pickings!

If Bilmoth went outside to show him the way to the "glen", then he would continue the conversation in earnest...

In reply to Kamatar Yu Pan (msg # 109):

 Little Cassandre paused for a moment, peering deep into the archer’s eyes. Her own pupils narrowed, as she thought hard before replying:
  “Safety. That would be top of my list. Then probably Comfort. And if I get greedy, Love.”

 “That was a good question, handsome…” she added.

The half-orc's right eyebrow lifted in an expression of curiosity and possibly disbelief."It isn't often that anyone calls me handsome,
either in mockery or sincerity." He paused while looking back into her eyes, his eyebrow dropping back in place as he resumed his
expression of calm.

"But since you've answered my question, I will let you read my palm because you know that nothing you seek will be gained by
harming me. And because I've fed you already. And because you will tell me what you know of the fire-haired woman who looks
like she often solves her problems with her fists. he added confidently, reaching across the table to turn his left palm face up in front of her.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:06, Wed 11 Jan 2023.

Kozibi smirked as Bellinha was moved away by Zekk, but then he saw the touch between her and Breya. Hmm. Well, it's not like he had a chance to romance either of them, or maybe vice versa? It didn't matter. He wasn't their type. Possibly in more ways than one. He was poisonous and he knew it so while he would flirt and romp, nothing more.

He raised an eyebrow at Zekk and then slow-clapped. "Bravo. Well done. When do we leave?"

In reply to Kozibi Januson (msg # 117):

The gnome's eyes go as wide as barrel lids when you mention "monsters coming" Zekk.

"Oh My Biscuits and Bunions!  Monsters Coming This Way!  I must tell everyone!"

And he shoots for the door, presumably leaving his patrons to fend for themselves.

Bilmoth sighs.  "Well that's a mess I'm gonna have to clean up."

He sort of side steps out from under your arm Zekk and glances around at everyone of you.

"Okay.  So...I'm guessin' you want me to show you to the Glenn then?  That's easy enough.  But do you just wanna rescue Tottenhat? Or is there really somethin' else goin' on?"

Breya had her ears on the conversation, her eye on Shorstack, and her hand on Bellinha.  She was doing a lot of important work via multi-tasking.

"Hey, let's just save Tottenhat, one step at a time right?"

Telling these people their problem, well it probably wasn't wise.  It might be, but she didn't know that.

Perfect...

Widening his arms, Zekk grinned,

"We're just responsible citizens doing our parts to rescue the Pastor. Nothing more, nothing less." he said, now that the gnome and Bilmoth were, indirectly, setting this little town up in such a way that they could easily make some real profit hiring out as monster killers.

Bowing deeply, with an exaggerated sweep of his arm towards the door, he invited Bilmoth his voice dripping with respectful tones,

"After you, my dear man." he offered, and it was difficult to tell how serious he was being, but every part of his face indicated sincerity.

In reply to Zekk (msg # 120):

Who all is going to the Glen?

Everyone?

Breya was only going to the Glen if the name of the day ended in "y".

Bellinha calmly watched Zekk work.  Mostly calm.  Her foot was tapping a steady impatient staccato on the floor.  Finally it looked like they were leaving the inn.  She rose to her feet and looked at the others, Kozibi, Breya, Cassandre, nodding her head after Zekk in a silent 'Let's go.'

Zekk, of course, followed on his own little plan to the Glen. He didn't much like waiting, but unlike the obvious Bellinha, he did a good enough job at hiding it. He thought. Maybe with those damnable turtles he wasn't that patient, but that would have to wait until later.

Bilmoth was obviously slightly uncomfortable, and frankly: that's exactly how Zekk liked people he was negotiating with. It tended to cause people to put their emotions on their faces, which made his job that much easier.

He kept his own emotional tells in check, staying calm with a pleasant smile on his face. He was still debating hanging on to this curse for all of its benefits long term, but this group he was shoved in with seemed strongly opposed to it, so he'd keep it to himself.

Kozibi was wondering what Zekk's game was. The other man's style was...a little of this and that, a little over the place. And that seemed like it might be stepping to Kozibi's own area. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

So he was going along. To keep eye on Zekk. Oh, sure, and to help the town, stop the spread of lycanthropy, blah blah blah.

Breya let out a low *tweep*.

"Shortstack, we're doing a thing.  You in?"

Cassandre made true on her promise. She grabbed the man’s big hand in hers, ignoring her plate of squid for the moment. A long practiced stare, a carefully curated pensive look, gentle little nudges of the head, almost a nodding, but not quite. Short sigh, then gentle rasp in her throat. A subtle nasal sound, and then she commenced:
  “Life had not been gentle on you, but you’ve overcome and got the better of it. The odds were stacked against you, but you set yourself on a trajectory that continues to improve your condition.”
 “I see elements of mayhem in your near future. Things will not go as you expect, but you will adapt and embrace, and come out better for it.”
“Actually… I see imminent and immediate challenges coming your way…” she frowned.

This is when Breya rudely interrupted.
“Well there you go!” she said.
“As if on cue! You’d think we had this rehearsed, but no. But I do need to go. Will you join us? I can’t tell you what it’s about, I don’t know myself, but I guarantee it will be fun, dangerous, bizarre, frustrating, and ultimately satisfactory.”

She turned to the gnome and asked in his native gnomique language:
  “Bigsliceofbreafplease, illhavethistogo.”
And soon her lunch had become a squid yufka, ready to be eaten on the move.

“Where are we going? and who is this Glenn? friend of Wyatt?”

In reply to Cassandre Lagrene (msg # 127):

"Since I have been given an interesting invitation. Since you haven't answered all of my questions. Since it looks
like I'll need to go with you to get those answers. I guess I will have to go with you." he concluded with a nod.

"But I ask that, please explain three things as we go. One, who are we going with beside you and the woman
who called you 'shortstack'? Two, why does she call you 'shortstack'? Third, who would or could you trust to
provide you with the safety you seek?" he asked as he stood to his full 6'3" height and gathered his backpack,
two quivers of arrows, and the two unique longbows.

In reply to Kamatar Yu Pan (msg # 128):

Bilmoth glances at Cassandre and Kamatar then at you Zekk.  "You mind if we stop by the temple?  There's an old map we have of the glen?  Who knows?  Might come in handy."

And with that, we will be moving to a new thread.  Gimme a minute or so folks.

And I no shame over what is about to happen.

None whatsoever.

 Cassandre walked alongside the tall green man, and explained:
 "We're going with this lot: the two amazons, Bellinha and Breya; Kozibi is the skinny singer who thinks he's handsome, and muscle-man Zekk. That is the motley band I've been travelling with."
 "Breya calls me Shortstack, because A- she enjoys nicknames, and B- she's a whole four foot taller than me, so I guess I look like a short stack of hair and rags to her."
 "As for your last question, I don't think I have a straight answer for you, not yet."

 "Come on, pick up the pace, things move fast in this company."