Jerron was sitting at the bar a livid expression on his face. The barmaid was on the verge of tears and the Guard was looking decidedly unhappy to be delivering the news.

As Geoffrey and the others enter into the cavern, the muscular man looks at the sad scene that's happening,"Hey, what's with all of you. This is an inn, you should be giving out a welcoming atmosphere not this pathetic one. Is it the rats, then be relieved cause they aren't a problem anymore thanks to yours truly." he says, gesturing to himself and then to the others.

"Tisnt the bleedin' rats ye daft lad! Tha' was my best stablehand that died to those beasties! If'n I was younger I'd go stop them all from comin' into me business fer good. But I got the aches and you might be a sturdy adventurer. Tell ye what bring me the rat queen's head as proof this is done and there might be a business proposition fer ye. But for these rats...."

He pulls out a weathered pouch.

"Traveller welched on payment, so I was able to nick this from his belongings before the guard confiscated the rest to pay for fines. Thing is no use to me, but he seemed to use it. Take it and these eight silver."

Lucia had just walked in to hear what Geoffrey had said.  She paused in shock that he could be that heartless.

She walked over to the barmaid and said with all honesty, "My condolences on your loss.  Pay Geoffrey here no mind... he speaks before he thinks."

"Indeed our sincerest condolences, sir; and thank you for the silver" Glorandal said as he took the pouch and distributed the silver amongst the party. "The rat queen, you say? Do you know where we might find her?" He assumes the answer is into the cave they had found, but if there were another entrance to their warren it would be good to know.

"Wha! Hey, I didn't know they were grieving. Thought they were crying because of taxes and whatnot. But at least I was right about their being a kind of rat monarchy around here." Geoffrey laughs but then scratches his hair as he looks at the barmaid and innkeeper,"Umm... Sorry for your lost, my deepest condolences for he died an unexpected death. We promise you to take care of this rat problem posthaste." he says rather seriously.

"Th' rats are comin' inta the stable somehow. Cave mebe?" Jerron said.

" We found a large Crack or fissure in the back wall. It leads into the mountain which the stable was built against." he collects the coins which were given to him. He looks to Jerron," Do you own the Inn and stables? In the search for the rat queen anything we find,discover or recover is ours. If it is agreeable and the guard is our witness, I see no problem with undertaking this job for you."

"Have the rats been attacking anywhere else in town?" Lucia inquired; wanting to know if they had to worry about driving the rats out of their lair before they could get rid of them all.

"Course I own those stables! Me Granda buil' them decades ago. I built this here inn. Keep all the filthy treasure ye find th' rats hav' nothin from the Town. Mebe some Rushenko goods or Crag filth."

He spits Crag filth and goes back to consoling the barmaid.

Valaric quickly takes ink and parchment from his pack, before drawing up a contract for Jerron to sign.

Contract has for the fee of whatever coin he gave us. We are to eliminate the rat queen and anything we find, discover or recover is ours. We are to also be granted unrestricted access to the stables both during and after this task.

" Would like Jerron to sign with both of you to sign as witnesses." as He looks at both the guard and barmaid.

Jerron lifts the pen and puts his X at the bottom.
"Ain't seen a' need fer book learnin' or fancy papers fore. If'n it'll get my mess cleard up then orcs take it."

"Might we rest for the evening and go after the rat queen in the morning? I feel that may be more prudent than running into the warren haphazardly. Especially with night upon us." Glorandal says to the rest of the party.

"Fin', rest up. Roxy can show you to yer rooms." Jerron says as he turns back to a ledger.

"Much obliged!" Geoffrey says to the bartender, then turns toward the group,"Alright, let's take a rest and then by morning we beat up some rat royalty." he says and follows the barmaid to their room
This message was last edited by the player at 09:57, Thu 23 Sept 2021.

"Yes, thank you" Gloandal says wearily as he follows Geoffrey and Roxy to a room for the night.

“I’ll return in the morning.   I must see to my brother and sister.   Good evening.”, Lucia said with a nod of her head before leaving the inn.

The dawn breaks with a line of men coming out of the Temple District, circling the Market District and re-entering the Temple District. Once the last one set foot into the Temple District, the Market came alive. Stalls opened, people started hawking their wares.

Lucia woke at false dawn and quickly made breakfast for herself and her siblings.  She reminded them that she would be out for who knows how long dealing with the ROUSes.  Leti giggled at the name, which Lucia used to make the giant rats sound less scary.

"Practice your exercises when you get the chance, Levio, but customers come first.  Write down all special orders in the book but don't promise any delivery dates.  I'll do that when I get home.  If they order items I've already cleared you for, go ahead and start the order;  I'll check them and stamp them with my approval when you are done.  And you, Leti, mind your brother.  He's in charge while I'm out." she told them after making sure the shop was ready to be open as the men made their daily circle of the square.

She made one quick stop to the baker to buy a loaf of bread for her siblings; the woman behind the counter promising to deliver it to the glass shop for her so she could continue on to the Whispering Dragon without further delay.

She arrived at the inn promptly and took a seat in the tavern while she waited for the others to come down.

Geoffrey makes a big yawn on his room and starts walking clumsily back down the inn. He absently grabs any food the barmaid was serving and munch on them. He then lazily takes a seat to were Lucia is and instantly falls asleep.

Spending most of the night pouring over his tomes, Glorandal decided to meditate for a several hours to refresh himself. Finally, waking from his trance, he gets up and heads into the tavern's common area. He looks around and sees Lucia and Geoffrey from the night before and gives a little wave as he makes his way to the tavern keeper for some breakfast.

Getting a pint of ale and some fresh biscuits, he makes his way to the table where the rest of the party is sitting. He takes a seat and offers a biscuit before daintily nibbling and sipping his breakfast as he waits for everyone else to arrive.