Guy listens to Drevor’s info about cooking, pondering what he said about ingredients he always thought of mixing ingredients like mixing colors, but maybe it was not that way…

After listening to the rumors, Guy whispers the Drevor, “That sounds interesting!” But doesn’t elaborate on which but he found interesting.

OOC: Does Guy know anything about the Mountains of Kimrin?

When the bag is set down and Drevor's hand releases it, the creature begins flailing about again until it finally frees itself. It looks wildly about, blinking in the sudden brightness at the cage. Running from one corner to the other, it presses against the walls and tries to fit through the gaps. When that fails, it hisses and growls at Drevor's hand with the occasional lunge. Those passing by give you a bit more space as they do so.

"Well, there is it, I guess. Listen, you seem to have this all in hand. Let me know if you want to hunt cockatrice. I am going to go chase rumors about about this weird magic."

Guy tries to catch up with the people he overheard talking about weird magic in the mountains to find out more, or where they heard the rumors.

Tha's fine, the journeyman chef says to Guy.  I've goota find ou' wha' tha 'Ell this thing is.
When it lunges at his hand, he growls at it in return and shakes the cage roughly.

21:42, Today: Drevor Jemmson rolled 2 using 1d20+1.  Animal Handling.
He's not befriending it any time soon.

Guy returns inside the store as Drevor growls and gives the cage a light shake. The creature becomes wild, snarling and biting furiously at the cage. A few nearby people jump back, muttering and whispering irritably.

Shaking his head at the creature, and ignoring Guy as he seems to decide to follow his own pursuits, Drevor heads his way towards The Arcanum....

You work your way north through the market which seems to have recently had some commotion while you were within the shop. You hear repeated gossiping from people you pass about a chase that cut through the district involving a guard chasing four criminals. But by the time you reach the next road, the excitement has faded and people seem to be going about normally.

Soon you pass through a wooden palisade rather than the stone walls and you know you've reached the Guard District. The buildings are a bit older but mostly well maintained, though the further west you head, the more rundown they seem. At the center of the district, between the main road and the palisade, you find a busy building. Three stories tall with a tower at the two rear corners. Scholarly types move all about the building carrying books, scrolls, and packed bags.

The large front door is a bit foreboding. When people aren't opening and closing them, you can see designs of various uses of magic and alchemy is carved into the wood with exquisite detail. Two glass globes hang from either side of the door, each holding a ball of magical blue light.

Drevor enters the building with his caged creature, dodging the various scholars passing through the doorway.  Moving towards whatever appears to be a receptionist or help desk, he stands in line if he must, before holding up the cage and explaining he needs the creature within identified.

You find a female dark elf just inside the door at a desk. She's bent over a book, scrawling the occasional note on some paper. After you stand for a moment, she notices you're not just another student and closes the book. "Apologies. Oh..." she glances at the creature with some disgust. She points down a hall, "You'll want to speak with Professor Furbog. They should be able to tell you whatever that thing is."

Professor Furbog, ye say?  Thank ye. He nods allost as if tipping his hat to her, and follows the direction indicated.  As he walks, he looks for any indication of where the professor might be.

Down the hall a bit, you come to a door ajar with a painted label on the door:


Inside, you see a thin male orc with gray-green skin, pointed elf-like ears, long flowing gray hair tied at the back of his head, and short tusks dressed in a teal, silk robe. As you stand there, he looks up from his desk where two cages sit on opposite ends, each holding a single rat. "Hello, there. Can I help you with something?"

As he approaches the door, he stops to look through the open space, not yet knocking.  When the professor greets him, he clears his throat, then opens the door to step, pulling it to behind him.  He holds up the cage.
I caught this critter in tha kitchen o' tha tavern where I cook.  I was wonderin' wha' tha 'Ell it is.

He waves you in and moves the rat cages to the ground so you can place your cage upon the desk. He takes barely a glance at it and gives a wide grin, "Ah, yes. I know those. Quite the pests. You've got yourself a wharfling. I expect you caught it by the shore? They're rather common, especially to fishmongers and those with shiny jewelry."

He looks it over briefly from different angles. Once done, he takes a copper coin from his pocket, gives it a spit-shine, and slips it into the cage where the wharfling snatches it up with its mouth and tucks it between tooth and lip. "Hmm. Well, I'm sorry, but I don't see anything unique about this one, a little skinny maybe but nothing special, so I can't offer anything to you for it."

Akshully, the cook says as he cocks an eyebrow at the warfling, me tavern's no' near the water.  Bu', 'e was in tha kitchen stealin' food.  A' Tha Predator's Cove, other side o' distric' 9, along the Eastfall.
He shrugs.  We's 'bout as far away from tha warfs as ye ken get.

"Really," Professor Furbog says surprised. "I suppose that would explain the dryer skin. I assumed it has been in the cage for some time. That's interesting. Not the stealing food part, they're notorious for being thieving gits. No, for being that far out, unless you've got some large cistern or a small pond, any source of water nearby. But I assume that's not the case.

"Anyhow, I'd say if you found it there, you may have others. They usually live in families of three, keeping in a small group. But why they're there...actually, I may have an theory. Some of my students have been researching reports of a surge of water beetles across the coast. One had theorized the beetles were the young hatchings of a giant variety. Now, if that's true, the giant water beetles are more aggressive. People are typically fine unless they are near the nest as they don't often attack anything larger than it. But a creature like a wharfling would be a nice meal for them. I can't say for sure, but I suppose if that student is correct, that would explain why you're seeing them further in if they've been driven from their lairs."

Drevor looks thoughtfully at the wharfling for several moments.  I've two questions:  Anyone ever try eatin' 'em?  Anyone ever try tamin' 'em?

The professor is caught off guard by the questions. "I...I don't know. I suppose if you had a young one, you could tame it. They're not too aggressive and it shouldn't be much different than most other beasts. And, I guess, you could eat it. I imagine others would have certainly, but I can't think of any directly myself."

He looks at the caged creature thoughtfully again.  Perhaps I should take it ta tha waterfront an' let it go, he says as he turns back to the professor.  Thank ye fer tha information.  Should ye ever come to tha Predator's Cove, I shall provide  ye a free meal.

"That sounds pleasant. I'll have to take you up on that.

"And if you do come across any abnormal creatures, know that I'll pay a reward for them."

The cook gives a small smile.  Hopefully, I'll na find any more of  'em in me kitchen  With that said, he bids the professor a good day and heads back out into the street.
This time, he heads for the docks to release the wharfling before heading back to the tabern.

Exiting the Arcanum, you head east, following the road between moderate houses, guard houses, and a couple shops. Crossing the next wooden palisades into Old Lydan, you find some of the nicer housing built here with unique architecture and decorations. Turning north, you travel the short distance to enter the Warehouse District. Much to its name, you find multiple large buildings with large doors and wagons entering and exiting. The smell of the Purgatory Sea begins to hang heavier in the air. Most of the time to cross this district comes from working across the main street running the length of the district has a seemingly constant flow of wagons and carts.

Finally cutting across, you pass through the outer stone walls and into the Docks. Shops, inns, taverns, open markets, and few other warehouses line the edge of the beach. No matter the hour, the docks are a hub of activity. Harried orders, bustling laborers, travelers both embarking and disembarking. Sails dot the horizon, and ships arrive and depart with regularity morning, noon, and night. A pair of dock ledger-keepers stroll here and there, keeping tally of the arrivals and their cargo, and accepting coin to leave certain items off their meticulous ledgers.

Drevor walks out onto a rocky area of beach,the crate swinging gently in his hand with each stride.  When he comes to the water's edge, he sets the cage down and opens the door towards the water.  He then steps back, just so the wharfling will no longer feel threatened.

The wharfling hesitates a moment before beginning to emerge. You can see it peek out, then upon seeing the coast clear, it charges for the water. A few people around stop to watch, a couple with books may be some of the students Professor Furbog spoke of. The wharfling reaches the water and dives in and is met with something lunging out. A giant beetle about two feet in length erupts from the water, the wharfling caught in its mandibles. Its body tapers to a pointed tail section with a brownish-black carapace, dull yellow legs, and a silver stripe running lengthwise along its back. The creature dives back in the water, its prey caught and brought down with it.

A shocked look crosses Drevor's face as the wharfling he had set free suddenly becomes a meal.  He turns to the students with an awkward grin.
Well, I guess 'e dinna 'ave as good a' chance out 'ere as 'e woulda if'n I's jus' killt 'im at the tavern, he says with a small chuckle and shrug of his shoulders.  He then collects the cage, closes it, and heads back to the Predator's Cove.

With that done, you head back through the city. As you reach the District of Nine, you pass a temple of Bergerrin that seems to be under a sort of construction. A number of priests and acolytes are standing around an empty lot to the right of the temple and working together in some sort of spell. About a foot of stone and wall has already risen from the ground and seems to be slowly continuing upward. People pause and watch for a moment before continuing on after seeing the magical construction.

You eventually return to the Predator's Cove.