DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy RRL: Rise of the Rune Lords - Burnt Offerings RRL: Trouble At The Rusty Dragon

[OOC: Assume this happens after Cat's guard shift, which passes uneventfully. The group that accosted The Sheriff seems to have melted into the town or left. Also, assume that PCs who want to be at The Rusty Dragon grabbing a drink or a meal witness the events. Also, the first person to post can tell us what time of day this occurs.]

The door of The Rusty Dragon slams open. It is a good thing it was sturdily made because, counter to what the old man appears he seems to possess enough strength to slam it.



He lets out a loud yell, "Where the hell is my daughter?"

The other patrons of the bar, recognizing him and knowing of his reputation for wrathful outbursts, grow very quiet and interested in their meals. If the adventurers don’t intervene, Lonjiku stalks farther into the tavern, his eyes scanning the room for his daughter only to alight on Sandpoint’s newest heroes.

Lonjiku is a middle-aged Tian man, though he looks much older than his age due to he looks much older than his age due to lack
of sleep caused of sleep caused by recent events.

He starts by approaching the strangers and accusing them of endangering the townsfolk with their ill-advised “antics,” implying they should have left the defense to the city guard and other “trained professionals.”

Coral

Coral had decided that the big church was pretty boring. She'd spent longer admiring the craftsmanship that had gone into its making than she had expected to. But she had not felt particularly closer to any gods as a result of her visit.

What had surprised Coral, was how late in the afternoon it was when she left the building. 'Time for something to eat' she had told herself as she had returned to the inn.

She was sitting with her companions, tucking into her chicken pie when the man had approached and started berating them. She looked him in the eye.

"If I had done nothing, and waited for your 'trained professionals'," she replied to him, coldly, "I would be dead."

Selaim

Knowing that Cat had her safety well in hand, Selaim headed back to the tavern. On the way she maintained a low profile and occasionally "window"shopped before heading arriving at the tavern. Seeing her friends were still out she headed upstairs to clean and sharpen her weapons. Getting a little thirsty she headed down the stairs to get a drink and noticed Coral at a table with some food.

Ordering a drink and some food at the bar she was just heading to join the others when the man came in like a whirlwind accusing them of endangering the town.

Wincing at Coral's response Selaim bit back her own comments and thought to herself "What Would Princeling Do?" so she remained calm and asked the man. "Where did you last see her? And how old is she? We can help look for her."

Catalena

Happy to return to her room at the Rusty Dragon after a night away, Cat rolled in the door after her shift ready for food, drink, a bath, and a nap before the evening crowd picked up. She wondered if Lord Foxglove had checked out.

But upon entering, and seeing Ameiko's father, her mood immediately turned sour. How could a man who created such beautiful stained glasswork have no appreciation for the rare, colorful and beautiful figure that was his daughter, Ameiko Kaijitsu? While he usually just came in to complain about the "shameful" Rusty Dragon which she owned and operated to great success, Cat saw the stuck up old grouch was bothering the town saviors.

Still in uniform, she approached and asked, "Is there a problem, Kaijitsusan?"

Aendell

He'd taken a stroll over to see the Church, chatting with whichever functionary was giving tours. He looked at the architecture and artistic stylizations it contained with appreciation. If the Priest was available he spoke to him to ask if he had any thoughts about the attacks and the happenings in the cemetery.

After a few hours, he wandered back to the Inn, arriving just after Catalena entered. He missed the outburst from the older man and any responses by the group, although from their positioning it was clear the man was addressing them. He heard Catalena's question, so was able to catch the man's name, but not much more.

He moved leisurely to the table where the group was sitting and pulled up a chair. Nodding in greeting to the group, he turns to look at the man and hear his reply.

At the church, Father Zantus is happy not only to give him a tour but to discuss the finer points of the choices that were made in construction. The church was created to fulfill the community's need for a place to worship. Rather than choose one god, they chose to represent many and share the space. They can have different events on different days of the week and take care of Sandpoint's needs. Aendell had seen many set ups similar in his travels, though this seems to be a bit better constructed since it is made of stone. That might have something to do with the fact that the last church burned completely to the ground.

Father Zantus said "I am concerned about the grave robbing. That strikes me as to purposeful for goblins. I shudder to think what they intend for the body. That combined with an organized goblin raid on Sandpoint speaks to a new power that is leading them. That could very well spell trouble for our existence. However, I do believe the gods will help us prevail. They sent you after all."

===================

The old man turns on Cat with fire in his eyes. "You hussy! You're the reason my daughter disobeys me. She knows her place, but you instead show that women..." his voice trails off. Turning back, he says, "It is because of you that our town was raided. The goblins would never have come here if you hadn't first!"

Zak:

He moves from jovial to serious in a moment.

“I suggest that you calm down. You will not speak to my friend again in that manner. Your daughter can make up her own mind. So sit down and have a drink, or stop acting like someone who has had a drink they can’t handle and needs to sleep it off. Back down Longiku.”

He may be short. But he wasn’t unimposing

Coral

(OOC - because it is what she does .... she surreptitiously casts a spell ...)


Coral cast empathy on Kaijitsusan
Angrboða rolled d10,d6 and got 9, 6

Coral cast empathy on Kaijitsusan ace
Angrboða rolled d6 and got 2

so a 9 - a raise - +2 to persuade


Coral tries to persuade the man to calm down and tell us what the problem really is.

Coral Persuade Kaijitsusan to calm down (+2)
Angrboða rolled d8 d6 and got 3, 6


Coral Persuade Kaijitsusan to calm down (+2) ace
Angrboða rolled d6 and got 6


Coral Persuade Kaijitsusan to calm down (+2) ace again
Angrboða rolled d6 and got 3

so a 17 on persuade

Selaim

Evidently the man was not a reasonable man especially when spewing faulty logic that he was yelling. It didn't make sense that their or Cat's appearance would cause the town to get raided by a pack of goblins.

Still try to be reasonable. That is what Aendell would do. Be calm. Treat irrationality with stoic rationality. Biting back the building rage she forces herself to try to remain calm.

"It is hard to see where the two events are related. We just helped when we saw help was needed. And we'd like to help you. But first tell us about what you know about your daughter's disappearance."

There calm as she could. But why was her hand clenching her dagger under the table so hard? Realizing this she eased her grip on it so that her hand wouldn't cramp.

Aendell

His eyes move from one speaker to the next, a perplexed expression on his face. He turns and whispers to Selaim, "Did I miss something?"

Catalena

Cat's expression rendered a brief moment of shock at hearing the man's insults and accusations, but she has dealt with hecklers and boors her entire life. The antiquated term hussy actually amused her, she realized, and a slow, sly smile spread across her face.

As Zachergillan rose to defend her, her smile was warm and genuine. She gave his shoulder a squeeze and planted a quick kiss on his temple.

"I'll go ahead and fetch her then, shall I?" she said, lightly. "Most likely she's cooking up dinner this time of day," she added, for Selaim's benefit.

Cat then slid off through the rapidly-filling tables and standing patrons. While knowing that Ameiko's domain was not one to be interrupted without reason, especially during dinner rush, she waved to the bartender and let herself into the kitchen.

As Coral felt her spell taking effect and the look softening every so slightly in the old man's eyes the doors to the kitchen slammed open. Cat is able to stop her journey before it even starts.



She is dressed as a cook complete with an apron and a dripping soup laddle in her right hand. She sloshes soup on to the floor as she makes her way across the common room. She says "what is all this ruckus about?" Then her eyes fall upon the old man and the Heroes of Sandpoint. She frowns.

She starts spouting in Minkaian in an angry tone. He gets riled up and yells right back at her in the same language. Though Coral can tell that he isn't as angry as he was earlier, she can also feel his fear and worry. She can imagine that the old man's feelings weren't directed at the Heroes specifically but more misplaced emotions that he doesn't know where to thrust.

Selaim

"I think we all missed something." She comments dryly to Aendell.

She indicates the man. "He came in looking for his daughter. Apparently she's the cook here." She says indicating the two.

"Of course when he came in I thought his daughter was really missing not that she just ran away from home."

"Other than that, I have been working on my impulse control. Of course now that might be out the window," she growls.

Coral

Coral stood up and addressed the man and his daughter. "Can I ask you both to calm down, and stop yelling?" she said as sweetly as she could.

The both said nothing but absolutely glared at Coral. They went right back into their argument in their language.

At one point the old man tried to grab her by the hair to obviously drag her from the tavern. She deftly dodged and slapped him up the side of the head with the soup laddle. Both the old man and Coral are splattered with warm soup.

Catalena

Cat still stood by the kitchen door with her finger raised as if about to make a point but there was no one there as Ameiko stormed into the common room like an irate meteor. With a shrug, she followed Ameiko, the scent from the ladle making her hungry for dinner.

She watched the argument in the language of their homeland across the ocean thinking she might like to learn it someday in silent bemusement, but when the elder Kaijitsu reached for her hair, she gasped aloud, "Oh no he didn't!"

Then she gave a short shriek when the ladle struck him and she turned a grimace toward young Banny Harker from the lumberyard who happened to be next to her.

"Miss Ameiko is one spicy pepper," she remarked.

Zak’s eyes narrow considerably when it looks like he might be dragging her by the hair. No. That wasn’t going to happen.but right now she seemed capable of fending for herself so he sat back, sipped a drink, and waited.

Coral

Coral knew she should not interfere with a domestic argument.

But Coral knew lots of things.

Her knowledge didn't necessarily stop her from making poor choices.


She started to mumble under her breath and make subtle gestures with her fingers.


Coral cantrip based on 'Havoc'
Angrboða rolled d10,d6 and got 8, 4

success

[OOC - her intent is to create a little dust devil on the floor between the pair, that slowly increases in size. It consists of lots of swirling air, with dirt and rubbish off the floor, slowly getting bigger. It is not strong enough to move anything, never mind damage anything. But hair, parchment and clothes will flap about. If they stop arguing, she'll dismiss the cantrip.]

Sealim

At the sight of the altercation between father and daighter, Selaim thought the prudent thing to do was to stay out of it. It was a family squabble and so far nobody had drawn any weapons. Well except for the soup ladle and apparently the girl was adept in wielding one as a weapon. She got up to move away when the hot soup landed next to her drink and jumped back when the little dust devil erupted between the two.

"What the..." she stammered before realizing someone had cast the windstorm and so far it was not a threat but a barrier.

The pair are arguing in their language, completely oblivious to anyone else until the miniature cyclone begins between them. The pair are pushed apart by the winds and debris. Both shield their eyes with an arm. Ameiko looks around the room and her eyes fall upon Coral and she accurately surmises that the little girl is enacting the magic. Ameiko flicks her ladle with expert precision. A dollop of soup hits Coral squarely.

Ameiko says, "Stay out of family business." Turning back to her father, she says in a clear, firm voice, "I am not going with you. If you want to retreat and leave all that you have created. Go. I am staying here in Sandpoint with the life that I have created."



[OOC:
Ameiko Soup attack 7 to hit Coral
Pandemonium rolled 1d6,1d6 and got 6, 2
Ameiko Soup attack Ace
Pandemonium rolled 1d6 and got 1]

[OOC - it only takes 5 to hit Coral if she has not buffed herself up]

Coral let her cantrip collapse in a downwards swirl, of dust, leaves and small debris as she was struck in the face with soup.

"Ow!" she exclaimed - more in surprise than in pain!

Her attention turned from manipulating the cantrip, to wiping soup from her face.

Selaim

She ducks as the splatter flies. Knowing better than to get into a family squabble she watches the events unfold.

The old man finally glares at her, and stomps towards the door of The Rusty Dragon. Slowing only to toss her another evil glance he shouted something else in their language before turning and going out the door.

Ameiko took whatever he said in stride, but those who are keen observers note there might be a bit of sadness in her eyes. She pauses for a moment before turning on her own heel and heading back towards the kitchen.

Am:

“Well' that was awkward.”

Coral

"The soup is really nice," she called after Ameiko, as she licked the soup from her hands having wiped it from her face.