DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3P - Arrival at Calling Horns

Jaliera

She smiles and thanks the guards.

Then she nods to Davroar.

"Inn is a good choice. Best we secure lodgings and stabling too."

She is taking her duties for her as yet unnamed horse seriously.

<Bern>

He nodded to the guards as he entered.

He smiled, "A bit of food and drink would be most welcome."

Kriv

He nodded respectfully to the guards: A place of rational transactions, where cold, hard gold held sway, That he could work with. Onwards to the inn.

DM

The group passes through the gates, into the lively bustle of this small settlement. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows on the various buildings, around, most of them cottages, with a few stables or barns. The sight and smell of agriculture indicates the wall is probably more to protect them from critters rather than an army.

The road forks; a short distance straight ahead is a vibrant market square where a dozen or so vendors attend their carts under colorful awnings. The tantalizing scents of roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and exotic spices drift your direction. Merchants call out enthusiastically, hawking their wares to passersby. About twice as many shoppers as merchants browse the stalls, some haggling enthusiastically. A general air of commerce and camaraderie prevails.

To the left, the road gently ascends a small hill, leading you toward a large and inviting-looking inn. The distant sounds of laughter and lively music drift from the inn, promising a warm and hospitable atmosphere within.

As most of the party has indicated the inn as their destination, they head that way, where stables are available for their mounts.

Davroar

He takes in the liveliness of the local market and is pleasantly surprised with it all. Dismounting as they approach the inn, he will help Jaliera in taking her mount with his to the stable and will ask her, "I can take the horses if you want and grab us a decent table?"

DM

While the gentle slope on the road approaching the inn isn't a challenge to anyone, the slight change in elevation appears more relevant as they approach the inn. It's situated on the highest ground in the area, with a clear view over the walls to the roads approaching from the east, west, and south, and the Evermoors to the north.

The inn is large, probably able to house as many or more as all the scattered cottages inside the walls, implying that the permanent residency here may be a minority. It has two stories above ground, with a few guards visible on the upper story keeping an eye on things. They certainly don't look threatening, but combined with the guards at the gate, they seem to give the impression that "the law" is present if needed, but is mostly trying to keep the place safe for commerce.

The inn forms a "U" shape with the stables on the eastern flank, which happens to be downwind today (and most days). The western side appears to be the source of song, laughter, and an occasional curse of a gambler finding him or her self at the wrong end of a wager.

The party can enter from inside the enclosed portion, passing a small garden furnishing the inn with fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices.

So far, they've mostly blended in with the dozens of other travelers coming, going, and staying for a few days to replenish supplies in one of the few places along this stretch of Evermoor Way that seems slightly safer than the open road. But as they enter, no doubt all eyes will be on them...

Jaliera

"Sure, I can do that."

She smiles at him and adds "And if you can find out his name, that would be good."

She heads into the inn, noting firstly the garden and secondly the lively atmosphere as she heads towards the bar, looking for a large table on the way and if there is table service or not.

<Bern>

He follows Davroar to the stables to get his horse settled in as well.

Sindar

He will dismount and go to take care of his horse first, then he is interested in satisfying his own needs.

Kriv

It's been a long ride. Duty dictates seeing to the mounts first.

Arus

Though his steed isn't strictly in need of care, Arus feels that the celestial warhorse should experience stabling and grooming on the Prime Material Plane. When on Faerûn do as the Faerûnians do. As a triton, Arus follows the same creedo.

So once the steed is sorted, Arus follows his companions into the inn to secure their overnight lodging.

"Room, board and stabling for the night, if you please." he says to the attendant.

DM

For those who head to the stables with their mounts, they are welcomed by the stablehands.

A man who introduces himself as Brom is a burly and weathered man with a salt-and-pepper beard. He's the head stablehand, responsible for overseeing the operation. His leather apron is stained with hay and mud, and he has a calm, reassuring presence. He also introduces his wife Elyra, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, who is in the process of feeding and grooming some of the other horses already here when the party arrives.

Two younger stablehands are present as well, a teenage boy apparently named "Finn" when Brom calls him from his current task. His shovel indicates he has the unenviable task of cleaning the stalls, but by the looks of the available stalls he seems to do a good job of it. And there's a younger girl, probably about twelve and somewhat shy, whom Elyra addresses as Lily. She may not be doing any actual practical work, but she is keeping a few horses company and clearly loves being here.

The stablehands offer a range of services to the party. Travelers can choose to pay for their horses to be taken care of, including feeding, grooming, and stall cleaning, or they can choose to tend to their steeds themselves. Feed, hay, and fresh water are available for sale.

On the opposite side of the stables from where the party entered, a door opens to a long hallway toward the dining area of the inn.

DM

For those who arrive in the inn, it seems a warm and hospitable atmosphere. The hum of conversation and the clinking of tankards fills the air. The common room they step into is spacious, with about twenty sturdy wooden tables, slightly over half of which are occupied by a mix of travelers, locals, and adventurers, leaving the party their choice of a half-dozen or so tables, where they can dine together, or perhaps even split up.

Two barmaids, one with fiery red hair and the other with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, deftly weave between the tables, taking orders and delivering frothy mugs of ale, hearty plates of food, and mugs of steaming cider. The redhead nods toward the party as they enter, offering a "be right with ya!" as she nods in the direction of some empty tables, indicating they are welcome to take a seat.

The patrons at the tables appear content, savoring their meals and engaging in animated conversations. In the vicinity of their parents at one of the tables, a group of younger children is engaged in a lively tag-based game. Their laughter and playful antics add an element of youthful energy to the room.

To the south of the common room, there are a couple of curtained-off rooms where the sounds of revelry can be heard. Laughter mingles with the strains of lively music, hinting at a private celebration in progress.

Near one of the walls, the innkeeper, a stout and welcoming figure with a friendly smile, maintains a wooden desk. On the desk rests the customary guestbook, where travelers can record their names and the number of rooms they require. The innkeeper is attentive, ready to assist new arrivals and answer any questions they may have.

The air is filled with the comforting scents of freshly baked bread, roasting meats, and a hint of herbs and spices. The inn's hearth crackles with a warm and inviting fire, casting a cozy glow over the room.

Jaliera

She sees Arus heading to the innkeeper so she dodges around the 'tag' children, smiling at their antics, to claim a table large enough to seat them all. Seeing there is one chair short, she grabs a free one on route and adds it to their table. Then she sits and waits for the others to catch up.

<Bern>

He takes a moment to look around the stable as he enters. He smiled. It was surprisingly clean and 'well kept' ... and the 'staff' seemed to like what they were doing. It seemed a good place to leave the mounts ... better than many places he had used.

"We would like to stable some horses. What do you charge?"

DM

"Prices are here," Brom gestures to a sign advertising stable costs. "Two silver for basic services, but you can always ask for special requests." He gestures at the young girl. "Lily'll keep 'em brushed for free, as well, if you give her their names."

Sindar

He looks to the sign wondering how it was that his life had changed so much. It was almost as much to stable his horse as it was what he lived on for a month when he was younger. He didn't begrudge it. It was something interesting to muse on.

He slipped two silvers deftly into his hand and offered them. "Here is for the basic services for my mount. I will take a peek at her when I return, and should there be extra care given, I will compensate with a nice tip." The half-elf offered a winning smile.

Davroar

Looking up at the prices Brom has indicated, he will say, "I like to take care of my horses, so I'll just pay for the feed and hay."

He will take the opportunity here to cast his spell speak to animals to ask Jaliera's horse if he/she has a preferred name. He will repeat this for his horse too since both were originally taken from the bandits.
Whether the horses give him a name or not, Davroar will add, "Oh, if there is any animal that is hurt, perhaps I can help. For free." Davroar is happy when he can help hard working folk like he sees here.

<Bern>

He pulls out a couple of silvers and hands them to Brom with a nod. But he plans to stop by later and see what sort of a job has been done.

Zhu

While not a Druid, as an Eladrin she has a natural affinity for animals and so pays for all the needed care while still anticipating doing some of it herself.

"We would also like some rooms......" She lifts an eyebrow questioningly.

DM

In the stables.

The lead stablehand laughs. "Not sleeping in a stall here?" he says, gesturing to a rather clean pile of hay.

"Brom!" Elyra chides in a stern voice, although her eyes give away some mirth at his tease. "You'll find a desk in the common room that can help you there. Lots of rooms of every size," she offers. "You can go down that hallway," she gestures to the opposite end of the stables as where the group entered "or go back out across the garden if you like."

In the common room.

Jaliera is the only one to bypass the stables, and is successful at claiming a table large enough for the party. Shortly after being seated, the redhead comes over, noticing the additional chair being moved. "Expecting others? You want anything now or should I come back?"

<Bern>

He looks a bit sad at the stablehand's comment. "I had been considering that ... since I don't like to let my mount alone. But there doesn't seem to be any 'bar service' out here", he finished then grinned.

Jaliera

She is coughing as the redheaded barmaid approaches.

"Yes there are a group of us just sorting out horses, so we will wait to order food together. I would like a drink though, I'm a little dry. What do you have that is not alcohol? And what is on the food menu tonight? I can then let the other know."

She smiles at the barmaid.

Zindra
The scout joins Bern and Davroar as they head to the stables. There were more horses than two could guide there.

OOC: PM on the way for Bern and Davroar.

DM

"Of course!" the woman serving Jaliera responds. "We have freshly squeezed fruit juices, including apple, orange, and a delightful berry blend. If you're in the mood for something a bit more refreshing, we also have chilled water infused with cucumber and mint, which is quite popular on warm evenings like this."

She continues, "As for tonight's menu, the popular choice is a hearty vegetable stew with crusty bread, mushrooms, and a grilled vegetable platter. For those who prefer meat, we're serving roasted chicken with potatoes. A few more choices than that... if you'd like, I can bring you a menu card so you can share with your friends. Would you like to order that drink now or wait for the menu?"