DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games LMP: Lost Mines of Phandelver Z-Intro-Driftwood Inn

<Bern>

Well by his count that was three groups ... and perhaps more, he wondered as he looked about at the other patrons. But then wasn't this the kind of place you would use for an ad hoc sort of meeting? Not so cheap that it would be full of people trying to mind someone else's business ... not so expensive that folks couldn't afford to get in. So it did not seem so surprising to him, he thought with a shrug as he watched the giggly girl bounce away.

"Thanks", he said when she returned with his drink.

Ryssa


Her hand moved to her mouth and she rubbed her lips slightly as if suppressing a grin at the antics of the Halfling. Giving another glance at the human male who had so obviously avoided looking at her, Ryssa followed Lingo to the table and took a seat.

"Gundren Rockseeker, but no, I've never seen him."

"Smells good, she said, leaning over the plate and inhaling the aroma."

Balthazar

He peeked at the pretty woman as she moved to the table that he had indicated and, taking a breath, went over to sit at the table. After all, it had been his idea so he couldn't rightly not come sit down and perhaps he could manage not to make a fool of himself.

"I have seen Gundren." he said quietly, looking up for a moment and smiling at the Halfling. Balthazar liked halflings. They were very direct nice people. He took a drink of his ale and shifted his eyes to the woman.

Ryssa


Ryssa sat with her head cocked slightly to the left so her right profile was more noticeable. When she moved her head and her hair swayed slightly, the end of a puckered scar could be seen close to the left corner of her mouth.

She nodded to the newcomer.

"I am Ryssa Noman, cleric of Lathander the Morninglord," she said quietly.

"And this is my new met friend, Lingo."

Luminmorn

The dragonborn in chain watches the halfling and listens to his animated talk. He doesn't move until his ale is in his hand and the price paid to the bartender.

Once that was taken care of he steps to the table and asks "did I hear correctly that you are awaiting the dwarf as well? Might I join you at this table?" Odd phrasing but clear enough.

Ryssa


Ryssa looked up at the dragonborn male and blinked a couple of times. As a child, she'd had a fear of snakes and lizards but her years in the monastery devoted to Lathander had taught her that such fears were irrational.

But it had not rid her of the last vestiges of her childhood.

She nodded and gestured toward a chair at the table.

Balthazar

He looked up at the huge dragonborn and smiled, greeting him in his old tongue.

"I am Balthazar, wizard and former apprentice of Callista." he said, nodding his head respectfully to the new addition.

"It appears that we are all here for the same purpose, whatever that is. I do hope he shows up soon."

He glanced again over at the cleric but looked away if she turned to him. Was that a blush coloring his cheeks?

Lingo

"You might as well. It seems as though we are going to have a party here."

The others were offering up their names and life history. The halfling offered half.

"Oh, and I'm Lingo, the shy one. I see that you bring your own ale to the table. That's a good start. I like you already."

Now seated he opens up the conversation.

"Listen, I just met Gundren a couple of days ago. He said that he was getting together a bunch of people to help him with something. Look, I need gold, probably like the rest of you. What do you know about this guy? Could it be something big?"

<Bern>

He watched the growing ... and very disparate ... group with a sinking feeling. He had thought he had heard the name before, but this time he was sure. And it seemed unlikely that Rockseeker would have two meetings at the same time. But Rockeeter knew he preferred to work alone. He sipped slowly at his ale trying to decide whether to stay and see what the job was or to bow out now while he had a chance. The only reason he was even =considering= the job now was because he needed the coin it promised. That damned dwarf was probably counting on that, he thought with a sigh.

Luminmorn

The dragonborn nodded and said "thanks". He took the seat and listened. At the question he hesitated fir a moment. Then he answered "money is not my primary reason for seeking the dwarf. But it will do as my public face."

Ryssa


Ryssa grinned at the Halfling.

"We will work with you so you can overcome your shyness."

She thought she saw Balthazar averting his gaze again and her hand moved once more to her left cheek to see if her hair was at least mostly covering the puckered, disfiguring scar which ran from her left temple almost to the corner of her mouth.

Often she could go days at a time without being overly concerned about her disfigurement, but twice now he'd brought it back to mind and it was beginning to vex her.

"If I can earn coin while I spread the word of Lathander the Even-handed, then all the better," she said in a subdued tone.

DM

The waitress seems to be hovering near your table. It could be no one else has need of her, or it could be she's attracted to one of the men in the group.

At the constant talk of Gundren she chimes in, in the way a shy person who wants to be included will, "I saw him a tenday or so ago. Him and his brothers. They were right here. They seemed very excited about something and they finished about a dozen pitchers of ale and ate like horses. They were quite the happy lot."

She trails off when she sees some of the party looking at her, and a call from the matron causes her to scurry off to take care of another table.

Luminmorn

The dragonborn nodded at the woman's words. To him everyone had personal agendas and hers was nicer than some.

The waitress's words made the dragonborn shift in his seat. As she scurried away he said "ten days. That is a while ago."

Ryssa


"A tenday or so," she said, nodding. Ryssa pointed toward the far corner of the taproom.

"So I am assuming that he is not one of those three dwarves there."

DM

A quick shake of the head 'No' is all the reply Ryssa gets as the waitress scurries off to do her mistresses bidding.

DM

Finally Gundren Rockseeker enters the tavern. Several heads turn at his arrival, which is to be understood since they've been waiting for him to show up.

The dwarf spies the table where the majority of his hirelings are waiting and makes his way there. As he moves there, with a wave of his arm he signals to all the others waiting to meet him to join him at that table.

Ryssa


She looked at the dwarf and nodded her head in acknowledgment of his presence.

"Greetings to you, oh master of minerals and all the underworld," she said in well accented, guttural dwarven.

Luminmorn

The dragonborn nodded recognition but said nothing.

Lingo

As soon as Gundren gets to the table, Lingo slides his chair towards him and places a mug of ale in front of the dwarf. "Been waiting for you. What's up?"

<Bern>

It was as he feared. It seemed that Gumderen expected that all here would be called to work on the 'project'. But he could express that displeasure at a later date, of needed. For now he would listen to the presentation.

He pulled his chair around to face the group and hear the presentation.

Balthazar

Balthazar steepled his fingers together and waited to hear what Gundren had to say to such a large and diverse group. This should prove interesting at least.

Gundren

Once everyone was huddled up at the table, the dwarf began to speak. "Thank you all for coming. I've got a job for you. The pay is not great but I can't afford much more at this time."

The dwarf seems very rushed and excited when he places a pouch filled with coin on the table. "It comes out to about 10 gold per person, which is a fair rate for the work I'm offering. It's a simple task, to escort a supply wagon to the town of Phandalin."

Work in Neverwinter is difficult to come by and the cost of living is soon to drain you of your gold. This, to you, sounds like a fair offer for easy work. You've also heard that jobs like this, if they turn out to be difficult, often result in greater reward in the form of loot and treasures found.

"You'll be taking this stuff to Barthen's Provisions in Phandalin. He'll give you an additional 10 gold per person when you deliver the goods. Are we agreed?"

Lingo

20 gold did not sound like a lot, but it was decent wages. Considering how fast he was burning through his money, Lingo was ready to do some work.

"I'm in."

Balthazar

"20 gold is a sufficient wage if our food is provided by your provision wagons?" he countered with a reasonable request.

Ryssa


The cleric was not overly concerned with pay, but she did have expenses... had to live. It seemed a fair rate of pay, if just barely.

"How long is this... excursion expected to take?"