Tree Lords IV

[NoTrammeling]

At Jerrard's words Fikod leans back in his seat, swirling the spirits in his cup. Stalling, he takes a long drought of the aroma then tosses the rest of his drink back, cheeks glowing as the alcohol brings him warmth. At length he sighs, setting the empty container down on the table. "Since I began traveling with ye I've been shot near to death, deprived of alcohol, and immolated in a most spectacular fashion," says the Dwarf while ticking off of his complaints on thick fingers.

"I've lost me mustaches, me sense of the underground, and me self respect. And worst of all ye gave the treasure back to those ne'er-do-well Duergar sons-of-skinks." Yet he cannot stop himself from grinning as the gripes come to a close. "I'd have to be madder than an Aghar to stay with ye. But well, where else is a dwarf to go? It certainly hasn't been dull, and I can smell the steel about to fall in our laps. Though why Palanthas?"

[Jerrard]

"Its never boring, locky often sees to that." He grins, "Palanthas is my home, and lockys, I have a home there. Babuskha will come with us, I assume." He rubs his own bare chin. "I lost my beard too."

[Breila]

Babushka leaves the inn with Locky and Thuskar. She wants to do her shopping quickly, to give Locky little chance to get into trouble. Is there a sort of general store where she can get boots, a backpack and bedroll?

She also wants to buy some leather and sturdy yarn to make a boot sheath for the longtooth dagger, if her funds suffice.

[JadedDM]

"And?" Thuskar asks, leaning up against the wall of the inn, hands in his pockets.

While Jerrard and Fikod sit in the inn talking, Babushka, Locky and Ulster step outside and head to the general store.

After a brief discussion with the shopkeep, Ulster is able to convince him that Babushka is a legitimate Phoenix of Habbakuk, which helps in getting the goods they want at a much more reasonable price than they've received so far in Silvanesti.

Unfortunately, as was the case in the last town, they don't have any clothes--including boots, in Babushka's size. The adult boots are too high and a bit tight. Searching around, a pair of children's boots is found--but she's not even able to squeeze her feet into them, they are so narrow.

However, she is able to find a backpack for 25 silver pieces, and an elf-sized bedroll for 35 silver pieces. There are also dagger sheaths available for 5 coppers, but if she wants to make her own, she can obtain the materials necessary for 2 coppers total.

Ulster, meanwhile, purchases a half score of sheaf arrows for Jerrard for 3 silvers.

===========

Ulster gives Babushka 10 steel.
Thuskar gives Babushka 10 steel.
Imani gives Babsuhka 5 steel.
Jerrard gives Ulster 10 steel and 2 platinum.

[HorizonsDream]

"Ulster is uncomfortable around me," Imani says. "And I'm not understanding, completely, why he is so uncomfortable to the point he won't even speak to me. I have apologized, but apparently that didn't help at all, so I'm not sure what else I can do," she admits with a small shrug.

[Breila]

Babushka sighs when none of the boots fit her. Then she has an idea. "Do you have sandals?" she asks. "If I buy them a little large, I could outfit them with leather or cloth shafts myself. They would look a bit funny, but that doesn't matter."

[Jenara]

Locky is happy wandering around the stores, playing with the cards she found in her pouches, occasionally letting out a little squeal as she draws an exciting card. "The Knight.. ooo Ulster thats you." The Kender squeals, jumping up at him, "You should be a knight, say.." she grins, her mind switching to another thought.

[JadedDM]

Alleyway outside the Inn
"It's because you tried to kiss him," Thuskar says. "He just needs time, I think. This won't get in the way of him following orders, though, if that's what you're worried about."

General Store
"Yes, I have a pair of sandals here that might fit the bill," the shopkeep tells Babushka, "for a silver piece." He goes to retrieve them. Upon seeing them, they are a bit big, but Babushka can do some modifications with what she knows about clothwork.

Ulster blinks. "Me? A knight? No, no...I'm just a mercenary--a sword for hire, that's all," he says, blushing a bit.

[Jenara]

"You are kind, noble, honorable.. if that isn't a knight I have no idea what is!" the kender pipes up again, "And you even look like one." she giggles, "Well to me you are a knight."

"And." looking straight up at the man with a piercing gaze. "You are more than you know."

[Breila]

Babushka smiles happily when she sees the sandals. "Yes, they will work well, and I'll take the leather and thread to make gaiters, so they'll be almost like boots, and then I'll take the ready-made dagger sheath, please."

She also needs a belt and a small belt pouch, because right now, it's Ulster who has the money the others borrowed her, she can't hold 25 steel pieces in her hand...

[HorizonsDream]

"So, he is avoiding me because I tried to kiss him?" Imani asks. "That...doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Does he think he is unworthy of such a thing? Is he embarrassed about it? What exactly about that action makes him want to not even look at me?" she asks. "And I'm not so much worried about him not following orders, so much as his uncomfortableness makes me uncomfortable."

[JadedDM]

Alleyway outside the Inn
"It makes sense, if you know him and understand how he thinks," Thuskar explains. "Look, when you and Ulster first met, you were 'safe.' A married woman who kept her face mostly hidden and pretty much kept to herself. But then you changed, dropped the veil, forsake the husband, and then went and kissed him. You went from 'unobtainable' to 'very obtainable.' That scared him, so he backed off. The truth of the matter is, as much as Ulster might want you, he has no idea what to actually do with you. Yearning for someone from afar is safe. He can't get hurt, he can't screw it up. But being in an actual relationship? That's a whole different story."

General Store
Ulster blushes at Locky's compliments, but he suddenly pales and almost flinches at her piercing look, and quickly looks away, remembering all too well how similar she looked when she breathed fire on the party, nearly killing him.

The shopkeep sells Babushka a belt, small belt pouch, dagger sheath, sandals, leather, thread, and a needle, as well as a backpack and bedroll for a total of 10 steel pieces.

[NoTrammeling]

Fikod hops to his feet, wiping away any remaining moisture from his lips with the back of a hand. "P'raps ye have lost more than that," he reflects somberly, "come on then, let's see if we can't procure a skin or two of this fine tipple to raise our spirits."

He moves to the Trading Post at a casual saunter, seeming rather unaffected by the booze apart (physically at least).

[Breila]

When they return to the inn, Babushka immediately begins to make the gaiters, integrating the dagger sheath as she goes.

[HorizonsDream]

"Well, I guess that makes sense," Imani says. "So there really isn't anything I can do to make it less uncomfortable." A thought comes to her, and she smiles ruefully smiles. "This is the first time in my life that I don't mind if someone wants me, and it is also the first time in my life where the man was too afraid to do anything about it."