FC1 - CH 1: Welcome to Sturnheim

[JadedDM]

Walking around the buildings, Tavi finds herself in a large alley. Around her are mostly just more small residences. The entire town isn't very big, but everything seems quite packed together tightly. Further south, though, she spots a very nice building--practically a mansion--surrounded by a large metal fence. The gate is open, and nobody is guarding it. Nevertheless, whoever lives there must be pretty wealthy to afford such a nice home.

[HorizonsDream]

Tavi approaches the open gate cautiously at first. Her eyes are wide at the size of the house, as she had never seen anything like it before in her life. "I wonder who lives here," she says softly to herself since no one else is around for her to talk to.

Upon seeing no guards, Tavi decides to explore the grounds surrounding the mansion.

[JadedDM]

The grounds around the mansion are well kept. The grass is cut, the trees are trimmed, and the flowers are watered and weeded.

Furthermore, the house has been recently painted and is in excellent repair, too. Whoever lives here certainly isn't suffering the same problems as the rest of the town. Hopefully, they don't mind Tavi trespassing, if they are even home at the moment.

[HorizonsDream]

"Spread the wealth," Tavi says with a shake of her head. She seems a little disgusted at the idea that this one person is doing great while the rest of the town is suffering. Though, there really isn't a whole lot she can do about it. Turning around, she heads back to the inn to talk to a few people there. The only way she was really going to find a job of some sort would be to talk to the people at the inn.

[JadedDM]

Returning to the inn, Tavi finds it fairly packed, as it's lunchtime now.

First, she spots the young man she ran into at the bridge. He's sitting at the bar, nursing a drink. She also sees Rosamund, moving double time to get everyone's orders, while Mama Chipmunk stands behind the bar, conversing with the same dwarf Tavi passed when she left.

The dwarf seems a young man, although for a dwarf that probably means he's much older than Tavi. He has a fancy axe strapped to his back and a crossbow holstered to his side. He has a number of pelts and is in an animated conversation with Mama over them.

There's a rather handsome young man standing by the fire, playing a harp while singing a little ditty. He has short blond hair, and his ears sharpen a bit at the end. He's dressed rather colorfully, and seems rather talented. A number of people have gathered around to listen to him play while they eat and drink, including a number of young women.

The rest of the patrons seem to be made up of locals, including fishermen, craftsmen, and off-duty militiamen.

[HorizonsDream]

Tavi looks between the dwarf and the bard. They both seemed pretty busy, but she figured the bard would have more information than the dwarf at the moment. She walks over to where he is singing, takes a seat at a table, and waits for him to finish before actually talking to him.

[JadedDM]

The minstrel finishes his song and the people give polite applause. "Thank you, thank you," he says with a flourish and a pearl-white grin. "Now, here's a local favorite, and one of the first songs I ever learned." With that, he begins playing again.

"Oh, there once was a hero named Ragnar the Red,
Who came riding to Sturnheim from ole Rorikstead

And the braggart did swagger and brandish his blade,
As he told of bold battles and gold he had made.

But then he went quiet, did Ragnar the Red,
When he met the shieldmaiden Matilda who said;

"Oh, you talk and you lie and you drink all our mead,
Now I think its high time that you lie down and bleed"

And so then came clashing and slashing of steel,
As the brave lass Matilda charged in full of zeal!

And the braggart named Ragnar was boastful no moooooooore,
When his ugly red head rolled around on the floor!"

The crowd laughs and applause, loudly this time. A few even drop a handful of coppers at his feet. A mere pittance, but the half-elf scoops them up nevertheless. "You are the best, the best crowd in Gontoria, I swear! Thank you all!" He deposits the handful of coppers into his pouch and sets down his harp, his performance apparently over for now.

[HorizonsDream]

Tavi giggles lightly as she stands and walks over to the bard. "You're good," she says cheerfully. "What are you doing performing in a place like this when you could be...oh anywhere?"

[JadedDM]

"Why, thank you, my lady," he says with a flourish. "Name's Helak, Helak Jestverse; minstrel extraordinaire. "New to town, are you? Then likely you know the answer to that question already--'tis the same reason you are here, as well. Money." He pulls out the handful of copper and shows it to her. "I've been working this place for over a month, and still haven't even earned enough to buy myself a horse, much less the food and supplies needed to reach the next town over."

He pockets the coins again. "Normally, I'd just bribe my way into a caravan, offering my services. But no caravans come or go here anymore. Speaking of which, if you were pleased by my performance, how about a spare bit of coin? Failing that, buy me a drink?"

[HorizonsDream]

"I'm Octavia, Tavi for short," she says, motioning to a nearby table so that they both can sit down. She then waves over Rosamund. "Order whatever drink you want," she adds. "Yeah, I've noticed that money seems to be in short supply around here. I can't exactly get a job because there aren't really any jobs to be had here. I was hoping maybe you would have some ideas as you seem to be in the same position as me."

[JadedDM]

The two sit down, and Rosamund hurries over as soon as she gets the chance. "A wine, if you please," Helak says to her. Nodding, the waitress scurries off.

"I suppose it depends on what kind of work you are looking for," Helak says. "Surely you are as skilled and talented as you are beautiful, so I'm sure you won't have as much trouble as the rest of us." He pauses here a moment, in thought. "Unless you are thinking of entertaining here for your coin. In which case, you are sadly out of luck. This is my territory, at least for now."

Rosamund brings him the wine, then turns to Tavi. "That'll be a silver, please."

Holding the cup up, Helak says, "Cheers," then drinks. Sighing with pleasure, he sets the cup down on the table. "That hits the spot."

[HorizonsDream]

Tavi blushes lightly at being called beautiful as she pays Rosamund. This bard certainly had a way with words. "Oh, no worries," she says with a giggle. "I don't have your talents, so you don't have to worry about me trying to steal away your customers. Though, if I did have your singing talents, we probably could put on quite a show for these people." Tavi considers that option for a moment before shaking her head. "I think the only thing I'm good at it other than trying to tame animals is my use with a sword."

[JadedDM]

"Ah, a swordswoman, are you?" Helak asks, a curious gleam in his eye. "I should have guessed. You have the look, in your eyes, of one who has killed before. And perhaps...lost, as well? But I pry too much, I know!" he adds, holding up his hands defensively before she can even respond.

Changing the subject, he asks, "So be you soldier? Mercenary? Adventurer? Man-at-arms? Or woman, rather. This town has something of a history with adventurers, you know. They have a tendency to...disappear around these parts," he says mysteriously. He leans back a bit, polishing off his wine. "Although if you are an adventurer, and need a chronicler, then I am your man! I will see your adventures are told throughout the land!"

[HorizonsDream]

"You've just missed my great adventure before I came here," Tavi says with a giggle. "Mama Chipmunk told me something about a red dragon, but I think that is a little out of my reach right now. There really doesn't seem to be any other type of adventure around here. Though, what is this about adventurers disappearing?"

[JadedDM]

"Ah, yes, that one is popular. They say he lives in the eastern mountains, although I've never seen it myself," Helak says wistfully. "I've always wanted to see a dragon, though. Imagine what an epic tale that would make!"

He shrugs. "As for adventurers disappearing, it's true. We don't get many people passing through here, but the ones who do are usually the adventuring type. Often, they're drawn to stories about the great horde that was lost, hoping to find it. They set off and are never heard from again. In fact," he adds, holding up a finger, "I recall a story that five years ago, there was this pair of swordsmen, Oznod and Taramai, who came searching for the lost horde. A cruel pair, they boasted they would find it and share none of it with the town. They left for the eastern hills and never returned. Perhaps they found it. Perhaps they were eaten by the dragon." He shrugs again. "Who can say?"

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Tavi spent 1 sp on a drink.

(New rumor added to quest log.)