A fresh start

[Breila]

In the middle of the night, the town militia arrived, guided by Amon and led by Bryce Cousland. He would have hugged his son, but remembered at the last moment that the latter doesn't approve of public shows of affection. Dogmeat, however, has no restraints and his happy barks at seeing his master's father resonate in the cavern. Most of the militia men have been directed to explore the rest of the cavern system. Bryce returns with the adventurers to the village, insisting that they be given a late meal in the inn and that Amon and Echo stay in their homes the rest of the night.

The morning after, the adventurers are served a late breakfast in the back room of the inn, and the council will meet with them there some time before lunch to hear their story.

[JadedDM]

Amon rides to the inn that morning, and ties his horse off out front before stepping in. He looks quite different than the last time the others saw him, and not just because he has washed away the dust and filth of the old mansion.

He has ditched the white robes, which often caused him to trip, for an outfit better suited to adventuring. This includes a white tunic, brown pantaloons, soft leather boots, and of course, his red enchanted cloak. All he really needs to complete the ensemble is a wide-brimmed, plumed hat.

He steps inside, his nose in a book. He looks up only long enough to make sure he's going in the right direction and to nod hello to his companions, He then sits down, orders breakfast, and continues to read. It is not one of the books found in the mansion, but seems to be an old tome about strategy and tactics he must have brought from home.

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(OOC: New spells for today are Sound Bubble and Wall of Fog.)

[Breila]

Kim greets the reading Amon with a rare smile. "What did you do with the books you took from the mansion? Have you been reading them through, staying up all night?"

[Jenara]

Brax sits quietly off to the side, legs crossed she nurses a small glass of red wine.

Much of her exotic skin is visible in the long black dress she wears, her legs are on show via the splits that run up the sides.. Opening her arms she reveals a spider pattern covering her chest.

She looks up occasionally nodding as the others arrive.

Spells: Detect Evil, Cure Light Wounds (2), Protection from Evil.

[The_Muffin_Man]

Searos is still asleep upstairs, having spent the night dicing, gaming, and generally drinking with anyone who was up for a mug and a game.

[Stik]

Martin, as is his habit when he is not working, watches the room. Odd, that villainous types try to remain unobserved when casing the occupants of a tavern. Pointless, really, because everyone knows they are villains. Being the center of attention is much more fun, and Martin is used to being the center of attention.

Might be difficult this morning, though, what with the white-haired, silver-skinned woman sitting there, looking like she'd just thrown on some clothes, and missed. Woman like that in a room and a man has to wonder whether he put on motley for nothing.

Oh, well. If they're going to be looking at both of us, may as well be nearby. It'll give people less neck strain. Dropping his duffel bag on a bench, he fishes inside, coming out with a small glass jar. He approaches the woman and says, cheerfully: "Hair like yours must need a LOT of attention. And I have here just the thing for hair like yours, good lady. And the price I ask is a mere pittance, seeing as I had to fight demons to obtain it." He pauses, watching Brax stare at him.
"This is the part when you look at me and say: 'You're joking' and I say: 'Do I look like I am joking?'" Martin says with a wink.

[Breila]

(ooc: Hmmm... customs in inns seem to be different in Germany than where you live... the back room of an inn here is not usually open to the public, but opened only for specific groups. It's not exactly that entry is forbidden to others (it may be), but the general public does not enter. But the opening with Brax and Martin is just so good that I assume now that the group is assembling in the common room - where this takes place - and then moving over into the back room together.)

[JadedDM]

Amon grins at Kim. "I have been reading, but not those books we found, no. I gave them to Master Daos to peruse for anything useful. What I have been reading up on is strategy, tactics, and warfare, both magical and mundane."

He sets the book aside a moment and frowns to himself. "I feel like our failure in the mansion was due to a lack of coordination. I've been pouring over every book in our library, hoping to learn enough to prevent such a thing from happening again."

Amon glances to Brax, wondering why she is wearing a spider emblem, the symbol of Lolth, the evil goddess of the drow. He wonders what Pelor thinks of that, as well as her immodest outfits. He opens his mouth to inquiry about this, when a random stranger approaches and starts talking to her instead.

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(OOC: Nope, it's the same way over here. I'm guessing Stik just didn't notice the party where you said we were in the back room.)

[Breila]

"Ah" Kim answers. "Well, I would have liked that mathematics book by Mr. Nystul. I thought we would discuss what to do with the things we found when we got back, so it didn't matter who took what.

And about that lack of coordination, I can only agree with you. We spent - and lost - a lot of time discussing what to do, and in the end, everybody did what they wanted anyway."

Following Amon's glance towards Brax, Kim remarks. "Ah, our lady half-drow is displaying her charms again. Interesting fellow she seems to be netting there. Or is he netting her?" Kim continues to watch the two.

[JadedDM]

Amon shrugs, evidently not caring about Brax's netting. Instead, he brings up another subject. "What do you think the Council will say to us when they arrive?" he wonders. "I've already been debriefed by both my father and my master, so it can't possibly be that. At least, I hope not. I'm getting tired of telling the story."

[Breila]

"Well, I'm sure the militia has searched the caverns and the house, maybe they found things they want to tell us about. Like the contraband they were smuggling, or signs to what else they were up to. Like Searos pointed out, silk clothes and whiskey are not really lucrative to smuggle. Also, they have questioned you, but not the rest of us"

[JadedDM]

Amon nods. "You are probably right about that. We never did find out what those people were doing in there or why. None of it really made any sense. If only we had prevailed and captured one, we could have questioned him. Especially their leader, that magic user." He flushes a bit and looks away. "I still can't believe he blindsided us like that, and so easily."

[Jenara]

(Oops I meant a spider web pattern. Old habits and all that. Besides she's poor she'd only have so many clothes.)

"I am trying to decide if you are serious or possibly in need of help from a cleric." Brax responds dryly, her red eyes flashing brightly. "I fear your affliction is beyond my help or Pelors."

Reaching into a pocket she places her symbol round her neck.

Out of the corner of her eye she watches Amon and Kim with a grin.

Realising the strange fellow was not going to leave she frowns, "Do you have a name?" she asks.

[Breila]

"So you haven't looked into the books you took at all? There might have been something special in them, like the spell written in the margin of that maths book" Kim's attention is mostly on Amon, with a side glance or two at Brax and the stranger.

[JadedDM]

"I'm sure if there's anything important in there, Master Soulstaff will let us know. Perhaps that's what the council meeting is about," he suggests.

"Oh, now that you mention it, I did find some loose pages in this almanac I found...it was in the same room I found the spellbook. I don't know if they're important, though. They didn't make any sense to me. Just some pictures and symbols.

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(OOC: I realize I'm being nitpicky here, but how can there be a spell written in a margin? According to the DMG, a single spell takes up "a number of pages equal to its level plus 0-5 (1d6-1) additional pages.")