Chapter 1: The Road to Dagger Falls

[Nuke]

"Thank you Mi'lady." Timmy hands the wench three silver.

[Breila]

"What has happened, Elianna?" Eringard asks. "Has someone been hurt?"

[Jenara]

"Something just attacked someone in the alley, its spiky and rather strange." She replies, looking questioningly at Taern, "What if that thing is causing the sickness?"

Despite this she keeps a firm hold on Maria.

[NoTrammeling]

Maria breathes deeply, trying to pull free of Elianna but she can't break the half-elf's grip. "I can't do anything without my hands free!" She squeaks in scandalized protest. "It's probably just some smelly drunk getting mugged, happens all the time in Shadowdale."

Meanwhile the shape disappears down the alley, lost to the night. The man-shape slumps all the way to the ground, unconscious, dead, or simply passed out.

[Jenara]

"Oh my, I'm so Sorry." Elianna lets go with a gasp, "I didn't realize I was holding so tight." she blushes. "Drunks are not often spiked on head, elbow, and leg."

"I'm going to take a look, cover me." with that she moves a step closer.

[JadedDM]

Gimak finds a place to sit, not really caring where, and waves for the waitress when she gets a moment. He looks around the room and realizes he doesn't see anyone from the group--and wonders if they all went to bed or are out getting themselves in trouble without him.

[Breila]

"Neither Maria or I can see without light" Eringard declares and calls upon Lathander to give them light, centered on a spot in the middle of the alley, to its left wall, higher than a man's head.

[NoTrammeling]

Back at the Teshford Arms, Timmy receives his wine in a pewter goblet with an extra wink. The woman takes his silver as she leaves. The wine is fruity and dark, but on its way to vinegar

Gimak takes a seat at an empty table towards the back of the tavern. The bar maid who's just finished delivering wine to the man near him sidles over. "What'll it be, handsome?" She gives him the same smile she gave Timmy, and really it's the most appealing thing about her.

The door to the inn opens roughly, the doorway shortly filled by two dangerous-looking men in full ringmail, both carrying shields with longswords at their belts. One is tall and lithe, the other stocky and thick. They're scowling, cooly scanning the place before stepping aside to admit the third member of their trio. An shiftless-looking orc of middling height and thin build, equipped with a leather jerkin and a club at his waist, steps between the two humans. His eyes dart quickly about the room, finally resting on Gimak. He nods his head in the dwarf's direction and the trio quickly approach.

At this time the inn has gone silent, the atmosphere tense. The mercs and guardsmen, even those too drunk to stand, are suddenly fascinated by the tables in front of them or the contents of their flagons. Before she can take Gimak's order, his waitress slips away into the kitchen.

[JadedDM]

Gimak clears his throat to speak, when the doors swing open and the men step inside, look directly at him, and start approaching. Pocketing the gold piece he had just fished out of his pocket, he turns to tell the barmaid she better leave--but she's already gone.

Gimak turns his attention back to the men, but also takes a moment to fully scope out the room--see if the exits are blocked, alternative escape routes, and also to size up the men and whether he could take them all at once, if need be.

Outwardly, though, he appears quite calm and sits patiently while the men approach. Let's see how this plays out, he thinks to himself.

[HorizonsDream]

Raina starts to walk down the stairs, but she stops short upon the top two steps upon seeing the scene down below. ~This doesn't look good,~ she thinks to herself as she slips back up to watch the scene hopefully unnoticed.

[NoTrammeling]

In the residential streets of Dagger Falls, Eringard calls upon Lathander to illuminate the darkness of the alley. A globe of light appears high on the left wall banishing the shadows. The alleyway is cluttered by debris: bits of wood and shattered crockery, rotten clothing and other refuse. But amid the clutter lays a man with his pants half-down in filthy a puddle of some gutter liquid. He's slumped against the the wall opposite the light. His hands are bloody and torn, grasping a sprig of something green. He appears to be breathing.

Back in the inn, Gimak quickly scans the area for places of egress. There is the kitchen door to his far left, the stairs behind him, and the front door of the Teshford Arms directly across from him. The two men in ringmail look like they can carry themselves, but the orc in the middle does not move like a fighting man. They halt directly in front of Gimak's table, the swaggering humans sneering contemptuously. The orc speaks. "I am Marrakt, and I speak for the Constable Tren Noemfor. Where is the rest of your group?" His tone is all bravado, expecting compliance.

[JadedDM]

Gimak shrugs. "Gone to bed, I'd guess. Is there a problem?" he asks.

[Jenara]

"Don't touch him." she warns, "if that thing did cause the 'sickness' we should stay away." She draws her blade, standing near the man.

[Breila]

Eringard approaches carefully, not yet touching the man. Calling upon her healing skills, she tries to decide what to do. What does the sprig look like? Is it in any way familiar (after all, it's so early in the year that there are not many plants that are green yet)?

Healing check: 1d20=11, pass

[NoTrammeling]

The sprig in the man's hand is very easy for Eringard to identify: common mistletoe. The man is passed-out, but it does not appear to be from the drink or any obvious wound. His hands, though torn, are not seriously injured. Maria stays behind Elianna but weaves her head this way and that, upon seeing the man with his pants down she turns bright red and dashes out of the alley to seek the safety of Traern's company.

The orc Marrakt scowls at Gimak. "Thinks he's funny. Don't be blithe, earthcrawler, you and the rest of your companions are summoned before the Constable come midday. And you will come, or we will drag you there in irons." The men flanking him chuckle darkly.