Bard and Breakfast
Log Info
- Title: Bard and Breakfast
- Emitter: Faranmidahn
- Characters: Sabina, Irshya, Lysos, Ashes, Burai, Bannon
- Place: PRoom: Town of Greenholme, The Flashing Blade inn.
- Time: Tuesday, June 30, 2020, 5:16 PM
- Summary: The adventuring group is relaxing at the Flashing Blade inn after a relaxing sleep night following a successful job. They are enjoying a bacon and egg breakfast, at least some our. The ones who know about Vorhearst bacon are concerned when they learn their meal-source is Mornhaven. Bannon hears a familiar sounding voice and checks outside, discovering Liatris, along with several friends. He diplomatically asks her to join them for breakfast, needing some assistance from Sabina to do so. Liatris is reluctant, but does so, accompanied by her party. Things are tense, despite efforts to resolve things accusations fly. Information from Ash at the wrong moment raises suspicions, and Sabina informs Liatris' group of friends she tried to implicate them. Bannon and a robed man who claims to have great concern for Liatris.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Sabina 5'4" 130 Lb Human Female Tsuran woman of dark hair and green eyes Irshya 3'0" 35 Lb Goblin Female A small, blue-skinned Goblin in sea-green robes. Lysos 5'6" 105 Lb Human/Tsuran Female Dark eyes, dark hair, olive skin, a jotun-sized chip on the shoulder. Ashes 5'11" 177 Lb Hobgoblin Female A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face Burai 6'10" 280 Lb Half-Orc Male Brawny half-orc, primal and uncivilized. Bannon 5'9" 195 Lb Human Male A shorter man of Tsuran heritage, with a thin moustace and goatee. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Faranmidahn 3'3" 35 Lb Halfling Female Albino Lucht woman in black leather armor with a BIG spider -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
It's a fine, fine morning in the town of Greenholme, the pallisade around the town seems to have had some new(er) construction in the corner and there are young looking guards posted on the wall though their gear seems a bit battered.
You, however, feel like a thousand gold pieces, after a restful sleep in the newly constructed inn: The Flashing Blade, and a successful venture escorting a supply wagon.
The crowd is a little sparse, as many of the morning diners have headed off to tend their assorted trades.
Bina is up and at them like a feather pillow, that being lobbed at a chair and slumping there happy and comfy. A yawn is covered by a hand while she waits for food to arrive to the table. Emp rests in her lap.
The Gobbo is looking less rested than some, and moves slowly and ponderously. Her robes hang wetly from her shoulders, and she climbs up into a chair, and settles with a lengthy sigh. "Bacon.", she says softly.
Lysos has already eaten, looking far too chipper for this time of morning. She sits at the same table as Sabina, likely the designated meeting point for the group in general, though her chair is pushed back so she can hike her skirts just enough to properly do up the lacings on her new pair of just barely broken in adventuring boots. Her new hat, a wide brimmed, just short of gaudy affair decorated with what a person would be forgiven for mistaking as goose feathers is slung on the corner of her chair's back.
Sitting beside Sabina is a pure contrast. An arvec nar, in grey. Grey hair, grey skin, grey clothes. Her only colour is decorations on a skull marking that covers her face. Flowers, a bee, and silver piercing. Her clothes are quite worn, and her jacket and pants have holes in them, as if she was splashed with something detrimental. She doesn't smile. She has a small satchel she holds quite close, and picks at her food. She has mostly finished a plate of bacon and eggs, and some sort of dark tea.
Burai stands near a window, peering outside of the inn at something and then shifting a bit so he can get a different view and compare what he saw. "Is this town growing?" he guesses. "I wonder how large it will become."
Bina yawns again and looks over to Burai and grins. "It could be. I think towns are like... ponds. Things add to them. Take from them. Sometimes they dry up. Other times they just keep growing and growing until they're a lake... er.. city." She happily accepts her eggs and bread and cheese from a server and begins to eat.
Having arisen early to practice at the sword more than carrouse last night, Bannon Vayne can also be seen at the table looking rested enough but vigorous. He has already ordered breakfast and is waiting for its arrival. He looks up from the table towards Burai, "I think it might be one of the big ones, someday!"
Outside, seated on a stool, or something, a woman in ratty equipment begins to strum at a lute before she starts to try and sing for her breakfast. She's trying for something suitably cheery, though there's a sort of melancholy underneath her tone. It seems she's had something of a rough time of it.
Inside, the server, a pleasant enough older woman saunters by the table of adventurers, "Is everything alright over here?" A glances at the portions, "Does anyone need anything?" As a pair in leathers make their way out to the street.
Irshya yawns back at Sabina. "Binabina!", she says, cheerfully. Then the plate of bacon is placed before the Goblin, the server hurrying on their way, having to keep up with a fairly packed inn. The Gobbo begins to drop bacon into her maw, one strip at a time. There is very little chewing.
"Orange juice?", she asks of the server nearby.
The ashen arvec has no comments on either the bacon or the growth rate of towns. She does appear to be listening, althought it also seems she's watching the tea leaves swirl in her dark cup. Perhaps waiting for the right moment to drink it down and receive a favourable omen. Or unfavourable, sometimes those are fun too.
"I'd like some orange juice too," Ashlee says, in a voice that sounds like she doesn't like anything.
Bannon blinks, looking around the table for a moment before he stands up. To the server, he leans his head forward and asks, "Bring another breakfast, will you? We're adding another to our table. And more coffee for me." He stands from his chair, reaching out and stretching until one can hear an audible crack. Bannon sighs, lowering his arms and walking over to the door of the newly constructed in. Bannon opens the door, and one can hear him say, "Hey, the way you sing that song reminds me of my best friend's sister's next door neighbor's mother. Come, join us for breakfast and share the news."
Lysos begins to shake her head at the server, then stops, her head tilted to one side. "You know.. some orange juice sounds good. And.." she begins to add, but then Bannon is off doing his Bannon thing. So she shrugs, smiles, and slides a few extra coins to pay for the musical woman's breakfast.
It may become a big town? Burai thinks. How unfortunate. He's either unwilling or unable to hide what he's feeling and it shows on his face in the form of a deep frown. He casts one last look through the window, this time ducking his head slightly so he can look at the sky above the village, then turns away and joins the others at their table.
"Get a big beer for him." Ashlee tells the server, pointing at Bannon's vacated seat. She's seen him before, enough that she's worried he won't be at his best if he doesn't start drinking early.
"Alright, so three for orange juice another plate, certainly!" the woman replies with professional cheer. There's a glance toward the sound of the singing as the fellow pokes out through the door and the song breaks off, abruptly. She absently observes, "Well... it may take a while for all that... we were attacked by brigands a couple of months back they caused a lot of damage, cost us a lot of good people. Might have killed us all if those other adventurers didn't show up, then."
For Bannon, as the singer turns to look over at his offer, what begins with a warily grateful smile of, "Thank-" before the woman's eyes widen in shock and dismay and it ends in a screeched, accusatory, "YOU!!"
GAME: Ashes rolls intelligence: (4)+3: 7 GAME: Sabina rolls int: (9)+int: 9 GAME: Lysos rolls intelligence: (8)+2: 10
Sabina pauses from eating to look over at the door where Bannon is. "Find a friend, Bannon? It sounds like someone we know. Or at least knows you, you." She lifts a cup of mead to her lips and thinkgs about it and then almost coughs out her sip. "You didn't have relations with her did you?" So very polite to ask..
Lysos keeps a smile on her face though her brow does furrow a touch, like she's trying to grab a memory that keeps darting away like a feather. "Why would..." She stops, looking around then at the others before looking at the minstrel woman. "She sounds familiar to me, Sabina.. and I don't think I know any of Bannon's... uh... friends."
Ash watches those tea leaves swirling... good day... bad day... good day... She goes for an immense slurp. This is followed by a glance at Lysos, then back at her cup.
Burai starts slightly at the screech. All it takes is one night in a city before he gets used to the sounds of speech and city life, and the dismayed sound from nearby catches him by surprise. He stares at the woman and then turns to look at the nearest adventurer. Then he looks back at the woman and examines the next adventurer. Quick glances back and forth as he tries to determine who she's talking about.
Plain shock registers on Bannon's face, at which point he seems to reply purely by instinct, "You!" He pauses for a moment, and then he closes the door quickly. He leaves a foot to block the door, whispering hurriedly to Sabina, "Not especially, but her mother and I were close for a minute!" He then gestures in a urgently beaconing fashion to Sabina, "C'mere in case she tries to kill me, please?"
He takes a moment to compose himself, then opens the door again, a schooled expresssion on his face, "Hello again. Please come inside, as our guest? Breakfast is on its way, and I have been concerned about you."
GAME: Bannon rolls Diplomacy: (10)+12: 22
The Gobbo continues to ingest bacon, one strip at a time. The screech barely registers, her ears straighten but that is the extent of her reaction. She eyes Sabina as Bannon asks for her assistance. "Bannon should face the music for his misdeeds.", she comments, between several bacon strips.
The Hobbo Gobbo looks up from her tea, then turns her head to stare impassively at Sabina. She holds her hand out in case 'Bina feels a need to pass her very colourful bird to the very colourless ally while she bails out Bannon from his misdeeds.
Bina is starting to smile and about to settle in to watch the swashbuckler do a bit of song and dance when it smacks her hard what and who he means. She bolts upright and out of the chair and scurries over closer to the door and there waits for the woman to enter. "Really?!" She hisses at Bannon in a whisper.
Just as well Bannon withdraws, as she reflexively throws her lute in his direction, "You killed her!" she yowls. This, of course, manages to draw attention. The couple in leather that had departed before Bannon's initial offer, for starters, as well as a couple of others across the way ply some kind of street hustle.
Lysos snaps her fingers. "I knew I remembered her from somewhere.." she says, though mostly to herself, then explains to the Irhya and Burai as she climbs to her feet. "We killed her mom." Then she hooks her quarterstaff with the toe of her boot, intending to pull it away from its leaning spot on the table... she mis-judges, however, and has to scramble to keep it from falling to the floor. "That's why I don't eat bacon anymore."
Just as well Bannon withdraws, as Liatris reflexively throws her lute in his direction, "You killed her!" she yowls. This, of course, manages to draw attention. The couple in leather that had departed before Bannon's initial offer, for starters, as well as a couple of others across the way plying some kind of street hustle, who quickly step over to congeal around the bard, "Whoa-whoa-whoa!" one says, "What's the matter?"
Bannon nods emphatically to Sabina, whispering in return, "Yes! I couldn't just throw coins and run!" He flinches as the lute hits the door, and he opens it back back up again, "Your mother was killing people, and then she tried to make me kill people. Plus, I object to the characterization that I killed her. She was a vampire. Some would say that's two feet in the grave anyway." He then gestures into the inn with a tilt of his head, "I don't imagine that's something you can ever forgive me for, but I can still share breakfast. Now please..."
Irshya slowly stands up in her chair, and takes up her plate of bacon. She hops down, hitting the floor with a grunt and a bit of a clank. Shuffling over to the door slowly, she peeks out between Bannon's legs. "Irshya have baaaacon!", she calls out to the upset woman. "Irshya share! Then people can tell her what vampire is."
Burai nods in agreement. A vampire? Well...yes, that's not exactly killing. More like... "You put her to rest," he suggests to Bannon. "Like anyone would." He returns to his window from earlier and peers out, trying to catch sight of the woman. "Well...anyone who didn't know her, I suppose."
Bina almost glares at Bannon but with her mask some of the heat would have been lost in translation. "Liatris. I'm sorry that we ended up hurting you, but she was killing many people. Many. I am glad that you are alive and free. I feared that those of the town would have held you responsible as well. And while .." She sighs as the others add more to the dirt pile. "Please. Come in and sit. I wish to speak to you about your mother."
GAME: Sabina rolls diplomacy: (16)+15: 31 GAME: Bannon rolls Diplomacy: (20)+12: 32
Since she just got up anyways, Lysos pulls her chair out a little further, not saying anything to Liatris.. but holding her vacated chair out for her, and gesturing for her to sit. Putting on her most welcoming smile.
The gaggle of folks are doing a fair job of holding the bard from imminent mischief, but, they are throwing some intent looks between her and the group, "Easy, easy...!" One of the leathery couple, the woman is saying, trying to settle her down. Liatris doesn't like the details being thrown back in her face, she doesn't like that they're technically true, to the point, but... She shuts her eyes tight and, after a few moments, seems to relax... mostly. There is a little growl of hunger from the center of the knot of people, and the woman slowly edges toward the adventurers with her entourage slowly moving in behind her, their eyes as much on her as them.
Bannon pulls himself away and out of the line of sight to Liatris, his face indecipherable as he whispers almost imploringly to Sabina, "Depending on how this goes. I may need to make myself scarce. Make sure she's okay, Sabina. Really okay." He then clears his throat, appearing at the door again, "The Luckbringer says what I meant and said it a lot more elloquantly than I could." That seems to help?
Bannon moves out of the way of the door as Liatris approaches, looking once more towards Sabina before he eyes the common room of the inn. He quickly returns to his table, frowning at the lack of coffee, but he was duly warned.
The Gobbo squeaks cheerfully, holding up the plate of bacon towards Liatris. "Try some! Irshya share delicious bacon." She happily shuffles ahead of the woman, leading her towards the small collection of tables the recent caravan guards shared. "And orange juice! Best juice!" Irshya stretches, trying to put the place of bacon onto the table... and follows it up by slowly, almost painfully, crawling back into her chair.
Burai moves his chair slightly so that it's a bit more in line with Bannon's. If they were standing on a battlefield facing a row of enemies...they'd be part of the a front line perhaps. It's probably something he doesn't even realize - the Oruch's certainly not the socializer that Bannon is, and would never have dreamed to invite the singer in to begin with. But now that she's here, it somehow feels like she's brought backup.
GAME: Sabina rolls sense motive: (20)+7: 27<pre> Ash, for her part, let the people who are good talking, do so. She looks down at her cup, says to no one in particular, "I wonder how this will go." Her hand reaches for her satchel, then she stops, the tea leaves will have to do. Another swirl and she drinks the dregs. She stares at the remains. Then, she looks up and stares at Liatris. She's very good at this. <pre>GAME: Ashes rolls 1d100: (29): 29 to Faranmidahn
The dregs form almost opposing C's in the bottom of the cup, that swirl in a little circle around each other before one disperses, then the other. Weal and Woe.
The singer is sheparded to the table, though there is a little tension amongst the other group, one of the men, who bears a strong resemblance to the woman trying to settle Liatris herself, says, "You all do this to her?"
The bard doesn't meet the spooky woman's stare, but her expression as she regards most of the group is a little stormy. She offer from the little goblin brings her up short and, she tenatively reaches out for the morsel with a wary glance about the table, "Thank you."
As for her backup dancers, the armored woman looks to Bannon, trying to size him up, while a fellow in understated robes hangs back a little bit.
Bina moves over slowly along side the group as they travel to the table and then back to her own seat. "You all can relax. We have no intentions of harming Liatris. And while she is angry with us, for a reason I can not blame her for having, it does not mean we are angry with her." She looks the group over pointedly and sits. "Liatris. What do you want to say to us. Let us hear it."
"Plenty of room if the rest of you want to sit, too," Lysos offers helpfully, gesturing to the table. "We could pull a few more chairs over, maybe another table?"
"Irshya would like more orange juice.", the Gobbo calls out to the server. "Please?" She settles down in her chair, and gestures to one nearby, for the musician to take it. "Irshya offers blessings of Rada, for a good journey, and fair weather." The Gobbo looks to Sabina then, and then the others of her group. "Irshya would hear what happened."
Burai runs his gaze across the various members of Liatris' party. "This is the first time I've met her," he offers to the man who spoke. Studying him for a moment, the half-oruch continues, "Are you her kin? A brother or cousin perhaps?"
Bannon looks towards Burai for a moment, nodding his head to the druid before he turn his head forward again. To the one who poses the question to him, Bannon simply shakes his head, though he doesn't ellaborate. He then looks towards Lysos and then nods his head, "Yes, absolutely. Let's everyone sit. You're certainly welcome to. We're not here to cause any trouble."
"Her mother was a Baetriov Vampire who would charm a Mournhaven villager to the Vornhearst estate every two months to drain them in her blood bath, then feed the remains to their pigs." The ashen Arvec says, her words easy and uninteresting, as if she was reading a menu. Her eyes unblinking, her face expressionless, what few changes happen while she's speaking are largely disguised by her markings. "She tried to divert the blame to a troop of traveling entertainers she knew who had just passed through."
Ash sticks a fork into a lingering strip on her plate, holding it up towards the group, "Have you tried the bacon?"
"Why... couldn't you help her...?" are the words the roll off the woman's tongue. A swallow as the bard considers the strip of fried pig, silence, "... you all knew what took her.... why.... why couldn't you save her...?"
The fellow so question blushes slightly with a slight shifting of his shoulders and, "Well, no..." a glance her way, "But she's my-" ahem, "my friend." The woman of his resemblance rolls her eyes a moment before going back to eyeing the crowd, but she doesn't say anything. She gently pats Liatris's shoulder and steps back, but doesn't reach for anything. The rest seem a little less sure of themselves, but start to grab loose chairs.
The server, not sure what's going to happen between the two passles of folk comments, "We don't need any trouble in here." but, she does go to attend to the need for juice.
The summation from the creepy Arvek brings her up, with a little bit of her previous fire in her eyes, "She was my -mother-! The troupe wasn't my idea, but it.... almost worked."
Irshya slowly turns to stare at Ash, blinking several times. She lifts up a strip of bacon to peer at it with an odd look. The Gobbo's nose works at the air, and she looks to Ash once more. And drops the strip into her maw, followed quickly by another, and a third, a fourth... "Bacon is delicious!" Then the orange juice begins arriving, Irshya directing the server to serve the bard and her posse first.
"I'm sorry for the loss you suffered." Bina says calmly as she can and with heartfelt meaning. "I am truely sorry. But she was both more and less then the mother she was before she became one of the undead. When confronted with her undead state she was outraged and attacked us. She was a powerful being. Not a simple mortal woman. And yet, at the end, she seemed to regain a small portion of herself and she asked about you. Asked if we had killed you or harmed you. We told her we had not before she passed over completely."
The Tarienite waits a moment and then speaks again. "I know you loved her. Loved her enough to allow her to take the lives of others. Or 'accept' the lives of others seeing as she charmed the people with her magics. But even that was wrong. Please do not allow bitterness to move forward with you in your life. Anger about us I can accept. Bitterness about your life and the past would be a hampering waste."
"How were we supposed to help her? And even if there were a way... what about all the people she killed, Liatris?" The question posed by Lysos is half rhetorical, though it certainly leaves room for an answer. "The people she was going to kill? You said the people she took were happy to do so... well... Bannon here might have been one of those 'happy' people too. Maybe he should tell you about it."
Ash, having provided her information and receiving no interest in the offered strip, finally eats it. She chews it slowly, with non of the enthusiasm her goblin cousin showed. No smile. She reaches for the orange juice, which makes a sunny contrast to her grey skies colourations.
Bannon, to this point, has been sitting quietly as Sabina speaks with Liatris, only breaking for a moment to accept more coffee. He looks towards Lysos for a moment, the edge of his lips turning down into a frown. He then shakes his head, "It was ultimately unsuccessful, but for a moment..." He trails off, taking a sip of his coffee before add, "I'd much rather not tarnish this woman's understanding of her mother any further than it already has been." He then looks to Liatris, shaking his head, "If, and only if, we could have somehow saved your mother, the time it would have took would have resulted in so many more deaths. We couldn't."
"If she was a vampire, then you must know that putting her at peace was the only way to save her," Burai notes. "Never again would she have been the woman you once knew. She would have gone on slaying others, feeding off them. Existing, but not living...unnatural and a threat to all goodly folk around her. While you grew old and ended your life, and your children and their children. Is that how you would have wanted her to go on, to be remembered?"
The Tarrienite's words make the bard sink a little more into herself. More truths, and things she knows she'll have to live with, but, "Did... did she suffer...?" Lysos's challenge brings her back up, eyes glittering, "If I knew how don't you think I'd have done it, myself!??" she fires back hotly before the woman at her back sets a hand on her shoulder again. She glances to Bannon as he starts to speak, what couldn't be called friendliness by anyone with a concience darkening her eyes, though it fizzles some at his words. Then further at the words from the oruch, her head hangs.
"Lee, come on, this isn't going to help you." says the man in the robes, a look of concern thrown her way, with the others of her group wearing similar.
Bina offers a sad sort of smile to Liatris. "There is one thing we might be able to do for your mother. We can't bring her back. But perhaps, in a way, we could avenge her. Vampires are created somehow. By other vampires normally. Do you happen to have any idea who turned her into one? Or did she manage to do it by herself?"
Irshya hops from her chair, and moves to Liatris' side. "You might not be able, but you should have asked for help.", the Gobbo says to her. "Priests could have ended her suffering, and laid her to rest. Blessed her soul. Sanctified her grave."
The woman is clearly depressed and upset. This is the sort of thing Ashlee, being a Mourner is trained for, consoling the berieved in their time of grief. She feels it has become time to employ her two most comforting phrases, words guaranteed to bring solace to even the most troubled soul.
She reaches out, her hand extending from her tattered sleeve. She has stylized bones marked on her skin, making her resemble a very healthy skeleton. Her boney-ish hand pats Liatris on her shoulder, and she says in her most unemotional, drawn out phrasing, "There, there. Everything will be all right."
Followed up by, "I'm sorry for your loss."
And by just the touch, the ashen arvec can tell the woman is free of vampiric influence, and sad.
Lysos just shrugs at Bannon, then blinks and widens her eyes at Liatris. She opens her mouth to respond, then shuts it with a lick... obviously deciding the woman's accusation really has no proper answer. So she leans on her staff instead and watches and listens... though she grimaces a little bit at Ashe's.... well meaning condolences.
Bannon glances around, then takes another sip of his coffee. He looks back up to Liatris, tilting his head, "She didn't suffer." He takes another sip of his coffee and continues, "My blade is fast, and it's true. She didn't suffer." He looks towards Sabina now, studying the Luckbringer with a quirked eyebrow, before he glances away to ponder that. He quickly comes to his decision there and then nods his head to Liatris, "This is true. At the end of the day, your mother was someone's victim just as someone was in turn her victim. You could help us put a stop to this."
Burai looks at Sabina and Bannon. Hunt out the vampire who turned the bard's mother? He mulls the thought over in his mind. Yes, that does seem the best course of action. Then he peers at Liatris. Would she even know? Or will they have to investigate... "I.... I don't know, she was... getting sick, spending lots of gold to consult with people, because the priests couldn't find out what was wrong..." Liatris says quietly, a sparkle falling to the floor, "Then... I don't know, she started getting better but... then people would come by to..." Words fail her for a moment, and she shakes her head, "Die." she forces herself to say, "They came to die...." before burying her face in her hands. The new hand on her shoulder doesn't offer much in the way of comfort, though the Arvek's words do get a reaction; out of the Bard's lady friend, who fixes Ashes with a look of 'Seriously?'. The words from the goblin bring her a little out of her shell, then her attention is turned to Bannon and she struggles with something for a moment or two, then, "Thank you... fer that much.... at least... "
The Robe, and the other 'friend' man move closer to the bard, now, "I think she's been through enough." the former says, a sort of intent look fixed on Sabina, "Come on, Lee, let's get you someplace quiet so you can collect yourself." The rest of the group seems to be looking betwixt everyone.
The Goblin stands on tiptoe, looking pained to do so, and with effort, pats Liatris upon the cheek. "Irshya help. Offer blessings. Help find your mother's true killer. We have a few priests. Can shine the light into the darkness, lay the undead to rest. Be at peace, it not your fault."
Ash withdraws her hand, she takes hold of her glass of orange juice with both, brings it up to her lips and slowly sips. Sunlight vanishes behind dark clouds, the level in the glass drains down. She watches Liatris intently, without blinking.
Sabina stands up slowly and nods. "She has been through enough. Again, I am sorry. And I think Irshya has the right of it. Blessings." She reaches for her holy symbol and prays aloud. "Oh Tarien, lord of laughter and wisdom though odd means. Brant your blessings apon the living and protect Liatris and her friends from the undead as they travel." A silvery burst of light washes from her and over the room.
Lysos tenses a little bit as Sabina lays down her blessing... she still remembers what happened that one other time when she did so... but as nothing happens she relaxes, though she does let the grim slip from her face. That probably wasn't helping either.
GAME: Bannon rolls Sense Motive: (8)+8: 16 GAME: Ashes rolls knowledge/religion: (10)+7: 17
Burai returns the looks of Lee's group. He fixes his gaze on the friend and then on the robed man. But when they don't react to Sabina's blessing he seems confused. Finally he says, "You really do remind me of each other. You're certain you are not related somehow?"
Bannon tilts his head, looking towards Burai for a moment and then to the 'siblings.' His eyes narrow for a moment, and the corners of his lips tilt up slightly, "Since we're offering blessings..." He then lifts hand, completely powerless hand (unless it's holding a sword) pointed towards the two 'friends', "True love, may it never be hindered by piddling things like consanguinuity." He then turns his palm towards Liatris, "May your knots be tight, your cork be loose, your drink be free, and your compass be true." He looks towards Sabina as he drops his head, making meaningful eye contact for the briefest of moments, then looking towards the robed figure, then back to her curiously.
GAME: Bannon rolls Bluff: (5)+12: 17 GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+3: (8)+3: 11
The Gobbo looks to Sabina and grins toothily. "Binabina chooses a cheerful blessing." She squints at Bannon a moment, and blinks. "Bannon chooses a uh... gambler's blessing." She blinks a few times and shakes her head. "Irshya suggest no playing cards with Bannon. Drinking okay, though."
The touch to her cheek from Irshya closes the Bard's eyes again and prompts the building tears to fall from them, "You... can do that...?" she asks. A sniff. She blinks at the sudden silvery flash, but she doesn't reach for anything, looking, consideringly at the group before the Robe finds her eye and she smiles, trying to put on a brave face.
Meanwhile, that's some High Quality OJ!
The woman and the 'friend' look at each other, then to the orc, "We're sibs, yeah....?"
The Robe seems a little bewildered by Bannon's wordplay, but he shows a smile to the troubled Bard, regardless. The ashen arvec looks thoughtful for a moment, places her empty glass on the table. "The Baetriov is dependant on a ritual instead of regular feeding, so they are turned differently. The creation of their blood bath demands the sacrifice of a regular vampire amongst several mortals."
Ash stares impassively at her own party, Liatris, and Liatris' friends, "That's not an easy thing, and a vampire sacrifice complicates it. Anything you remember that was odd might help us."
Lysos straightens up and stretches a little bit, then makes a face as Ashe describes the process of becoming whatever the bards mother had become. "That's disgusting," she announces her opinion. "So she wasn't turned into that by someone else, then?"
Burai nods his agreement. "It doesn't sound like one is turned unwillingly," he adds. Then his gaze slides across to look at Lee once more.
"Desperation will often lead someone to do things they normally might not. Her mother was ill for a long time. She sought a cure. And she found something like a cure but worse." Sabina shrugs to Bannon and the others. "To have a vampire to use would have ment good luck to find one willing to do so or weak enough to have little trouble with. Or.. help from another vampire."
Ash for her part, sits and watches. This is the largest group she's been in, in ages. Guarding a caravan doesn't count, that's a job. This is social! She will have to tell her snails about it, this new high water mark.
With a glance to Irshya, Bannon shakes his head, "Not exactly. It's an airman's benediction. I think it started on seagoing vessels first, though." He listens to the conversation, a small frown settling on his face. He glances towards Sabina for a moment, then looks back at those gathered. To the robbed one, Bannon points a finger, "Who are you?"
"Yes.", Irshya says to Liatris. "We can do that. We would help you. Irshya understand how it must be big shock, how you wanted to help her, how she looked better and you think she is okay. Irshya sorry. Help us to help you, yes? But first!" The Gobbo raises a hand, a finger pointed to the ceiling, "Let us eat a good breakfast. Talk. Know one another better. Full belly, full mind, make for better investigators."
GAME: Sabina rolls sense motive: (16)+7: 23 GAME: Ashes rolls sense motive: (7)+7: 14 GAME: Bannon rolls Sense Motive: (6)+8: 14 GAME: Irshya rolls sense motive: (6)+4: 10
Bina starts making room for the others to join them if they so choose. "He's the unspoken leader, Bannon." the Tarienite says casually. "I do believe this is the group we would have gone chasing after if Liatris had had her way." She glances over to the other group. "Am I right?" All in a casual tone.
Liatris looks to the people as they speak, harried by aspects of her mother's transformation, "I.... I'll try, but... I don't know what I could tell you." deeply disturbed by her mother's continuously declining innocence.
The robed man stops making eyes at the bard and looks toward Bannon, "What's it to you, pal?"
Irshya's call to eat brings most of the group's attention to her before Sabina's accusation brings everyone's attention to a perplexed looking Liatris.
"What does she mean, Lee...?"
Lysos reaches up and runs a hand through her dark hair as she tries to keep up with what appears to be conclusions being put together by her friends and allies. And doesn't look like she's succeeding. On an impulse she walks towards one of the windows so she can look outside while she keeps half an eye on the group.
Bannon glances left to follow Lysos for a moment, before his eyes turn sharply back to the robed man, "The more appropriate question is what's it to you?" He then adds, as almost a punctuation, "Pal." He leans back in his chair, taking a sip of coffee as he watches the robed man, saying shortly after as he points to the siblings, "These two seem genuinely concerned, but you..." His finger points back to the robed man himself, "You have a lot to lose when it comes to Liatris."
Burai's head whips around to look at Sabina, then back at the robed figure. Finally he settles his gaze on Liatris, also keenly interested in her response.
"We weren't that organized." The ashen arvec says, not really diminishing the point that chasing her friends was discussed for quite some time. As it seems to be the thing to do, she stares at the robed man for a while now. Simply stares, her bright skull-markings facing directly at him, dark eyes unblinking.
Irshya frowns as the atmosphere in the room begins to sour. A hand comes up and makes the sign of her Goddess, while her other hand begins to weave a spell. Her voices rises up at the end of it, and a wee crack of thunder is heard. The Gobbo slowly moves to place herself between the two groups... mostly between Bannon and 'the Robe'.
"Irshya think that everyone should take step back, take deep breath, and give head a shake. No need for fighting between us. How would it help Lialia? And her poor, departed mother? Stop this silliness."
Bina blinks and then chuckles as Irshya makes her point. "There were groups out and about durring that time. One of traveling players. Another was striking out at towns and taking resources. At the time we thought the two could be the same. But like Ashes says we were more focused on finding the vampire and were feeling pressed for time. We were indeed unorganized then. Still are really. But.. you all sort of fit the bill. Seeing as you know Liatris and you weren't in town at the time of her mother's death." She shrugs and then yawns before getting her drink and sipping.
"What? No, those guys are long, long gone by now." Liatris replies with a shrug, looking around at her friends, "It's true! That troupe that came through here a month back, I tried to send these guys after them. They were..." a look to Bannon, then, "a threat to... mom." Her hands suddenly come up, "We didn't know each other, then, I wasn't sending them after you guys! Honest!"
This seems to mollify the group, though the Robe is getting a little more antsy. He bristles a bit and, "What are you trying to say? Liatris is very dear to me." he warns, shifting his footing some.
Burai stands up from his chair and begins to pace back and forth. He stays behind the rest of the party, on 'their' side of the table. But he does his best to keep an eye on Liatris and her group of friends.
Ash watches as people reposition, beady eyes staring out from her expressionless skull-face mask. Her small holy symbol is held in front of her, 'tink-tink'. She waits...
-tbc
