"Mysteries of Oakgrove" by Puff

[puffthemagicdragon]

It's been a long hard day. Marching down the dirt todden road, your worn leather boots covered around the edges with the dried mud from the unpaved road. A recent rain must have packed the earth down a bit in this area, somewhere you haven't traveled before. Traveling, the one thing you dislike the most of adventuring. Oh, the thoughts of adventuring when you were young, rescueing kids, pretty maidens, or even townsfolk from some evil that has scarred their lives. Finding some forgotten tomb, and after many hungry miserible days searching, fighting off monsters and creatures best not thought about, and then finally uncovering a mighty treasure. You never thought about the time between these grand adventures, when you've somehow found yourself wandering from town to village. From village to hamlet, sometimes feeling as though you were lost. Your fast gate seems to slow a bit as you quickly glance over your left shoulder. As you turn back ahead and resume your walking, you think for just a second then suddenly stop, "D*MN, I'm lost. But how could this be?." you ask yourself outloud, with the only answer being the chirps and whispers of the nocturnal creatures as they start to come out of their homes and hiding places. You recall thinking as the halfing gave you directions to Oakridge, What's this little one up to? Treaure in the foothills of Oakridge, huh? But you carefully followed his directions anyway and now find yourself here. As you look up and see the strip of sky in between the treetops, you realize how dark it has suddenly gotten, with a sky full of twinkling stars. You quicken your step a bit, not cause your nervous or anything like that, you've been traveling and adventuring for many years now, many times alone, these days you hasten for a hot meal and soft bed before it's too late. So with that in mind, you forget about the soreness in the soles of your feet and the slight sprang in your right ankle and hasten through the forest to the soft glow ahead. That has to be the lights of a small village ahead, you think to yourself, I can make that in just over an hour, no more than two.

A little more than two hours later, you find yourself coming into an old village. As you leave the shadow of the woods, you hear a creaking sound off to your right. When you investigate, you find the remnants of two wooden posts with a crossbeam. Hanging from rotted crossbeam by one chain, the other rusted and broken, is a sign, swinging in the breeze, Oakridge it reads. With a smile you pull the edges of your cloak around you and wander down the streets looking for a tavern or inn. Oakridge, being a small town, only has a few taverns, and you find yourself walking in the first one you come across, The Laughing Jackal. Upon entering you see the last of the patrons, the ones who don't work til late the next day or don't work at all. Standing at the doorway you scan the room. You notice most tables are taken, some tables are already cleaned with their respective chairs sitting up-side-down on top of them, with a few broken discarded chairs behind them in the corner. A couple of the town's guard stand at the bar, each with a mug of ale in hand. Obviously more interested in laughing, lying, and drinking their fill of free ale than watching over the crowd to make sure no more fights break out.

Suddenly, from your left steps a pretty young girl, "Hi, I'm Maria. This is my family's place." As you look into the large blue eyes of Maria, you suddenly realize she has taken you by the elbow and led you to a table where sits three others, obviously strangers to this town as much as they are strangers to each other. "I'm sorry but a fight broke out earlier and we had to shut that section down. That left us with not much room left. Please, sir, would you mind sharing a table with these kind sirs?" she asks you as she pulls one of the two empty chairs out from under the table for you. "We have beef stew, it's really good. I'll bring a plate out for you with some bread, and another pitcher of ale." She says the last glancing around the table to include the others. Maria lays her hand gently on your shoulder, looking into your face, "I'm also gonna check on my sister Laura, she got a bloody nose in that mess." She tells you with shock all over her face, as she points to the broken chairs in the corner as evidence. She turns and rushes into the back kitchen, her faded blue long skirt trailing behind. As you sit at the table with the three strangers, you get the feeling everyone else in the tavern is from Oakridge, except for the four at this table. There is mostly farmers with a scattered amount of small-time merchants drinking this late night. There are a few others that have the look of adventurers, but they are known by everyone here. There is also a minstrel in the corner, playing his lyre quietly, almost as background music, he is probably the drunkest in the place tonight. Before long Maria is back carrying a tray. She sets your plate of beef stew down in front of you, then a soft fesh loaf of bread and a pitcher of ale with one mug for you. She stands up straight and puts her hands on her shapely hips, cocking her head just a bit as she eyes you for a second, then she slowly genuinely smiles, its then when you notice her perfect white teeth and how she just may be the prettiest barmaid you've seen in a few months, "If you need anything else, just holler. If you don't see me out here, that's my father, Jake." She says pointing to the large burly man behind the bar, wiping out glasses, seemingly looking your way out of the corner of his eye. "I have to help my sister, I think her nose is broke. Wrong place, wrong time." she says talking about her sister, she then sets the three empty plates onto her tray and takes them back to the kitchen.

As you sit there reaching out for your mug, you start to relax a little, you wish. Your senses heightened, your on alert, on guard, but why? You look around, nothing appears threatning. Finally, the aroma of the meal in front of you invades all your thoughts as you unawarely begin eating. Taking bites of carrots, potatoes, and delicious tender meat, with a few wipes of gravy off your plate with the seasoned fresh bread, you believe if you had to stay in town a few days, you wouldn't complain. Immediately after that thought, Maria comes from the back room. Your gaze follows her lean girlish figure as she walks to the bar, giving her father a bloody washcloth and taking a clean one in return. She strolls to a couple tables and chats to the customers for a few minutes before coming to your table, "Is everything ok?" She asks with a charming smile, "Can I get you anything else?" She arches an eyebrow and looks up at the minstrel, as he misses a few notes only she noticed. She smirks at the drunk musician and laughs, shaking her head.

Suddenly, the front door bursts open, the wind charges in, almost half the candles are blown out with the other's flames dancing about, their macabre scene being played out on the walls. The eyes of the town's guard wide as they grip their mugs tightly, wishing their were more of their number around. Then you jump as you feel something, you almost fall back as it brushes up against your leg. Maria, standing beside you, hops and lets out a squeal, as she tries to catch her breath. A farmer behind you gets up to shut the front door to The Laughing Jackal, when it slams open again. Then all at once, you jump as something scrapes your leg, but then someone or something races through the open door....

.....to stand right beside you. A man wearing dark gray robes stands bent kneed, arms jerking out this way and that to counterbalance the twists and turns of his head as his long ,salt and pepper colored, unkempt hair flies about. He looks as though he could bolt straight back out the door until, "THEODORRE !" Everyone's eyes turn to the pretty little barmaid, as she stands there with her hands on her hips, "THEODORRE, what are you doing?" she asks loudly. Suddenly the lean, man stops his jerking and flailing about. He straightens up to his full height, of six feet, and with both hands, rakes his fingers through his long hair, from the front to the back, behind his ears. He takes a deep breath and his hands fall, then clasp each other behind his back as he eyes the little beauty, Maria.

"Koda." he whispers.

"Theodorre, what is it?" Maria asks him as she eyes him suspiciously, quickly running out of patience.

The man's blue eyes shift slowly left to right, with barely a movement of his head, as he scans this evenings crowd. Then suddenly, he burst into action, his arms come back around to the front of his body as he shakes his hands in front of Maria. "KODA ! I saw her run in here!" The excited man blurts out.

Someone snorts loudly behind Maria. As she and you both turn and look to her father, he only shrugs and looks as though he is trying to hold back a flood of laughter. You notice the look on Maria's face as she stares at her father, a stare demanding he control himself, as he tries to swallow a laugh only to end in a fit of coughing. Then Jake reaches up to a higher shelf, behind a bottle of wine, and pulls out a small jar. After uncorking the lid, he pulls forth a little peice of meat, which instantly has an effect. A weasel darts between your legs, scampers onto the lone wooden chair to end up on the countertop of the bar. She hesitate's as if sizing up Jake, then suddenly snatches the morsel from the barkeep's meaty fingers, only to retreat back to the safety of this man, Theodorre. Once finished eating, the weasel races up the sleeve of Theo's cloak to sit on his right shoulder, only to immediately wipe it's little mouth on the collar of Theo's cloak. It then sit's straight and high on it's human perch, scanning the crowd, then it encircles Theodorre, jumping from his right shoulder to his left, then down his back, back to his right side into a large soft leather pouch hanging from his left shoulder. Theo shakes his head with a smile while Jake laughs out loudly.

"Someday you must tell me what that is you have my little friend ensorcelled with, Master Meatcooker." Koda peeks out of the flap of the pouch, and Maria only looks at both men, shaking her head.

As the excitement has seemed to die down and the patrons begin to go back to their own conversations, Maria jumps and squeals, "Laura!" as she must have forgotten her sister in the excitement and rushes away, through the back door. Once Jake closes the lid of the jar and puts it away, he laughs at the lively dishevelled man and goes back to his business, cleaning up the bar. So Theodorre turns to you

"So, how do you like Oakridge? You are new to Oakridge aren't you?" He asks all who sit at the table. Theodoore sits down without any invitation, in the last empty chair and continues with his gift of chatter, "Yes, It is a lovely little town. You'll find no-better meats around, than ole Jake's." He whispers loudly as he jabs a finger over his shoulder in the direction of the proprieter. "So.... wha... wha...ACHOO !! OH, excuse me." He says as he quickly yanks a small peice of burgandy cloth from his shirt sleeve and dabbs the underside of his nose, then quickly places it back in it's place. "So...what are you in town for? I don't think Jake's meats are THAT good." He looks at each of you.

---

OOC: My suggestion would be about 6-8 level.
But still Cal, Thats a problem, me not knowing how to do the mapping.
I would need a lot of help when I'm DMing, but just the mechanical stuff.
Maybe I could bring back Theodorre, Otherwise its some kinda rogue.

[puffthemagicdragon]

The wild man stands up abrubtly, causing his chair to skid away from him and topple over, from the force of his legs. Looking to the newest comer, "A banquet you say?" He turns to Jake and yells, "Jake, is it true?" The proprietor of the tavern looks back to Theodorre, wondering what in the Nine Hells he is talking about. As the crazed man looks back to you, he continues to speak loudly, "A banquet in honor of my imagination! Why, thank you good sir." he says as he reaches out to shake you hand, a dumbfounded look on his face as he wonder what a banquet to someone's imagination is.

[Caledonian Achilles]

The tavern owner quivers with fear. These adventurers can be a law on to themselves and having another one on the premises just increases the risk. Speaking of the other one...

Before the tavernkeeper could look, the heavy thud of sturdy boots supporting a powerful frame resonated from the wooden stairs. Carefully with measured steps, the thick skinned half-orc came down in to the common room. He was groomed tidily but his apparel belied years of a savage existence. The clothing and armour had been repaired in places where the worst of the battle damage impaired its functioning. The newcomer's boots still had old dark stains from the gore of fallen enemies; faded but an everlasting testament that this person had withstood against trials and assualts of a veteran skirmisher.

With a stony look he inspects Theodorre from the bottom of the stairs, unflinching like a golem awaiting its orders.

[puffthemagicdragon]

It seems a storm may be approaching at this late hour, as the wind stirs up from time to time causing the shutters to repetitively bang loudly against the outside of the cozy tavern. Some big dogs nearby annoyingly bark at what is probably nothing, just the wind. Inside the tavern, the barkeep, Jake, and one of his daughters, Maria, move quietly throughout the large room relighting the candles on many of the tables that blew out upon Theodorre's entrance. Theodorre sits back in his chair comfortably, with one leg crossed over the other, one hand seemingly moving almost on it's own, as he uses it to emphasize points that he is discussing, discussing?....a discussion about some banquet that he believes is coming soon. You look around the table at the others you've almost been forced to sit with, but you soon realize you all have the same look on your faces, the look of astonishment as you wonder just who this man is and what he is talking about. Suddenly you hear the movement of logs, and the sizzling and crackling of the blaze coming back to life as Jake stokes the fire and the dry wood starts burning brighter again in one of the two fireplaces. As that side of the room brightens a bit, it's then that you see the occupants of the two tables between the fireplace and the corner of the room have what looks to be five elves sitting at them. Your not sure, due to the cowls pulled over their heads, but with their slight build they definitely have the look of the elven race. They sit quietly, all with dark cloaks covering their frames and features. Two at the table closest to the large fire, one drinking from a mug and smoking a pipe, the other, with an untouched mug before him, eyes down, scans a book as his finger moves across the page, using the glow from the fire to read by. The other three, sit at the table in the corner, drinking, talking very low, unheard.

As moments pass, Thoedorre's disscussion switches to the wonderful meats of Jakes he wants served at the banquet for him, now no-one is listening to him as it seems he may just like the sound of his own voice. At this late hour, a few people start to rise and leave, to try and weave or stumble their way home. Theo sits erect in his chair, still chattering away, as he stares at the patrons sitting near the fireplace, wondering what the book is that has so captivated the reader. No-one notices the new-comer as he walks across the balcony , where a few rooms are rented out. As some of the patrons step to the bar, Jake leaves, walking to the back room only to return a few moments later with a few wrapped packages, cured and smoked meat for them to take home to their families. After payment, handshakes, and a few laughs, they start to head for the door.

At that time, what sounds like a few oaks being felled in the distance, the new-comer steps to the ground level of the tavern. Once all eyes turn towards him, the commoners open the door to leave the bar, with the winds raised and howling, the slight opening of the door was all it need to whip the heavy wooden door open to slam against the wall, causing Theo to almost fall from his chair. Suddenly, the far side of the room darkens as the fire dies down to half it's size and the candles go out, but not the candles in front of the door. The five cloaked figures stand, the one reading already having put his book away and stands, slowly lowering his left hand, which was raised and pointing towards the fireplace. As the commoners can be heard running alongside the porch of the tavern to only disappear into the night, the cloaked figures make for the doorway, as they leave the last grasping the doorhandle to close behind them, scans the crowd quickly, it's then that you see the large almond shaped eyes and sharp angular face and know for certain they were elves, just before the door slams shut.

Then all eyes turn towards the lone figure at the foot of the steps, not one commonly seen around these areas. Waiting til close to closing time before actually coming down to the taproom, everyone stairs at the warrior before one voice speaks up, "Ah, ah, ACHOO. Oh, excuse me." Theo says as he quickly wipes his nose. "It's a creepy night out tonight, isn't it" he blurts out.

[Caledonian Achilles]

Kurt watches the elves leave then return to Theo's comments. With a nonchalant shrug that suggests that this traveller has fared harsher troubles the rogue replis, "There are creepy things that love the darkness so. For a silent violence can befall the unwary on such an evening."

He crosses next to the wizard and gestures to an empty chair. "I would eat and dining with a tale from a fellow wanderer would ease the passing of time."

[puffthemagicdragon]

As the new-comer approaches, Theodorre squints to get a better look, and a surprised look appears on his face as he sees the racial features on the stranger entering the common area. But Theodorre's posture belies something different, he remains relaxed and comfortable in his chair, as though he is feigning the look of surprise. He kicks the one remaining chair out from under the table for the stranger, interested to hear what brings this one's passage through Oakridge.

Theodorre lightly taps his finger on his chin as he raises his gaze towards the ceiling, "A tale eh?" A question he mumbles to himself as he stares off into the rafters of the tavern, where hides in the darkness, the tiny spiders in their webs, waiting to catch their prey. He suddenly brings his gaze back down to Kurt, "I'll bet you have an enticing tale or two yourself." he says nonchalantly.

As the embers in the fire crackle and pop, Maria makes her way over to the minstrel playing in the corner, on the other side of the large stone fireplace where the elves were sitting, to collect his empty mugs, three standing upright, two knocked over. Out of disgust and annoyance she kicks him in the shin, the outcome being a hearty belch and him falling from his chair to the dirty stone floor. The proprietor, Jake, smirks as he watches his daughter, shaking his head, thinking how he must have the worst entertainment in town.

"Hmm, a tale." he says again, staring at the half-orc. "Achoo!!" Horror overtakes the face and body of the man as he is scared he has sneezed on the beast and possibly offended him. Theo's feet scrape against the floor as he tries to move his chair back a bit, wishing these two former empty chairs weren't next to each other.

Quickly trying to regain his composure and hopefully get the scary half-orcs mind on a tale, an interesting tale, Theodorre first words almost stumble over themselves. "Oh, I.. I'm so s..sorry sir. Seems a cold is the worst thing I've been fighting lately." He says as he wipes his nose and tries to begin a captivating story. "Well, surely you heard about the man found outside of town a few years back," he starts off, pointing down the road you probably came in town on. A few patrons gasp and Jake clears his deep throat loudly as they realize what Theo is telling the strangers, Kurt, and the few others at the table who have yet still to speak. Theodorre either ignoring them or just doesn't know better, probably the latter, is totally absorbed in the thoughts of the tale, "Well, he was found a few miles outside of town, badly injured. They say, Well, stories that is, says his leg was bandaged half-heartedly, covering a compound fracture. You know his bone was broke in two and punctured through the skin." Theo says as he stares intently at the group. "Um, well, lets see, a group of travelers found him, he told them, if they would help him he would tell them of a small fortune buried in the foothills. But once they got to a healer, he had already passed," Theo holds up a finger as if to punctuate something, "but, when the would-be rescuers told the healer what the deceased told them of the small fortune, the priest told the good sumeritans of a group of bandits who operated in that area for a while. You see, they stole from many travelers and merchants using that road, until an earthquake hit this area, well, actually further east, but it did open up a large ravine close by, ending here. No-one thought much of it til some teenagers came back from exploring the area with silver coins and a few gold too. Finally, some of the townsfolk surmised the so-called treasure was everything left from the bandits. The earthquake caved in their hideout, killed everyone but the lone survivor, who only live for a very short time."

"LAST CALL." Jake yells out, "It's getting late, time to start closing up. You can come back tomorrow." Two girls come out to clean off the dirty tables, one obviously Maria, the other with a swollen nose and two small bruises starting to cover the lower insides of both her beautiful eyes.

---

OOC: Hmmm, no post from Ilya, ok then maybe he isn't interested.
Maybe I'm wasting my time?

[Caledonian Achilles]

Kurt holds his hand up at the tavernkeeper's warning without turning round.
"Stew. whatever's left and some bread. Stale if it has to be. And cheese."

The half-orc pulls the chair out and sits down roughly. The talk of bandits and ill-gotten treasure causes a fire to course under the tough leathery dark skin.

"Bandits? Do they present a danger to the countryfolk?"
He flicks a tongue along a long canine and gently licks a faint scar that mars a corner of his mouth. Another trophy of a life spent in constant mortal struggle.

No-one had touched that spot so tenderly since the divine elf-maiden...

[puffthemagicdragon]

As one of the serving girls comes to clean the table, she is scared by Kurt's roung demeaner, looks to her father, and is reasured by a nod from him to get what was asked. A few moments later she returns with the last of the beef stew, fresh bread, but molded cheese, and thankfully more ale. As most of the patrons head out for their trip home, Theodorre stays with his tablemates, "No, no, there are no more bandits, I guess. There haven't been any problems since the earthquake. Thats why the townsfolk think they were all killed in it, except for that lone survivor, whom died also. That was all three years ago." Theo finishes. then as an after thought. "But you know there has been word of a few treasure seekers who never came back. It was just assumed they moved on or just weren't seen when they did leave town, nothing suspicious though."

"Eat fast, stranger." Jake says, obviously not afraid of the montrous looking guest.

---

OOC: Theo is an old char of mine, a wizard.
I'm sure I'll update his sheet and use him.
But obviously nothing much can be done, major, til the others come back Monday. Maybe

[Caledonian Achilles]

Kurt acknowledges the food with a demure thankful nod. The reaction from the serving girl is a mirror of countless encounters among civilised folk yet the half-orc feels a touch of sadness, like the testing of a wound that never heals. Maybe he should stay in the wilderness away from decent folk.

As he chews on the stew he considers the wizard's proposition. Maybe a trek to find lost treasures will bring glory and adventure. Tales will be sung about the exploits of Kurt. Perhaps there will be more kobolds to slay...

"If you're proposing an expedition then you can count me in... as long as it promises danger and reknown."

[puffthemagicdragon]

At this late hour in the main common area of The Laughing Jackal, darkness is starting to take over as Jake has finished extinguishing the candles and the fires, in both large stone fireplaces sitting opposite each other across the room, have started burning lower. The young girls have long since gone to bed and the only patrons left are sitting at this table, Theo, Kurt and three others who have yet to say a word. Done with his cleaning, Jake stands between the table and the bar, thick arms crossed over his chest, looming behind the group. Looking up at the barkeep is an impressive sight, his thickly muscled body, coupled with the sword that can be seen over his shoulder hanging on the wall, a beautiful weapon, with not a hint of dust covering the blade. Theodorre watches Kurt eat, looking at the large canines, thinking how they could have all kinds of germs or worse all over them and scrunches up his face until he hopes nobody has noticed his behavior.

Leaning a little closer to Kurt, so the other strange three can't hear, "Hmm, an expedition?" he asks, thinking the large brute could protect him out in the wilderness, but who would protect him from the large brute, he wonders. "Umm, yes, I had thought about going sometime, but just couldn't pull myself away from these creature comforts," Theo says opening his arms wide, "and the delicious meals I always find here."

At mention of the tavern's food, a grumble erupts from behind the bar, where Jake stands wiping the last of the flagons and mugs. "Sure that sounds like a grand idea. Shall we meet here tomorrow morning?" He asks while he stands hoping not to catch the ire of Jake. With a sweeping bow, "Until the morning then." and with a flourish, Theodoore dashes out the door, leaving Jake, Kurt and the lone three left in the bar. A moment later, a sneeze can be heard a short distance from the corner of the tavern as Theo makes his way to the outside room he has rented, followed by a snort and laugh from Jake.

[Caledonian Achilles]

"Yes. Tomorrow."

Kurt finishes hi supper in silence, sparing a glance at the departing wizard. When he is finished he thanks Jake then retires to his room upstairs.

Before he sleeps, he checks that the dagger is placed handily stuck under the bedclothes between the bedframe and the mattress.

[puffthemagicdragon]

Finally the room clears, the strangers leave without a word and Kurt heads back to his room upstairs. The steps and the large planks of wood making up the loft, leading to the rented rooms, creak with every step, but he makes it back to his dimly lit room with not an incident, except the grumbling of his large stomach as it digests the delicious beef stew. As the half orc prepares for bed, he gets his blade out, ready for uninvited guests in the night. He looks around for one of the shirts he just wore the day before, an undershirt that he wears under his armor, after a quick search can't find it and he shrugs it off. Oh well, he thinks, it's the only thing missing, so he just thinks he misplaced it and hasn't found it yet, so he goes back about his business before resting the last hours before time to be back downstairs. Kurt falls asleep soundly to the cadence of the night's rainfall.

The next morning, the sun shines brightly, trying to dry up the soaking from the night before. Outside, the sky, looking as it's blazing, is full of bright vivd colors of red, yellow and orange signifying the start to aother glorious day. A small crowd can be heard downstairs, probably coming in for morning breakfast. Jake's thundering voice can be heard as they start to get a little busier.

---

I suggest:
32 point buy
6th level
standard races and classes
no more than half gold to one item
anything else to consider??

Welcome back Noda, Achinca

[achinca]

The door opens and a elven maiden stands in there. A silver symbol of Corellon Larethian shines between her small breasts. At least they look small under the armor she is wearing.
She carries a mace at her side, which is strange for someone worshipping Corellon Larethian.
Her eyes are a shinning blue as clear as a summer day sky. Her hair is pitch black and contrasts with her white pale skin.

She looks at Jake and asks in a harsh voice "I am looking for a bard. An half-orc bard. His name is Kurt K'Bain. Have you seen him?"

Before Jake's answer she looks around the tavern and sees Maris's sister and her broken nose. She approaches the woman, says a few words and her holy symbol start shinning and she touches the girl. Her nose suddenly looks as new as when she was born. "You're welcome".

She scans the tavern and does not see the half-orc. She opens the door and is about to leave the inn when she turns toward Jake "If you ever see Kurt, tell him that Alyanna is looking for him".

She closes the door and go to the next tavern. "I hope the rumors are true that Kurt is really alive. I have been looking for him since these awful events in the sunless citadel......"

---

I say let's do level 5 or lower. The reason I want so low is because we will not have a campaign but a bunch of encounters run by different DMs.
To make it easy, we could have the 5 rooms dungeon rule i.e. any adventure will be resolved within 5 fights.
ALso Puff, you can download some preexisting adventures which woud make your life easier. You have the potential to be such a great DM.

[puffthemagicdragon]

Just as Alyanna is done speaking with Jake and turns to leave, she steps outside the door's frame and she almost runs into the disheveled Theodorre. Theo steps back a step and bows lavishly, "Oh pardon me, fair Lady. I..." Just as he is about to continue, out of his large pouch, hanging from his left shoulder, pops a white and brown weasel, which leaps out onto the ground and scrambles into the tavern and quickly up onto the bar. Theo is quick to follow, he leaves the elven priestess by herself as he almost falls on his face trying to rush into the common room to retrieve his little companion. His face is flush when he sees the glare of Jake this early in the morning, as he hastens to the bar. "Good morning to you good Sir." Theo says while the barkeep already is in the process of getting his stash of little bites of his dried beef. After getting a few pieces out of the jar, and replacing it back in its hiding place, Jake tosses them to Koda. After the weasel finishes it's snack, Theo raises the flap to the pouch and the weasel hops right in. Theodorre absently scratches the head of his longtime friend and after hearing his own stomach rumble decides it's time to look after his own breakfast. The Laughing Jackal, only having a small crowd has many seats to offer this morning. Theo winds up sitting at the same table he sat at the night before, in the same seat. He crosses his legs casually and waits for Jake or one of his daughters to come around.

[Caledonian Achilles]

Outside in the yard, where the other beasts are kept, a lone warrior is greeting the dawn with practices martial movements. Balancing himself gracefully and moving with the agility of an elf and the power of a dwarf. Onlookers look again when they notice the battle ravaged coarse features of an ugly half-orc.

His routine hesitates then abruptly stops. Turning slowly he reaches for his longspear, the feathers fluttering in the breeze.

Did he hear that voice? Was it her?

He takes a couple of steps to the tavern's back door then stops. Uncertain. A whirlpool of doubt and hope.

Kurt takes a moment to watch, hearing the serving girls giggle about the sniffling dandy returning for breakfast.