Aldric & Caden (& Karnath?)

Geraldine's

Another bartender comes up to you guys, catching the end of that exchange. The lunch rush is ending, but there are still many lingering.

"Georgette thanks you kindly for your generosity and says this goes to you, on the house." The stocky human male then drops off a gallon pitcher of small beer and a single handful of mugs, which in his ham-sized fists is four handles.

"Also, if I may, from that last bit I overheard I'd recommend relaxing a bit. There's plenty of action here, and more than enough stuff floats to the surface." Leans in and looks around, "Besides, a whole bunch of people just had lunch, often with more than a few drinks, and are now rubbing shoulders out on Main Street." Straightens up, smiles, and returns to work.

----------------------------

The other group halfling turns to Aldric, "Yeah, it takes all kinds to make our people. Known a few thievin' snakes in the grass in my time — but nothin' a good shovel couldn't fix, if you catch my meanin'. Back home we didn't take that shit between our own.

"But those kobold critters come only in one kind: rascals. And like a cai-yote, the more you beat fear into 'em, the better you're off."

"Well I had trouble from 'em none. 'N fact, they saved my life once when I was dyin' in the desert o' thirst. Got lost hunting is all, yet tha'ss all ya need out here."

"And what'd it cost ya? An eye and a thumb?"

"Heh, tha'ss another story, and from 'round here. No, just cost me my rotting catch of rabbits and some flasks of oil. They just grabbed it and cooked it up. Gave me water, fed me, and pointed me onto the nearest trail. Just like that, and not a word I understood."

"Well if that ain't the damnedest thing I ever heard!"

"Oh I got a better'n than 'im. Been out under this here cold moon long enough and'll you seen a bit o' everything."

"But you're drunk." "Shiii—t, I can still find'n my own ass wi' both hands, yeah? Help me to that table yonder..."

The group metastasizes and splits through talk. The story one floats down from the bar to a table nearby. The bar one (two?) keeps on about the threats to the town, or who's behind some latest theft.

Bright Feather nods to Hannalee..."I think we should leave and find the others" then turns and leaves the house to find the rest of the group.

(OoC): Going to Geraldine's given it's a likely place to find the group and a cold beer or feywine if she's lucky.

(OoC: Where is she?)

Getting to Geraldine's Karni will see if she can spot the Preacher, otherwise will go to meet up with Alric and Caden, ordering a mug of beer, and raising it in toast and saying 'Blessed Be' before having a swig (Beer is the Great Goddess' sacrament, like with many agricultural deities) wiping the foam mustache away with the back of her hand.

Alric accepts the mug and cups. "Thank your mistress for here generosity as well and any other help she can provide." Alric winks knowingly.

Turning to the other Halfling "Yeah reputation is a curious thing, so often it turns into a prejudice that don't serve it well." Nodding throughout the story. " Well all I can think is the rabbit looked tastier than You " Chuckling. "Of course they may have sent you along your way to let ya fatten up a little!"


"Well seems most likely we can get some more "Information" " Alric sarcastically notes " From the locals outside. We can keep an ear out and ask around about Sister Joyous. Might be useful when we approach her."

"I know there is a lot goin on here but to my mind one task at a time. Its a balance of rushing in unknowing or waiting for enough truth to bubble to the top of all these rumors." Alric looks around ruefully. "To be honest I'm not one o sit on my hands to long, prefer to be out doing than waiting"

Most likely meeting the others outside Alric turns to Karnath, Bright leaf, and Hanalee. "They got some good eaten in there if your quick and Caden and I have a few leads to follow up. What say we meet back here in an hour compare notes then and see where that takes us."

Bright Feather nods to Alric.."that will be fine we will be here until you finish your business"..and goes into Geraldine's and sits at an empty table while waving over a barmaid to get a bite to eat and maybe a drink.

Caden tips a nod at the halfings thoughts "Aye, we sit on our thumbs too long waiting and were liable to find ourselves with more than we want on our plate. I'll follow you and see what we can dredge up with this Priestess."

Before leaving the house, Hanalee makes a friendly offer to Miss Blushing Plox. "If you ever feel up to it...swing by Geraldine's for a drink...on me," she says, hesitantly at first, then more enthusiastically. The young would-be-widow has much more than a broken heart going on, Hanalee suspects, and it would be nice to uncover the full details someday.

The blacksmith follows the elf to Geraldine's and promptly finds her fellows waiting outside. She holds up her newly received kerchief for the others to see. "No purchases made, but a free gift instead!" she beams.

She then pokes her head inside the establishment, waving to some patrons. "Cheers, Geraldine's!" she roars happily to familiar faces, and flags down a barmaid. "Georgette! Where are you honey?"

OOC: Resolving placement:

Karnath is inside with the remains of Aldric's gallon of small beer. She's at a table trying to tactfully peer into the private rooms, whose doors are currently open, looking for "Preacher Sometimes."

Hanalee and Bright Feather have just entered Geraldine's, after meeting with Aldric and Caden, and see the still lively scene. They can find Karnath alone at a table, looking intently towards the back private rooms.

Aldric and Caden are out on Main Street, with Mal waiting patiently at Geraldine's hitching post. He seems pleased with himself, as if he got to visit a great array of new animals.

Geraldine's

The lunch rush is gone, but plenty of people remain. The piano is silent and staff are taking shifts to grab lunch at an empty table nearest the bar and kitchen. The brassy dwarf woman seems to have retired to the back of one of the private rooms.

Karnath's passively finds a man in a worn black suit and matching hat slumped over his drink in a private room where one of the entrance doors is closed. He occasionally seems to mumble something, but cannot tell to whom. (Successful Passive Perception.) There's a third of the pitcher to kill and Karnath sees Hanalee and Bright Feather, the two others from the well, enter.

"I'm here, girl!" A robust female arm waves to Hanalee from the server's make-shift lunch table. "Grabbing a bite before all the action tonight." Takes a bite of a dried trout fritter dipped in nettle greens. "Thought you were off to find yourself. Needed a good meal to tide you over?" Laughter shared.

Main Street

The street has picked up considerably. Farther down you can see from even here the electricity build between the milling pedestrians. A crowd has collected around Vaux's, which is closer to you both, here up street. Seems like people are grabbing last minute tools for a morning's job that is lasting into the afternoon. A rather puffed up man leaves what seems to be the Post Office and he looks none too pleased. People show him deference, but he doesn't pay any notice.

Hanalee beams to see her old pal, and performs (or at least attempts) and elaborate secret handshake with her. "You were right...that handshake's easier when we're drunk!" she laughs.

"A few of us are going to head out together tonight," she tells Georgette, then pats her stomach, making her chainmail vest jingle-jangle. "I'd like a little someting in my belly before then. And Bright Feather here too--see that she's well taken care of, eh?"

Hanalee pauses, her smile fading somewhat at the silent piano. "Ah, where's Fontaine? He always has the best gossip--don't tell me he's off to bed so early..."

"Well Caden I think we can split up, hit the crowd and find out what we can about this Joyous. I'll work my way down oneside and back up to meet you here in a few minutes"

Alric moves off into the milling town folk politely asking abot Sister Joyous including what she looks like etc. Alric is friendly and (Hopefully) Charming enough to learn where she was last scene or hangs out. Failing that he would ask about anyone sick since it appears Sister Joyous makes rounds of the ill.

Caden shrugs at Alric "right then, sounds as good a plan as any."

Caden will move the opposite direction and ask anyone who looks talkative what they may know. If he feels a lead is possible he is not above twisting a few arms if it seems they are hesitant.

Bright Feather gives Geraldine a hesitant smile..."do you have any feywine?"

Geraldine's

Hanalee

"My dear Hanalee, has it been that you have forgotten the back of my head so soon?" A stout halfling turns his head from the staff lunch table, sporting a playful moue, just next to Hanalee and Georgette catching up. "And though I am getting older, darling, it's just the occasional nap to clear the head before a big performance."

He waves you into sharing a confidence, though he continues the same volume, "And I'm no gossip, dear. I just merely have my finger closest to the pulse of what everyone already knows." Drops his voice to a more confiding whisper, "Well, perhaps getting a little old, love. But that's between you and me." Slaps your hand playfully. A bit louder, "Give you, your friend, and I a chance to finish lunch, and we'll share tea afterwards, OK?"

Georgette says laughing, "If I know you, you'll want to polish off a slab of that Big Horn Ram we got in. But I don't know if your friend wants to try to keep up with you. If you're leaving us tonight, your friends here can chip in for a parting bit of ribs." (Basically they'll ante up 3 silver to reduce the Big Horn Sheep plate for Hanalee.)

Bright Feather

Georgette replies to Bright Feather, "Sorry girlie, I'm not the personage herself. But you'll know Geraldine when you see her. And no we don't serve feywine, not that I know of."

"I heard my name being called!" A 'presence' strikes a pose between the one closed door and the door jamb of a private room: a dwarf woman in full Western Saloon dress. She rapidly walks toward you, holding her head steady, giving the illusion of floating. "You have summoned me. The name's Geraldine, proprietor of this here 'modest' establishment."

Smiling, circling you once and approving, she leans in to grab both of your hands in a welcoming gesture. "Ah, your kind is as lovely as ever. Bear Nation? What brings you so far? No, no, no. Impolite Geraldine! A guest is to feel at least at ease, if not at home.

"Tragically feywine is something I don't serve here. And I fear a quarter of my clientele wouldn't appreciate it if I did. But I can get my hands on it, eventually, somedays —" with a theatrical flair of her upturned hand, "— on a blue moon when the geese return.

"But on your say I'll make the effort over the course of this year. Oh you will be staying with us, yes? At least a little while, no?" She releases your hands while still beaming at you.

Georgette interjects, "Hanalee and her friend here plan to adventure off tonight, after a bite to eat."

A concerned face comes onto Geraldine, and a sagging to her shoulders, "So soon? Oh I wish you well, and do come back in one piece." She now looks troubled and starts to retire back to the private room and off-handedly tells the staff, "At least get them something light to drink, so they can keep their heads about them." Mumbling, "We lose them as soon as we get them, it seems," she fades back into the same private back room.

Caden & Aldric

4+ who gets the well side of the street: Caden.

Main Street

Caden

You see a new group of gossipy biddies around the well. They'd be talkative and easy to intimidate, but passively you doubt the usefulness of doing so. Thankfully that's a good walk halfway up this street, and there are plenty of other pedestrians along the way. Vaux's and "The House of Nerds" are also on your side of the street.

"We'll need a flange to guide the flue to either fork, so we'll need an 8/10th chisel and some yew..."

"With a good string o' onions on your neck, you can keep the skeeters and haints away."

"But ma, why do we always gotta eat beans..."

"Chisel, check. Hammer, check. Pan, check. Denim slacks and big rim hat, check. Oh how the men's club would envy to see me now."

Message runner runs out of the "House of Nerds" and past you.

"'Sister Joyous'? Oh she's probably finishing up house calls, feeding the sick... But she'll be out for the afternoon show, most likely."

Aldric

Next to Geraldine's is a string of good quality saloons that host boarder rooms. Some of the town's betters live in nice homes behind these. Thus a mix of better off boarders and Livonians are on this side of street, whereas Vaux's and Elder's Place attracts a wider array of people. A few are seated along boardwalk benches enjoying the afternoon.

"I hear he's hitting quartz. Should get a nice return soon. Good to be a partner."

"Opening up a second claim on the south. Sure it's in scavenger territory, but I got a hunch."

"Vaux's is doing good business still. Gonna be a long, hot summer, methinks."

"It's different and slower than back East, but it is rather nice to smoke a pipe or two when withdrawing your money."

"Another band is tackling that closed mine shaft mystery. Shame, some of them seemed like swell kids. Maybe'll make it."

"'Sister Joyous'? Oh, she makes her rounds. Why you want to see her? Glimpse the promise of the Happy Hunting Ground?"

Hanalee smacks her lips. "That big horn sheep does sound good...ooh, I'll take some of that, if you please!" she cheers.