Chapter One - The Lotus and the Dragon

[mackaber]

***Kitchen Scene***

"Well what have we here?" enquires a somewhat angry Berek as the sight of the Kobold cook. "Ever had a Kobold dinner? Them pesky quirks are mighty tasty and the old Dwarven wise men even claim it boosts ones arcane stamina to drink kobold blood every morning!" he moves closer intent on snatching up the little dragonoid creature a malicious grin on his face that you all realize is not quite as evil as it is supposed to look.

OOC

Just trying to get a little good cop bad cop thing goin on here.

[Trogdor]

"EEK!" the kobold screams. "Don't eat Churtle, don't eat Churtle. Her blood is thin and her body stringy." She looks up and seeing Berek, hides her head under her hands again. "No, Churtle cook for you. Make you nice meal. Churtle good cook. Yes, Mistress Rowyn always say what good cook Churtle is."

[mackaber]

Berek grabs the little bugger at her leg sniffing the kobold with his large nose: "You'se a liar ye smell rather tasty! But I might refrain from satin my barbaric appetite for just a bit if ye tells me a bit more about yer Mistress and that crook Vanthus!"

[Vardaen]

** Kitchen **

Daerith looks at Berek and intercedes between him and Churtle, "She is right, a bit skinny, hold a moment Berek." He kneels and rests a hand on the kobold's shoulder, "No one is going to eat you if you answer our questions Churtle. My name is Daerith, and we are hear to clean this place out. Rowyn is defeated." He looks at the cook and smiles at her.

[Trogdor]

Kitchen

"Poor, poor Mistress Rowyn," Churtle says, looking up again, but focusing on Daerith. "Mistress Rowyn save Churtle's life." The kobold woman actually seems to be shedding a few tears over Rowyn's defeat. "Churtle was cook on ship when pirates attack. They kill everyone and want to kill Churtle, but Mistress Rowyn there. She say no. She spare me and bring me here. Say I cook for her, and I do. Kind woman, Mistress Rowyn. Churtle owe her life to Mistress Rowyn. I hope she not hurt."

Then she turns and looks at Berek. "Not like bad man Vanthus." She shakes her head. "He bad, rotten fish. Tease Churtle when Mistress Rowyn not around. Say bad things about Churtle's food. Not fair. Churte's food very good. You try, you agree!"

[mackaber]

"Considering you just launched a huge bucket o poison our way i think I'll do without for now." Berek replies. "But we might find a new place for you to cook?"

[Trogdor]

"Oh, that not Churtle's food," the kobold says with a wave of her hand. "Churtle not know who come in and if they mean to kill her. Poison only weapon Churtle have. But if you need poison, Churtle do that too!" She taps herself on the chest. "Dragons have Churtle make poison from fish things. Yes, Churtle very smart." She half smiles, pride in her work overcoming her fear, at least somewhat.

"But Churtle never mix poison and food. Well, unless Mistress Rowyn tell her too. Churtle very careful. Churtle's food never make anyone sick. Churtle's food good!"

[mackaber]

Realizing he has just discovered himself a veritable poison cooker Berek gently places Churtle back on the floor a peaceful smile on his features. "Now that Vantthus I agree with ye he's one hell of a scumbucket. Tell ye what ye cook me the best poison you can make and I'll kill em for ye! Sound like a deal?" seeing the Kobolds hesitance he adds "And I promise ye I won't eat cha!"

[Vardaen]

Daerith shakes his head hearing how one pserons point of view can be so different from anothers based simply on one event. "Well Churtle, we might have a place you could do some cooking, maybe." He looks at Berek, "Let's move Churtle up to the shop, she can work from there for now. I don't like the idea of bringing her to Lavinina's not yet." He looks around the kitchen, "Gather your things up and follow us."

OOC

I say we load her up and bring her to the Taxedermist' shop and let her set up work there. She can run back and forth moving her items from here to there on her own, and then Berek can have his poison cooker.

[Trogdor]

Churtle looks torn. "Churtle not like Vanthus. Be happy if you kill Vanthus. But Mistress Rowyn likes Vanthus. Churtle not want to make Mistress Rowyn sad." The kobold shakes her head.

"But Churtle happy to make poison for you!" She smiles a toothy grin. "You bring Churtle poison making stuff and Churtle make poison. But poison making stuff hard to find. Very expensive."

When Daerith tells her they have a place for her, she nods. "Better than being dead," she says being less philosophical than practical. "Rowyn say men in city kill Churtle if she get out. But Rowyn protect Churtle from evil men." She looks up at Daerith. "Will nice elf protect Churtle?"

OOC

Churtle has Craft(brew poison). But getting the ingredients it the tough part. There's also that darn 1 in 20 chance you expose yourself to the poison when you apply it to your weapon.

BTW, it will come out in time that Churtle was well-payed by the Lotus-Dragons for her skills. (Well paid for a craftsperson, not an adventurer.) Let me know what (if anything) you'll offer her as pay.