Prelude: Of Friendship and Charters

[mackaber]

Happy that he is little and no one really noticed him Lem sits at the table having said an orderly greeting to the lady when she arrived he kept his yap shut an instead listened what his talkative companions had to say. While he was not in the least bit interested in the idea of playing some nobilities vasal he had enough time to eat at the Baron's buffet and see if he was going to pay him for something amusing.

[Eanwulf]

Kullok simply lets the others do the talking for him, as he is not known for being the best at conducting himself in an otherwise civil affair. Instead, the bitter priest soon finds himself turning his head upon more than one occasion towards the stairwell nearby. Kullok soon scoffs at himself for having halfway expected Jorina to suddenly come down the stairs and join the party. Weakling! the giant brute thinks to himself about no specific target in general as he then promptly nods his thanks to Lady Sellemius' offer of delivering the letter to her husband in Rovost. "Much obliged..." the sullen cleric likewise comments, having heard the woman finish her speech, "We'll be sure to give it to your husband alright!" Kullok's last words, though genuine and since, can not help but come across as the slightest of threats. Sadly, having lived a life of constant warfare and betrayal, they know no other way...

OOC

Abrasive Attitude...sorry

[Vardaen]

The Lady nods to Calanthir and turns away from Kullok with a bit of a wince. "Good day to you all. I hope your companion is feeling better soon." No one told her Jorina was ill, but she's wise enough to figure out what is going on with the girl. Then taking her daughter she retreats out of the Inn to get into her carriage and to carry on her business.

This leaves you all now in the tavern room, time to debat, converse, or backstab one another as you see fit. The letter in Tusker's hand is to be brought to the Lord Mayor of Rostov, a few days travel to the east (perhaps more with the roads nothing but mud), plenty of time to talk and get to know one another before presenting youselves before him for your proper reward.

OOC

Alright folks. My plan is once you hit the road to just fast foward you into Rostov and before the Lord Mayor to present the letter. Any final RP you'd like to do now, please go ahead. My signal for your readiness to get on with it will be you heading out side to the road for travel.

So far this little prelude has worked out well. With paradoxa out however, its putting some cramp on things, but here is hoping she returns soon.

[pygmaelion]

With the Lady Sellemius' letter safely in Calanthir's charge, and all pleasantries exchanged, Tusker trots upstairs to gather his meager belongings, has one last splash to clean his face and hands in the washbasin, and heads out to the stables to fetch Mr. Dawes.

The little hog seems to be enjoying a bout of digging up the earth alongside the stable. The cold rain of the past few days, churned up with the soft permafrost near the stables has made for quite a tenacious mud.

"Dawes... We're going to Rostov to see Lord Sellemius... I'm sure they won't be partial to your sullied appearance..."

Dawes begins a full trot towards Tusker, as if he plans to knock him down at the knees... but then pulls up short, and tosses his betusked head and rolls in the damp road soil.

"Very Funny... Hilarious in fact... I just got these clothes dried off.... Come along, we've got some hiking to do if we're to make it to the Manor."

Tusker Slough and his porcine pal trundle back to the front of the Checkered Pike, awaiting the emergence of Cal and Lem.

[mackaber]

Shortly thereafter Lem Lillyweed exits the Chekered Pike, he is packed in his warmest clothes and ready for anything should the weather decide to turn against them again. He has a glance at Tusker and then at mister Dawes he then smirks and in hoggish speaks to the pig: "Now why did you make such a mess of yourself? This way you'll have to stay out of the Lord Mayors holdings, although it might be bes for you anyhow I hear nobility loves to indulge in warthog!"
Lem had learned sometime ago that if one wanted to avoid unappropriate situations with mister Dawes it was best to speak with him directly instead of his master for he was far more sensible on the matter than Tusker.

[Trogdor]

"This is our chance to make a name for ourselves," Cal says, once everyone is gathered and ready for the road. "And to make some money as well, I'll wager. "Doing jobs for the Lord Mayor beats the hell out of guarding herds of cows for a living." The last job he, Tusker, and Lem had wasn't terrible. But it was hardly something to base a career on.

"It'll be better for us if we can offer ourselves as a group. He has no idea that we just met yesterday. I'm sure Lady Sellemius thinks of us as being together." He glances at Kullok and Jorina. "Give it some thought as we travel to Rostov. We're likely to get a better deal from the Lord Mayor if we act together. And really, Lem, Tusker, Mr. Dawes, and I aren't that bad once you get to know us."

Then, sensing how reticent Jorina is, and knowing that Kullok doesn't like a lot of talking, he lets the matter go. But he can't help whistling a jolly tune as he sets off on the road to Rostov. At last they had a chance. At last they had a chance to try and make their mark on the world.

[pygmaelion]

Mr. Dawes tilts his snout up at Lem.

The idea of being able to spend another night in a stable AND have a protective coating of clay mud while the rest of the group go in and have scraps sent out... It's probably better than being allowed into some royal court they're about to go visit.

Replying with a few snuffling grunts, Dawes trots in a tight circle.

Display

~In Hoggish~ "As long as they keep sugar turnips on low shelves there in those stables, I'll be fine. Iif the rain picks up again, you'll be as covered by the time we get there."

[Vardaen]

OOC

Away we go.

Kullok grunts at Cal, "You are probably right, even if you yammer on too much. I'll get Jorina and meet you on the road." The barbarian cleric heads up stairs to find Jorina as the others head out to the street of the muddy little village.

A few minutes later Kullok arrives with the heavily cloaked Jorina. The woman is obviously very sick, her head is full of snot, and she looks terrible if you manage to catch her sunken eyes. Sneezing and coughing all night she didn't get much sleep. "Nothing a good walk in the fresh air won't cure", declares Kullok.

So keeping your distance from the woman, so as not to catch what she has, you all head out down the road to Rostov the largest city in southern Brevoy and captial of the old nation, home of the Aldori Swordlords, and your goal for glory and gold.

** Two Day Later **

For two days you slog through mud between Nivakta and Rostov along the road. You encounter some farm and small little homes dotting the land here and there. Fisher boats are seen on the Shrike River and you pass a few travelers along the road all friendly enough. You are able to chat and get to know each other a bit better along the road as well. The weather, thankfully, holds off dumping more rain on you, so you manage to dry out, save for your boots that seem to find every lingering puddle, and every patch of mud along the way.

You arrive in Rostov and present the letter to the first official looking guard you find, and with some quick tongue work Cal gets you an escort to see the Lord Mayor. After waiting to see him for about two hours, just long enough to clean up, and to start to make both Kullok and Tusker antsy, you are called to stand before the Lord Mayor Ioseph Sellemius. The Lord Mayor is man that looks like most any other here in Rostov and it if wasn't for his regal attire he might be mistaken as just another citizen. His ling hair is pulled back and held in place by an iron ring that serves sort of as a crown around his forehead, but it bares no adornments. His regal attire is a deep purple in color with poofy sleaves and white silken cuffs. He wears an Aldori Longsword off his belt with a masterwork hilt sticking out of the gem adorned scabbard.

"Greetings travlers. I am Lord Mayor Ioseph Sellemius of the city of Rostov. My advisors tell me that you have come baring a letter from my wife." He motions for you to move forward as he remains standing before his throne like chair up on a single step dias. The chamber itself is rather plain, a singular hall with entrances at the front and along the back sides for advisors to shuffle through. The walls are covered in deep red tapestries and suits of armor, cross swords and shields baring all manner of heraldy. The stone floor is coverer with a single red carpet that leads from the 'throne' to the double doors at the far enough that you arrived in. A half a dozen silent guards keep watch, and scribes shuffle papers and themselves around in the near corner mostly ignored by everyone.

You approach the Lord Mayor.

[Trogdor]

Cal walks up boldly with the letter in his hands and offers it either to the mayor or any functionary that tries to intercede. He's wearing his best outfit, which isn't saying much, alas. But it's as clean as his magic can make it. And the formality of his bearing makes up for much of the informality of his clothing.

"Good day to you, your honor," he says with a bow. "I am Calanthir Andresen. And we do indeed have a message from your lovely wife. The five of us were fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to help your wife and daughter with a difficult situation. And she asked us to deliver this letter to you afterward."

OOC

Take ten on a K(nobility) check to get the courtesies proper. Adjust the bowing and honorifics in my post so that they are appropriate.

Pause now to allow other introductions.

[pygmaelion]

Having left Mr. Dawes outside the manor house some number of hours ago, Tusker Slough would've been more than happy to wait out-of-doors for the Lord Mayor, and be shown in when his Lordship was prepared.

All the same, the simple tastes of Mayor Ioseph Sellemius are spartan, and comforting to Young Slough, who can see the function in such simple adornments and furnishings. Following behind Calanthir, Tusker inspects the red carpeting step by step, and then gazes up into the peak of the ceiling trusses. Looking up at the Man standing before the throne, Calanthir is suddenly paces ahead, handing the Lord Mayor the sealed letter.

Tusker Slough looks around at his travelling companions, and then makes a few hasty steps to catch up to his reverent compatriot. Bowing slightly, Tusker offers "Tusker Slough, Cartographer, pleased to be of service m'lord!" before backing away to the side of the carpet, lest Kullok's lumbering frame bowl him down in an effort to ingratiate himself to the refined noble before them.