Something Smells Fishy

[ArcaneDesperado]

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The town of Otari sits along the Cerise Lake.  The budding town is known for its fresh fish and apple cider.  But above all, it is a prosperous logging town, providing valuable wood to fuel the fires of the nearby manufacturing center that is Calmere, as well as various furniture contractors. 

Your travels have brought you to Otari, though the nature of why could be random chance or more direct. Either way since arriving in town you have heard word spreading around Otari from the locals that there’s a problem down at the Otari Fishery. Some are saying that some sort of beast is lurking in the basement, feeding on the stores of salted fish. Folks are worried that whatever is eating the fish might get hungry enough to eat the fishers next!

The town guard have been asked to investigate but are currently dealing with reports of a pack of dire wolves in the woods just north-east by one of the logging camps.  The loggers safety has taken priority and its unknown how long the town guard will be occupied. This has left Tamily Dewcutter, the owner of the Fishery in a dire position. 

As you sip your morning drink with a small breakfast included with the lodgings at the Windy Pig Pub where you had stayed the night before after your previous days travel, you note the Halfling woman make her way inside and post a letter on the board.  It is requesting aid from anyone willing to assist in trying to clear whatever has taken up resident in her warehouse's lower levels.  Offering to pay up to four adventures, ten gold each.  A very generous offer for double the standard rate of mercenary work for a day's work.   

She briefly speaks with the tavern owner at the bar.  A Hobgoblin man.  You believe his name was ... something... it began with a G? and last name...Sharptooth?  The morning brainfog and tiredness of the travel still not fully helping your memory at the moment. It was late when you checked in. Unfortunately you arent able to catch the exchange from your position in the bar area. The background noise of the traveling bard tuning his guitar not helping either.  Tamily shakes the owner's hand after their exchange and makes her way back out the door. 

 

Edited January 19, 2023 by ArcaneDesperado (see edit history)

[Mick the Rogue]

Davin Creckslant

Davin was in Otari on purpose. He was a Journeyman of the Watchtower, Komesh had released him from his apprenticeship and encouraged him to 'continue his studies'. Now on HOW he did that, Komesh was a touch silent. He always encouraged Davin to figure things out for himself.

Davin at first tried his hand at the library, but quickly found that without Komesh his access was severely limited. He didn't have enough knowledge to appropriately assist within the Watchtower and, if he were honest with himself, not the temperment either. He did not like to stay put for too long.

 

He returned, albeit briefly, to his home and had spent some time with his family. After the 10th time his father tried to get him to use magic to improve the business, Davin went to the closest bar for a drink. 

 

That was where he heard about the fishery. It was better than his father's hare-brained schemes to make money off of him. And it was, possibly, something interesting to continue his studies.

 

-----------

 

Davin quietly ate his meal as he watched the exchange. If he could get 10 gold for what he wanted to do anyway... then the trip would be literally worth it. 

 

He continued to eat, and after a moment would drop off his dish and then wander to the board, trying to read it more in depth

[Spider42Jerusalem]

Seiyako of Wort

It had been a challenging few months. Seiyako had been making ends meet but not as well as she would have liked. After a run-in with a Watchtower mage for selling potions without a license, she'd moved to Otari and resorted to simple herbal remedies for earning a living. While this kept her out of the sights of anyone from the Watchtower, it didn't pay much. And it was more than a little constraining, to not practice all the crafts she'd been brought up with.

At least most people now just politely ignored her as opposed to looking at her with suspicion. 

As if that all weren't enough, the Dream had started up: her running through the woods, then a village then the woods, always just ahead of a flood of mud, water and debris. From out of the frothy tide that followed her, Seiyako could hear something rasping her name though bubbles. She always woke up sweating from it. 

This morning was no different. Her clothes were damp with sweat and the air was a little chilly. Wrapping her shawl around herself, Utaxa pulled itself from between her covers and stretched with a yawn as the lizard regarded her lazily. She set about staring into one of the creature's mud-brown eyes and felt her consciousness drop down into that dark place where she teased out the power of magic from the giant swirling eddy below her in the astral void.

With a snap back to her small room in the back area of the Windy Pig, she looked at the muddy handprints she'd left on the floor this time, whispering to no one but her familiar, "More than last month. It seems Old Blackroot wants to remind me of greater favors."

Her communion finished, the young woman traipsed downstairs, unkempt hair draped around her shoulders like a cowl. Entering the main room, she moved to grab breakfast and caught sight of the notice on the board. Shoveling food down her gullet, she hurried to finish up and sidled over to the board to read the newest notice. It wasn't until she was almost there that she realized a man had moved there at the same time. Barely registering his clothes and look, she simply peered around him to read the notice.

"Ten gold," she muttered breathlessly, scanning the notice for details. Or a hidden catch. At her feet, the small compsognathus hid at the hem of her skirt, peering around at everything nearby.

[Thot]

Raalk Gremweld

Heading from Eban through the river, Raalk was making his way toward King's Mountain, where he had heard that some Dragons still slumbered. He had barely arrived in Otari, and didn't intend to stay long. Just enough to pay his respect to Chardun's church, learn what he could from the local spirits, and move onward.

This morning as usual he was eating his share of fresh fish and munching some alga when something caught his sight. People gathering round a board, a notice apparently unusual upon it... The massive Trollkin took his time, and waited until the interest had waned a bit to move his massive frame toward the note and the few remaining people.

It didn't seem like something that would take long, it would help both the warehouse owner and fund his next step of the travel. The shaman scratched his thick neck, creased his eyes, then relaxed. It seemed like a given.

 

 

[Mick the Rogue]

Davin Creckslant

Davin glanced at the other two that were interested. "I am more than happy to share the bounty, if you are interested." he said with a small but polite smile. "If it's an interesting creature I would like first crack at it's body however."

 

[ArcaneDesperado]

The bard in the back stood up.  His blonde hair cascading down over his shoulders to partly cover his pointed, yet somewhat dulled ears.  There was some Elven heritage visible in his features, though his frame and build still showed him to be at least half Human.  He adjusted a longsword at his side and shifted the guitar over his shoulder.   He took a final swing of his morning mug and sit it on the bar counter strolling over towards the gathering crowd at the community board.  A bit of a devilish smirk crossed his lips as he looked over the large framed Trollkin and then the other two Humans. 

 

Well my potential new friends, we can make it a band of four here and now?  Get to the Fishery ahead of any potential other interested parties.  I have no doubt the lady is probably posting these adverts over town outside of just this establishment. 

 

He shifted the guitar around again to take a slight bow.  

 

Johnathan Macintosh... Though you may know be better by my stage name of ...

 

 

Edited January 20, 2023 by ArcaneDesperado (see edit history)

[Mick the Rogue]

Davin Creckslant

 

”More a fan of the furniture. Good back support, but I have heard of you.” Said the man with a smirk. Bard- Class 1 deviant. Enchantment and Illusion school focused sorcerer. Ability to use music to resonate with creation. He thought going over the Rolodex of unregistered magic users

 

”More than happy to join.” He said looking to the other two.

[Spider42Jerusalem]

Seiyako of Wort

The approach of others at first caused Seiyako to withdraw, but some of the banter was at the very least, intriguing.  As the musician introduced himself with a dramatic flair that no doubt normally had an effect on the crowd, the tattooed lady simply looked entranced, as if she were expecting him to do something.

When Macintosh didn't do much more than seek name recognition, she just looked around to see if she should be . . . . clapping or amazed or at least mildly impressed. Since none of those things occurred presently, she felt it important to clarify, "Sooo, you make furniture, for a stage?" Her question was genuine, coming from somewhere past rural and on to outright bumpkin.

Many were the secrets she knew, but stardom was not among them.

Rough as she was around all edges, she'd still had a certain set of manners impressed upon her with a willow switch growing up, "Oh, excuse me, that's rude of me. I'm Seiyako of--" she caught herself almost naming the region of her family's namesake. Did anyone know that she'd escaped? Who was still looking for her? It had been several seasons now, yet she still couldn't stop looking over her shoulder. "Seiyako," she stated bluntly, if a bit awkwardly, not inviting further questions. A small trill from down by her feet had her sputter an apology, "Oh, excuse me, and this is Utaxa." She pointed to the green and brown bipedal lizard that poked out from behind her skirts, its algae-colored eyes regarding the gathering group inquisitively. 

Nodding at Davin, "Well, I suppose I don't mind taking leftovers. I make medicines, and certain organs can be very useful. Others are edible and, well, it's expensive to eat here." Sheepishly, she looked away. She'd found that a great many city-folk didn't seem to appreciate the taste of well-aged meat found in a forest/by a road/under a bridge/behind the barn. Oddly, it seemed to turn a few of them off.

The upside was that she usually didn't have to share.

 

[ArcaneDesperado]

Johnny maintained his light smirk as he turned his attention at Seiyako once she spoke. 

My father makes the furniture.  I am but a simple channel for the paradisical harmony that echoes through this plane of existence and the astral beyond.  Though inspiration can come in many forms... 

He strummed the strings of the guitar a bit, before reaching out his hand to hers in greeting.  If offered he would attempt to kiss her hand, though he wasn't sure yet from her deamanor or attire how the greeting would come across. 

...perhaps Shan has finally blessed my travels in finding my muse. 

Regardles of her reaction the bard would squat down to acknowledge the lizard as well.  

Hello little Utaxa. 

Johnny reached into his pocket and produced a small bit of dried pear. Offering it to the lizard. 

[Mick the Rogue]

Davin Creckslant
"Davin, pleasure." Familiar. Rural magic. Possible Sorcerer classicification, other possibilities, Witch class, Shaman class. More research required. he made a slight bow.

"Likely not wise to eat this one. Meat of predators has a higher rate of toxins. Bear liver for example can kill a human." he said nodding as if to confirm he made a good point "Useful for poultices and poisons though." he seemed either ignorant or uncaring at the bard's attempts to woo.

 

 

[Thot]

Raalk Gremweld

People were introducing themselves, and they thankfully seemed to be rather accepting of Raalk's presence. Their talk was odd. He didn't think he actually needed them, but there had always been safety in numbers anyway.

"(Common) I am Raalk, from Eban. I agree with going together. Let us worry about what comes next once we have overcome it. (/Common)"

Those people talked too much, or too differently from his people, and he needed to adjust before feeling at ease with them.

 

 

[Spider42Jerusalem]

Seiyako of Wort

Seiyako's features, accent, and method of speaking as well as the make of her garments painted her as someone who almost certainly had Ossan ancestry. Johnny's attempts to win her over weren't entirely unsuccessful, as she allowed him to take her hand. Looking on with curiosity as he leaned in to kiss her hand, she looked a bit abashed at his efforts, the caked grime under nails and in every crease of her skin perhaps a little less pleasant to be kissing than Johnny might have otherwise wished. That hadn't seemed to bother her as she was eating earlier, and it was perhaps a bit odd that even staying at an inn she remained that grungy.

"Your words are really flowery, Johnny," she bemusedly responded, whether good or not was unclear. by her tone. Utaxa looked back and forth between the two, his unnaturally colored eyes regarding the interactions inquisitively. Bobbing his head up and down at the proffered pear, he gingerly reached forward to pull it free from the bard's fingers. Savagely gulping down the treat, the miniature dinosaur eyed Johnny once more, its reptilian expression belying nothing.

At the introduction of the others, Seiyako gave an awkward courtesy that was oddly reminiscent of an Ossan bow, yet different enough to not be. "Pleasure to meet you, Davin, Raalk. As to how or what I eat, I know a few things about making it palatable," she finished with a wink to Davin.

[ArcaneDesperado]

Johnny stood and looked over to the large Trollkin for a moment. Eyeing him up and down. 

Eban eh?  Explains the accent a bit.  Any stories of the pirates out there?  I hear the Salamis armada has had their hands full with the Warlords out there as of late.  Especially that one... Captain Low? I've love to compose a song regarding the corsairs and privateers. I know a couple sea shanties I think originated over there.  I also hear the Merrow girls are a sight to behold. You'll have to tell me all about it over an ale once we get this fishery business squared away. 

He gave Raalk a bit of a playful slap on the shoulder.  The bard instantly regretted it a bit as he shook his hand a bit out from the unforgiving thick hide of the Oracle.  Johnny however did his best to play it off.  Turning his attention towards the bartender for a minute. 

Sharptooth... Good fellow!  Four loaves of your mornings fresh bread, and some of that local catfish jerky I've heard about if you have any, for the road of course.  My new friends here and myself might need a boost during our little job for Ms Dewcutter. 

He tossed a couple coins onto the counter from his pouch. Leaning in a bit towards the Hobgoblin with a broad smile again. 

And if you have anything sweet, maybe a desert or something for the lady too. 

The bard looked back at Seiyako with a playful wink. 

 

[Mick the Rogue]

Davin Creckslant

Davin took a deep sigh. "Perhaps we should not overeat if we are to find this creature. Given the... high possibility of rotten fish smell, an empty stomach may be preferable."

[ArcaneDesperado]

Johnny took the food stuffs from the barkeep and placed them into his sack. 

The bread is for later dear Davin.  And as you said, "rotten fish".  If our beastie in the warehouse needs some bait, it might like some jerky compared to the other days now less than palatable rottin' catch.   

He adjusted the pack back over his other shoulder, opposite the guitar. 

I mean, I'm by no means a seasoned tracker or monster hunter by trade. But most these things likely prefer their snacks to be a bit fresher.  Unless we have some sort of scavenger type that'll eat just about anything.  

The bard paused. 

There was a report of dire wolves up by the logging camps.  Perhaps they kicked out one from the pack and its managed to take residence down here?  Or perhaps its just a two-hundred pound rat.