The silver-scaled Dragonborn sitting next to Guillaume had ignored the conversation entirely, completely concentrated in tuning his talharpa. He finally finished, though, so he looked up and saw the mug of ale before him.
“Baldr bless your heart, Guillaume,” he said, proving that while he didn't say anything, he did listen. “Though, what's this “evil that my hammer cannot smite” nonsense? I didn't take you for a religious man.” With that, he emptied the mug in one gulp.
From within the folds of her robes, Katya pulled out a sharp but clean dagger... and used it to put some butter on her own piece of bread. Then, hearing the Cleric's request she reached again within her robes and then pulled out another, different looking dagger "If you want, I can lend you this one... at least until we're done eating" she says, laying it on the counter, using the first dagger to cut her bread in smaller pieces to dab with butter and then proceeding to eat those.
A dagger. A strange use for such a deadly weapon, but a use nonetheless.
"My thanks, sister." Torlief said, taking Katya's dagger and using it to spread butter on his bread. He was frugal with the butter, taking only a miniscule amount to cover the inner part of his bread. He held onto the dagger as he slowly ate his bread in case he took another piece to eat.
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants""Oh, a scholar, you must be quite the intellectual for Hrolf to find interest in your field of work. You'll have to tell me more about your research when we have time, I'm sure it's quite fascinating," Guillaume said to Katya, before drinking another mouthful from his cup.
"My, it has been a few years hasn't it? I've taken up a new pursuit to do something worthwhile with my life," Guillaume told Thorkil. "I joined the ranks of the Paladins of Thor. It's actually quite nice. Lets me use my gods-given endurance, strength, and stamina constructively. Much more good than I'd ever have done dealing with the family holdings. And it has certain perks. Adventure. Fulfillment. Respect. Justice. Immunity to disease. Now instead of following my own desires, every sacrifice I make is to fight the greater evil. If you want to do something worthy of being in one of those songs you hold so dear, I'd recommend it."
Katya's attention is then diverted by the arriving food... and so much of it. Just before her, there was enough to weight at least half as much as she did. She lightly nodded her head at the proposal for her to explain some of her research just as she began digging into her food... eating with the sheer desperation and speed of someone who is truly starving.
The food seemed... appetizing enough, he supposed.
Torlief dipped his spoon into it, blew onto it once, and then tried some. It was alright. Worth the silver, any way. He dipped his bread into the soup, alternating between bites of it and spoonfuls of stew.
"A Paladin. Good, another man of the faith. A different patron, but a fine one nonetheless." He paused for a swig of Ale. "Good to know a Paladin of Thor is nearby in case of any trouble. If you are in need of healing, as a Cleric of Freya I'm obliged to offer my services."
edited 22nd Feb '15 4:01:33 PM by amporiusrex
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"Mabyn smiled departing back to the kitchen leaving the group with the slightly more cranky bartender who was clearly scanning Torlief's face, before returning to his business with cleaning his glasses.
"If you've need of anything else or the like, give me a shout," He said to the group, "Elsewise, I'll show you your rooms when you need them."
edited 22nd Feb '15 3:58:34 PM by Fauxlosophe
"Thank you, my good dwarf," Guillaume said to the barkeep. "You can show me my room later, I wouldn't dare to distract you from your other patrons at the moment."
"I'll keep that in mind," he added to Torlief. "And likewise, if you know anything that requires a smiting, you need only to ask."
On a whim, the took a deep breath and examined the room. Coincidence was one thing, but he was curious if there was anything more nearby aside from just friends of Hrolf.
Use divine sense
Thorkil looked at Guillaume, his expression indecipherable. Then he laughed. A terrible, hissing laugh, like a snake rearing at its prey, but a laugh nonetheless.
“Me? A paladin?” he said after he got himself under control again. “Baldr's lifeblood, Guillaume half-elven, I sing about heroics. I compose the song, I don't do the deeds myself!”
The Dragonborn pushed his stool away from the bar. Cradling his talharpa, he began to play a silly melody.
Performance roll?
edited 22nd Feb '15 4:47:54 PM by desdendelle
On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.After her belly was more than a little full and she had spent a little while listening to the lovely music, Katya decided that for once she wouldn't stay up near until the sun crested the horizon. Her body seemed to agree with her decision as she let out a big yawn and then asked the innkeep to be led to her room to collapse on it... after paying the fee for it, of course.
Torlief also went to his own room. It was time enough that he went to bed, but first, he'd do his daily prayers.
Those always had to be done.
From his pocket, Torlief took out his prayerbook and recited lines he had nearly memorized. The handwriting within was not his own, but the cleric had grown very familiar with them across his time as a servant of Freya.
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"Thorkil gave the innkeeper a steady look. “I guess that one ditty would suffice, no?” he asked, putting the price of a room and his ale on the bar before heading upstairs.
Once in his room, he ignored the bed and simply sat down on the floor, falling asleep with his back leaning on the wall. He snored.
edited 23rd Feb '15 5:01:46 AM by desdendelle
On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.You awake next morning, to a fairly clear sky and exit the pub after settling up your tab and the cost of the night (5sp for the night, plus cost for food and drink already declared by players).
As you approach the edge of town, you encounter a friendly but quiet Gnome named Jowan, who informs you that the cart ride to Edinhelm with be three gold pieces as it's rather out of his way and an three hour trip. He raises an eye brow as Guillaume ties his mule to the back end of the cart. The deal is made however and the group departs.
The travel is fairly slow and unremarkable. You slowly depart from the small Hamlet, you see the weak palisade walls fade into the distance. The guards look over towards the horizon as you depart. Slowly, the fields and farms Rowarddowns give way to the forests and untamed lands. You see deer and rabbits in the woodland by the road, but the Gnome warns you that you're approaching crown lands and the law is harsh to poachers.
It's about half an hour later that the Gnome suddenly stops the cart and looks towards his surroundings apprehensively.
edited 24th Feb '15 1:19:16 PM by Fauxlosophe
"Caution, friend, act natural," Guillaume told the gnome as he jumped out of the cart, keeping his voice low to try and avoid letting it carry. He reached for a handful of feed and gave it to his mule, trying to make it seem to anyone looking from the distance as if he were trying to comfort a hungry animal, and give a reasonable justification for the gnome stopping. "The sounds of battle are unmistakable, and I hear further rustling from those branches ahead - likely ambushers. The way is blocked, and from the sounds of it, they have several horses. If you turn back, they can easily overtake us should they decide to follow."
Performance roll?
"The roads fork in not far from here; if we keep going forward, we'll be getting closer and we'll have to be right quiet to avoid any trouble," Jowan the Gnome explained, "If it's bandits like I suspect as well, then we'll be safe here for now, but we need to figure whether to hide or try to sneak through while they're distracted."
"The sounds of battle? It sounded like mere animals to me, but if you say so, I'll believe you, brother." Torlief said, straining his eyes to look down the path as if he'd be able to detect them.
"If worst comes to worst, and they attack us, we could simply fend them off if the need arises."
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"The group may be somewhat surprised when they gaze upon Katya the following morning... while what went to sleep was a thin, undernourished, wild haired woman with shadows under her eyes and dark ill kept robes, what came walking delicately out of her room the next morning was just the opposite. Like a magical dream, the shadows were completely gone, her fair skin looked healthy and soft, her black hair lay straight and perfectly combed to cascade down her back, she looked well fed and nourished and finally, she was wearing a delicate, immaculate dress together with a nicer robe. Truly a magical transformation for one night of good sleep... which of course, was way too good to be true. While she did comb her hair a little and the good night of sleep did wonders on the darkness under her eyes... however, her lifestyle more than left marks that couldn't go away in a single night.
However, unknown to most and not yet revealed to her companions... Katya was a witch, a warlock, and the ability to change her appearance by illusions was one of the gifts given by the knowledge she pursued. She tried to deflect questions as to the change, speaking of the marvelous effects of a good night sleep and how the light was bad last night. She was meeting with a dear old friend... thus, she wanted to give a bit of a good first impression on their reunion.
However, soon came the sounds filtering through the forest... Highwaymen, attacking some measure of travelers. Her decision on what to do was made the second she heard them... and a light smile brought to her lips. She stood up from the cart and then stepped off it "I got an idea on how to deal with such folk, my good men. I'll be gone for a moment, but be prepared should you see some running..."
With those words, the black haired woman dived into the woods... using her unexpected stealth skills to meld into the forest as she approached the site of the battle... a low whisper in her lips as she began her spellcasting.
“Bandits,” Thorkil said. He prepared his Talharpa. “I hope she doesn't end up dead,” he added, pointing toward where Katya ran to.
Putting his shortbow on the cart beside him, he crouched, ready to cast a spell the moment the battle began.
"When things go sour, stay close to me. I'll be your shield," Guillaume said to Thorkil and Torlief. "If there are archers, throwers, or slingers then we will have quite the ground to cover. Do you wish to approach? It's easily forty paces to the ambushers, and another fifty paces to the main force. If she gets caught in a skirmish we'll be too far out to save her."
Thorkil wrinkled his snout. He sniffed the air and narrowed his eyes. “I don't my shortbow would be able to reach them,” he muttered. Grabbing it in one hand, he got off the cart. “Let's go a little closer — and let's try not to be too noisy.”
Roll for stealth?
On empty crossroads, seek the eclipse -- for when Sol and Lua align, the lost shall find their way home.

the cleric took the piece of bread Katya thrust upon him, and ate it anyway.
"I have.. a very circumstancial relationship with him. Needless to say he knew me well enough for the Eorl to call for me." Torlief replied. His words were intentionally vague.
What sort of idea would these people get if they found out he had tried to kill Hrolf at one point? They wouldn't trust him, that's for sure. And if they didn't trust him, he wouldn't be able to serve his duty.
Torlief nodded at the barkeep. "My thanks." He reached over to his own bread and tore off a piece.
"Do you have a knife or something for this butter?"
edited 22nd Feb '15 8:04:27 AM by amporiusrex
"Gimme your pants.. and now your other pants"