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Ep. 28 Familiar Faces
149 Plays4 years ago
Having made quite the splash in front of the Chief, the Swords must regroup, reassess their position in the town and decide what they can do to finally instate some change in the area. With the creatures and trees of the wilds being playthings for sport, there are those in Wildhill that meddle with powers they surely can't understand. Hopefully, it's not too late.
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Transcript
00:00:13
Speaker
previously on the hired swords. Having made quite the splash in front of the Chief and Denaldi, the swords must regroup, reassess their position in the town, and decide what they can do to finally instate some change in the area. With the creatures and trees of the wilds being merely playthings for sport and revelry,
00:00:35
Speaker
There are those in Wild Hill that meddle with powers they surely can't control or understand. Hopefully, it's not too late.
Introduction to 'The Hired Swords'
00:01:07
Speaker
You're listening to the Hired Swords, the Dungeons and Dragons podcast about an elven druid and her four best friends.
00:01:28
Speaker
Alright, welcome back everybody to the Hired Swords.
Trouble with the Chief and Goblins
00:01:32
Speaker
When we left off with Joxer, Davin, Krigs, and Gwendolyn, we had come back into town and after rescuing Delmar, getting him reunited with Francine, heard a bard singing about the
00:01:49
Speaker
curse of oak and ember and talking or singing about some of that then krigs was just nowhere to be seen they found krigs he was kind of explaining to he finally explained to everyone about the song what it meant and his actual name Safran ember oak if i'm saying that correctly um and they then
00:02:12
Speaker
where Joxer went outside later in the evening. He was he was confronted by Darnaldi Bogueshaw and Saraya. They had brought him in to have a conversation with the chief later on in the next morning. And after they had that commerce while they had that conversation, the rest of the party was brought into it. And they were able to kind of finagle and have a conversation to get out of any real serious trouble with the chief because they were trying to get Joxer
00:02:41
Speaker
in trouble for what happened with the goblins on their way out to the stone mountains after kind of getting out of that situation without too much trouble you guys made your way back towards the
00:02:54
Speaker
cabin and you overheard a couple people talking. And it was a ranger looking fellow with a bow and a sword leaning up against the wall talking to this bard who had been sitting there.
Meeting BMO and Mick: Mission Delays
00:03:05
Speaker
And as you guys approach and start talking, you find out their names are BMO, Moonseer and
00:03:14
Speaker
and Mick was the other guy's name, BMO was the bard, and you then start to, or Krigs starts to realize he knows this Mick person, or he recognizes him. He's not sure, I don't know that he knows him for sure yet, but he passed a history check to know that he knows that he recognizes this guy's face. And these two men are talking to, I believe it was Joxer and Krigs, correct? Correct. And Davin and Gwen are nearby, is that right?
00:03:44
Speaker
I can't remember if they were walking away. Yeah, I think we were kind of heading away. That's right. You guys are heading just continuing towards the cabin. And these two are, they're talking and as you start approaching them and start talking to them,
00:04:01
Speaker
They had mentioned that their party was on a mission. They felt like they had succeeded and completed it, but they hadn't been paid, and they were waiting to do that, and they heard it might be a couple more days before they get to leave. And that's kind of where we left off, other than Craig's realizing that he recognized one of them. So I will say this, Mick speaks up, and as you guys are kind of talking, and he just kind of says, and I don't remember if he got your guys' names or not,
00:04:31
Speaker
It's been a while since we've played. It has. It's been almost a month. Yeah, Mick, he knew me from the night before because he let me into the lamppost. That's right. Formally lamppost in. Yeah, that's right. Now the lamppost tavern. Yeah. Awesome. Yeah. And so, yeah, he just says, so have you been participating in the hunts here or what?
00:04:55
Speaker
We've been through a few and something just seems off about them. Do you think you're going to try to become a hired sword, Mick? Oh, no. He looks at BMO and they kind of grin at each other and shake their heads and he says, no, my tasks usually take me far and wide. I don't think I could handle being tied down to this small town for too long. I definitely don't recommend staying any longer than you need.
00:05:24
Speaker
Yes, I have plenty of experience in a small town, having grown up in one, and I think that is enough for me. And BMO says, oh, you should have lived in the city, man. It is crazy. You would have loved it. Nacho? Yeah. Yeah. We were all looking at it. Nacho is crazy, man. You'd have loved it. Get that corn out of my face. Mick, what brings you to Wild? Well, as I...
00:05:54
Speaker
As I told your friend, we were we were hired to make a delivery here. We've done that. And we were told that one night we would sleep here and the next day we would leave and go back to Lavarith and then eventually back all the way to Glint. But apparently there's been a delay in our payment. And so we're going to be hanging out apparently for another few. Well, hopefully another day, maybe two, unfortunately. But yeah, we just made a delivery and we were we were going to be
00:06:23
Speaker
on our way as soon as we can. Make your pardon if I'm overstepping my bounds, my reach here, but may I ask who here in Wild Hill you were delivering to? Oh, well, uh, yeah, we came through here to, uh, to bring something over to the, there's a knick-knack shop here, I think. And, um, apparently he paid some pretty good money for a few things. And, uh, I don't know, BMO, do you know what it was we brought? BMO's like,
00:06:52
Speaker
Man, I don't know, I stayed in the bag the whole time. I didn't really pay attention. And mix like, I just, apparently there was, could have been some trouble where it would have been sought out by others and we were just protecting it. So whether they saw that we were with it and decided to not bother or they were afraid for nothing, I don't know, but we didn't see any trouble on the way, so.
00:07:16
Speaker
It was just the two of you, or was there others? I didn't catch a little early morning to this morning, so I'm a little behind, pardon me. There were four of us total. There's a couple more. They're probably drinking over at the long house, but just a couple more fighter types, you know, doing what they like to do when the job is over.
00:07:37
Speaker
I'm like, maybe it's just me, but you got a face on you that I might recognize you. Have you ever? Oh, no. Have you ever gotten yourself up towards Stone Mountains? You know, I can't say that I spent much time there. Most of my time was following around the
00:08:05
Speaker
The Armies of Glint, you know, and did a lot of work doing that, but... Can I do a history check and see, like, what the relationship with that specific army was with mine? Yeah. Sick. I'm 18. The Armies of Glint were one of the bigger, more effective armies... I beg your pardon? Of the... Of the...
00:08:35
Speaker
of the wars and they are actually you could probably be considered having fought with the same kind of armies because the the the king though the the ruler of the area during the war was headquartered out of glint and
00:08:56
Speaker
when all of the nation states kind of combined to join up in this war, they kind of followed his lead. But Mick is saying he served directly in the armies of that city state while you served
00:09:13
Speaker
on in the dwarven armies of the the stone mountains he would have served with humans and elves and some of those and and some dwarves and stuff too they're kind of a little more eclectic uh down in the city but he would have served with them and in a more or kind of an even more organized type of army and um that is where the the name that you have heard uh shadow mall
00:09:36
Speaker
Un Shadow Maul, he was a very important general and you had come across him before. And you think actually with an 18 that you might be piecing together that Mick stayed pretty much with that Shadow Maul guy most of the time. Oh, yeah, yeah, the armies of Glent. Rather, rather established a bunch down there. I saw them in action a couple of times way back in the war days.
00:10:05
Speaker
It's been a good while. I'm surprised, uh, making a life for yourself now, I guess. Well, yes, I, uh, I guess after the war, we couldn't really settle down. My, my, you know, my father did, and he didn't fight in the war, but he served alongside Shadowmaul, uh, before the war. Anyway, um, so you're familiar with me. Can you tell me what, where would you be familiar with me from? Do you, do you have some history with the armies? Who did you fight with?
00:10:35
Speaker
Oh, I was just a soldier under Helms armies. Ah, yes. Yes. I met many who served under him, under those who served him directly. That's kind of what Shadowmaul claimed to do. Still, I assume in some ways does, but that was, you know, now that I look at you, hang on one second, history check.
00:11:07
Speaker
okay you know I look at you now and look like you probably are from the mountains somewhere I met many like you but I it's I've got to be honest with you I've met a lot of people it's hard to place you but I'll say this if you're serving helm keep keep a close a close watch on yourself there cuz those are serve helm team to send to come up into a lot of trouble most the time I don't know what it is but they just
00:11:36
Speaker
He's a jealous one, I'll give you that. Yeah, I've seen that myself as well. And lucky for me, I guess I don't really have one of those faces. I am, you know, from of the mountain, but I think I fared fairly well now. Not necessarily fighting with the armies, but with the war being over. But we all try to make lives for ourselves now.
00:12:00
Speaker
That's all we can do, BMO says. This is boring, I'm gonna leave. And he walks, starts walking away. And he starts kind of singing a little tune, like humming as he walks away. Just kind of tapping on his leg. Joxer, you still standing nearby there? Yeah, when he says this is boring, he leaves. Joxer just is nice to meet you too. Okay. And he just kind of nods at you politely and smiles like to say, yeah, you too. And he continues to walk off. And Mick,
00:12:29
Speaker
Mick just grins and says he's not the most patient fellow. I must say many bards I've met are not. I've received that from other bards as well. I just can't stand the lot, to be honest. Yeah, they like to be where the action is and where everyone's looking at them, don't they? They like to be where the people are.
00:12:53
Speaker
Yeah, they want to see, want to see him dancing. That and they like to skew the stories a bit to make it a little bit more interesting, don't they? Yes. Oh man, he sings, he makes up stories of our adventures quite a bit. And I haven't been traveling with him for very long, but we've gotten into some scraps and he'll, he'll sing about it. Like it was the most dangerous thing.
00:13:20
Speaker
we've ever experienced, and maybe it was for him, but for me, it just seems like he wants people to think way better of him than is actually justified. I suppose it's nice to be able to boast about yourself. I also thank you for last night. If you need anything, you'll probably be able to see me around town, but I do appreciate it.
00:13:49
Speaker
Well, you're welcome. It was... It's only polite, I guess. The... I don't imagine I'll need much. I intend to lay low, unless... I don't know, is there much excitement around here? I don't necessarily need any, but...
00:14:03
Speaker
The smaller the village, the more internal dramas, I'd suppose. Oh, I will do all I can. While they're talking, I haven't really had my hand visible necessarily, but as they've been talking and the attention wasn't on me, I have taken my hand, which was in my crossed arms, and I've started re-wrapping it with the ready little bandage I had just to kind of make sure it's covered again.
00:14:34
Speaker
Okay. Okay. He, uh, he looks back at you and he says, so what did you, uh, what did you do in the war? Those were some of the, it's not funny how those can be some of the best times and some of the worst times of your life at the same time. But if we went through anything together, I'd like to know, were you, were you in any of the battles that were some of the major battles at the border or what?
Mick's Past and the Armies of Glint
00:14:54
Speaker
I, my time in the war was fairly inconsequential. I was just, uh, it's a run of the mill soldier just there, just there trying to survive next day to the last. Yeah. For some of us, that's all we could do. I guess mine was a little more, a little harder to escape trouble traveling with shadow mall as it is. Uh, he, well.
00:15:19
Speaker
He didn't become the ruler of the island for, for nothing. He tended to get himself into the trouble and then get himself right out of it. Well, he'd say to get himself out of it, but there was a lot of us there helping him out. And I'll say that to be honest, but, uh, he was a good man, easy to follow. He would, he was always the first, the tip of the spear, as they say, the first one in last one out, um, made us feel like we were fighting for something better than ourselves. And by the end there, we needed that. I'm sure you understand what I mean.
00:15:48
Speaker
I definitely do. War is never pretty. War is not something that I'd look back fondly upon, but better days I've had since, and that's all I can really count on. Yes, and I'll say this. If you don't mind, I don't mean to pry. I've been around a long time, and I must say I spoke with my father earlier. He
00:16:17
Speaker
He served Helm until one day he didn't. He decided Helm couldn't have him, right? Couldn't have him to destroy those that stood in Helm's way or the way of good as he thought at first. He said he wasn't going to let that stand. And so he started a life separate from what he was before.
00:16:38
Speaker
I remember hearing stories of my father being a mighty cleric, bringing down power that would roast enemies, and then praying a prayer that would heal all of his friends at the same time. I never saw that side of him because he was running from Helm. And when I was 13, Unshadam all stood at my door, and my father decided Helm had come for me this time.
00:17:07
Speaker
I'm just saying, he's jealous, one way or another. He gets what he desires. Anyway, sorry. What was your father's name? Jameth. He was a cleric of Helm. He fought on the trade ships between Beverly and Torch Key Island. He only died a few years ago, actually. He lived quite a while. My mother still lives.
00:17:36
Speaker
there in Estercliff, growing good berries. I haven't been back in too long. Maybe I should make my way there after this is all said and done. I don't know. Either way, I wish you all the best of luck and I hope that whatever it is you're looking for or trying to achieve, that you get it. Likewise, Mick. I wish you all, I guess, you and your three band of Merrymen safe travels.
00:18:05
Speaker
Appreciate that. Thank you. Before, like, walking away, I really want to give him a solid, firm handshake. The first one that I've had in, like, a long time because I feel some kind of actual, like, kinship with him. Okay. Not in the sense that we're soldiers, but just, like, it feels some kind of, like, connection. I want to give him that, like, real handshake. Okay. I'm gonna roll for shaking hands. Now, you reached out to get a handshake.
00:18:35
Speaker
And he kind of looks you in your eyes and shake his hand and as you are, make an insight check and he's going to make one on you. Okay. Oh, not great. Okay. Take that back. Uh, 14. Okay. Um, his, looking in his face as he looks into your eyes,
00:18:58
Speaker
He makes direct eye contact, like man to man, looks down in your eyes, direct eye contact. You see an age in him that is well beyond what he looks. He's been through and seen some stuff. You see sadness, but you don't see malice at all, really.
00:19:25
Speaker
He, from what he sees when he looks at you, he just kind of squints his eyes at you kind of curiously. And he says, um, I am not a man of faith like my father, but I will say that whatever decision you make, you can be good. We are more than just one decision.
00:19:53
Speaker
Please, I wish you all the best. Have a great night. He starts to walk away. I will turn and follow, follow away. I guess the direction Joxer is going to be heading. Okay. So it is midday and.
00:20:08
Speaker
you start heading in what direction, Jock, sir? At that point, I would have started heading towards I guess our home now, our little house. We need a name for our house. Yeah. And I would have looked back at Krigs and
00:20:28
Speaker
I appreciate you coming. How did you hear about my appearance, or I guess my semi-incarceration?
00:20:39
Speaker
I honestly just thought we were getting in trouble for stealing some goblets, but they came and woke me up this morning with a very loud and obnoxious knock on the door, if I might add. But nonetheless, we had very little choice but to show up for the trial. That's fair. I still appreciate it. And then I'll keep walking.
00:21:07
Speaker
You had yourself quite a night last night, didn't you? After leaving all of you, I went to just, you know, find a few drinks and Sariah came up with Denaldi and
00:21:27
Speaker
They tried to essentially shackle me and put me away for the night, and I'm not one to be treated as if I'm untrustworthy. So I gave them a couple of interesting directions to follow. I ended up at the armor bearers last night. I fell asleep at her door.
00:21:57
Speaker
That's where I got this this Bracer before I, you know, escorted the guard to the trial. Speaking of last night, look, I know we're not going to see eye to eye on this anytime soon, but there are still too many loose ends for us to not be able to look past that at least for a while. I do apologize. I just
00:22:26
Speaker
I just want us all to know that we're all here to help. I don't want actions to be made that could endanger us if at all possible. I mean, it's unavoidable in some situations, but I want you to trust me, Krigs.
00:22:48
Speaker
If I didn't trust you, I would have been much more cautious in that moment. And I know that sounds selfish, but I know that whatever handed, I know that whatever fate handed us that day, we would make it out fine. If I didn't have all of you in my back, I would have been a very different outcome. I do trust you all. I hope you know that. And I'm going to just continue walking.
00:23:19
Speaker
Okay. Uh, Daven and Gwen, as you guys walked back towards the cabin, what, uh, anything going on there? You know, I don't think I trust those guys at all. What guys? Oh, you know, the jocks are in, in krigs. Oh, they're doing crazy things like banging on shields, getting us into trouble. Maybe we just go off on our own.
00:23:45
Speaker
I'm kidding with you, Gwen. I'm kidding with you. I, Daven, I, she just runs into the, she just doesn't know what to do. She, is there a pillow in the cottage? Yeah, there's several, especially in that bedroom. That's a little 12 year old girl's bedroom, man. It is like classic. She immediately just has had it and she just runs into the cottage, picks up a pillow and then just
00:24:15
Speaker
Okay, that's great I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just trying to try to light my mood. It's been a weird day
00:24:26
Speaker
Why is this so... Dale, she pulls Dale out. Can I hear her saying our names from outside? Make a perception check. Uh, I'll do the same. Okay. Oh, that is 16 plus something that I don't have pulled up like an idiot. I got a four. We're gonna play Dungeons and Dragons tonight, okay? If you wanna play.
00:24:47
Speaker
okay let's do it uh 17 for me yeah okay uh yeah you can hear faintly your name being called it just a high pitched noise or high pitched voice you don't necessarily go hey that's gwyndolin but you have an idea it could be can i can i tell that it's coming from the house because we're approaching it like we're walking in that direction yeah it's definitely that direction
00:25:08
Speaker
did you did you hear that and i just take off i take off running for the house pulling out my war hammer okay yeah yeah jax is like here what and then starts running okay cool cool
00:25:23
Speaker
They come into Gwendolyn setting Dale down roughly, and then she just throws her bag across the room. I've just had it. I do not know. It's my turn. I am tired of all of this, Dale.
00:25:43
Speaker
I can't. Why are having friends so hard? I've never... Dale! Why is it hard? And she just stares at Dale. I broke her, guys. I broke me?
00:26:01
Speaker
I'm back out of the room slightly. Oh, you get back in here. Go get in the shrubbery. I walked forward just a couple of more feet back to where I was standing originally. I've had it.
00:26:22
Speaker
Ugh, all these feelings. I did something good. First of all, I met friends. Friends stay together, and Daven I know it was a joke, but I... Oh, I am so angry. I don't get jokes sometimes, and that... Oh, no.
00:26:44
Speaker
I- I met friends. We- This place is horrible. I saved a woman to save her father. I- I- I don't even know where my own father is. Now there's also this hot guy in town, and I- I don't know who he is. I- What are these feelings? J-Jockser goes on trial, Crakes is someone else, and- Daven, I don't even know who you are!
00:27:13
Speaker
She just collapses to the floor. She's never, like, yelled like this before. With that last statement, Jock should be like, you know you're right. We don't know much about Daven, do we? She just mutters to herself, why is having friends so hard? Dale's easy. I haven't had a problem with him.
00:27:39
Speaker
I'm sorry if I upset you. I thought we could joke around. I thought we knew each other well enough now that we could have these kind of conversations and you understood. I apologize. I didn't mean to to make things worse. I know that you need to apologize to Dale, too. Um, of course. What what is what is that? And Joxer is going to point point at Dale and then Dale's like upper body is going to be blue.
00:28:08
Speaker
We make these worse here. Yeah. But but it looks like it's like a blue shirt is like it's like the color blue. It looks like a shirt around around his like upper body. It's like when he grabs Dale before she rises. It's a shirt. Oh, that that that looks nice on you.
00:28:27
Speaker
Alvin and the chipmunk. I'm sorry. And she's just still on the ground after she picked up Dale. You went to trial for something dumb and this town is horrible. I want it to burn. I don't wish that on anyone. It's fine.
00:28:57
Speaker
I thought I could handle all this stress, but after today in that, that man, you spit in his
Gwendolyn's Frustration with Group Dynamics
00:29:05
Speaker
face. I can't believe you spit in his face. He deserved it. I, he did. You don't do that to people. I know. She spit in who's face. You have to apologize. Uh, I didn't have very good seats. It's kind of hard to see over shoulders being so, so she spit right in his face. That's great. You did what?
00:29:26
Speaker
And he was about to yell at her, and I wasn't going to have that, so I sat him back down. It's true. Are you hearing what I'm hearing? Dale's already talked to me.
00:29:40
Speaker
He said, I shouldn't have done it too. I think you should have. I agree. He deserved it. Denaldi. God, I believe I've most likely made an enemy of him at this point. From some of the things he made an enemy with you. That's true. She starts to stand up. I need to know what's going on in this town. I need to know.
00:30:10
Speaker
Let's find out. I mean, I don't think we have anything more impressive going on right now, right? Nothing that we have to work toward. I mean, I know that you want to find your father and if you want to go, I'll go with you. But we could stay here and we could try and help this town. We know there's something weird going on. Sorry, my emotions get the best of me. It's just after I saw her with her father, I just
00:30:41
Speaker
I got selfish and my emotions took the best of me. I'm sorry. When speaking from experience, it's very easy to let emotions, especially in the heat of the moment, take over. None of us are faulting you for
00:31:00
Speaker
any of your, well, outbursts. We've all had, just since we've known each other here, we've all had our own. Just, you know, last night, Joxer and his whole outburst. It made for an interesting morning, but none of us fault you and I don't fault the rest of you for your outburst, but things are strange here and I...
00:31:25
Speaker
Like you, I also feel a little bit burdened by what could be happening. Gavin, those toys you got a while back, I remember you got some wooden toys. I can only assume that you would have purchased those at a shopper store here in town that would be maybe of a tinkerer variety. Do you happen to recall what I am speaking of? Yeah, of course. The little carving that I bought, it was from a place called Hurley's.
Suspicious Delivery in Wild Hill
00:31:53
Speaker
It's a little knickknack store on the other side of town.
00:31:55
Speaker
So, Choxer and I may have made a few acquaintances that had a delivery in Wild Hill. The one thing I know about small towns like this is import in and out. It's not a common occurrence. If they're delivering something,
00:32:12
Speaker
That something might be worth knowing what it is. Especially if it had to be guarded, not just with running the bill, you know, weekly or biweekly, you know, service. These were no hired swords either.
00:32:31
Speaker
That's true. These were well-dressed veterans. At least one was. Yes, the other. We saw a real battle and there's no way he came cheap. I'm quite interested in figuring out what they delivered. And I think it might lead us a little bit towards what's happening in this town, or at least could be interesting if it's not something directly delivered.
00:33:01
Speaker
Four armed guards. And Gwen, your little hot bard was one of them. She blushes. Oh. You in? Oh, Gwen, you're interested in BMO. I'm not interested. I just... Are you sure? Because you just turned into a dolphin for a second there.
00:33:27
Speaker
Shut up, Davin. She's still red. You too, Dale. That's Joxa points over at Dale again and his face turns red. Dale. Well, who are the other two that I wonder? You said there's four of them. I never got to see the other two. I'm not sure about you, Joxa.
00:33:52
Speaker
No, I met Mick last night when I decided to go into the lamppost tavern. The interven? The interven for a couple of night caps.
00:34:09
Speaker
You enter one that sells no food. You're going to have to create like a whole new town just to stop this. I know. You're finding all the errors in my point. Yeah, I needed a nightcap after giving Soraya and the guards some exercise last night. But yes, when we spoke to Mick and BMO, that was the first I heard of the other two. I just knew of the outfit in general.
00:34:39
Speaker
Well, we could go over to Hurley's and find out exactly what this thing is, but you can't just walk in there and ask them. Well, you can, but I suppose it wouldn't be likely for them to respond well. How familiar are you with this Hurley? I haven't met the man myself, personally. There's just the worker that kind of works behind the counter. You recall his name by chance. I'm sure I do, if you give me a minute to look through my notes.
00:35:09
Speaker
Sure, pull out your diary and read. He pulls out a little tablet and looks up one note and he, ah yes, ah Slim, his name was Slim. What is that device? Don't worry about it, it goes away in a minute. Is Slim the one who makes those carvings? No, it's Hurley who makes the carvings. Slim just kind of works behind the counter. Just a little gnome guy, he seems like a nice fellow. Interesting. It's good to know, thank you.
00:35:36
Speaker
I'd be interested in maybe speaking to Slim. You maybe have some rapport, and we all know you're a little bit of a slippery snake as it is, and he gives him a wink. I'm sure I know nothing about what you're talking about. Gives him a wink, because Krigs knows. I saw some of his sneakiness. I haven't told Gwen or Joxer really about any of it, but I saw.
00:35:57
Speaker
I believe Joxer saw a thing. Joxer saw it firsthand because I changed right in front of him to go into the lamppost tavern to get some drinks. You're a little bit of a sneaky snake, you. Maybe we can make it Slim Pickens. That was so bad.
00:36:18
Speaker
I was so bad I didn't even get it. Slim, slim picket. Maybe we can squeeze it out of all slim there. I mean, I could, I could change form. I have the ability to do that and I could look like Mick or, or, uh, BMO or something like that, but I don't know how exactly what I'd say.
00:36:41
Speaker
This whole entire time, Gwendolyn's been staring at Daven because she feels like she's hurt his feelings. He doesn't know it, but she's just staring at him. Can I make a perception check and see if I notice her staring at me? Yeah, definitely. 15 plus one, 16. I guess when he looks over, Gwendolyn's going to look at the ground. Okay.
00:37:07
Speaker
Devin doesn't say anything about it. You look over and see her looking all shy like, Oh, okay. That quick little eye contact and then look away. Devin now just thinks that she has a crush on him too. Oh no. Classic. So I'm not really sure exactly what our plan here is. Like what, what, what do we expect this thing to have to do with anything? That's yeah. We don't have a lot of leads as it is currently. That's just the only thing I know is,
00:37:36
Speaker
Import in a town like this is fairly uncommon outside of your typical ale and food, and while this is a hunting establishment, I'm sure they have plenty of that. If there's an item delivered with four armed guards that are at least decorated combat veterans, I want to know what that is. Well, I think we should just start by going over there and see what we can find out ourselves.
Plan to Investigate Hurley’s Shop
00:38:00
Speaker
I concur that I'm not sure doing any fancy magic in this town would bode very well. I'd rather not. Last time I tried to do something like that, it almost turned backfired on me. Yeah, and I feel like I'm under watch right now. So I could probably take some attention in a different direction if you want me to maybe... I don't think that would be entirely necessary at this time.
00:38:30
Speaker
Maybe we could go on a shopping spree. Shopping sounds nice. Let's have it. That is where I got the trail mix from. Montage of us shopping. And let me tell you what, I come out of this fabulous.
00:38:49
Speaker
You see me and Dale specifically at the clothing store just trying on different attire and he's sitting he's sitting specifically he's sitting on the bench across from the dressing room and I'm coming out and I am working it.
00:39:07
Speaker
The cocktail dress, he just shakes his head. Yeah, he shakes his little head and you got the music you got inside the Wild Hill. He's just giving thumbs up. You just hear Dale say, Treat yourself. Treat yourself, man.
00:39:29
Speaker
And yeah, I'm in it to win it now. Let's roll. Let's go shopping, fam. Cool. I'm in. All right. So, Daven, you're leading them to Hurley's knickknacks? Sure. As we step out of the house, I stop. I turn around and look at the house. I says, what about the Einhaus? We need a name for the house, the Einhaus, right? We got it from Delmore Einhorn. Einhorn, yeah. Yeah.
00:39:55
Speaker
I like you. Whose house? Mine house. That's the Iron House. Or if we really want to show up to Denaldi, we could just call it the Bogoshack. The Bogoshack? Bogoshack has to be spelled with a Q at the end. There you go. This shack runs so far off the rails, but I love it.
00:40:22
Speaker
It's been so long. Anyway, it's this way. And I point out, I'll start walking toward Hurley's. All right. Jocks are. I vote Bogosack. OK. I like Bogosack. It sounds like you can get like a really good burger and shake there. Yeah. The old dirty burger. So you guys had.
00:40:43
Speaker
towards Hurley's lodging and knick-knack, passing several of the other nobleman's barracks, as yours is kind of at the end of the line there. And as you walk through the kind of small road that leads in between a few rows of these cabins, nicer cabins, you see folks here and there just about their business. A couple of them give you a little bit of a look like, hey, there's adventurer types walking through here. These aren't noble folks, but
00:41:09
Speaker
You're kind of in a upscale, more upscale neighborhood than you probably, then they're probably used to seeing folks like you in, unless you're working for somebody. And as you walk through there, you come out of the, of the little neighborhood and you can see the tower of testing to your left with the statue in front of it. And Hurley's lodging and Nick max is just across the way there. And as you continue that way,
00:41:32
Speaker
Davin you can lead the way up the stairs into the room and inside there you see a a the the main room there is is not super big but you see basically everything you could imagine a just a general store would have and there's a lot of different types of traveling merchandise and things like that you can see some bits of like
00:41:56
Speaker
rations and that sort of thing that you would need for traveling ropes and pickaxes and just all kinds of different supplies. No real weapons or armor or anything like that, but basic supplies and things. And then you do see a couple shelves that have these little carved knickknacks on them. They look like they're just made out of wood and there's
00:42:14
Speaker
interesting, curious little creatures. Some of them are more unique than others. Some are just like, you know, a bear or a wolf or a deer. And some of them are like the one that Daven got, which was like a snake with the head of a bear or something like that. I don't remember exactly. But there's some of them are just kind of unique, but they're just little handmade creations. And then you see a counter at the back. And there is a a gnome
00:42:37
Speaker
man standing behind that counter, you assume on some sort of step stool or something, and he is counting out coins and filling numbers into a little book as he sits there, stands there, sees you walk in and just says, oh, hello, friend, come on in.
00:42:53
Speaker
Slim, it's good to see you again, buddy. I don't really remember his voice. I need to listen to old episodes. It's been a while since I've done Slim. He was like a calm, slightly Irish or something. Okay, something like this. Probably all my accents sound the same anyway. But he's just like, oh yes, it was Daven, right? I got that package sent off for you. They came a little early. Well, it's good to hear.
Conversations with Slim: Artifacts and Orders
00:43:20
Speaker
Can I ask how long ago it went off?
00:43:22
Speaker
Just a few days, I think, before most of the adventurers started to come in back in, someone came and got it and they're off again. They left the same day. Interesting, because I thought the delivery was coming just yesterday because I had heard that there was delivery coming in. The delivery coming in yesterday. No, I did receive a delivery here for the store, but it was a different people that take
00:43:50
Speaker
take the mail packages out like that. That was a different situation. Oh, I must have misheard then, I suppose. Did you get anything good coming in? Well, you could see, if you look over there, you'll see a few things. We've got a few more of that hemp rope that we were running low on that. Apparently a lot of climbing and swinging on ropes in the adventurers this year, I don't know. Yeah, and we had a restock on trail mix.
00:44:20
Speaker
Well, I bought most of it last time I was here. Yeah, I think you did. That's good, though. It's there to sell. It's there for buying.
00:44:26
Speaker
I've brought the rest of my friends here. It says, Craig's and jocks are in Gwen. Hello. It's nice to meet all of you. Hi, slim. How's, how's it going? Well, pretty good. Oh, good. Yeah. Pretty good. We're wrapping it up for the day here soon, but, uh, I'll be happy to stick around as long as you need to look and find what you need. We'll be fine. Can I make an insight check to his original statement about the, uh,
00:44:52
Speaker
Make it, I dare you. That is a nat 20. Okay. He was telling the truth that they were replacing, like just restocking some of the stuff they had. He was a little shaky when he mentioned that there was nothing interesting. His voice got a little shaky there.
00:45:14
Speaker
Slim, you wouldn't have had anything special delivered for your better customers, someone willing to pay? Well, let me think. It depends on what kind of thing you're asking. Every now and then we'll do a specific special order and something will come here for people to come pick it up. This is kind of the place.
00:45:37
Speaker
Everyone picks things up if something gets delivered, but I don't look at what those things are. Davin, he sent his thing out several days ago and the Vettles arrive at the place in town where it's usually things like that are delivered and folks know that that's where they need to go and check for things and a little message will be sent to who it was. They can come get it.
00:45:58
Speaker
While they're talking and he is focused, can I just kind of like peek around the corner of the desk or whatever I'm assuming the counter he's at? Not actually intrusively, but I want to see if I can see like an ingoing, outgoing ledger someplace in this working area of his. Yeah, make an investigation check. Does that kind of thing happen often, special orders?
00:46:26
Speaker
Well, there's a few people who live here that have to order in special things now and then, 14. You don't see, you see several different types of like paperwork that look like they could be kind of what you're talking about where it's just intake, outtake, but nothing, you don't really, can't really make out what any of it is or if it's of anything, anything of interest just from looking like, like that.
00:46:52
Speaker
He says, yeah, we do have folks that come and give things delivered quite often, but it's usually just simple supplies they need that you can't get around here. Well, go on. No, go ahead. As long as you're not holding out on me, Slim, I am a paying customer. Anything special back there, I'd like to see. Make a persuasion check. That's probably terrible. So let's roll in there.
00:47:21
Speaker
Oh wow, 17 plus, I'm rolling today. 17, where's persuasion? Plus four, that is a 21. Okay. He goes, well, I mean, you know, I don't sell anything that comes in special other than what you see. I will say every now and then,
00:47:43
Speaker
If you're buying, if you're interested every now and then, Hurley has some things himself that he likes to sell to the right people. Usually you have to be the highest bidder. That kind of makes you the right person. But I don't do much of those transactions. He just lets me run the store, take care of him. That's about it. So I would speak to Hurley specifically about those items.
00:48:10
Speaker
You might, uh, he would need to request that you speak to him. He's kind of a reclusive, you know, uh, due to his, well, Oh goodness. I feel like I'm saying too much, but I don't know. Davin here is nice. And if you're a friend of his, I could probably trust you, but they all friends here. That's what I'm thinking. I guess. Let's see. Here's the deal. Uh,
00:48:32
Speaker
I'm slim. I may not dress it because I don't like to draw attention, but I'm part of a well-known family. I'm not un...
00:48:47
Speaker
Unwell off, to say. So if you could pass that on to Hurley, that there could be an interested buyer named Joxer. Joxer, you write your name down. Go ahead. So then we're not trying to interrogate you or to cause problems. We are new to town. We've only been here for a couple of weeks now. And we just want to make sure that we're getting the best of our abilities here. We want to be as everyone else is in this town.
00:49:15
Speaker
And I've heard that there are some important things that come through this area, meaning Hurley's here. Now I've not got a chance to meet Hurley personally yet, but I imagine that you could help us as well. And that's all we're trying to get. Well, I'll say this right now, not many people meet Hurley and it's simply because he is very reclusive. He, I'll just say,
00:49:38
Speaker
He had a severe accident years ago that has caused him to lose the use of his legs and he's also very scarred up very badly. He's also very old, but he's very well off. He really, before the chief came, he was kind of what made this little town function. But I will say this, he still deals in some of these interesting artifacts.
00:50:05
Speaker
And in fact, just saying the word artifacts makes me uncomfortable. I feel like I shouldn't have said that. You are disarming me and you are making me comfortable with your conversation and your speak of wealthy families. But I am just a mere shopkeeper. My job here is to sell wares and keep this shop running.
00:50:27
Speaker
and i apologize i don't feel like i can speak anymore about hirley's business i will give him your name and what is the name of your family that i might give him cuz he has likely heard of it if it is as well off as you say i'm during mo yeah i go on.
00:50:42
Speaker
During this whole time, Gwendolyn's mood has kind of upped a little bit because she was just looking at all the knickknacks. But then she heard the word incident, so she kind of perked up. Okay. The name is Mortail of Mortail Wines. Okay. Does it ring any bells for me, but perhaps Hurley himself? Well, no, he has been around a while and he will be familiar with most of the wealthy families, at least within
00:51:12
Speaker
many, many miles of here. Um, uh, I'll write that down. Jocks are more tail of more tail wines. I'll, I'll, uh, I'll let him know that you're here. Perhaps you'll hear from him. Uh, if he wants to show you what he has currently for sale. Well, if he's looking for us, we can find us at the bogus shack or at the end of the Nobles district. I'm not familiar. Oh, the, the noble district bogus shack. I'm not familiar with that place. Um, is that a new, we're rebranding it.
00:51:39
Speaker
Ah, rebrand, I understand. I understand. Yes, someday maybe I can rebrand this Slims, but it's still Hurley's right now. And that's actually why we came to ask about this Slim. Since we now have a home in the nobleman's barracks, we wanted to see if we could find something interesting to adorn it with. Ah, like furniture, you say.
00:52:08
Speaker
I see. This is some of what you want to speak to Hurley about? Just interesting items. I don't want to repeat what you said earlier, but it sounds interesting. I appreciate that, that word. I've actually been specifically asked not to use it, but I appreciate your candor and your willingness to understand where I'm coming from here, and I will give him
00:52:35
Speaker
your name with my recommendation that he speak to you. I believe that you could be of, be of a good customer and loyal. So I will give him that information. Thank you. Jaxer here has a unique taste. So the more unique it is, the better. Yes, very well there. I believe most of the items are pretty unique. I personally don't get to see any of them. I just,
00:53:01
Speaker
I understand what I need to understand to connect a buyer to Mr. Hurley himself, and then he handles the rest. That is all. Oh, trial mix. And she just runs over. I didn't see it when they first came in. Yes, please. No tasting. Thank you. It is not sanitary. Can I get some? I have a little cup if you'd like a little taste first, but please eat it from the cup only. When no sip stealing.
00:53:30
Speaker
I'll call the freaking cops. Don't don't let Dale near there. He'll eat it all. She she shifts her bag to the behind her. Dale, do you have another member of your party? I didn't I haven't met. Yes. Would you would you like to meet him? Is he outside or? And she runs up. Is he behind a counter? Yeah. She runs up and she slowly moves her bag to the front.
00:53:55
Speaker
And then she just pulls Dale out and sit him on the counter. And probably it's just like, this is Dale. He still has like a little sword necklace. He looks at Dale and he just laughs. And as he looks at all your faces while he's laughing, his smile kind of goes down like, Oh, they're serious. Devin kind of has like an awkward smile and he's doing that like crazy finger twirl thing around the side of his head. Yeah. He just kind of looks down at it.
00:54:22
Speaker
He just kind of looks down at Dale and just, okay, nice to meet you. He says the same. Good, very polite. Will you enjoy your trail mix? Can I get some? Yes, of course, please. And he hands you a little burlap sack and he's like, feel that. The sack here, just the sack alone is just a gold piece. Do you sell any meat here?
00:54:51
Speaker
No, only the dried variety. We can't really store it here for too long, you know? Usually any fresh meat that comes through is pretty much cooked and eaten right away. It's fair. Gwendolyn puts Dale back in her purse and gets a trail mix and places a golden... Thank you, and thank you for talking to us. Yes, of course. Thank you for coming in. It's pretty slow today. Actually, it's been slower than usual lately, I don't know why, but it's okay.
00:55:20
Speaker
We haven't seen too many of the hunters come back. Are they all back in town? Most of them are back in town. Usually they get here, they drink for two days, and they sleep for a week, and then they go back out again. So they're probably in sleep mode right now. All right. We tend to do more work than that, I guess. Yes, it seems so. It's good to see someone coming and going a little more often. I don't see them. You know where to find us if you hear anything.
00:55:47
Speaker
Yes, yes, the bulga shack. Yes, I think that'll be fine. It's been a pleasure, Slim. Yes, it was nice to meet all of you. I'm going to probably close up behind you as you go. It's near on four o'clock now. It's time to wrap it up here and get to dinner time. Do you have a family here? Oh, no, no. Never really had much of a family since I left home, left my parents, but kind of been taken care of early for many years now. So he's like family.
00:56:17
Speaker
Well, if you ever need a night off, Craig's here is a fabulous cook. He can make some food for all you or at our house. Oh, well, that might be nice. Let's see if I can get away. I typically have to have dinner ready for early by five, and then I have to play him a couple tunes for him to go to sleep by six. Then I finally get a little bit of me time, you know what I mean? Reading a book or sipping some wine or ale, something like that. Well, we'll be in touch then. Okay, wonderful.
00:56:46
Speaker
Down the central door. Yeah. OK, he starts to he kind of stacks up the coins he was counting and shuffles them down into a bag and finishes up some of the stuff he was writing. And by the time you're at the door, he's headed towards the door with a key in his hand ready to lock it up. Oh, Greg's. Can you cook? I don't even know. I make him mean. No, I can't. Fair enough. I'll do the cooking.
00:57:28
Speaker
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00:57:40
Speaker
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