Bait: Scythefell Street

Bait swept past Alvec, headed down the street. Introductions would be easy: say hi, ask question, do things. He came across a group of children a little taller than him playing in the street with a rough leather ball. Some smaller children were drawing on the sidewalk with many colors of chalk. Too much pink; needed more red and green, fun goblin colors.

"Hi, I'm Bait. Live at house behind big stone wall; you know any cheese ingredients?" he asked as he stomped on up to them. The kids, mostly human, gave him strange looks.

"Is that a gun?" The eldest asked, a look of concern flashing over his face.

"Bait Goblin adult, six years old, allowed to have gun, allowed to shoot gun. Here for cheese research, not gun talk."

"You live in the abandoned house? Have you seen the Gulp?" another asked.

"What gulp?" asked Bait.

"It's the BIG Gulp; it eats everything. It ate my grandma's packages from the store!" One of the kids stated. They'd formed a semi-circle around Bait. He felt important.

"Shut up, Tobin. You just lost those packages!"

"Nu-uh, I'm telling you, the big gulp got it! It even eats cats and stuff," said another one of the children.

"Bait, not scared," he patted the butt of his gun behind his head. "Bait go boom, and big gulp go die." There was a general gasp.

"Yeah, well, he can't shoot it if it doesn't exist. I still think you're lying."

The two boys continued arguing as Bait began to lose interest. "What big gulp look like?"

"I heard it was flat on the ground and blacker than the night sky!"

"I heard it had tentacles that tried to pull you in."

"They say once you fall into it, you never come out again."

"It can toss a person clear into the sky!"

"It makes a sound like this," a child finished before shrieking at the top of their lungs directly in Bait's large ears. He recoiled from them slightly.

"Ok, ok. Bait, shoot it if he sees it. Now, most importantly, where find good cheese?" He asked again, looking at the small crowd of them.

"Like a cheddar?"

"Stinkier!" Bait insisted, stomping a foot down on the ground.

"I've only ever had cheddar and gouda, and neither are too stinky."

"Who have fancier cheese?" He was greeted by a lot of heads shaking no. Bait about to say K, bye. When one of them piped up.

"Why not go to the tableware store? The elf that runs it goes to fancy events. Maybe he knows where to find fancy cheese?" Finally, a lead! If they could at least point Bait in the right direction, these human whelps might be key in Bait's future cheese empire.

"Where?"

"We can show you; it's not far." The kids escorted him down the road; Bait walked behind them as if he were king and they were his noble squires. Bait like idea of having so much status, cheese status, that he walks around with bodyguards. Feel like that sometimes with the group. The building they gathered in front of had a big fancy door almost too heavy for Bait to pull open. It required him to lean way back as he yanked at the handle to get them to swing forward. The children stayed outside while the grownups went to talk business.

The room he entered contained nice tables by other folks' standards. Far too neat and orderly for Bait or any respectable goblin. Where are goblin teeth marks? Why is there no mud? Bait no respect a clean table. Clean table not used by clan, used by people with too much time, and not enough friends.

An elderly elf wandered forward to greet him. One eye was glazed over, a milky white over a brown iris. The other stared past Bait as if he were not there. His manner of dress was immaculate and ostentatious. Not a single rip or scratch on his white shirt or black cape lined with smooth red velvet. His shoes looked as if they had just been made, well polished and grime-free. This type of man likely knows of good cheese. "I am El-Beni; how may I help you?" He said in a voice flatter than a tabletop.

"Bait want good cheese. Where find good cheese?"

"I do not sell cheese here, but I have something that might interest you." The elf wandered off for a moment, returning with a cheese fork. It was gold, with a ruby gem situated in the handle. "Good cheese should be enjoyed with good utensils. Yours are well crafted but seem a bit worn. Adding a replacement to your collection would be best before they are unusable."

"Ooooh, Bait take."

"That will be 15 gold."

"Bait take?"

"When you supply me 15 gold coins."

"Bait haggle. 10 gold."

"I'm afraid I can't go lower than 15 gold pieces. Please look again at it and notice how much detail is carved into the cat at the end of the handle. This level of filigree is worth every gold piece I am asking."

Bait not admit it, but Bait like cats; Jinx is a good cat. The goblin grumbled as he fished into his pockets, plucked out the coins, traded them to the elf, and took the cheese fork. It felt so right in his hands. Now, to find some cheese to stab with it!

"Where Bait find good cheese?"

"Ah, to your original question, the tavern down the street offers a fairly wide variety of cheeses. They should be able to accommodate you should you not be able to make the trek to Archer's Market. Ben, the cheese smith, is the best cheese maker in all the Empire."

"Yes, yes, Bait know Ben. Ben send on cheese quest find rare cheese ingredients. You know rare cheese ingredients?"

"Many years ago now, while at a function for the Sejob, I had the creamiest and richest cheese I think I have ever experienced. If I recall, it was made with Peahen eggs."

"Where find Pee-egg?" Bait asked as he fiddled with his new cheese fork.

"If memory serves, one of the mansions on the east side of the river has an exotic bird sanctuary. Perhaps you could find some peahens there."

"Find Pee-bird, K bye!" He said before he rushed out of the establishment. Bait marched towards the river when he realized his stomach was growling. Can't be goblin quiet on an empty stomach. Check out bar first.

Naya: The Parks of Sha-Laial

Naya was peopled out. The last thing she really wanted to do was to go around talking to more people. No one here was paying any veneration to the spirits. It made her a bit uncomfortable. Illaria had been the only one to even mention them! Alvec and Mavec didn't know the faintest thing about them. At least Alvec seemed willing to humor her and learn what she could teach him. Mavec was a skeptic through and through. What she needed was a little bit of time away from the group. There was a large forested park within the city; Alvec had pointed it out on the map for her. It seemed like a good place for her and Echo to check out. The wolf trotted obediently beside her. Were he any bigger, Naya swore she could ride him into battle. She buried a hand into his soft red fur at the base of his neck and gave him a good hard scratch. His mouth lolled open, and his tongue hung out the side of his mouth over his large fangs.

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The main path through the park was filled with people enjoying the fresh air the trees offered. Most on the trail gave her a wide berth. Some others with dogs attempted to play bow to the big dog with her. Naya gave him a gentle pat. "Not this time, Echo. I want to see more of this park before we play. We don't have too long till nightfall. Remember, we agreed to meet back up with everyone."

It was amazing to Naya that such a park existed in the middle of a big city. Glancing around at the terrain, she sort of understood why. There was so much granite here. There is too much granite to move quickly without magic. It was also expansive enough that a mining operation would require consuming all nearby houses. The best thing then was to preserve it as a natural space. A retreat from the buildings of stone and wood.

Naya took a small footpath that forked off from the main trail. No one really seemed to be using these smaller paths. Perhaps they were dangerous. She hadn't seen any fauna on the main pathway, but they had to exist. Maybe some small black bears could survive here.

Two figures in the fading light stood off the beaten path. A sack of something lay on the ground next to them. They were having a quiet and hushed disagreement. Curiosity got the better of her. She approached the two of them, Echo in tow. "Hello," Naya said, waving a hand. Both men, in somewhat ragged, worn clothing, took one look at the wolf, and the girl, with two swords at her side, broke into a dead sprint, leaving behind the sack of goods. Naya wandered over to it, opening it up. Spoons, knives, forks, and what looked like watches? What on earth were they discussing with all this junk. "Do you understand this?" She asked Echo, who did his best to shrug his shoulders. She grabbed the bag and slung it over Echo. Maybe Alvec would have an idea what this was all about. He was from a large city. Perhaps they could track down the owner of the bag later. Echo must have scared them. It would be a good idea to return them to their owners.

Eventually, the two found a campfire attended by a man in shabby clothing. A small tent was set up not far away, and he was cooking food over the fire. He gave her a curious look as she came into view. He was an older human with a full, bushy beard, mostly gray. "Been a while since I've seen a druid. You're kind aren't all that common in the cities; care to join me by the fire." Naya and Echo approached. Both took seats nearby. "I can offer some food if you'd like. I've got about six different varieties of beans."

"Thank you. I can't offer much in return. I only have some trail rations and can get you fresh water if needed." He smiled.

"I tried for many years to figure out the trick to that magic but never could sort it out. I'd be extremely grateful for fresh, clean water. If you'd be so kind, I've got a bunch of containers you can fill before you leave."

"It would be no problem," Naya said. The man produced clean bowls and utensils for both of them. He carefully, using tongs, poured the hot can of beans into each bowl and passed her one. It wasn't a glorious meal by any means, but it would be hearty. Before either of them could take a bite of their meal, the old man took a bone and tossed it into the fire before also grabbing a pinch of salt and doing the same. "Why are you praying to two of the Sisters. This is a campfire; bone should be enough, right?"

His eyes lit up in surprise. "I see even fewer these days who know of the spirits. You're very much out of your element here, Miss Naya." He stroked his beard a few times. "There's a saying, I guess, that home is where the heart is. These woods, this tent, they are my home. This is every bit as much a hearth fire as it is a campfire, so I pay tribute to two of the sisters. I would honor the third, but I'm no craftsman, and iron is expensive for someone who lives off the land and people's kindness."

She frowned at him. "Doesn't it get lonely out here?"

"Yes, and that's the point. I don't want to be around others. I don't have the words for it, but after the war, I couldn't return to how I lived before. I've considered striking out into the wilds for years, but Sha-Laial has always been my home. I'm not sure I know how to leave it behind."

"I don't understand," Naya said.

"I don't expect you to. Just accept that I am comfortable where I am and that I do not need anything more than the clean sky above my head and the forest for company."

Naya nodded. "So, you know a bit about the spirits. Have you heard of any children of Akrixi nearby?"

"Ah, the talking trees. They say one used to live in this forest, but it's passed on. The last one I knew about was in a swamp in the outlands of Sha-Laial."

"I hope you're right about that. Another druid recommended I find them," said Naya. "My village, Lom-Itoti, was... transformed, and I hope to either find a way to restore it or perhaps seek revenge. My feelings about it shift like sand. Not knowing if they can be saved or if they are dead makes it hard to grasp what I feel. Just a little numb and scared."

"If it's not too much trouble, what do you mean by transformed?"

"The whole village was turned into plants."

He nodded. "I understand a bit better now. You think the Children of Akrixi can help you?"

"It's the hope," said Naya. "I don't believe this was done by any arcane spellcaster or cleric. It feels like the spirits, but I don't understand why."

"They were all given purpose by Akrixi; perhaps he would know for what purpose," said the man.

Naya laughed. As if she could just march up to the spirit of destruction and creation.

"It seems safer to talk to his kin. The ones that don't spew lava." The man chuckled as well.

"I dare say you might be right about that." They continued chatting about the spirits and Akrixi for a while longer. Before the last bits of light could fade, Naya refilled his buckets with fresh, clean water and waved goodbye. She hadn't expected to find someone who knew of the spirits here, but she was glad she had.

Mavec: Scythefell street

It was late in the day, and with nothing else to do till everyone was ready to meet at the Inn, Mavec wandered down the street. He stood in front of a law firm only a few houses down. Abal, Feng, and Krog: Property surveyors and lawyers. Glancing at their hours of operations, he noticed they still had about a half hour left. It seemed like the responsible thing to stop in and make introductions. After all, Alvec would likely need their services shortly. He'd also asked everyone to make introductions to the neighbors. Seemed like the best people to get in good with. He let himself through the front door into a slightly cramped but well-furnished abode.

"Hey, is anyone in?" Mavec said before he wrapped his knuckles on the wall. The carpet beneath his feet was surprisingly lush and a pleasant shade of red. The walls were painted black halfway up, then had a white trim piece with a white patterned wallpaper above it.

"Over this way, please." Came a shrill voice. Mavec followed it into a room. A halfling sat at a desk too small for Mavec to fit in easily. His hair was slicked back and a pleasant chestnut brown. His clothing was nice but informal. A basic button-up shirt and pants. "My name is Abal; what can I do for you?"

"Hi, so I'm Mavec; we're just moving into the property at 889 Scythefell Street. Thought we'd come to make introductions before we needed your services."

"The 889 property!" Abal gasped. "Feng, Krog, get in here; we've got an interesting one! Pray tell, how did you come by that property, young man?"

"It was gifted to us by Cellocht, the Emperor's favorite bard."

The halfling burst into laughter. "Krog, you owe me 5 silver; it was Cellocht! Never bet against the halflings!" He shouted further into the house. "Forgive me; we've had a bet going on about who owned the deed to that property for ages. We figured it was someone important, especially after the church of Kushang was repeatedly turned down in their attempts to acquire it. Krog bet it was Ghol, and Feng had money on the Emperor himself. Why any of them had or wanted this property is beyond me."

"We don't really know any of the history behind the place. Could you guys fill us in a bit?" Mavec asked.

"I refuse to pay till I've seen the deed myself." A much deeper voice came through the doorway as an orc man who looked too big for this building squeezed through the doorway.

"I don't have it on me right now. Alvec does," said Mavec.

"Then I'm holding onto my silver for tonight," Krog replied.

"You wanted to know more about the property, eh? Since this isn't business, we can share some of its history with you." Came another voice as another halfling, this one with graying hair, squeezed past the orc into this now very crowded room.

"I'm Feng," said the halfling with graying hair. "I see you've already met Abal and Krog. It was a compound; perhaps the word dojo would be more correct for an order known as the Six Strengths. They were on the wrong side of the Anarchy, if you catch my drift."

Mavec nodded his head. It was a phrase he'd encountered on several occasions talking about people who had passed away during the war. It didn't literally mean they were enemies of the state, just that they hadn't survived the wars. "Anyone know what they were about?" Mavec asked.

"Not really," Feng said with a shrug. "They kept fairly quiet, and with such stringent rules for admittance into their order, no one is around anymore to ask about their beliefs and history. Suppose you should find anything in the property that details that sort of thing. In that case, we'd love to look at it, for intellectual curiosity if nothing else."

"Just to clarify, none of you are children of Cellocht, correct? This gift was made to an unrelated party?" asked Krog.

"Unless Cellocht is part devil, we're in the clear. Alvec's a tiefling, and both of his parents are accounted for." Mavec replied.

"Good news then is that you shouldn't be held liable for any back taxes," Abal chimed in. "Once you get settled, we can review and submit the paperwork. With that said, we would like to kindly invite you to take your leave. We're going to wrap up here and call it a night."

"Oh right, guess I should be getting towards the tavern myself. We agreed to meet the neighbors and then meet up there." With that, Mavec gave a light bow and made for the exit. The Six Strengths sounded a little like a cult, but they were no more and hardly a bother outside of curiosity.