Dive Bar C

Alric, Caden, & Hanalee

Hanalee

Dour man just looks at you after your, "Evening." Stares a bit like you are obviously mistaken, and then continues to whittle while scanning the room intently.

After your second comment, "You come here often?" he doesn't even stop scouring the room with his eyes.

"Yes." The voice is bitterly cold. "You must be lonely." There is no banter there.
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Alric

"O-ho! Bar man, two ales nah, please." Delta Earl looks at you incredulously, "Might as well drink wit'ta man who seek his time so soon. May not get 'nother chance." As the mugs arrive, he pays the coppers and waves away any attempt you make to pay, "You jus' put in good word wit'ta ancestors 'bout me when you see 'em, pan flash."

"So why, my people, you wan' play wit'ta dead nah? Leave them 'n they alone, they have enough say to 'ch'other jus' yonder, though tha 'well-bred' pale man think otha'wise." Jerks his head with a laugh and sips his beer, "Pale man always think otha'wise. Need it upside tha head to believe."

Shakes head then gestures to you, "Got stories 'mong yo'self 'bout restless dead -- and those who play wit'em." Stops, looks at you a touch sad, "And seem like good folk, yo'self." Shakes head again, "Jus' sayin', don't get caught 'round coyote howls alone nah. Not all walk on fours all tha time."
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Caden

"Hey handsome." You listen for an opening, then banter, but it rapidly dries up as you slip inquiries about the graveyard -- and rarely get to the handle.

"Bit macabre there, stranger." "Maybe Madame de Zay's, for a higher fee." As to a patient one, "Yeah, so glue it back on already. Weird."

One you didn't talk to brushes past you from a direction you didn't anticipate, "Bit more discreet, love. Honey Well's in 3 days, afternoon at weasel alcove. Buy four shots of rye." And continues on like nothing into the outstretched arms of a burly miner.
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Hanalee & Caden

Not able to tell when Hanalee is done, as they certainly are not talking, you sidle over. Grim man just stares at you two together, then says, "Guess not." Resumes his angry look to the room as he whittles another rod to a point.

When you both continue to try to strike a conversation with him, he finally breaks down. He stares you both down hard with a baleful glare. "Revenge. Reclaiming my claim. No bulletin needed, I solve my own problems." Returns to whittling another dowel to a sharpened point and glowering.

"Well Thank ya Brother!. " He accepts the drink and swills a bit. " Yeah it is not the occupation of a sane man."

"I'll keep my eyes open and the important thing is to be brave but not too brave. Plus I have companions seem like they are the stickin kind" Alric shrugs "One can only hope."

Alric talks for a while then ask "Is there someplace you know or somebody that would know more.."

Hanalee nods. "Revenge," she repeats, and looks around the room. "On a claimjumper? You expecting someone tonight?" She turns in her chair to face him more directly.

"Nothing I hate more than a claimjumper. What's the story there?"

She is lying of course--there are several, in fact many things she hates more than claimjumpers. Skeeter bites, sour milk, bullies. But claimjumpers were on the list.

Dive Bar C

Alric, Caden, & Hanalee

Alric

"Eldahs heah know more, but no say more 'cause it brings tha bad juju. Smart folk, those eldahs. They at tha place 'n the nice side o' town, smokin' happy like." Looks at you sad as if you are a lost child off to get killed. You think he might be making a ditty about you.

"You don' wan' closer than that, my people. You can find so heah, 'mong tha no' nice side -- or better, through yo' foolish talk, they find you -- but you may no' wake to tha sun, if you wake even." Finishing his beer, he starts to pick out a ditty as he studies you. "You safer watchin' tha graves argue on a moonless night."
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Hanalee

"Not here." Finishes another sharpened stick. "You talk too much." Packs his stuff away, gets up to leave holding a fistful of sharpened sticks. "Go homestead, you two. Live." Merry-makers pay him no mind as he leaves.

Caden gives Hanalee a look and quick nod as soon as the whittler has his back turned. Caden will attempt to shadow the man and and see what he's about, he senses trouble about this situation. If he feels he has been spotted at any point he will break contact and attempt to avoid a confrontation.

Alric nods as Delta speaks. " Well sumin' has to be a Bad Example of what not to do." He smiles stupidly with a wink. " Got friends talkin to the Eldah's they're a might bit smarter than I am. "

"Someones got to be the hero of the song, might as well be me, not that I fancy myself anything special but its the regular folk being brave when they aught not be that makes the best song."

"I thank ya for your time friend Delta and I will be by to share my tale if'in I survive."

Alric will finish up and cruise around the bar thinking about where to head next.

Main Street, downtown

@ 5 PM
Caden

OOC: Give me a Stealth check for the downtown. Shadowing him will be easier here. If you fail, he'll just stop and stare at you until you clearly back away into a bar.

He is heading out of town, past through the graveyards and on up into the greater concentration of claims. Give me a Disadvantaged Stealth check. Shadowing him here is doable by the graves and road brush, but it certainly requires bit more timing. If you fail here, he will...

Rolled a 13 for the first and 1 for the second. Oh well lets see how this turns out. Oh and I rolled in room

Bright Feather gets up looking contented...."if you ladies don't mind I'd like to sit among the stars for a bit"...and leaves to find the elf outside the town (if it's feasible in a single night).

Karni will look around the house for any irregularities, thank them for their generosity, and when Bright Feather gets up to leave, will ask if she wants company, or wants to go alone?

Quote from: dragoner;775984Karni will look around the house for any irregularities, thank them for their generosity, and when Bright Feather gets up to leave, will ask if she wants company, or wants to go alone?

Bright Feather grins at her shorter friend.."thank you for the offer but I know you cannot run with me and see without the Moon's gaze?"... gives an upraised eyebrow and taps her bow..."I'll be fine my beautiful friend know that you aren't unclean despite what you say".. and ducks out.

Karni bows to her slightly, hands together, "Godspeed to you my friend, Bright Feather. Be safe." She smiles.

New Graveyard by downtown exit, just outside of town

Caden

You see the grim man stop at the sound of your gravel crunching and start to turn. Well, he caught you stark in the middle of nowhere to run for cover, in the afternoon light, it'd be foolish to even try. Standing there you straighten to take it like a man.

Grim man stands there looking at you for a moment. He then walks up purposefully, right up to your face. "If you don't have business with me, don't end up becoming my business."

"Who sent you, and why shouldn't I kill you where you stand." He's dead serious, no insight required. However... you've seen that cold determination before, in your own mirror. (Successful Passive Insight check)

Sage Brush Felt Maiden's House

4 PM going on 5 PM

Bright Feather & Karnath

"We here understand First Water from the Basket. A portion of acorn mush and rabbit will be left by the night fire for when you return. Travel along Her safe strands." The house mom watches Bright Feather go.

To Karnath in the summer afternoon sun, "They are like that. The many people nearby must bring memories of the press of the Water Basket, when Coyote carried us all, the Mother's & Daughter's babies, all over the land. It is how they are, nothing between you." A hand of conciliation upon your shoulder as she re-enters the house to work.

"So, honored guest from a renowned land," she continues from inside, "what word do you bring to our people? Any new stories or word from other lands? Good hearts and brave men along the way?"
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Down Mountain 1/2 mile, Direct East from Town

5 PM

Bright Feather

You see sage brush all over, with the occasional juniper popping up rarely here and there. Oh there! Just as described it is a leaning juniper with a cluster of sage brush around. So obvious, yet unobtrusive, a landmark. The elven youth would not surprise you to be a tracker.

"Sister of the plants, holder of good medicine, I see you."

The familiar young elf, should be wood elf like you, walks out from a nearby bush.

"You came, good. But so soon! You said you were not in danger." He walks close to you and looks you over for marks and bruises. "And why are you amid a 'Stranger's Crowded Grove'? A town is a not a seasonal all-tribe gathering, it mars the land." He shakes his head and tsks, then throws down a leather thong in frustration.

"I come to speak for Shoshone help against the savage little-people. They returned, just like from our old stories. Even our Paiute Young Grasses are dying to these small, pale savages, just like us Old Grasses," he points an alternating hand to you both. "But I doubt success from this tribe here. Already Empty Ways, Ways of the Stranger, takes this place." He looks around at the boomtown's effects, and then back at you, with disappointment.

Caden shrugs "no one sent me. I can tell from the look of ya there's a fight waiting for you somewhere out there. What if I told you that this sorta thing is how I make my living? You got revenge in mind, well that's all well and good but it seems to me that a man can never have too many hands on board for this sorta work."