Move 189:  At the Baron

The Baron of Mutton--Noon, 11 Eleint 1374 DR

The serving girl stopped to watch Arachne stare at Gerrd until it became clear that she intended to do so for awhile.   In a small sad voice she said, "Someone ought to take him to his momma so she can take care of him."
Before leaving with their orders, she indicated that she had been listening to more of their conversations than she let on by adding, "If I was gonna go to Thurmaster, I'd go by boat.   That's the best way."   She disappeared into the kitchen after nodding at Blacky that his message would be passed on.

A few minutes later, after the serving girl had returned with their drinks, one of the twins, presumably Barthlew, appeared at their table, "Nym says you want to know about provisions for a group?   What do you need?"
"About three tendays provisions for the lot of us. Three quarters of that will have to be fairly non-perishable." Blacky said as he dug into the stew with vigor. "Oh and no strange stuff like pickled eels and the like, if you know what I mean. We need it six days hence." He finished

Barthlew shook his head at Blacky's request for provisions, "I don't have that much salted meat or cheese, and that's about all that would keep that long. My winter stores won't be in until after Highharvestide. Rastifer usually keeps provisions that travel well in the general store."

"We are also going to need rope, lanterns, and oil from Rastifer," Echo told Blacky.  "What else do the rest of you think we need?"

"Do you think we'll need to mark the passages we take?" Jana asked. "And maybe some spikes or something, in case we have to climb down or up or something?"

Nym quietly brought their food.   After nearly a week of eating rations, it was difficult to say that the fresh bread and savory stew that made up the common meal looked any less appetizing than the steak that she put in front of Aloysius.   She put down a platter of cheeses and fruit, "Ol' Grizzler says this and your drinks are on him for bringing back his nephew safe."   She gave Andren, who was approaching the table and had certainly heard her, a distressed look and quickly retreated back to the kitchen.

Renn ate the proffered fruit with a smile, and added to this the wine and bread at the table. He bent to his meal with alacrity, but with making a glutton of himself. His gaze wandered over those at the table with him occassionally, though he continued to eat steadily.

Arachne abandoned gazing at Gerrd.  Finding bread and a bowl, she set to with enthusiasm, though she glanced at the man from time to time to see if he was noticing anything.

"Renn," Arachne called to the priest, "has your god given you any insight regarding persons whose wits have wandered?  And if not," she added, more generally, "does anyone know where Gerrd's mum lives?  I guess that returning him to her would be the next best thing we could do."  She continued to eat quickly.  "Maybe I can take Gerrd home before the meeting at Garyld's," she said around a mouthful.

"In Evereska, those who were...stricken in such a manner were tended to by the chosen of Sehanine," Renn replied after he dabbed the leavings of a particularly juicy bite of a peach from about his mouth. "For it is she who holds dominion over dreams, journies, and death amongst the Tel'Quessir. What I do know is that those who had taken leave of their senses were surrounded by friends, family, images of all things Elven. If these sights and sounds could not bring them back, there were prayers that could be invoked.

"And as such, there is one prayer I can ask for that lets me touch the mind of a person, and to sense their thoughts," Rennirolas continued. "That would be the limit of my abilities, I have not the strength to call for greater aid. Though I have never used this incantation, I can try to beseech Corellon to grant it to me if it is thought best to do so," he added.

Andren looked anxious and haggard compared to his brother, the circles under his eyes even darker than before.   "Did you find out anything about Jelenneth?" he asked, interrupting anyone who happened to be speaking when he got there.

Arachne hid behind her stew bowl, a move that was more plausible for her than for anyone else in the group.

Azrun turned in his chair and looked at Andren with sympathetic eyes, "Andren, we found a few things of hers while down in the mines. We believe she's still alive. We are planning an excursion now to see if we can rescue her. That is all that we know. I know its hard. I've been there before.  Hopefully, you'll get a happy ending. I'll do my best to see that it happens." He watched Andren hoping that he had helped the young man.

As Nym began loading the table with food, Aloysius grinned in gluttonous expectation.  When his steak and ale arrived, his face alit with a wide-eyed wonder unseen from him since the first time Gloris leaned over his table in Thurmaster.  After shoveling some fruit and bread onto his plate next to his steak, he proceeded to dig into his meal with vigor, both elbows high in the air as he cut, chewed, and repeated.

"Shweet Myshtra," he croaked, "care not do I if e'er again I shee an eel."  He swallowed hard and took a long pull from his ale.  "Ahhhhh!  Would that yon local villains would center their activities more proximate to a decent tavern.  'Twould make do-gooding a much more pleasant task."

Rather than wipe his face, the mage simply licked vigorously at the edges of his mouth.  "If Tauster is to be able to perform a tenth of the services we are in need of, he shall require advanced notice of our requests.  Otherwise, he shall be most sorely ill-prepared.  Mayhap it would be best if we prioritized our wishes.  Certainly we need to have the chests opened and de-warded.  Doubts have I that such would be  difficult for him.  There may well be items within the chests the nature of which shall not be immediately apparent."

He glanced at Echo.  "Echo, does Stargazer recall correctly that thou hast an incantation for the examination of magical auras?  If so, perhaps you, Azrun and I, betwixt us, could perform such analyses at a later date?  I fear that, e'en if he be prepared, Mage Tauster shall not have time 'enow to do everything we need."

Stifling a burp, but just barely, he recommenced with the inhalation of his meal.

"I don't have the components and it's not a spell we can cast while we're in any danger or traveling since it leaves you helpless for a day," Echo said. "We don't know if you're going to be with us anyway," she added. "If we've got to choose, I think it's more important to get the items identified. Those of us going back to the tunnels need all the help we can get."

"Hmm . . ." mused Aloysius, "I knew not the specifics of that spell. Since that is the case, Tauster may well be hesitant to assist us, what with spell casters being abducted and all."

He sucked down the last few bites of his lunch. "When shall we depart for Garyld's?"

"What did you find of hers?" Andren asked desperately. "And where do you
think she is?"

"We found her cloak and a ring," Echo said.  "Do you want them or should we give them to her family?  We think she is underground somewhere being held by a priest of Cyric.  Snagger might be able to tell you more about how she was doing.  He was with her for some time, I think."

"Perhaps the components will be found in the chests. A pearl, I believe you said, right Echo?" Blacky questioned.

"Tauster's home is well protected, I think," Echo replied. She turned to Arachne, "If he won't do it, see if you can buy the spell components for me if he has them. But please try to get him to do it if you can."

"Yes, a pearl," Echo said. "How long is it going to take you to get to Thurmaster?" she asked Blacky.  "It's not that far. I think Tauster might well have time to do we need so we don't have to pick."

"Early on the 'morrow we go to Thurmaster. Let us finish our meal and attend the meeting.  I have need to charter a boat and check on an axe before the end of the day." Blacky said between bites of bread and stew.

"NO BOATS!" said Aloysius firmly. "Accept the word of one who knows, Eric. Janathell can offer additional testimony to the horrors that reside in the river."

"I don't recommend boats," Jana confirmed.  "There were some nasty-assed creatures swimming around when we were going by raft.  One pretty much tore my throat out."

The mage wrung his hands and got a far away look in his eyes. "Reminds me does that of another grim matter that I must attend in Thurmaster."

He stared down at the floor momentarily before adding, "I'm ready for the meeting when the rest of you are."

"I'm ready," Jana said, hurriedly finishing her lunch.

"Buy a pearl from Tauster?" Arachne repeated, wanting to be sure that she understood the request correctly.  "All right, but if he won't do us the favor of casting the spell, I'm not counting on him to give us a favorable price on the pearl, so it could be expensive.  Aloysius, you're going to bring significant money, right?"  She turned back to
Echo.  "And the pearl is the only 'component' you need,  right?"

"Verily, small one, thine inquiry has raised a concern in my mind," replied Aloysius.  "Intent was Stargazer on paying Tauster with some of the valuables within the chests themselves.  If Tauster can or will not open the chests for us, we may well have insufficient resources with which to obtain other services from him."

He thought for a moment.  "And all of this assumes that Tauster is even in Thurmaster when we arrive."

He sighed deeply and rubbed his face.  "In sooth, methinks we have little choice but to hope he is there and that he will at least assist us in opening the chests."

Turning to Blacky, he concluded.  "Eric, hast thou made an accounting of the coin that we have accumulated so far?  We may have to fall back upon those funds."

"I have it all, I'll count it up tonight before sleeping." Blacky replied "If Tauster won't or can't open the chests for us, I'll break them open myself, wards be damned. Hopefully there isn't anything fragile inside. We can't afford to not get those chests open."

"I need about 65 gold to care for my horse while we're gone," Jana piped in.  "And Olaf'll need some too for that, since he's comin' with us."

Azrun listened and ate his meal as the others discussed the identification of the items the group had. He wiped his mouth and then spoke," If we're not leaving tonight, can I look over the items we have acquired. I've traveled a bit and picked up stories along the way. Perhaps I may be able to figure out what the items were used for. The history of the item often can tell you a lot about its powers." He took another bite of food and smiled.

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