Day 5 - Late Night
Morgana, Nazgog, and Sticky return to the packed Blue Water Inn tavern room. They overhear several patrons reminisce about the bard who killed a mimic as the three make their way toward Fidelia and Jagger. Jagger's face is flushed with the excitement of performing and drinks, but sobers a bit as he examines the faces of his companions. Nodding toward the room upstairs, the party trundles outside before climbing the stairs to their private room.
Once out of prying ears, the party discusses the evening's events. Jagger's puzzled over Rictavio having a saber tooth tiger locked in his wagon, but decides that mystery can wait. The more pressing mystery revolves around the missing bones of St. Andral and the party quickly concludes that Milivoj must have stolen the bones.
Nazgog chimes in, "I threaten to bust face, Milivoj talk."
Sticky responds, "I don't know that we need to threaten him. Why don't we just sneak over to his and see what we find. He'll be asleep, yes? And since we know he took them, maybe he buried them at his home. If so, then it's easy peasy that we just steal them back and return the bones."
"I'm up for a bit of recon," states Jagger. "Why don't we do it right now while he should be sleeping? We could have this all wrapped up by morning."
Fidelia objects, "If we do this now, in the dark of night, we are taking a large risk. What if someone sees us? What if he defends the home?"
"We'll be quiet and stealthy," Sticky assuages her concerns. "Let's just make it a small team that specializes in the dark, say Jagger and I. We'll be in and out and no one will be the wiser."
"Alright, I don't see another way right now," Fidelia concedes.
Jagger and Sticky work to dampen any sound on their body and then sneak down the stairwell and into the night as Nazgog, Morgana, and Fidelia stay behind in the room fretting about their companions.
An hour passes and then two, before Jagger and Sticky return. Jagger speaks, "We made it there without any problem and we carefully approched his house and began inspecting the grounds and the walls surrounding the house. We were almost done, when I tripped and knocked against the side of the house. We heard someone call out from inside the house while we quickly ducked into the shadows and waited until the house went silent again. We then quickly finished our search without finding any fresh dirt or hidden caches along the outside walls. I guess he could've hidden the bones inside, but we'll have to approach a different way." Disappointed with the results, the party climbs in their beds and sleep til dawn.
Day 6 - Morning
Morgana awakens first and dresses quietly before heading down to the hall. Nazgog and Sticky wake shortly afterward and join Morgana in the tap room.
Nazgog grumps, "I'm so hungry I could eat a wolf."
"They don't open the kitchen until noon," replies Morgana. "Without the kitchen, how do you plan to have breakfast."
"Wolves," replies Nazgog as if that answers everything.
"What about them?" asks Morgana.
"Hunt. I leave now," replies Nazgog. "I go hunt outside city walls and kill wolves."
"It's dangerous to go alone. How about I come with you," Morgana pleads.
Nazgog stands and checks her axe before replying, "Fine. You come with. See you soon Sticky."
Morgana and Nazgog head south through
Vallaki before entering the forests. Nazgog leaves the dirt path behind as she pushes deeper into the forest. Within an hour, Morgana has found tracks that lead her off toward the east with Nazgog in tow. Cresting a small hill, Nazgog sees two wolves in a vale below and charges forward. The wolves react almost instantly, but Nazgog's axe fells them before they can attack.
Nazgog starts to heave one on her back when Morgana suggests that she process it so they only carry what they'll keep. However, this is the first time Morgana has tried to process such a large mammal and she ends up cutting the intestines that explode with bits of flesh across her face and body. After finishing cleaning the wolf, Morgana is left with only a few steaks worth cooking.
Upon seeing the fruit of her friend's effort, Nazgog states, "I take this one back whole. I get more since I have more meat." The pair then start trudging back toward town.
Back inside
The Blue Water Inn, sitting alone in the taproom Sticky sharpens his knives. As he finishes, Fidelia and Jagger wander into the room and join him.
"Where are Morgana and Nazgog?" asks Fidelia.
"Wolves?" Sticky replies, then continues, "Do either of you know about saber tooth tigers?"
"I know a few things," replies Jagger. "Why?"
"That's what's in the wagon," Sticky answers.
Jagger eagerly asks, "Oh! Can we go see it?"
"Umm let's go back to the wolves," Fidelia interjects. "How do wolves relate to Morgana and Nazgog?"
As Sticky starts to respond, the door opens and Morgana gleefully states, "Hey look! We've bagged some wolves!"
Looking up, Jagger sees Morgana covered in blood guts holding up about two pounds of meat with Nazgog towering behind her with a whole wolf slung over her shoulder. Jagger shakes his head and says, "Here Give me the wolf and I'll go process it in the kitchen. We'll find a way to pay Urwin if he has a problem with it." Nazgog follows Jagger into the kitchen with the wolf.
Just then, Urwin comes down the stairs and takes one look at Morgana covered in blood and gore before declaring, "Shower! Now! You will not bloody up my establishment!" Morgana quickly heads back to the rooms where she showers.
Ten minutes pass before Morgana returns with a towel wrapped around her body. Urwin nods in appreciation while announcing, "Since you brought back and processed the wolves, I'll serve lunch. I'll even include a bit of Purple Grapemash as a treat. Sit down and it'll be right out.
The party gathers at a table as Urwin and Danika bring out a few steaks and bowls of Beet Soup along with a flagon of wine. They quickly feast and discuss plans for the day. Deciding they haven't seen enough of the town, exploration becomes the task of the day so Morgana heads back upstairs where her clothes have been drying to dress and prepare for the day.
With directions from Urwin, the party heads toward the town square where the festival of the Blazing Sun will be held in two days. They wind through a row of houses and then enter the square decorated with limp, tattered garlands and painted wooden boxes filled with dead limp flowers. Along the northern edge of the square a row of stocks are occupied with men, women, and children, each wearing a plaster donkey head. In the center of the square, a group of peasants with patchwork clothing draw water from a crumbling fountain. All around the square there are proclamations for the previous festival of the Wolf' s Head Jamboree.
As the party lingers, three men enter the square, Two of them wear city guard uniforms and the other that towers above them has a misshappen right arm and hand that has elongated fingers. The party watches as fire flicks into being as he idly snaps his fingers. They watch him order the two guards who then approach each of the proclamations. The first guard tears down the Wolf's Head Jamboree while the other follows with placing a new proclamation that boasts the Festival of the Blazing Sun and that attendance is mandatory.
Fidelia approaches the large human and notices that the misshappen arm seems to have barbed spines as well as elongated fingers and nails. The arm appears almost demonic. The man's eyes tracks her as she approaches and asks, "Why are those folk locked up? What was their crime?"
He grunts before replying, "They spread rumors. They talk badly of festivals which all know brighten everyone's life. Since they make mischief, they get locked up like jackasses that they are."
Noticing Fidelia's brow furrowing, Jagger saunters over, "Hey! You look strong and able. You must be important in town. What's your name my tall dark stranger?"
"Izek," he replies. "Burgomaster says I'm important, but mostly I am strong."
"Well Izek," Jagger flirts, "I'm Jagger the Dagger and I bet you are incredibly important to the Burgomaster. You've done many jobs for him, yes?"
Izek assents, "Yes. He raised me after my family died and other kids mocked me for losing an arm. I got revenge though. You can't tease me about my dead sister and father."
"Oh! That sounds horrific," Jagger gasps. "What happened?"
Izek explains, "Pa and Uncle took me and sister fishing. On the way home giant wolves attacked us. Father ran me home before dying of heart-ache, but sister and uncle died due to wolves. Sometimes I dream about sister though. I get Blinsky to make images of her."
A memory surges within Jagger as he responds, "Blinsky? The toymaker? He has a shop here?"
"Yes," replies Izek. "His shop is just a street or two toward the east. Fun guy, I wonder why he seems lonely."
The conversation continues while the guards finish distributing the proclamations. Upon completion, Izek states, "Job done, so I must return to my duties. Nice to meet you Jagger."
As Izek and the guards depart, the party decides to head toward Blinksy's shop since they remember the Mary's daughter owned a Blinsky doll. Leaving the square behind, the party follows Izek's directions and soon sees a wooden sign shaped like a rocking horse with a red B engraved into it hanging above a dark portico entrance. Sticky peers through a dirty window and sees a placard stating "Is no fun, is no Blinsky" hanging from a wooden rack.
Upon entering the shop, a short heavy-set man wearing a jester's cap and outfit joyfully greets the party with a well-rehearsed speech, "Wyelcome, friends, to the House of Blinsky, where hyappiness and smiles can be bought for bargain prices. Perhaps you know a leetle child in need of joy? A leetle toy for a girl or boy?" As he finishes his speech, a small monkey jumps down from a shelf and climbs to his shoulders.
"You've a lovely shop," Fidelia comments. "Might we look around?"
"I'm hyappy that you think so," replies Gadof Blinsky. "Please look, touch, find joy."
Curious about the toys, the various party members explore the shop. Morgana sees a doll down an aisle that reminds her of Vanya. However, the more she studies the doll the less it looks like Vanya. Losing interest, she sees a merry-fo-round that appears to have snarling wolves chasing children.
Jagger heads down a different row that leads to a workbench in the back. Looking at it, he sees a doll that looks almost exactly like
Ireena. Curious, he asks Blinsky, "This is a beautiful doll. How much is it?"
"Not for sale," replies Blinsky. "That's spyecial project. Commission work."
Fidelia joins Jagger and she asks Blinsky, "Can you tell us who she's for? She truly is a wonderful creation."
"It's requested by Izek," replies Blinsky. "I try every month to make perfect doll for him, but every month he tells me new details. He says he dreams of her."
Fidelia and Jagger whisper to each other, "We should talk with Ireena about this."
The party reviews several toys that would frighten most children, like a wooden mobile with bats whose wings flaps, or a set of nesting dolls with the innermost doll resembling a mummified corpse, or a headless doll that comes with a sack of attachable heads. Eventually, the party purchases a few toys and they hear a happy Blinsky call out as they leave, "Hyappy travels my new friends. I hope these bring joy to you!"
