In Lock & Key Tavern's Back Room...
One look at Amandine and Faline could tell that she was less than happy to hear that they were to retrieve a lost artifact from ancient Dragonians. She listened to the petite woman and took another look at the legend in the book, she noticed the markings in the margins of the book while she began to write notes on a blank paper.
Sir Dorian gave a sympathetic smile to Amandine as she explained one of the many legends of her people.
"While I understand your sarcasm and notion about the Emperor, Amandine. This disease has been proven to affect all races throughout Vradia, not just humans and Elvian. This is much bigger than protecting an ancient trinket with magical properties," he explained as there was a look in Dorian's eye that Faline didn't like.
Faline paused to listen to Maltar and Torsten. She wanted to give a show of support for Amandine's connection to the Dragonian culture and support for the quest at hand but froze upon Budi casually taking a lock of her hair and taking a sniff. Faline didn’t know a lot about Orcs, aside from the fact that they were a race of large, strong beings. She flicked her emerald gaze to the Northern Orcs as he moved on from her. The half-Elvian concluded that scenting must be a gesture of his culture or upbringing. Faline turned her attention back to the book and map on the table.
Dorian was about to speak a reply to the group when Faline stopped him.
"Our mentors have already found the ruins," Faline said as she crossed her arms while showing Amandine the code she had broken.
"My uncle wouldn't suggest taking something from an ancient culture unless it was agreed upon. He's a negotiator at heart. He could probably convince a tree to give up its leaves if necessary. The ruins they found were void of life, not including forest animals and vegetation. That's my uncle's handwriting and marks in the margins of the book. It was his mission to locate the ruins," she said as Dorian nodded in agreement to Faline's conclusion.
"Sir Nikolai didn't have time to retrieve the Amulet by himself, not with the increase of Duskrot cases. He thought that it would be best to test you younger members," Sir Dorian explained as he placed a different piece of paper on the table.
"This is your supply list. I would suggest you rest here tonight and take off in the morning. I'll have the cook bring in a meal for all of you," he instructed before leaving the room.
"Well, isn't that just fantastic? This night is just full of surprises," Faline muttered as she looked at Amandine.
"I hope we don't have to use the Amulet and your people can retain the bobble. My uncle noted in the legend that the side effects of the magic aren't great," she explained as a very short, round old woman trotted in. The pot-bellied woman was definitely of Dwarven descent with a long, grayed braid rolled up into two buns on her head. She rolled in a cart with a large stew pot on top, then a basket of biscuits and a few desserts on the tray below with the bowls and silverware.
"Y'll needin' to eat up now, gots to have yas strength. Or so says the boss," the old woman said as she passed out the bowls and soup spoons.
Faline glanced over the list on the table.
"Eight-bed rolls and a crate of supplies for the trip, or so it appears. It says that each mentor has placed appropriate weapons in the chest with their symbol on said chest," she announced for anyone’s curiosity.
Interesting, there are only seven of us here, Faline thought as she raised her eyebrows at the Orc's advance, or what seemed like one.
"As for your answer, Tiny, I believe those are bunk beds if you’re tired. Also, niceties mean comforts, like beds and access to already made food," Faline explained as she gestured to the eight beds in the room of the opened door as she grabbed a bowl of Cook's stew, not one to pass up a free meal.
"The boss says that ya kids will need to be up early in the morn," Cook said before she placed the rest of the food on the table.
"Best be gettin' to bed after eating." The dwarven woman rolled her cart out of the room. The silence is filled with the squeakiness of the wheels on the cart.
After finishing her bowl of stew and biscuit, Faline took one of the bottom bunks and placed her pack on the bed before she went back over to the table to read her uncle's notes. She frowned as there was nothing left to decipher except the location of the ruins.
"I have a feeling that there is more going on than just Duskrot. With our mentors being separated on various missions, it almost feels like a deliberate action," she commented as she pulled out her uncle's journal to see if there was anything that she could find that would help them tomorrow on their journey.
Meanwhile with Pebble at the Crossroads...
A snow-white owl called out as dusk was uproaching and landed in front of the half-dwarf woman. Its bright blue eyes blinked slowly one at a time at Pebble before hooting at her. The large feathered being rotated its head, then returned to staring at Pebble, tilting its stare before suddenly flapping its large wings. It flew up and landed on the Somerset sign. The bird cawed at Pebble continuously until she stood and then took off to the tree that was the start of the Somerset path, calling out to her again.