04.01c - "The Bones"

Bismark dropped his gear in his room, locking the door, and returning to the festivities downstairs. Heading to the bar, he strikes up some small talk with the bartender. "So what's the story behind this daylight? Should be getting dark, shoudln't it?"

"Aye, it should, but darkness isn't a thing we have to worry about around here. Legend has it that ages ago a great battle between good and evil was fought. The forces of the forest and evil were driven back and a beacon of hope was provided as a warning to evil to stay away. The forests pulled away from the river and this general area acts as a safe haven. No one knows who or how. SOme people think it's a blessed relic, but none has been found. small village, then later the town came much later."

"wow, that is very interesting. The priests don't even know how?" Bismark asked.

Chuckling, "of course those of Lethander claim responsibility, but they just seem to think anything good and sunny is their own personal doing" The Bartender adds.

Bismark laughed, and after a moment turned to Blak. "When & where did Leosin say we were supposed to meet up with him?"

Blak turned a lilty smile toward Bismark. "I'm not sure that he did.  Hopefully he knows his way around town and can check in on us. I'm really feelin' this room, Bis.  Are you feelin this room too?.” Knocking back the rest of the vintage in his glass, Blak reached out and grabbed the beer, heading out to perform another set, loose and definitely with some more swagger.

Watching all this, Bismark ordered a drink. "Wine, ale or liquor?" the bartender asked.

“Liquor” Bismark replied, and the bartender placed a bottle on the counter, turning around to get a glass. Bismark picked up the bottle, leaving 5s on the bar and walking towards the door.

The barkeep whistled for Bismark to come back. “2 silver a shot, friend. Whole liquor bottle of that quality is gonna set you back 2 gold.”

"My apologies, sir." Bismark stopped & reached into his coin purse, tossing him 2 gold coins and then continuing out the door, and turning in the direction of the black antlers tavern. Getting a few yards down the street, Bismark stopped, and sat, leanig up against the outside wall of the inn. Bismark lifted his bottle and took a swig every so often watching people walk by.

-

Hank was busying herself making adjustments on a suit of studded leather armor as the bell rang twice from the door swing. Able walked into the shop. "Is this Hank's?

"That's me!" Hank said, tapping a metal bit into some leather works. "One sec!" Able examined the display model plate, and after amoment Hank approached, wiping her hands on her leather apron. "Help ye?"

Able extended his hand, which was met by a very calloused and strong hand in greeting.

"I'm looking for something to put between me and the troubles. Name's Able. What do you have in the way of plate?"

"Plates fantastic if you plan on standing and taking it. Half plate is better if you're hoping to at least avoid the hit" Hank noted.

"I'm, uh, not so great at the avoidance. That's why I need this. I already have a set of splint that I'm wearing for now." Able quipped.

"Well, lucks on your side because you seem to be of average build, Assuming you got the coin I have a couple of sets in the back that could just use some minor adjustment and get you measured up for straps and you'll be ready to stop dodging and take that first hit then hit em harder back" Hank told him

"What kind of coin are we talking about?" Able asked.

"Not cheap, but extremely well made if i do say so myself. It'll set you back about 1600 for a set of full plate. Ornaments are extra" she told him.

“it’ll just needs some adjustments, not ready until at LEAST tomorrow. Half of the gold down”

while she was measuring him, Able asked "How did you end up with the name Hank? Where is that from?”

"Da wanted a boy.” she said “And his name was Hank. And his Da's name was Hank. His Da died while Mama was pregnant with me. Felt it was a way to honor him and to make sure i grew up strong"

"i know what you mean. I'm Able, dad was Adam, Grandad was Amos. It goes on and on like that"

"You'd think parents would get clever about naming? Hell, they have three seasons to think of something good" Hank said, stretching the measuring tape.

"My dad could have had a hundred seasons. Wouldn't have made any difference. He'd have found a way to fuck it up" Able told her

Hank laughed, "Fair." Alright, come in sometime tomorrow afternoon to see if I got the measurements right, maybe some adjustments on the straps. I hope to hells you have a comrade to help you get in and out of this, because there ain't no way you're doing it yourself"

"I'll tell my manservant" Able said with a laugh. "The elf girl and I will be back tomorrow then"

"Elf girl?" Hank asked, confused.

"The one who came in earlier - she referred me. We are traveling in the same company" Able explained.

"Oh! You're with that little firecracker?" Hank said, beaming

"You have no idea.” Able said readjusting his clothes. "She didn't pee on the floor did she?"

"She seemed fierce, I'd hate to be on her bad side. Okay then, i've written it all down, tomorrow afternoon I'll see both of . . .” Hank paused. “did you say pee?"

"Okay, tomorrow then! Farewell!" Able said, turning to leave and returning to the silver dagger.

-

Inside the silver dagger,  A'postrofae sat at the bar, continuing to drink and watching Blak, who after finishing his set and the premium ale came back over and plopped down next to a'postrofae. He seemed to slowly 'tay-tay inna win' on the bar stool, but there was no wind. He tried to prestidigitate some for that cool, windblown hair look, and because it would be cool since actually felt quite warm, but instead the cantrip accidentally put out the fire in the fireplace. Thinking his cantrips may be broken, Blak snapped his fingers five more times, each time awaiting a cooling effect but instead the fireplace behind him lighting and unlighting. "sump'ns wrong.  Mimagicx gone?"

“What the hell are you doing?” Apostrofae asked him, thinking he was having a fit of some sort, noticing the fireplace going on and off in time with his snapping. “Stop fucking around with the fireplace Blak. People are getting pissed off”

"Fireplace?  Wussa fireplace haveta do with mimagix?" Blak slurred. "Do ya feel any wind?" he asked, frowning.

“Every time you snap your fingers the fireplace goes on and off and no I don’t feel any wind” Apostrofae told him.

Out in the street, Able’s beard starts blowing in an unseen beeeze. "Wha-what the rut?" Bismark nodded as he saw Able returning, his beard flowing in the wind.

“Oh...oh...riiight, I was using the wrong'and…. ThankssA'postrofae, no madder what anyone'else thinks yer great. Yer just, greaaaat."

A windblown Able entered the door and approached the bar. "Who is drunkcasting?"

“Why is your hair blowing around?” Apostrofae asked. “Oh that would be Blak. He was hot”

"Hey...you took my wind" Blak noted. "I admit'doe, s'makin'ya look way more fabulous...tha"beard...like mighty.

Apostrofae stood up and headed to the bathroom without falling down. She ended up in a closet, and accidentally locking herself in, peed a little in the closet and eventually figured her way out of the closet.

Looking at Blak and Apostrofae, Able attempted to drunkherd the pair upstairs to put them to bed. "Alright you too, let's go upstairs and sleep it off" Since Blak was unresponsive, Able threw him over his shoulder to carry him up the stairs.

"Thanks Dad..." Blak muttered

Able put Blak to bed, being sure to place him on his side. "okay, that's enough motherin' for today”, And then headed back downstairs to drink. Apostrofae seemed to have escaped him at some point, then found her sitting at the bar again. Able sat down next to her and ordered a round for both of them. "Whatever she's drinking"

"I think they clean the bathroom with whatever this is...or they should. It stinks in there." Apostrofae said.

"In that case I'll have a double" Able said to the bartender, raising an eyebrow at the bathroom comment and pours several fingers worth for Able.

"So Able, did you make it to Hanks for your plates?" Apostrofae asked.

"I did indeed.” Able said proudly. ”Thank you for the recommendation. It went beautifully. it certainly went better than my first outing"

"First outing? What happened?" Asked apostrofae.

"Ah, I, uh...I tried to learn a little bit more about" Able gestured with his hands around his head "all this shit that's happening in my head. I went to a soothsayer. It went poorly. Well, maybe poorly. I'm not sure, honestly"

Apostrofae cocked her head "Why poorly? What did she say? Do you think that she was real?"

"I'm afraid she might have been, yes. She knew some things she shouldn't have known, and said she knew other things I have yet to confirm." Able looked skeptical. "But I am not sure if it was just trickery or not"

"Where is she?! I want to talk to her!" Apostrfae blurted out.

Able shook his head. "Now listen kiddo, she's probably just gonna take your money. She already got mine, let's call it even"

"I want to talk to her." Apostrofae repeated in a much less light hearted way.

"Alright, alright. It's your money to waste" Able said, giving her directions to Madam Trundee’s

"Thank you!", Apostrofae said happily. "I'll go there tomorrow. How do you like the bathroom cleaner?"

"Pine-y" Able said with a cough.

"I said it was effective, I didn't say it was good." The bartender says with a smile as he wipes down a glass.

"At least it makes the glass look cleaner"

-

Meanwhile, Sir Hector was watching a charismatic bard dance with a very limber mule. While acknowledging that cultures are different here, he still frowned at the shenanigans.

-

After some time, Apostrofae stood up from the bar. "Fuck this waiting, I'm going to go talk to the soothsayer." And headed out of the bar following Able's directions.

Seeing Apostrofae leaving the dagger. Bismark called to her. "Vhere you heading Apostrofae'?" and took another swig from the bottle.

"I'm going to talk to the soothsayer that Able talked to." she replied.

Bismark slowly stood up and walked over to follow. The pair weaved their way through the streets, and as the distant bell chimed 6, they noticed that even though the light of the day does not change, the crowd does seem to thin out a bit. Not completely, but noticeable. They arrive at the alley that Able mentioned and turn to head down towards the obvious shack. Apostrofae opened the door and walked in, with Bismark following.

The old crone sats at her table, sipping tea, a second and third cup already poured, steam raising from them. "I knew it wouldn't be worth my time to even walk to the door" she said to the pair.

"OK, that's weird. Do you have other people here?", Apostrofae said, looking at the tea.

"I do now." Madam Trundee said with smile.

Bismark raised his eyebrows in surprise, but took a cup and sipped it.

Apostrofae took acup and smelled it, then poured something from her bottle into the cup and tasted it. “Much better” she said.

The crone smiled over the brim of her cup. "So wise for one so young"

“Want some?" Apostrofae said, holding out the bottle and shakin git at her.

"I start every day with a sip. It keeps me young. I like to keep it to just that, child."

Apostrofae shrugged and put it back in her coat pocket. "So, now what?"

"Now? You sit, child" the crone told her and Apostrofae plopped down in the chair.

Bismark leaned up against a post and looked around the place, taking in all the sights.

"Ignore him.” Apostrofae said. “He likes to follow me around and protect me from bad things."

"I believe you are quite capable of protecting yourself" Trundee said. "Assuming you don't . . . bite, more than you can chew"

Apostrofae leaned in and whispered to the crone, "He doesn't know that I'm the bad thing."

"Oh, sorry, vould you rather me step outside?” Bismark said realizing they were talking about him. “I vas just following out of interest"

Apostrofae waved her hand. "You can stay if you want. I just have some questions."

"You may stay, boy, just touch nothing and speak nothing once we begin" teh crone said looking at him. Bismark pulled his hand back from the skull that he was about to pick up.

Madam Trundee brought her gaze back to Apostrofae. "So ... child. What is it you seek from Madam Trundee?"

"I have questions about a man that visited my village" Apostrofae said, as Bismark stared and watched Trundee. "A magic man..."

Taking one last thoughtful sip of tea, she then set the cup, saucer and kettle down in an alcove, she looks around the room, tapping a bony finger on her chin. "If only insects had bones . . ." Apostrofae looked around only now noticing all the bones on the wall. "Bones of the rat should suffice," Down and to the left she emptied a small netting into her hand, and taking it she spat, dropping the bones into the wooden tray. "Oh . .  Oh child."

"What?" Apostrofae blurted, not phasing the fortune teller.

"Sadness . . . anger . . . no ... rage. Loathing . . . corruption. This is the future I see based on your path." Trundee said. Bismark frowned. "Tell me child . . .did you see the wooden mask your mother found burried in those woods? Darkness swirls . . . darkness . . . burns"

Apostrofae looked at her intently. "I wasn't allowed to see it… If it's what I think you are talking about"

“Perhaps that is why you survived. . ." Madam trundee theorized. "The name he gave you was false, but I can not see his True Name"

Apostrofae’s expression sank. "I survived because I ran...like a coward.."

"And those you consider brave . . . where are they? Burned. Dead . . . Bones."

"Dead..all dead." Apostrofae agreed. "Can I change what he did to me? My path?"

"We are all bones, in the end. Do not be so quick to become one with them." Trundee continued. "He was powerful . . . very."

"Do I want to change my path?"Apostrofae asked.

Madam Trundee glanced over Apostrofae's head to Bismark standing behind, "Does he know? My focus is all you, child" Bismark looked back and forth, watching the conversation with interest.

"He knows a little...not all." Apostrofae said.

"Child . . .” the crone said gently. “ the corruption spreads. Containment? Doubtful"

Apostrofae squirmed. "I don't like what I am becoming"

Trundee continued. "Those who like what they become are few and far between these times. You have a long and difficult road ahead, Both in spirit and in distance."

"Where can I find him? Do you know?" Apostrofae asked

"I see . . . whiteness . . . snow? No . .  clouds.” Madam trundee said, closing her eyes

A look of confusion on her face, Apostrofae asked “What is snow?"

"Death . . . Sleep . . . Renewal.” Trundee continued. “What your mother found . . . might destroy. Darkness consumes"

"They took it...I told them that I would let them have it if they only would leave."

Trundee looked up at Apostrofae. "And for that you may be forever cursed. There was no right answer, child. That much I can see."

"I was trying to save everyone. They had so many people… So many..."

Trundee leaned her head back and closed her eyes once more. "Fire consumed. But new plants grow, child"

"What is the end of my path? What will I become?" Apostrofae asked

Madam Trundee paused, her eyes still closed, and the slowly leveled her face and opened her eyes, looking directly into Apostrofae’s. "Vengence. Death incarnate."

"Vengence..." Apostrofae repeated. "I will take that."

"I know' Trundee said, unmoving.

"Thank you old woman. Things are clearer." Apostrofae told her, beginning ti get up from her chair.

She breathed deeply and nodded. "May I ask a question of you, child?"

Apostrofae stopped and sat back down. “Yes.“

"How?" Trundee asked. "How did you manage to trust again?"

Apostrofae looked confused "I trust people to be terrible. To hurt others. To take what they want. Does that answer your question?"

"In the way that you are capable. Yes"

She glances over at Bismark. "Lucky for me you came here in mere curiosity, and not in search of answers. Your friend has exhausted me"

"I hear that a lot. How much do I owe you? Apostrofae asked.

She tutted, shaking her head and just holding out her hand. "Donations are accepted."

Apostrofae gave her a gold coin, and Trundee chuckled, slipping the money away. She stood up, looking more confused than when she sat down. "We should get back Bismarck. We have to meet that monk guy soon. or now...It's hard to tell here."

"You alright?" Bismark asked.

Trundee smiled knowingly.

"Yes...I think..probably no." Apostrofae said to Bismark, who frowned.

Bismark waited for Apostrofae to walk out first, then turns to Trundee. "Do you speak to the dead?"

"I speak through the dead, not to, boy" She points matter-of-factly to all teh bones.

Bismark paused. "Do you ever give people any good news?" Before she could answer, he turned and walked out.