"One step beyond this point lies Blue Shell, the City of New Beginnings and Second Chances!" - says a clearly over-excited young-looking woman with green eyes and raven black hair as she spreads her arms and takes a deep breath of the sea wind. "We are finally here! It's said that this place is as likely to bring unparalleled wealth and glory as it is to cause immensurable pain and suffering, and that no one is safe from the city's twists and turns."
"One step beyond this point and you're no longer my problem, so keep moving!" shouts a grumpy dockmaster as you walk down the wharf. "All those who wish to become permanent citizens are required to register at the notary.."
The girl doesn't seem to hear the man's remark and goes on with her words.
"Those who dwell in here are brave, ruthless, foolish or greedy enough to take the risk, and now we're included among their ranks! This is too exciting! I hope we find 'Din soon!"
Next to her, a black-haired man donning red jackets with a cynical tone.
"I hope most of them are foolish… But greedy is good too…"
She scoffs at him and they both disappear into the crowd.
The scene doesn't surprise you. Overly eager travelers can be seen in every port. This one is no exception. The real exception here is Blue Shell herself. A city this young has no business being this big or crowded, but there it is, in front of you. With tall marble-colored buildings, docks brimming with life and streets filled with... colorful banners (?!) and vivid paintings.
You can hear dozens of different criers trying to attract the attention of the newcomers and sailors...
"All those who plan to take up permanent residence are required by law to register at the notary's office!" yells the man in an official-looking outfit on top of an wooden stand.
"Want some company, sailor?" seduces away a short girl with braided blonde hair.
"Out of the way, scum!" shouts some nervous-looking man as he and his fellow guards move in a rather hasty march.
"Start your day with the best beer in a hundred miles! Drink at the Mad Shark!" announces the red-haired girl with freckles on her face and flyers on her hands.
"Hello, stranger! How about making some quick money to kickstart your brand new start?" whispers a shady looking man just loud enough for you to hear it (and even then, it seems like you shouldn't be able to).
"Dear guests! Buy your Moon-Face at Madame Leticia! We have the classiest and sexiest ones! Custom made just for you!" sings the girl in a fancy dress and fox-shaped mask.
Countless other voices and sounds can be heard, creating an endless cacophony, but their collective message is clear:
.
Brother Cyrus steps onto the gangplank to descend from the boat and pauses for a moment feeling the cool sea wind and taking in the sight that is Blue Shell.
He turns and inquires of the Captain, "Good Captain, know you of a reputable inn or tavern where one can sleep unaccosted?" He holds a coin in clear view as payment for good information.
The young elf greets happily at the short and blond girl and continue walking.The red-haired girl make him remember the glorious taste of alcoholic drinks but then his Eyes open widely with the offer of quick gold, a pretty tempting offer.
He walks toward that man to learn more about it.
The burly captain grabs the coin with such quickness that one has to wonder if the man is incredibly dexterous or just that greedy.
"I dunnae anythin' about reputable, lad. The Mad Shark is famous around these parts, but its ale is better than its beds, that prancing lass with fire-hair will show ye how to get there. Some o' my old passengers enjoy the Dancing Duck, but tis too fancy for my tastes. Ye can find it by walking down the road and turning right at the big bronze statue."
A few feet away, an man in a grey cloak stands right around the corner and smiles as Eitylen approaches.
"Ah, finally someone who looks skilled enough to appreciate the opportunity to make some coins.". As he speaks, it becomes obvious that the man is not at all worried about any passerby listening to him, although it's still unclear if this is due to confidence, foolishness or magic. "Are you alone in here, stranger? You will need friends in this place, and I'm the best friend you could find. So how about having a drink with your new friend? After all, what kind of business talk happens without ale?"
Well, it's only polite to try the local delicacies thought Brother Cyrus as he makes his way over to the prancing lass, his walking "stick" clicking along the stones.
"Pardon me 'mam, word tells you can help a man find the best beer in a hundred miles. Perchance you could show me the way?"
"Why, of course sir!" says the excited girl who can't have more than 15 seasons on her shoulders. "Tis the Mad Shark you're looking for! We have the tastiest food and ale you will find anywhere under the sun!"
She gives Cyrus a handful of papers, all of them with the same hand-drawn map and simple instructions, directing the reader to a house with the drawing of a cartoony shark with googly eyes splashing water.
"You have to try our roast pig... No, even better! Try our Shark-bait Soup. 'Tis the house specialty! And of course, we also have the best beer in a hundred miles! Sure, there is nothing but trees and rocks beyond the city, so the best beer in a 100 miles is the just the best beer in the city but... Uh..." She suddenly stops when she realizes she's speaking too much " Please, don't tell my boss I said that... Ahem... Follow this street along the shore, sir. 6 blocks down you'll see a big warehouse with red walls, turn right and walk another 2 blocks. You can find the Mad Shark by looking for the sign with the cute fish" she says, pointing at the drawing in the papers. "Give them one of these and tell them Lizzie sent you! Your 2nd beer is on the house!"
Cyrus gives Lizzie his best smile and thanks her for the flyers. "A coin for the kind lady who is generous enough to help wayfarers find the best food around." He says while juggling the papers and spear into one hand and fishing out a gold coin for her.
After the exchange, Cyrus makes his way along the street towards the Mad Shark admiring the city along the way and taking in it's various sights.
"Thanks, sir!" she says with a smile as she takes the coin "May Desna roll good dice for you!"
On your way to the tavern, you notice the whole city seems very agitated. At first you think it's due to the proximity to the docks, but your shortly start suspecting there may be other reasons, maybe some sort of celebration, as the whole town seems covered with festive flags and banners, all of them with the drawing of a purple moon with a wicked smile.
Following her instructions is easy, and Cyrus finds his way to the Mad Shark Tavern in no more than a couple minutes. It would be impossible to miss the surprisingly large establishment, even if it was not the busiest place in the street. The image of the silly-looking shark with googly eyes is just as the one depicted in the flyers the girl handled to Cyrus, and right beside the door there is one huge anchor with words written on white chalk all over it. At closer inspection, one can see the words are the menu for the day. The walls are of a bluish grey, similar to a shark's fins.
Inside, the place looks even bigger, although that is balanced by the many patrons and waitresses walking around. The tables are all shaped like a ship's steering wheel, although with really short handles (presumably so the patrons won't have them stabbing their bellies while they eat). Like most of the city, you can see the place is covered in colorful flags with smiling purple moons drawn on them, but by far and away, the most notable trait of the tavern are the numerous shark jaws hanging on the walls, all of them of different sizes and shapes, but not quite as large as the one behind the balcony. There are stairs leading to a 2nd floor, where you can see several doors, room for rent, perhaps.
There is a musical trio playing live music, a man with a colorful lute, a girl with a flute and a singing woman try to make their music overcome the voices from the crowd.
Perhaps most importantly, the smell of food is strong enough to overwhelm any other smell, which is quite the pleasant surprise, for a place where most patrons are stout sailors.
As soon as you enter the door, a pretty lady in her early twenties brushes her light brown hair aside and give you a warm greeting.
"Welcome, sir, to the Mad Shark! The best dine in town!" She gracefully points out a few empty tables to her left "Please, sit down, and one of the girls will come soon to take your order! Today's special is the Shark Soup."
"Ah thanks!" Cyrus says as he inclines his head respectfully to the greeter before taking a seat at one of the empty tables.
Maybe now I can learn a bit more of my surroundings...I'll have to remember not to drink too much thinks Cyrus as he readies small talk and questions for when the waitress arrives.
As he waits he listens for snatches of conversation going on around him and thinks idly of the prayer the girl Lizzie spoke, taking it as some small good omen.
- to see if the guy have hidden company
Well,.., why not?, I also would appreciate if the drink is in a good tavern where I can spend the night - say the elf with naivety.
You hear a dozen different conversations around you, most of which revolve about an upcoming celebration, The Purple Moon Festival, which is the likely cause of all the decorative flags and banners all around town.
"I'm telling you! Thelma agreed to see the Purple Moon with me!" brags one
"Bah! C'mon, stop joking!" doubts another man
"I'm f~$%ing serious, you a%!##%#!!
"Well, yeah... But are you sure SHE wasn't joking?" says a third man before they all start laughing.
You can also listen to a few sailors discussing rumors about disappearances, one of them claiming to have heard from a militia guard that the missing people are related to a recent murder.
"Yeah, Bob told me the families are hiding the facts to avoid bad publicity! They make a lot of money during the festival, you know!"
"We did see more corpses than usual in the docks during these last few days, do you think it has anything to do with that Viper girl?"
"Eh, I dunno... But I hear Madame Le Fey is telling her girls to stay inside at all times...
After a couple minutes looking around, you see an incredibly large man with a full black beard and obvious shark-bite marks on his left shoulder marching through the room, without a proper look, he seems to be over 7ft tall, but that's most likely an illusion caused by the fact that no one other than the waitresses stay close to him as he walks through. He holds another man, also pretty muscular, although not quite as much as the bearded man, in a headlock.
"C'mon, Joel! It was an accident! I got too excited!" pleads the man in the headlock
"You've been warned, Galker! More than once, in fact!" replies the bearded man, who you can now see, is wearing an apron with a shark in it.
"I was drunk... it won't happen again!" explains the sailor with a half-strangled voice.
"Shut your f&@&ing mouth, you filthy dog! Even if 'being drunk' was an excuse in a f!~#ing tavern, this ain't the first time I had complaints about you!" he shouts with an angry, voice, before walking to the door and throwing the sailor outside. "Be warned, scum, the next beating I give you, will be the last!"
The bearded man turns around abruptly and then roars for the whole tavern to listen. "That goes for all of you! Behave yourselves and you can enjoy food and ale. Mistreat one of my employees and we will have some serious problems!" he quickly looks around, and shouts to a girl in a blue dress "Karina! There are customers waiting! Go take their order!"
Y-Yes, sir! Right away!" she says nervously before quickly moving towards your table.
A sharp-looking lady in leather armor, tenderly smiles and remarks
"Ah, Joel... Always a people's person..." which the man promptly ignores as he goes back to what you assume is the kitchen. He's the only one to do so, though, the patrons and waitresses around him laugh excitedly.
The young brunette in a blue dress comes to your table, trying to hide her jitters with her best smile.
"H-Hi! I'm Karina, can I take your order?
Eitylen doesn't notice anyone following the man, although he does see a few alley cats staring at his general direction
Spend the night, huh? says the shady-looking man, who you can now see, has obvious elvish features on his face "So you don't even have anywhere to stay? What brings you to our slice of world? No matter, I know the perfect place! My name is Ayren, by the way. Nice to meet you." he says as he walks along the shore
You can see the whole city is preparing for some festivity, as most walls and posts are adorned by one colorful image or another, most of which include a smiling purple moon of some kind.
A couple minutes later, you see a very crowded establishment, and the distinct smell of food and ale reaches your nose. As you approach the door, you can see a man covered in bruises flying outside, and a large bearded man shouting threats at him.
"Be warned, scum, the next beating I give you, will be the last!" he says with an intimidating voice, before going back in.
Ayren looks at the beaten sailor and halfheartedly holds a mocking laughter before turning to you. "Ah, that reminds me... Try to resist the urge of touching one of his girls, okay? I don't want to be kicked out for bringing you in!"
As you enter, a girl with light brown hair and similarly colored eyes greets you.
"Welcome, sir, to the Mad Shark! The best..." she stops abruptly "Ah, it's just you, Ayren... I see you can still find fools to keep you company.
"Bah, don't start, witch. I have no time for your games today. Is there a free table?"
"I think so, yes. Go in and check for yourself. Now, get out of the way so I can greet the good customers!"
Ayren dismisses her comment and once again directs his words to you.
"Ah, nevermind her. She's just joking, is all... Anyway, let's find us a table so we can talk business!" he says, before looking around and taking a table next to the one occupied by an green-eyed men wearing robes.
The young elf walked all the way with a naive smile on his face. HE constantelty get distracted with the thing he saw, but what most caught his attention the was arrangements for the festivity.
At the tavern he greets the girl that talked to him and then sits at the table.
So, Ayren...what is the meaning of the purple moon?
Leng makes his way into the Mad Shark.
Seems to be the most popular place in town. Didn't hear ANY recommendations for another tavern or restaurant around here now I think of it.
He navigates through the hustle and bustle, and finds an empty table to sit at.
It's clear he's not wholly comfortable with the crowd, but doesn't entirely shy away from the people either, finding a table closer to the corners of the central area, but close enough that he can overhear the conversations of the more boisterous crowd. Just because he doesn't like to be a PART of their antics doesn't mean he can't enjoy watching other people, after all.
He waits patiently for a waitress to arrive, scanning the room for threats and reading the crowd for signs of trouble almost instinctively, but allowing himself to relax somewhat nonetheless.
I should look into a bit of funeral arrangement work Cyrus morbidly mentally notes at the mention of the dead and missing people, and if luck and time allows, help in the search.
He nods satisfactorily at the display of discipline before turning his attention back on the server who arrived at the table.
"Oh no need to be nervous around me Miss, I'll just have a slice of the roast pig, a bowl of the famous Mad Shark Shark Soup, and a pint of the ale that lass at the docks mentioned. I hear it's the best in one hundred miles. Feel free to take your time, I have nowhere I need to be right now." Right? Cyrus makes his order slowly for the girl to take more easily. After his last word, he looks as though he isn't seeing anything for a moment before his eyes refocus quickly enough to pass it off as nothing of note.
"Ah yes and if you have a moment later I'd like to hear more about the festival, if it's not too much trouble for a such a pretty lady." Cyrus says with a playful wink.
The girl blushes a little before stuterring a replu, she's obviously new at this, but does seem to be trying her best.
"A-Aye, sir. I'll bring your food." she says, quickly taking notes then walks a few steps towards the kitchen door, before quickly coming back to take her little notebook with your order written on it, which she had forgotton on top of your table. "T-Then I can tell you about the f-festival, or m-maybe I should tell you first, so you don't feel to curious, but then your f-food will get cold..."
Her nervous mumbling is interupted by a half-elf donning a grey cloak
"Hahaha! Don't worry, Karina, doll. Go and bring the gentleman his food and drinks, let me introduce the newcomers to our city's most notable tradition! You know I'm good at telling tales!" he says before sitting at Cyrus' table and bringing with him another elf, this one a lot more curious-looking.
The girl seems confused about what to do for a moment, but a quick glance at the receptionist lets her know that she should follow the elf's suggestion. "I-I'll be right back with your food and beer, sir!" she says before moving on to a different table to take their order and then go to the kitchen.
"Ah, the Purple Moon festival! Our greatest tradition, and the most troublesome too! You'll love it! This year's festival promises to be the best one yet!" says Ayren.
The next voice you ehar is not Ayren's, though.
"Ah yes and if you have a moment later I'd like to hear more about the festival, if it's not too much trouble for a such a pretty lady." says a patron on the next table, which causes Ayren to smile.
He suddenly grabs Eitylen by his shirt's sleeves and pulls him to the table with the young man in robes.
"Hahaha! Don't worry, Karina, doll. Go and bring the gentleman his food and drinks, let me introduce the newcomers to our city's most notable tradition! You know I'm good at telling tales!" he says, causing the girl to hesitate for a moment before following his suggestion.
"You too don't know anything about the Purple Moon, huh? That means you're new in town, and surely would like to make friends!" speaks the elf, with a cunning smile on his face. "And even more surely you could use some gold... Ironically, beginning anew in the city of new beginnings can be difficult... and expensive. Unfufilled curiosity and a light coin-purse are troubling problems! Fortunately I can solve both of them!"
He continues to speak before either Cyrus or Eitylen can reply.
"I was just about to tell my friend here about the Purple Moon, and the great festival that celebrates it! My name is Ayren, and this is... Uh... My 2nd newest friend."
A sweet but imposing voice interrupts the man's monologue
"Excuse me, sir." says a young woman with red hair. Her body protected by a beautifully worked breastplate with the sigil of a red eagle. Her left hand rests on the hilt of her sword, while her right one taps on the table. Is this man bothering you?"
As you enter the tavern, a lovely brunette greets you.
"Welcome, sir, to the Mad Shark! The best dine in town!" she says before taking a quick glimpse to the left and making a short sign with her head. "You're in luck, sir! Not only you found the best beer in a 100 miles, it seems we're about to find you a table..." now you can see a mean (although still seductive) smile on her face.
"Brenda... Would you be so kind to show this gentleman to his table? You know... The one that just emptied because Ayren decided to interrupt another patron's meals?"
A red-haired woman donning a breastplate with a red eagle carved on it moves surpringly silently and stands by your side. She just nods at the girl who greeted you and gestures for you to follow her.
She indicates the empty table to you, before slamming her fist on the next one. She addresses an young man in robes, but her attention is clearly set on the man in the shady cloak.
Her voice is soft, but intimidating "Excuse me, sir. Is this man bothering you?"
Before the robed man can answer, the elf in the claok speaks with a nervous tune in his voice.
"Uhh... H-Hi, Brenda! Nice to meet you today, you look even more beautiful than usual" he says, but he quickly notices she doesn't care about his words and continues to speak "I was... Errr... Just about to tell my friends here about the Purple Moon Festival? No harm in that, right? Just a nice welcome to weary travellers..."
The red-haired lady just stares.
Leng sits down and idly looks over the menu.
At the mention of the Purple Moon festival his ears perk up, though he tries not to show it.
I've heard that mentioned a few times already today. Maybe I'll finally get to figure out what it IS.
He surreptitiously listens in on the conversation.
A sweet girl, a shade too innocent for her clientele Cyrus idly thinks as she walks away before mouthing a silent prayer to Lymnieris to guard her purity against villainous intent while idly fingering the silver chain linked to a trinket in the shape of a chalice with a bowing snake coiled around the base. When finished he turns to speak to the two gentlemen.
"Hail Ayren and friend, my name is Cyrus. Aye, coin, information and friends are all things I currently need...besides the hot meal on the way." Is all Cyrus manages to say before the red-haired soldier inquires of him. His eyes glance from the crest, to the sword, then meets her gaze.
"No no not at all...unless he is someone known of ill repute, but regardless I'd like to hear what he has to say. And I enjoy dining with company." Cyrus adds.
Eitylen was too distracted distracted to hear what the red haired womand said.
Uh, what?, Sorry, I didn´t hear you, I was about to hear about hte purple moon
The he waits a few seconds
So, please continue Ayren - say the elf eager to hear more about that Ayren have to say.
"S-see, Brenda? We're all friends here! No need to worry about me. I learned my lesson last time."
The girl stares at Ayren for a second, then looks back at Cyrus, who finds her semblance strangely familiar. It takes just a moment for the young priest to recognize her features, or rather, the features of someone who looks a lot like her, the girl on the docks who gave him directions to this place.
"Very well" she answers. "If you forget it, I'll gladly teach you again. Behave yourself!" are her words, before she leaves the table and goes back to talking to the girl at the door.
"Of course, Brenda! Of course! Please, have a drink at my expense!" says and obviously relieved Ayren, but the girl just stares back at him, causing Ayren to quickly turn his attention back to Eitylen and Cyrus.
"Haha... Such a lovely lady, this Brenda... But, uh... Back on topic. Where was I? Ah, of course, the Purple Moon Festival"
Ayren places a paper scroll on the table and goes on.
"You see, when they first founded this city, 49 and a half years ago, the 3 grand families were not sure of how rigorous winter would be around these parts, so they decided to start moving in during spring, this way they would have full 9 months before winter came along and possibly forced them to halt work. A great idea, of course, but it meant they would stay 9 months completely oblivious to what would happen next..."
He finally unfolds the scroll, revealing it to be a panflet for the purple moon festival, with a large drawing of a smiling purple moon over 3 differently colored stripes on the background.
"During the last day of autumn a full moon rose, only to reveal itself to be a deep shade of purple. The settlers were astonished, torn between fear and wonder. Some believed it was a sign of the gods, others thought the whole region was cursed, and a few didn't even think anything of it, just a local curiosity."
"In the week that followed, rumors start spreadings... Sightings of ghosts and spirits grew more and more common. Mages and priests often reported magic mishaps and disappearances became just as common as unexplained appearances of weird creatures, which is to say, really common" he says with hopes to spook at least on of his listeners, and seem slightly disappointed when no one is scared.
"After all of that, whoever thought the region to be cursed left town, so all that remained were those who believed the moon to be a good omen, a sign that the gods took special interest in this city. 5 years later, the same freaky phenomenon happend once again. This time, the citizens of the then 5-years old Blue Shell quickly improvised a city-wide festival." he says, pointing at the panflet on the table. "They embranced the rumors about mysterious apparitions and sudden disappearances, and created the tradition of wearing a mask over their faces and sometimes vanishing completely during this week, sometimes longer. Of course, this creates a great opportunity for those who want to escape something or get rid of someone. It's downright impossible to tell how many of such occurences are caused by the supposed supernatural forces that inspired the celebration and how many are just the natural consequences of having faceless people walk around town for a whole week... Oddly enough, there is little to no damage caused to the city buildings, but that's mostly because the Grand Council threatend to ban the festival if more depredation happened."
Ayren leans back on his chairs and finishes his story
"This year, the festival will coincide with Blue Shell's 50th Anniverssary! The Grand Families, the Grand Council and the Merchant Guild are all working together for a particularly spectacular festival. Or at least, that's the word on the streets." says Ayren, before he adds an extra note of his own "Well, to be honest, there is a 9 months discrepancy, but that won't stop the bigwigs from making some extra gold, so we got a double celebration coming in about 5 months. Which is completely fine, if you ask me."
ooooH, that is a great story - Say the elf with happiness. -It sounds like a fun festival, oh yes
Interesting. Wonder if there's any truth to the supernatural rumors? Perhaps masked by the masks just as much as the mundane disappearances are.
"Ghosts, Spirits and Disappearances eh? Sounds like quite the festival. But I believe you also mentioned a way to fill our pockets...? If it's honest work, I'd be happy to help."
Yes!, fill pockets seems like a good thing to do, specially if the job requires a full demostration of skills!
"I'm glad you're so excited, friend. I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity to show off your skills!" says Ayren in reply to Eitylen's enthusiasm. He then turns to Cyrus. "And don't you worry, uh... Friar (?) Cyrus..." Ayren is clearly unsure about how to address Cyrus, but that doesn't stop him from talking. It seems very few things do. "...The mission couldn't be of more noble nature! The rescue of an innocent child from the hands of evil thugs!"
Ayren speaks as dramatically as possible, using over-the-top body language and hand signs. "Imagine that! A rich lady got her dearest child kidnapped by criminals, who want to ransom her for money, and threatened to kill their hostage if my lady contacted the authorities. But she is proud, and not willing to pay, since doing so would only encourage others to try the same evil scheme, so she asked me to help her." Now, his face reveals an twisted grin. "She's rich, and she does love her child... I'm sure she'd be willing to pay well for his safe return. She says she doesn't care what we do the kidnappers, but she wants no harm to come to her child! Se says the poor thing can't tolerate pain... And that he must be at his best for the festival! This year they'll make a grand entrance on the Lunar Parade!"
He folds the poster for the festival back into a scroll and lays back on his chair. The poster is already gone from sight before he starts talking again.
"Those bastards will certainly kill the hostage if they see any city guard or mercenary soldier approaching their lair (which, by the way, I happen to know the location of), but you two are completely unknown in this city! When they realize what's going on, we'll already be halfway back to the my lady's state!
He smiles at you, before going on with his words.
"So... Are you in? There is enough gold to be made to make our pockets considerably heavier, even when split among the three of us... Or should I say four?"
Ayren shoots a glance at the man sitting by the table next to you.
Despite himself, Leng speaks up.
"And how exactly did you get this information?"
"We all have our secrets of survival, don't we?" he answers with a cynical smile on his face "Some are strong, others are clever... And a few are lucky enough to be wealthy. I'm no warrior or sage, and I'm certainly not rich, but I know people. And I know how to make friends. I know how to talk and, most importantly, I know how to listen."
Ayren pauses for a moment as the young lass in a blue dress comes back with Cyrus' order.
"H-here is your food... And your soup... And your beer." she says with a timid voice as she places a bowl of shark soup, a plate with roast duck and a mug of beer in front of Cyrus. "Please, enjoy.". The girl makes a slight reverence.
The smell and appearance of each and every dish is surprisingly appetizing for a tavern so close to the docks. The mug has a carving of the same loony shark with googly eyes painted on the front of the tavern.
"Good choice." says Ayren, obviously trying to change the subject "Although I'd suggest grabbing some red wine and the house's roast pig next time."
The elf hears with all his attention to the man's tale.
That sounds like an adventure the bards will write songs about...cool! - he say with a big and silly smile. So, what are we waiting for?...oh yeah, eating and driking...Ok, food and beeer and then being a hero
"Aye, Friar is close, though I prefer conducting myself as a Brother of all people across all lands." Cyrus shrugs, rather laid back for any man of the clergy.
"I'd be happy to help, a worried mother is not to be kept waiting."
Cyrus can't help but watch his food come to the table, his eyes eager for a good meal. There is a flicker of disappointment but it is quickly shrugged off at the sight of the slice of duck; he had ordered the roast pig as advertised.
He gives Karina three gold coins for the food, likely more than it's worth but a generous tip as well before digging into his food.
In between bites he leans forward and says, "Alright so what should we expect?"
"Good. We're settled, then. The job is tomorrow night, I'll meet you guys here by nightfall" says Ayren.
Meanwhile, you can hear a sailor angrily shouting at the young waitress who brought your food.
"Girl! What the hell is this?! Where the f~#@ is my duck?!"
"What...? Duck...?" she says, before pausing for a second and realizing her mistake. The girl takes a few nervous steps towards your table "S-Sorry! I must have mixed it up! Let me switch back..." but she is interrupted by the man.
"Are you f!#@ing crazy? I don't want no food a freaking 'ginner took a bite of! Bring me a new one!"
Y-Yes... Sorry! she says with a blushing face, before taking his plate and then running to your table;
As soon as she arrives, Ayren speaks again, this time with a surprisingly kind voice.
"Ah, nevermind, Karina." he says "I was going to order duck anyway. I'll keep this one, okay? Just bring my friend's roast beef and bring that gentleman's duck."
"Y-Yes... Right away, sir!!" she says before moving away.
A second waitress teases Karina as they walks past each other.
"You know this is coming off of your pay, right, hon? 'Tis the third one this week... You sure you can do this job? I know serving tables can be complicated..."
Karinas blushes even more before marching back to the kitchen.
"Poor girl..." says Ayren, his voice indicating empathy for the first time."She hasn't had much luck with her new beginning..." He suddenly leans back as if noticing something surprising, then coughs and goes back to speak. "Ahem! Errr... Anyway... I got a few errands to run tonight, so we'll meet here tomorrow. Anything else you guys want to know?"
"I would like to come along for this job. It seems to be for a good cause, and truthfully I could use the money."
"I am skilled in martial arts, and a few magical tricks powered by my Ki energy. I believe I would be of use to whoever else is coming."
He looks at the waittress fluttering around the rom.
"And it appears I will not be dining here tonight in any case."
After shaking his head sadly at the poor waitresses' misfortune Cyrus adds, "I'm curious what religious orders thrive in Blue Shell."
Eitylen make a sad face with Karina situation.
Why tomorrow?, the more time the more chances the kid get hurted!
Ayren speaks to Tai Leng "It's always great to have an extra pair of hands... If my friends here are willing to have you..."
The blond girl who teased Karina a few moments ago listens to Tai Leng's comment and shouts to the kitchen.
"Hey, Karina... One of your customers is waiting. Again." a few quick steps are heard before the girl speaks again. "Hon, just finish what you're doing, I'll take this one. You can have the tip..." she says with a sigh.
The girl produces an small notebook from one of her pockets as she walks towards your table
Before she arrives, though, Ayren says a few words just loud enough for you three to hear.
"They gave 5 days for my lady to pay them... The countdown ends in 3 days. They won't risk harming their hostage before then. And like I said, I have other responsibilities tonight."
Hew now speaks in a clearer voice, unworried about who might hear his words as he talks to Cyrus.
"Well, this being a port city surrounded by untamed wilderness and gods know what else, Gozreh is always popular, so is Desna. Torag finds a lot of worship here too, mostly from workers from Stonybrook. As in any other city, you can also find a lot devotees of Abadar, and every tavern has a small shrine to Cayden Cailean, and the cult to Tsukiyo has grown quite a bit in the last couple years, but it ain't a major player yet." Ayren thinks for a moment and adds an extra tidbit. "These are the most common. Still, you can find a temple to pretty much every god or goddess around here, even some really obscure ones... I'm sure that if you looked hard enough, you could even find some followers of Urgathoa hiding somewhere..." he pauses for a second "Huh... Now that I think about it, that might actually explain a few things..."
The new waitress arrives in a few graceful steps, she obviously listen to the mention of Urgathoa's name, which makes her shake just slightly and make the sign of Desna over her heart. After this quick stop, she addresses Tai Leng.
"I'm sorry, she's new. Can I take your order?"
Cyrus nods, Ayren's words confirming Cyrus' own educated guesses though somewhat surprised at the mention of Tsukiyo. "That's a rather exotic following, I'd be interested to learn how it got started at a later point."
Cyrus takes a moment between chatting and finishes off his ale. "Do you happen to know how much a room here costs?"
Leng turns to the waitress, trying to hide the growling in his stomach.
"The roast pork looks delicious, as does the shark soup. That and a loaf of bread should be perfect."
"What do you suggest to drink? I consider myself something of a connoisseur of alcohol, and was hoping there might be something new for me to try here in Blue Shell."
"There is not much to learn, I believe..." says Ayren "There is a small Tian community at the east of town. They brought their cults with them and the purple moon makes Tsukiyo particularly popular. It's not difficult to find the temple, if you're that interested. It's the only really big one in that part of the city."
"I can answer that." The waitress interrupts the half-elf when she hears Cyrus' question. "Let me just take this gentleman's order." she says as she turns back to Tai Leng.
"You have a good eye for food, sir. That pork is rather famous around here and the shark-bait soup is our specialty." she says with a gentle smile "If you enjoy a good drink, you might want to try our beer, it's known to be the best one you can find in a hundred miles! But you like something finer, we have many different varieties of booze, including both red and white wines, hard cider, vodka, rum, mead and some rice wine we got from Tian merchants. I personally like the elven wine, but most patrons go for our famous Dragon Breath Ale and the Sharkblood Beer, although they do pack quite a punch..."
When she is finished listing the drinks available in the house, she speaks to Cyrus one more time.
"It's 5 silvers for a bed in the common room, 2gp for a simple individual room (which has 2 beds), 6gp for one of our Quest rooms, which include 4 beds. Finally but not least, it's 10 gp for one of our finest rooms, which come with either 1 or 2 large beds and are really spacious. And if you lose too much on gambling, I'm sure we can find you a clean stall in the stables or space in the hayloft for a couple coppers... Ayren here can speak for our hospitality."
Ayren speaks with an embarrassed (but still somewhat proud) smile.
"Well... It IS a very comfortable hayloft. Fluffiest hay I've ever seen."
"The Dragon Breath Ale sounds perfect, thank you."
"Okay, then... Dragon's Breath it is."
The waitress leaves your table and takes the orders of a few other customers before heading into the kitchen. A few minutes later she and the girl named Karina are back, this time bringing Cyrus' correct order.
The food is very well prepared and rather well made, which is unusual for a tavern this close to the docks.
The blond waitress also has a ceramic mug on her tray. It's filled with a clear drink that slowly burns into a "head" of red and yellow flame. Its taste hints of sweet fruit and salt, and it's rather strong but very flavorful.
"Bold choice for a new-comer." says Ayren with a hint of admiration in his voice. "We should all have a mug after the job is complete."
The two girls deliver whatever else is ordered by you and a few other tables around. The red haired girl in armor takes a few looks now and then, obviously focusing her intimidating stares at Ayren, who does his best to pretend not to notice.
Other than that, no incidents occur during your talk to Ayren.
Eitylen Orders whatever the waitress recommends to him. The elf is new to everything that is human made, he just want to try out something he does not know.
Eitylen look at the red haired girl and then look at Ayren and, just because he is getting bored, he ask - Ex girlfrined?
"Hah! As if she didn't cause me enough headaches already!" he laughs "No, Brenda is just... overzealous about her job. And so is her boss. That makes them less than friendly at times..."
Leng licks his lips as he drains the last drop from the cup.
"That was well worth it." He looks down at his bandolier of flasks.
"I'm thinking I may add it to my collection. It's tasty, and definitely strong enough to give me a boost when I need it."
"I think I'd like one of your finest rooms, the hard wooden floor of the boat I came on was not kind and a soft bed sounds wonderful."
Cyrus begins to work his way through the pork. When he finishes his food he announces to the gentlemen, "I think I'm going to take a walk around the town for the evening before I retire to my room. It's best a man knows the city he's living in well, lest he meet an early end eh?" He takes on an air of mock wisdom as he says his last statement as though hardly paying much heed to it personally, but following it regardless.
He pays the waitress for the room and requests that it be ready by dusk when he returns.
"I will take one of your individual rooms, if any are available. If you could point me to a Temple of Irori or Nethys I would also be grateful." He smiles at the waitress, seeming much more relaxed and open with the ale in his system.
Ayren answers Cyrus with an half-jokingly tone "Try not to get lost, brother. This is a big city, and not everyone is as friendly as me."
The blond waitress speaks. "There is a temple to Nethys next to the city library, on the golden square just north from here, and I think there is one devoted to Irori on the east side of town in the Dragon District." says the girl in answer to Tai Leng's inquiry. "They are quite a walk from each other, so I hope you enjoy the exercise."
Ayren finishes his meal and calmly stands up, leaving a few coins on the table.
"Well, my friends... I got business to finish. We meet here tomorrow by nightfall. Don't be late!"
It's too big a city to explore in a day, but Brother Cyrus manages to walk many of Blue Shell's grey-bricked roads, seeing many different sights along the way.
Walking the road that follows the shore, the priest can spot an enormous rock on the sea. It's no more than a 5 or 6 miles away, but it doesn't seem inhabited. The rock is somewhat oval in shape and light bluish in color. Cyrus instantly remembers Ayren mentioning it during his meal, the Blue Shell Rock, he called it. Although he wasn't sure if the city was named after it or if that was just a local fable. Cyrus notes numerous small shrines to Gozreh along the shoreline.
There is big market not far from the Mad Shark Tavern, filled to the brim with all sorts of people. Shops and vendors seem to offer many different products, but they all seem to have at least a few Purple Moon variants of their goods. This place is even more filled with ornaments for the festival than the rest of the city, certainly to encourage customers to buy more goods for the festivities. The city guard seems particularly vigilant around here.
A few more roads and Cyrus finds himself on the borders of what seems to be an incredibly large natural garden. A few signs on the streets tell him the name of this place is The Garden of Alihana, an enormous circular park with an crystal clear lake in its center. A few shrines to Gozerh can be found on the among the trees.
In the neighboring streets, Cyrus comes across a temples devoted to Desna. Despite its size, the temple doesn't display any complex architecture, making it seem more welcoming than most buildings of similar size. There is a small garden around the temple, where butterflies of all colors and sizes can be seen.
This simplicity is in direct contrast with the imposing appearance of the next place of worship found by Cyrus. A huge temple devoted to Torag. A huge anvil can be seen in the street, directly in front to the temple's main doors. Its walls, floor and ceiling all covered in very detailed stonework, making the whole place look even more monumental.
Cyrus doesn't find the time to explore the whole city, but a simple glance of the landscape reveals that the west side of town is where the wealthier portion of the population resides.
The priest ends up wandering into the Golden Plaza, the first place where Taing Leng went...
After his meal, Tai Leng follows the waitress' instructions in order to reach the Golden Plaza, the place where he was told he would find a great temple to Nethys.
He is not disappointed.
The golden plaza is a huge city square. Probably the biggest open area the mystic has seen in this town so far. Unlike the rest of the city, the bricks that cover the ground around here are white and smooth. In its center lies a marble statue depicting 3 men in noble outfits with their backs to each other, as if each one is watching a different part of the city.
Tai Leng immediately notices the temple of the All-Seeing Eye of Nethys. A pentagonal building that mixes black and white ornaments in perfect harmony. Over the main door, he sees a stone depiction of Nethys' holy symbol, a black and white mask.
Despite its grand appearance, the temple is not the only building worthy of notice. Tai Leng quickly realizes the main square this area is more than just a city square, it's the place where laws are made and enforced, and where knowledge is found and preserved.
Immediately to the right of the temple of Nethys there is a great building made of grey bricks, its front wall displays the words "Grand Library".
At the east side of the plaza, Tai Leng sees a pristine white building with the words House of the Council carved on the walls above its main door. There is an unusually large concentration of people in front of it, and a fair share of the city guard does its best to stop them from going in.
On the opposite side of the huge city square, a magnificent courthouse can be seen. Its front displays the words "Honor, Justice and Order". It's surrounded by two grand temples, both of which are easily identified. One of them is devoted to Abadar, the other to Iomedae. Despite this, more than a few worshippers of Azmodeus can be seen around.
Last but not least, a grim-looking building that looks more like a fortress reveals itself to be the central headquarters of the city guard. This building too is more crowded than what most would consider normal.
After his worship to the God of Magic, Tai Lengs travels east, following the waitress' directions to the temple of Irori.
After a while, it's clear that he's on a different part of town. He starts recognizing Tian architecture and he can hear conversations in one Tian dialect or another. It doesn't take long for him to find the Temple of Irori, a large building with sliding doors and walls made of wood and paper. Its patio covered filled with instruments for the practice of martial arts and a small serene-looking water fountain and pond.
On his way back to the Mad Shark, the warrior see one last temple, an impressive looking temple with the carving of a katana in front of the combined image of sun and moon, revealing this place to be a temple devoted to the conjunct worship of Shizuru and Tsukiyo.
The pretty girl with light brown hair greets Cyrus and Tai Leng as they arrive. "Welcome back! she says before calling another girl to show each one to their respective rooms.
Tai Leng's room is simple, but comfortable. He has a nice bed, an empty chest and closet, a nightstand with a jug of clean water on it and a well illuminated writing desk.
Cyrus' room is very spacious and the bed is almost exaggeratedly soft, just like the silky sheets that cover it. All the furniture is made of noble wood, and a fancy chandelier hangs from the ceiling. There is a bowl of fresh fruit and a jug of fine wine waiting on the table. A door next to it leads to balcony that with a clear view to the blue sea.