Darkwood--Deepening Dusk

[Led Pighp]

"Hold on a second, Laurel just left. I'll go ask her to join us, before she starts her bath."

Led runs up to Laurel's room, and politely knocks on the door for permission to enter.

[Laurel]

The brass tub gleaming in the center of her room awaiting the delivery of hot water, the bard was stripped down to undergarments, holding the different pieces of her new wardrobe against her body and assessing the cut and feel of each item when a light rapping occurred at her door. Expecting the delivery of steaming water, she held an article of clothing each in front and behind her, barley covering herself, with her voice trilling out, "It's open!"

...

[Led Pighp]

"It's open!"

Hearing this, Led pushes open the door and steps inside.

"Jauron and Skyseeker have returned, and brought Marrik with..."

He stops in the doorway, mouth open. Staring plainly.

"Oh, excuse me. I didn't realize..."

[Laurel]

Recognizing the voice, the bard jumps a little guiltily, but doesn't hurry to cover herself further immediately. Looking longingly at the tub, she asks, "I assume I should come down now, and let my bath wait? I wanted to be clean for dinner, but most likely these discussions will meld right into that..."

[ooc]she IS a bard after all. shared quarters with both sexes and probably multiple races shouldn't phase an entertainer one bit[/ooc]

[Led Pighp]

Led starts his response jokingly, "Based on what I heard from Jauron and Marrik, I wouldn't be surprised if armed guards showed up at the end of the meal to arrest us for treasonously using legal magic, or having elvish ancestry, or some nonsense. Maybe we should have our bags packed and ready, just in case we need to make a run for it."

But as he spoke, he realized that his jokes weren't all that outrageous, and his tone becomes more serious. "There was talk of burning at the stake."

[Laurel]

Nearly dropping the items she held against herself in shocked reaction, Laurel whispers, "Burning at the stake? Who? Marrik?"

With some deft maneuvers that keep her covered, yet able to still grab her dirty, worn travel clothes she was preparing to discard, she heads to the screened off corner of her room. Tossing her garments across the top of the screen, the light silhouettes her nude form putting on the worn clothes from behind the screen before she steps out. "I best go postpone my request for bath water then, until after dinner, then come join the party in discussion. Are we talking such matters in the main room? Is that where I will find everyone?

"Or will you accompany me, kind sir?"

[Led Pighp]

"I'll come with you. They're setting up in the back room that Jauron had reserved for us. We should be fairly private back there."

"And, don't worry about the burning. It was only Skyseeker they wanted to roast."

[Laurel]

Only Skyseeker??? the bard thinks to herself in dismay...
...then remembers Led's story about the history of his people.

Gathering her thoughts, she replies, "Even so, the idea of burning anyone at the stake is repugnant. We best hurry and rejoin the others."

[Led Pighp]

"Oh yes. I saved her life. If anyone is to burn her alive, it'll be me."

Led seems to be joking, as he says this.

[Laurel]

Shaking her head as if to imply...men!, the bard heads towards the door, but the scribe stops her. Then, opening the door for her, he waves her out with a flourish. Finding her way back to Ellys, Laurel asks if it would be possible to hold her request for bath water until after dinner, as apparently something important within her party came up. Casting a lingering look at the Heshic, Ellys covers a small grin and says, "I see. I don't see a problem with keeping the water hot. Just let me know when you are retiring for the night, and I'll have it sent up shortly after."

Laurel thanks her in kind, then looks at Led. "Lead on, friend."

[Led Pighp]

Before she can leave, Led asks Ellys "I have two favors to ask of you, my too-kind hostess. Firstly, can you bring another round of whatever anybody is having to those in the back room with Lord Jauron. I'll cover the costs, this time. I believe that Lord Jauron himself is catering our dinner this evening, and would like to show my appreciation in kind. And a glass of your best elven red for the lady here."

Laurel catches Ellys' eyes over Led's shoulder, and mouths the word "white" to that, with a wink. Ellys smiles at her, then at Led. "What is your third favor, young man? For I have just now done you your second without your even knowing."

Led considers this for a moment, "Thirdly?, I heard that a priest of Serloth will be speaking later tomorrow. Where is such a priest found? I'm a follower of Serloth myself, though I'm no priest in my own right. I was looking for his temple here in town... all I found was an alter with a secular caretaker. Did I miss some structure elsewhere where he lives or tends to? I really would like to speak to him tonight or tomorrow morning."

[Seven Words]

Ellys responds, "Supposedly, he counsels Sir Pval...he only arrived yesterday. He hasn't even been to the Lorekeeper's shrine, such as it is. Davos is rather hurt, though he's not a member of the clergy he tries so hard to keep it up as best he can. No one knew Sir Pval had even sent for spiritual guidance. Tis surpassingly strange, as he's never shown any great concern for any of the gods before."

[Led Pighp]

"Thank you Ellys. I wonder how he managed to send for this priest, when all the pigeons in town have mysteriously died. Anyway, we'll be in the back room with the rest."

Led leads Laurel into the room with the others, and closes the door behind them.

"I'm sorry for the delay. I thought we might be talking for a while yet, so I asked Ellys to bring more drink for us all."

[Laurel]

Ellys responds, "Supposedly, he counsels Sir Pval...he only arrived yesterday. He hasn't even been to the Lorekeeper's shrine, such as it is. Davos is rather hurt, though he's not a member of the clergy he tries so hard to keep it up as best he can."

The bard muses to herself, but loud enough for both Ellys and Led to hear, "Strange that a priest of the Lorekeeper should not first visit his shrine to offer thanks for his safe journey..."

[Vynarkus]

Vynarkus looks at them, and shakes his head slowly. "I don't know..."

He lowers his voice, "If Sir Pval really is helping out the thing we heard, as little as I like to believe it, then he is probably evil. I would not put calling a cleric for guidance, and then killing him, beyond what an evil ruler would be willing to do...

"But, even if he is on the side of evil, I don't see what purpose such an act would serve...

"And I really don't see what purpose such an act would serve... I mean, the priest wasn't already here, and killing a cleric would probably be very risky. If anyone tried it where I came from, the entire town would rise up against them."

[Laurel]

The bard turned wide-eyed towards Vynarkus and asked, "But Marrik was just in his presence! Would he not have felt an evil emanation from Sir Pval, if it was so?"

[Led Pighp]

"I'm no paladin, but is there some way to mask one's evil, so that it cannot be detected that way?"

"Or, could Sir Pavl merely be controlled by dark magics without being evil in his own right?"

[Seven Words]

Marrik grimaces, and says "If he truly believes he is doing right, and has not as yet done anything knowingly evil, then my gifts would not discern any malignity from him. Also...the Lord of Shadows could grant such cloaking."

[Laurel]

The bard absorbs all this silently, then mutters, "I still have so much to learn..." to herself.

[Seven Words]

Jauron smiles knowingly. "I can get a message out, still. I have a scroll, inscribed for me, with Sending upon it. I brought it with me here tonight. As my arcane abilities are known, I did not want to risk being interrupted by someone--or something--waiting for me to use a scroll. Once we have finished eating, if you would be so kind as to keep watch, I will convey our discoveries essentials to the monitor."