Synoriel's Shop
Kal'Sidus
The back room of the shop was full of more cluttered shelves of goods, many in crates and barrels that did not advertise their contents. It was obviously meant as a simple storage area, not intended for customers to look through. There was no back door, but Kal did notice the source of the incense: a small table in the the back corner, only just visible between things on the shelves. He walked round to get a look at it, keeping his distance, and found it was in fact an altar of some sort. The table was covered in a black cloth, which in turn was covered by a variety of strange items. In the center sat a shallow dish covered in sand with strange symbols drawn in it, the dish was surrounded by various bones from small animals interspersed with leaves and berries, and on either side of the layout were two incense holders with lit sticks giving off the cinnamon-like scent that filled the building. Though he was by no means well versed in arcane or religious arts, Kal did pick out one symbol in the sand that was familiar to him: an Elvish symbol for the Goddess of Shadow. As soon as he recognized the symbol, he noticed that his ever-flickering shadow had stilled and he heard a faint, feminine laugh seeming to come from it. Whatever the goddess had to do with this shopkeeper, it seemed she had taken notice of Kal's actions and was amused by them. A moment later, the sound faded away and his shadow resumed its unnatural movements.
Finding no way out through the back, Kal made his way back through the front room of the shop and out the door. A few people walking by glanced at him without any true interest. Others still ambled by with blank faces and glazed eyes, staring straight ahead as they walked. There was still no cry or alarm about the shopkeeper's death, though there was no telling how long it would be until someone found the body. Across the road, Loma was just finishing up talking to someone: a familiar elven man in fancy gold and silver robes. He gave the woman a courteous bow and said something that made her laugh, then left her and headed northward. As he stepped onto the road he glanced at Kal, clearly recognizing him, but did nothing more before continuing on his way. Loma was free with no customers lined up to speak with her for the moment, making this a perfect opportunity to get a word with the woman.
The Town Smithy
Marlene, Wrogan, Marco
Gorrus nodded and took a quick look at the hooves of each of Wrogan's horses.
"Aye, this one, Klau, certainly needs to be reshod. Old shoes there are wearing thin, so that'll be a new set needed. Aik looks fine, whoever shod him last knew their work. I reckon they'll be fine another four weeks, maybe five, and the shoes should be alright for a few turns of the moon yet." The blacksmith went over to a box of metal stock and started sorting through them, speaking over his shoulder as he did so.
"I got a good deal on this here metal, so I can do you a new set of shoes fit special for the horse and tack 'em on for just a silver coin, but I'll take a gold penny if it's Holtanian mint. Can't trust foreigners with the gold, you know, always cutting down the size and leaving impurities in the cast to swindle us." Gorrus paused, then coughed awkwardly, obviously realizing that he was talking to a foreigner.
"Er, anyway, a silver coin and I'll have it done in a mite less than an hour. If you've got business to tend to while I work I can leave him tied up out back by the water trough when it's done."
Meanwhile, as Marlene was standing there looking at the magic rod, she noticed a strange change in Marco's demeanor; despite being in the middle of listening to the blacksmith, Wrogan also noticed it happening. In the blink of an eye Marco went from attentive and slightly nervous to completely slack-jawed and empty-eyed. He stood there by the door for a few seconds, head cocked as if he was listening to something, then turned and walked out with the same slow and aimless gait that the other blank-faced people in town all seemed to have. He turned southward as he left the blacksmith, apparently angling to cross the road toward some unknown destination to the east. Whatever was causing the strange behavior, it had caught Marco in its grasp as well. The odd influence was clearly more complicated than simply taking some people and leaving others wholly unaffected, and perhaps only the gods knew how it worked and who might be affected next.
The Northern Path
Esther, Amel, Loima
As Esther and Amel made their way north, past the last houses in town, they spotted another pair of travelers making their way in roughly the same direction as they were headed. They easily recognized Loima and Torgun from the group that initially entered the town, making their way toward the path to the pond from the western reaches of Varden. Both pairs kept their pace and met up right at the fork in the path that Amel had learned was the normal route used to get to the pond.
"Well now, would you look at this." Torgun gestured to Amel and Esther with a grin that showed off his mithril canine tooth.
"I admit I had some doubts, but I suppose we must be on the right path if we're all headed the same way. More companions for the road are always nice, even if it's a short one. Anyone fancy a drink for the walk?" The dwarf pulled a hefty wineskin out of his bag and took a hearty swig, then offered it around to the others. However long the path to the pond was liable to be, at least they could all be certain that through wine and Torgun's chatter they wouldn't be too bored on the way to finding Tanos Vir.
The Monastery
Careena
"No apologies necessary. We may as well be angry at the river flowing as be angry at a dog barking. Such is their nature, such is as we accept them." The scale-faced man gestured around the plain room, smiling as he did, though Careena noted that it was more a saddened expression than one of joy.
"You have found your way to the Varden Monastery, though it seems you did so by accident rather than by seeking us out. I am the resident monk, and these young men are my apprentices. We are here because this is our home, as well as our temple. None live here save those who wish to enter the service of the monastery, and we four are the entire order." The man kept on talking, not noticing that he'd said the wrong number, but both the goblin and human apprentices looked at him with worried and saddened expressions when he said their order was made of four people. Clearly there was one missing from the lot, and the boys weren't happy about it.
"My name is Tozen, you have already heard Korsik's name, and the boy with the head of fire is Beren. I am indeed a Scion. The scales are the mark of the God of Order, who I am told is a dragon. I've never met him myself, so I have taken the word of others more knowledgeable in the subject." Tozen looked Careena over, an evaluative glance that held nothing apparently lascivious in nature.
"Three questions asked, three answers given. I always tell my apprentices the importance of balance, so now it is my turn for the questioning. Given Holtania's war with the the orcs of Tholkar, do you fear receiving blind hatred from the people of Varden due to your orcish blood? Do you view yourself as Coco's owner, master, friend, or partner? Do you regret the lives ended by your hand?" The two boys looked a touch embarrassed at their master's odd questions, Korsik going so far as to show he was just as good at rolling his eyes as he was at manipulating his eyebrows, but they nonetheless seemed used to this sort of thing. The monk simply folded his hands together and watched her intently as he waited for answers.
