The Coast Way

At one point during the meal the group is approached by Khalid and Jaheira. The two half-elves look considerably healthier since returning to the Friendly Arm Inn and getting some rest. Khalid stands alongside Jaheira, but allows his wife to do most of the talking.

"A fair morning to you." Jaheira's thick Tethyrian accent almost seems to crack like a whip. Her demeanor is more professional than friendly, and her eyes seem to be constantly weighing and judging. "I thank you again for your rescue. You displayed true bravery."

She glances at Khalid out of the corner of her eye and her expression softens somewhat. "My husband paid you well for your efforts. But I wonder..." The druid looks around at each of the companions. "Would you have helped him had he not offered you recompense?"

Sickly green and purple magic surrounds Ossein. Tightening around and around before sluding off, fizzling out, and dissipating.

"This should be easy, but adapting weak human magic into my own, can be tricky...GUH! Of course! It's HUMAN magic, I need a body. Oh, Archie.." Ossein sings sweetly.

The same sickly magic forms around Archie and this times seems to stick. Adding layer upon layer, Archie transforms into a rather grumpy and alive looking old lady. A tendril swirls around Ossein and his cracked shortbow form straightens into a cracked walking cane. Leathers become a sweater and skirt, and when it finishes, The old ladies mouth moves to Ossein's voice."HAHAHAHA, they'll never see me com....Oh, hello there Rift, I was meaning to pass this reward they handed out over to you. Gold was never my thing you see and I'm sure a living body such as yourself needs food, and handkerchiefs and other bodily function things."

Old lady archer pats herself down looking for a pouch of gold.

"Strange, I can't seem to find it... Oh well, I'm sure it's better off wherever it is now."

Turning out a few pockets and even an empty illusory purse, Archie shows that they have nothing on their person other than what you "see".

Stella's starry eyes shift to a withdrawn blue and flick down to her food. She pokes the meal and shifts uncomfortably with the question. Unless more people were in immediate danger elsewhere, Papa certainly would have. But her?

"Well...I...can't speak for the others," she she begins hesitantly, unable to make eye contact. "But with the conditions we've been traveling in, and the deaths we've already had...it wouldn't have seemed worth the risk."

Stella finally looks up at Jaheira and nods hesitantly, as if she needed to confirm her own words.

Jaheira gets a sidelong look from gold eyes and a momentarily raised eyebrow for her troubles, as though the answer ought to be obvious. 'Of course not' it says. Wirrow gives an approving glance to Stella; maybe a few more words and reasons given than were necessary, but the correct idea nonetheless.

Wirrow lacks a plate of her own at the table; she looks unbothered by the fact, probably having eaten before everyone else. It would make sense, given how she's set herself up to be as far from the majority of the tavern crowd as possible.

"My uncle and our friend died on our way here," Aiwë adds. She frowns up at Jaheira, her expression that of remorse of the situation, but not her choices. "We were hunted by assassins, and they may be hunting us yet. Honestly, leaving the safety of the Inn to rescue you put my charges in danger, of more than gibberlings. I was dumb and hasty, but we needed the money to bring my uncle back. I'm glad we could help you and the others, and if our circumstances were less desperate I think I would have helped anyway. But this time it was dire need that motivated me, not altruism."

As the party arrives safely at the Inn, Aiwë hangs back. "You all go in, and watch each other's backs. I need to check to make sure we weren't followed. Maybe mess our tracks a little. Will you help, Wirrow?" She turns to pale girl.

"Oh; alright," Wirrow replies after a tired pause. Aiwe probably wanted to talk more, or something. "As long as you know I'm not that good at messing with tracks."

"But you are good at watching and spotting." Aiwë watches the others enter the Inn, feeling a tenseness in her gut release as they all pass the threshold of safety. All but Wirrow.

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Stella hovers just inside the Inn as Aiwë asks Wirrow to stay back and help cover up tracks. Really just another private conversation, she guesses.

Her stomach churns a bit. If they were keeping secrets, it was probably for good reason...right?

Or...did they not trust her? she wonders, glancing back at the two outside.

Maybe it was about Kregguk? Maybe Wirrow really did care for him, and they're just processing things together? But then what were the flasks about?

If it have to do with the assassin or their pursuers, everyone in the group ought to know, so that probably wasn't it...Or they needed time to figure out how to explain it.

She turns away and stares at her feet. Stella did often have a fierce reaction to bad news...they probably thought she might overreact.

Quit it, she tells herself, clenching her jaw and fists. You don't have enough evidence to make conclusions. If you want to know just ask.

But they should just tell her!

"Ugh!" Stella huffs and shakes her fists, blue eye-stars flashing orange.

She'd find out sooner or later, she finally thinks, then strides off further into the inn.

"Okay...I think that's everything!"

Stella just finished counting the 500 gold pieces spread out across one of the pews in the Temple of Wisdom. She really wanted to recount them, but they would be recounted by Glittergold's clergy, and she didn't want to delay the revival any further, for Aiwë's sake. She starts scooping them all into a pouch—several missing and clattering to the floor.

"Ah, thank you," she says as Aiwë helps pick up some of the dropped coin.

Stella hands the pouch to the musician. It made no difference who handed Miss Mirrorshade the gold, but it still seemed only right that Aiwë got to do it.

Aiwë bites her lip as Stella hands her the gold, the generosity of her comrades still striking her. She inhales deeply then approaches Miss Mirrorshade.

"My lady, we have enough." She offers the coin pouch with a slight bow.

Jaheira's brow furrows as she considers the responses. "Honesty... It is a quality I admire. Having recently suffered hardships of your own, you were yet able to aid us in ours."

She crosses her arms and taps her booted foot as she thinks. After a moment, Khalid puts his hand on her shoulder and offers a smiling nod. Jaheira responds with her own curt nod, then clears her throat.

"Khalid and I would ask for your help again, for a much larger task. One that involves the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people. We have nothing to pay you, for you already have the funds that were allotted to us. But perhaps, with your uncle back…" She nods at Aiwe before continuing on. "....you may have the inclination to undertake this quest. What’s more, our organization may be able to help you find out more about these assassins you speak of."

She narrows her eyes at the party. "Will you hear of this task?"

"I'm glad you agree," Aiwë says as they pass the Inn gates, "beccause Stella is totally going to notice that you suddenly look way better. She notices everything. Like this one summer I told her Bhagurahk was gonna give me scarification tats, and she told me not to let him because she 'doubted his dedication to hygiene and sterilization,' but I thought she was being fussy and let him anyway and kept it a secret. Through three layers of cloth she knew I had done it and she knew it was infected!"

"I heard about that for a while let me tell you," Aiwë chuckles fondly. "It worked out though. Stella fixed me up and we tricked Bhagurahk into thinking I was going to lose my arm to the infection. That sure set him straight! Even though Stella felt guilty and told him not long after, he's still the most hygienic person I know. Including Stella!"

Aiwë leans toward Jaheira and Khalid. "I'll listen"

Stella perks up, both fascinated and hesitant, then nods in agreement. Jaheira and Khalid had given them the opportunity to bring Kregguk back, and if this would impact hundreds or thousands, she would definitely want to help.