09-14-2017, 09:56 AM
Quote:Tavern post. Since Josh, Jake, and Lyra are still there. Odessa and Crysiss are heading off with the unnamed scarred guy to go to the mines and deal with that mess.
Josh returned to the chaos after leaving Lyra on one of the beds. The girl looked to be fine, but only time would tell. She was still sleeping after all. Nonetheless, when Josh reentered the body of the tavern, he again spotted someone he didn't recognise - although he didn't tend to get out much, or really remember people very well, so that wasn't saying much. This new person had a very panicked expression warping his face and was frantically shaking while rambling something about the mines. Josh briefly wondered if there was an accident or something, but heading to the tavern was hardly protocol in those cases.
Logically, the only reason he would come to the tavern would be for the two visitors of the town - rumours spread quickly so it was likely he thought the women were mercenaries of sorts. Or adventurers. It followed that, should he require their help, something very bad had happened. Or, alternatively, they simply needed a neutral opinion on something. Since everyone in the town typically knew each other, it was hard to find someone with no opinion on an individual should an incident need to be resolved. But barring murder, where such effort to find a neutral party wouldn't even be taken in the first place, Josh couldn't figure out why the man would be so panicked.
As Josh had returned to the table to meet both the Innkeeper and Jake, both the women left with the panicked man, working their way out of the door. Josh shrugged, that wasn't his problem.
Moments later, before any member of the trio could say anything, a man Josh did actually recognise entered the tavern with a stern expression on his face. Josh knew him as David, and if his reputation was anything to go by, he was likely seething in rage behind the facade. Josh tried to maintain a neutral expression, although Jake looked slightly guilty. Lyra getting hurt wasn't his fault, but the man probably blamed himself.
"Take me to Lyra. I expect an explanation of what happened." He spoke bluntly, simply commanding whoever would listen to obey, although it didn't take much intuition to notice that he expected the order to be carried out by Josh or Jake.
Josh stood, acting on David's words like a soldier. "She's in room number 3."
David followed, grunting, while Jake trailed behind, picking up a chair and bringing it with him. As they left, the Innkeeper returned to his position behind the bar table.
Josh wasn't the best at reading other people, but he felt that David seemed to relax slightly upon seeing the girl. The imposing man muttered slightly, sitting down on the chair closest to the bed. Josh sat on another and Jake sat on the one he brought with him.
"What happened?"
Jake and Josh looked at each other briefly, before Josh spoke. He might not have been the most sociable one, but Jake tended to mess up his words. "The short story: 'we don't know'. The longer version: Jake heard a scream and a crash. I didn't but I followed him down the mountain road anyway. After about a 5 minute walk, we found James's cart toppled over with Lyra lying inside a pile of hammers - I don't know how she got there, but I have a guess. Anyway..." Josh looked at Jake, wondering if he should censor exactly what he was saying. He figured it was best not to. "James died. So did the horses. I don't know what killed them, but whatever did left quite the impact - so much so that I couldn't actually recognise James, I just had to assume it was him."
Jake flinched while David spoke. "So you're saying a monster did it?"
"I'm saying I don't know what did it. But it sure as hell wasn't your average killer. And a bandit wouldn't have left the loot. Although... All our exports are still out there in the open."
David stood up, frowning. "Jake, stay here and keep an eye on her, if she wakes up, keep her here. If anything changes, call for a doctor. John, you're coming with me."
"Sorry?" Josh looked up in surprise, questioning David's use of authority.
"I'm getting you sent off with some others to reclaim the cart and verify your story."
"And what will you do?" Josh asked, grabbing the additional chair Jake had vacated.
"Whatever this monster thing is, it'll have to wait. Something is happening at the mines. I don't know what, but it can't be good. So I'm needed over there. And once you're back from the mountain pass, you're joining me."
Quote:Jake is with Lyra in the tavern. David is heading off towards the mines as well as Odessa and Crysiss (but will be there ~10 minutes later, give or take). Josh is heading off to the mountain pass area with a few other unnamed NPCs. Probably all with weapons, since there's likely some militia in the town who could be called up by Aragorn at some point if Camelot needs them.