Tavern Rumors of Peltarch
-
Reemul has been seen in the Ferret drinking as of late, uncommon that. Hasn't he been sober for year's? He's been overheard saying "Something is there, behind us all. Devouring and feasting in our midst. Our own eyes tell us lies and deceive us. Your own eye's in a mirror know the truth, and then forget. Glossed over and soothed, it lies to us all." will this be a new normal for him? Some are taking bets that he's finally gone off the deep end.
-
A local arena fighter from the Ferret is recently overhead speaking of some evil that seems to cloud minds and has been feasting on the people of Peltarch has settled in the sewers. Ramblings of a punch drunk pugilist for sure.
-
More adventurers are seen with the "Cat Daboons" in the taverns, none seem overly willing to part with them, tales of a fancy feast for the Cat Merchant and his guests abound. Some are over heard talking about a hot pot made by a local chef. "Oh did you see that hot pot Xiulan made? I wanted to eat it myself, Cat be damned!"
-
Morgan Azzen heavy drinking magistrate and part time father to his monster children has been found in the taverns rambling about merchant cats, and how they are the future of merchanting. He states that he lives and dies by the creed that if he can't give a merchant a treat, they aren't worth his time. What that means, who can say?
-
Juniper asks around the Mermaid and the Commerce District in general about a n old worn knapsack she and Rosie found in front of the Mermaid. Each time she explains about the worn diary they found inside along with, a package of fine tea, an apple and some blue forget-me-not flowers.
Seh also explains how teh diary was mostly about mundane every day things like birthday parties, fights with parents and makin gup after the fight...and crushes. Juniper makes sure convey the names of said crushes as written in the diary in case that helps jog any memories. And go so far as so show them the last page that reads 'IT"S IT"S HERE IT KNOWS I KNOW-'
And trails off with drops of blood.Juniper is mostly seeing if anyone recognizes who it might have belonged to.
-
A woman is seen in the Mermaid, absolutely bawling her eyes out to her friends.
“I don’t understand. I’ve never in my life had a child- but I opened a door in my house, and there was an empty, dusty nursery. I can’t stop crying. What is this? What kind of cruel joke-!?”
A few hours later, however, she is seen happily drinking with the same friends, seemingly without a care in the world. As though the sobbing had never happened.
-
An incident at the trade hall baffled dock workers and tavern hoppers alike as the door completely froze over. As the guards struggled to try and crack it open in the ensuing half an hour, the door suddenly gave way. Those within the trade hall shrug it off as "just one of those things that happens" and the local Ceruleans took their samples. Most people are happy to blame Elliott Lancord, local Gondar, because honestly anything that goes wrong in the trade hall is usually his fault.
-
Lucy Rhodes, former Defender Captain turn renegade, is dead. The news returning with the troupes under General Gom and alongside the adventurers reportedly spearheading the breaching of the bandit fortress is clear and the mood in general one of relief, if not much celebration. Rhodes is dead by Elizabeth Fisher's own hand, or Reyhenna Jorino as some might have taken to calling her anew, and the threat to the city successfully neutralized. So why no glasses raised in cheers and revelry?
The answer may lie in those that did not return - in particular one man, disgraced and beloved both. Arch Weyland, who hung from the gallows for his involvement with the traitorous Smoke, accompanied the adventurer contingent to Rhodes' fortress in chains. Noticably, he did not return. Hushed whispers speak of some manner of doomsday device, the firing of which would've set the lands ablaze, stopped short by Weyland's skill with manipulating that element. His longtime partner and fellow Autonomist Berlinne Toews, has yet to comment, and is indeed a scarce sight on the streets in the days that follow.
-
In the midst of a mass of Defender and GFC forces surrounding the Fisher Estate and rumors that a private council meeting heard evidence of Elizabeth Fisher’s illegitimacy, the arrival of a delegation of Siamorphe was cause for a crowd. First guild leaders, then many common folk followed until the estate grounds were too packed shoulder to shoulder.
After a brief debate on the nature of nobility, the visiting priestess revealed that Herald Thaddeus had fallen from grace with their goddess. She also produced a sealed missive from King Thalaman asking her to confirm that the Princess Elizabeth’s blood was noble through prayer. Though no spell was cast, the priestess declared the princess a fraud, and her delegation was consequently asked to leave the estate.
Feeling confused and betrayed, the crowd of commoners became hostile, quickly dividing into factions as they demanded answers from all parties. It became clear something big had in fact happened in that private council session a tenday ago, but nobody present revealed more than the rumors already suggested.
Bottles and more were thrown, tables overturned. A few fist fights broke out. Some of the Goldfish Company seemed ready to return the violence. Responses from royals, city officials, and adventurers varied. Whereas Sebrienne used a thundersome noise to shock the crowd into quieting and Prince Adrian was heard to threaten the crowd, Isolde and Aoth used their words to soothe.
During the heat of it, the princess and Magistrate D’Arneau argued over who had caused Peltarch more harm, and the two appeared ready to duel when D’Arneau disintegrated a chair. This shocked the crowd, and they began to depart at last. Even the princess’s factionals were urged to return home by her companions. D’Arneau’s parting words were directed at those friends: You all knew.
-
A smattering of rumors briefly cross the taverns of Peltarch. An outlandish story of a public execution of some sort held in the Peltarch Commerce District in the middle of the night. That Raazi, that old nefarious possibly demon possibly not woman of chaos, was killed by Far Scouts within the city walls. But it's absurd. For one, Far Scouts can't be executing people in the streets, that's ridiculous. And for two, Raazi seems alive and well, and was even given a generous dinner by Prince Kasimir, who paid for it out of pocket. Plus, why would Prince Kasimir stand by and watch people get murdered? None of it makes any sense... oh well... the rumors will fade soon enough, like most do.
-
One day, seemingly out of nowhere, bright blossoms sprang up all around the commons, filling the air with a soft, heady floral scent. Butterflies danced, squirrels frolicked amidst rustling leaves and lovers gathered with starry eyes. Sune herself saw fit to smile upon this, the season of love, opinions one particular redheaded bard, but whatever the cause, it seems to bring smiles to just about everyone's faces.
-
"The princess is getting married!"
"...probably to Cormac - everyone's marrying Cormac these days..."
"... no, to that Thayan witch with the white hair and that cold stare..."
"...these Fishers. I tellya, I shoulda stayed in bard college like my old man wanted and gone into the party planning business..."
"...Thay doesn't have witches, that's Rashemen..."
"...a cake the size of a mountain. a river of free booze..."
"...like you're invited? Bess won't have cake anyway. She'll have the bank and the Black Sails in a fighting pit..."
-
*"...yes, but in secret. Married an Elf so they say in some woodland ceremony. Then straight off to Silverymoon..."
"...a second wife? That's nothing - did you ever meet Uljas? No? I hear he had seventeen!..""...a veritable MOUNTAIN of Winter Wolf hides. I wonder if he's taken up tanning?.."
"...too soon for another contest I heard him say. But the next one's just around the corner. Yes! Entirely Bardic...""...and then after the tornado, an arrow came out of nowhere - it almost pierced his heart!..."*
-
*"...the cleaning bill was gigantic I'm told. Oil stains, mud everywhere - and the puke? Gods preserve us!.."
"...just how deep 'are' that beast's pockets anyway? Fully catered, even the most expensive booze. And the prized? Good grief, the prizes!.."
"...mithral, I heard. Yes the finest imported mithral darts, totally wasted on those drunkards; I heard Elizabeth's is stuck so deep in the basement wall that anyone who can pull it out will be declared the Lord of the Docks District...""...nothing but a loincloth..."
"...seemed like self promotion. Half of the participants were Kingfisher crew..."
"...the outfits were nice, but it looked like an excuse to get drunk and get laid..."
"...and then the fat old scholar backhanded her, it was awful. I couldn't take my eyes off it!..""...has anyone seen my crab?..*
-
"...I don't know what 'Foxy Boxing' is, but it sounds debauched..."
"...Oooh! Prizes, I wonder if there'll be a ring that looks like an arse. Surely not!.."
"...I heard there'll be a mountain of coin to the victor. I ought to sign up, Gerald. It's darts my man - darts!.."
"...sounds like a farkin' costume party. That Cormac lads gone soft. ~Oo-ee, lets play dress up!~, soft git. Arse!.."
-
“Did you hear? That guy who goes by Totally Not Tomi Undergallows was sobbing at the Grapevine Inn! A giant land salmon ate his friends!”
“Oh, but I heard it was a giant land shark, and a group of intrepid adventurers sold its head to a wealthy gnome couple looking to make a museum display!”
“Does this have to do with the bounty put out by that creepy shop in the Rawlins? What are they going to do with a mythical land trout!?”
-
"...I heard the Opportunity brought back a cargo hold full of quality meat. Who knows 'where' all that came from..."
"...Yes, that's right - leapt right out the water with a cutlass clenched in his teeth. Pol said he swung in on a rope just like on the cover of some trash romance novel..."
"...outnumbered five to one, he slew every crewman and rescued the maidens fair; Gods save us! What a hero!.."
"...have you seen that beat up old ship that is sharing the Opportunity's mooring? Bloody thing barely qualifies as a 'raft'...""...and then the King stripped him of all his titles.
Who, Cormac?
Indeed! Right there in the Commons, right in front of 'everyone'. How embarrassing!
How embarrassing...""...well if'n ye ask me, which I know none o' ya did, puttin' a 'sir' on some'n like that were downright offensive in t' first place..."
"...haha, yes! Outranked by a pig again, I wonder if the Crown will take his boat from him now; that's what the bastard gets I say!.."
-
“Hey hey, have you heard? Have you seen?
That guy, Lancord, I’ve seen him heading toward the beaches lately with this big backpack. Must have one of his weird Gondar inventions in it too, because that bag was wriggling, and squeaking! I swear, I even saw what looked like a wing push through at some point!
Do you think he’s working on some sort of flying machine? Is Peltarch ready for that?? Ugh, like we need more legislature right now…”
-
*"There's no such thing. Not in this lake, you're talking madness. Dragonturtles indeed! Whatever next?"
"... and they say he rose up from the waves after hurling an honest to goodness lightning bolt, like some storm-god, and slaying it dead right there in the water!.."
"Welp. Cormac's gone crazy again. Poor bastard thinks he's the god of thunder-and-sea now. If he's not mad, the sad git needs to grow the fark up!"
"...shhh, keep it down -- there's a bowl in the hold of the Opportunity, its worth they say could buy a man a nice house to retire in. You didn't hear it from me!""No no, no. It was the First Mate who cast a fireball right down its throat. Fishguts all over the deck, I heard."
"The Elf, Juniper is the only reason that boats still afloat. I was told yesterday, from a 'reliable' source, that she guided that ship through that great storm out on the lake, 'and' brought those unworthy dogs home."
"Valisha? Drunk? Never! She's sober as a judge, all of the time. The woman's a credit to her dirty foreigner homeland city".*
-
At another tavern, at another time, Elliott is slumped over a table, nursing what seems to be an alcoholic milkshake?
“Nono… that’s… I don’t? I’ve never seen a gondola in Peltarch…? N-No! Why would I want to be a Milk Mogul??? …Cost effective advancement? Really, you think??
Besides, Cormac said it might be a reclaimed Black Sails ship, is that why that guy was talking to the Queen? The Black Sails wanted their ships back, and the crown is trying to get rid of them instead of deal with it? Are we just collateral of some elaborate slight??
….Oh, I couldn’t tell you. You really think Thalaman wants Cormac to wear a wolf costume to his party…? Is that why he gave it to him? Captain Wolf, the… entertainment persona?? Oh dear…”
