Gameplay - The Dragon Who Asked Too Much

"I haven't the faintest clue. Ya think there's a reason they're all segregated?" Ruby points between the two islands. "Oooo, do you think we'll see any pirates, or sail on a boat? I've only heard stories of either, this is a great opportunity!" Ruby starts getting downright giddy as she imagines the possibilities; this feeling passes luckily, and her emotions become grounded. "Well, first we should figure out where to go. There'll be time after since we're on a special assignment."

Well, our mounts don't seem to know where to go. I think the richer part of town would be more likely to have lodgings that can handle our needs. Let's do a fly over and see what we can find. If not, we can land by the gate and get information.

Mavis nods agreement at Garth's plan, and prepares to follow his lead.

"Maybe its for safty reasons that their so close?" Hasan shouts back into the air. "Agreed, Though I think the gates may be our only option."

A few archers in the wall bring bow to hand, but none of them draw a bead on you as you fly over the wall into the rich half of the city. From an altitude, you can pick out a few likely spots for a hippogriff stablery. You spot three locations of note, indicated by art style on their roofs:

The Hooded Eye - dark affected architecture, a wading pool and fountain, and a large number of camel stables.

The Grasping Hand - Tall walls protect this estate, with armed bowmen and pikemen adding to the armed mystique. Garth notes that this is likely also the home of a mercenary company as well as an inn.

The Bones of the Whale - more subdued than the other two, you only spot it when you see a griffin rider circle and land in the courtyard. You also see a pegasus in the yard playing a ball game with two teenage girls. The flash of armor in the sun tells you the place is also guarded well.

Garth glides slowly and unthreatening to The Grasping Hand. Assuming no ones shoots at us, we will land and arrange lodging.

As proprietors of a fly-in stablery, they do not shoot you as you land. In fact, they give you space for the hippogriffs to swoop and flare to an elegant and soft landing on sand. Two slaves come out from under the covered stable and fall to their knees, prostrated. Garth's hippogriff gives them a disdainful sniff and them ignores them. An old man comes out, his oiled beard and peaked hat marking him as somewhat wealthy.

"Welcome to the Open Fist, my friends," he says with a great smile. "We have the finest grooms and the most lavish rooms this side of the Bawish Expanse." He spreads his arms wide in greeting, or perhaps offering a hug.

Hehsh is intrigued by the pegasus and the griffin, and votes to go there.

Without dismounting the hippogriff, Mavis leans over to address the old man, and putting on her best common accent:
Ta very much. Have tha' you baths 'ere, and 'ow much do you charge?

She remembers her manners,
Ahm Mavis, of Cloud-sea, taking great care to pronounce the name of her mineholm carefully, lest it come out as Cludsi, an' I'm reet pleased to meet you, an' this looks like reet nice place, but we've not quite decided where t' stay yet.
Oh, an' out of interest, why's it say "grasping hand", but you call it "open fist"? Was signwrite puddled?

Mavis can’t hold her pedantry any longer.
An’ ahm not sure you can have "open fist" any’ow. Fist is closed. That’s why it’s fist, see?Mavis looks to the heroes, and shrugs one shoulder as if to ask will this do?.

"Oh, yes, kind miss, you are as wise as your are beautiful. The ancient dwarven languages had a glyph for grasping hand, I have been told this yes. But as to your question, it is a play on words, yes? The hand looks open, but can make a fist easily. Like our inn. We are kind and courteous, but we are also secure, ready to respond to unkindness. But none of that, you are here for our famous communal baths. Rich steamy luxury you have never before encountered, scented with tantalizing oils from across the Bawish Expanse. While communal, they are yet modest enough for even the most jealous father to trust to the security of his finest daughter, yes?"

Ooo, this sounds reet posh! Mavis thinks to herself. She isn't entirely sure what all of the man's words mean, but she's fairly certain her father won't get jealous. He doesn't even like baths.

Her eyes narrow suspiciously
Ahm noticin' that tha' yous bein' shy on mentionin' price though. Ahm not daft enough to expect owt fer nowt, but 'ow much is you chargin'?

Please let it be reasonable Mavis thinks to herself, eager to expand on her fine-bathing experience.

"Of course. With a private room, feed and stabling for your fine feathered friends, and a feast that would make the gods weep in envy, 4 gold each."

If you would like to negotiate, please make an appropriate roll with Advantage due to the presence of your companions.

Garth strolls up to the man and sighs.

Now, I have no doubt that the food will be grand, but what is making the gods weep is the price. You do understand we want to rent rooms, not buy them.

He looks around at his comrades, now better dressed than before and riding these magnificent animals.

I think that we would consider staying here for 3gp per person.

The argument continues for awhile, with Garth getting back on his hippogriff at one point, and the man agrees to 3 gp, although his family will "have his worthless hide whipped from here to the sea and back" for the poverty with which he will surely be stricken.

In other words, you probably still overpaid, but not by nearly as much.

"I mean some of those other symbols looked rather nice too.." Hasan says to Mavis. "That horned horse looked pretty neat!"

Ruby kinda twiddles her thumbs from her hippogriff while Garth negotiates, under the impression this is one of those fancy places for affluent travelers. When a price is decided she perks up, hopping off her mount with a relieved expression. "Does this mean we can go in?"

Hang 'bout Ruby. Gaffer looks uncertain.

Mavis looks to Hasan.
What tha' thinkin' Hasan? You want t' chip?

Mavis doesn't understand why the rest of the party doesn't wait on Hasan's decision. There's no battle going on where individual initiative is expected, so surely they should wait for the leader to decide the best course of action.

"A chip? I am a bit hungry after that trip across the desert."