Gameplay - The Dragon Who Asked Too Much

"i don't know about any unicorn, but something gives me an eerie feeling. It's probably best we hurry out of this area."

Mavis is mildly surprised by Garth’s question, but not shocked.

Aye, I did. It’s sign, and no mistake.

She then turns sternly to Hassan.

’as thee gone soft in head Hassan? The gods send sign like that, and we do nowt ‘bout it? Eee lad, I know there’s rush on, but I’d never look ferther in face agin if ‘e ‘eard I knew bairns needed us an’ I walked on.

Mavis doesn’t want to offend Hassan, so she takes a deep breath, softens her tone and considers her next words carefully.

I know we ‘ave solemn quest an’ no time for faffin’, it does thee proud that y’ ‘ave tha’ focus on it. But I don’t see ‘ow we can walk on by.

She sits back with her arms folded across her chest. Mavis has said her piece, and now awaits its judgement.

Any ‘ow. That’s me two common’s worth. If there’s vote then I vote we ‘elp, but let’s wait for Ruby an’ Hehsh. If yous think different to us then I’ll bow to rank.

Ruby is at a loss for maybe half of Mavis's little speech. Still, she can improvise. "That was the first time I've ever dreamed of a unicorn, I doubt it was a coincidence, especially since we apparently all experienced it simultaneously. And I- Wait, you think the town is...SpoOoOkY?" Ruby flutters her fingers in front of her face, talking in a manner she thinks a scary ghost would.

"It was Albionii. The unicorn who aided us in the battle and the patron of the circle of druids who raised me. If she is asking for aid, we should help. In my dream, the call for help came from the east."

I agree. Hopefully it will be a short detour.

Mavis looks at Hassan expectantly.
She’s decided that he’s their leader and she must follow his decision - but surely a good leader listens to the opinions of the party.

Seeing Ruby’s confusion, Mavis tries again.
It were a sign from gods. I say we act, and there’s no...
what was the skywalker word for faffing?
pro-crast-in-ating and de-bate-ing.
Gods! Even their words for faffing were a faff.
We do what our ferthers’ would ‘spect on us. But I’ll follow group decision with no mitherin’ errr... grumblin’

Mavis smiles at Ruby apologetically. She knows her grasp of the nobles’ common is a little dodgy, but she’s not sure which of her words are dialect.

Hehsh bursts out laughing and he doesn't know why

"Ok, If that gets us out of this eerie place lets hop to it then."

Hasan shows a small visible shutter as a cold chill pierces his body.

Mavis nodded to Hassan when she heard his decision. Their leader had reached the correct decision. Everything was as it should be.

I’ll just get us things. She headed off up to her room.

In the room Mavis mentally prepared for her first real day of adventuring in the skylands by following her personal pre-hunting rituals.
After donning and tightening her leathers, Mavis pulled the slip-tied leather cords holding the daggers on her right forearm and at the small of her back. There was the soft sound of steel drawn from leather as the daggers were removed, inspected, then re-sheathed. As Mavis re-tied the dagger’s slip knot on her back she considered the warhammer on the floor.

She’d found it in her pack shortly after leaving the Cloudsea. It was a gift from Sandra who always told her that she should have a more dwarven weapon.
Mavis had a great deal of respect for dwarven fighters. They stood firm, rooted to the earth, clutching the hammers and picks of their mining heritage, stubbornly defying anyone to try and move them - as if their lives were precious gold in a tight seam. You want them? We’ll make you work for them.

But that wasn’t Mavis’s way. She was as subtle and insidious as poisonous afterdamp. Silent, creeping, unexpected death in the dark.

Ritual completed Mavis shouldered her pack, but carried the warhammer. She headed downstairs to meet the party. She handed the hammer to Hassan.
Ye were lookin’ to trade weapons for gold here? Add this to collection. Dwarf made, should fetch reet good price.

Did you want to try and sell your weapons before going off in search of mystery?

Mavis scans the faces of the party. She’s hoping that they act decisively, heroically - perhaps ask the inn to store their booty until they return.
She’d speak but she’s become quite self-conscious of her accent.
Hehsh burst out laughing for no reason after she last spoke, and the embarrassment is still a little raw in Mavis’s memory.

Hasan takes the item "Uhh... ok?"

"Perhaps we'll hit the market on the way out and off load some of the equipment." he says as he holds the item as if startled by the realization there was more to do.

yes, since are here, we may as well take a couple of minutes to sell the surplus weapons, and change the funky gold coins into coins of the realm.

We will probably make up the time flying faster without the extra weight.

"Wait, you guys have stuff to sell? Lemme check." Ruby starts digging through her pack, pulling out (and placing back in): rope, a torch, several smooth rocks she discreetly places on the table, darts which she spins in her hand for fun, and a fairly nice looking bangle. "I guess there is...this?"

It would be fairly obvious that someone is carrying around the big bag of armor and weapons mostly taken from hobgoblin patrols. See the Party Loot thread for an inventory.

I'll put up a price list, possibly influenced by a Diplomacy or Persuasion check.