[IC] Death & Taxes (Session 4)

Leaving the festival grounds takes a bit longer than anyone would like, as Wayland glad-hands with the villagers like a country priest after a sermon. He insists on escorting you back to his house, though, so you wait around, help put things away as you can, chat with various locals who seem both drunk and drowsy, and watch the place clear out. Finally, Wayland smiles at you and motions you over.

"Let's get back to the house and get some shuteye, what do you say?" The walk back to the manor is pleasant enough. Wayland obviously knows the village like the back of his hand, so he leads you at a steady but comfortable clip back to the house. As you get closer, you notice the glow of the fire inside. Hildar and Nekurr especially can't help but think of snuggling into a cozy bed...

The mayor dismisses the guards sitting outside, thanking them for "keeping his guests safe," but he says with him and his brother there, they can go home to their families. "Don't forget to burn your buzzards, now," he calls out, "so Nature's Lady'll send you good dreams!"

Nera greets her companions inside, and it quickly becomes apparent from the snoring that Tronus is sleeping outside at the stables. The mayor curses then smiles, and heads out to try to rouse the Dwarf to make sure he can get in to a warm bed. He ensures that you all have linens and clean water in the basins—it appears that Rupert Wayland has made sure of it—and then he leaves you upstairs. As he starts down the staircase, he stops and says, "Oh, don't let me forget. We'll get you what we can of those taxes first thing in the morning. Even if your boy ran off, Buzzard's Ford pays its debts." Then he says good night.

When everyone returns Nera will look at them with a half-bored stare, lounging on a seat in the living room like a queen living in decadence. She of course will head upstairs at the mayor's request, wanting the man to leave.

Nera explains her outing now that everyone's gathered. "First: Wayland and the Weaver don't get along, that's what the 'guards' think anyway. They also are very intimidated of my prowess, rightfully so. More importantly: Anzul-Anza-Anzilla whatever wasn't home. She had one of those effigies burning, but either she's got a trapdoor or was able to slip away. Isn't be too hard anyway, militia here wouldn't last if those lizardfolk decided to invade."

"What? The pig lady is gone?" Nekurr asks Nera a bit confused about what happened. "Is she the mayor's sister or something?" the half-cat drops on the nearest bed and goes silent. Then he shakes out of his sleep, looking around scared as he tries to maintain his balance "You know, that Sad priestess? The one that founded the village and ran into the swamp?" Though he may not be making much sense, those that hear the pageant can tell he is talking about Sanden, the pristess of Aris. "A bit weird, she came back raising dead and making miracles. I mean, she met the lady bird in lizardland or what?". Nekuur asks probably very seriously, though he could also be just very high. Difficult to tell from his expression.

"I mean, the mayor descends from this Sad priestess. Why was she so sad? That they didn't say! Hmm, maybe because the pig lady is the one that knows about spiders?". He stares straight into Hildar's eyes "What's this deal with birds and spiders? It makes no sense". He goes really quiet, as if considering the potential ramifications of his question, until he wakes up from his own snoring a few moments later.

"What's up with those two? Maybe they are secret lovers?" he turns to Nera "We must find her, I think she ate the tax man. Wait! Is she going to eat the little girl tonight?" he gasps in horror at his next thought "or her candied fruits?" and with that he collapses on the bed.

Hildar stifles a yawn before speaking "Does anyone else find it a tad on point that one of our main suspicious characters here is a weaver who is most likely at least allied with a spider cult? Anyway, I digress - the 'birds and spiders' as you put it Nekurr are related to that pair of Zanagan gods the book I, erm, liberated from the mayors house, Harridan and Arachne. From what I recall their clergies work in secret, even working openly in an isolated village like this would be extremely unusual for them." he ponders matters for a moment before shaking himself and continuing "During the recital I recalled a little piece of information, legend has it that at the end of the third darkness the leader of the dragon forces died in the skies over this swamp and fell somewhere out there. I don't ever recall reading anything about the body being found.

One other thing that seemed odd. The judges at the pagent, other than Erfan Eswyse seemed fine, not sleepy like the rest of the villagers. What are the odds that they wouldn't have eaten any of this herb they put in everything by pure chance?"

"You mean..." Nekurr turns to Hildar, mostly trying to figure out his general shape. "Sad priestess met the big dragon and mixed up up Aris for this Harridan god?" He looks around, confused for a moment "Who's this Zanagan fellow you mentioned?. He yaws as he tries to keep his eyes open "So do we have a case of mayor Harridan and weaver Arachne around here? Shouldn't we keep an eye on them and the little girl then?"

"Yea, Oi don't 'ave much intention of sleeping t'noight...

One; wit a village full of drugged folk, who knows what might go on.

Two; every few years da winner of dis pageant decoides ta leave town and never come back.

Da judges dat weren't under da influence, may be in on whatever noighttoime activities dat might occur. Secret devotees of Arachne or whatever.

Once tings settle here, Oi'm gonna poloitely excuse moiself, ta go sleep at da farmers stable. Oi tink anyone who doesn't tink dey can sneak outta 'ere unnoticed should come wit me."

Nekkur snoozes off a little as Bruv talks. It seems his not much of a night cat

A thought occurs to Nera. "What happens to the pageant winner for the night? Do they just go home?"

Nekurr's last snore wakes him wake fully as he realises that he shouldn't have eatten so much at the festival, given that everything had pipeleaf

Hildar sits in a chair at the side of the room listening to everyone talk, feeling more and more drowsy. Maybe if I just rest my eyes for a mome....... he thinks to himself as he closes his eyes.....