What Comes Next (RP)

If there is a tense atmosphere in the inn, Humphrey appears unaware of it. "It is getting dark." He says. "So we need rooms for the night."

"Rooms." The innkeeper repeats. "Yes. We can do that." He seems to be trying to put on a brave face so as to not put off the paying customers. The inn has a reputation to uphold.

"And scenic drinks!" Humphrey declares.

"Drinks we can do." The innkeeper nods. "But inside. The scenic... er... the veranda is broken. Yes, broken. You can't go out there."

"Good. Good." Humphrey says, looking in the direction of the bar to start with the drinking. He nods in greeting to the other patrons. If he is disappointing by any of this, he does not show it.

---

• Do you stay and speak to the locals, here, first? Or do you go straight to your rooms to stow your gear? Or do you keep your packs in the main room while you eat and drink (for those of you who do drink)?
• How many rooms do you (OOC) want between, the 5 of you? Separate rooms cost a bit more, of course, but Humphrey is taking care of those details.

"Wild? Yes, definitely wildlife." They agree. "So keep your windows closed at night."

Humphrey has arranged two rooms, with enough beds. Neither he nor the staff react to your where you dump your packs, there will be time to view the rooms once you have supped.

The stew-pot is almost empty, but you don't get the impression that is due lack of provisions, but instead that they were not expecting guests tonight and were making ready to clean up. The innkeeper brings out bread —backed earlier today— and cheese, and some fruit, and there is the promise of sweet-cake and berries after. This seems like a more 'up-market' place than you have become accustomed to recently.

The visiting-locals seem torn between their plans to get home and curiosity about your group.

"What's your story, then?" One asks your group in a friendly way, scooching over to join you at your table. They don't seem to 'know' Humphrey, not more than to recall 'he drives a coach past here sometimes', but did note that he did not ask to stable any horses this time. Humphrey is busy with his drink, and assumes they are asking you and don't care about his broken axle and wife troubles.

What do you do?

"You're Wayne, right?" The man asks, smiling. "I'm Wayne, too." It is possible he has waited all his life to make that joke. "I always wanted to learn to fix wagons. See them passing through all the time. Good reliable work?"

"The inn is nice." Wayne agrees. "Gives us a place to come and relax of an evening. There is nothing else around here. I live over there. On the plantation. Bob too." He points inland, then at the other man at who was sitting with him. Bob holds up his mug in greeting and gives you a big smile completely devoid of teeth, but does not come over or speak to you.

Bob does try to catch Wayne's eye and gesture, with a tilt of his head, that they should be getting home, but Wayne is more interested in continuing the conversation.

"You look familiar." He says Albert. "How long you been in the wagon fixing business?"

"Never heard of it." Wayne shrugs. "Was it near here?" Albert's old place is sufficiently far from here that most of the locals would not have been there.

"No its the tree farm, just before ... or after.. the big wheat farm." Wayne says, pointing his two hands in opposite directions to indicate 'before/after'. "You can't see it from the road... what with all the trees." He grins.

Bob stands and walks over, nudging Wayne in the arm and indicating the door.

"Yeah, yeah." Wayne waves him away distractedly, not getting up.

"Of course, dear." The innkeeper's wife beams at Roald after his complement. "Sleep well."

"Oh, and keep the windows closed. OK?"

- Roald -

It might have been minutes, but also might have been hours, at first you can't tell if you are dreaming when you hear Waynes voice and a tapping coming from outside your upstairs window.

"Erm... excuse me." He hear Wayne say. "I seem to be locked out. It was too late for me to go home so I took a room. But I went out for a smoke and seem to be locked on the balcony. Could you let me in."

- Albert -

Seeing that the conversation is to go on for while, Bob shrugs and departs on his own into the evening.

"Not a forest anymore." Wayne says with a grin, and you can't tell if he is being clever or stupid.

"No, we have not had any trouble up there." He drops his voice as he adds this last bit: "All the trouble was here, at the inn. Guests brutally murdered. Ripped apart, I hear. But they are trying to keep it quite."

What do you do?

- Roald -

Mist flows in as Wayne flops through the window accompanied by a sickeningly sweet, fruity smell that might be alcohol on his breath. He looks around, confused, before wordlessly gliding out the door you are holding for him.

As you head back to bed, something worries at your mind. Something about the balcony, maybe?
• Do you bother to check? Or head back to your grape-feeding-women?

What do you do?