13: Myra needs a good stuffing

[Ebiris]

[15:33] <@Ebiris> The trip back through the forest is mercifully without further harsh wild encounters, the trees thinning out as the group reaches the expansive pasture leading up to the fort on the far peninsula, two dragons visible even at this distance flying around, diving at each other and evading. The cattle seem happy enough to keep a decent distance from the party, although a large bull does keep a close eye on you all as you pass.
[15:33] <@Ebiris> "Hey there!" a voice calls, one of the shepards you passed on your way out approaching towards the fence you walk besides. "How was the hunting?" he asks before getting close enough to note Henrietta's pale and dishevelled state. "Oh," he concludes eloquently.
[15:35] * @Henrietta might be pale and her clothing is in disarray, but she certainly carries herself properly, as would be expected of her. "These forests have bear-eating spiders," she responds eloquently.
[15:37] <@Ebiris> "A pity spiders don't make good dragon food," the shepard shakes his head. "Dunno if you plan to try walking back to the city, but they'd probably put you up for a night in the fort if you asked. Might do you more good to take a rest rather than walking back in the dark?"
[15:38] * Joins: Miranda_Altair (~Dis@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
[15:38] <@Henrietta> "We were actually hoping to do just that," Henrietta agrees. "Is there any protocol involved, or do we just come up to the proverbial door and knock?"
[15:41] <@Ebiris> "Just talk to the guards at the gates, yeah," he nods. "They're a pretty informal bunch, but so long as you behave yourselves and don't trouble the dragons none you shouldn't have any bother getting in for a night's kip."
[15:42] <@Henrietta> "I cannot possibly imagine a situation where we would cause any trouble to the dragons whatsoever," Henrietta asserts. She tips her hat at the shepard. "Thank you for the advice. We'll be on our way, then."
[15:43] * Miranda_Altair waves cheerily and smiles at the shepherd.
[15:46] <@Ebiris> "Take care of yourselves," he tips his own flat cap in return, going back to his herd. The rest of the walk to the fort passes by amicably enough, the path taking you up to the fortress itself, its grey masonry built around the craggy cliffs it rests upon, the two dragons you saw earlier having flown down to land somewhere within the peninsula and out of sight. The gates are massive, no doubt to accomodate any landbound dragons having to make use of them, and a single guard sits in an incongruously small shelter beside them, seeming quite bored until he catches sight of you and stands up.
[15:48] <@Henrietta> "Hello!" Henrietta greets him. "We were told that it might be possible to stay the nigh here, in this fort, so that we would not be forced to travel back to the city during the night?"
[15:50] <@Ebiris> He takes a look over you all before shrugging, "Not much harm in it, and as Isernians it's your fort, too," he concludes, "What are you doing out this way, anyway?"
[15:51] <@Henrietta> "We were hunting," Henrietta responds, her eyes drifting over to Myra, who is carrying their spoils in a sack. "We truly hoped to chance upon bear, but we ended up facing the thing that preys on bears instead."
[15:52] <@Ebiris> "Really?" he perks up even as he comes out of his little shelter and goes to the smaller human-sized door set into the mammoth gates. "What was that?"
[15:53] <@Rudy> "Giant spider. Very nasty. Lives in a hole in the ground."
[15:53] <Miranda_Altair> "Big spider. Not friendly."
[15:53] <@Henrietta> "Its head is the size of a small person," Henrietta adds, wincing.
[15:55] <@Ebiris> "Oohf, good luck dealing with that," he nods approvingly. "That's the sort of thing I'd rather sic a dragon on and keep well back, myself."
[15:55] <@Henrietta> "They don't find the taste of spiders pleasing, we heard? A true shame."
[15:56] <@Henrietta> Glenn nods.
[15:57] <@Ebiris> "Don't have to eat something to squish it!" he laughs as he opens up the door and calls over another member of the dragon corps to come and take you off his hands to see about providing a room and a meal.
[16:01] <@Ebiris> It doesn't take long before the party is ensconced in a windowless room deep inside the fortress, only getting a brief glimpse down into the central area where the dragons themselves reside before ending up in more human-proportioned parts deep inside the fortress walls. A hot meal of oats and spicy sauced pork is provided, enough bunks available in the room for everyone to sleep comfortably and a metal grille in the corner that radiates heat and a little steam from some subterranean source.
[16:01] <@Ebiris> OOC: just going to sit tight and go home tomorrow?
[16:02] <@Henrietta> OOC: I'm good with that. Glenn could heal me come morning!
[16:03] <Miranda_Altair> OOC: Sounds good.
[16:04] <@Ebiris> Morning comes, a breakfast of a fried egg on thick bread provided for everyone to see them off on their journey home! Unfortunately the spider-head is emitting a rather vile stench by now that seeps through the bag it's held within, permeating the room. It causes the unlucky breakfast delivery boy to gag and quickly flee.
[16:04] <@Henrietta> roll 1d8+1
[16:04] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d8+1 and gets 4." [1d8=3]
[16:05] * @Henrietta can take care of the spell and does so, though she wonders what it means for the purposes of any taxidermy.
[16:05] <@Henrietta> *smell
[16:08] <@Ebiris> A shot of prestidigitation masks the odour well enough for the next hour as the group set off on the long walk back to Salerno along the cliffs. It's rather more windy and unpleasant today, stinging rain pelting down on everyone while unpredictable gusts of wind make walking near the edge of the path a tricky proposition. Fortunately the weather also seeems to be keeping the seagulls, and their bigger cousin, from flying around bothering the party. It's a long and unpleasant walk, but by early afternoon they finally reach the Azure Harbour once more...
[16:09] <@Rudy> Rudy has his coat pulled tightly around himself, for all the good it does him in the face of such furious skies.
[16:09] <@Henrietta> "Maybe we could use this?" Henrietta suggests. "If we carry the spider's head into the Taxidermist's Hall, and time it so that my spell expires once we are there? Perhaps we could use the ensuring discomfort as camouflage to take a look at what's hidden within the hall?"
[16:12] * Miranda_Altair nods at Henrietta. "Maybe we could."
[16:15] <@Henrietta> With the apparent consensus formed, Henrietta heads towards their destination!
[16:18] <@Ebiris> The Taxidermist's Hall sits on one of the islands North of the Merchant district, at the edge of Sunset and surrounded by canals. Most of the buildings are residential, with a few street-vendors bravely hawking their wares in spite of the foul weather, while the single-story guildhall has its door securely shut, the sign on the door does indicate that it's open. The sole window is dominated by the image of a large black bear - though smaller than the one you saw in the woods - rearing up and flashing its claws... except its upper chest and head have light brown fur, and its head is more like that of a moose, right down to the proud and ornate antlers sticking out!
[16:19] <@Henrietta> "A shame we did not come across this beast," Henrietta muses regretfully. "I would have liked to test myself against it."
[16:19] <@Rudy> "I don't think that came from only one beast."
[16:20] <@Henrietta> "You never know with chimera!"
[16:20] <@Rudy> "Chimera?"
[16:20] <Miranda_Altair> Miranda stares at the beast. "Either way, I would not want to fight it!"
[16:20] * @Henrietta gestures at the moosebear. "Like this."
[16:20] * @Henrietta pauses thoughtfully, then. "Isn't your Myra one?"
[16:21] <@Rudy> "Is she?" Rudy glances at Myra for a moment. "I thought she was entirely unique, not a composite."
[16:21] <@Henrietta> "A question for another day, perhaps," Henrietta says, pushing the door open.
[16:22] <@Ebiris> Entering, you find yourselves in a large storeroom, dozens of stuffed animals all about - from monkeys and birds on shelves and perches, to more exotic beasts like a centipede that could rival your spider in stature, slithering over an ornamental rock, and even what looks to be a small dragon with shiny black scales, its mouth open to bare a set of tiny razor sharp fangs! There's no sign of the proprieter, although a closed door on the opposite wall leads somewhere deeper within. Besides the front door is a bell with a sign reading 'ring for service'.
[16:23] * @Henrietta rings said bell, to not be rude.
[16:25] <@Ebiris> "Coming!" a hoarse voice calls from behind the far door, a few moments later it opens to reveal a lanky man wearing a brown tweed coat, smiling to reveal a gold tooth that glints in the light. "Welcome, welcome," he greets you all, rubbing his hands and coming closer, only to draw up short when he spots Myra. "My, what sort of specimen do we have here?" he oozes, looking her up and down in a manner that's part predatory and part clinical.
[16:26] * Quits: @Wayland (~yuthirin@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net) (Ping timeout)
[16:26] * Quits: Miranda_Altair (~Dis@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net) (Ping timeout)
[16:26] <@Henrietta> "Why, we were just discussing that!" Henrietta exclaims in surprise. "I believe it is a chimera, but my friend here," she says, glancing at Rudy, "believes that she is entirely unique!"
[16:27] <@Rudy> "Well, I've certainly never seen anything else like her."
[16:27] <@Henrietta> "I cannot dispute your statement."
[16:28] <@Ebiris> "Nor I... the thin skin and twisted bones would make it a challenge to work with," he reaches out to grab Myra's arm, holding it up to examine and heedless of the razor-sharp claws he brings so close to his face...
[16:28] <@Rudy> "She bites, you know."
[16:29] <@Henrietta> "I have seen it happen," Henrietta verifies.
[16:29] * Quits: @Henrietta (~corwin@p11811120.orange.net.il) (Quit: )
[16:30] <@Ebiris> "Ah!" he seems to remember himself at Rudy's comment, dropping Myra's arm and stepping back. "Yes, I do prefer my work to come in pre-deceased... Nemien Roblach, at your service. Do any of my pieces interest you?" he gestures at the work on display, "Or are you here to commission something?"
[16:31] * Joins: Miranda_Altair (~Dis@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
[16:31] <@Rudy> "We managed to hunt down a giant spider of some sort. Wondering if you could do anything with the head," states Rudy, and Myra presents the sack.
[16:31] * Joins: Wayland (~yuthirin@c-71-194-208-215.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
[16:35] <@Ebiris> "Just the head?" he frowns and leans over to open the sack and look within. Anyone else who cares to do so can see the mostly collapsed mass of black spider carapace stewing in a hideous brew of yellow and off-white ichor that has oozed out from within. "Ye Gads!" he blurts out, stepping back and making small choking noises. "This work cultivates a strong stomach, but that... that is disgusting!"
[16:35] <@Rudy> "Oh, god! I didn't think it'd broken so much..." replies Rudy, faintly revolted himself.
[16:35] <Miranda_Altair> "We do our best!" Miranda bubbles. "Can you work with it?"
[16:37] <@Ebiris> "Urgh..." he fans himself for a moment. "It's definitely among the worst I've ever seen... I can't promise, but I take pride in my work," he gestures at the items surrounding you. "Given the damage, however, an extra surcharge feels merited. Forty gold and I'll see if I can make it into a presentable trophy to stick on your wall."
[16:38] <@Rudy> "Want one of us to help out?" asks Rudy. "Most of us can cast a little spell that helps deal with the smell."
[16:38] * Aaeru is now known as Henrietta
[16:40] <@Ebiris> "That's quite alright, I'm a mage of no small skill myself," he replies, proceeding to duplicate Henrietta's earlier efforts before he takes the sack. "Of course, the actual taxidermy is all done the mundane way. No illusions or transmutations, it's all pure craftsmanship!" he adds, puffing up pridefully.
[16:41] <@Henrietta> "So everything we see here is your work?" Henrietta asks in admiration.
[16:44] <@Ebiris> "That's right," he smiles at Henrietta. "Some of them are ones that were commissioned but then fell through, others I managed to acquire the bodies myself and worked on them to sell to any interested party. The smaller ones are quite cheap, if you're interested," he indicates one of a raven sitting on a perch of petrified wood, "Only eight gold for that one. Others... well, if you've got a spare nine hundred coins, wouldn't a baby dragon make for a great conversation starter when entertaining guests?"
[16:45] <@Henrietta> "I don't think my parents would approve of that," Henrietta demurs, before she brightens up. "The moosebear, however? Certainly qualified for that task!"
[16:46] <Miranda_Altair> Miranda subconsciously checks that Como is still on her shoulder and turns away from the dead raven.
[16:47] <@Ebiris> "Haha, that one was requested by young Dale Arabani, but of course then he went and vanished... a pity, I rather enjoyed working on it. Four hundred and fifty gold for it," Nemien replies, walking over to admire the chimera in the window display.
[16:48] <@Henrietta> "Might I inquire how lengthy this process is?" Henrietta asks, gesturing at the sack and not needing to fake paling just a little at the thought of what lies within it. "To take something... such as that, and to turn it into a pillow, or cushion, or even something to mount on a wall?"
[16:48] <@Rudy> Perhaps he developed taste, muses Rudy.
[16:49] <Miranda_Altair> Miranda looks Henrietta. "A pillow?"
[16:49] <@Henrietta> "For a living room's sofa, say."
[16:51] <Miranda_Altair> "A spider's head? For a pillow? Well, if you're into spiders I suppose..."
[16:51] <@Ebiris> "Most of the work will be cleaning it up and fixing it so it won't fall apart - it won't be soft enough to make a good cushion, you've got to make these things solid so they last," he demonstrates by rapping his knuckles on the moosebear with a solid thunk. "But it's not that big, so it won't take that long. I'd say three days - I'm in the middle of another commission at the moment, a good sized griffon for the Arena, and I want to get that done quickly."
[16:53] <@Henrietta> "Might it be possible to observe the process? I must admit a certain interest about just what it takes to get to the finished product."
[16:53] <@Ebiris> OOC: roll diplo, Henrietta?
[16:53] <@Henrietta> roll 1d10+11 please?
[16:53] * +Hatbot --> "Henrietta rolls 1d10+11 please? and gets 20." [1d10=9]
[16:56] <@Ebiris> "Hmm..." he seems undecided for a moment before nodding, "Well, it is nice to see someone interested in my work - most people are happy with the finished product but find the process disturbing. Come on and I'll show you how the griffon's coming along?" he invites, starting to head back to the door he came through.
[16:58] <@Henrietta> The grateful smile Henrietta gives Nemien needn't be faked, either! She follows him within.