Chapter 2: High Road to Krusk

You all re-enter the House of Angry Pancakes, somewhat energized by your battle success but also somewhat hungry and thirsty. Not much has changed in the interior of the restaurant. The two patrons are still sitting at their respective tables, but one of them has removed their hood, revealing a reserved-yet-intrigued tiefling female underneath, looking in your direction. The cook and Skeeter are retreating to the kitchen, with Lark still working outside.

The bar patron, however, has sat at your table. He waves you over, indicating that he'd like you to sit with him. The half-orc motions over to the elven barmaid, holding up his hand and wiggling his fingers. "Darla, five Redcheek Single-Barrel Malts please, in the clean glasses, please."

The barmaid responds, "Honey, there's only four of you there."

"Maybe I want to double up. Again. These guys--and gal, sorry--might be the ones that will actually be able to help us this time."

Darla brings five glasses topped off with a sweet-smelling liquor to the table, setting them evenly on leather coasters. "Here you go," she says sweetly, then looks to the group. "Y'all can have a seat, Skeeter and Thogred will be out shortly with your brunch."

The half-orc takes one of the glasses and chugs the liquor, and after a quick gulp, addresses the party.

"If you hadn't already figured, I'm Krusk the 2nd... but please call me Billiam, everyone else around here will. You came here for the work, and I've got a job for you all, so have a seat and let's chat."

OOC: I'd like to wait until Dawn gets her character set before we advance too far.

OOC: Okay, guys! I'm saying we should get started. I helped out Dawn and she should be good to go when she gets a chance to finish off her character. I think we can go ahead and start.

Krusk... I mean, Billiam, is staring at the group, appearing perplexed at your extended hesitation to accept his meal and job offering.

"Um, while I can appreciate your apprehension--given the events of the last couple of minutes--you three can sit down now, it's okay. This is a safe place. This booze here is safe too, no poison, just apple-infused goodness." He again motions to the three of you to sit down.

"It has, however, been a long time since I've heard from my father and I'd like to talk particulars about your role in repairing this daddy-son relationship."

Ezythyr tucks the last bone into his bag, while Glissen burbles happily on his shoulder. He looks up at the mention of the particulars of the job and sits down at the table, taking a quick swig of the proffered cider.

"Where's yer father that yer not hearin' from 'im?" For his entire life, Ezythyr had been under the tutelage of his father. To not be in contact with him was strange now, but he knew he could always seek his council by letter. The thought of losing that contact frightened him slightly.

The soft whisper of pansy was ignored.

---

OOC: I'm adding 1 clean skeleton to my inventory.

Billiam takes a breath in before providing his response.

"I'll keep it short: my father, Krusk the First, you might've heard of him. Famous barbarian, savage combatant, legitimate dragonslayer, he's pretty famous everywhere. Far as I'm concerned, though, he's a deadbeat, having left me naught but a locked chest. He always said that my 'inheritance' was locked up 'innit, and that one day he'd be back with the key. But it's been nearly ten years now since we've last seen him. We've tried magic, brute force... nothing's getting this chest open but that key.

"Darla and I have paid a few mercs to search him out, and so far no one's been able to find him. The restaurant hasn't been doing too well, and if there's something in this chest that can keep us afloat for a few more years, then we gotta get that key. Your mission is to bring it back here, and we'll pay ten thousand gold pieces, plus a small portion of whatever valuables are in the chest. If you actually manage to bring back my father--so that I can sock him in the face for being gone so long--I'm willing to double the bounty. You in or out?"

Darla chimes in from the bar, "And, Billiam, you're not mentioning that you just want to see your dad again. It's OK to admit you miss him." She looks over to the group. "Old Krusk might be more inclined to come back if he heard that, and that's he's soon to be a grandpa. It'd be nice to have him around even for a little bit."

"Grandpa, huh?" Eledriar chuckles. "If he has any sense, the idea of another critter running around should send him running for the hills. No offence," she adds hastily. "Anyway, I don't wanna speak for my fellow travellers, but you guys seem like you're in a bit of a pinch and could use a hand... and I like the sound of those ten thousand gold pieces." She takes a look around at her fellow adventurers. "What'd you guys reckon?"

Thokk takes a long drink from his cup. "I'd love to help you get a few more years of pancakes out of this place, and see your dad besides. But this seems like a big mission. Do you have any leads on his location?""

Ezythyr has been sitting with his brow furrowed, thinking hard. Finally he can stay silent no longer.

"If ye have twenny thousand gold, why don't ye just put that into the place?"

"Tha's...a good question."

Darla responds, as Billiam rubs his hands together nervously. "My dear hubby has neglected to mention our benefactor in our pursuit of the key to his chest from dear old Krusk... a entrepreneur in the field of labor management, Barthas Olmwind. He's invested enough in this restaurant--giving to us the employ of our very fine workers Lark and Skeeter--and is graciously providing the seed money with which to reward the fine adventurers that assist us."

Billiam looks down at his hands before addressing the group again, "I never take on a debt I can't pay back, and I'm certain that once I open that chest, everyone will get their due. We'll pay you, pay back Barthas, and spend some of that good good gold on advertising and expansion of the space here. But I'm not a rough-and-tumble sort like you all, though. I need people to find him or that key, and bring 'em back here. Thogred has a friend in Candlekeep that he can refer you to, that might have a lead on my father. So are you in?"

Lark and Skeeter appear from the kitchen, carrying plates of hot, fluffy pancakes that fill the air with the scent of cinnamon. They deliver the plates to your table, along with a small carafe of maple syrup. "Syrup or not, these are the best cakes in the world," Lark states confidently, as a small bracelet on her wrist clinks against the table. "Eat up and enjoy, and be sure to refer others to us!"

Skeeter mumbles unintelligibly as he delivers the plates, and meanders back to the kitchen with Lark, itching his left wrist underneath a bracelet similar to Lark's.

OOC: Do I recognize anything about those bracelets? Are they magical in nature?

[You appear to have proficiencies in both arcana and history, so I'll skip the checks for now. - DM]

On closer inspection, Ezythyr, you can make out the Blackfeather emblem along the edge of the kobolds' bracelets. In the Northwestern reaches of Faerun, Blackfeather was a known, wealthy guild that deals in the fencing and trade of illicit goods, and in particular the exchange of indentured laborers from all nations and races in Faerun.

If the context provided by Darla is to be believed, the House of Angry Pancakes is indeed indebted to the Blackfeathers--specifically, Barthas Olmwind--with operational costs and laborers directly provided by him and overseen by the guild.

Ezythyr eyes the bracelet. "I'm in."

"Bah. A library. Suits ye, ye pansy."

Billiam sighs with relief. "How do the rest of you feel?"

Thokk smiled, "One hundred percent. Is there anything you can tell us about candlekeep? Is it well
populated, defended?"

The female tiefling at the other table continues to awkwardly pay attention to your group.

Cantrips:
Poison Spray
Thorn Whip

Prepared Spells:
Absorb Elements
Charm Person
Cure Wounds
Detect Magic
Healing Word
Speak with Animals

Spell Slots:
3 - 1st level

OOC: Could I know anyone here? Maybe Krusk/Billiam?

[As a tiefling hermit, I'm not inclined to believe that you'd have interacted with anyone in this restaurant previously, but I supposed we can fix that. - DM]

Darla acknowledges Ezythyr, Thokk, and Eledriar, and waves over to a fourth person. "Tracking Krusk means you're likely gonna take a knock or two, so maybe Cordial Deadheart here might be able to lend her services." She points over at the other table, where the tiefling female has stood up, and is bowing in your direction.

Darla continues, "She seems the 'brave and daring' sort, and probably savvy about less direct routes to Candlekeep and parts beyond, which I've heard is Krusk's preferred method of travel. You all get acquainted, and if it's gonna be you four, head over to the kitchen and talk to Thogred."

OOC: that works for me. She's enthusiastic about helping others so the only way she wouldn't have jumped in before is because she wasn't sure about whether she should. If she introduced herself to Darla before and said she was looking for an adventuring party that needed a healer, that would make it fall into place.

Bowing and walking awkwardly toward the party, Cordial says, "I would very much like to be of service to you "

Thokk nods at Cordial and extends a hand outward, first wiping it on his shirt. "Good to meet you. I don't know much about this part of the world myself, so any help is appreciated, especially seeing as we're down a sorcerer."

Smiling, Cordial takes Thokk's hand. Unsure how much pressure to apply to give the best impression through a handshake, she starts with kind of a weak shake and then firms up excessively as the whole ordeal goes on a little too long. "What do you mean, you're down a sorcerer?"

"She ran off afore the fight." Ezythyr eyed the druid warily. Druids tended to frown upon his practice.

"I don't like her." The whisper was strained and tense.

The smile on Cordial's face wavers almost imperceptibly as she turns her attention to Ezythyr, then she beams at him and offers her hand, actually motioning towards his as if she will shake it whether or not Ezythyr is willing. She stops short of doing so (it would be quite a reach anyways) and nods slightly in hopes of encouraging the dwarf in this friendly ritual.

"You won't find that to be a problem with me, no sir. I'll be right there, right behind you, ready to go! Everyone needs a... trusty... a helpful... a trustworthy... I always think you need a healer..." and she trails off, hand still stiffly extended toward Ezythyr.

Before Ezythyr has a chance to respond (or not respond) to Cordial's outstretched hand, Eledriar steps up behind her and claps a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about him," she says, with a warm smile, which takes a second to reach her eyes. "I'm Eledriar, it's nice to meet you. I agree, it's helpful to have some extra healing on the team." She removes her hand. "And, like Thokk said, any knowledge of the area would be super helpful."