The Hut of Chicken Bone: Night of April 10th

[Nathan of the FoS]

The bard accepts the lantern, then glances at the elf, whose pushiness is starting to annoy him. Do all outlander hirelings countermand their employers' peers...? Or is it an elven character-trait to be so crass?

"Beg pardon, but we don't know if this 'Chicken Bone' is familiar with, or fond of, elves. Best if he sees a human face first."

Crow shoulders his way past Seaven, then sets his free hand against the moss-encrusted bark of the great tree and begins making his way carefully up the rickety stairs.

The stair makes almost a full circle around the tree-trunk, rising perhaps twenty feet as it does so; obviously old age has had little effect on Chicken Bone's agility. An opening in the platform spills a little lantern-light on the top of the stairs; as he steps up Crow can see that the space he is entering is quite large--much bigger than he expected. The platform extends roughly twenty feet out from the tree-trunk and seems to encircle it entirely. Only about a third of the platform can be seen; the rest is hidden behind rice curtains suspended from a high ceiling.

It is brightly lit, at least compared to the stygian darkness of the swamp, with two lanterns set in far corners of the room and numerous candles burning at a pair of low altars covered in statuettes and icons. There is no other furniture, at least in this section of the platform. The floor--of wide wooden slates, not quite perfectly joined--has been scrawled over with chalk many times, and burn marks and bloodstains are both apparent here and there over its surface. A high shelf built into the tree trunk holds several skulls, which seem to look down on the room with macabre jollity in their lipless grins.

"Entrez, m'sieurs, madame," a soft, hoarse voice says. The rice curtain is thrust aside to reveal an old man, his close-cut and tightly curled hair white and his face heavily lined. Gesturing with his hands, he invites Crow to step up and take a place in the room, to which he directs him by gestures; as the rest of the group file in, he directs them in the same way, bringing Gertrude and Rolande to the front and placing Crow and Buchvold together, a little to one side.

[Pamela]

Gertrude had held her tongue (to the relief of many) while she was carried to the steps. She was thankful when Crow spared her some need to respond. She gave a quizzical look at Dadrag and Buchvold, wondering why either employer seemed content to say nothing to their own employees.

She thanked Rolande as she stood on her own two feet once more, and began to smooth her skirts like a dove unruffling its feathers. “I agree that someone should remain behind to watch over our boat, as well as our captain. No disrespect is intended,” – for once- “But we are here on a confidential matter, and it would be best if you all remained here,” she said, looking at Dadrag, Hiro and Tarlyn. “Besides, we are uninvited guests, and we do not wish to imply to our host that we consider him untrustworthy.”

She looked up the steps at Crow with a smile. “While I would not forgive myself if you endangered yourself for my sake, I appreciate your offer to check the stairs upstairs. Thank you. But perhaps when we reach the top, we might ask our good guide to do the introductions for us, before he leaves us to our business?” She looked over at Rolande to see if the suggestion met his approval.

We can learn from him the appropriate way to approach the voodan- or at least get a hint of it. Hopefully this home has more than one room; I really don’t want Jeanne’s nephew having to stay outside with the intermittent rain and mosquitoes. If there isn’t though, I have a feeling that Rolande won’t be sorry to wait out of sight of the old man’s eye. He’ll also be able to make sure that the bodyguards don’t come eavesdropping in the name of public security.

Rolande might ask to stay to translate.

True. I know the dialect, but I'm not a native.

That might be useful though to cover any potential errors.

Still, see what he says. Chicken Bone might not care to have him bandy words about his involvement with us, considering the magical prohibitions here.

[steveflam]

Tarlyn goes up the stairs last Unsafe stairs indeed, dos talinth dosstan zav, waela rivvil = you think yourself clever, foolish human. What do people of this land have against a person being bold? Is it because I am an elf? I think not. It must be something else I haven't understood yet after these 4 years. This matter demands more of my attention, maybe at another time.

Tarlyn flips his hood up then enters Chicken Bone's home, and stays to the back of the group, happy to listen to the conversation and not take part unless the Wizard or one of the Brotherhood speak with him. He takes the time to look around Chicken Bone's home, seeing what kind of abode Chicken Bone lives in.

Ooc : Tarlyn does a Search or Spot check in Chicken Bone's home
Ooc : see the Ooc thread I may in fact edit this but do go up

[Pamela]

As she awaited Rolande’s reply, the professor began to make her way upstairs, not wanting to have the voodan wondering what they were up to on the ground. She marvelled at the old man’s ingenuity in having a home out of reach of many dangers. Though I wouldn’t want to have to manage these during a heavy storm…Still, the view must be beautiful on a clear day.

Her eyes shone as she saw the light spilling out of an opening in a platform. A nostalgic smile broke out across her face as she recalled her cousins’ treehouse as a child. Now all we need are ropes to swing from, she chided herself, but she was unable to curtail her charmed delight.

This pleasure was heightened and took another turn as she entered the platform and saw the displays of dozens of loas. It was a sight to bring any religious scholar to her knees. Her eyes roved over the statuettes, trying to take in their features and symbols as much as possible, bemoaning her relative ignorance on the matter.

“Merci, m’sieur,” she breathed despite her initial intention to remain silent, thrown akilter by her greedy awe. She curtseyed to the ancient, even as she wondered why she’d been brought forward with their guide. Foresight, or courtesy to the lone woman in the group? I’ll find out soon enough…

[Moral Machivelli]

Buchvold takes the starecase in his stride. Upon arriving at the top, he looks at the surroundings with interest.

Burn marks? In a treehouse? And chalk... Any man who saw this could make a guess as to Chicken Bone's profession, even if they didn't know otherwise. But it helps him make an impression on some

Buchvold moved into his assigned place next to Crow with just the slightest trace of irritation. He observes Kingsly's rapture with interest.

Although, I wouldn't have said sister Kingsly was the type to be won over with such things. Ah well. Let us hope that his power is as great as the natives believe.

The Borcan keeps silent. He is content to merely watch the good Professor, (and prehaps Serd) at work. How they go about this might be worth knowing.

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Emerging into the room, Crow bows to its wizened resident, respectfully and in the Souragnien style. He briskly takes in the surroundings, noting the backwoods decor and the trappings of voodan, then steps aside to let Roland and his FoS associates emerge. Stepping with care so as to avoid the veves, stains and burn-marks, he takes his place as directed, then observes his companions' reactions to their environment in turn. Kingsley, naturally, is very much in her element, whereas Buchvold is perhaps less interested in the voodan's mystic accoutrements than the bard might have expected.

Crow turns his attentions to their renowned (or infamous?) host, trying to assess Chicken Bone's mood ... and, if possible, begin taking this elderly voodan's measure. It is not easy.


[OOC: Sense Motive 26. For now, he's just trying to determine if Chicken Bone's underlying mood is irritated, businesslike, eager, needful, or what.]

[VAN]

Dadrag looks upstairs, he is very curious to meet this Chicken Bone but since he suspected that he might have to do something with magic or maybe even worse with undeads decides to rest with Hiro.

"I'll stay with Hiro, unless you want me to go with you Draxton." Says Dadrag as he looks his employer.

[Coan]

As the majority (if not all) the group ascend the stairs and disapear Hiro kneels down near the swamp where there is a more clear distinction between land and water. From under his hat the small firefly from earlier crawls out and lands on his open hand, holding it to his mouth he whispers something and then casts it off gently allowing it to fly away in a singular direction.

"And now... we wait."

He begins etching something into the mud with a stick while biding his time.

[Nathan of the FoS]

[OOC: Sense Motive 26. For now, he's just trying to determine if Chicken Bone's underlying mood is irritated, businesslike, eager, needful, or what.]

OOC: Chicken Bone seems more businesslike than anything, although there's a certain element of amusement as well.

IC: The old man, having arranged his visitors to his satisfaction, claps his hands once and smiles, revealing surprisingly good teeth. "M'siegneur," he says. "Desirez moi presenter ces bones gens etrangers?"

"Eh bien, m'sieur, ceci soir ne pas utilisons les noms," Rolande says, half-bowing politely. A thin layer of sweat can be seen on his face, despite the relative coolness of the night and the slight breeze wafting through the tree-house. "Venissent a demander votre aide en une affaire prive."

"Demandez, puis," Chicken Bone replies, smiling again--a small, private smile this time.

Glancing at Kingsley, Rolande says in a low voice, "He asked for an introduction, I say, tonight we use no names. I tell him you come to ask for help, and he says, ask."

[Pamela]

Gertrude had understood the exchange but made no attempt to imply otherwise. "Thank you," she said to the guide. She passed one last glance around at the others, then waited silently for the elvish bodyguard to keep his word and leave the abode.

Once this was done, she reached into her pocket to present the handkerchief and its concealed object. She paused to explain to Rolande, “Please do not open it up; just give it to the good gentleman.” She added, “Our hosts at La Maison Soulombre found this tonight. They hope that he would be able to identify the object’s owner.”

[steveflam]

Ooc ; This is done before Llana's post.Nathan check your pm I had a question. My post maybe editted as to your answer.
Tarlyn nods to Gertrude before he leaves the abode. Once out he looks around trying to discern a place he can hide as well as listen in on the conversation inside. Seeing he can either levitate up or go part-way down hte stairs and stop, he choses the latter. He sits there and listens.

[Nathan of the FoS]

Rolande takes the handkerchief carefully and hands it to Chicken Bone, who flips it open without touching the contents. The onyx gleams balefully in the lantern light. "La serpente," Chicken Bone mutters, closing his hand and hiding it. Glancing at those present again, he turns his attention back to Kingsley and speaks in heavily accented High Mordentish. "So...dese fine people, m'sieurs and madame, dey come by night to visit dis ol' Chicken Bone. Dey bring de ring, de ring all dey wear, dey say, de ring he has no owner. So. You not ask your frien' if he lose his ring?"

[VAN]

Dadrag follows the fly leaving, a smile appears at his face.

"Interesesting this trick of yours my friend, but I prefer to use more... classic methods! And since the ladder might make noise, I'll use an alternative way to go upstairs."

With that Dadrag starts climbing at the tree's trunk. He moves without any difficulty, as walking to the tree, trying to make the less noise possible. Soon the ex-assassin gets upstairs and moving as silently as he can he goes and hides beside Tarlyn.

OOC> Dadrag has boots of spider climb, for this reason he climbs so easily.
Listen: 19
Hide: 27
Move silently: 31!

OOC2: If Dadarg cannot listen from his position he will move closer, he wants very much to know what is all about.

[alhoon]

Draxton just watches this Chickenbone go about his business. He was more than happy to let the others do the talking, just in case this strange man had any weird intuitions about Draxton's new spells and abilities.

[steveflam]

Tarlyn looks to Dadrag and winks. Nice little trick there my friend, I rather not cast anything or use any magic items lest this Chicken Bone detect it and get offended, personally. Concentrating under his hood, he becomes himself again, not using his item until the meeting is over.

Now breathing deeply he attunes himself to the voices coming from the home, concentrating on them. The beating of the rain upon his cloak in a steady rhythm, he listens to the voices now, concious of his surroundings and Dadrag as well,wondering if Hiro shall chose to come and listen or stay below and wait.