C.A.R.P.S.

*A grizzled old human male comes wandering into the Inn using a cane for support*

"Hey there. I be lookin fer a Maria, a EEE BeeK, or a Boolevear Brian. I hear dat dey is lookin fer some work an I gotz a doosy o a job I needs some help wit. You see des here rapscalions broke into me forge an stole me good smithin hammer. I tink it was goblins er sometin but cant be fersure. I hear dat dez 3 put out da word that they is lookin fer merkenarie work...so I wantz ta hire em."

The old man shakes his cane at everyone present while telling his tale and upon saying "wantz ta hire em" he holds up his hand and you can see a wald between his fingers.

*Mylo comes around the bar, tossing a rather disheveled and dirty rag over one shoulder.*

Come on in and have a seat. Welcome to the The Tavern of Gromms' Heads....errrrr The Heads of Gromms' Tavern.....errr how bout the Inn of Midway? Anyways have a seat and try and take a little bit of the clarity out of your vision with one of Bombour Stoutbringers fine ales.

*He puts his hand on the old mans shoulder*

Tis no finer way to await the arrival of "mercenaries"....

*Mylo helps to lead the old man to sit if not rapped with the cane. If the old man lashes out at the help Mylo backs off and proceeds behind the bar to pull the old man some stout ale, and russle up some crunchies.*

* a pair of furry ears perked up at the mention of "hiring mercenaries" below the window of the Inn outside...*[/i]

I am sure that they will be interested in helping you. I will see if I can find them.

Yes, I heard my name. What can I do for you?
My colleagues and I will be available to do some work soon.
--Maria--

To Mylo:
"Why tank ya soney, tank ya much." As the old man takes a seat at the bar. "Why, I will be takin one o dem fine ales. Aint nothin quite like a fine ale....cept maybe a finer ale."

To Mary:
"Whats de matter wit dis town. Dont you all gots ears. I just told ya...some rapscallions broke into me forge an stole my good smithin hammer. I gots this her wald that I is payin ya to go and gets it back. Now whats so hard to be understandin about tis?"

*Mylo slides a mug of Bombours Best to the old man, and the prerequisite 8 pemb fall distinctly into the till. *

There you go my good man.

A finer ale you will not have. It is fit for a King, to this I do not lie.

Is there anything else you require? We do have on of the finer regiments of the Sensualists Guild this side of Shark Island.

Let me know I will be around, as always with ears perched at the ready.

*Mylo smiles and wipes the oak.*

MONEY!?!
I mean, WORK!?!
I mean, MONEY for WORK!?!
I mean, yeah! I'll work for money!
I mean, HI! I'm Ebek! Ebek with an 'i'.

The grizzled old man turns and looks at Ebek. Upon seeing the creature with beak and wings his eyes go wide for a moment and he appears a little taken aback.

"Why Ill be damned. Ifin it aint one o dem der birdie folk, I just never seen one dat was so...well birdie afore. So yer Ibek huh? Will if dat be true den I come to da right place....You see me good smithin hammer got nabbed right out o me forge by some little footed rapscallions" *The old man waves his fist in the air along with the word Rapscallions almost falling over* "An I dont take kindly to my things bein stole. So I is willin ta pay you 3 Veeee Elll Oooo ers 1 wald to exact my vengenance upon these lil critter an bring me hammer back to me. I aint payin nottin in advance, you aint getting 1 Nick o dis here wald till I gots me hammer back so dont even think about it bird boy. You gots any more questions fer me afore you get ta work? You are gonna take me job aintcha?"

*Never taking his eyes off the chaoticly moving Wald*

That's Ebek. The 'i' is silent.
And invisible when spelled.

Anyway, SURE we'll get your hammer back for you! It's just a few goblins and nothing more, right? And you know where they are?

And can't you part with just ONE little Nick before we go? As a sign of good faith? We'll be risking our necks for you, after all.

*The old man stops waving and flailing his arms about and looks at Ebek*

"IM AN OLD MAN!!"

"O course I dont know where dey is. All I know is I woke up an heard some lil critters scritterin round my forge. When I wents ta look wit me trusty cane here *at which point he pokes Ebek with the cane to emphasis his fierce cane of doom technique...in other words you barely feel it* I walked inta me forge and heard dez lil laughs and den more skitterin as da THIEVES stole my hammer."

"Boy you must tink im dumb er sometin if you s'pect me ta pay you fer sometin afore ya do it. Lousy bird folk always tryin to cheat us good, honest, upstandin, HUMANS! I aint gots no idea where dey went er what dey was...I aint got very good eyes no more...but dats what I is payin you fer. You gots to get me hammer back!!!"

*With that the old man begins to cough as his age is obviously catching up with his tirades and his body is not in a healthy enough condition for this sort of "excitement". *

DD walks in with a devilish grin. He whistles up to Ebek and shakes a coin purse a good distance away from him.

"Mmmm... coins.... You want it? Come and get it!"

With that DD runs outside, leaps into the air and takes flight.

"You can't catch me! Hahahahaha!"

*Readies to snatch the Wald from heart-attack induced dead hands. Relaxes is disappointment when the old man refuses to croak.*

Huh. Yeah, of course we take job. Hammer as good as found. Might need a good tracker, though. Pay more if tracker we bring?

*The old man coughs and wheezes some more*

"Man dis here bird is daft I tell ya. Im payin one wald, not a nick more. How you go about gettin my hammer back...well dats yer job not mine."

*Shrugs*

Had to try. K', take us a-forgin'. We'll get that hammer for you - count on it! In fact, so confident you can be as to give us the Wald now and save yourself the trouble later! Oh yes you can!