012: Party Split

PREVIOUS: 011: Togan and the Terrible Horrible No-Good Very Bad Day

Stormfall Ironworks

The interior of the blacksmith's home is similarly under construction, but it still feels like a home. Without the door blocking Jagal's view, it's obvious now that Miga relies on a cane to get around comfortably. She gestures for him to sit on a couch, but before she can sit down herself, the man next to her pulls her aside with a frown-- she responds as if he's said a whole paragraph.

MIGA: "Ugh, I know, Bev, I just-- I can't even look at her! Just waltzing back here like nothing's happened..."

Jagal doesn't bother trying to respond to Lucya before the door is shut. He could use a break, he thinks.

He scans the couch before taking a seat, then scans the two people in front of him. Some strangely relatable sentiments, but no need to get caught up in that.

JAGAL: "Luckily, this isn't about her, anyway. We're interested in getting your son out of the stocks, yeah?"

MIGA: "Aye, and I'll pay you. But if it were as simple as proving he didn't do it, well, we wouldn't be here, would we?"

MIGA: "I mean, you've met him, right? That boy ain't got the gumption to kill a man even if he wanted to!"

She snorts again. That seems to be as close as she ever gets to a laugh.

Jagal chuckles, in apparent agreement.

JAGAL: "Right, so we find a way to make somebody else a better suspect. Should be doable enough."

Jagal retrieves a dagger to lightly spin-toss-catch, apparently just to keep his hand occupied.

JAGAL: "As far as payment... This seems like a good smithy. Wouldn't happen to have any black iron lying around, would you?"

MIGA: "You don't mince words, do ya, Jack? I like it. I ain't got much black iron in stock right now, but I know where to find more..."

Her grin fades quickly as she sits down next to him. Bevan leaves silently for the kitchen.

MIGA: "I don't think just pinnin' the blame on someone else is gonna change much fer us, though. There's..."

MIGA: "...Lemme try and start from the beginnin'. But none of this leaves this room, aye?"

Jagal pauses for a brief flash, pretty sure he actually hadn't listed Jack as an option this time, but decides his memory lapses are regular enough to explain that away.

JAGAL: "It's good not to have to." (leaning in a bit at the semi-confirmation) "Now that sounds promising."

His gaze is briefly drawn to Bevan at the motion before he focuses back in. From the look on his face, he doesn't have any idea what she's getting after... But it seems clarification is coming.

JAGAL: (leaning back to get comfortable) "Understood."

MIGA: "Ahh, where do I even start? I think yer the first person I've ever actually told about all this..."

She glances across the room. Bevan signs back to her gently.

MIGA: "Yeah, yeah. So. I'm sure you've noticed that we're pretty new in the area. And that people don't like us much."

MIGA: "One reason for that being that we don't talk about where we came from. Reason for that being... I used to be a raider, back in the day. Black Ridge clan."

Her hand moves to the arrowhead hanging from her ear.

MIGA: "This is what took me out, see? Busted me leg. It's a beauty, ain't it?"

Jagal glances sidelong at the signing but isn't sure if he's supposed to be seeing it. Instead he just listens. He seems neutral enough at the big revelation, though his dagger-twirling pace picks up considerably by the time she pauses. The earring gets more of a stare than an appreciative once-over, but he tries to settle down. He's probably just imagining it.

JAGAL: "I'd say so, sure. Kinda gives you the final victory on the matter, yeah?"

JAGAL: (switching the dagger to his other hand) "So people around here don't think you got a right to privacy, huh."

Miga raises an eyebrow, but lets the strange reaction slide.

MIGA: "I tell ya, I ain't ever met such a crowd of busybodies! But business is good here, and I can't travel like I used to... And they left us alone, mostly, while the engagement was still on."

MIGA: "Then Lucya broke my boy's heart, and ever since then, we've been... getting threats, from someone. I don't know how they found out, but..."

JAGAL: "Ahh. And you're not sure who this someone is, I take it?"

MIGA: "Well, that's the thing. I thought I knew, 'cause I finally caught him selling the stuff they was blackmailing me for, but..."

MIGA: "I don't think Pearce is gonna be selling any kind of stuff anymore, aye?"

It's Jagal's turn to raise an eyebrow at that.

JAGAL: "Think he'd have a little trouble, yeah."

MIGA: "And yet we got another message just this morning! I'd just hunt down the rat myself, but... I've got a family to worry about now, aye? And if we had to leave, we'd lose all of this, and I don't know where we'd go..."

BEVAN: "..."

Bevan returns with some dried fruit for Jagal and Miga. He sits down next to her with an arm around her shoulders, watching their guest carefully.

MIGA: "...Yer ironsworn too, ain't ya? Like Lucya?"

JAGAL: "Sounds rough." (to Bevan) "Thanks."

Jagal takes a piece of fruit to nibble on very slowly.

JAGAL: "Like plenty of people, yeah. I'm not about to promise anything impossible, but I think a good vow could be arranged for here." (grinning) "Especially with promise of payment."

Bevan nods approvingly.

MIGA: "Aye, I never envied yer type."

MIGA: "But if you can help our son without gettin' us run out of town... Why, that's all a mum can ask for."

She grins back, covertly flashing a finely-wrought black iron blade of her own from her pocket.

Jagal's eyes spark a bit more at the glimpse of that. With his right ankle resting on his knee, he tugs the leg of his pants up just enough to access an unmarred swath of flesh along the inside. At least, unmarred compared to the absolute mess of scars along what little shin is visible.

JAGAL: "I vow to take the suspicion off Togan without jeopardizing this family's standing."

🎲 Jagal rolls to Swear an Iron Vow. It's a strong hit! In the narrative Jagal and Lucya are swearing their vows to different people, but mechanically we're treating it as a normal vow.

🗡 IRON VOW: Prove Togan's Innocence in the General Store Murder ⚫⚪⚪⚪⚪

Bevan looks a little concerned, but Miga just nods sharply.

MIGA: "Alright... well, hop to it, Jack."

BEVAN: "...Thank you..."

MIGA: (sighs) "Yes, thank you."

Meanwhile, back at the stocks...

Mossgrove Town Square

LUCYA: "...I vow tae prove ye innocent a this foul murder! Even if yer ma gets mad at me..."

Togan watches her trace the sigil of the iron vow with mild apprehension.

TOGAN: "I-I can't thank you enough, dear... but..."

TOGAN: "Just be careful, okay? Something feels wrong about all this... Besides, uh, this. Y-you know what I mean..."

LUCYA: "Of course, Togan. We'll get ye outta there."

She hugs him one more time before standing up and patting down her dress. She catches someone staring at them, and shoots them a glare.

LUCYA: (to self) "So, t'the general store, I s'pose..."

Lucya trundles across the town square without much interference, and soon finds herself in front of the late Pearce's general store. Keela said their son should be here, but no sign of him yet... She decides to knock before entering, just in case.

There's a moment's pause before the sound of something briefly scraping the floor. Footsteps approach, and the door is opened by an already bemused-looking young man with shoulder-length hair and a certain formal stiffness to his bearing.

Veren: "Ms. Lucya...?"

LUCYA: "Veren...! I-I'm so sorry t'hear about yer father..."

She glances over his shoulder for a brief moment, curious what the noise was, but her attention quickly returns to the man in front of her.

VEREN: "..." (dipping his head) "Your condolences are appreciated, thank you."

Veren blocks most of the view currently, with the store over his left shoulder seeming about the same as usual, and the other half somewhat hastily cordoned off with sheets and curtains.

VEREN: "I wasnae expecting to see you again so soon..."

LUCYA: "Aye, an iron vow happened t'lead me back here, and nae a moment too soon!"

LUCYA: "Would ye let me look around? I willnae touch anything, not without asking..."

Veren doesn't budge, though he doesn't particularly frown more, either.

VEREN: "I'm sorry, but the store isnae open for browsing at the moment. If there's something specific you need, I can try to fetch it meself."

LUCYA: "Er, that's nae what I mean..."

🎲 Lucya rolls to Compel Veren... It's a miss, but she burns momentum to turn it into a weak hit. This means he'll let us in but only after we do something for him-- only makes sense that we'd need permission, right?

LUCYA: "Nay, I'd like tae see the scene fer meself. The more eyes on it the better, aye? Somethin' dinnae sit right with me about all this..."

VEREN: "Ah... I see."

Veren looks over his shoulder at the partitions before turning back to Lucya.

VEREN: "We're trying to preserve things as they were as best we can, on Ms. Adda's orders... I dinnae think she'd like any more eyes on it than necessary, I'm afraid."

LUCYA: "Auh... aye, I shouldae thought a that first. I'll go talk tae her. Sorry tae bother ye..."

VEREN: "Nae, it's no trouble, I assure you... Good t'see you again, Ms. Lucya."

LUCYA: "Aye, ye too..."

Lucya curtsies and leaves the building, then realizes she forgot to ask where Adda was. She'll just check the usual spots, she figures.

A few squat wooden benches are scattered between the trees and lamps that line the pleasant little path to the Sunflower Inn. On one of them sits a slightly less squat woman with her fluffy red hair wrangled into two tight buns. Hunched over an armful of something, she squints up through her spectacles at every passerby, muttering to herself between sips of steaming hot tea.

LUCYA: "Ms. Adda...!"

Lucya waves as she walks closer, as if she's worried that she of all people might be able to sneak up on her without warning.

Adda looks up again as Lucya crosses her path. At a glance, one wouldn't be sure whether Adda's not at all surprised by the homecoming, or if she just completely lost the ability to look surprised at some point in her life.

ADDA: "Ah, Lucya." (pausing for a sip of tea) "Heard ye were 'round again. Hope things've been goin' better on yer end than ours."

LUCYA: "Ehh..."

Lucya waves her hand in a so-so fashion. She'd rather not have to think about the exploding birds again if she can help it.

LUCYA: "Can ye tell me what ye know about the, um... about what happened? I wannae help..."

Adda huffs, probably with some modicum of amusement.

ADDA: "The whate'er-ye-wanna-call-it, eh?"

Adda lets out a long sigh into her tea mug. Upon opening her eyes again, she realizes this has fogged over her spectacles magnificently, sighs again, and takes them off to wipe clean.

ADDA: "Short version is, 'bout everything I've heard points back tae the poor lad in the stocks. Everything else I dinnae what t'make of at all. Whate'er-ye-wanna-call-it is far, far from me specialty. If I even got a specialty."

LUCYA: "Aye, I heard that from Ms. Keela... But was there anyone else?"

Lucya smiles worriedly.

LUCYA: "Ye shouldnae have t'do this all on yer lonesome, ma'am! I'd like tae look around the place fer meself... Will ye go with me?"

ADDA: "Anyone, nae, not quite. Store register's not helpin' his case, though." (fishing through her armful of documents and miscellany) "Got th'riginal in here somewhere..."

ADDA: "Well, 'dbe nice t'send fer a real investigator from somewhere, but nobody's ginnae risk tarnishing Mossgrove's good name like that if they can help it. Certainly not when our only argument for the poor lad's that surely he'd never."

Adda looks up at Lucya's offer with a weary sort of smile.

ADDA: "Y'know yer father dinnae want the boys anywhere near this mess. Ye really think he'd be happy to hear I let his only daughter have a go at it?"

Lucya huffs.

LUCYA: "I'm a grown woman, ye know...! I'll talk t'him if I have tae! I'm not ginnae give up that easy, not 'til I see everything meself..."

ADDA: “Aye, but it’s the grown man I’m workin’ fer here. I doubt I can stop ye, but I dinnae think I can rightly give ye me blessing, either.”

ADDA: (finding a paper) “But here, this much oughtae be fine. Store register from yesterday. Last purchase was Togan’s, a course, an’ the next-to-last was hours earlier. I’ve yet tae hear of anyone else bein’ seen in the place ‘tween then and then.”

ADDA: (with another swig of tea and a huff) “And believe ye me, I’ve asked.”

LUCYA: "Well, if I get his permission, I'll come back..."

Lucya sighs and looks over the store register.

LUCYA: "A can a beans... aye, that's Togan, alright. And Brajan gettin' the animal feed, he's like clockwork, that wee boy... Eh?"

She looks up over the paper.

LUCYA: "Ms. Adda, who is this 'Baerli?' I dinnae recognize the name..."

ADDA: (peering over the list again) “Ah, aye, Baerli The Sober. Travellin’ feller. Stops by ever so often, trades a few things, moves along. ‘Bout the only thing anybody knows of ‘im is he dinnae smile much. Seems he moved along well ‘fore the whate’er-ye-wanna-call-it, since nobody’s seen the feller around.”

LUCYA: "Hummm... That's quite a bit a money the man's shelled out fer "travellin' provisions," is all."

Lucya returns the evidence and adjusts her cape.

LUCYA: "Well, I oughtae say hi to Ms. Freida while I'm here, then go find Pa, so, um... Thank ye, ma'am!"

ADDA: “Well, yer the traveler. Ye’d know better than me.”

Adda files the list back in haphazardly.

ADDA: “A course. Good luck.”

Adda just takes another sip of tea and watches Lucya leave rather than waving.

Lucya's next stop is the Sunflower Inn, a cozy tavern set a little ways back from the town square. It's been there a long time, but it's very well-kept, and the land around it is covered with flowers just starting to bloom. Even now, Lucya catches herself looking past the fence for a certain blue-eyed boy-- she shakes her head and walks inside.

Sunflower Inn

The interior is just as bright and yellow as the name implies. The furniture is Mossgrove oak, of course, and the wall hangings and tablecloths are covered with intricate floral embroidery. At the bar stands Brynn's mother, a tall, pale woman wearing a black dress and a colorful shawl. And the patron she's attending to is...

Freida: "Ahahahaha!! I dinnae look it, but I think I'm a lil old fer ye, laddie!"

JAGAL: “Why, how old you think I am?”

Jagal lounges on a barstool, his hand in a bowl of sunflower seeds.

FREIDA: "Why, about the same age as--"

LUCYA: "Will ye quit bothering poor Ms. Freida?!"

Lucya stomps over to the bar, and Freida squeals.

FREIDA: "Lucya!! Wee lassie! What are ye doin' here? Don't tell me ye gave up already?"

LUCYA: "A' course not! Nay, an iron vow brought me here, and then I heard about poor Togan!"

Lucya turns to Jagal with a melancholy smile.

LUCYA: "Jagal, the friend I am looking for... Ms. Freida is his ma."

Jagal turns his head at Lucya’s approach but just scoffs at her demand. He eats a kernel in two bites and washes it down as the gals catch up.

JAGAL: “Ahh, yeah?” (scans Freida’s face) “Guess I can see it.”

JAGAL: (idly swirling his drink) “You know I was here, or is it just your turn to bother poor Ms. Freida?”

LUCYA: "Ach, it is my turn, except I am not a bother, as we are good friends and I tip well!"

FREIDA: "Oh, yer laddie's been nae trouble at all. Ye want the usual?"

LUCYA: "Nay, I need a clear head... Just a wee somethin' fer the nerves, aye?"

Freida nods and turns to the rack of bottles and kegs behind her. Lucya hops onto a stool and settles in at the bar.

LUCYA: (to Jagal) "Did Ms. Miga talk to ye...?"

JAGAL: “Oh, good! You’re paying for mine, in case you weren’t sure, so I’m sure your good friend will appreciate the better tip.”

Jagal finishes off what is definitely not his first glass and slides it out of his way.

JAGAL: “Yup! She really doesn’t like you very much, huh?”

Lucya flicks him on the shoulder, but she loses the will to retaliate further on hearing Jagal's report.

LUCYA: "Aye, I cannae blame her too much fer that... But why would she nae even talk t'her own boy?"

Freida picks out a bottle of some lethal-looking clear alcohol and fills a wooden mug about halfway. Lucya doesn't bat an eye as she takes a swig of it.

FREIDA: "Now now, be kind t'Miss Lucya, ye'll never meet a finer lass!"

FREIDA: "Hmm, but what's this about Miga?"

Jagal snorts at the flick, then raises an eyebrow at Lucya's "wee somethin' fer the nerves." He's not completely sure if he expected this or the opposite.

JAGAL: (chewing thoughtfully) "Let's just say it's not because she doesn't want to."

JAGAL: (to Freida) "Oh, this is plenty kind for me, don't worry. And Miga's gonna pay me to help get her son off the hook." (with faux nonchalance) "I've got a little experience with these things..."

FREIDA: "Aye I knew it! There's something weird goin' on!"

LUCYA: "Ehh-- do ye know somethin', Ms. Freida?"

FREIDA: "Now I'm nae part of the 'vestigation, mind, but-- Ye think she'd care if anybody told 'er not tae visit her sweet boy? Why she'd flip a table and tear yer pa a new one!"

FREIDA: "Nay, Miga must be real scared a somethin', and it's not the stocks. 'Sides, that Adda came 'round a couple times, she's in charge a the 'vestigation, and she didn't say nothin' about not talkin' tae the boy..."

JAGAL: (continuing to make his way through the sunflower seeds at a comically slow pace) "You got any theories?"

Freida briefly glances around the room-- it's empty, aside from the three of them.

FREIDA: "Now dinnae go 'round repeatin' this, aye? An' I hate tae speak ill o' the dead, but... I'm preddy sure'a least one thing th'general store sells that they'd wannae hide. Cover yer ears, Lucya--"

She stage whispers to Jagal.

FREIDA: "--It's scratch. The ol' yearnin' leaf, aye? I've smelt it 'round here every once in a while, and I've smelt it in th'store, I'm preddy sure... That Baerli fella always reeks!"

Lucya did not cover her ears.

LUCYA: "Baerli--! W-was he here yesterday?"

JAGAL: (eyebrows going up) "Ooh. Decent price on that stuff."

Jagal knows what he's looking for when they hit the crime scene.

JAGAL: "So you think Miga's got something to do with..." (squints between the two of them) "Okay, is Baerli somebody I should know by now, or."

LUCYA: "Well, I havenae met him meself. But his name was on the store register, on the same day, fer some 'travelling provisions'... but it seemed t'me like he paid quite a bit more than he shouldae!"

JAGAL: "Aha." (signals Freida for another drink, please) "If he's a regular... we think maybe he got tired of paying so much?"

Freida raises an eyebrow, but pours him another Sunflower Special. She's moved beyond concern to just wondering how many more he can take before he keels over.

FREIDA: "So that's why Adda was askin', eh? Aye, he was here, talkin' me ears off, wasted as ever... I dinnae think it was even noon yet!"

FREIDA: "I wouldnae say he was in any state a mind tae plan a murder, though. And I dinnae how Miga ties in tae any a this..."

LUCYA: "But, who knows what else they've got tae hide, is what yer saying, aye...? Did Baerli say anything strange?"

FREIDA: "Everything the man says is strange, lassie. I didnae think much a his blitherin', but if ye think he's caught up in all this..."

Freida sips from her own drink thoughtfully.

FREIDA: "I'm tryna 'member... He did say he got tae town early, and 'thought it was an odd time fer repairs,' but then he 'came back a lil later an' it was fine'... But a'course he never said what in the lands he was talkin' about."

Jagal sighs to himself at Freida not having any more Miga ideas, and he takes another draught of his drink. He’s still awfully conscious for a guy his size on his fourth one of these.

JAGAL: “…Huh. Didn't notice any construction work out on the streets. He go a lotta places besides here and the store?”

FREIDA: "Nay, not that I'm aware of. He ne'er sticks 'round fer long... Ye sure ye dinnae want somethin' more tae eat, laddie?" (whispering to Lucya) "That's his fourth one a those!"

LUCYA: "WHAT???"

FREIDA: "Ahahaha! It's on the house, dinnae worry!"

Lucya tries to grab Jagal's mug away from him.

LUCYA: "We have tae solve a murder! Ye cannae get plastered yet!!"

Jagal nods at the clarification. Interesting…

JAGAL: (snorts) “Sure, if it’s free. Otherwise, I’m good.”

Jagal laughs at Lucya’s outburst, and apparently freely relinquishes his mug.

JAGAL: “I can call it after this one, sure.”

Jagal leans back and takes another swig from… his mug? Upon further inspection, the one in Lucya’s hand appears to be empty.

LUCYA: "You!!! How do ye do that?!"

Lucya splutters and nearly throws the empty mug across the counter. Freida cackles.

FREIDA: "Sounds like yer boss wants tae get movin'! Come back later, aye, laddie?~"

JAGAL: (laughing more) “With my clearly drink-addled dexterity?”

Jagal slams down the rest of his drink in one before sliding the mug across to Freida.

JAGAL: “Only if you’re still here.”

JAGAL: (hopping off his barstool without issue) “So where to, boss?”

Freida gives him a little wave, the type you give to a funny little dog you see across the street, and laughs to herself as she starts cleaning up the bar. Lucya gives Jagal a long, hard Look™, but he does seem to be reasonably functional, somehow.

LUCYA: "Hmph! I s'pose, wee man, that we're off t'find me Pa, tae get permission fer lookin' around the scene a the crime..."

Jagal is trying not to get rankled over the "wee" thing, again, when it's clearly intended as an insult this time. His success is limited.

JAGAL: "Or I could just. Go look." (pauses) "Oh, but we still need to get him the basket. Good thinking."

LUCYA: "Aye, and we'd best not upset the mayor if we can help it!"

Lucya pauses for a moment, then waves goodbye to Ms. Freida. She'll need to tell her about the scrying eventually, but... probably not tonight.

NEXT: 013: Meet the Mayor