Agshulkaal's Perspective
XXXXX
It's quite pleasant to visit a small village for once. Even if it is for business. Commoners living day to day peacefully, unaware of the greater corruption and cruelty around them. The peacefulness of the mundane. Truly, ignorance is bliss. That's why cults like these need to be put down quickly. Once peaceful villages can turn warmongering, or simply be wiped off the map.
Reggie has been skittish ever sense we got down to the outskirts of the village near the lighthouse bridge. "Is everything alright? Having second thoughts?" I ask. We're all capable of being the Legendary Hero, so I assume he's able to hold his own. If he's worried then this could be more troublesome.
"No. It's fine. I just don't like water..." A small drizzle starts falling around us from the overhead clouds. "...or the rain. Let's just get this over with." He says charging in front of me.
He stops a few times along the isthmus to stare off towards the ocean. He has a serious and somber look, only breaking back to his charge when he sees me getting close. Often humans are a copper a dozen, but this one... this one is different. His fire burns blue.
By the time we reach the lighthouse we're under heavy rainfall. I was constantly looking to it's windows. We weren't being watched, but if we were they were really good at hiding it. I knock heavy on the door with Reggie standing to the side. His hand gripping ready on the trident on his back. There's no response. I use this opportunity to slake my curiosity. "You hate water yet you use a trident as your primary weapon. Why?"
"Family heirloom." He says it in a voice as if I knew that already. I'll leave it there.
I pound on the door once more as I hear a muffled voice inside. I can't quite make out what it says, so just as a precaution I slightly draw my claymore from it's scabbard. After about a minute I give a look to Reggie while drawing my blade further, he seems to understand my silent communication as he begins drawing his trident from it's holder. Just as we are about to kick the door in it gently opens.
"Hello there, sorry I took so long..." It's an elderly Halfling man. By his milky eyes he seems to have gone blind. The target was a human so this isn't our guy. Me and Reggie sheath our weapons upon this realization. "Is there anything I can help you with?" The sound of the torrential downpour around us is almost drowning out his voice. Reggie is looking frozen in his boots. "May we come in?" I have to yell.
XXXXX
The fireplace is burning but dwindling. I give a quick spit into it to give it a nice boost. It pays to have red dragon blood. I stand back up only to sit back down on the couch with Reggie who's taken off his armor in most of his clothes. Sometimes I forget that non-dragonkin don't have a naturally high body temperature that can cause water to evaporate on touch. He's still soaking wet. I look across the way to the old halfling. "Thank you for sheltering us from the rain, but we really came here to ask some questions."
"Oh it's no problem for me. It's nice to have some company every once in a while." The old halfling leans a bit forward off his chair resting his hands and head on the top of a cane. "So what do you want to know?"
"Your name wouldn't happen to be Darril, would it?" I ask. Reggie snickered, then sneezed.
"No, no. My name is Bigsby. Darril hasn't worked here in about a year now." I don't hear any deceit in his voice, but with a flick of my fingers and a rune drawn in the air I silently cast "Detect Lies" on him. A good bit of purple magic every jealous housewife should have. If he willingly lies I'll know, but I won't know to what extent.
"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that."
"Oh, my apologies. I haven't spoken to anyone in months so my volume control must be off." He speaks a bit louder and clearer. It was also a lie though the spell likely counted for us as well. "My name is Bigsby. Darril hasn't worked here for almost a year now." Truth.
"Do you know why he stopped working?"
"Well we used to work here together..." Truth. "...but he left to fulfill some 'divine purpose' as he said." Also truth.
"Do you support him in his divine purpose?" I'm trying not to get aggressive with my questioning, but my training as an interrogator is showing through.
"Hmmm... Yes and no." Inconclusive. "Ahhh, sorry." He stands from his seat. "I'm quite thirsty; Could I interest you two with something to drink?" A lie? Is he lying about being thirsty or does he not really care about being a hospitable host? He seems nice enough I'll assume he was fishing for an excuse to get bonus host points with us.
"Sure, I'll take something warm please." Reggie requests. I order the same as well while looking at my companion. He has quite a few scars on his torso. He's seen combat before.
"You two won't mind if I use my special recipe would you? It's a little extra to help calm the nerves and get a good night's rest. With the storm out tonight I think it would be good for you to stay here." Two truths and a lie.The recipe and it's effects are truthful, but his last remark was a lie. Does he not actually want us here at all? Is it actually unsafe? This could mean several things. I have to investigate further. "Do you need help with the tea?"
"No, I've made this recipe many times before by myself. I'll be fine." Two truths. I stand to look at his ingredient rack anyways. It's all standard stuff except for a small empty vial with the image of a blue predatory bird surrounded by a hollow circle, but the top half looks like a blazing sun. "What's this vial called, or well what was inside of it?"
"Oh, that?" He takes it out of my hand without looking. Impressive. "Something a friend gave me a while ago. I don't know it's name, but it's a part of my secret recipe so don't go telling people." He smiles at me. All truths.
He seemed to already have the kettle on when we got here so the tea was being served just as I sat back down. Everything about this seems both right and wrong. I try to stay neutral in ever situation. Both skeptical and naive enough to always be cautious, but not too cautious as to miss out on an opportunity. Some of his lies still irk me. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Reggie take a drink, and my muscle memory follows suit.
Does he actually resent us for being here and interupting whatever he was doing? I've yet to have the chance to look for hidden shrines or sigils. Was he in the middle of prayer? He's answering my questions and served us too, and been reasonably truthful about it.
"I haven't spoken to anyone in months..."
"I'm quite thirsty; Could I interest you two with something to drink?"
"With the storm out tonight I think it would be good for you to stay here."
"...special recipe... ...good night's rest..."
"I'll be fine."
"Something a friend gave me..."
I look down to the teacup in my hand. Empty. I look over and Reggie and he's already asleep on the couch. The last thing I see before blacking out is the old blind Halfling smiling at us.
Sleeping poison, well done.