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	[u]Weather[/u]: The sky is still dropping buckets outside. Temperature remains around 50[sup]o[/sup]F (10[sup]o[/sup]C), with humidity creeping along at a steady clip.

	[u]Time[/u]: It is still the afternoon, so far as anyone can tell despite the lack of direct sunlight. The good news: There isn't even a piece of errant glare to sting at the eyes. The bad news: Heavy rain impedes visibility at a distance.

	[u]Ambience[/u]: A steady drone of water upon wood and stone serves as background noise to what has become a hollow sounding, open public house. While one's ears become adjusted to the noise and can more effectively tune it out, the volume still prompts one to project one's voice to be clearly understood past a few feet. There is still a lack of people inside of this building with the exception of the party, Robert, Lea, and Daisy (though one hasn't seen the latter, merely heard her referenced as being in the kitchen). The fire in the main room is still crackling along and there are a few small lamps about the walls, giving light enough to see by but not overly so; windows have been shuttered against the weather. 
	
[center][color=darkgray][h2]*****[/h2][/color][/center]
[center][hider=Neil & Bob's Public House][img]https://i.ibb.co/5vK80t3/N-B-ip.jpg[/img][/hider][/center]
	Lea balanced a heavily laden tray in her hands as she exited the kitchen. From the look of it, she carried almost all of the food ordered by the party simultaneously. One could look at it and easily come to the conclusion that it was the culmination of the orders in their entirety, but this thought would be banished by the sight of Daisy, the Halfling cook, hurrying out with a basket containing little round loaves of bread in one hand and two covered pitchers of what one might assume to be fresh beverages in the other. Steam rises from the tray in an inviting manner. The two of them paused at the bar to reposition their loads to more effectively get them to the table without incoming catastrophe. 

	Meanwhile, Robert looked annoyed. He was perceptive enough to have surmised the use of magic just earlier with the unabashed casting of [i]Prestidigitation[/i] and was insightful enough to gamble on detection magic utilized more recently. Perhaps another gamble was taken when he moved from behind the bar to begin putting up unused chairs, bringing him into the range of the divination. The reaction he gave to Marita began with a frustrated sigh and an actual, bona fide facepalm. [color=darkgray][b]"Don't insult my intelligence if you can help it."[/b][/color] 

	The tone of the barkeep instantly made Lea and Daisy freeze in place, faces showing an even mix of confusion and concern. [color=darkgray][i]"Is everything well?"[/i][/color] asked Daisy, shuffling uncertainly on her feet. 

	Robert walked partway to the bar, a weary voice requesting, [color=darkgray][b]"Toss me that chalk, would you, Lea?"[/b][/color] Still confused, the young Human lady did as asked, procuring and launching said item ordinarily used to change writing on the slate boards behind the bar. A stick of the white mineral found its way into Robert's hand, which he held out to his side opposite from his other hand in a nonthreatening gesture as he made an approach to the table. He hastily inscribed a single word onto the wooden surface. [color=darkgray][b]"Can any of you translate this from Elvish for me?"[/b][/color] He expectantly and impatiently looked to those still at the table, gesturing at the newly written word in question. 

[center][color=dimgray][i]For those characters who are familiar with the language of Elves, the word translates to [b]"GEAS"[/b]. This can also be guessed with an Arcana check with a DC of 18 (roll in Discord) if they do not understand Elvish.[/i][/color][/center]

	The older barkeep did not make an attempt to stop anyone's egress, nor did he make hostile movements of any kind. But his voice resounded with the same overt annoyance that has colored his words as he said, [color=darkgray][b]"Please tell me that the people sent by Sheriff Arbalest to help aren't morons."[/b][/color]

	Still highly confused but ever dutiful, Lea and Daisy began to slowly make their way to the table with the many dishes of lightly steaming lunch munchies.