The Dobbeltøren

JP with Lasersexpanther and Cindy

Thursday, June 13, 1889
Oslo: Bar (The Dobbeltøren - The Double Alder)
Late Morning

Masao got ready, grabbing one of his older coats. Something he kept around for when he needed to blend in with a more rough crowd. Clear places where it had been stitched back together and patches a red, but not quite matching here and there. Taking Cronk with him he sat out to find the most lively tavern close to the workers docks to ask some questions and listen into some conversations.

He walked up to the bar, looking like he's been there a million times. "I'm looking to get some questions answered." he said, sliding some currency across the counter but keeping a grip on it.

Behind the bar, was a portly looking man, human. A head of hair the color of sunflowers and deep blue eyes. He stood about six feet tall.

Taking the money, the man looked over Masao, then Cronk, then Maseo again, clearly making decisions in his mind. "What ya asking 'bout?" The man's voice was deep, his Norwegian accent was not, actually it sounded a little like it was mixed with a British accent. Not deep enough to have lived in Norway for more than a few years.

"Heard some stories about a village the recently got left to be taken back by nature." Masao started, "My crew is in the scrapping business. Know anything about it? Any dangers? Just want to know what I'm getting myself and crew into." Masao finished, flashing a bit more money to let the man know he's good for payment for the info.

The man behind the bar started to talk, but then a Dwarf, came and sat on the booth next to Maseo. He glanced over towards the bartender, "Luca, put their drinks on the house."

"Yes, Sir," the bartender nodded.

"I'm Alviss, proprietor of this fine establishment." The Dwarf jokingly introduced himself, in his Norwegian accent, as he half downed a beer. "Who might you and your companion be?" He was clearly indicating Cronk.

Masao thought quickly and decided starting the conversation on a bold faced lie was not the best play and aired on the side of caution. "Captain Masao." he said, extending a hand to shake, when shaking he didn't break eye contact until Alviss did. "My companion is Cronk. He's my muscle." he said, putting a lightness to the tone of the last part to make it not sound like a threat. Masao knew that he clearly had heard at least bits of the conversation and just jumped into this 'business' pitch. "I run a little salvaging business. Collect what's needed for my partner, take the 'useless' scrap as payment, occasionally set things right so the people I work for can get back to work." he smiled. "Salvage is just part of the job, main part is to help, believe it or not." Masao gave a laid back shrug. "People that trust you are more willing to hire you again. Repeat business is good business, and sometimes they even tell their friends about my little outfit, and they tell theirs. Word of mouth is good in my line of work. Keeps me from always needing my ear to the ground." Masao chucked and down all but a third of the drink Alviss had put in front of him in one long pull. Doing his best to match the dwarves' energy.

Alviss, eyed Maseo downing the drink, gave him an impressive look. Though drinking alcohol was like drinking water to Dwarfs, as they never felt it's effects and really only liked the taste, it was impressive to them when a human could down one or a few. "Yes, it certainly is better with trust." Only then did Alviss break eye contact, to point out a table a little off to the left back corner. "Let us talk, over there." The Dwarf finished his beer, and ordered another, getting it before jumping off his barstool and waiting for Maseo and Cronk to follow.

Masao did like wise, going as far as to tap the bottom of the glass to get the last of the head out, before following behind Alviss, motioning for Cronk to follow. Having Cronk be a wall between him and anyone to the side. Allowing him to focus on Alviss, just in case. On the way Masao and Cronk had mostly worked out the plan. Cronk acting simply as muscle and a 'back off' type of presence for anyone who might want to start something. And if the Dwarf expected a conversation over a liquid lunch Masao would need backup, if for nothing else but to help him get back to the guest house they were staying in.

Masao took a drink and flashed another friendly grin. "Hope I'm not starting something that'll be trouble." he said, "You just hear rumors in my business, and a lot of the people I know are scared off by strange vanishings. Supernatural or otherwise.”

"Trouble, likely only from the animals that might be scavenging as well." Aliviss commented. "Would you be headed north of the article circle, there's rumors of a a Dwarven village up there- completely vanished. Don't get your hopes up, rumors about that area fly fast and furious, in Oslo." The Dwarf looked around. "That area of the country fascinates anyone who's never been there. Like they expect mythological creatures around every corner. I myself do know of a village that disappeared, but that was .... must be going on almost 50 years now. Needless to say nothing left there worth getting, so I assume you must be speaking of a newer event?" It was almost a half-question/half-statement.

"Based on what I've heard, fairly recent yes. Couldn't say exactly when, only recently arrived." Masao took another drink. "That's more or less all I know. Up and abandoned. Not sure what the town's name is, if it had an export, based on where it is it's odd that they'd all just up and blow away like smoke. I thought if I did some poking someone might know, or someone might have been from there and willing to help with some info." Masao said, letting a half smile across his lips. "I'm willing to make it worth your time if you can help me.”

"Hmm..." the Dwarf seemed to think it over. "Well, it would be odd for those in that area to just abandon a town. Less so if it was humans. Arundan has been to if the water isn't viable, for obvious reasons. Orcs just stay. Dwarfs however, well, we pretty much find the ground to be a sacred part of the whole. Even more so for rural elves. It is unlikely for us to abandon a village, but like I said the same thing did happen 50 years ago" Alviss took a gulp of his beer. "Now, see there have been rumors of a village that had gone missing more recently, but can't say I paid much attention to the rumor. Koldihm I believe is what it was referred to as. Said a child was left on her own, also, odd, if true. The next closest village moved from what the rumors stated." Aliviss didn't seem to know all that much about the more recent village.

Another male dwarf, who was likely a bit younger than Alviss, though with Dwarfs it was hard to tell, seemed to overhear the conversation. He was seated at a nearby table and turned his chair to face Maseo and his table. "Alviss, it was werewolves, I'd bet anything."

"Brokkar," Alviss addressed the other Dwarf. "Even if the rumors are true, there's no stories of carnage. You know, wolves leave a mess."

"A troll doesn't," Brokkar stated.

This made Alviss laugh, in almost a mocking tone. "Brokkar, my good Dwarf, I'd say you'd be drunk, if ya could get that way. Ridiculous stories. No one has ever seen a troll, have they? And I don't believe the stories that start, the cousin of a friend of my aunt's child....if ya know what I mean." Alviss shook his head, and turned back to Maseo. "Ignore Brokkar. He's one those, never been north of the circle and barely outside of Oslo types. Worse, he believes everything.”

Masao gave the man a shrug. "It'd be unpragmatic to discount anything. Fictitious or not. A Hunter friend of mine has seen plenty of stuff you'd think is just story book." Masao said, making sure to make the H stand out so Alviss knew it wasn't a hunter of deer, but a Hunter of 'Monsters'. "So bottom of the list, but not discounted about a troll."

Masao doubled back to the topic at hand, "You know the land around here fairly well?" Masao asked, but went on with his question before Alviss had a chance to say anything. "My navigator and I were looking at and older map and a newer map on the way in, get the lay of the land and all that. But, odd thing is, can't remember its name but a river moved, or maybe got moved. The maps are high quality, so it's doubtful it's a cartographer's error.”

Alviss just shrugged, he was more the seeing is believing type and not only had he never seen a troll, no one he knew has ever seen a troll. Last reports of any were decades old. He also hadn't been wrong in describing Brokkar.

"Yeah, well 'nough. I was raised north of the circle, myself." Alviss stated. "River moved? Hmm.." He seemed to be searching his memory banks. "A yes, the Lite Vann, or at least part of it was moved over several months. Can't say it happens often. It coincided with the town of Domgron moving, at least according to the rumors." He thought some more. "Most likely reasons, for the river to be moved, sometimes sediment that flows down from the mountains gets so thick, the river is moved to fix that issue. Sometimes it's chemicals used in mining. Sometimes if there's a large fish kill, for no explainable reason, a river will be moved. Or if something out of the ordinary happens, dwarfs especially might see the river and any land near it as contaminated in a sense. Once that happens they would want the waters to avoid that area." Alviss rubbed his long grayish beard. "Ya wanna more answers, you should stop in and visit the wise woman on your way north.”

Masao took a mental note of the wise woman, though not likely they'd make the trip; it was something to take back to Lady Elizabeth. "Anything else you could tell me about the area would be helpful. Not as used too boots on the ground scouting." Masao explained, finishing his beer. Already feeling the buzzing in his head. Yui wouldn't be happy but she'd understand it was part of collecting info. "I've heard of earthquakes moving land around." he added, "But that's helpful. " he said, taking more mental notes to write down later.

"Fortunately, earthquakes are, pretty much, unheard of here in Norway." Alviss was sure there was some scientific reason for that but didn't know much about what it was. "Nope, though I can't say I can think of much else. Just a minute ..." Alviss then repeated. "I can't be of much more help. I suppose.”

"Well any help is better than no help." Masao said, extending his hand for a parting shake, using his sleight of hand skills to palm a few coins to the man for payment of information. "It's been a pleasure." Masao smiled. "If we kill a troll I'll bring its skull for you to see.”

Alviss nodded, and laughed slightly at the troll comment. "Ya do that. And thanks." Meaning the coins. "Lykke til på reisen." The drawven proprietor wished Maseo and Cronk good luck on their travels. He didn't bother translating it, having figured, by then that Cronk was also Norwegian.