"Careful girl! Don't be spillin' the flour" the Baker snapped at the apprentice mixing up the bread dough.
"It be hard enough to come by as it is these days!", he grumbled.
"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to spill it, I'll be more careful" she replied with a quivering bottom lip.
" Aye Lass, I know you didn't mean too, and I be sorry I snapped at ye, but by the heavens, things are starting to seem to be in short supply! Got me worried it does. Anyway, carry on makin' that bread, I'm going to go have my lunch at the tavern, see if any of the other shopkeepers are there. May haps we can figure out whats going on" he said as he took his apron off and hung it on the peg before heading out the door.
The Baker made his way to the Cat's Lair Tavern and pushed open the door. Seeing Mary Flint and Rose Blaque sitting together at one of the tables,he lifted his hand in hello. They looked to be deep in conversation, both with worried frowns upon their faces. He didn't want to bother them, so he took a seat at the table that had several of the local shopkeepers sitting around it.
"Hail and well met" he said to the group seated there. "Barmaid, bring me a ale to quench me dry throat! One of the special ales from Yew that old Silas be hiding behind the bar!" he chucked.
" Oh nay, there not be anymore of those, can't get them in supply anymore, not for a few weeks now.",she said to the Baker.
Silas looked up when the barmaid said the remark and added to the comment, " Aye, she's right, last shipment I had ordered, bloody highway men ambushed the caravan and took everything from it. Been having a right problem gettin' supplies in now."
The Baker looked at the others sitting around the table and asked them whether they were having such troubles.
" Aye, I am" said Fergus the Blacksmith."I'm gettin ingots and such, but not nearly as many as I be needin'. Seems the miner's either are afraid of going to the mines, or jest don't care too. Either way, I'm on tight supplies right now."
The Alchemist shop owner nodded in agreement. "Same here, I went out to gather up the reagents to stock my shelves, and they had been all trampled! Yanked up by the roots! And trying to get sulfurous ash? It's like pulling teeth now!", he grumbled." the Spiders are not even givin' much silk these days. Dunno what's got into them."
" I know what ye mean there" said the Butcher,"The meat supply is getting bad too..Can't get nuthin' to feed the cows and sheep,they gittin' mighty skinny..and who wants to buy a poor piece of rib or steak? I went to Delucia to see about gettin more livestock, and the cows and bulls there..well lets jest say It weren't a pretty sight.."he said shaking his head.
The Harbor Master leaned forward and stated "Aye that lads, seems the sea routes are suffering too..I haven't had a decent delivery in days.Ships are gettin' far and few in between.."
Nathaniel the town guard had been listening to the conversations with growing concern. He walked over to the table and in a hushed voice told the shopkeepers," Fellas, I been listening to what all you've said and its got me worried a bit, We've been seeing a bit of rioting and such start up in some towns, over the lack of supplies and such. Why one town, Papua, barricaded the Provisoner's shop because of lack of supplies! Was some unhappy folk there I tell ya! I happened along about the time everyone was trying to bust in..and tried to help bring some order about,but it didn't help much. Just finally had to let them rant and rave about it all, busted up a few windows they did..but didn't gain a thing, there was nothing to get inside."
The Shopkeepers listened to the guard in amazement and growing concern. After the guard left, they talked amongst themselves about what possibly could be causing the problems. It was a uneasy feeling when not any of them could say for sure. They were all sure of one thing, something was not right with the lands, but none could say just what it was.They all had hopes that things would settle down, but in the back of their thoughts, they were afraid it wouldn't and things would get worse. Since Queen Dawn had died, things were different. People were uneasy, as if a tainted cloak had settled upon the lands. No one could put a finger on what it was, only that there was a change.
The Shopkeepers bade each other goodbye and hurried back to their shops to take count of their supplies.Worrying thoughts were going through all their heads. Would they have to close down shop as well? Would they be able to get the supplies needed? Just what was causing the shortages? Highwaymen had been mentioned. Could pirates on the Seas be blocking shipments ? Riots by the townspeople? Could something be in the air? Only time would tell...
"It be hard enough to come by as it is these days!", he grumbled.
"Yes sir, I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to spill it, I'll be more careful" she replied with a quivering bottom lip.
" Aye Lass, I know you didn't mean too, and I be sorry I snapped at ye, but by the heavens, things are starting to seem to be in short supply! Got me worried it does. Anyway, carry on makin' that bread, I'm going to go have my lunch at the tavern, see if any of the other shopkeepers are there. May haps we can figure out whats going on" he said as he took his apron off and hung it on the peg before heading out the door.
The Baker made his way to the Cat's Lair Tavern and pushed open the door. Seeing Mary Flint and Rose Blaque sitting together at one of the tables,he lifted his hand in hello. They looked to be deep in conversation, both with worried frowns upon their faces. He didn't want to bother them, so he took a seat at the table that had several of the local shopkeepers sitting around it.
"Hail and well met" he said to the group seated there. "Barmaid, bring me a ale to quench me dry throat! One of the special ales from Yew that old Silas be hiding behind the bar!" he chucked.
" Oh nay, there not be anymore of those, can't get them in supply anymore, not for a few weeks now.",she said to the Baker.
Silas looked up when the barmaid said the remark and added to the comment, " Aye, she's right, last shipment I had ordered, bloody highway men ambushed the caravan and took everything from it. Been having a right problem gettin' supplies in now."
The Baker looked at the others sitting around the table and asked them whether they were having such troubles.
" Aye, I am" said Fergus the Blacksmith."I'm gettin ingots and such, but not nearly as many as I be needin'. Seems the miner's either are afraid of going to the mines, or jest don't care too. Either way, I'm on tight supplies right now."
The Alchemist shop owner nodded in agreement. "Same here, I went out to gather up the reagents to stock my shelves, and they had been all trampled! Yanked up by the roots! And trying to get sulfurous ash? It's like pulling teeth now!", he grumbled." the Spiders are not even givin' much silk these days. Dunno what's got into them."
" I know what ye mean there" said the Butcher,"The meat supply is getting bad too..Can't get nuthin' to feed the cows and sheep,they gittin' mighty skinny..and who wants to buy a poor piece of rib or steak? I went to Delucia to see about gettin more livestock, and the cows and bulls there..well lets jest say It weren't a pretty sight.."he said shaking his head.
The Harbor Master leaned forward and stated "Aye that lads, seems the sea routes are suffering too..I haven't had a decent delivery in days.Ships are gettin' far and few in between.."
Nathaniel the town guard had been listening to the conversations with growing concern. He walked over to the table and in a hushed voice told the shopkeepers," Fellas, I been listening to what all you've said and its got me worried a bit, We've been seeing a bit of rioting and such start up in some towns, over the lack of supplies and such. Why one town, Papua, barricaded the Provisoner's shop because of lack of supplies! Was some unhappy folk there I tell ya! I happened along about the time everyone was trying to bust in..and tried to help bring some order about,but it didn't help much. Just finally had to let them rant and rave about it all, busted up a few windows they did..but didn't gain a thing, there was nothing to get inside."
The Shopkeepers listened to the guard in amazement and growing concern. After the guard left, they talked amongst themselves about what possibly could be causing the problems. It was a uneasy feeling when not any of them could say for sure. They were all sure of one thing, something was not right with the lands, but none could say just what it was.They all had hopes that things would settle down, but in the back of their thoughts, they were afraid it wouldn't and things would get worse. Since Queen Dawn had died, things were different. People were uneasy, as if a tainted cloak had settled upon the lands. No one could put a finger on what it was, only that there was a change.
The Shopkeepers bade each other goodbye and hurried back to their shops to take count of their supplies.Worrying thoughts were going through all their heads. Would they have to close down shop as well? Would they be able to get the supplies needed? Just what was causing the shortages? Highwaymen had been mentioned. Could pirates on the Seas be blocking shipments ? Riots by the townspeople? Could something be in the air? Only time would tell...