A mission of mercy

[GM-Taki]

The morning sun has just risen over the horizon when boxes begin appearing in front yard of the Tipsy Traveler. Sacks of food, bolts of cloth, all manner of supplies and raw materials are carried out of the Inn by black-clad dwarves and placed neatly on the lawn.

After a few moments Korrigan emerges, looking grumpy and displeased with the world in general. He regards the morning sun for a few seconds, his dark eyes glaring as if confronting an old nemesis. Murmuring under his breath, he produces a strange looking key and a silver vial from his pouch and walks around to the back of the Inn.

Once there he begins pulling a burlap tarp off of a large object. The tarp reveals a massive metal man, standing nearly as tall as Stumpy but clearly a machine of some sort. It gleams like polished brass and is attached (by much less sophisticated craftsmanship) to a tall, narrow wagon. The single wagon seat sits just behind the metal man's shoulders.

Korrigan climbs up into the wagon's seat and places the key into the metal man's back. A small door opens, and after taking an odd, box-shaped device out of the small opening Korrigan pours the contents of the silver vial into a funnel-shaped hole inside. The box has several gemstones set into its top, as well as what appears to be two small levers. Korrigan then connects the box device to the back of the metal man's head.

"Okay Steamy, time to earn your keep. We’ve got to go be good guys." he says to no one in particular and presses one of the stones on the box-device. Immediately a low humming sound can be heard, followed by a repetitive chugging sound. After a few seconds Korrigan grasps the levers and pushes one forward. Steamy begins walking forward, pulling Korrigan and the wagon around to the front of the Inn.

Stopping just long enough for the dwarves to load the boxes into the wagon, Korrigan and Steamy quickly make their way towards the portal.

[Torakhan]

Quen has wandered from his craftsman shop when he hears and feels the mechanical contraption start moving. He hobbles and clomps his way to the door and grumbles as Korrigan's helpers load up the wagon.

"Great. If you're not makin' ruts in the lawn, you're stompin' holes in it. Just don't go shakin' the walls anymore than you got to. If you break any of the glassware, Berry's gonna pitch a fit until you get back."

He looks to the black-dressed Dwarves. Curious. But not enough to stick his neck out for. Obviously this was Korrigan's dealings, and he paid the fees. He just shakes his head and mutters to himself, leaning on his walking stick.

[Big Moma]

As the Dwarves were loading the boxes into the wagon, Big Moma came plodding down the hill toward the Inn. She moved as though she were in pain. “That Chance…” she mumbled “Boy don’t know up from down, left from right, good from bad. He plain ol don’t know nothin!” She stopped suddenly and began speaking to Korrigan.

“Hey there Korrigan baby, where you off to and who them you got with you? I tell you, it shol is a lotta Dwarves round here.” She hadn’t noticed the machine man right away, but did now…“Holy Hobbits! What’s that there?”